IGN UK Podcast #624: Alternative Movie and TV Awards 2021
We've done the games awards, so it's only right that we cover movies and TV as well, right?
Simon, Joe, and Matt convened this week to invent never-to-be-repeated categories that allow them to talk about their favourite shows and films from the last 12 months – as well as one movie that Joe simply never wants to think about again.
If you've got any alternative awards of your own, feel free to sling us an email at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com. Merry Christmas!
IGN UK Podcast #624: Alternative Movie and TV Awards 2021
We've done the games awards, so it's only right that we cover movies and TV as well, right?
Simon, Joe, and Matt convened this week to invent never-to-be-repeated categories that allow them to talk about their favourite shows and films from the last 12 months – as well as one movie that Joe simply never wants to think about again.
If you've got any alternative awards of your own, feel free to sling us an email at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com. Merry Christmas!
Rats are Being Taught to Run Around Doom Maps
You've heard the concept of the "rat race," but how about a literal rat, racing through the hallways of Doom? One researcher named Viktor Toth ran an experiment over nearly six months, seeing if he could train a rat to run down a straight hallway in Doom by using a VR rig he built himself.
As Toth explained on Mindsoft, It took him about four months to build the VR rig for the rats, using a 3D printer, an iron, a drilling machine, and a set of screwdrivers. The main part of the rig is a large, round ball sitting on a base that allows the ball to rotate in place. There are also motion sensors taken from computer mouses that track the movement of the ball. The rat is then strapped into a harness on top of the ball, facing a large, curved PC monitor displaying the game. When the rat moves the ball in a specific direction, the game responds by moving the player in that same direction.
It's like a large hamster ball you put your pet in to let them run around the room, only in this case, the animal rests on top of the ball instead of inside, and the movement is tied into a video game. Toth also set up a sugary water release system for positive reinforcement to help train the rat to move on the ball through the hall.
The hallway itself was a straight hallway taken from the opening map of Doom 2. When the rat reached the end of the hallway, it was programmed to warp back to the start so the rat could keep going.
Toth used three rats for this experiment: Romero, Carmack, and Tom. The researcher says Romero, who loved eating grapes, ended up having the most success moving through the hallway. Eventually, after six weeks of training on the VR rig, Romero learned to run down the hallway pretty consistently. He was at first confused by the ball he was moving on, but later started to walk on his own. You can check out the full video of Romero running down the hall on YouTube — it's pretty cool to see.
Toth also toyed with teaching the rats to shoot enemies by lifting their paws, but he says the rats were never consistent at performing this action. So, what's the point of this? Well, Toth says running experiments using software, like a video game, can be much more cost-effective than a hardware-based experiment, like a maze.
"Once we can reliably train animals to play games, designing an experiment becomes a software problem instead of an often costly hardware problem," Toth said.
However, it seems there is still a long way to go to reach the idea of consistent software-based experiments. In this trial, after 11 days of VR training, Toth still needed to be there to help get the rats on and off the ball themselves.
If hearing about a rat running through Doom made you want to play the series yourself, check out our review of the latest DLC for Doom Eternal. Or, check out how the Doom series fares on our ranking of the best FPS campaigns of all time.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.
Xbox Games with Gold for January 2022 Revealed
Microsoft has announced that the Xbox Games with Gold for January 2022 are NeuroVoider, Aground, Radiant Silvergun, and Space Invaders Infinity Gene.
As detailed by Xbox Wire, these games will be available to all Xbox Live Gold members and those who are subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. NueroVoider and Radiant Silvergun will kick off the month on January 1, with Radiant Silvergun staying on the service until January 15 and NeuroVoider staying on until January 31.
On January 16, Aground and Space Invaders Infinity Gene will join Xbox Games with Gold, with Space Invaders Infinity Gene sticking around until January 31 and Aground staying on until February 15.
Originally released in 1998 in arcades and on SEGA Saturn, Radiant Silvergun was restored by Treasure and brought to Xbox 360 in 2011. Now, those with access to Xbox Games with Gold will be able to try the beloved vertical-shooter for themselves.
In our review, we said, "Radiant Silvergun has a lot to offer: you can play it like a manic shooter and enjoy the weapons and skillful dodging, or you can make it more cerebral and go for the ridiculous color combos. Either way, you're getting one of the very best 2D shooters ever made."
NeuroVoider takes players to a cyberpunk world with original music from Dan Terminus and tasks them with battling through "hordes of vigilante robots using endless combinations of nuclear-powered weapons." To make it even better, NeuroVoider supports co-op with up to four friends.
Space Invaders Infinity Gene is another take on the "game that defined video games for generations." This version comes packaged with 143 stages, countless modes, new power-ups, new features, and much more.
In our Space Invaders Infinity Gene review, we said, "The game’s standard mode and its endless emphasis on leveling up will keep arcade fiends coming back for more, while its multiple ancillary modes will please those looking for a little diversity in their experience."
Aground is a mining and crafting RPG that places you in the shoes of one of the last human survivors and asks you to not only survive, but to thrive. To do so, you'll be able to unlock new technology, raise dragons, launch into space, and much more.
While you wait for these games to go live, be sure to download the games still available in December 2021's lineup, including The Escapists 2, Tropico 5, and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet.
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.
GTA V Was the Most-Watched Game on Twitch in 2021
What were people watching on Twitch in 2021? Certainly not a whole lot of brand new games, apparently. In fact, the most popular game on Twitch this year by hours watched was Grand Theft Auto V.
GTA V had a total of 2.1 billion hours watched in 2021 according to Rainmaker.gg and StreamElements' State of the Stream 2021 year in review report. That's 1.3 billion more hours than last year, when it only reached 764 million hours watched.
Overall, GTA V was the second most-watched category on Twitch, following top category "Just Chatting," which broadly features streamers talking to their audiences without playing games.
In second place this year was last year's No. 1 gaming category, League of Legends, with 1.8 billion hours watched up from last year's 1.4 billion. These were followed by, in order: Fortnite, Valorant, Minecraft, Call of Duty: Warzone, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Apex Legends, and Dota 2.
The most popular brand new game in 2021 on Twitch was New World, but it only had 259 million hours watched and was the 18th most-watched Twitch game.
In total, Twitch also boosted its overall hours watched this year from last year, rising 45% from 17 billion hours last year to over 24 billion hours watched in 2021. Facebook Gaming saw similar growth, rising 47% from 3.6 billion hours watched last year to 5.3 billion this year.
Grand Theft Auto V and its ongoing Online component have been wildly successful for publisher Take-Two since it was first released two entire console generations ago. In 2020, the game had its best year of sales since its 2013 launch, yet in spite of its continued popularity, people seem to be pretty sick of hearing about it. In the news, anyway. On Twitch, at least, people can't get enough.
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.
Save Photos from the Game Boy Camera on a microSD Card, Thanks to Analogue Pocket
We already knew that the Analogue Pocket supports Nintendo's Game Boy Camera accessory. But soon, you will be able to get more use out of your unconventional camera, as the Analogue Pocket will soon allow you to transfer your low-res, greyscale images onto a microSD card.
As reported first by Gizmodo, the Analogue Pocket's upcoming 1.1 firmware update will offer the ability to transfer Game Boy Camera photos onto a microSD card. While the Game Boy Camera does allow you to store up to 30 photos on the cartridge, this offers a much more modern solution.
When the accessory launched in 1998, you had the option to print these photos via a Game Boy Printer. That method's not entirely feasible these days, given the thermal printer accessory uses a proprietary thermal paper, making it somewhat complicated to print these pictures out.
The Analogue Pocket's forthcoming firmware update will circumvent the issue, fortunately. However, Gizmodo notes there is no firm release date when the update will roll out on Analogue's website. Nevertheless, if you have a Game Boy Camera and managed to get your hands on the modern third-party gaming handheld, you're in for a real treat.
For more on Analogue Pocket, check out our review of the handheld, which we called "the best possible way to enjoy your handheld gaming collection".
Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
Uncharted Trailer Shows More of Tom Holland’s Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg’s Sully (With a Mustache!) in Action
A new Uncharted trailer has been released and shows much more of Tom Holland's Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg's Sully in action.
The new trailer arrives ahead of Uncharted's theatrical release on February 18, 2022, and even gives us a glimpse of Wahlberg's Sully with his iconic mustache. The question as to whether Wahlberg would be sporting the iconic mustache of Sully has taken the internet by storm as, up until this point, he has been clean-shaven in all the footage we've seen. Now, the mystery has been solved.
Alongside Holland and Wahlberg, we also get more of Antonoio Banderas - the film's villain we know very little about - Sophia Ali's Chloe Frazer, Tati Gabrielle's Braddock, and more. Oh, and we also see helicopters airlifting ruined ships through the sky that Holland's Nathan Drake just so happens to be fighting enemies on.
The second trailer has a lot of footage from the first one released in October 2021, but there are plenty of new details for fans to discover.
The Uncharted movie is nearly upon us after a rocky pre-production that saw multiple directors leaving the project. Venom director Ruben Fleischer looks set to take it across the finish line and finally give us the big-screen adaptation of one of the most beloved PlayStation franchises of all time.
This film is also only one of the adaptations in the works from PlayStation IP, as HBO is working on The Last of Us series, a Ghost of Tsushima movie is in development, a Twisted Metal series with Anthony Mackie is on the way, and more.
At the end of 2020, Sony Pictures Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra said the studio was actively developing 10 video game adaptations, including seven TV shows and three movies based on PlayStation properties.
For more, check out Holland's comments about how playing Nathan Drake "broke him" and what people have been saying about the first footage of the much-anticipated film.
Developing...
Treyarch Says There’s ‘No Room’ for Sexism, Racism, Bullying in its Culture
Call of Duty: Vanguard studio Treyarch has issued a statement saying that its culture has "no room" for sexist, racist, and bullying behaviors following months of reports about a toxic culture spanning the entirety of Activision-Blizzard. The full statement follows below:
Our goal as a studio is to make awesome games for the world to enjoy. Having the privilege to pursue the endeavor is made possible because of Treyarch's people: we are a studio comprised of smart, talented, world-class creative professionals who seek to perform at our best. Our culture has no room for sexism, harassment, racism, bigotry, discrimination, or bullying. As we move forward, providing a safe, diverse, inclusive working environment so that all may thrive will be our highest priority. Everyone at Treyarch is drawn to game development because we possess a deep love for the artistry of video games and the magic that can create moments that matter. This is a moment that matters and it starts by being better.
As we look ahead to 2022, we felt that it was important to share a few thoughts... pic.twitter.com/lWdEaZVN4w
— Treyarch Studios (@Treyarch) December 21, 2021
The statement comes months after the initial lawsuit filed by the state of California over allegations that Activision-Blizzard had a "frat boy culture" rife with sexual harassment. Since then, dozens of reports of a toxic, sexist culture have emerged, including allegations that former Treyarch studio head Dan Bunting sexually harassed a female employee in 2017. He has since departed the studio.
On Twitter, Treyarch associate producer Miranda Due said that the statement was penned by a group of women at Treyarch who organized to get it published, citing the need to process the trauma of what had come out about their company before they were able to put a statement together. "We are the ones that have been impacted the most by what has happened, and we are fighting for a better future," she wrote.
Activision-Blizzard continues to be under fire for the mounting allegations against it, including a recent announcement of strike action by the ABK Workers Alliance that is currently expected to continue after the holidays.
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.
Treyarch Says There’s ‘No Room’ for Sexism, Racism, Bullying in its Culture
Call of Duty: Vanguard studio Treyarch has issued a statement saying that its culture has "no room" for sexist, racist, and bullying behaviors following months of reports about a toxic culture spanning the entirety of Activision-Blizzard. The full statement follows below:
Our goal as a studio is to make awesome games for the world to enjoy. Having the privilege to pursue the endeavor is made possible because of Treyarch's people: we are a studio comprised of smart, talented, world-class creative professionals who seek to perform at our best. Our culture has no room for sexism, harassment, racism, bigotry, discrimination, or bullying. As we move forward, providing a safe, diverse, inclusive working environment so that all may thrive will be our highest priority. Everyone at Treyarch is drawn to game development because we possess a deep love for the artistry of video games and the magic that can create moments that matter. This is a moment that matters and it starts by being better.
As we look ahead to 2022, we felt that it was important to share a few thoughts... pic.twitter.com/lWdEaZVN4w
— Treyarch Studios (@Treyarch) December 21, 2021
The statement comes months after the initial lawsuit filed by the state of California over allegations that Activision-Blizzard had a "frat boy culture" rife with sexual harassment. Since then, dozens of reports of a toxic, sexist culture have emerged, including allegations that former Treyarch studio head Dan Bunting sexually harassed a female employee in 2017. He has since departed the studio.
On Twitter, Treyarch associate producer Miranda Due said that the statement was penned by a group of women at Treyarch who organized to get it published, citing the need to process the trauma of what had come out about their company before they were able to put a statement together. "We are the ones that have been impacted the most by what has happened, and we are fighting for a better future," she wrote.
Activision-Blizzard continues to be under fire for the mounting allegations against it, including a recent announcement of strike action by the ABK Workers Alliance that is currently expected to continue after the holidays.
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.
Atlanta Season 3 Announces Long Overdue Premiere Date
Hulu has finally announced Atlanta's premiere date. The comedy-drama series created by Donald Glover wrapped up filming back in August, but a premiere date wasn't decided until now.
FX's John Landgraf also said back in August that season three was in lengthy post-production because season four is in production, with all of the scripts for it having already been written.
catching flights. 3.24.22. Stream on @Hulu. #atlantaFX pic.twitter.com/VNOol5LrQ0
— AtlantaFX (@AtlantaFX) December 22, 2021
Both seasons three and four were scheduled to air in 2021, but production was reportedly postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Landgraf explained that part of the reason for the silence around a premiere date was because of Hiro Murai and Donald Glover's schedules. However, he did mention that Atlanta would be coming back during the first half of 2022.
It looks like that promise came through and fans can look forward to a brand new season of Atlanta next March. Atlanta's second season premiered in 2018, so it's been almost 4 years. It's received quite a bit of fanfare considering the show's Twitter account has been relatively quiet, only posting a brief teaser last month — its first post of 2021.
In the meantime, check out IGN's Atlanta review, which earned an 8/10.
George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @yinyangfooey