Halo Infinite's Winter Contingency event has officially launched and it features holiday-themed rewards for players to unwrap each day.

The "in-game Halo advent calendar" is rolling out at just the right moment, as the days are quite literally numbered on everyone's traditional Christmas calendars. Halo's virtual alternative will offer an exciting boost to those final days, with daily rewards up for grabs from December 21 through to December 30, per Halo Waypoint.

There are 10 unique Holiday-themed rewards to collect in total, which can be unlocked by jumping into Halo Infinite's free-to-play multiplayer and completing a match of Arena or Big Team Battle. The daily treats include festive "Peppermint Laughter" coatings for your armor and weapons, along with new shoulder pieces, emblems, and more.

The rewards will unlock over time, meaning they will not all be available on day one. According to this Reddit post, the first match each day will award one tier in the Winter Contingency pass, so players must log in to play at least one game per day for 10 out of the 14 days that the event is running, in order to secure the items and complete the pass.

Players will then have up until the morning of January 4, 2022, to catch up on any items they may have missed during their deck the halls brawls in December. Fortunately for you, we have a full campaign walkthrough, collectible locations, an interactive map, and a multiplayer guide to help you navigate the battlefield, whether you're donning peppermint-colored gear or not.

Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla may have released in 2020, but the original game continues to inspire a wealth new content. And not just video game expansions. IGN can exclusively reveal Assassin's Creed Valla: Forgotten Myths, Dark Horse's latest comic book spinoff.

Forgotten Myths is a follow-up of sorts to Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory, a book which acted as a direct prequel to the main game. This story, however, is specifically a prequel to the upcoming DLC expansion Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok, which thrusts main protagonist Eivor into the mythological realm of Svartalfheim to live out the exploits of the Norse gods. In short, this isn't your typical Assassin's Creed adventure.

Here's Dark Horse's official plot summary for the series:

Thor, Baldr, and Heimdall have discovered trouble lurking at Asgard’s borders once again. A mighty fire giant from Muspelheim is threatening the land of the Æsir. In the aftermath of the raging battle, Baldr discovers that the Muspels are now massing at the gates of Svartalfheim and begins a journey to bring peace to the realms.

Song of Glory artist Martín Túnica will return to draw Forgotten Myths. The series is written by Alex Freed (Dragon Age: The Silent Grove), colored by colored by Michael Atiyeh (Halo: Escalation) and lettered by Jimmy Betancourt (HYPER SCAPE), with covers by Rafael Sarmento (Stanger Things: Tomb of Ybwen).

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths #1 will be released in comic shops and digital storefronts on March 16, 2022, shortly after Dawn of Ragnarok is released on PC and consoles.

As for the future of the Assassin's Creed franchise beyond Valhalla, Ubisoft is reportedly working on a new game called Assassin's Creed Infinity, one which would exist for years as a constantly evolving, Fortnite-style online experience.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla may have released in 2020, but the original game continues to inspire a wealth new content. And not just video game expansions. IGN can exclusively reveal Assassin's Creed Valla: Forgotten Myths, Dark Horse's latest comic book spinoff.

Forgotten Myths is a follow-up of sorts to Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory, a book which acted as a direct prequel to the main game. This story, however, is specifically a prequel to the upcoming DLC expansion Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok, which thrusts main protagonist Eivor into the mythological realm of Svartalfheim to live out the exploits of the Norse gods. In short, this isn't your typical Assassin's Creed adventure.

Here's Dark Horse's official plot summary for the series:

Thor, Baldr, and Heimdall have discovered trouble lurking at Asgard’s borders once again. A mighty fire giant from Muspelheim is threatening the land of the Æsir. In the aftermath of the raging battle, Baldr discovers that the Muspels are now massing at the gates of Svartalfheim and begins a journey to bring peace to the realms.

Song of Glory artist Martín Túnica will return to draw Forgotten Myths. The series is written by Alex Freed (Dragon Age: The Silent Grove), colored by colored by Michael Atiyeh (Halo: Escalation) and lettered by Jimmy Betancourt (HYPER SCAPE), with covers by Rafael Sarmento (Stanger Things: Tomb of Ybwen).

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Forgotten Myths #1 will be released in comic shops and digital storefronts on March 16, 2022, shortly after Dawn of Ragnarok is released on PC and consoles.

As for the future of the Assassin's Creed franchise beyond Valhalla, Ubisoft is reportedly working on a new game called Assassin's Creed Infinity, one which would exist for years as a constantly evolving, Fortnite-style online experience.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced its shortlists for various categories ahead of the 94th Academy Awards, including Best Visual Effects.

The Visual Effects category is populated with blockbuster films such as Dune, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and No Time to Die. The MCU dominates the list with all four of its feature films from the past year making appearances in the shortlisted line-up, including the first movie of Phase 4, Black Widow, starring Scarlett Johansson in the titular role.

Here are the ten films that remain in the running for the Oscars 2022 Visual Effects category:

• Black Widow
• Dune
• Eternals
• Free Guy
• Ghostbusters: Afterlife
• Godzilla vs. Kong
• The Matrix Resurrections
• No Time to Die
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Spider-Man: No Way Home

Warner Bros. Tenet took home the Oscar for Best Visual Effects at the 93rd Academy Awards, and the studio has a few contenders in the mix again this time, with Dune, Godzilla vs. Kong, and The Matrix Resurrections all making it onto the shortlist to potentially take a spot as a nominee in the Best Visual Effects category at the Oscars 2022.

In addition to No Way Home, Sony Pictures features on the list with Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which earned $44 million at the US box office during its opening weekend. Films from other studios also appear, with 20th Century Studios' Free Guy named as a contender alongside MGM/United Artists Releasing's latest James Bond movie, No Time to Die.

All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 10-minute excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on January 29, 2022. Branch members will then vote to nominate five films for Oscar consideration, with the final Academy Awards nominees being announced on February 8, 2022. Stay tuned to IGN for more!

Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced its shortlists for various categories ahead of the 94th Academy Awards, including Best Visual Effects.

The Visual Effects category is populated with blockbuster films such as Dune, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and No Time to Die. The MCU dominates the list with all four of its feature films from the past year making appearances in the shortlisted line-up, including the first movie of Phase 4, Black Widow, starring Scarlett Johansson in the titular role.

Here are the ten films that remain in the running for the Oscars 2022 Visual Effects category:

• Black Widow
• Dune
• Eternals
• Free Guy
• Ghostbusters: Afterlife
• Godzilla vs. Kong
• The Matrix Resurrections
• No Time to Die
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Spider-Man: No Way Home

Warner Bros. Tenet took home the Oscar for Best Visual Effects at the 93rd Academy Awards, and the studio has a few contenders in the mix again this time, with Dune, Godzilla vs. Kong, and The Matrix Resurrections all making it onto the shortlist to potentially take a spot as a nominee in the Best Visual Effects category at the Oscars 2022.

In addition to No Way Home, Sony Pictures features on the list with Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which earned $44 million at the US box office during its opening weekend. Films from other studios also appear, with 20th Century Studios' Free Guy named as a contender alongside MGM/United Artists Releasing's latest James Bond movie, No Time to Die.

All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 10-minute excerpts and interviews with the artists from each of the shortlisted films on January 29, 2022. Branch members will then vote to nominate five films for Oscar consideration, with the final Academy Awards nominees being announced on February 8, 2022. Stay tuned to IGN for more!

Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

The biggest cliffhanger in Hawkeye's finale appears to be a direct reference to a Marvel comic storyline – and could hint at the future of some of its characters in the MCU.

Warning: This story contains full spoilers for Hawkeye Episode 6, and speculation about the upcoming Echo series. Proceed at your own risk!

Hawkeye's finale could suggest to some that the reintroduction of Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin is a literally short-lived affair, with Alaqua Cox's Maya Lopez delivering a gunshot to the crime boss from close range. Of course, with the event shown off-screen, many have suggested that things aren't what they seem, and that Wilson Fisk will make a return, potentially in the upcoming Echo series starring Cox.

That's an idea borne out by the comics, in which a very similar event takes place. In Daredevil #15 (written by David Mack and drawn by David Ross in 1998), Maya comes face-to-face with Fisk, having realised his involvement in her father's murder. Just as in the show, she points a gun at his face from point-blank range, and we 'hear' a gunshot:

However, the issue ends with a reveal that the show doesn't reach – that rather than killing Fisk, Echo instead blinded him. In the comics, this led to Kingpin losing control of his criminal empire for a time and almost being assassinated – although he eventually regained his sight (because... comic books).

While the show offers no indication either way, it feels a little unlikely that Fisk would appear for a single episode within the MCU before being summarily dispatched – especially now that we know that Charlie Cox will return as Daredevil. It feels more likely that the writers will be offering a similar fake-out, although how that's resolved will remain unknown for the time being.

Whatever the outcome, Fisk's return is just one part of an excellent MCU series, which has also seen Clint Barton redeemed along the way. Our review of Episode 6 says that it "concludes the most consistent Marvel TV show with a fittingly fantastic finale."

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.

The biggest cliffhanger in Hawkeye's finale appears to be a direct reference to a Marvel comic storyline – and could hint at the future of some of its characters in the MCU.

Warning: This story contains full spoilers for Hawkeye Episode 6, and speculation about the upcoming Echo series. Proceed at your own risk!

Hawkeye's finale could suggest to some that the reintroduction of Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin is a literally short-lived affair, with Alaqua Cox's Maya Lopez delivering a gunshot to the crime boss from close range. Of course, with the event shown off-screen, many have suggested that things aren't what they seem, and that Wilson Fisk will make a return, potentially in the upcoming Echo series starring Cox.

That's an idea borne out by the comics, in which a very similar event takes place. In Daredevil #15 (written by David Mack and drawn by David Ross in 1998), Maya comes face-to-face with Fisk, having realised his involvement in her father's murder. Just as in the show, she points a gun at his face from point-blank range, and we 'hear' a gunshot:

However, the issue ends with a reveal that the show doesn't reach – that rather than killing Fisk, Echo instead blinded him. In the comics, this led to Kingpin losing control of his criminal empire for a time and almost being assassinated – although he eventually regained his sight (because... comic books).

While the show offers no indication either way, it feels a little unlikely that Fisk would appear for a single episode within the MCU before being summarily dispatched – especially now that we know that Charlie Cox will return as Daredevil. It feels more likely that the writers will be offering a similar fake-out, although how that's resolved will remain unknown for the time being.

Whatever the outcome, Fisk's return is just one part of an excellent MCU series, which has also seen Clint Barton redeemed along the way. Our review of Episode 6 says that it "concludes the most consistent Marvel TV show with a fittingly fantastic finale."

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.

2021 has spotlighted harassment on Twitch, particularly for women. Now a new clip from streamer Grenade Queen is drawing industry attention, with Xbox co-creator Seamus Blackley saying the harassment it depicts "wasn't the future for [Xbox Live] we envisioned."

The video shows Grenade Queen being harassed as she is playing Halo Infinite, on which she comments, "No woman should have to deal with this if they're having 1 rough game against decent people... this was only part of it."

Her comments drew numerous responses women who say they've suffered the same behavior. "My Xbox name is my irl name," one user wrote. "They see it and they immediately attack me. Just bc I'm a girl. I can never enjoy pvp. Even bot matches. My team mates would kill me, run me over, punch me. Like what the hell??? It's so bad that I am willing to pay money to change my name on Xbox."

This wasn’t the future for @xbox live we envisioned. As a community and with the help of @Microsoft this needs to be highlighted and stopped. It will take teamwork between players, devs, and console manufacturers to change this and it’s time. It’s past time. https://t.co/hVPHDvESVP

— Seamus Blackley (@SeamusBlackley) December 20, 2021

Blackley was among those take notice, writing in response, "This wasn't the future for [Xbox Live] we envisioned. As a community and with the help of [Microsoft] this needs to be highlighted and stopped. It will take teamwork between players, devs, and console manufacturers to change this and it’s time. It's past time."

Grenade Queen later shared a screencap of an apology from the players who harassed her, but harassment remains a major issue, with hate raids becoming more and more prevalent throughout 2021. In September, numerous streamers organized a boycott to draw attention to the harassment suffered by marginalized creators.

In a separate interview with Axios, Blackley said "not enough attention was paid to the problem" of harassment while the team was working on Xbox Live.

"It's gone from bad to pure evil over the last two decade," Blackey said.

Blackley urged Microsoft and Steam to "simply pop the bubble" and "clearly state that there is a problem." He said it hasn't happened yet because publishers are afraid that it "alienates the 'core' audience," which he called "ludicrous." He also argued that marginalized people need to be in positions of power at studios.

"It's clear that people behave a lot better when their online reputation is tied to their real lives, and it’s also clear that the consequences of enforcement are far more effective if players can't simply scamper to a new random account," Blackley said.

Twitch has responded by cracking down on toxic streamers and introducing new guidelines, but there is a little sign of harassment abating as 2022 approaches.

Blogroll image credit: Getty Images / David McNew

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN

2021 has spotlighted harassment on Twitch, particularly for women. Now a new clip from streamer Grenade Queen is drawing industry attention, with Xbox co-creator Seamus Blackley saying the harassment it depicts "wasn't the future for [Xbox Live] we envisioned."

The video shows Grenade Queen being harassed as she is playing Halo Infinite, on which she comments, "No woman should have to deal with this if they're having 1 rough game against decent people... this was only part of it."

Her comments drew numerous responses women who say they've suffered the same behavior. "My Xbox name is my irl name," one user wrote. "They see it and they immediately attack me. Just bc I'm a girl. I can never enjoy pvp. Even bot matches. My team mates would kill me, run me over, punch me. Like what the hell??? It's so bad that I am willing to pay money to change my name on Xbox."

This wasn’t the future for @xbox live we envisioned. As a community and with the help of @Microsoft this needs to be highlighted and stopped. It will take teamwork between players, devs, and console manufacturers to change this and it’s time. It’s past time. https://t.co/hVPHDvESVP

— Seamus Blackley (@SeamusBlackley) December 20, 2021

Blackley was among those take notice, writing in response, "This wasn't the future for [Xbox Live] we envisioned. As a community and with the help of [Microsoft] this needs to be highlighted and stopped. It will take teamwork between players, devs, and console manufacturers to change this and it’s time. It's past time."

Grenade Queen later shared a screencap of an apology from the players who harassed her, but harassment remains a major issue, with hate raids becoming more and more prevalent throughout 2021. In September, numerous streamers organized a boycott to draw attention to the harassment suffered by marginalized creators.

In a separate interview with Axios, Blackley said "not enough attention was paid to the problem" of harassment while the team was working on Xbox Live.

"It's gone from bad to pure evil over the last two decade," Blackey said.

Blackley urged Microsoft and Steam to "simply pop the bubble" and "clearly state that there is a problem." He said it hasn't happened yet because publishers are afraid that it "alienates the 'core' audience," which he called "ludicrous." He also argued that marginalized people need to be in positions of power at studios.

"It's clear that people behave a lot better when their online reputation is tied to their real lives, and it’s also clear that the consequences of enforcement are far more effective if players can't simply scamper to a new random account," Blackley said.

Twitch has responded by cracking down on toxic streamers and introducing new guidelines, but there is a little sign of harassment abating as 2022 approaches.

Blogroll image credit: Getty Images / David McNew

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN

As we've all come to learn by now, Henry Cavill is a huge geek. A huge geek who reloads his immense biceps like a shotgun, but a geek nonetheless. His most recent role puts him back in the boots of Geralt of Rivia, the legendary monster slayer in The Witcher Season 2 on Netflix. Over the past couple years, as Cavill has been interviewed endlessly about his work and home life, he's made it known that he loves fantasy worlds, both in video game and tabletop form.

So we thought we'd round up every franchise that Henry Cavill has said he'd like to be a part of, if only to satiate our own curiosity of what Cavill might look like dressed as a Warhammer elf or a Mass Effect Turian.

Mass Effect

No surprise, Henry Cavill loves sci-fi games, too. In early December 2021, Cavill told GamesRadar that he would "love to have a conversation" about the potential Mass Effect series coming from Amazon.

"Very much so, yeah, all depending on how they’re executing it," Cavill said when asked about his interest in the series. "The world of adaptation can be heavy or light. When I like a product, I prefer the adaptation to be less changed from the source, so it all depends."

Of course, an obvious role for Cavill might be Mass Effect's very own Commander Shepard, but he could also be more than suitable for the Turian assassin/drinking buddy/best boy Garrus Vakarian.

The good news is that Cavill might have already teased something related to Mass Effect, sharing an image on Instagram that was later determined to show text from a Mass Effect wiki page.

Red Dead Redemption

Cowboys wouldn't be too far a stretch for Cavill either. Speaking to GameReactor, Cavill mentioned that he thought Red Dead Redemption would make for a solid adaptation.

"Well, that's a tricky one, 'cause you're tying both an IP and a company together, which is a tricky thing to do, so I certainly don't want to put myself in any corners with that, but there are plenty of games out there... I've actually started playing Red Dead Redemption 2—I know I'm a little bit late to that party—but I started playing it and I'm really enjoying it. And so, something like that I think would be fun to turn into a movie."

We certainly know that the normally fresh faced Cavill can pull off a grizzled, world-weary look thanks to his work as Geralt, so an equally grizzled cowboy seems possible.

Warhammer

Out of all of Henry Cavill's nerdy interests, Warhammer 40,000 might be his most passionate. The tabletop wargaming franchise has consumed many a hobby shop (when Friday Night Magic isn't busy taking tables) thanks to an iconic cast of Space Marines, Chaos daemon gods, or screaming orks.

Cavill has previously professed his love for Games Workshop, the company behind Warhammer and its countless licensed video games and books, as well as the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar game. He even paints Warhammer miniatures (including the helmeted Adeptus Custodes faction), having gotten back into the hobby during the 2020 lockdown after some time away from it.

While promoting The Witcher season 2, Cavill told IGN, "There are a lot of characters from the Warhammer universe that I want to be. But I can only really be one, because once I'm one, then I can't be others. So if it were to ever happen, if there were to be anything live action, I would have to be very aware of that.

"[Warhammer] is obviously character rich, and especially the 40K universe,” he continued. “I suppose I could play a different character from the Warhammer Fantasy universe versus the 40K universe, but I'm now just dreaming. I'd have to speak to the guys at Games Workshop and see what happens."

When suggested that he might make a good Gregor Eisenhorn, a character from Dan Abnett's popular series of Warhammer 40,000 novels who serves as an Inquisitor for the Imperium of Man, Cavill's interest seemed cautiously piqued.

"That would be exciting, yes, but then I burn Primarchs, and the Captain-Generals, so I don't really know," he said.

Other characters that Cavill could theoretically play include Horus Lupercal, the traitorous Primarch whose campaign against the Emperor of Mankind triggered the current state of the 40K universe. He could also play any number of Space Marines, or similarly author Dan Abnett's Imbram Gaunt of "Gaunt's Ghosts," a popular series of novels following the Astra Militarum regiment, which works to free human settlements of Chaos.

Working in his favor, Cavill has already been turned into an easter egg in Total War: Warhammer 3, which includes a sly reference to his portrayal of Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher.

What do you think Henry Cavill should star in? Any geek culture franchises the actor deserves a shot at that we missed? Let us know in the comments, and check out our review of The Witcher Season 2.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/Tau Empire player for IGN. He misses Sly Marbo.