Monthly Archives: January 2020

PSA: First Episode of Pokemon Sword and Shield Miniseries Released

Calling all Pokemon fans: The Pokemon Company has released the first episode of Pokemon: Twilight Wings on the Pokemon YouTube channel and Pokemon TV. If you weren't already familiar, Pokemon: Twilight Wings is a seven-episode short animated series, and it's the first Pokemon show to take place in the Galar region from Pokemon Sword and Shield. New episodes will debut monthly. The show is separate from the usual Pokemon anime, and the official description says the series will show "the dreams of Galar's residents, the realities they face, the challenges they must overcome, and the conflicts they must resolve." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-new-gen-8-pokemon-in-sword-and-shield&captions=true"] As for Pokemon's next main television series, we got our first look at Ash and his new companion last year. Additionally, the next animated Pokemon movie is set to release this year. Fans got their first taste of the Galar region in Pokemon Sword and Shield, which are getting two major expansions with more Pokemon and new areas later this year. While you wait for the DLC, you can vote on which Pokemon you want to see join Sword and Shield's growing lineup. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/09/pokemon-sword-and-shield-expansion-announced"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

Bond Producer Explains Why James Bond Can Be Any Color But Not a Woman

Barbara Broccoli, the longtime producer of the James Bond films, has definitively stated the rules of casting James Bond. According to the longtime custodian of the James Bond franchise, the secret agent can be played by a person of color, but not a woman.

“He can be of any color, but he is male,” Broccoli told Variety. “I believe we should be creating new characters for women - strong female characters. I’m not particularly interested in taking a male character and having a woman play it. I think women are far more interesting than that.”

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/04/no-time-to-die-official-trailer"]

The article also divulges that Broccoli and her half-brother Michael G. Wilson, the two people who have the final say on everything James Bond, have been emboldened to shake up the Bond casting by Daniel Craig. They explained that when they cast Craig, they felt he could portray a more "realistic" Bond that reflected the issues of the 21st century.

“The world obviously had changed. We'd had 9/11, and the stakes were higher, and we felt we needed a more realistic Bond," she said. "He brought flesh and blood to the character. Bond in the novel is a silhouette. Daniel has given him depth and an inner life. We were looking for a 21st-century hero, and that’s what he delivered. He bleeds; he cries; he’s very contemporary.”

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-next-james-bonds-who-never-played-007&captions=true"]

No Time To Die is to be the last film in which Daniel Craig will portray Bond. We'll take that with a grain of salt, of course, as he did previously say that he wouldn’t do another one after Spectre, saying he’d rather “slash his wrists” than play Bond again.

There were rumors around that time that Idris Elba was going to be the next Bond, as Broccoli said that it was time for a non-white Bond, but that obviously didn’t happen. Elba has since also said that he’s not interested in playing Bond anyway.

No Time To Die hits theatres in April, 2020, and will have a soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer. It’s now also confirmed that Billie Eilish is the singer for the film’s title song.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Chris Priestman is a freelancer who writes news for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Disintegration First Multiplayer Beta Arrives Later This Month

Disintegration, the new first-person shooter from Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto will hold a closed multiplayer technical beta for the title at the end of January. V1 Interactive and publisher Private Division announced the closed beta for Disintegration will be held on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The closed beta will be hosted on Tuesday, January 28 from 8 am PT/11 am ET to 11:59 pm PT/2:59 am ET and Wednesday, January 29 from 8 am PT/11 am ET to 11:59 pm PT/2:59 am ET. A public beta will follow from January 31 to February 1 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC with Disintegration beta signups happening right now. Both the closed and public beta will feature two of the three multiplayer game loads that are coming to Disintegration at launch. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=disintegration-45-new-behind-the-scenes-images-ign-first&captions=true"] The first game mode is called Retrieval, where one team attempts to deliver a payload while another team attempts to defend their zone. The second game mode is Control where two teams attempt to dominate the battlefield by capturing various points on the map. The beta test will have seven playable teams from the final release version. Disintegration is a hybrid FPS-RTS where players take control of a pilot who can maneuver freely around the map on a gravity bike while also shooting weapons in the first-person perspective. At the same time, players command ground units using point commands, and these units can help attack enemies or achieve objectives. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/06/disintegration-hands-on-preview-ign-first"] Disintegration also features a full single-player story mode set in a world where a deadly virus forced humanity to abandon their human bodies and transfer their consciousness into robot forms. One faction of humanity wants to return to their human forms, while other factions led by the likes of Black Shuck believe living in robot forms is the natural evolution. IGN has an extensive hands-on preview of Disintegration, including 32 minutes of a story mission. Check out this month’s IGN First for more exclusive looks at Disintegration. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.

Star Wars: New Manga Explores the Many Sides of Luke Skywalker

With the Skywalker Saga having just wrapped up and a new year dawning, we're looking ahead to the many new Star Wars projects 2020 will bring. Easily among the most intriguing new releases this year is a joint effort between Viz media and Lucasfilm dubbed Star Wars: The Legends of Luke Skywalker - The Manga. This new manga graphic novel is based on author Ken Liu's YA book Star Wars: The Legends of Luke Skywalker. Like the book, the manga is presented in the form of six short stories, each told by a different child narrator during a journey to the casino world of Canto Bight. ADKG-NEW3media-SBBasically, picture this book as the Star Wars equivalent of the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Legends of the Dark Knight." None of the six stories are intended to be an entirely truthful account of Luke's life and adventures, but each offers insight into the legend of Luke Skywalker and how the story of a former moisture farmer-turned-Rebel hero and Jedi Knight has grown and evolved into myth. In addition to Liu, the manga's creative team includes Akira Fukaya and Takashi Kisaki (The Starship Graveyard), Akira Himekawa (The Legend of Zelda manga), Haruichi (I, Droid) and Subaru (The Tale of Lugubrious Mote). [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-character-posters&captions=true"] Star Wars: The Legends of Luke Skywalker - The Manga is available now for a cover price of $14.99. Check back for a review of the manga in the near future. Marvel's new Star Wars series The Rise of Kylo Ren is also shedding more light on Luke's life post-Return of the Jedi. The latest issue showed us what happened when Luke fought the Knights of Ren. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/15/star-wars-colin-trevorrows-episode-9-script-allegedly-leaks-ign-now"] For more on the current state of Star Wars, see how The Rise of Skywalker compared to other big franchise finales in 2019, learn why everyone's talking about "The JJ Cut" and watch John Boyega clap back against online haters. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Ninja Reacts to Getting His Own Skin in Fortnite

Update: The Fortnite Ninja skin officially went live in the Item Shop on January 17, a day later than expected. The skin will cost players 1,500 V-Bucks which comes out to around $15. You can see Ninja's reaction to his skin going live in the tweet below.   Tyler "Ninja" Blevins announced on Twitter that he will be getting his very own Fortnite skin. Styled with blue hair and a blue outfit with his logo on it, Epic Games says the cosmetic is designed to bring the "artistic vision, personality, and attitude" of the popular streamer to Battle Royale. The skin was initially discovered by data miners minutes before the announcement took place. The encrypted files were uploaded as part of the new 11.4 patch and of course, data miners discovered the files were in fact skins themed after Ninja. The Ninja Fortnite skin set includes:
  • Ninja outfit
  • Ninja's Edge Back Bling
  • Ninja Emote: a victory dance called the 'Pon Pon'
  • Dual Katanas Pickaxe
If you're wondering how you can grab this limited edition skin, check out our guide below.

How Do I Get the Ninja Skin in Fortnite?

To pick up the Ninja skin, you'll have to wait for the cosmetic to go live as it isn't currently available in the Item Shop. You'll be able to pick it up starting tomorrow, January 16 at the following times:
  • 4pm PST
  • 7pm EST
  • 12am GMT
The Ninja skin is only available for a limited time, however, and availability will end once it's taken down. The Ninja skin will be removed from the Item Shop 3 days later on January 19 at the following times:
  • 5pm PT
  • 8pm ET
  • 1am GMT
To get the skin, make sure to log in between those days and times and purchase it. Ninja also provided a code -- NINJA -- that players can use when they purchase it. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-most-addictive-online-games&captions=true"] The Ninja partnership is part of a new Icon series where Epic Games collaborates with musicians, artists, movies, fashion, and more to bring themed experiences to Fortnite. Past collaborations included Marshmello and Major Lazer. Epic Games also confirmed YouTube creators Loserfruit and The Grefg are future Icon series collaborations. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

With Just 2 Months Until Half-Life: Alyx, Valve Index Sold Out Everywhere

Half-Life: Alyx is arguably Valve Index's must-have game, but with its release date on the horizon, Valve's own VR set-up is sold out almost universally. According to site Road to VR, not only is the Valve Index sold-out in the US, UK, and Australia, it's also completely sold out in all but one of the regions where it's being offered: Japan. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/21/half-life-alyx-reveal-trailer"] However, if you plan to try your hand at some import-shenanigans, you should know Japan only has the headset with controllers and headset configurations in-stock. The full kit, controllers without headset, and base-stations are gone. A representative told Road to VR Valve is "working hard to build more units" and plans to meet demand by the time Half-Life Alyx releases in March. If you haven't settled on a premium PC VR set up, it might be worth the wait. In our Valve Index review, we said its LCD screens produced the best VR image we've ever seen. However, if you don't want to wait for Index to come back into stock, and you're in the US, you can pick up the excellent HTC Vive or Vive Pro on sale in all sorts of different configurations. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Seth Macy is IGN's tech and commerce editor and just wants to be your friend. Find him on Twitter @sethmacy.  

Fortnite Gets A Ninja Skin Based On The Streamer

Popular streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins is getting a skin based on his likeness added to Fortnite.

Developer Epic Games announced the Ninja skin would be available in the Epic Games store beginning January 16, 2020 from 4pm PST / 7pm EST, or midnight on January 17 if you’re in the UK.

The Ninja skin includes the Ninja Outfit, Edge Back Bling, a Ninja Style emote, and Dual Katanas. Ninja will be streaming himself playing Fortnite using his new skin before it becomes available to everyone.

The Ninja skin is part of the new Icon Series, which will bring the “artistic vision, personality, and attitude of top creators to Fortnite.”

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/27/ninja-responds-to-igns-rapid-fire-questions"]

The announcement teases that people from the worlds of gaming, music, film, and fashion may be included, such as Fortnite streamers Kathleen “Loserfruit” Belsten and David “TheGrefg” Martinez.

Ninja's rise to fame over the past couple of years has been meteoric. He became the first Twitch streamer to reach 10 million followers.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ninja-career-highlights&captions=true"]

However, in 2019 he left Twitch to stream exclusively on Microsoft's platform Mixer. He remains there and still pulls in millions of viewers while playing Fortnite with the likes of Mark Hamill.

Make sure to check out our guide on how to get the Fortnite Ninja skin.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Chris Priestman is a freelancer who writes news for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Netflix’s BoJack Horseman Final Season Gets a New Trailer

BoJack Horseman's final episodes premiere on January 31 on Netflix, and a brand new trailer and key art have given fans a glimpse of the end of the series that began in 2014. The introspective trailer, which you can watch here or below, sees BoJack commenting on his life and also using a sharpie on a whiteboard, while the key art shows a confident looking BoJack staring into the distance. Bojack Horseman's final eight episodes make up the second part of its sixth season. The first eight episodes were released on October 25, 2019. This Netflix series starring Will Arnett as a depressed, self-destructive former-TV star horse made our list of the 25 Best Adult Cartoon TV Series and we've discussed why we believe it has one of the best portrayals of mental illness. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/22/new-to-netflix-for-january-2020"] We also voted BoJack Horseman as the Best Animated TV Series of 2019, saying "We hate to see it go, but at least BoJack is riding off into the sunset in absolute top form." Alongside BoJack's return, Netflix subscribers will also be able to stream Part 3 of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, a new geopolitical thriller called Messiah, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2, Pan's Labyrinth, the original 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle live-action film, and much more this January. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-tv-show-thats-canceled-or-ending-in-2019&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] 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 who can't wait and is so excited he just can't hide it. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Quentin Tarantino Confirms He Probably Won’t Direct a Star Trek Movie

Quentin Tarantino has confirmed he probably won't direct the R-Rated Star Trek movie that he originally pitched to Paramount. Speaking to Deadline, the Oscar-winning filmmaker admitted it is now unlikely that he will take the captain's chair as the director of a new Star Trek movie at the studio, though he isn't necessarily steering away from the project entirely. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/10/11/star-trek-william-shatner-thinks-there-are-still-stories-to-tell-about-his-captain-kirk-ign-news"] "I think they might make that movie, but I just don't think I'm going to direct it," he said. "It's a good idea. They should definitely do it and I'll be happy to come in and give them some notes on the first rough cut." Tarantino was first attached to the Star Trek project in December 2017, as it came to light that he had apparently pitched a "great idea" to J.J. Abrams, who rebooted the franchise in 2009, and the two were said to be developing the story alongside The Revenant writer Mark L. Smith. However, Tarantino appeared to take a sidestep away from the Star Trek project amid the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood press tour, as he admitted the Manson-centric movie could be his swansong, despite the fact that it is his ninth film and he previously stated he would like to retire from the industry once his filmography hits double figures. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-space-opera-movies-that-arent-star-wars-or-star-trek&captions=true"] While it remains unclear whether Tarantino's Star Trek project will ever beam onto the big screen (with another filmmaker at the helm), the long-spanning sci-fi franchise seems to be experiencing warp-speed success on the small screen. Outside of Star Trek: Discovery, Picard, and Section 31, it was recently revealed that two more live-action shows are expected to join the Trek universe while another recent transmission confirmed that Star Trek: Picard had been renewed for a second season ahead of its upcoming debut on January 23, 2020. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-trek-picard-photos&captions=true"] For more on Star Trek: Picard before the premiere of season one, check out our complete viewing guide of the essential Treks to take before the show, discover the name of Picard's canine companion in the upcoming series, and read more about how Picard fits into the Trek timeline. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Epic Games Store Exclusives ‘Critical’ To $680m Earned So Far

Epic Games Store has generated $680 million since in its first year, with the platform’s exclusives having “driven the majority of revenue so far”. Talking to GameDaily.biz, Epic Games Store General Manager, Steve Allison, explained that growth and revenue created by the store is “ ahead of our early expectations”. He noted that exclusives account for 90% of all the store’s new releases, and are the main provider for Epic’s revenue despite strong performance from non-exclusive games. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/12/08/the-epic-games-store-is-the-first-real-threat-to-steam"] “Exclusives have been critical in gaining momentum in the presence of a competitor that began 2019 with more than 90% market share,” Epic CEO Tim Sweeney told GameDaily.biz. “Securing exclusives for Epic means we can significantly assist developers with product funding and invest in marketing and awareness knowing that these efforts bring in new customers to our store, rather than just sending more business to the incumbent.” Epic promises that “tons” of exclusives are heading to the Epic Game Store in 2020, indicating that its strategy is here for at least the foreseeable future. The $680m revenue comes from the 108 million PC customers that use the Epic Games Store. Those users have also claimed more than 200 million free games, thanks to Epic having offered 73 games free of charge over 2019. The company plans to continue offering free games in 2020, too. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=igns-top-25-modern-pc-games&captions=true"] The company’s revenue figures also relate to actual spending by customers, without any discount coupons included. Epic reports that $23 million in discounts was funded by the company in the period. Last year Tim Sweeney explained that the company’s intentions with EGS exclusives was to disrupt the status quo in games retail. Currently, PC gaming is dominated by Valve’s Steam platform, which takes a higher cut of profit from sales away from developers than Epic does. Sweeney has said that Epic would end exclusivity deals if Valve commits to offering developers a better return on their profits. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter