Devolver Digital has purchased Serious Sam developer Croteam. Devolver Digital announced today that, having worked together for over a decade, the decision has been made to bring the two companies together, with Devolver joking in its announcement blog post that they had decided to get married. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=serious-sam-4-screenshots&captions=true"] "Croteam and Devolver Digital have been dating for so long that we decided to go ahead and just get married," the blog post reads. Despite the acquisition, Devolver says Croteam will maintain "total creative freedom," although Devolver still plans to keep making "dumb recommendations that Croteam just ignores." The announcement came with a summary of the relationship between Devolver and Croteam. Croteam began nearly 30 years ago as a group of childhood friends in a small garage in Zagreb, Croatia. The studio "was built around creative experimentation, pushing technical boundaries, and a trust in one another that would span decades." Croteam started with soccer games before putting together a demo that eventually became the first Serious Sam. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/23/the-first-13-minutes-of-serious-sam-4"] The team struggled to find a publisher for the demo, and subsequent game, but one publisher bit: Gathering of Developers. "That support blossomed into friendship and respect which would eventually reconnect Croteam with some of the Gathering of Developers team when they later helped found Devolver Digital," according to the blog post. "A decade ago, Devolver Digital was just getting started and looking for its first project to partner on in the emerging digital distribution world. Similarly, Croteam was on the search for a partner it could trust to help them bring their beloved franchise back to prominence with the upcoming Serious Sam 3. And like that, the next big Serious Sam game brought old partners back together and forged a decade of friendship and dedication." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/05/23/the-talos-principle-sequel-confirmed"] Croteam and Devolver have partnered up on dozens of games since then, namely with Serious Sam titles and The Talos Principle, and now the two are one. Devolver said fans of Croteam can expect The Talos Principle 2, more Serious Sam games, and original IP in the future. If you haven't checked out the latest Serious Sam, you can read our thoughts about it in our Serious Sam 4 review. Check out our review of The Talos Principle too and then read about the game's sequel. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Ubisoft has announced Ubisoft Connect, a new player service that combines and expands upon its two existing digital services: Uplay and Ubisoft Club. Players will be able to track their progress in any Ubisoft game while earning exclusive rewards through its loyalty program. Ubisoft Connect is a new “universal interface” that will be available on all platforms and work with all Ubisoft games starting with Watch Dogs: Legion. With a single button press, players will be able to pull up a refreshed in-game overlay on PC and consoles that features all your standard overlay toolkits. Track your activity, see which friends are online, and check in on a game’s community. Ubisoft Connect will also provide “Smart Intel” which is a feature that delivers gameplay tips and videos based on a player’s game activities. Not unlike the new game help feature in the PS5 UI. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ubisoft-connect-screenshots&captions=true"] Also included is a points-based rewards service where players can tackle time-limited and community challenges to earn rewards, and then exchange the earned points for exclusive digital goods. These can be cosmetics like skins or weapons or also XP buffs. Ubisoft tells IGN that the rewards program is massively popular in live-service games like Rainbow Six: Siege, but the rewards experience will be brought to single-player affairs like Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Immortals Fenyx Rising, and more. So players may be able to earn exclusive cosmetics through Ubisoft Connect in those games as well. Ubisoft Connect will also fully embrace cross-platform features including full cross-progression, cross-platform friends list, and stats, and leaderboards. Speaking to IGN Stephanie Perotti, VP of Online Services says Ubisoft Connect is meant to unify Ubisoft’s full player services into one global expe5irence that it will be provided on all Ubisoft games on all platforms. For players, the most exciting part will likely be tied to the rewards, which can be earned by completing challenges through Ubisoft Connect on any Ubisoft games. Perotti says that in the past the systems for earning rewards were “rigid” and that with Ubisoft Connect the process should be more fluid. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/29/assassins-creed-valhalla-story-trailer"] Perotti said that in a game like Rainbow Six, for example, there are a set number of achievements that will eventually be completed. With Ubisoft Connect, developers can regularly introduce new challenges for players who might be brushing up against all the challenges in a single title. When asked if Ubisoft designed its interface to not clash with existing overlays, Ubisoft Connect's Creative Director Charles Huteau said, “For sure we took into account all the other interface you can have on other platforms. What was key for us is not to compete with those interfaces but to bring something that goes along and offers you additional content that only Ubisoft can bring you.” At launch, Ubisoft will unlock over 1,000 legacy Ubisoft Club rewards for free to all players so that more rewards can be introduced through Ubisoft Connect. Ubisoft Connect will be available on Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S. PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch and it will be released on October 29 with Watch Dogs: Legion. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Humankind, the upcoming 4x strategy game, will be released in April 2021. Stadia players will be able to play a free 100-turn gameplay scenario right now to try out Amplitude Studios’ upcoming game. In Humankind, players will lead a civilization through six major eras of human history. Through every era, players will select one of ten civilization types based on historical societies and choose how that society will grow and evolve. Amplitude says there can be a million different civilization patterns players can develop based on the choices players make. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=humankind-pre-order-screenshots&captions=true"] To celebrate the launch window announcement, Amplitude has released an early access version of Humankind on Stadia through a new OpenDev Beta scenario. This will let players try out the first 100 turns of a Humankind run for free. Pre-orders for Humankind begin today and players can get the digital deluxe edition which includes: Humankind, the in-game Notre-Dame Pack, Official Digital Soundtrack, and PDF of the Unit & Tech Tree. Furthermore, pre-purchasing Humankind will net players a Boudicca Avatar Set, Player Profile Pre-Purchase Decoration, and Player Profile Symbol Set. Check out our interview with the Humankind development team from IGN's Summer of Gaming below. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/18/how-humankind-differs-from-other-4x-games"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Asmodee Digital and developer Artefacts Studio have announced Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace, a new game based on the board game series of the same name, will be available for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch in 2021 for $19.99. Alongside the new screenshots, which you can see below, Asmodee confirmed the squad-based adventure game is the new name for the previously revealed Mansions of Madness: Mother's Embrace. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=arkham-horror-mothers-embrace-screenshots&captions=true"] The adventure will include exploration, investigation, and squad-based tactical RPG combat with a story set in the Lovecraftian universe. The official plot description reads:

The year is 1926, and a professor of astronomy is found dead in her mansion, the apparent victim of a heinous murder. Players must pick from 12 of the most iconic protagonists from the Arkham Horror universe, each with a unique skill set, and assemble a team of investigators to uncover the secrets behind this mysterious death.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/08/03/arkham-horror-3rd-edition-announcement-trailer-gen-con-2018"] Though based on the Arkham Horror universe, Mother's Embrace endeavors to tell an original story that will feature turn-based combat as players face off with "curious science, living nightmares, and a sinister cult. For more on the Arkham Horror franchise, be sure to check out why we called Arkham Horror: The Card Game one of the best horror board games around. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Lucasfilm has unveiled four new Jedi Padawans that are featured in Star Wars: The High Republic. StarWars.com has officially pulled back the curtain on these four new characters by providing first look images and fresh details about the "wide range" of Padawan learners in the High Republic era. The creators behind Lucasfilm's multi-pronged publishing initiative have also shared some additional insights into the next class of Jedi, which features Burryaga, Reath Silas, Lula Talisola, and Bell Zettifar. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/27/star-wars-the-high-republic-explained"] "The High Republic Padawans really run the gamut in terms of skill, devotion, and personality," explains Lucasfilm Publishing executive editor Jennifer Heddle. "Some are reluctant to seek out adventure while some are perhaps a little too eager; some are extremely talented in the Force while others maybe have to work a little bit harder. We wanted to showcase a wide range of young people in the hopes every reader can find someone they relate to." You can check out the new Jedi Padawans in our slideshow below or keep scrolling for the full article. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-meet-the-jedi-padawans-of-the-high-republic&captions=true"]

Burryaga

Light of the Jedi author Charles Soule reveals that "Burryaga is one of the few Wookiees to travel from the lush forests of Kashyyyk to study in the ornate halls of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant" where he is taught by his devoted master Nib Assek, who learned the Shyriiwook language in order better educate her student in the ways of the Force. Soule describes Burryaga as being "skilled" with his two-handed lightsaber, though he notes that he has talents in other areas, too. The "gifted" student is said to possess a "natural, effortless ability to sense the emotions of others," which sets him apart from other members of the Order. Where to Find Him: Star Wars: The High Republic - Light of the Jedi novel by Charles Soule.

Reath Silas

Into the Dark author Claudia Gray says that Reath Silas experiences a "huge transition" across the pages of her book. He is said to have had "a somewhat privileged apprenticeship because his master, Jora Malli, is a member of the Jedi Council," which means that he has spent most of his time on Coruscant, attending "elevated diplomatic meetings" and other high-status gatherings. Therefore, Reath's shift to the frontier is probably going to be quite drastic, though it will ultimately help him to learn "what he's really made of." Where to Find Him:  Star Wars the High Republic - Into the Dark novel by Claudia Gray.

Lula Talisola

Daniel José Older, the writer of The High Republic Adventures comic, describes Lula Talisola as a "loyal and compassionate" character who "is all about the Jedi Order." He says, "she loves it, can hardly wait to get Knighted, and wants to be the best Jedi that ever was." The determined young padawan wields a blue lightsaber, which she is apparently very skilled with, as she has risen the ranks to become the "top of her class." However, Lula isn't all about herself, as she makes a point of looking out for her two best friends, Farzala and Qort, "especially when they're causing mischief." Where to Find Her: Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures comic by Daniel José Older.

Bell Zettifar

Bell Zettifar appears in Soule's Light of the Jedi novel alongside Burryaga. Bell is apprenticed to the legendary Loden Greatstorm in the upcoming novel, where they are both "stationed at a Jedi Outpost on the ore-world of Elphrona, deep in the Outer Rim." Even though the conditions are described as harsh, Bell and his master work together to "keep the peace and spread the light," with Bell spending most of his time training and "wandering the iron hills of the planet with a charhound named Ember." Where to Find Him: Star Wars: The High Republic - Light of the Jedi novel by Charles Soule. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Lucasfilm delayed the launch of its cross-media Star Wars prequel series from August 2020 to January 2021 as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, so there's still plenty of time to dig into The High Republic archives. Read the first chapter of Soule's Light of the Jedi, discover more about the five new Jedi Knights and Masters, and check out the opening crawl for this all-new era of tales. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Dust off those Phase One Blu-rays for a rewatch because Marvel's upcoming The Falcon and Winter Soldier Disney+ series is due to bring back some of the MCU's earliest characters. The Falcon and Winter Soldier is a six-episode Disney+ series centered around the titular characters, and it's already known that it's bringing back some of the characters we've already seen in the MCU, like Daniel Bruhl's villainous Zemo and Emily Van Camp's Sharon Carter from Captain America: Civil War. But according to the show's writer, audiences can expect the return of some other MCU characters, namely those from the earlier movies. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-phase-4-official-lineup&captions=true"] "There are characters from the earliest of the Marvel movies that are coming back," series writer Derek Kolstad said on the Script Apart Podcast. "They're layering them in and reinventing them in such a way that it's going to, kind of, shift the storytelling structure, which is f**king awesome." Kolstad wouldn't go as far as to actually namedrop who these early characters are, but our eyes are set on Phase One of the MCU. It wouldn't be too unusual, given another Disney+ Marvel series, WandaVision, has already confirmed the return of Kat Dennings' Phase One character, Darcy Lewis. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/03/marvel-studios-disney-plus-big-game-spot"] Kolstad added that the team is close to finishing up production after a COVID-19-related delay earlier this year. "They got hit by Covid and they're finishing up finally, but that's going to be f**king cool. I'm very honored and I'm proud at what that came to be." It's unknown at this time when we'll all get a look at who these early MCU characters are in the show as The Falcon and Winter Soldier doesn't currently have a release date after it was delayed beyond its original August release date. Check out Anthony Mackie's new Falcon costume in the meantime and then read Mackie's thoughts on how evolved these characters are in the series. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Michael Keaton has responded to reports that he is preparing to reprise his role as Batman in The Flash, opposite Ezra Miller's Barry Allen. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kimmel asked Keaton if he could verify the rumours that he would be suiting up to play Batman in 2022's The Flash, however, Keaton said that he "couldn't confirm anything" on that front. He later added: "We're having discussions, as they say. We're talking about it. We'll see if it happens." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/19/ranking-the-batman-movie-villains"] With Ben Affleck's Batman already confirmed to have a "very substantial part" in The Flash, Keaton went on to joke that all "127" previous "Batmen" will be making an appearance in the DCEU movie before then declaring himself to be the best Dark Knight of the lot. Keaton previously played Bruce Wayne and his alter ego in 1989's Batman and 1992's Batman Returns, both directed by Tim Burton. At one point both Burton and Keaton were expected to return for a third movie, but both dropped out and Val Kilmer took over the Batman role in 1995's Batman Forever. Keaton previously voiced an interest in returning to the role, but only if Burton directs - a stance that he appears to have since changed his mind on. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-flash-movies-possible-dceu-cameos&captions=true"] Andy Muschietti (Stephen King's It) is set to direct the long-gestating Flash movie. In January, Muschietti reiterated that the movie will be offering its own take on the iconic Flashpoint storyline, which previously inspired elements of The Flash TV series and 2013's Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. The Flash is currently scheduled to open on November 4, 2022. For more, find out how Michael Keaton's Batman could completely change the DCEU and read why we think Michael Keaton is still the best live-action Batman of them all. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge will arrive exclusively for Oculus Quest on November 19, and a new trailer has shown us what we'll be doing in the VR game. Revealed on the Star Wars website, the VR experience will have players meet C-3PO, R2-D2 and a Frank Oz-voiced Yoda, and is described as "a whole new way to explore the world of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, and discover what exactly happens past the boundaries of Black Spire Outpost." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/21/star-wars-tales-from-the-galaxys-edge-official-trailer"] Director Jose Perez III explains that the game will be anthological, and take place across multiple eras of the Star Wars canon. Part I of that story will involve you playing a Droid Repair Technician, visiting the cantina, performing repairs, and getting into blaster fights. Other parts are more secretive, but we know Yoda will appear in a standalone Tale, and that we'll be getting to grips with lightsabers at a Jedi Temple. Perez adds that the idea is to offer experiences different to those you'd get by visiting the real-life Galaxy's Edge attraction, "like building a lightsaber or going to Oga’s Cantina. We’re trying to build out stories that are on the outskirts, that bleed in and expand that world. For me, it’s really exciting to hang out in Seezelslak’s Cantina and look out the window, see the Falcon, and know that I’m going to be able to go back there at some point, but right now I’ve got another job to do." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-tales-from-the-galaxys-edge-6-screenshots&captions=true"] First announced in May, the new game comes from the same studio that created the Vader Immortal VR series. We thought that series did "a fine job of letting you bask in Star Wars surroundings and the impressive presence of Darth Vader himself," even though it did end with a "dull thud." [poilib element="accentDivider"] 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.

We're all looking to get a piece of the next-gen pie, some are even quite desperate in fact, and we don't blame you. But, we do hope you're not this desperate. UK retailer Currys PC World currently has the Xbox Series X listed for an eye-watering £2449. That's right, almost two-and-a-half-thousand of the Queen's finest pound sterling, and about $3,200 USD at the time of writing. But why, you might be asking, is a major British retailer deliberately selling the console at such a ridiculous price? Rather strangely, this surprise price tag is just another part of the retailer's preorder process. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] According to Nick Hayden, Head of Gaming at Currys PC World, the "unique pricing strategy" has been put in place to prioritize those who have already preordered the console. Every customer who has managed to secure a preorder has been supplied a code that will effectively discount the listing by £2000, back down to the expected £449. Those who had preordered an Xbox Series X (or PS5) with Currys were already required to put down a £5 deposit and this current situation is, presumably, a way for the retailer to give everyone an option to pay the full price for the console now, or when it ships in November.

In case you were wondering, those in the UK can actually go through to the order page and attempt to buy the console for the full £2449, seriously. However, before any gamers with more money than sense jump the gun, Currys does have a failsafe in place, as all orders that are placed without the special promotional code will be canceled. Which, to be quite frank, is a very good thing. The codes were actually only valid up until October 18, 2020, so now the page is just sitting idle with a big fat price tag attached to it. There's a very good chance that the console will drop back down in price soon to allow others to preorder, or simply just buy it on release day. If you want any updates on Xbox Series X preorders, we've actually got a dedicated update page. We'd also recommend following @IGNDeals or @IGNUKDeals for live preorder updates on both the PS5 and Xbox Series X. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Robert Anderson is a Commerce Writer for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 [widget path="ign/modules/recirc" parameters="title=&type=articles%2Cvideos&tags=us-shopping&count=3&columnCount=3&theme=article"]

Fortnite's latest patch on PC has reduced the game's file size by over 60GB. The news was revealed by the Fortnite Status account on Twitter. To accommodate the optimizations, the v14.40 is larger than normal on PC, totalling 27GB. The patch is live as of writing and brings with it the Fortnitemares 2020 event, Midas' Revenge.

Please note the patch size will be larger than normal on PC (approx. 27 GB). This is to make optimizations on PC resulting in a massively reduced Fortnite file size (over 60 GB smaller), smaller downloads for future patches, and improved loading performance.

— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) October 20, 2020

The patch promised to "massively reduce" the Fortnite file size by over 60 gigabytes, and mean "smaller downloads for future patches and improved loading performance." After release, that seems to be the case, with Twitter user The_Equalizer74 reporting that the game had shrunk from 99 to 29.5GB. It's an impressive change, likely achieved by more efficiently compressing texture packs. It's also a handy one if your SSD is already being dominated by enormous games like Call of Duty: Warzone. It's not clear if console versions of Fortnite have also seen a reduction in filesize (but they were already considerably smaller than on PC). [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/26/fortnite-x-bts-dynamite-full-choreography-music-video"] For all the details on what the update has brought to the game, including new items and challenges, you can check out the patch notes here, via the Epic Games website. In other Fortnite news, here's the full BTS Dynamite choreography video that debuted in the game's Party Royale mode. You can also check out our coverage of how Nvidia Reflex affects latency in Fortnite. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.