As GameStop continues to weather turbulence including COVID-19, a massive short squeeze, and a generally struggling retail business model, it now must also find itself a new chief financial officer. Today, the games retailer announced that CFO Jim Bell was resigning from the company effective March 26, 2021, with the search for a successor now underway. Should a permanent successor not be found by the time Bell departs, GameStop has announced it will appoint senior VP and chief accounting officer Diana Jajeh to the role as an interim CFO while a search continues. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/07/how-gamestop-plans-to-save-itself"] Bell first joined GameStop's leadership ranks as CFO in 2019, having departed the same role at holding company Wok Holdings prior to that. He took over the role from Rob Lloyd, who had been with GameStop for nearly 23 years. Per SEC filings, Bell was paid a base salary of $700,000 a year, received a signing bonus of $50,000 when he was hired, and was eligible for an additional annual bonus equal to his annual salary of $700,000. However, because he resigned for "Good Reason" (per his employment contract), he will also receive a severance bonus of $2.8 million -- twice the sum of his base salary and target annual bonus. Bell's departure comes as the company battles lowered revenues and leadership upheaval, some of which we outlined in a report published earlier today detailing a recent shareholder shake-up that could spell critical changes for the company as it struggles to stay afloat. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

Carjackings are on the rise in Chicago, and as a result one local lawmaker is proposing a bill that could potentially ban the sale of violent video games in the city altogether. As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, Democratic Rep. Marcus Evans Jr. has introduced a bill that will amend the city's 2012 law that prevents the sale of violent video games to minors, to be expanded into a full ban. HB3531 will take a ban that applies only to people under the age of 18 and expand it wholesale. According to the summary, HB3531 "Amends the Violent Video Games Law in the Criminal Code of 2012. Changes provisions that restrict the sale or rental of violent video games to minors to prohibit the sale of all violent video games." As part of a growing concern over the increased rate of carjacking in the city, the lawmaker is proposing a ban on games like Grand Theft Auto. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/03/08/president-trumps-violence-in-video-games-highlight-reel"] The bill will also modify the current definition of "violent video game" under the Criminal Code to mean video games that "allows a user or player to control a character within the video game that is encouraged to perpetuate human-on-human violence in which the player kills or otherwise causes serious physical or psychological harm to another human or an animal." In a statement to IGN, the Electronic Software Association (ESA) disagreed with the proposed bill, saying:

“While our industry understands and shares the concerns about what has been happening in Chicago, there simply is no evidence of a link between interactive entertainment and real-world violence.  We believe the solution to this complex problem resides in examining thoroughly the actual factors that drive such behaviors rather than erroneously ascribing blame to videogames based solely upon speculation.”

Video games have long been a target of lawmakers, for reasons beyond violence. Lawmakers in Hawaii proposed banning video games with loot boxes after worries that these mechanics are gambling. And video games are often cited as causes of concern following public displays of violence in the United States. The bill has yet to be voted on, but Chicago already imposes a $1,000 fine on retailers who are caught selling violent video games to anyone under 18. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is News Editor at IGN. You can reach him on Twitter @lawoftd.

Carjackings are on the rise in Chicago, and as a result one local lawmaker is proposing a bill that could potentially ban the sale of violent video games in the city altogether. As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, Democratic Rep. Marcus Evans Jr. has introduced a bill that will amend the city's 2012 law that prevents the sale of violent video games to minors, to be expanded into a full ban. HB3531 will take a ban that applies only to people under the age of 18 and expand it wholesale. According to the summary, HB3531 "Amends the Violent Video Games Law in the Criminal Code of 2012. Changes provisions that restrict the sale or rental of violent video games to minors to prohibit the sale of all violent video games." As part of a growing concern over the increased rate of carjacking in the city, the lawmaker is proposing a ban on games like Grand Theft Auto. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/03/08/president-trumps-violence-in-video-games-highlight-reel"] The bill will also modify the current definition of "violent video game" under the Criminal Code to mean video games that "allows a user or player to control a character within the video game that is encouraged to perpetuate human-on-human violence in which the player kills or otherwise causes serious physical or psychological harm to another human or an animal." In a statement to IGN, the Electronic Software Association (ESA) disagreed with the proposed bill, saying:

“While our industry understands and shares the concerns about what has been happening in Chicago, there simply is no evidence of a link between interactive entertainment and real-world violence.  We believe the solution to this complex problem resides in examining thoroughly the actual factors that drive such behaviors rather than erroneously ascribing blame to videogames based solely upon speculation.”

Video games have long been a target of lawmakers, for reasons beyond violence. Lawmakers in Hawaii proposed banning video games with loot boxes after worries that these mechanics are gambling. And video games are often cited as causes of concern following public displays of violence in the United States. The bill has yet to be voted on, but Chicago already imposes a $1,000 fine on retailers who are caught selling violent video games to anyone under 18. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is News Editor at IGN. You can reach him on Twitter @lawoftd.

Stardew Valley developer Eric Barone has announced a new board game adaptation of the popular farm life game, and it’s available to order now for $55.

The result of a collaboration between Stardew Valley’s sole developer Barone (who often goes by the moniker ConcernedApe) and Cole Medeiros, ConcernedApe’s head of operations and business development, the project took a total of two years to design. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=stardew-valley-the-board-game-announcement-photos&captions=true"]

“In 2018 Eric Barone and Cole Medeiros, introduced online through their mutual friend Matt Griffin, played a co-op game of Stardew Valley and discussed the idea of making a Stardew Valley board game,” the announcement reads. “They didn't know exactly what it would look like, but they knew Stardew had all the components of a great board game.”

After two years of refining and playtesting, all spent in between development time for the video game, the pair officially had a board game.

Much like the original video game, players work cooperatively to grow crops, raise animals, build out their farm, and gather resources from across the valley. Players can also befriend the familiar townspeople and earn hearts to reveal secret goals. To win, you’ll need to restore the Valley to its original greatness and keep Joja Mart from mucking it all up. The game can be played with 1 - 4 players, with an estimated 45 minutes of playtime per player.

To do all that, players need to achieve four “Granda Goals” and restore all of the community center rooms before a deck of season cards is exhausted.

The game, which retails for $55, comes with a board of Stardew Valley to play on, tiles (for items like crops, ore, buildings, animals, etc), numerous cards for things like events, epic items, and mine levels, gold tokens, and more.

ConcernedApe notes to fans that the board game is meant to evoke the lengthy nature of playing Stardew Valley, so while it’s designed to be easy to play, it will have a lot of complexity to it, so check out the official rulebook to see if it’s your jam.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/24/the-best-nintendo-switch-games-fall-2020-update"]

ConcernedApe also says that once the first print run is sold out, future prints will depend on how much demand there still is.

“If there's more demand for it, then we'll definitely do more print runs, and maybe slowly expand... we're kind of just testing the waters for now and see what the response is,” ConcernedApe wrote.

The Stardew Valley board game is almost certain to prove popular with fans of the original game. We here at IGN proclaimed it one of the best Nintendo Switch games, and the original video game has now sold more than 10 million copies across six platforms. ConcernedApe also has two new projects in the works, both of which will tie into Stardew Valley in different ways.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/geode smasher for IGN.

Stardew Valley developer Eric Barone has announced a new board game adaptation of the popular farm life game, and it’s available to order now for $55.

The result of a collaboration between Stardew Valley’s sole developer Barone (who often goes by the moniker ConcernedApe) and Cole Medeiros, ConcernedApe’s head of operations and business development, the project took a total of two years to design. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=stardew-valley-the-board-game-announcement-photos&captions=true"]

“In 2018 Eric Barone and Cole Medeiros, introduced online through their mutual friend Matt Griffin, played a co-op game of Stardew Valley and discussed the idea of making a Stardew Valley board game,” the announcement reads. “They didn't know exactly what it would look like, but they knew Stardew had all the components of a great board game.”

After two years of refining and playtesting, all spent in between development time for the video game, the pair officially had a board game.

Much like the original video game, players work cooperatively to grow crops, raise animals, build out their farm, and gather resources from across the valley. Players can also befriend the familiar townspeople and earn hearts to reveal secret goals. To win, you’ll need to restore the Valley to its original greatness and keep Joja Mart from mucking it all up. The game can be played with 1 - 4 players, with an estimated 45 minutes of playtime per player.

To do all that, players need to achieve four “Granda Goals” and restore all of the community center rooms before a deck of season cards is exhausted.

The game, which retails for $55, comes with a board of Stardew Valley to play on, tiles (for items like crops, ore, buildings, animals, etc), numerous cards for things like events, epic items, and mine levels, gold tokens, and more.

ConcernedApe notes to fans that the board game is meant to evoke the lengthy nature of playing Stardew Valley, so while it’s designed to be easy to play, it will have a lot of complexity to it, so check out the official rulebook to see if it’s your jam.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/24/the-best-nintendo-switch-games-fall-2020-update"]

ConcernedApe also says that once the first print run is sold out, future prints will depend on how much demand there still is.

“If there's more demand for it, then we'll definitely do more print runs, and maybe slowly expand... we're kind of just testing the waters for now and see what the response is,” ConcernedApe wrote.

The Stardew Valley board game is almost certain to prove popular with fans of the original game. We here at IGN proclaimed it one of the best Nintendo Switch games, and the original video game has now sold more than 10 million copies across six platforms. ConcernedApe also has two new projects in the works, both of which will tie into Stardew Valley in different ways.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/geode smasher for IGN.

PlayStation has announced a State of Play will premiere later this week on Thursday, February 25 at 2 pm PT/5 PM ET. The new State of Play will feature updates and deep dives on games coming to both PS4 and PS5. PlayStation published a new blog announcing the newest State of Play will premiere later this week and will "serve up updates and deep dives for 10 games coming to PS4 and PS5." Along with updates on existing third-party and indie titles, there will also be new game announcements.

State of Play returns this Thursday! Tune in live at 2 PM PT/5 PM ET to see updates and deep dives for games coming to PS4 and PS5.

Full details: https://t.co/qMFCMCuIGU pic.twitter.com/NjwB40YlU1 — PlayStation (@PlayStation) February 23, 2021

PlayStation says the show will be around "30 minutes or so, give or take" and that there will be no hardware or business-focused updates during the show. That means the full 30 minutes will be spent on games. This is the first variety State of Play from PlayStation since August 2020, which showcased a variety of third-party games coming to the PlayStation 5. A smaller State of Play focused entirely on Destruction AllStars was released in January.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps5-games&captions=true"]

Sony has been slowly ramping up its announcement cycle as the company announced it is working on a PlayStation VR 2 headset for PS5, a delay for Gran Turismo 7, and that it's bringing more first-party PlayStation games to PC such as Days Gone later this spring. The zombie game from Bend Studio will be the second PlayStation-exclusive coming to PC after Horizon Zero Dawn. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is News Editor at IGN.

PlayStation has announced a State of Play will premiere later this week on Thursday, February 25 at 2 pm PT/5 PM ET. The new State of Play will feature updates and deep dives on games coming to both PS4 and PS5. PlayStation published a new blog announcing the newest State of Play will premiere later this week and will "serve up updates and deep dives for 10 games coming to PS4 and PS5." Along with updates on existing third-party and indie titles, there will also be new game announcements.

State of Play returns this Thursday! Tune in live at 2 PM PT/5 PM ET to see updates and deep dives for games coming to PS4 and PS5.

Full details: https://t.co/qMFCMCuIGU pic.twitter.com/NjwB40YlU1 — PlayStation (@PlayStation) February 23, 2021

PlayStation says the show will be around "30 minutes or so, give or take" and that there will be no hardware or business-focused updates during the show. That means the full 30 minutes will be spent on games. This is the first variety State of Play from PlayStation since August 2020, which showcased a variety of third-party games coming to the PlayStation 5. A smaller State of Play focused entirely on Destruction AllStars was released in January.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps5-games&captions=true"]

Sony has been slowly ramping up its announcement cycle as the company announced it is working on a PlayStation VR 2 headset for PS5, a delay for Gran Turismo 7, and that it's bringing more first-party PlayStation games to PC such as Days Gone later this spring. The zombie game from Bend Studio will be the second PlayStation-exclusive coming to PC after Horizon Zero Dawn. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is News Editor at IGN.

DC is making a Blue Beetle film, and it already has a director. The Wrap reports that Charm City Kings director Angel Manuel Soto is set to direct Blue Beetle, which will focus on Mexican-American teen Jaime Reyes, the third character to adopt the Blue Beetle name.

Writing the film is Mexican-born Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, writer on Universal’s upcoming Scarface remake.

“It is an honor to direct Blue Beetle, the first Latino superhero film for DC,” Soto told TheWrap. “I want to sincerely thank everyone at Warner Bros. and DC for trusting me to bring Jaime Reyes to life. I can’t wait to make history together.”

The film is scheduled to start production in the fall.

Debuting in 2006, Jaime Reyes is noted for being significantly different from previous Blue Beetles. With no prior connection to superheroes or super abilities, Reyes’ origin story sees him discover the titular Blue Beetle scarab, a piece of alien technology which grafts itself onto the base of his spine and gives him a powerful suit of armor, an energy cannon, powered blades, wings, and several other abilities.

Reyes was quickly found by Booster Gold, another DC hero, who introduces him to the Justice League, and the two eventually become frequent partners in crime fighting.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-greatest-batman-graphic-novels-of-all-time&captions=true"]

DC originally announced a Blue Beetle movie was in the works in 2018, with Dunnet-Alcocer still attached to write. A Blue Beetle and Booster Gold live-action film was previously rumored in 2015, but nothing ended up materializing.

Blue Beetle also ended up becoming a popular character in DC’s animated universe, including Batman: The Brave and the Bold and season two of Young Justice.

Blue Beetle is also set to appear in a new DC animated film sometime in 2022.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

DC is making a Blue Beetle film, and it already has a director. The Wrap reports that Charm City Kings director Angel Manuel Soto is set to direct Blue Beetle, which will focus on Mexican-American teen Jaime Reyes, the third character to adopt the Blue Beetle name.

Writing the film is Mexican-born Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, writer on Universal’s upcoming Scarface remake.

“It is an honor to direct Blue Beetle, the first Latino superhero film for DC,” Soto told TheWrap. “I want to sincerely thank everyone at Warner Bros. and DC for trusting me to bring Jaime Reyes to life. I can’t wait to make history together.”

The film is scheduled to start production in the fall.

Debuting in 2006, Jaime Reyes is noted for being significantly different from previous Blue Beetles. With no prior connection to superheroes or super abilities, Reyes’ origin story sees him discover the titular Blue Beetle scarab, a piece of alien technology which grafts itself onto the base of his spine and gives him a powerful suit of armor, an energy cannon, powered blades, wings, and several other abilities.

Reyes was quickly found by Booster Gold, another DC hero, who introduces him to the Justice League, and the two eventually become frequent partners in crime fighting.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-greatest-batman-graphic-novels-of-all-time&captions=true"]

DC originally announced a Blue Beetle movie was in the works in 2018, with Dunnet-Alcocer still attached to write. A Blue Beetle and Booster Gold live-action film was previously rumored in 2015, but nothing ended up materializing.

Blue Beetle also ended up becoming a popular character in DC’s animated universe, including Batman: The Brave and the Bold and season two of Young Justice.

Blue Beetle is also set to appear in a new DC animated film sometime in 2022.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

While a recent report gave many hope that Hiro, Baymax and other characters from Big Hero 6 would be making their live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it appears that is not true... at least for now. A source inside Walt Disney Pictures Animation Studios confirmed to Variety that the recent report by TheDisInsider.com about the Big Hero 6 crew joining the MCU is not currently true. However, that doesn't mean the heroes from the film that was inspired by a Marvel comic of the same name won't ever join the ranks of Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and all of our other favorite super heroes. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/05/23/big-hero-6-trailer-1"] The Big Hero 6 comic series, which was published by Marvel Comics and created by Man of Action, made its debut in September 1998's Sunfire & Big Hero 6 #1. Unlike the film's setting of San Fransokyo, the comics were set in Japan. Furthermore, Baymax was a synthetic bodyguard that was able to transform into a green dragon. Walt Disney Pictures Animation's Big Hero 6 was released in theaters in 2014, and since then, Big Hero 6 has returned to comics, made an appearance in Kingdom Hearts 3, arrived on TV as a spin-off series, and so much more. As Variety notes, Guardians of the Galaxy was an obscure Marvel comics title that has made its way to the MCU, so there is no reason to count out Big Hero 6's inclusion in the future. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/09/18/kingdom-hearts-3-tgs-big-hero-6-trailer"] [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. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.