A new edition of The Lord of the Rings will feature 30 sketches and illustrations created by JRR Tolkien not seen in previous editions of the book. This new release will be the first time that an edition of the Lord of the Rings will feature this art since 1954. And even then, when Tolkien originally included the art with the book's first-ever publication, it only featured two of his illustrations, as reported by The Guardian. Those two illustrations — the Doors of Durin and the Inscription on Balin's Tomb — will be included in this new HarperCollins edition alongside 30 other sketches, illustrations, and maps. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/19/amazons-lord-of-the-rings-the-second-age-explained"] "Like many young readers, I was enthralled by his charming and evocative illustrations that accompanied The Hobbit," HarperCollins deputy publishing director, Chris Smith, said. "These paintings, particularly the now-iconic image that appears on its cover, have become as beloved as the story they accompany. Yet the author himself was characteristically modest, dismissive of the obvious and rare artistic talent he possessed despite having had no formal training." Smith said this modesty meant that little of Tolkien's art was ever seen. Tolkien created 30 pieces of art for The Lord of the Rings, but was crushed by comments from one critic that described the images as showing "no reflection of his literary talent and imagination." Tolkien seemingly took the criticism personally and agreed with the critic, according to The Guardian. Despite claiming he was too busy for illustrate The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien found himself doing just that, creating maps of Middle Earth, sketches of Orthanc, and more. Those pieces of art have been collected before, namely in Christopher Tolkien's Pictures by JRR Tolkien and Wayne G Hammond and Christina Scull's JRR Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator, as The Guardian points out, but Tolkien's own art hasn't been featured in an edition of The Lord of the Rings since the first publication back in 1954. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/24/the-lord-of-the-rings-gollum-teaser-trailer"] The Tolkien estate has given HarperCollins the rights to publish a new edition of The Lord of the Rings that features the illustrations Tolkien always intended to accompany certain parts of the book. It will be released on October 19 and you can preorder the book now. For more Lord of the Rings, check out this new 4K UHD boxset of the Peter Jackson trilogy and then read these new plot details for Amazon's upcoming Lord of the Rings series. Be sure to read about the upcoming video game centered on Gollum after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

This week in GTA Online, claim double salaries on Bodyguards and Associates work, Contracts and Challenges, a slew of discounts, and more.

This week in GTA Online, claim double salaries on Bodyguards and Associates work, Contracts and Challenges, a slew of discounts, and more.

The Playoffs for the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS)' Winter Circuit are all set to take place on March 27 and March 28, and it will see the best teams in the world competing for a prize pool worth $503,000. Furthermore, IGN is proud to help reveal the Apex Legends Global Series Championship that will take place from May 22 - June 13, with teams from around the world competing for a prize pool of $1 million. From TSM to Team Liquid to Gambit, there will be 40 teams competing across NA and EMEA during the ALGS Winter Circuit Playoffs, and IGN is here to help ensure you don't miss a single match. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/15/apex-legends-review-2021"]

ALGS Winter Circuit Playoffs Event Time and Dates

The Apex Legends Global Series' Winter Circuit Playoffs will begin on March 27, 2021, and will see North America kicking off the event at 3pm PT/6pm ET/11pm BST. March 28 will see the second day of the Playoffs, and will feature The EMEA (Europe, Middle East, & Africa) tournament taking place at 8am PT/11am ET/4pm BST.

How to Watch the ALGS Winter Circuit Playoffs

We'll be hosting the ALGS Winter Circuit Playoffs livestream on our channels across a variety of platforms including IGN.com, IGN’s Facebook and Twitter, and Apex Legends’s Twitch and YouTube channels. Here's the full list of places you can watch;

• IGN.com (homepage)
• IGN’s Twitter
• IGN's Facebook Channel
• IGN's iOS App
• IGN's Android App

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/apex-legends-the-story-so-far"]

The Apex Legends Global Series Championship

The ALGS Championship will take place from May 22 - June 13. This ultimate tournament will conclude this current competitive season and will feature a prize pool of $1 million. It will feature five regional championships - NA (North America), EMEA (Europe, Middle East, & Africa), SA (South America), APAC-N (Japan & Korea), and APAC-S (Greater Southeast Asia, Australia, & New Zealand) - meaning that five "Champions of the Arena" teams will be crowned. For those teams that have yet to qualify, there will be an Apex Legends Global Series Championship Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) from April 23-25 for all players who have achieved Gold IV Rank on PC, in Season 8 Split 2, by 12 PM PT on April 21. Registration for this LCQ will begin on Monday, March 29. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/12/apex-legends-nintendo-switch-performance-review"]

What to Expect From the ALGS Winter Circuit Playoffs

The Apex Legends Global Series Winter Circuit Playoffs will see the best teams from around the world competing for their share of the $503,000 prize pool, to become Winter Circuit Champions, and to qualify for the ALGS Championship. The top 10 seeded teams will start the playoffs with a certain amount of points (1st seed gets 10 points, 2nd seed gets 9 points, etc.), which will give them an advantage based on their previous Winter Circuit performance. At the end of each match, teams will be awarded points for their placement and how many kills the team makes. Each team will get one point per kill, and their placement can earn them up to 12 points for coming in first, 9 points for coming in second, etc. Once any team reaches 50 points in the Playoffs, they become "Match Point Eligible" in their next match. The first team to win a match after becoming "Match Point Eligible" will be declared the Champion of the Winter Circuit. After the winner is declared, the 2nd-20th place teams are determined by their Playoff point totals. Fan favorites TSM are one of the big teams to watch in the North American tournament, as even though they haven't been performing up to their high standards, they are ready to put in the work to get back on top. While CLG has struggled a bit with consistency, they had one of the most impressive single OTs in OT2. Team Liquid is always worth a look, and are one of the teams who really try to "innovate" in their quest for victory. For EMEA, Gambit is definitely one of the favorites, as they are performing incredibly well and continuously stay on the top of the kills leaderboard. Led by Hardecki, they led the group in OT4 with 48 kills. Hardecki claimed 22 of those kills, and only 4 teams had more than 22 kills total. Cooler and Flavor of the Month are also worth keeping an eye on and, after winning last weekend's LCQ, Alliance is another hot team that may be able to peak at the right moment. While all the previously mentioned teams have a shot at becoming the next champion, all of these teams have the ability to steal the crown and claim the ultimate prize. Will a powerhouse team rise to the top? Or will an underdog rise through the ranks to shock the world? Tune in this weekend to find out! [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.

The Playoffs for the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS)' Winter Circuit are all set to take place on March 27 and March 28, and it will see the best teams in the world competing for a prize pool worth $503,000. Furthermore, IGN is proud to help reveal the Apex Legends Global Series Championship that will take place from May 22 - June 13, with teams from around the world competing for a prize pool of $1 million. From TSM to Team Liquid to Gambit, there will be 40 teams competing across NA and EMEA during the ALGS Winter Circuit Playoffs, and IGN is here to help ensure you don't miss a single match. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/15/apex-legends-review-2021"]

ALGS Winter Circuit Playoffs Event Time and Dates

The Apex Legends Global Series' Winter Circuit Playoffs will begin on March 27, 2021, and will see North America kicking off the event at 3pm PT/6pm ET/11pm BST. March 28 will see the second day of the Playoffs, and will feature The EMEA (Europe, Middle East, & Africa) tournament taking place at 8am PT/11am ET/4pm BST.

How to Watch the ALGS Winter Circuit Playoffs

We'll be hosting the ALGS Winter Circuit Playoffs livestream on our channels across a variety of platforms including IGN.com, IGN’s Facebook and Twitter, and Apex Legends’s Twitch and YouTube channels. Here's the full list of places you can watch;

• IGN.com (homepage)
• IGN’s Twitter
• IGN's Facebook Channel
• IGN's iOS App
• IGN's Android App

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/apex-legends-the-story-so-far"]

The Apex Legends Global Series Championship

The ALGS Championship will take place from May 22 - June 13. This ultimate tournament will conclude this current competitive season and will feature a prize pool of $1 million. It will feature five regional championships - NA (North America), EMEA (Europe, Middle East, & Africa), SA (South America), APAC-N (Japan & Korea), and APAC-S (Greater Southeast Asia, Australia, & New Zealand) - meaning that five "Champions of the Arena" teams will be crowned. For those teams that have yet to qualify, there will be an Apex Legends Global Series Championship Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) from April 23-25 for all players who have achieved Gold IV Rank on PC, in Season 8 Split 2, by 12 PM PT on April 21. Registration for this LCQ will begin on Monday, March 29. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/12/apex-legends-nintendo-switch-performance-review"]

What to Expect From the ALGS Winter Circuit Playoffs

The Apex Legends Global Series Winter Circuit Playoffs will see the best teams from around the world competing for their share of the $503,000 prize pool, to become Winter Circuit Champions, and to qualify for the ALGS Championship. The top 10 seeded teams will start the playoffs with a certain amount of points (1st seed gets 10 points, 2nd seed gets 9 points, etc.), which will give them an advantage based on their previous Winter Circuit performance. At the end of each match, teams will be awarded points for their placement and how many kills the team makes. Each team will get one point per kill, and their placement can earn them up to 12 points for coming in first, 9 points for coming in second, etc. Once any team reaches 50 points in the Playoffs, they become "Match Point Eligible" in their next match. The first team to win a match after becoming "Match Point Eligible" will be declared the Champion of the Winter Circuit. After the winner is declared, the 2nd-20th place teams are determined by their Playoff point totals. Fan favorites TSM are one of the big teams to watch in the North American tournament, as even though they haven't been performing up to their high standards, they are ready to put in the work to get back on top. While CLG has struggled a bit with consistency, they had one of the most impressive single OTs in OT2. Team Liquid is always worth a look, and are one of the teams who really try to "innovate" in their quest for victory. For EMEA, Gambit is definitely one of the favorites, as they are performing incredibly well and continuously stay on the top of the kills leaderboard. Led by Hardecki, they led the group in OT4 with 48 kills. Hardecki claimed 22 of those kills, and only 4 teams had more than 22 kills total. Cooler and Flavor of the Month are also worth keeping an eye on and, after winning last weekend's LCQ, Alliance is another hot team that may be able to peak at the right moment. While all the previously mentioned teams have a shot at becoming the next champion, all of these teams have the ability to steal the crown and claim the ultimate prize. Will a powerhouse team rise to the top? Or will an underdog rise through the ranks to shock the world? Tune in this weekend to find out! [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.

Turtle Rock Studios has announced that Back 4 Blood has been delayed from June 22, 2021 to October 12, 2021. Fortunately, there will be an Open Beta this summer. The delay news was shared on Twitter alongside a message saying that the team needs a bit more time to make Back 4 Blood "the best game it can possibly be at launch." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/17/back-4-blood-hands-on-preview-the-spiritual-successor-to-left-4-dead"] "Turtle Rock Studios is working hard to make Back 4 Blood the best game it can possible be at launch and the team needs more time to do this," Turtle Rock wrote. "Therefore, we will release Back 4 Blood on October 12, 2021. We thank our community for its continued support and are excited to share that there will be an Open Beta this summer." Back 4 Blood is a next-gen cooperative FPS from the creators of Left 4 Dead and was first revealed at The Game Awards 2020. The gameplay is very much an homage to Left 4 Dead, but also features even more zombies alongside some larger and nastier ones one. Back 4 Blood also has a card mechanic where you are building a deck you take in with you to each level. These cards are broken into four categories: Reflex, Discipline, Brawn, and Fortune. While these will give you bonuses, there will also be corruption cards in play that will make your journey more difficult. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/11/back-4-blood-gameplay-trailer"] In our hands-on preview of Back 4 Blood, we said, "Overall, my first experience with Back 4 Blood felt like just the right balance between old and familiar and new and fresh. Turtle Rock obviously knows this genre inside and out, and the ways in which they’re emphasizing player choice through deck customization and vendors at the end of every act feels like a smart shift in direction that still stays true to its roots." [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.

Turtle Rock Studios has announced that Back 4 Blood has been delayed from June 22, 2021 to October 12, 2021. Fortunately, there will be an Open Beta this summer. The delay news was shared on Twitter alongside a message saying that the team needs a bit more time to make Back 4 Blood "the best game it can possibly be at launch." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/17/back-4-blood-hands-on-preview-the-spiritual-successor-to-left-4-dead"] "Turtle Rock Studios is working hard to make Back 4 Blood the best game it can possible be at launch and the team needs more time to do this," Turtle Rock wrote. "Therefore, we will release Back 4 Blood on October 12, 2021. We thank our community for its continued support and are excited to share that there will be an Open Beta this summer." Back 4 Blood is a next-gen cooperative FPS from the creators of Left 4 Dead and was first revealed at The Game Awards 2020. The gameplay is very much an homage to Left 4 Dead, but also features even more zombies alongside some larger and nastier ones one. Back 4 Blood also has a card mechanic where you are building a deck you take in with you to each level. These cards are broken into four categories: Reflex, Discipline, Brawn, and Fortune. While these will give you bonuses, there will also be corruption cards in play that will make your journey more difficult. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/11/back-4-blood-gameplay-trailer"] In our hands-on preview of Back 4 Blood, we said, "Overall, my first experience with Back 4 Blood felt like just the right balance between old and familiar and new and fresh. Turtle Rock obviously knows this genre inside and out, and the ways in which they’re emphasizing player choice through deck customization and vendors at the end of every act feels like a smart shift in direction that still stays true to its roots." [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.

Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions are developing a film adaptation of Ghost of Tsushima, with John Wick director Chad Stahelski attached to helm. According to a new report from Deadline, Stahelski will work alongside producers Alex Young and Jason Spitz with their company 87Eleven Entertainment. Peter Kang of game developer Sucker Punch Productions will oversee the project on behalf of the studio, which will serve as executive producers. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/13/ghost-of-tsushima-japanese-trailer"] The film is set to adapt Ghost of Tsushima's story, which follows the journey of samurai warrior Jin Sakai as he fights for the freedom of the isle of Tsushima. “We’re excited to be partnering with Chad and 87Eleven Entertainment, to bring their vision of Jin’s story to the big screen," said Asad Qizilbash, Head of PlayStation Productions. "We love working with creative partners like Chad, who have a passion for our games, ensuring we can create rich adaptations that will excite our fans and new audiences.” Stahelski has been the long-term helmer of the John Wick series of highly-popular action movies, and is set to return for the upcoming John Wick 4, currently aiming for a 2022 release. It's currently unclear how far into development the Ghost of Tsushima movie is, and so there's no date yet confirmed for shooting or release. Ghost of Tsushima itself is heavily influenced by samurai movies, particularly the classic Japanese Kurosawa films, even so far as the game including a black and white mode to emulate the visuals of those movies. It will be interesting to see if the movie adaptation pulls from those same inspiration points, or travels its own path. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions are developing a film adaptation of Ghost of Tsushima, with John Wick director Chad Stahelski attached to helm. According to a new report from Deadline, Stahelski will work alongside producers Alex Young and Jason Spitz with their company 87Eleven Entertainment. Peter Kang of game developer Sucker Punch Productions will oversee the project on behalf of the studio, which will serve as executive producers. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/13/ghost-of-tsushima-japanese-trailer"] The film is set to adapt Ghost of Tsushima's story, which follows the journey of samurai warrior Jin Sakai as he fights for the freedom of the isle of Tsushima. “We’re excited to be partnering with Chad and 87Eleven Entertainment, to bring their vision of Jin’s story to the big screen," said Asad Qizilbash, Head of PlayStation Productions. "We love working with creative partners like Chad, who have a passion for our games, ensuring we can create rich adaptations that will excite our fans and new audiences.” Stahelski has been the long-term helmer of the John Wick series of highly-popular action movies, and is set to return for the upcoming John Wick 4, currently aiming for a 2022 release. It's currently unclear how far into development the Ghost of Tsushima movie is, and so there's no date yet confirmed for shooting or release. Ghost of Tsushima itself is heavily influenced by samurai movies, particularly the classic Japanese Kurosawa films, even so far as the game including a black and white mode to emulate the visuals of those movies. It will be interesting to see if the movie adaptation pulls from those same inspiration points, or travels its own path. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Sega has announced Total War: Rome Remastered, an updated version of the Creative Assembly-developed strategy classic from 2004. It will release on April 29. The remaster has been developed in collaboration with Feral Interactive, and is described as a "comprehensive remaster" that adds a suite of visual and gameplay improvements. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/25/total-war-rome-remastered-announce-trailer"] Total War: Rome Remastered will contain both the main game and its two expansions - Barbarian Invasion and Alexander - and this will all be presented with 4K visuals and native support for ultra-high-definition resolutions. Overhauled environment, battlefield, and character models will complete the refreshed look. As for gameplay, 16 previously unplayable factions have been added, and the 22 original factions return for this release. Additionally, there are also new Merchant agents that can be sent on missions to establish trade networks. Modern touches have been added to the campaign, including a tactical map for battles, and heat maps and icon overlays during campaign mode. The diplomacy system has been overhauled, the camera can now be rotated on the campaign map, and zoom levels on the camera are now wider. For those new to the game, an improved help system provides a redesigned tutorial, an in-game WIki, advice and tooltips, and improved support for colour-blind players. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=total-war-rome-remastered-screenshots&captions=true"] Multiplayer will be cross-platform across Windows, macOS, and Linux. The Remastered package will also provide access to the original Rome: Total War Collection, but this is only playable on Windows PCs. Total War: Rome Remastered can be pre-ordered from today, and those who own the original version on Steam can get the remaster at a 50% discount until June 1. This Rome remaster arrives just as Humankind has been delayed out of April, so there's at least some strategy goodness available on PC in the coming weeks. And while 2004 may be many years in the past now, Total War: Rome was a titan among strategy games, gaining a glowing review from us. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.