Sadie Sink, who plays Max Mayfield in Stranger Things, is reportedly set to star alongside Tom Holland in Spider-Man 4.
Deadline reports that Sink, who made her film debut in the 2016 biographical sports drama Chuck, will appear in the upcoming MCU movie, which begins filming later this year and has a release date of July 31, 2026.
Marvel and Sony had no comment when contacted by Deadline.
Deadline speculates that Sink will play either X-Men character Jean Grey or “another beloved redheaded Spider-Man character.” That suggests Mary Jane Watson, but quite how her introduction would fit into Peter Parker’s ongoing relationship with Michelle "MJ" Jones-Watson, played by Zendaya in the previous Spider-Man films, remains to be seen. Deadline sounds confident Sink has a “significant” role in Spider-Man 4, which could be something of a reset given the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. In that film, Peter reintroduces himself to MJ after Doctor Strange erases his identity from everyone’s memory.
Holland is currently filming Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and the plan is for him to start shooting Spider-Man once he has finished production, Deadline reported.
Late last year, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige teased the introduction of X-Men characters in the "next few" MCU movies.
Feige told an audience at the Disney APAC Content Showcase in Singapore that fans would see “some X-Men players that you might recognize” in the next few MCU movies, but he stopped short of saying which characters or what movies.
On bringing the X-Men into the MCU, Feige added: “I think you will see that continues in our next few movies with some X-Men players that you might recognize.
“Right after that, the whole story of Secret Wars really leads us into a new age of mutants and of the X-Men. Again, [it’s] one of those dreams come true. We finally have the X-Men back.”
At the time, Marvel’s next few movies, if we assume few to mean three, were Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and then Phase Six kickstarter The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July 2025.
Perhaps more likely are more mutant appearances throughout Phase 6 movies, which include 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man 4, and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. One of the key questions here will be whether Deadpool and Wolverine return to the MCU having seen such huge success with their own movie this summer. Could Channing Tatum also reprise his role as Gambit?
Feige has also said the X-Men will be an important part of the MCU’s future following Secret Wars. "When we were preparing for Avengers: Endgame years ago, it was a question of getting to the grand finale of our narrative, and then we had to start all over again after that,” Feige said. “This time, on the road to Secret Wars, we already know very well what the story is going to be until then and afterwards. The X-Men are an important part of that future.”
It sounds like Phase 7 of the MCU will be dominated by the X-Men, then, but in the short term, Storm appeared in What If...? Season 3, marking the character’s first appearance in the wider MCU.
In October, Marvel Studios added three untitled movie projects to its 2028 release schedule: February 18, 2028; May 5, 2028; and November 10, 2028. It seems increasingly likely one of these movies is X-Men.
Photo by Arturo Holmes/WireImage.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
The PlayStation Portal has never been discounted, but at least you can save on a used one. Amazon Resale (a rebranded Amazon Warehouse) currently has Used: Like New condition PS Portals in stock for only $158.70 shipped. It retails for $199 new, so that's a substantial 20% in savings. A Sony warranty may or may not be included, but Amazon Resale items benefit from the same 30-day return policy you get for buying a new item. We expect this item to sell out pretty quickly.
PlayStation Portal (Used: Like New) for Under $160
The PS Portal, Sony's handheld gaming accessory for the PS5 console, looks very much like an extended split-pad DualSense controller with an 8-inch 1080p LCD screen in the middle of it. It turns your PS5 into a gaming handheld by letting you stream games from your console at up to 60fps. The controller mirrors the same features found on the DualSense, including haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and a touchscreen interface that replaces the Dualsense's touchpad. The Portal can stream your games even when you're outside of your home, with the caveat that you have access to very stable, very fast internet connection. Keep in mind that the PS Portal is not a standalone device. This is strictly a remote player for the PlayStation 5, so you will need a PS5 to use it.
Update: You no longer need a PS5 to play games on the PS Portal. Now, rather than being limited to simply streaming games from a $500 console to a $200 handheld, Sony has introduced a feature that lets owners stream games directly from its PlayStation Now cloud streaming service. No PS5 required. Portal owners now have the option to either connect the Portal to their PS5 as before, or directly to Sony’s cloud servers. Choose the latter and suddenly you have access to a library of more than 120 games, including Ghost of Tsushima, Resident Evil 3 Remake, The Last of Us Part 1 Remastered, and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. It’s worth noting you must be a subscriber to the highest tier of PlayStation Plus, but $18 a month is much more attractive that splashing out $500 upfront plus an extra $70 a game.
It should be said that the PlayStation Portal isn’t the only way to stream your PS5 games over Wi-Fi within your home. You can mimic its functionality by downloading the PS Remote Play app on a mobile device, including other gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck. That said, it's more complicated to set up and you'll lose out on some of the Dualsense's features.
DualSense controllers are also on sale
Lenovo has just dropped the price of the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller to slightly lower than what we saw on Black Friday. Right now you can choose Sterling Silver, Volcanic Red, or Cobalt Blue for only $54 plus free shipping after you apply coupon code "PLAY5" in cart. This is probably going to be your last chance to get a DualSense controller at this price for quite a while, especially one that's decked out in a eye-catching metallic colorway.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has issued an update to its members on the status of negotiations over video game actor AI protections, saying that while progress has been made, it is still "frustratingly far apart" with the industry bargaining group on key issues.
The guild has shared a chart demonstrating the differences between its own proposals and those of the games industry bargaining group, which consists of representatives from most major AAA gaming companies. Per SAG-AFTRA's comparison, the following issues remain at large:
Protection from digital replica or generative AI use for all work, not just work produced from the date of the agreement going forward.
A definition of "digital replica": SAG-AFTRA seeks to include any performance, vocal or movement, "readily identifiable or attributable to" a performer based on work contracts. The bargaining group wants to use the phrase "objectively identifiable," which SAG-AFTRA says would allow employers to choose to excluse many performances.
The inclusion of "movement" performers as a part of the generative AI agreement.
Using phrase "real-time generation" to refer to generative AI-created performances. The bargaining group is proposing the term "procedural generation", which SAG-AFTRA says has a different meaning in games.
Whether or not employers must disclose if it will blend your voice with other voices to make a digital replica.
Whether or not employers must disclose if your voice will be used for a real-time chatbot that could potentially say anything, or if it will just be created and shipped with scripted dialogue as a part of game development.
SAG-AFTRA's proposal withdraws consent for digital replica use when the guild goes on strike - employers want to continue to use them in the event of a strike, including on struck games.
How long consent for real-time generation lasts: SAG-AFTRA proposes five years, after which it must be renewed. The bargaining group seeks consent for an unlimited amount of dialogue, forever.
How much performers should be paid, minimum, for digital replica creation and use. The two groups have a number of disagreements on this front, but have tentatively agreed on how bonus pay is calculated.
The bargaining group is proposing something that exists in the SAG-AFTRA TV/Film agreement that grants the employers bonus rights (easier scheduling/unlimited overtime/etc) if they pay a premium. SAG-AFTRA says the current proposal is too broad and would circumvent union rights as written, but says it would consider the concept with stricter boundaries.
SAG-AFTRA wants to implement a system to track how and how much digital replicas are being used, to ensure performers are being paid appropriately. The bargaining group believes this is not feasible and is only willing to discuss the possibility as a part of the agreement.
Some specific definitions around how "synthetic" performers are defined and regulated, aka characters created wholesale from generative AI systems.
That's a long list, but the chart does make clear that the two groups have come to tentative agreements on a number of other issues, such as bonus pay, dispute resolution, certain elements of minimum compensation, requirement for consent, certain disclosures made to performers, and more. But SAG-AFTRA's letter to members expresses concern that the bargaining employers are incorrectly conveying to members that the two groups are close to a deal, when SAG-AFTRA does not believe they are. As SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland wrote to members:
With their previously signed projects dragging their way through the production pipeline, employers are feeling the squeeze from the strike, as SAG-AFTRA members who work in video games continue to stand together and refuse to work without adequate protections. This is causing employers to seek other performers they can exploit to fill those roles, including those who don’t typically perform in games. If you’re approached for such a role, we urge you to seriously consider the consequences. Not only would you be undermining the efforts of your fellow members, but you would be putting yourself at risk by working without protections against A.I. misuse. And “A.I. misuse” is just a nice way of saying that these companies want to use your performance to replace you — without consent or compensation.
In response, Audrey Cooling, spokesperson for the video game industry bargaining group, issued the following statement:
We have proposed a deal that includes wage increases of over 15% for SAG-AFTRA represented performers in video games, as well as enhanced health and safety protections, industry-leading terms of use for AI digital replicas in-game and additional compensation for the use of an actor’s performance in other games. We have made meaningful progress and are eager to return to the bargaining table to reach a deal.
The SAG-AFTRA video game strike has been going on for eight months now, and was instigated specifically due to a lack of agreement on AI provisions while 24 out of 25 other contract proposals had been affirmed by both sides. While at first it was difficult to tell exactly how it would affect games actually in our hands, we're starting to see the impacts visibly across the industry. Players have reported that a number of ongoing games such as Destiny 2 and World of Warcraft appear to have certain NPCs left unvoiced in otherwise voiced scenes, likely due to the strike. Late last year, SAG-AFTRA struck League of Legends after Riot allegedly tried to subvert the strike by canceling a game in response., and Activision confirmed Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 characters were recast after players expressed concern about new voices.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Friendship opens in theaters Friday, May 9. This review is based on a screening at the 2025 SXSW Film and Television Festival.
Tim Robinson’s character in Friendship is so perfect for his comedic persona, it’s incredible that he didn’t write it himself. It was written for him, to be clear; director Andrew DeYoung said in an interview last fall that he sent the screenplay to Robinson with a note that said he wanted Robinson for the part, and that he planned to shoot it like a Paul Thomas Anderson movie. (More on that later.) Friendless, clueless, and prone to fits of frustrated rage, Craig Waterman is like a character from Robinson’s cringe-comedy series I Think You Should Leave, with about as much depth and equal capacity for laughs.
Craig’s neighbor Austin is a perfect fit for Paul Rudd, too. Austin is a weatherman for a local news station, with a thick mustache, a glorious head of hair, a hot wife, and a successful local garage band. Austin has lots of friends, and likes to have them over for beers on a Friday night. Austin represents a certain type of quietly confident guy, the kind who collects vinyl and drinks craft brews and wears cool jeans that fit him just right. Craig, meanwhile, is neither confident nor quiet. He works for a company that specializes in making apps more addictive, is always holding an awkwardly oversized beverage, and buys all of his clothes from a company called Ocean View Dining.
The only person who can stand Craig is his wife Tami (Kate Mara) – and that comes and goes, frankly. He was the safe choice, a stable presence for Tami and their son Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer). Even so, Craig is inadequate as a provider: A running visual gag involves Tami trying to jam large floral arrangements into a tiny smart car, because Craig can’t afford to buy her a bigger one. He’s inadequate in a lot of ways, actually, and much of the humor in Friendship revolves around Craig’s metaphorical, feature-length cuckolding. His manhood is continually undercut by Tami, by Austin, by the guys at work, by Tami’s sexy firefighter ex, and even by Steven, who has two girlfriends and kisses his mom on the mouth.
Craig reacts like a Tim Robinson character, which is to say that he takes it until he explodes in a fit of impotent rage. Robinson’s comedy is all about inappropriate reactions to ridiculous scenes: Think of the I Think You Should Leave sketch with Tim Heidecker as a condescending, gazpacho-craving boyfriend who populates a game of Celebrity with the un-guessable names of ancient jazz musicians. And that style manifests from Friendship’s opening moments, at a support-group meeting where Tami says that her cancer has been in remission for a year now (this is never mentioned again, by the way) but that there are certain things that still bother her, like wondering if she’ll ever have an orgasm again. Then it’s Craig’s turn to share. “I’m orgasming just fine,” he says.
From there, we pivot to Craig’s burgeoning relationship with Austin, who’s new to the neighborhood and very generous towards the childlike idiot next door. They have a few “good hangs,” exploring the tunnels underneath their small town and foraging for wild mushrooms in the nearby woods. Then Craig humiliates himself at boys’ night, prompting Austin to politely tell him that he’s no longer interested in being bros. This happens a half-hour into this 100-minute movie, making its title somewhat misleading: Most of Friendship is about Craig’s freakout over being friend-dumped, rather than the friendship itself.
A series of escalating absurdist scenarios follow, the funniest of which sees Craig lying on the floor in the stockroom of a cell phone store and licking a toad an 18-year-old named T-Boy (don’t ask) tells him will take him on a mind-bending psychedelic journey. You’ll have to watch the movie to find out where Craig’s mind's eye takes him, but it’s silly and unexpected and gives Robinson the opportunity to have one of his signature tantrums. The surrealist touches in DeYoung’s filmmaking are minimal, but he is fond of the evocative push-ins and Steadicam tracking shots favored by his professed inspiration Anderson, an elevated directing style that feels like a tongue-in-cheek bit in a comedy like Friendship.
Tim Robinson's physical-comedy instincts are impeccable, even when Friendship starts to feel repetitive.
Rudd basically disappears after the first act, and Mara literally disappears into the sewers for a few scenes. Robinson’s frequent collaborator (and fellow chronicler of brain-rotted 21st-century guys) Conner O’Malley shows up for a cameo, standing on a chair and ranting about how “we should still be in Afghanistan.” Robinson loses his phone in a puddle, smashes another one against a wall, and ruins several pairs of OVD khakis. His physical-comedy instincts are impeccable, even when the whole thing starts to feel repetitive after a while. (For comparison’s sake: Friendship runs about as long as a full season of I Think You Should Leave.)
The overall effect is of a series of interconnected comedy sketches on the loose themes of manhood and male bonding, which are hilarious if you vibe with Robinson’s style of humor and insufferable if you don’t. Friendship got big laughs at SXSW, leaving a handful of Robinson naysayers alienated and stone-faced in their theater seats. Sounds like the premise for a Tim Robinson sketch.
The official trailer for the live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch has arrived and it gives us our best look yet at Maia Kealoha's Lilo, Courtney B. Vance's Cobra Bubbles, and Billy Magnussen's Pleakley.
While we've seen a good amount of Stitch in the teasers for Lilo & Stitch so far, Kealoha is finally taking center stage and showing how she will be portraying the character that Daveigh Chase first played in the 2002 original.
We also get to see the serious but lovable Cobra Bubbles in action alongside Zach Galifianakis' Jumba and Billy Magnussen's Pleakley. In an interesting twist, it looks like Jumba and Pleakley will, at least for a bit, be disguised as their human actors on Earth instead of their alien forms with clothes on. However, we do get to see Pleakley in his alien form for a quick second.
The trailer also shows us live-action versions of many of the iconic scenes from the original, including Stitch arriving in a fashion that looks like a falling star to Lilo, Stitch making himself look more like a dog at the shelter, and even the wonderful moment when Lilo says, "Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten."
Lilo & Stitch will be released in theaters on May 23, 2025, and will be another live-action version of a beloved classic Disney film. It also arrives just a few short months after the live-action version of Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs on March 21.
Localthunk, the developer behind breakout roguelike poker game Balatro, has stepped in to resolve a bit of a scrum in the Balatro subreddit over a mod's statements on AI art.
It's a bit of a wild story, so bear with me here, and thanks to Garbage Day and Rock Paper Shotgun for spotting all this. Essentially, it starts with DrTankHead, a now-former moderator of the Balatro subreddit and also current mod of a NSFW Balatro subreddit.
The moderator had expressed no issue with AI art content, both on the NSFW and main Balatro subreddits. "We will not be banning AI art here, if it is properly claimed and tagged as such," the mod said in a post. "This has been done after discussion with the staff at Playstack."
"Neither Playstack nor I condone AI 'art'. I don't use it in my game, I think it does real harm to artists of all kinds. The actions of this mod do not reflect how Playstack feels or how I feel on the topic. We have removed this moderator from the moderation team," Localthunk said.
"We will not be allowing AI generated images on this subreddit from now on. We will make sure our rules and FAQ reflect this soon."
In a follow-up, Playstack's communications director noted that the rules around this "should have been clearer," as a rule calling for "no unlabeled AI content" could have been interpreted as allowing or supporting the content on the subreddit. The remaining mod team is planning on clarifying this language for the future.
As for the original mod, DrTankHead posted in the aforementioned NSFW Balatro subreddit, confirming they've been removed as a mod of r/Balatro. They went on to say that it is "not their goal" to make the NSFW Balatro subreddit AI-centric, but they are considering a "day of the week" situation where "non-NSFW art that is made with AI can be posted."
In response, one user replied: "Please just get off Reddit for a week or two."
Generative AI is one of the hottest topics within the video game and entertainment industries, which have both suffered massive layoffs in recent years. It has thus far has drawn criticism from players and creators due to a mix of ethical issues, rights issues, and AI’s struggles to produce content audiences actually enjoy. For instance, Keywords Studios attempted to create an experimental game internally using entirely AI. The game failed, with Keywords citing to investors that AI was “unable to replace talent.”
If you're thinking of jumping on the AMD bandwagon for your next upgrade, now is certainly the right time to do so. Alongside the Ryzen 7 9800X3D which debuted earlier this year, AMD has just released its two higher-end Ryzen 9 siblings in the Zen 5 "X3D" stack: the 9950X3D is available for $699 and the 9900X3D is available for $599. Collectively, these processors represent the best gaming chips across both Intel and AMD. Pure gamers should go with the 9800X3D and allocate their funds elsewhere; creators with deeper pockets and a penchant for gaming will benefit from the immense performance uplift on the new Ryzen 9 processors thanks to their increased core count and cache.
Note: Processors are going in and out of stock (mostly out of stock, unfortunately).
The Creator's Choice: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU
Creative professionals who also want the best gaming chip on the market shouldn't think twice; this is the CPU to get. The new 9950X3D boasts a max boost clock of 5.7GHz with 16 cores, 32 threads, and 144MB of L2-L3 cache. In terms of gaming, it's only a few percentage points better than than the 9800X3D. However, for productivity use, it easily outperforms the other two Zen 5 X3D chips, and anything offered by Intel for that matter.
The Gamer's Choice: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU
AMD's X3D series processors are gaming optimized thanks to AMD's 3D V-Cache technology. However, since all three CPUs have the 3D V-cache loaded onto a single CCD, you get roughly the same gaming performance across all three chips. The minor differences are mostly due to the difference in clock speed. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D boasts a max boost clock of 5.2GHz with 8 cores, 16 threads, and 104MB of L2-L3 cache Although perfectly capable of handling multitasking, rendering, and creation, the limited number of cores means they aren't the ideal processors for those tasks. However, this is an absolute monster of a processor for gaming, especially at this price point.
The Middleman: AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D CPU
The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is the processor you'd get if you do creative work and like to game, but you have a budget to adhere to and the 9950X3D crosses that line. The new 9900X3D boasts a max boost clock of 5.5GHz with 12 cores, 24 threads, and 140MB of L2-L3 cache. This is the one chip we haven't reviewed yet, but from the specs, it's pretty easy to guess its performance. In terms of productivity tasks and multi-core workloads, it should perform somewhere in between the 9950X3D and 9800X3D. In terms of gaming, we expect it to be a wash compared to the other two.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
In Monster Hunter, some quests can be taken down pretty quick, and others take a bit more time. But at least one Monster Hunter Wilds player has discovered a trick for getting absurdly fast clear times, using one particular quirk of Wilds' systems.
As spotted by VG247, one Monster Hunter Wilds player posted an incredibly fast clear time for a Tempered Chatacabra bout, thanks to what seems like a curious exploit of the poison system. The actual fight itself takes upwards of nine minutes, but the quest gets cleared in 00'01"53.
The trick, it seems, is how poison triggers the actual quest start in Monster Hunter Wilds. Though the hunter in the video pelts the Chatacabra with quite a significant amount of Poison Ammo, keeping the debuff running, it doesn't actually start the quest until they stop the monster, launch the quest, and then deal the final blow.
Players have some theories, mostly around poison not triggering the start of a quest as a safeguard against unwanted hunts starting in the open world. I took my own Heavy Bowgun out into the world and spent quite a while slowly toxifying a Chatacabra, and can at least report that it didn't automatically launch a quest until I started blasting it with other ammo.
Whatever the case, it's an interesting little interaction. It doesn't seem to be a huge problem, as a super-fast quest clear doesn't mean much more than the actual quest clear at the end of the day. The Chatacabra dies either way, and honestly, this Poison Ammo seems both more arduous and resource-intensive than just bonking it with normal weapons.
Still, it proves that Monster Hunter Wilds players are still discovering weird, fun ways in which monsters can be hunted. With the open approach to the Forbidden Lands and more updates to come, there's surely more to discover in this game as time goes on.
There have been some great Marvel collectibles popping up lately to preorder, but this Marvel Legends Series Doctor Doom helmet certainly takes the cake. Coming in at $99.99, this 1:1 scale Doctor Doom helmet is a great pick-up for those with a Marvel collectible collection. Or, if you're a cosplayer, this helmet is an excellent way to bring your costume together. It's set to release on August 1 and you can get your preorders in now at Amazon and Best Buy.
Preorder Marvel Legends Series Doctor Doom Helmet
If you just want to set it up for display, this Doctor Doom helmet comes with a stand so you can have it propped up front and center in your collection. Or, if you plan on wearing it, it also features an adjustable strap on the inside to help with fitting it on your head. The hood is also removable, so you can choose how you want to have it displayed.
More From Marvel Legends
As mentioned before, there are more Marvel collectibles up for preorder right now alongside this incredible helmet. Also from the Marvel Legends Series, there's a selection of action figures from Marvel's Spider-Man 2 video game that are available to preorder right now. These figures are set to release on June 1, so you can have them a couple months before the big Doctor Doom helmet drops.
A selection of Marvel Rivals Funko Pops are also available to preorder at the moment, including figures of Magneto, Iron Man, and the man of the hour, Doctor Doom. Each of these is priced at $12.99, but their release dates are a bit different. Iron Man and Doctor Doom's Funko figures are expected to release on May 27, while the Magneto figure is set to drop on May 13 this year.
When Does the New Doctor Doom Movie Come Out?
The new Doctor Doom helmet will be releasing on August 1, 2025 which is just a few days after the new film comes out. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to release in theaters on July 25, 2025. The latest iteration of Dr. Doom will be played by Robert Downey Jr. and this helmet from Marvel Legends appears to match what he wore in his big reveal last year.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
Now here is something really cool. Modder ‘Kalunn’ has released a new mod for Batman: Arkham Knight that allows you to play as X-Men’s favourite mutant, Wolverine. This mod replaces Batman’s moveset with a new one for Wolverine. As such, all the hits and grabs are made for Wolverine’s mutant abilities. Then, you can use … Continue reading Batman: Arkham Knight just got an amazing X-Men Wolverine Mod→
KRAFTON has released the detailed PC system requirements for its upcoming game that will rival EA’s The Sims. inZOI is a life simulation game that will be powered by Unreal Engine 5. So, let’s take a look at these latest detailed PC requirements. To run the game, PC gamers will at least need an Intel … Continue reading inZOI gets detailed PC requirements, will support Ray Tracing→
Let the demon hunting begin. Netflix is giving Devil May Cry the anime treatment — and we finally have a taste of what it has in store with a brand new trailer the streamer just dropped. But what might be even more exciting is that the legendary late voice actor Kevin Conroy will posthumously star in the new game adaptation.
Conroy, who is best known and celebrated as the longtime voice of Bruce Wayne and Batman in the many animated films and TV shows that have focused on the character over the years, stars in the series as VP Baines, a new character that can be heard in voiceover at the beginning of the sneak peek.
Back in July 2024, Conroy was praised for his posthumous voice performance in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part 3, so it’s awesome that fans will have another chance to experience his artistry after his untimely passing in November 2022 at the age of 66. Rounding out the cast alongside the late actor is Scout Taylor-Compton as Mary, Hoon Lee as White Rabbit, Chris Coppola as Enzo, and Johnny Yong Bosch as Dante himself.
According to the official synopsis provided by Netflix, “Sinister forces are at play to open the portal between the human and demon realms. In the middle of it all is Dante, an orphaned demon-hunter-for-hire, unaware that the fate of both worlds hangs around his neck.”
Producer Adi Shankar will serve as showrunner for the series. He is known for his work as executive producer on the 2012 Judge Dredd reboot film Dredd, as well as the Brad Pitt star vehicle Killing Them Softly from the same year, and 2014’s Ryan Reynolds vehicle The Voices. He is also slated to executive produce an adaptation of Assassin’s Creed, but considering it was announced in 2017 and still has yet to see the light of day, who knows if that series will ever actually get made? Fingers crossed, though.
Studio Mir, a well-established South Korean studio known for their work on popular projects like The Legend of Korra and X-Men ‘97, will serve as the chief production studio on this new series. Devil May Cry will be released on Netflix on April 3, 2025.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
Dark Regards is easily the most intriguing new indie comics to come along in quite some time. It's a book whose back-story is as wild and crazy as the comic itself. But you can be the judge in our exclusive preview of Dark Regards #1.
Check out the slideshow gallery below for an exclusive look inside the new series, but beware of some NSFW language ahead!
Dark Regards is the brainchild of comedian/writer/musician Dave Hill and artist Artyom Topilin (Cruel Universe, I Hate This Place). The four-issue series is inspired by Hill's own experiences forming a fictional Satanic metal band called Witch Taint and the unexpected spiral of chaos that ensued.
Here's Oni Press' official description of the series:
Two decades ago, Dave Hill and his first band set out to rock their high school auditorium in a fury of heavy metal hellfire. They failed miserably. Years later, Dave has made a new life for himself as a rising star in the New York comedy scene – a career where getting laughed at on stage is the entire point and not just a tragic consequence. But when Dave's metal ambitions are re-awakened by the über self-serious, “Satanic” genre of Norwegian black metal, Dave creates a ridiculously hyperbolic alter ego and a band to match that, together, reignite the spark of his forgotten rock 'n roll fantasy. But when Dave's internet-fueled rumors of Witch Taint – a metal band “so extreme that you must remove all sharp objects from the immediate area” when their music is played – spreads all the way to Europe, his story will spiral dangerously out of control as Norway's most extreme black metal butchers come to reap their revenge . . . and put everything and everyone Dave holds dear in the crosshairs (of their axes, which, truth be told, don't actually have crosshairs, but, hey, it's a metaphor).
“A few years back, I sat down in my underwear late one night and decided to let my obsession with Norwegian black metal run wild by emailing a Norwegian black metal record label, telling them all the bands on their label sucked despite the fact that I had never listened to any of them, and suggesting they sign my extremely extreme black metal band Witch Taint, which had yet to record any music and didn't even exist beyond the band name I'd just made up on the spot,” said Hill in a statement. “This first email led to months of correspondence with the record label that I never intended for anyone to see. But the Internet being the Internet, eventually a lot of people saw it and things got nuts. Now, beyond my wildest dreams, this story has become my first comic book series Dark Regards, written by me and illustrated by the amazing Artyom Topilin. If you don't devour every single issue, you are basically insane.”
Dark Regards #1 is priced at $4.99 and will be released on May 13, 2025.
Independent game developer Kyrylo Burlaka has revealed Fracture Point, his new fast-paced roguelike first-person shooter that promises procedurally generated levels with looter shooter elements "in a realistic dystopian metropolis engulfed in a war between a powerful corporation and the resistance."
Making your way up the corporation's skyscraper, you'll scavenge for gear and loot to upgrade your character as you go floor-by-floor fighting mercenaries, going toe-to-toe with security forces, and facing off against bosses. Watch the announcement trailer above and take a look at the first screenshots in the gallery below.
Fracture Point reminds me a lot of Criterion's classic PS2-era first-person shooter Black, and perhaps you'll agree when you watch the trailer. When I mentioned this to Burlaka, he said, "Criterion's games were a big part of my gaming experience growing up," so perhaps the comparison is warranted.
If you're interested in following Fracture Point's development progress and playing it as soon as it's ready, you can wishlist it on Steam.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
Two Zenless Zone Zero voice actors discovered they had been replaced when the game's patch notes went live, they have claimed, in the latest casualty of the battle for generative AI protections.
The Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists' (SAG-AFTRA) ongoing dispute with the video game industry revolves around the use of generative AI to replicate voice actor performances.
ZZZ, developed by Genshin Impact company HoYoverse, is not subject to the strike because it was in development before July 25, 2024, when the strike began. However, voice actors may choose not to sign new contracts in solidarity with striking union members, or in the absence of a SAG Interim Agreement.
Emeri Chase — who portrays Soldier 11 — said they were "replaced as Soldier 11 because I am unwilling to perform work not covered by a SAG Interim Agreement during a strike for AI protection, the outcome of which will determine the future of our industry." Nicholas Thurkettle, who played Lycaon, has been similarly replaced, although Thurkettle is not a union member.
"I'd like to clarify that there's a difference between being 'struck' and not being on an Interim Agreement," Chase explained in a thread on Bluesky (thanks, Eurogamer). "Union projects that began work prior to the strike and non-union projects are not 'struck.' But they also do not offer the Union-enforced AI rights we are fighting for.
"Many actors are choosing to voluntarily withhold work on these categories of projects because we feel it is the best way to support the union's fight for the protections that are critical to our continued ability to create the art we love."
Chase added that they knew "that by withholding work it was possible" they'd be replaced, but had "hoped [developer HoYoVerse] would choose to leave her silent until I was able to return."
"I found out the role was recast today alongside all of you," Chase said, while Thurkettle stated: "I'm learning about this as you are, and I share your shock. Neither HoYoverse nor Sound Cadence has communicated with me since October. I've been fully available and recorded multiple voice jobs in that time.
"I'm not SAG but what game companies want to do with AI is an existential threat. I took a personal stand to ask for protection, and had to be willing to give up the best thing that's ever happened in my professional life. I stand by my choice."
The company issued a statement to Game Developer admitting characters in Black Ops 6’s Zombies mode were recast amid the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
Zombies characters William Peck (Zeke Alton) and Samantha Maxis (Julie Nathanson) are currently voiced by new, unknown actors. Alton told Game Developer that he took no issue with Activision’s actions with Peck, but expressed concern “for my brand as a performer.”
“Fans of the game have reached out to me because the lack of crediting [of the replacement actor] implies that it may still be me which unfairly represents my abilities as a performer," Alton said at the time.
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
If there's any console manufacturer that truly embraces customization and color variety in its controllers—it's Xbox. For more than a decade, Xbox has released a steady stream of unique colors, patterns, and limited edition controllers across its Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles. And, if the official offerings aren't enough for you, Xbox Design Lab allows you to go wild creating your own controller design from scratch.
Aside from some minor tweaks to the design when the Xbox Series X|S launched in 2020, the Xbox Wireless Controller has largely gone unchanged since the Xbox One era. Even better, you can use your Xbox One controllers on Xbox Series X|S and vice-versa. But, if you're curious just how many official controllers Xbox has released since the beginning of the Series X|S generation, we've got you covered. Check out the full rundown below of every Xbox controller color by release date including standard, special edition, and limited edition controllers.
If you're looking for a good alternative, you can also check out our guide to more of the best Xbox controllers.
The Robot White controller released alongside the Xbox Series S in 2020 and is indentical in functionality to its Series X counterpart aside from its stark white color.
Shock Blue Xbox Controller
Release Date: November 10, 2020
Rounding out the trio of original controller colors debuting alongside the Xbox Series X|S, the Shock Blue controller was the only actual color available for the new generation for its first few months.
Pulse Red Xbox Controller
Release Date: February 9, 2021
The Pulse Red Xbox released just before Valentine's Day 2021, and what better way to show your love than to buy your partner this bright red controller?
Electric Volt Xbox Controller
Release Date: April 27, 2021
Xbox's next controller was the shocking Electric Volt color that falls somewhere between Mountain Dew and a highlighter. It's definitely a head-turner.
Deep Pink Xbox Controller
Release Date: May 17, 2022
The only standard controller option released in 2022 was the Deep Pink Xbox controller, featuring a vibrant pink color with matching buttons.
Velocity Green Xbox Controller
Release Date: March 7, 2023
Announced and released on the same day in 2023, the Velocity Green controller is surprisingly the first plain all-green controller released by Xbox since the transparent Xbox Controller S nearly 20 years ago.
Astral Purple Xbox Controller
Release Date: October 3, 2023
The most recent standard edition controller released nearly two years ago and features a rich, purple color that's as close in color that you're going to get to the console-exclusive Fortnite Xbox One controller, but without the gradient effect.
Every Special Edition Color
In addition to the standard colors above, Xbox has released a slew of "special edition" colors and patterns over the years. While some of these can be recreated today in Xbox Design Lab, if you're looking to pick up a retail version, your options may be limited to third-party resellers or refurbished models.
Daystrike Camo Special Edition Xbox Controller
Release Date: May 4, 2021
The first camo controller option for the Xbox Series X|S generation released in 2021 and featured a red camo pattern with deep red matching buttons.
Mineral Camo, the fourth camo-themed Xbox controller (second during the Xbox Series X|S generation) released featured a unique color scheme that included blues, purples, and teals.
Lunar Shift Special Edition Xbox Controller
Release Date: October 11, 2022
The Lunar Shift controller released in 2022 and was inspired by the "awe-inspiring aura of the moon" as its unique color shifts from gold to silver.
Stellar Shift Special Edition Xbox Controller
Release Date: February 7, 2023
The final member of the Shift series, Stellar Shift, featured a mesmerizing blue-purple color that exuded "deep space vibes" and came with a special dynamic background for your Xbox console when paired.
Arctic Camo Special Edition Xbox Controller
Release Date: May 2023
Interestingly enough, the Arctic Camo controller was actually a re-release of an earlier Xbox One version, but with the updated features of the modern Xbox Series X|S-era controllers. It was quietly released in the US in 2023 and made its way to the rest of the world in 2024.
The final entry in the "Vapor series," Nocturnal Vapor, released in 2024 and featured swirling, earthy tones, but didn't include a matching dynamic background for some reason.
Released about a year before the Xbox Series X|S, the second edition of the Xbox Elite controller featured a number of upgrades including better grips, more customization, and a redesigned D-pad that would go on to inspire the future Xbox Wireless Controller update.
When there's a red version, there's almost always a blue version to accompany it. Released alongside its Red-hued counterpart, the Blue Elite Core controller features—you guessed it—a blue faceplate, matching buttons, and black grip.
Limited Edition Xbox Controllers
If standard and special edition controllers don't tickle your fancy, Xbox is no stranger to limited edition controllers either. Since the launch of the Xbox Series X|S, there have been a number of limited edition controllers for Xbox games such as Forza Horizon 5, Starfield, a Halo Infinite-themed Elite Controller, and most recently, a special edition controller for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Arguably the biggest controller announcement during the Series X|S generation, though, is the return of Xbox Design Lab in 2021. Not only can you customize your perfect controller, but you can also create exclusive designs featuring popular franchises like Fallout and Call of Duty.
Matthew Adler is a Commerce, Features, Guides, News, Previews, and Reviews writer for IGN. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch
While the Battlefield team has teased there's still more tests to come to give more players a chance to get involved, we've pulled together all the improvements and new features we've spotted so far.
Battlefield 6 has a drag mechanic
Perhaps most notable is the ability to drag wounded allies away to safety. At the time of writing, a video clip on the Battlefield subreddit showing off the new feature has had almost 8,000 upvotes.
In a post on X, Battlefield lead producer, David Sirland, confirmed he was "not okay with leaks," hinting that "[leakers] are [being] dealt with accordingly." Despite this, however, Sirland acknowledged that the new drag and revive feature is a key part of the "revive loop," adding: "I am expecting to see some interesting use in the next test on labs."
"With this feature, there's more of that fun interaction with more pieces to the puzzle," he teased. "There's some really fun combinations that can happen (it's cancellable at any time with hold version). I can't wait for you guys to start finding out what they are."
Battlefield 6 lets you cling on to vehicles
It also looks as though players can cling to vehicles, too, either to get around the map quicker or lie in wait for a perfect sneaky ambush. While some players still aren't sure if the images are merely enter/exit animations, this feature was rumored some time ago, and it appears the playtest now confirms it.
There's also been a lot of positive chatter about in-game movement, too, with improved and/or reintroduced movement features such as crouch sprint, combat dive, and landing roll, as well as new visual indicators "to make it easier to understand when movements such as vaulting or leaning are possible."
Battlefield 6 reportedly has 3D maps
3D maps are back as well. According to sources who've played the pre-alpha playtest, it looks as though both the mini-map and the spawn screen maps are 3D. This makes it easier to see the elevation of tall buildings and landscapes, helping you choose the perfect spawn point. The last time we saw 3D maps in Battlefield was in 2018's Battlefield 5.
Battlefield 6 has improved destruction
Environmental destruction — a key part of Battlefield's appeal that can be used to give players a tactical advantage — is similarly beefed up, as this brief clip, with over 9000 upvotes and 600 comments, shows.
As for what's next? Lead producer Sirland revealed DICE now has "loads of feedback from the very active testers selected [...] in good amounts and in the right areas for us to be able to use it."
"There is a rationale to the approach we are taking, and it's working well so far. There will be more tests and we'll open up to more over time," he added.
Have we missed your favorite feature or mechanic? Let us know in the comments below.
EA has been playing its cards pretty close to its chest about the new Battlefield, and we still don't know when, exactly, it will launch. But EA's last financial report suggested it'll come sometime between April 2025 and March 2026.
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
Steelcase has been one of the biggest names in luxury office seating for decades, and the company recently released an update to its popular mesh Karman model that has gamers in its sights. This new model features a high-back design with some truly eye-catching mesh weaves. It's well-made and premium-priced, starting at $1,030, but if you’re looking for tons of adjustments like the Gesture, Leap, or Think, you might be left wanting more.
Steelcase Karman High Back – Design and Features
The Steelcase Karman High Back is a striking mesh computer chair. The Karman in general was already an eye-catcher, with its intricately woven fabrics, unique color combinations, and prominent contours, and the High Back takes those features and builds on them. It’s one of the most interesting and, in my opinion, best-looking mesh chairs you can buy right now.
While the original was a standard mid-back office chair, the High Back adds a sculpted backrest and integrated headrest. When I was initially approached about doing this review, the representative explained that the company had gamers in mind with this release. In a way, it's easy to see why. It's certainly a chair that you can lean back in with a controller and game comfortably. On the other hand, there are enough color options and the design is minimalist enough that it could easily fit into an office setting. It's a good-looking design that can work well in a variety of environments.
Like every Steelcase chair I’ve reviewed so far, it offers impeccable build quality and a fine attention to detail. Across the board, the Karman High Back feels well made and designed to last. It uses a metal frame with a flawless finish (color-matched to the color scheme of the chair) and high-quality open-weave Intermix fabric mesh. The material is simultaneously soft, flexible, and clearly robust. It feels soft to the touch, like traditional fabric chairs, and not plasticky like many mesh ergo seats. Time will have to tell, but upon close inspection, it doesn't seem like it would be prone to fraying like a more traditional thread might be with such an open weave.
I have to admit that the new high back design initially had me worried. Its prominent contours left me wondering if it would actually match my back or if I would find myself huddled in the middle without actually being supported. Thankfully, the backrest is designed to allow the mesh to flex and match the exact contours of your back. That said, I would still recommend picking up the optional adjustable lumbar accessory. While the mesh is able to flex, the lumbar support provided that little bit of extra support my lower back needed for long hours at my desk.
This new model comes with an integrated neckrest. Note that it isn’t a headrest and doesn’t work as one. It's small and thin, only moves up and down, and positioning it under the head forces you forward uncomfortably. Shifting it beneath the neck, however, allows the contoured high back to support the head much more naturally. That also means that the actual headrest is completely non-adjustable. I'm happy to see a neck support, but if a headrest is a make or break feature for you, I would highly recommend testing the chair before picking one up for yourself.
While I personally found the chair comfortable, I was surprised by the lack of adjustments it offers in comparison to other leading options in Steelcase's line. You can adjust the backrest across four levels, but two of these options are locks (upright and limited tilt). The other two offer more or less tension when you recline. It’s the same LiveBack system I remarked on in my review of the Think (2025).
The other adjustments are limited and basic. You can move the neckrest up and down, the armrests up, down, in, out, or tilt them to different angles, and adjust the chair's height. If you pick up the optional adjustable lumbar accessory, you can adjust that up and down too. There are no knobs to adjust the lumbar pressure or other fine adjustments. It's just two tabs that move a plastic-backed cushion up and down behind the mesh. Seat depth is also locked.
Steelcase does offer other benefits, however. There's a dedicated cushion beneath the seat rest, bringing the best of both worlds between traditional and mesh chairs. The edges of the chair are also soft, so you won’t need to worry about it digging into your skin. Steelcase also nails the cushions on the armrests. They’re firm enough to feel made-to-last but soft enough that you can actually lean on them without giving yourself a sore elbow. The contouring of the chair is also well done too, with a waterfall edge on the seat, and curves to guide you into a proper seating posture.
The Karman may also take the cake as Steelcase's best-looking chair. Unlike most mesh options on the market, you have the option of getting translucent or opaque fabric. The latter does a good job of masking the fact that it's even a mesh chair at all until you look closely. There are plenty of options to choose from too so you can find a color scheme that matches your personality. All told, there are a dozen different schemes to choose from, as well as two Intermix Shift options.
Intermix Shift is where things really get interesting for the aesthetics of the chair. It's named such because it weaves together two different hues of mesh to create a gradient that shifts depending on how you’re looking at it. As of this writing, there are two options: red-blue, and green-gold. I was sent the red and blue version, and the shifting, reactive gradient is downright beautiful.
Other customization options are more limited, though. Unlike the Think and Amia, you can't customize the color of the base or frame of the chair. Instead, that's dictated by your fabric color. You can choose between 4D armrests, height adjustable armrests, or no armrests at all, which, coincidentally, is where that base price of $1,030 comes in. You can also choose between wheels for carpet or hardwood floors with or without wheel hubs.
The cheapest version with armrests (height only) and the adjustable lumbar will set you back $1,269. The most expensive version, which includes opaque fabric, 4D armrests, the lumbar support add-on, and hubless wheels for hardwood floors tops out at $1,584. With its comparatively limited adjustments, this draws into question the value of the chair. While there's no mistaking its quality, if you really want your chair to be 100% tailored to you, it simply may not be the best option (even if it is the best looking one).
Steelcase Karman High Back – Performance
Over my years of testing chairs, I've come to recognize that I generally prefer fabric. I've sat in many mesh chairs and found them to be very comfortable, but between the two, I prefer the feel of soft fabric and supportive cushioning versus the breathable web of mesh seating. This is entirely subjective, of course, but I wanted to share that fact because some of my conclusions are going to be based on that personal preference, so keep your own tastes in mind.
The Intermix Shift fabric is excellent, and since it's a weave of different colors, it stands to reason that the other variations of Intermix would be equally soft and comfortable. There is nothing plasticky about this mesh. It feels very nice to touch and has a softness that I don't typically associate with this style of chair. At the same time, it maintains the benefits of being flexible and breathable, something that the seat cushion, surprisingly, doesn’t really hinder.
The design of the seat allows it to be significantly more comfortable than other mesh chairs I've tested. One of its defining qualities is that it has a very lightweight cushion directly under the seat, allowing you to have a cushioned seating experience while most others simply feel taut under your backside. It doesn't take up the entire surface of the seat, so it doesn't quite emulate a more traditional foam seating experience, even from Steelcase itself, but compared to typical mesh designs, it's a big improvement.
The backrest takes some getting used to, but I did eventually come around on it. The first couple of days were a learning experience as I adapted to its contours. The upper back is far more curved than any other chair I've tried. Once I was used to it, however, I came to enjoy it. You have to relax and settle in and get that neckrest positioned correctly for everything to come together.
Head support is fine thanks to the adjustable neckrest, but I wish there was some adjustability in its support. The neckrest does well positioning your head so that the contoured back can fill the role of a headrest too, but it falls short of a truly adjustable headrest like the one found on the Gesture.
The armrests are surprisingly less adjustable than on the Think and Amia – there seems to be less width adjustment, and they don't seem to move quite as smoothly either. They get the job done, and practically speaking, the differences in range aren’t that large. The soft but durable padding on the armrests is a much more important quality, and Steelcase nails it. Even so, it's hard not to feel like they are a step down from those other models. It was able to accommodate gaming with a keyboard and mouse or a controller easily, however, and could be positioned to support my arms over extended typing sessions too.
The lack of adjustments is disappointing. I would have much preferred to see a recline tensioner instead of the LiveBack system included here. LiveBack is based on body weight, according to the company, but in practice, it really just provides you with low or high resistance when leaning back. I personally found the higher resistance setting to be too great and the lower resistance setting to be too loose. I eventually settled on the low resistance option so the chair didn't feel like it was fighting me. But I wasn't able to dial in an exact setting for my weight and sitting habits.
The adjustable lumbar support also seems woefully overpriced for what it is. You'll have to pay upwards of $50 to have it added to your chair. And while it does work, it really seems like a cushioned fabric strip with plastic structural support. My perception here is probably influenced by the chair's limited adjustments overall since it’s functional and doesn’t seem particularly weak or prone to breakage. But this is an expensive chair and it’s strange to see it so good in some areas and limited in others.
The overall impression is that while the Karman High Back is comfortable, well-made, and features several unique design elements, the biggest selling point of this chair is that it looks incredible. You are making some clear trades in form over functionality, and if that's what you value in a luxury seat, more power to you. Given what's available elsewhere in Steelcase's line-up and the wider market, I wish there was more here to really make it your own.
Niantic Inc. has confirmed the sale of Pokémon Go, Pikmin Bloom, Monster Hunter Now, and their development teams to the Saudi-owned maker of Monopoly Go! for $3.5 billion.
An additional $350 million of cash from Niantic is being distributed as part of the deal, yielding a total value of approximately $3.85 billion for Niantic equity holders.
In a note to press, Scopely, which is owned by Saudi investment company Savvy Games, said the Niantic games business has over 30 million monthly active players (MAUs), over 20 million weekly active players, and saw more than $1 billion in revenue in 2024. Pokémon Go is the jewel in the crown, ranking as a top 10 mobile game every year since its launch nearly a decade ago, with over 100 million unique players in 2024.
Niantic said its game team has “exciting long-term roadmaps that they will continue to build upon as part of Scopely.”
“This partnership ensures that our games have the long term support needed to be ‘forever games’ that will endure for future generations,” Niantic said in a blog post.
“Players can expect that the games, apps, services, and events they know and love will continue to receive Scopely’s ongoing investment, driven by the same teams that have always created these experiences.”
“As it’s always important to me, and our entire game team, that our community understands and is excited by the long-term vision for this game, I want to share why I believe a partnership with Scopely will be a positive step for all of you and the game’s future,” Wu, who was the original engineer on the Pokémon Go codebase and was there for its massive 2016 launch, said.
“Scopely expressed a deep admiration for this community and our team. I have every belief Pokémon Go will further flourish as part of Scopely, not only into its second decade, but for many more years to come, under the mission of discovering Pokémon in the real world and inspiring people to explore together,” Wu continued.
“Our new partnership, along with our decade long partnership with The Pokémon Company, means we can maintain this long-term focus. Scopely fully believes in our mission and ongoing goal to create the best Pokémon Go experience possible. Their focus will be to support our team, providing resources to continue delivering the gameplay you all know and love.
“The entire Pokémon Go team is staying together through this partnership. The same people who have been guiding and building the game for years will continue doing what we love. We’re always continually adding to the game - Raid Battles, friends, Go Battle League, Routes, Dynamax/Gigantamax, and, of course, Pokémon Go Fest and our live events - which I look forward to continuing to do for many years to come. Scopely empowers their game teams as autonomous groups to go after the roadmaps that they’re inspired to pursue, and what each team believes is best for the player experience. This approach is extremely appealing to us at Niantic games. I have spoken to a number of game leaders at Scopely who have given me great confidence in how the company enables each game to independently develop and creatively thrive.
“We will be joining a broader organization dedicated to games. I believe that Pokémon Go can continue to thrive with Scopely’s exclusive and long-term focus on game-making. Scopely’s status as a private company also means we can prioritize what’s best for you, our Trainers, for the long term. We believe that prioritizing short-term gains at the expense of our long-term mission would be counterproductive and self-defeating. Every interaction I’ve had with Scopely leaders has reinforced that we are in total agreement that the scale, longevity and most of all, real world community, of Pokémon Go make it truly special. We are united in protecting that.
“With Scopely’s full commitment, experience and resources, we’re going to make Pokémon Go the very best it can be – with incredible battles for thousands of Trainers at a time at our live events and new ways to connect to your friends and community, all while remaining focused on the excitement and experience of discovering Pokémon in the real world. We have invested to empower thousands of Community Leaders and Ambassadors who lead millions of Trainers to play together in the real world, and Scopely is in full agreement that this highly-admired program will be a priority to invest in together. The real-world community that loves Pokémon Go will remain our guiding light in all we do.
“Our partners at The Pokémon Company have always been central to how we build this game together, starting with the physics of the first Poké Ball throw that we hand-tuned together. I am incredibly grateful for their daily wisdom, guidance, and careful stewardship of our shared vision for discovering Pokémon in the real world, and I’m very excited that our partnership with The Pokémon Company will continue as it has for the last decade.
“I won’t say that Pokémon Go will remain the same, because it has always been a work in progress. But how we create and evolve it will remain unchanged, and I hope that we can make the experience even better for all of you.
“I have so much gratitude for the incredible joy of serving hundreds of millions of Trainers in our real-world community for the past nine years, and I truly believe the best is yet to come.”
Elsewhere, Niantic said it’s spinning off its controversial geospatial AI business into a new company, Niantic Spatial Inc., “enabling it to accelerate and scale even more rapidly.” Scopely is a $50 million investor in this new venture, which also has $200 million from Niantic itself.
Niantic Spatial will continue to own and operate its other real-world AR games, Ingress Prime and Peridot.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
In the world of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 competitive multiplayer, there are thousands upon thousands of final kills captured and published online by players delighted with their online exploits. But few are better than this.
Ricochet Blades are unique ammo for the D1.3 Sector secondary weapon, introduced with the controversial Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles event last month. It wasn’t long after the ammo made its way in-game that the Ricochet Blades became a talking point for their unpredictable trajectory as they bounce off multiple surfaces.
Player kev99gh captured and published the final kill in a round of hardcore Search and Destroy on the Lowtown map in which they bounced a Ricochet Blade, affectionately known as a “pizza” by the community, out of the map then back inside for a one-hit kill on an enemy player who dared to peek out a window.
kev99gh’s astonishing clip may well be the longest Ricochet Blade kill yet, given it bounces outside the map itself. In the video we see kev99gh line up the shot from behind cover, then let fly, aiming out into the unknown. kev99gh then switches to the overhead map view to track the blade, which moves alongside the edge of the map before bouncing back towards the window for the kill.
Elaborate, seemingly improbable blade bounce trick shots like this aren’t just down to luck. Redditor SpawnTubing, who posted kev99gh’s clip to the platform, said the Black Ops 6 crew “look for and practice for common spots people camp.” And, as commenters have pointed out, the way the unsuspecting enemy player peeked just as the “pizza” flew in the window is "peak" Black Ops 6 timing. We’ve all been there.
Indeed, it seems Black Ops 6’s Ricochet Blades have sparked something of a bounce kill meta, with a number of not quite as impressive kills across the game’s various Multiplayer maps making their way online. Some of these kills, like the one below, involve multiple bounces before they make their way to their target.
Some players aren’t so impressed and have said the bouncing blades are frustrating and annoying to play against. These critics won't be happy that developer Treyarch recently buffed the Ricochet Blades’ physics and bouncing speeds via an update, ensuring they one-hit kill on contact. There's the relevant patch note:
D1.3 Sector
Our initial design for the D1.3 Sector Ricochet Blades revolved around quickly launching many high-speed blades, meant to perform best blind firing into enclosed spaces. We have been following your feedback and agree that, in practice, the use cases for this ammo type are too low. The Ricochet Blades will now do 100 damage to enable one-hit kills, and to compensate we are lowering the fire rate and projectile speed. We think the popularity of this ammo type will see some new interest with these changes and look forward to seeing more of your cross-map killcams in MP.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
In December 2024, we shared a fan remake demo of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in Unreal Engine 5. And yesterday, Greg Coulthard released a brand new version of it, featuring over 1000 new textures. For those unaware, this project brings the entire map of Skyrim in Unreal Engine 5. So, this is what we’d … Continue reading New Version of Skyrim Fan Remake in Unreal Engine 5 Released→
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