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Cyberpunk 2077: The Story So Far

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 15:30:47 GMT

There’s clearly a lot to explore throughout Cyberpunk 2077’s vision of the dystopian Night City, but much like its shiny towers and skyscrapers, CD Projekt Red’s new sci-fi adventure has some deep foundations.

With more than 30 years of lore behind it, there’s a lot to catch up on -whether you’re a total newcomer to the Cyberpunk Universe or a tabletop veteran looking for a refresh. Here’s a (relatively) brief history of the Cyberpunk world before 2077. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/25/cyberpunk-2077-the-story-so-far"]

1989 – 2012: The Dawn of the Dark Future

Even though 2077 is set 50 years from now, the Cyberpunk universe really gets its start in the late 1980s – this is where the world’s timeline starts to deviate from our own. Coming out of the Reagan administration, the world starts unraveling as the US government as it was known falls to a secret coup by the heads of the FBI, CIA, NSA, and the DEA. Colloquially known as The Gang of Four, this shadow government went full-bore on the whole “profits over people” thing, which would ultimately lead to a complete collapse of the United States as we know it. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=updated-92-cyberpunk-2077-gameplay-details&captions=true"] The soon-to-be-former superpower becomes almost immediately bogged down by an alleged "War on Drugs and Communism" in South America that was little more than a thinly-veiled resource grab at Chile and Bolivia's lithium reserves. What the Gang doesn't tell the public is that they also engineered and released plagues to kill off the cocaine and opium production of worldwide cartels – something the European megacorps secretly sponsoring the cartels doesn't take too kindly too. This becomes a continuously-escalating conflict across the western hemisphere culminating with a Colombian cartel setting off a suitcase nuke in Manhattan in 1993. The next year, the world experiences a full-scale economic meltdown after it was revealed the US had been manipulating the global markets to launder money earned in illegal arms sales. By the late ‘90s, this one-two punch of war and recession – along with several epidemics and natural disasters, including a 10.5ML earthquake that sent more than 30% of Los Angeles into the Pacific Ocean – had left the country in shambles. One in four people are homeless and most cities have been abandoned, leading to the rise of mobile communes known as Nomads – as well as the augment-addicted boostergangs. Several states, like California and Texas, secede to become “Free States” as the Constitution is suspended and Martial Law is declared nationwide. The rest of the world fares a little better through the end of the 20th century, though not necessarily by much. Several Asian/Pacific nations – particularly China, Korea, and Japan – remain fairly stable along with the European Union (known as “Unified Europe” in-fiction), resulting in the Eurodollar (€$ or “eddie”) emerging as the ranking global currency. South America recovers from the US’s failed imperialist takeover, though the Russian government becomes openly kleptocratic, disease and food shortages crop up all over the planet, and most of the Middle East is turned into a glassy radioactive wasteland by a small-scale nuclear war. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/16/how-cyberpunk-2077-is-adapting-the-world-of-the-2020"] Of course, nobody cleans up better in the wake of global disasters than multinational corporations. With governments large and small on the verge of collapse, many were left with no one to turn to for aid aside from the megacorps, who were all too happy to help in return for even more power and influence. By the early 2000s, corporations were operating at the scale of first-world nations, with just as much (if not more) control over the world’s governments and resources. The heaviest hitters were the energy conglomerate PetroChem and their Soviet counterpart SovOil, bio-engineering firm BioTechnica, arms manufacturer MiliTech and, of course, the “it only does everything but mostly private military contracting” grandaddy megacorp, Arasaka – though there were plenty of smaller fish in the sea as well. That’s not to say the millennial era was all bad. The central African nations unite and develop a highly successful space program, establishing far and away the most spaceports and strongest hold on earth-orbit territory (though that is after some violent conflicts with other space stations and the lunar colonies). A new, more efficient renewable fuel source called CHOOH² is developed (that's not a chemical formula, just something BioTechnica's marketing team thought sounded good) and effectively replaces gasoline within a few years, and while the staggering amount of wounded vets returning to the US from the South American wars of the early 90s was tragic, it catapulted technological innovations in prosthetics and biomechanical integration to new heights, resulting in the development of cyberware that becomes so ubiquitous throughout the 2010s and ‘20s. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=The%20future%20is%20disposable%2C%20but%20so%20are%20you."]

- Cyberpunk 2020

However, along with cyberware naturally came cyberwarfare, and cybercrime, and plenty of other morally ambiguous uses for such revolutionary technology. In a world where kibble has become a mainstream food product, it’s no wonder that so many took to life on the fringes of society, whether it’s to feed themselves or whatever their vice of choice may be. Life on the edge soon became mainstream, a default life many simply fell into. These cybered-up hellraisers for hire – whether street kids or corporate wannabes – eventually became known as Edgerunners or, more commonly, cyberpunks.

Throughout all this, Night City emerged as one of the few cities able to survive the collapse and the turmoil that followed, even though it saw its share of troubles, too. Originally founded as Coronado City in 1994 – and subsequently renamed after its architect Richard Night was assassinated in a power grab by either the megacorps or the mafia (it’s still unknown which) – the city didn’t see any sort of real stability until the early 2010s. After years of open war in the streets between corporate security forces and the mob, the organized crime syndicates finally called it quits. While it was still a dangerous place, and some of its districts – like the half-developed Pacifica – never fully recovered, it began to feel more like a city and less like a warzone… or a few years, at least. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

WARNING

This is where we get into more serious spoiler territory, so if you wanna go into 2077 totally green, you’d best turn back now. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

2013: The Soulkiller

In 2013, unironically-named rockstar and cyberpunk Johnny Silverhand – a veteran of the Central American wars of the 90s who opted to replace the arm he lost with a chrome-plated one – is leaving a gig with his girlfriend Alt when they’re jumped by a corporate hit squad. They leave Johnny for dead and kidnap Alt, dragging her back to Arasaka HQ. As it turns out, the megacorp isn’t particularly satisfied with being one of (if not the) biggest multinational corporation in history; its founder Saburo Arasaka and his son, the CEO Kei, have their sights set on, well, basically world domination. And what Johnny didn’t know about his new flame is that Alt was a really extraordinary Netrunner – a hacker – who had designed a legendary bit of malware known as Soulkiller.

It was originally built to transfer a person’s consciousness into a cloned body, but the program had been weaponized – not just as a means to fry a target’s brain, but as a way to imprison and torture souls digitally. It was both one of the most vile and heinous innovations of the modern era, and also the key to immortality – though Arasaka had kidnapped Alt to focus on the former rather than the latter.

[poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=The%20problem%20excites%20her%20professionalism%20even%20as%20the%20creation%20revolts%20her%20humanity...%20God%2C%20they%20know%20her%20so%20well."]

- Never Fade Away (Cyberpunk 2020)

Meanwhile, Silverhand survives and gets together a rescue team, setting up an impromptu show outside Arasaka and inciting the gathered crowd into a riot as a means of getting inside. At the same time, Alt reprograms and jumps inside Soulkiller to make her own escape, but the two plans collide in the worst way possible:

Johnny and his crew blast their way into Arasaka, inadvertently cutting off Alt’s retreat back to the real world when they destroy a command console and sever the bridge back to meatspace. Thinking her dead, they make their escape, leaving a disembodied Alt trapped floating in cyberspace.

2021: The Fourth Corporate War

As the name implies, there’d been three previous wars between competing megacorps prior to the 2020s – when a company operates with the GDP and military strength of a small country, the fight over market dominance is bound to get ugly – but these were all petty squabbles compared to the Fourth Corporate War.

[poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=A%20lot%20of%20big%20stuff%20went%20down%20and%20the%20world%20was%20changed%20even%20more%20than%20it%20had%20been%20by%20the%20Collapse."]

- Lilaya, Grunge Rocker (Cyberpunk RED)

It started innocently enough – at least, as innocently as it could when factoring assassination into corporate espionage – as a competitive hostile takeover by rival oceanic shipping firms in 2021. However, as things escalated each side hired one of the two biggest PMCs – Arasaka and MiliTech – who'd been itching for an excuse to duke it out for years themselves. Before too long, the war had ravaged the planet and pushed most countries to their breaking points. Almost all trans-global shipping had been shut down, the orbital colonies had declared independence to avoid of the conflict – by way of hurling multi-ton rocks at earth from orbit – and the entire Net was wiped out when Arasaka’s assassination of renowned hacker Rache Bartmoss released a virus that infected nearly 80% of the network, crippling corporate and governmental entities alike.

2023: The Fall of Night City

Night City ended up being ground zero for the end of the war. As a free city in a free state, both MiliTech and Arasaka had strongholds in the city, and without a national government to hold them accountable the city was a hotbed of continuous fighting between the two. Finally, in August of 2023, it all came to a head when a small-scale nuclear device went off at Arasaka’s headquarters in the city center. The specifics of what actually happened in the hours leading up to what would become known as the Night City Holocaust are hazy – and by hazy I mean there’s a chance that 2077 retcons what happened in the tabletop adventures… but we’re going to assume those books are mostly gospel, especially since the original creators partnered with CDPR and just released a new one. There was never an official ruling on who triggered the bomb – the two leading theories are that MiliTech got overly bloodthirsty or that Arasaka nuked their own HQ to protect their corporate secrets, but – as you might expect – the real story is nowhere near that simple. [caption id="attachment_244357" align="aligncenter" width="720"] The "real" Arasaka complex actually had two towers joined by skybridges, but you get the idea.[/caption] Even though the US government didn’t formally nationalize MiliTech after the Night City bomb, in reality, the feds joined forces with the PMC just beforehand. Apparently, Arasaka had managed to lock down the Alt’s digital consciousness and used her to build a new version of the Soulkiller – something neither MiliTech or Uncle Sam could really let slide. A unified command assembled a black ops team headed by the legendary mercenary Morgan Blackhand consisting of another merc named Rogue, a journalist by the name of Thompson (who still writes for The Night City Inquirer in 2077), a netrunner codenamed Spider, and – you guessed it – Johnny Silverhand, who was all too eager to both avenge Alt and attempt another rescue mission. The objectives were simple enough: get in, rescue Alt, eliminate the Soulkiller and drop a tactical nuke in the basement to destroy Arasaka’s corporate databases. Of course, this being Cyberpunk, nothing goes according to plan. Despite getting in and making it to the Soulkiller lab relatively unscathed, everything goes to hell when Arasaka’s favorite cybergoon Adam Smasher shows up and pumps a bunch of lead into Johnny Silverhand. Spider tries to download his brain using some sort of data slug given to her by Alt – we assume this is the biochip that V eventually steals in 2077 – but fails to back up his consciousness as her equipment is destroyed in the firefight. The team manages to burn out Soulkiller, but can’t save Alt from (once again) remaining trapped in the collapsing data net. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=The%20Big%20Lie%20was%20that%20Arasaka%20blew%20up%20the%20Corporate%20Center%20in%20an%20area%20denial%20attack%20to%20stop%20Militech%20from%20seizing%20the%20Arasaka's%20Night%20City%20office."]

- Cyberpunk RED Rulebook

By the time the bomb goes off, it’s unclear who beyond Thompson, Rogue, and Spider are left standing – though we get a good look at Adam Smasher ~~alive~~ functioning and well in 2077 – though Kei Arasaka (Saburo's favored son and CEO of the company) is allegedly killed as well. It's also still unclear who was actually responsible for the bomb going off before it reached the basement. The blast itself wasn’t big enough to destroy the city, but thousands were killed as the Arasaka towers and most of the city center was destroyed, and the filled bay it was all built on flooded a bunch of the inner city. In the aftermath, the MiliTech-backed US government stepped in with a force Arasaka effectively couldn’t match, and the Japanese government soon convinced the PMC to cease operations. Finally, under threat of nuclear retaliation against their Tokyo HQ, Arasaka was effectively banished from conducting any business in North America.

2024 – 2070: Reconstruction and Reunification

Much like iconic eras of the 20th century such as “The Summer of Love” or “The Great Depression,” the years immediately following the fourth corporate war are remembered as “The Time of the Red” due to a mix of debris and radioactive fallout circulating through the atmosphere turning the sky a violent shade of red that didn’t fully dissipate for nearly a decade.

The Fourth Corporate War had shattered nearly every cultural norm that had come to prominence since the 1980s. The global balance of power shifts away from corporations and back to national governments, with laws being put in place to demand at least some semblance of accountability in the face of any corporate malfeasance. Ultimately this just means that they have to be more discreet about their illegal operations, but it loosens the vice grip many corporate entities once had over most of the world’s population.

[poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=The%20modern%20Megacorp%20is%20now%20forced%20to%20strike%20a%20bargain%20with%20the%20local%20government."]

- Cyberpunk RED

With much of its industrial and commercial infrastructure destroyed or crippled, the world experienced something of a technological recession. As countries focused on rebuilding, the production and development of cyberware wouldn’t reach the levels it was at in 2020 for nearly 30 years. This may have been quicker if the Net were still around to share information, but after Bartmoss’s DataKrash it was so overloaded with rogue AIs and self-aware viruses that it was effectively written off as a digital wasteland. As the Net was eventually rebuilt via a series of local, national, and/or corporate hubs – though nowhere near as ubiquitous as it had been – the cybersecurity agency Netwatch developed The Blackwall – a digital barrier cordoning off the remnants of the Old Net from the new.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/29/how-cyberpunk-red-bridges-the-gap-to-2077"]

Amid all this, Night City – along with several others that had been abandoned during or after The Collapse – rebuilt itself, thanks mostly to Nomad supply chains and corporate philanthropy (aiding in reconstruction efforts was the best option for the old megacorps to regain the trust they’d lost in the wars). The “New United States” – which was really just the east coast and some inland states, with most of the central and western territories remaining independent from the government in Washington, D.C., which – failed to provide any meaningful aid, instead trying to leverage offers of assistance against the free states’ hesitancy to rejoin the union.

This “Reunification” effort by the NUSA government eventually escalated as what remained of the former superpower declared war on the independent territories in 2069. Night City found itself wedged in the middle as Southern California rejoined the States and the northern Free State refused – though managed to avoid being drawn into the fight thanks to the help of an unlikely ally: Arasaka.

The security giant had been covertly assisting many of the Free States' resistance, but when its private military became directly involved it instantly made the Feds back down – they knew they couldn’t afford a large-scale conflict or risk another global crisis. In 2070, a treaty between the remaining free states and the NUSA was signed, and Night City was designated an “international free city,” exempt from the laws of both the New US Government and the Free State of NorCal – to the immense delight of megacorps everywhere, not least of all Arasaka, who wasted no time setting up their new American HQ right on top of the ruins of the old one.

And that pretty much brings you up to speed. The monitors may have changed from CRT to LCD, but Night City is once again a good old-fashioned hive of corporate greed and violent crime. Sure there are still plenty of questions left unanswered, like exactly who grabbed up Johnny’s digital consciousness when the towers fell, and what happened to Arasaka’s real area-denial nuke – because they definitely had one down there – or, at the very least, has kibble released any new flavors in the last 50 years?

Once Cyberpunk 2077 is out, you can count on us for the answers to… most of those questions. In the meantime, why not check out our interviews with Cyberpunk’s original creator about how the latest PnP edition, Cyberpunk Red, bridges the gap to the video game, and of course our thoughts on the game after 16 hours straight in Night City.

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JR is a Senior Editor at IGN who wants you to check out the tabletop version of Cyberpunk, too. If you do, tell him all about it on Twitter.

Genshin Impact Meteorite Fragment Locations

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 15:00:07 GMT

PS5 Had PlayStation's Biggest Ever Launch

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 14:38:09 GMT

Sony says the PS5 has had the biggest ever launch for a PlayStation, and confirmed that more units will be released before the end of the year. In a tweet thanking fans, the PlayStation account explained that the PS5 was "our biggest console launch ever". Sony doesn't frequently give actual sales figures, so we're yet to learn what number of units have been sold.

We want to thank gamers everywhere for making the PS5 launch our biggest console launch ever. Demand for PS5 is unprecedented, so we wanted to confirm that more PS5 inventory will be coming to retailers before the end of the year - please stay in touch with your local retailers.
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) November 25, 2020

With PS5 sold out worldwide, and amid demand-related issues for retailers, the tweet also explains that demand is unprecedented. "We wanted to confirm that more PS5 inventory will be coming to retailers before the end of the year," finishes the message. It's not clear whether Sony means more stock beyond the extra Black Friday units we'd already had confirmed by some retailers. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] In terms of pure success, it's been an impressive launch for Sony, particularly given the shortages likely caused by COVID-19 production shutdowns, and the fact units couldn't be sold in physical stores. It means Sony can still hope for PS5 to outsell PS4 in its first fiscal year, a target of over 7 million units. If you're in the market for a PS5, or games and accessories for your new console, Black Friday could be the right time to find them. Make sure to check out our best Black Friday PS5 deals, and our best video game deals. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Magic: The Gathering Getting Limited-Edition Cards Featuring Bob Ross Artwork

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 14:08:31 GMT

A new Magic the Gathering card Secret Lair set will feature artwork painted by the legendary Bob Ross. The new 'Happy Little Gathering' set is part of the limited edition Secret Lair series, which offers one-of-a-kind collectable sets from unique artists that reimagine famous Magic the Gathering cards. As reported by Vice, Wizards of the Coast has partnered with the Bob Ross estate to create a set of Land cards featuring environmental artwork from the soothing painter, who passed in 1995. Magic players will also be able to use these collectible cards in-game, and a recent leak suggests they may be brought to Magic the Gathering: Arena in the near future.

“You can do anything here — the only prerequisite is that it makes you happy.”
This Bob Ross quote is applicable to painting, AND building your next Magic deck. https://t.co/xwmjoQu3Q9 pic.twitter.com/SP8404P8xh — MTG Secret Lair (@MTGSecretLair) November 24, 2020

The card set is available in foil and non-foil and will also feature an 'Evolving Wilds' card that features a variety of biomes from the Bob Ross back catalogue. You'll be able to pre-order the Happy Little Gathering set for a limited time only, from November 30 through December 14, 2020. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/magic-the-gathering-theros-beyond-death-cinematic-trailer"] Bob Ross has become something of an internet icon in recent years. The painter - whose Joy of Painting TV show was first braodcast in the '80s - has since become an action figure, a playable character in Smite, and the subject of a Twitch Marathon that garnered 5.6 million viewers. Back in September, we reported that Dungeons & Dragons would be getting its own Magic the Gathering set in Q3 2021. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Marvel's Avengers Hasn't Recouped Its Development Costs Yet

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 12:45:23 GMT

Marvel's Avengers sales have been lower than expected, and the game hasn't yet recouped its development costs, leading to an estimated ¥7 billion (approximately $67 million USD) operating loss in Square Enix's HD Games segment during the last financial quarter. Company president Yosuke Matsude explained in a newly translated results briefing, "Sales of Marvel’s Avengers were lower than we had expected and unable to completely offset the amortization of the game’s development costs." Game analyst David Gibson previously explained that the company sold 60% of its planned units, and that the numbers implied the game cost around $100 million to make. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/10/marvels-avengers-review"] Responding to an investor's question on the subject, Matsuda clarified that - had Avengers not been released in that quarter - the company would have made a profit. That comes down to both development and marketing costs: "In addition to the amortization of that game’s development costs," explained Matsuda, "another significant factor associated with the title was the fact that we undertook a major advertising campaign at the time of its launch to make up for delays in our marketing efforts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a certain amount of development costs still to be amortized in 3Q, but we want to recoup it by growing our sales going forward." Matsuda doesn't offer concrete plans, but said the hope is that updates will help drive new sales: "We hope to make up for slow initial sales by offering ample additional content to grow our sales." Last week, developer Crystal Dynamics announced the December release date for its first post-launch hero and campaign, announced another, and potentially teased other heroes to come beyond that. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/19/marvels-avengers-kate-bishop-trailer"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Fallout 76 Accidentally Releases New Update on Xbox

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 12:40:52 GMT

Bethesda has launched the Fallout 76 Steel Dawn update early, after a glitch allowed Xbox players to download the update ahead of schedule. In a post on the Fallout blog. Bethesda explained that the Steel Dawn update was originally scheduled to go live on December 1 across all platforms, but the Brotherhood of Steel-themed expansion is available now for all platforms following the mistake. Essentially, players on Xbox platforms could download Steel Dawn, but it meant that this prevented them from playing the rest of the game. Bethesda was actively investigating the issue before making the decision. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/11/20/final-fallout-76-review"] According to the blog post, "the entire BGS team felt confident that Steel Dawn is ready to go," so instead of fixing the early access Xbox issue, they have now launched the update for everyone, a week ahead of schedule. The new update brings with it a questline that introduces The Brotherhood of Steel to Appalachia, as well as C.A.M.P Shelters, which are customizable underground bases. You can check the full update notes for more details, and see the file size required for the platform you plan to download Steel Dawn on. If you're just getting into the game, check out our article explaining everything you need to know about the factions system in Fallout 76. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

PS5 Gets a Second Performance-Improving System Update

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 11:03:25 GMT

For the second week running, Sony has dropped a PS5 system update designed to improve system performance - but it's still unclear what the patch specifically changes. The 20.02-02.26.00 system update weighs in at 886MB and, like last week's update, its details read simply: "This system software update improves system performance." If you want to download the update manually, head to: Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update and Settings > Update System Software. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/20/sony-shares-solution-for-ps5-downloading-queue-bug-ign-news"] Sony traditionally doesn't comment on the contents of its system updates, and hasn't responded to requests for comment on the recent patches either. Last week's patch did appear to help solve the download queue bug that had affected PS5 players since launch. It may be that we now see new fixes for the other PS5 issues that have been reported in recent weeks, although nothing has been confirmed at time of writing. If you're in the market for a PS5, or games and accessories for your new console, Black Friday could be the right time to find them. Make sure to check out our best Black Friday PS5 deals, and our best video game deals. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Getting Monster Hunter Movie Crossover DLC

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 01:00:24 GMT

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is getting a crossover with the Monster Hunter movie. From December 4, you'll be able to play as Milla Jovovich's Lieutenant Artemis in a two-part Event Quest inspired by the upcoming Paul W.S. Anderson film. Announced today, Jovovich lends her voice to the in-game Artemis, with the quests setting players against a Black Diablos and a Greater Rathalos in turn. Completing the quests will earn you layered armour, new titles, Guild card background and pose, and "special gear" – but you'll only be able to take on the quests if you've reached Master Rank. Before the event, players will be able to claim a free item pack as a log-on bonus to celebrate the film, starting from November 27. Take a look at an exclusive behind-the-scenes sizzle reel with Milla Jovovich below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/25/monster-hunter-behind-the-scenes-with-artemis-milla-jovovich"] The Monster Hunter movie – out on December 4 in the UK, December 25 in the US, and January 1 in Australia – aims to bring communicate the feeling of Monster Hunter World in movie form. It tells the story of Artemis, a US soldier mysteriously transported to the world of Monster Hunter, where she meets Tony Jaa's unnamed Hunter. After some slightly un-Monster Hunter-y trailers, a recent Chinese trailer was praised for showing a much more familiar-looking movie, right down to its inclusion of Palicoes. It's clearly been fertile ground fot Anderson, as there are already ideas for a sequel in the offing. This is far from the first crossover for Monster Hunter World - we've already seen Aloy from Horizon: Zero Dawn (twice), Mega Man, Dante from Devil May Cry, and more. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Hitman Devs' James Bond Could Be the Best 007 Game Ever

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 23:34:09 GMT

The developer of Hitman has a new James Bond game in the works. We discuss why it could be the best Bond ever. Plus: Phil Spencer says an Xbox smart TV app is closer than we think, some of us would totally play the leaked retail Cyberpunk 2077 disc that hasn't been patched yet if we could, a bunch of big games get delayed, and more! Subscribe on any of your favorite podcast feeds, or grab an MP3 download of this week's episode. For more awesome content, check out the latest episode of IGN Unfiltered, featuring an interview with Brian Raffel, the cofounder of Raven Software – the studio behind Star Wars Jedi Knight II Jedi Outcast, Soldier of Fortune, Heretic, Hexen, Star Trek Voyager Elite Force, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, X-Men Origins Wolverine, and this year's Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, among many others: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/27/working-on-call-of-duty-star-wars-star-trek-and-more-stories-from-raven-softwares-cofounder-ign-unfiltered-54"] It's already been an incredibly fun year of Xbox coverage, and the best is yet to come. Join us! Oh, and feel free to leave us a video Loot Box question below using Yappa and you might be featured on an upcoming episode! For more next-gen coverage, make sure to check out our Xbox Series X review, our Xbox Series S review, and our PS5 review. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan, catch him on Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.

IGN Prime Free Game: Bite the Bullet

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 23:21:32 GMT

IGN Prime has partnered with developer Mega Cat Studios to offer all IGN Prime members a free steam key for Bite the Bullet!

Run, Gun and Eat your way through this roguelite RPG shooter. In a world where every enemy is edible, what you eat and how much you eat drives everything from your waistline to branching skill trees to weapon crafting. Shoot fast. Eat big. Satisfy your appetite for destruction.

Satisfy your appetite for destruction in this roguelite RPG shooter where you must eat to power up your character, weapons, and abilities. Consume strange species to add new entries to DarwinCorp’s mysterious Compendium. Explore four branching skill trees based on your diet - remember, you are what you eat!

Four Character Classes
Over 60 Metroidvania Levels
Gun Crafting
Over 40 Edible Enemies
Rogue Enemy Classes
Action Hero Bandana System
Deep Exploration
Critter Cannon
Weapon Modifier Drops
Dynamic Calorie System

If you're an IGN Prime member click here to grab your key redeemable on Steam for a completely free copy of the game. Keys are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Not an IGN Prime member? No problem. We're offering a dead-simple signup that takes less than 3 minutes. Simply sign up and come back here to grab your free key (while supplies last). You can cancel with one click any time. Every month, the IGN Prime team provides members an opportunity to grab great games, exclusive betas, and other goodies hand-picked by the Prime team. More IGN Prime benefits:

Browse IGN.com ad-free -- no banner ads, no video ads
An exclusive monthly $5 discount eligible on all regular-price items on the IGN Store
Download videos in the highest resolution we have available
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Much more to come. Sign up now!

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Sackboy: A Big Adventure Review

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 22:40:24 GMT

The adorable Astro’s Playroom may have stolen people’s hearts at the launch of the PlayStation 5 (no doubt in part thanks to it coming along for free), but any 3D platformer fan would do well to not leave Sackboy: A Big Adventure locked in the toybox. This spin-off (which is available on PS4 as well) is relentlessly charming, bringing creative level ideas to a familiar format with a focus on co-op play, even if it lacks the same precision and depth of the most-loved games in the genre.

While Sackboy may have been cut from the cloth of the LittleBigPlanet games before it, A Big Adventure feels far closer to the likes of Super Mario 3D World, both in structure and design. Levels are generally wide-pathed, isometric dioramas for you and up to three friends to run all over, grabbing point bubbles, beating up baddies, and hunting for collectibles as you do. It also drops the level editor or community sharing that have been iconic to the LittleBigPlanet series, instead focusing on telling a simple story about Sackboy trying to save Craftworld from the evil Vex.

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The story is a cute if generic tale, but Sackboy’s sense of style and presentation is intoxicating – a nonstop slew of fun, feel-good stages made out of cardboard cutouts and other household objects. It’s all just so dang charming, and it was only the occasional frustration of a missed jump caused by an odd camera angle or unexpected landing behavior that stopped me from smiling the whole time. World themes range from yeti-filled temples to futuristic rocket labs that have you walking around on giant, interactive touchscreens, but they all share enough stylistic elements to gel into an eclectic but cohesive whole.

A huge part of their charm comes from Sackboy’s incredible music. That includes its original score, clever remixes and reworkings of recognizable classics (you might find yourself unexpectedly noticing the melody of Madonna’s Material Girl in the middle of an otherwise orchestral track), as well as its handful of explicitly music-centered levels. The latter reminded me of similar stages in Rayman Legends, having you jump and fight to the beat of songs like Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk – although, while they are undoubtedly a blast, these levels not being on rails like Rayman’s makes their use of those songs a little more repetitive if you’re taking your time to collect everything.

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Most stages in Sackboy are relatively easy to get to the end of, but can be tricker to 100% – that includes finding all the cosmetic items, completing it without dying, getting enough points for a gold medal, and collecting all of the Dreamer Orbs hidden throughout (which are used to lightly gate off new levels as you progress). Thanks to a generous life and checkpoint system, I only outright failed a level once in my first run of the campaign, but I also rarely got everything possible on that first attempt. That made Sackboy feel accessible to complete while still having plenty to entice me back for repeat attempts. Later levels and time trials also amp up the difficulty a little bit, but still in a way where that challenge is generally there if you want it and optional if you don’t.

Not to overcompare, but the structure here really does feel derivative of Super Mario 3D World, and Nintendo’s platformer playbook in general. That’s not inherently a bad thing (it’s a good playbook!), but when put so directly in competition with a game like that, the spots where Sackboy falls short can’t help but stand out – specifically, the feel and depth of its platforming. This is undoubtedly a fun platformer, but its jumping can definitely be unexpectedly imprecise at times, especially when trying to bounce on enemy heads or certain objects. The little flutter you can do to stay in the air after a jump feels about half as long as I expect it to be, and Sackboy lacks additional techniques that could offer more nuance to his moveset like Mario has – you can extend your jump distance by using a punch and a roll midair, but that’s about it in terms of getting creative with movement options.

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Instead, what keeps the platforming fun is how often levels will shake things up and introduce new mechanics. One level might be a straightforward platformer, while another will have you herding adorable creatures into a pen, and another still will have you dodging spotlights while jumping from bubbles suspended in the air. Sackboy also swaps the camera perspective frequently, moving from isometric to side-scrolling to top-down as needed. One of my favorite levels has you riding a deep sea treasure trawler, with Dreamer Orbs earned by frantically jumping off of it to scavenge gold objects and bring them back to the ship in time.

Some levels will also introduce cool little power-ups that can alter the way you move or fight. Those include a boomerang, a set of hoverboots with a laser gun, and a grappling hook you can use to swing. My personal favorite was actually simpler than all those, though: just some yellow gunk that would get on your feet and let you walk on walls – not so flashy, but the way certain levels use that mechanic to hide collectibles or change how you interact with obstacles is very cool. None of these powers outright fix that fuzzy, imprecise feeling I got at times, but they make stages clever enough that I generally didn’t mind it (apart from during some of the harder stuff late in the campaign).

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Sackboy’s levels are made even better when played co-op, and that’s not just because playing games with friends is fun – co-op can make a lot of games “better” without actually doing much, but these stages have been intentionally designed to be more enjoyable with more people. Apart from a few optional, co-op only levels, the entire campaign can be played solo and still be a fun time (and you’ll probably want to play the time trials that way), but adding in others lets you take advantage of each stage’s multiple paths full of collectibles. While slowing down and retracing your steps to nab them all alone can be tedious, they ensure everyone has more exciting stuff to collect when on a team. There’s also a bit of co-opetition for who can get the highest score, and of course there’s real value in the joy of hitching a ride on top of a rolling friend only to then pick them up and mercilessly throw them off a cliff for no reason.

On that note, it’s a real shame that Sackboy doesn’t support online co-op at launch. That’s reportedly coming before the end of the year in a free patch (and I was able to at least simulate online co-op using the PS5’s limited but fairly impressive Share Play option), but it still feels like a crucial missing feature for a game this inherently about playing with others. Thankfully, the local co-op that is here at least works great, allowing players to drop in or out even mid-level and giving each profile their own inventory of costumes to collect and customize.

AC Valhalla: Where to Find Powerful Armor Sets

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 22:27:31 GMT

World of Warcraft: Shadowlands Review in Progress

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 21:57:10 GMT

With around six hours under my shiny new +84 Agility belt, I can already see that World of Warcraft: Shadowlands doesn’t only straddle the line between life and death – it straddles the line between what was and what could be for Blizzard’s 16-year-old MMO. While it bombards us with familiar characters like Thrall, Jaina Proudmoore, and Darion Mograine in its opening fanfare, it also proceeds to gleefully kick open the doors to new corners of the Warcraft universe and introduce the intimidating Jailer. As the first main bad guy in WoW’s history who didn’t originate in the RTS games in some way, his arrival seems like the start of a whole new chapter that isn’t so beholden to rehashing past glories.

This isn’t the first time WoW has ventured outside of Azeroth; we’ve already seen the destroyed orc homeworld of Outland and even the terrifying depths of the Burning Legion base of operations on Argus. But the various afterlives of the Shadowlands are on a completely different plane of existence, and prove that Blizzard’s zone designers can still surprise us. The soaring, angular spires of the city of Oribos and the muted, dreamlike fields of Bastion effectively sell the idea that we’re really not in Elwynn anymore with their otherworldly architecture and diverse denizens. The skies are filled with enigmatic gates and impossible light shows of twisting energy. The colors are far less saturated than we’re used to seeing on terrestrial Azeroth, and the creatures who live here are bizarre, distinct, and wonderful. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/world-of-warcraft-shadowlands-story-trailer"] Our introduction to this new world is a bit light on whimsy, though, since we’re dumped pretty much immediately into the Maw – basically Warcraft’s version of Hell, where the most wicked souls go to suffer eternally. Everything from the foreboding music to the sickly orange color palette feel as oppressive as Icecrown while completely departing from its icy, blue and black look. The wicked enemies and buildings are still in line with the Lich King’s sense of style, though, reminding us that we’re seeing the realm from which his power originated. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=It%20has%20all%20the%20drama%2C%20momentum%2C%20and%20excitement%20you%E2%80%99d%20expect%20in%20the%20opening%20of%20a%20blockbuster%20fantasy%20movie."]Our first trek through this nightmare is fast-paced, action-packed, and introduces us to the menacing Jailer in properly striking fashion. It has all the drama, momentum, and excitement you’d expect in the opening of a blockbuster fantasy movie. I do think it was a bit of a missed opportunity, though, to simply send us here through magic portals. If the Champion of Azeroth had actually died to get to the Shadowlands, that would have been a shocking but hugely effective step on our hero’s journey. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-world-of-warcraft-review&captions=true"] [poilib element="poll" parameters="id=78c9be82-3e64-41da-8525-116d90503672"] While The Maw might be appropriately horrific, the launch itself was almost shockingly pleasant. I didn’t have to wait through long server cues, and there has been little to no lag and no serious quest bugs on my end so far. WoW has had some really rough expansion launches in the past, but this seems to be by far one of the best ones from a technical standpoint. And it only took eight tries to pull it off!

Same Old Song and Dance

The pace slows down considerably once you get out of The Maw, with plenty of standard quests to kill random wildlife for their spleens not unlike those we’ve been doing for the last 16 years. You gather materials to repair soulforged constructs. You find hidden tablets that reveal more of the story. You ferry McGuffins from one important NPC to the next. The first dungeon has an interesting boss fight where you need to get a necromancer down from a platform by tricking his own abomination into hitting him with a meat hook, so I can see some promise in terms of encounter design. That’s always where WoW has given itself room to innovate, more so than the open world quest content. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=There%E2%80%99s%20already%20a%20lot%20of%20moral%20ambiguity%20floating%20around."]The larger story being woven around these familiar tasks is certainly intriguing, though – suffice it to say the angelic defenders of Bastion seem like they might not be the good guys their heavenly presentation would suggest. There’s already a lot of moral ambiguity floating around, along with a cameo from a very, very old friend that delighted me as a basically life-long Warcraft fan. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/world-of-warcraft-shadowlands-gameplay-trailer"] At this point, we don’t yet know why the Shadowlands are broken, and all mortal souls are being sent to The Maw instead of being judged and forwarded on to somewhere less horrifying as intended. Cryptic references abound to some kind of ancient beings called the First Ones and other corners of the cosmos we’ve never glimpsed before. These core mysteries have me very motivated to continue the story, even when some of the smaller pieces along the way are not quite as enticing. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Professions%20don%E2%80%99t%20seem%20to%20have%20changed%20much%20since%20the%20last%20expansion."]Mechanically, Professions don’t seem to have changed much since the last expansion. Archaeology, which I’ve really enjoyed since it debuted in Cataclysm, seems to still sit forgotten and abandoned. This is especially a shame given how much cool, ancient stuff there is in the Shadowlands I’d love to learn more about. As a leatherworker, I can make my own armor with semi-randomized stats that’s competitive with or better than quest rewards, as well as disposable armor kits which grant a two-hour buff to my health pool. Pretty standard stuff. Hopefully at max level there’ll be a little bit more to do with these skills.

Casting Shadows

There’s still a long road ahead: I’m still only level 53, out of a new cap of 60, and haven’t seen the other three main zones, the other seven new dungeons, rewards for joining a Covenant, or how the max level experience plays out. I’m particularly excited to finally unlock Torghast, a replayable roguelike tower of the damned that represents Blizzard’s most exciting new idea for this expansion. I’ll be back to share more impressions early next week (we’re taking a brief pause for the Thanksgiving break), with a full review to follow when I’ve gotten a better look at all the fun death has to offer. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Leana Hafer is a contributor to IGN. Talk RPGs, strategy games, and/or history with her on Twitter at @AsaTJ.

Console Tribalism 'One of the Worst Things in the Industry' Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Says

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 19:56:13 GMT

In a new interview, Xbox boss Phil Spencer shared how toxicity can harm the video game industry, calling console tribalism “one of the worst things about” the video game industry. Speaking with The Verge, Spencer spoke out against what he calls “tribalism in the industry,” though more popularly referred to as the “console wars.” Spencer, who heads up Microsoft’s Xbox operation, goes as far as to say that tribalism may be the only thing that could force him out of the games industry. “The tribalism in the industry, if there was anything that would ever drive me out of the industry, it’s actually that,” Spencer says on The Verge’s Decoder podcast. When he talks about the vocal core “that just really hates the other consumer product,” Spencer says “that’s just so off-putting to me… To me, it’s one of the worst things about our industry.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] And even beyond that, Spencer says Microsoft’s competition isn’t actually Sony or Nintendo. “We’re in the entertainment business. The biggest competitor we have s apathy over the products and services, games that we build.” This isn’t the first time Spencer has spoken out against toxicity in the games industry. During his keynote address at DICE 2018, Spencer called toxicity in gaming a “threat to our entire industry.” Instead, Spencer says we should focus on how gaming is bringing people closer together thanks to features like crossplay, which tears down barriers between consoles in online play. Xbox pushed heavily for cross-platform play early on with games like Minecraft. Since then, the feature has become far more commonplace with new games touting the feature regularly. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

How Sneaker Culture Predicted PS5 and Xbox Series X Scalpers

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 18:00:41 GMT

“All major retailers and Sony, [they] had so many bugs and issues where the PS5 would get taken out of my cart,” Ace, a Twitter user who shared their experience buying a PlayStation 5 with IGN. So, after failing to secure a PS5 through the usual digital stores and even directly from Sony, Ace did what anyone does after missing a sale, and started shopping the gray market. Ace ended up paying $900 for a PS5 on Craigslist – and they weren't the only ones going to such extreme measures. The PS5 and Xbox Series X are this season’s hottest items, and their popularity is wildly driving up prices among unofficial retailers. It’s a trend we’ve seen in another industry, on a far more regular basis — the second-hand market reacts similarly when there’s a limited sneaker release from brands like Nike or Air Jordan. It’s an apt comparison, says Professor Jemayne Lavar King, an Assistant Professor of English at Johnson C. Smith University and author of Sole Food: Digestible Sneaker Culture. Professor King says the way customers are responding to the hard-to-find PlayStation 5 — creating a surge in demand and prices in second-hand retailers — is part of a consumerist trend that’s been building up over the years in no small part because of the rise of sneaker culture. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/06/playstation-5-review"] “The same individuals who would pay $500 for a pair of Nike Dunks, or maybe a pair of Air Jordans, or whatever shoe that happens to be in demand at the moment — these are the same individuals who are also playing the latest consoles,” says Professor King. He says that the same consumer culture for sneakers has conditioned buyers into paying more for something that they can potentially get cheaper down the line if they wait.

21st Century Customers

The first signs of trouble began when the PS5 suddenly became available for pre-order at different retailers, despite Sony promising that the pre-order date wouldn’t be a surprise. Notifications that PS5s were sold out quickly followed. Even the Xbox Series X, which announced its pre-order date weeks in advance, faced similar shortages. It seemed that anyone who couldn’t get a pre-order was suddenly facing the reality that they might not be able to procure a new system, even by the end of this year. In the void of any official retail listings, scalpers have moved in, selling PS5s for sometimes triple the retail cost on sites like eBay and Craigslist. [caption id="attachment_244314" align="aligncenter" width="930"] A snapshot of going PS5 prices on eBay. Captured by IGN.[/caption] “We know there’s going to be an abundance of PlayStation 5s around the holiday season. But entrepreneurs are capitalizing on the pacemaking culture, the pick-me culture, the ‘I have and you don’t’ culture. It’s the same marketing,” Professor King explains. He likens it succinctly by saying the second-hand console market is “the same offense in a different sport” to the sneaker market. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=%E2%80%9CIf%20people%20continue%20to%20buy%20products%20off%20these%20scalpers%20that%20are%20gouging%20the%20living%20heck%20out%20of%20the%20average%20consumer%2C%20then%20they%20will%20continue%20to%20gouge%20the%20living%20heck%20out%20of%20the%20average%20consumer.%20Do%20NOT%20buy%20a%20marked%20up%20console%20from%20these%20scumbags.%E2%80%9D%20-%20eBay%20reviewer"]Even the official retailers are imitating the marketing strategies pioneered by streetwear fashion. Sony announced it would open up a limited number of PS5 orders directly to its most loyal PlayStation customers, and other retailers have created digital queues for the next batch of PS5 or Xbox Series X sales, with a precise date and time for when the sale goes live. This is otherwise known as a “drop,” a term that began simply by referring to a product release, but became synonymous with the streetwear industry thanks to brands like Supreme, whose product drops have led many zealous fans to camp outside stores for days to score items emblazoned with the red Supreme logo. The digitization of the drop is already well underway with sneaker brands. Nike’s SNKRS app features a calendar of upcoming releases that customers can sign up to be notified of when they go up for sale. Valued customers are allowed early pre-order privileges, not unlike how Sony sent unique invites to PS5 pre-orders for loyal PlayStation players. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"]

Supply and Demand

Earlier in the year, analysts wondered if the new consoles would be delayed due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic but Sony and Microsoft repeatedly assured customers that these systems would be available in time for the holidays. What the two manufacturers cautioned — repeatedly, in fact — is that there could be shortages. That there might not be enough consoles in 2020 for everyone. But a PS5 and Xbox Series X aren’t like limited sneaker drops. Some shoes, once they’re sold out, no longer go into production, driving up their collector resale value. PS5s and Xbox Series X are consumer goods and will be in production for years. And yet the language from console manufacturers has broadly been to shine a light on shortages: Microsoft CFO Tim Stuart says that Xbox Series X and S demand is huge and thinks “we’ll continue to see supply shortages as we head into the post-holiday quarter, so Microsoft’s Q3, calendar Q1 [the period ending March 31, 2021].” Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan said in a recent interview that, “Everything is sold. Absolutely everything is sold. I’ve spent much of the last year trying to be sure that we can generate enough demand for the product. And now in terms of my executive bandwidth I’m spending a lot more time on trying to increase supply to meet that demand.” [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=%E2%80%9CNow%20confirmed%20sold%20out%20everywhere%20until%20Black%20Friday.%20With%20Covid%20going%20to%20hit%20again%2C%20I%20don%E2%80%99t%20see%20production%20meeting%20supply.%20Glad%20I%20got%20mine%20below%20a%20grand!%E2%80%9D%20-%20eBay%20Reviewer"]When even the heads of the companies making them are telling us that they don’t have enough consoles to go around, it’s probably no wonder that every deal chaser on social media is blasting links to digital stores that may have a drop of PS5 or Xbox Series X stock. I myself acquired a PS5 pre-order, not from any traditional retail channel, but through a sneaker deals Twitter account. Professor King doesn’t see those company announcements as an apology — he sees a tactic: “That particular strategy is to build — and it happens in everything — you want to build anticipation. And there’s a false pretense. You know — I know that these units are going to be readily available, but to make money in advance you create the illusion that there are not going to be that many of them. You just don’t acknowledge the fact that we’re going to have more pretty soon.” Creating a narrative of scarcity has been good business for sneakers, and it may well be good business for console makers as well. There certainly appears to be an enhanced fervor to acquire a new console driven in part by their scarcity. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] That scarcity is exacerbated by factors outside of Sony and Microsoft’s control. While there could be elements of marketing engineering at work, driving up hype and in turn demand, we’ve also seen scalpers utilizing tools like bots to pick scan retail sites and buy up PS5 and Xbox Series X stock before customers can get a chance to order one at retail price. Shopping bots have been around for years now, and are used to purchase all different kinds of items online, such as concert tickets. But they’ve become particularly aggressive when it comes to sneakers and streetwear. Bird Bot, a retail bot used to buy up Nintendo Switch stock, was originally developed by a sneakerhead who learned how to program bots trying to purchase sneakers. Reports have emerged that one Europe-based reseller group purchased nearly 3,500 PS5 consoles through bots, ensuring in some cases that resellers are the only place some customers can acquire the sought-after console. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=%E2%80%9CIf%20I%20could%20have%20gotten%20one%20at%20the%20regular%20selling%20price%20it%20would%20have%20been%20a%20good%20value%20but%20I%20knew%20I%20was%20paying%20way%20too%20much%2C%20but%20my%20grandson%20wanted%20it%20for%20Christmas%20and%20he%E2%80%99s%20a%20great%20kid.%E2%80%9D%20-%20eBay%20Reviewer"]Making matters worse is how the Bots Act of 2016 only outlaws the use of bots when purchasing digital tickets. Bots for shoes and popular holiday gifts are still technically legal, though they are against individual stores’ terms of service. What has emerged is a perfect storm where the video game console market and the trends of 21st-century consumerism collide. Whereas in the past the barrier to acquiring a new console or shoe may have been strictly financial, i.e. not having the funds to purchase the desired item; it’s no longer enough to just have the money. Customers are expected to be first, whether they’re competing against digital bots, or other customers who have more available time to queue up in line — physical or digital — for the same item. While Covid-19 may have had a unique impact on availability — something we won’t fully understand until concrete sales and production figures is released — it’s also not unfair to say that some of these conditions have been created by retailers who want to drive up demand. The console marketing cycle effectively began in 2019, pre-COVID, and anticipation for the PS5 and Xbox Series X has been building ever since. Stoked by a chaotic pre-order experience, official company communication that stock remains rare, and bots that remain legally dubious, we have a situation where hype and rarity are funneling customers to an unfair gray market that has had plenty of experience charging desperate customers a premium. [caption id="attachment_244314" align="aligncenter" width="926"] A snapshot of going Xbox Series X prices on eBay. Captured by IGN.[/caption] While writing this article, I scoured retailers like eBay to find the going price of a PS5 on the second-hand market. While there are listings that go as high as $2,000, searching through sold listings reveals customers typically purchase second-hand PS5s at around $950 but can go as high as $1,200. This is a staggering price compared to the suggested $499 retail price for the PS5. But Professor King says these rates of increase are typical in the sneaker market. “How much is a sneaker worth? A sneaker is worth however much someone is willing to pay for it. How much is a console worth? Well, a console is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it, and typically someone is willing to pay retail plus half of what it costs.” At the time of writing this story, one retailer on eBay is selling a PS5 disc version for $1,699.99. eBay’s website says this seller has already sold 33 units, and a notification below the listing says in bright bold red, “Almost gone.” [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Cyberpunk 2077 PS5 and PS4 Pro Gameplay Revealed

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 17:35:26 GMT

CD Projekt Red has shared a new gameplay video of Cyberpunk 2077 running on both PS5 (via backwards compatibility) and PS4 Pro ahead of its launch on December 10, 2020. This PS5 and PS4 footage follows the Xbox Series X and Xbox One X gameplay from last week's Night City Wire Special, and this time reveals gameplay from the beginning of Cyberpunk 2077. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/24/cyberpunk-2077-playstation-gameplay-video"] The gameplay switches back and forth from PS5 to PS4 Pro, giving PlayStation fans an idea of how Cyberpunk 2077 will look when it's released next month. If that wasn't enough for you, you can check out our Cyberpunk 2077 preview after playing the much-anticipated game for 16 hours. We came away hungry for more, saying, "It’s rad as hell, a gorgeous world that you could get absolutely lost inside of in precisely the manner you choose to do so. It’s certainly not without its rough edges, especially when it comes to its menus, but those blemishes didn’t do much to stop what it does well from shining brightly." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=100-new-cyberpunk-2077-screenshots-gangs-characters-and-playstyles-revealed&captions=true"] CD Projekt Red also held its fifth Cyberpunk 2077 Night City Wire last week, and revealed more details on Keanu Reeves' Johnny Silverhand, a behind-the-scenes look at how the game's 90's-inspired soundtrack was created, and how they animated the hundreds of characters featured in the game. As a PSA, we also wanted to make our readers aware that it appears that copies of Cyberpunk 2077 and gameplay have leaked before its official release, so be careful out there, Samurai! [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/19/cyberpunk-2077-the-final-preview"] [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.

Xbox Has Built More Series X Units Than Series S - For Now

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 17:12:35 GMT

Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has explained that more Xbox Series X units were built for launch than Xbox Series S, but that the ratio of units made of each console will likely be more even by next holiday season. In an interview with The Verge's Decoder podcast, Spencer explained the logic, saying that the company expected to see more demand for Series X at launch, something he says has proven to be true. "We figured that our first holiday, and probably our second holiday, you would see more of the higher end SKU, the Series X sold. We built more Series Xs than we did Series Ss." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/fixing-ps5-xbox-series-x-launch-issues-next-gen-console-watch"] It seemingly won't be too long until those numbers balance out a little more: "I think when we go into spring and summer, we’ll probably moderate that a bit." Spencer continued. "Over the long run, in most cases, price wins out. If you just go back and look at previous generations and when console generations hit the real sweet spot of sales, which is one of the reasons we like having that, that’s the Series S at its price point. "Then when we go back into next holiday, which we’re already thinking about with supply chain and build, we’re already in that framing, trying to look at what we think our ratio should be between the two." Interestingly, Spencer adds that Series S chips can be made more efficently than the larger Series X equivalent, which could theoretically help Series S unit production catch up to Series X: "The chips are very different in size — this is a little bit in the weeds — we can actually build more of the Series S [chips] in the same [chip] die space as we can the Series X." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/05/xbox-series-s-review"] Despite that lower demand, Spencer seems content with how the dual launch has worked for Series S – and explained that the decision to create a lower-priced console was "questioned a number of times internally". He continued, "The best argument against doing it was Sony. We didn’t think that they were going to do it. I’ve said it before, I have a ton of respect for what Sony does." With that in mind, Spencer says that, ultimately, the idea was pushed through because of how it could help grow a portion of the audience that may not otherwise buy a console at launch: "It was really this inclusion: how do we include more people in the launch euphoria and hype and everything that happens, and make it as accessible to [as many] more people as possible. Going to that [question of] how do you really build things that can get to true scale and influence everybody and impact everybody on the planet?" We awarded the Xbox Series S a 7/10 review, saying it "has its place and could shine as a second console, but it's hard to recommend as your primary gaming platform due to its 1440p resolution and claustrophobic storage capacity." If you're in the market for Xbox Series X and S – or some games for your new machine – Black Friday should be the best place to find them. Make sure to check out our best Xbox Black Friday deals page for more on that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Rainbow Six Siege’s 4K 120FPS Next-Gen Update Coming This December

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 17:00:53 GMT

Rainbow Six Siege’s next-generation update will arrive on December 1, and brings with it a variety of improvements and quality of life features that should help Siege feel at home on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

Chief among the upgrades, Siege on next-gen will support resolutions of up to 4K and frame rates of up to 120FPS. The update will, akin to many games, provide two modes for this. Talking to IGN, Mazen Elbawab, Software Project Lead on Rainbow Six Siege, said: “You can either favour the resolution of the game or the frame rate. If you favour frame rate we guarantee you playing at 120FPS at the highest resolution possible, versus if you favour resolution then the game renders at 4K with the highest frame rate possible.”

Elbawab noted that these options will be added to the menus if the game recognises that you have a 4K TV capable of 120Hz. If your TV is not capable of high refresh rates, then the console defaults to 4K 60FPS.

While the higher resolution and frame rate will make Siege look crisper and smoother, the game won’t technically look ‘better’. “There is a certain increase to some of the textures but I wouldn’t qualify it as highly noticeable,” said Elbawab. “The focus was really on the performance side.”

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That means no high-resolution texture pack, and definitely no ray tracing. “The idea was to get as close as possible to the competitiveness of PC hardware, which is why we focused on getting up to 120FPS,” Elbawab explained. “There’s a balance to strike, and we thought for now using ray tracing would not benefit that competitiveness, which is why we focused on 120FPS.”

Similarly, the update will not make use of the dedicated audio hardware in the PS5 and Xbox Series X. But that’s not to say that focus has been purely on resolution and framerate; the game loads quicker thanks to next-gen SSD storage.

“We also added optimisations to the log-in flow, so the start of the game should be quicker than it was before on both generations,” said Elbawab. Note that he said “both generations”; PS4 and Xbox One versions should benefit from these optimisations, although won’t see the speedy load times the SSD provides.

Matchmaking is cross-generational, so PS5 players can play with PS4, and Xbox Series X with Xbox One players. Progress also comes with you, so there’s no need to start afresh. However, true cross-progression and cross-play across platforms is not yet on the agenda. “Cross-play is on the table, but nothing is confirmed. There’s no commitment to it,” Elbawab said. “Cross progression is not impossible, absolutely not, but it depends on priorities, it depends on what the community would want.”

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That covers features coming to both new consoles, but the PS5 has specific features to make the most of its UI and DualSense controller. “We match the Activity Cards to the Playlists we have in the game, so Ranked, Unranked, Quick Match, Newcomers, and also Time Limited Events,” says Elbawab. “These will take you as fast as possible to matchmaking.”

“Adaptive triggers have a unique feeling for using weapons and gadgets,” he says. “There are custom presets for all the weapons and for some specific gadgets. Haptic feedback has ‘Compatibility’ mode for the regular rumble from the old controller, or audio-driven ‘Advanced’ mode, so you’ll have some actions within the game that the audio data itself is driving the rumble, so you have a better feeling for what’s going on.”

Elbawab gives an example of pistol triggers providing resistance to the half-way point and then suddenly releasing, which provides a sensation akin to real handguns. Explosions use audio data to power the controller’s haptics to help provide a better sense of immersion. The controller’s speaker is also used to play some “key moments” such as pings or HUD sound effects. All of these features can be disabled, should you feel they distract.

Rainbow Six Siege’s next-generation update will be available December 1. For more information on the upcoming season, check out our look at Operation Neon Dawn and its new operator, Aruni.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Red Dead Online Standalone To Launch On Digital Storefronts In December

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 16:58:40 GMT

Rockstar Games has revealed a standalone version of Red Dead Online which can be purchased separately from the game's campaign. As of December 1, players will be able to purchase Red Dead Online on the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Rockstar Games Launcher, Epic Games Store and Steam. The game will cost $4.99 at launch as part of an introductory offer, which is 75% of the game's RRP. This offer will last until February 15, 2021. Of course, you'll need PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold to engage with the game's multiplayer features. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/28/red-dead-online-the-naturalist-trailer"] As well as the last-gen consoles Red Dead Redemption 2 is already available on, Red Dead Online will be playable on next-gen consoles via backwards compatibility and take up 123 GB of hard drive space. The standalone package will also give players the option to upgrade and purchase Red Dead Redemption 2's story mode at an additional cost. To coincide with the standalone launch of Red Dead Online, the Bounty Hunter role is being expanded, with an extra 10 ranks added to the role as well as new Legendary Bounties. Here's our review of Red Dead Redemption 2 from 2018. We scored the game a 10, touting its "meticulously polished open-world." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Xbox Games With Gold for December 2020 Announced

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 16:52:42 GMT

Microsoft has revealed that the Xbox Games With Gold for December 2020 are The Raven Remastered, Bleed 2, Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell, and Stacking. Announced on Xbox Wire, The Raven Remastered and the Xbox 360 Backward Compatibility game Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell will be available to Xbox Live Gold members on December 1, while Bleed 2 and the Xbox 360 Backward Compatibility game Stacking will arrive on December 16. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/24/xbox-december-2020-games-with-gold-trailer"] Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell will leave Games With Gold on December 15, followed by The Raven Remastered and Stacking on December 31, and Bleed 2 on January 15. The Raven Remastered puts players in the shoes of Constable Anton Jakob Zellner in 1964 London as he hunts for a legendary master thief known as The Raven. Enjoy this crime story whodunit where "everyone has something to hide, and the Raven is always one step ahead." Bleed 2 stars the pink-haired heroine Wryn as she must defend the world from an invading force of villains in seven intense levels with over twenty-five boss battles. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/01/29/just-how-crazy-is-saints-row-gat-out-of-hell"] Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell stars franchise favorites Johnny Gat and Kinzie Kensington as they tear apart the underworld and wage war against the Prince of Darkness to save the soul of the Boss. In our review of Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell, we said "Flying around Gat Out of Hell's new city is a blast, and while it puts its focus almost entirely on side activities, it does a good job of making those activities fun, especially with a co-op partner." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2011/02/08/stacking-video-review"] Stacking has you helping Charlie Blackmore, the world's tiniest Russian stacking doll expert, embark on an adventure to rescue his family from the nefarious industrialist, The Baron. In our review of Stacking, we said it "is chock full of charm, humor, and fun puzzles. Though some of the solutions are really easy, if you avoid the hint system it’ll take some time to decipher some of the harder ones." While you wait for these to become available, don't forget to download November 2020's Xbox Game With Gold, including Aragami: Shadow Edition, Swimsanity, and LEGO Indiana Jones. [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.