Gears of War Mobile Spin-Off Gears Pop! To Shut Down in 2021

Gears of War mobile spin-off Gears Pop!, the multiplayer PvP battle arena-style game, will be shutting down on April 26, 2021. Gears Pop!, which was developed by Fall Guys developer Mediatonic, will be closing down because of "a number of things that go into maintaining a game beyond keeping servers active. Addressing issues, developing content, and providing support are critical in keeping a game running. Unfortunately, this is no longer feasible." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/22/10-minutes-of-gears-pop-gameplay"] While the game is still running, Gears Pop! will see some of its most popular events return, Bounty rewards will be increased, and the drop rates for Legendary Pins will be increased. It was also mentioned that all in-app purchasing has been disabled, effective immediately. Refunds will be issued automatically for all those purchases made 90 days prior to October 28, 2020. These may take a few weeks to be processed. Gears Pop! Was revealed during Microsoft's E3 2018 press conference and surprised the gaming world with a game that mashed together Gears of War with Funko Pops. It released on mobile devices on August 22, 2019. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/23/gears-5-xbox-series-xs-update-trailer"] For those looking for happier Gears of War news following this unfortunate announcement, The Coalition revealed that Gears 5's Xbox Series X/S update will bring with it a New Game+, the option to put a Dave Bautista skin on Marcus Fenix during the campaign with a new voice over, multilayer updates, visual upgrades, and even brand new story DLC later this year. [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.

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Everspace 2 Delayed Because of Cyberpunk 2077's New Release Date

Everspace 2's Early Access release has been delayed due to Cyberpunk 2077 moving its date to December 10, 2020. Everspace 2 follows Path of Exile's 3.13 end-game expansion's delay to January 2021 and, as Rockfish Games said in a Kickstarter update to Everspace 2 backers, this was a "major blow" to the studio. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/27/everspace-2-trailer-highlights-space-combat-while-dodging-asteroids-and-space-stations"] "Let’s get the cyber elephant out of the room right away: The Cyberpunk 2077 release has just been pushed back to December 10, which is a major blow to our planned EVERSPACE 2 Early Access release in mid-December," Rockfish Games said. "Not only will every media outlet and content creator cover the arguably most-anticipated AAA game in history throughout the entire holiday season (and not much else), we also know that there’s quite a bit of audience overlap within our community (and our team), so... After a quick consultation with our marketing friends at Evolve PR, Plan Of Attack, and Swordfish PR, we’ve decided to push back the EVERSPACE 2 Early Access release to January. We know that sucks, but hear us out! There’s actually some good in this." The good news is that any Kickstarter backer that doesn't have access to the Closed Beta will receive a pre-release key on November 2, 2020. This will allow any who pledged for a digital copy to be able to experience the first "10ish hours of what we have planned for Early Access." There is no time constraint, and the Closed Beta can be played as many times as desired. Everspace 2 was announced at Gamescom 2019's Opening Night Live for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC and is a fast-paced single-player space shooter with deep explorations, tons of loot, and classic RPG elements. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/27/8-minutes-of-everspace-2-combat-gameplay-footage"] [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.

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FromSoftware Thanks Fans for Elden Ring Support, But Offers No New Info

A Tweet from FromSoftware about its upcoming game Elden Ring has caused fans around the world to rejoice, yet it offered no new info and simply thanked  fans for all the enthusiasm and support shown for the Dark Fantasy Action RPG. FromSoftware, alongside a Tweet about the newest update for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, wanted to ensure fans that Elden Ring is still on its way, and that the developer truly appreciates all the excitement surrounding the game that is being built with the help of A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin. "We also greatly appreciate all the enthusiasm and support shown for "ELDEN RING", our next Dark Fantasy Action RPG. We hope you look forward to it," FromSoftware's Tweet read. Even though it offered nothing new, that didn't stop fans from responding in a wonderful way. @_Ju_Ke utilized the famous gif from Titanic to convey how Elden Ring fans have felt waiting for anything related to the game. @SnekDe thinks they found a secret meaning in FromSoftware's Tweet. @KillLaGrill used a video showing Elden Ring's roller coaster of emotions from seeing a Tweet about the game and then finding out it had nothing new.

Me when Elden Ring gets it's yearly mention pic.twitter.com/7fpWe2bvzn

— ! C U R S E D ! (@KillLaGrill) October 31, 2020

@Final_Dino enlisted the help of Despicable Me's Gru to reenact FromSoftware giving its fans a non-update update. @NAtliszilla combined the Pope holding up something meme and a character from Elden Ring's trailer to show exactly what these fans want. @MoAtef09 has politely used an image of Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye to help show the world how hopeless they feel. @__pLANK wants to believe in Elden Ring, and some hope has been brought into their life. @Sonichimself used a video of Ryan Gosling to let the world know their pain. They also think we may not get any more news until 2021, and unless Elden Ring shows up at The Game Awards, they may be right.

so no news until 2021 I presume

Agony. pic.twitter.com/aVw7atoeTF — Calamari Juice (@Sonichimself) October 31, 2020

Elden Ring was revealed during Microsoft's Xbox E3 2019 press conference, and we have yet to see more gameplay from the much anticipated game. However, that hasn't stopped the Elden Ring subreddit from becoming one of the wildest places on the internet. Starved for any more official details, these brave souls have taken to creating their own Elden Ring. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/09/elden-ring-official-reveal-trailer-e3-2019"] While fans may have to wait a while to actually play Elden Ring, they will soon be able to play a remaster of FromSoftware's Demon's Souls, as it is a launch title for the PlayStation 5. [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.

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HBO's Hellraiser Series: Clive Barker Joins as an Executive Producer

Announced last April, though it's been in development since 2012, HBO is developing a new TV series based on Clive Barker's Hellraiser, which has David Gordon Green (2018's Halloween) attached to direct a few early episodes. Now the news has come in, per Deadline, that horror maestro Clive Barker has joined the series as an executive producer. Barker's novella The Hellbound Heart was the basis for 1987's Hellrasier, which Barker himself wrote and directed. Nine more Hellraiser movies followed. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-horror-movies-on-netflix&captions=true"] Barker was recently involved in the film adaptation of The Books of Blood, based on his short story collections, for Hulu and is also currently working on a Nightbreed series (based on his 1988 novella Cabal), with Michael Dougherty (Trick 'r Treat) directing, for Syfy. Hellraiser will feature David Gordon Green directing the pilot and several more episodes, which will be scripted by vets Mark Verheiden (Battlestar Galactica, Daredevil) and Michael Dougherty (Trick r’ Treat). The series will remain centered on the demonic Cenobites and their leader, Pinhead. The Cenobites, as the site reminds us, "come from hell to harvest human souls and keep balance between good and evil." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-15-best-horror-tv-shows-of-the-last-10-years&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

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Netflix's The Witcher: New Monster Montage Gives Small Glimpse of Season 2

Netflix provided The Witcher fans with a Halloween treat - a new monster montage video, set to Monster Mash no less, that appears to give the briefest of glimpses at some of the horror's Henry Cavill's Geralt of Rivia will have to face off against in its upcoming second season. In Netflix's video, which you can see below, we get a recap of some of the monsters that were featured in The Witcher's first season. However, around 0:15 and 0:31, we get a look at a terrifying monster with many legs and three ominous looking skeletons, respectively.

Monsters big and monsters small, sharpen your swords and slay them all… if you can spot them. pic.twitter.com/OWgaawSduy

— NX (@NXOnNetflix) October 31, 2020

This is another tease for season 2 and follows the reveal of new Nilfgaardian armour, a new look at Anya Chalotra as Yennefer, Freya Allan as Ciri, and Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia. The Witcher's second season is set to premiere in 2021, but it's important to note that the production of the Netflix series was put on hold due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Even though the wait may be long, fans of The Witcher will be happy to know that a third season has been all but confirmed following an appearance of The Witcher Season 3 (2020-2021) in the Writers Guild of America's directories. With the delayed start of season 2 it may not make that 2021 window, but never say never. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=netflixs-the-witcher-season-2-photos&captions=true"] In our review of the first season of The Witcher, we said "The Witcher’s first season is unconventional and messy. It’s failed by its convoluted structure, which ultimately restricts character growth, and prevents the show from having any true sense of depth. This makes for an unsatisfying big picture, but thankfully there are plenty of things to enjoy in its individual components." [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.

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Netflix and HBO Max to Release Chappelle's Show in November

Fans of the acclaimed Chappelle's Show, which ran on Comedy Central from 2003 to 2006 and featured comedian Dave Chappelle in skits skewering everyone from Prince to Rick James to Wayne Brady, are in for a treat this November as the series will be available to binge on two different streaming platforms. Chappelle's Show will land on both Netflix and HBO Max on November 1, with all 28 episodes available to watch. Famously, Chappelle quit the series in 2005 citing "stress, creative angst over the ideas for his show, and the fact that he's sometimes a 'difficult dude.'"

The best news you've heard all year: Chappelle's Show is coming to Netflix US pic.twitter.com/yMOOaf3BDA

— Netflix Is A Joke (@NetflixIsAJoke) October 30, 2020

HBO Max's grab of Chappelle's Show is part of a larger deal with Viacom-owned Comedy Central which will also make way for Inside Amy Schumer, Key & Peele, Nathan For You, and Reno 911! coming to the site. Chappelle's Show ranked number 19 on IGN's Top 100 TV Shows of All Time. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-netflix-comedy-specials&captions=true"] For more streaming news, here are all the details behind the big new creature in The Mandalorian's Season 2 premiere, every cameo in Seasons 1 and 2 of The Mandalorian, and IGN's review of Ted Lasso: Season 1. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

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Sean Connery's Best Films and Greatest Roles

From 007 to Henry Jones Sr., we look back at the best movies and greatest roles of the late Sean Connery.

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Sir Sean Connery, James Bond Actor and Oscar Winner, Dies at 90

Sir Sean Connery, the Scottish actor who may be best known for his time as James Bond for seven movies, has died overnight in his sleep in the Bahamas. Connery's family confirmed the news to BBC, stating that it was "understood he had been unwell for some time." Connery's son Jason said that his father "had many of his family who could be in the Bahamas around him. We are all working at understanding this huge event as it only happened so recently, even though my dad has been unwell for some time. A sad day for all who knew and loved my dad and a sad loss for all people around the world who enjoyed the wonderful gift he had as an actor." Thomas Sean Connery was born in the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh on August 25, 1930, and was the son of a Catholic factory worker and Protestant domestic cleaner. He left school at 13 and took odd jobs before joining the Royal Navy. Three years later, he was removed from service due to stomach ulcers. Following his time in the Royal Navy, he began gaining the reputation of a "hard man," perhaps furthered by the time he stopped six gang members from stealing from him all by himself. He was also in love with football, and was offered a £25-a-week contract to play with Manchester United. However, he thought a footballer's career was too short and decided he would make his life's goal to become an actor. He began on stage in 1953 by joining the chorus of a production of the musical South Pacific. A year later, he made his first appearance as a film extra in 1954 in the film Lilacs in the Spring, and after some minor roles in TV, he got his first leading film role in 1957's Blood Money. He would continue to act and, while he was perfecting his craft, producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman had acquired the rights to Ian Fleming's James Bond novels and began looking for an actor to play 007 himself. Broccoli's wife, Dana, was said to be the one who helped convince Cubby that Connery had "the magnetism and sexual chemistry for the part." Interestingly, Fleming did not think Connery was the right choice, saying, "I'm looking for Commander Bond and not an overgrown stunt-man." Fleming ended up changing his mind after seeing Connery in action as Bond, and would even write in a half-scottish history for Bond in his later works. While critics were not enamored with Connery's portrayal of Bond, the public fell in love with him. His first film as Bond was Dr. No, and he continued to play the secret agent in 1963's From Russia with Love, 1964's Goldfinger, 1965's Thunderball, and 1967's You Only Live Twice. Following 1967's Bond film, Connery "was tiring of Bond and feared being typecast." He turned down the opportunity to play Bond again in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, but Saltzman and Broccoli convinced him to come back for 1971's Diamonds are Forever for a then record of $1.25 million. His last Bond film would be 1983's Never Say Never Again, a role he took after losing a ton of money in a Spanish land deal. Outside of Bond, Connery played many roles, and won a Bafta for his performance as William of Baskerville in Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose. He finally won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar as a world-weary Irish beat cop in The Untouchable. He also found success in other such films as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Rock, The Hunt for Red October, The Russia House and Entrapment, First Knight, and The League of Extraordinary Gentleman. One part he did turn down, however, was the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings in 2006, a role that was then played by Sir Ian McKellen. He had said he was tired of acting and was sick of the "idiots now making films in Hollywood." He was first married to Australian actress Diane Cilento, but was divorced in 1975 amid allegations that he had been violent towards her and was unfaithful. They did have one son together, Jason Connery, who was Connery's only child. He was knighted in 2000 by Queen Elizabeth II, and is survived by his second wife, Micheline Roquebrune, his son Jason, and a grandson. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

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Ruined King Is a League of Legends RPG Coming to Console, PC, and Switch in 2021

Riot Forge, the arm responsible for publishing spinoffs set in the League of Legends (LoL) universe, has shared more details about The Ruined King, a turn-based RPG set in Runeterra. The single-player LoL adventure is targeting an early 2021 release on both console and PC. Ruined King was first announced at the 2019 Game Aawards and is billed as Riot’s first single-player game. Developed by Airship Syndicate (Darksiders Genesis), Ruined Kingdom is a turn-based RPG where players will control a party of popular League of Legends heroes including Miss Fortune, Illaoi, Braum, Yasuo, Ahri, and Pyke. Check out the new cinematic trailer below which shows how the gang comes together to embark on this new adventure. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/31/ruined-king-a-league-of-legends-story-cinematic-trailer"] Together, the part will travel from the port town of Bilgewater into the Shadow Isles, a land cursed by the Black Mist. Presumably that is where the Ruined King hangs out to be all spooky and stuff. “Ruined King is a great way to expand the world of Runeterra for brand new players as well as our dedicated League of Legends fans,” said Riot Forge boss Leanne Loombe. “Ruined King will be the first single-player game to bring the LoL universe to both consoles and PC.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ruined-king-league-of-legends-rpg-screenshots&captions=true"] Ruined King is set to be released on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC via The Epic Games Store. A free upgrade for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S will be released afterward for PS4 and Xbox One owners. Riot Forge is a new development initiative where Riot works with third-party developers to create new games set in the League of Legends universe. Beyond Riot Forge, the company is expanding its portfolio of games including the Legends of Runeterra card game, the competitive FPS Valorant, and a fighting game. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

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Judge Blocks TikTok Ban Set to Begin on Nov 12

TikTok scored another legal victory in the United States after a judge in Pennsylvania temporarily halted the restrictions that would have banned the popular video app starting on November 12. As reported by The Washington Post, the Pennsylvania judge granted an injunction that halted the ban of TikTok which was set to take place in November. However, the injunction was granted not because of TikTok, but rather three content creators who argued the TikTok ban would hurt their business and close access to “professional opportunities afforded by TikTok.” The Pennsylvania suit was brought forward by TikTok users Doug Marland, Cosette Rinab, and Alec Chambers, each of whom has several million followers on the social media app. Judge Wendy Beetlestone agreed that banning TikTok will mean creators will “lose the ability to engage with their millions of followers on TikTok, and the related brand sponsorships.” This is the latest in a series of setbacks for the Trump administration as it seeks to ban TikTok in the United States over alleged security concerns. A Washington D.C. District Judge already granted TikTok a temporary injunction on an order that would stop downloads for TikTok after agreeing that a ban will cause “irreparable economic and reputational harm” to the business. Judge Beetlestone’s decision can potentially be overturned, but for now, it means TikTok will remain available past November 12. TikTok parent company ByteDance may still be forced to sell the TikTok business to a U.S. company, however. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN. Photo Illustration by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

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Check out IGN Watch: IGN's Newest Video App

Whether you follow us here or through your various social media channels, chances are you’ve watched our videos. Whether showcasing movie clips, catching you up on the latest news, or chatting about the most recent developments in the gaming industry, everything you need is right here on IGN. We recently created an app for those of you who love watching our videos. After numerous interviews, testing, and actually creating the app, we’re excited to announce IGN Watch, available in both the App Store and Play Store! Read below for some of the key features we’ve got for the app:

• Tap on tags to follow your favorite subjects, shows, and personalities
• Hide content you don’t want to watch
• Background playback for when you just want to listen
• Ad free watching (through 2020)

We hope you’ll check it out and leave us feedback on anything you like or dislike! If you'd like to see more, check out the clip below. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/30/ign-watch-ad"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Ginger Smith is the product manager of user research and retention at IGN. You can find her on Twitter @Gengarsmyth 

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What's Your Favorite Horror Game of All Time?

Welcome back to Game Spook!, our yearly Halloween-themed episode. And what an episode! Not only is it Game Spook!, it's also our 600th edition of this humble little podcast. Thank you so much to everyone who watches every week! On the docket for this episode: The Co-op Mages discuss their favorite horror games from every generation, Control comes to Switch, Watch Dogs Legion, and so much more. The music this episode is from Castlevania Bloodlines. Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service. Listen on: Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify Stitcher   Find previous episodes here!

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A Few Assassin's Creed Games Aren't Backwards Compatible on PS5

Ubisoft has announced a slew of details regarding which of its games will receive cross-progression, next-gen upgrades, and backwards compatibility on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S.

Like most of these types of announcements, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds on what game gets what feature (especially since messaging regarding cross-gen compatibility has been a confusing mess thus far), but we lay it all out for you below.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/28/8-big-changes-in-assassins-creed-valhalla"]

Most notably, Ubisoft is not making some Assassin’s Creed games backwards compatible on PS5. These include Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles Trilogy Pack, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles India, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles China, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles Russia, as well as other properties like Risk, Star Trek Bridge Crew, Werewolves Within, Space Junkies.

These games will be backward compatible on Xbox Series X/S.

As for next-gen upgrades of PS4/Xbox One to PS5/Xbox Series X/S, a number of Ubisoft games will receive them at no additional cost to players. But there are some restrictions for players who transition from disc drive to digital-only consoles.

You can only upgrade your game if you’re sticking with either a physical or digital version, meaning you can’t upgrade from a physical version of Watch Dogs to a digital version on a next-gen console or vice versa. You can also only upgrade within the same console family, so Xbox One to Series X or PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/28/watch-dogs-legion-review"]

Games receiving free next-gen upgrades include: Watch Dogs: Legion, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Immortals Fenyx Rising, Riders Republic, and Rainbow Six Siege (with a next-gen version of Siege to be announced at a later date, and Japanese Siege players will need to pay 100 yen). All these games also have cross-progression.

Games receiving cross-progression across console generations and console families (meaning you can go from Xbox to PlayStation or vice versa) include: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Immortals Fenyx Rising, Riders Republic, and Hyperscape. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/23/a-look-back-at-sonys-long-complicated-history-with-backward-compatibility"]

Games receiving cross-progression across console generations, but requiring you to stay within the same console family include: Watch Dogs Legion and Rainbow Six Siege.

Ubisoft says “most” of its games will receive backward compatibility (excluding the ones we mention in the second paragraph of this article), and some backward compatible games will additionally receive cross-progression between generations within the same console family, including For Honor (with free graphical upgrades), The Division 2, The Crew 2, as well as Just Dance 2021 and the upcoming Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake.

Cross-generation cross-play will be available for Rainbow Six Siege and For Honor, allowing users to play with friends as long as they’re within the same console family.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ubisoft-connect-screenshots&captions=true"]

Ubisoft closed their post by stating that more “cross-platforms benefits” are coming in the future and that cross-progression is part of their commitment to players.

"Designed for a new gaming era, one where you expect to be able to play, progress and stay in touch with friends anywhere, Ubisoft Connect lays the foundation that will enable Ubisoft’s games and services to live across platforms and make cross-platform features a standard moving forward," Ubisoft's post reads.

Clarity on cross-gen compatibility messaging has eluded the likes of PlayStation and Xbox for some time now. Here’s what you need to know about PS4 to PS5 compatibility and here’s our massive chart laying out every difference between the PS5 and the Xbox Series X. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN, and he's backwards compatible with your heart. Cross-progress with him on Twitter.

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Metallic Asteroid Between Mars and Jupiter Has an Estimated Worth of $10,000 Quadrillion

A giant metallic asteroid worth approximately $10,000,000,000,000,000,000 -- more than the entire Earth’s economy -- is orbiting around Mars and Jupiter, according to a new report from the Planetary Science Journal, as reported by CBS News.

[caption id="attachment_243254" align="alignnone" width="720"] The massive asteroid 16 Psyche is the subject of a new study by SwRI scientist Tracy Becker, who observed the object at ultraviolet wavelengths.[/caption]

Asteroid 16 Psyche, as it’s known, is thought to possibly be the remnant of a planet core that never properly formed into an actual planet. While most asteroids are made of rock or ice, the incredibly dense Psyche is made mostly of metal, and measures about 140 miles in diameter, making it the size of Massachusetts.

The Planetary Science Journal’s new study has found that Psyche may be composed of iron and nickel, which are typically found in the cores of planets.

“We’ve seen meteorites that are mostly metal, but Psyche could be unique in that it might be an asteroid that is totally made of iron and nickel,” lead study author Dr. Tracy Becker said in a statement. “Earth has a metal core, a mantle and crust. It’s possible that as a Psyche protoplanet was forming, it was struck by another object in our solar system and lost its mantle and crust.”

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cosmos-possible-worlds-gallery&captions=true"]

NASA plans to launch an unmanned spacecraft in 2022, also named Psyche, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to reach the asteroid and study its composition and history. This will make it the first time NASA has ever reached a body composed entirely of metal. The spacecraft will reach Psyche in January 2026.

Back in 2017, researchers also told CBS News they would not be utilizing the asteroid’s $10,000 quadrillion metallic mass for any business gain.

“What makes Psyche and the other asteroids so interesting is that they're considered to be the building blocks of the solar system," Becker said. "To understand what really makes up a planet and to potentially see the inside of a planet is fascinating. Once we get to Psyche, we're really going to understand if that's the case, even if it doesn't turn out as we expect. Any time there's a surprise, it's always exciting."

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nasa-black-hole-gallery&captions=true"]

If you like weird and wild science stories, check out IGN's science news hub. A rogue planet floating through the Milky Way was also recently discovered. Additionally, scientists discovered that the amusingly named "Black Widow Star" is the source of gamma radiation that gives Hulk his superpowers. Oh, and the Moon is wet. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/reporter/floating mass for IGN. Orbit him on Twitter.

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Raven Co-Founder Talks Soldier of Fortune and its Then-Revolutionary Dismemberment System

Raven Software co-founder Brian Raffel has revealed details about working with Soldier of Fortune consultant John Mullins and creating the first limb dismemberment system in video games. IGN's Ryan McCaffrey sat down with Raffel to discuss Raven Software's broad history in the latest episode of IGN Unfiltered, along with discussions on Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, Hexen, Heretic, Soldier of Fortune, and more. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/1999/07/21/soldier-of-fortune-pc-games-gameplay"] Soldier of Fortune is a military shooter based on the popular real-world magazine of the same name and was built on the Quake 2 engine. It was perhaps most notable for the GHOUL tech that allowed individual limb dismemberment for the first time in games, a mechanic which would go on to become relatively common in the shooter genre, and even become a central pillar of games like Dead Space. It was also used to create realistic lightsaber damage and limb severing in Raven's later game, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. Before beginning the discussion in earnest, Raffel revealed the motivation for the creation of the GHOUL system. "Let me just be clear: there was no goal to make this... to just make it super violent. The goal was, and this came from my brother, Steve... He's like 'Let's just make it as realistic as possible.' So that was the goal. And what is the most realistic thing? Instead of just shooting a body and having it just drop and fade away, we wanted to make it as realistic as possible, not for the sake of violence, but just for the sake of reality." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-campaign-screenshots&captions=true"] Raffel also commented on the first time he saw the tech in action. "I still remember the day, though, when we got the GHOUL system in. Of course, we saw the shooting of the limbs... but when a body falls down and you can still shoot it, and it's still reactive... that felt really real. It brought a realism to me that I never saw in a game before." To craft the system, Raven brought in a consultant, who ended up being critical to the game's evolution. "We actually had a consultant from Soldier of Fortune [magazine], John Mullins, who was great. He was like, 'You don't really know combat until you smell what's going on, and hear it, and feel it. So, that kind of inspired us, a bit." As the team at Raven continued to work with Mullins to create the game, they were impressed and eventually decided to make him the main character. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/09/call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-multiplayer-hands-on-preview"] "That was a fun project, and I sometimes wish we would have continued it, and... evolved it... into a higher-brow situation... We definitely had the action... The weapons felt great. The multiplayer was a lot of fun. We had so much fun working on that game. It's always a good indicator for us when we're making games when you, yourself, are playing and you can't stop. Heretic was like that. Soldier of Fortune was definitely like that." For more interviews with the best, brightest, most fascinating minds in the games industry, check out be sure to check out every episode of IGN Unfiltered, which includes talks with The Game Awards creator Geoff Keighley, Master Chief co-creator Marcus Lehto, 343's Bonnie Ross, Valve's Robin Walker & Chris Remo, Respawn's Stig Asmussen, and so many more.

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Brian Barnett writes wiki guides, deals posts, features, and much more for IGN. You can get your fix of Brian's antics on Twitter and Instagram (@Ribnax).

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The Mandalorian Season 2 May Be Using the Plot of an Unmade Star Wars Movie

The first episode of The Mandalorian Season 2 features a major plot point that is remarkably similar to the story outline previously rumoured for a Boba Fett standalone Star Wars movie.

Warning: spoilers follow for Season 2, episode 1 of The Mandalorian. 

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/30/the-mandalorian-season-2-episode-1-review"]

Back in 2014, a report suggested that The Empire Strikes Back and The Force Awakens co-writer Lawrence Kasdan had pitched a Boba Fett solo movie that would be about a “complete stranger killing Boba Fett and taking his armour, starting a Man-With-No-Name bounty hunter tale.”

The first episode of Season 2 of The Mandalorian, 'The Marshal', features a character who has taken Boba Fett’s armour for himself and now wears it while protecting the Tatooine settlement of Mos Pelgo. While not the exact same plot, there’s a notable similarity here, as a character largely a stranger to the audience (aside from those who may have read the Star Wars Aftermath novels) and is now walking around dressed as Boba Fett.

Provided the rumours about the Boba Fett film plot were actually true, this wouldn’t be the first time Star Wars has taken unmade old ideas and used them as the basis for something new. A 2015 art book collecting concept work for The Force Awakens features images of an underwater Death Star, which would have been included in a scene for Episode VII where Rey explores the sunken wreck. That scene was, of course, not part of The Force Awakens, but an underwater Death Star did appear in The Rise of Skywalker. It may be we’re seeing a similar case with The Marshal.

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For more on The Mandalorian, check out our Season 2, episode 1 review, and the prequel trilogy Easter egg we spotted.

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Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

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Sony Aiming to Buy Crunchyroll for Almost $1 Billion

Sony has reportedly entered into "final negotiations" with AT&T to acquire the US-based anime streaming service Crunchyroll. According to Nikkei Asia, Sony recently obtained exclusive rights to bid for the hugely-popular streaming service and is now prepared to pay upwards of $957 million to acquire the platform, which has 70 million free members and 3 million paying subscribers signed up globally. As part of the deal, it is reported that Crunchyroll would also give Sony access to more than 1,000 anime titles. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/25/top-10-best-anime-series-of-all-time"] Sony previously acquired anime distributor Funimation and its one million subscribers back in 2017. However, the company is said to now be looking to expand its customer base further by strengthening its entertainment offering to better compete with the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and other global streaming services that are currently dominating the market. Sony isn't the only company looking to invest more in anime content. Netflix recently unveiled its plans to produce more anime titles after noting an exceptional uptake in anime streaming on the platform. According to statistics, over 100 million global households watched at least one anime title on Netflix between October of last year and September of this year. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=must-watch-horror-anime&captions=true"] If the Sony acquisition is realized, then the global competition for content is likely to heat up and intensify, with streaming companies battling to license popular movies and shows. It's possible that Sony could even consider merging Crunchyroll with Funimation, which is the licensee of several anime properties in the US, including Attack on Titan and One Piece. With an abundance of streaming providers, including the ever-growing Disney+ and Apple TV+ platforms, all competing for your hard-earned cash, it can be difficult to pinpoint which streaming service is the best choice for you. Fortunately, we've put together a detailed review of why we think Crunchyroll is the best streaming service to watch anime. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

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Spider-Man: Miles Morales Spider-Verse Costume Revealed

Marvel has revealed a 'launch day bonus' Into the Spider-Verse suit for Insomniac Games' Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which will be available to both PS4 and PS5 players.

Your first look at the unmistakably stylish "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" Suit, a launch day bonus for "Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales" on PS4 and PS5: https://t.co/DFVXFslvmK #BeGreater #BeYourself @PlayStation pic.twitter.com/mUlS4WQrwO

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) October 30, 2020

The suit, which is identical to the one worn by Miles in the animated movie, is not just a new skin for the game character; it's actually animated to look like it's at a lower frame-rate to recreate the distinct look of the movie. Alongside that, comic-book sounds appear in the world, just like in the Spider-Verse movie, including a great 'ssspak!' and 'thock' when hitting a goon. If you wanted a faithful recreation of Mile's Spider-Verse moves, it looks like Insomniac Games may well be delivering the goods. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/16/spider-man-miles-morales-gameplay-trailer"] Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a launch game for PlayStation 5, and will feature new famous villains as well as a new look for Peter Parker. For more, check out our round-up of all the gameplay details. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

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Genshin Impact's Plans for the Future - Developers Want to Tell a Years-Long Story

With Genshin Impact's first major update, 'A New Star Approaches', arriving on November 11, we naturally wanted to know what miHoYo has planned for its open world adventure beyond that - and discovered the developer is working to a years-long timescale, and how player behaviour will change where the game goes next. Speaking to IGN, producer and CEO Hugh Tsai, explained that 1.1 is all about "polishing off the Liyue story" that began at Genshin Impact's launch, "while also continuing to enrich and improve players' general experience in the game." As for what comes after that, Tsai explains that "The addition of Dragonspine in Version 1.2 will mark the first major map expansion since the game's release. New gameplay will also be added at that time, but we can't reveal any specific details on that just yet. Stay tuned!" We also know that version 1.3 will add the Lantern Rite Festival event. But what about the overall philosophy for additions to Genshin Impact? Well, it seems that how the game progresses, and the stories told along the way, are somewhat up to the players themselves: "Ultimately, how we will advance the Genshin Impact story is not set in stone. We will consider where players are up to in their journey through [the game world] Teyvat when planning out new content, and either advance the main story or add stand-alone stories on the side. The bottom line, though, is that whatever we do will focus on telling the story of the Traveler's journey through Teyvat." It's clear that the overall goal is to add all seven major regions of Teyvat. The game launched with two, and Dragonspine will mark the third, but it'll be some time before the entirety of the world will be open to players: "At present, our team is still very much focused on releasing and refining the content for Teyvat. As we've said previously, it will take several years to cover all seven regions of Teyvat and their related cultures, stories, and other game content in full depth." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/29/genshin-impact-version-11-announcement-trailer"] I ask if there are plans for what happens when Teyvat is complete. The game opens with the suggestion that there are multiple dimensions or planes of existence in the universe of Genshin Impact - could we travel between them down the line? "All we can say," says Tsai, "is wait and see!" Story and locations are just a portion of what Genshin Impact offers, however - it's built on a base of action as well as exploration, and I ask Tsai if miHoYo sees that foundation as completely finished, or if we could see more action elements - perhaps even more elemental types and interactions between them - added over time. "Lots of the feedback we've received from players have been asking for expansions to the co-op mode and in-game interactions. Regarding the co-op part, we plan to keep enriching players' co-op experience through in-game events, such as the recently launched Elemental Crucible challenge, the Unreconciled Stars event in the upcoming Version 1.1 update, and further content to be announced in due course. "However, expanding on the fundamental rules that underlie how everything in Teyvat operates is not such a simple task. We would need to ensure that any new content fits seamlessly within the existing rules, while also continuing to ensure a fairly high degree of playability. This poses significant challenges to our design team." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/13/genshin-impact-review"] With that in mind, I ask if there's any kind of finish line in mind for miHoYo - is there a "final" version of Genshin Impact that they're working towards? "We do not have a hard-and-fast timeline at this stage, and our focus at present is on continuing to update the game and release new content to keep improving players' experience. It comes down to our team's faith in and passion for Genshin Impact on the one hand, and the ongoing support of players around the world on the other. As long as Genshin Impact can continue to deliver great experiences and quality entertainment, this otherworldly journey will go on." We said "incredible open-world and addictive exploration make Genshin Impact anime-zing adventure" in our 9/10 review. If you're playing right now, check out our interactive map of Teyvat to find its hidden secrets,a nd learn everything you need to know in our Genshin Impact wiki. [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.

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Genshin Impact 1.1 Update Details Revealed, Coming November

Genshin Impact's 1.1 content update, called 'A New Star Approaches', is coming to PC, Android, iOS and PS4 on November 11. The game will also be playable via backwards compatibility on PS5. IGN can reveal that the update will add four new playable characters (two of which are 5-star characters), a brand new series of quests, the game's first seasonal event, and a new Reputation system for individual regions of the game. You can check out a trailer for the 1.1 update below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/29/genshin-impact-version-11-announcement-trailer"] Check out details for each of the new additions below:

New Characters

The update adds four new characters. Childe is a 5-star hydro archer that, unlike any other character, can switch between melee and ranged attacks. Zhongli is a 5-star geo polearm wielder with high defense, strong area-of-effect attacks, and can petrify enemies. Xinyan and Diona are new 4-star characters who have not yet been detailed, but will offer "more effective elemental combos and combat strategies".

New Quests

No major details have been revealed for the new series of quests coming in the 1.1 update, but we know that it will include the grand finale of the Liyue chapter, meaning there will be three full acts of quests in the core storyline. Producer and CEO Hugh Tsai tells IGN that more character-specific side quests will be added, too.

Seasonal Event - 'Unreconciled Stars'

Unreconciled Stars is a two-week event, "which calls on all players to fight back against a sudden and terrible catastrophe facing Teyvat". The event will add a series of quests, co-op challenges, and will offer rewards including 4-star character Fischl.

Reputation System

The new Reputation system will give players a separate rating in each of the game's cities, which will build upon completing activities in the surrounding region. Building Reputation will offer region-exclusive rewards, including customisation options and some of the new items listed below.

New Items

New tools include a portable waypoint, portable stove, treasure compass, and oculus resonance stones (which will mark nearby Anemoculi and Geoculi. The update will also add a Wind Catcher item, which stores anemograna to create on-demand wind currents, allowing for more exploration.

A Fun Monster Cameo

More a bit of fun than a meaningful addition, Tsai also tells us that the 1.1 update will add a new special monster called the Forrest Hilichurl. "The team designed this monster as an in-game cameo of our company president, Forrest Liu, in hilichurl form," the producer explains. "Players, whenever you feel in a bad mood, or there's something you're not happy about in the game — and after you've voiced your concerns via the Feedback function — please feel free to seek out this most unusual hilichurl and vent all of your frustrations on him with my blessing." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/13/genshin-impact-review"] Developer miHoYo has also confirmed that the game will be fully playable on PS5, with "with improved graphics and faster load times." We said "incredible open-world and addictive exploration make Genshin Impact anime-zing adventure" in our 9/10 review. If you're playing right now, check out our interactive map of Teyvat to find its hidden secrets,a nd learn everything you need to know in our Genshin Impact wiki. [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.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Merges With Warzone In December

Activision has revealed that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will integrate with Call of Duty: Warzone in December, the month after the main game launches. The integration between the two games will come as Black Ops Cold War enters its first season, just weeks after its November 13 launch. Black Ops Cold War weapons and operators will be made available in Warzone, as well as battle pass and store content. Players will also be able to use their Cold War multiplayer loadouts in Warzone. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/15/call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-fireteam-dirty-bomb-trailer"] The merge was explained as part of Activision’s latest investor call. "We'll bring Black Ops Cold War's characters and weaponry into the free-to-play experience," said Daniel Alegre, the company’s chief operating officer. "Along with substantial new content ensuring that Warzone remains both a terrific experience and a powerful on-ramp for the franchise's premium content." Activision president Rob Kostich further elaborated on this: “For example, all the awesome new Black Ops weapons and operators you unlock and your level one to 55 progression will be usable in Black Ops and in Warzone just like they work in Modern Warfare.” "One cool feature that players will see is that they'll be able to choose either their Black Ops loadout or their Modern Warfare loadouts in Warzone for their gameplay," he added. While this system sounds practically identical to the way Warzone works with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, there are some elements that make this integration a little more interesting. If you’ve played the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War alpha, then you’ll know the new game plays and feels very differently to Modern Warfare, with the guns providing much of that change. And since both games are built on different tech, presumably the Warzone team has had to remake every Cold War weapon and balance them for use in an environment based on Modern Warfare's ‘ruleset’, for lack of a better word. We’ll no doubt see how it all works in December. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-call-of-duty-review&captions=true"] For more, check out why you’ll need to find another 250GB of space for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, as well as our chat with Raven Software’s co-founder about taking the lead on Black Ops after being a supporting studio for a decade. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

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Star Wars: The High Republic Unveils a New Batch of Villains

Lucasfilm has unveiled a first look at the new batch of villains featured in Star Wars: The High Republic. StarWars.com has officially pulled back the curtain on a slew of new monsters and marauders that were terrorizing the galaxy during the High Republic sub-era of the Age of Republic, 200 years before the events of the Skywalker saga. Along with new character concept art, the creators behind Lucasfilm's multi-pronged publishing initiative shared some additional insight into the new adversaries, providing more details about the Drengir, the Nihil, and Marchion Ro. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/27/star-wars-the-high-republic-explained"] "One of the north stars for this initiative is to answer the question, 'What scares the Jedi?' Which is a really fun but extraordinarily challenging question to answer," explains Lucasfilm Publishing creative director Michael Siglain. "All five authors, as well as the Story Group and Publishing teams, had thoughts on what would scare them — and why — but everyone agreed that had to be something new." You can check out the new batch of villains in our slideshow below or keep scrolling for the full article. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-meet-the-villains-of-the-high-republic&captions=true"]

The Drengir

First up: The Drengir. These amorphous, vegetated villains are looking to "reap a terrible harvest across the galactic frontier," according to High Republic writer Cavan Scott. With their tentacle-riddled bodies and mouths chock full of teeth, the Drengir are described as "sentient plant-life" who rise up from the ground to wreak havoc at a time when the Jedi are struggling to deal with the aftermath of the Great Disaster, and are "inescapably linked to the fate" of one of the Jedis. Scott says the concept of the new creeping terror came from a sketch by the legendary Star Wars artist Iain McCaig in the early days of The High Republic's development. Where to Find Them: Star Wars: The High Republic comic by Cavan Scott.

The Nihil

The Nihil are a group of "brutal, savage marauders, based in the Outer Rim," reveals Light of the Jedi author Charles Soule. The Nihil are organized into three main divisions known as Tempests, with each faction serving under a captain who wields total control over their plans, which run directly through both the Republic and the Jedi Order. The chaotic clan are fully equipped with weapons, ammunition and "anything that might kill you," which they're not afraid to use to get what they want. In fact, the Nihil sound like pure nightmare fuel because they have the ability to "appear anywhere almost at will" and "if you stand in their way, they will kill you and everyone you love," according to Soule. "The Nihil are truly unlike any villain we've seen in Star Wars before," adds Daniel José Older, the writer of The High Republic Adventures comic book series. "I am really excited to go deep behind enemy lines in the [IDW Publishing] ongoing series and give readers a chance to learn about the inner workings of one of the most vicious, unyielding, and chaotic groups the galaxy has ever known." Where to Find Them: Star Wars: The High Republic - Light of the Jedi novel by Charles Soule / Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures comic by Daniel José Older.

Marchion Ro

Marchion Ro "holds an important post within the greater Nihil organization — he is the Eye of the Nihil, as was his father before him," Soule explains. Ro isn't the person in charge of delivering the orders to the various factions because that role is already assigned to the Tempest Runners. However, everything is said to revolve around this mysterious cloaked character who seems to play an influential role in the group. "The things that make the Nihil more than just a bunch of Outer Rim raiders all come from Marchion," according to Soule. Where to Find Him: Star Wars: The High Republic - Light of the Jedi novel by Charles Soule / Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures comic by Daniel José Older. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Lucasfilm delayed the launch of its cross-media Star Wars prequel series from August 2020 to January 2021 as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, so there's still plenty of time to dig into The High Republic archives. Check out the opening crawl for this all-new era of tales, and then discover more about the galaxy's new Jedi Knights and Masters and the next class of Jedi Padawans. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

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The Mandalorian: Every Character/Cameo in Season 1 and New Season 2 Characters

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The Mandalorian S2E1 Has a Neat Star Wars: Episode 1 Easter Egg

The Mandalorian Season 2 Episode 1 contains a number of a references to Star Wars movies of years gone by, but one of the more subtle ones harkens back all the way to The Phantom Menace. *Tusken Raider noise* There are spoilers for Season 2, Episode 1 of The Mandalorian ahead! [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/the-mandalorian-season-2-trailer-breakdown"] Cobb Vanth, the Marshal of Mos Pelgo, strolls into The Mandalorian wearing one huge reference in the form of Boba Fett's armour, but it might be easier to miss that he also seems to be in possession of an even older piece of Star Wars history - part of Anakin Skywalker's podracer. When we see him riding alongside Mando's speeder bike, the hulking vehicle Vanth's driving is seemingly built out of one of the two engines Anakin uses to power his podracer - check out a comparison below: [widget path="global/page/imagecomparison" parameters="comparisons=%7B%22comparisons%22%3A%5B%7B%22caption%22%3A%22%22%2C%22images%22%3A%5B%7B%22id%22%3A%225f9bea76e4b01ef5eb1cf707%22%2C%22label%22%3A%22%22%7D%2C%7B%22id%22%3A%225f9bea75e4b01ef5eb1cf706%22%2C%22label%22%3A%22%22%7D%5D%7D%5D%7D"] There are a couple of minor differences to note - the "wings" around the central fan now look reinforced underneath, and the fan intake itself appears to be a slightly different shape, but the rest of the engine (which we see more of later in the episode) bears a striking resemblance to Anakin's pod engines. It may be that Cobb Vanth (or the person he bought the bike from) has modified the engine over time. It may also be that this is a more generic Swoop Bike, the name given to podracer engines converted into speeders in Star Wars lore. Either way, it's a neat nod to Star Wars history that might otherwise go under the radar - and also, weirdly, puts Cobb Vanth unwittingly in direct contact to multiple eras of the Star Wars universe. Want to keep track of when we'll get our next (probably reference-filled) episode of The Mandalorian? here's when every episode will arrive. [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.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War on PC Will Require Up to 250 GB

Activision and Treyarch have revealed the PC specs for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and confirmed that it will require up to 250 GB of storage if you wish to run the latest Call of Duty with Ultra RTX settings. Fortunately, for those who don't need to run Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War on the highest settings, it is possible to download Multiplayer only for 50 GB on Minimum Specs and all game modes for 175 GB on Recommended and Competitive Specs. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/27/call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-official-launch-trailer"] It's also important to note that these requirements are specifically for launch, and will hopefully go down as time goes by. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has also dealt with storage requirements of over 200 GB, but Infinity Ward recently released a patch that gives PC players an option to uninstall specific game modes to reduce its file size. The full list of official specifications for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War on PC are as follows;

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Minimum Specifications

• OS: Windows 7 64-Bit (SP1) or Windows 10 64-Bit (v.1803 or higher)
• CPU: Intel Core i3-4340 or AMD FX-6300
• RAM: 8GB RAM
• HDD (at launch): 50GB (MP only), 175GB (all game modes)
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 / GeForce GTX 1650 or Radeon HD 7950
• DirectX 12 compatible system Required
• Broadband Internet Connection Required

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Recommended Specifications

These are the recommend specs to run 60GFPS in most situations with all options set to medium:

• OS: Windows 10 64 Bit (latest update)
• CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD Ryzen R5 1600X processor
• RAM: 12GB RAM
• HDD (at launch): 175GB HD space
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 / GTX 1660 Super or Radeon R9 390 / AMD RX 580
• DirectX 12 compatible system Required
• Broadband Internet Connection Required

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Recommended Specifications (Ray Tracing)

• OS: Windows 10 64 Bit (latest update)
• CPU: Intel i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 1800X
• RAM: 16GB RAM
• HDD (at launch): 175GB HD space
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
• DirectX 12 compatible system Required
• Broadband Internet Connection Required

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Competitive Specifications

Here are the competitive specs to run at a high FPS for use with a high refresh monitor:

• OS: Windows 10 64 Bit (latest update)
• CPU: Intel i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 1800X
• RAM: 16GB RAM
• HDD (at launch): 175GB HD space
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 / RTX 3070 or Radeon RX Vega64 Graphics
• DirectX 12 compatible system Required
• Broadband Internet Connection Required

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Ultra RTX Specifications

Here are the Ultra RTX specs to run the game at a high FPS in 4K resolution with Ray Tracing enabled:

• OS: Windows 10 64 Bit (latest Update)
• CPU: Intel i9-9900K or AMD Ryzen 3700X
• RAM: 16GB RAM
• HDD (at launch): 250GB HD space
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
• DirectX 12 compatible system Required
• Broadband Internet Connection Required

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-campaign-screenshots&captions=true"] Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War on PC will feature 4K graphics, uncapped framerate, RTX Shadows and Ambient Occlusion, NVIDIA DLSS and Reflex Technology, Ultrawide and Multi-Monitor support and much more. Additionally, developer Beenox worked closely with Treyarch and all other studios to "bring over 200 individual settings to fine tune the PC version of Black Ops Cold War." To further explain, RTX Shadows and Ambient Occlusion will allow for more photo-realistic shadows, NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) will use "AI to construct sharp, hi-fidelity images all while rendered fewer pixels," and NVIDIA Reflex will "aid pros or pros-to-be in ensuring there is as little delay between their click or press and what happens on their screen as possible." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/09/call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-13-minutes-of-miami-multiplayer"] Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War will be released on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on November 13, 2020. For more, check out our review in progress for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's Beta, our best tips and tricks for the newest Dirty Bomb mode, everything else we know about the latest Call of Duty game. [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.

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Marvel's Kevin Feige Knows Everything About DC's The Suicide Squad

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige knows quite a bit about The Suicide Squad, according to director James Gunn. Gunn told Empire he had to fill Feige in on why exactly he couldn't jump right back on Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 following him being rehired on the project. Gunn told Feige he was working on a DC movie, to which Feige replied, "Is it Superman?" Gunn said that character "was a possibility" for him to tackle, but it wasn't the one he chose. After telling Feige that it was a new Suicide Squad movie, Feige replied, "Please, please make a good movie. Just…make a great movie.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=who-is-dcs-peacemaker-john-cenas-the-suicide-squad-character-explained&captions=true"] Gunn told Feige all about The Suicide Squad's characters, including the villain, who has yet to be revealed to the public. "Kevin knew who all those characters were for months before we revealed them at FanDome,” Gunn said. “He still knows who the villain is. I think he’s pretty trustworthy with his NDA!” Gunn said the conversations with Disney were "scary," especially since Marvel missed Gunn by only one day and it was their rival, DC, who hired Gunn first. “It was a happy ending, but it was also scary, because I actually got the call from [Walt Disney Studios CCO] Alan Horn long before it was announced: it happened literally the day after I agreed to do The Suicide Squad,” Gunn said. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/the-suicide-squad-official-cast-reveal"] Gunn is also writing and directing a Suicide Squad TV series spinoff starring John Cena's character Peacemaker. The filmmaker has said Guardians Vol. 3 will likely be his last as the franchise's director. The Suicide Squad is currently set to hit theaters on Aug. 6, 2021. For anyone looking for more information on the massive cast, here is a full breakdown of The Suicide Squad's characters. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN.

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Borat 2: Sacha Baron Cohen Donates $100K to Babysitter Jeanise Jones' Community

Sacha Baron Cohen has donated $100,000 to babysitter Jeanise Jones, who appeared in the film after she said she felt misled by the Borat 2 film crew. Jones told the New York Post earlier this week that she felt betrayed by the Borat 2 film crew for legitimately making her believe Borat's daughter in the movie, Tutar, was being groomed to marry a rich man. Jones was unaware that this plan was a plot point in Borat 2 — or that she was even being filmed for Borat 2 — so in babysitting Tutar, who was played by Maria Bakalova, she began to worry about the wellbeing of the girl. After reports that a GoFundMe page has been opened for Jones, who has been unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cohen donated $100,000 to Ebenezer Baptist Church per Jones' request, as reported by People. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/01/borat-2-official-trailer"] "I was blown away, but not surprised because I was told about what type of heart this man has," Ebenezer Baptist Church pastor, Derrick Scobey, told People when asked about Cohen's donation, which will be used for essentials like shelter and food. "Maybe it's a little risqué, some of the things in the movie, but he has a good heart." Jones told the New York Post that she was praying for Tutar after coming to believe that the marriage might actually happen. "I felt pain for her and tried [to see] if there's any way we can get through to her that she doesn't need to do all that," Jones said in regards to Tutar believing in Borat 2 that she needs plastic surgery to get married. "I'm feeling like she's from the Third World and that kind of stuff does happen where they sell women. I'm thinking this is for real so I felt kind of betrayed by it." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/21/borat-subsequent-moviefilm-review"] Another $131,000 was raised for Jones through the GoFundMe drive started by Scobey. The Borat 2 crew recruited Jones through her church after telling the church they were looking for a babysitter for a documentary. Scobey said the $100,000 donation from Cohen won't be used directly for the church, but will instead be used as community aid. If you haven't yet watched Borat 2, you can read our thoughts on why we thought the sequel was amazing in our Borat Subsequent MovieFilm review. Be sure to watch this deleted scene from the movie that features a White House infiltration after that and then read about how Kazahkstan has adopted Borat's signature "very nice" catchphrase in its tourism advertising. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

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PS5 DualSense Controller Haptics Can be Turned Off

One of the biggest new features Sony is touting for the upcoming PlayStation 5 is the haptic responses on the PS5 DualSense controllers. But Sony cautions that players with injuries in their hands or joints should turn the feature off, which anyone can through the settings. According to a blurb in the PS5 instruction booklet (first reported by @_Caprica), which IGN can verify, vibrations and trigger effects can be turned off using through the Accessories tab in the Settings option.

Hey so I have a DualSense and thought it important to highlight this bit from the instruction manual.

You can turn off vibration and trigger resistance from the PS5 console. pic.twitter.com/Lb5yG7dRhu — Aunt Tifa (@__caprica) October 29, 2020

The PS5 booklet says, “Do not use the vibration or trigger effect features if you have any ailment or injury to the bones, joints, or muscles of your hands or arms.” The instructions continue, “If you have an ailment or an injury, do not play titles with these features using the controller unless you have set those functions to ‘Off’.” The haptic feedback in the Sony PS5 DualSense controller is described as an immersion feature that goes well beyond rumble features. Common examples Sony previously offered when describing the DualSense include features like simulating the sand on a beach through vibrations or making the trigger buttons tenser to simulate pulling back on a bow. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] However, players with difficulties in their hands or joints due to injury or disability may not be able to comfortably use those features. Check out IGN’s hands-on impressions of the PS5 from the Beyond! crew. We’ll have more PS5 coverage leading up to launch so check back to IGN regularly. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/27/ps5-console-unboxing"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

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Insidious 5: Patrick Wilson Back to Star, Will Make His Directorial Debut

Announced during the first ever BlumFest, Patrick Wilson will star in and make his directorial debut with Insidious 5. The fifth installment of Insidious will see Wilson return to the franchise in a big way. He was last seen in a leading role in Insidious: Chapter 2, although his character appeared in smaller doses in the third and fourth installments like the archival footage of him shown in Insidious: The Last Key. He'll return to the franchise as the leading star, alongside Ty Simpkins, and as director of the film, as reported by Deadline. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-horror-movies&captions=true"] "I'm honored and thrilled to be at the helm of the next Insidious installment, which will provide an amazing chance to unpack everything the Lamberts went through a decade ago, as well as deal with the consequences of their choices," Wilson said. "Directing the movie is both professionally and personally a full circle moment for me, and I am extremely grateful to be entrusted in continuing to tell this frightening and haunting story." The fifth Insidious movie will pick up with the Lamberts 10 years after Insidious: The Last Key, when Simpkins' character, Dalton, begins college. Not much else is known about the story, which will feature a script written by Scott Teems based on a story by franchise co-creator Leigh Whannell. Whannell will produce the film alongside fellow franchise co-creator, James Wan, and Oren Peli. Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and Steven Schneider will serve as executive producers for this Blumhouse movie that will be distributed by Sony. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/01/03/insidious-the-last-key-review"] "One of the primary reasons the interest and appetite from fans has lasted for Insidious is because the people involved in the first film have stayed involved and kept it vital, interesting, and good," Blumhouse producer, Jason Blum, said. "I'm so grateful to our collaborators on the franchise." While waiting for Insidious 5, which doesn't currently have a release date, read our thoughts on the latest movie in the franchise in our Insidious: The Last Key review. Check out what we had to say about the original film that started it all in our Insidious review, and then read our Insidious: Chapter 2 review and Insidious: Chapter 3 review. And with Halloween days away, also be sure to check out our list of the 25 best horror movies of all-time. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

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Fortnite: A Guide to the Toughest Week 10 Challenges

While Fortnite Chapter 2, Season 4 may be nearing its end, things aren't slowing down anytime soon on the challenge front, as the week 10 challenges are now live. Whether it's finding Heart Lake, catching fish, boating from The Fortilla to The Authority, or searching chests in Upstate New York, we have you covered in our detailed guide below. Looking for something specific? Click the links below to find more information:

• How to Find Heart Lake and Catch Fish
• How to Search Chests at Upstate New York
• How to Sign Up for Fortnite Community Battles and Earn Free Rewards

Fortnite Chapter 2: Season 4, Week 10 Challenges

Listed below are all of the week 10 challenges that are currently available to complete:

• Search Chests at Upstate New York - 0/7- 25,000 XP
• Eliminations at Lazy Lake - 0/3 - 25,000 XP
• Collect Metal from Slurpy Swamp - 0/200 - 25,000 XP
• Catch Fish at Heart Lake - 0/7 - 25,000 XP
• Eliminate opponents by hitting them with vehicles - 0/1 - 25,000 XP
• Boat from The Fortilla to The Authority in less than 4 minutes - 0/1 - 25,000 XP
• Ride 20,000 meters in a vehicle (Rec: 4 Players) - 0/1,000 - 50,000 XP

How to Find Heart Lake and Catch Fish in Fortnite

Located in the Stark Industries area, you will find a large lake towards the Northeast corner of the map. Despite not appearing on the map, this area is classified as Heart Lake. Now that you have located Heart Lake, it's time to complete the task of catching fish. If you've been following the Fortnite Weekly Challenges for a while now, you'll be all too familiar with catching fish. However, for those new to fishing in Fortnite, you'll be happy to know that the task is very straightforward. First, you'll want to acquire a Fishing Rod. In most cases, you will find Fishing Rods inside of barrels, which are generally found around water. You will find a barrel spawn on the Northern side of the deck when searching the shack along the edge of Heart Lake. Once you have the Fishing Rod, simply cast the line and wait for the float to bounce in the water. When this occurs, pull in your line and if you happen to be fast enough, you may just score yourself a fish!

How to Search Chests at Upstate New York

Found in the upper Northeast corner of the map, you will find a large dark circle of land surrounding Stark Industries. While it may not be listed on the map, this entire area inside of the circle is classified as Upstate New York. This means that any chests that you open within this large scale area will count towards your required seven chests for this week's challenges. If you're still a little unsure, we have circled the entire Upstate New York location on our Fortnite guide map above.

How to Sign Up for Fortnite Community Battles and Earn Free Rewards

If you're looking to earn free V-Bucks or cosmetic rewards, you may want to consider signing up for the Fortnite Community Battles. When signing up on the official Fortnite Community Battles websites you'll have the chance to pick between two teams that are run by popular Fortnite influences. Once signed up, simply compete in the daily battles and you'll have the chance to score yourself some pretty neat rewards. When it comes to rewards, here's what you can currently expect from the Fortnite Community Battles Rewards:

• Reach Top 5,000 on the Leaderboard of the winning team and win 200 V-Bucks
• Reach Top 1,000 on the leaderboard of the winning team and win 350 V-Bucks
• Reach Top 100 on the leaderboard of the winning team and win 1,000 V-Bucks
• Be a member of a winning team at least once to get the I Sits spray.

Unfortunately, this time around the Fortnite Community Battles event is only available to those that are from Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Jordan. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

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World of Warcraft: Shadowlands Release Date Announced

World of Warcraft: Shadowlands will be released on November 23, 2020, at 3pm PT/6pm ET/11pm GMT, a little less than a month than its last set release date of October 27. John Hight, executive producer of World of Warcraft, wrote a message to the community alongside unveiling a new story trailer, thanking fans for their patience as the team made the tough decision to delay the upcoming expansion. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/29/world-of-warcraft-shadowlands-story-trailer"] "Since we first told you about our decision to delay, we've used the time to further polish the expansion and shore up the endgame, including overhauling the combat and rewards in the Maw, and reworking the Covenant systems to make your choice more immediately impactful and have clearer long-term goals," Hight said. "Now the team is in a great position to get things the rest of the way to the finish line before November 23 - and as always, we're committed to working with you to improve the game for as long as you're out there playing it." Hight also revealed that Shadowlands' pre-launch event will being on November 10 and will have players taking on a "flood of the Scourge." Furthermore, December 8 will see the arrival of the Shadowlands' first raid - Castle Nathria - which features 10 bosses and "takes players into the heart of Sire Denathrius' lair in Revendreth - along with the start of Shadowlands Season 1." World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, the eighth expansion for Blizzard's MMO, will send players to the realm of the nine afterlives where mortal souls go to find a new purpose - or "suffer eternal torment at the mercy of the Jailer in his Tower of the Damned." Players can look forward to discovering the fates of Warcraft legends, forge a bond with one of four Covenants who rule over Shadowlands' disparate domains, and confront a threat that is "shrouded in darkness with designs to unmake the cosmos." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=world-of-warcraft-shadowlands-gameplay-reveal-images&captions=true"] [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.

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