Monthly Archives: April 2020
Cancelled Superman Game Concept Art Appears to Emerge
Concept art for what may be a long-rumoured (and probably cancelled) Superman game from WB Montreal appears to have surfaced.
Discovered by Twitter user Tatlinsky on the personal website of artist Joël Dos Reis Viegas, the art appears to show Superman in flight across a vibrant take on Metropolis:
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Credit: Joël Dos Reis Viegas, feerik-art.com[/caption]
The artist is vice-president of Montreal creative agency Steambot (credited on the image). Both Steambot and Joël Dos Reis Viegas himself have worked for WB Montreal in the past - Dos Reis Viegas helped create concepts for characters in WB Montreal's Batman: Arkham Origins, as well as DLC costumes for Batman: Arkham Knight (WB Montreal assisted Arkham Knight developer Rocksteady for post-launch content). The image itself is found in a portfolio of images called 'Batman Games', with much of the work focusing on Origins and Knight.
WB Montreal was widely rumoured to be working on both Superman and Suicide Squad games following the release of Arkham Origins, with a 2015 job listing saying that it was developing two AAA games "expanding the DC Comics universe in the interactive space."
Follow-up reports in 2017 claimed that the Suicide Squad game had been cancelled - some have pointed out that images from the same folder of concept art as the Superman image, including a series of sketches of Harley Quinn (below), could represent work on that project. Given that they were created in 2014 (after Arkham Origins' release), these sketches could be for that game, although they could also represent early work for Arkham Knight DLC.
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Credit: Joël Dos Reis Viegas, feerik-art.com[/caption]
The lack of word since 2015 would suggest that the Superman game has also been canned, particularly given the assumption that WB Montreal is now deep into development on a game based on Batman: Court of Owls. Rocksteady - creator of the Arkham series - categorically denied that it was making a Superman game in 2018.
Alongside WB Montreal, Rocksteady's next project also remains a mystery. In fact, WB's portfolio of games is something of a mystery as a whole right now, with the rumours of a Harry Potter RPG still floating around, and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga news only recently popping after a long period of silence.
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Credit: Joël Dos Reis Viegas, feerik-art.com[/caption]
The artist is vice-president of Montreal creative agency Steambot (credited on the image). Both Steambot and Joël Dos Reis Viegas himself have worked for WB Montreal in the past - Dos Reis Viegas helped create concepts for characters in WB Montreal's Batman: Arkham Origins, as well as DLC costumes for Batman: Arkham Knight (WB Montreal assisted Arkham Knight developer Rocksteady for post-launch content). The image itself is found in a portfolio of images called 'Batman Games', with much of the work focusing on Origins and Knight.
WB Montreal was widely rumoured to be working on both Superman and Suicide Squad games following the release of Arkham Origins, with a 2015 job listing saying that it was developing two AAA games "expanding the DC Comics universe in the interactive space."
Follow-up reports in 2017 claimed that the Suicide Squad game had been cancelled - some have pointed out that images from the same folder of concept art as the Superman image, including a series of sketches of Harley Quinn (below), could represent work on that project. Given that they were created in 2014 (after Arkham Origins' release), these sketches could be for that game, although they could also represent early work for Arkham Knight DLC.
[caption id="attachment_2336523" align="alignnone" width="1806"] Credit: Joël Dos Reis Viegas, feerik-art.com[/caption]
The lack of word since 2015 would suggest that the Superman game has also been canned, particularly given the assumption that WB Montreal is now deep into development on a game based on Batman: Court of Owls. Rocksteady - creator of the Arkham series - categorically denied that it was making a Superman game in 2018.
Alongside WB Montreal, Rocksteady's next project also remains a mystery. In fact, WB's portfolio of games is something of a mystery as a whole right now, with the rumours of a Harry Potter RPG still floating around, and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga news only recently popping after a long period of silence.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]Switch Update Finally Lets You Remap Controllers
The latest Nintendo Switch system update will, finally, let players remap their controllers.
Nintendo revealed the patch notes for Ver. 10.0.0 of the Switch firmware, with this new update focused on improving the user-friendly experience of the Switch.
The main feature that has arrived with this update is the ability to remap your controllers, which is a leap forward for accessibility on the platform. Some of the features of this new remapping system include the ability to change analog stick and button configurations, with the ability to save up to five custom configurations on the system which can be swapped out per the needs of whoever is using the console.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/09/27/nintendo-switch-review-2018"]
Controllers that can be fully remapped include the left and right Joy-Cons, the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, and the buttons on the Nintendo Switch Lite system. If you've ever wanted to swap the A and B buttons on menus to make the Switch feel more like a Western controller, now's your chance! It also means that using split Joy-Cons can now become a more intricate, given that you can customize inputs for every part of the controller, even the side buttons - that setup now has four extra potential buttons.
You should be prompted to initiate the update when you start a new game but, if not, make sure to head into the settings menu and then find the System tab, where you can force your console to perform the system update. If not, Nintendo suggests restarting your console.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/10/10/how-to-mod-your-nintendo-switch-and-joy-con"]
Other updates that have arrived alongside controller remapping in Ver 10.0.0 include a feature that lets players bookmark news items and transfer software data between the system memory and an SD card.
In more Nintendo news, check out this report which suggests that the console might see remakes of classic Mario titles this year to commemorate the plumber's 35th anniversary!
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance journalist for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
Disney Plus Digitally Removed the Butts From This Tom Hanks Classic
Disney+ is aimed at family-friendly audiences so the streaming service is censoring and editing content that falls outside of those parameters (sometimes in... creative ways), even if the film was originally distributed by a Disney label and with a "PG" rating.
Case in point, Tom Hanks' mermaid romantic comedy Splash, which was released in 1984 by Disney's Touchstone Pictures -- and featured shots of actress Daryl Hannah's naked bottom in her role as the mermaid Madison. Despite featuring brief nudity and some strong language, Splash still only received a "PG" rating at the time. (Casual nudity was pretty widespread in '80s movies.)
It's been 36 years since Splash was released, but Disney+ is here to finally cover up Hannah's heinie.
As pointed out by Twitter user Allison Pregler (via AV Club), the version of Splash available on Disney+ has digitally altered the offending region:
As you can tell from the gif above, Hannah's hair has been either digitally augmented to cover her rear end or maybe Disney digitally added a bikini bottom. It's tough to tell. Suffice to say that is not how she appeared in the original film.
IGN has reached out to Disney+ for comment on this alteration but had not heard back as of time of publish.
The now-defunct Touchstone was Disney's label for more mature-themed films. Splash was Touchstone's first release and was a huge hit for the time, earning $68 million domestically.
Other notable Touchstone releases included Down and Out in Beverly Hills, The Color of Money, Adventures in Babysitting, Three Men and a Baby, Good Morning, Vietnam, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Dick Tracy, Pretty Woman, The Rocketeer, Sister Act, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Con Air, Face/Off, Rushmore, Unbreakable, Bruce Almighty, and Lincoln to name a few.
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Splash isn't the first older Disney release to have its content addressed by Disney+. The streaming service previously added “outdated cultural depictions” warnings to several of their classic films, including Dumbo, The Aristocats, Jungle Book, and Lady and the Tramp.
For more of Hollywood's digital ass-covering, discover the hole truth about Cats' butthole cut.
As you can tell from the gif above, Hannah's hair has been either digitally augmented to cover her rear end or maybe Disney digitally added a bikini bottom. It's tough to tell. Suffice to say that is not how she appeared in the original film.
IGN has reached out to Disney+ for comment on this alteration but had not heard back as of time of publish.
The now-defunct Touchstone was Disney's label for more mature-themed films. Splash was Touchstone's first release and was a huge hit for the time, earning $68 million domestically.
Other notable Touchstone releases included Down and Out in Beverly Hills, The Color of Money, Adventures in Babysitting, Three Men and a Baby, Good Morning, Vietnam, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Dick Tracy, Pretty Woman, The Rocketeer, Sister Act, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Con Air, Face/Off, Rushmore, Unbreakable, Bruce Almighty, and Lincoln to name a few.
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Splash isn't the first older Disney release to have its content addressed by Disney+. The streaming service previously added “outdated cultural depictions” warnings to several of their classic films, including Dumbo, The Aristocats, Jungle Book, and Lady and the Tramp.
For more of Hollywood's digital ass-covering, discover the hole truth about Cats' butthole cut.Please Take Our Survey About PC Gaming and VPNs
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Daisy Ridley on Star Wars Reactions: ‘Where’s the Love Gone?’
Daisy Ridley, star of the final trilogy in the Skywalker Saga, has opened up about the Star Wars franchise's rocky reception from fandom and social media to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
"It’s changed film by film honestly, like 98% it’s so amazing, this last film it was really tricky," Ridley told the DragCast podcast (via EW). While The Rise of Skywalker ultimately grossed over $1 billion worldwide, the film was met with a negative critical response (52% on Rotten Tomatoes) and deeply mixed reactions from fans after opening last December.
Ridley said "January [2020] was not that nice. It was weird, I felt like all of this love that we’d sort of been shown the first time around, I was like, 'Where’s the love gone?'"
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"I think it’s that tricky thing of when you’re part of something that is so filled with love and then people [don’t like it]," Ridley said.
The actress, who portrayed Rey in Episodes 7-9, said that while viewers are entitled to their opinions, she personally wouldn't take to social media to vent about movies she disliked given that she works in the industry.
[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-every-ship-bonus-feature]
"I guess now conversations are just more public, so there’s stuff I wouldn’t have seen, but honestly trying to scroll through my newsfeed in January and trying to not see Star Wars stuff, I’d see headlines and be like 'Oh my god this is so upsetting,'" Ridley said.
"So it’s been tricky, but then it’s having that thing of I feel really proud of it, and I’m so thrilled to be part of it."
For more on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, discover how The Skywalker Legacy redeems the final film, watch this General Hux blooper, learn what Anthony Daniels told us about C-3PO's once-larger role in Ep. 9, and find out what storylines and concepts didn't make it into the final film.
The Steam Game Festival Returns This June
The Steam Games Festival is returning this summer offering gamers a digital-event where they can play limited-time demos for upcoming releases. The event will run from June 9th to 14th directly through the Steam launcher.
Geoff Keigley announced the very first Steam Games Festival in 2019 as part of The Game Awards. For 48-hours, players could try limited-time demos of games including System Shock and SkateBird.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/03/ign-announces-summer-of-gaming-showcase-for-june"]
Similar to last year’s event, the upcoming Steam Game Festival will spotlight games set to be released within the next year, so any game available to demo won’t be so far off from launch. The demos will likely be limited-time only, meaning once the festival is over the demos will disappear.
The Steam page for the Game Festival is currently live, and players can set reminders for when the event launches. For developers, there’s a separate link for them to get their upcoming games featured in the festival. The deadline to submit your game ends on April 24th.
The Steam Game Festival is yet another digital-event taking place during what was traditionally the week reserved for E3. IGN will be hosting its own Summer of Gaming event throughout the month highlighting new announcements, along with IGN’s full pre-show and post-show coverage of any games.
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Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.
In Other Waters Review – The Life Aquatic
Beyond the reef, the shelf drops away into the turquoise haze of the open ocean. I find myself surrounded by golden-peaked pillars aglow with the shimmering petals of sunlit life. Bright green webs of twisted tendrils extend from pillar to pillar, forming a writhing network of bridges for the feathery, fern-like creatures who patrol and maintain them. It's a spectacular, awe-inspiring scene. Yet it exists mostly in my imagination, its wonder shaped by a handful of single-sentence descriptions and a simple two-colour contour map. In Other Waters does so much with seemingly so little, emerging as a masterclass in prudent, minimalist storytelling.
Dr. Ellery Vas is a xenobiologist following in the wake of her partner who disappeared while researching extraterrestrial life on the ocean planet Gliese 667Cc. Stationed at her partner's abandoned lab and equipped with an AI-controlled diving suit, Vas explores the depths in search of answers. In a disarming inversion of the typical human-AI relationship, you play the AI; Vas sets the objectives, often conferring with you, but it's your job to plot her course, gather samples, and run tests back in the lab.
The setup allows Vas room to breathe as a character. As you guide her maritime expedition, she provides intermittent narration. She pauses to marvel at new sights, thinks out loud as she works through possible theories, and occasionally confides in you her doubts and fears. Conversation may be sparse, and your ability to respond is limited to the odd yes or no answer, yet it's perhaps all the more affecting because of it. The two of you are strangers at the outset, but Vas' wariness at revealing her innermost thoughts to an AI gradually washes away as she realises, despite your reticence, that you understand her predicament--in the process unearthing a memorably multi-layered character. It's a friendship forged in aquatic isolation, one quiet line at a time.
Continue Reading at GameSpotIn Other Waters Review – The Life Aquatic
Beyond the reef, the shelf drops away into the turquoise haze of the open ocean. I find myself surrounded by golden-peaked pillars aglow with the shimmering petals of sunlit life. Bright green webs of twisted tendrils extend from pillar to pillar, forming a writhing network of bridges for the feathery, fern-like creatures who patrol and maintain them. It's a spectacular, awe-inspiring scene. Yet it exists mostly in my imagination, its wonder shaped by a handful of single-sentence descriptions and a simple two-colour contour map. In Other Waters does so much with seemingly so little, emerging as a masterclass in prudent, minimalist storytelling.
Dr. Ellery Vas is a xenobiologist following in the wake of her partner who disappeared while researching extraterrestrial life on the ocean planet Gliese 667Cc. Stationed at her partner's abandoned lab and equipped with an AI-controlled diving suit, Vas explores the depths in search of answers. In a disarming inversion of the typical human-AI relationship, you play the AI; Vas sets the objectives, often conferring with you, but it's your job to plot her course, gather samples, and run tests back in the lab.
The setup allows Vas room to breathe as a character. As you guide her maritime expedition, she provides intermittent narration. She pauses to marvel at new sights, thinks out loud as she works through possible theories, and occasionally confides in you her doubts and fears. Conversation may be sparse, and your ability to respond is limited to the odd yes or no answer, yet it's perhaps all the more affecting because of it. The two of you are strangers at the outset, but Vas' wariness at revealing her innermost thoughts to an AI gradually washes away as she realises, despite your reticence, that you understand her predicament--in the process unearthing a memorably multi-layered character. It's a friendship forged in aquatic isolation, one quiet line at a time.
Continue Reading at GameSpotHenry Cavill Painting Warhammer Figurines to Get Through Quarantine
The Witcher and Superman actor Henry Cavill is passing his time in self-isolation by proving his geek bonafides on social media, namely by painting Warhammer figurines.
In an Easter message to his followers, Cavill posted the image below to his Instagram account of him painting a helmet for a Warhammer figurine:
"Considering we are, both, going through the Easter period, and going through The Lockdown, I figured it a good time to put a silver lining onto the cloud that is some of the darker moments during this time," Cavill posted. "So I've decided to polish some old skills and try my hand at some new ones! It is a time of rebirth after all."
Cavill went on to profess his love for Games Workshop, the British miniature wargames company behind the Warhammer Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40,000 fantasy game titles:
"So, as you can see here, the obvious might look a little bit like a tiny helmet...which it is. One of my almost life long hobbies, that I've been following but not actively doing, is this. A company called Games Workshop...or plastic crack as 'we' call it. Genuinely can't get enough of the lore they have built over the decades. They have been some of my most enthused reads! If you were in denial about me being a geek before, you can't hide from it now."
[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/21/the-witcher-season-2-production-begins-more-characters-announced-ign-news]
You can also see a computer monitor behind Cavill's with a document being written so it appears Cavill is working on a story of his own while in self-isolation or, as he puts it, "there may just be some completely new skills I'm working on.....or there may not be, so all of your eye squinting and attempts at digital unfocusing will be in vain....orrrr maybe they won't."
Henry Cavill will return as Geralt of Rivia in Season 2 of Netflix's The Witcher, which will introduce several new characters familiar to fans of the books. Production on the next season, however, is currently on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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"Considering we are, both, going through the Easter period, and going through The Lockdown, I figured it a good time to put a silver lining onto the cloud that is some of the darker moments during this time," Cavill posted. "So I've decided to polish some old skills and try my hand at some new ones! It is a time of rebirth after all."
Cavill went on to profess his love for Games Workshop, the British miniature wargames company behind the Warhammer Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40,000 fantasy game titles:
"So, as you can see here, the obvious might look a little bit like a tiny helmet...which it is. One of my almost life long hobbies, that I've been following but not actively doing, is this. A company called Games Workshop...or plastic crack as 'we' call it. Genuinely can't get enough of the lore they have built over the decades. They have been some of my most enthused reads! If you were in denial about me being a geek before, you can't hide from it now."
[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/21/the-witcher-season-2-production-begins-more-characters-announced-ign-news]
You can also see a computer monitor behind Cavill's with a document being written so it appears Cavill is working on a story of his own while in self-isolation or, as he puts it, "there may just be some completely new skills I'm working on.....or there may not be, so all of your eye squinting and attempts at digital unfocusing will be in vain....orrrr maybe they won't."
Henry Cavill will return as Geralt of Rivia in Season 2 of Netflix's The Witcher, which will introduce several new characters familiar to fans of the books. Production on the next season, however, is currently on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-witcher-explaining-all-the-characters-and-who-plays-them&captions=true"]Update: Ghost of Tsushima Gameplay Details
Update:
Official PlayStation Magazine UK has released a statement on its social media account regarding its recent story on Ghost of Tsushima. OPM confirmed that there are inaccuracies in both its March 2020 cover story for Ghost of Tsushima, as well as the recent May 2020 article which provided the basis of the original story below.
While neither OPM nor Sony specified what details are inaccurate, they are likely details regarding the Waypoint system and ally system detailed in the original report.
Original story follows.
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Ghost of Tsushima will eschew traditional video game waypoints in favor of having players navigate the world using landmarks and other physical features, according to a new preview for Sucker Punch’s upcoming samurai-ninja action game.
With only a few months until Ghost of Tsushima’s launch (still slated for PS4 on June 26), Official PlayStation Magazine UK has a new preview for the action-adventure title, including new details about how travel and NPCs work in the game.
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When it comes to making your way through the detailed sandbox of Tsushima, players will have to rely on physical landmarks and understanding of the world to explore. There are no waypoints in the game highlighting where the next mission is, or where a side quest might be located.
Compare this with Sucker Punch’s Infamous series which used different waypoints to highlight various activities players can engage with. So if you’re looking for a destination, you’ll hopefully have a good sense of in-game direction.
Other highlights from the preview include how the eponymous Ghost, real name Jin Sakai, was trained as a samurai but adopts ninja-like skills to take on the Mongol invaders. That means Sakai can use either his samurai abilities or ninja abilities to take on threats.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/05/ghost-of-tsushima-story-trailer"]
The players’ combat choice can even impact interactions with other characters in Ghost of Tsushima. Shimura, Sakai’s uncle and also a samurai, doesn’t approve of the ninja-skills which could negatively impact your relationship with the character if you rely on it too much.
Another character, Makoto, is an expert archer and could be a powerful ally to Sakai. However, if she disagrees with too many of your actions she could end up turning on you. This suggests there are limited branching paths where the story changes depending on your actions.
One cool detail for cinephiles is how the soundtrack features music by Japanese film composer Shigeru Umebayashi, who worked on movies like House of Flying Daggers and The Grandmaster.
Check back with IGN for more news about Ghost of Tsushima, or check out our PS5 page for all the latest details on Sony’s next-gen console.
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Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.
While neither OPM nor Sony specified what details are inaccurate, they are likely details regarding the Waypoint system and ally system detailed in the original report.
Original story follows.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Ghost of Tsushima will eschew traditional video game waypoints in favor of having players navigate the world using landmarks and other physical features, according to a new preview for Sucker Punch’s upcoming samurai-ninja action game.
With only a few months until Ghost of Tsushima’s launch (still slated for PS4 on June 26), Official PlayStation Magazine UK has a new preview for the action-adventure title, including new details about how travel and NPCs work in the game.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=2020-platform-exclusives&captions=true"]
When it comes to making your way through the detailed sandbox of Tsushima, players will have to rely on physical landmarks and understanding of the world to explore. There are no waypoints in the game highlighting where the next mission is, or where a side quest might be located.
Compare this with Sucker Punch’s Infamous series which used different waypoints to highlight various activities players can engage with. So if you’re looking for a destination, you’ll hopefully have a good sense of in-game direction.
Other highlights from the preview include how the eponymous Ghost, real name Jin Sakai, was trained as a samurai but adopts ninja-like skills to take on the Mongol invaders. That means Sakai can use either his samurai abilities or ninja abilities to take on threats.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/05/ghost-of-tsushima-story-trailer"]
The players’ combat choice can even impact interactions with other characters in Ghost of Tsushima. Shimura, Sakai’s uncle and also a samurai, doesn’t approve of the ninja-skills which could negatively impact your relationship with the character if you rely on it too much.
Another character, Makoto, is an expert archer and could be a powerful ally to Sakai. However, if she disagrees with too many of your actions she could end up turning on you. This suggests there are limited branching paths where the story changes depending on your actions.
One cool detail for cinephiles is how the soundtrack features music by Japanese film composer Shigeru Umebayashi, who worked on movies like House of Flying Daggers and The Grandmaster.
Check back with IGN for more news about Ghost of Tsushima, or check out our PS5 page for all the latest details on Sony’s next-gen console.
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Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.