EA has halted all FIFA discretionary content granting for an indefinite period of time as it investigates allegations that an employee, or at least someone involved with EA FIFA, has been selling rare FIFA 21 Ultimate Team items on a makeshift black market for real money. EA gave an update on this scandal, which the community has dubbed "EA Gate," and explained how it has launched a "rigorous investigation" on how this could have happened and how it is narrowing down which accounts received content through this "illicit method." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/06/fifa-21-review"] The company has also made clear that any accounts that have received items that were "transferred nefariously" will be permanently banned. These items, which are meant to be earned through gameplay or other engagement (i.e. a Twitch broadcast), were granted to other accounts by one or more EA accounts, which were "either compromised or being used inappropriately by someone within EA." Content granting or purchasing player items in exchange for money is in no way condoned by EA, as it "runs counter to the game's competitive integrity, is a violation of EA’s User Agreement, and is not something we tolerate." While EA's initial investigation uncovered that this questionable activity only involved a small number of accounts and items, it is still unacceptable to the team. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-fifa-game-review-ever&captions=true"] Following the investigation, EA will take action against any employee found guilty and any items that have been granted through this manner will be removed from the FUT ecosystem and the accounts that had these items will be permanently banned. "Regardless of these actions, we appreciate how concerning this is to all of our players, and we apologize for the impact of these improper grants within the community," EA wrote. "We also appreciate how extremely annoying and frustrating it is that this practice might have come from within EA.  We’re angry too.  We know that the trust of our communities is hard-earned, and is based on principles of Fair Play.  This illicit activity shakes that trust.  We’ve also been clear since the creation of Ultimate Team that items cannot be exchanged outside our game, and that’s key to how we keep our game safe from manipulation and bad actors.  This is a breach of that principle, as well -- and we won’t let it stand." For those who are unfamiliar with content granting, it is a process in which certain in-game items are directly distributed to a specific account. In FIFA, these items can be a player, a kit, or a consumable. The three most prevalent ways content granting occurs is through Worldwide Customer Experience, Testing & QV, and Discretionary Content Granting (Athletes, Partners, & Employees). [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/09/fifa-21-legacy-edition-switch-review"] A Worldwide Customer Experience granting is for when a player accidentally deletes content, content goes missing due to a technical glitch, or a mistake was made by EA and a player is given to them as a make-good. Testing & QV is for when content is granted for testing and quality verification. This usually occurs on dedicated test servers and isn't seen by the global player base, but sometimes these tests must occur in the live environment to ensure all is working as it should. Discretionary Content Granting is for when EA wants to "recognize contributions that have been made by certain Pro Footballers, celebrity partners, or even our [EA's] own employees." These items are always non-tradeable and can only be used by the account to which it was given. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/20/fifa-21-beckham-is-back-trailer"] These items only account for 0.0006% of the total player items in the FIFA 21 ecosystem and have no impact on the odds of any account receiving a specific player or item through normal means. [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.

EA has halted all FIFA discretionary content granting for an indefinite period of time as it investigates allegations that an employee, or at least someone involved with EA FIFA, has been selling rare FIFA 21 Ultimate Team items on a makeshift black market for real money. EA gave an update on this scandal, which the community has dubbed "EA Gate," and explained how it has launched a "rigorous investigation" on how this could have happened and how it is narrowing down which accounts received content through this "illicit method." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/06/fifa-21-review"] The company has also made clear that any accounts that have received items that were "transferred nefariously" will be permanently banned. These items, which are meant to be earned through gameplay or other engagement (i.e. a Twitch broadcast), were granted to other accounts by one or more EA accounts, which were "either compromised or being used inappropriately by someone within EA." Content granting or purchasing player items in exchange for money is in no way condoned by EA, as it "runs counter to the game's competitive integrity, is a violation of EA’s User Agreement, and is not something we tolerate." While EA's initial investigation uncovered that this questionable activity only involved a small number of accounts and items, it is still unacceptable to the team. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-fifa-game-review-ever&captions=true"] Following the investigation, EA will take action against any employee found guilty and any items that have been granted through this manner will be removed from the FUT ecosystem and the accounts that had these items will be permanently banned. "Regardless of these actions, we appreciate how concerning this is to all of our players, and we apologize for the impact of these improper grants within the community," EA wrote. "We also appreciate how extremely annoying and frustrating it is that this practice might have come from within EA.  We’re angry too.  We know that the trust of our communities is hard-earned, and is based on principles of Fair Play.  This illicit activity shakes that trust.  We’ve also been clear since the creation of Ultimate Team that items cannot be exchanged outside our game, and that’s key to how we keep our game safe from manipulation and bad actors.  This is a breach of that principle, as well -- and we won’t let it stand." For those who are unfamiliar with content granting, it is a process in which certain in-game items are directly distributed to a specific account. In FIFA, these items can be a player, a kit, or a consumable. The three most prevalent ways content granting occurs is through Worldwide Customer Experience, Testing & QV, and Discretionary Content Granting (Athletes, Partners, & Employees). [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/09/fifa-21-legacy-edition-switch-review"] A Worldwide Customer Experience granting is for when a player accidentally deletes content, content goes missing due to a technical glitch, or a mistake was made by EA and a player is given to them as a make-good. Testing & QV is for when content is granted for testing and quality verification. This usually occurs on dedicated test servers and isn't seen by the global player base, but sometimes these tests must occur in the live environment to ensure all is working as it should. Discretionary Content Granting is for when EA wants to "recognize contributions that have been made by certain Pro Footballers, celebrity partners, or even our [EA's] own employees." These items are always non-tradeable and can only be used by the account to which it was given. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/20/fifa-21-beckham-is-back-trailer"] These items only account for 0.0006% of the total player items in the FIFA 21 ecosystem and have no impact on the odds of any account receiving a specific player or item through normal means. [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.

Update: And it's done, according to Deadline, James Cameron's Avatar is once again the all-time worldwide box office champion after earning an estimated $21.1 million from its three-day re-release weekend in China. This puts Avatar's total box office gross at around $2.81 billion. This surpasses Avengers: Endgame's $2.7 billion gross. This puts Disney's big Marvel event film in second-place for all-time box office records. Congratulations to Disney for beating Disney at the box office. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Original Story: Avatar is about to retake the title of the highest-grossing movie of all-time thanks to its return to Chinese movie theaters this weekend. For almost 10 years, James Cameron’s sci-fi epic Avatar was the highest-grossing film worldwide until Avengers Endgame was released in 2019. The margin was thin as Endgame’s gross of $2.7902 billion narrowly overtook Avatar’s $2.7897 billion. However, as reported by Variety, Avatar was re-released in theaters across China this weekend where it grossed $3.5 million on Friday and taking the film’s total to $2.7926. Box office watchers expect Avatar’s total to come out on top again once the weekend totals are tallied. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-actor-and-character-confirmed-for-the-avatar-sequels&captions=true"] China’s film bureau requested popular films, like Avatar, to be re-released as a way to help its theater re-openings. Avatar was a hit in the country, grossing $206 million when it was released there in 2010. Avatar’s record gross was helped along before when the film was re-released in theaters back in 2010 with an extended theatrical cut. This re-release added $33.2 million to Avatar’s box office gains. Ultimately the big winner here is Disney which now owns Avatar after its acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019. Regardless of whether Avatar or Avengers Endgame is the top-grossing movie of all-time, both are Disney properties, along with six other of the top 10 grossing films of all-time. Meanwhile, James Cameron is working on two more Avatar sequels slated for 2022 and 2024 respectively. And Marvel’s Phase 4 has begun thanks to its TV premieres of WandaVision and the upcoming Falcon and The Winter Soldier. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor.

Update: And it's done, according to Deadline, James Cameron's Avatar is once again the all-time worldwide box office champion after earning an estimated $21.1 million from its three-day re-release weekend in China. This puts Avatar's total box office gross at around $2.81 billion. This surpasses Avengers: Endgame's $2.7 billion gross. This puts Disney's big Marvel event film in second-place for all-time box office records. Congratulations to Disney for beating Disney at the box office. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Original Story: Avatar is about to retake the title of the highest-grossing movie of all-time thanks to its return to Chinese movie theaters this weekend. For almost 10 years, James Cameron’s sci-fi epic Avatar was the highest-grossing film worldwide until Avengers Endgame was released in 2019. The margin was thin as Endgame’s gross of $2.7902 billion narrowly overtook Avatar’s $2.7897 billion. However, as reported by Variety, Avatar was re-released in theaters across China this weekend where it grossed $3.5 million on Friday and taking the film’s total to $2.7926. Box office watchers expect Avatar’s total to come out on top again once the weekend totals are tallied. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-actor-and-character-confirmed-for-the-avatar-sequels&captions=true"] China’s film bureau requested popular films, like Avatar, to be re-released as a way to help its theater re-openings. Avatar was a hit in the country, grossing $206 million when it was released there in 2010. Avatar’s record gross was helped along before when the film was re-released in theaters back in 2010 with an extended theatrical cut. This re-release added $33.2 million to Avatar’s box office gains. Ultimately the big winner here is Disney which now owns Avatar after its acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019. Regardless of whether Avatar or Avengers Endgame is the top-grossing movie of all-time, both are Disney properties, along with six other of the top 10 grossing films of all-time. Meanwhile, James Cameron is working on two more Avatar sequels slated for 2022 and 2024 respectively. And Marvel’s Phase 4 has begun thanks to its TV premieres of WandaVision and the upcoming Falcon and The Winter Soldier. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor.

You may have heard that Xbox Game Pass has now added 20 of Bethesda’s most popular games, thanks to the newly minted partnership between the companies. More good news: Some of them are getting an FPS boost courtesy of the Xbox Series X and Series S.

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim Special Edition, Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Dishonored: Definitive Edition, and Prey are all getting the option to boost their framerate. Xbox’s Larry Hryb and Jeff Rubenstein shared the announcement and details during Friday’s recording of the official Xbox podcast.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/12/xbox-bethesda-joins-the-xbox-family-trailer"]

If for any reason you actually prefer to play the games at their original framerates, Rubenstein confirmed that players will be able to toggle the setting on their consoles. Rubenstein added that players can expect an “increase from 30 up to nearly 60 frames per second” when FPS boost is activated. The boost will require you to update your system to the latest version.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/12/xbox-game-pass-play-20-iconic-bethesda-games-trailer"]

If Xbox and Bethesda’s newly established marriage have you excited, we should be hearing more when Xbox holds an event of its own later this summer. It’s clear that Microsoft is invested in bringing Bethesda’s biggest franchises to Xbox as exclusives, with Xbox head Phil Spencer reaffirming as much this week. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

You may have heard that Xbox Game Pass has now added 20 of Bethesda’s most popular games, thanks to the newly minted partnership between the companies. More good news: Some of them are getting an FPS boost courtesy of the Xbox Series X and Series S.

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim Special Edition, Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Dishonored: Definitive Edition, and Prey are all getting the option to boost their framerate. Xbox’s Larry Hryb and Jeff Rubenstein shared the announcement and details during Friday’s recording of the official Xbox podcast.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/12/xbox-bethesda-joins-the-xbox-family-trailer"]

If for any reason you actually prefer to play the games at their original framerates, Rubenstein confirmed that players will be able to toggle the setting on their consoles. Rubenstein added that players can expect an “increase from 30 up to nearly 60 frames per second” when FPS boost is activated. The boost will require you to update your system to the latest version.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/12/xbox-game-pass-play-20-iconic-bethesda-games-trailer"]

If Xbox and Bethesda’s newly established marriage have you excited, we should be hearing more when Xbox holds an event of its own later this summer. It’s clear that Microsoft is invested in bringing Bethesda’s biggest franchises to Xbox as exclusives, with Xbox head Phil Spencer reaffirming as much this week. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

A meteorite discovered in an Algerian desert is actually a piece of an ancient planet older than Earth itself. The meteorite, formally known as Erg Chech 002, was discovered in May of last year in the Erg Chech desert located in Algeria, according to a report from Science Alert. Upon its discovery, scientists quickly recognized that it was different from the usual meteorite in that it had an igneous makeup, or in other words, featured a composition likely derived from solid lava or magma. [caption id="attachment_248567" align="alignnone" width="720"] Erg Chech 002[/caption] Its igneous texture indicates that Erg Chech 002 was formed by way of a volcano, which, as Science Alert points out, likely means it could have once been a piece of the crust of a protoplanet, which is the scientific term for a tiny or dwarf planet. Because of this, it was classified as an achondrite, which is quite rare. As noted by Science Alert, of thousands and thousands of meteorites discovered on Earth, only 3,179 are achondrites, according to the Meteoritical Bulletin Database. Most achondrites are basaltic, but Erg Chech 002 is what's known as andesite, something University of Western Brittany geochemist, Jean-Alix Barrat, discovered upon further inspection of the meteorite as noted in his research team's report. Barrat and his team determined by examining the radioactive decay of Erg Chech 002's aluminum and magnesium isotopes that those two elements formed in the meteorite around 4.565 billion years ago, which makes it older than our 4.54-billion-year-old Earth, as noted by Science Alert. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/08/scientist-says-object-that-flew-by-earth-could-have-been-made-by-aliens-ign-news"] This makes Erg Chech 002 the oldest magmatic rock ever analyzed, according to the research team's report, and sheds light on how the crusts of ancient protoplanets like that where Erg Chech 002 originated were formed. Barrat's team compared the way Erg Chech 002 interacts with light, otherwise defined as spectral characteristics according to Science Alert, with asteroids in the Solar System and how they interact with light, but they couldn't find any link between the two. This doesn't necessarily indicate that Erg Chech 002 is from a different universe, but rather, that the protoplanet or type of protoplanet from which it originated from is no longer present in the Solar System. Science Alert says it's likely that Erg Chech 002's home protoplanet was merged into other space rocks. The publication also notes that because of Erg Chech 002's age and how close it is in age to Earth, other rocks from its protoplanet might have helped form our planet. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cosmos-possible-worlds-gallery&captions=true"] For more science, read how researchers are learning more about how Mars may have formed and then read about a mini-moon orbiting Earth discovered by astronomers. While no signs of Krypton, errr life, were discovered on Erg Chech 002 — sorry, Superman fans — scientists have discovered possible signs of life on Venus detected as far back as 1978. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

A meteorite discovered in an Algerian desert is actually a piece of an ancient planet older than Earth itself. The meteorite, formally known as Erg Chech 002, was discovered in May of last year in the Erg Chech desert located in Algeria, according to a report from Science Alert. Upon its discovery, scientists quickly recognized that it was different from the usual meteorite in that it had an igneous makeup, or in other words, featured a composition likely derived from solid lava or magma. [caption id="attachment_248567" align="alignnone" width="720"] Erg Chech 002[/caption] Its igneous texture indicates that Erg Chech 002 was formed by way of a volcano, which, as Science Alert points out, likely means it could have once been a piece of the crust of a protoplanet, which is the scientific term for a tiny or dwarf planet. Because of this, it was classified as an achondrite, which is quite rare. As noted by Science Alert, of thousands and thousands of meteorites discovered on Earth, only 3,179 are achondrites, according to the Meteoritical Bulletin Database. Most achondrites are basaltic, but Erg Chech 002 is what's known as andesite, something University of Western Brittany geochemist, Jean-Alix Barrat, discovered upon further inspection of the meteorite as noted in his research team's report. Barrat and his team determined by examining the radioactive decay of Erg Chech 002's aluminum and magnesium isotopes that those two elements formed in the meteorite around 4.565 billion years ago, which makes it older than our 4.54-billion-year-old Earth, as noted by Science Alert. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/08/scientist-says-object-that-flew-by-earth-could-have-been-made-by-aliens-ign-news"] This makes Erg Chech 002 the oldest magmatic rock ever analyzed, according to the research team's report, and sheds light on how the crusts of ancient protoplanets like that where Erg Chech 002 originated were formed. Barrat's team compared the way Erg Chech 002 interacts with light, otherwise defined as spectral characteristics according to Science Alert, with asteroids in the Solar System and how they interact with light, but they couldn't find any link between the two. This doesn't necessarily indicate that Erg Chech 002 is from a different universe, but rather, that the protoplanet or type of protoplanet from which it originated from is no longer present in the Solar System. Science Alert says it's likely that Erg Chech 002's home protoplanet was merged into other space rocks. The publication also notes that because of Erg Chech 002's age and how close it is in age to Earth, other rocks from its protoplanet might have helped form our planet. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cosmos-possible-worlds-gallery&captions=true"] For more science, read how researchers are learning more about how Mars may have formed and then read about a mini-moon orbiting Earth discovered by astronomers. While no signs of Krypton, errr life, were discovered on Erg Chech 002 — sorry, Superman fans — scientists have discovered possible signs of life on Venus detected as far back as 1978. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

The world of Batman: The Animated Series continues to live on via new comic books. DC Comics has announced a follow-up to 2020's digital-first series Batman: The Adventures Continue, and it's bringing another major piece of comic lore into the BTAS universe. Batman: The Adventures Continue Season II reunites the entire creative team from the first volume - writers Alan Burnett and Paul Dini, artist Ty Templeton and colorist Monica Kubina. Whereas the first series set about adding former Robin Jason Todd into BTAS continuity, the sequel focuses on a more recent addition to Batman's rogues gallery, the Court of Owls. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=batman-the-adventures-continue-season-ii-preview&captions=true"] Here's DC's official description for the series:

Gotham City is changing. After Mayor Hill is killed by a mysterious assailant, Batman finds himself tracking down an ancient order that’s long been buried under the streets of Gotham: The Court of Owls. But what does this group have to gain from the death of Mayor Hill…and how can Deadman help the Dark Knight? Will the clues lead Batman to an ancient Gotham City legend?

The Court of Owls was first introduced in DC's 2011 Batman comic, which revealed them to be a shadowy organization of Gotham elites that has controlled Gotham's underworld for centuries through the use of undead assassins called Talons. The Court of Owls storyline was later loosely adapted for the 2015 animated film Batman vs. Robin. The group is also featuring in the upcoming video game Gotham Knights, which takes place in the aftermath of Batman's apparent death. As with the previous series, Batman: The Adventures Continue Season II will debut in digital form first, followed by print issues collecting two digital chapters each. Look for the first digital chapter to debut on DC Universe Infinite, comiXology and other digital platforms on May 6, with the first print issue following on June 1. If you need a dose of BTAS nostalgia to tide you over until May, check out our IGN Inside Stories mini-doc about Batman Beyond: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/batman-beyond-the-classic-nobody-wanted"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

The world of Batman: The Animated Series continues to live on via new comic books. DC Comics has announced a follow-up to 2020's digital-first series Batman: The Adventures Continue, and it's bringing another major piece of comic lore into the BTAS universe. Batman: The Adventures Continue Season II reunites the entire creative team from the first volume - writers Alan Burnett and Paul Dini, artist Ty Templeton and colorist Monica Kubina. Whereas the first series set about adding former Robin Jason Todd into BTAS continuity, the sequel focuses on a more recent addition to Batman's rogues gallery, the Court of Owls. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=batman-the-adventures-continue-season-ii-preview&captions=true"] Here's DC's official description for the series:

Gotham City is changing. After Mayor Hill is killed by a mysterious assailant, Batman finds himself tracking down an ancient order that’s long been buried under the streets of Gotham: The Court of Owls. But what does this group have to gain from the death of Mayor Hill…and how can Deadman help the Dark Knight? Will the clues lead Batman to an ancient Gotham City legend?

The Court of Owls was first introduced in DC's 2011 Batman comic, which revealed them to be a shadowy organization of Gotham elites that has controlled Gotham's underworld for centuries through the use of undead assassins called Talons. The Court of Owls storyline was later loosely adapted for the 2015 animated film Batman vs. Robin. The group is also featuring in the upcoming video game Gotham Knights, which takes place in the aftermath of Batman's apparent death. As with the previous series, Batman: The Adventures Continue Season II will debut in digital form first, followed by print issues collecting two digital chapters each. Look for the first digital chapter to debut on DC Universe Infinite, comiXology and other digital platforms on May 6, with the first print issue following on June 1. If you need a dose of BTAS nostalgia to tide you over until May, check out our IGN Inside Stories mini-doc about Batman Beyond: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/batman-beyond-the-classic-nobody-wanted"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.