SNK Corporation has formally revealed The King of Fighters XV by debuting gameplay and showing off six characters. The game will launch later this year. The announcement was initially postponed on Wednesday and suffered a brief delay. Characters shown off in a new trailer (below) include K', Kyo Kusanagi, Leona, Benimaru, Shun'ei and Mai Shiranui. Not much in the way of detail is added, but we get a good look at the game's visual style, which looks to be a little more stylised than KOF 14. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/08/the-king-of-fighters-xv-official-gameplay-reveal"] Following the reveal trailer, KOF XV Creative Director Eisuke Ogura and Producer Yasuyuki Oda revealed a little more about how the game will play when it launches in 2021. "We're focusing on keeping the series' staple of being fast-paced while also adding elements to make it more exciting," Ogura notes. The developers are currently "brushing up features and optimizing the game," but plan to ship in 2021. Another trailer for The King of Fighters XV will land next week to supplement the reveal. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=king-of-fighters-xv-6-screenshots&captions=true"] Today's trailer also included news on King of Fighters 14 Ultimate Edition - out now digitally - a new release for King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match on PS4, and then revealed Cham Cham and The Last Blade 2's Hibiki Tanake as DLC characters for the Samurai Shodown Season 3 Pass. Samurai Shodown will also receive a game reblance in March. KOF XV was announced during EVO 2019, and we got our first glimpse of the game back in December 2020, which revealed that in addition to the characters mentioned above, Benimaru would be playable. It's not clear what platforms the game will be available on just yet. Here's our review of King of Fighters 14, which debuted in 2016. We scored it an 8, noting its "dated graphics and dodgy netcode". [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Amid new speculation caused by comments from a Duracell spokesperson, IGN understands that there is no deal forcing Xbox to use AA batteries in its controllers. Speaking to Stealth Optional, Duracell UK marketing manager Luke Anderson sparked speculation by saying, “There’s always been this partnership with Duracell and Xbox… It’s a constant agreement that Duracell and Microsoft have in place [...] [The deal is] for OEM to supply the battery product for the Xbox consoles and also the controllers’ battery. So that [deal is] going to go on for a while… it’s been going on for a while and I think it needs to go for a while [more].” Many took this to mean that the deal mentioned was the sole reason that Xbox uses AA batteries in its controllers, and some speculated that it could change that fact once the deal finishes. However, sources tell IGN that this is inaccurate. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/05/xbox-series-x-controller-review"] Duracell batteries are included with Xbox controllers, and Xbox has indeed been a part of Duracell OEM, a partnership program run by the battery manufacturer, but that appears to be a byproduct of Microsoft's decision to use AA batteries, rather than the cause of it. Contacted for comment, a Microsoft spokesperson said: “We intentionally offer consumers choice in their battery solutions for our standard Xbox Wireless Controllers. This includes the use of AA batteries from any brand, the Xbox Rechargeable Battery, charging solutions from our partners, or a USB-C cable, which can power the controller when plugged in to the console or PC.” That message echoes the words of, Xbox Series X designer Jason Ronald last year, when he explained why Xbox controllers still use AA batteries, saying that it was ultimately about flexibility for players. Neither Anderson nor Duracell OEM replied to a request for comment from IGN by time of publish. [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.

Amid new speculation caused by comments from a Duracell spokesperson, IGN understands that there is no deal forcing Xbox to use AA batteries in its controllers. Speaking to Stealth Optional, Duracell UK marketing manager Luke Anderson sparked speculation by saying, “There’s always been this partnership with Duracell and Xbox… It’s a constant agreement that Duracell and Microsoft have in place [...] [The deal is] for OEM to supply the battery product for the Xbox consoles and also the controllers’ battery. So that [deal is] going to go on for a while… it’s been going on for a while and I think it needs to go for a while [more].” Many took this to mean that the deal mentioned was the sole reason that Xbox uses AA batteries in its controllers, and some speculated that it could change that fact once the deal finishes. However, sources tell IGN that this is inaccurate. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/05/xbox-series-x-controller-review"] Duracell batteries are included with Xbox controllers, and Xbox has indeed been a part of Duracell OEM, a partnership program run by the battery manufacturer, but that appears to be a byproduct of Microsoft's decision to use AA batteries, rather than the cause of it. Contacted for comment, a Microsoft spokesperson said: “We intentionally offer consumers choice in their battery solutions for our standard Xbox Wireless Controllers. This includes the use of AA batteries from any brand, the Xbox Rechargeable Battery, charging solutions from our partners, or a USB-C cable, which can power the controller when plugged in to the console or PC.” That message echoes the words of, Xbox Series X designer Jason Ronald last year, when he explained why Xbox controllers still use AA batteries, saying that it was ultimately about flexibility for players. Neither Anderson nor Duracell OEM replied to a request for comment from IGN by time of publish. [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.

Update: Nintendo has confirmed the outage is now over, and IGN has been able to access the Nintendo eShop (and download the Monster Hunter demo). [poilib element="accentDivider"] The Nintendo eShop is currently down for unscheduled "emergency maintenance", which may be due to demand for the recently released Monster Hunter Rise demo. The eShop has been down for at least 4 hours at time of writing, with Nintendo's Japanese customer support Twitter account repeatedly apologising for the issues, but offering no timescale for a fix. While neither Nintendo or Capcom has specifically commented on the connection, the outage coincides with the release of the demo for Monster Hunter Rise, which includes two quests and two tutorials for the upcoming Switch exclusive. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/07/monster-hunter-rise-hunting-a-mizutsune-gameplay"] Yesterday's Monster Hunter live broadcast revealed a number of new monsters and details about the game, including the fact that a new ability will let you ride monsters (an ability you can test in the demo). The demo weighs in at 1.6GB, and quests can be played a maximum of 30 times before its February 1 closure date. If you can't download, we've got videos of the Great Izuchi quest, and the Mizutsune quest for you to check out. If you're interested in buying the game before it arrives on March 26, here's what comes in each edition of Monster Hunter Rise. [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.

Update: Nintendo has confirmed the outage is now over, and IGN has been able to access the Nintendo eShop (and download the Monster Hunter demo). [poilib element="accentDivider"] The Nintendo eShop is currently down for unscheduled "emergency maintenance", which may be due to demand for the recently released Monster Hunter Rise demo. The eShop has been down for at least 4 hours at time of writing, with Nintendo's Japanese customer support Twitter account repeatedly apologising for the issues, but offering no timescale for a fix. While neither Nintendo or Capcom has specifically commented on the connection, the outage coincides with the release of the demo for Monster Hunter Rise, which includes two quests and two tutorials for the upcoming Switch exclusive. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/07/monster-hunter-rise-hunting-a-mizutsune-gameplay"] Yesterday's Monster Hunter live broadcast revealed a number of new monsters and details about the game, including the fact that a new ability will let you ride monsters (an ability you can test in the demo). The demo weighs in at 1.6GB, and quests can be played a maximum of 30 times before its February 1 closure date. If you can't download, we've got videos of the Great Izuchi quest, and the Mizutsune quest for you to check out. If you're interested in buying the game before it arrives on March 26, here's what comes in each edition of Monster Hunter Rise. [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.

Today Acer unveiled the Nitro XV282K KV, a 28-inch 4K gaming monitor with an IPS panel, 144Hz refresh rate, FreeSync Premium, and, notably, HDMI 2.1 support. This makes it an excellent choice for gamers who want to take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. The HDMI 2.1 display standard is what allows the PS5 and Xbox Series X to output 4K resolution at up to 120 fps (or 8K up to 60 fps), and is necessary in order to take advantage of variable refresh rate (VRR). But the standard is quite new and support is still rather sparse – currently it's only found on a handful of last year's 4K gaming TVs, and virtually nonexistent on gaming monitors. The Nitro XV282K KV is Acer's first monitor to support HDMI 2.1, and one of the first gaming monitors in general to do so. The Nitro XV282K KV will be available in May with an MSRP of $899.

Today Acer unveiled the Nitro XV282K KV, a 28-inch 4K gaming monitor with an IPS panel, 144Hz refresh rate, FreeSync Premium, and, notably, HDMI 2.1 support. This makes it an excellent choice for gamers who want to take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. The HDMI 2.1 display standard is what allows the PS5 and Xbox Series X to output 4K resolution at up to 120 fps (or 8K up to 60 fps), and is necessary in order to take advantage of variable refresh rate (VRR). But the standard is quite new and support is still rather sparse – currently it's only found on a handful of last year's 4K gaming TVs, and virtually nonexistent on gaming monitors. The Nitro XV282K KV is Acer's first monitor to support HDMI 2.1, and one of the first gaming monitors in general to do so. The Nitro XV282K KV will be available in May with an MSRP of $899.

If you love the Nintendo Switch but wish it was more of a PC, Lenovo's LaVie Mini is attempting to make that wish come true. Revealed ahead of CES 2021, the LaVie Mini is an "Ultra Portable Pocket Size Windows PC" that features an 8-inch touch-screen with an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1180G7 CPU and Intel Iris Xe graphics. It also weighs only 1.28 lbs. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=lenovo-lavie-mini&captions=true"] However, its big selling point are the wireless attachable controllers that connect to the LaVie Mini not unlike the Switch's Joy-Con. It even has an optional dock that allows users to connect it to any TV or monitor and enjoy content at 4K/60FPS. The wireless controllers have the same layout as Xbox controllers, and third-party controllers are also supported. Since it is such a small device there is no trackpad, but it does have an optical touch sensor. Unfortunately, Lenovo announced no release date or pricing for the LaVie Mini, and this appears to be a very similar announcement to the Alienware UFO that also looks like a bulkier Nintendo Switch. We haven't heard much about the Alienware UFO since its unveiling at CES 2020. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/06/alienware-unveils-concept-ufo-a-switch-like-handheld-pc"] [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.

If you love the Nintendo Switch but wish it was more of a PC, Lenovo's LaVie Mini is attempting to make that wish come true. Revealed ahead of CES 2021, the LaVie Mini is an "Ultra Portable Pocket Size Windows PC" that features an 8-inch touch-screen with an 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1180G7 CPU and Intel Iris Xe graphics. It also weighs only 1.28 lbs. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=lenovo-lavie-mini&captions=true"] However, its big selling point are the wireless attachable controllers that connect to the LaVie Mini not unlike the Switch's Joy-Con. It even has an optional dock that allows users to connect it to any TV or monitor and enjoy content at 4K/60FPS. The wireless controllers have the same layout as Xbox controllers, and third-party controllers are also supported. Since it is such a small device there is no trackpad, but it does have an optical touch sensor. Unfortunately, Lenovo announced no release date or pricing for the LaVie Mini, and this appears to be a very similar announcement to the Alienware UFO that also looks like a bulkier Nintendo Switch. We haven't heard much about the Alienware UFO since its unveiling at CES 2020. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/06/alienware-unveils-concept-ufo-a-switch-like-handheld-pc"] [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.

Netflix has released the first behind-the-scenes look at Zack Snyder’s upcoming zombie movie Army of the Dead. The four screenshots, compiled in the gallery below, mostly show off Snyder directing his cast of would-be zombie fighters. This includes stars Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana De La Reguera, and more. Check out the Army of the Dead gallery below to see the cast and Snyder. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=army-of-the-dead-first-look&captions=true"] Army of the Dead is a zombie film set in post-apocalyptic Las Vegas. A group of mercenaries must venture into the quarantine zone to pull off “the greatest heist ever attempted.” Based on the synopsis, one would imagine this will be like Ocean’s 11 but with zombies and guns. Army of the Dead is Snyder’s first film as director since working on Justice League back in 2017, though he did not finish the film handing off directing duties to Joss Whedon. Snyder is also working on the Snyder Cut of Justice League, now officially titled Zack Snyder’s Justice League, for HBO Max. However, aside from producing credits on the recent slate of DC movies, Snyder has “No plan” to make any more DC movies after finishing his Justice League cut.

This isn’t Snyder’s first zombie film as he came to prominence with his 2004 Dawn of the Dead reboot.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/justice-league-the-snyder-cut-trailer"] Army of the Dead will premiere on Netflix sometime in 2021. A prequel film titled Army of the Dead: The Prequel is currently in post-production, as well as an anime spinoff titled Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.