Archaeologists have discovered that a 3,300-year-old baboon skull may tease a fabled land said to have been visited often by Egyptians, according to a report from ScienceMag. This fabled land is known as Punt, or "God's Land," and according to hieroglyphics, is a land first visited by Egyptians 4500 years ago. Egyptians continued to visit Punt for more than 1000 years, bringing back goods like hardwoods, metals, resins, and exotic animals — like baboons — but until now, archaeologists didn't have evidence that these goods ever made their way back to Egypt. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/10/24/the-history-behind-assassins-creed-origins"] "It's an extremely important step in better understanding this mysterious land that we still don't fully grasp," American Center of Oriental Research archaeologist, Pearce Paul Creasman, said. The skull in question belongs to that of a hamadryas baboon and dates back to 3,300 years ago. It was discovered by archaeologists in the 19th century in the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, according to Science Mag, and it was stored away in the British Museum. Dartmouth College primatologist, Nathaniel Dominy, recently discovered this skull archived at the museum and it might be the hard evidence archaeologists have been looking for to prove the existence of Punt. Egyptians saw hamadryas baboons as the embodiment of Thoth, a god of wisdom, and connected the baboons to Amun-Ra, which is the Egyptian sun god. One of the reasons scientists believe this baboon skull to be from Punt is because the hamadryas baboon is not native to Egypt, meaning whoever had the skull in Thebes 3,300 years ago obtained the primate, or at least its skull, from somewhere else. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/08/dueling-dinosaurs-fossil-shows-potential-trex-fight"] Dominy and his team studied chemical isotopes in the skull's tooth enamel for clues of the baboon's birthplace because a region's soil and water has a distinct ratio of strontium isotopes, which are locked into the enamel in the first few years of a baboon's life. This is key because even if an animal like the baboon in question was moved from its birthplace, the isotope signature of its birthplace would still be present in the tooth enamel. The strontium ratio in the skull's enamel confirms that the baboon was not born in Egypt and instead provides evidence for somewhere in modern-day Eritrea, Ethiopia, or northwest Somalia, as the birthplace of this primate, according to Dominy and his team's report on eLife. That region of the world is where most archaeologists think Punt was located, according to ScienceMag, and this skull implies that this baboon is one of the exotic animals Egyptian hieroglyphics talk about coming from Punt. Boston University archaeologist, Kathryn Bard, told ScienceMag that she believes Punt's ports were probably in Eritrea or along the coast of eastern Sudan. Bard believes this because she and late archaeologist, Rodolfo Fattovich, excavated a site on Egypt's Red Sea coast from 2001 to 2011 and discovered a 2,800-year-old stone inscription documenting a voyage to Punt. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/10/26/the-first-18-minutes-of-assassins-creed-origins-in-4k"] They also discovered pottery fragments similar to those found in the Sudanese-Eritrean lowlands, presumably from Punt, ScienceMag says. Bard says this 3,300-year-old baboon skull provides "another piece of evidence on where Punt was located," although she says it's not the first Puntite treasure as her excavation with Fattovich uncovered obsidian and ebony she believes to be from Punt. Dominy argues that might not be the case due to the wide distribution of ebony across Africa in the continent's history. Someone should ask famed assassin, Bayek of Siwa, if he knows anything of Punt in the meantime. If you're looking for a way to explore ancient Egypt, check out Assassin's Creed Origins, which features Bayek, and is a game IGN called amazing in its 9 out of 10 review. For more science, read about how Punt, baboon skulls, and Assassin's Creed might not even matter because some scientists believe there's a 50-50 chance we live in a simulation. Check out this story about how we all might evolve into crabs one day after that. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN who believes Assassin's Creed Origins to be one of the best in the series. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Universal Studios Japan has released an area map for its forthcoming Super Nintendo World area, themed around characters from the Mario games and their universe of spinoffs. Starting today, the park has been inviting selected Club Universal members and annual pass holders to experience the new area firsthand ahead of its February 4 2021 opening.

Super Nintendo World is the most complex area at USJ to date. We had already seen glimpses of the Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge and Yoshi's Adventure rides (and IGN Japan previously published a video showing the inside of Bowser’s Castle); now USJ has shared some details of the menu at the Kinopio Cafe (Kinopio is the Japanese name for Toad), which includes a Bacon & Cheese Mario Burger, Piranha Plant Caprese and Question Block Tiramisu. Merchandise to be sold at the 1Up Factory Shop includes Mario themed hoodies, moustachioed glasses and gloves, as well as the cute Tokotoko Mario toy shown off by Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto during his video tour of the park released last weekend. Check out images of some of the food dishes and merchandise below.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=super-nintendo-world-area-map-merchandise-and-cafe-items&captions=true"]

* Images provided by Universal Studios Japan, ©Nintendo

In addition to the large-scale facilities and attractions, there will be activities where guests can collect virtual coins and play against enemy characters using a Power Up Band (3,200 yen including tax, or about $31/£23) that can be linked to a smartphone app. These will include activities and challenges whose Japanese names translate to “Aim! Koopa Troopa POW Block Punch” and “Stop! Piranha Plant Alarm Panic”.

There will also be a Meet & Greet photo spot, where visitors can meet Mario and Luigi, take photos together with them and even engage them in conversation.

Japanese superstar YouTuber Hikakin was appointed a partner of USJ, and he has published a sponsored video of his experience at Super Nintendo World on his channel that shows a little more detail.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/30/super-nintendo-world-reveal-trailer"]

Universal Studios Japan is located in Osaka, Japan. Super Mario World was originally slated to open last summer, but was delayed to its current February 4 2021 opening date in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Japan is currently not granting entry to foreign tourists until further notice, so Nintendo fans outside of Japan will have to wait before they can visit – though a Super Nintendo World area will eventually be added to Universal Studios theme parks in Hollywood, Florida and Singapore.

For more on USJ’s collaboration with Nintendo, check out our report from the Mario Cafe & Store in the main area of the park, which is already open, selling specially designed exclusive snacks and goods themed on Mario and friends; and a look around Bowser’s Castle and a sneak peek at the Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge ride.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Daniel Robson is Chief Editor at IGN Japan. Follow him on Twitter for all your Japan gaming theme park tokotoko needs.

Universal Studios Japan has released an area map for its forthcoming Super Nintendo World area, themed around characters from the Mario games and their universe of spinoffs. Starting today, the park has been inviting selected Club Universal members and annual pass holders to experience the new area firsthand ahead of its February 4 2021 opening.

Super Nintendo World is the most complex area at USJ to date. We had already seen glimpses of the Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge and Yoshi's Adventure rides (and IGN Japan previously published a video showing the inside of Bowser’s Castle); now USJ has shared some details of the menu at the Kinopio Cafe (Kinopio is the Japanese name for Toad), which includes a Bacon & Cheese Mario Burger, Piranha Plant Caprese and Question Block Tiramisu. Merchandise to be sold at the 1Up Factory Shop includes Mario themed hoodies, moustachioed glasses and gloves, as well as the cute Tokotoko Mario toy shown off by Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto during his video tour of the park released last weekend. Check out images of some of the food dishes and merchandise below.

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=super-nintendo-world-area-map-merchandise-and-cafe-items&captions=true"]

* Images provided by Universal Studios Japan, ©Nintendo

In addition to the large-scale facilities and attractions, there will be activities where guests can collect virtual coins and play against enemy characters using a Power Up Band (3,200 yen including tax, or about $31/£23) that can be linked to a smartphone app. These will include activities and challenges whose Japanese names translate to “Aim! Koopa Troopa POW Block Punch” and “Stop! Piranha Plant Alarm Panic”.

There will also be a Meet & Greet photo spot, where visitors can meet Mario and Luigi, take photos together with them and even engage them in conversation.

Japanese superstar YouTuber Hikakin was appointed a partner of USJ, and he has published a sponsored video of his experience at Super Nintendo World on his channel that shows a little more detail.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/30/super-nintendo-world-reveal-trailer"]

Universal Studios Japan is located in Osaka, Japan. Super Mario World was originally slated to open last summer, but was delayed to its current February 4 2021 opening date in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Japan is currently not granting entry to foreign tourists until further notice, so Nintendo fans outside of Japan will have to wait before they can visit – though a Super Nintendo World area will eventually be added to Universal Studios theme parks in Hollywood, Florida and Singapore.

For more on USJ’s collaboration with Nintendo, check out our report from the Mario Cafe & Store in the main area of the park, which is already open, selling specially designed exclusive snacks and goods themed on Mario and friends; and a look around Bowser’s Castle and a sneak peek at the Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge ride.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Daniel Robson is Chief Editor at IGN Japan. Follow him on Twitter for all your Japan gaming theme park tokotoko needs.

Silent Hill and Gravity Rush creator Keiichiro Toyama has shared some details of the upcoming debut game from his new studio, which will be a horror-themed action-adventure, aiming for a 2023 release, that will appeal to Toyama's fans.

Toyama's Bokeh Game Studio was founded on August 13 and announced publicly in December. Speaking with IGN Japan, the acclaimed developer explained that he is working on “an action-adventure game that will appeal to fans of my previous work”. He explained that the game will include “battles and story elements” in the kind of richly authored worlds you might recognize from his games at Sony’s Japan Studio and Konami.

When pressed on whether this new title will lean more toward the horror themes of Silent Hill and Siren or the cuter anime-styled paranormal setting of Gravity Rush, he explained, “If anything, this will be more of a horror-oriented game. But we will focus on making this a broader entertainment experience, rather than a hardcore horror game.”

While Toyama has been a first-party Sony developer for the past 20 years or so, he said that this new game will be a multi-platform release. “We are developing with PC as the lead platform, but we hope to release the game on as many console platforms as possible,” he said.

[caption id="attachment_2456458" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bokeh Game Studio founders Junya Okura, Keiichiro Toyama, and Kazunobu Sato.[/caption]

The new title is being developed by a “fairly large” team, and Bokeh cofounder and producer Kazunobu Sato explained that they are still in the early stages of development, with an estimated target release date of 2023. “We’re just entering prototype development, and development will probably take nearly three years. So we hope to get this game into your hands in about three years from now.”

Regarding the studio’s foundation, Toyama explained that a combination of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic and turning 50 prompted him to think about his future, and to answer the beckoning call of independence. He turned to longtime collaborators Sato (producer on the Siren series and The Last Guardian) and Junya Okura (lead level designer on the Siren and Gravity Rush series, whom Toyama credits with giving shape to his gameplay ideas), and the three Japan Studio colleagues set up Bokeh Game Studio together, with Toyama as Creator, Sato as Producer and Okura as Game Director. They initially considered creating smaller mobile games, before eventually building up a team of “mostly veterans” to increase the scale of their ambitions.

“I took a lot of inspiration from genDESIGN,” said Toyama, referring to the studio founded by Ico creator Fumito Ueda, who was yet another Japan Studio alumnus. “Ueda told me so much about his experiences that it inspired me to follow suit.”

While Bokeh’s first game may be a way off, Sato and business development manager Yohei Hart (also ex-Japan Studio) promised that the studio’s newly launched Twitter account and Facebook account will show peeks behind the curtain as the team progresses with development. “When you work at a major studio like Japan Studio, there is a limit to what you can share publicly, so now that we are free from those restraints, we’d like to take the opportunity to share as much as we can … so that the audience can see how the game comes together over time,” explained Sato. “We hope it might help people to not forget about us.”

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps1-games-ever&captions=true"]

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Daniel Robson is Chief Editor at IGN Japan – and (full disclosure) also worked for a spell at Sony’s Japan Studio. Follow him on Twitter here.

Silent Hill and Gravity Rush creator Keiichiro Toyama has shared some details of the upcoming debut game from his new studio, which will be a horror-themed action-adventure, aiming for a 2023 release, that will appeal to Toyama's fans.

Toyama's Bokeh Game Studio was founded on August 13 and announced publicly in December. Speaking with IGN Japan, the acclaimed developer explained that he is working on “an action-adventure game that will appeal to fans of my previous work”. He explained that the game will include “battles and story elements” in the kind of richly authored worlds you might recognize from his games at Sony’s Japan Studio and Konami.

When pressed on whether this new title will lean more toward the horror themes of Silent Hill and Siren or the cuter anime-styled paranormal setting of Gravity Rush, he explained, “If anything, this will be more of a horror-oriented game. But we will focus on making this a broader entertainment experience, rather than a hardcore horror game.”

While Toyama has been a first-party Sony developer for the past 20 years or so, he said that this new game will be a multi-platform release. “We are developing with PC as the lead platform, but we hope to release the game on as many console platforms as possible,” he said.

[caption id="attachment_2456458" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bokeh Game Studio founders Junya Okura, Keiichiro Toyama, and Kazunobu Sato.[/caption]

The new title is being developed by a “fairly large” team, and Bokeh cofounder and producer Kazunobu Sato explained that they are still in the early stages of development, with an estimated target release date of 2023. “We’re just entering prototype development, and development will probably take nearly three years. So we hope to get this game into your hands in about three years from now.”

Regarding the studio’s foundation, Toyama explained that a combination of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic and turning 50 prompted him to think about his future, and to answer the beckoning call of independence. He turned to longtime collaborators Sato (producer on the Siren series and The Last Guardian) and Junya Okura (lead level designer on the Siren and Gravity Rush series, whom Toyama credits with giving shape to his gameplay ideas), and the three Japan Studio colleagues set up Bokeh Game Studio together, with Toyama as Creator, Sato as Producer and Okura as Game Director. They initially considered creating smaller mobile games, before eventually building up a team of “mostly veterans” to increase the scale of their ambitions.

“I took a lot of inspiration from genDESIGN,” said Toyama, referring to the studio founded by Ico creator Fumito Ueda, who was yet another Japan Studio alumnus. “Ueda told me so much about his experiences that it inspired me to follow suit.”

While Bokeh’s first game may be a way off, Sato and business development manager Yohei Hart (also ex-Japan Studio) promised that the studio’s newly launched Twitter account and Facebook account will show peeks behind the curtain as the team progresses with development. “When you work at a major studio like Japan Studio, there is a limit to what you can share publicly, so now that we are free from those restraints, we’d like to take the opportunity to share as much as we can … so that the audience can see how the game comes together over time,” explained Sato. “We hope it might help people to not forget about us.”

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps1-games-ever&captions=true"]

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Daniel Robson is Chief Editor at IGN Japan – and (full disclosure) also worked for a spell at Sony’s Japan Studio. Follow him on Twitter here.

Move over PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, Kentucky Fried Chicken has announced its KFConsole - a VR-ready, Intel-powered PC capable of 4K, Raytracing, gameplay up to 240fps, and a Chicken Chamber that will keep you chicken warm as you game. No, we aren't kidding. This KFConsole was technically first unveiled a day after the PlayStation 5 reveal event, and although many thought it may just be a fun marketing joke by KFC, the KFConsole is very real.

The console wars are over.

Introducing the KFConsole. #PowerYourHunger pic.twitter.com/k7AM6g61Ip — KFC Gaming (@kfcgaming) December 22, 2020

The KFConsole's case is built by Cooler Master, and the patented Chicken Chamber is perhaps its marquee feature. "Never risk letting your chicken go cold again thanks to the patented Chicken Chamber," The description reads. "Utilising the systems natural heat and airflow system you can now focus on your gameplay and enjoy hot, crispy chicken between rounds." The KFConsole is housed in a custom Cooler Master NC100 chassis and includes an Intel Nuc 9 and an Asus powered GPU that can be swapped out. It also has two Seagate BarraCuda 1TB SSDs that have "PCIe NVMe speeds that are 6x faster." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=kfconsole-images&captions=true"] The release date and pricing of the KFConsole have yet to be given, but hopefully they won't be as tough to find as the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. KFC has been working its way into the hearts and minds of many with not only its food and the KFConsole, but also with its official KFC dating sim and its Lifetime movie that stars Mario Lopez as Colonel Sanders. [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.

Move over PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, Kentucky Fried Chicken has announced its KFConsole - a VR-ready, Intel-powered PC capable of 4K, Raytracing, gameplay up to 240fps, and a Chicken Chamber that will keep you chicken warm as you game. No, we aren't kidding. This KFConsole was technically first unveiled a day after the PlayStation 5 reveal event, and although many thought it may just be a fun marketing joke by KFC, the KFConsole is very real.

The console wars are over.

Introducing the KFConsole. #PowerYourHunger pic.twitter.com/k7AM6g61Ip — KFC Gaming (@kfcgaming) December 22, 2020

The KFConsole's case is built by Cooler Master, and the patented Chicken Chamber is perhaps its marquee feature. "Never risk letting your chicken go cold again thanks to the patented Chicken Chamber," The description reads. "Utilising the systems natural heat and airflow system you can now focus on your gameplay and enjoy hot, crispy chicken between rounds." The KFConsole is housed in a custom Cooler Master NC100 chassis and includes an Intel Nuc 9 and an Asus powered GPU that can be swapped out. It also has two Seagate BarraCuda 1TB SSDs that have "PCIe NVMe speeds that are 6x faster." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=kfconsole-images&captions=true"] The release date and pricing of the KFConsole have yet to be given, but hopefully they won't be as tough to find as the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. KFC has been working its way into the hearts and minds of many with not only its food and the KFConsole, but also with its official KFC dating sim and its Lifetime movie that stars Mario Lopez as Colonel Sanders. [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.

Legendary Entertainment, who financed 75% of the budgets for both the upcoming Dune and Godzilla vs. Kong, is set to challenge Warner Bros. over its decision to release its entire 2021 film slate onto HBO Max the same day as their theatrical debut. As reported by Deadline (via IndieWire), Legendary was "blindsided" by the Warner Bros. decision and is working on a solution to "preserve its franchise potential" by letting it premiere exclusively in theaters. It is also hopeful that Dune's October 1 release date will fall well past when COVID vaccines are more readily available. Legendary is also reportedly preparing a possible legal case after it was kept out of discussions of this historic move. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/09/dune-official-trailer"] As for Dune's "franchise potential," it is in reference to the planned two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel and the first film laying the groundwork for the Dune television series. If Legendary is able to win this battle, it will make Dune's director Denis Villeneuve very happy, as he recently spoke out against Warner Bros. over its decision and said WB has "absolutely no love for cinema, nor the audience here. It is all about the survival of a telecom mammoth, one that is currently bearing an astronomical debt of more than $150 billion." Godzilla vs. Kong may have a tougher time as it is currently is set to be released in theaters and HBO Max on May 21, 2021, but "only if Warner Bros. makes a deal with Legendary that uses as a base the $250 million value established when the film was shopped earlier to Netflix.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/03/matrix-4-dune-more-2021-movies-coming-to-hbo-max-ign-now"] Warner Bros.' hybrid HBO Max-theatrical release model will kick off on December 25 with Wonder Woman 1984. In our review, we said it "is a film with a heart full of hope and love; a nostalgic look back to a beloved time that provides escapism from an exceptionally difficult 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.

Legendary Entertainment, who financed 75% of the budgets for both the upcoming Dune and Godzilla vs. Kong, is set to challenge Warner Bros. over its decision to release its entire 2021 film slate onto HBO Max the same day as their theatrical debut. As reported by Deadline (via IndieWire), Legendary was "blindsided" by the Warner Bros. decision and is working on a solution to "preserve its franchise potential" by letting it premiere exclusively in theaters. It is also hopeful that Dune's October 1 release date will fall well past when COVID vaccines are more readily available. Legendary is also reportedly preparing a possible legal case after it was kept out of discussions of this historic move. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/09/dune-official-trailer"] As for Dune's "franchise potential," it is in reference to the planned two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel and the first film laying the groundwork for the Dune television series. If Legendary is able to win this battle, it will make Dune's director Denis Villeneuve very happy, as he recently spoke out against Warner Bros. over its decision and said WB has "absolutely no love for cinema, nor the audience here. It is all about the survival of a telecom mammoth, one that is currently bearing an astronomical debt of more than $150 billion." Godzilla vs. Kong may have a tougher time as it is currently is set to be released in theaters and HBO Max on May 21, 2021, but "only if Warner Bros. makes a deal with Legendary that uses as a base the $250 million value established when the film was shopped earlier to Netflix.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/03/matrix-4-dune-more-2021-movies-coming-to-hbo-max-ign-now"] Warner Bros.' hybrid HBO Max-theatrical release model will kick off on December 25 with Wonder Woman 1984. In our review, we said it "is a film with a heart full of hope and love; a nostalgic look back to a beloved time that provides escapism from an exceptionally difficult 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.

Netflix has released the first page of a script from Season 2 of The Witcher, and it appears to begin to tell A Grain of Truth - a short story that was featured in The Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski's The Last Wish. Revealed by Netflix as part of its Witchmas Celebration, the words on this script share many similarities to A Grain of Truth, including dialogue, the manor, and the untimely fate of the merchant and his wife. Geralt's VO, on the other hand, appears to be taken from the short story Something More from Sword of Destiny. [caption id="attachment_2456399" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Image Credit: Netflix[/caption] Without spoiling what happens, this story also includes a man by the name of Nivellen, who is set to be played by Game of Thrones' Kristofer Hivju, and is another hint that this story will be part of Season 2. Netflix's Witchmas has also gifted fans of The Witcher with season 2 set photos, a logo for the Witcher anime movie Nightmare of the Wolf, and much more. The Witcher season 2 is scheduled to be released on Netflix in 2021, and we've gathered everything we know about the upcoming story in one place. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/27/the-witcher-season-1-review"] In our review of The Witcher's first season, we said it "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.