Several Stranger Things cast members are coming together to play a special holiday-themed game of Dungeons & Dragons on December 18. Wizards of the Coast has announced that WotC Principal Story Designer, Chris Perkins, will be hosting a special session of D&D on the Stranger Things YouTube channel on Friday at 10am PT. The adventure will see David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, and Natalia Dyer picking up the d20 dice to try their hand at the popular roleplaying game that has become intrinsically linked to the Netflix show.

The cast of Stranger Things played a DnD one shot and you get to watch the whole thing in 3 days. #StrangerThingsDnD pic.twitter.com/jscYPfzpRt

— NX (@NXOnNetflix) December 15, 2020

The trailer shows that this session of D&D wasn't filmed in Wheeler's basement. Instead, WotC shot the game using a SOLO Cinebot, a first-of-its-kind robotic camera, which allowed the fully remote team to capture the event in cinematic-quality while adhering to the ongoing social distancing measures that have been set out as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/04/09/stranger-things-dungeons-dragons-starter-set-unboxing"] Of course, D&D plays a huge role in Netflix's Stranger Things. From the very first game we see the young friends playing together in Season 1, to Will's efforts to keep the campaign going with his friends in the show's third season, and even to the official tie-in Stranger Things D&D Starter Set, the game has become an integral part of the show and its characters. So much so that, outside of the red game box, the Stranger Things squad actually appear to play out a very similar sort of campaign in their real lives. We think that the friends' heroics to defeat a monster and save a village goes far beyond the tabletop game, with the third season's references, parallels, and homages playing out like one huge, terrifying session of D&D. Have we inspired you to set out on a curiosity voyage? If so, check out our deep dive into how Stranger Things is just one big game of Dungeons and Dragons. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-horror-tv-shows-on-netflix-right-now&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Nintendo is wrapping up the year with another indie world presentation, highlighting 19 games coming to the Nintendo Switch in the coming months, and some as soon as today. Players can look forward to games like Spelunky 2, Cyber Shadow, Fisti-Fluffs and many more in 2021, while a handful of titles, including mobile and PC multiplayer hit Among Us, are available later today. Read on for a breakdown of every game highlighted during the December 15 Indie World showcase. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Among Us: InnerSloth’s hit social deception game is coming to the Nintendo Switch later today, after its previous availability on PC and mobile devices. We recently got a look at Among Us’ newest map, the Airship, during The Game Awards 2020. Spelunky and Spelunky 2: Mossmouth’s acclaimed roguelikes are both coming to Nintendo Switch in 2021. Spelunky 1 will feature local multiplayer, while Spelunky 2 will include online and local multiplayer. For more on the franchise, check out IGN’s Spelunky 2 review from earlier this year. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/14/spelunky-2-review"] Fisti-Fluffs: When the humans are away, the cats will… fight in this new action-brawler from Playfellow Studio. Fight for feline supremacy, and customize your cat’s appearance while playing in local and online multiplayer. Fisti-Fluffs hits Switch first in early 2021. Very Very Valet: A new party game launching as a timed exclusive in early 2021 on Switch. Players will compete across 20 locations as they pick up, park, and return cars, but with a twist that makes things a little more complicated. Tunche: A new sidescrolling brawler from LEAP Game Studios featuring hand-drawn animations modeled after the Amazon Rainforest. Play as one of five characters, including Hat Kid from A Hat in Time, on the hunt for the mythical creature, the titular Tunche, when it launches in March 2021. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/03/cyber-shadow-story-trailer"] Cyber Shadow: Published by Shovel Knight’s Yacht Club Games and developed by Mechanical Head Studios, Cyber Shadow is a throwback 2D action-platformer with more than a dozen bosses and ninjutsu skills to master. Exclusive to the Switch edition is the ability to use Shovel Knight amiibo to bring in helper characters inspired by the SKU - the Shovel Knight Universe. Cyber Shadow hits Switch on Jan. 26. Calico: From Whitethorn Games, Calico is available for Switch later today and lets players live out their dreams of owning a cat cafe, in which they can design and deck out the store and player character as they see fit. And, naturally, hang out with some adorable kittens. Alba: A Wildlife Adventure: Previously available on PC and Apple Arcade, Alba is the latest from ustwogames and will hit Switch in Spring 2021. Alba travels to a Mediterranean island to visit her grandparents, and goes on an adventure to save wildlife, recruit citizens to the cause, and ultimately work to save the island. Gnosia: Available in 2021, Gnosia is a new visual novel that sees players working to solve who has been taken over by the Gnosia. Each round takes between 5 and 15 minutes to play, as players learn more about the cast of characters. Happy Game: The latest from Amanita Design, Happy Game is decidedly full of unhappy imagery, despite all the smiley faces in its new trailer. Available in Spring 2021, Happy Game will see players solving puzzles in nightmarish sequences, with music from the band DVA. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=among-us-airship-trailer&captions=true"] Nintendo also highlighted eight other games in a highlight reel, including some like Grindstone and When the Past Was Around being available later today. The list of highlighted games includes:

• Super Meat Boy Forever: Available December 23 as a console launch exclusive
• Grindstone: Available as a console launch exclusive later today
• When the Past Was Around: Available later today
• Kosmokrats: Hitting Switch in March 2021 as a timed console exclusive
• Hoa: Available in April 2021
• Hazel Sky: Hitting Switch in March 2021
• Trash Sailors: Available in Spring 2021
• Finding Paradise: Available in Spring 2021

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

Season 5 of The Expanse blasts off on Amazon Prime Video on Wednesday, December 16 with a three-episode premiere, followed by a weekly release rollout for the remaining seven chapters, which will air every Friday until the finale on February 3, 2021. Here's how Amazon describes the upcoming Season 5 of The Expanse: "Amos (Wes Chatham) returns to Earth to confront his past and the legacy of the life he fought to leave behind. Naomi (Dominique Tipper) reaches out to her estranged son in a desperate bid to save him from his father’s toxic influence. Bobbie (Frankie Adams) and Alex (Cas Anvar) confront the collapse of Mars as they chase a shadowy cabal with ties to terrorists and criminals. Holden (Steven Strait) wrestles with the consequences of his own past with the Protomolecule, the aliens who built it, and the mystery of what killed them. Drummer (Cara Gee), with a new crew, fights to escape who and what she used to be. And Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo), refusing to be relegated to the sidelines, fights to prevent a terrorist attack unrivaled in history." IGN can exclusively reveal a clip featuring Amos Burton in the video below, or at the top of the page: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/15/the-expanse-season-5-exclusive-official-amos-clip"] In recent news, Amazon announced that The Expanse has been renewed for a sixth and final season ahead of its Season 5 debut. The series is based on the novels written by James S.A. Corey (Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck), who also serve as executive producers with showrunner Naren Shankar steering the ship. There are currently eight published novels in The Expanse saga, with the ninth and final book, titled "Leviathan Falls," set to release in 2021. What do you think of the clip? Let us know in the comments. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-expanse-season-5-gallery&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.

Marvel Studios has announced a new Legends series that will premiere on Disney+ in 2021. The studio revealed that the Legends series will revisit some of the "most iconic moments from the MCU, one character at time," starting with Wanda Maximoff and Vision, the two stars of WandaVision, which is set to premiere on Disney+ next month. The first two episodes of Marvel Studios: Legends will dive deeper into the stories of Wanda and Vision, and their interconnected path across the MCU.

Marvel Studios: Legends is a new series that revisits some of the most iconic moments from the MCU, one character at a time. Kicking off with Wanda Maximoff and Vision, the first two episodes start streaming Jan. 8, only on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/iTN2kNdhFv

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) December 15, 2020

The opening episodes of the new Legends series will be added to the Disney+ library on January 8, 2021, exactly one week before WandaVision debuts on the platform. After that, the MCU supporting series will continue to release new episodes to feed directly into Marvel's upcoming Disney+ slate, serving as a refresher for fans while simultaneously setting the stage for future events. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-cinematic-universe-every-upcoming-movie-and-tv-show&captions=true"] According to the official series synopsis, Marvel Studios: Legends "celebrates and codifies what has come before" by weaving together "the many threads that constitute the unparalleled Marvel Cinematic Universe" and revisiting "the epic heroes, villains, and moments from across the MCU in preparation for the highly anticipated stories still to come." Marvel Studios: Legends will initially debut as a precursor to WandaVision, a forthcoming miniseries described as being "half classic sitcom and half full MCU spectacular." It will tell the story of Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch and Paul Bettany's Vision who appear to be living as a married couple in the suburban town of Westview, where they attempt to hide their "ill-defined and unexplored" powers. We last saw Wanda nearly killing Thanos in battle in Avengers: Endgame as she sought revenge for the death of Vision, who was killed in Avengers: Infinity War, before the snap, making his death (more or less) permanent. In WandaVision, Wanda appears to be trapped in some sort of mental prison in which she imagines a domesticated life with Vision via various TV sitcom styles and eras. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/11/wandavision-official-trailer-2"] So reserve a spot on the sofa and get ready to tune in to watch the first episode of WandaVision when it lands on Disney+ on January 15, 2021, just one week after the first two episodes of Marvel Studios: Legends, which will be dropping on Disney+ on January 8, 2021, offering a showcase of the "individual characters viewers have come to know and love over the years." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Capcom has given IGN a small but nevertheless welcome update on the status of the next-gen Resident Evil Village, aka Resident Evil 8. The publisher has also provided three exclusive new screenshots, which you can see in the gallery below. Peter Fabiano, producer on Resident Evil Village, tells IGN: “We’re really excited for fans to experience Resident Evil Village when it comes out in 2021. We feel it’s an accumulation of all the best elements of Resident Evil games from the past 25 years, with everything fans love about action-infused survival horror plus new surprises. Of course, there are plenty of puzzles to solve and mysteries to unfold. "We hope fans will enjoy exploring the desolate, snowy village in which Resident Evil Village takes place, where enemies new to the franchise are waiting for them. Players will once again take control of Ethan Winters, experiencing more of the story set in motion in Resident Evil 7 biohazard. New technologies are allowing us to immerse players in the game in ways we couldn’t achieve before, in what we hope will be the most pulse-pounding Resident Evil game to date.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=resident-evil-village-3-exclusive-new-screenshots&captions=true"] We'll have much more on Resident Evil Village as 2021 rolls on. In the meantime, for more on the eighth mainline RE game, don't miss its initial announcement from this past summer, as well as the reveal trailer. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan, catch him on Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.

Joker is widely regarded as Batman's greatest nemesis, but few have attempted to make the Clown Prince of Crime the main protagonist in a DC comic. That will change in March 2021 when DC launches a new ongoing series simply titled The Joker. The new series is an offshoot of the current Batman series from writer James Tynion IV, one that builds on Joker's uncertain status quo following the events of Joker War. Joker may have survived his latest run-in with Batman and gone into hiding overseas, but things aren't exactly looking up for him. He's missing an eye (courtesy of Harley Quinn) and dealing with the sting of being left to die by the Dark Knight. Making matters worse, Commissioner Gordon is about to retire, and he's made it his mission to bring Joker to justice before he does. Worse, it seems Bane also has a bone to pick with Mister J. In short, the deck is really stacked against Joker in 2021. Check out the slideshow gallery below to see all the covers revealed for Joker #1 so far: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=joker-breaks-free-from-batman-in-these-creepy-dc-covers&captions=true"] Tynion will  write this spinoff, with Batman artist Guillem March also making the jump. Each issue will also feature a backup story co-written by Tynion and Sam Johns and drawn by Mirka Andolfo. This same team previously collaborated on November's Punchline #1 special, and their new story will again focus on Joker's new sidekick. In this ongoing story, Alexis Kaye deals with her newfound celebrity and becoming an inmate at Blackgate Penitentiary. Meanwhile, Harper Row will take up the mantle of Bluebird once again after finding Punchline's influence is warping her brother's mind. “When I was approached by DC about the concept of an ongoing series spotlighting The Joker, I thought, ‘What would that book even look like?,’” said Tynion in DC's press release. “I’m excited to share this story in a way that honors everything that a series about The Joker can be, while coming at if from an exciting, unexpected angle. I’m also thrilled to continue working with Sam and Mirka to expand the Punchline story we began in November as a back-up feature in this new ongoing Joker series. The Joker War was only the beginning of the terror and mayhem we’re creating!” While DC has published a handful of stories with Joker as the main protagonist (most notably 1994's Joker: Going Sane and 2008's Joker graphic novel), this is actually only the second time the company has published an ongoing Joker comic. The Joker Vol. 1 ran for nine issues in 1975 before being abruptly canceled. DC belatedly reprinted the unpublished issue #10 in 2019 as part of the hardcover collection The Joker: The Bronze Age Omnibus. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/26/joker-war-why-batmans-worst-enemy-is-finally-ready-to-finish-their-game"] The Joker #1 is priced at $4.99 and is scheduled for release on March 9, 2021. A new Joker series is just one of many projects DC has planned for early 2021. January and February will see DC switch gears to Future State, a massive crossover that reveals the fate of the DCU ten years into the future. Following that, DC will launch a number of new ongoing series in March, all aimed at welcoming new readers in the aftermath of Dark Nights: Death Metal. But unlike DC's past Crisis events, Death Metal isn't intended to reboot DC's complex history. [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.

Xbox is asking fans to come up with ideas for a Space Jam: A New Legacy video game tie-in which will come to Xbox Game Pass in June 2021, to complement the film's release in July. The "arcade-style" video game will be built from the ideas of two lucky winners, who will have their names featured in the game's credits and receive signed LeBron James memorabilia, as well as a private screening of the new movie and an Xbox Series S console. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/08/01/space-jam-2-justin-lin-offers-sequel-update-"] You can enter the contest on the game's website here, which is worth a look just for the awesome genre mock-ups half-way down the page. Entrants will have to pick one of the pixel-art concepts to inspire their entry, which should be around 500 words and detail "the story and vision" of your ideal Space Jam arcade game. Microsoft is also setting up virtual Space Jam-themed coding workshops to help get kids into computer science. For more on Space Jam: A New Legacy, check out a detailed look at the movie's star LeBron James in his Tune Squad jersey. Space Jam: A New Legacy could be one of the Warner Bros. movies coming to HBO Max as well as theatres upon release in 2021. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

A new report has learned that a viral video of a 6 year-old child being banned from Call of Duty: Warzone was faked by the boy’s parents in an attempt to progress in a competition held by FaZe Clan. The extensive PC Gamer investigation reveals that a video clip from RowdyRogan, the young COD streamer with 95,000 followers on Twitch, in which Rogan is seen to have his Warzone account banned, was scripted by his parents. This was all part of an attempt to create a viral video of Rogan, one of the tasks set as part of FaZe Clan’s FaZe5 competition.

As some of you know, Rogan was banned from Warzone on stream tonight. The Team and us are currently trying to handle the situation and will keep you guys updated. Thank you for all the support. #FreeRogan pic.twitter.com/df1B28Fa8R

— RowdyRogan (@RowdyRogan) December 10, 2020

The talent contest-style competition sees five winners inducted into the popular esports organisation. As part of the final 20 competitors, RowdyRogan had been tasked to "try and make content that goes viral." Rogan's parents - who work as his managers - attempted to do this via a doctored livestream. The stream was edited to show a ‘permanently banned’ alert (in reality his mother had logged into his account on a different PC to cause a disconnect) and the clip then circulated on Twitter with the hashtag #FreeRogan. A ‘reveal’ video posted to RowdyRogan’s YouTube channel the following day explained how and why Rogan’s parents put together the video. "I know there are some people that aren't going to be happy when they find out this was a stunt for the FaZe5 challenge," says Rogan’s father, Harry Drew. "I also don't want to bring any more negativity towards them, Activision has done nothing wrong,” he added, in reference to an outpouring of anger from fans towards Activision for ‘banning’ Rogan. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/23/call-of-duty-warzone-review"] In a statement to PC Gamer, FaZe CEO Lee Trink said “What finalists choose to do with these tasks and how they approach each challenge is also being assessed, not just the quantitative results. A broad challenge is more emblematic of what their experience will be like in FaZe since a key goal of ours is to support our talent’s vision of their individual career.” Trink appears to offer no condemnation or support of the video. For more from Warzone, take a look at Warzone’s Rebirth Island, which will arrive as part of Season One of Black Ops Cold War. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Vin Diesel has joined developer Studio Wildcard as an Executive Producer on Ark 2, the game he also stars in. As detailed by The Hollywood Reporter, Diesel will act as the "President of Creative Convergence" at Studio Wildcard as well as playing the character Santiago, described as a "freedom fighter" who will appear in Ark 2 and Ark: The Animated Series, which was announced alongside the sequel during this year's Game Awards ceremony. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/11/ark-2-cinematic-trailer"] Diesel said in a statement that he is "excited to join the Studio Wildcard team to develop the story both in-game and in the new animated series." Studio Wildcard CEO Doug Kennedy also added that Diesel "has played 1000's of hours of Ark: Survival Evolved" and "understands the game intimately," which explains last week's surprise trailer appearance. It's worth noting that this is not Diesel's first foray into game development. The Hollywood actor founded Tigon Studios in 2002, which contributed to the development of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, Wheelman, and Fast & Furious Crossroads. For more on Ark 2, check out our article covering the game's announcement, which digs into everything you need to know from the prehistoric cinematic trailer. We reviewed Ark: Survival Evolved back in 2017, scoring it a 7.7 and touting its "great moments of battle with prehistoric beasts." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

CD Projekt has said that it didn't feel any unusual "external or internal pressure" to launch Cyberpunk 2077 on December 10, and explained that the decision not to delay the game was, at least in part, because it "definitely did not spend enough time looking" at compromised last-gen versions. The company also explains that, "in theory" it could have released the game on PC only. In an unscheduled investor call, senior members of CD Projekt were asked whether the company felt they had to release the game before 2021. SVP of business development, Michał Nowakowski replied: "I wouldn’t say that we felt any external or internal pressure to launch on the date – other than the normal pressure, which is typical for any release." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/15/cyberpunk-2077-for-xbox-one-and-playstation-4-review"] With major issues present in the base PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game, not to mention persistent bugs in upgraded last-gen, next-gen, and PC versions, many have questioned why CD Projekt Red didn't delay the game further after three previous delays (the first two of which, in particular, were celebrated by many fans for showing a dedication to creating a polished product). In fact Nowakowski seems to imply that the company simply didn't realise how broken some versions of the game were: "It is more about us looking – as was previously stated – at the PC and next-gen performance rather than current-gen. We definitely did not spend enough time looking at that." As part of the same line of questioning, the board was asked how the game passed certification on Xbox and PlayStation, which appears to come down to trust from the console companies. "In terms of the certification process and the third parties," Nowakowski explained, "this is definitely on our side. I can only assume that they trusted that we’re going to fix things upon release, and that obviously did not come together exactly as we had planned." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/10/cyberpunk-2077-looks-flat-out-bad-on-ps4-and-xbox-one-ign-daily-fix"] In a separate question, the board was asked if the company could have simply released a PC version of the game on December 10, and delayed a console release. "In pure theory, if we had decided that one day before the launch then yes; we might have released just the PC version," said Nowakowski. He went into no further detail about whetehr those discussion took place. However, Nowakowski went onto make clear that it would have been impossible to release a next-gen-only version alongside PC: "[Next-gen consoles] get a completely different version of the game, so it’s not like we could have decided at any point recently to 'flip the switch', so to say, and change the old-gen version to the next-gen version and release only on next-gens. As you have noticed, there is no native next-gen release. The game runs on next-gens and takes advantage of how next-gens are performing, but it’s not like we had a next-gen version in our hands and decided to keep it on the shelf." CD Projekt yesterday formally apologised for the below-par version of the game released on PS4 and Xbox One, and informed customers that they could apply for refunds. After receiving the console version of the game late, we've published a 4/10 review of the base console version, saying that it "fails to hit even the lowest bar of technical quality one should expect even when playing on lower-end hardware". [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.