GameStop and Microsoft have entered into a new, multi-year partnership. What does it mean for customers? Not a whole lot, actually as the partnership appears to primarily impact GameStop’s back-end, transferring over GameStop systems over to Microsoft’s 365 cloud solutions. In a joint announcement, GameStop and Microsft announced a new multi-year partnership that will mostly see GameStop’s back-end solutions move over to Microsoft’s programs like Microsoft 365. This basically means GameStop stores will adopt Microsoft programs to help run business operations like sales and inventory, and store employees will use Microsoft 365 and Teams to communicate. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] Stores will also get Microsoft Surface devices for store managers to use. Having worked retail, I’m sure the Surface devices will be an improvement over the standard retail computer systems. GameStop also confirmed that it will carry the Xbox All Access payment plan that lets customers purchase an Xbox Series X for $34.99 a month for 24 months. This isn’t particularly news as Microsoft announced GameStop would be an All Access retail partner back in September, along with Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. So no, GameStop’s 5,000 retail locations are not being converted to Microsoft Stores. In fact, most customers will likely not find any immediate impact from the news other than perhaps seeing more Microsoft Surface devices at store locations. Considering Microsoft closed all of its own retail stores earlier this year, it appears that Microsoft’s strategy is to integrate its popular cloud software into existing retailers while selling its devices through partners and online. For more on the upcoming Xbox Series X, check out IGN's Xbox Series X guide with specs, pricing, launch games, and more details. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

GameStop and Microsoft have entered into a new, multi-year partnership. What does it mean for customers? Not a whole lot, actually as the partnership appears to primarily impact GameStop’s back-end, transferring over GameStop systems over to Microsoft’s 365 cloud solutions. In a joint announcement, GameStop and Microsft announced a new multi-year partnership that will mostly see GameStop’s back-end solutions move over to Microsoft’s programs like Microsoft 365. This basically means GameStop stores will adopt Microsoft programs to help run business operations like sales and inventory, and store employees will use Microsoft 365 and Teams to communicate. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] Stores will also get Microsoft Surface devices for store managers to use. Having worked retail, I’m sure the Surface devices will be an improvement over the standard retail computer systems. GameStop also confirmed that it will carry the Xbox All Access payment plan that lets customers purchase an Xbox Series X for $34.99 a month for 24 months. This isn’t particularly news as Microsoft announced GameStop would be an All Access retail partner back in September, along with Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. So no, GameStop’s 5,000 retail locations are not being converted to Microsoft Stores. In fact, most customers will likely not find any immediate impact from the news other than perhaps seeing more Microsoft Surface devices at store locations. Considering Microsoft closed all of its own retail stores earlier this year, it appears that Microsoft’s strategy is to integrate its popular cloud software into existing retailers while selling its devices through partners and online. For more on the upcoming Xbox Series X, check out IGN's Xbox Series X guide with specs, pricing, launch games, and more details. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Epic Games has announced a new Human-Machine Interface (HMI) initiative that will enable the creation of automotive infotainment and digital cockpit experiences. Furthermore, it was revealed that General Motors' soon-to-be-revealed GMC Hummer EV will be the first vehicle to use Unreal Engine in its digital cockpit, with more information coming on October 20, 2020. This new technology, which you can see in the video below, will enable designers, artists, and developers to work directly on the project that is deployed to the vehicle. It will allow for "beautiful, interactive visuals" using its advanced scalable renderer and even downloadable content like a Rocket League pack that will change your virtual car and look of the UI to match the ever-popular game. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/08/unreal-engine-hmi-initiative-automotive"] Epic has created new Unreal Engine alliances with HMI technolgy leaders, including BlackBerry QNX, Mapbox, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Siili Auto, and Vectorform, which will make it "easier for automotive companies to work more efficiently when building in-vehicle experiences." “We have a dedicated team of artists and engineers who have been working to support new features for HMI. We’re thrilled that the GMC HUMMER EV will be the first vehicle to use Unreal Engine in its digital cockpit, marking an exciting partnership in building next-generation experiences on embedded systems,” said François Antoine, Director of HMI and Embedded Systems, Epic Games. “As we move towards level five vehicle autonomy, in-car infotainment systems will become more and more relevant to influencing consumer purchase decisions, and Unreal Engine will bring new levels of flexibility, interactivity and visual fidelity to these next generation systems.” The Unreal Engine will provide many benefits for a design driven development, including support for version control, visual scripting via Blueprints, and direct access to a C++ codebase that enables more functionality to be exposed. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=unreal-engine-hmi-initiative-screenshots&captions=true"] Epic states that many automotive companies are already using Unreal Engine for car configurations and marketing operations, and these existing projects, assets, and pipeline can "be reused with little effort for HMI systems, only requiring mobile optimization of assets." [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.

Epic Games has announced a new Human-Machine Interface (HMI) initiative that will enable the creation of automotive infotainment and digital cockpit experiences. Furthermore, it was revealed that General Motors' soon-to-be-revealed GMC Hummer EV will be the first vehicle to use Unreal Engine in its digital cockpit, with more information coming on October 20, 2020. This new technology, which you can see in the video below, will enable designers, artists, and developers to work directly on the project that is deployed to the vehicle. It will allow for "beautiful, interactive visuals" using its advanced scalable renderer and even downloadable content like a Rocket League pack that will change your virtual car and look of the UI to match the ever-popular game. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/08/unreal-engine-hmi-initiative-automotive"] Epic has created new Unreal Engine alliances with HMI technolgy leaders, including BlackBerry QNX, Mapbox, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Siili Auto, and Vectorform, which will make it "easier for automotive companies to work more efficiently when building in-vehicle experiences." “We have a dedicated team of artists and engineers who have been working to support new features for HMI. We’re thrilled that the GMC HUMMER EV will be the first vehicle to use Unreal Engine in its digital cockpit, marking an exciting partnership in building next-generation experiences on embedded systems,” said François Antoine, Director of HMI and Embedded Systems, Epic Games. “As we move towards level five vehicle autonomy, in-car infotainment systems will become more and more relevant to influencing consumer purchase decisions, and Unreal Engine will bring new levels of flexibility, interactivity and visual fidelity to these next generation systems.” The Unreal Engine will provide many benefits for a design driven development, including support for version control, visual scripting via Blueprints, and direct access to a C++ codebase that enables more functionality to be exposed. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=unreal-engine-hmi-initiative-screenshots&captions=true"] Epic states that many automotive companies are already using Unreal Engine for car configurations and marketing operations, and these existing projects, assets, and pipeline can "be reused with little effort for HMI systems, only requiring mobile optimization of assets." [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.

The upcoming Spider-Man starring Tom Holland will be getting a little stranger. Which is to say Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange will be joining the cast of Spider-Man 3 in what’s described as a "mentor role" for Holland’s Spider-Man. The Hollywood Reporter says the sorcerer supreme will join the next Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland in a mentor role. Similar to the roles Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury played in the first and second Holland Spider-Man movie, respectively. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-phases-1-3-the-mcus-infinity-saga-ranked&captions=true"] Doctor Strange and Spider-Man previously interacted with each other in Avengers: Infinity War and there was some comedic chemistry between the two. Though the relationship could change with a new mentor dynamic. The upcoming Spider-Man film previously made shocking casting announcements when Jamie Foxx confirmed he is returning as the villain Electro. Foxx played the character in 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 which starred Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker, though he'll apparently look different from his previous appearance. Perhaps Doctor Strange will help unite the two cinematic universes? The return of Foxx's Electro has already fueled speculation that Marvel is building towards a "spider-verse" storyline, which is where multiple different Spider-Man universes collide and crossover. Basically recall the different Spider-people converging in the animated hit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Doctor Strange's ability to traverse the Multiverse would seem like a really convenient way to set this up. Cumberbatch is already slated to appear in a second Doctor Strange movie titled Multiverse of Madness directed by Sam Raimi. Raimi is taking over for Scott Derrickson, who directed the first Doctor Strange film. The third Spider-Man film starring Holland will be directed by Jon Watts, the director behind Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home. Both the new Spider-Man and Doctor Strange are scheduled to start filming this year. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

The upcoming Spider-Man starring Tom Holland will be getting a little stranger. Which is to say Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange will be joining the cast of Spider-Man 3 in what’s described as a "mentor role" for Holland’s Spider-Man. The Hollywood Reporter says the sorcerer supreme will join the next Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland in a mentor role. Similar to the roles Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury played in the first and second Holland Spider-Man movie, respectively. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-phases-1-3-the-mcus-infinity-saga-ranked&captions=true"] Doctor Strange and Spider-Man previously interacted with each other in Avengers: Infinity War and there was some comedic chemistry between the two. Though the relationship could change with a new mentor dynamic. The upcoming Spider-Man film previously made shocking casting announcements when Jamie Foxx confirmed he is returning as the villain Electro. Foxx played the character in 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2 which starred Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker, though he'll apparently look different from his previous appearance. Perhaps Doctor Strange will help unite the two cinematic universes? The return of Foxx's Electro has already fueled speculation that Marvel is building towards a "spider-verse" storyline, which is where multiple different Spider-Man universes collide and crossover. Basically recall the different Spider-people converging in the animated hit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Doctor Strange's ability to traverse the Multiverse would seem like a really convenient way to set this up. Cumberbatch is already slated to appear in a second Doctor Strange movie titled Multiverse of Madness directed by Sam Raimi. Raimi is taking over for Scott Derrickson, who directed the first Doctor Strange film. The third Spider-Man film starring Holland will be directed by Jon Watts, the director behind Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home. Both the new Spider-Man and Doctor Strange are scheduled to start filming this year. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

The Addams Family 2 will release in theaters exactly one year from now on October 8, 2021 with Bill Hader joining the cast. Hader will play a new character named Cyrus and Euphoria actor Javon Walton has been cast as Pugsley. The original movie's cast, Charlize Theron, Oscar Isaac, Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Kroll, Bette Midler and Snoop Dogg, are all confirmed to return along with director Greg Tiernan. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/08/the-addams-family-2-announcement-trailer"] “The success of last year’s animated film was proof of the enduring legacy of The Addams Family and its ability to transcend popular culture," Tiernan said in a press release. "This second film will be every bit as fun as the original. We are thrilled to welcome Bill Hader and Javon Walton, and to welcome back our incredible original cast for this exciting next chapter in the Addams’s journey.” The movie studio behind the sequel has also opened a casting call for an unannounced character. Anybody can submit their voices to AddamsVoiceChallenge.com to be in the movie and receive $2,000. Only people from the USA can enter and must speak English. The original movie was released in 2019 and tapped out at about $200 million at the box office, according to The Numbers. IGN's review of The Addams Family called it, "the perfect Halloween treat for film fans young and old" and awarded the movie an 8 out of 10. All movie releases are up in the air due to COVID-19, but as of now The Addams Family 2 will open one week after Dune and a week before Halloween Kills and Ridley Scott's The Last Duel.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN who will now have the Addams Family theme stuck in his head for the unforeseeable future.

The Addams Family 2 will release in theaters exactly one year from now on October 8, 2021 with Bill Hader joining the cast. Hader will play a new character named Cyrus and Euphoria actor Javon Walton has been cast as Pugsley. The original movie's cast, Charlize Theron, Oscar Isaac, Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Kroll, Bette Midler and Snoop Dogg, are all confirmed to return along with director Greg Tiernan. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/08/the-addams-family-2-announcement-trailer"] “The success of last year’s animated film was proof of the enduring legacy of The Addams Family and its ability to transcend popular culture," Tiernan said in a press release. "This second film will be every bit as fun as the original. We are thrilled to welcome Bill Hader and Javon Walton, and to welcome back our incredible original cast for this exciting next chapter in the Addams’s journey.” The movie studio behind the sequel has also opened a casting call for an unannounced character. Anybody can submit their voices to AddamsVoiceChallenge.com to be in the movie and receive $2,000. Only people from the USA can enter and must speak English. The original movie was released in 2019 and tapped out at about $200 million at the box office, according to The Numbers. IGN's review of The Addams Family called it, "the perfect Halloween treat for film fans young and old" and awarded the movie an 8 out of 10. All movie releases are up in the air due to COVID-19, but as of now The Addams Family 2 will open one week after Dune and a week before Halloween Kills and Ridley Scott's The Last Duel.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN who will now have the Addams Family theme stuck in his head for the unforeseeable future.

Fall Guys Season 2 launched today and, to celebrate, IGN has worked with Mediatonic to create an official Fall Guys Instagram AR filter. Of course, we all know what's actually inside a Fall Guy, but it's nice to pretend that, with a bit of know-how and a massive costume, you yourself could become one of the beans we've come to love so much. And now you can, simply by clicking here on your mobile device of choice. Here's the filter being used by Fall Guys Community Manager / Spicy Leaker Oliver Hindle: If you beanify yourself, make sure to tag IGN on Instagram and Twitter, as well as the Fall Guys account itself - we'll be sharing our favourites. If you haven't checked out Season 2 just yet, we've published gameplay of the new events, and even revealed one of them - Knight Fever. And as if that wasn't enough, we went and found out how Knight Fever was made, too. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Star Trek: Voyager's Kate Mulgrew will return as Captain Kathryn Janeway in Nickelodeon’s upcoming animated series Star Trek: Prodigy. The casting news was revealed today during the Star Trek Universe panel at NYCC, where the opening scene from Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 was also unveiled. For more on that virtual event, be sure to check out the NYCC 2020 panels we're most excited about. No word yet on who else will appear in the series, though it will likely be mostly new characters considering the premise of the show which is being developed by Emmy Award winners Kevin and Dan Hageman (Trollhunters, Ninjago). According to CBS, "Star Trek: Prodigy follows a group of lawless teens who discover a derelict Starfleet ship and use it to search for adventure, meaning, and salvation." The CG-animated series will debut exclusively on Nickelodeon in 2021. [caption id="attachment_241954" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway[/caption] On returning to the role, Kate Mulgrew said the following: “I have invested every scintilla of my being in Captain Janeway, and I can’t wait to endow her with nuance that I never did before in Star Trek: Prodigy. How thrilling to be able to introduce to these young minds an idea that has elevated the world for decades. To be at the helm again is going to be deeply gratifying in a new way for me.” Janeway is the second main cast member from Star Trek: Voyager to return in the CBS All Access era of Trek, following on the heels of Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine, who was a recurring player in Star Trek: Picard Season 1. Voyager ran for seven seasons from 1995 to 2001, with the series culminating with Captain Janeway successfully getting her ship and crew back to Earth after being lost in the far side of the galaxy. Mulgrew reprised her role in 2002 for a cameo in the final Next Generation movie, Star Trek: Nemesis, where she was now Captain Picard's boss, having been promoted to Vice Admiral! While the press release from CBS today regarding Star Trek: Prodigy refers to Janeway as a captain, we'll have to tune in next year to see if her promotion stuck or not. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nycc-2020-13-panels-were-most-excited-about&captions=true"] It remains to be seen if Mulgrew will be a regular cast member on Prodigy or more of a mentor figure who pops in and out in episodes here or there. Whatever the case, it's clear that the current era of Star Trek has no qualms now about embracing the franchise's past.