GoT’s Benioff and Weiss Team With Rian Johnson for Netflix’s Three-Body Problem
Author Liu Cixin said of the project: "I have the greatest respect for and faith in the creative team adapting The Three-Body Problem for television audiences. I set out to tell a story that transcends time and the confines of nations, cultures and races; one that compels us to consider the fate of humankind as a whole. It is a great honor as an author to see this unique sci-fi concept travel and gain fandom across the globe and I am excited for new and existing fans all over the world to discover the story on Netflix.”
"Liu Cixin’s trilogy is the most ambitious science-fiction series we’ve read, taking readers on a journey from the 1960s until the end of time, from life on our pale blue dot to the distant fringes of the universe," said writers and exec producers Benioff and Weiss in a statement. "We look forward to spending the next years of our lives bringing this to life for audiences around the world.” “It’s a privilege to be adapting one of the great masterpieces of Chinese science-fiction," added Woo. "The Three-Body Problem trilogy combines so many things I love: rich, multi-layered characters and true existential stakes - all told as an elegant and deeply human allegory. I’m thrilled to kick off my partnership with Netflix with this accomplished creative team.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=netflix-spotlight-september-2020&captions=true"] Bernadette Caulfield rounds out the creative team as an executive producer, together with Nena Rodrigue, T-Street's President of Television, Lin Qi, Chairman of the rights-holders, and Zhao Jilong, Vice President of The Three-Body Universe. Plan B Entertainment will help to bring the literary property to the screen in conjunction with Primitive Streak's Rosamund Pike and Robie Uniacke. While you're waiting for this mind-bending new drama to hit your screens, check out everything that is new to Netflix this month to fill up your watchlist, take a look at our rundown of the biggest shows coming to streaming in the second half of the year, and discover more about the very best original movies on the streaming service to have a listen to that classic "ta-dum" sound again. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.PS5 Developers Discuss the Benefits of the SSD and 3D Audio
PS5 SSD Benefits
The majority of developers discussed the SSD - which has previously been said to be "far ahead" of high-end PC equivalents - in terms of its pure loading speed. Spider-Man: Miles Morales director Brian Horton discussed near-instant load times, fast travel, and the ability to "quickly load and display more detailed assets". While these are fairly expected answers, other developers pointed out less obvious benefits to their games. Both Demon's Souls' Gavin Moore and Hitman 3's Mattias Engström brought up the follow-on benefits of shorter loading times in their games, from making death feel (slightly) less punishing in Demon's Souls, and encouraging multiple saves and loads in Hitman 3 to encourage experimentation. Looking forwards, other developers pointed out that the future benefits of such a fast drive are hard to predict, but exciting nonetheless. Far Cry 6's lead programmer, Neil Hill pointed out that game streaming speed should mean open world design can be pushed in new directions, while Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart's Marcus Smith says the technology's speed and ability to load new locations, "fundamentally changes the rules and allows us to think about ideas and game designs that are only possible on PS5." Returnal's Ari Arnbjörnsson was more speculative: "A bit further into the next generation I’m expecting we’ll start seeing developers make more use of the not-so-obvious benefits of the SSD. This is what excites me the most! What does it mean for developers when everything can be loaded from the disk that fast? Will we even need the concept of 'levels' anymore?…. The possibilities for this tech are exciting for me as a developer, and exhilarating for me as a gamer.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"]PS5 3D Audio Benefits
The PS5's Tempest 3D AudioTech engine is harder to discuss, given that it's more experiential, but PS5 devs spoke mostly about its ability to better communicate in-game location to players, even without high-cost sound equipment. For example, Returnal director Harry Krueger explained, “3D Audio is exciting because it can create a more convincing and accurate soundscape for players, and a stronger sense of place.… in a fast-paced action game with lots of verticality like Returnal, it can also help with the player’s situational awareness, and make it more intuitive for players to pinpoint the locations of nearby enemies or incoming projectiles in the heat of combat.” Guerrilla Games' Mathijs de Jonge explained specifically how it will be used in Horizon: Forbidden West: "We’ll be able to play sounds in such a way that players will be able to locate the machines around them with greater ease, which is great for situations in which you find yourself surrounded or just want to sneak on machines." Resident Evil Village's Jun Takeuchi described the tech's benefit on horror games in particular, and its accessibility: "It’s almost as if 3D Audiotech was made specifically with horror games in mind. It used to be that in order to get that spatial audio, players would have to invest a lot of their own time and money. Now, just putting on a headset, they can get a full 3D audio experience.” This post follows a similar discussion last month, where developers explained how they'll the PS5 DualSense's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, including literally jamming the triggers in Deathloop, and allowing for different weapon effects in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. It's all very exciting, but we are still left wondering a few things - primarily the release date and price of the console, and when PS5 pre-orders will finally open. [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.Halo Infinite Concept Art Reveals New Character, Spartan Armor
Xbox Seemingly Now Openly Admitting Xbox Series S Exists Before It’s Announced
It remains to be seen when Xbox will formally announce the all-but confirmed console, although rumours point to an announcement this month. If the company is now printing public-facing materials with mention of Xbox Series S, that seems increasingly likely. Hopefully, that announcement comes alongside some of the notably missing details about the new range of Xbox consoles, such as release date, price, and Xbox Series X pre-orders. We know that Xbox Series X will be released in November, and an Xbox Series S controller leak seems to point to November 6. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] While Halo Infinite has been delayed to 2021, Xbox is still touting its launch line-up for the new new console(s), with "More than 50 new games planned for this year across generations and optimized for Xbox Series X, including Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Dirt 5, Gears Tactics, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Watch Dogs: Legion. With Smart Delivery you only have to buy these games once to play the best versions for your console, across generations." [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.I got a new controller for my Xbox since mine was broken. Interestingly enough, the Game Pass Ultimate trial code sheet mentions the unannounced @Xbox Series S. It’s definitely a thing. pic.twitter.com/GX1rOYG5g7
— Brendan (@BraviaryBrendan) August 31, 2020
Resident Evil Village Will Be Shown During Tokyo Game Show 2020 Online
The tweet also acknowledges that Capcom had previously announced that fans would receive an update on the game during August 2020 back when the game was revealed during the PS5 games conference. In other Resident Evil Village news, check out this special developer message from the game's producers to learn more details about the game. If you need a primer on the entire Resident Evil timeline ahead of the game's release, you can check out our article covering the story so far. Resident Evil Village currently has a tentative release date of 2021, and will land on PS5, Xbox Series X and PC via Steam at launch. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.Resident Evil Village will be part of Tokyo Game Show 2020 Online and Capcom's own TGS LIVE 2020!https://t.co/jXTSrLQqkI
We know that gamers were excited to learn more in August so we apologize for the delay. Stay tuned.#REVillage #ResidentEvil — Capcom Dev 1 (@dev1_official) September 1, 2020
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War PS4 Beta Release Date Leaked by CoD: WW2
The Astro A20 Gaming Headset is Xbox Series X and PS5 Cross-Compatible
Aside from those platform-specific features, the Astro A20 Gen 2 looks like a solid wireless gaming headset on paper. It is rated for up to 50 feet of wireless range and more than 15 hours of battery life, plus you can recharge it over USB-C.
The Astro A20 Gen 2 wireless gaming headset will retail for $119.99, while the Astro A20 Gen 2 USB Transmitter you’ll need to pair to a second console costs just $19.99. The headset and transmitter are slated to arrive this October – both are available for preorder now.
Bringing your old Astro Gaming headset to the PS5
On top of announcing a new wireless gaming headset, Astro also announced a new HDMI Adapter for anyone looking to port an old Astro gaming headset to the PS5. Now this solution is only necessary if your headset required optical audio in to work, which is the majority of Astro Gaming’s older lineup including the A10, A20 Gen 1, A50, and any headset that connected through the MixAmp Pro TR Gen 3 and Gen 4. The Astro HDMI Adapter itself works as a video pass-through that includes an Optical Audio Out port. Astro also promises this adapter won’t introduce any lag or affect the PS5’s ability to put out a 4K 120Hz gaming experience at all. The Astro HDMI Adapter will also release this October for $39.99. Registered Astro users can submit their serial number and email address to receive a $15 discount on Astro’s website. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspamA Short Hike Review
Hiking in the digital wilderness of A Short Hike is a reminder of the small joys of stretching your legs out on the trails. Its pixelated habitat is saturated with the familiar sights and sounds of the backcountry in real life--like the bubbling of a sluggish stream through the woods or greeting fellow hikers as they trek along the steep edges of grassy plateaus. As a young canary named Claire, one of the first characters you'll come across is a pint-sized frog at the beach in Hawk Peak Provincial Park, who's clearly struggling with building a sandcastle. Her problem, unfortunately, is that she's heaving a full-sized shovel about, a clunky tool unfit for the refined job of sand sculpting. You can hand her a toy shovel, and over time, see her modest sandcastle gradually expand into a sprawling sand empire--simply a charming, heart-swelling sight.
This is just one of the many minute scenes you'll embrace in A Short Hike, an exploration title about trudging across a park's hilly terrains and muddy routes. It's a game with a simple, singular objective: Trek towards the summit of Hawk Peak Mountain, as that's the only place with any cellphone reception. While this sounds scant, there are plenty of activities you'll need to busy yourself with in order to get to the top. You can collect seashells and sticks along the way, help other hikers out with their problems, or cast your hook into the tranquil rivers in hopes of snagging a rare fish. Doing these tend to net you some rewards, be it in the form of gold feathers--one of the most essential items in the game--or an assortment of tools and accessories. While some of these are purely cosmetic, others unlock more abilities for Claire, like the capacity to sprint, fly further, or bounce high on the island's fantastical plants.
It's tempting to see these as mere side-quests to complete, but that defeats the point of these experiences--the real reward is in enjoying the plain beauty of these mundane moments. That's by no means a narrative flaw; it's these small instances that encapsulate the grandeur of traversing through A Short Hike's large, mountainous landscapes. Interactions with fellow visitors, like following along on an anxious painter's journey to seek inspiration in nature, an elusive endeavour even in this picturesque landscape, usually culminate in heartwarming conclusions. Other encounters also make for quietly humorous anecdotes, much like a private joke you recall sharing with close friends.
Continue Reading at GameSpotA Short Hike Review
Hiking in the digital wilderness of A Short Hike is a reminder of the small joys of stretching your legs out on the trails. Its pixelated habitat is saturated with the familiar sights and sounds of the backcountry in real life--like the bubbling of a sluggish stream through the woods or greeting fellow hikers as they trek along the steep edges of grassy plateaus. As a young canary named Claire, one of the first characters you'll come across is a pint-sized frog at the beach in Hawk Peak Provincial Park, who's clearly struggling with building a sandcastle. Her problem, unfortunately, is that she's heaving a full-sized shovel about, a clunky tool unfit for the refined job of sand sculpting. You can hand her a toy shovel, and over time, see her modest sandcastle gradually expand into a sprawling sand empire--simply a charming, heart-swelling sight.
This is just one of the many minute scenes you'll embrace in A Short Hike, an exploration title about trudging across a park's hilly terrains and muddy routes. It's a game with a simple, singular objective: Trek towards the summit of Hawk Peak Mountain, as that's the only place with any cellphone reception. While this sounds scant, there are plenty of activities you'll need to busy yourself with in order to get to the top. You can collect seashells and sticks along the way, help other hikers out with their problems, or cast your hook into the tranquil rivers in hopes of snagging a rare fish. Doing these tend to net you some rewards, be it in the form of gold feathers--one of the most essential items in the game--or an assortment of tools and accessories. While some of these are purely cosmetic, others unlock more abilities for Claire, like the capacity to sprint, fly further, or bounce high on the island's fantastical plants.
It's tempting to see these as mere side-quests to complete, but that defeats the point of these experiences--the real reward is in enjoying the plain beauty of these mundane moments. That's by no means a narrative flaw; it's these small instances that encapsulate the grandeur of traversing through A Short Hike's large, mountainous landscapes. Interactions with fellow visitors, like following along on an anxious painter's journey to seek inspiration in nature, an elusive endeavour even in this picturesque landscape, usually culminate in heartwarming conclusions. Other encounters also make for quietly humorous anecdotes, much like a private joke you recall sharing with close friends.
Continue Reading at GameSpot