The Dungeons & Dragons team has announced a new community event and sourcebook called Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, both of which are set to debut this fall. The event, called D&D Celebration, will take place September 18-20, 2020, and coincide with the release of the newest published adventure, Rime of the Frostmaiden. The event will consist of multiple gameplay streams from a variety of D&D personalities - including what's being called "the largest virtual game of D&D ever played, with over 1,000 players participating in a shared story - as well as panel discussions from the D&D design team and members of the community. Tickets to participate in the "Epic" session, which is being run through the D&D Adventurer's League (the official "organized play" group), can be purchased here, with all proceeds being donated to Extra Life. Tasha's Cauldron of Everything is scheduled for release on November 17, 2020, and is a companion to 2017's Xanathar's Guide to Everything.It provides plenty of new options for players and dungeon masters alike, some of which consist of updated "official" versions of published content or playtest material previously released as Unearthed Arcana, while other content will be wholly new. "There are even more new levers that people will be able to use," said D&D's Lead Rules Designer Jeremy Crawford during a recent press briefing. "The amount of customization that's available is huge." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dd-tashas-cauldron-of-everything-covers-and-concept-art&captions=true"] Totaling 192 pages, the book has four major chapters that cover a wide variety of game options, including:

• A chapter featuring new/updated character options
  • 22 updated/officialized UA subclasses
  • 5 reprinted subclasses*
  • An updated version of the Artificer class
  • New class features (updated/imported from UA)
  • New player feats
  • New character "lineage" options that allow players to divest their character's race from their feats and ability score adjustments
• A chapter full of new spells, magic items, and high-level artifacts
• A chapter on group patrons, originally seen in the Eberron: Rising From the Last War sourcebook
• A chapter focused on tools for the DM, including...
  • Expanded sidekick rules (originally introduced in the D&D Essentials Kit)
  • Rules for running magical or supernatural environments
  • A full section of puzzles from veteran TRPG designer Elisa Teague

The most noteworthy item is probably the new "lineage" options, which allow players to adjust the features and ability modifiers traditionally associated with a character's race or species. "If a person wants to play Elfy McElferson from the PHB, they still can," Crawford laughs. "But if you want your elf to have skipped longbow training, or speak a language other than elvish and have a bonus to charisma instead of dexterity, Tasha's Cauldron is going to give you the ability to do that – and to do it very easily." This notion of divesting a character's stats from their species has long been a topic of discussion among the D&D fanbase, and whether via discussions in forums or on social media, or feedback on previous Unearthed Arcana, it seems that much of the content in TCoE is a direct result of that type of player feedback. "As I often say, our work on the game is a conversation with the community that never ends," said Crawford. "The community does such a good job of sharing with us what they want to see in this game we all love; and we go to our workshop and make sure we deliver that as best as we can." Tasha's Cauldron of everything will be available in digital and physical editions, with an alternate cover available at your local game and hobby shops. For more D&D on IGN, why not check out an exclusive unboxing of the upcoming Curse of Strahd Revamped collector's edition, or our guide to playing D&D online to maintain good social distancing (and avoid stumbling into melee attack range). [poilib element="accentDivider"] JR is a senior editor at IGN, and will definitely be using these new options to min/max the hell out of every character he rolls from now on. You can discourage this bad behavior on Twitter. [poilib element="accentDivider"] *Reprinted subclasses include: Order Domain Cleric and Circle of Spores Druid (Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica), College of Eloquence Bard and Oath of Glory Paladin (Mythic Odysseys of Theros), and the Bladesinging Wizard (Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide).

Nintendo will allegedly launch a new version of the Nintendo Switch in early 2021. According to a report from Economic Daily News (via VGC), the new version of the Switch will enter production later this year and is set to launch at retail in the first quarter of 2021. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/26/nintendo-switch-lite-review"] The report, which claims to be informed by sources in the console's supply chain, says that the new version of the Nintendo Switch will feature improved "interactivity" and a better quality display. There are no suggestions as to the power of the hardware, so it's unclear if this is a 'Pro'-like update with more powerful internals. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=15-big-nintendo-switch-games-coming-in-2020-and-4-guesses&captions=true"] Rumours of an "enhanced" Nintendo Switch began in 2019, and were sparked up again earlier this year.  Nintendo extinguished the flames by announcing that it had no plan to release a new Nintendo Switch in 2020, but said nothing about a new console in the following year. That initial Wall Street Journal report also correctly predicted the launch of the Switch Lite, so perhaps the predicted more powerful Switch may finally be set to make a real appearance next year? [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

James Gunn directs Idris Elba, Margot Robbie, John Cena, Michael Rooker, and the gang in this behind-scenes-look at the highly anticipated DC movie sequel coming out in 2021.

IGN is happy to reveal that a new game in the Wonder Boy series, Wonder Boy - Asha in Monster World, has been announced with members of the original development team behind the wheel.

A full reveal with gameplay is set to arrive later this week during the gamescom Awesome Indies showcase, which kicks off at 10am Pacific Time on Saturday, August 29 right here on IGN. In the meantime, you can see a sneak peek at some key art below, with more details about Wonder Boy - Asha in Monster World under that.

This next entry in the Wonder Boy series stars the titular Asha, the protagonist of 1994’s Wonder Boy IV. She is assisted by her flying, blue Pepelogoo (a creature also originally from Wonder Boy IV), and together the two of them must set off to save the world – what exactly is threatening it, however, we don’t know quite yet. Excitingly, this will be the first game in the history of the series to be fully voiced, with the announcement describing Asha and other characters as “lively and talkative.”

Wonder Boy - Asha in Monster World is being developed by STUDIOARTDINK alongside ININ Games, with members of the original Wonder Boy creative team at the helm. That includes series creator Ryuichi Nishizawa (who has returned to lead and direct this new game), original composer Shinichi Sakamoto (who will be producing the game’s sounds, this time around), character designer Maki Ōzora, and creative manager Takanori Kurihara.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/04/18/wonder-boy-the-dragons-trap-review"]

The long-awaited sequel arrives after the success of 2017’s Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap (a remake of 1989’s Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap), as well as the 2018 follow-up to the series, Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom. Wonder Boy - Asha in Monster World is set to release on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch at the beginning of 2021.

A Wonder Boy teaser site is currently live with a link for a mailing list, but more information and first gameplay will be revealed during the gamescom Awesome Indies showcase on August 29. You can watch gamescom Awesome Indies live starting at 10am Pacific Time right here on IGN, and follow all of our gamescom 2020 coverage here.

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Tom Marks is IGN's Deputy Reviews Editor and resident pie maker. You can follow him on Twitter.

Sega has announced when we'll be able to play the next Yakuza game. Yakuza: Like a Dragon releases on November 13. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/24/yakuza-like-a-dragon-how-will-you-rise-trailer"] That November 13 release date applies to the Xbox One, PS4, and PC platforms. It's also promised as a day 1 release for Xbox Series X, but without a release date for the console it's unclear when the next-gen version of Yakuza: Like a Dragon will be available. A tweet from developer RGG Studio does state 'Nov', though, so looks like the Xbox Series X is definitely coming in November. The next-gen version is also set to release on PS5, but is listed only as "coming soon". It's unclear how much longer the wait for that version is, but we do know that a cross-buy system means that if you do buy the PS4 version, it will be upgraded to the PS5 version should you make the leap to next-gen. The same also applies to the Xbox One / Series X version, too. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=yakuza-like-a-dragon-comic-conhome-screenshots&captions=true"] During Comic-Con earlier this year we learned about the English dub of the game, meaning Like a Dragon will be the first mainline Yakuza game to feature English language voice acting since the original in 2005. Among the English cast is legendary actor George Takei. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

The critically acclaimed Cuphead is easily one of the best platformers of the past few years, but its distinctive art style makes it a natural fit for other media as well. Dark Horse Comics has already published one Cuphead graphic novel, and a second volume is on the way next year. IGN can exclusively debut several pages of gorgeous art from Cuphead Vol. 2: Cartoon Chronicles & Calamities. Check them out in the slideshow gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cuphead-exclusive-preview-of-dark-horses-cartoon-chronicles-calamities&captions=true"] Cuphead Vol. 2: Cartoon Chronicles & Calamities is again written by Zack Keller and drawn by Shawn Dickinson. Here's Dark Horse's official description for the book:

Our plucky heroes return in this brand-new collection of adventures starring Cuphead, Mugman, and now Ms. Chalice! The trio can't seem to catch a break as they find themselves in a plethora of peculiar positions and side stories in the all-cartoon magical wonderworld of the Inkwell Isles! This original graphic novel features fresh new tales, all authentically drawn to match the glorious, award-winning vintage animation style of Cuphead!

Cuphead Vol. 2 is priced at $10.99 and will be released on March 2, 2021. You can pre-order the book on Amazon. Dark Horse continues to release lavish hardcover art books geared toward various iconic video game franchises. IGN recently debuted the cover to The Art of Halo Infinite and several pages from The World of Cyberpunk 2077. You can also watch an unboxing of both the regular and deluxe editions of The World of Cyberpunk 2077 in the video below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/24/the-world-of-cyberpunk-2077-artbook-is-packed-with-lore"] [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.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will mix Prince of Persia-like stealth action, feature a branching narrative, and expand on the hints given by J.R.R. Tolkien about the Stoor-formerly-known-as-Sméagol to create a brand new Lord of the Rings story that aims to fit alongside the books. Daedelic still isn't showing off gameplay footage of its 2021 next-gen stealth project, but the game's developers spoke exclusively to IGN about Gollum's mixture of stealth-action and interactive narrative gameplay, how they're expanding on Tolkien's original fiction, how they tried to create a version of the character you actually want to spend time with, and more. We can also reveal a first CG teaser trailer, giving you a better look at this take on Gollum, and the Mordor he finds himself stranded in. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/21/the-lord-of-the-rings-gollum-teaser-trailer"]

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum's Stealth Gameplay

Gollum will be a game broadly spent in two distinct states - either stealthily making your way past the various hulking threats living in Mordor, and making narrative chocies as the warring personalities of Sméagol and Gollum fight for control. The former should be familiar to many: "The game mixes stealth with vertical climbing parkour," explains lead game designer Martin Wilkes. "If you want a reference you might think of it as similar to Prince of Persia. It is mostly a non-combat game, but Gollum will be able to stealthily take out enemies. However, this will not be easy and always come with big risks. We want players to carefully weigh these encounters. After all, Gollum’s strengths lie in cunning not combat." That focus on cunning over combat means you won't be directly taking on enemies - instead you'll be relying on scavenged items, environmental hazards, and even newfound friends for help. Wilkes continues: "Gollum doesn’t use weapons, but he can distract enemies with throwables. In parts of the game, he will also profit from the abilities of special allies and can use the environment to his advantage." That mention of "special allies" is interesting - will we meet familiar characters along the way? "You will!" says lead narrative designer Tilman Schanen. "We cannot wait to talk about this but it's still a bit early for that. Keeping in mind the scope and timeline of our narrative, we have to closely consider who Gollum would even be able to meet, where, and when. This means that for the most part, they will play smaller - but in some cases very significant - roles in the story."

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum's Narrative Gameplay

Between those stealth sections, Gollum will be forced to make decisions and dialogue choices, choosing from responses proposed by both his gentler Sméagol personality, and the Gollum psyche that emerged after he was corrupted by the One Ring. So, do those decisions mean there's a branching narrative to play through? "There is," explains Schanen. "Also, the decisions you make affect the way the game feels. You always either play as Sméagol or as Gollum as the 'dominant' persona and that can influence animations, soundscapes, certain gameplay situations, and in-game dialogue." Daedelic's quick to make clear that it won't be changing the source material - this is a prequel to the Lord of the Rings books, meaning Gollum has to reach a set place by the end of the game, but the journey there can change: "We naturally stay within certain limits," Schanen continues. "It won’t be like you’re going to end up destroying Middle-earth because you never made a Sméagol choice. In the end, of course, Gollum's fate is pretty much determined by the books. But your decisions can and will have effects, for example, for other NPCs in the game. Some decisions will have a bigger impact, others very little. Just as in real life." Wilkes adds that it's "sort of" a morality system as seen in other narrative-focused titles (although we won't see any physical changes in the character, a la Fable), "but a bit more twisted than in most other games. It's not as simple as, 'Choose Sméagol to be good, choose Gollum to be evil'. Our first rule is to stay true to the character (or our interpretation of him at least). Since you play two personalities in one character, choosing sides will give you some control. But it's more like maneuvering a truck with two flat tires and trying not to drive it off a cliff."

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum's Level Design and Structure

Middle-earth is a huge place, and we've seen other games adapt it as an open world, but Gollum will take a slightly more curated approach. "The game is, for the most part, structured in sets of levels and hubs," Wilkes explains. "When Gollum arrives at a new location the places where he can go from that hub are limited until he either works his way in (for example, the prisons of the Dark Tower), finds secret passages or information, or manages to scheme his way into otherwise restricted areas. "Some levels are completely open in all three dimensions and can be explored freely, while others are more linear but often with alternative routes where players can, for example, decide if they rather sneak around some guards or take a risky parkour route in vertiginous heights to pass the next segment." The idea seems to be to balance player choice with allowing for satisfying puzzle solving and perhaps even platforming, with Wilkes saying that, "Verticality plays a big role in our levels, and the outstanding climbing skills of our main character not only provide us with epic views but also really open up this dimension for the players from a gameplay perspective." As for the look of the world itself, Daedelic's environments are in part inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's own drawings, but without straying too far from expectations of what Middle-earth should look like because of the film series: "Peter Jackson’s movies are fantastic but our game is based on the original book license," says Wilkes. "The source material for both is, of course, largely the same. Our world follows the same descriptions and is also in parts inspired by the same artworks as were the movies. Their influence on popular culture has been tremendous, so we have to be mindful of players who might only know Middle-earth from the two film trilogies." Art director Mathias Fischer adds, "Our approach is therefore to create a unique and distinctive style but at the same time not deviate entirely from the iconic shapes that are familiar from the movies. Sauron's Dark Tower will still look like a tower and not like a broad fortress, even if the books would allow such interpretation."

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum's Story

So what are we doing all of this stealthing and inner warring for? We knew previously that the game would be set in the relatively unexplored time period before we meet Gollum in the Lord of the Rings books, and now we know how this new story begins, with Schanen explaining: "We start our story parallel to the first book when Frodo is still in the Shire and knows nothing about anything. Gollum at that time ventures to Mordor still desperately looking for Bilbo Baggins and the Ring. Unfortunately, he gets caught by Sauron’s servants and this is basically where our story begins. "Gollum’s overall goal in the game?" adds Wilkes. "Well, that’s a bit more complicated. Obviously, Gollum wants to escape his captors and retake the Ring (and hopefully get his hands on some nice fish along the way). After some time, though, the Sméagol-side causes trouble and distractions and opens up new, conflicting goals that we cannot talk about yet." The Daedelic team says they've worked closely with Middle-earth Enterprises in order to stay respectful to Tolkien's work (a process that has apparently been "an absolute pleasure"), but they're having to create their own story as they go simply due to a lack of direct source material: "We follow Tolkien's story quite strictly and only take some freedom for purposes of gamification or sometimes simplification," says Schanen. "Tolkien doesn't describe Gollum's story before he appears in the book in great detail. So mainly, we draw from small notes in the appendices and second-hand reports from characters like Gandalf. Since we need to fill in many gaps, it gives us quite a bit of creative freedom to pursue our narrative vision. "At the same time, we would have never gotten the chance to work on this project if that vision would not be in tune with the source material. Think of it like taking a few verses from the bible and extending them to a novel without changing the overall narrative." And what of Gollum himself? As many pointed out after the first screenshots emerged, the character looks like a slightly more wide-eyed take on the version Andy Serkis made famous. As it turns out, that's more or less the point. Fischer explains the goal with the design of their anti-hero: "With Gollum himself, our goal is to make him more relatable, as players have to be able to slip into his skin for the course of an entire game. That's why our Gollum looks less creepy (and has more hair) than the movie version." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=lord-of-the-rings-gollum-11-screenshots&captions=true"] The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will come to PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2021 [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.

Barry Keoghan, star of Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk and Marvel's Phase 4 film The Eternals, has been cast as Officer Stanley Merkel in Matt Reeves' The Batman. Warner Bros. revealed the new addition to the cast in the official video description for The Batman trailer, which recently debuted at the virtual DC FanDome event to offer fans an extended first look at the 2021 reboot. Keoghan is listed as playing an officer in the Gotham City Police Department. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/23/the-batman-trailer-dc-fandome-official-footage"] In the comics, Stan Merkel was featured as James Gordon's first partner in crime before later being killed off in the pages of Batman: Dark Victory. The character became the Hangman's sixth victim after he was found dead at the hands of Sofia Falcone on St. Patrick's Day. Keoghan has officially signed on for the role opposite Jeffrey Wright, who is portraying GCPD's James Gordon in the highly-anticipated DC film. The Irish actor previously boarded Marvel's The Eternals, which means this announcement marks the second comic book movie role for the standout Dunkirk star. He joins an ensemble cast that includes Robert Pattinson as Batman, Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Colin Farrell as Penguin, Paul Dano as Riddler, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and John Turturro as Carmine Falcone. The cast also includes Peter Sarsgaard and Jayme Lawson. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-batman-official-trailer-1-stills&captions=true"] During DC FanDome, fans were given a closer look at Robert Pattinson's darker, dishevelled Dark Knight as the first official footage was released for Reeves' Batman reboot, which is said to take place during "year two" of Batman's career (while Reeves' Gotham PD prequel series for HBO Max will take place in "year one.") There's also some new evidence in the trailer that the movie will not be set in the 1990s as previously speculated. The Batman is currently slated for an October 1, 2021 release date. However, the film is currently only around 25% complete, according to Reeves, as production has faced multiple setbacks and delays due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. While awaiting its release, fans have been left with plenty to analyse, especially after DC FanDome's recent wave of announcements and reveals. In fact, The Batman trailer's riddle might have already have been solved. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

The Batman fans might have already have solved The Riddler's coded message that was glimpsed in the film's first trailer at the DC FanDome event. Twitter user Andrew Lane was amongst the first to put pen to paper on the riddle, which was presented inside a card, left behind at a murder scene being investigated by GCPD's Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) in the trailer. One side of the card appears to ask the question, "what does a liar do when he's dead?" while the opposite side of the card challenges the recipient to decipher a coded sentence of symbols.

So hyped for Matt Reeve’s Batman Movie, I decided to solve The Riddler’s code. #TheBatman pic.twitter.com/vsxVxucedv

— Andrew Lane (@TheMasterD101) August 23, 2020

"He lies still," is the answer, according to the fan who worked to crack the code. Lane shared his methodology below the original tweet, explaining how he analysed the symbols to find recurring ones and then started to substitute those with the most commonly used letters. Game designer Mike Selinker reached the same conclusion when he tried to solve the puzzle by "brute force."

In the new #TheBatmanTrailer, the Riddler leaves a card with the question “What does a liar do when he’s dead?” I could just solve it like a riddle (and did), but it’s a good opportunity to show how to solve a puzzle by brute force, so you’re sure of the answer. Here goes. (1/12) pic.twitter.com/sHveBmU2Pt

— Mike Selinker (@mikeselinker) August 23, 2020

His Twitter thread details the lengthy process of unravelling the secret message, revealing a similar process of elimination for decrypting the sentence. However, the meaning behind that sentence still appears to be unclear. "He lies still" is a double entendre because the word "lies" can relate to an individual being in a resting position or a person giving an intentionally false statement. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/23/the-batman-trailer-breakdown-riddler-penguin-catwoman-and-no-more-lies-explained"] Despite not making an official appearance on screen in the new footage, Paul Dano's Edward Nashton (AKA the Riddler) seems to be one of the main villain's in Matt Reeves' The Batman, though it is not yet known whether he will turn out to be the masked killer from the trailer or whether he will simply serve as an obstacle in the Dark Knight's quest to bring the true enemy to justice. We've examined all of the evidence of The Riddler as friend or foe as part of our roundup of DC FanDome's biggest announcements and reveals. For even more Bat-coverage, feast your eyes on the first images from The Batman, The Batman's new logo and this sweet Jim Lee artwork, get the latest on when The Batman will resume filming, and learn about the GCPD spin-off series coming to HBO Max. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-batman-official-trailer-1-stills&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Cyberpunk 2077 will feature Free DLC as well as paid expansions, CD Projekt Red has revealed. The Polish developer replied to a fan on Twitter, who asked about the potential for Cyberpunk 2077 to have "free DLC" like The Witcher 3, which offered an entire roadmap of free content to support the game beyond its initial launch. Responding in kind, CD Projekt Red replied with a gif of the Kool-Aid Man spouting his famous catchphrase.

pic.twitter.com/y5PNLf3nIR

— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) August 22, 2020

Beyond the free DLC, it was previously confirmed back in April of 2020 that Cyberpunk 2077 will feature paid expansions of similar size to those that were available for The Witcher 3, such as Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. There will be more than just DLC available to complement and flesh out the world of Cyberpunk 2077 - a comic book series based on the game's Trauma Team is on its way from publisher Dark Horse Comics. You can check out the full broadcast of Night City Wire Episode 2 to catch up on all of the latest news about Cyberpunk 2077. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cyberpunk-2077-june-2020-screenshots&captions=true"] In other CD Projekt Red news, a 12" Geralt of Rivia action figure clutching a wreath of Harpy heads was recently revealed by McFarlane Toys. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.