Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries has addressed some of the biggest concerns following its Xbox Games Showcase reveal, including graphics, if there will be a multiplayer beta, and how the game will handle microtransactions. The answers to these questions and more were discussed on Halo Waypoint, and 343 came right out and acknowledged the feedback, both good and bad, that followed Halo Infinite's campaign gameplay reveal, beginning with the graphics. Community manager John Junyszek explained that there are "two key areas being debated around the community – overall art style and visual fidelity." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/23/halo-infinite-9-minutes-of-campaign-gameplay"]

"Based on our learnings from Halo 4, Halo 5, and Halo Wars 2 – along with strong community feedback – we decided to shift back towards the legacy aesthetics that defined the original trilogy. With Halo Infinite, we’re returning to a more ‘classic’ art style which was a key message going back to the very first reveal that garnered enthusiastic and positive responses. This translates to a more vibrant palette, “cleaner” models and objects with less “noise”, though it doesn’t mean less detail. While we appreciate this may not be everyone’s personal preference, we stand by this decision and are happy to see it resonating with so many fans around the world." "The second theme being discussed involves visual fidelity. Negative feedback in this area includes comments around characters and objects appearing flat, simplistic and plastic-like, lighting feeling dull and flat, and object pop-in. We’ve read your comments, we’ve seen the homemade examples of retouched content, and yes we’ve heard the Digital Foundry assessments. In many ways we are in agreement here – we do have work to do to address some of these areas and raise the level of fidelity and overall presentation for the final game. The build used to run the campaign demo was work-in-progress from several weeks ago with a variety of graphical elements and game systems still being finished and polished. While some of the feedback was expected and speaks to areas already in progress, other aspects of the feedback have brought new opportunities and considerations to light that the team is taking very seriously and working to assess. We don’t have firm answers or outcomes to share yet but the team is working as quickly as possible on plans to address some of the feedback around detail, clarity, and overall fidelity. The team is committed and focused on making sure we have a beautiful world for players to explore when we launch."

As for the Multiplayer Beta / Flighting, Junyszek reiterated what 343 head Chris Lee stated last week, saying their plans for a multiplayer beta have been impacted "in large part due to the challenges of working from home during the COVID-19." 343 is not sure a Beta will end up happening, but it is hoping "to have an opportunity for broader hands-on before release." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=halo-infinite-xbox-games-showcase-gameplay-reveal-screenshots&captions=true"] Microtransactions in Halo Infinite were confirmed back in 2018, but Junyszek reassured fans that Halo Infinite "will not include real-money loot boxes." This should come as a relief, especially considering the level of player customization that will be part of Halo Infinite. As Junyszek said, "If you liked the level of armor customization options in Halo: Reach, you will be pleased." There were many other smaller details in this Infinite Inquires post, including the reduction of Kill Barriers and "Return to Battlefield" zones in the campaign to encourage exploration in Halo Infinite's open world, and confirmation that the Battle Rifle (BR75) will be making a return. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/23/halo-infinite-step-inside-cinematic-teaser"] Additionally, the new grapple hook will make its way to multiplayer, but will function a bit differently and will be available as an item that can be picked up on the battlefield. Halo Infinite will be released on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC in Holiday 2020. For more on the latest Halo game, be sure to check out more details on its villain and story, why there won't be a Halo Infinite 2, and why Halo Infinite will be a perfect jumping on point for new players. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/23/the-complete-halo-saga-in-22-minutes"] [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.

Amazon's upcoming Lord of the Rings streaming series will purportedly include three classic characters previously depicted in the Peter Jackson-directed films. According to a tweet from TheOneRing.Net, Sauron, Galadriel and Elrond will appear on Amazon's Lord of the Rings series. Earlier reports pegged Morfydd Clark as playing the role of the young Galadriel, one of the great Elves of Middle-earth, portrayed by Cate Blanchett in the Peter Jackson movies. Hugo Weaving played Elrond, Lord of Rivendell, in those films. The villainous Sauron was played in humanoid form by Sala Baker, while Alan Howard voiced the antagonist in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Sauron, disguised as Necromancer, appeared in the Hobbit movies where he was played by Benedict Cumberbatch. The super-expensive show already has a multi-season commitment from Amazon. Production had begun earlier this year in New Zealand before shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Filming reportedly aims to resume in September. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/19/amazons-lord-of-the-rings-the-second-age-explained"] Amazon's Lord of the Rings takes place during Middle-earth's Second Age, a period only briefly seen in the Lord of the Rings movies. In our extensive breakdown of the Second Age, we said the setting "spans a long period of time in between the banishment of Morgoth (the original Dark Lord) and the first defeat of his servant Sauron. The Second Age is defined by key events like the rise and fall of the kingdom of Númenor, the creation of the Rings of Power and the formation of the Last Alliance that temporarily saved the world from Sauron's wrath." The long-lived, half-elven Elrond was the captain and herald of Gil-Galad, the High King of the Ñoldor, during the Second Age. During this time, Elrond fought in the War of the Last Alliance, which saw Men and Elves battling against Sauron. These events were depicted in Jackson's Fellowship of the Ring. In addition to Morfydd Clark as young Galadriel, Amazon's Lord of the Rings series cast includes Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Nazanin Boniadi, Tom Budge, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers, and Daniel Weyman. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=amazons-the-lord-of-the-rings-every-confirmed-actor&captions=true"]

The Epic Games Store is finally getting achievements and mod support. Epic Games Store users have been requesting achievements basically since the launch of the store in 2018 and it seems the feature is finally happening. Epic Games said on Twitter on July 29 that certain games will start displaying the achievements as they're unlocked, but it didn't name which games it's referring to. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=igns-top-25-modern-pc-games&captions=true"] "Certain games on the Epic Games Store may begin to display achievements as you unlock them," the tweet said. "This is an early version of the feature and you can expect to see changes & adjustments. We'll have more info to share on achievements in the future, so stay tuned!" Nothing more was said beyond that but the tweet does include a quick video showcasing what an achievement pop looks like in an Epic Games Store-launched game. You can check it out below.

Certain games on the Epic Games Store may begin to display achievements as you unlock them.

This is an early version of the feature and you can expect to see changes & adjustments. We'll have more info to share on achievements in the future, so stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/80dnoLYegV — Epic Games Store (@EpicGames) July 29, 2020

That same day, it was announced that the Epic Games Store would begin supporting mods and that MechWarrior 5:  Mercenaries would be the first game on the platform to support them. "We are extremely excited to announce that MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is the first game to participate in the Beta launch of Epic Games Store Mods," MechWarrior 5 developer Piranha Games said in a blog post. "With this release, discovering and installing MW5 Mods made by the amazing modding community will be easier than ever, integrated directly into the existing Epic Games Launcher." As noted by Piranha Games, the mods feature of the EGS is in beta. It's unknown at this time when the feature will leave beta. Their blog post highlights a few community-created mods that players can expect to utilize for MechWarrior 5. After giving that a look, read about how the Epic Games Store is the first real threat to Steam. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

2K has announced a partnership with OneTeam Partners and the National Football League Players Association to include "football's most prominent star players" in future NFL 2K games. 2K currently has "multiple football games in development" which will start launching in 2021, and this partnership will allow them to feature "the names, numbers, images and likenesses for over 2,000 current NFL players." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/10/nfl-2k-isnt-really-coming-back-ign-now"] The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 2K President David Ismailer noted that the partnership will bring "the biggest and best stars in football" to 2K's upcoming NFL titles. "We want to give fans experiences that are authentic, memorable and fun, and having a roster of real-life sports heroes through The Players Association and OneTeam is a huge part of delivering on that promise." EA penned a deal with the NFL in December 2004 to make Madden the only series able to use NFL teams and player names, but this partnership suggests that officially licensed players will also feature in NFL 2K games going forward. 2K stated in March of this year that its NFL games will be "non-simulation football game experiences," with titles, developers and release dates to be announced at a later date. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

With the news that Netflix will adapt Splinter Cell into an animated series, let's take a look at all the upcoming feature film and TV series adaptations of video game properties.

Nintendo has promised to fix a game-breaking issue in Paper Mario: The Origami King that can keep players from progressing through the story. Light location spoilers for Paper Mario: The Origami King follow. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/14/paper-mario-the-origami-king-announcement-trailer"] On Mario and Olivia's journey to the last streamer in The Origami King, players have to collect four stamps for their Spring of Rainbows VIP card in the Shangri-Spa area. After you collect all four stamps from four different hot springs, you gain access to a secret fifth hot spring. However, once you enter the fifth hot spring, the Spring of Rainbows, you lose your VIP pass. And, the other four hot springs will not give Mario a second stamp, meaning it's impossible to regain the VIP pass after you've already used it. If you try to re-enter the Spring of Rainbows, Mario will once again be asked to show his VIP pass. So, if you leave the Spring of Rainbows before you accomplish your objective, you have no way to return to progress the story. Additionally, leaving the fifth spring automatically saves the game, effectively ruining your progress. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=paper-mario-the-origami-king-screenshots&captions=true"] In a statement to Polygon, a Nintendo representative said, "We are aware of reports about issues affecting some players of Paper Mario: The Origami King. We are working to resolve these issues and plan to address them in a software update. We apologize for any inconvenience." Nintendo did not say exactly when this issue will be fixed. So, for now, be sure to stay in the Spring of Rainbows until you accomplish your objective. If you want more details on this game-breaking issue, you can check out Nintendo Unity's video that walks through the process. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/15/paper-mario-the-origami-king-review"] For more on Paper Mario, you can read our Paper Mario: The Origami King review, where we said, "the latest game in the Paper Mario series delivers in some regards, but falls (unintentionally) flat in others." Or, you can read about how Paper Mario devs are no longer allowed to make new characters that "touch on the Mario universe." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

Ubisoft and Netflix are partnering for an animated series adapting the Splinter Cell video game franchise. Derek Kolstad (the writer behind the John Wick movies) will write and executive produce the series. According to Variety, Splinter Cell has received a two-season, 16-episode order from Netflix. Splinter Cell had long been in development as a feature film set to star Tom Hardy but the trade says that project is "currently considered inactive." The stealth game franchise -- which has spawned seven games as well as novels -- follows black ops agent Sam Fisher. He has been voiced by both Michael Ironside and Eric Johnson in the games. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-video-game-movie-in-development-almost&captions=true"] In addition to the John Wick franchise, Derek Kolstad's credits include Marvel's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Quibi's Die Hart. Kolstad is also scripting the feature film adaptation of the video game Just Cause. Netflix is no stranger to adapting video games, with The Witcher returning for a second season and a new prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin in the works. The streaming giant is also developing a Cyberpunk 2077 anime and a Dragon's Lair movie starring Ryan Reynolds. So who do you want to voice Sam Fisher in the Netflix animated series? Michael ironside, Eric Johnson, or Tom Hardy? Let us know in the comments! [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/18/6-games-that-should-be-netflix-shows-up-at-noon"]

This week in Grand Theft Auto Online, score Arena War bonuses, double rewards for participating in Survival Series, and a whole lot more.

DC Showcase - Batman: Death in the Family is WBHE's first-ever venture into interactive storytelling. The animated shorts anthology will be released on Blu-ray & Digital on October 13, 2020.

Ron Howard has shared an optimistic update about the Willow sequel series that he is attempting to bring to the Disney+ streaming service, although he also admitted that he hasn't been given a green light on the project just yet. Speaking to Andy Cohen on his Radio Andy Sirius XM show, Howard revealed that the Willow sequel is still in "active development" as the team behind the project are currently working through all of the early pre-production stages. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2012/12/13/willow-blu-ray-trailer"] "I was in a two-hour story meeting last night," Howard said, confirming that creative discussions are ongoing. "The writer Jon Kasdan is leading the charge. They have a great group of writers and it's in very active development. The scripts are going great. So, they have to get through the season and the budget. And so forth, there's no green light there yet, but I'm very optimistic about it. I love [Kasdan's] take on it." Howard, who directed the 1988 fantasy film, revealed that he and Kasdan had been in "really serious discussions" about a Willow follow-up a couple of months ago. At that time, he confirmed that the sequel would be a continuation of the original film rather than a reboot of the material, which would see actor Warwick Davis reprise his role as a more mature Willow Ufgood. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hidden-gems-on-disney-plus-11-classic-movies-to-watch&captions=true"] Willow originated as a dark fantasy story from George Lucas. It tells the tale of an amateur wizard who is tasked with protecting a special baby from an evil queen who is attempting to take over the world. The film also stars Val Kilmer as Madmartigan, an egocentric mercenary who ultimately teams up with Willow to shield the child from the forces of darkness that threaten to destroy anyone who stands in the queen's path. The adventure-packed film was a modest financial success and earned two Oscar nominations for Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Visual Effects. Although it also earned two Razzie nominations for Worst Screenplay and Worst Supporting Actor. Willow's reviews were equally as mixed upon its release, however, the film's reputation has largely improved over time, with many now regarding it as a very entertaining fantasy epic. To find out more about the other Lucasfilms, check out our rundown of all of the ambitious movies that were not Star Wars. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.