Shapeshifting action-adventure game, Nobody Saves the World is getting a DLC expansion. Frozen Hearth will add new areas, challenges and forms, and will arrive on September 13.

Annnounced during IGN's Awesome Indies showcase at Gamescom, Frozen Hearth sees players find an underground region in which "the strongest warriors compete for glory in The Tempering, a series of puzzles and challenges that will push players’ transformation skills and creativity."

The expansion adds two new transformation forms – Killer Bee and Mechanic – new characters to meet, and rewards for conquering the Tempering. The expansion will retail at $4.99 USD on all platforms.

“When we shipped the original game, there were so many ideas we had to leave on the cutting room floor, and this DLC gave us a chance to bring some of them to life,” says lead designer Ian Campbell, Lead Designer. “We had a blast creating even more forms, as well as puzzles and challenges that make the most of the game’s mix-and-match customization!”

We awarded Nobody Saves the World a 7/10 review, saying "at its best, which it is for a majority of the 15-hour campaign, it's a joy to play."

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.

Shapeshifting action-adventure game, Nobody Saves the World is getting a DLC expansion. Frozen Hearth will add new areas, challenges and forms, and will arrive on September 13.

Annnounced during IGN's Awesome Indies showcase at Gamescom, Frozen Hearth sees players find an underground region in which "the strongest warriors compete for glory in The Tempering, a series of puzzles and challenges that will push players’ transformation skills and creativity."

The expansion adds two new transformation forms – Killer Bee and Mechanic – new characters to meet, and rewards for conquering the Tempering. The expansion will retail at $4.99 USD on all platforms.

“When we shipped the original game, there were so many ideas we had to leave on the cutting room floor, and this DLC gave us a chance to bring some of them to life,” says lead designer Ian Campbell, Lead Designer. “We had a blast creating even more forms, as well as puzzles and challenges that make the most of the game’s mix-and-match customization!”

We awarded Nobody Saves the World a 7/10 review, saying "at its best, which it is for a majority of the 15-hour campaign, it's a joy to play."

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.

The upcoming remake of The Last of Us Part 1 has some interesting accessibility features, including the use of haptic feedback to help deaf gamers feel how dialogue is delivered.

A PlayStation Blog post outlined the several accessibility features arriving in the game, carrying on from The Last of Us Part 2's extensive array of modifiers.

“[One feature] which started as a prototype but ended up being really successful during playtesting is a feature that plays dialogue through the PS5 DualSense controller as haptic feedback,” said game director Matthew Gallant. “That way a deaf player can feel the way a line is delivered, can feel the emphasis, along with the subtitles to give some sense of how that line is delivered.”

This interesting new feature is made possible due to the PS5’s DualSense controller and its haptic feedback, a far more nuanced response than a simple rumble or vibration from other controllers.

Of course, it’s not the only accessible feature being added. “We’re expecting this to be an accessible experience for blind players, for deaf players, for players with motor accessibility needs,” said Gallant.

“The biggest new feature we have are audio descriptions for cinematics. We partnered with Descriptive Video Works, a professional service whose background is TV, movies and video game trailers, and integrated it into the cutscenes and across all our localized languages.”

Audio description is commonplace among TV sets, essentially narrating scenes for those with sight difficulties. The inclusion of audio descriptions in The Last of Us Part 1 really showcases the ways in which developers are looking to increase accessibility.

The Last of Us was originally released in 2013 and is coming to the PS5 next month.

IGN’s original review of The Last of Us said: “The Last of Us seamlessly intertwines satisfying, choice-based gameplay with a stellar narrative. It never slows down, it never lets up, and frankly, it never disappoints."

Want to read more about The Last of Us Part 1? Check out the game’s official launch trailer as well as all the new modes and enhancements coming in The Last of Us Part 1.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

The upcoming remake of The Last of Us Part 1 has some interesting accessibility features, including the use of haptic feedback to help deaf gamers feel how dialogue is delivered.

A PlayStation Blog post outlined the several accessibility features arriving in the game, carrying on from The Last of Us Part 2's extensive array of modifiers.

“[One feature] which started as a prototype but ended up being really successful during playtesting is a feature that plays dialogue through the PS5 DualSense controller as haptic feedback,” said game director Matthew Gallant. “That way a deaf player can feel the way a line is delivered, can feel the emphasis, along with the subtitles to give some sense of how that line is delivered.”

This interesting new feature is made possible due to the PS5’s DualSense controller and its haptic feedback, a far more nuanced response than a simple rumble or vibration from other controllers.

Of course, it’s not the only accessible feature being added. “We’re expecting this to be an accessible experience for blind players, for deaf players, for players with motor accessibility needs,” said Gallant.

“The biggest new feature we have are audio descriptions for cinematics. We partnered with Descriptive Video Works, a professional service whose background is TV, movies and video game trailers, and integrated it into the cutscenes and across all our localized languages.”

Audio description is commonplace among TV sets, essentially narrating scenes for those with sight difficulties. The inclusion of audio descriptions in The Last of Us Part 1 really showcases the ways in which developers are looking to increase accessibility.

The Last of Us was originally released in 2013 and is coming to the PS5 next month.

IGN’s original review of The Last of Us said: “The Last of Us seamlessly intertwines satisfying, choice-based gameplay with a stellar narrative. It never slows down, it never lets up, and frankly, it never disappoints."

Want to read more about The Last of Us Part 1? Check out the game’s official launch trailer as well as all the new modes and enhancements coming in The Last of Us Part 1.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Hello Neighbor publisher TinyBuild has acquired Bossa Studios IPs including Surgeon Simulator, I Am Bread, and I Am Fish for $3 million.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, Bossa Studios was looking to sell its catalog of existing IPs as it moves on to developing games "exclusively in the genre of co-op PvE". According to job listings on Bossa's website, the studio is working on a free-to-play, survival or "survival-adjacent" live-service game.

"Together with TinyBuild, we found a path that allows Bossa to dedicate its full attention to its new projects, while ensuring Surgeon Simulator, I Am Bread, and I Am Fish have a new home that understands what makes these games tick as well as we do," said Bossa co-founder Henrique Olifiers.

Surgeon Simulator and I Am Bread are arguably the most known titles being bought, both veering on the slightly ridiculous sides of what a video game can be.

Surgeon Simulator is quite a bit different from other sims, as players typically spend as much time juggling organs as they do performing surgery, while I Am Bread lets players play as, well, a bit of bread.

Alongside Bossa's trio of IPs, TinyBuild announced its $5.4 million acquisition of Despot's Game developer Konfa Games.

Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN.

Hello Neighbor publisher TinyBuild has acquired Bossa Studios IPs including Surgeon Simulator, I Am Bread, and I Am Fish for $3 million.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, Bossa Studios was looking to sell its catalog of existing IPs as it moves on to developing games "exclusively in the genre of co-op PvE". According to job listings on Bossa's website, the studio is working on a free-to-play, survival or "survival-adjacent" live-service game.

"Together with TinyBuild, we found a path that allows Bossa to dedicate its full attention to its new projects, while ensuring Surgeon Simulator, I Am Bread, and I Am Fish have a new home that understands what makes these games tick as well as we do," said Bossa co-founder Henrique Olifiers.

Surgeon Simulator and I Am Bread are arguably the most known titles being bought, both veering on the slightly ridiculous sides of what a video game can be.

Surgeon Simulator is quite a bit different from other sims, as players typically spend as much time juggling organs as they do performing surgery, while I Am Bread lets players play as, well, a bit of bread.

Alongside Bossa's trio of IPs, TinyBuild announced its $5.4 million acquisition of Despot's Game developer Konfa Games.

Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN.

Update: 08/26/2022: Embracer Group has now completed its purchase of Crystal Dynamics, Square Enix Montréal, and Eidos-Montréal following a near-four month acquisition process.

The colossal video games holding company announced the update on its website, saying plainly that "all conditions for the transaction, including regulatory approvals, have now been fulfilled and the transaction may be completed. Embracer has, therefore, today completed the acquisition."

It can now shift its focus to acquiring the several other companies it has since purchased, including the owner of The Lord of the Rings and Chivalry developer Tripwire Interactive.

Original Story: Embracer Group has entered into an agreement to acquire Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal, Square Enix Montréal, and a "catalogue of IPs including Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief, Legacy of Kain and more than 50 back-catalogue games from Square Enix Holdings" for $300 million.

Embracer shared the news in a press release, saying this acquisition includes roughly 1,100 employees across three studios and eight global locations. The deal, if it goes through, is expected to close during Q2 of Embracer's financial year 2022/2023.

”We are thrilled to welcome these studios into the Embracer Group. We recognize the fantastic IP, world class creative talent, and track record of excellence that have been demonstrated time and again over the past decades. It has been a great pleasure meeting the leadership teams and discussing future plans for how they can realize their ambitions and become a great part of Embracer,” says Lars Wingefors, Co-founder and Group CEO, Embracer Group.

”Embracer is the best kept secret in gaming: a massive, decentralized collection of entrepreneurs whom we are thrilled to become a part of today. It is the perfect fit for our ambitions: make high-quality games, with great people, sustainably, and grow our existing franchises to their best versions ever. Embracer allows us to forge new partnerships across all media to maximize our franchises’ potential and live our dreams of making extraordinary entertainment,” says Phil Rogers, Square Enix America and Europe CEO.

Once this deal goes through, Embracer will have more than 14,000 employees, 10,000 game developers, and 124 internal studios. It also confirmed it has more than 230 games in development at those studios, and more than 30 are AAA titles.

This news comes shortly after Crystal Dynamics announced it was developing a brand-new Tomb Raider game on Unreal Engine 5. No further details were given, but the team did say it was planning to "push the envelope of fidelity."

Crystal Dynamics is also the studio behind Marvel's Avengers and it has been helping Microsoft's The Initiative develop the new Perfect Dark game.

Eidos Montréal is the studio behind Thief 4, Deus Ex Human Revolution, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and more, and it is "working on a host of AAA projects including both new releases from beloved franchises and original IP."

Square Enix Montréal is responsible for such games as Hitman GO, Tomb Raider GO, and Deus Ex GO, and it will continue to work in the mobile space building games based on AAA IP.

Embracer is no stranger to acquisitions, as it has been undergoing a rapid expansion over the past few years. Some of the other companies it has acquired/owns are Dark Horse Comics, 3D Realms, Ghost Ship Games, Gearbox, THQ Nordic, Saber Interactive, Koch Media, and many more.

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.

A third-person action game is on the way from Creative Assembly, the developer renowned for its Total War strategy games including Shogun: Total War and the more recent Total War Saga: Troy.

Creative Assembly also develops the Games Workshop series Total War: Warhammer - with the most recent Warhammer III arriving earlier this year - but it's not averse to non-strategy games either.

The new project is said to “sit alongside Total War, Hyenas and the studio’s other yet-to-be announced project”, and in an official announcement, the studio said it’s looking for developers “with experience working on third-person titles using the Unreal 5 engine”.

Creative Assembly may be best known for its strategy offerings, but it’s also dabbled with action-adventure before – notably with the survival horror game, Alien: Isolation. But will the new game be based on an existing franchise?

Unfortunately, details are pretty scarce. Aside from revealing the existence of this new action game, and teasing its third-person nature, there are no other details about what the game might entail.

If you’re a fan of the Total War series, don’t worry – Creative Assembly may be branching out, but they’ll remain dedicated to the long-running strategy series, too. “CA Sofia will also continue to remain home to a dedicated Total War team working on future releases,” the studio confirmed.

Creative Assembly’s most recent game, Total War: Warhammer III was well-received by gamers and critics, scoring a hefty 9/10 in IGN’s own review. “Total War: Warhammer 3’s single-player mode presents us with a tense, challenging, multilayered campaign driven along by a compelling story and a memorable cast of rivals," we said.

Want to read more about Creative Assembly? Check out our multiplayer review of Total War: Warhammer III as well as what to expect from its upcoming game, Hyenas.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

A third-person action game is on the way from Creative Assembly, the developer renowned for its Total War strategy games including Shogun: Total War and the more recent Total War Saga: Troy.

Creative Assembly also develops the Games Workshop series Total War: Warhammer - with the most recent Warhammer III arriving earlier this year - but it's not averse to non-strategy games either.

The new project is said to “sit alongside Total War, Hyenas and the studio’s other yet-to-be announced project”, and in an official announcement, the studio said it’s looking for developers “with experience working on third-person titles using the Unreal 5 engine”.

Creative Assembly may be best known for its strategy offerings, but it’s also dabbled with action-adventure before – notably with the survival horror game, Alien: Isolation. But will the new game be based on an existing franchise?

Unfortunately, details are pretty scarce. Aside from revealing the existence of this new action game, and teasing its third-person nature, there are no other details about what the game might entail.

If you’re a fan of the Total War series, don’t worry – Creative Assembly may be branching out, but they’ll remain dedicated to the long-running strategy series, too. “CA Sofia will also continue to remain home to a dedicated Total War team working on future releases,” the studio confirmed.

Creative Assembly’s most recent game, Total War: Warhammer III was well-received by gamers and critics, scoring a hefty 9/10 in IGN’s own review. “Total War: Warhammer 3’s single-player mode presents us with a tense, challenging, multilayered campaign driven along by a compelling story and a memorable cast of rivals," we said.

Want to read more about Creative Assembly? Check out our multiplayer review of Total War: Warhammer III as well as what to expect from its upcoming game, Hyenas.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

HBO has confirmed that Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon will return for a second season.

The news comes after just one episode of the show - set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones - premiered on HBO and HBO Max, but isn't entirely surprising given the success of its predecessor.

The first episode, which aired on August 21, was the largest premiere in HBO Max history as close to 10 million people tuned in on opening night. Ironically this proved to be a little too much for the streaming service, as several thousand users were left unable to watch due to the app crashing.

While it's unlikely the numbers will stay as high for the entirety of the ten episode season, Game of Thrones fans in for the long haul will at least have more House of the Dragon to look forward to thanks to the Season 2 confirmation.

It's the first Game of Thrones spin-off to make it to TV, with several other ideas pitched, developed, and scrapped - including a Long Night prequel that HBO spent $30 million on.

In our 8/10 review of the first episode, IGN said: "House Of The Dragon makes it feel like Game Of Thrones is back – now with extra dragons – and that’s a very good thing."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.