EA has revealed the official player ratings for all 2000+ players in Madden NFL 21. Published on the Madden website, you can compare and filter the rating of every player in the game, and use the search function to find your favourites. You can also sort the list by individual statistics such as strength and speed. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/30/madden-nfl-21-dev-discusses-xbox-series-x-ps5-upgrades"] Five players this year have hit the fabled 99 overall stat this year: Aaron Donald, Christian McCaffrey, Michael Thomas, Patrick Mahomes, and Stephon Gilmore. As with all modern Madden games, these are stats for launch, and can change over the source of the year. EA recently announced that it will be removing the former logo and name of the Washington Redskins from Madden NFL 21, implementing a "generic Washington team" as they wait for the team's management to update its branding. Madden NFL 21 will launch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC this August 25, 2020. We're yet to receive a release date for the next-gen versions of the game, but if you purchase the game on current-gen consoles, you'll be able to upgrade the game using EA's Dual Entitlement system, allowing users to acquire the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X version of the game free of charge. This promotion will run until the release of Madden NFL 22. If you'd like to view all the different versions of the game to figure out what bonuses are available, check out our preorder guide here. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

EA has revealed the official player ratings for all 2000+ players in Madden NFL 21. Published on the Madden website, you can compare and filter the rating of every player in the game, and use the search function to find your favourites. You can also sort the list by individual statistics such as strength and speed. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/30/madden-nfl-21-dev-discusses-xbox-series-x-ps5-upgrades"] Five players this year have hit the fabled 99 overall stat this year: Aaron Donald, Christian McCaffrey, Michael Thomas, Patrick Mahomes, and Stephon Gilmore. As with all modern Madden games, these are stats for launch, and can change over the source of the year. EA recently announced that it will be removing the former logo and name of the Washington Redskins from Madden NFL 21, implementing a "generic Washington team" as they wait for the team's management to update its branding. Madden NFL 21 will launch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC this August 25, 2020. We're yet to receive a release date for the next-gen versions of the game, but if you purchase the game on current-gen consoles, you'll be able to upgrade the game using EA's Dual Entitlement system, allowing users to acquire the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X version of the game free of charge. This promotion will run until the release of Madden NFL 22. If you'd like to view all the different versions of the game to figure out what bonuses are available, check out our preorder guide here. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

The first Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase has been broadcast. You can watch it in full below, and check out all the announcements below that: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/20/nintendo-direct-mini-partner-showcase-7202020"]

Cadence of Hyrule

The Crypt of the NecroDancer x Legend of Zelda crossover is getting three DLC packs adding characters, music and story content, and a season pass encompassing all of them.

Rogue Company

A new trailer showed off the team shooter running on Switch, and a later announcement confirmed the game was out in early access on Switch as of today.

WWE 2K Battlegrounds

A star-studded gameplay trailer for the upcoming WWE brawler showed off how it'll look on Switch.

Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster and Shin Megami Tensei 5

We learned that not only will the long-awaited fifth SMT installment be coming in 2021 with a simultaneous worldwide release, but that the post-apocalyptic third installment, Nocturne, will be getting an HD remaster on Switch (and possibly PS4) in the same year. [poilib element="accentDivider"] A Nintendo Direct Mini will air later today, showcasing titles from non-Nintendo developers and publishers. It will go live at 7am Pacific / 10am Eastern / 3pm UK / midnight AEST, and should last roughly 10 minutes. The Nintendo Direct Mini July Showcase was revealed on Twitter by the Nintendo of America account, and it apparently the first in a series of broadcasts to come. Today's show will "share a few updates on a small group of previously-announced Nintendo Switch games." According to Nintendo Japan, the Direct Mini will run for 10 minutes.

On 7/20 we'll debut the first #NintendoDirect Mini: Partner Showcase, a series focused on titles from our development & publishing partners. We'll share a few updates on a small group of previously-announced #NintendoSwitch games. Check out the full video release at 7am PT. pic.twitter.com/GbEbxVL6fD

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 20, 2020

Per previous showcases, you'll most likely be able to catch it on Nintendo's official YouTube account. The Twitter account behind HiRez Studios' upcoming team-based multiplayer shooter Rogue Company quoted Nintendo's tweet with some cryptic wording, suggesting the game may appear during the show. A few games that may well qualify for this direct include Bayonetta 3 and Shin Megami Tensei V - which are developed by Nintendo's partners, and are yet to be revealed in any great depth. In other Nintendo news, check out our review of Paper Mario: The Origami King, which we gave a 7, praising its "personality and visual design." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

A Nintendo Direct Mini will air later today, showcasing titles from non-Nintendo developers and publishers. It will go live at 7am Pacific / 10am Eastern / 3pm UK / midnight AEST, and should last roughly 10 minutes. The Nintendo Direct Mini July Showcase was revealed on Twitter by the Nintendo of America account, and it apparently the first in a series of broadcasts to come. Today's show will "share a few updates on a small group of previously-announced Nintendo Switch games." According to Nintendo Japan, the Direct Mini will run for 10 minutes.

On 7/20 we'll debut the first #NintendoDirect Mini: Partner Showcase, a series focused on titles from our development & publishing partners. We'll share a few updates on a small group of previously-announced #NintendoSwitch games. Check out the full video release at 7am PT. pic.twitter.com/GbEbxVL6fD

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 20, 2020

Per previous showcases, you'll most likely be able to catch it on Nintendo's official YouTube account. The Twitter account behind HiRez Studios' upcoming team-based multiplayer shooter Rogue Company quoted Nintendo's tweet with some cryptic wording, suggesting the game may appear during the show. A few games that may well qualify for this direct include Bayonetta 3 and Shin Megami Tensei V - which are developed by Nintendo's partners, and are yet to be revealed in any great depth. In other Nintendo news, check out our review of Paper Mario: The Origami King, which we gave a 7, praising its "personality and visual design." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

SPOILERS AHEAD for The Last of Us Part 2. While The Last of Us Part 2 is, at its core, a dark story that deals with loss and revenge, a possible original ending could have led it down an even darker road. As reported by GameSpot, That Last of Us Part 2 director Neil Druckmann and narrative lead Halley Gross spoke with Game Informer about the game's ending, discussing how, until about half-way through production, Ellie would have actually killed Abby at the end of the game. "When I signed on a lot of it was very similar," Gross revealed. "We did a lot of iterations on what that last act looked like, but the final beat was that Ellie would kill Abby. About halfway through production, we changed that and had Ellie let go at the last second to [illustrate] that some little part of the old Ellie, the Ellie with humanity, the Ellie that is impacted by Joel, still exists within this character who has been so overtaken by her quest for revenge." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/20/14-brilliant-little-details-in-the-last-of-us-part-2"] The change of heart happened when the narrative team was working through the fates of both Lev and Yara, who also lived/died in earlier drafts of the story. Once it was decided that Lev would survive, Druckmann felt the right decision was to ensure Ellie didn't actually kill Abby and complete her tale of revenge. Gross was taken aback by the notion that this was even an option, but it allowed for Ellie to hold on to some of her humanity and avoid being lost completely. "Letting Abby live felt wrong thematically initially," Druckmann said. "But at the end of the day, it felt more honest for the character. The theme [and] what we're trying to say shifted a little bit, but our top priority always is are we being honest to the character? There's certain things we are trying to hit but they can only work if we're consistent with the character we're writing." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-last-of-us-part-2-review-screenshots&captions=true"] This was one of the many changes that occurred during The Last of Us Part 2. In our interview with Druckmann, he explained how The Last of Us Part 2 was once more open world and that players would have spent a lot more time in Jackson. [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.

SPOILERS AHEAD for The Last of Us Part 2. While The Last of Us Part 2 is, at its core, a dark story that deals with loss and revenge, a possible original ending could have led it down an even darker road. As reported by GameSpot, That Last of Us Part 2 director Neil Druckmann and narrative lead Halley Gross spoke with Game Informer about the game's ending, discussing how, until about half-way through production, Ellie would have actually killed Abby at the end of the game. "When I signed on a lot of it was very similar," Gross revealed. "We did a lot of iterations on what that last act looked like, but the final beat was that Ellie would kill Abby. About halfway through production, we changed that and had Ellie let go at the last second to [illustrate] that some little part of the old Ellie, the Ellie with humanity, the Ellie that is impacted by Joel, still exists within this character who has been so overtaken by her quest for revenge." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/20/14-brilliant-little-details-in-the-last-of-us-part-2"] The change of heart happened when the narrative team was working through the fates of both Lev and Yara, who also lived/died in earlier drafts of the story. Once it was decided that Lev would survive, Druckmann felt the right decision was to ensure Ellie didn't actually kill Abby and complete her tale of revenge. Gross was taken aback by the notion that this was even an option, but it allowed for Ellie to hold on to some of her humanity and avoid being lost completely. "Letting Abby live felt wrong thematically initially," Druckmann said. "But at the end of the day, it felt more honest for the character. The theme [and] what we're trying to say shifted a little bit, but our top priority always is are we being honest to the character? There's certain things we are trying to hit but they can only work if we're consistent with the character we're writing." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-last-of-us-part-2-review-screenshots&captions=true"] This was one of the many changes that occurred during The Last of Us Part 2. In our interview with Druckmann, he explained how The Last of Us Part 2 was once more open world and that players would have spent a lot more time in Jackson. [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.

While we still wait for any news of a Bloodborne 2, Yarntown, a free indie game that is available now, looks to help fill the void with a The Legend of Zelda-inspired top-down 2D reimagining of Central Yharnam from Bloodborne. As reported by Kotaku, Yarntown is developed on the Solarus engine by Max Mraz and is available for free on Itch.io. Alongside featuring many of the gameplay mechanics of Bloodborne like blood vials, lamps, quicksilver bullets, stamina and dodge rolls, Yarntown also includes most of what was featured in Central Yarnham, including rabid dogs, huntsman, brick trolls, and even the Cleric Beast and Father Gascoigne boss fights.

So I made Bloodborne but it's super cute and it's also kinda Zelda. And it's out!:https://t.co/cjx5zz5lvC#screenshotsaturday #pixelart #indiegame #bloodborne#solarus pic.twitter.com/033IVYfHlp

— Max Mraz (@11Mraz) July 18, 2020

Players start in the Hunter's Dream area, complete with The Doll, and can level up as they would in Bloodborne and fortify their weapons. I had a chance to try the game, and while it hasn't quite reached the difficulty of a game like Bloodborne, that atmosphere and the world recreated is a wonderful homage and is definitely worth a look. Bloodborne, which made it all the way to #3 on our latest Top 25 PS4 Games list, was released in 2015, and we believe a second entry would be one of the 9 Sequels that Would Make PS5 a Force to Reckon With. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=yarntown-screenshots&captions=true"] [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.

While we still wait for any news of a Bloodborne 2, Yarntown, a free indie game that is available now, looks to help fill the void with a The Legend of Zelda-inspired top-down 2D reimagining of Central Yharnam from Bloodborne. As reported by Kotaku, Yarntown is developed on the Solarus engine by Max Mraz and is available for free on Itch.io. Alongside featuring many of the gameplay mechanics of Bloodborne like blood vials, lamps, quicksilver bullets, stamina and dodge rolls, Yarntown also includes most of what was featured in Central Yarnham, including rabid dogs, huntsman, brick trolls, and even the Cleric Beast and Father Gascoigne boss fights.

So I made Bloodborne but it's super cute and it's also kinda Zelda. And it's out!:https://t.co/cjx5zz5lvC#screenshotsaturday #pixelart #indiegame #bloodborne#solarus pic.twitter.com/033IVYfHlp

— Max Mraz (@11Mraz) July 18, 2020

Players start in the Hunter's Dream area, complete with The Doll, and can level up as they would in Bloodborne and fortify their weapons. I had a chance to try the game, and while it hasn't quite reached the difficulty of a game like Bloodborne, that atmosphere and the world recreated is a wonderful homage and is definitely worth a look. Bloodborne, which made it all the way to #3 on our latest Top 25 PS4 Games list, was released in 2015, and we believe a second entry would be one of the 9 Sequels that Would Make PS5 a Force to Reckon With. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=yarntown-screenshots&captions=true"] [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.

Fans anticipating the perennially postponed Godzilla vs. Kong -- the sequel to both Godzilla: King of Monsters and Kong: Skull Island -- can now catch a glimpse of the movie via some sneak peek art spotted on the back of Playmates Toys' figure packaging. The film, directed by Adam Wingard (You're Next, The Guest), was originally slated to release this past March. Bumped to November, the movie was then moved again and is now scheduled to hit theaters on May 21, 2021. Here's a look at the art, courtesy of @KaijuNewsOutlet (which has been previewing toys and merchandise for the movie), showing the two titan terrors battling near, or atop, an aircraft carrier... Godzilla vs. Kong stars Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, and Eiza González. With the wait now being even longer for Godzilla vs. Kong, here are some articles to help survive the stretch, including 10 giant movie monsters that could beat up King Kong and a breakdown of every major monster in the Kong/Godzilla Monsterverse. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/05/24/godzilla-kong-in-5-minutes"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Fans anticipating the perennially postponed Godzilla vs. Kong -- the sequel to both Godzilla: King of Monsters and Kong: Skull Island -- can now catch a glimpse of the movie via some sneak peek art spotted on the back of Playmates Toys' figure packaging. The film, directed by Adam Wingard (You're Next, The Guest), was originally slated to release this past March. Bumped to November, the movie was then moved again and is now scheduled to hit theaters on May 21, 2021. Here's a look at the art, courtesy of @KaijuNewsOutlet (which has been previewing toys and merchandise for the movie), showing the two titan terrors battling near, or atop, an aircraft carrier... Godzilla vs. Kong stars Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, and Eiza González. With the wait now being even longer for Godzilla vs. Kong, here are some articles to help survive the stretch, including 10 giant movie monsters that could beat up King Kong and a breakdown of every major monster in the Kong/Godzilla Monsterverse. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/05/24/godzilla-kong-in-5-minutes"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.