While the upcoming Black Widow movie takes place several years ago in the MCU timeline, that doesn't mean it won't have a profound impact on Marvel's movies going forward. Director Cate Shortland reveals the movie will see Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff officially pass the torch to Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova. Shortland revealed as much during an interview with Empire, revealing that the movie is setting up a long-term storyline for Pugh's character. Based on that, Yelena may well be the MCU's designated Black Widow in Phase 4 and beyond. “[Kevin Feige] realised that the audience would expect an origin story so, of course, we went in the opposite direction,” Shortland said. “And we didn’t know how great Florence Pugh would be. We knew she would be great, but we didn’t know how great. Scarlett is so gracious, like, ‘Oh, I’m handing her the baton.’ So it’s going to propel another female storyline.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=who-is-black-widows-yelena-belova&captions=true"] This would seem to discredit our earlier theory that the movie will see Yelena transform into the powerful Super-Adaptoid, as she did in Marvel's comics. Even though the movie takes place in between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, Black Widow will also be focused on wrapping up Natasha's MCU story arc and giving fans closure following the character's heroic sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. “In Endgame, the fans were upset that Natasha did not have a funeral. Whereas Scarlett, when I spoke to her about it, said Natasha wouldn’t have wanted a funeral,” Shortland said. “She’s too private, and anyway, people don’t really know who she is. So what we did in this film was allow the ending to be the grief the individuals felt, rather than a big public outpouring. I think that’s a fitting ending for her.” Black Widow should have arrived in theaters already, but the movie is among numerous Hollywood projects delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It's currently set for release on November 6, 2020, the date previously reserved for Marvel's The Eternals. The good news is that Black Widow's delay won't impact the larger MCU timeline. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/09/black-widow-official-final-trailer"] While we wait for Black Widow's release, see Johansson, Margot Robbie and other stars fight each other in quarantine, and find out how Johansson's salary compares to her Marvel co-stars. [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.

With Gal Gadot and Chris Pine reprising their DCEU roles in the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984, Mattel is introducing new lineup of dolls based on the new DC movie. These new collector-focused dolls are inspired by several key looks in the sequel, from Diana's traditional costume to her new golden eagle armor to her reunion with Steve in Washington DC. Even Kristen Wiig's Cheetah is included. You can check out all the new designs in the slideshow gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wonder-woman-1984-mattel-reveals-elaborate-dc-movie-dolls&captions=true"] The 2-doll Barbie Giftset featuring Diana and Steve is priced at $80 and includes doll stands and a certificate of authenticity. It's expected to go on sale later in July. The remaining WW84 Mattel dolls will go on sale beginning on July 6. The individual "Core Fashion Dolls" are priced at $14.99 each, while the Deluxe Golden Armor and Young Diana and Horse sets are each priced at $29.99. You can order all of these sets through the official Mattel store or retailers like Amazon and Walmart. [note - we've updated this piece to reflect the fact that only the 2-doll giftset above is part of the Barbie toy line] Unfortunately, all of these Wonder Woman dolls will be arriving in stores well before the release of the movie. Like many upcoming film and TV projects affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Wonder Woman 1984's release date has been pushed back. It's currently set for release on October 2, 2020, and there's no guarantee that date won't change again. We're hoping to see a new glimpse of the movie at the upcoming DC FanDome virtual event. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/08/wonder-woman-1984-official-trailer-1"] In other DC collectible news, we recently got an early look at an amazing Batman statue based on the artwork of Todd McFarlane. We're also impressed by this incredibly detailed (and incredibly expensive) statue of Joaquin Phoenix's Joker. [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.

With Gal Gadot and Chris Pine reprising their DCEU roles in the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984, Mattel is introducing new lineup of Barbie dolls based on the new DC movie. These new collector-focused dolls are inspired by several key looks in the sequel, from Diana's traditional costume to her new golden eagle armor to her reunion with Steve in Washington DC. Even Kristen Wiig's Cheetah is included. You can check out all the new designs in the slideshow gallery below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=wonder-woman-1984-mattel-reveals-elaborate-barbie-dolls&captions=true"] The 2-doll Barbie Giftset featuring Diana and Steve is priced at $80 and includes doll stands and a certificate of authenticity. It's expected to go on sale later in July. The remaining WW*4 Barbies will go on sale beginning on July 6. The individual Core Fashion Dolls" are riced at $14.99 each, while the Deluxe Golden Armor and Young Diana and Horse sets are each priced at $29.99. You can order all of these Barbie sets through the official Mattel store or retailers like Amazon and Walmart. Unfortunately, all of these Wonder Woman Barbies will be arriving in stores well before the release of the movie. Like many upcoming film and TV projects affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Wonder Woman 1984's release date has been pushed back. It's currently set for release on October 2, 2020, and there's no guarantee that date won't change again. We're hoping to see a new glimpse of the movie at the upcoming DC FanDome virtual event. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/08/wonder-woman-1984-official-trailer-1"] In other DC collectible news, we recently got an early look at an amazing Batman statue based on the artwork of Todd McFarlane. We're also impressed by this incredibly detailed (and incredibly expensive) statue of Joaquin Phoenix's Joker. [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.

Sure as sun follows rain, Assassin's Creed games will be shown off before Ubisoft want them to be, and today's seen another example for the perennially leaky series, with 30 minutes of gameplay footage making their way onto the internet. Marked with a clear "work in progress" tag (and seemingly uploaded in low resolution), the footage shows a player using the female version of lead character Eivor, and includes:  

• Open world exploration (which looks very similar to AC: Odyssey, although with a colour palette more familiar from The Witcher 3)
• Raven Sight (which reveals stats for Wealth, Mysteries and Secrets in the area)
• Longboat gameplay (with players bracing to mitigate damage)
• Combat amid a full castle siege (the player uses twin axes and a bow in this footage, has two ability wheels mapped to each controller trigger, and can use a battering ram to take down gates in their way)
• A boss battle that ends in a choice to either execute or spare the victim
• The game's skill menu (which takes the form of constellations, unlocks across multiple branches, and includes points to be spent on abilities or base stats)
• A look at the inventory menu (which heavily resembles those in both Origins and Odyssey, albeit seemingly without level requirements on equipment)
• A button to seemingly enter the game's Animus from the in-game menus (a seeming change from Odyssey's scripted out-of-Animus sections)
• A seemingly non-regenerating health bar (with the ability to eat berries from the environment to replenish it)
• A version of Odyssey's absolute best ability, the Spartan Kick, which I'm delighted about

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/30/assassins-creed-valhalla-trailer-breakdown-ign-rewind-theater"] The footage clearly isn't what Ubisoft would have hoped to be the first true gameplay shown to fans, particularly as it contains bugs that seem to affect cuts into and between cutscenes, as well as general visual issues throughout. Multiple versions of the footage have been uploaded and subsequently removed by Ubisoft since it first leaked. With the Ubisoft Forward conference coming this weekend, it seems likely we'll see the intended gameplay at the showcase. Ubisoft has not responded to requests for comment on the source of the footage, or whether it represents the game at its current stage of development. [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.

Sure as sun follows rain, Assassin's Creed games will be shown off before Ubisoft want them to be, and today's seen another example for the perennially leaky series, with 30 minutes of gameplay footage making their way onto the internet. Marked with a clear "work in progress" tag (and seemingly uploaded in low resolution), the footage shows a player using the female version of lead character Eivor, and includes:  

• Open world exploration (which looks very similar to AC: Odyssey, although with a colour palette more familiar from The Witcher 3)
• Raven Sight (which reveals stats for Wealth, Mysteries and Secrets in the area)
• Longboat gameplay (with players bracing to mitigate damage)
• Combat amid a full castle siege (the player uses twin axes and a bow in this footage, has two ability wheels mapped to each controller trigger, and can use a battering ram to take down gates in their way)
• A boss battle that ends in a choice to either execute or spare the victim
• The game's skill menu (which takes the form of constellations, unlocks across multiple branches, and includes points to be spent on abilities or base stats)
• A look at the inventory menu (which heavily resembles those in both Origins and Odyssey, albeit seemingly without level requirements on equipment)
• A button to seemingly enter the game's Animus from the in-game menus (a seeming change from Odyssey's scripted out-of-Animus sections)
• A seemingly non-regenerating health bar (with the ability to eat berries from the environment to replenish it)
• A version of Odyssey's absolute best ability, the Spartan Kick, which I'm delighted about

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/30/assassins-creed-valhalla-trailer-breakdown-ign-rewind-theater"] The footage clearly isn't what Ubisoft would have hoped to be the first true gameplay shown to fans, particularly as it contains bugs that seem to affect cuts into and between cutscenes, as well as general visual issues throughout. Multiple versions of the footage have been uploaded and subsequently removed by Ubisoft since it first leaked. With the Ubisoft Forward conference coming this weekend, it seems likely we'll see the intended gameplay at the showcase. Ubisoft has not responded to requests for comment on the source of the footage, or whether it represents the game at its current stage of development. [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.

Flying Wild Hog and Devolver Digital have announced Shadow Warrior 3 for release in 2021. The latest addition to the first-person shooter-melee series sees antihero Lo Wang on the hunt to recapture an ancient dragon that he and sidekick Orochi Zilla have accidentally freed. You can watch a teaser trailer below, which features lots of violence, gratuitous use of a grappling hook, magic powers, and a very upset rabbit: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/06/shadow-warrior-3-announcement-teaser"] The game will arrive in 2021, but no specific release date has been announced as yet. The game will get a PC release, but no console platforms have been listed as yet. Gameplay for Shadow Warrior 3 will be revealed during this month's Devolver Direct broadcast, taking place on July 11. We awarded Shadow Warrior 2 an 8.6 review, calling it "an energetic shoot 'n' loot with great melee and ranged combat, co-op, and a pile of dirty jokes." [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.

Xbox has announced that its showcase of Xbox Series X games, including first-party titles, will be broadcast on July 23. The livestream will begin at 9am Pacific / 12pm Eastern / 5pm UK (that's July 24 at 2am AEST). We know the showcase will be games-focused, and will include showings of new games from the likes of Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Obsidian. We know the show will also include Halo Infinite.

Xbox Games Showcase July 23rd 9am PT@SummerGameFest Pre-Show at 8am PT with @GeoffKeighley on @YouTubeGaming#XboxGamesShowcase pic.twitter.com/zGr5AnFwic

— Xbox (@Xbox) July 6, 2020

Recent rumours have also centred around the possibility of reveals for Fable 4 (potentially from Playground Games) and a new Perfect Dark (with speculation pointing to mysterious new 'AAAA' Microsoft studio, The Initiative). Those hoping to see the much-rumoured Xbox Series S may be disappointed, with rumours pointing to an August reveal. Xbox previously held a third-party focused showcase in May, which revealed the likes of Scorn, Second Extinction, and more. Some weren't happy with how that showcase played out, which Microsoft recognised, saying it "set some wrong expectations" - hopefully this new showcase has taken that feedback onboard. [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.

We're happy to announce that IGN is once again partnering with gamescom this year, where we'll be helping to recreate the show in its new digital form. gamescom 2020 runs from August 27-30, and kicks off with Opening Night Live. We'll be streaming that showcase and much, much more across every IGN platform, throughout the event.

LET’S GOOOO! #gamescom2020 is gearing up: @IGN & Webedia Germany are confirmed as official partners and will produce our #gamescom live shows! @geoffkeighley and @SWAIM_CORP are also part and #up4gamescom! More information: https://t.co/sYJ5gAYleA pic.twitter.com/mbIdQNtia3

— gamescom (@gamescom) July 6, 2020

Every day, we'll be bringing you the gamescom Studio stream, including live gameplay demos, exclusive interviews with developers and publishers, and daily news. We'll also be bringing you a daily wrap-up show, an indie showcase, and an awards show:  

• August 28-29 - gamescom Daily Show: Presented by IGN's Michael Swaim, the gamescom Daily Show will wrap up the day's highlights, as well as covering the likes of cosplay, esports, and more.
• August 29 - gamescom Awesome Indies: In this showcase, we'll be showing off the most exciting games from smaller developers at the show, shining a light on some of the industry's most original projects, and talking them through with their developers.
• August 30 - gamescom Best Of Show: Closing out gamescom 2020, we'll be handing out the gamescom awards, as well as showing off the results of the yearly cosplay competition.

  This year's gamescom is an exclusively digital event, and will be completely free to watch, with no event tickets required. We'll have more info for you on how to watch the show as we get closer to the event. [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.

Spanish voice actors for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 have said their work on the game is done, perhaps indicating that the game is a significant way through its development cycle. Reported by Gamereactor, Marc Navarro (Revali) and Nerea Alfonso (Zelda) told the hosts of the Un Café Con Nintendo podcast that they had finished their work on the still-undated sequel, before questioning whether they should have revealed that information. As pointed out by VGC, localized voice acting is often one of the final tasks for game audio design departments. This doesn't necessarily mean that the game as a whole is close to complete, but it may indicate that Breath of the Wild 2 is a significant way through production. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/12/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-2-e3-reveal-trailer-breakdown-ign-rewind-theater"] That idea's supported by the fact that Nintendo began hiring for a new Zelda project back in 2018 - if those job listings referred to Breath of the Wild 2, it implies the game has been in production for some time. Nintendo's been very quiet about the sequel since its announcement at E3 2019, but we know the team has been drawing inspiration from Red Dead Redemption 2, and that producer Eiji Aonuma won't deny that it could have a co-op mechanic, or that you could play as Zelda herself. There's far more we don't know about the game - but here's everything we've learned about Breath of the Wild 2 so far. [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.

Development on Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 will "temporarily drop below 100% efficiency" due to remote working, but the game's creators are confident that it won't have a major long-term impact. In an interview with The Guardian, co-director Naoki Hamaguchi and producer Yoshinori Kitase were asked about the effects of COVID-19 on the first part's release. Kitase explained that the "release of the game happening during this unprecedented situation has blindsided us." He went on to discuss how Part 2's development has been touched by the pandemic: "At this current time, the team are still making the next game via remote working. Our performance will temporarily drop below 100% efficiency because of this, but I do not think there should be a big impact in the long term." Previously, we've heard that the game's co-director Tetsuya Nomura would prefer to adapt smaller chunks of the orignal FF7 at a faster pace. Some will be hoping that means we hear more about a follow-up soon, with Square Enix set to announce new games in July and August. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/square-enix-will-announce-several-new-games-in-july-and-august-ign-news"] As for what that Part 2 will include, the developers are being understandably cagey. With some fairly major changes to Part 1's story, the developers were asked if the sequel will continue to veer away from the original game's storyline. "I am not able to tell you the answer to that now," explained Kitase. "I understand that there is a lot of speculation among the fans; that is what we wanted and we’ve really enjoyed seeing these theories and guesses of what the ending means. We wanted the fans to keep the discussion going on social media and keep their excitement high as we head towards the next game." What they will confirm is that, as expected, classic villain Sephiroth will be a major part of the next installment, after he made unexpected appearances in the first part: "In the original game, Sephiroth did not make an appearance in the section of the story told [in FInal Fantasy 7 Remake], but we changed it to have him appear from the start, in order to position him playing an important role over the whole of the Remake project. Sephiroth plays a major part in the ongoing story of the next game, so I am unable to reveal any more information about him here." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-reviewed-games-of-2020&captions=true"] FF7R's creators have previously implied that the next game will not drastically change the story fans already know, despite the notable differences in the first part. We awarded that first part an 8/10 review, saying that its "dull filler and convoluted additions can cause it to stumble, but it still breathes exciting new life into a classic while standing as a great RPG all its own." For a list of recommendations on how best to help, and stay safe, during the Coronavirus pandemic, please read our resource guide. [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.