Nintendo has made a formal apology for Joy-Con drift issues frequently experienced with the Nintendo Switch’s controllers, although is unable to provide further comment due to the problem being the subject of a current class-action lawsuit. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/11/joy-con-drift-is-still-a-huge-problem-3-years-later"] The apology was made during Nintendo’s latest financial Q&A. “Regarding the Joy-Con, we apologize for any trouble caused to our customers,” said Shuntaro Furukawa, the company’s president, as reported by Kotaku. “We are continuing to aim to improve our products, but as the Joy-Con is the subject of a class-action lawsuit in the United States and this is still a pending issue, we would like to refrain from responding about any specific actions.” Joy-Con drift has been an issue hounding Nintendo Switch users for three years and counting. Since the console launched many players have found that their analogue sticks ‘drift’, meaning movement can be seen on-screen even when you are not touching the sticks at all. Last year Nintendo began to offer Joy-Con repairs for free and refunded those who had paid in previous years, but regardless it is still a huge issue in 2020. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=a-history-of-nintendo-hardware-1977-to-now&captions=true"] Last year US law firm Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith filed a class action lawsuit against Nintendo, stating that the Joy-Cons violate "various consumer protection statutes as well as various warranty and common law claims." It’s angled against not just the standard Joy-Cons, but the analogue sticks on the Switch Lite, too. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.

Netflix has announced that its Emmy Award-nominated family crime drama, Ozark, will return for a fourth and final season that will be split into two parts. Season four of Ozark will be 14 episodes long, with each part consisting of 7 episodes. It’s a finale format previously used for big critical hits such as Breaking Bad and Mad Men. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ozark-season-3-photos&captions=true"] The final season will once again be executive produced by showrunner and writer Chris Mundy and star Jason Bateman. Laura Linney, Julia Garner, Sofia Hublitz, Skylar Gaertner, Charlie Tahan, and Lisa Emery will all reprise their roles. In our review of Ozark Season 3, we noted that it’s still one of TV’s best crime dramas, with Jason Bateman and Laura Linney offering consistently excellent performances. Hopefully this final season will give the Byrde family the send-off they deserve. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Netflix has announced that its Emmy Award-nominated family crime drama, Ozark, will return for a fourth and final season that will be split into two parts. Season four of Ozark will be 14 episodes long, with each part consisting of 7 episodes. It’s a finale format previously used for big critical hits such as Breaking Bad and Mad Men. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ozark-season-3-photos&captions=true"] The final season will once again be executive produced by showrunner and writer Chris Mundy and star Jason Bateman. Laura Linney, Julia Garner, Sofia Hublitz, Skylar Gaertner, Charlie Tahan, and Lisa Emery will all reprise their roles. In our review of Ozark Season 3, we noted that it’s still one of TV’s best crime dramas, with Jason Bateman and Laura Linney offering consistently excellent performances. Hopefully this final season will give the Byrde family the send-off they deserve. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

A special documentary featuring the original cast of Hamilton will debut alongside the filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical phenomenon, arriving on the Disney+ streaming platform on July 3. According to Entertainment Weekly, Hamilton In-Depth With Kelley Carter will reunite the Broadway show's creators and stars for a virtual roundtable discussion examining the origins and legacy of the groundbreaking production. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/22/hamilton-official-trailer"] "The story and subject matter that Hamilton covers, and the creative vision of its architects and actors, are more timely than ever," said Jimmy Pitaro, President of ESPN and Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks. "The Undefeated, and Kelley L. Carter, are uniquely positioned to help connect audiences – whether they have never seen the show, or have seen it 10 times – to the creative process, people and significance of Hamilton as it debuts on Disney+." The behind-the-scenes feature, produced by The Undefeated, ESPN+, and Disney+, will be hosted by Kelley L. Carter, an award-winning journalist who will explore a wide range of topics in conversation with Hamilton director Thomas Kail and the musical's stars, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom Jr., Christopher Jackson, Phillipa Soo, and Renée Elise Goldsberry. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/24/hamilton-alexander-hamilton-official-clip"] The talented team will come together to reveal some theater tidbits and insider secrets about their collaborative creative process, including details about the show's early stages of development right the way through to its sellout run on the stage, as well as the deeper significance of the story and its meaning in the context of ongoing conversations about systemic racism and social injustice. "The cast of Hamilton didn't come to play," said Carter. "They are accomplished performers who created genre-shifting art, but they also understand this unprecedented time in history and why their voices matter. This special isn't just about one of the most important pieces of work to ever play on Broadway. This is about how art inspires activation. And, well, how activation inspires great art." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hidden-gems-on-disney-plus-11-classic-movies-to-watch&captions=true"] Hamilton is a dramatization of the life of Founding Father and Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, tracing his story from his arrival in New York City at the dawn of the Revolutionary War through to his ill-fated duel with rival Aaron Burr in 1804. The musical features a unique combination of hip-hop, R&B, soul, and show tunes to help examine Hamilton's story through a modern lens. Hamilton In-Depth With Kelley Carter premieres on Disney+ and TheUndefeated.com on July 3, 2020, alongside the filmed recording of Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical about Alexander Hamilton on Disney+, which has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

A special documentary featuring the original cast of Hamilton will debut alongside the filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical phenomenon, arriving on the Disney+ streaming platform on July 3. According to Entertainment Weekly, Hamilton In-Depth With Kelley Carter will reunite the Broadway show's creators and stars for a virtual roundtable discussion examining the origins and legacy of the groundbreaking production. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/22/hamilton-official-trailer"] "The story and subject matter that Hamilton covers, and the creative vision of its architects and actors, are more timely than ever," said Jimmy Pitaro, President of ESPN and Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks. "The Undefeated, and Kelley L. Carter, are uniquely positioned to help connect audiences – whether they have never seen the show, or have seen it 10 times – to the creative process, people and significance of Hamilton as it debuts on Disney+." The behind-the-scenes feature, produced by The Undefeated, ESPN+, and Disney+, will be hosted by Kelley L. Carter, an award-winning journalist who will explore a wide range of topics in conversation with Hamilton director Thomas Kail and the musical's stars, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom Jr., Christopher Jackson, Phillipa Soo, and Renée Elise Goldsberry. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/24/hamilton-alexander-hamilton-official-clip"] The talented team will come together to reveal some theater tidbits and insider secrets about their collaborative creative process, including details about the show's early stages of development right the way through to its sellout run on the stage, as well as the deeper significance of the story and its meaning in the context of ongoing conversations about systemic racism and social injustice. "The cast of Hamilton didn't come to play," said Carter. "They are accomplished performers who created genre-shifting art, but they also understand this unprecedented time in history and why their voices matter. This special isn't just about one of the most important pieces of work to ever play on Broadway. This is about how art inspires activation. And, well, how activation inspires great art." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hidden-gems-on-disney-plus-11-classic-movies-to-watch&captions=true"] Hamilton is a dramatization of the life of Founding Father and Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, tracing his story from his arrival in New York City at the dawn of the Revolutionary War through to his ill-fated duel with rival Aaron Burr in 1804. The musical features a unique combination of hip-hop, R&B, soul, and show tunes to help examine Hamilton's story through a modern lens. Hamilton In-Depth With Kelley Carter premieres on Disney+ and TheUndefeated.com on July 3, 2020, alongside the filmed recording of Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical about Alexander Hamilton on Disney+, which has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Pokemon Go creator Niantic and immersive theater company Punchdrunk have announced "a multifaceted partnership" that may be using mobile augmented reality capabilities to place immersive theater performances in the real world. An announcement press release doesn't mention specifics about what that partnership is working on, but it makes clear that the result will combine augmented reality and theatrical performance "on a scale not seen before". The release continues: "This revolutionary collaboration will lead to new advances in tech-empowered audience experience that will redefine gaming, inspiring audiences for generations to come." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/26/pokemon-go-buddy-adventure-feature-trailer"] In a statement, Punchdrunk artistic director Felix Barrett specicially mentions mobile gaming, and mentions taking the sense of adventure from his company's work "into the real world", implying that this will take the form of an AR app of some kind: "At Punchdrunk we create richly cinematic 3D worlds where audiences can explore, touch and smell the environment; where the boundaries between reality and fantasy are indistinguishable. Those that have seen [Punchdrunk show] Sleep No More often liken the experience to how it might feel to walk into a video game. What happens if you take that sense of adventure into the real world? Tear down the walls and the world becomes your stage. "I believe that Punchdrunk and Niantic can create something that has never been done before. They do it in AR, we do it in real life. Collide the two and I think we will blow people's minds; bend the rules of genre and redefine the norms of mobile gaming.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/pokemon-go-remote-raid-passes-trailer"] Punchdrunk is an influential theater company that has eschewed traditional stages and audiences, instead creating explorable spaces filled with actors, where the audience become part of the story, discovering it at their own pace. Perhaps the company's most famous work is Sleep No More, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth set in a film noir world. Niantic CEO John Hanke says the teams have been working together for "many months" on projects that meld the virtual and real worlds. He says he believes the potential for their work to be "global and massive". We'll update you as we learn more. [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.

Pokemon Go creator Niantic and immersive theater company Punchdrunk have announced "a multifaceted partnership" that may be using mobile augmented reality capabilities to place immersive theater performances in the real world. An announcement press release doesn't mention specifics about what that partnership is working on, but it makes clear that the result will combine augmented reality and theatrical performance "on a scale not seen before". The release continues: "This revolutionary collaboration will lead to new advances in tech-empowered audience experience that will redefine gaming, inspiring audiences for generations to come." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/26/pokemon-go-buddy-adventure-feature-trailer"] In a statement, Punchdrunk artistic director Felix Barrett specicially mentions mobile gaming, and mentions taking the sense of adventure from his company's work "into the real world", implying that this will take the form of an AR app of some kind: "At Punchdrunk we create richly cinematic 3D worlds where audiences can explore, touch and smell the environment; where the boundaries between reality and fantasy are indistinguishable. Those that have seen [Punchdrunk show] Sleep No More often liken the experience to how it might feel to walk into a video game. What happens if you take that sense of adventure into the real world? Tear down the walls and the world becomes your stage. "I believe that Punchdrunk and Niantic can create something that has never been done before. They do it in AR, we do it in real life. Collide the two and I think we will blow people's minds; bend the rules of genre and redefine the norms of mobile gaming.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/pokemon-go-remote-raid-passes-trailer"] Punchdrunk is an influential theater company that has eschewed traditional stages and audiences, instead creating explorable spaces filled with actors, where the audience become part of the story, discovering it at their own pace. Perhaps the company's most famous work is Sleep No More, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth set in a film noir world. Niantic CEO John Hanke says the teams have been working together for "many months" on projects that meld the virtual and real worlds. He says he believes the potential for their work to be "global and massive". We'll update you as we learn more. [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.

Fortnite is finally shedding its early access status, and as a result, development of its original Save the World PvE mode will slow down. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/24/full-fortnite-x-travis-scott-astronomical-concert"] The news arrives after three years of development, during which the game has become quite the phenomenon after it pivoted from its initial horde mode to battle royale. Recent months have even seen it boasting virtual concerts and Star Wars collaborations, something only one of the world's most popular video games could carry off. In a post on the Epic Games blog, the development team revealed that Save the World's main story "is complete," but that it will endure as a "premium experience" instead of being free to play. Fortnite players considered to be "Founders" - those who purchased the game at full price - will have their Founder's Packs upgraded as a result. Save the World mode won't be able to support all upcoming Battle Royale cosmetics, but existing player libraries will remain in-tact. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=games-that-came-back-from-the-brink-of-disaster&captions=true"] As Save the World winds down, its content will rotate for replayability purposes. A new Ventures mode is coming to the game too, which will feature new season-long excursions in zones with "new and unique modifiers to tackle." Players can take part in these ventures to progress through the levels, pick up venture-specific rewards and upgrade the items in their personal collection. In other Fortnite news, the game recently hosted a series of Christopher Nolan movie screenings as part of the Movie Nite at Party Royale's Big Screen event. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Fortnite is finally shedding its early access status, and as a result, development of its original Save the World PvE mode will slow down. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/24/full-fortnite-x-travis-scott-astronomical-concert"] The news arrives after three years of development, during which the game has become quite the phenomenon after it pivoted from its initial horde mode to battle royale. Recent months have even seen it boasting virtual concerts and Star Wars collaborations, something only one of the world's most popular video games could carry off. In a post on the Epic Games blog, the development team revealed that Save the World's main story "is complete," but that it will endure as a "premium experience" instead of being free to play. Fortnite players considered to be "Founders" - those who purchased the game at full price - will have their Founder's Packs upgraded as a result. Save the World mode won't be able to support all upcoming Battle Royale cosmetics, but existing player libraries will remain in-tact. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=games-that-came-back-from-the-brink-of-disaster&captions=true"] As Save the World winds down, its content will rotate for replayability purposes. A new Ventures mode is coming to the game too, which will feature new season-long excursions in zones with "new and unique modifiers to tackle." Players can take part in these ventures to progress through the levels, pick up venture-specific rewards and upgrade the items in their personal collection. In other Fortnite news, the game recently hosted a series of Christopher Nolan movie screenings as part of the Movie Nite at Party Royale's Big Screen event. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

A new PlayStation VR patent filed by Sony Interactive Entertainment suggests that the company is working on technology that will allow advertisements to be displayed within the headset. The patent listing  from Sony, published on June 25, shows drawings that offering an example of how a virtual reality advertising model may look in practice. It appears that the advertisements will show up in the periphery parts of your vision, in the top corners of the display or as a banner in the top middle of the screen. [caption id="attachment_2374000" align="alignnone" width="1280"] A technical drawing from the Sony patent.[/caption] According to the text of the patent, the way advertisements will be displayed depends on the position of the user's head within the head-mounted display and their line of sight. The patent describes the advertisements as "additional content" for "promoting recognition of a given thing or service." One example used in the text is of the user watching a concert with a set of performers appearing at the same time. The technology claims to be able to "detect on which performer the user is focusing his or her attention and then change the advertisement in accordance with the performer of interest." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/23/the-10-best-psvr-games"] It should be noted that patents are no guarantee of end results, just that the company in question is researching and developing such technologies. As such, we can't say if Sony is definitely bringing advertising 'pop-ups' to PSVR. It is certainly working on the concept, though. In other weird patent news, here's another bit of Sony technology discovered in April which suggests that in the future we might get fuzzy robotic gaming companions that react to our emotions. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN, excited to be sold Lightspeed Briefs when he's playing Bloodborne Kart in VR. Follow him on Twitter.