Studio Ghibli has shared the first images from Goro Miyazaki's CG film Aya and the Witch. According to Kotaku, Comic Natalie was the first to publish the key visuals and scene photographs from the film, which is based on Diana Wynne Jones' children's book Earwig and the Witch, released in 2011. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=studio-ghiblis-aya-and-the-witch-official-stills-from-goro-miyazakis-cg-film&captions=true"] The colourful carousel of images sees a digression from the traditional, hand-drawn animation that Studio Ghibli is well-renowned for. Instead, this feature has opted for a new kind of art style with an entirely 3D computer-generated story that centres around Earwig, the young girl with the broomstick. Earwig is an orphan girl who has lived at St. Morwald's Home for Children ever since she was a baby, but all of that changes the day that she is adopted by a mysterious woman named Bella Yaga, who turns out to be a terrible witch and brings Earwig to live in her home of supernatural trinkets. With help from a talking cat, Earwig must use her wits to survive in her new magical surroundings. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/11/20/our-favorite-studio-ghibli-films-ign-anime-club"] Hayao Miyazaki has been overseeing the adaptation's "planning" while his son, Goro Miyazaki, has taken the director's role on the project. Aya and the Witch (Aya to Majo) will premiere on Japan's NHK this winter. It is one of two projects being developed by Studio Ghibli this year -- the other being Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film since coming out of retirement, though we might have to wait a bit longer for that release, as it's been projected that it might take up to three years to complete the animation. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Studio Ghibli has shared the first images from Goro Miyazaki's CG film Aya and the Witch. According to Kotaku, Comic Natalie was the first to publish the key visuals and scene photographs from the film, which is based on Diana Wynne Jones' children's book Earwig and the Witch, released in 2011. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=studio-ghiblis-aya-and-the-witch-official-stills-from-goro-miyazakis-cg-film&captions=true"] The colourful carousel of images sees a digression from the traditional, hand-drawn animation that Studio Ghibli is well-renowned for. Instead, this feature has opted for a new kind of art style with an entirely 3D computer-generated story that centres around Earwig, the young girl with the broomstick. Earwig is an orphan girl who has lived at St. Morwald's Home for Children ever since she was a baby, but all of that changes the day that she is adopted by a mysterious woman named Bella Yaga, who turns out to be a terrible witch and brings Earwig to live in her home of supernatural trinkets. With help from a talking cat, Earwig must use her wits to survive in her new magical surroundings. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/11/20/our-favorite-studio-ghibli-films-ign-anime-club"] Hayao Miyazaki has been overseeing the adaptation's "planning" while his son, Goro Miyazaki, has taken the director's role on the project. Aya and the Witch (Aya to Majo) will premiere on Japan's NHK this winter. It is one of two projects being developed by Studio Ghibli this year -- the other being Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film since coming out of retirement, though we might have to wait a bit longer for that release, as it's been projected that it might take up to three years to complete the animation. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Nintendo has announced that the still unknown ARMS character joining Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be revealed on June 22, 2020 at 7am PT/10am ET/3pm BST. The reveal will be part of a 35-minute video livestream, hosted by Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game director Masahiro Sakurai, that will also give an in-depth look at the upcoming fighter. Nintendo is also careful to say that there will be "no further new fighter reveals other than a fighter from ARMS in this livestream." The news that an ARMS character would be joining the fight in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as the first character from the new Fighter's Pass was revealed in Nintendo's last Direct Mini. This ARMS character was said to be released in June 2020, so if that holds true, the comments Sakurai made about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's DLC development possibly needing to stop due to COVID-19 may indicate the wait for the next character after this one could be a longer one. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/30/super-smash-bros-ultimate-byleth-dlc-review"] The last character to be revealed was Fire Emblem: Three Houses' Byleth. In our review of the character, we said "Byleth may be lacking complexity, but the easy-to-pick-up nature of their moves is still worth checking out." [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.

Nintendo has announced that the still unknown ARMS character joining Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be revealed on June 22, 2020 at 7am PT/10am ET/3pm BST. The reveal will be part of a 35-minute video livestream, hosted by Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game director Masahiro Sakurai, that will also give an in-depth look at the upcoming fighter. Nintendo is also careful to say that there will be "no further new fighter reveals other than a fighter from ARMS in this livestream." The news that an ARMS character would be joining the fight in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as the first character from the new Fighter's Pass was revealed in Nintendo's last Direct Mini. This ARMS character was said to be released in June 2020, so if that holds true, the comments Sakurai made about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's DLC development possibly needing to stop due to COVID-19 may indicate the wait for the next character after this one could be a longer one. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/30/super-smash-bros-ultimate-byleth-dlc-review"] The last character to be revealed was Fire Emblem: Three Houses' Byleth. In our review of the character, we said "Byleth may be lacking complexity, but the easy-to-pick-up nature of their moves is still worth checking out." [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.

Sir Ian Holm, who played Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings franchise and malfunctioning android Ash in the 1979 Alien film, has died aged 88. "It is with great sadness that the actor Sir Ian Holm CBE passed away this morning at the age of 88," his agents confirmed to The Guardian. "He died peacefully in hospital, with his family and carer," adding that his illness was related to Parkinson's. "Charming, kind and ferociously talented, we will miss him hugely." [caption id="attachment_2368922" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings.[/caption] Holm was an established star of the stage before making an impact on film and television. He gained a loyal fanbase of sci-fi followers through his turn as the treacherous android Ash in Ridley Scott's Alien, a film role that made a lasting impression with audiences. In 1981, Holm shot to fame with one of his best-known roles, starring as the athletics trainer Sam Mussabini in the historical sporting drama Chariots of Fire, for which he won a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The versatile actor had many more memorable roles in high-profile films in the years that followed, including a return to the sci-fi genre, playing Mr Kurtzmann in Terry Gilliam's Brazil in 1985, and later Father Vito Cornelius in Luc Besson's The Fifth Element in 1997. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2013/12/17/connections-between-the-lord-of-the-rings-and-the-hobbit"] However, it was his portrayal of Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies that introduced the magic of his craft to a whole new generation. He first appeared as the kind-faced hobbit in the blockbuster The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001. He reprised the role in The Return of the King in 2003, as well as the first and third instalments of Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy, more than a decade later. "He was a genius of stage and screen, winning multiple awards and loved by directors, audiences and his colleagues alike. His sparkling wit always accompanied a mischievous twinkle in his eye," his agents concluded in their statement. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Sir Ian Holm, who played Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings franchise and malfunctioning android Ash in the 1979 Alien film, has died aged 88. "It is with great sadness that the actor Sir Ian Holm CBE passed away this morning at the age of 88," his agents confirmed to The Guardian. "He died peacefully in hospital, with his family and carer," adding that his illness was related to Parkinson's. "Charming, kind and ferociously talented, we will miss him hugely." [caption id="attachment_2368922" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings.[/caption] Holm was an established star of the stage before making an impact on film and television. He gained a loyal fanbase of sci-fi followers through his turn as the treacherous android Ash in Ridley Scott's Alien, a film role that made a lasting impression with audiences. In 1981, Holm shot to fame with one of his best-known roles, starring as the athletics trainer Sam Mussabini in the historical sporting drama Chariots of Fire, for which he won a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The versatile actor had many more memorable roles in high-profile films in the years that followed, including a return to the sci-fi genre, playing Mr Kurtzmann in Terry Gilliam's Brazil in 1985, and later Father Vito Cornelius in Luc Besson's The Fifth Element in 1997. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2013/12/17/connections-between-the-lord-of-the-rings-and-the-hobbit"] However, it was his portrayal of Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies that introduced the magic of his craft to a whole new generation. He first appeared as the kind-faced hobbit in the blockbuster The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001. He reprised the role in The Return of the King in 2003, as well as the first and third instalments of Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy, more than a decade later. "He was a genius of stage and screen, winning multiple awards and loved by directors, audiences and his colleagues alike. His sparkling wit always accompanied a mischievous twinkle in his eye," his agents concluded in their statement. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

EA has announced the release date for the current-gen versions of FIFA 21, as well as promised a free upgrade to next-generation consoles. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/18/ea-sports-montage-trailer-ea-play-2020"] Despite there being no messaging about FIFA 21 in the EA Play stream, the game’s website has been updated with a range of new information. Chief among this is the announcement that FIFA 21 will release on October 9 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Origin and Steam. No release date was announced for next-gen consoles, presumably due to the fact there is no official release date for those machines yet. Official dates for next-gen FIFA 21 will be announced later this year. Depending on the version bought, players can access FIFA 21 earlier than the release date. FIFA 21 Ultimate Edition or Champions Edition allows access from October 6, while EA Access and Origin Access subscribers can get into the Play First trial of the game from October 1. FIFA 21 will also make use of EA’s Dual Entitlement system, the publisher’s answer to Microsoft’s Smart Delivery on Xbox. Dual Entitlement works on both PlayStation and Xbox platforms, and will provide the next-gen upgraded version of FIFA 21 at no extra cost should you buy a PS5 or Xbox Seires X. This applies to both digital and physical purchases, although EA notes that if you have FIFA 21 in physical on PS4, then you’ll need to buy a PS5 with a disc drive as the disc must be in the drive to play the upgraded version. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/19/ea-play-2020-full-conference"] Dual Entitlement also carries over plenty of save data, including all progress and content in Ultimate Team and progression in Volta Football. Progress in online seasons, co-op seasons, career mode, and pro clubs are tied to specific consoles, so will not transfer if you upgrade. For more EA, check out everything announced at EA Play Live 2020. And if you can’t wait for October, why not check out our review of FIFA 20 from last year? [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

EA has announced the release date for the current-gen versions of FIFA 21, as well as promised a free upgrade to next-generation consoles. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/18/ea-sports-montage-trailer-ea-play-2020"] Despite there being no messaging about FIFA 21 in the EA Play stream, the game’s website has been updated with a range of new information. Chief among this is the announcement that FIFA 21 will release on October 9 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Origin and Steam. No release date was announced for next-gen consoles, presumably due to the fact there is no official release date for those machines yet. Official dates for next-gen FIFA 21 will be announced later this year. Depending on the version bought, players can access FIFA 21 earlier than the release date. FIFA 21 Ultimate Edition or Champions Edition allows access from October 6, while EA Access and Origin Access subscribers can get into the Play First trial of the game from October 1. FIFA 21 will also make use of EA’s Dual Entitlement system, the publisher’s answer to Microsoft’s Smart Delivery on Xbox. Dual Entitlement works on both PlayStation and Xbox platforms, and will provide the next-gen upgraded version of FIFA 21 at no extra cost should you buy a PS5 or Xbox Seires X. This applies to both digital and physical purchases, although EA notes that if you have FIFA 21 in physical on PS4, then you’ll need to buy a PS5 with a disc drive as the disc must be in the drive to play the upgraded version. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/19/ea-play-2020-full-conference"] Dual Entitlement also carries over plenty of save data, including all progress and content in Ultimate Team and progression in Volta Football. Progress in online seasons, co-op seasons, career mode, and pro clubs are tied to specific consoles, so will not transfer if you upgrade. For more EA, check out everything announced at EA Play Live 2020. And if you can’t wait for October, why not check out our review of FIFA 20 from last year? [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time has been rated for PS4 and Xbox One by the Taiwan Digital Game Rating Committee.

The news arrives thanks to Gematsu, who first spotted the listing. The listing - which now appears to have been removed from the committee's search results for Crash Bandicoot - offered official box art for the game,  which can be seen in the tweet shared below.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time rated for PS4, Xbox One in Taiwan https://t.co/BRn89XmnWCpic.twitter.com/ATI2ENhgUU

— Gematsu (@gematsucom) June 19, 2020

The listing also featured and a short description of the game's premise: "Crash is relaxing and exploring his island in his time, 1998, when he finds a mysterious mask hidden away in a cave, Lani-Loli. The mask is one of the Quantum Masks and apparently knows Aku-Aku, Crash’s mask friend! With the Quantum Masks returning and a Quantum Rift appearing near our heroes, they decide to bravely head through to different times and dimensions to stop whoever is responsible."

It's also worth noting that the box art appears to confirm that the game will be playable on Xbox Series X too - in the bottom left of the box, it states that It's About Time is an "Xbox One game playable on Xbox Series X," so if this likely-looking story comes true, the game may well have some cross-gen capabilities. Similar messaging is not present on the PS4 box art. Additionally, there is no mention of a PC or Switch release, two platforms that received the previous Crash Bandicoot games, N. Sane Trilogy and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/06/29/crash-bandicoot-n-sane-trilogy-review"]

The box art also reveals that Spyro Reignited Trilogy developer Toys for Bob is behind the game, rather than the N. Sane Trilogy studio Vicarious Visions.

We reported earlier this month on leaked merchandise that appeared to suggest a new Crash Bandicoot game was inbound. Just yesterday, IGN received a 200-piece puzzle with the message "A little something to help pass the TIME" which revealed one of the mask's seen on the leaked cover above.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time has been rated for PS4 and Xbox One by the Taiwan Digital Game Rating Committee.

The news arrives thanks to Gematsu, who first spotted the listing. The listing - which now appears to have been removed from the committee's search results for Crash Bandicoot - offered official box art for the game,  which can be seen in the tweet shared below.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time rated for PS4, Xbox One in Taiwan https://t.co/BRn89XmnWCpic.twitter.com/ATI2ENhgUU

— Gematsu (@gematsucom) June 19, 2020

The listing also featured and a short description of the game's premise: "Crash is relaxing and exploring his island in his time, 1998, when he finds a mysterious mask hidden away in a cave, Lani-Loli. The mask is one of the Quantum Masks and apparently knows Aku-Aku, Crash’s mask friend! With the Quantum Masks returning and a Quantum Rift appearing near our heroes, they decide to bravely head through to different times and dimensions to stop whoever is responsible."

It's also worth noting that the box art appears to confirm that the game will be playable on Xbox Series X too - in the bottom left of the box, it states that It's About Time is an "Xbox One game playable on Xbox Series X," so if this likely-looking story comes true, the game may well have some cross-gen capabilities. Similar messaging is not present on the PS4 box art. Additionally, there is no mention of a PC or Switch release, two platforms that received the previous Crash Bandicoot games, N. Sane Trilogy and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/06/29/crash-bandicoot-n-sane-trilogy-review"]

The box art also reveals that Spyro Reignited Trilogy developer Toys for Bob is behind the game, rather than the N. Sane Trilogy studio Vicarious Visions.

We reported earlier this month on leaked merchandise that appeared to suggest a new Crash Bandicoot game was inbound. Just yesterday, IGN received a 200-piece puzzle with the message "A little something to help pass the TIME" which revealed one of the mask's seen on the leaked cover above.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.