Update: Naughty Dog has released a message from its official social media account addressing The Last of Us Part 2 leaks as well as the new June 19 release date. In a short tweet, Naughty Dog writes, "We know the last few days have been incredibly difficult for you. We feel the same. It's disappointing to see the release and sharing or pre-release footage from development. Do your best to avoid spoilers and we ask that you don't spoil it for others." Naughty Dog added, "The Last of Us Part 2 will be in your hands soon. No matter what you see and hear, the final experience will be worth it." Naughty Dog seemingly acknowledges the leaks from over the weekend. While we won't share those details here, it's best advised to avoid any potential leaks or spoiler posts online for The Last of Us Part 2.

A message from the studio: pic.twitter.com/f0TzIZXUIB

— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) April 27, 2020

Original story follows. [poilib element="accentDivider"] After being delayed indefinitely, The Last of Us Part II will be released on June 19, with Ghost of Tsushima pushed back to July 17. Announcing the news on the PlayStation blog, Sony Interactive Entertainment Head of Worldwide Studios Hermen Hulst said he wants to "personally congratulate and thank both the teams at Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch Productions on their achievements, as we know it’s not an easy feat to reach the finish line under these circumstances.Both teams have worked hard to deliver world-class experiences, and we can’t wait to see what you think of them when they release in just a few short months." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-last-of-us-part-2-new-screenshots&captions=true"] While Sony announced both new release dates for these PS4 games, it has yet to provide an updated release date for Marvel's Iron Man VR, which was also delayed alongside The Last of Us Part 2. When reached for comment on the PSVR exclusive, a Sony representative told IGN "SIE will provide an update in the coming weeks on the release timing for the game." Ghost of Tsushima, the samurai open world game by Infamous creator Sucker Punch, was originally scheduled for June 26, but has clearly been pushed back to allow The Last of Us Part 2 some breathing room. Hulst puts the delays down to "some disruptions to our working styles" caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Last of Us 2 was recently delayed from its May 29 release date, and Sony began issuing automatic refunds because of the indefinite nature of that delay. Director Neil Druckmann explained that this was because the COVID-19 crisis had meant a supply of physical copies couldn't be guaranteed, which would have been unfair to those in regions with less digital infrastructure in place. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/05/ghost-of-tsushima-story-trailer"] With story spoilers now seemingly in the wild, the slightly shorter-than-expected wait will be welcome news. To fill that wait, perhaps you could read our hands-on with The Last of Us' long-awaited sequel, and our discussions with Druckmann about Joel's role in The Last of Us Part 2, why The Last of Us Part 2 isn't an open world game, and how dogs affect stealth and combat in The Last of Us sequel. The delay means that Ghost of Tsushima will likely still be the last major Sony exclusive for PS4, ahead of the release of PS5 in Q4 this year. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter.

Mondo, known for high-quality pop-culture collectibles, announced an all-new Avengers soundtrack vinyl boxed available for preorder beginning this Wednesday. The double-soundtrack boxed set has composer Alan Silvestri's scores for both Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War and Marvel's Avengers: Endgame spanning one massive 6-XLP set. All six records are on 180 gram vinyl in "Infinity Stone" colors. In addition to the special edition boxed set, Mondo is releasing a line of Marvel-themed enamel pins and Avengers turntable slipcovers. Check out the gallery below to see the upcoming Marvel products from Mondo. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=mondo-special-edition-marvel-avengers-releases&captions=true"] The Avengers vinyl boxed set has cover and interior art by Matt Taylor and goes up for preorder April 29 for $90 USD. The design on the slipcover was done by Bruce Yan and the pin was designed by Tom Whalen. The double-sided slipmat costs $12, and the Goose enamel pin is $10, all of which can be ordered through the Mondo storefront. You can also binge all the Marvel Avengers movies for free with a Disney+ free trial, or catch up on over 25,000 comics from Marvel, DC, IDW and more with a free 60-day comiXology trial. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Seth Macy is IGN's tech and commerce editor and just wants to be your friend. Find him on Twitter @sethmacy.  

Gearbox Software is adapting its World War 2 shooter series, Brother in Arms, into a TV show with the help of showrunner Scott Rosenbaum. The show will follow a team of eight soldiers on a mission to rescue their colonel from the Nazis before they discover the D-Day plans. It will explore both Allied and Axis sides of the war, and feature characters based on real people from the period. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/07/27/unlocked-why-wed-love-a-new-brothers-in-arms"] The original Brothers in Arms games, which began in 2005, explored the D-Day landings from the perspective of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment. Seen through the eyes of Sergeant Matt Baker, the games are known for their historical accuracy, with levels built using contemporary maps and combat tactics influenced by 1940s army training. The TV series will continue that look at real history, as well as the more personal stories of infantrymen on the front-line. "I love the stories we told in the games, and we do have more stories to tell, but a TV show lets us explore this subject matter and the effect on the relationships and people in broader ways," Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford told The Hollywood Reporter. "The story we ended up using has never been dramatized on TV," says Rosenbaum. "Almost 800 U.S. servicemen were killed and it had to be covered up because the Allies were preparing for the real Normandy invasion." The series has only just been put into pre-production, and so the hunt is currently on for directors and a broadcast partner. While casting won’t be settled for some time, Picthford is looking for fresh talent. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2006/05/09/bia-hells-highway-ps3-welcome-to-hell"] Randy Pitchford will serve as executive producer alongside Rosenbaum. They are joined by Richard Whelan - who previously worked on Band of Brothers and Captain America: The First Avenger - as well as Jean-Julien Baronnet, producer on the Assassin’s Creed movie, and Gearbox Software’s chief business officer, Sean Haran. This is the second Gearbox Software game getting the live-action treatment; Eli Roth is directing the Borderlands movie, which is allegedly going to be an R-rated action flick. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

Last week WWE confirmed that there will be no WWE 2K game this year. Today 2K Games revealed why that is, and also took the opportunity to announce a new WWE game called WWE 2K Battlegrounds. 2K Games won’t be releasing a new WWE 2K game this year, but to ease the blow the company announced a new WWE game. WWE 2K Battlegrounds is a new arcade-style brawler developed by NBA 2K Playgrounds studio Saber Interactive. You can check out a reveal trailer below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/27/wwe-battlegrounds-reveal-trailer"] Favorite wrestlers from across eras in “over-the-top Superstar designs” will star in the new wrestling game. 2K says it’s focusing on “social pick-up-and-play fun” instead of a more traditional wrestling sim like the WWE 2K series. WWE 2K Battlegrounds is scheduled to be released this fall. As for WWE 2K21, the company said that it has heard feedback from fans regarding WWE 2K20, which was panned for its many issues like poor graphics, gameplay glitches, and bugs. In order to deliver experience fans want from a WWE game, 2K says it’s extending the production timeline for the next WWE 2K game. “We are applying what we’ve learned to the next WWE 2K simulation with a renewed focus on quality and fun,” 2K says in a press release. “As part of that commitment, we are extending the production timeline and will not be releasing a WWE 2K simulation game in fiscal year 2021.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-wwe-game-review-ever&captions=true"] As part of this renewed commitment to quality, 2K and developer Visual Concepts hired Patrick Gilmore as executive producer. Gilmore is a 25-year video game industry veteran with credits dating back to Disney’s Aladdin on Sega Genesis as well as work on Killer Instinct, Medal of Honor, and Amazon’s New World. Along with the longer development time, 2K announced it will keep servers for WWE 2K19 running and active. Visual Concepts took over the WWE 2K series from Japanese developers Yuke’s after the latter split with 2K to work on its own wrestling game. For more on why WWE 2K may be going into extra development, read our review for WWE 2K20. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

UPDATE: Disney has confirmed that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will begin streaming two months early on Disney+ in celebration of May the 4th, also known as Star Wars Day. In the Netherlands, however, the movie will launch on May 5 due to the Memorial Day holiday.

The complete Skywalker Saga, all in one place. Start streaming all 9 films, including Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, on May the 4th, only on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/qNNAHsrOkh

— Star Wars (@starwars) April 27, 2020

Disney+ will also honour the artistry of Star Wars with a week-long concept art takeover on the service, with the artwork for each movie and series from the franchise being updated on May 4 to feature original concept art from celebrated artists such as Ralph McQuarrie and Doug Chiang. In addition, the Star Wars brand tile on the Disney+ home screen will be upgraded with a new animation to commemorate the signature hyperspace jump. [poilib element="accentDivider"] ORIGINAL STORY: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has been added to the Disney+ app with a release date of May 4 (aka Star Wars Day). IGN captured a screenshot of the Episode IX placeholder on the US version of the Disney+ app, which states: "Due to existing agreements this title will be available on May 4, 2020." Disney+ is yet to announce the official release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on its streaming service. Therefore, it is currently unclear whether this title will be added to the platform on the same date in all available countries and regions. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-every-ship-bonus-feature] The Rise of Skywalker's prospective release date aligns itself with Star Wars Day, an annual celebration of the iconic space opera franchise. This year, the force is strong with fans of binge-worthy content, as there is a small batch of new original content due to arrive from the galaxy far, far away. Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, an eight-episode documentary series, will start streaming on Disney+ on May 4. The multi-part show is expected to offer fans of The Mandalorian a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the series. It will be released on the streamer on the same day as the highly anticipated Clone Wars Season 7 finale. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-star-wars-rotten-tomatoes-and-metacritic-review-score&captions=true"] These new additions come shortly after the digital and home release of The Rise of Skywalker, which was accompanied by "over two hours of bonus material," including a feature-length documentary titled, The Skywalker Legacy, which takes fans behind-the-scenes of the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was released in theatres in late 2019 and earned $1.074 billion at the global box office, even though it ended up being one of the lowest-scoring Star Wars movies on Rotten Tomatoes. For an alternative comparison, find out how Episode IX performed on its opening weekend alongside the other Star Wars entries. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

A set of what seems to be major spoilers for The Last of Us Part II has leaked - watch what you're searching for, people. The spoilers have apparently emerged from leaked videos of major moments from the upcoming game, which have now been turned into lists of details. It's not totally clear at this point if the details are correct but we, of course, won't be printing them here. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-last-of-us-part-2-new-screenshots&captions=true"] In the past, bots on social media sites have sent spoilers as automated replies to posts including related terms - we haven't yet seen reports of this but, if you are trying to wait for release, it's likely worth paying extra attention to tweets containing the name of the game, or its main characters. What makes the situation worse is that we don't even know a release date for the game, after it was delayed indefinitely due to supply chain problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For less ruinous Last of Us 2 content, we spoke to Neil Druckmann about Joel's role in The Last of Us Part II, why The Last of Us Part II isn't an open world game, as well as how dogs affect stealth and combat. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/02/the-last-of-us-part-2-delayed-indefinitely-ign-now"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

The IGN audience's most-anticipated game is joining our summer showcase.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds developer PUBG Corp is adding bots to public matches on consoles in order to address the growing gulf between the skill levels of new players and proficient PUBG veterans. “While PUBG veterans continue to hone their skills and improve, we’re seeing more often that many newer players are being eliminated early with no kills – and oftentimes with no damage dealt,” explained lead project manager Joon H. Choi in a blog post published on PUBG.com. “In an effort to provide more ways for players to hone their skills and be able to fully enjoy what PUBG has to offer, we’ve decided to introduce bots with Update 7.1.” Choi went on to detail the three main priorities the PUBG team considered when building the console bots, including carefully laying out navigation meshes across the entire map “in a way that prevents bots from throwing themselves off of a cliff”, a “carefully balanced” shooting system that allows players to avoid fire using authentic evasive action, and ensuring bots concentrate on seeking out, looting, and arming themselves with the most appropriate gear during each phase of the game. “While there were many other factors that went into programming PUBG’s bots, these were the three we felt carried the most potential impact on a match,” wrote Choi. “We hope that introducing bots will help players get more shooting practice and kills, a higher average survival time, and maybe even that first exciting chicken dinner. Basically, the full battle royale experience.” Choi also qualified that this is just the first iteration of bots in PUBG on console. Bots will be monitored for improvement over the coming months. Experienced players with high matchmaking ratings will be less likely to encounter bots in their games. Competitive, ranked PUBG will not feature bots. Serving to lower the barrier of entry to the cutthroat genre, bots are already in a feature in PUBG on mobile and were added to battle royale rival Fortnite in an update in October 2019. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/10/pubg-cross-platform-party-play-trailer] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter sporadically @MrLukeReilly.