Hot off The Daily Prophet presses: J.K. Rowling has announced the launch of Harry Potter At Home, a new online hub designed to help children, parents, carers and teachers add a touch of magic to their daily lives while in lockdown due to coronavirus (COVID-19). In a tweet on Wednesday, Rowling shared a link to a news post outlining the resources and activities that have been cumulated by the Wizarding World team in collaboration with their partners at Audible, Bloomsbury, OverDrive, Pottermore Publishing and Scholastic.

Parents, teachers and carers working to keep children amused and interested while we’re on lockdown might need a bit of magic, so I’m delighted to launch https://t.co/cPg0dZpexB pic.twitter.com/i0ZjTplVoU

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 1, 2020

Casting a Banishing Charm on boredom, these magic-makers are offering a range of exercises to fill out everyone's timetable, with everything from special activity kits and magical craft videos to fun articles, quizzes, puzzles and much, much more. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/11/24/best-25-harry-potter-characters"] In addition, Audible and OverDrive are giving people unlimited access to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for free throughout April. Audible's new platform is adding the Stephen Fry edition of the audiobook to its library in six languages, while OverDrive is allowing members to borrow the book in more than 20 different languages up until April 30. A statement on the site reads: "For over twenty years now, Hogwarts has been an escape for all – for readers and fans, young and old. During the strange times we now find ourselves in, we want to welcome you back to Hogwarts, where you will find a friendly retreat for you, your family and those you are caring for." The digital hub is now live with the tagline "Bringing Hogwarts to you" on the landing page. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-harry-potter-universes-most-fantastic-beasts&captions=true"] J.K. Rowling joins a host of other celebrities offering lighter entertainment options for those living in lockdown. John Krasinski just started up a new YouTube series "dedicated entirely to good news" while Seth MacFarlane recently launched a podcast hosted by Family Guy's Stewie and Brian. Plus, Jodie Whittaker transformed into Doctor Who for an "emergency transmission" and Sir Patrick Stewart has been reading daily sonnets to his fans. 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"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Fox's popular hip-hop-themed drama Empire is one of many TV productions affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, Fox has now taken the drastic step of ending the series early and canceling the final two episodes. As reported by The Wrap, work has permanently halted on the penultimate episode of Empire's sixth and final season. Fox now lists Season 6, Episode 18 as the series finale, despite ordering a 20-episode final season. A source tells The Wrap that, rather than resume filming after the pandemic has resolved, the filmmakers will attempt to incorporate existing footage from Episode 19 into Episode 18 in the hope of creating a cohesive finale episode. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-tv-show-cancelled-or-announced-to-be-ending-in-2020&captions=true"] Fox has yet to release an official statement on the situation, though a teaser trailer for Episode 16 refers to it as the start of "the shocking final three episodes of Empire." This looks to be an unfortunate end for what was once one of Fox's most-watched series. In addition to a sharp ratings decline in recent years, the series has been beset with scandal after actor Jussee Smollett was accused of staging a hate crime against himself. Smollett's character was eventually written out of the final two episodes of Season 5, and Smollett hasn't returned for Season 6. This abrupt cancellation could be a worrying sign of things to come for the TV industry. With the pandemic bringing so many projects to a halt, Empire may be one of many shows to cut their current seasons short rather than complete filming later. Hollywood faced a similar problem in 2008 when the WGA strike forced a great many shows to end production early, affecting everything from Lost to Friday Night Lights. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/30/netflixs-oscar-worthy-original-films-you-need-to-watch"] The silver lining in this situation is that many actors and filmmakers are finding other ways to entertain fans even while the cameras stop rolling. Scrubs stars Zach Braff and Donald Faison have started a new podcast, while Zack Snyder released a revealing new director's commentary track for Batman v Superman. Let us know what you think of Empire's abrupt end in the comments below. And learn how you can stay safe and help out during the COVID-19 pandemic. [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.

Fox's popular hip-hop-themed drama Empire is one of many TV productions affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, Fox has now taken the drastic step of ending the series early and canceling the final two episodes. As reported by The Wrap, work has permanently halted on the penultimate episode of Empire's sixth and final season. Fox now lists Season 6, Episode 18 as the series finale, despite ordering a 20-episode final season. A source tells The Wrap that, rather than resume filming after the pandemic has resolved, the filmmakers will attempt to incorporate existing footage from Episode 19 into Episode 18 in the hope of creating a cohesive finale episode. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-tv-show-cancelled-or-announced-to-be-ending-in-2020&captions=true"] Fox has yet to release an official statement on the situation, though a teaser trailer for Episode 16 refers to it as the start of "the shocking final three episodes of Empire." This looks to be an unfortunate end for what was once one of Fox's most-watched series. In addition to a sharp ratings decline in recent years, the series has been beset with scandal after actor Jussee Smollett was accused of staging a hate crime against himself. Smollett's character was eventually written out of the final two episodes of Season 5, and Smollett hasn't returned for Season 6. This abrupt cancellation could be a worrying sign of things to come for the TV industry. With the pandemic bringing so many projects to a halt, Empire may be one of many shows to cut their current seasons short rather than complete filming later. Hollywood faced a similar problem in 2008 when the WGA strike forced a great many shows to end production early, affecting everything from Lost to Friday Night Lights. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/30/netflixs-oscar-worthy-original-films-you-need-to-watch"] The silver lining in this situation is that many actors and filmmakers are finding other ways to entertain fans even while the cameras stop rolling. Scrubs stars Zach Braff and Donald Faison have started a new podcast, while Zack Snyder released a revealing new director's commentary track for Batman v Superman. Let us know what you think of Empire's abrupt end in the comments below. And learn how you can stay safe and help out during the COVID-19 pandemic. [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.

Sony has announced that Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Dirt Rally 2.0 are the PlayStation Plus games for the month of April. As detailed in the PlayStation Blog post announcing the titles, both will be available to download for free to all PlayStation Plus subscribers starting next Tuesday, April 7. These titles will be available for download through Monday, May 4. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/01/playstation-plus-free-games-lineup-april-2020-trailer"] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is the last mainline entry in Naughty Dog's uncharted series (although it tees up the spin-off, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, quite well) and sees Nathan Drake traversing Madagascar, Scotland, abandoned pirate towns and more on a hunt for treasure, of course. It's the last we've seen of Nathan Drake and could be for a while as Naughty Dog is full speed ahead on its next title, The Last of Us Part II. We thought the game was amazing, giving Uncharted 4: A Thief's End a 9 out of 10. The other free title this month, Dirt Rally 2.0, is all about precision driving in this realistic globe-trotting rally race sim game. Codemaster's Dirt Rally 2.0 features "race-altering weather systems," plenty of customization, loads of courses to race on and more. We thought the game was great, giving Dirt Rally 2.0 an 8.5 out of 10. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-playstation-first-party-exclusive-review&captions=true"] These two free April titles come off the heels of last month's Shadow of the Colossus and Sonic Forces. If you haven't picked up those games yet, you've still got time as they'll be free to download for PlayStation Plus subscribers until Monday, April 6. If you're wondering what Xbox One players are getting for free this month as part of Xbox's Games with Gold, they're getting Project CARS 2, Fable Anniversary, the Knights of Pen and Paper, and Toybox Turbos. If neither these games nor this month's PlayStation Plus games seem like games you're keen to play, Ubisoft recently announced a month of free game and game trials including titles like Rayman Legends and Ghost Recon: Breakpoint. Elsewhere, other entertainment services like Hulu, Netflix, and Comixology are offering free trials of their services as well. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

Sony has announced that Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Dirt Rally 2.0 are the PlayStation Plus games for the month of April. As detailed in the PlayStation Blog post announcing the titles, both will be available to download for free to all PlayStation Plus subscribers starting next Tuesday, April 7. These titles will be available for download through Monday, May 4. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/01/playstation-plus-free-games-lineup-april-2020-trailer"] Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is the last mainline entry in Naughty Dog's uncharted series (although it tees up the spin-off, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, quite well) and sees Nathan Drake traversing Madagascar, Scotland, abandoned pirate towns and more on a hunt for treasure, of course. It's the last we've seen of Nathan Drake and could be for a while as Naughty Dog is full speed ahead on its next title, The Last of Us Part II. We thought the game was amazing, giving Uncharted 4: A Thief's End a 9 out of 10. The other free title this month, Dirt Rally 2.0, is all about precision driving in this realistic globe-trotting rally race sim game. Codemaster's Dirt Rally 2.0 features "race-altering weather systems," plenty of customization, loads of courses to race on and more. We thought the game was great, giving Dirt Rally 2.0 an 8.5 out of 10. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-playstation-first-party-exclusive-review&captions=true"] These two free April titles come off the heels of last month's Shadow of the Colossus and Sonic Forces. If you haven't picked up those games yet, you've still got time as they'll be free to download for PlayStation Plus subscribers until Monday, April 6. If you're wondering what Xbox One players are getting for free this month as part of Xbox's Games with Gold, they're getting Project CARS 2, Fable Anniversary, the Knights of Pen and Paper, and Toybox Turbos. If neither these games nor this month's PlayStation Plus games seem like games you're keen to play, Ubisoft recently announced a month of free game and game trials including titles like Rayman Legends and Ghost Recon: Breakpoint. Elsewhere, other entertainment services like Hulu, Netflix, and Comixology are offering free trials of their services as well. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

Bethesda will not be broadcasting a digital showcase in June, despite the cancellation of E3 meaning the developer-publisher can't hold its traditional press conference this year. Confirmed in a tweet from head of marketing Pete Hines, the decision stems from the "many challenges" the company is facing due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Given the many challenges we're facing due to the pandemic, we will not host a digital Showcase in June. We have lots of exciting things to share about our games and look forward to telling you more in the coming months.

— Pete Hines (@DCDeacon) April 1, 2020

It sounds as though Bethesda will instead spread its planned announcements out across the year, rather than clustering them into a single show. Bethesda had previously said that it was planning to show off more from Arkane's Deathloop, and Tango Gameworks' Ghostwire: Tokyo at the show. Fans will have been hoping for more teases of The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield, as well. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/06/11/the-elder-scrolls-6-teaser-e3-2018"] It marks a very different approach from the company's competitors - the likes of Microsoft, Ubisoft and more have said that they're exploring how to hold digital replacements for their E3 keynotes. The news arrives a day after Bethesda cancelled QuakeCon 2020, due to be that show's 25th anniversary. IGN is encouraging safety and positivity for all of our readers during this pandemic. Read our tips on how to help, and stay safe, during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter.

Bethesda will not be broadcasting a digital showcase in June, despite the cancellation of E3 meaning the developer-publisher can't hold its traditional press conference this year. Confirmed in a tweet from head of marketing Pete Hines, the decision stems from the "many challenges" the company is facing due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Given the many challenges we're facing due to the pandemic, we will not host a digital Showcase in June. We have lots of exciting things to share about our games and look forward to telling you more in the coming months.

— Pete Hines (@DCDeacon) April 1, 2020

It sounds as though Bethesda will instead spread its planned announcements out across the year, rather than clustering them into a single show. Bethesda had previously said that it was planning to show off more from Arkane's Deathloop, and Tango Gameworks' Ghostwire: Tokyo at the show. Fans will have been hoping for more teases of The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield, as well. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/06/11/the-elder-scrolls-6-teaser-e3-2018"] It marks a very different approach from the company's competitors - the likes of Microsoft, Ubisoft and more have said that they're exploring how to hold digital replacements for their E3 keynotes. The news arrives a day after Bethesda cancelled QuakeCon 2020, due to be that show's 25th anniversary. IGN is encouraging safety and positivity for all of our readers during this pandemic. Read our tips on how to help, and stay safe, during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter.

The basic concept for Final Fantasy 7 Remake's boss battles originated in Yonkama Manga, a classic comic style based around telling a story in four panels. The insight was revealed as part of the Inside Final Fantasy VII Remake docu-series, a set of videos from Square Enix that offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the development of the Remake project. Near the end of the video, Lead Battle Designers Tomotaka Shiroichi and Kosuke Sakane talk about how the boss battles in Final Fantasy 7 Remake were inspired by Yonkama, a four-panel manga style from Japan. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/01/inside-final-fantasy-7-remake-part-3-english-subs"] Yonkoma is usually seen as a comic style made up of four panels in a vertical column, which follows a famous structure known as Kishotenketsu. As Shiroichi explains, the core parts of this structure include an introduction, a middle part, a development and a conclusion. The developers go on to explain how this works in the context of Final Fantasy, their words supplemented by footage of the Abzu boss fight from Final Fantasy 7 Remake. In the footage, the player encounters the beast and is on the back foot, but then studies its special moveset and counters with targeted attacks, leading to its defeat. "Encounter the enemy and start the battle in Phase 1, show each other's hand and the boss takes lead in Phase 2, In Phase 3, the boss shows you the signature attacks and the players start fighting back," Shiroichi explains. "That's when bosses start revealing their weaknesses - Phase 4 is the climax and introduces the next part of the storyline!" The battle designers note that the boss battles in Final Fantasy 7 Remake follow this pattern and as such, connect key events within the story by following those four steps from Yonkama manga. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/02/final-fantasy-7-remake-preview"] According to Shiroichi, each phase should also display Jo-Ha-Kyu, a Japanese concept  of movement that he describes as a "slow start, swift break, and rapid end." The video contains a number of other details about how the team behind Final Fantasy 7 Remake approached the game's combat, including a section interviewing the game's director Tetsuya Nomura about balancing the old-school hallmarks of Final Fantasy 7's ATB system with the demands of a modern audience. For more on Final Fantasy 7 Remake, check out our article about how COVID-19 has impacted its global launch, leading to an early release in Australia and Europe. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN who can't wait to display Jo-Ha-Kyu on some unsuspecting Shinra troops. Follow him on Twitter. 

The basic concept for Final Fantasy 7 Remake's boss battles originated in Yonkama Manga, a classic comic style based around telling a story in four panels. The insight was revealed as part of the Inside Final Fantasy VII Remake docu-series, a set of videos from Square Enix that offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the development of the Remake project. Near the end of the video, Lead Battle Designers Tomotaka Shiroichi and Kosuke Sakane talk about how the boss battles in Final Fantasy 7 Remake were inspired by Yonkama, a four-panel manga style from Japan. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/01/inside-final-fantasy-7-remake-part-3-english-subs"] Yonkoma is usually seen as a comic style made up of four panels in a vertical column, which follows a famous structure known as Kishotenketsu. As Shiroichi explains, the core parts of this structure include an introduction, a middle part, a development and a conclusion. The developers go on to explain how this works in the context of Final Fantasy, their words supplemented by footage of the Abzu boss fight from Final Fantasy 7 Remake. In the footage, the player encounters the beast and is on the back foot, but then studies its special moveset and counters with targeted attacks, leading to its defeat. "Encounter the enemy and start the battle in Phase 1, show each other's hand and the boss takes lead in Phase 2, In Phase 3, the boss shows you the signature attacks and the players start fighting back," Shiroichi explains. "That's when bosses start revealing their weaknesses - Phase 4 is the climax and introduces the next part of the storyline!" The battle designers note that the boss battles in Final Fantasy 7 Remake follow this pattern and as such, connect key events within the story by following those four steps from Yonkama manga. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/02/final-fantasy-7-remake-preview"] According to Shiroichi, each phase should also display Jo-Ha-Kyu, a Japanese concept  of movement that he describes as a "slow start, swift break, and rapid end." The video contains a number of other details about how the team behind Final Fantasy 7 Remake approached the game's combat, including a section interviewing the game's director Tetsuya Nomura about balancing the old-school hallmarks of Final Fantasy 7's ATB system with the demands of a modern audience. For more on Final Fantasy 7 Remake, check out our article about how COVID-19 has impacted its global launch, leading to an early release in Australia and Europe. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN who can't wait to display Jo-Ha-Kyu on some unsuspecting Shinra troops. Follow him on Twitter. 

Rockstar Games has announced that it will donate 5% of its online revenue to COVID-19 relief efforts. The news was revealed in a post from the Rockstar Games Twitter account, where the company explained that, from April 1, 5% of in-game purchases in GTA Online and Red Dead Online will go towards COVID-19 relief. The donation period will last until the end of May.

Rockstar Games and COVID-19 Relief pic.twitter.com/9j6NrtcrFN

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) April 1, 2020

This means that a percentage of the price of Rockstar's in-game microtransactions like Gold Bars in Red Dead Online and Shark Cards in GTA Online will go towards helping aid those who have been affected by COVID-19. "These funds will be used to help local communities and businesses struggling with the impacts of COVID-19, both directly and by supporting some of the amazing organizations who are on the ground," the statement reads. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/25/how-coronavirus-is-affecting-nintendo"] The decision was made after the team had noticed that communities around Rockstar offices in "North America, the UK, India and beyond" were facing hardship due to the pandemic, with small businesses closing doors and those who need government support unable to access it. "The road ahead will be challenging, and we want to help where we can," the statement reads. It's a charitable move from Rockstar that follows in the footsteps of other companies in the games industry who are doing their bit to help fight the Coronavirus. Last week we saw Nintendo donate nearly 10 thousand respirator masks to frontline staff in Washington. CD Projekt Red is also helping by donating nearly $1 million to combat the spread of COVID-19 in Poland. IGN is encouraging safety and positivity for all of our readers during this pandemic. Read our tips on how to help, and stay safe, during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.