With Half-Life: Alyx out the door, Valve is ready to talk about Artifact again, including details about the upcoming Beta 2.0. While details are still sparse, Valve revealed some key early details including how Artifact cards and packs will no longer be sold but instead earned through gameplay. Despite a relatively positive reception upon launch, Artifact’s player count soon crumbled. One of the key complaints about Valve’s Dota 2 card game was around the controversial marketplace which attempted to digitize the card-buying experience. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-valve-game-review&captions=true"] Valve soon announced there were “deep-rooted issues” with Artifact that required a drastic overhaul instead of incremental updates. Valve founder Gabe Newell even told IGN that Artifact was a “giant disappointment” for the company. Another gameplay change coming to Artifact is giving players access to all three lanes at once. Like in Dota 2, Artifact utilizes a lane mechanic that’s reminiscent of the MOBA. However, players were only able to access one lane at a time. This will apparently no longer be the case. There will also be a Hero Draft mode that will let players experiment with deck constructions without the pressure of having to worry about the ranked ladder. Valve says invites will be prioritized to players who purchased the first Artifact, and selection into the Beta will then be given out randomly. Decks from the original version will no longer be valid due to some individual cards being either changed, removed, or brand new. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/11/28/artifact-launch-trailer"] There will also be some kind of microtransaction for Artifact 2.0, but Valve says “none of them are cards/packs,” so it could be something related to cosmetics. Valve recently released Half-Life: Alyx, a VR-prequel to Half-Life 2 that IGN awarded a perfect score, calling it a benchmark for VR gaming. Check out IGN’s full coverage, including an in-depth interview with Newell. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Even though the 2017 Power Rangers movie ended with a stinger that teased the introduction of Tommy Oliver, it never got a sequel and the Power Rangers franchise is moving on with another reboot, so we never got to see Tommy as the Green Ranger on the big screen. But that didn’t stop one of the prototype costume designers for the movie, Sanit Klamchanuan, from imagining what the Green Ranger might have looked like. When a fan messaged Klamchanuan pointing out that it was the three-year anniversary of the movie and fans never got to see the Tommy as the Green Ranger, it inspired him to whip up a design for the fan-favorite character, which he posted on Instagram. Take a look at Klamchanuan’s work-in-progress drawings and the final design below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=klamchanuans-unofficial-green-ranger-design&captions=true"] This design is purely a fun exercise for Klamchanuan and is not official, but given that a sequel never materialized, this is likely as close as we’re going to get to seeing what the Green Ranger would look like in the organic, glowing armor style created for the movie. Rita Repulsa was depicted as a fallen Green Ranger in the film, so we were given an idea of what the Green Ranger would look like, but Klamchanuan’s design depicts Tommy in the armor and is a bit more in line with what fans know from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series. Klamchanuan explained to IGN that he made sure the Green Ranger design looked similar to the other rangers while incorporating the signature dragon elements. “I took the elements of the Red Ranger as a base to build on, changing the shape of the helmet to add extra horns to give it a dragon look,” Klamchanuan said. The Green Ranger is of course known for his signature gold chest shield, which Klamchanuan included in a more subtle way. “With the gold chest shield, it was important to me not to go too over the top,” he said. “I wanted to have it there but make sure it didn’t overpower the green, so I used it more as a highlight.” As for the Dragon Dagger, Klamchanuan had a bit of fun by giving it the ability to transform from a dagger into a full-sized sword, perfect for going blade-to-blade with the Red Ranger’s power sword. “And it would look badass!” he added. What do you think of Klamchanuan’s design for the Green Ranger? What were your hopes for a sequel to the 2017 Power Rangers movie? Let us know in the comments. If you're hankering for some Green Ranger-related material, you can always check out Jason David Frank reprising his iconic role as the evil, alternate reality version of Tommy Oliver in the trailer below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/03/23/jason-david-frank-is-lord-drakkon-in-live-action-power-rangers-shattered-grid-trailer"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joshua is Senior Features Editor at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Game of Thrones are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

Even though the 2017 Power Rangers movie ended with a stinger that teased the introduction of Tommy Oliver, it never got a sequel and the Power Rangers franchise is moving on with another reboot, so we never got to see Tommy as the Green Ranger on the big screen. But that didn’t stop the artist who designed the costumes for the movie, Sanit Klamchanuan, from imagining what the Green Ranger might have looked like. When a fan messaged Klamchanuan pointing out that it was the three-year anniversary of the movie and fans never got to see the Tommy as the Green Ranger, it inspired him to whip up a design for the fan-favorite character, which he posted on Instagram. Take a look at Klamchanuan’s work-in-progress drawings and the final design below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=klamchanuans-unofficial-green-ranger-design&captions=true"] While this design is purely a fun exercise for Klamchanuan and is not official, he is the one who designed the organic, glowing Power Ranger armor seen in the 2017 film, so this is as close as we’re going to get to seeing what the Green Ranger would look like in that style. Rita Repulsa was depicted as a fallen Green Ranger in the film, so we were given an idea of what the Green Ranger would look like, but Klamchanuan’s design depicts Tommy in the armor and is a bit more in line with what fans know from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series. Klamchanuan explained to IGN that he made sure the Green Ranger design looked similar to the other rangers while incorporating the signature dragon elements. “I took the elements of the Red Ranger as a base to build on, changing the shape of the helmet to add extra horns to give it a dragon look,” Klamchanuan said. The Green Ranger is of course known for his signature gold chest shield, which Klamchanuan included in a more subtle way. “With the gold chest shield, it was important to me not to go too over the top,” he said. “I wanted to have it there but make sure it didn’t overpower the green, so I used it more as a highlight.” As for the Dragon Dagger, Klamchanuan had a bit of fun by giving it the ability to transform from a dagger into a full-sized sword, perfect for going blade-to-blade with the Red Ranger’s power sword. “And it would look badass!” he added. What do you think of Klamchanuan’s design for the Green Ranger? What were your hopes for a sequel to the 2017 Power Rangers movie? Let us know in the comments. If you're hankering for some Green Ranger-related material, you can always check out Jason David Frank reprising his iconic role as the evil, alternate reality version of Tommy Oliver in the trailer below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/03/23/jason-david-frank-is-lord-drakkon-in-live-action-power-rangers-shattered-grid-trailer"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joshua is Senior Features Editor at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Game of Thrones are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

Valve is making a few changes to how Steam games update in an effort to manage bandwidth loads during the coronavirus. With a lot of COVID-19 policies encouraging people to stay home and self-distance, platforms like Steam are breaching record numbers surpassing 20 million people. Valve is trying to balance that load by encouraging self-throttling and a tweak to auto-updating, as more people are home downloading games. "We know a lot of you (like us here at Valve) are stuck at home right now trying to work or attend school remotely," Valve said in a blog post. "Or maybe you're just playing a bunch of great games on Steam. Whatever the case may be, we know that with so many people at home trying to get things done at the same time, it can put a stress on your home’s internet bandwidth." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/25/how-coronavirus-is-impacting-the-games-industry"] People familiar with Steam know that games automatically download updates when they become available. However, a new change makes it so games that haven't been played within the last three days don't update immediately. Instead, Steam will schedule these updates for off-peak times during your local time. This change doesn't prevent people from manually updating their games using Steam's download manager and/or launching a game to force an immediate update. Valve is also suggesting other options to lessen the recent bandwidth strain such as self-throttling, scheduling updates, disabling auto-updates, and more. Further information on how to take advantage of these features is available here. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=games-to-play-while-stuck-at-home&captions=true"] A number of companies such as YouTube, Amazon, and Netflix have also made changes due to bandwidth stress brought on by COVID-19. Disney has stated they will follow similar policies in streaming lower quality options by default for Disney+ in Europe. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jeffrey Lerman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @Snakester95.

Valve is making a few changes to how Steam games update in an effort to manage bandwidth loads during the coronavirus. With a lot of COVID-19 policies encouraging people to stay home and self-distance, platforms like Steam are breaching record numbers surpassing 20 million people. Valve is trying to balance that load by encouraging self-throttling and a tweak to auto-updating, as more people are home downloading games. "We know a lot of you (like us here at Valve) are stuck at home right now trying to work or attend school remotely," Valve said in a blog post. "Or maybe you're just playing a bunch of great games on Steam. Whatever the case may be, we know that with so many people at home trying to get things done at the same time, it can put a stress on your home’s internet bandwidth." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/25/how-coronavirus-is-impacting-the-games-industry"] People familiar with Steam know that games automatically download updates when they become available. However, a new change makes it so games that haven't been played within the last three days don't update immediately. Instead, Steam will schedule these updates for off-peak times during your local time. This change doesn't prevent people from manually updating their games using Steam's download manager and/or launching a game to force an immediate update. Valve is also suggesting other options to lessen the recent bandwidth strain such as self-throttling, scheduling updates, disabling auto-updates, and more. Further information on how to take advantage of these features is available here. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=games-to-play-while-stuck-at-home&captions=true"] A number of companies such as YouTube, Amazon, and Netflix have also made changes due to bandwidth stress brought on by COVID-19. Disney has stated they will follow similar policies in streaming lower quality options by default for Disney+ in Europe. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jeffrey Lerman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @Snakester95.

Fast and Furious fans will soon be able to build a new LEGO set of Dominic Toretto's iconic 1970 Dodge Charger. The newly revealed LEGO kit contains just over 1000 pieces, and shipments will begin in late April. The completed kit will measure 15" long, 6" wide, and 4" high. Additionally, the set includes multiple interactive elements, such as real moving pistons and suspension, a steering system, and an air blower. You can also display the car mid-wheelie thanks to a built-in stand. The set mostly uses smooth, black LEGO pieces to recreate Dom's iconic ride. Check out some pictures of the set below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=fast-and-furious-lego-doms-dodge-charger&captions=true"] Fast and Furious fans will have to wait a bit longer for the next entry in the franchise. Originally supposed to release this May, Fast 9 will now open in theaters in April 2021 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Until then, you can watch the reveal of a major character's return in Fast 9's debut trailer. Also, the franchise is already looking past Fast 9, and you can read if Fast 10 could be split into two separate movies. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/31/f9-fast-furious-9-official-trailer-1"] For more on LEGO, check out the recently-revealed LEGO Super Mario collaboration, which is showcasing a new type of LEGO play style. Story originally reported by The Verge. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

Fast and Furious fans will soon be able to build a new LEGO set of Dominic Toretto's iconic 1970 Dodge Charger. The newly revealed LEGO kit contains just over 1000 pieces, and shipments will begin in late April. The completed kit will measure 15" long, 6" wide, and 4" high. Additionally, the set includes multiple interactive elements, such as real moving pistons and suspension, a steering system, and an air blower. You can also display the car mid-wheelie thanks to a built-in stand. The set mostly uses smooth, black LEGO pieces to recreate Dom's iconic ride. Check out some pictures of the set below: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=fast-and-furious-lego-doms-dodge-charger&captions=true"] Fast and Furious fans will have to wait a bit longer for the next entry in the franchise. Originally supposed to release this May, Fast 9 will now open in theaters in April 2021 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Until then, you can watch the reveal of a major character's return in Fast 9's debut trailer. Also, the franchise is already looking past Fast 9, and you can read if Fast 10 could be split into two separate movies. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/31/f9-fast-furious-9-official-trailer-1"] For more on LEGO, check out the recently-revealed LEGO Super Mario collaboration, which is showcasing a new type of LEGO play style. Story originally reported by The Verge. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

In an email sent to employees this week, Disney announced that top company executives will take pay cuts during the COVID-19 crisis, with exec chairman Bob Iger foregoing his salary entirely. Confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, the pay cuts come only a few days after Disney announced that it would be closing its theme parks indefinitely, but would continue to pay cast members through April 18. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=disney-plus-spotlight-april-2020&captions=true"][poilib element="accentDivider"] Among executives taking pay cuts is newly named CEO Bob Chapek, who will be taking a 50% pay cut. Further, "effective April 5, all VPs will have their salaries reduced by 20 percent, SVPs by 25 percent and EVPs and above by 30 percent," according to the email obtained by THR. "Your dedication and resilience during this difficult time are truly inspiring and it gives me renewed confidence that we will come through this crisis even stronger than before, we have so many times in our company's history," said Chapek's email to employees. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/12/disneyland-california-adventure-closing-due-to-coronavirus-concerns"] It's currently unclear how much pay Iger and Chapek will be giving up, as both executives have complicated contracts. In 2019, Iger made just over $47 million in his role as chairman and CEO. THR reports that Chapek has a base salary of $2.5 million, with $7.5 and $15 million incentives in the coming months and years. While the powerful conglomerate may have shut down many of its operations for the time being, it is still looking out for its fans. A few weeks ago Disney announced that Frozen 2 would be coming to Disney+ three months early. Additionally, Onward will be released on Disney+ on April 3, a little bit ahead of schedule. In the meantime, be sure to check out everything coming to Disney+ in the month of April.

In an email sent to employees this week, Disney announced that top company executives will take pay cuts during the COVID-19 crisis, with exec chairman Bob Iger foregoing his salary entirely. Confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, the pay cuts come only a few days after Disney announced that it would be closing its theme parks indefinitely, but would continue to pay cast members through April 18. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=disney-plus-spotlight-april-2020&captions=true"][poilib element="accentDivider"] Among executives taking pay cuts is newly named CEO Bob Chapek, who will be taking a 50% pay cut. Further, "effective April 5, all VPs will have their salaries reduced by 20 percent, SVPs by 25 percent and EVPs and above by 30 percent," according to the email obtained by THR. "Your dedication and resilience during this difficult time are truly inspiring and it gives me renewed confidence that we will come through this crisis even stronger than before, we have so many times in our company's history," said Chapek's email to employees. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/12/disneyland-california-adventure-closing-due-to-coronavirus-concerns"] It's currently unclear how much pay Iger and Chapek will be giving up, as both executives have complicated contracts. In 2019, Iger made just over $47 million in his role as chairman and CEO. THR reports that Chapek has a base salary of $2.5 million, with $7.5 and $15 million incentives in the coming months and years. While the powerful conglomerate may have shut down many of its operations for the time being, it is still looking out for its fans. A few weeks ago Disney announced that Frozen 2 would be coming to Disney+ three months early. Additionally, Onward will be released on Disney+ on April 3, a little bit ahead of schedule. In the meantime, be sure to check out everything coming to Disney+ in the month of April.

Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord is finally available on PC via Steam Early Access. But players hoping to check out TaleWorlds Entertainment’s siege-action strategy RPG on consoles will have to wait. “Sorry, but we have been saying in dev blogs and interviews for years that [console versions] will come further down the road, as PCs are our primary platform,” developer TaleWorlds Entertainment explained in a Tweet response to one user who asked whether a console version of the Mount and Blade 2 early access was coming.

Sorry, but we have been saying in dev blogs and interviews for years that consoles will come further down the road, as PCs are our primary platform.

— Mount & Blade (@Mount_and_Blade) March 30, 2020

Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord is a prequel to 2010’s Mount and Blade: Warband. Set in the waning days of the Calradic Empire, Players control warriors from European-inspired tribes as they engage in siege warfare with rival factions. Players can utilize strategy elements and control large armies and siege weapons, but can also engage in 1-on-1 combat, which puts players in the heart of the action during warfare. Mount and Blade 2 has been in development since 2012, but TaleWorlds delivered weekly developer blog updates since 2017 and rarely mentioned anything about a console version of Bannerlord. It should also be noted that it took six years for Mount and Blade: Warband to be ported from PC to the PS4 and Xbox One. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/30/mount-blade-ii-bannerlord-first-19-minutes-of-gameplay"] IGN will continue to cover Mount and Blade 2, so check back for more updates on Bannerlord soon. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.