Update: CeX has now confirmed that it will close its corporate-owned stores in the UK as of March 23, and is "strongly encouraging all our UK franchised stores to follow suit as it is the responsible thing to do".

IGN understands that Irish CeX outlets will remain open despite this move, but has been unable to confirm this at time of writing.

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Original story: IGN understands that CeX, one of the UK’s largest used game retailers, is to close its corporate stores for at least 14 days amid the spread of COVID-19, as employee concerns rose that not enough was being done to prevent virus transfer between staff and customers.

CeX is a second hand-only retailer, dealing in game software and hardware, as well as tech and entertainment products. At time of writing, the majority of its 300+ UK outlets remain open for business, but several employees have now told me that the chain will close as of tonight (although it’s unclear if this will apply to franchises). Those sources tell me that employees due to work during that time should receive pay commensurate with their scheduled hours, or pay according to average recent wages for those on 0-hour contracts.

This follows just a day after US retailer GameStop closed stores across the US, following public pressure around its previous decision to stay open.

It’s followed a period of increasingly public discontent from CeX staff on social media. Today, I’ve spoken to multiple current employees of the chain from across the UK (all of whom wished to remain anonymous, for fear of retaliation from management). Those discussions have touched on cramped workspaces that don’t allow for the recommended level of distancing between colleagues and staff, a lack of information about why stores aren’t closing and, according to two sources, threats from management regarding publicly speaking out about working conditions.

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Solely dealing in second-hand goods already means that staff and customers are potentially at increased risk of transmitting the virus – while CeX has a policy of cleaning items sold to it or traded in, more than one employee told me the sheer level of stock coming in can make cleaning every item next to impossible while still keeping the front-facing shop operational. Unlike many other chains, CeX has not moved to implement contactless-only payments, meaning staff have continued to have to use card machines and handle cash. US retailer GameStop, by comparison, has recently moved to allow only curbside pick-up at stores.

One staff member sums up the problem with trying to contain the problem, saying employees “don't [currently] demo items to customers and try and stay off store floor but when it comes to 2nd hand goods, constant use of card machine and cash it's like shooting the sun with a water pistol.”

CeX’s Customer Support Twitter account says that “All CeX employees are fully briefed on the latest health and safety procedures in order to ensure that the highest possible hygiene standards are maintained”. However, more than one employee has told me that they’ve received no official briefing, at best being told to check NHS guidelines on how to avoid virus transmission.

One employee described staff as feeling “abandoned” by those who run the company: “They feel like they’re being led to slaughter, management touting what head office is preaching while said head office staff work from home in safety. That CeX didn’t close isn’t a shock, but that they’re blatantly showing negligence and contempt to staff at ground level should be criminal in these times.”

One staff member explained that immuno-compromised employees were choosing to continue to work, because statutory sick pay - while offered to those who want to self-isolate - is not enough to survive on given current uncertainties. Another says they were told not to spend time with family or friends outside of work, but should still come in for their shift. More than one employee has told me that staff members they know are ready to simply quit if the company doesn’t officially close its doors in the coming days.

Exact conditions appear to vary from store to store. Some staff I’ve spoken to have had hand sanitiser and gloves provided, while others have had to bring their own to work. According to one employee, stores with staff forced to self-isolate have been bringing in staff from other, less affected stores to provide cover, potentially an infection risk to an increased pool of contact.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/07/how-gamestop-plans-to-save-itself"]

Almost all employees I’ve spoken to, however, have discussed cramped working conditions for staff behind CeX cash desks. Due to the sheer amount of shelved stock kept behind desks in CeX outlets, many staff are seemingly unable to allow for the recommended distance between colleagues, due to cramped conditions. “The space behind our counter is maybe 3 feet deep,” wrote one current employee, “and generally cluttered with stock/footstools/other stuff we need, and [the area behind cabinets where hardware is kept] is even more cramped, so no, we can't keep an appropriate amount of space between staff members.” Another told me that it’s “impossible” to stay the recommended distance from colleagues, given that distance between tills is often less than a metre.

Like most retailers, signs for the public have been put up in shopfronts, instructing them in how to stay safe while shopping but, as one current employee put it, “If customers were taking the pandemic seriously they wouldn't be coming in to buy a bunch of 50p DVDs putting themselves and us at risk. People seem to be ignoring government advice about staying home.”

That decision to stay out of stores now seems to have been made for the public. An announcement from CeX is likely to follow in due course, but it’s unclear whether the retailer will change its policies to improve employee health when it is able to reopen.

While compiling this report, I’ve attempted multiple points of contact with CeX, but have not received a reply.

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With the F1 racing season postponed through May due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the organization behind the sport is bringing a Grand Prix to F1 2019. F1 announced Friday, March 20, that it is launching a new "F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series" in developer Codemasters' F1 2019 game that will feature a number of current F1 drivers and special guest celebrities. These virtual races are set to take place on the same day as every postponed Grand Prix race. The first occurred over the weekend on March 22. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true"] "We are very pleased to be able to bring some light relief in the form of the F1 Esports Virtual GP, in these unpredictable times, as we hope to entertain fans missing the regular sporting action," Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports for F1 Julian Tan said in the announcement. "With every major sports league in the world unable to compete, it is a great time to highlight the benefit of esports and the incredible skill that's on show." The March 22 show featured F1 drivers Lando Norris and Nicholas Latifi as well as celebrities like One Direction's Liam Payne. You can view F1's highlight reel of that race here. These virtual races are scheduled through May although F1 did point out that the F1 Esports Virtual GP Initiative could be extended beyond May if the COVID-19 outbreak results in further real-world race cancellations. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/25/how-coronavirus-is-impacting-the-games-industry"] Some special changes to the game were made to keep the virtual race entertaining including optional anti-lock brakes, reduced vehicle damage and more. "Due to the wide variety of gaming skill levels amongst the drivers, game settings will be configured in such a way to encourage competitive and entertaining racing," the announcement reads. "This includes running equal car performance with fixed setups, reduced vehicle damage, and optional anti-lock brakes and traction control for those less familiar with the game." No official championship points are up for grabs in these virtual races as these races are being held for strictly entertainment purposes, F1 says. During non-race weekends, F1 will host online exhibition races where fans will be given the chance to race against actual F1 drivers in the game. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/13/how-coronavirus-delays-are-impacting-2020-movies-ign-now"] F1 isn't the only motorsport turning to digital racing, with NASCAR, IMSA, and V8 Supercars also jumping on board while they're unable to host real events. In other sports, the MLB, NBA, and NHL have all also seen their seasons postponed. Movie theaters, theme parks, and gaming conferences have been affected too. Here are some ways you can help others and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

With the F1 racing season postponed through May due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the organization behind the sport is bringing a Grand Prix to F1 2019. F1 announced Friday, March 20, that it is launching a new "F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series" in developer Codemasters' F1 2019 game that will feature a number of current F1 drivers and special guest celebrities. These virtual races are set to take place on the same day as every postponed Grand Prix race. The first occurred over the weekend on March 22. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true"] "We are very pleased to be able to bring some light relief in the form of the F1 Esports Virtual GP, in these unpredictable times, as we hope to entertain fans missing the regular sporting action," Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports for F1 Julian Tan said in the announcement. "With every major sports league in the world unable to compete, it is a great time to highlight the benefit of esports and the incredible skill that's on show." The March 22 show featured F1 drivers Lando Norris and Nicholas Latifi as well as celebrities like One Direction's Liam Payne. You can view F1's highlight reel of that race here. These virtual races are scheduled through May although F1 did point out that the F1 Esports Virtual GP Initiative could be extended beyond May if the COVID-19 outbreak results in further real-world race cancellations. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/25/how-coronavirus-is-impacting-the-games-industry"] Some special changes to the game were made to keep the virtual race entertaining including optional anti-lock brakes, reduced vehicle damage and more. "Due to the wide variety of gaming skill levels amongst the drivers, game settings will be configured in such a way to encourage competitive and entertaining racing," the announcement reads. "This includes running equal car performance with fixed setups, reduced vehicle damage, and optional anti-lock brakes and traction control for those less familiar with the game." No official championship points are up for grabs in these virtual races as these races are being held for strictly entertainment purposes, F1 says. During non-race weekends, F1 will host online exhibition races where fans will be given the chance to race against actual F1 drives in the game. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/13/how-coronavirus-delays-are-impacting-2020-movies-ign-now"] F1 isn't the only sport affected by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. The MLB, NBA, and NHL have all seen their seasons postponed. Movie theaters, theme parks, and gaming conferences have been affected too. Here are some ways you can help others and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

GSC Game World has revealed the first screenshot of its upcoming STALKER 2, noting that it was prompted to offer an earlier peek at the game due to the world having to go into social isolation amid the coronavirus pandemic. The tweeted screenshot shows very little, but does reveal another grimy looking world, albeit one that looks significantly more graphically advanced than the 2007 original. Amongst the trees and abandoned vehicles is an ‘anomaly’; the supernatural energy disruption caused by the Chernobyl disaster that occurs before the first game. From the colour, it could be a harmful Tesla anomaly, or the more curious Teleport anomaly.

Dear Stalkers,

Here is your first glimpse at S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: pic.twitter.com/HGOixm11M7 — S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) March 23, 2020

In a follow-up tweet, GSC Game World said “A lot of you are joining social isolation now. That’s why today, on a very special occasion, we are ready to slightly uncover the mystery of what we are working on. This is the first glimpse of STALKER 2.” The tweet also promises more to come in 2020. The original STALKER released March 20, 2007, meaning it has been almost exactly 13 years since it was released. STALKER was one of the most anticipated PC games of the time, with a long development process that was keenly followed by fans. We wrote in our review at the time that it “offers gamers a chance to experience something genuinely new”, and that it was “the truss work for an absolutely stellar sequel with larger zones, more character customization, better quest rewards, and stronger NPC personalities.” Hopefully the sequel fulfills these wishes. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/02/13/metro-exodus-review"] As well as both a prequel and a sequel, STALKER also (sort of) spawned a second franchise: two of its development staff went on to create Metro 2033, which shares a similar Eastern-Europe post-apocalypse vibe. The Metro games also were well received, with the latest - Metro Exodus - getting a solid review from IGN. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

GSC Game World has revealed the first screenshot of its upcoming STALKER 2, noting that it was prompted to offer an earlier peek at the game due to the world having to go into social isolation amid the coronavirus pandemic. The tweeted screenshot shows very little, but does reveal another grimy looking world, albeit one that looks significantly more graphically advanced than the 2007 original. Amongst the trees and abandoned vehicles is an ‘anomaly’; the supernatural energy disruption caused by the Chernobyl disaster that occurs before the first game. From the colour, it could be a harmful Tesla anomaly, or the more curious Teleport anomaly.

Dear Stalkers,

Here is your first glimpse at S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: pic.twitter.com/HGOixm11M7 — S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) March 23, 2020

In a follow-up tweet, GSC Game World said “A lot of you are joining social isolation now. That’s why today, on a very special occasion, we are ready to slightly uncover the mystery of what we are working on. This is the first glimpse of STALKER 2.” The tweet also promises more to come in 2020. The original STALKER released March 20, 2007, meaning it has been almost exactly 13 years since it was released. STALKER was one of the most anticipated PC games of the time, with a long development process that was keenly followed by fans. We wrote in our review at the time that it “offers gamers a chance to experience something genuinely new”, and that it was “the truss work for an absolutely stellar sequel with larger zones, more character customization, better quest rewards, and stronger NPC personalities.” Hopefully the sequel fulfills these wishes. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/02/13/metro-exodus-review"] As well as both a prequel and a sequel, STALKER also (sort of) spawned a second franchise: two of its development staff went on to create Metro 2033, which shares a similar Eastern-Europe post-apocalypse vibe. The Metro games also were well received, with the latest - Metro Exodus - getting a solid review from IGN. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

Rumors suggested Valve was working on Left 4 Dead 3, but devs have elaborated, saying the studio was never seriously working on a third entry for the beloved zombie series, and the leaked renders were more of a tech test while developing a new engine.

In this month's episode of IGN Unfiltered, Ryan McCaffrey sat down with Chris Remo and Robin Walker from Valve to talk about Half-Life: Alyx, Portal VR, Left 4 Dead 3, and much more.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/14/half-life-2-developers-react-to-50-minute-speedrun"]

The official Valve statement on the Left 4 Dead 3 rumors said, "We did briefly explore some Left 4 Dead next-gen opportunities a few years ago, but we are absolutely not working on anything Left 4 Dead-related now, and haven't for years."

What the team at Valve was experimenting with was Source 2, and Valve's Robin Walker explained how it happened. "We used parts of a Left 4 Dead level as the first bit of level geometry to start building in Source 2, so a bit of that got out. It was essentially a rendering test, and people thought that meant we were working on Left 4 Dead."

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Unfortunately for Left 4 Dead fans, that wasn't the case. Walker continued, "We built lots of different things as part of building technology in Source 2... There were groups here who would generate a product in mind that would attempt to be a target for Source 2, and so a couple of those were Left 4 Dead-related things, but none of them reached the point where we were like, 'now this is a product team that we're going to build a big product around.' They were more tools for moving Source 2 forward."

Portal VR was another project which ended up being a blip on Valve's development radar. "We [looked] at our various IPs when we started... before we selected Half-Life... which is a really standard thing for us to do. When you're trying to explore something new, of course you start with 'What are all the tools we've got from the past that could help us rapidly learn here?'

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/09/half-life-alyx-team-wants-to-make-more-half-life-games-ign-unfiltered"]

"So we looked at various IPs and, yep, Portal was one of them, [but] we didn't get very far in that. It was pretty clear when we looked at Portal as a whole... If we can't do player movement, not as a result of their choice, but by launching them... momentum...standing on things... all that sort of stuff... then a whole swath of Portal's puzzles... the whole back half of Portal, or more... goes away, and we'd need some alternative thing.

"The whole point of using existing IPs is to get a head start on trying to understand and learn, and if we start by taking away one of the most interesting things from the IP we're looking at, then it doesn't seem like we're making a good choice there."

Catch up on every single episode of IGN Unfiltered here so you can hear from the best and brightest minds in the video game industry, such as Hugo Martin and Marty Stratton (id), Stig Asmussen (Respawn), Sam Lake (Remedy), Bonnie Ross (343 Industries), Ted Price (Insomniac), and a whole lot more.

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Brian Barnett writes news, features, wiki guides, deals posts, and much more for IGN. You can get your fix of Brian's antics on Twitter and Instagram (@Ribnax).

Rumors suggested Valve was working on Left 4 Dead 3, but devs have elaborated, saying the studio was never seriously working on a third entry for the beloved zombie series, and the leaked renders were more of a tech test while developing a new engine.

In this month's episode of IGN Unfiltered, Ryan McCaffrey sat down with Chris Remo and Robin Walker from Valve to talk about Half-Life: Alyx, Portal VR, Left 4 Dead 3, and much more.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/14/half-life-2-developers-react-to-50-minute-speedrun"]

The official Valve statement on the Left 4 Dead 3 rumors said, "We did briefly explore some Left 4 Dead next-gen opportunities a few years ago, but we are absolutely not working on anything Left 4 Dead-related now, and haven't for years."

What the team at Valve was experimenting with was Source 2, and Valve's Robin Walker explained how it happened. "We used parts of a Left 4 Dead level as the first bit of level geometry to start building in Source 2, so a bit of that got out. It was essentially a rendering test, and people thought that meant we were working on Left 4 Dead."

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=half-life-alyx-first-screenshots-4k&captions=true"]

Unfortunately for Left 4 Dead fans, that wasn't the case. Walker continued, "We built lots of different things as part of building technology in Source 2... There were groups here who would generate a product in mind that would attempt to be a target for Source 2, and so a couple of those were Left 4 Dead-related things, but none of them reached the point where we were like, 'now this is a product team that we're going to build a big product around.' They were more tools for moving Source 2 forward."

Portal VR was another project which ended up being a blip on Valve's development radar. "We [looked] at our various IPs when we started... before we selected Half-Life... which is a really standard thing for us to do. When you're trying to explore something new, of course you start with 'What are all the tools we've got from the past that could help us rapidly learn here?'

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/09/half-life-alyx-team-wants-to-make-more-half-life-games-ign-unfiltered"]

"So we looked at various IPs and, yep, Portal was one of them, [but] we didn't get very far in that. It was pretty clear when we looked at Portal as a whole... If we can't do player movement, not as a result of their choice, but by launching them... momentum...standing on things... all that sort of stuff... then a whole swath of Portal's puzzles... the whole back half of Portal, or more... goes away, and we'd need some alternative thing.

"The whole point of using existing IPs is to get a head start on trying to understand and learn, and if we start by taking away one of the most interesting things from the IP we're looking at, then it doesn't seem like we're making a good choice there."

Catch up on every single episode of IGN Unfiltered here so you can hear from the best and brightest minds in the video game industry, such as Hugo Martin and Marty Stratton (id), Stig Asmussen (Respawn), Sam Lake (Remedy), Bonnie Ross (343 Industries), Ted Price (Insomniac), and a whole lot more.

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Brian Barnett writes news, features, wiki guides, deals posts, and much more for IGN. You can get your fix of Brian's antics on Twitter and Instagram (@Ribnax).

The director of the original Final Fantasy VII and producer of the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake has explained why Square Enix has opted to release the recreation project in episodic parts, rather than remake the entire game in one package. A new interview also reveals that there is a whole new upper floor added to the Shinra building. Talking to the Square Enix blog, original director and remake producer Yoshinori Kitase explained that in order to replicate everything from the original game in the highest quality possible, without cutting content and also adding new elements, the game had to be over multiple entries. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/14/final-fantasy-7-remake-opening-movie"] “In order to make [the entire game as a single release] work as a modern game, we wouldn’t be able to go for the highest visual quality and we’d also have to cut back on areas and scenes from the original,” he said. “Essentially, to make a single release viable the resulting game would have ended up being a digest of the original story, and we didn’t think that fans would be pleased with that.” The first release in the remake project, which launches in April, contains the Midgar portion of the original game. By Kitase’s statements it should feature everything from the original rendered in new technology, plus some new zones to explore. “There were a lot of parts in between sections of Midgar that were implied, but never seen,” said Kitase. “That was something that we wanted to address with Remake - to fill in all those gaps, show how the different parts of the city are connected, and make it a continuous experience.” One of the bespoke areas in Remake is an entire new upper floor for the Shinra Building, which - according to Remake’s co-director Naoki Hamaguchi - adds “a climax that was not in the original.” Interestingly, this upper floor apparently relies on Red XIII to explore, a character Square Enix has confirmed to be unplayable in this first game. “The key to navigating this floor lies in using Red XIII’s unique physical abilities to overcome environmental obstacles,” says Hamaguchi. “Letting the player experience his heroics in this way is something that I’m confident will please the fans.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=final-fantasy-7-remake-over-100-screenshots&captions=true"] That extra additional material also includes “endgame content”, although Hamaguchi refused to reveal what that is in the interview. It may be that optional bosses are available to fight, which are a staple in most Final Fantasy games. For more, check out our hands-on preview of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, as well as our look at how the Sector 5 reactor has been changed, and how coronavirus may mean physical copies arrive later than planned. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

The director of the original Final Fantasy 7 and producer of the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Remake has explained why Square Enix has opted to release the recreation project in episodic parts, rather than remake the entire game in one package. A new interview also reveals that there is a whole new upper floor added to the Shinra building. Talking to the Square Enix blog, original director and remake producer Yoshinori Kitase explained that in order to replicate everything from the original game in the highest quality possible, without cutting content and also adding new elements, the game had to be over multiple entries. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/14/final-fantasy-7-remake-opening-movie"] “In order to make [the entire game as a single release] work as a modern game, we wouldn’t be able to go for the highest visual quality and we’d also have to cut back on areas and scenes from the original,” he said. “Essentially, to make a single release viable the resulting game would have ended up being a digest of the original story, and we didn’t think that fans would be pleased with that.” The first release in the remake project, which launches in April, contains the Midgar portion of the original game. By Kitase’s statements it should feature everything from the original rendered in new technology, plus some new zones to explore. “There were a lot of parts in between sections of Midgar that were implied, but never seen,” said Kitase. “That was something that we wanted to address with Remake - to fill in all those gaps, show how the different parts of the city are connected, and make it a continuous experience.” One of the bespoke areas in Remake is an entire new upper floor for the Shinra Building, which - according to Remake’s co-director Naoki Hamaguchi - adds “a climax that was not in the original.” Interestingly, this upper floor apparently relies on Red XIII to explore, a character Square Enix has confirmed to be unplayable in this first game. “The key to navigating this floor lies in using Red XIII’s unique physical abilities to overcome environmental obstacles,” says Hamaguchi. “Letting the player experience his heroics in this way is something that I’m confident will please the fans.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=final-fantasy-7-remake-over-100-screenshots&captions=true"] That extra additional material also includes “endgame content”, although Hamaguchi refused to reveal what that is in the interview. It may be that optional bosses are available to fight, which are a staple in most Final Fantasy games. For more, check out our hands-on preview of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, as well as our look at how the Sector 5 reactor has been changed, and how coronavirus may mean physical copies arrive later than planned. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

CEO of Gearbox Software Randy Pitchford drops a new Borderlands 3 Shift Code that's good for all platforms. Make sure to grab it before it expires.