5 Awesome Black Video Game Characters
Change is positive.
It feels like slowly, but surely over the past few years, publishers have finally started to realize the value of trying to inject their properties with new perspectives based around diverse characters, casts, and crews. A few developers like Long Hat House with Dandara, Arkane Studios with Dishonored, and Respawn Entertainment with this month’s Apex Legends have specifically included prominent black characters, and proven that it’s not hard to do.
Seeing blackness in-game is finally becoming normal, which is a stark contrast from when I was a kid and only able to make my Animal Crossing villager look like me by having him tan every day. It was a Jersey Shore nightmare cycle. Now kids get to bop their friends in Smash Ultimate as dark-skinned villagers who sport fly haircuts and don’t over-tan. We’re getting somewhere.
Microsoft Employees Protest Company’s HoloLens Military Contract
UPDATE: A Microsoft spokesperson provided the following statement to IGN:
"We gave this issue careful consideration and outlined our perspective in an October 2018 blog. We always appreciate feedback from employees and provide many avenues for their voices to be heard. In fact, we heard from many employees throughout the fall. As we said then, we’re committed to providing our technology to the U.S. Department of Defense, which includes the U.S. Army under this contract. As we’ve also said, we’ll remain engaged as an active corporate citizen in addressing the important ethical and public policy issues relating to AI and the military.”
Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 Will Cost $3,500
Microsoft has unveiled the HoloLens 2, an updated mixed-reality device that starts at $3,500 and will support Unreal Engine 4.
Announced by Microsoft at MWC Barcelona, HoloLens 2 focuses on three key areas: immersion, comfort and an execrated time-to-value ratio.
To improve upon HoloLens’ immersion, Microsoft purportedly doubled HoloLens' field of view while maintaining a holographic density of 47 pixels per degree of sight. It features a new display system that achieves this at low power, and includes a new time-of-flight depth sensor for direct manipulation of holograms. On top of this, HoloLens 2 features eye-tracking sensors and iris recognition for security.
Horror Game Disappears From Steam Following Meme Controversy
A Taiwanese horror game has been removed from Steam following a controversy surrounding Winnie the Pooh and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Devotion was removed from Steam after users found an in-game meme mocking Xi, according to The Verge.
An in-game poster reportedly says, "Xi Jinping Winnie-the-Pooh moron," an apparent reference to internet memes that have long compared the Chinese president to the famous cartoon bear. It remains unclear if this was the exact reason the game was removed.
Chinese censors have repeatedly banned content linking the president to Winnie the Pooh. According to Business Insider, the Oscar-nominated Disney film Christopher Robin was recently banned because of the memes.
What’s the Perfect Size for an Open-world Map?
Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game talk show. This week we're discussing open-world games, recent PS4 recommendations, Darkest Dungeon 2, and more. Watch the video above or download the podcast below.
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Dead Cells Gets Free DLC This Year, Playable at PAX East
Dead Cells will be receiving free DLC later this year and, according to developer Motion Twin, "players are going to freak out."
Motion Twin and Red Bull released a new 12-minute video that delves deep into the history of Dead Cells and allows fans to see "the first iteration of Dead Cells, which started as a "really boring" multiplayer strategy game."
As for the "huge DLC," the team begins discussing it and showing footage at around the 8:50 mark and reveals they have been working on it for over nine months.
New Revelations Coming in DC’s Heroes in Crisis
With dozens of comic books to choose from, let us show you which are the best coming out this week. Take a look at this list spotlighting our favorite comics that we know are money-well-spent and new books that look cool and are backed by some top-tier talent.
Check out our picks, then head to the comments to let us know what you’ll be buying this week!
Heroes in Crisis #6 - $3.99
Writer Tom King | Artist Mitch Gerads (DC Comics)
Deal Alert: Save 33% on These Robo Vacuums Today Only
If you buy something through this post, IGN may get a share of the sale. For more, read our Terms of Use.
Today's Deal of the Day at Amazon offers a nice discount on two models of BoostIQ RoboVac. Obviously, robotic vacuums don't fall into the games and entertainment categories we normally focus on at IGN, but everyone has to clean, and these vacuums have a strong tech component. And I think we can all agree that if you can offload the miserable job of running a vacuum to a robot, you might as well. Getting a good deal on that RoboVac makes the prospect even more appealing. Let's check out the two models that are on sale February 25 only.
D&D ‘Ghosts of Saltmarsh’ Revealed as Next Adventure Book
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Dungeons and Dragons' next adventure, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, will recount some of the most popular high-seas adventures from earlier editions, Wizards of the Coast announced today.
Slated to release on May 21 for $50 USD with a standard
and a gorgeous alternate cover version, the 256-page book will combine elements and content from classic sea-themed adventures adapted for play with D&D's current fifth edition.
Gremlins Animated Series Reportedly Coming to Warner Streaming Service
An animated series based off the 1984 comedy-horror classic Gremlins will reportedly be coming to Warner’s as of yet unnamed streaming service.
Reported by Variety, the show will allegedly be a period piece following a young Mr. Wing, the Chinese antique store owner from the original movie. Wing will reportedly go on adventures with Gizmo the friendly Mogwai throughout the show.
The series will reportedly be produced by Warner Bros. Television and Amblin Television, both of which produced the original two Gremlins films. Tze Chun, known for his work on Cold Comes the Night, Children of Invention, Gotham and Once Upon a Time, will reportedly write and executive produce.