Microsoft has announced Project Moorcroft, a new initiative that will allow developers to release demos straight into the Xbox Game Pass line-up, and earn money for doing so.

In a briefing for media, Corporate Vice President, Sarah Bond explained that Xbox has seen fewer and fewer opportunities for developers to put games on event showfloors and present them directly to potential fans – and pointed out that this could harm smaller developers struggling to be seen in an online space.

"So we said, you know what, what don't we take Game Pass and make it like the showfloor?," Bond continued. "Why don't we make it possible for developers to take a piece, a level of their game, release it into Game Pass, generate excitement for what's coming, and also get that really valuable feedback as they're tuning and preparing their game for launch?"

Asked by Head of Xbox Game Studios, Matt Booty why a developer would spend valuable time making a demo instead of working directly on their game, Bond added the positive kicker for developers becoming a part of Moorcroft:

"It's important to us that everything we do has benefit for both our players and for creators," Bond replied. "So as part of this, we've set up the program and structured it so that the develoeprs get financial compensation for the game - it actually benefits them financially - and also get the benefit of the great feedback as well."

There remain a few unknowns here. While we know the program will start "within the next year", no specific dates have been given. It's also not clear if developers will be offered a flat fee for their demos, or if they'll be paid based on performance on Game Pass. We also don't know the application system for Moorcroft, how curated its set of demos will be, and if being a part of it guarantees developers a spot in the Game Pass line-up at launch (or even locks them into it).

Aside from offering more content for Game Pass subscribers, and an intriguing deal for developers, this also clearly benefits Microsoft in that it will be be able to spot high-performers earlier on in the development cycle, perhaps snapping the games up for Game Pass, or increasing promotion around them.

In related news, Microsoft also announced that its Cloud Streaming services will expand this year too, allowing Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to stream "select" games they own, even if they're not a part of the Game Pass line-up. Xbox Game Pass streaming will also come to TVs via a new Samsung app.

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Xbox's game streaming services have so far been limited to titles inside the Xbox Game Pass line-up – but that will change later this year.

No release date has been announced as yet, but Xbox says that Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will soon gain the ability to stream select games they own, even if they're not part of Game Pass. No specific titles have been announced as yet, nor has Xbox explained if the intent is to make all games playable through streaming as well as disc/download.

It appears no such option is coming for game owners that are not subscribers to Game Pass Ultimate.

Speaking in a briefing for media, CVP of Gaming Experiences & Platforms, Ashley McKissick said, "Gamers are not shy with their feedback, which is awesome. And so one of the things that they told us, it's like, 'Hey, we would love to be able to stream games that we own even if they're not in the Game Pass catalog.'

"And so later this year if you are an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member, you will be able to stream from the cloud games you purchase and also games you already own as long as they're cloud enabled in the catalog."

Xbox's streaming options have been growing for years at this point. Starting from a small test for the service, then referred to as xCloud, Xbox Cloud Gaming has since become more fully-fledged. Since then, Xbox has announced its intention to bring streaming options to TVs, confirmed it's working on a streaming stick, brought streaming to its consoles, and more.

This new move appears to be a step towards not just expanding where you can play cloud games, but which games you can play.

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Microsoft has announced that Xbox Cloud Gaming will be coming natively to Samsung Smart TVs later this month, allowing users to play Xbox games directly from their TV – no console required.

Last week, I was invited to go hands-on with an early build of the tech, which will be rolling out to all 2022-model Samsung TVs on June 30 via the new Samsung Gaming Hub.

The service is practically identical to the way Xbox Cloud Gaming currently works on smartphones and browsers. Open the app and you’re greeted with a familiar home screen of recently-played games, along with categories for recently added, most popular, and other discovery feeds, all of which are navigable via a paired Bluetooth controller. From this screen simply click into a game to view its product page and start playing.

Once you hit launch, the service takes a few seconds to prepare the game stream, but once you’re loaded in, everything functions the same as if you’d launched from a console, including your cloud saves, settings, achievements, and any other info linked to your Xbox account. Just like on other devices, most games will require an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to play via Cloud Streaming, though at least one – Fortnite – doesn’t require a subscription. Otherwise, all games that are currently available to stream via Xbox Cloud Gaming will be playable on the TV app, console free.

As we discussed in our original review of Xbox Cloud Gaming, the quality of your experience on the service is wildly dependent upon your internet quality. In this way, streaming to a stationary device such as a TV where you can optimize its internet connection (ideally via hardline Ethernet) is essentially the ideal scenario for gaming via cloud streaming. I have no doubt that the testing scenario I experienced was basically as good as it can get, internet-wise, but it’s also not a particularly difficult set of conditions to set up at home either, as opposed to relying on a shaky Wi-Fi (or even worse, mobile data) connection.

I tested the service playing Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite, and Hollow Knight, all of which felt responsive with little-to-no input lag. Visually, the streams came through crisp and clear, though I’m sure there would be noticeable differences if compared side-by-side with a game being played off a Series X. Streaming quality comes in at 1080p resolution at 60fps, though I was told that the TV does a bit of upscaling to improve visual quality.

I also briefly saw the new Samsung Gaming Hub, a one-stop shop for gaming that will be coming to all 2022-model Samsung TVs. The TVs will pair with most Bluetooth controllers (not just Xbox controllers), as well as Bluetooth headsets for game audio and party chat. The hub itself serves as an aggregator and discovery platform for all your connected gaming devices and services, including

Currently, 2022 Samsung models are the only TVs that will support Xbox Cloud Gaming, but it’s expected that more TVs will gain support in the future.

For more Xbox news, be sure to check out our coverage of the Xbox Bethesda Showcase this weekend at 10am PT on Sunday, June 12.

Microsoft has discussed its plans for Activision Blizzard's games after its intended acquisition of the gaming giant, from how it won't make multi-platform games exclusive, to its plans for putting titles into Game Pass.

Speaking during a briefing for media, Head of Xbox Game Studios, Matt Booty addressed the issue of exclusives, and tried to put fans' minds at ease about existing multiplatform games they might love outside of Xbox:

"If we acquire a game that comes with a big community across a number of platforms," Booty began, "the last thing we want to do is take something away. If anything, we feel that it's our job to be caretakers, to be shepherds, to continue to build and nurture that community, not to cut it up into pieces and try to take some of it away."

This appears to be Microsoft's philosophy for existing games, and perhaps series, given we've heard that Xbox will release multiple new Call of Duty games as multiplatform titles (although it's not clear if that will continue indefinitely). GM for Programming and Events Tina Summerford pointed to Xbox's previous acquisition of Minecraft – and how that game has expanded across new platforms since the purchase – as proof of that philosophy.

However, Summerford did make clear that some games will be exclusive – these would presumably be brand new titles from Activision-Blizzard developers, rather than existing ones.

The philosophy for how Xbox will look at Activision-Blizzard games on Game Pass appears to be much more straightforward. Corporate Vice President, Sarah Bond put it simply: "We want to put as many titles as possible from Activision Blizzard into Game Pass when they join us."

We've seen a similar move following Xbox's acquisition of Bethesda, after which it put tens of Bethesda games into the subscription service. It feels likely we'll see much the same – on both console and PC – if an when the acquisition goes through.

Microsoft announced its intention to buy Activision Blizzard in January, in a record-breaking $68.7 billion deal. The move has been approved by stockholders, but is currently under investigation by the FTC for antitrust purposes.

The Activision Blizzard acquisition comes at a time of ongoing turbulance within and around the company. The deal itself has prompted accusations of insider trading, but even more notable is the ongoing California lawsuit against the publisher accusing it of fostering a "frat boy culture" as well as subjecting female employees to unequal pay and sexual harassment. You can see a full timeline of events related to the lawsuit here.

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Which side would Nick Fury have taken in Captain America: Civil War? Sadly, we’ll never find out, and Samuel L. Jackson is still upset about it.

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 73-year-old actor explained why he felt left out when it came to Marvel’s superhero rumble in Civil War.

“I fussed at them, I still fuss at them, about Civil War because I’m like, ‘How could the kids fight and Nick Fury not show up?’” he said. “Like, ‘What’s going on here? Everybody go to your room.’ But they didn’t need me for that. They did, but they didn’t.”

Captain America: Civil War essentially pitted Earth’s Mightiest Heroes against each other. The film loosely followed Marvel’s Civil War comic books, with Captain America and Iron Man butting heads over the Sokovia Accords – a new international treaty requiring superheroes to register with oversight from the United Nations. Fracturing the superhero community, it was time for each hero to pick a side…

“That was the thing about the Avengers movies, they all had different personalities and they were able to blossom once we got through the initial film,” said Jackson. “The initial film was to introduce these people to who they are, and these are the things they can do. Now, this is how they interact and they’re not all nice.”

But it turns out the writers had a reason for leaving him out. "We didn’t want him to take one side or the other," writer Christopher Markus told The LA Times in 2016. "Because that’s not his place in the universe."

The last we saw of Nick Fury was in Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019. But he will be back. Secret Invasion picks up where Nick Fury left off, with the former head of S.H.I.E.L.D. embroiled in a political thriller involving the shapeshifting Skrulls who have infiltrated Earth. It sounds as though Jackson is having a lot of fun with it.

“Well, I can have a whole life as Nick Fury that’s not Nick Fury at work,” he said. “You know, we get to go home with me and see what happens with me at home or when I’m alone or when I’m not so strong and Nick Fury, or when I take off a back brace because Nick Fury is old.”

“Some things that you can do that you can’t normally do [in the films] because the character has to present this [trumpeting heroically] duh-dunna-duh kind of front, and that’s what the movies are for. And when you get to do it in longform, you get to show even superheroes have their down moments.”

Secret Invasion stars Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury alongside Cobie Smulders, Ben Mendelsohn, Martin Freeman, and Don Cheadle. Kingsley Ben-Adir has joined as the show’s mysterious villain, with Olivia Colman, Emilia Clarke, Killian Scott, Christopher McDonald, and Carmen Ejogo in currently unknown roles. Created by Kyle Bradstreet, Secret Invasion will be directed by Thomas Bezucha and Ali Selim.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

After months of wild guesses, we finally know what Nope is about.

Jordan Peele’s mysterious new project, Nope has seen a recent trailer, not to mention a poster reveal, but fans were still none the wiser about what the film is actually about. Now, a new full trailer gives us the lowdown on the upcoming sci-fi horror flick.

If you don't want to know anything about Nope, turn back now and don't watch the new trailer!

As you can see, it’s all about UFOs… with a money-making twist. After encountering a mysterious shape in the sky, ranch owners James and Jill Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer) decide to make the most of this opportunity. Setting up security cameras, they’re determined to get proof of what’s out there.

“Ain’t nobody gonna get what we gonna get,” says Jill. “Undeniable proof of aliens on camera.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Jordan Peele movie if things don’t go spectacularly wrong, and as the trailer progresses, we see it isn’t quite as straightforward as they clearly hoped. Kevin (Brandon Perea) is brought to the ranch to set up their new UFO-detecting camera system, while Craig (Michael Wincott) is their very own UFO expert. But the aliens are seemingly having none of it.

“I think we pissed them off,” says Jill.

What unfolds is a montage of clips showing the aliens wreaking havoc on the Haywood Ranch, in disturbingly creative ways. A smashed windscreen and a trashed rodeo ring are nothing compared to what looks like the abduction of an entire rodeo audience. That's to say nothing of Daniel Kaluuya, on a horse, being chased by an enormous flying saucer.

With a jaunty soundtrack and high-energy performances from the likes of Kaluuya and Palmer, this new trailer gives us the best look at Nope we’ve had so far. But whether or not the Haywoods get their footage, or survive the ordeal, remains to be seen.

Nope debuts in theaters on July 22, 2022 (or August 12th in the UK), and remains one of our most anticipated horror movies of the year. Jordan Peele’s Nope stars Daniel Kaluuya, Steven Yeun, and Keke Palmer. Jordan Peele both wrote and directed the project which he also produced alongside Ian Cooper. Robert Graf is also on board as executive producer.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Nicolas Cage could be back in Face/Off 2, if the film’s writer/director has his way.

During an interview with Empire Magazine, writer Adam Wingard revealed that the upcoming sequel is all about Nicolas Cage.

“A couple of years ago, the studio maybe would have wanted a hot, young, up-and-coming actor or something,” he explained. “Now, Nicolas Cage is one of the hottest actors in Hollywood again.”

He's not wrong – Nicolas Cage has quickly returned as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. A flurry of well-received films such as Pig and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent has seen the 58-year-old actor become hot property once more, after a slew of low-budget, straight-to-DVD films.

But why is his return to Face/Off 2 so important? After all, his character, Castor Troy, was presumed dead at the end of the original movie. “He’s just having such a moment,” said Wingard. “Even before Pig came out, we saw this as a Nicolas Cage movie. That’s become totally the obvious way to go now.”

At the moment, Cage is yet to officially sign on to the project, but it’s said that Face/Off 2 producer Neal H. Moritz has spoken to him about a potential return. He'll be getting his hands on the script just as soon as Wingard and co-writer, Simon Barrett are finished with it.

“We’re really honing in on it,” said Wingard. “We’re not going to share it until everybody’s like, ‘This is the one.’”

It’s certainly quite a task – Face/Off was one of the most over-the-top action flicks of the '90s, and following up such a massive hit isn’t going to be easy.

“I think we really got it,” he said. “It has been probably the most challenging script we’ve ever worked on, for a lot of reasons. There’s so much pressure in wanting to make sure that it lives up to the legacy of that project. But every draft you have these things that just click in, and you’re like, ‘A-ha! That’s really what Face/Off is!’”

Face/Off 2 has reportedly been in development since as far back as 2019, with Adam Wingard tapped to write the sequel alongside Simon Barrett just last year.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife writer/director Jason Reitman has announced a sequel, codenamed Firehouse.

Appearing on Twitter as part of Ecto-Fest, a Ghostbusters fan fest, the son of Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman unveiled the next Ghostbusters movie. “The last time we saw Ecto-1, it was driving back into Manhattan: the home of Ghostbusters,” he revealed via Twitter. “That’s where our story begins. The code name is FIREHOUSE.”

The upcoming sequel will follow Ecto-1 (and the Spenglers) heading back to the iconic Firehouse from Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II. A previous tweet from Reitman described the film as “the next chapter in the Spengler family story” but it’s currently unknown how that will play out.

As for returning cast members, it’s likely that we’ll at least see Finn Wolfhard and McKenna Grace return as Egon Spengler’s grandkids, Trevor and Grace. It’s also a safe bet that Carrie Coon will be back as Egon’s daughter, Callie.

Whether or not Paul Rudd will return as Callie’s love interest, Gary Grooberson, remains to be seen, and will likely depend on Marvel’s plans for Ant-Man in its upcoming MCU Phase 4 and beyond.

Will the original Ghostbusters cast be back? At the moment, we’re not quite sure. Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson made an emotional return at the climax of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, but whether or not the famously recalcitrant Murray will take on another Ghostbusters movie is anyone’s guess.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife scored a pretty big win with audiences and critics alike, with IGN’s own review calling it: “A delightfully lovely movie that will satisfy those who grew up with Ramis, Hudson, Murray, and Aykroyd, [that] will make youngsters fall just as in love with the new generation.”

Read more about the Ghostbusters franchise with news of a new animated series, as well as hints of an upcoming new game. Check out our rundown of what the Ghostbusters: Afterlife ending means as well as our list of all the film’s Easter eggs.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

As part of Ghostbusters Day celebrations, Sony Pictures VR announced today that its upcoming title Ghostbusters VR will be coming to the PlayStation VR2.

Ghostbusters VR was announced last April during the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase, where it was first announced to be coming to the Quest 2. nDreams, the studio behind Far Cry VR: Dive Into Insanity and Phantom: Covert Opps, is developing Ghostbusters VR.

Set in San Francisco, players will have the opportunity to run their own ghost-busting business. Sony Picture VR previously confirmed that the game is set "in modern day and maybe slightly in the future," but the game is not a direct follow-up to any of the Ghostbusters movies, including Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Ghostbusters VR is the latest game to be announced for Sony's forthcoming gaming headset, the PlayStation VR2. Last week Sony had a roughly 30-minute State of Play where several games were confirmed to be in development for the headset, including VR support for Resident Evil Village and an extended look at Horizon: Call of the Mountain. Other games confirmed to be in development for PSVR2 include Among Us VR and No Man's Sky.

Like the PlayStation VR2, Ghostbusters VR currently does not have a release date.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

As part of Ghostbusters Day celebrations, Sony Pictures VR announced today that its upcoming title Ghostbusters VR will be coming to the PlayStation VR2.

Ghostbusters VR was announced last April during the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase, where it was first announced to be coming to the Quest 2. nDreams, the studio behind Far Cry VR: Dive Into Insanity and Phantom: Covert Opps, is developing Ghostbusters VR.

Set in San Francisco, players will have the opportunity to run their own ghost-busting business. Sony Picture VR previously confirmed that the game is set "in modern day and maybe slightly in the future," but the game is not a direct follow-up to any of the Ghostbusters movies, including Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Ghostbusters VR is the latest game to be announced for Sony's forthcoming gaming headset, the PlayStation VR2. Last week Sony had a roughly 30-minute State of Play where several games were confirmed to be in development for the headset, including VR support for Resident Evil Village and an extended look at Horizon: Call of the Mountain. Other games confirmed to be in development for PSVR2 include Among Us VR and No Man's Sky.

Like the PlayStation VR2, Ghostbusters VR currently does not have a release date.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.