Life After Scalebound and The Future of PlatinumGames
This month's IGN First is a bit different than usual. Rather than highlighting a single game -- we'll get back to that next month -- we're highlighting the Japanese game industry as a whole. We visited some of the biggest studios in Japan to focus on their games and creative processes. Check back all month for interviews, gameplay reveals, and more!
On a beautiful, sunny spring morning, PlatinumGames studio lead Atsushi Inaba wanders the BitSummit show floor in Kyoto, Japan. Originally a small event for Japanese indie game developers, BitSummit has in its fifth year become a much larger show, with developers from around the globe demoing their games to the curious public. Despite the crowds, developers of Inaba’s experience and tenure mill about freely. They walk the floor, checking out games alongside thousands of gamers from all walks of life.
Westworld Funko Pops Now Available
Several new Funko Pops featuring some of Westworld's main characters are now available on HBO's online store.
The Funko Pops each cost $9.99/£12.99 and are 3.75 inches in size. You can also purchase all seven Funko Pops for $62.94/£48.85. The seven different figurines that are available are: The Man in Black, Dolores Abernathy, Teddy, Dr. Robert Ford, Young Dr. Ford, Maeve, and Bernard Lowe.
Check out an image gallery of the whole set below:
Westworld: Season 2 will premiere in 2018. While you wait for the show's return, read IGN's review of the first season, which we dubbed "one of 2016's best new series."
Pennywise Actor Made Child Actors Cry on the Set of It
The It reboot's new Pennywise, Bill Skarsgard did a great job of traumatizing child actors on the set of It.
Speaking with his borhter, Alexander for Interview Magazine, Skarsgard revealed he "wasn't very friendly or goofy" during filming and tried his best to make Pennywise as creepy and weird as possible when he was in full makeup.
During the filming of one particular scene, Skarsgard made several child extras cry simply by looking at them. While some "were really intrigued" by Skarsgard's makeup and clown outfit, others were shaking. "I am completely in character," said Skarsgard. "So some of these kids got terrified and started to cry in the middle of the take, and then I realized, 'Holy s**t. What am I doing? What is this? This is horrible.'"
Suicide Squad 2 Should Begin Shooting Next Year
Suicide Squad 2 should begin shooting sometime in 2018.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Joel Kinnaman, who plays Rick Flag in the DC film, confirmed Warner Bros. is currently working on the script for the sequel. "As far as I know they're writing the script and I think the plan is to shoot it sometime in 2018, but that could change," said Kinnaman. "I think I'll definitely come back for it."
As for who Kinnaman wants to direct Suicide Squad 2, he'd "love for David Ayer" to return. But if that isn't on the cards, Kinnaman wants a director, "who is great with character and that's able to ground the story and maybe put these characters in a more normal situation."
Odin Sphere Developer’s 13 Sentinels Coming West
Atlus is localizing Vanillaware's 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim for a western release.
The 2D sci-fi game features gorgeous art in a modern world punctuated by the existence of giant mechs. Developer Vanillaware, perhaps best known as the developer behind the Odin Sphere games, brings its "signature artistic shine and gorgeous aesthetics" to the game.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim was first announced way back in 2015 at Tokyo Game Show. The game is being developed for PlayStation 4 and Vita.
The almost painterly art style looks absolutely incredible. Check out some of the game's art in the slideshow below.
Pokken Tournament DX Announced for Nintendo Switch
The Pokemon series will be coming to Nintendo Switch, but not in the form of a mainline RPG game.
A new version of the Pokemon fighting game, Pokken Tournament DX will be released on September 22 for Nintendo's latest console.
The game will use Switch's more unique features to allow for local ad-hoc multiplayer, as well as single-JoyCon play.
The update will feature 5 new Pokemon - Darkrai, Scizor, Empoleon, Croagunk and Pokemon Sun and Moon's owl archer, Decidueye.
The new version also introduces 3v3 team battles, online ranked play, and friend-only group matches.
The announcement has disappointed some fans, who were expecting a mainline Pokemon RPG for Switch. Instead, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon will be coming to 3DS in November.
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Announced for 3DS
Updated versions of Pokemon Sun and Moon, called Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, will be released for Nintendo 3DS on November 17.
Announced in today's Pokemon Direct, each will offer an alternative story set in the same world as Sun and Moon, and will feature new Pokemon that didn't appear in those games.
The new games also include new versions Sun and Moon's two headline legendary Pokemon, Solgaleo and Lunala, which have seemingly been melded with a third Legendary, Necrozma:
The new Solgaleo and Lunala.
Fable Fortune Gets Release Date
The collectible card game Fable Fortune comes to PC and Xbox One July 11.
Featuring both player versus player and cooperative game play, Fable Fortune began its life as a secret project started after the close of Lionhead Studios, the developer behind the Fable series.
The card game keeps the world of Fable alive by combing Fable's "most cherished gameplay systems with an array of pioneering game modes."
Fable Fortune features 6 heroes to choose from, each with a special set of powers. Completing in-game quests helps "define their destiny," and you can steer your Hero towards good or evil to "unleash their true power."
Developer Mediatonic is offering a Founder's Pack for $15 USD/£10/13€ with "more than $40 worth of in-game items," including 20 card packs, an exclusive "Flaming Fowl" card and the "very rare" Giant Egg card.
Limited Edition Gold and Silver PS4 Models Releasing Soon
Sony has announced two new limited edition models of its slim PS4, in gold and silver respectively, with matching Dualshock 4 controllers.
In the US, the gold model (which was leaked last week) will be available with a 1TB hard drive for $249.99 from June 9. Currently, the silver model is not scheduled for release.
In Europe, both the gold and silver models will be available, and will feature 500GB hard drives. They'll be released on June 28, and no pricing has been revealed.
All versions of the gold and silver models are limited edition, with no reproductions currently planned.
Smite Adds New Dungeon Crawling RPG Mode
A new MMO-style adventure is coming to Smite. Called Trials of King Hercules, the mode lets players battle their way through dungeons, defeating bosses and gathering loot.
The 3-player player versus environment mode has "unique methods of progression, quests, mobs, bosses, and loot drops," according to SMITE Adventures Project Lead Travis Brown.
The free adventure is open to Smite players of any level, with "over 70 gods" to choose from for the adventure. The ultimate boss, the Lernaean Hydra, is encountered after unlocking the game's hard-mode, and when teams best the beast, they open up the "ultimate loot and in-game rewards."
As long as one player remains in the party, all party members are rewarded, according to the Trials of King Hercules site.