Capcom Is Raising Employee Salaries by 30 Percent

Capcom announced that it is raising the average employee salary at the company by 30 percent as well as introducing a new bonus structure tied to the overall company's business performance. Capcom is also establishing a new Chief Human Resources Officer role.

According to a new investor relations statement on Capcom's website, these initiatives are intended to retain game developer talent as well as boost overall productivity.

"Driven by its philosophy of being a Creator of Entertainment Culture that Stimulates Your Senses, Capcom will work to address the issues facing our society while aiming to improve its corporate value and establishing a relationship of trust with employees and stakeholders," the statement reads.

Capcom will also continue to improve individual employee performance review processes and its training programs going forward. Capcom's Human Resources will be reorganized around four departments in order to continue creating high-quality AAA titles sustainably. The R&D Human Resources department, Health and Productivity Management department, People Strategy Team, and the Human Resources department will work under a new Chief Human Resources Officer.

Capcom states, "With this structure, Capcom will work to bolster productivity by further providing a comfortable workplace environment for employees and driving forward its personnel acquisition and training activities."

Capcom has managed to hit its stride in releasing critically acclaimed and successful games in recent years, such as the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes, Devil May Cry 5, and Monster Hunter World, leading to record sales and profits. It isn't the only company increasing employee wages either. Earlier this month, Bandai Namco announced it would increase pay by 50,000 yen per month.

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @yinyangfooey

Capcom Is Raising Employee Salaries by 30 Percent

Capcom announced that it is raising the average employee salary at the company by 30 percent as well as introducing a new bonus structure tied to the overall company's business performance. Capcom is also establishing a new Chief Human Resources Officer role.

According to a new investor relations statement on Capcom's website, these initiatives are intended to retain game developer talent as well as boost overall productivity.

"Driven by its philosophy of being a Creator of Entertainment Culture that Stimulates Your Senses, Capcom will work to address the issues facing our society while aiming to improve its corporate value and establishing a relationship of trust with employees and stakeholders," the statement reads.

Capcom will also continue to improve individual employee performance review processes and its training programs going forward. Capcom's Human Resources will be reorganized around four departments in order to continue creating high-quality AAA titles sustainably. The R&D Human Resources department, Health and Productivity Management department, People Strategy Team, and the Human Resources department will work under a new Chief Human Resources Officer.

Capcom states, "With this structure, Capcom will work to bolster productivity by further providing a comfortable workplace environment for employees and driving forward its personnel acquisition and training activities."

Capcom has managed to hit its stride in releasing critically acclaimed and successful games in recent years, such as the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes, Devil May Cry 5, and Monster Hunter World, leading to record sales and profits. It isn't the only company increasing employee wages either. Earlier this month, Bandai Namco announced it would increase pay by 50,000 yen per month.

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @yinyangfooey

Project Artemis: Chris Evans And Scarlett Johansson Will Co-Star In New Space Race Movie

Marvel co-stars Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson will star in the upcoming movie Project Artemis, according to a report from Deadline.

Jason Bateman, executive producer, and star of Netflix's hit show Ozark will direct the movie from screenwriter Rose Gilroy, while Johansson will serve as a producer with Jonathan Lia and Keenan Flynn. The film will be produced under Bateman's Aggregate Films banner.

Plot details for Project Artemis are thin at the moment, but sources close to the production claim the film will take place during the historic space race between Russia and the United States throughout the mid-20th century.

The Space Race took place over the span of twenty years the US and the Soviet Union competed in the areas of technology and exploration beyond Earth as they both sought to make their presence known in the vast reaches of space. It was during this time that NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope and the world saw the first man land on the moon.

Apple has purchased distribution rights for Project Artemis in a $100m deal only days after it made history by becoming the first streaming service to win Best Picture with CODA, for which it previously paid $25m. It's not an unsurprising move, as the company has been making a run at other streaming services in recent years, grabbing up films like Martin Scorsese's upcoming Killers of the Flower Moon and the Taron Egerton-starring Tetris.

Johansson is also set to appear in Apple's genre-bender Bride this year, while Evans can soon be heard in Pixar's Toy Story spin-off Lightyear and seen in the Russo Brothers' action-thriller The Gray Man.

Project Artemis won't be Apple's first major project to deal with the space race. Apple TV+ is currently home to the sci-fi series For All Mankind, which depicts an alternate reality wherein the space race never ended. The show has received critical acclaim and has been renewed for a third season.

Project Artemis: Chris Evans And Scarlett Johansson Will Co-Star In New Space Race Movie

Marvel co-stars Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson will star in the upcoming movie Project Artemis, according to a report from Deadline.

Jason Bateman, executive producer, and star of Netflix's hit show Ozark will direct the movie from screenwriter Rose Gilroy, while Johansson will serve as a producer with Jonathan Lia and Keenan Flynn. The film will be produced under Bateman's Aggregate Films banner.

Plot details for Project Artemis are thin at the moment, but sources close to the production claim the film will take place during the historic space race between Russia and the United States throughout the mid-20th century.

The Space Race took place over twenty years ago and saw the US and the Soviet Union compete in the areas of technology and exploration beyond Earth as they both sought to make their presence known in the vast reaches of space. It was during this time that NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope and the world saw the first man land on the moon.

Apple has purchased distribution rights for Project Artemis in a $100m deal only days after it made history by becoming the first streaming service to win Best Picture with CODA, for which it previously paid $25m. It's not an unsurprising move, as the company has been making a run at other streaming services in recent years, grabbing up films like Martin Scorsese's upcoming Killers of the Flower Moon and the Taron Egerton-starring Tetris.

Johansson is also set to appear in Apple's genre-bender Bride this year, while Evans can soon be heard in Pixar's Toy Story spin-off Lightyear and seen in the Russo Brothers' action-thriller The Gray Man.

Project Artemis won't be Apple's first major project to deal with the space race. Apple TV+ is currently home to the sci-fi series For All Mankind, which depicts an alternate reality wherein the space race never ended. The show has received critical acclaim and has been renewed for a third season.

Someone Has Modded a Clever Recreation of Elden Ring’s Missing ‘Age of Absolute’ Ending

A video is circulating purporting to show off a datamined secret seventh ending to Elden Ring that hasn't been seen before — but as cool as the video is, it's sadly fake.

Spoilers for the ending of Elden Ring follow read at your own risk!

The video, posted by Elden Ring YouTuber Garden of Eyes conveniently around April Fool's Day, shows off the supposed "Age Absolute" ending. The first half of the video is the same as other endings, where the Tarnished restores Marika's severed head to her body. The differences begin as a five-fingered hand begins to appear in the background behind them as they do.

The scene then cuts to the throne room shown in other endings, but instead of the Tarnished sitting on the Elden Throne, the five-fingered hand is present, with the Tarnished appearing to worship it. The voice-over that plays is also the same as other endings, except for the final line: "The Age Absolute."

There actually is some precedent for people believing in an "Age Absolute" hidden ending. As Elden Ring dataminer ZullietheWitch tells IGN, among the other files for ending subtitles is a subtitle for "The Age Absolute," immediately following "The Age of Order" — which is one of the endings you can get through normal gameplay. However, Zullie believes this is an alternate reading of the same line, rather than a separate ending. Not only are there no text prompts or cutscene files for it in the game's files, but other ending subtitles apparently have similar alternate text versions that aren't used, so there's precedent.

Furthermore, Zullie says, the "Usher the Age Absolute" prompt shown in the video Garden posted doesn't actually exist in the game's files.

So how did this cutscene get put together then? Garden didn't respond to our request for comment in time, but from Zullie's background info and discussion in Garden's community Discord it's not too hard to piece together. The first half of the ending, with Marika, is exactly the same as other endings.

The giant, five-fingered hand doesn't appear anywhere in Elden Ring, sure, but it appears to just be an amalgamation of the models for the Two Fingers and the Three Fingers, both characters you can meet at different points in the actual game. The final shot of the Tarnished worshipping the five-fingered hand could easily just be a shot taken with a free camera of the Tarnished doing the Rapture gesture.

And the voiceover? That bit might be real. According to both Zullie and several members of Garden's Discord server, the voice line is from actual in-game data. But given its similarities to other lines, it's again likely just an alternate version of the Age of Order dialogue that wasn't used.

So sure, it's a fake, but it's a darn cool one to imagine, especially in a game where so much is still being discovered on a daily basis. And fortunately, there are still multiple other endings you can pursue with various obscure requirements and meanings - we have a guide to all of those right here.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

Someone Has Modded a Clever Recreation of Elden Ring’s Missing ‘Age of Absolute’ Ending

A video is circulating purporting to show off a datamined secret seventh ending to Elden Ring that hasn't been seen before — but as cool as the video is, it's sadly fake.

Spoilers for the ending of Elden Ring follow read at your own risk!

The video, posted by Elden Ring YouTuber Garden of Eyes conveniently around April Fool's Day, shows off the supposed "Age Absolute" ending. The first half of the video is the same as other endings, where the Tarnished restores Marika's severed head to her body. The differences begin as a five-fingered hand begins to appear in the background behind them as they do.

The scene then cuts to the throne room shown in other endings, but instead of the Tarnished sitting on the Elden Throne, the five-fingered hand is present, with the Tarnished appearing to worship it. The voice-over that plays is also the same as other endings, except for the final line: "The Age Absolute."

There actually is some precedent for people believing in an "Age Absolute" hidden ending. As Elden Ring dataminer ZullietheWitch tells IGN, among the other files for ending subtitles is a subtitle for "The Age Absolute," immediately following "The Age of Order" — which is one of the endings you can get through normal gameplay. However, Zullie believes this is an alternate reading of the same line, rather than a separate ending. Not only are there no text prompts or cutscene files for it in the game's files, but other ending subtitles apparently have similar alternate text versions that aren't used, so there's precedent.

Furthermore, Zullie says, the "Usher the Age Absolute" prompt shown in the video Garden posted doesn't actually exist in the game's files.

So how did this cutscene get put together then? Garden didn't respond to our request for comment in time, but from Zullie's background info and discussion in Garden's community Discord it's not too hard to piece together. The first half of the ending, with Marika, is exactly the same as other endings.

The giant, five-fingered hand doesn't appear anywhere in Elden Ring, sure, but it appears to just be an amalgamation of the models for the Two Fingers and the Three Fingers, both characters you can meet at different points in the actual game. The final shot of the Tarnished worshipping the five-fingered hand could easily just be a shot taken with a free camera of the Tarnished doing the Rapture gesture.

And the voiceover? That bit might be real. According to both Zullie and several members of Garden's Discord server, the voice line is from actual in-game data. But given it's similarities to other lines, it's again likely just an alternate version of the Age of Order dialogue that wasn't used.

So sure, it's a fake, but it's a darn cool one to imagine, especially in a game where so much is still being discovered on a daily basis. And fortunately, there are still multiple other endings you can pursue with various obscure requirements and meanings - we have a guide to all of those right here.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

IGN Summer of Gaming Returns This June

IGN is happy to announce that Summer of Gaming will return this June.

Summer of Gaming is back for its third year with trailers, gameplay, news and reveals for some of the biggest upcoming games, and exclusive content.

Just like in past years, IGN Summer of Gaming will be a multi-day event with new trailers, behind-the-scenes interviews, and more from your favorite developers. IGN will be a hub for all the biggest news and our experts will be there for every major game reveal.

We're also happy to announce that we will be carrying and covering Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest as part of our Summer of Gaming programming. More details to come.

IGN will also be partnering with major developers across the industry to deliver the biggest news and announcements from across the web.

This fully digital event can be viewed entirely from home and you’ll be able to catch all of the announcements from Summer of Gaming right here on IGN or on your favorite platforms like YouTube and Twitch.

Be sure to catch up on Summer of Gaming from the last two years here with everything announced in 2020 and 2021.

So join us again this June as IGN takes you directly to the action with Summer of Gaming.

IGN Summer of Gaming Returns This June

IGN is happy to announce that Summer of Gaming will return this June.

Summer of Gaming is back for its third year with trailers, gameplay, news and reveals for some of the biggest upcoming games, and exclusive content.

Just like in past years, IGN Summer of Gaming will be a multi-day event with new trailers, behind-the-scenes interviews, and more from your favorite developers. IGN will be a hub for all the biggest news and our experts will be there for every major game reveal.

We're also happy to announce that we will be carrying and covering Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest as part of our Summer of Gaming programming. More details to come.

IGN will also be partnering with major developers across the industry to deliver the biggest news and announcements from across the web.

This fully digital event can be viewed entirely from home and you’ll be able to catch all of the announcements from Summer of Gaming right here on IGN or on your favorite platforms like YouTube and Twitch.

Be sure to catch up on Summer of Gaming from the last two years here with everything announced in 2020 and 2021.

So join us again this June as IGN takes you directly to the action with Summer of Gaming.

E3 2022 – Digital and Physical – Has Officially Been Canceled

After previously canceling its in-person E3 2022 event, the ESA has now informed its partners that there will be no digital event equivalent this year either - meaning E3 2022 has fully been canceled.

The news broke via a tweet from Razer PR lead Will Powers, who said that an email had been sent out announcing the cancellation of a digital E3 event. IGN has independently verified the contents of the email as well.

The ESA had initially planned for an in-person E3 event this year after having no event in 2020 due to COVID-19 and a digital one in 2021. However, this was canceled in January, with the ESA at the time unable to make a public statement on whether or not there would be a digital equivalent. According to sources speaking to IGN at the time, discussions around E3 had been fraught throughout the year, with third parties normally involved finding the ESA's ongoing silence regarding their plans frustrating.

Sources connected to the event tell IGN that discussions about a possible digital equivalent have been ongoing ever since, but without strong momentum to drive them. Instead, the ESA seems to be making plans to regroup for a larger comeback in 2023.

Update: The ESA has shared an official statement with IGN confirming E3 2022's cancellation and announcing that E3 will return in 2023 with "a reinvigorated showcase."

"We will devote all our energy and resources to delivering a revitalized physical and digital E3 experience next summer. Whether enjoyed from the show floor or your favorite devices, the 2023 showcase will bring the community, media, and industry back together in an all-new format and interactive experience.

"We look forward to presenting E3 to fans around the world live from Los Angeles in 2023."

The ESA adds that the 2022 showcase has been cancelled so the organization can "focus its resources" on the 2023 show.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

E3 2022 – Digital and Physical – Has Officially Been Canceled

After previously canceling its in-person E3 2022 event, the ESA has now informed its partners that there will be no digital event equivalent this year either - meaning E3 2022 has fully been canceled.

The news broke via a tweet from Razer PR lead Will Powers, who said that an email had been sent out announcing the cancellation of a digital E3 event. IGN has independently verified the contents of the email as well.

The ESA had initially planned for an in-person E3 event this year after having no event in 2020 due to COVID-19 and a digital one in 2021. However, this was canceled in January, with the ESA at the time unable to make a public statement on whether or not there would be a digital equivalent. According to sources speaking to IGN at the time, discussions around E3 had been fraught throughout the year, with third parties normally involved finding the ESA's ongoing silence regarding their plans frustrating.

Sources connected to the event tell IGN that discussions about a possible digital equivalent have been ongoing ever since, but without strong momentum to drive them. Instead, the ESA seems to be making plans to regroup for a larger comeback in 2023.

Update: The ESA has shared an official statement with IGN confirming E3 2022's cancellation and announcing that E3 will return in 2023 with "a reinvigorated showcase."

"We will devote all our energy and resources to delivering a revitalized physical and digital E3 experience next summer. Whether enjoyed from the show floor or your favorite devices, the 2023 showcase will bring the community, media, and industry back together in an all-new format and interactive experience.

"We look forward to presenting E3 to fans around the world live from Los Angeles in 2023."

The ESA adds that the 2022 showcase has been cancelled so the organization can "focus its resources" on the 2023 show.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.