Ukrainian Sherlock Holmes Devs Discuss How They’re Developing During a War
Editor's Note: The war in Ukraine is an ongoing, painful and emotive topic. IGN urges community members to be respectful when engaging in conversation around this subject and does not endorse harassment of any kind.
Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One developer Frogwares is headquartered in Ukraine, and the team has shared a bit of what it's like to develop a game during a war.
Sherlock: Holmes: Chapter One was released on November 15, 2021, and Frogwares has just announced that not only is the M for Mystery DLC now available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, but also that Sherlock Holmes: The Devils Daughter will be released on Switch on April 7, 2022.
Frogwares is located in Kyiv, Ukraine (subsidary offices are in Dublin, Ireland), and the team has said that, "despite being embroiled in a horrendous war, the majority Ukrainian-based team managed this through external partners and a handful of remote-based staff. They are now aiming to adapt to the situation and do what they can to keep the studio semi-functioning and afloat."
"Put simply, we need to keep the studio alive and functioning to the best of our abilities now more than ever," Frogwares CEO Wael Amr said. "Nobody on the team is expected to work, only those who can and want to. Some on the team have become full-time volunteers in the humanitarian efforts around the country. Others have joined the defense forces. The rest are in various, safer locations abroad or around the country and have made themselves available to work remotely. And we continue to pay all of these people on the team.
"For those fighting or volunteering, each of their spots on the team will be waiting for them at the end of the war. But essentially it is through a collection of staff that either fled Ukraine to neighboring EU countries and those who have relocated to safer areas who are keeping Frogwares going right now. We are an independent studio with no external financing, investors, or parent company keeping us afloat.
"So it's up to us alone and through the support of our players wanting to play our games that will keep this studio alive. And as this war drags out more and more, we and people all around Ukraine are seeing that even if they are not involved in the fighting directly, they need to somehow keep things moving forward. So that when this is all over and it’s time to rebuild and restart, we are not starting from zero.”
To learn more about this conflict and how you can help, check out how other members of the games and entertainment industry are giving their support, why games and entertainment companies are pulling support in Russia, and how you can help Ukrainian civilians.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Seven Arrested in Relation to LAPSUS$ Hacks Against Microsoft, Nvidia
Seven people have been arrested in relation to the hacker group LAPSUS%1#39;s recent cyberattacks on Microsoft, Nvidia, Samsung, and Ubisoft.
As reported by the BBC, City of London police arrested the individuals, aged between 16 and 21, who have since been released under investigation.
A 16-year-old has been separately named by rival hackers and researchers who revealed his identity, address, and social media pictures online, but police have not confirmed if he is among the seven arrested.
The teenager, who uses the online monikers "White" or "Breachbase", is believed to have amassed more than $14 million. His father told the BBC: "I had never heard about any of this until recently. He's never talked about any hacking, but he is very good on computers and spends a lot of time on the computer. I always thought he was playing games."
Unit 221B, a cyber security company investigating the LAPSUS$ attacks, also told the BBC that it had already identified the 16-year-old as he failed to cover his tracks.
The hacking group, while fairly new, is already infamous for brazenly posting its attacks on social media, celebrating its successful breaches of major technology companies.
Microsoft was its latest victim as the group stole and released the source code for Bing, Bing Maps, and Microsoft Cortana, while earlier this month it launched a major attack against Nvidia. LAPSUS$ also took credit for the Ubisoft cyberattack that happened earlier this month, though Ubisoft believes that no personal player information was compromised.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Elden Ring Speedrunners Again Beating Game in Record Time After Old Methods Removed by Patch
An Elden Ring speedrunner has beaten the game in under 25 minutes by using a new teleportation glitch called "the Zip".
As spotted by DualShockers, YouTuber Hazeblade has conquered the previous record and completed Elden Ring in just 24 minutes and 37 seconds. This comes just one week after key players declared "RIP speedruns" as developer FromSoftware released an update that made the old methods less effective.
World First Sub-25 minute Elden Ring Speedrun using a really stupid glitch we call "The Zip". YouTube video coming soon. pic.twitter.com/dWmzEBwXt6
— Hazeblade (@hazebladetv) March 22, 2022
By utilising a newly discovered glitch dubbed zipping, players can essentially teleport at certain points of the map and skip large portions of the game.
The previous Elden Ring speedrun record was held by Distortion2, who registered faster and faster times under 30 minutes but has so far been unable to drop below 25.
He and other Elden Ring speedrunners admitted their method would have to change when patch 1.0.3 was released last week as it reduced the effectiveness of Hoarfrost Stomp, Icerind Hatchet, and Mimic Tear.
Despite Elden Ring being released almost a month ago to incredible success in the U.S. and Europe, players are still finding new secrets including a hidden wall that only disperses after 50 hits.
It proved somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, producing several wacky stories such as players discovering a pair of fancy underwear hidden in the game. The game's speedrun record is also being broken over and over, an infamous hacker is hunting down innocent players, Bandai Namco has made an insane advert, and it even has its own candy.
In our 10/10 review, IGN said: "Elden Ring is a massive iteration on what FromSoftware began with the Souls series, bringing its relentlessly challenging combat to an incredible open world that gives us the freedom to choose our own path."
To make those choices with the best available information, check out our full guide that features everything you could ever hope to know about Elden Ring, including collectible locations, boss strategies, and more.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Elden Ring Speedrunners Again Beating Game in Record Time After Old Methods Removed by Patch
An Elden Ring speedrunner has beaten the game in under 25 minutes by using a new teleportation glitch called "the Zip".
As spotted by DualShockers, YouTuber Hazeblade has conquered the previous record and completed Elden Ring in just 24 minutes and 37 seconds. This comes just one week after key players declared "RIP speedruns" as developer FromSoftware released an update that made the old methods less effective.
World First Sub-25 minute Elden Ring Speedrun using a really stupid glitch we call "The Zip". YouTube video coming soon. pic.twitter.com/dWmzEBwXt6
— Hazeblade (@hazebladetv) March 22, 2022
By utilising a newly discovered glitch dubbed zipping, players can essentially teleport at certain points of the map and skip large portions of the game.
The previous Elden Ring speedrun record was held by Distortion2, who registered faster and faster times under 30 minutes but has so far been unable to drop below 25.
He and other Elden Ring speedrunners admitted their method would have to change when patch 1.0.3 was released last week as it reduced the effectiveness of Hoarfrost Stomp, Icerind Hatchet, and Mimic Tear.
Despite Elden Ring being released almost a month ago to incredible success in the U.S. and Europe, players are still finding new secrets including a hidden wall that only disperses after 50 hits.
It proved somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, producing several wacky stories such as players discovering a pair of fancy underwear hidden in the game. The game's speedrun record is also being broken over and over, an infamous hacker is hunting down innocent players, Bandai Namco has made an insane advert, and it even has its own candy.
In our 10/10 review, IGN said: "Elden Ring is a massive iteration on what FromSoftware began with the Souls series, bringing its relentlessly challenging combat to an incredible open world that gives us the freedom to choose our own path."
To make those choices with the best available information, check out our full guide that features everything you could ever hope to know about Elden Ring, including collectible locations, boss strategies, and more.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Apple Is Working on a Hardware Subscription Service for iPhones
Apple is reportedly planning to launch a new subscription service to provide another option for customers looking to buy its products, such as iPhones and iPads.
In a new report by Bloomberg, Mark Gurman notes that the new subscription service could arrive by next year and will let members acquire an iPhone or other Apple hardware with a monthly fee rather than an outright purchase. Gurman notes that the new service would be "Apple's biggest push yet into automatically recurring sales."
Over the last several years, Apple has expanded its subscription services portfolio, such as Apple TV+, AppleCare, and Apple Arcade. The company has even consolidated several of its subscription services into Apple One bundles.
The report of a hardware-focused subscription service is interesting. Outside of AppleCare, the other hardware-centric subscription service it currently offers is an iPhone Upgrade Program, which bundles an iPhone plus AppleCare into a monthly price. This allows customers to pay off their phone long-term instead of shelling out all the money all at once while also providing an extended warranty should the phone get damaged, with the option to get a new iPhone every 12 months.
Although Bloomberg's report does not clarify how the new subscription service would work, the service could take form in several ways with all the subscription services Apple currently has, such as a bundle that includes a new iPhone, Apple One, and AppleCare under one monthly price.
To be clear, Apple has not officially announced anything, though Gurman says that the service could launch anytime between the end of 2022 to early 2023.
Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
Apple Is Working on a Hardware Subscription Service for iPhones
Apple is reportedly planning to launch a new subscription service to provide another option for customers looking to buy its products, such as iPhones and iPads.
In a new report by Bloomberg, Mark Gurman notes that the new subscription service could arrive by next year and will let members acquire an iPhone or other Apple hardware with a monthly fee rather than an outright purchase. Gurman notes that the new service would be "Apple's biggest push yet into automatically recurring sales."
Over the last several years, Apple has expanded its subscription services portfolio, such as Apple TV+, AppleCare, and Apple Arcade. The company has even consolidated several of its subscription services into Apple One bundles.
The report of a hardware-focused subscription service is interesting. Outside of AppleCare, the other hardware-centric subscription service it currently offers is an iPhone Upgrade Program, which bundles an iPhone plus AppleCare into a monthly price. This allows customers to pay off their phone long-term instead of shelling out all the money all at once while also providing an extended warranty should the phone get damaged, with the option to get a new iPhone every 12 months.
Although Bloomberg's report does not clarify how the new subscription service would work, the service could take form in several ways with all the subscription services Apple currently has, such as a bundle that includes a new iPhone, Apple One, and AppleCare under one monthly price.
To be clear, Apple has not officially announced anything, though Gurman says that the service could launch anytime between the end of 2022 to early 2023.
Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
The Batman Comes Face to Face With His Biggest Enemy In New Deleted Scene
Spoilers for The Batman Below
The Batman director Matt Reeves teased it, and finally, it’s been revealed. The latest Riddler website update has unveiled a deleted scene featuring an encounter between Batman and his greatest villain.
For weeks since the release of The Batman in theaters, Warner Bros. has been dropping new content on its ARG website rataalada.com. The website previously announced a new Riddler comic written by Paul Dano, but today was the big one.
At the end of The Batman, The Riddler is defeated and locked away at Arkham Asylum. But he meets a friend in a neighboring cell who is almost certainly the Joker played by Barry Keoghan. While the cameo was short, director Matt Reeves said he filmed a now-deleted scene where Batman goes to Joker for help early on in the Riddler investigation.
That five-minute deleted scene featuring Batman meeting Barry Keoghan’s Joker in Arkham Asylum has officially been released. The scene is reminiscent of Silence of the Lambs where the investigator turns to a killer for help, and in this case, it’s The Batman asking Joker who the Riddler might be.
While we never get a full, clear view of Keoghan’s Joker, he’s certainly looking rougher in Reeves’ version of Gotham. His face is scarred, and he features bald patches on his head and scabs on his hands. It’s unclear if he’s injured or diseased.
And Joker, going full Hannibal Lecter, uses the opportunity to play Batman’s psychiatrist rather than help him find out who the Riddler is.
Despite filming this scene and including a tease to the Joker at the end of the movie, Reeves hasn’t fully committed to a villain for the sequel. Reeves has teased other potential sequel villains including Mr. Freeze and Two-Face while Pattinson said he’d like to see Batman take on the Court of Owls.
Check out Matt Reeves’ full explanation of what inspired his version of Joker in our interview, and read our review of The Batman here.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.
The Batman Comes Face to Face With His Biggest Enemy In New Deleted Scene
Spoilers for The Batman Below
The Batman director Matt Reeves teased it, and finally, it’s been revealed. The latest Riddler website update has unveiled a deleted scene featuring an encounter between Batman and his greatest villain.
For weeks since the release of The Batman in theaters, Warner Bros. has been dropping new content on its ARG website https://www.rataalada.com/. The website previously announced a new Riddler comic written by Paul Dano, but today was the big one.
At the end of The Batman, The Riddler is defeated and locked away at Arkham Asylum. But he meets a friend in a neighboring cell who is almost certainly the Joker played by Barry Keoghan. While the cameo was short, director Matt Reeves said he filmed a now-deleted scene where Batman goes to Joker for help early on in the Riddler investigation.
“He likes little puzzles, doesn’t he?”
— IGN (@IGN) March 24, 2022
Batman goes to Arkham and asks Joker for help in this creepy deleted scene from The Batman. pic.twitter.com/aJhIkrBDs8
That five-minute deleted scene featuring Batman meeting Barry Keoghan’s Joker in Arkham Asylum has officially been released. The scene is reminiscent of Silence of the Lambs where the investigator turns to a killer for help, and in this case, it’s The Batman asking Joker who the Riddler might be.
While we never get a full, clear view of Keoghan’s Joker, he’s certainly looking rougher in Reeves’ version of Gotham. His face is scarred, and he features bald patches on his head and scabs on his hands. It’s unclear if he’s injured or diseased.
And Joker, going full Hannibal Lecter, uses the opportunity to play Batman’s psychiatrist rather than help him find out who the Riddler is.
Despite filming this scene and including a tease to the Joker at the end of the movie, Reeves hasn’t fully committed to a villain for the sequel. Reeves has teased other potential sequel villains including Mr. Freeze and Two-Face while Pattinson said he’d like to see Batman take on the Court of Owls.
Check out Matt Reeves’ full explanation of what inspired his version of Joker in our interview, and read our review of The Batman here.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.
Nova Project Reportedly In the Works for the MCU
Marvel is reportedly adding Nova to the MCU in an unknown project.
According to Deadline, a Nova project currently being penned by Moon Knight writer Sabir Pirzada, but it’s unknown whether it will be heading to the big screen as a movie or as a TV series for Disney+.
There’s also no hint as to who will take the leading role… or how Nova will fit into the MCU.
A Nova project has been rumored for a long time. In fact, Marvel boss Kevin Feige noted back in 2018 that the character has “immediate potential” when it comes to Marvel Studios properties.
“Nova is… if we have a big board with a bunch of characters that have more immediate potential, Nova is on that board,” he said. “Because of the connection to the Guardians universe, because there are more than one examples to pull from in the comics that are interesting.”
Feige also confirmed that Nova was originally in early drafts of the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
Nova first appeared in The Man Called Nova #1 in 1976 as a space-faring superhero who takes his powers from a cosmic energy source known as the Nova Force.
Real name Richard Rider, he’s a member of the Nova Corps – an intergalactic peacekeeping force that has already appeared in the MCU in Guardians of the Galaxy, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
In the comic books, he’s a New York high schooler who’s chosen by a dying Rhomann Dey to take over as the head of Nova Corps. Given a Corps uniform and the powers of a centurion, he takes up the mantle ‘Nova’ and becomes a superhero in his own right – teaming up with Spider-Man, Thor, and later, The Avengers.
His powers include the ability to fly, super strength, speed, endurance, and the ability to absorb energy directed against him and release it as gravimetric pulses and beams.
Whether or not Nova gets a movie or a TV show remains to be seen. But considering his potential when it comes to the MCU, it sounds as though he’s going to be getting the red-carpet treatment, regardless.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Nova Project Reportedly In the Works for the MCU
Marvel is reportedly adding Nova to the MCU in an unknown project.
According to Deadline, a Nova project currently being penned by Moon Knight writer Sabir Pirzada, but it’s unknown whether it will be heading to the big screen as a movie or as a TV series for Disney+.
There’s also no hint as to who will take the leading role… or how Nova will fit into the MCU.
A Nova project has been rumored for a long time. In fact, Marvel boss Kevin Feige noted back in 2018 that the character has “immediate potential” when it comes to Marvel Studios properties.
“Nova is… if we have a big board with a bunch of characters that have more immediate potential, Nova is on that board,” he said. “Because of the connection to the Guardians universe, because there are more than one examples to pull from in the comics that are interesting.”
Feige also confirmed that Nova was originally in early drafts of the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
Nova first appeared in The Man Called Nova #1 in 1976 as a space-faring superhero who takes his powers from a cosmic energy source known as the Nova Force.
Real name Richard Rider, he’s a member of the Nova Corps – an intergalactic peacekeeping force that has already appeared in the MCU in Guardians of the Galaxy, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
In the comic books, he’s a New York high schooler who’s chosen by a dying Rhomann Dey to take over as the head of Nova Corps. Given a Corps uniform and the powers of a centurion, he takes up the mantle ‘Nova’ and becomes a superhero in his own right – teaming up with Spider-Man, Thor, and later, The Avengers.
His powers include the ability to fly, super strength, speed, endurance, and the ability to absorb energy directed against him and release it as gravimetric pulses and beams.
Whether or not Nova gets a movie or a TV show remains to be seen. But considering his potential when it comes to the MCU, it sounds as though he’s going to be getting the red-carpet treatment, regardless.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
