Despite speculation, System Shock co-creator Warren Spector – and his studio Otherside Entertainment – hasn't been working on System Shock 3 since 2019.

While Otherside announced that the long-awaited sequel's development had transferred over to Tencent in 2020, it was unclear at the time whether Otherside would remain involved in the project in some respect.

However, speaking to GamesBeat, Spector confirmed that Otherside is totally divorced from the project and Tencent is now its only developer."There’s not much more to say at this point," he said. "Tencent is taking the franchise forward. It’ll be up to them to say what they want to say. There’s not much clarification I can give you."

Spector made clear that Otherside only worked on System Shock 3 in 2018 and 2019, before the project was passed onto Tencent. Spector added that Otherside had, at a maximum, 17 employees on the project, but said that the problems involved in passing the project on never made him think he should dissolve the company, despite having to make layoffs:

"I never thought that it would be good to disband any team. It happens in this business, maybe more frequently than one would hope. But no. I had a good team. We ran into some circumstances. Tencent is now taking the franchise forward. It’s good for everybody, honestly."

Otherside had orgiinally obtained the rights to develop System Shock 3 and further sequels, while NightDive Studios is currently working on a remake of the original game. It's not clear where the ongoing rights for the System Shock series lie. Tencent is a Chinese developer and publisher best known for its work on mobile games including Call of Duty: Mobile.

Spector says Otherside is now working on a wholly original game, but which he suggests will be an evolution of his work in the space of immersive sims such as System Shock and Deus Ex: "I’m a relentless advocate for a particular kind of game, for immersive simulations. I’m going to do that for the rest of my life, or at least the rest of my career. If I can’t do that I guess I’ll stop making games. But in many ways [the new game is] what I’ve been thinking about for quite a while as the next step in immersive sims. If we pull it off, people are not going to be ready for what’s going to hit them."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.

Hogwarts Legacy, the upcoming open world game set in the world of Harry Potter, will get a PlayStation State of Play broadcast this Thursday, March 17.

The broadcast will include "an extended first look at gameplay", and begins at 2pm Pacific / 5pm Eastern / 9pm UK (that's March 18 at 8am AEDT). It will be shown on PlayStation's Twitch and YouTube channels.

The show will run for around 20 minutes, 14 minutes of which will be made up of gameplay captured on PS5. The rest of the show will be made up of "insight from a few members of the team at Avalanche Software who are bringing the Wizarding World to life."

Wands at the ready for an all new State of Play focused on Hogwarts Legacy, featuring an extended first look at gameplay this Thursday, March 17 at 2 PM PT: https://t.co/TwujdB2cBr pic.twitter.com/bFZMWjdZ2t

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) March 14, 2022

After being leaked in 2018 and announced in 2020, the game was delayed to 2022. Since that delay, we've heard very little about the game, leading to publisher Warner Bros. repeatedly saying that the game is still due to arrive this year. We've previously heard that the game could arrive after the next Fantastic Beasts movie, but this showcase might give us a more specific date.

Set in the 1800s, the game will see a custom character thrown into the world of Hogwarts, allowing players to take part in lessons, being a part of the sorting hat ceremony, visiting the town of Hogsmeade, and more. While it's partnered with PlayStation for this reveal event, the game is aiming for release on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.

The game has stirred up discussion over its connection to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who has become notable in recent years for her transphobic comments. Warner Bros. has said the author is not directly involved with the game, but leadership has said "she's entitled to express her personal opinion". Reports have since suggested that the game will allow for transgender characters to be created.

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.

Hogwarts Legacy, the upcoming open world game set in the world of Harry Potter, will get a PlayStation State of Play broadcast this Thursday, March 17.

The broadcast will include "an extended first look at gameplay", and begins at 2pm Pacific / 5pm Eastern / 9pm UK (that's March 18 at 8am AEDT). It will be shown on PLayStation's Twitch and YouTube channels.

The show will run for around 20 minutes, 14 minutes of which will be made up of gameplay captured on PS5. The rest of the show will be made up of "insight from a few members of the team at Avalanche Software who are bringing the Wizarding World to life."

Wands at the ready for an all new State of Play focused on Hogwarts Legacy, featuring an extended first look at gameplay this Thursday, March 17 at 2 PM PT: https://t.co/TwujdB2cBr pic.twitter.com/bFZMWjdZ2t

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) March 14, 2022

After being leaked in 2018 and announced in 2020, the game was delayed to 2022. Since that delay, we've heard very little about the game, leading to publisher Warner Bros. repeatedly saying that the game is still due to arrive this year. We've previously heard that the game could arrive after the next Fantastic Beasts movie, but this showcase might give us a more specific date.

Set in the 1800s, the game will see a custom character thrown into the world of Hogwarts, allowing players to take part in lessons, being a part of the sorting hat ceremony, visiting the town of Hogsmeade, and more. While it's partnered with PlayStation for this reveal event, the game is aiming for release on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.

The game has stirred up discussion over its connection to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who has become notable in recent years for her transphobic comments. Warner Bros. has said the author is not directly involved with the game, but leadership has said "she's entitled to express her personal opinion". Reports have since suggested that the game will allow for transgender characters to be created.

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.

Publisher Kepler Interactive and A44, the developers of the well-received 2018 action-RPG Ashen, have announced their next project: Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn. It is an open-world action-RPG due out later this year for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC (on both Steam and Epic Games Store). It will launch straight into Xbox Game Pass as well.

You'll combine guns and magic in Flintlock's combat, along with an AI-controlled magic-animal companion (who you can get a look at in the cinematic reveal trailer at the top of this page), in order to vanquish the undead hordes that threaten humanity.

As A44 describes the story, "The door to the Afterlife has been opened, allowing the old god’s army of the undead to escape from within. Join Nor Vanek, a member of the coalition army, and her mystical companion Enki, a strange creature gifted with magical powers, as they pursue their personal vendetta against the gods." You'll visit a number of bespoke locales, according to A44, including "desert sands, cavernous ruins and towering cities filled with secrets."

We'll have a lot more on Flintlock throughout the year.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

Publisher Kepler Interactive and A44, the developers of the well-received 2018 action-RPG Ashen, have announced their next project: Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn. It is an open-world action-RPG due out later this year for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC (on both Steam and Epic Games Store). It will launch straight into Xbox Game Pass as well.

You'll combine guns and magic in Flintlock's combat, along with an AI-controlled magic-canine companion (who you can get a look at in the cinematic reveal trailer at the top of this page), in order to vanquish the undead hordes that threaten humanity.

As A44 describes the story, "The door to the Afterlife has been opened, allowing the old god’s army of the undead to escape from within. Join Nor Vanek, a member of the coalition army, and her mystical companion Enki, a strange creature gifted with magical powers, as they pursue their personal vendetta against the gods." You'll visit a number of bespoke locales, according to A44, including "desert sands, cavernous ruins and towering cities filled with secrets."

We'll have a lot more on Flintlock throughout the year.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

Rob Zombie has announced that Cassandra Peterson, aka Elvira, the Mistress of the Dark, has joined the cast of his upcoming Munsters reboot.

Zombie posted the latest casting announcement for The Munsters on his Instagram page on Friday, along with a first-look photo of the actress in character as real estate agent Barbara Carr, a pink plaid suit-wearing real estate agent who appears to be quite contrasting in character to Peterson's most famous role as the raven-haired horror hostess Elvira.

"ATTENTION CASTING NEWS! Straight from the set of THE MUNSTERS is your first look at Barbara Carr, the #1 real estate agent in all of Mockingbird Heights," Zombie wrote in the caption of the Instagram post. "Barbara is played by none other the (sic) CASSANDRA PETERSON. Yes, the Mistress of the Dark has joined the cast of THE MUNSTERS."

Peterson officially joins the cast of The Munsters alongside Jeff Daniel Phillips as Herman Munster, Sheri Moon Zombie as Lily Munster, and Daniel Roebuck as Grandpa, as well as Richard Brake as Transylvania's most popular Mad Scientist, Dr. Henry Augustus Wolfgang, Jorge Garcia as Floop, Sylvester McCoy as Igor, and Catherine Schell as Zoya Krupp.

The main Munster trio appeared in one of Zombie's earlier Instagram photos that featured the reboot's recreated Mockingbird mansion. The characters were pictured outside their gothic residence, wearing daytime attire as opposed to nighttime sleepwear, as glimpsed in another post highlighting a couple of costume designs for the family's matriarch and patriarch.

The Munsters will simultaneously hit theaters and stream on Peacock later this year if all goes to plan. The modern adaptation of the TV classic is one of IGN's most anticipated horror movies of 2022 alongside the likes of Sony Pictures' upcoming Marvel film Morbius, due out on April 1, and Jordan Peele's next horror movie, Nope, releasing in theaters on July 22.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Rob Zombie has announced that Cassandra Peterson, aka Elvira, the Mistress of the Dark, has joined the cast of his upcoming Munsters reboot.

Zombie posted the latest casting announcement for The Munsters on his Instagram page on Friday, along with a first-look photo of the actress in character as real estate agent Barbara Carr, a pink plaid suit-wearing real estate agent who appears to be quite contrasting in character to Peterson's most famous role as the raven-haired horror hostess Elvira.

"ATTENTION CASTING NEWS! Straight from the set of THE MUNSTERS is your first look at Barbara Carr, the #1 real estate agent in all of Mockingbird Heights," Zombie wrote in the caption of the Instagram post. "Barbara is played by none other the (sic) CASSANDRA PETERSON. Yes, the Mistress of the Dark has joined the cast of THE MUNSTERS."

Peterson officially joins the cast of The Munsters alongside Jeff Daniel Phillips as Herman Munster, Sheri Moon Zombie as Lily Munster, and Daniel Roebuck as Grandpa, as well as Richard Brake as Transylvania's most popular Mad Scientist, Dr. Henry Augustus Wolfgang, Jorge Garcia as Floop, Sylvester McCoy as Igor, and Catherine Schell as Zoya Krupp.

The main Munster trio appeared in one of Zombie's earlier Instagram photos that featured the reboot's recreated Mockingbird mansion. The characters were pictured outside their gothic residence, wearing daytime attire as opposed to nighttime sleepwear, as glimpsed in another post highlighting a couple of costume designs for the family's matriarch and patriarch.

The Munsters will simultaneously hit theaters and stream on Peacock later this year if all goes to plan. The modern adaptation of the TV classic is one of IGN's most anticipated horror movies of 2022 alongside the likes of Sony Pictures' upcoming Marvel film Morbius, due out on April 1, and Jordan Peele's next horror movie, Nope, releasing in theaters on July 22.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin appears to have hidden his initials across Elden Ring's world, by way of many of its characters.

The game's opening cutscene introduces one of Elden Ring's gods, Queen Marika, and players eventually meet her various relatives and offspring.

Spoiler warning: This story going forward contains several names and relationships of Elden Ring characters from deep into the game.

But the main four, as noted by PC Gamer, are Godfrey, Rennala, Radagon, and Marika. Their initials combine into G.R.R.M, not unlike George Raymond Richard Martin.

In fact, all of Elden Ring's gods and demigods have names beginning with these three letters: Godfrey, Godwyn, Godrick, Rennala, Radagon, Radahn, Rykard, Ranni, Renna, Marika, Morgott, Mogh, Malenia, Miquella, and Maliketh.

Martin crafted the backstory and history of Elden Ring years ago in an opportunity that was "too exciting to refuse". This included the naming of many of its characters, though game director Hidetaka Miyazaki thought Martin might be shocked by what became of them.

Miyazaki also placed important restraints on Martin's contributions because "story must always serve the player experience", but overall he described working with Martin as "like speaking with an old friend".

When the game was released on February 25 it became one of the best reviewed games in modern history, and Martin said he was very happy with how the game turned out.

Developer FromSoftware likely is too, as Elden Ring dominated U.S. sales and became the best-selling game of 2022 so far. It's also the UK's biggest non-FIFA or Call of Duty release since 2018 and on Steam it grew in popularity day by day before becoming the sixth most played game of all time.

Elden Ring has proven somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, with crazy adverts, a streamer's Twitch chat playing while he swept, someone using the Nintendo Switch's Ring Fit Controller to beat a boss, and it's even got 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 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.

Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin appears to have hidden his initials across Elden Ring's world, by way of many of its characters.

The game's opening cutscene introduces one of Elden Ring's gods, Queen Marika, and players eventually meet her various relatives and offspring.

Spoiler warning: This story going forward contains several names and relationships of Elden Ring characters from deep into the game.

But the main four, as noted by PC Gamer, are Godfrey, Rennala, Radagon, and Marika. Their initials combine into G.R.R.M, not unlike George Raymond Richard Martin.

In fact, all of Elden Ring's gods and demigods have names beginning with these three letters: Godfrey, Godwyn, Godrick, Rennala, Radagon, Radahn, Rykard, Ranni, Renna, Marika, Morgott, Mogh, Malenia, Miquella, and Maliketh.

Martin crafted the backstory and history of Elden Ring years ago in an opportunity that was "too exciting to refuse". This included the naming of many of its characters, though game director Hidetaka Miyazaki thought Martin might be shocked by what became of them.

Miyazaki also placed important restraints on Martin's contributions because "story must always serve the player experience", but overall he described working with Martin as "like speaking with an old friend".

When the game was released on February 25 it became one of the best reviewed games in modern history, and Martin said he was very happy with how the game turned out.

Developer FromSoftware likely is too, as Elden Ring dominated U.S. sales and became the best-selling game of 2022 so far. It's also the UK's biggest non-FIFA or Call of Duty release since 2018 and on Steam it grew in popularity day by day before becoming the sixth most played game of all time.

Elden Ring has proven somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, with crazy adverts, a streamer's Twitch chat playing while he swept, someone using the Nintendo Switch's Ring Fit Controller to beat a boss, and it's even got 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 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.

William Hurt, the Oscar-winning actor of Kiss of the Spider Woman who also played Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross in multiple MCU films, has died at the age of 71.

Hurt passed away from natural causes on Sunday, March 13, and his death was confirmed to Variety by his friend, Gerry Byrne. Over the course of his impressive film career, he was nominated four times for an Academy Award for his work in Kiss of the Spider Woman, Children of a Lesser God, Broadcast News, and A History of Violence.

What is perhaps most notable about these nominations were that Kiss of the Spider Woman, Children of a Lesser God, and Broadcast News all came one year after another. Despite only winning one Oscar, the nominations alone cemented his place as one of Hollywood's greats.

He was also well-known by many in the modern era for his work as Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross in multiple MCU films. He first appears as Ross in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, and would continue to star in Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Black Widow.

Marvel Studios shared a few words on Twitter for Hurt, saying, "Rest In Peace to an amazing talent William Hurt, beloved Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross in our Marvel Cinematic Universe."

Rest In Peace to an amazing talent William Hurt, beloved Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in our Marvel Cinematic Universe. pic.twitter.com/ituAUTRbsq

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) March 13, 2022

Hurt also made a mark in the world of television, where he earned both a Golden Globe and Emmy nomination for his performance as Daniel Purcell in Damages and as Henry Paulson in Too Big to Fail. He would also earn a Tony Award nomination in 1985 for his part in the Broadway production of Hurlyburly.

Hurt was born on March 20, 1950, in Washington, D.C., and would attend Tufts University as a theology major before going to Julliard to study acting. While he started his career on stage, he would make his big-screen debut as Eddie Jessup in Ken Russell's Altered State. He made a great first impression as he was nominated for a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year.

Body Heat was one of his first breakout hits and he would continue to star in lead roles in films and television in countless other projects for the rest of his career.

In May 2018, it was announced that Hurt was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer that had spread to the bone.

Hurt married twice, first to Mary Beth Hurt in 1971 (divorced in 1982) and then to Heidi Henderson in 1989 (divorced in 1992). He is survived by his four children.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.