Twitch streamer Ludwig – who broke records for his number of subscribers on the platform – is making a move away, announcing that he's signed exclusively for YouTube Gaming.

The streamer announced the move on Twitter (below), where he shared a short clip that shows him and a friend switching out of a car sporting Twitch's iconic purple colour scheme and into another coated in YouTube red, before the words "Streaming exclusively on YouTube Gaming" appear.

:) pic.twitter.com/717LGs0Cvk

— ludwig (@LudwigAhgren) November 29, 2021

During the clip, the pair talk about a range of topics from hairlines to Clifford the Big Red Dog before also making a nod towards Twitch's DMCA music strikes: "Don't you get into trouble for playing music?", his friend asks. "Not in this car," Ludwig responds.

Earlier this year, Ludwig broke Twitch's subscriber record during a 31 day non-stop stream that saw him overtake the previous holder, Tyler "Ninja" Blevins. The plan for the stream was to keep it running until people stopped subscribing - with every additional subscriber to the channel adding an extra ten seconds onto the time. While the streamer initially thought the event might last a day or two, it ran for the duration of a month, during which he kept the stream running day and night.

While Ludwig's move to YouTube Gaming is certainly significant for the platform, he isn't the first major streamer to make the switch in recent memory. Earlier this year, prominent Call of Duty Warzone streamer TimTheTatMan made the jump while other creators such as CouRageJD, LazarBeam and Valkyrae have completed similar moves in the past.

Despite the fact that Twitch will likely be hoping that other streamers don't follow suit, the company offered a classy response to Ludwig's move on Twitter, stating: "You're a mogul in every sense, Ludwig. Best of luck and keep doing big things out there."

You're a mogul in every sense, Ludwig. Best of luck and keep doing big things out there.

— Twitch (@Twitch) November 29, 2021

For more on Twitch, make sure to check out this piece detailing how you can now download an app for the streaming platform for Nintendo Switch.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Valve has confirmed that it has no interest in publishing games that are exclusive to the Steam Deck.

As confirmed on an FAQ page covering questions asked by developers and publishers at the company's Steamworks Steam Deck event, Valve has said that it isn't interested in developers creating games exclusive to the upcoming handheld.

When asked about the matter, Valve's response was short and clear. "No, that doesn't make much sense to us. It's a PC and it should just play games like a PC," responded the company in the FAQ. To delve into Valve's comments a little further, upon launch, the Steam Deck will run a modified version of Valve's SteamOS - designed with a console-like interface that will allow players to easily navigate the Steam Store and their own Steam libraries.

However, the handheld will also allow players access to an unrestricted computer desktop where third-party applications can be used and installed. What this essentially means is that you'll be able to run non-Steam games and launchers on the device - making it a handheld PC. With that in mind, creating Steam Deck exclusive titles that you can't run on PC would likely serve little purpose – it may boost sales of the handheld, but it would also frustrate fans who didn't own a Deck.

Earlier this month, Valve announced that it was delaying the Steam Deck's launch by two months. The first units of the portable computer handheld will now be shipping in February 2022, instead of its original December 2021 scheduled release date. In addition, this will also mean that those further back in the queue for a Steam Deck will also need to adjust their expectations as the company has said that dates will shift back accordingly.

For more from Valve, make sure to check out this piece detailing how Steam has banned blockchain games that issue NFTs or Cryptocurrency.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Valve has confirmed that it has no interest in publishing games that are exclusive to the Steam Deck.

As confirmed on an FAQ page covering questions asked by developers and publishers at the company's Steamworks Steam Deck event, Valve has said that it isn't interested in developers creating games exclusive to the upcoming handheld.

When asked about the matter, Valve's response was short and clear. "No, that doesn't make much sense to us. It's a PC and it should just play games like a PC," responded the company in the FAQ. To delve into Valve's comments a little further, upon launch, the Steam Deck will run a modified version of Valve's SteamOS - designed with a console-like interface that will allow players to easily navigate the Steam Store and their own Steam libraries.

However, the handheld will also allow players access to an unrestricted computer desktop where third-party applications can be used and installed. What this essentially means is that you'll be able to run non-Steam games and launchers on the device - making it a handheld PC. With that in mind, creating Steam Deck exclusive titles that you can't run on PC would likely serve little purpose – it may boost sales of the handheld, but it would also frustrate fans who didn't own a Deck.

Earlier this month, Valve announced that it was delaying the Steam Deck's launch by two months. The first units of the portable computer handheld will now be shipping in February 2022, instead of its original December 2021 scheduled release date. In addition, this will also mean that those further back in the queue for a Steam Deck will also need to adjust their expectations as the company has said that dates will shift back accordingly.

For more from Valve, make sure to check out this piece detailing how Steam has banned blockchain games that issue NFTs or Cryptocurrency.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

More than two years after its original release, Game of Thrones' ending remains controversial with fans. In particular, many believe that Game Of Thrones ended too soon, curtailing certain major arc and making the ending seem abrupt. Author George R.R. Martin agrees.

As first reported by Insider, Tinderbox: HBO's Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers, a new book by journalist James Andrew Miller, details how Martin flew to New York to "beg" HBO to do 10 seasons.

"George would fly to New York to have lunch with [former HBO CEO Richard Plepler], to beg him to do 10 seasons of 10 episodes because there was enough material for it and to tell him it would be a more satisfying and more entertaining experience," Martin's agent Paul Haas says in the book.

According to Haas, Martin also reportedly worried that HBO wasn't "following his template" in terms of plotting out the story. "George loves [Game of Thrones showrunners Daniel Weiss and David Benioff], but after season five, he did start to worry about the path they were going because George knows where the story goes. He started saying, 'You're not following my template.'"

Game of Thrones' final season includes multiple shocking turns, particularly for Daenerys Targaryen. Many fans likewise expressed disappointment with how other major plots were resolved, including the ultimate winner of the Iron Throne and the battle with the Night King.

"[A]fter last week's undercooked (no pun intended) Daenerys twist, the finale couldn't entirely stick the landing, struggling to resolve many of the show's lingering plot threads in a satisfying and coherent conclusion (and ignoring others completely), and once again falling victim to the season's needlessly truncated episode order," reviewer Laura Prudom wrote for IGN back when the episode first aired.

Fast-forward to 2021, and HBO is still defending the finale.

"If there had been another episode or two, of course, that would have been helpful," HBO Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys said in Tinderbox. "I would have taken two more seasons! But I do believe if you look at the totality of her arc over the series, as opposed to the final episodes, her turn was more than earned, and was planned."

Martin is likewise sanguine about the ending.

"I wish it had run for ten years," Martin said. "I think that would've given us a little more time in the later seasons to end it. But that might be just because I'm still trying to end it in these books here."

For now, Martin continues to work on Winds of Winter, which does not yet have a publish date. Tinderbox: HBO's Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers is available now.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN

More than two years after its original release, Game of Thrones' ending remains controversial with fans. In particular, many believe that Game Of Thrones ended too soon, curtailing certain major arc and making the ending seem abrupt. Author George R.R. Martin agrees.

As first reported by Insider, Tinderbox: HBO's Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers, a new book by journalist James Andrew Miller, details how Martin flew to New York to "beg" HBO to do 10 seasons.

"George would fly to New York to have lunch with [former HBO CEO Richard Plepler], to beg him to do 10 seasons of 10 episodes because there was enough material for it and to tell him it would be a more satisfying and more entertaining experience," Martin's agent Paul Haas says in the book.

According to Haas, Martin also reportedly worried that HBO wasn't "following his template" in terms of plotting out the story. "George loves [Game of Thrones showrunners Daniel Weiss and David Benioff], but after season five, he did start to worry about the path they were going because George knows where the story goes. He started saying, 'You're not following my template.'"

Game of Thrones' final season includes multiple shocking turns, particularly for Daenerys Targaryen. Many fans likewise expressed disappointment with how other major plots were resolved, including the ultimate winner of the Iron Throne and the battle with the Night King.

"[A]fter last week's undercooked (no pun intended) Daenerys twist, the finale couldn't entirely stick the landing, struggling to resolve many of the show's lingering plot threads in a satisfying and coherent conclusion (and ignoring others completely), and once again falling victim to the season's needlessly truncated episode order," reviewer Laura Prudom wrote for IGN back when the episode first aired.

Fast-forward to 2021, and HBO is still defending the finale.

"If there had been another episode or two, of course, that would have been helpful," HBO Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys said in Tinderbox. "I would have taken two more seasons! But I do believe if you look at the totality of her arc over the series, as opposed to the final episodes, her turn was more than earned, and was planned."

Martin is likewise sanguine about the ending.

"I wish it had run for ten years," Martin said. "I think that would've given us a little more time in the later seasons to end it. But that might be just because I'm still trying to end it in these books here."

For now, Martin continues to work on Winds of Winter, which does not yet have a publish date. Tinderbox: HBO's Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers is available now.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN

Everyone's favorite serial killer doll with a penchant for voodoo magic is returning once again. Syfy's Chucky series has officially been renewed for a season two.

Syfy and USA Network announced the news, adding that Chucky's first season had reached a total of 9.5 million viewers. Don Mancini, the longtime director of the Child's Play/Chucky franchise, will return as executive producer.

A date for season two's release was not included in the announcement.

In a statement, Mancini says, "We're thrilled to start pulling the strings on a second season of puppet mayhem with 'Chucky,'... Many thanks to our partners at USA, SYFY and UCP for their incredible support and guidance bringing 'Chucky' to the small screen, bigger than ever. And to fans, Chucky sends his still-undying thanks and a message: 'This isn't over, not by a long shot. You better watch your backs in 2022!"

MANY THANKS TO @USA_Network @SYFY @UCP AND THE FANS! https://t.co/zDt2YORs1g

— Don Mancini (@RealDonMancini) November 29, 2021

The Chucky series picks up following the events of Cult of Chucky when the titular serial killer returns to his hometown of Hackensack, New Jersey. The series also stars Zackary Arthur (5th Wave), Alyvia Alyn Lind (Daybreak), and Teo Briones (Pretty Little Liars, Ratched) as a group of teens who find themselves wrapped up in Chucky's mysterious murders.

The series has been praised for tackling topics like LGBT issues, and for effectively converting the Child's Play horror formula from film to television. You can check all that out in IGN's series premiere review or in our reviews for subsequent episodes, including the penultimate episode.

You can watch Chucky on Peacock starting December 1 or catch the season 1 finale on USA and Syfy on November 30 at 10 PM ET/PT.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN, and he's got the Strangler on Wabash and Van Buren.

Everyone's favorite serial killer doll with a penchant for voodoo magic is returning once again. Syfy's Chucky series has officially been renewed for a season two.

Syfy and USA Network announced the news, adding that Chucky's first season had reached a total of 9.5 million viewers. Don Mancini, the longtime director of the Child's Play/Chucky franchise, will return as executive producer.

A date for season two's release was not included in the announcement.

In a statement, Mancini says, "We're thrilled to start pulling the strings on a second season of puppet mayhem with 'Chucky,'... Many thanks to our partners at USA, SYFY and UCP for their incredible support and guidance bringing 'Chucky' to the small screen, bigger than ever. And to fans, Chucky sends his still-undying thanks and a message: 'This isn't over, not by a long shot. You better watch your backs in 2022!"

MANY THANKS TO @USA_Network @SYFY @UCP AND THE FANS! https://t.co/zDt2YORs1g

— Don Mancini (@RealDonMancini) November 29, 2021

The Chucky series picks up following the events of Cult of Chucky when the titular serial killer returns to his hometown of Hackensack, New Jersey. The series also stars Zackary Arthur (5th Wave), Alyvia Alyn Lind (Daybreak), and Teo Briones (Pretty Little Liars, Ratched) as a group of teens who find themselves wrapped up in Chucky's mysterious murders.

The series has been praised for tackling topics like LGBT issues, and for effectively converting the Child's Play horror formula from film to television. You can check all that out in IGN's series premiere review or in our reviews for subsequent episodes, including the penultimate episode.

You can watch Chucky on Peacock starting December 1 or catch the season 1 finale on USA and Syfy on November 30 at 10 PM ET/PT.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN, and he's got the Strangler on Wabash and Van Buren.

Bots are becoming an increasingly large problem in Amazon's New World MMO, and this time they're coming for your fish, PC Gamer reports.

Bots are a problem when any MMO launches, to be sure, but players on the New World subreddit are reporting what appears to be an increase in bots reaching higher levels, suggesting issues with bot reporting and the issuing of bans.

"Over the last week I have seen a huge influx of bots on my server again," writes Reddit user JustDaveInTheLBC. "But they're all higher level now, 20's & 30's. They're out harvesting and mining in full effect. Are other servers seeing this again? I've reported the same bot three times in three days. It's starting to get really annoying competing for materials with bots."

YouTuber Gladd has even made a game out of spotting bots in the wild, analyzing their behavior and movement in-game. Gladd points out characters casting fishing poles into currently empty lakes and beelining between empty ore deposits. At one point, he runs into what appears to be a bot doing the same beelining motion, and then seconds later runs into another character exhibiting the same bot-like behavior. Literally seconds after that, he encounters a third identical character.

Other players are expressing anger with Amazon for seemingly allowing bots to do as they please despite players submitting multiple reports.

One Reddit user described a bot that has remained in the same spot fishing for 18 hours a day, and continues to impact item prices in-game despite "hundreds" of reports.

"On Mag Mell, it is impossible for ocean fish in Restless because literally every hotspot has a bot that has been camping it for weeks, and I have reported them daily," user Ralisti wrote on the New World forums.

Without more input from Amazon, it's difficult to tell how deep the bot problem truly runs. IGN has reached out to Amazon's PR for comment.

New World has suffered from a number of exploits that are impacting the in-game economy, including repeated issues with gold duplication, and an ongoing currency crisis. The latest update's changes have also sparked off plenty of player backlash, spurring Amazon to apologize. Despite the struggles of launching a new MMO, New World has climbed to the top of Steam's most-played games of 2021.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/bot for IGN.

Bots are becoming an increasingly large problem in Amazon's New World MMO, and this time they're coming for your fish, PC Gamer reports.

Bots are a problem when any MMO launches, to be sure, but players on the New World subreddit are reporting what appears to be an increase in bots reaching higher levels, suggesting issues with bot reporting and the issuing of bans.

"Over the last week I have seen a huge influx of bots on my server again," writes Reddit user JustDaveInTheLBC. "But they're all higher level now, 20's & 30's. They're out harvesting and mining in full effect. Are other servers seeing this again? I've reported the same bot three times in three days. It's starting to get really annoying competing for materials with bots."

YouTuber Gladd has even made a game out of spotting bots in the wild, analyzing their behavior and movement in-game. Gladd points out characters casting fishing poles into currently empty lakes and beelining between empty ore deposits. At one point, he runs into what appears to be a bot doing the same beelining motion, and then seconds later runs into another character exhibiting the same bot-like behavior. Literally seconds after that, he encounters a third identical character.

Other players are expressing anger with Amazon for seemingly allowing bots to do as they please despite players submitting multiple reports.

One Reddit user described a bot that has remained in the same spot fishing for 18 hours a day, and continues to impact item prices in-game despite "hundreds" of reports.

"On Mag Mell, it is impossible for ocean fish in Restless because literally every hotspot has a bot that has been camping it for weeks, and I have reported them daily," user Ralisti wrote on the New World forums.

Without more input from Amazon, it's difficult to tell how deep the bot problem truly runs. IGN has reached out to Amazon's PR for comment.

New World has suffered from a number of exploits that are impacting the in-game economy, including repeated issues with gold duplication, and an ongoing currency crisis. The latest update's changes have also sparked off plenty of player backlash, spurring Amazon to apologize. Despite the struggles of launching a new MMO, New World has climbed to the top of Steam's most-played games of 2021.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/bot for IGN.

Activision Blizzard is currently facing serious ongoing allegations of harassment and mistreatment of marginalized workers. To learn more, please visit our timeline as well as our in-depth report on the subject.

This year's regularly scheduled Call of Duty entry — Call of Duty: Vanguard — doesn't appear to be doing as hot as previous Call of Duty games in terms of sales. One big reason why may be that everyone's just too busy playing other games.

GamesIndustry.biz, in collaboration with PAX and EGX, conducted a survey of 671 gaming convention attendees in recent months about their Call of Duty purchasing habits. Of those, 284 individuals said they had purchased a Call of Duty game in the last five years — but only 59 (21%) of that group said they had bought Vanguard.

Of the remaining group that had recently purchased a Call of Duty game but did not buy Vanguard, more than half of respondents (55%) said that they were too busy playing other games already.

In fact, a lot of respondents seemed to have other games on their minds. Thirty-four percent said they had played too much Call of Duty lately, and 14% said they were already happy with Call of Duty: Warzone. Another 11% said they were specifically waiting for another game to play, with some offering Battlefield 2042 and Halo: Infinite as examples.

Still others said they were put off by reviews (20%) or price (4%), not interested in WWII games (24%), did not want to support Activision Blizzard due to 'business practices' or 'treatment of employees' (6%), felt the community was full of cheaters (3%), thought the single-player mode wasn't good enough (2%), or thought the download size was too big (2%).

While this is a small sample of game enthusiasts, a seeming apathy toward Vanguard does seem to be reflected in early sales numbers. Vanguard sold fewer units at launch than last year's entry, Black Ops Cold War, in the UK and Europe, both in physical units (down 26%) and digital (down 44%). That said, in the same regions it remains the second-biggest game launch of 2021 (behind FIFA, as usual).

It's not getting the best review scores, either. While we thought Vanguard had a highly-polished campaign, said campaign is also very short and has a lack of variety, and its multiplayer didn't really distinguish itself from prior Call of Duties. And the critical consensus on Vanguard seems to be that it's just not quite as good as its Call of Duty brethren.

Meanwhile, fellow war shooter Battlefield 2042 is reviewing even worse, but last week was one of Steam's most-played games. Fortunately, the folks surveyed who were holding out for Halo Infinite look like they're in for something special.

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