If you think of high-end graphics, some names immediately come to mind: Epic, DICE, CryEngine. But as technology continues to disseminate across the world, more and more game studios in various global tech hubs are beginning to turn heads with their advancements in video game visuals.

One such company is Pearl Abyss, a South Korean video game company primarily known for the MMORPG Black Desert Online. Recently, the studio caught our attention with a show-stopping presentation of DokeV built using a proprietary engine Pearl Abyss is developing with an eye towards the studio’s future.

IGN was able to speak with Pearl Abyss’ Head of Game Engine Division and Lead Engine Programmer Kwaghyeon Go to talk more about this new engine, whose name IGN can reveal is called the “Blackspace Engine.”

Pearl Abyss’ biggest game currently is the MMORPG Black Desert Online, which Pearl Abyss developed using an earlier proprietary engine. But new projects require new technology.

“When devising new projects after Black Desert, we felt the need for a new engine with the latest technology for even better quality and performance. Additionally, it also had to be able to cover multiple projects,” Go says.

Enter Blackspace Engine, Pearl Abyss’ new, next-gen engine currently used to develop upcoming projects including Crimson Desert, PLAN 8, and DokeV, an open-world adventure where players can go on adventures with monsters based on Korean folklore.

Take the GamesCom trailer for DokeV for example which has already garnered over 7 million views. The K-Pop soaked trailer is filled with highly detailed environments, eye-popping particle effects, and rich textures, and a bulk of the comments are dedicated to discussing DokeV’s visuals.

“It’s our belief that amazing graphics and attention to detail determine the core quality of a game,” Go says. “After all, it’s these details that help create such an immersive experience.”

Go says its next-gen engine allows “for a more detailed representation of visual depth and increases the draw distance.” Furthermore, “improvements in atmospheric scattering and global illumination techniques provide more accurate lighting that takes into account the flow of time and spatial changes.”

Pearl Abyss also boasts an advanced motion capture and 3D-scanning studio, and the company plans to open a dedicated art studio in 2022.

According to Go, “The Pearl Abyss Art Center will be the largest art studio in the whole of the Korean games industry and will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for gaming technology and design research.” It will also boast a new, nearly 11,000 square feet motion capture studio designed to shoot wire-action sequences, bulky objects, and even animals.

Alongside PC, DokeV has been announced for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. South Korean game developers have largely focused on PC and mobile, so IGN asked if DokeV was part of a new strategy targeting the global console market.

To this, Go cited Black Desert on console, which was released in 2019 and helped cater to a large overseas console market. Go says Pearl Abyss is one of the first South Korean companies actively pursuing the “challenging console market.”

Despite the competition, Pearl Abyss aims to expand its console offerings by supporting cross-play between platforms as well as next-gen console versions of its games.

As for Pearl Abyss’ decision to develop a proprietary engine rather than license an engine from another company, Go says it’s about “internalizing core game development technologies” by developing an engine using the company’s “advanced technology.” He added that Pearl Abyss seeks to resolve the long-term risks that come with relying on external development platforms.

“With one’s own engine, it is possible to build an efficient development process and actively respond to changes on various platforms,” Go says.

Aside from developing an engine capable of high-end graphics, Go says the BlackSpace Engine has other features that aid in the development of open-world games. “Many aspects can be automated, procedurally generated, and customized with Pearl Abyss’ engine,” Go says. Along with realistic audio expression and smooth transitions between cutscenes and gameplay which Go says offers a more immersive experience he says, “The biggest advantage of an in-house engine may be the freedom to add functions quickly when the need arises and to change them in the direction that we want.”

While there are currently no plans to license the BlackSpace engine to partner developers a la Epic or Unity, Go says Pearl Abyss’s next-gen engine can be used to create a virtual space “akin to real-life” and can be “combined with the latest technology to create a more realistic metaverse.” As a result, Pearl Abyss is considering the possibilities of using the engine “in a wide variety of fields.”

As games like DokeV continue to impress the world with its visuals, Go says Pearl Abyss will continue to focus on games like Black Desert while pursuing high-quality graphics and attention to detail, “all the while focusing on the gameplay itself as much as on the graphics.”

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

2K has revealed a number of features that will be part of WWE 2K22, including the long awaited return of a general manager mode and a brand new mode in which you put together a faction of superstars from across every era of the WWE.

General Manager mode has not been seen in a WWE game since WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008, but it finally sees a return in WWE 2K22 under the new guise of MyGM. The mode will allow you to draft superstars, book matches, manage your contacts, and generally attempt to run the WWE. Creative Director Lynell Jinks notes that the journey of MyGM will see you “progressively working your way up from high school gyms to prime time TV.”

Where MyGM is the return of a fan favourite mode, MyFACTION is a brand new mode that’s a first for the WWE games. Your aim in this mode is to build a faction that rivals the likes of the nWO, The Hart Foundation, DX, and New Day. This is done by collecting, managing, and upgrading superstar wrestlers picked from every era of the WWE. Your squad of stars can then do battle in new game modes and challenges, supported by weekly events and challenges.

2K note that MyFACTION will make use of a virtual currency, but emphasise that it’s not required. “It is super important to note here that virtual currency does not offer any sort of competitive advantage, or put players in a play-to-win situation,” said art producer Christina Diễm Phạm. “The items you purchase with VC can also be purchased by MyFACTION points earned via gameplay.”

These two modes come alongside MyRISE mode, which allows you to experience the journey of a WWE Superstar from rookie to legendary, and the returning Universe mode. Creation Suit is also back, with “wild options and fantasy elements” and the ability to step into the ring anywhere in the world. Additionally, a new WWE 2K Showcase allows you to relive a legendary WWE Superstar’s most iconic matches.

All of this is built on a redesigned engine, with gameplay and animation rebuilt from the ground up. A new control scheme has also been implemented that 2K states allows for a more intuitive, controlled experience. “These updates enable folks to easily pick up and play while still allowing for higher skill expression,” says Diễm Phạm. “For less seasoned players our combo system enables you to string together lethal moves with ease. Faster response time and shorter lock outs means gameplay is faster and players learn a lot faster.”

WWE 2K22 is set to release in March 2022, and comes after the series was put on hold back in 2020 in order to allow extended development of the next game. No Mercy and Smackdown have been cited as influences for this latest entry in the series.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.

The latest patch for Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy has been released and, among a number of other changes, it adds ray-tracing for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

As detailed by the development team on Reddit, the ray-tracing patch for Marvel's Guardian's of the Galaxy was released on PlayStation and Xbox consoles on November 17. A subsequent patch will also be coming to PC, however players there will need to wait until November 19 to see the benefits.

The ray-tracing options can be accessed in the game's video settings menu, where the feature can be toggled on and off. The feature comes alongside a number of bug fixes and general improvements, including improved performance for those playing the game on the original PS4, and adjustments to input sensitivity for players who have older Dualshock controllers that have fallen prey to wear and tear.

For those playing on Xbox Series S, there's good news too. The latest changes include an option to uncap the FPS on the console, allowing players to run the game between 30 and 60 FPS. It should however be noted that doing so may lead to a less stable framerate in some areas of the game.

As with the majority of post-launch updates, the latest patch also comes with a number of general bug fixes and performance improvements to the game - a full list of which can be read in the official patch notes over on Reddit should you wish. For more on Marvel's Guardian's of the Galaxy make sure to check out our review of the game where we awarded it an 8/10 calling it "a fun, no-frills single-player campaign full of cosmic comic book flavor." And if you've already played, be sure to check out our ending explained feature.

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

The development team at Relic has revealed its roadmap for Age of Empires 4, detailing plans for the game throughout 2022 and beyond.

As announced in an article on the Xbox blog, Age of Empires developer Relic revealed that the game's next patch is set to come into effect this Winter - and it's likely to be a pretty significant one. The Winter 2021 Update will include over a hundred balance updates as well as some more general performance fixes.

Around the Winter update fans will also see a number of other changes that are being implementing based on player feedback following the game's launch. These include additional options to enable in-game scores, changes to the Chinese Dynasty user interface, and tweaks to the in-game minimap.

Following the launch of the game's Winter update, the next big update confirmed for the game looks set to take place in Spring 2022. During this period, Relic says that it will be launching Age of Empire 4's first set of mod tools, as well as a range of further balance updates and community-requested features including the Patrol move.

In addition to the features above, Spring 2022 will also kick off Ranked Seasons in Age of Empires 4. During the season, players will be able to compete against one another head-to-head in order to climb higher in the rankings. Those taking part in the Ranked game mode will also be able to earn a number of exclusive in-game rewards, which the publisher notes will be assigned based upon performance.

After this point, the roadmap for the game gets a little hazier, with no timeframe currently being offered for future changes. That being said, the Age of Empires team has confirmed that it is actively looking into a number of fan-requested changes to the game that it may look to implement across 2022 and beyond.

For more from Age of Empires 4, make sure to check out this piece detailing the strong start that the game made to life on Steam. Alternatively, if you're still on the fence about playing Age of Empires 4, then make sure to check out our review of the game where we awarded it an 8/10.

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

Warner Bros has officially announced MultiVersus, a Super Smash Bros-like fighter developed by Player First Games that brings together characters from shows like Scooby Doo, Adventure Time, Loony Tunes, and even Game of Thrones. It is set to release in 2022 for consoles and PC, and will be free-to-play.

MultiVersus will support 1v1, 2v2, and 4-player free-for-all matches, set on stages themed around the characters available in the game, including the Batcave, and Jake and Finn's Treefort. An incomplete roster has already been revealed, with more to be announced, and each one will be voiced by their original acting talent. So far the characters include:

• Batman, voiced by Kevin Conroy
• Superman, voiced by George Newbern
• Wonder Woman, voiced by Abby Trott
• Harley Quinn, voiced by Tara Strong
• Shaggy (Scooby-Doo), voiced by Matthew Lillard
• Bugs Bunny (Looney Tunes), voiced by Eric Bauza
• Arya Stark (Game of Thrones), voiced by Maisie Williams
• Jake the Dog (Adventure Time), voiced by John DiMaggio
• Finn the Human (Adventure Time), voiced by Jeremy Shada
• Steven Universe, voiced by Daniel DiVenere
• Garnet (Steven Universe), voiced by Estelle
• Tom and Jerry, voiced by Eric Bauza
• Reindog (an original character for MultiVersus), voiced by Andrew Frankel

Each character has a unique ability set that has been designed to pair dynamically with other characters. Customisation comes via perk loadouts, allowing for some gameplay variety. There are, naturally, also skins for each character to allow for some visual expression, as well as emotes.

As a free-to-play game, MultiVersus will be supported by in-game purchases. Warner Bros. Games has not yet revealed what those purchases will be, but with a season-based format that will be "content-filled", it seems sensible to expect cosmetics at the very least. The trailer also shows what appears to be a battle pass system, seen in the menus on the character details page.

MultiVersus' will support cross play and cross progression across all of its supported platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC via Steam. Dedicated server-based rollback netcode will support the online gameplay "for the life of the game" to help reduce lag and disconnects. Guilds and social features will allow you to challenge other groups and climb leaderboards.

Player First Games will be holding playtests, and you can sign up to participate in them at the MultiVersus website.

MultiVersus follows hot on the heels of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, another Super Smash Bros-style fighter collecting characters from across numerous universes and shows. Content for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has now ended following the release of Sora from Kingdom Hearts, and so it's now a battle to claim victory for the title of best currently supported character fighter.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.

Ryo Ga Gotoku Studio is currently working on Yakuza 8 as well as another unannounced game, and intends to "take great care" of the Judgement series.

In a conversation with Famitsu (translated by IGN Japan), Ryo Ga Gotoku studio director, Masayoshi Yokoyama, said “I can’t go into any details about Yakuza 8 yet, but I can reveal it will be a continuation of the story of 7, set a few years later.”

Yokoyama hinted that it will further follow the story of Yakuza: Like a Dragon protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, and confirmed that "the story will be set in the present day for the year the game goes on sale.”

He also spoke about the studio's other projects beyond the mainline Yakuza series. "We will also take great care over the Judgement series," he said, although did not go as far as saying a third game in the series is in development.

“Beyond Judgement, we would love to tackle an all-new game as well, once the pieces are in place," Yokoyama said. "In addition to both Yakuza and Judgement, we are working on other unannounced titles too.”

It should be noted that the translation from Japanese to English is not clear cut in this instance, and so it is unclear how many unannounced titles Ryo Ga Gotoku is working on; it could be a single game or multiple new ones. Based on Yokoyama's statement about a wish to work on "all-new" games but only when the pieces are in place, though, it seems likely the in-production game(s) are from an existing series.

These new projects come in the wake of Yakuza series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi leaving the studio, along with previous studio head, Daisuke Sato.

“Although I do personally feel a little sad to take a new path without Mr Nagoshi and Mr (Daisuke) Sato, the staff have a strong sense of pride in what we are making," said Yokoyama. "The passion within the studio is hotter than ever.”

For more on the games of Ryo Ga Gotoku Studio, check out our reviews of Lost Judgement and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. And to buff up your series knowledge, check out the things you (probably) didn't know about Yakuza.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.

Ryo Ga Gotoku Studio is currently working on Yakuza 8 as well as another unannounced game, and intends to "take great care" of the Judgement series.

In a conversation with Famitsu (translated by IGN Japan), Ryo Ga Gotoku studio director, Masayoshi Yokoyama, said “I can’t go into any details about Yakuza 8 yet, but I can reveal it will be a continuation of the story of 7, set a few years later.”

Yokoyama hinted that it will further follow the story of Yakuza: Like a Dragon protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, and confirmed that "the story will be set in the present day for the year the game goes on sale.”

He also spoke about the studio's other projects beyond the mainline Yakuza series. "We will also take great care over the Judgement series," he said, although did not go as far as saying a third game in the series is in development.

“Beyond Judgement, we would love to tackle an all-new game as well, once the pieces are in place," Yokoyama said. "In addition to both Yakuza and Judgement, we are working on other unannounced titles too.”

It should be noted that the translation from Japanese to English is not clear cut in this instance, and so it is unclear how many unannounced titles Ryo Ga Gotoku is working on; it could be a single game or multiple new ones. Based on Yokoyama's statement about a wish to work on "all-new" games but only when the pieces are in place, though, it seems likely the in-production game(s) are from an existing series.

These new projects come in the wake of Yakuza series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi leaving the studio, along with previous studio head, Daisuke Sato.

“Although I do personally feel a little sad to take a new path without Mr Nagoshi and Mr (Daisuke) Sato, the staff have a strong sense of pride in what we are making," said Yokoyama. "The passion within the studio is hotter than ever.”

For more on the games of Ryo Ga Gotoku Studio, check out our reviews of Lost Judgement and Yakuza: Like a Dragon. And to buff up your series knowledge, check out the things you (probably) didn't know about Yakuza.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.

Just days after launch, 343 is already addressing issues players have with Halo Infinite's Battle Pass. On Twitter, Halo Community Manager John Junyszek said changes are already coming later this week.

For starters, 343 is adding "Play 1 Game" challenges which will reward player simply by playing games. They are also adjusting or removing some weekly challenges based on player feedback, designed to help speed up progress through the Battle Pass.

To address the feedback on Battle Pass progression we will be making targeted tunings to our model later this week.

To start, we'll be adding "Play 1 Game" challenges to help make sure you consistently progress through the Battle Pass by playing matches the way you want.

— John Junyszek (@Unyshek) November 18, 2021

The developers are also doubling the duration of double XP boosts from 30 minutes to an hour, after complaints that the boosts weren't very valuable, especially when playing Infinite's big team battle matches that can last upwards of 20 minutes. Junyszek adds that this is just the first set of changes, and the game will continue to evolve based on player feedback.

Halo Infinite's Battle Pass rewards players with cosmetic items, a system popularized in games like Fortnite and Call of Duty. However, in Halo, the main issues players have is that XP is only rewarded by completing very specific daily and weekly challenges in the game, rather than accumulating simply by playing matches.

Just hours after Halo Infinite's multiplayer went live, fans were already complaining about the progression system. Fans took to Reddit and Twitter to call the Battle Pass a "slog" and an "unenjoyable grind." Yesterday, Halo Community Director Brian Jarrard said the team was already evaluating Battle Pass progression, taking user data and player feedback into account.

Thank you to everyone who has jumped into the #HaloInfintie beta so far! FYI the team is looking at Battle Pass progression and gathering data from yesterday's sessions and we'll share updates as we have them. Please continue to share feedback and raise flags as you see them. 1/3

— Brian Jarrard (@ske7ch) November 16, 2021

While these changes are already coming this week, Junyszek says it does mean the developers need to reset player's Challenges, including progress towards Weekly Challenges. So, they're granting all players that log in between November 23 and 30 this week's Ultimate Reward, the Sigil Mark VII Visor.

Spartans will have plenty of time to make it through Halo Infinite's first season, as the Battle Pass will run until May 2, 2022, which is much longer than the three month period 343 originally announced.

Besides qualms with the game's progression mechanics, Halo Infinite is already seeing a lot of success, with over a quarter of a million concurrent players during its opening 24 hours. If you want to get in on the action, check out how to access Halo Infinite's multiplayer beta.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Just days after launch, 343 is already addressing issues players have with Halo Infinite's Battle Pass. On Twitter, Halo Community Manager John Junyszek said changes are already coming later this week.

For starters, 343 is adding "Play 1 Game" challenges which will reward player simply by playing games. They are also adjusting or removing some weekly challenges based on player feedback, designed to help speed up progress through the Battle Pass.

To address the feedback on Battle Pass progression we will be making targeted tunings to our model later this week.

To start, we'll be adding "Play 1 Game" challenges to help make sure you consistently progress through the Battle Pass by playing matches the way you want.

— John Junyszek (@Unyshek) November 18, 2021

The developers are also doubling the duration of double XP boosts from 30 minutes to an hour, after complaints that the boosts weren't very valuable, especially when playing Infinite's big team battle matches that can last upwards of 20 minutes. Junyszek adds that this is just the first set of changes, and the game will continue to evolve based on player feedback.

Halo Infinite's Battle Pass rewards players with cosmetic items, a system popularized in games like Fortnite and Call of Duty. However, in Halo, the main issues players have is that XP is only rewarded by completing very specific daily and weekly challenges in the game, rather than accumulating simply by playing matches.

Just hours after Halo Infinite's multiplayer went live, fans were already complaining about the progression system. Fans took to Reddit and Twitter to call the Battle Pass a "slog" and an "unenjoyable grind." Yesterday, Halo Community Director Brian Jarrard said the team was already evaluating Battle Pass progression, taking user data and player feedback into account.

Thank you to everyone who has jumped into the #HaloInfintie beta so far! FYI the team is looking at Battle Pass progression and gathering data from yesterday's sessions and we'll share updates as we have them. Please continue to share feedback and raise flags as you see them. 1/3

— Brian Jarrard (@ske7ch) November 16, 2021

While these changes are already coming this week, Junyszek says it does mean the developers need to reset player's Challenges, including progress towards Weekly Challenges. So, they're granting all players that log in between November 23 and 30 this week's Ultimate Reward, the Sigil Mark VII Visor.

Spartans will have plenty of time to make it through Halo Infinite's first season, as the Battle Pass will run until May 2, 2022, which is much longer than the three month period 343 originally announced.

Besides qualms with the game's progression mechanics, Halo Infinite is already seeing a lot of success, with over a quarter of a million concurrent players during its opening 24 hours. If you want to get in on the action, check out how to access Halo Infinite's multiplayer beta.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Xbox lead Phil Spencer wants to see a larger focus on game preservation in the video game industry. Speaking to Axios, Spencer said he hopes the industry turns to emulation as a preservation solution.

“My hope (and I think I have to present it that way as of now) is as an industry we'd work on legal emulation that allowed modern hardware to run any (within reason) older executable allowing someone to play any game,” Spencer wrote.

Right now, the three major platforms have very different approaches to making old games accessible. PlayStation 5 has backwards compatibility with PS4 games, as well as some games from older systems accessible through the PS Now streaming service. Nintendo Switch players can access NES, SNES, N64, and Sega Genesis games through the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service, but there is currently no way to purchase them permanently on Switch.

Xbox, on the other hand, has made a huge push for backwards compatibility over the last few years. Just this week, Xbox added over 70 games to its backwards compatibility program on modern Xbox consoles. Between Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, Xbox is currently the only ecosystem to support multiple generations of physical backwards compatibility. Spencer says consistent access to games should be the goal for the entire industry.

“I think in the end, if we said, ‘Hey, anybody should be able to buy any game, or own any game and continue to play,' that seems like a great North Star for us as an industry,” Spencer wrote.

Spencer has spoken out about a number of topics this week, including NFTs in gaming and the sustainability of Xbox Game Pass.

It's been a huge week for Xbox. After celebrating the 20th anniversary of the original Xbox, Microsoft released Halo Infinite's multiplayer over three weeks early. This comes hot off the success of Forza Horizon 5, which is Xbox Game Studios' biggest launch ever.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.