If you’ve been patiently waiting for Destiny 2 to finally receive crossplay, you’ll be glad to know that we’re one step closer to that happening. Developer Bungie has announced a crossplay beta consisting of unique Vanguard Strikes will be available from the 25 to 27 of May, on its weekly blog. Whilst this isn’t a full-on crossplay drop, it does suggest that the long-awaited feature is still on track to be rolling out later this year. Bungie will use the data it receives back from this beta to continue its development of the Destiny 2 crossplay, polishing it up for its eventual release. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/04/destiny-2-season-of-the-splicer-trailer"] The beta will be open, meaning anyone that plays the game on any of the game's supported platforms (Playstation, Xbox, Steam, and Stadia) will be able to join in on the crossplay beta. Perhaps the coolest thing about the beta test for fans is that anyone who takes part and completes three Vanguard Strikes will receive an exclusive Star Crossed emblem as a result. However, this is very much a beta test, and therefore not all of the features of crossplay will be available during the beta period. Unfortunately, players won’t be able to add friends or form fireteams in the beta, though this will be available when the full crossplay update is released. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/29/destiny-2-players-concerned-about-game-changes-for-pc-console-crossplay-ign-news-"] Of course, this isn’t the first taste of crossplay that Destiny 2 fans have had, as a bug previously caused crossplay to go live months ahead of its scheduled release, before being manually disabled. Bungie plans to release Destiny 2 crossplay this fall, as part of Season 15. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Liam Wiseman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter @liamthewiseman

The internet got very excited when Lucasfilm's website updated the title of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and The Mandalorian's Dave Filoni to executive creative director of the studio, but it turns out he's been in the role for quite some time and it just took until now for the website to reflect that. As previously mentioned, the internet assumed Filoni's title change was a recent promotion and began celebrating what this meant for that galaxy far, far away, as Filoni is a favorite for Star Wars fans. [caption id="attachment_251646" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Image Credit: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney[/caption] IGN reached out to Lucasfilm to get clarification on this change, and it informed us that this was simply an update to the website and that Filoni has been the executive creative director at Lucasfilm for "quite some time now." "Dave has been serving as Executive Producer / Executive Creative Director at Lucasfilm for quite some time now," a Lucasfilm spokesperson said. "We simply updated our website. Nothing has changed with his current and future projects. He is busier than ever in a galaxy far, far away!" Filoni joined Lucasfilm in 2005 when he was selected by George Lucas himself to help kickstart the studio's animation efforts and create Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which went on to win four Emmy Awards. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/04/star-wars-the-bad-batch-series-premier-review"] He then continued to work on Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars Resistance before moving on to live-action with The Mandalorian. He is currently working on both The Book of Boba Fett and Star Wars: The Bad Batch. All of his previous work led to those getting excited when the title change was discovered on the website, including The Mandalorian's Ming-Na Wen and Katee Sackhoff. While the promotion isn't new, it's still exciting for the future of Star Wars. For more, check out Dave Filoni's journey from Avatar: The Last Airbender to Star Wars and our review of the series premiere of Star Wars: The Bad Batch. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-upcoming-star-wars-movie&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] 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.

Almost a full year following a wave of harassment and toxic workplace allegations across multiple Ubisoft studios and departments, a new report indicates that very little has changed within the company. A report in French publication Le Télégramme, as translated by GamesIndustry.biz, states that as the first wave of legal proceedings brought by workers' union Solidaires Informatique Jeu Vidéo begin this month, Ubisoft has done minimal work to improve its culture. For one, many of those accused still have jobs at the company, such as Nadeo studio lead Florent Castelnérac, about whom Solidaires published ten testimonials relating bullying and abusive behavior toward employees. Castelnérac is still the Nadeo managing director, according to the studio's official website. Another person remaining despite allegations is former Singapore studio lead Hugues Ricour, who Kotaku reported was taken down from his role following an audit in the wake of allegations. His LinkedIn profile indicates that he did not leave his role in Singapore until February (three months after the Kotaku report) and who LinkedIn now says has a role as a production intelligence director in Ubisoft's Paris headquarters. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/26/ubisoft-responds-to-sexual-misconduct-allegations"] Similarly, Le Télégramme reports that "nothing has changed" at Ubisoft in Canada under new studio head Christophe Derennes, who replaced Yannis Mallat after the latter left the company in the wake of the allegations. Reportedly there have since been new harassment cases submitted that were sidelined in December of last year. This is all in spite of multiple public-facing actions Ubisoft has taken in an effort to respond to the allegations, such as replacing former director of HR Cécile Cornet with chief people officer Anika Grant. Cornet officially stepped down last year as well in the wake of the allegations, but reportedly only just recently left Ubisoft for good as Grant took on her new role. Ubisoft also appointed Raashi Sikka as VP of global diversity and inclusion, but an elected representative from Ubisoft's social and economic committee reportedly told Le Télégramme that they don't "expect anything to come out of these appointments," given that many members of HR who actively worked to cover up and ignore issues while protecting executives are said to remain with the company. Other efforts to address the work culture are said to have included a new code of conduct, and half-day training for 20,000 staff members with more advanced training for management. However, management has also reportedly ignored various employee-led initiatives to improve matters, such as efforts to hire more women. Ubisoft had previously committed to "major changes" following the scandals. In response to a request for comment from GamesIndustry.biz, an Ubisoft spokesperson said, "Over a period of several months, Ubisoft has implemented major changes across its organization, internal processes and procedures in order to guarantee a safe, inclusive and respectful working environment for all team members." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

Partner content by NetEase NetEase is one of China’s biggest developers and publishers and is responsible for such games as Knives Out and Onmyoji. The company recently held its NetEase Connect 2021 event and it shared with the world what new games fans can expect from the company in 2021, including EVE Echoes, Frostpunk: Rise of City, and Naraka: Bladepoint. IGN Japan was on hand to get the drop on every NetEase game coming to your phone, PC, and tablet this year, and we’ve gathered each and every one featured at NetEase Connect 2021 below:

Infinite Lagrange

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/infinite-lagrange-official-trailer"] Infinite Lagrange is a sci-fi space strategy mobile game. Immerse yourself in high-fidelity graphics while building an intergalactic space transportation network, forming alliances, and travelling between star systems. Through mining, building, trade, and negotiations players can amass a fleet of starships that suits their playstyle—from piracy to exploring the frontiers of space. The ability to customize and upgrade each ship allows players to create endless combinations and deployment strategies.

Onmyoji: The World

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/onmyoji-the-world-announcement-trailer"] Next, we zoom from outer space to ancient Japan in Onmyoji: The World, a sequel to the wildly popular Onmyoji. In this turn-based fantasy strategy game, players assume the role of onmyoji heroes, who roam and fight in between worlds with shikigami—Japanese folklore spirits. Onmyoji: The World supports cross-play between different platforms, ensuring a smooth experience no matter what platform you're playing on.

Frostpunk: Rise of City

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/frostpunk-rise-of-city-developer-video"] Frostpunk: Rise of City is set in a steampunk world where the biggest threat is the extreme cold. Players will lead the vestiges of humanity on Earth through a frigid post-apocalyptic environment, where the margin of error is small and the relentless cold is ever-encroaching. As leader of the colony, players must rebuild civilization by developing new technology, exploring frozen tundras, and managing restless inhabitants.

Vikingard

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/vikingard-announcement-trailer"] In Vikingard, eternal night threatens the land once again as hunger, cold, and death loom over all. Will Odin shine his favor on you? Or is your resourcefulness and skill enough? Relive the life and struggle of the historic viking in this casual, simulation RPG.

Lost Light

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/lost-light-overview-trailer"] The world of Lost Light abides by the rule of "high risk-high return." Sneak your way around the Exclusion Zone and scavenge for supplies or go out with guns blazing and plunder like a warlord. Upgrading and trading are essential to building up your strength to keep enemies at bay. Whether you choose to go armed to the teeth or light and breezy -- every match is a gamble with your life. And don't forget to team up with strangers on the battlefield to improve your odds of survival.

Racing Master

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/racing-master-official-trailer"] Zipping right along, Racing Master is a hyper-realistic racing game sim developed using the Unreal 4 engine and Codemasters’ EGO technology. With dazzling graphics and rumbling sound effects, automobile enthusiasts can drive and customize actual cars like: Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, and Lamborghini. Race in real-time against players all around the world on real life tracks. This sim is all about getting the tiniest details of the car correct, making it perfect for gearheads.

NARAKA: BLADEPOINT

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/nakara-bladepoint-highlight-video"] If mass melees are your thing, NARAKA: BLADEPOINT delivers 120 fists of fury. This 60-player battle royale with a deep stable of fighters features fluid action and supernatural moves. Naraka: Bladepoint seamlessly blends parkour and grappling hooks into its core gameplay ensuring the moment-to-moment gameplay is fast and acrobatic. During a recent open beta in April, NARAKA: BLADEPOINT attracted 140,000 concurrent players on Steam, propelling it to a No. 5 ranking on the concurrent player chart.

EVE Echoes

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/eve-echoes-official-trailer"] This mobile spaceship MMO is based on the hallmark EVE Online design principles. In EVE Echoes, players will  forge their own path to glory within a massive space sandbox, forming alliances with pilots from across the galaxy to shape the game’s persistent universe. Players are free to engage in interstellar combat, exploration, piracy, resource harvesting, industrial manufacture, trade, and other activities across thousands of solar systems. Whether it's the rise and fall of an empire or the shifting balance of power -- the entire history of EVE Echoes will be written by players.

LifeAfter

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/lifeafter-developer-update-video"] LifeAfter is a OpenWorld Doomsday Survival Game developed independently by one of NetEase’s top studios. After disease wipes out most of civilization, the remaining few must cobble together an existence out of anything they can find to survive the infected people that roam the harsh lands. A gritty and darkly beautiful game that doesn’t spill its survival secrets easily, players must scavenge ravaged landscapes and methodically build a sanctuary strong enough to repel the infected or risk becoming one themselves.

Identity V

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/identity-v-death-note-crossover-trailer"] The first asymmetrical multiplayer mobile horror that pits one hunter versus four survivors. As the hunter, you’ll stalk the survivors through the gothic-style map. Your ultimate goal? Catch your prey. On the opposing side, you’ll get to choose one of several distinct survivors and need to run and hide from the hunter while accomplishing your objectives.

Badlanders

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/badlanders-overview-trailer"] This 25-player battle royale mobile game adds gambling to the mix of looting, shooting, and survival. Loot gear or take it from your fallen foes. And if you manage to survive long enough, you and your squad will be rewarded handsomely. Every item you receive is tradeable thanks to the in-game economy, making all your gear valuable. But remember not to get too greedy, or you run the risk of losing it all.

Project: Ragnarök

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/project-ragnarok-official-trailer"] Project: Ragnarök is a brand-new strategy MMORPG based on Norse Pantheon mythology and Ragnarök lore. Whether players like hunting monsters, trading goods and services, socializing with others, or free-form exploration and discovery, Ragnarök offers this with a verifiably Viking vibe. The cross-platform playing title also includes huge PVE raids as well as PVP and a guild system, unique monster design, and pyrotechnical magic effects. Project: Ragnarök is free-to-play and features full cross-platform play between iOS, Android, and PC. -- NetEase Connect 2021 only revealed a bit of the company’s full line-up of games, which also includes The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War, Total War Battles: WARHAMMER, and more. [poilib element="accentDivider"] This is a special advertising section. Read more about IGN’s policies in our Standards and Practices.  

Blizzard's latest Overwatch 2 breakdown features not one, but two Jeff Kaplan tributes in the game's new New York map. Blizzard previewed new Overwatch 2 content today and you can read IGN's breakdown of everything revealed during the stream, including the new maps, gameplay changes, and more, but eagle-eyed fans spotted two tributes to Kaplan, Overwatch 2's former director. Kaplan left last month after nearly 20 years at Blizzard, but now his legacy will live forever in Overwatch 2. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/overwatch-2-toronto-push-gameplay"] As originally reported by Polygon, Overwatch 2's New York map features two tributes to Kaplan. In order to understand these two tributes, though, you have to be familiar with a fairly innocuous tweet from 2017. Jeremy Craig, a former lead feature designer for Overwatch, tweeted a photo of Kaplan with a Starbucks coffee cup in his hand that reads "Jeph," as you can see below.

Starbucks opened on campus today. This made my morning. pic.twitter.com/lDDiVpaGBm

— Jeremy Craig (@Jaerock83) May 12, 2017

Near the hour and a half mark of Blizzard's nearly four-hour Overwatch 2 PvP developer livestream, the team debuted a preview trailer of the New York map and when passing through a subway train, the camera pans past a coffee cup with the name "Jeph" written on it. The next Kaplan tribute appears in the very next scene of the preview — it's a pizza shop called "Jephs" corner pizza. You can check that out below. As Polygon points out, it makes sense that the Kaplan tributes are in the New York map because he obtained his Master's Degree from New York University. Who knows what other Kaplan tributes are hidden throughout Overwatch 2. While waiting for Overwatch 2 to come out, catch up on everything announced during today's developer livestream and then read about how PvP will no longer be 6v6 and will instead be 5v5. Check out this 5v5 New York map gameplay after that and then watch the first footage from the game's new Rome map. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

It's been almost twenty-five years since Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible hit theaters, kicking off one of Hollywood's longest-running action franchises. Paramount is commemorating the blockbuster's anniversary with a new Blu-ray featuring a series of interviews between Cruise and series writer-director Christopher McQuarrie, who helmed 2015's Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation and 2018's Mission: Impossible - Fallout. In a snippet from the interviews featured on Entertainment Tonight, Cruise explains how the stunt that produced what is arguably the franchise's defining image almost wasn't shot. About midway through the 1996 movie, Cruise's Ethan Hunt sneaks into a vault at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Since the room has pressure-sensing security, Hunt enters the room suspended by wires and has a close call when he is accidentally dropped centimeters above the floor. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/mission-impossible-25thanniversary-collectors-edition-blu-ray-the-budget-exclusive-featurette"] "I went down to the floor and kept hitting my face and the take didn't work. We were running out of time. We had a lot we had to do," Cruise said. "[Director] Brian [De Palma] was like, 'One more and I'm going to cut [into the moment] and do it. And I said, 'I can do it.'" Cruise explained how he asked the stunt crew for British pound coins to place in his shoes as a counterweight to help level his balance. On the final attempt, Cruise was able to stay suspended without touching the floor. "I was holding it, holding it, holding it, holding it. And I'm sweating and I'm sweating. And [Brian De Palma] keeps rolling," Cruise laughed. "And I realize Brian is working it... and I'm not going to stop. I just hear him off-camera and he's got a very distinct laugh. When he laughs, it makes me laugh. I can hear him start to howl and he goes, 'All right! Cut.'" [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/27/mission-impossible-things-you-didnt-know-cinefix"] After a careful production that involved buying robots to enforce COVID-19 protocols, Mission: Impossible 7 is set to release on May 27, 2022, with both McQuarrie and Cruise returning for the next entry. The film's cast includes series newcomers like Hayley Atwell and Cary Elwes as well as returning characters such as Henry Czerny's IMF director Kittridge. Cruise recently spoke about a motorcycle stunt he performed for the movie being the most dangerous thing he's ever done. The 25th Anniversary Collector's Edition Blu-ray of Mission: Impossible is now available in the US. [poilib element="accentDivider"] J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer. (Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/IMDb)

One of SpongeBob SquarePants' best friends, Sandy Cheeks, is getting a spinoff movie. This news comes by way of Collider, which reports that this spinoff movie will be a hybrid blend of animation and live-action. Specifically, Collider's sources say the movie will feature an animated Sandy Cheeks in a live-action setting, which isn't unheard of in the realm of SpongeBob SquarePants-related movies. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/17/spongebob-stars-dub-iconic-movie-scenes-from-return-of-the-king-to-revenge-of-the-sith"] The movie is being produced by Nickelodeon, of course, and it's set to be directed by Liza Johnson, who has directed movies like 2011's Return and 2016's Elvis & Nixon, as well as episodes of TV shows like Barry, Silicon Valley, What We Do in the Shadows, and more, as noted by Collider. Kazimieras Prapuolenis , a SpongeBob SquarePants writer best-known as "Kaz" to fans, has co-written the script with Tom J. Stern, who recently wrote and directed the live-action SpongeBob Appreciation Day special that aired last year. Collider notes that Stern's website states he's writing a feature film set in the SpongeBob SquarePants universe so it could be this Sandy Cheeks spinoff. Carolyn Lawrence is expected to voice the character as she's been voicing her since Sandy Cheeks' first-ever episode in the show in 1999. As far as what to expect from this spinoff, not much is known and it's tough to predict the possibilities of a SpongeBob SquarePants-related movie considering past movies in the Bikini Bottom universe have seen the beloved characters go on cross-ocean journeys, onto land, and even onto the back of David Hasselhoff. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/28/the-spongebob-movie-sponge-on-the-run-official-trailer"] There will almost certainly be a nice amount of "yeehaws," though. Collider reports that this movie is being developed for an "undisclosed streaming service" and as they note, Paramount+, which is the current home of SpongeBob SquarePants, makes sense but that's not guaranteed. The most recent SpongeBob movie, Sponge on the Run, debuted on Netflix in some parts of the world, after all. While waiting to learn more about this Sandy Cheeks movie, read this story about a SpongeBob SquarePants podcast recently announced by Nickelodeon and then read about this episode from the show pulled from streaming services. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.   

The Nintendo GameCube is a classic home console from the sixth generation. Known for its compact design, the console turns twenty years old this year, and as one Reddit user demonstrates, it can make a handy PC. Reddit user Cityle shared pics of his new gaming rig, which contains an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, 16GB of HyperX DDR4 RAM, and a 2TB Samsung 860 QVO SSD. Due to the size of the GameCube, Cityle circumvented the issue of the motherboard and processor by purchasing an Asus PN50 Mini PC and taking out the computer's motherboard, which also contains a Ryzen 5 4500U processor. He also spray-painted the case, changing the exterior color from jet black to a shade of peach. Cityle shared his build log on the Level1Techs forums, and reading his notes proved that building the computer was no cakewalk. He had to make several modifications to the old console, including swapping out the original shell and making a custom mount for the motherboard with the graphics card placed on top. The disc drive opens up, allowing the graphics card to receive some outside air. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nintendo-gamecube-pc-build&captions=true"] Despite space being limited for the parts, Cityle notes that the computer has no issue with the computer running hot — the GPU and CPU hit around 80°C and 60°C when running a benchmark test on Time Spy. This wasn't the only impressive PC build Cityle made using an old game console — he also made a gaming PC with a Dreamcast as the shell. Still, given the dimensions of the Nintendo GameCube, it is quite impressive that Cityle managed to put a gaming PC inside the tiny console. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Though it earned him a Golden Globe, Jim Carrey's performance in the 1999 Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon has practically become a cautionary tale in the film industry about the inconveniences of method acting to a production. In a recent appearance on the Off Menu podcast (via The Telegraph), Martin Freeman criticized the practice of method acting in general, citing Carrey's behavior working on Man on the Moon as a particularly noteworthy culprit. "[It's] the most self-aggrandizing, selfish, narcissistic f—ing bollocks I have ever seen," Freeman said. "When younger, I think it’s quite common to think that completely losing yourself is the goal [of acting] because it feels grown-up and it feels proper. But the older I’ve got, the more I don’t really look to that. To be honest, it’s quite a pain in the arse when someone ‘loses themselves.’ It is a massive pain in the arse because it’s no longer a craft and a job.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/12/jim-carrey-on-the-evolution-of-dr-robotnik-and-a-sonic-sequel"] The Hobbit and Sherlock star's comments began as an observation that British actors often want to "get on with it and get it done" to help move a production along. To Freeman, method acting is a "highly impractical way of working." Carrey's method approach was explored in the 2017 Netflix documentary Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond. The film delves into how Carrey's intense approach affected both the crew's productivity as well as Carrey's sense of self. “For me, and I’m genuinely sure Jim Carrey is a lovely and smart person, but it was the most self-aggrandizing, selfish, narcissistic fucking bollocks I have ever seen,” Freeman said. “The idea that anything in our culture would celebrate or support it is deranged, literally deranged.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=2021-movies-preview&captions=true"] "You need to keep grounded in reality," Freeman continued. "That’s not to say you don’t lose yourself in the time between ‘action’ and ‘cut,' but I think the rest of it is absolute pretentious nonsense and highly amateurish. It is not professional. Get the job done, do your work.” [poilib element="accentDivider"] J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

Today, Blizzard hosted a new Overwatch 2 livestream with a bunch of new details on the upcoming sequel.

While the biggest news was arguably changing PvP team compositions, there were plenty of other new details. Below are some of the biggest details we learned from today’s Overwatch 2 stream.

Overwatch 2 PvP Teams Will be 5v5, Not 6v6

As reported earlier, Blizzard has announced that Overwatch 2 will introduce 5-member PvP teams, down from the 6-person teams introduced in the first Overwatch. Along with the smaller team sizes, tanks will be adjusted so that they are more like brawlers in a fight, rather than stationary shields. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/01/overwatch-2-gameplay-overview-trailer"] Furthermore, each class will receive a new passive ability to complement their abilities. Tanks will have knockback reduction and reduce ultimate charge gain when taking damage from enemies; Damage heroes will get a movement speed bonus, and Support will self-heal when they don't take damage for an extended period of time.

Overwatch 2 - New Monte Carlo Map Revealed

Blizzard also revealed a new map during today's stream called Monte Carlo. Based on the luxury vacation destination, the fictional version of Monte Carlo is very much like its real-life counterpart, where beautiful buildings are situated on steep hills. It is still very much a luxury destination but given the slight futuristic makeover of Overwatch.

Assault Will be Removed From Competitive Play

Assault is a mode where an attacking team and defending team vie for contested Capture Points on a map. Attacking teams will have a set time to capture a point while a defending team must stop them, and the two teams will switch off.

While Assault will still be available in Custom, it will be removed from Quick Play, which is being designed to be similar to Competitive.

Blizzard Is Working on More Push Maps Than Just Toronto

Push is an upcoming game mode where both teams will play a game of tug-of-war using a robot that will be pushed in the direction of whichever team is losing. Blizzard has revealed it is working on more Push maps other than the upcoming Toronto map.

During the live stream Blizzard revealed Rome will be a Push map.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/05/20/overwatch-2-toronto-push-gameplay"]

Overwatch 2 - Blizzard Is Experimenting With New Modes Beyond Push, Too

As part of the discussion about removing the Assault game mode, Blizzard explained that it is constantly experimenting with new game modes, aside from Push. No word yet on what those maps could look like, but Blizzard is looking for ways to fill the void left by Assault while also giving players even more variety.

Keller hinted at least one more new game mode that he is excited to talk about soon.

Overwatch 2 - Not All Maps are Tied to Story Mode

Blizzard has already shown off new maps such as New York, Toronto, Rome, and Monte Carlo. But Blizzard says more maps are in the works aside from these initial four.

Blizzard also says these maps aren’t necessarily locations that will be present in the story mode and that some maps may be designed for their own sake.

Overwatch 2 - Gameplay and Design Changes

• Overwatch 2 will update the HUD and feature an improved UI.
• The healer UI now shows the portrait of the hero you're healing.
• Weapons will feel more visceral with a better sound system, animation, and feedback.
• Overwatch 2 will continue to add new hero 2.0 looks, which are updated designs for every hero in the roster.
• Various character reworks.
• Zarya now has two charges for her bubble.
• Movement acceleration for heroes has been very slightly slowed in Overwatch 2.
• Overhealth and overshield will be combined into a single bar.
• Blizzard is looking at improving crowd control mechanics, but this is still a work-in-progress.
• Associate Art Director Dion Rogers teases some cosmetic customization.

Jeff Kaplan Tribute

As caught by Polygon, the New York map in Overwatch 2 has a fun tribute to former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan. Eagle-eyed viewers will see that New York has a store called Jephs Corner Pizza. "Jeph" is a reference to a 2017 tweet about the new Starbucks that opened on Blizzard's Irvine, California campus where the baristas mistakenly spelled Jeff Kaplan's name as "Jeph."

Starbucks opened on campus today. This made my morning. pic.twitter.com/lDDiVpaGBm

— Jeremy Craig (@Jaerock83) May 12, 2017

For more check out IGN's past Overwatch 2 coverage including 55 details revealed during BlizzConline, and our big interview with former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor.