Monthly Archives: September 2020

EA Pulls Ad That Markets FIFA Microtransactions to Children

EA has pulled an advertisement that marketed FIFA 21's FIFA Points microtransactions to children from the magazine the ad originally appeared in. A picture going around Twitter earlier this week showed a FIFA 21 advertisement in a children's toy magazine. Sounds innocent enough but that advertisement was specifically marketing the game's FIFA Points, which are in-game points purchased with real money to buy FUT packs that give players random virtual players to add to their dream team. In other words, you're spending real money on the chance to get a random virtual player in-game. That ad will be pulled from the magazine, according to EA in a report from Eurogamer. "We take vey seriously the responsibilities we have when marketing EA games and experiences in channels seen by children," EA told Eurogamer. "In spite of this, we're aware that advertising for FIFA Points has appeared in environments it shouldn't have. We have been working diligently with Smyths (toy magazine) to ensure this advertisement is not distributed in any remaining copies of their 2020 catalogue." EA said it has undertaken an immediate review of all future media placements to ensure each of its future marketing efforts better reflects the "responsibility we take for the experience of our younger players." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/06/fifa-21-official-gameplay-trailer"] It's unclear if the now-pulled advertisement was placed in the Smyths toy magazine on purpose or if it was a mixup of some kind. Regardless, it's expected to be removed from the rest of the 2020 catalog for the magazine. This isn't the first time EA has found itself in hot water over microtransactions. Microtransactions in Star Wars Battlefront 2, which was an EA game, caused enough controversy that then-Disney CEO Bob Iger got involved and the company even found itself defending loot boxes, which are a form of microtransactions, to the UK's parliament. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

Godfall Is $10 Cheaper on PC Than PS5

Godfall, the next-gen looter-shooter from Counterplay Games and Gearbox Publishing, will be $10 cheaper for players who buy the game on PC. Both digital and physical preorders are now available for Godfall, and the pricing varies depending on your platform. The game is a console exclusive for the PlayStation 5, where the standard edition will cost $69.99. Meanwhile, preorders for the PC version on the Epic Games Store are listed at $59.99. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/14/godfall-combat-trailer"] Subsequently, the two special editions for Godfall are also $10 less on the Epic Games Store. The Deluxe Edition is $89.99 on PS5 and $79.99 on PC, and the more expensive Ascended Edition is $99.99 on PS5 and $89.99 on PC. The Deluxe Edition comes with day one access to Godfall's planned 2021 expansion, while the Ascended Edition adds onto that with Gold-themed digital items. Many next-gen games are receiving $69.99 price tags, but the pricing of PS5's launch lineup varies greatly. Games only coming to next-gen consoles, like Godfall, Destruction AllStars, and the Demon's Souls remake, are being listed for $69.99. First-party cross-gen games also coming to PS4, like Sackboy: A Big Adventure, will retail for $59.99. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/08/are-70-next-gen-games-justified"] Third-party cross-gen games aren't as consistent. Ubisoft's launch window games, including Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Immortals Fenyx Rising, are being listed at $59.99 across the board, but Ubisoft isn't ruling out a price increase in the future. However, games like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and NBA 2K21 are seeing $10 price hikes for their next-gen versions. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a special case, as the standard edition will cost $49.99. That's likely because the game is smaller in scope compared to a full retail release, similar to Naughty Dog's Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] Godfall will launch on PC on November 12th, or alongside the PlayStation 5 on either November 12th or November 19th, depending on your region. All PS5 preorders come with an early equipment starter pack, cosmetic skins, and Zer0's sword from Borderlands. Sony recently revealed preorder details for its PS5 launch lineup, including Digital Deluxe Editions for Sackboy: A Big Adventure and Demon's Souls. If you're still trying to secure a PlayStation 5, keep an eye on IGN's PS5 preorder guide. We'll update the retail links when more stock becomes available. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

Godfall Is $10 Cheaper on PC Than PS5

Godfall, the next-gen looter-shooter from Counterplay Games and Gearbox Publishing, will be $10 cheaper for players who buy the game on PC. Both digital and physical preorders are now available for Godfall, and the pricing varies depending on your platform. The game is a console exclusive for the PlayStation 5, where the standard edition will cost $69.99. Meanwhile, preorders for the PC version on the Epic Games Store are listed at $59.99. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/14/godfall-combat-trailer"] Subsequently, the two special editions for Godfall are also $10 less on the Epic Games Store. The Deluxe Edition is $89.99 on PS5 and $79.99 on PC, and the more expensive Ascended Edition is $99.99 on PS5 and $89.99 on PC. The Deluxe Edition comes with day one access to Godfall's planned 2021 expansion, while the Ascended Edition adds onto that with Gold-themed digital items. Many next-gen games are receiving $69.99 price tags, but the pricing of PS5's launch lineup varies greatly. Games only coming to next-gen consoles, like Godfall, Destruction AllStars, and the Demon's Souls remake, are being listed for $69.99. First-party cross-gen games also coming to PS4, like Sackboy: A Big Adventure, will retail for $59.99. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/08/are-70-next-gen-games-justified"] Third-party cross-gen games aren't as consistent. Ubisoft's launch window games, including Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Immortals Fenyx Rising, are being listed at $59.99 across the board, but Ubisoft isn't ruling out a price increase in the future. However, games like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and NBA 2K21 are seeing $10 price hikes for their next-gen versions. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a special case, as the standard edition will cost $49.99. That's likely because the game is smaller in scope compared to a full retail release, similar to Naughty Dog's Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"] Godfall will launch on PC on November 12th, or alongside the PlayStation 5 on either November 12th or November 19th, depending on your region. All PS5 preorders come with an early equipment starter pack, cosmetic skins, and Zer0's sword from Borderlands. Sony recently revealed preorder details for its PS5 launch lineup, including Digital Deluxe Editions for Sackboy: A Big Adventure and Demon's Souls. If you're still trying to secure a PlayStation 5, keep an eye on IGN's PS5 preorder guide. We'll update the retail links when more stock becomes available. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

Google Announces the Pixel 4a 5G Smartphone

Rolling off the back of the extremely successful Pixel 4a, Google has announced a slightly more capable version of its budget smartphone in the form of the Google Pixel 4a 5G, and it starts at $499 USD. As it's name might suggest, this is a fully 5G compatible smartphone and it brings some other improvements including an Ultrawide lens, an edge-to-edge OLED display, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an improved Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It will be released in Japan on October 15, 2020, and will "roll out to 8 other countries starting in November." It also features a 6.2-inch screen with a resolution of 2340x1080, a jump-up from the Pixel 4A's 5.8-inch screen. Furthermore, it boasts a battery that can get you up to 48 hours of life with Extreme Battery Saver turned on. It does have a $150 price increase from the standard Pixel 4a, but it does feature a better battery (3140mAh vs. 3885 mAh), a bigger display (5.8" vs. 6.2"), and a better processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 vs. Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G). For those who love video calling, the Pixel 4a 5G lets owners user Duo screen share, which lets you read articles, watch videos, and more while video chatting with friends and loved ones. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=google-launch-night-in-event&captions=true"] The Pixel 4a 5G's camera also has Night Sight, Live HDR+, Cinematic Pan, Ultrawide lens, and Portrait Light. Since this is a less expensive phone, the Pixel 4a with 5G is not water resistant and does not support wireless charging. Google also announced the Pixel 5 today, and it has 8GB of RAM, a 6" Full HD+ OLED Smooth Display, and much more. The new Google Chromecast with Google TV was also revealed, and it is available today for $49.99 USD. [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.

Google Announces the Pixel 4a 5G Smartphone

Rolling off the back of the extremely successful Pixel 4a, Google has announced a slightly more capable version of its budget smartphone in the form of the Google Pixel 4a 5G, and it starts at $499 USD. As it's name might suggest, this is a fully 5G compatible smartphone and it brings some other improvements including an Ultrawide lens, an edge-to-edge OLED display, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It also features a 6.2-inch screen with a resolution of 2340x1080, a jump-up from the Pixel 4A's 5.8-inch screen. Furthermore, it boasts a battery that can get you up to 48 hours of life with Extreme Battery Saver turned on. For those who love video calling, the Pixel 4a 5G lets owners user Duo screen share, which lets you read articles, watch videos, and more while video chatting with friends and loved ones. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=google-launch-night-in-event&captions=true"] ...more to develop

Google’s New Flagship Pixel Phone is Finally Here

Google just unveiled its new flagship smartphone, the Google Pixel 5, during its online Launch Night In event. Unlike the four previous Pixel phones that have been chasing the iPhone as a high-end device, the Pixel 5 marks a fundamental shift towards being a more mid-range smartphone with its $699 price. This is most evident in its use of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor, rather than the Snapdragon 865 found in other Android phone flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S20 and OnePlus 8. Although it's not the quickest on the market, the Snapdragon 765G should keep the Pixel 5 running at a peppy clip, and it has seen a memory boost with 8GB of RAM. The Qualcomm system on a chip also grants this handset 5G connectivity. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=google-launch-night-in-event&captions=true"] Alongside the more modest CPU, the Pixel 5 sports a 6-inch OLED display with a Full HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. That's not quite as impressive as the QHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate we've seen on the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and other premium smartphones, but Google isn't targeting this market. On the camera's front, Google has mercifully dropped the telephoto camera from the Pixel 4 and replaced it with a 16MP Ultrawide camera. Meanwhile, the main camera is only 12.2MP, but you get a slightly more wide-open f1.7 aperture, which will allow more light in and should help with night time and low-light photography. What's more, Google has a few new software-based camera features including a new HDR Plus shooting mode that involves actual bracketed exposures – meaning the camera will take multiple shots at different exposure levels. Users will also be able to take portrait photos with Night Sight enabled at the same time. Lastly, a new AI-based Portrait Light feature will allow you to turn your old photos into portrait shots, complete with blurred backgrounds. For videos, users have access to new stabilization modes and cinematic pan to make their home movies a little more interesting. Google has also made a major improvement on the battery front, boosting the mainline Pixel phone's battery from 2,800mAh to 4,080mAh. With a new Extreme battery saver, Google claims the Pixel 5 will be able to extend its battery life up to 48 hours. Additionally, the Pixel 5 supports reverse wireless charging so you can place your Pixel Buds or another smartphone on the back of this device to recharge them. The Google Pixel 5 will be available for $699 and it will release on October 15. Google's flagship phone will also come bundled with three months of Stadia Pro, YouTube Premium, 100GB of Google One storage. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

Google’s New Flagship Pixel Phone is Finally Here

Google just unveiled its new flagship smartphone, the Google Pixel 5, during its online Launch Night In event. Unlike the four previous Pixel phones that have been chasing the iPhone as a high-end device, the Pixel 5 marks a fundamental shift towards being a more mid-range smartphone with its $699 price. This is most evident in its use of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor, rather than the Snapdragon 865 found in other Android phone flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S20 and OnePlus 8. Although it's not the quickest on the market, the Snapdragon 765G should keep the Pixel 5 running at a peppy clip, and it has seen a memory boost with 8GB of RAM. The Qualcomm system on a chip also grants this handset 5G connectivity. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=google-launch-night-in-event&captions=true"] Alongside the more modest CPU, the Pixel 5 sports a 6-inch OLED display with a Full HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. That's not quite as impressive as the QHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate we've seen on the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and other premium smartphones, but Google isn't targeting this market. On the camera's front, Google has mercifully dropped the telephoto camera from the Pixel 4 and replaced it with a 16MP Ultrawide camera. Meanwhile, the main camera is only 12.2MP, but you get a slightly more wide-open f1.7 aperture, which will allow might light in and should help with night time and low-light photography. What's more, Google has a few new software-based camera features including a new HDR Plus shooting mode that involves actual bracketed exposures – meaning the camera will take multiple shots at different exposure levels. Users will also be able to take portrait photos with Night Sight enabled at the same time. Lastly, a new AI-based Portrait Light feature will allow you to turn your old photos into portrait shots, complete with blurred backgrounds. For videos, users have access to new stabilization modes and cinematic pan to make their home movies a little more interesting. Google has also made a major improvement on the battery front, boosting the mainline Pixel phone's battery from 2,800mAh to 4,080mAh. With a new Extreme battery saver, Google claims the Pixel 5 will be able to extend its battery life up to 48 hours. Additionally, the Pixel 5 supports reverse wireless charging so you can place your Pixel Buds or another smartphone on the back of this device to recharge them. The Google Pixel 5 will be available for $699 and it will release on October 15th. Google's flagship phone will also come bundled with three months of Stadia Pro, YouTube Premium, 100GB of Google One storage. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

Oscar Isaac Cast as Francis Coppola in Movie About The Godfather

Oscar Isaac and Jake Gyllenhaal will reportedly star in Francis and The Godfather, a movie chronicling director Francis Ford Coppola's legendary trials making his Oscar-winning gangster classic The Godfather. According to THR, Oscar Isaac will portray Francis Ford Coppola, while Jake Gyllenhaal will play Robert Evans, a former actor who became the boss of Paramount Pictures and greenlit The Godfather. Coppola would go on to make two sequels to The Godfather in 1974 and 1990. Just a few short years after making The Godfather, Coppola, one of the great American auteur directors of the 1970s, would face even more notorious travails making Apocalypse Now, which were depicted in the documentary Hearts of Darkness. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/30/7-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-the-godfather"] Robert Evans later became a successful producer in his own right who recounted his career in the memoir The Kid Stays in the Picture, which was later turned into a documentary. Oscar-winner Barry Levinson (Bugsy, Rainman) will direct the film, which has also received the blessing of Coppola himself. Coppola said in a statement: “Any movie that Barry Levinson makes about anything, will be interesting and worthwhile!" Levinson, who reworked an original screenplay by Andrew Farotte, said: “Out of the madness of production, and against all odds, a classic film happened." Coppola faced not only Hollywood's lack of faith during the making of the film -- including pushback on the casting of then-relative unknown Al Pacino as Michael Corleone as well as the notoriously difficult Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone -- but the production also had to placate members of La Cosa Nostra who didn't want the term "Mafia" used in the movie. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/28/10-best-movie-moments-of-all-time"] Francis and The Godfather has been in the works since 2017.

Oscar Isaac Cast as Francis Coppola in Movie About The Godfather

Oscar Isaac and Jake Gyllenhaal will reportedly star in Francis and The Godfather, a movie chronicling director Francis Ford Coppola's legendary trials making his Oscar-winning gangster classic The Godfather. According to THR, Oscar Isaac will portray Francis Ford Coppola, while Jake Gyllenhaal will play Robert Evans, a former actor who became the boss of Paramount Pictures and greenlit The Godfather. Coppola would go on to make two sequels to The Godfather in 1974 and 1990. Just a few short years after making The Godfather, Coppola, one of the great American auteur directors of the 1970s, would face even more notorious travails making Apocalypse Now, which were depicted in the documentary Hearts of Darkness. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/30/7-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-the-godfather"] Robert Evans later became a successful producer in his own right who recounted his career in the memoir The Kid Stays in the Picture, which was later turned into a documentary. Oscar-winner Barry Levinson (Bugsy, Rainman) will direct the film, which has also received the blessing of Coppola himself. Coppola said in a statement: “Any movie that Barry Levinson makes about anything, will be interesting and worthwhile!" Levinson, who reworked an original screenplay by Andrew Farotte, said: “Out of the madness of production, and against all odds, a classic film happened." Coppola faced not only Hollywood's lack of faith during the making of the film -- including pushback on the casting of then-relative unknown Al Pacino as Michael Corleone as well as the notoriously difficult Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone -- but the production also had to placate members of La Cosa Nostra who didn't want the term "Mafia" used in the movie. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/28/10-best-movie-moments-of-all-time"] Francis and The Godfather has been in the works since 2017.

The New Google Chromecast with Google TV Brings Android to Your TV

Google has just announced its first Android powered streaming dongle, the Chromecast with Google TV, and it's available today for $49.99 USD in three colors - Snow, Sunrise, and Sky. Unlike previous Chromecasts designed to just stream video and music selected from your phone, the new Chromecast with Google TV is standalone device running Android. There's even a remote control with Google Assistant and dedicated YouTube and Netflix buttons. Screen Shot 2020-09-30 at 2.08.08 PM It keeps its small design and brings 4K HDR at up to 60 frames per second to your TV alongside Dolby Vision and HDMI pass-through of Dolby audio content. Every new Chromecast comes with Google TV, a new tailored TV experience that brings "together movies, shows, live TV, and more from across your apps and subscriptions and organizes them just for you. Google TV's Watchlist lets you bookmark movies and shows your want to watch later, and it can even be added to Google Search on your phone or laptop. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=google-launch-night-in-event&captions=true"] Live TV integration is also available with a YouTube TV membership, which includes more than 85 channels, a DVR with unlimited storage space and more." Chromecast with Google TV will be available in more countries by the end of the year, and in 2021, Google TV will be available on televisions from Sony and other Android OS partners. Google also announced the Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5 at its Launch Night In event, and they will start to become available in October for $499 and $699, respectively. [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.