Watch Dogs 2’s lead actor, Ruffin Prentiss, has not been asked to reprise his role as Marcus Holloway for Watch Dogs Legion, all but confirming that the character will not be returning in the new game anytime soon.

After the announcement of the return of original Watch Dogs star Aiden Pearce in Watch Dogs Legion, many expected Watch Dogs 2’s Marcus Holloway to make an appearance too - not least because it was the ending of the second game that teased a move to a London setting, with Marcus’ story left somewhat open-ended. However, WD2 supporting character Wrench was subsequently announced as a post-launch Legion character, with no mention of Marcus forthcoming.

Speaking to IGN, Marcus Holloway actor Ruffin Prentiss confirmed that he’s not been contacted by Ubisoft to step back into Marcus’ shoes: “I haven't heard from Ubisoft. I would love to reprise the role. It's one of my favorite things that I've ever done. When Aiden was announced I was like, ‘Oh, maybe there's a potential.’ [...] And then of course Wrench is in the game as well. He's my main partner in crime in Watch Dogs 2. So I think the realm of possibility still exists, but I have heard nothing from Ubisoft – but if they call, I'd absolutely jump back in.”

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/28/watch-dogs-legion-review"]

With Aiden Pearce actor Noam Jenkins reprising his role in the new game, it seems unlikely that Ubisoft would recast Marcus - and with Legion on the verge of release, with post-launch DLC already announced, it seems unlikely that Marcus will be making an appearance, at least in the short to mid-term.

This isn’t to say Prentiss is upset by the decision. “Look, Wrench is loved. And [Wrench actor] Shawn Baichoo is such a wonderful, fluid, and versatile actor. What he does with that performance and how he's able to maneuver – he was really fun to play with as a partner, but also just wonderful to watch and learn from. [...] He's earned this moment. He deserves every second of it. And the fans, the way they received Wrench, absolutely valid. We had a fun time making that game, but it's one of those things where, even when he was announced, I'm [still] getting messages like, ‘Hey, is Marcus coming?’”

The answer, for now, seems to be “no” – although there have apparently at least been ideas mooted about how Marcus could return. “When we finished the game,” Prentiss explains, “there was this feeling of like, they could go one of two ways. I think this kind of happened with the Assassin's Creed video games where the first game had one character and then the second game had a [different] character as the lead, who went on to continue to be the lead for a bit. This could be the realm of possibility, or it could just continue to have new protagonists with every game. And obviously Watch Dogs Legion is a very different game where you can play anybody, which is in terms of video gaming in general, it's pretty revolutionary.”

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/06/watch-dogs-legion-post-launch-dlc-assassins-creed-crossover"]

Prentiss says that there was another, less conventional idea brought up, too: “One of the writers, he said his dream would be to have three or four main protagonists and then do an ‘Avengers’.” To be fair, that doesn’t sound hugely dissimilar to Legion’s Bloodlines DLC, the post-launch pack that will bring Aiden, Wrench and two new characters - an Assassin and a psychic - together.

For the time being, Marcus seems to be off the table for a Watch Dogs return, but I also discussed playing the character with Prentiss, talking through why he loved the character, and how important he thinks Marcus was for Black representation in video games.

Watch Dogs Legion arrives for PS4, Xbox One and PC today, and will get a next-gen version on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 launch day (with free-upgrades for those with current-gen versions). We awarded it an 8/10 review, saying its "bold use of roguelike mechanics in an open-world action game pays off in interesting ways, making this visit to near-future London feel more varied than the previous two games."

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Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Square Enix has detailed the six realms of Final Fantasy 16's world of Valisthea, providing us with more information about the game's setting. As we learned from the game's teaser website, Valisthea is a land "studded with colossal mountains of glittering crystal called Mothercrystals." These Mothercrystals provide aether to the people of Valisthea, and wars have been fought over the ownership of this powerful resource. This has split the realm into warring states, each with their own quirks and characters. It's very Game of Thrones. Five of the nations have a 'Dominant,' a special person imbued with the transformative power of an Eikon, special summons that "can level nations." Depending on the nation, a Dominant can be seen as royalty or a force to be feared. Here's some more information about the six realms of Valisthea in Final Fantasy 16. You can check out all of the realm's flags on the Final Fantasy 16 teaser website. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=final-fantasy-16-the-6-realms-of-valisthea&captions=true"]

The Grand Duchy of Rosaria

Rosaria is a nation made up of "small independent provinces in western Valisthea," and it's where the game's protagonist Clive Rosfield hails from. His brother Joshua Rosfield is the realm's Dominant, who is powered by the Eikon of Fire, a great Phoenix. The realm's Mothercrystal is called Drake's Breath and is held on a volcanic island off the coast. Rosaria's prosperity has been hurt by something called "the Blight", which threatens to bring the realm to its knees.

The Holy Empire of Sanbreque

Sanbreque is a theocracy ruled by a "Holy Emperor" who is worshipped as a living manifestation of God. The capital of Sanbreque is Oriflamme, which is actually built upon the Drake's Head Mothercrystal that supplies the realm with its all-important aether. The realm's Dominant "serves as the empire's champion" and is known to "rout its enemies" on the battlefield.

The Kingdom of Waloed

Waloed is based in the eastern partition of Valisthea, an area known simply as "Ash". Orcs and beastmen threaten to overthrow Waloed's rule, but the realm's Dominant and ruler has used the power of the Drake's Spine Mothercrystal to create "a mighty army" to stop them in their tracks and seek expansion beyond the borders of Ash. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=final-fantasy-xvi-characters-and-world&captions=true"]

The Dhalmekian Republic

The Dhalmekian Republic is ruled by a parliament made up of representatives from five states in southern Valisthea. The area draws its powers from the Drake's Fang Mothercrystal, which is hidden in a mountain range. The area's Dominant is a "special advisor" to the republic's parliament and channels the power of Titan, the Eikon of Earth.

The Iron Kingdom

Made up of coastal islands in western Valisthea, The Iron Kingdom is ruled by an "extreme faith" called the Crystalline Orthodox, who worship the Mothercrystals. The Kingdom is often in conflict with Rosaria over the Drake's Breath Mothercrystal, which sits "at the heart" of one of the kingdom's islands and provides both nations with their power. Its inhabitants are known as the Ironblood who are isolated from the mainland, speaking their own language and treating Dominants as "unholy abominations" who are executed upon birth.

The Crystalline Dominion

At the heart of Valisthea is The Crystalline Dominion, which is built around a tall Mothercrystal known as Drake's Tail. The five realms used to war for control over the crystal, but an armistice was reached which left the area autonomous and controlled by a council with input from each state, except for The Iron Kingdom. As such, the area does not have its own Dominant. Final Fantasy XVI was announced for PS5 back in September of this year and has already completed "basic development", with more news about the game coming in 2021. You can find out more details about FF16 in our article covering the game's heroes and the world, and you can watch the first trailer, Awakening, here. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Square Enix has detailed the six realms of Final Fantasy 16's world of Valisthea, providing us with more information about the game's setting. As we learned from the game's teaser website, Valisthea is a land "studded with colossal mountains of glittering crystal called Mothercrystals." These Mothercrystals provide aether to the people of Valisthea, and wars have been fought over the ownership of this powerful resource. This has split the realm into warring states, each with their own quirks and characters. It's very Game of Thrones. Five of the nations have a 'Dominant,' a special person imbued with the transformative power of an Eikon, special summons that "can level nations." Depending on the nation, a Dominant can be seen as royalty or a force to be feared. Here's some more information about the six realms of Valisthea in Final Fantasy 16. You can check out all of the realm's flags on the Final Fantasy 16 teaser website. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=final-fantasy-16-the-6-realms-of-valisthea&captions=true"]

The Grand Duchy of Rosaria

Rosaria is a nation made up of "small independent provinces in western Valisthea," and it's where the game's protagonist Clive Rosfield hails from. His brother Joshua Rosfield is the realm's Dominant, who is powered by the Eikon of Fire, a great Phoenix. The realm's Mothercrystal is called Drake's Breath and is held on a volcanic island off the coast. Rosaria's prosperity has been hurt by something called "the Blight", which threatens to bring the realm to its knees.

The Holy Empire of Sanbreque

Sanbreque is a theocracy ruled by a "Holy Emperor" who is worshipped as a living manifestation of God. The capital of Sanbreque is Oriflamme, which is actually built upon the Drake's Head Mothercrystal that supplies the realm with its all-important aether. The realm's Dominant "serves as the empire's champion" and is known to "rout its enemies" on the battlefield.

The Kingdom of Waloed

Waloed is based in the eastern partition of Valisthea, an area known simply as "Ash". Orcs and beastmen threaten to overthrow Waloed's rule, but the realm's Dominant and ruler has used the power of the Drake's Spine Mothercrystal to create "a mighty army" to stop them in their tracks and seek expansion beyond the borders of Ash. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=final-fantasy-xvi-characters-and-world&captions=true"]

The Dhalmekian Republic

The Dhalmekian Republic is ruled by a parliament made up of representatives from five states in southern Valisthea. The area draws its powers from the Drake's Fang Mothercrystal, which is hidden in a mountain range. The area's Dominant is a "special advisor" to the republic's parliament and channels the power of Titan, the Eikon of Earth.

The Iron Kingdom

Made up of coastal islands in western Valisthea, The Iron Kingdom is ruled by an "extreme faith" called the Crystalline Orthodox, who worship the Mothercrystals. The Kingdom is often in conflict with Rosaria over the Drake's Breath Mothercrystal, which sits "at the heart" of one of the kingdom's islands and provides both nations with their power. Its inhabitants are known as the Ironblood who are isolated from the mainland, speaking their own language and treating Dominants as "unholy abominations" who are executed upon birth.

The Crystalline Dominion

At the heart of Valisthea is The Crystalline Dominion, which is built around a tall Mothercrystal known as Drake's Tail. The five realms used to war for control over the crystal, but an armistice was reached which left the area autonomous and controlled by a council with input from each state, except for The Iron Kingdom. As such, the area does not have its own Dominant. Final Fantasy XVI was announced for PS5 back in September of this year and has already completed "basic development", with more news about the game coming in 2021. You can find out more details about FF16 in our article covering the game's heroes and the world, and you can watch the first trailer, Awakening, here. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

An article written by Square Enix Producer Naoki Yoshida has detailed the world and story of Final Fantasy XVI, and introduced us to heroes Clive, Joshua, and Jill. You can read the post in full over on the PlayStation Blog, where you can check out some artwork from the game and learn more about the motivations of the trio of main characters, as well as the world they inhabit. You can also check out the official Final Fantasy XVI website, which reveals even more details about the game's setting and cast, and the game's tagline: "The legacy of the crystals has shaped our history for long enough." Final Fantasy XVI takes place in Valisthea, a land "studded with colossal mountains of glittering crystal called Mothercrystals." The Mothercrystals have blessed the realms with aether for generations, allowing Valisthea's people to live in comfort. Of course, wars have been fought over the ownership of the Mothercrystals, which has created a set of conflicting nations, known as the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, the Kingdom of Waloed, the Dhalmekian Republic and the Iron Kingdom. A "ruinous Blight" has recently overcome the land, which is threatening to disturb the "fragile peace" achieved between the warring states. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=final-fantasy-xvi-characters-and-world&captions=true"] The game's main protagonist is Clive Rosfield, the firstborn son of the Archduke of Rosaria. Rosfield is a knight known as the "First Shield of Rosaria" who is tasked with protecting his younger brother Joshua, described as "the Dominant of the Phoenix." A Dominant is a special person who is essentially a vessel for devastating creatures called Eikons, special Summons that "can level nations." Depending on the nation, Dominants are treated as royalty or used as weapons of war. The blog notes that more Eikons will be revealed in the main game as players journey through Valisthea. It was expected that Clive would become the Dominant of Rosaria, but destiny chose Joshua, who can transform into a Phoenix to protect his nation. Joshua has bestowed Clive with "the Blessing of the Phoenix," which allows the protagonist to "wield a part of the Eikon's fire." Joshua also "quails at the sight of a carrot on his dinner plate," and laments the fact that he, the more frail Rosfield brother, received the Eikon's power. Then there's Jill Warrick, a confidant of the brothers who is an expatriate from the Northern Territories and ward of the Duchy of Rosaria in order to sow peace between the two factions. She's a member of the Rosfield household and a close childhood friend of the brothers. Final Fantasy XVI was announced for PS5 back in September of this year, and has already completed "basic development", with the next big reveal event relating to the game coming in 2021. It's still a matter of conjecture as to whether the game will come to PC, after its announcement for the platform was scrubbed. You can watch the game's first trailer here. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

An article written by Square Enix Producer Naoki Yoshida has detailed the world and story of Final Fantasy XVI, and introduced us to heroes Clive, Joshua, and Jill. You can read the post in full over on the PlayStation Blog, where you can check out some artwork from the game and learn more about the motivations of the trio of main characters, as well as the world they inhabit. You can also check out the official Final Fantasy XVI website, which reveals even more details about the game's setting and cast, and the game's tagline: "The legacy of the crystals has shaped our history for long enough." Final Fantasy XVI takes place in Valisthea, a land "studded with colossal mountains of glittering crystal called Mothercrystals." The Mothercrystals have blessed the realms with aether for generations, allowing Valisthea's people to live in comfort. Of course, wars have been fought over the ownership of the Mothercrystals, which has created a set of conflicting nations, known as the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, the Kingdom of Waloed, the Dhalmekian Republic and the Iron Kingdom. A "ruinous Blight" has recently overcome the land, which is threatening to disturb the "fragile peace" achieved between the warring states. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=final-fantasy-xvi-characters-and-world&captions=true"] The game's main protagonist is Clive Rosfield, the firstborn son of the Archduke of Rosaria. Rosfield is a knight known as the "First Shield of Rosaria" who is tasked with protecting his younger brother Joshua, described as "the Dominant of the Phoenix." A Dominant is a special person who is essentially a vessel for devastating creatures called Eikons, special Summons that "can level nations." Depending on the nation, Dominants are treated as royalty or used as weapons of war. The blog notes that more Eikons will be revealed in the main game as players journey through Valisthea. It was expected that Clive would become the Dominant of Rosaria, but destiny chose Joshua, who can transform into a Phoenix to protect his nation. Joshua has bestowed Clive with "the Blessing of the Phoenix," which allows the protagonist to "wield a part of the Eikon's fire." Joshua also "quails at the sight of a carrot on his dinner plate," and laments the fact that he, the more frail Rosfield brother, received the Eikon's power. Then there's Jill Warrick, a confidant of the brothers who is an expatriate from the Northern Territories and ward of the Duchy of Rosaria in order to sow peace between the two factions. She's a member of the Rosfield household and a close childhood friend of the brothers. Final Fantasy XVI was announced for PS5 back in September of this year, and has already completed "basic development", with the next big reveal event relating to the game coming in 2021. It's still a matter of conjecture as to whether the game will come to PC, after its announcement for the platform was scrubbed. You can watch the game's first trailer here. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Xbox is leaning heavily into the memes by not only acknowledging the fact that its next-gen console looks like a refrigerator, but now it is actually giving away an Xbox Series X-themed refrigerator. There's even an official world premiere video for the kitchen monolith. Announced via Xbox's official Twitter account, the Xbox Series X Fridge is part of a sweepstakes that begins today and ends November 4, 2020 at 7:00 PM PST.

The one. The only. Xbox Series X Fridge giveaway. Follow and retweet with #XSXFridgeSweeps for a chance to win the Xbox Series X Fridge. Ends 11/04/20. Rules: https://t.co/4P5hCSBPcy pic.twitter.com/MAt7xcTTQ4

— Xbox (@Xbox) October 28, 2020

Microsoft recently sent Snoop Dogg an Xbox Series X Fridge for his birthday - as well as a number of other celebrities and influencers - as part of its marketing for the upcoming next generation of consoles. The black refrigerator is shaped just like the Xbox Series X (or is it the other way around?) and features a light-up Xbox logo in the top left corner, as well as what has to be the world's largest disc drive. The inside is fully illuminated with green lighting, because why not, right? [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/28/xbox-series-x-console-unboxing] Jokes have been circulating about the Xbox Series X and its resemblance to a certain kitchen appliance since it was revealed during The Game Awards in 2019. Microsoft even added a "fridge for scale" image alongside one the put the Xbox Series X next to a banana. Microsoft explained in an interview earlier this year that the design is in fact to help with cooling, not unlike a refrigerator. It seems the two have more in common than we initially thought. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] For more Xbox news, check out how Microsoft has tested over 500,000 hours of backwards compatibility and our recent unboxing of the Xbox Series X. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matthew Adler is a Features, News, Previews, Reviews, and Wikis writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

Xbox is leaning heavily into the memes by not only acknowledging the fact that its next-gen console looks like a refrigerator, but now it is actually giving away an Xbox Series X-themed refrigerator. There's even an official world premiere video for the kitchen monolith. Announced via Xbox's official Twitter account, the Xbox Series X Fridge is part of a sweepstakes that begins today and ends November 4, 2020 at 7:00 PM PST.

The one. The only. Xbox Series X Fridge giveaway. Follow and retweet with #XSXFridgeSweeps for a chance to win the Xbox Series X Fridge. Ends 11/04/20. Rules: https://t.co/4P5hCSBPcy pic.twitter.com/MAt7xcTTQ4

— Xbox (@Xbox) October 28, 2020

Microsoft recently sent Snoop Dogg an Xbox Series X Fridge for his birthday - as well as a number of other celebrities and influencers - as part of its marketing for the upcoming next generation of consoles. The black refrigerator is shaped just like the Xbox Series X (or is it the other way around?) and features a light-up Xbox logo in the top left corner, as well as what has to be the world's largest disc drive. The inside is fully illuminated with green lighting, because why not, right? [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/28/xbox-series-x-console-unboxing] Jokes have been circulating about the Xbox Series X and its resemblance to a certain kitchen appliance since it was revealed during The Game Awards in 2019. Microsoft even added a "fridge for scale" image alongside one the put the Xbox Series X next to a banana. Microsoft explained in an interview earlier this year that the design is in fact to help with cooling, not unlike a refrigerator. It seems the two have more in common than we initially thought. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] For more Xbox news, check out how Microsoft has tested over 500,000 hours of backwards compatibility and our recent unboxing of the Xbox Series X. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matthew Adler is a Features, News, Previews, Reviews, and Wikis writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

Path of Exile’s 3.13 end-game expansion has been delayed until January because, as the developers explain in a new blog post, the original release date now coincides with Cyberpunk 2077’s new release date. “Yesterday, CD Projekt Red announced that Cyberpunk 2077 will now be released on December 10,” designer Chris Wilson writes in a new blog post. “We do not want to put our players in a position of having to choose between these two games, so we have decided to step out of the way and delay the release of Path of Exile 3.13 until January.” The original release date for the 3.13 update was December 11.

We were previously targeting a launch date of December 11 for our 3.13 expansion. Yesterday, CD Projekt Red announced that Cyberpunk 2077 will now be released on December 10. We have decided to delay the release of Path of Exile 3.13 until January.https://t.co/Jw7PXnd4Bf pic.twitter.com/sL3npV4eH6

— Path of Exile (@pathofexile) October 28, 2020

Wilson says that the dev team still expects Path of Exile 3.13 to be finished by early to mid-December, but the team will begin working on the 3.14 expansion during the month of delay. Grinding Gear Games will put out a multi-week event for Path of Exile players over Christmas and New Year break as a replacement for the planned expansion. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/08/23/path-of-exile-review-2018"] The developers also caution that the delay will have a slight domino effect and will “probably cause” the release schedule to change a little bit during 2021 to accommodate the delay. Meanwhile, the shockwaves of Cyberpunk 2077’s latest delay is still being felt, not in the least by CD Projekt Red’s own social media team. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Path of Exile’s 3.13 end-game expansion has been delayed until January because, as the developers explain in a new blog post, the original release date now coincides with Cyberpunk 2077’s new release date. “Yesterday, CD Projekt Red announced that Cyberpunk 2077 will now be released on December 10,” designer Chris Wilson writes in a new blog post. “We do not want to put our players in a position of having to choose between these two games, so we have decided to step out of the way and delay the release of Path of Exile 3.13 until January.” The original release date for the 3.13 update was December 11.

We were previously targeting a launch date of December 11 for our 3.13 expansion. Yesterday, CD Projekt Red announced that Cyberpunk 2077 will now be released on December 10. We have decided to delay the release of Path of Exile 3.13 until January.https://t.co/Jw7PXnd4Bf pic.twitter.com/sL3npV4eH6

— Path of Exile (@pathofexile) October 28, 2020

Wilson says that the dev team still expects Path of Exile 3.13 to be finished by early to mid-December, but the team will begin working on the 3.14 expansion during the month of delay. Grinding Gear Games will put out a multi-week event for Path of Exile players over Christmas and New Year break as a replacement for the planned expansion. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/08/23/path-of-exile-review-2018"] The developers also caution that the delay will have a slight domino effect and will “probably cause” the release schedule to change a little bit during 2021 to accommodate the delay. Meanwhile, the shockwaves of Cyberpunk 2077’s latest delay is still being felt, not in the least by CD Projekt Red’s own social media team. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

On this week's episode of IGN's weekly PlayStation show, Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano, Max Scoville, and Mitchell Saltzman to discuss our first hands-on experience with the PS5. We have the PS5, so we offer a look and description of the hardware, and our thoughts on the Cooling Springs level of Astro's Playroom and the DualSense controller's new haptic feedback. Plus, we dive into the Destruction AllStars and Cyberpunk 2077 delays, and more! [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ps5-console-first-look-size-comparison&captions=true"]

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Podcast Beyond! is live every Wednesday. For more on PS5, check out the PS5 full specs list, why we're excited about PS5's 3D audio focus, and an analysis of what teraflops really mean for the PS5 and Xbox Series X. [poilib element="poll" parameters="id=0b8b1f86-da52-4fef-b0a7-2729ca596785"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.