According to Xbox head Phil Spencer, Microsoft is still planning to release gaming hardware following the launch of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, despite the games industry leaning more towards an all-digital, cloud-based future. Speaking to Yahoo! Finance, Spencer confirmed that Microsoft is still planing on developing dedicated gaming hardware, at least in the short term, even though services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, Google Stadia, and Amazon Luna are changing the ways the world plays games. "In terms of future hardware, absolutely I think we're going to see more console hardware down the road," Spencer stated, "Just like in video, just like in music, it's not that streaming has cut off device innovation. I think we'll continue to see that, and that's absolutely what we're planning for." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] Obviously, things can always change in the future, but it appears Microsoft isn't quite yet ready to fully commit to this digital future. Where Microsoft's innovation lies, however, is clearly in Xbox Game Pass. With Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft has been building a strategy that will allow you to play Xbox games on many different devices, including PC and mobile devices. It's not out of the realm of possibility to see Xbox Game Pass eventually make its way to TVs or other platforms as well. We may not know what the far future holds, but we do know that Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will be released on November 10, 2020, and will cost $499 and $299 USD, respectively. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/21/microsoft-to-buy-bethesda-and-parent-company-zenimax-media"] As for Xbox Game Pass, its value continues to rise with the announcements like that of Microsoft buying Bethesda, meaning all future Bethesda games, including Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield, will launch on Xbox Game Pass on day 1. [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.

According to Xbox head Phil Spencer, Microsoft is still planning to release gaming hardware following the launch of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, despite the games industry leaning more towards an all-digital, cloud-based future. Speaking to Yahoo! Finance, Spencer confirmed that Microsoft is still planing on developing dedicated gaming hardware, at least in the short term, even though services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, Google Stadia, and Amazon Luna are changing the ways the world plays games. "In terms of future hardware, absolutely I think we're going to see more console hardware down the road," Spencer stated, "Just like in video, just like in music, it's not that streaming has cut off device innovation. I think we'll continue to see that, and that's absolutely what we're planning for." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-xbox-series-x-games&captions=true"] Obviously, things can always change in the future, but it appears Microsoft isn't quite yet ready to fully commit to this digital future. Where Microsoft's innovation lies, however, is clearly in Xbox Game Pass. With Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft has been building a strategy that will allow you to play Xbox games on many different devices, including PC and mobile devices. It's not out of the realm of possibility to see Xbox Game Pass eventually make its way to TVs or other platforms as well. We may not know what the far future holds, but we do know that Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will be released on November 10, 2020, and will cost $499 and $299 USD, respectively. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/21/microsoft-to-buy-bethesda-and-parent-company-zenimax-media"] As for Xbox Game Pass, its value continues to rise with the announcements like that of Microsoft buying Bethesda, meaning all future Bethesda games, including Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield, will launch on Xbox Game Pass on day 1. [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.

Since its initial announcement back in 2016, Indiana Jones 5 has been hit with many delays and release schedule changes. Back in February, director Steven Spielberg officially stepped down to a producer role with James Mangold named as his replacement in May. Now, screenwriter David Koepp, who departed the film along with Spielberg, said that version fell apart due to disagreements over the script. In an interview with Den of Geek, screenwriter David Koepp explained "it was just very hard to have everybody come together and have all the elements — Steven, Harrison (Ford), the script and Disney — come together at once. And it didn’t.” “When James Mangold came in and Steven stepped out, that was a pretty logical breaking point,” Koepp said. “It’s a gracious time to step out the door because I think the last thing a new director wants is the old director’s writer." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-10-best-80s-action-movies&captions=true"] Mangold, who was Oscar-nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for Logan, recently revealed that he's "trying to find an emotional center to operate from" for the story, informing ComicBook.com: "I think the most important thing is, in an age when franchises have become a commodity, that serving the same thing again. At least for me, in the dances I've had with any franchises, serving the same thing again, the same way, usually just produces a longing for the first time you ate it. Meaning, it makes an audience wish that they just had the first one over again. So you have to push something to someplace new, while also remembering the core reasons why everyone was gathered. And to use Logan as an example of that, when you're dealing in a world of a very pressured franchise." [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/15/harrison-ford-indiana-jones-5-will-see-part-of-his-history-resolved] The film is likely Harrison Ford's last time playing the iconic treasure hunter as he turns 80 in 2022. Indiana Jones 5 is currently set for a July 29, 2022 debut after Disney adjusted its release schedule earlier this year. For more, check out everything we know about Indiana Jones 5. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matthew Adler is a Features, News, Previews, and Reviews writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

Since its initial announcement back in 2016, Indiana Jones 5 has been hit with many delays and release schedule changes. Back in February, director Steven Spielberg officially stepped down to a producer role with James Mangold named as his replacement in May. Now, screenwriter David Koepp, who departed the film along with Spielberg, said that version fell apart due to disagreements over the script. In an interview with Den of Geek, screenwriter David Koepp explained "it was just very hard to have everybody come together and have all the elements — Steven, Harrison (Ford), the script and Disney — come together at once. And it didn’t.” “When James Mangold came in and Steven stepped out, that was a pretty logical breaking point,” Koepp said. “It’s a gracious time to step out the door because I think the last thing a new director wants is the old director’s writer." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-10-best-80s-action-movies&captions=true"] Mangold, who was Oscar-nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for Logan, recently revealed that he's "trying to find an emotional center to operate from" for the story, informing ComicBook.com: "I think the most important thing is, in an age when franchises have become a commodity, that serving the same thing again. At least for me, in the dances I've had with any franchises, serving the same thing again, the same way, usually just produces a longing for the first time you ate it. Meaning, it makes an audience wish that they just had the first one over again. So you have to push something to someplace new, while also remembering the core reasons why everyone was gathered. And to use Logan as an example of that, when you're dealing in a world of a very pressured franchise." [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/15/harrison-ford-indiana-jones-5-will-see-part-of-his-history-resolved] The film is likely Harrison Ford's last time playing the iconic treasure hunter as he turns 80 in 2022. Indiana Jones 5 is currently set for a July 29, 2022 debut after Disney adjusted its release schedule earlier this year. For more, check out everything we know about Indiana Jones 5. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matthew Adler is a Features, News, Previews, and Reviews writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

It's been over a decade since the original Avatar hit theaters, and now James Cameron has confirmed that Avatar 2 has finished filming ahead of its expected 2022 release. Furthermore, Cameron also confirmed that Avatar 3 is nearly done filming as well. As reported by CinemaBlend via an interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger during the 2020 Austrian World Summit, Cameron provided fans an update on the status of the upcoming films. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-actor-and-character-confirmed-for-the-avatar-sequels&captions=true"] "The day we deliver Avatar 2, we’ll just start working on finishing Avatar 3," Cameron said. "So where we are right now, I’m down in New Zealand shooting. We’re shooting the remainder of the live-action. We’ve got about 10% left to go. We’re 100% complete on Avatar 2, and we’re sort of 95% complete on Avatar 3." After a delay in filming earlier this year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Cameron and his team returned to New Zealand, the same location where the original Avatar was filmed, to complete filming for Avatar 2 and Avatar 3. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/08/tease-for-avatar-sequels-shows-new-wonders-of-pandora-ign-now] Details have begun trickling out about Avatar 2's plot which will focus heavily on Jake Sully and his new family as they explore new areas of Pandora. Producer Jon Landeau explained that "Jake and Neytiri have a family in this movie, they are forced to leave their home, they go out and explore the different regions of Pandora, including spending quite a bit of time on the water, around the water, in the water." We've already seen some of the concept art depicting Pandora's expansive water landscapes as well as concept art for The Crabsuit — a large, crablike submarine showcasing one of the many new vehicles that will be seen in the upcoming Avatar sequels. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=avatar-sequels-concept-art-revealed&captions=true"] Avatar 2 is currently slated for a December 16, 2022 release date with Avatar 3 expected to arrive two years later on December 20, 2024 after Disney pushed back its release schedule earlier this year. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matthew Adler is a Features, News, Previews, and Reviews writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.  

It's been over a decade since the original Avatar hit theaters, and now James Cameron has confirmed that Avatar 2 has finished filming ahead of its expected 2022 release. Furthermore, Cameron also confirmed that Avatar 3 is nearly done filming as well. As reported by CinemaBlend via an interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger during the 2020 Austrian World Summit, Cameron provided fans an update on the status of the upcoming films. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-actor-and-character-confirmed-for-the-avatar-sequels&captions=true"] "The day we deliver Avatar 2, we’ll just start working on finishing Avatar 3," Cameron said. "So where we are right now, I’m down in New Zealand shooting. We’re shooting the remainder of the live-action. We’ve got about 10% left to go. We’re 100% complete on Avatar 2, and we’re sort of 95% complete on Avatar 3." After a delay in filming earlier this year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Cameron and his team returned to New Zealand, the same location where the original Avatar was filmed, to complete filming for Avatar 2 and Avatar 3. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/08/tease-for-avatar-sequels-shows-new-wonders-of-pandora-ign-now] Details have begun trickling out about Avatar 2's plot which will focus heavily on Jake Sully and his new family as they explore new areas of Pandora. Producer Jon Landeau explained that "Jake and Neytiri have a family in this movie, they are forced to leave their home, they go out and explore the different regions of Pandora, including spending quite a bit of time on the water, around the water, in the water." We've already seen some of the concept art depicting Pandora's expansive water landscapes as well as concept art for The Crabsuit — a large, crablike submarine showcasing one of the many new vehicles that will be seen in the upcoming Avatar sequels. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=avatar-sequels-concept-art-revealed&captions=true"] Avatar 2 is currently slated for a December 16, 2022 release date with Avatar 3 expected to arrive two years later on December 20, 2024 after Disney pushed back its release schedule earlier this year. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matthew Adler is a Features, News, Previews, and Reviews writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.  

Yuji Naka, creator of many famous games for Sega such as Sonic the Hedgehog and NiGHTs Into Dreams, joined IGN Japan in the studio during a live Tokyo Game Show 2020 broadcast to discuss his new project, Balan Wonderworld, and how it makes use of the PS5's unique capabilities. He also spoke about his self-assessed "one chance" to make a platform action game for his new employer, Square Enix.

In Balan Wonderworld, players are able to change their costumes to enable new actions, similar to how Mario’s abilities change when he throws Cappy at an NPC in Mario Odyssey. But what's interesting is that the player decides which costumes are used instead of having specific costumes assigned to certain stages or bosses. "Even during test play, I saw everyone use different strategies," said Naka.

Of course, the fun of these 80 types of abilities is shared across all platforms, but they are exceptional on the PS5 and other next-generation consoles according to Naka. "An action game in 4K at 60 frames per second is incredible. It feels so smooth," he said.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/23/balan-wonderworld-announcement-trailer"]

Balan Wonderworld also utilizes the adaptive triggers that are a feature of the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller. Adaptive Triggers have been introduced as a new sensation unique to PS5 that allows players to feel resistance in some PS5 titles, and Naka said that for Balan Wonderworld all 80 abilities will feel distinct in players’ hands thanks to those adaptive triggers. "I think players will be really surprised by it," Naka said.

For Naka, who joined Square Enix in 2018, Balan Wonderworld will be his first full-scale platform game in quite some time. "I think Square Enix has an RPG image," Naka said, "but I don't think I'd be good at making RPGs." Of course, Naka has made RPGs, such as Phantasy Star and Phantasy Star Online. However, the genre he feels he is most skilled at is still platform games. Therefore, he received permission from the company president to make a full-scale platform game with the condition that it was his "one chance".

Of course, nothing would make fans happier than more Naka platform games, but whether there's another game is likely dependent on the popularity of Balan Wonderworld. Naka is confident, however; even though there is no guarantee that there will be another title, he has launched a new brand called Balan Company. "Such is my enthusiasm for continuing to make action games," he said.

It's tempting to declare a game like Balan Wonderworld a culmination of platform games, as this one title contains 80 varieties of action abilities. But while that's an easy statement to make, it should be a pretty high hurdle to clear. "During the proposal stage I wrote down that it would have 80 different types of action, but I thought that once I actually started making the game, I would run out of steam at around 40," said Naka, who confessed that he exaggerated a bit in his proposal. However, in the end, the planning stage's goal of 80 was achieved.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/17/balan-wonderworld-nintendo-switch-announcement-trailer"]

Balan Wonderworld looks to be a must-see title for platform game fans, but it also features strong storytelling, which is characteristic of Square Enix. "Square Enix's management philosophy is 'to contribute to the wellbeing of people all over the world by providing the best stories.' When I joined the company and heard that, I was like 'Stories, huh...'" Naka said. "To be honest, I'm not really the type of developer who focuses on a game’s script. I always emphasize how the game feels and the action, while the story may be a bit weak. I wasn't very good with stories."

Naka read up on the well-respected Hero's Journey theory to study storytelling. While focusing on storytelling without the use of words for the actual game, a rare effort is being put forth to create a novelization of Balan Wonderworld simultaneously with the development of the game. Authored by another former Sega employee, Soshi Kawasaki (known for the Long Arms series), the book is planned to be released alongside the game in English and Japanese. Reading the novel will deepen your understanding of its world, and events which follow the events of the game are also depicted.

"A lot of popular games these days are based on shooting, but I always want to make pure action games," Naka said of his love for the genre. It definitely seems that he is taking his "one chance" from the president of Square Enix seriously, doing everything to deliver a game experience packed with all the elements of platform games.

Balan Wonderworld launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on March 26, 2021.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Esra Krabbe is an editor at IGN Japan. Follow him on Twitter here! 

Yuji Naka, creator of many famous games for Sega such as Sonic the Hedgehog and NiGHTs Into Dreams, joined IGN Japan in the studio during a live Tokyo Game Show 2020 broadcast to discuss his new project, Balan Wonderworld, and how it makes use of the PS5's unique capabilities. He also spoke about his self-assessed "one chance" to make a platform action game for his new employer, Square Enix.

In Balan Wonderworld, players are able to change their costumes to enable new actions, similar to how Mario’s abilities change when he throws Cappy at an NPC in Mario Odyssey. But what's interesting is that the player decides which costumes are used instead of having specific costumes assigned to certain stages or bosses. "Even during test play, I saw everyone use different strategies," said Naka.

Of course, the fun of these 80 types of abilities is shared across all platforms, but they are exceptional on the PS5 and other next-generation consoles according to Naka. "An action game in 4K at 60 frames per second is incredible. It feels so smooth," he said.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/23/balan-wonderworld-announcement-trailer"]

Balan Wonderworld also utilizes the adaptive triggers that are a feature of the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller. Adaptive Triggers have been introduced as a new sensation unique to PS5 that allows players to feel resistance in some PS5 titles, and Naka said that for Balan Wonderworld all 80 abilities will feel distinct in players’ hands thanks to those adaptive triggers. "I think players will be really surprised by it," Naka said.

For Naka, who joined Square Enix in 2018, Balan Wonderworld will be his first full-scale platform game in quite some time. "I think Square Enix has an RPG image," Naka said, "but I don't think I'd be good at making RPGs." Of course, Naka has made RPGs, such as Phantasy Star and Phantasy Star Online. However, the genre he feels he is most skilled at is still platform games. Therefore, he received permission from the company president to make a full-scale platform game with the condition that it was his "one chance".

Of course, nothing would make fans happier than more Naka platform games, but whether there's another game is likely dependent on the popularity of Balan Wonderworld. Naka is confident, however; even though there is no guarantee that there will be another title, he has launched a new brand called Balan Company. "Such is my enthusiasm for continuing to make action games," he said.

It's tempting to declare a game like Balan Wonderworld a culmination of platform games, as this one title contains 80 varieties of action abilities. But while that's an easy statement to make, it should be a pretty high hurdle to clear. "During the proposal stage I wrote down that it would have 80 different types of action, but I thought that once I actually started making the game, I would run out of steam at around 40," said Naka, who confessed that he exaggerated a bit in his proposal. However, in the end, the planning stage's goal of 80 was achieved.

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/17/balan-wonderworld-nintendo-switch-announcement-trailer"]

Balan Wonderworld looks to be a must-see title for platform game fans, but it also features strong storytelling, which is characteristic of Square Enix. "Square Enix's management philosophy is 'to contribute to the wellbeing of people all over the world by providing the best stories.' When I joined the company and heard that, I was like 'Stories, huh...'" Naka said. "To be honest, I'm not really the type of developer who focuses on a game’s script. I always emphasize how the game feels and the action, while the story may be a bit weak. I wasn't very good with stories."

Naka read up on the well-respected Hero's Journey theory to study storytelling. While focusing on storytelling without the use of words for the actual game, a rare effort is being put forth to create a novelization of Balan Wonderworld simultaneously with the development of the game. Authored by another former Sega employee, Soshi Kawasaki (known for the Long Arms series), the book is planned to be released alongside the game in English and Japanese. Reading the novel will deepen your understanding of its world, and events which follow the events of the game are also depicted.

"A lot of popular games these days are based on shooting, but I always want to make pure action games," Naka said of his love for the genre. It definitely seems that he is taking his "one chance" from the president of Square Enix seriously, doing everything to deliver a game experience packed with all the elements of platform games.

Balan Wonderworld launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on March 26, 2021.

[poilib element="accentDivider"]

Esra Krabbe is an editor at IGN Japan. Follow him on Twitter here! 

Yakuza Studio head Toshihiro Nagoshi has said that the Yakuza movie will only be made if "it's really good".

Yakuza Studio head Toshihiro Nagoshi has said that the Yakuza movie will only be made if "it's really good".