A report suggests that Ubisoft is rebooting its pirate IP Skull & Bones, which will now follow a "live" game model with ongoing storytelling inspired by Fortnite. Development sources told VGC that the game "had been struggling to carve itself a unique position among Ubisoft's existing portfolio of open-world games", leading the team to apparently reboot Skull & Bones last year, shifting away from "the premium box model" used by most of Ubisoft's AAA franchises like Assassin's Creed and The Division. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/06/20/23-minutes-of-skull-and-bones-gameplay-in-4k-e3-2018"] According to the report, the rebooted Skull & Bones will feature "a persistent game world with quests, characters and storylines that will drastically evolve and change over time based on the collective actions of the community." The team behind Skull & Bones, which is also now reportedly being led by XIII writer/director Elisabeth Pellen, have been heavily inspired by Fortnite's success with "live storytelling." Skull & Bones was revealed during E3 2017 but was delayed until "2019-20" in early 2018, then delayed again in 2019, with no planned release date as of writing. In early 2019, Ubisoft unveiled a collaboration with Atlas Entertainment to create a TV show based on the game, a "female-driven drama set in the lawless frontier of the Indian Ocean at the end of the golden age of piracy in the 1700s.” [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

A report suggests that Ubisoft is rebooting its pirate IP Skull & Bones, which will now follow a "live" game model with ongoing storytelling inspired by Fortnite. Development sources told VGC that the game "had been struggling to carve itself a unique position among Ubisoft's existing portfolio of open-world games", leading the team to apparently reboot Skull & Bones last year, shifting away from "the premium box model" used by most of Ubisoft's AAA franchises like Assassin's Creed and The Division. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/06/20/23-minutes-of-skull-and-bones-gameplay-in-4k-e3-2018"] According to the report, the rebooted Skull & Bones will feature "a persistent game world with quests, characters and storylines that will drastically evolve and change over time based on the collective actions of the community." The team behind Skull & Bones, which is also now reportedly being led by XIII writer/director Elisabeth Pellen, have been heavily inspired by Fortnite's success with "live storytelling." Skull & Bones was revealed during E3 2017 but was delayed until "2019-20" in early 2018, then delayed again in 2019, with no planned release date as of writing. In early 2019, Ubisoft unveiled a collaboration with Atlas Entertainment to create a TV show based on the game, a "female-driven drama set in the lawless frontier of the Indian Ocean at the end of the golden age of piracy in the 1700s.” [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Former MythBusters and White Rabbit Project host Grant Imahara has died, aged 49. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Imahara died suddenly after a brain aneurysm. Former Mythbusters co-host Adam Savage has expressed via Twitter he’s at a loss over the news. “I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years,” wrote Savage. “Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle person. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend.”

I’m at a loss. No words. I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years. Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend.

— Adam Savage (@donttrythis) July 14, 2020

Imahara’s Mythbusters and White Rabbit Project co-host Kari Byron has also responded, posting a picture of herself alongside Imahara and fellow Mythbusters alum Tory Belleci.

Somedays I wish I had a time machine. ⁦@ToryBelleci⁩ ⁦@grantimahara⁩ pic.twitter.com/o9FRE2l16W

— Kari Byron (@KariByron) July 13, 2020

Imahara was best-known for his work on MythBusters, which he joined in 2005 and appeared in over 200 episodes. Imahara left the show in 2014 alongside his on-screen “Build Team” partners Byron and Belleci and the trio went on to host the shortlived Netflix Original Series White Rabbit Project in 2016. Prior to his work on MythBusters Imahara spent nearly a decade working in visual effects for Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light and Magic division. Imahara worked as a model maker on a host of high-profile films, including The Lost World, Terminator 3, Galaxy Quest, and all three films in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office.

Former MythBusters and White Rabbit Project host Grant Imahara has died, aged 49. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Imahara died suddenly after a brain aneurysm. Former Mythbusters co-host Adam Savage has expressed via Twitter he’s at a loss over the news. “I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years,” wrote Savage. “Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle person. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend.”

I’m at a loss. No words. I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years. Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend.

— Adam Savage (@donttrythis) July 14, 2020

Imahara’s Mythbusters and White Rabbit Project co-host Kari Byron has also responded, posting a picture of herself alongside Imahara and fellow Mythbusters alum Tory Belleci.

Somedays I wish I had a time machine. ⁦@ToryBelleci⁩ ⁦@grantimahara⁩ pic.twitter.com/o9FRE2l16W

— Kari Byron (@KariByron) July 13, 2020

Imahara was best-known for his work on MythBusters, which he joined in 2005 and appeared in over 200 episodes. Imahara left the show in 2014 alongside his on-screen “Build Team” partners Byron and Belleci and the trio went on to host the shortlived Netflix Original Series White Rabbit Project in 2016. Prior to his work on MythBusters Imahara spent nearly a decade working in visual effects for Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light and Magic division. Imahara worked as a model maker on a host of high-profile films, including The Lost World, Terminator 3, Galaxy Quest, and all three films in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office.

One of the big announcements reveals for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla from the Ubisoft Forward event is how players can change the protagonist Eivor’s gender at any point during the campaign. But when it comes to romance, a Ubisoft representative confirmed that Eivor’s gender will not limit or change any of the available romance options that will be present in the final game. Speaking to IGN during today’s episode of IGN News Live, Ubisoft's Youssef Maguid confirmed that “there are multiple people you can romance in the game, and you can romance all of them as either gender.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=assassins-creed-valhalla-ubisoft-forward-screenshots&captions=true"] The choice-based romance was introduced in Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey and like Valhalla, romance options weren’t restricted by the player’s gender. One difference between Odyssey and Valhalla, however, is that in Odyssey Alexios and Kassandra are two different characters. Whereas in Valhalla there is only one Eivor, who can either be played as a man or woman. In Odyssey, the separation of characters by gender did leave some narrative hurdles including romance. In one of the DLC, either Alexios or Kassandra was forced by the story to have a child with Darius’ son or daughter to carry on the Spartan bloodline. In our preview and interview with Assassin’s Creed Valhalla narrative director Darby McDevitt, the developer confirmed that the Animus will have new powers in this game. “To explain why would spoil a long-running secret, but I will say that the whole reason for why you can switch [Eivor’s gender] back and forth fully embraces the often-overlooked science fiction nature of our series,” McDevitt said. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/12/assassins-creed-valhalla-hands-on"] For more, check out IGN’s hands-on preview with Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and our round-up of everything announced at Ubisoft Forward. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

One of the big announcements reveals for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla from the Ubisoft Forward event is how players can change the protagonist Eivor’s gender at any point during the campaign. But when it comes to romance, a Ubisoft representative confirmed that Eivor’s gender will not limit or change any of the available romance options that will be present in the final game. Speaking to IGN during today’s episode of IGN News Live, Ubisoft's Youssef Maguid confirmed that “there are multiple people you can romance in the game, and you can romance all of them as either gender.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=assassins-creed-valhalla-ubisoft-forward-screenshots&captions=true"] The choice-based romance was introduced in Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey and like Valhalla, romance options weren’t restricted by the player’s gender. One difference between Odyssey and Valhalla, however, is that in Odyssey Alexios and Kassandra are two different characters. Whereas in Valhalla there is only one Eivor, who can either be played as a man or woman. In Odyssey, the separation of characters by gender did leave some narrative hurdles including romance. In one of the DLC, either Alexios or Kassandra was forced by the story to have a child with Darius’ son or daughter to carry on the Spartan bloodline. In our preview and interview with Assassin’s Creed Valhalla narrative director Darby McDevitt, the developer confirmed that the Animus will have new powers in this game. “To explain why would spoil a long-running secret, but I will say that the whole reason for why you can switch [Eivor’s gender] back and forth fully embraces the often-overlooked science fiction nature of our series,” McDevitt said. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/12/assassins-creed-valhalla-hands-on"] For more, check out IGN’s hands-on preview with Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and our round-up of everything announced at Ubisoft Forward. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

BOOM! Studios is relaunching its flagship Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic in November 2020. Now titled Mighty Morphin, the series will feature a revamped team lineup that includes a brand new incarnation of the Green Ranger. Mighty Morphin will be written by current Mighty Morphin Power Rangers writer Ryan Parrott and drawn by artist Marco Renna (All-New Michael Turner's Fathom). The series will be one of two new Power Rangers comics debuting in November and building on the fallout of the recent "Necessary Evil" crossover, as part of a new direction dubbed "Unlimited Power." The second title is still under wraps for the time being. Check out the slideshow gallery below to see three covers for Mighty Morphin #1: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=mighty-morphin-power-rangers-relaunch-introduces-the-all-new-green-ranger&captions=true"] Mighty Morphin will introduce several new wrinkles to the Power Rangers mythos, the most significant of them being the identity of the All New Green Ranger. It's clearly not Tommy Oliver, as Tommy looks to still be wearing the mantle of the White Ranger. The new series will reveal this mystery character's identity and explore what happens when the White Ranger and Green Ranger coexist on the same team. Boom notes the All New Green Ranger will first make their debut in October's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #55, the series finale. The new series will pit the revamped team against Lord Zedd, a villain who's gained a new mission and new motivations since his last appearance. Boom's press release teases Zedd's new mission "will change everything you thought you knew about our heroes." The press release also teases a major twist that hits very close to home for the Rangers, hinting "the greatest threat to their future is the shocking secret of Zordon’s past!" “This is a brand new beginning for an all-new Mighty Morphin team featuring characters you know - and an all new Green Ranger. This book is a chance to explore the past, present and future of the team in ways you've never seen before,” said Parrott in a statement. “Coming out of Necessary Evil, there seemed like an opportunity to not only start fresh but focus the story in on our new MIGHTY MORPHIN team like we haven't before.” “I'm really happy to have the opportunity to work on Power Rangers. I used to watch the TV show every day and being able to draw these characters is a dream come true,” said Renna. “I feel honored to be part of this fantastic team and I am excited to go into this new adventure. I really hope you enjoy my art.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/20/power-rangers-writer-reveals-the-future-of-the-franchise-comic-con-2019"] Fans can find out more about this relaunch at Comic-Con@Home. Boom will host a "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Future is Now" panel on Saturday, July 25 at 1:00 pm PT. In other Power Rangers news, the Rangers recently crossed paths with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, resulting in a hybrid villain known as Green Ranger Shredder. And thanks to the debut of TokuSHOUTsu, fans can now watch the original Japanese series Super Sentai that inspired the Power Rangers franchise. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

BOOM! Studios is relaunching its flagship Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic in November 2020. Now titled Mighty Morphin, the series will feature a revamped team lineup that includes a brand new incarnation of the Green Ranger. Mighty Morphin will be written by current Mighty Morphin Power Rangers writer Ryan Parrott and drawn by artist Marco Renna (All-New Michael Turner's Fathom). The series will be one of two new Power Rangers comics debuting in November and building on the fallout of the recent "Necessary Evil" crossover, as part of a new direction dubbed "Unlimited Power." The second title is still under wraps for the time being. Check out the slideshow gallery below to see three covers for Mighty Morphin #1: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=mighty-morphin-power-rangers-relaunch-introduces-the-all-new-green-ranger&captions=true"] Mighty Morphin will introduce several new wrinkles to the Power Rangers mythos, the most significant of them being the identity of the All New Green Ranger. It's clearly not Tommy Oliver, as Tommy looks to still be wearing the mantle of the White Ranger. The new series will reveal this mystery character's identity and explore what happens when the White Ranger and Green Ranger coexist on the same team. Boom notes the All New Green Ranger will first make their debut in October's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #55, the series finale. The new series will pit the revamped team against Lord Zedd, a villain who's gained a new mission and new motivations since his last appearance. Boom's press release teases Zedd's new mission "will change everything you thought you knew about our heroes." The press release also teases a major twist that hits very close to home for the Rangers, hinting "the greatest threat to their future is the shocking secret of Zordon’s past!" “This is a brand new beginning for an all-new Mighty Morphin team featuring characters you know - and an all new Green Ranger. This book is a chance to explore the past, present and future of the team in ways you've never seen before,” said Parrott in a statement. “Coming out of Necessary Evil, there seemed like an opportunity to not only start fresh but focus the story in on our new MIGHTY MORPHIN team like we haven't before.” “I'm really happy to have the opportunity to work on Power Rangers. I used to watch the TV show every day and being able to draw these characters is a dream come true,” said Renna. “I feel honored to be part of this fantastic team and I am excited to go into this new adventure. I really hope you enjoy my art.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/20/power-rangers-writer-reveals-the-future-of-the-franchise-comic-con-2019"] Fans can find out more about this relaunch at Comic-Con@Home. Boom will host a "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Future is Now" panel on Saturday, July 25 at 1:00 pm PT. In other Power Rangers news, the Rangers recently crossed paths with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, resulting in a hybrid villain known as Green Ranger Shredder. And thanks to the debut of TokuSHOUTsu, fans can now watch the original Japanese series Super Sentai that inspired the Power Rangers franchise. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Babylon's Fall, the upcoming PlayStation 4 and PC game developed in partnership between Square Enix and Platinum Games, has been confirmed to still be in development, but the wait for more info will be longer than previously planned. The Babylon's Fall development team took to Twitter to say that while they "hoped to reveal more about the game this summer," fans of the dark fantasy action game with a brushstroke visual art style called "Brushwork Filter" will have to be a bit more patient. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/10/babylons-fall-gameplay-trailer"] "Greetings," the Tweet reads. "Thank you to all fans who've been following along for updates on Babylon's Fall. While we hoped to reveal more about the game this summer, we can share that development on Babylon's Fall is continuing to progress well, with the team working safely from home." "Square Enix and Platinum Games are committed to delivering an exhilarating experience and we look forward to showcasing much more on Babylon's Fall to you as soon as we can." Babylon's Fall, which is the second game from both Square Enix and Platinum Games following NieR: Automata, was revealed during E3 2018 and appeared in December 2019's PlayStation State of Play with a gameplay trailer and the promise of "more information next summer." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/06/11/babylons-fall-reveal-trailer-square-enix-and-platinumgames-e3-2018"] [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.

Babylon's Fall, the upcoming PlayStation 4 and PC game developed in partnership between Square Enix and Platinum Games, has been confirmed to still be in development, but the wait for more info will be longer than previously planned. The Babylon's Fall development team took to Twitter to say that while they "hoped to reveal more about the game this summer," fans of the dark fantasy action game with a brushstroke visual art style called "Brushwork Filter" will have to be a bit more patient. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/10/babylons-fall-gameplay-trailer"] "Greetings," the Tweet reads. "Thank you to all fans who've been following along for updates on Babylon's Fall. While we hoped to reveal more about the game this summer, we can share that development on Babylon's Fall is continuing to progress well, with the team working safely from home." "Square Enix and Platinum Games are committed to delivering an exhilarating experience and we look forward to showcasing much more on Babylon's Fall to you as soon as we can." Babylon's Fall, which is the second game from both Square Enix and Platinum Games following NieR: Automata, was revealed during E3 2018 and appeared in December 2019's PlayStation State of Play with a gameplay trailer and the promise of "more information next summer." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/06/11/babylons-fall-reveal-trailer-square-enix-and-platinumgames-e3-2018"] [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.