Rosario Dawson says her reported role as Ahsoka Tano on the second season of The Mandalorian has not been made official yet, but she is "very excited" for it to be confirmed at some point. Speaking to Variety, Dawson addressed the rumours that she has been cast as the fan-favourite Jedi Padawan, who plays one of the main protagonists in Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie and TV series, as she thanked fans for potentially making it happen. "That's not confirmed yet but when that happens, I will be very happy. I'm very excited for that to be confirmed at some point," she said, adding that the casting would be "a million and one percent because of the fans." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/20/rosario-dawson-reportedly-cast-as-ahsoka-tano-in-the-mandalorian"] Dawson has been vocal about her desire to play Ahsoka in the past, particularly on Twitter, where she has replied to several fans who have supported the idea of her appearing in the Star Wars universe. In January, the actress quote tweeted a fan who posted an image of her and Ahsoka side-by-side, saying "Just for reference Ahsoka Tano would be in her early-mid 40s during #TheMandalorian." Dawson responded by saying, "Tell 'em! #AhsokaLives." This isn't the only character in a sci-fi franchise that she would like to take on though, as she revealed that she would love to work in both the Star Wars and Star Trek universes. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/19/clone-wars-ahsoka-tano-explained-in-a-minute"] "The two universes, Star Trek and Star Wars. I get in those two, I'm telling you, man, that's it," Dawson admitted. "I will just retire." Even though she would be happy to play a background Romulan or Vulcan on Star Trek, her father has her pegged as playing Q, the god-like being that frequently torments Picard and crew in the Next Generation. "I mean it would be great 'cause then I could jump on Discovery," Dawson said. "I could be on Picard. I just want to be with Jean-Luc Picard." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-upcoming-star-wars-movie&captions=true"] Disney's Bob Iger previously said that television would be the priority for the Star Wars franchise in the next few years, with The Mandalorian Season 2 premiering on Disney+ in October and then "more coming from The Mandalorian thereafter," including "the possibility of infusing it with more characters and the possibility of taking those characters in their own direction in terms of series." So, watch this space! [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Riot has revealed why its new anti-cheat system for Valorant runs all the time on users’ PCs, even when the game is not being played. As part of a currently 1,700 comment-long Reddit thread about Vanguard, the anti-cheat system that protects Valorant, Riot’s Paul Chamberlain - known as RiotArkem on Reddit - explained why it is important to have the anti-cheat kick in the moment you turn on your PC. In short: it is impossible for cheaters to run any cheat software before the anti-cheat loads up, which is a common way cheaters exploit other anti-cheat solutions that only run when a game is active. And no, it's not spyware. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/11/every-valorant-character-explained"] “Vanguard contains a driver component called vgk.sys (similar to other anti-cheat systems), it's the reason why a reboot is required after installing. Vanguard doesn't consider the computer trusted unless the Vanguard driver is loaded at system startup (this part is less common for anti-cheat systems),” said Chamberlain. “This is good for stopping cheaters because a common way to bypass anti-cheat systems is to load cheats before the anti-cheat system starts and either modify system components to contain the cheat or to have the cheat tamper with the anti-cheat system as it loads,” he added. “Running the driver at system startup time makes this significantly more difficult.” Importantly, Chamberlain emphasises that even though Vanguard is constantly running while your PC is on, it “does not collect or send any information about your computer back to us. Any cheat detection scans will be run by the non-driver component only when the game is running.” Essentially, while Vanguard is constantly running, it is only active while Valorant is active. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=gameplay-screenshots-of-valorant-closed-beta&captions=true"] It’s understandable why people are wary of a new piece of software running constantly in the background of their PC; that’s effectively the basic recipe for spyware. We’re all concerned about companies tracking our digital footprints and gathering data about us, and so it’s easy to be suspicious when new tech looks akin to what we’ve been told to avoid. In this case, however, it looks like Riot’s intentions are purely on ensuring Valorant is free of cheaters. For more on Valorant, check out our review-in-progress of the newly launched 5v5 shooter from the studio behind League of Legends. And if you’re in the closed beta yourself, then check out our Valorant tips and tricks guide. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

Riot has revealed why its new anti-cheat system for Valorant runs all the time on users’ PCs, even when the game is not being played. As part of a currently 1,700 comment-long Reddit thread about Vanguard, the anti-cheat system that protects Valorant, Riot’s Paul Chamberlain - known as RiotArkem on Reddit - explained why it is important to have the anti-cheat kick in the moment you turn on your PC. In short: it is impossible for cheaters to run any cheat software before the anti-cheat loads up, which is a common way cheaters exploit other anti-cheat solutions that only run when a game is active. And no, it's not spyware. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/11/every-valorant-character-explained"] “Vanguard contains a driver component called vgk.sys (similar to other anti-cheat systems), it's the reason why a reboot is required after installing. Vanguard doesn't consider the computer trusted unless the Vanguard driver is loaded at system startup (this part is less common for anti-cheat systems),” said Chamberlain. “This is good for stopping cheaters because a common way to bypass anti-cheat systems is to load cheats before the anti-cheat system starts and either modify system components to contain the cheat or to have the cheat tamper with the anti-cheat system as it loads,” he added. “Running the driver at system startup time makes this significantly more difficult.” Importantly, Chamberlain emphasises that even though Vanguard is constantly running while your PC is on, it “does not collect or send any information about your computer back to us. Any cheat detection scans will be run by the non-driver component only when the game is running.” Essentially, while Vanguard is constantly running, it is only active while Valorant is active. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=gameplay-screenshots-of-valorant-closed-beta&captions=true"] It’s understandable why people are wary of a new piece of software running constantly in the background of their PC; that’s effectively the basic recipe for spyware. We’re all concerned about companies tracking our digital footprints and gathering data about us, and so it’s easy to be suspicious when new tech looks akin to what we’ve been told to avoid. In this case, however, it looks like Riot’s intentions are purely on ensuring Valorant is free of cheaters. For more on Valorant, check out our review-in-progress of the newly launched 5v5 shooter from the studio behind League of Legends. And if you’re in the closed beta yourself, then check out our Valorant tips and tricks guide. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

An HD remake of '90s cereal box Doom conversion, Chex Quest will arrive on Steam this summer. There's a sentence we bet you weren't expecting. Chex Quest HD received a Steam page yesterday, boasting upgraded graphics, six playable characters and split-screen multiplayer. The current release date is listed as Summer 2020. For the uninitiated, Chex Quest was a 1996 DOS game developed by Digital Cafe that people could find by purchasing boxes of Chex cereal. The game was a total conversion modification of id Software's Doom - albeit one that removed all displays of violence, replacing the plot and mobs with aliens and... pieces of cereal. You play as the Chex Warrior, a soldier adorned in armour made out of the eponymous cereal. The Chex Warrior repels the Flemoids from the planet Bazoik with his Zorchers, liberating captured colonists in the process. Naturally, the game garnered quite the cult following in the decades since the promotion and the original Chex Quest was re-released in 2019 by Chex manufacturer General Mills. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=9-corporate-ad-games-that-didnt-suck&captions=true"] Chex Quest HD has been in development since 2016 by Team Chex Quest Studio and Flight School Studio, responsible for 2018's Island Time VR. Meanwhile, the original Chex Quest is receiving a physical launch thanks to Limited Run Games. The Chex Warrior Edition of Chex Quest will contain a full-scale Zorcher Replica, a piece of memorabilia that I imagine will be a high-demand item for any Chex Quest enthusiast worth their salt. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman hails from the United Kingdom and therefore does not understand why you're all enamoured by this cereal game. Tell him what Chex is on Twitter.

An HD remake of '90s cereal box Doom conversion, Chex Quest will arrive on Steam this summer. There's a sentence we bet you weren't expecting. Chex Quest HD received a Steam page yesterday, boasting upgraded graphics, six playable characters and split-screen multiplayer. The current release date is listed as Summer 2020. For the uninitiated, Chex Quest was a 1996 DOS game developed by Digital Cafe that people could find by purchasing boxes of Chex cereal. The game was a total conversion modification of id Software's Doom - albeit one that removed all displays of violence, replacing the plot and mobs with aliens and... pieces of cereal. You play as the Chex Warrior, a soldier adorned in armour made out of the eponymous cereal. The Chex Warrior repels the Flemoids from the planet Bazoik with his Zorchers, liberating captured colonists in the process. Naturally, the game garnered quite the cult following in the decades since the promotion and the original Chex Quest was re-released in 2019 by Chex manufacturer General Mills. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=9-corporate-ad-games-that-didnt-suck&captions=true"] Chex Quest HD has been in development since 2016 by Team Chex Quest Studio and Flight School Studio, responsible for 2018's Island Time VR. Meanwhile, the original Chex Quest is receiving a physical launch thanks to Limited Run Games. The Chex Warrior Edition of Chex Quest will contain a full-scale Zorcher Replica, a piece of memorabilia that I imagine will be a high-demand item for any Chex Quest enthusiast worth their salt. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman hails from the United Kingdom and therefore does not understand why you're all enamoured by this cereal game. Tell him what Chex is on Twitter.

The Cooking Mama series creator, Office Create, has called Cooking Mama: Cookstar's release on Switch "unauthorized", and said it has not licensed a PS4 version of the game currently listed for release. The company is now evaluating legal action against Cookstar publisher Planet Entertainment. The statement today helps clear up a number of factors in the confusing story of Cooking Mama: Cookstar's release. In a public statement today, Office Create explains that it licensed Cooking Mama to Planet Entertainment in August 2018. However, ahead of release, the license holder "rejected a wide range of deficiencies affecting the overall feel, quality and content of the game". According to Office Create, Planet was contractually obligated to then "correct the identified deficiencies and resubmit the corrected game for Office Create’s approval". However, Planet Entertainment went onto release the game through Nintendo eShop - which was shortly after pulled from release, and remains unavailable to buy digitally - and physical copies of the game were released to retailers. According to the license holder, this was "an unauthorized release in breach of Planet’s contract with Office Create." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/09/what-the-heck-is-going-on-with-cooking-mama-nvc-503"] Several retailers in the US have now removed listings for the boxed game but, as of time of writing, Cooking Mama: Cookstar is available from major European retailers. IGN has now reviewed one of those physical copies, awarding the game a 3/10. Office Create says it subsequently terminated Planet Entertainment's license for the game, and is "evaluating all legal action against Planet to protect our customers, intellectual property rights and the Cooking Mama series." It seems likely that the game will not receive another digital release, at the very least while the dispute is ongoing. This statement confirms several elements of an anonymous interview given to ScreenRant, which also claims that Office Create used its contacts at Nintendo to have the game pulled from sale. A separate anonymous source, speaking to IGN, also stated that there had been disagreements between Planet and Office Create when the license holder visited to offices of developer 1st Playable Productions last year. Office Create's statement does not mention 1st Playable's involvement at any point. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/14/cooking-mama-cookstar-review"] Office Create's statement also brings up the mooted PS4 version of the game, effectively saying it is unaware of any version of the game outside of Nintendo Switch: "Office Create has not licensed Planet (or any other entity) to create any Cooking Mama games for PS4™. Office Create itself has not been involved in the development of any PS4™ Cooking Mama game." At time of writing, Cookstar's European distributor, Koch Media still lists a PS4 version of the game, with a release date of May 12 and a price of €39.99. IGN spoke to a representative Koch Media last week, who was unable to confirm whether the PS4 version was still coming, despite that listing. It's another twist in an already bizarre story, which previously forced 1st Playable to deny the game was secretly mining cryptocurrency while you played. IGN reached out to Office Create for comment on the Screenrant article last week, but has received no response. Planet Entertainment hasn't replied to IGN requests for comment for several weeks. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News, and can't believe how much he's thought about Cooking Mama in recent weeks. Follow him on Twitter.

The Cooking Mama series creator, Office Create, has called Cooking Mama: Cookstar's release on Switch "unauthorized", and said it has not licensed a PS4 version of the game currently listed for release. The company is now evaluating legal action against Cookstar publisher Planet Entertainment. The statement today helps clear up a number of factors in the confusing story of Cooking Mama: Cookstar's release. In a public statement today, Office Create explains that it licensed Cooking Mama to Planet Entertainment in August 2018. However, ahead of release, the license holder "rejected a wide range of deficiencies affecting the overall feel, quality and content of the game". According to Office Create, Planet was contractually obligated to then "correct the identified deficiencies and resubmit the corrected game for Office Create’s approval". However, Planet Entertainment went onto release the game through Nintendo eShop - which was shortly after pulled from release, and remains unavailable to buy digitally - and physical copies of the game were released to retailers. According to the license holder, this was "an unauthorized release in breach of Planet’s contract with Office Create." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/09/what-the-heck-is-going-on-with-cooking-mama-nvc-503"] Several retailers in the US have now removed listings for the boxed game but, as of time of writing, Cooking Mama: Cookstar is available from major European retailers. IGN has now reviewed one of those physical copies, awarding the game a 3/10. Office Create says it subsequently terminated Planet Entertainment's license for the game, and is "evaluating all legal action against Planet to protect our customers, intellectual property rights and the Cooking Mama series." It seems likely that the game will not receive another digital release, at the very least while the dispute is ongoing. This statement confirms several elements of an anonymous interview given to ScreenRant, which also claims that Office Create used its contacts at Nintendo to have the game pulled from sale. A separate anonymous source, speaking to IGN, also stated that there had been disagreements between Planet and Office Create when the license holder visited to offices of developer 1st Playable Productions last year. Office Create's statement does not mention 1st Playable's involvement at any point. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/14/cooking-mama-cookstar-review"] Office Create's statement also brings up the mooted PS4 version of the game, effectively saying it is unaware of any version of the game outside of Nintendo Switch: "Office Create has not licensed Planet (or any other entity) to create any Cooking Mama games for PS4™. Office Create itself has not been involved in the development of any PS4™ Cooking Mama game." At time of writing, Cookstar's European distributor, Koch Media still lists a PS4 version of the game, with a release date of May 12 and a price of €39.99. IGN spoke to a representative Koch Media last week, who was unable to confirm whether the PS4 version was still coming, despite that listing. It's another twist in an already bizarre story, which previously forced 1st Playable to deny the game was secretly mining cryptocurrency while you played. IGN reached out to Office Create for comment on the Screenrant article last week, but has received no response. Planet Entertainment hasn't replied to IGN requests for comment for several weeks. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News, and can't believe how much he's thought about Cooking Mama in recent weeks. Follow him on Twitter.

Update: Official PlayStation Magazine UK has released a statement on its social media account regarding its recent story on Ghost of Tsushima. OPM confirmed that there are inaccuracies in both its March 2020 cover story for Ghost of Tsushima, as well as the recent May 2020 article which provided the basis of the original story below. While neither OPM nor Sony specified what details are inaccurate, they are likely details regarding the Waypoint system and ally system detailed in the original report. Original story follows. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Ghost of Tsushima will eschew traditional video game waypoints in favor of having players navigate the world using landmarks and other physical features, according to a new preview for Sucker Punch’s upcoming samurai-ninja action game. With only a few months until Ghost of Tsushima’s launch (still slated for PS4 on June 26), Official PlayStation Magazine UK has a new preview for the action-adventure title, including new details about how travel and NPCs work in the game. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=2020-platform-exclusives&captions=true"] When it comes to making your way through the detailed sandbox of Tsushima, players will have to rely on physical landmarks and understanding of the world to explore. There are no waypoints in the game highlighting where the next mission is, or where a side quest might be located. Compare this with Sucker Punch’s Infamous series which used different waypoints to highlight various activities players can engage with. So if you’re looking for a destination, you’ll hopefully have a good sense of in-game direction. Other highlights from the preview include how the eponymous Ghost, real name Jin Sakai, was trained as a samurai but adopts ninja-like skills to take on the Mongol invaders. That means Sakai can use either his samurai abilities or ninja abilities to take on threats. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/05/ghost-of-tsushima-story-trailer"] The players’ combat choice can even impact interactions with other characters in Ghost of Tsushima. Shimura, Sakai’s uncle and also a samurai, doesn’t approve of the ninja-skills which could negatively impact your relationship with the character if you rely on it too much. Another character, Makoto, is an expert archer and could be a powerful ally to Sakai. However, if she disagrees with too many of your actions she could end up turning on you. This suggests there are limited branching paths where the story changes depending on your actions. One cool detail for cinephiles is how the soundtrack features music by Japanese film composer Shigeru Umebayashi, who worked on movies like House of Flying Daggers and The Grandmaster. Check back with IGN for more news about Ghost of Tsushima, or check out our PS5 page for all the latest details on Sony’s next-gen console. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

The Rekindle School, an independent theater and arts school in Seattle, Washington, reported that one of its faculty, Rick May, has died from complications with COVID-19. May, a stage actor, was also the voice of popular video game characters like Peppy Hare in Star Fox 64 and Soldier in Team Fortress 2. May was 79. Peppy Hare might not be one of gaming's most famous characters, but May’s line in 1997's Star Fox 64 where he played Fox McCloud’s mentor is one of the most iconic lines in gaming history - so much so that even Google got in on the beloved meme. Go ahead, Google "Do a barrel roll" and see what happens. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2011/11/03/google-does-a-barrel-roll"] May was primarily a theater actor. He served as artistic director of Renton Civic Theatre and Civic Light Opera in Washington state, where he also worked as a freelance actor and director. Throughout his career, he portrayed famous characters such as Tevye in Fiddler On the Roof, Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, and Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. May also played historic figures like Ben Franklin, King Henry II, Julius Caesar, and Theodore Roosevelt in a one-man play Bully! Whether it was Shakespearean leaders or down-on-their-luck salesmen, May seemed most comfortable exploring the range of masculine roles. In 1997, May began voice acting, and he brought the range he showcased on stage to video games. Although he’s only credited with six video game roles, his most famous characters are instantly recognizable: Peppy Hare and Andross in Star Fox 64, and Soldier in Team Fortress 2 (and its famous animated shorts) – a broad showcase for May's talents as an actor. Following his appearance in Star Fox 64, May appeared in the games Pajama Sam 2 as Wingnut, Freddi Fish 5 as Dadfish, Age of Empires 2 as Genghis Khan, and Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves as the nefarious Dr. M. All of the developers – from Sucker Punch and Humungous Entertainment to Nintendo – were fixtures of the Washington state game scene where May called home. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2007/08/22/team-fortress-2-pc-games-gameplay-meet-the-soldier"] In 2007 May once again starred in a game that dominated internet culture for years when he voiced the Team Fortress 2 Soldier for another Washington-based game company, Valve. His roles as Soldier for various Valve shorts were the most recent listed on May’s IMDB page. But the role is a surprising showcase that combines expert comedic timing with gruff charisma. A fitting role for an actor who played a variety of charismatic soldiers on stage. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

The Rekindle School, an independent theater and arts school in Seattle, Washington, reported that one of its faculty, Rick May, has died from complications with COVID-19. May, a stage actor, was also the voice of popular video game characters like Peppy Hare in Star Fox 64 and Soldier in Team Fortress 2. May was 79. Peppy Hare might not be one of gaming's most famous characters, but May’s line in 1997's Star Fox 64 where he played Fox McCloud’s mentor is one of the most iconic lines in gaming history - so much so that even Google got in on the beloved meme. Go ahead, Google "Do a barrel roll" and see what happens. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2011/11/03/google-does-a-barrel-roll"] May was primarily a theater actor. He served as artistic director of Renton Civic Theatre and Civic Light Opera in Washington state, where he also worked as a freelance actor and director. Throughout his career, he portrayed famous characters such as Tevye in Fiddler On the Roof, Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, and Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. May also played historic figures like Ben Franklin, King Henry II, Julius Caesar, and Theodore Roosevelt in a one-man play Bully! Whether it was Shakespearean leaders or down-on-their-luck salesmen, May seemed most comfortable exploring the range of masculine roles. In 1997, May began voice acting, and he brought the range he showcased on stage to video games. Although he’s only credited with six video game roles, his most famous characters are instantly recognizable: Peppy Hare and Andross in Star Fox 64, and Soldier in Team Fortress 2 (and its famous animated shorts) – a broad showcase for May's talents as an actor. Following his appearance in Star Fox 64, May appeared in the games Pajama Sam 2 as Wingnut, Freddi Fish 5 as Dadfish, Age of Empires 2 as Genghis Khan, and Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves as the nefarious Dr. M. All of the developers – from Sucker Punch and Humungous Entertainment to Nintendo – were fixtures of the Washington state game scene where May called home. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2007/08/22/team-fortress-2-pc-games-gameplay-meet-the-soldier"] In 2007 May once again starred in a game that dominated internet culture for years when he voiced the Team Fortress 2 Soldier for another Washington-based game company, Valve. His roles as Soldier for various Valve shorts were the most recent listed on May’s IMDB page. But the role is a surprising showcase that combines expert comedic timing with gruff charisma. A fitting role for an actor who played a variety of charismatic soldiers on stage. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.