Just when you thought you’d never read about Cats again, now there’s been a deeper probing of the VFX butthole revelations that rocked social media last month and led to the rallying cry of “Release the Butthole Cut!” Cats, one of the biggest critical and commercial flops of 2019, became available to watch on digital in March. It prompted everyone from lovers of bad cinema to the morbidly curious, including a stoned Seth Rogen, to tweet their reactions to watching the Tom Hooper-directed debacle. Rogen's Cats tweets weren't the only posts to get social media in a dander. Filmmaker Ben Mekler's Cats tweets prompted screenwriter Jack Waz to make a startling claim about the film's initial visual effects (which were incomplete when the movie opened in December and prompted Universal to re-release it with "improved visual effects"). [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-worst-reviewed-movies-of-2019&captions=true"] Waz alleged that he was told by a visual effects colleague that the anthropomorphic cats originally had exposed anuses that were then digitally removed shortly before the film's December theatrical release. Melker also posted his exchange with a VFX artist who claims to have worked on Cats and who clarified the existence of these digitally removed buttholes. Now, The Daily Beast has gotten to the bottom of this enduring Hollywood meowstery by interviewing visual effects artists who worked on Cats, a hellish ordeal the artists referred to as “almost slavery.” The VFX community has taken umbrage to bearing the blame and becoming the butt of the joke over Cats, especially when two of the film’s stars, James Corden and Rebel Wilson, mocked their efforts during this year’s Oscars broadcast. For the VFX artists who labored on Cats -- working 90-hour weeks for months on the behind-schedule production -- the blame for the whole affair lies with director Tom Hooper, a filmmaker who’d never worked with special effects to this degree before and was thus deemed woefully out of his depth. The Daily Beast chronicles how Hooper’s allegedly “disrespectful” and “demeaning” behavior towards the VFX artists was matched only by his inability to grasp the process when it came to animating the humanoid felines. Visual effects artists on animated films first show a director rough previews (or “playblasts”) of sequences that allows the filmmaker to judge characters’ motions before the crew then spends hours adding details from color to lighting to texture. Hooper, the site claims, “did not seem to grasp that process” and instead the artists had to fully render any animatics they presented to him lest they be berated. The production, the site’s source claims, sled into the realm of absurdity “when Hooper would demand to see videos of actual cats performing the same actions the cats would do in the film. ‘And as you know,’ the source said, ‘cats don‘t dance.’” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/18/cats-review"] But, you may be wondering, who’s the butthole responsible for the buttholes in Cats? We may never know. As The Daily Beast’s source recalled, “There was nobody that said, ‘We want buttholes.’ It was one of those things that just happened and slipped through.” Their source recounted how the production was midway to completion when the buttholes were exposed: “We went to call our supervisor, and we’re like, ‘There’s a f***ing a**hole in there! There’s buttholes!’ It wasn’t prominent but you saw it… And you [were] just like, ‘What the hell is that?... There’s a f***ing butthole in there.’ It wasn’t in your face—but at the same time, too, if you’re looking, you’ll see it.” Those artists may have seen it but, despite demands online to Release the Butthole Cut of Cats, it’s a safe bet the general public will never get the (w)hole experience.

Grounded, the survival adventure game from Obsidian, will enter Xbox Game Preview and Steam Early Access on July 28. Announced during today's Inside Xbox broadcast, the game will be available as part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Grounded is a survival game with a Honey I Shrunk the Kids set-up - you (and up to three others) play as teenagers shrunken to less than the size of ants. You'll need to harvest materials and craft weapons and defenses, while fighting off waves of marauding bugs. It's primary difference form other survival games of its ilk is that it will weave an evolving story into the game as you play. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/14/obsidians-grounded-first-impressions"] When IGN saw an early demo last year, we said, "There's a lot of potential in its tiny world - it’s a unique take on a popular genre, and the world they’ve built is engaging and genuinely pretty." Made by only a small team of around 14, Grounded is the first Obsidian game since the traditionally RPG-focused developer was acquired by Microsoft (although it was already work on the project before the acquisition). [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is the executive news editor at IGN.

Sony has revealed the DualSense, PlayStation 5's new controller that will "bring a sense of touch to PS5 gameplay." Announced on PlayStation.Blog, the DualSense will keep "much of what gamers love about DualShock 4 intact, while also adding new functionality and refining the design." Touch was a big inspiration when designing the DualSense, and haptic feedback is one of the ways this new controller will help bring PS5 games to life. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=playstation-5-dualsense-controller&captions=true"] Sony mentions that this feedback will add " a variety of powerful sensations you’ll feel when you play, such as the slow grittiness of driving a car through mud." Adaptive triggers have also been incorporated to the L2 and R2 buttons, which will help players "feel the tension of your actions, like when drawing a bow to shoot an arrow." Fitting these new features into a brand new controller was a challenge for the design team, and they worked closely with PlayStation's hardware engineers to make the controller somehow feel smaller than it would end up being. The angle of the hand triggers were changed and some subtle updates were made to the grip. They also gave "thoughtful consideration" into how to keep a strong battery life for the DualSense, and wanted to ensure the weight of the controller did not get out of hand. One thing that will be missing from the DualSense is the "Share" button that was featured on the DualShock 4. Sharing from the controller is not gone, but that previous button was replaced by the new "Create" button. Sony promises more details will be revealed on this change as we get closer to PlayStation 5's launch. [poilib element="poll" parameters="id=14bf056e-7d1a-4723-9ad2-b21c9696f59c"] DualSense will also have a built-in microphone array that will allow players to easily chat with friends, even for those who don't own a headset. As for the controller's color, it is a bit of a non-traditional design as far as PlayStation is concerned. Usually, PlayStation controllers have a single color, but the DualSense has a two-toned design to make it stand apart. Additionally, the position of the light bar, which will be returning, was moved to "give it an extra pop." Now, the light bar sits on either side of the touch pad, as opposed to the top of the controller. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/playstation-5-specs-detailed"] PlayStation went through "several concepts and hundreds of mockups over the last few years" before this final design was reached, and it was tested on gamers with a wide variety of handsizes to ensure maximum comfort for as many as possible.

“DualSense marks a radical departure from our previous controller offerings and captures just how strongly we feel about making a generational leap with PS5," Jim Ryan, President & CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, said in a statement. "The new controller, along with the many innovative features in PS5, will be transformative for games – continuing our mission at PlayStation to push the boundaries of play, now and in the future. To the PlayStation community, I truly want to thank you for sharing this exciting journey with us as we head toward PS5’s launch in Holiday 2020. We look forward to sharing more information about PS5, including the console design, in the coming months.”

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/27/ps5-xbox-series-x-no-delay-concerns-yet-next-gen-console-watch"] Microsoft has already revealed the Xbox Series X and its controller, and we've broken down how these new controllers compare to each other. For more on PlayStation 5, be sure to check out the PS5's full specs and how it compares to Xbox Series X, why audio could be Sony's next-gen console's killer feature, and read Sony's comments on how the COVID-19 pandemic should not delay the launch of the PlayStation 5. [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 who can't wait to replay Final Fantasy VII Remake on PlayStation 5 with a DualSense. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

This week in RDO, get 5 Gold Bars as a login bonus, rack up a 3-Day Challenge streak for a bonus gift, and get double XP in Showdown.

E3 2020 will not get a digital-only replacement show, according to the show's organisers. Despite saying it would explore options for a digital showcase after canceling the traditional show, the ESA has now confirmed it will be skipping E3 2020 entirely: "Given the disruption brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, we will not be presenting an online E3 2020 event in June," reads a statement provided to IGN. "Instead, we will be working with exhibitors to promote and showcase individual company announcements, including on www.E3expo.com, in the coming months.  We look forward to bringing our industry and community together in 2021 to present a reimagined E3 that will highlight new offerings and thrill our audiences." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/03/ign-announces-summer-of-gaming-showcase-for-june"] If you're looking for a new source of game announcements in June, may we suggest IGN's newly-announced Summer of Gaming event? IGN will be collaborating with the likes of 2K, Square Enix, SEGA, and more to bring you publisher presentations with IGN pre- and post-discussions, remote developer interviews, hands-on demos and preview impressions, gameplay, and news segments recapping the biggest announcements. We'll have more information for you in the coming weeks. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Birds of Prey director Cathy Yan has expressed her interest in exploring the relationship between Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy in a potential future sequel. Speaking to The Wrap, Yan revealed that she already has ideas in place for a prospective Birds of Prey 2, even though a follow-up has not yet been officially confirmed. In particular, she shared her desire to bring the Harley-Ivy connection to the big screen. "I would love to see Poison Ivy and I would certainly love to see the relationship between Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy," Yan told the outlet. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/08/harley-quinn-and-black-canary-respond-to-ign-comments"] "I think people aren't ready to let go of Harley Quinn quite yet and you know, Margot I don't think is ready to let go of Harley Quinn yet either," she added. If given the green light, Yan certainly wouldn't be short of source material for the dynamic duo's first live-action adventure. Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy have a long, complicated history in the DC Universe, starting out with their team-up in Batman: The Animated Series, through which they quickly established themselves as Gotham City's version of Thelma and Louise. Given their immense popularity, the DC power couple were integrated into a swathe of other DC TV shows and comic book series, including a Harley Quinn solo series, written by Amanda Connor and Jimmy Palmiotti. Across these pages, Quinn and Ivy's romantic relationship became official canon after it being hinted at subtextually for years. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-dceu-movie-review-score&captions=true"] Despite largely positive reviews, Warner Bros' Birds of Prey didn't soar as high as expected at the box office. Ultimately, the film wound up with a worldwide gross of $201.9 million against an estimated production budget of $85 million, though it has been drawing additional revenue from its early VOD release. In our review of Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), we called the film "an anarchic glitterbomb of lunacy that boasts some of the most inventive fight sequences ever seen in a comic book movie," setting the stage for "a host of other intriguing spinoffs in the DC cinematic universe." So don't forget to check it out on VOD along with these other hot new titles coming to streaming platforms. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Microsoft's forthcoming conferences could be digital-only until July 2021 – but Xbox PR says that it's going to experiment with digital formats for the remainder of 2020. It's led to questions about potential attendance at Gamescom, a future E3 event, and the likes of an Xbox Series X launch event. The news began with a tweet from Ginny Caughey, which includes a portion of an email to attendees of the Microsoft MVP Summit: "In light of the challenges presented by COVID-19, Microsoft has been closely monitoring the developing global situation and re-assessing the overall company-wide in-person strategy," the statement reads. "As a company, Microsoft has made the decision to transition all external and internal events to a digital-first experience through July 2021. We will continue to evaluate the situation and look forward to connecting in person when the situation allows." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/25/how-coronavirus-is-affecting-nintendo"] IGN reached out to Xbox PR for official comment and received the following from a Microsoft spokesperson: "In light of challenges presented by Covid-19, we are adjusting our event calendar and strategy. For the remainder of 2020 we are embracing the opportunity to experiment with new platforms to provide our partners, customers and developers the highest quality, digital-first experiences." That response made clear to point out this strategy is scheduled for the rest of this year, but not necessarily beyond. Of course, as pointed out in the first statement, the situation is still under evaluation so things could change depending on how the COVID-19 pandemic continues to play out. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true"] That timescale seems to rule out any in-person events surrounding the launch of Xbox Series X. It would also seem to rule out attendance at Gamescom 2020, or the 'reimagined' E3 2021 – however, a report from Eurogamer says it understands this policy applies only to Microsoft-organised events, and trade show attendance would be taken on a case-by-case basis. Microsoft had already announced that it was moving forward with a digital-only format for its usual E3 conference in light of this year's E3 being cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Microsoft isn't the only company moving to a digital format in light of COVID-19 cancellations. Ubisoft announced that it will hold a digital conference in light of this year's E3 being cancelled. IGN itself will also hold Summer of Gaming, a digital showcase for new announcements this June. Here are some ways to help others and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

Sony will issue automatic refunds for pre-ordered digital copies of The Last Of Us Part 2 and Iron Man VR, following indefinite delays to both games. The news was revealed via the Sony support portal, where a banner notes that players who have purchased digital pre-orders of either game will be reimbursed. Those affected by this should have received emails from Sony detailing the refund process. This is in response to the indefinite delays announced for both games last week. Iron Man VR was primed for a May 15th release, while The Last Of Us Part 2 was scheduled to launch on May 29th, 2020. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/06/the-last-of-us-part-2-director-discusses-games-delay-ign-daily-fix"] This changed last week when Sony announced that logistical problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were preventing the company from "providing the launch experience our players deserve." The Last Of Us Part 2 director Neil Druckmann hopped on the Official PlayStation Blogcast yesterday to address the news. Answering questions about a potential digital release of the game, Druckmann noted that "there hasn't been a final decision" and that the studio as at "the one-yard line" in terms of the game's development. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/04/02/iron-man-vr-hands-on-impressions"] Naughty Dog wants to ensure a fair global rollout for all players, which means taking into account supply chains and internet infrastructure worldwide. We'll be sure to keep you posted if we hear anything more about the revised release schedule for both games. For now, check out these lovely new screenshots from The Last of Us Part 2 to sate some of your undying thirst. Here's how you can help and stay safe during the COVID-19 outbreak. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter. 

The first sets to launch as part of Nintendo's LEGO Super Mario collaboration have been revealed, arriving on August 1 - and you can pre-order the core set now. All available LEGO Super Mario sets:

• LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Mario Starter Course ($59.99)
• Piranha Plant Power Slide Expansion Set ($29.99)
• Bowser's Castle Boss Battle Expansion Set ($99.99)
• Monty Mole & Super Mushroom Expansion Set ($14.99 - currently preorder bonus)

The Adventures with Mario Starter Course is the entry point, and every other set will require it to function properly. The Starter course features 231 pieces and includes the interactive Mario figure, as well as 7 "action brick" types that won't be found in any other set. It's available to preorder for $59.99. LEGO.com is currently offering a preorder promotion that includes a Monty Mole and Super Mushroom Expansion set for free when preordering. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/07/lego-super-mario-sets-reveal-trailer"] The Starter Course can be combined with Expansion Sets. The first of these sets revealed are the Piranha Plant Power Slide Expansion Set ($29.99) and the Bowser's Castle Boss Battle Expansion Set ($99.99) The sets are themed but described as modular, suggesting that players can create their own levels with the disparate parts. You can see all the announced sets in the gallery below. As an accompaniment to the LEGO sets, there will be a LEGO Super Mario app where players can access features that augment the physical play experience. The app will keep track of your score as you build and rebuild sets and allow players to use zoom and rotate tools to ease the build process. It will also be home to your building instructions for the purchased sets. Announced last month, the LEGO Super Mario series will feature Mario collecting coins in physical levels that players will create with sets of LEGO bricks. The Mario figure included in the set features LCD screens in his eyes, mouth, and belly, which react to action bricks he comes into contact with. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=lego-super-mario-starter-course-and-expansion-sets&captions=true"] In other Mario news, Nintendo is apparently celebrating the plumber's 35th anniversary in style. Alongside this LEGO assortment, a suite of remasters of classic Mario games like Super Mario Sunshine are reportedly in development for the Nintendo Switch. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter. 

Though Lucasfilm teased some of the main characters that will be featured in the upcoming Star Wars: The High Republic publishing initiative when it was revealed in February, now they’ve fully pulled back the curtain on five brand new Jedi heroes on StarWars.com. The High Republic is an era of peace and prosperity when the Jedi were in their prime some 200 years before the events of the Skywalker Saga. “For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice,” Obi-Wan Kenobi told a young Luke Skywalker once upon a time. And now, through a series of novels, young adult books, junior novels, and comics we’re going to explore it for the first time. There is no single main protagonist in The High Republic, but rather a whole cast of characters who will pop up in the various stories. These five are only some of the new faces we'll be meeting for the first time. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/27/star-wars-the-high-republic-explained"] Though this is a time of relative peace before the Galactic Civil War that ignited during the Prequels, that doesn’t mean there aren’t dangers. The villainous Nihil are space vikings who pose a threat to the entire galaxy thanks to their unique ability to disrupt hyperspace travel. These are the Jedi Knights and Masters who will stand against them in the High Republic era. “Readers will see a very wide variety of Jedi in this era,” said Lucasfilm Publishing creative director Michael Siglain on StarWars.com. “This is a hopeful, optimistic time, when the Jedi are good and noble, and we want to reflect that in their characters while still giving them enough depth and dimension so that their individual personalities and idiosyncrasies shine through. The Jedi Knights of the High Republic are both aspirational and inspirational. In short, they’re the good guys.” Though the Jedi are mighty, all of these news characters were crafted to be flawed and “human” just like anyone else. “We’ve put a lot of time and effort into making our Jedi feel like real, rounded individuals,” explained Cavan Scott, writer of the Star Wars: The High Republic comic series for Marvel Comics. “They are all different, approaching the Force in individual and unique ways and yet are united with a common goal. They serve not out of unwavering dogma, but a deep passion to protect light and life. And they’re all at different stages in their individual journeys. Some have experience on their side, some have the exuberance of youth. Some are still finding their place in the Order while others step naturally into leadership roles. Some may not have chosen to work with the Jedi they’ve been posted alongside, but all are dedicated to be a guiding light for the galaxy. Individually they are strong, together they are invincible, but like the best heroes they each have lessons to learn and challenges to overcome. Exciting times lie ahead.” With that in mind, let’s meet these new Jedi. You can check out the new Jedi by flipping through the slideshow below or keep scrolling for the article. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=5-new-high-republic-jedi&captions=true"]

Avar Kriss

Avar Kriss wields a green lightsaber and is described as the brightest and most noble example of what it means to be a Jedi. If there were a Captain America among these new Jedi, she’d be it. She’s optimistic, self-sacrificing, and an inspiration to those around her. She goes by her sense of compassion rather than the dogma of the Jedi. She’s enthusiastic about living on the frontier of unexplored space and the new adventures it brings. (That’s right, the galaxy isn’t as well-explored during this time, so locations familiar to fans might not have been discovered yet.) She is literally described as “the best of the best.” And it looks like the Nihil are about to put that to the test. Where to Find Her: Star Wars: The High Republic - Light of the Jedi novel by Charles Soule

Loden Greatstorm

Loden Greatstorm may have a glum look on his face but don’t let that fool you, he’s described as having a good sense of humor. This Twi-lek Jedi Master uses a beautiful yellow blade and is renowned as one of the best teachers in the Jedi Order who is always looking for ways to improve himself and the Padawans under his tutelage. Think of him as Yoda, but taller! Where to Find Him: Star Wars: The High Republic - Light of the Jedi novel by Charles Soule

Keeve Trennis

Keeve Trennis is the new kid on the block and comes armed with a green double-bladed lightsaber. Only a Jedi Knight for a matter of weeks, she’s described as a quick-witted and impulsive with a promising future, if only she can trust in herself as much as she trusts in the Force. Keeve finds herself starstruck working alongside living legends like Avar Kriss and wants nothing more than to prove herself. To keep the Marvel metaphor going, she sounds a lot like Peter Parker when he first met his idol Tony Stark. She’s stationed on the Starlight Beacon, a space station that acts as a galactic hub and a main setting in the High Republic era, and she’s immediately tossed into the deep end when the Nihil bring about the Great Disaster -- a catastrophic, inciting event that throws the galaxy into chaos. Where to Find Her: Star Wars: The High Republic comic by Cavan Scott Speaking of all these new lightsabers, check out our video breaking down why they look a little different than you might expect: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/03/heres-why-lightsabers-are-different-in-star-wars-the-high-republic"]

Stellan Gios

Stellan Gios is not unlike Avar Kriss in that he’s a Jedi Master described as optimistic and well-respected. Stellan and Avar came up through the Jedi Order together, and while they don’t always wind up on the same assignment, when they do pair together they make one heck of a powerhouse team. But it sounds like we might have to wait to see the duo in action together, as the description on StarWars.com says Stellan is currently stationed at a Jedi Temple on the distant planet of Caragon-Viner. We hope that’s at least a place where he can put that cool Excalibur-esque, metal crossguard lightsaber to good use. Where to Find Him: Currently unknown

Vernestra “Vern” Rwoh

Vernestra “Vern” Rwoh was Padawan to Stellan Gios but is now a freshly minted Jedi Knight. In fact, at age 16 she’s one of the youngest Knights in a generation. She’s described as someone who works harder than most people her age, and she struggles to fit in with adults while also trying to be a role model for younger Jedi. So pretty much Hermione Granger with a violet lightsaber. Where to Find Her: Star Wars: The High Republic - A Test of Courage junior novel by Justina Ireland [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joshua is Senior Features Editor at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Game of Thrones are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.