Bethesda will not be broadcasting a digital showcase in June, despite the cancellation of E3 meaning the developer-publisher can't hold its traditional press conference this year. Confirmed in a tweet from head of marketing Pete Hines, the decision stems from the "many challenges" the company is facing due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Given the many challenges we're facing due to the pandemic, we will not host a digital Showcase in June. We have lots of exciting things to share about our games and look forward to telling you more in the coming months.

— Pete Hines (@DCDeacon) April 1, 2020

It sounds as though Bethesda will instead spread its planned announcements out across the year, rather than clustering them into a single show. Bethesda had previously said that it was planning to show off more from Arkane's Deathloop, and Tango Gameworks' Ghostwire: Tokyo at the show. Fans will have been hoping for more teases of The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield, as well. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/06/11/the-elder-scrolls-6-teaser-e3-2018"] It marks a very different approach from the company's competitors - the likes of Microsoft, Ubisoft and more have said that they're exploring how to hold digital replacements for their E3 keynotes. The news arrives a day after Bethesda cancelled QuakeCon 2020, due to be that show's 25th anniversary. IGN is encouraging safety and positivity for all of our readers during this pandemic. Read our tips on how to help, and stay safe, during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter.

The basic concept for Final Fantasy 7 Remake's boss battles originated in Yonkama Manga, a classic comic style based around telling a story in four panels. The insight was revealed as part of the Inside Final Fantasy VII Remake docu-series, a set of videos from Square Enix that offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the development of the Remake project. Near the end of the video, Lead Battle Designers Tomotaka Shiroichi and Kosuke Sakane talk about how the boss battles in Final Fantasy 7 Remake were inspired by Yonkama, a four-panel manga style from Japan. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/01/inside-final-fantasy-7-remake-part-3-english-subs"] Yonkoma is usually seen as a comic style made up of four panels in a vertical column, which follows a famous structure known as Kishotenketsu. As Shiroichi explains, the core parts of this structure include an introduction, a middle part, a development and a conclusion. The developers go on to explain how this works in the context of Final Fantasy, their words supplemented by footage of the Abzu boss fight from Final Fantasy 7 Remake. In the footage, the player encounters the beast and is on the back foot, but then studies its special moveset and counters with targeted attacks, leading to its defeat. "Encounter the enemy and start the battle in Phase 1, show each other's hand and the boss takes lead in Phase 2, In Phase 3, the boss shows you the signature attacks and the players start fighting back," Shiroichi explains. "That's when bosses start revealing their weaknesses - Phase 4 is the climax and introduces the next part of the storyline!" The battle designers note that the boss battles in Final Fantasy 7 Remake follow this pattern and as such, connect key events within the story by following those four steps from Yonkama manga. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/02/final-fantasy-7-remake-preview"] According to Shiroichi, each phase should also display Jo-Ha-Kyu, a Japanese concept  of movement that he describes as a "slow start, swift break, and rapid end." The video contains a number of other details about how the team behind Final Fantasy 7 Remake approached the game's combat, including a section interviewing the game's director Tetsuya Nomura about balancing the old-school hallmarks of Final Fantasy 7's ATB system with the demands of a modern audience. For more on Final Fantasy 7 Remake, check out our article about how COVID-19 has impacted its global launch, leading to an early release in Australia and Europe. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN who can't wait to display Jo-Ha-Kyu on some unsuspecting Shinra troops. Follow him on Twitter. 

The basic concept for Final Fantasy 7 Remake's boss battles originated in Yonkama Manga, a classic comic style based around telling a story in four panels. The insight was revealed as part of the Inside Final Fantasy VII Remake docu-series, a set of videos from Square Enix that offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the development of the Remake project. Near the end of the video, Lead Battle Designers Tomotaka Shiroichi and Kosuke Sakane talk about how the boss battles in Final Fantasy 7 Remake were inspired by Yonkama, a four-panel manga style from Japan. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/01/inside-final-fantasy-7-remake-part-3-english-subs"] Yonkoma is usually seen as a comic style made up of four panels in a vertical column, which follows a famous structure known as Kishotenketsu. As Shiroichi explains, the core parts of this structure include an introduction, a middle part, a development and a conclusion. The developers go on to explain how this works in the context of Final Fantasy, their words supplemented by footage of the Abzu boss fight from Final Fantasy 7 Remake. In the footage, the player encounters the beast and is on the back foot, but then studies its special moveset and counters with targeted attacks, leading to its defeat. "Encounter the enemy and start the battle in Phase 1, show each other's hand and the boss takes lead in Phase 2, In Phase 3, the boss shows you the signature attacks and the players start fighting back," Shiroichi explains. "That's when bosses start revealing their weaknesses - Phase 4 is the climax and introduces the next part of the storyline!" The battle designers note that the boss battles in Final Fantasy 7 Remake follow this pattern and as such, connect key events within the story by following those four steps from Yonkama manga. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/02/final-fantasy-7-remake-preview"] According to Shiroichi, each phase should also display Jo-Ha-Kyu, a Japanese concept  of movement that he describes as a "slow start, swift break, and rapid end." The video contains a number of other details about how the team behind Final Fantasy 7 Remake approached the game's combat, including a section interviewing the game's director Tetsuya Nomura about balancing the old-school hallmarks of Final Fantasy 7's ATB system with the demands of a modern audience. For more on Final Fantasy 7 Remake, check out our article about how COVID-19 has impacted its global launch, leading to an early release in Australia and Europe. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN who can't wait to display Jo-Ha-Kyu on some unsuspecting Shinra troops. Follow him on Twitter. 

Rockstar Games has announced that it will donate 5% of its online revenue to COVID-19 relief efforts. The news was revealed in a post from the Rockstar Games Twitter account, where the company explained that, from April 1, 5% of in-game purchases in GTA Online and Red Dead Online will go towards COVID-19 relief. The donation period will last until the end of May.

Rockstar Games and COVID-19 Relief pic.twitter.com/9j6NrtcrFN

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) April 1, 2020

This means that a percentage of the price of Rockstar's in-game microtransactions like Gold Bars in Red Dead Online and Shark Cards in GTA Online will go towards helping aid those who have been affected by COVID-19. "These funds will be used to help local communities and businesses struggling with the impacts of COVID-19, both directly and by supporting some of the amazing organizations who are on the ground," the statement reads. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/25/how-coronavirus-is-affecting-nintendo"] The decision was made after the team had noticed that communities around Rockstar offices in "North America, the UK, India and beyond" were facing hardship due to the pandemic, with small businesses closing doors and those who need government support unable to access it. "The road ahead will be challenging, and we want to help where we can," the statement reads. It's a charitable move from Rockstar that follows in the footsteps of other companies in the games industry who are doing their bit to help fight the Coronavirus. Last week we saw Nintendo donate nearly 10 thousand respirator masks to frontline staff in Washington. CD Projekt Red is also helping by donating nearly $1 million to combat the spread of COVID-19 in Poland. IGN is encouraging safety and positivity for all of our readers during this pandemic. Read our tips on how to help, and stay safe, during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter. 

Rockstar Games has announced that it will donate 5% of its online revenue to COVID-19 relief efforts. The news was revealed in a post from the Rockstar Games Twitter account, where the company explained that, from April 1, 5% of in-game purchases in GTA Online and Red Dead Online will go towards COVID-19 relief. The donation period will last until the end of May.

Rockstar Games and COVID-19 Relief pic.twitter.com/9j6NrtcrFN

— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) April 1, 2020

This means that a percentage of the price of Rockstar's in-game microtransactions like Gold Bars in Red Dead Online and Shark Cards in GTA Online will go towards helping aid those who have been affected by COVID-19. "These funds will be used to help local communities and businesses struggling with the impacts of COVID-19, both directly and by supporting some of the amazing organizations who are on the ground," the statement reads. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/25/how-coronavirus-is-affecting-nintendo"] The decision was made after the team had noticed that communities around Rockstar offices in "North America, the UK, India and beyond" were facing hardship due to the pandemic, with small businesses closing doors and those who need government support unable to access it. "The road ahead will be challenging, and we want to help where we can," the statement reads. It's a charitable move from Rockstar that follows in the footsteps of other companies in the games industry who are doing their bit to help fight the Coronavirus. Last week we saw Nintendo donate nearly 10 thousand respirator masks to frontline staff in Washington. CD Projekt Red is also helping by donating nearly $1 million to combat the spread of COVID-19 in Poland. IGN is encouraging safety and positivity for all of our readers during this pandemic. Read our tips on how to help, and stay safe, during the COVID-19 pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter. 

Adult Swim has confirmed the second half of Rick and Morty’s fourth season will air from May 3. The news comes via a trailer for season four’s final five episodes on Adult Swim’s YouTube channel. The fourth season of Rick and Morty initially commenced back in November 2019 before pausing in mid-December. While this upcoming salvo will only include five episodes, Rick and Morty was renewed for 70 episodes back in 2018 so there are plenty more on the way. Eventually, that is. Rick and Morty isn’t exactly renowned for rapid arrival, though co-creator Dan Harmon has previously stressed the gap between the next season shouldn’t be as long as the gulf between season three and four. The news of Rick and Morty’s return follows the announcement of Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland’s new adult animated series Solar Opposites, which is also arriving in May. Solar Opposites, which Roiland has co-created with Rick and Morty writer Mike McMahan, will be available in the US on Hulu. If you missed it, you can watch the hilarious new trailer for Solar Opposites below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/25/solar-opposites-official-teaser-trailer-2020-justin-roiland-thomas-middleditch"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.

Activision has confirmed over 50,000 accounts have been permanently banned from Call of Duty: Warzone for cheating. The publisher revealed the figure in a new post on the Activision Games Blog. “There’s no place for cheating in games,” the company stated. “Warzone has zero tolerance for cheaters.” Activision stressed that cracking down on cheating is something it has been heavily focused on but conceded that “it isn’t always something we discuss publicly.” According to Activision, security teams monitor Call of Duty: Warzone “24/7” to investigate and identify cheating, and that “[p]lans are underway to streamline the UI for a more seamless reporting experience.” “We recognize that there’s no single solution for combating cheaters, it’s a constant enforcement every day, 24/7,” continued the statement. “Rest assured, we’re committed to ensuring a fun and fair experience for everyone.” [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/23/call-of-duty-warzone-review] IGN’s review called Call of Duty: Warzone thoroughly enjoyable in spite of the serious concessions to depth made in the name of instant gratification, but there is one element unique to its design that may be somewhat troubling to experienced fans of existing battles royale. In other Call of Duty news, the long-rumoured Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Remastered is official and out right now, but it’s exclusive to PS4 for 30 days (and doesn’t include multiplayer). [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.

It was recently revealed that the Xbox Series X will not feature an S/PDIF optical audio out port, which has raised concern for many about how they'll be able to utilize existing headsets. Astro Gaming, known for its high-end gaming headsets, revealed via Twitter that it is working closely with Microsoft to update the firmware for MixAmp Pro TR, A50 + Base Station, and A20 headsets prior to the launch of Xbox Series X later this year. Astro claims this update will "include the ability to deliver game surround sound & voice chat via USB" bypassing the need for an optical audio port. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=9-new-xbox-series-x-images&captions=true"] The firmware updates will be available across the current lineup of Astro headsets, as well as the previous generation A50 headset. Astro also confirmed that an update to the A50 Gen 2 headset is "not planned at this time" meaning those with older headsets appear to be out of luck.

We are working with our partners at Microsoft to roll out a firmware update for MixAmp Pro TR, A50 + Base Station and A20 headsets by launch of Xbox Series X. This update will include the ability to deliver game surround sound & voice chat via USB. Stay tuned for future updates. pic.twitter.com/W65AXflRvk

— ASTRO Gaming (@ASTROGaming) March 31, 2020

Without a proper optical audio out port, Xbox Series X will instead deliver audio through HDMI 2.1 which has increased bandwidth to carry up to 8K visuals and Dolby Atmos audio through a single cable. Since HDMI has become the standard for most audio equipment and televisions it's not surprising that Microsoft opted to remove the optical audio port this time around. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/20/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x-full-spec-analysis-next-gen-console-watch"] When asked about plans for headset support on PS5, Astro said on Twitter it is waiting for additional information from Sony and will "make a separate compatibility statement" once that information becomes available. Currently, the PS4 does include an optical audio out port, so it will be interesting to see if Sony omits this on PS5. Xbox Series X and PS5 are both expected to launch this holiday season, although both consoles may be in limited supply due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Still not sure which console you're going to get? Check out our chart breaking down the key differences. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matthew Adler is a News and Features writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter and watch him stream on Twitch.

It looks as though Marvel has replaced the composer for the upcoming Black Widow film. According to Film Music Reporter, Lorne Balfe has been composing music for this new addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Scottish composer's previous credits include Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Bad Boys for Life, The LEGO Batman Movie, and 12 Strong. Balfe is also a regular contributor of additional music to films scored by Hans Zimmer, including The Dark Knight, Sherlock Holmes, Inception, Rush, and many more. Balfe was also behind the soundtracks for many video games, such as Assassin's Creed III, and worked with Hans Zimmer on the score for Beyond: Two Souls. Black Widow won't be Balfe's first MCU project; he's also credited for additional music alongside Ramin Djawadi for the original Iron Man.   [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/09/black-widow-official-final-trailer"] It appears Balfe will replace Alexandre Desplat who was confirmed to be working on the film earlier this year. Desplat is an Oscar-winning composer who worked on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Parts 1 & 2 and The Grand Budapest Hotel. He was also hired by Disney to work score Star Wars: Rogue One but was later replaced after reshoots. This is pretty late in the films post-production to be replacing the composer as Black Widow was initially set to hit theatres on May 2020 in the United States. It has since been delayed to an unconfirmed date due concerns regarding the COVID-19 virus. This reportedly won't affect the MCU timeline despite being the first film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]Hope Corrigan is an Australian freelance writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Frosthaven, the sequel to the hit 2017 board game, and makeshift doorstop, Gloomhaven, has raised close to $4 million in hours on Kickstarter. Frosthaven is a stand-alone campaign set in the Gloomhaven world. Characters from the original Gloomhaven and its expansions — Forgotten Circles and the upcoming Jaws of the Lion — are compatible with the sequel campaign, though Frosthaven will be adding 16 new characters which are, in turn, backward compatible. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=frosthaven-new-classes-and-icons&captions=true"] Like the original Gloomhaven, players can expect a massive box for Frosthaven full of map boards, scenario books, and hundreds of game pieces. Gameplay in Frosthaven will be similar to anyone familiar with Gloomhaven. Players form parties and explore a vast world where players’ choices dictate the scenario in permanent and lasting ways. Some new mechanics in Frosthaven include loot tokens as gold is not as valuable in the sequel and frozen north. There are also buildings in which players can build up using resources for new chance opportunities. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=frosthaven-enemy-artwork-and-mini-sculpts&captions=true"] There’s also a new puzzle mechanic where players must solve a puzzle book that will reveal the history of the Northern Coast. The developers warn that the puzzles can only be solved after digging through the entire game. Finally, the campaign will cycle through two seasons: Summer and Winter. While summer months will make the campaign similar to Gloomhaven, winter will make the game and world more dangerous. Frosthaven already smashed its $500,000 Kickstarter campaign goal, but there’s still a whole month to check out the project if you’re interested. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.