UPDATE: Netflix has agreed to reduce bandwidth in Europe over the next 30 days, according to Variety. It's not clear at this time how this will affect the quality of streams. “Following the discussions between Commissioner Thierry Breton and Reed Hastings — and given the extraordinary challenges raised by the coronavirus — Netflix has decided to begin reducing bit rates across all our streams in Europe for 30 days,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement to Variety. “We estimate that this will reduce Netflix traffic on European networks by around 25% while also ensuring a good quality service for our members.” The company has yet to announce if they plan to do the same for any other markets. Variety reports that about 30% of Netflix's users come from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. ORIGINAL STORY: The European Union has urged Netflix and other streaming services to restrict users from streaming in high definition to help to ease bandwidth strain amid concerns of surges in online traffic during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic despite there being no reports of outages or adverse affects at this time. As reported by CNN, European Commissioner Thierry Breton has asked streamers to switch the quality of its movies and TV shows from high definition to standard definition in order to manage the increased demand from users who are at home due to forced lockdowns.

Important phone conversation with @ReedHastings, CEO of @Netflix

To beat #COVID19, we #StayAtHome Teleworking & streaming help a lot but infrastructures might be in strain. To secure Internet access for all, let’s #SwitchToStandard definition when HD is not necessary. — Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) March 18, 2020

In a tweet on Wednesday, Breton confirmed that he had spoken to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings about the issue, as he encouraged people and companies to "switch to standard definition when HD is not necessary" to avoid putting infrastructures "in strain" and ensure that everyone has "secure internet access." In a secondary statement on Thursday, Breton stressed the importance of streaming platforms, telecom operators, and users taking the necessary action to reduce congestion and to safeguard the "smooth functioning of the internet during the battle against the virus propagation." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/19/5-kick-ass-action-movies-on-netflix"] A Netflix spokesperson told CNN, "Commissioner Breton is right to highlight the importance of ensuring that the internet continues to run smoothly during this critical time. We've been focused on network efficiency for many years, including providing our open connect service for free to telecommunications companies." The streaming giant also confirmed that it already takes measures to reduce the consumption of bandwidth by adjusting stream quality based on available network capacity and using a special network to deliver its library of content. Further, there have been no reports of outages or adverse affects as a result of the increased usage so far. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true"] At the moment of writing, cities in the USA have been following the lead of many in Europe with mandatory lockdowns. San Francisco and Los Angeles, California both announced lockdowns that include mandatory work-from-home policies, and shutting down bars and other high-risk gathering spaces. The most recent World Health Organization confirmed over 200 thousand cases globally, though that number increases every day. Consequently, people have been looking for ways to connect with their friends without having to leave the comfort of their sofas, with many turning to Netflix Party, a Google Chrome extension that allows multiple users to stream a Netflix show or movie together at the same time. This in itself shows a shift in behaviour as more and more people move towards indoor activities and creative connectivity at this unprecedented time. For a list of recommendations on how best to help, and stay safe, during the Coronavirus pandemic, please read our resource guide. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Much like the real world, the demand for toilet paper is increasing in Fallout 76. With the world dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in many ways, with some countries opting for drive-thru testing stations and others going into full quarantine, the U.S. has collectively emptied stores around the country of toilet paper. This has crossed over into the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout 76 as players are spending thousands of bottle caps on single rolls of toilet paper. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-fallout-review&captions=true"] Reddit user HistoricPigDog posted on the fo76 subreddit to ask the simple question of "why" to the user who purchased four rolls of his toilet paper for 450 caps each. That's still an unreasonably high price for toilet paper in a game where you don't need to use toilet paper in a bathroom, but someone in the comments of HistoricPigDog's post said they've sold a roll for 20,000 caps. "I have sold my only one for 20,000 caps," Reddit user bigjon176 said. "I put it up as a joke. Joke is on me. I should have listed it for 30k." Perhaps people are buying toilet paper for extraordinary prices in Fallout 76 because at least it's available in the game, unlike in the real world. Perhaps it's just a joke, but regardless, some wastelander has a roll of toilet paper in their possession that they spent 20,000 caps on to own. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/05/31/the-history-of-vault-76-and-everything-it-means-for-fallout-76"] Speaking of wastelanders, check out the trailer for the upcoming Fallout 76 Wastelanders update coming April 7. You can also read up on the game's new $100-a-year Fallout 1st subscription service. Be sure to check out our story featuring ways to help others and keep safe during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Much like the real world, the demand for toilet paper is increasing in Fallout 76. With the world dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in many ways, with some countries opting for drive-thru testing stations and others going into full quarantine, the U.S. has collectively emptied stores around the country of toilet paper. This has crossed over into the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout 76 as players are spending thousands of bottle caps on single rolls of toilet paper. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-fallout-review&captions=true"] Reddit user HistoricPigDog posted on the fo76 subreddit to ask the simple question of "why" to the user who purchased four rolls of his toilet paper for 450 caps each. That's still an unreasonably high price for toilet paper in a game where you don't need to use toilet paper in a bathroom, but someone in the comments of HistoricPigDog's post said they've sold a roll for 20,000 caps. "I have sold my only one for 20,000 caps," Reddit user bigjon176 said. "I put it up as a joke. Joke is on me. I should have listed it for 30k." Perhaps people are buying toilet paper for extraordinary prices in Fallout 76 because at least it's available in the game, unlike in the real world. Perhaps it's just a joke, but regardless, some wastelander has a roll of toilet paper in their possession that they spent 20,000 caps on to own. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/05/31/the-history-of-vault-76-and-everything-it-means-for-fallout-76"] Speaking of wastelanders, check out the trailer for the upcoming Fallout 76 Wastelanders update coming April 7. You can also read up on the game's new $100-a-year Fallout 1st subscription service. Be sure to check out our story featuring ways to help others and keep safe during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

Marvel's current Star Wars series is bridging the yearlong gap between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. One of the biggest mysteries from this unseen era of Star Wars lore is how Luke becomes the fully capable Jedi Knight he is in Episode VI. Star Wars #4 takes another important step in that journey, suggesting Luke may have had a third Jedi mentor after Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. Read on to learn more about the progress of Luke's hunt for his lost lightsaber and his new Jedi benefactor, but beware of spoilers for Star Wars #4 ahead! [poilib element="accentDivider"] [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-how-marvel-continues-the-story-of-the-empire-strikes-back&captions=true"] The new series' first major story arc deals with Luke, Leia and Lando returning to Cloud City in the aftermath of Episode V. Each character has their reasons. Luke is trying to make sense of a Force vision showing a mysterious robed Jedi catching his blue lightsaber. With Luke's connection to the Force weakened after learning the truth about his father, he hopes that recovering his saber and finding this mystery Jedi will put him back on the path toward true Jedi Knighthood. Unfortunately, Luke never actually retrieves his saber, which has landed somewhere in the midst of a giant pile of trash in the bowels of Cloud City. Sensing his friends are in danger, Luke chooses to help them rather than continue his search, an act which reawakens his connection to the Force and results in another vision of the mystery Jedi. [caption id="attachment_2321675" align="aligncenter" width="1864"] Art by Jesus Saiz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption] After rescuing his friends and retrieving his lost X-Wing, Luke decides to venture out on his own in search of this mysterious benefactor. Luke senses this character is a woman, giving us our first real clue as to their identity. Members of Reddit's StarWarsLeaks subreddit are already speculating this character could be Verla, a Jedi previously introduced in writer Charles Soule's Star Wars: Darth Vader series. Verla was depicted as a Jedi Padawan who survived Order 66 and battled Vader's forces on Mon Cala. She went into hiding after that battle, meaning she could still be alive and working to guide Luke on his journey. However, the mystery Jedi seems to be drawn with an unusually tall head in the image above, suggesting they could be a nonhuman Jedi. That brings to mind several iconic prequel Jedi like Shaak Ti and Ahsoka Tano. We know Ahsoka survived the Clone Wars, thanks to Star Wars Rebels, though her exact whereabouts in this period are unclear. Shaak Ti's post-Episode III fate is currently a mystery. The 2008 video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed established she survived and went into hiding on the planet Felucia, but that game was rendered non-canon in Disney's new Star Wars timeline. Whomever this character may be, she could well become Luke's newest Jedi mentor as the series progresses. Will she be the one that helps him complete the training he left unfinished back on Dagobah? [caption id="attachment_2321745" align="aligncenter" width="1570"] Art by Jesus Saiz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption] As for Luke's lightsaber, the missing weapon is instead discovered by an Ugnaught on Cloud City. Somehow, the saber will make its way from Bespin into the hands of Maz Kanata. But as for how that happens or if that story will even be told in the pages of this series, that remains to be seen. The good news is that Luke won't be saber-less for much longer. The cover for the upcoming Star Wars #6 shows Luke wielding a yellow-bladed lightsaber, a twist Soule confirmed is intended as an homage to the classic Kenner action figures. The hilt design and blade color both suggest this saber was once wielded by one of the Jedi Temple Guards on Coruscant. Star Wars #4 does solve another long-running Star Wars mystery, as we finally learn how Luke recovered his X-Wing from Cloud City. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/27/star-wars-the-high-republic-explained"] For more big developments in the Star Wars universe, find out all the new plot details revealed in the Rise of Skywalker novelization and learn more about the brand new Star Wars era being explored in The High Republic. [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.

Marvel's current Star Wars series is bridging the yearlong gap between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. One of the biggest mysteries from this unseen era of Star Wars lore is how Luke becomes the fully capable Jedi Knight he is in Episode VI. Star Wars #4 takes another important step in that journey, suggesting Luke may have had a third Jedi mentor after Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. Read on to learn more about the progress of Luke's hunt for his lost lightsaber and his new Jedi benefactor, but beware of spoilers for Star Wars #4 ahead! [poilib element="accentDivider"] [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-how-marvel-continues-the-story-of-the-empire-strikes-back&captions=true"] The new series' first major story arc deals with Luke, Leia and Lando returning to Cloud City in the aftermath of Episode V. Each character has their reasons. Luke is trying to make sense of a Force vision showing a mysterious robed Jedi catching his blue lightsaber. With Luke's connection to the Force weakened after learning the truth about his father, he hopes that recovering his saber and finding this mystery Jedi will put him back on the path toward true Jedi Knighthood. Unfortunately, Luke never actually retrieves his saber, which has landed somewhere in the midst of a giant pile of trash in the bowels of Cloud City. Sensing his friends are in danger, Luke chooses to help them rather than continue his search, an act which reawakens his connection to the Force and results in another vision of the mystery Jedi. [caption id="attachment_2321675" align="aligncenter" width="1864"] Art by Jesus Saiz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption] After rescuing his friends and retrieving his lost X-Wing, Luke decides to venture out on his own in search of this mysterious benefactor. Luke senses this character is a woman, giving us our first real clue as to their identity. Members of Reddit's StarWarsLeaks subreddit are already speculating this character could be Verla, a Jedi previously introduced in writer Charles Soule's Star Wars: Darth Vader series. Verla was depicted as a Jedi Padawan who survived Order 66 and battled Vader's forces on Mon Cala. She went into hiding after that battle, meaning she could still be alive and working to guide Luke on his journey. However, the mystery Jedi seems to be drawn with an unusually tall head in the image above, suggesting they could be a nonhuman Jedi. That brings to mind several iconic prequel Jedi like Shaak Ti and Ahsoka Tano. We know Ahsoka survived the Clone Wars, thanks to Star Wars Rebels, though her exact whereabouts in this period are unclear. Shaak Ti's post-Episode III fate is currently a mystery. The 2008 video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed established she survived and went into hiding on the planet Felucia, but that game was rendered non-canon in Disney's new Star Wars timeline. Whomever this character may be, she could well become Luke's newest Jedi mentor as the series progresses. Will she be the one that helps him complete the training he left unfinished back on Dagobah? [caption id="attachment_2321745" align="aligncenter" width="1570"] Art by Jesus Saiz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)[/caption] As for Luke's lightsaber, the missing weapon is instead discovered by an Ugnaught on Cloud City. Somehow, the saber will make its way from Bespin into the hands of Maz Kanata. But as for how that happens or if that story will even be told in the pages of this series, that remains to be seen. The good news is that Luke won't be saber-less for much longer. The cover for the upcoming Star Wars #6 shows Luke wielding a yellow-bladed lightsaber, a twist Soule confirmed is intended as an homage to the classic Kenner action figures. The hilt design and blade color both suggest this saber was once wielded by one of the Jedi Temple Guards on Coruscant. Star Wars #4 does solve another long-running Star Wars mystery, as we finally learn how Luke recovered his X-Wing from Cloud City. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/27/star-wars-the-high-republic-explained"] For more big developments in the Star Wars universe, find out all the new plot details revealed in the Rise of Skywalker novelization and learn more about the brand new Star Wars era being explored in The High Republic. [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.

Echo is Overwatch's 32nd hero - and the original game's last. For now, Blizzard's plan is for any further new heroes to arrive once Overwatch 2 has been released. Speaking to IGN Nordic & Benelux in advance of the new hero's release, game director Jeff Kaplan made clear that, "Yes, currently Echo is the last hero coming to standard Overwatch. The focus for the next couple of heroes will be on Overwatch 2." It's worth remembering that any heroes that arrive in Overwatch 2 will also be added to the original game, as their PvP modes will support full cross-play. As for when Overwatch 2, and those new heroes, will arrive, that remains unclear. At Blizzcon 2019, Kaplan said the game was in early development. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/echo-origin-story-overwatch"] For those worried that Echo adds to an already deep pool of DPS characters in the game, Kaplan also reassured fans that future characters will fill other roles, saying, "there is a big list of support and tanks in development for Overwatch 2." We've previously heard that there are four new heroes in the works for Overwatch - one of those is likely Echo, and another is almost certainly Sojourn, who was teased at Blizzcon 2019. We've gone hands-on with Echo - a flying DPS character with an ultimate that turns her into clones of other characters - and you can read our full thoughts right now. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=overwatch-2-gameplay-reveal-screens&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Echo is Overwatch's 32nd hero - and the original game's last. For now, Blizzard's plan is for any further new heroes to arrive once Overwatch 2 has been released. Speaking to IGN Nordic & Benelux in advance of the new hero's release, game director Jeff Kaplan made clear that, "Yes, currently Echo is the last hero coming to standard Overwatch. The focus for the next couple of heroes will be on Overwatch 2." It's worth remembering that any heroes that arrive in Overwatch 2 will also be added to the original game, as their PvP modes will support full cross-play. As for when Overwatch 2, and those new heroes, will arrive, that remains unclear. At Blizzcon 2019, Kaplan said the game was in early development. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/18/echo-origin-story-overwatch"] For those worried that Echo adds to an already deep pool of DPS characters in the game, Kaplan also reassured fans that future characters will fill other roles, saying, "there is a big list of support and tanks in development for Overwatch 2." We've previously heard that there are four new heroes in the works for Overwatch - one of those is likely Echo, and another is almost certainly Sojourn, who was teased at Blizzcon 2019. We've gone hands-on with Echo - a flying DPS character with an ultimate that turns her into clones of other characters - and you can read our full thoughts right now. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=overwatch-2-gameplay-reveal-screens&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

We’ve gotten a pretty good look at how the Xbox Series X and PS5 hardware will stack up against each other, and now Microsoft and Nvidia have just revealed the new application programming interface (aka API) that will power next-generation games. Meet DirectX 12 Ultimate, the first universal graphics API designed to work across consoles and PCs. The current generation of consoles, the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro, were already so close to being gaming PCs in terms of hardware, and this new API will make development between all the consoles that much easier and faster – and hopefully lead to more console exclusives coming to the PC too. One of the biggest features DirectX 12 Ultimate brings is standardized ray tracing. DirectX Ray Tracing has been floating around for some time now, but rather than powering one off versions of Minecraft, this new version of DXR promises to support more than 30 released and announced games. For the longest time we've known that both the next-generation consoles would feature ray tracing but we didn't know what software would be powering it since AMD has yet to introduce a ray tracing platform like Nvidia's GeForce RTX technology. Now it appears all ray tracing on the Xbox Series X and PS5 will be powered by DirectX 12 Ultimate. [youtube clip_id="eqXeM4712ps"] Since Nvidia co-developed DXR 1.1 with Microsoft, it uses many of the same underlying mesh shader techniques to generate real-time ray traced graphics. The GPU maker also announced DirectX 12 Ultimate games will be fully compatible with its GeForce RTX technology. AMD might not have played a direct hand in developing DXR 1.1, but the company announced its RDNA 2 architecture in both desktop graphics cards and both consoles will be ready to take full advantage of the new API's ray tracing capabilities. DirectX 12 Ultimate also incorporates many of the variable rate shading techniques Nvidia introduced with its Turing series of graphics cards. For the uninitiated, variable rate shading is essentially a more intelligent way of rendering detail, so your GPU doesn’t waste unnecessary cycles and power. This way your GPU (or console in this case) can better focus on keeping frame rates up rather than trying to display everything on the screen at its maximum visual fidelity. There are multiple techniques at play here, including content adaptive shading that basically mattes together similar looking textures, or motion adaptive shading that reduces the level of detail around fast moving objects and scenery. [youtube clip_id="QvIXvF6r--A"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

We’ve gotten a pretty good look at how the Xbox Series X and PS5 hardware will stack up against each other, and now Microsoft and Nvidia have just revealed the new application programming interface (aka API) that will power next-generation games. Meet DirectX 12 Ultimate, the first universal graphics API designed to work across consoles and PCs. The current generation of consoles, the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro, were already so close to being gaming PCs in terms of hardware, and this new API will make development between all the consoles that much easier and faster – and hopefully lead to more console exclusives coming to the PC too. One of the biggest features DirectX 12 Ultimate brings is standardized ray tracing. DirectX Ray Tracing has been floating around for some time now, but rather than powering one off versions of Minecraft, this new version of DXR promises to support more than 30 released and announced games. For the longest time we've known that both the next-generation consoles would feature ray tracing but we didn't know what software would be powering it since AMD has yet to introduce a ray tracing platform like Nvidia's GeForce RTX technology. Now it appears all ray tracing on the Xbox Series X and PS5 will be powered by DirectX 12 Ultimate. [youtube clip_id="eqXeM4712ps"] Since Nvidia co-developed DXR 1.1 with Microsoft, it uses many of the same underlying mesh shader techniques to generate real-time ray traced graphics. The GPU maker also announced DirectX 12 Ultimate games will be fully compatible with its GeForce RTX technology. AMD might not have played a direct hand in developing DXR 1.1, but the company announced its RDNA 2 architecture in both desktop graphics cards and both consoles will be ready to take full advantage of the new API's ray tracing capabilities. DirectX 12 Ultimate also incorporates many of the variable rate shading techniques Nvidia introduced with its Turing series of graphics cards. For the uninitiated, variable rate shading is essentially a more intelligent way of rendering detail, so your GPU doesn’t waste unnecessary cycles and power. This way your GPU (or console in this case) can better focus on keeping frame rates up rather than trying to display everything on the screen at its maximum visual fidelity. There are multiple techniques at play here, including content adaptive shading that basically mattes together similar looking textures, or motion adaptive shading that reduces the level of detail around fast moving objects and scenery. [youtube clip_id="QvIXvF6r--A"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

With a global shortage of surgical masks due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, gaming hardware company Razer has begun manufacturing masks to donate to hospitals in need globally. Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan announced last night on Twitter that "[Razer] intend[s] to donate up to 1M masks to health authorities of different countries." While Razer is known primarily for its keyboards, mice, and other computer peripherals, this is quite a departure from illuminated gaming gear. Tan firmly believes that "all of us have a part to play in fighting the virus – no matter which industry we come from."

We intend to donate up to 1M masks to the health authorities of different countries globally. For starters, we’ve been in touch with the authorities in Singapore (where the @Razer SEA HQ is based) to donate some of the initial shipments to assist their fight against COVID-19.

— Min-Liang Tan (@minliangtan) March 19, 2020

Razer has been working tirelessly over the past couple of days, including 24-hour shifts, to convert its existing manufacturing lines in order to produce the surgical masks. Tan also mentioned he and his team have been in touch with authorities in Singapore (where Razer's HQ is located) to donate some of its initial shipments. The remainder of Razer's global offices will be reaching out to other governments and health authorities to prioritize its support going forward. It's important to stay safe during this global pandemic. We've put together a page to help answer any questions you may have around safety, and how you can help contribute to fighting the virus. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matthew Adler is a News and Features writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter or watch him stream on Twitch.