Yearly Archives: 2020

Looking to hone your skills? Check Out Our Summer Internships!

Hello there! We are excited to announce IGN's paid internship programs ( also known as Code Foo ) for the summer of 2020! For the past nine years, IGN has run a paid internship program called Code Foo for aspiring software developers, designers, and project managers, and it's all led to this. Code Foo 10! This year's program will run from June 15th to August 7th. You must be eligible to work in the US. The application will go live within the week! During the internship, our goal is to not only give you a hands-on, mentored experience, but also to assist you in your growth as a professional. You'll have the chance to work on a variety of projects, including our core IGN website, mobile apps, and internal CMS systems. Working along side us as core IGN team members, you'll be involved with the planning, design, and execution of real IGN projects. You'll get meaningful hands on experience, and hopefully learn a lot along the way. A resume is not required. We'd rather just see what you can do. For this reason we use an application process that tests your relevant skills, and allows you to showcase your passion for IGN. This means aspiring software developers, designers, and product managers of all levels can (and should!) apply. So no matter your field, we'd love to see what you can do! If you would like to get an idea of what the application might look like, feel free to check out those from previous years: Code Foo 2019 Code Foo 2018 Code Foo 2017 Keep an eye out for more details, and watch for this year's application to go live this week! [poilib element="accentDivider"] Alex is a Software Engineer for IGN. He previously was an intern for Code Foo 2016.

46 Percent of Moviegoers Have ‘Reduced or Stopped Going,’ Says Survey

A new survey has revealed that nearly 50% of surveyed Americans are spending less time at the movies and more at home on streaming services. Piplsay, a crowd-sourcing company, recently surveyed around 50,000 Americans to take a look at new trends in the entertainment industry. As a result, it found that 46% of moviegoers are spending a "reduced" amount of time at the movie theater or have "stopped going" completely. Further, the survey revealed that 40% of the sample group spends at least two hours a day on streaming services. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=netflix-spotlight-march-2020&captions=true"] While some may speculate that Americans are spending less time at the movies due to the convenience of streaming services, Piplsay has found that this isn't the sole reason. Around "35% of Americans seem to prefer streaming movies at their own convenience over buying expensive movie tickets," reports Piplsay. The price of going to a movie theater has certainly increased over the past few years, with some showings costing a minimum of $10. Further, if moviegoers plan to get popcorn and a drink for the show, this can easily add another $10-20 to the price in some instances. While the theaters may not be experiencing the same type of crowds it used to, there are still a handful of Americans willing to spend their money at the theater. Just last year, Avengers: Endgame passed Avatar to become the highest-grossing movie of all time, pulling in an impressive $2.79 billion in worldwide box offices. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/18/netflix-review-2019"] Further, earlier this year, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker crossed $1 billion in earnings at the global box offices. While it remains to be seen what the future holds for the world of movie theaters, for now, it seems they're still doing just fine. Do you still enjoy going to the movies, or do you prefer to watch them at home? Let us know in the comments below. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Andrew Smith is a freelance contributor with IGN. Follow him on Twitter @_andrewtsmith.

Jurassic World 3 Reveals Full Title

Jurassic World 3's title has officially been revealed as Jurassic World: Dominion. The film's director, Colin Trevorrow, announced the news on his Twitter and Instagram pages on Tuesday. He posted a picture of the movie's clapboard with the caption "Day One #JurassicWorld." Jurassic World: Dominion is set for release on June 11, 2021, which is the 28th anniversary of the original Jurassic Park. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=jurassic-world-comes-alive-through-new-mattel-figures&captions=true"] Plot details have not been released, and all that's known at this time is there will be no hybrid dinosaurs in the film. A short film directed by Trevorrow was released in September that takes place after the events of Fallen Kingdom, and gives a glimpse into how humans are reacting to dinosaurs in their society. The film will act as a Jurassic Park reunion, with Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Laura Dern coming together for their first movie since the original Jurassic Park. Not only that, but Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard will re-team with Jurassic World stars Jake Johnson and Omar Sy, both of whom did not make it into the sequel. Fallen Kingdom stars Justice Smith and Daniella Pineda will return as well. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/06/23/jurassic-world-3-where-does-the-franchise-go-from-here"] The title announcement comes a couple of days after Trevorrow shared a picture of a baby dinosaur animatronic on social media. IGN also recently got a peak at some new Jurassic World toys at the recent New York Toy Fair. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN who really hopes this movie is good.

Bob Iger Steps Down as Disney CEO Effective Immediately

Bob Iger, who served as CEO of The Walt Disney Company since 2005 and oversaw some of the company’s biggest acquisitions like Marvel and Lucasfilm, has stepped down from his executive role effective immediately. Replacing Iger is Bob Chapek, the former Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products. Iger was originally set to retire in the summer of 2018, but the Board of Directors extended Iger's contract until 2019 to oversee the acquisition of Fox and the launch of Disney+. That contract was extended even further until 2021, though as evidenced by today's news, Iger will not be serving the full extension as CEO. In a press release sent out today the Walt Disney Company Board of Directors announced that Chapek will step up into the CEO role starting today. Iger will remain with the company as Executive Chairman until December 31, 2021. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=all-the-must-watch-disney-plus-titles-on-launch-day&captions=true"] “With the successful launch of Disney’s direct-to-consumer businesses and the integration of Twenty-First Century Fox well underway, I believe this is the optimal time to transition to a new CEO,” Iger said in a statement. “I have the utmost confidence in Bob and look forward to working closely with him over the next 22 months as he assumes this new role and delves deeper into Disney’s multifaceted global business and operations, while I continue to focus on the Company’s creative endeavors.” Chapek has been with the Disney company for nearly three decades serving as the head of its Parks, Experiences, and Products since 2018 and as Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts since 2015. Chapek oversaw the opening of Shanghai Disney Resort, doubling the Disney Cruise Line fleet, and overseeing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=fox-movie-and-tv-show-properties-possibly-headed-to-disney&captions=true"] Iger, who served as CEO of Disney since 2005, has defined his tenure with expansive growth for the company. Iger oversaw the 2006 acquisition of Pixar for $7.4 billion, the 2009 acquisition of Marvel for $4 billion, the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm for $4.06 billion, and the $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. Iger also saw the launch of Disney's direct-to-consumer streaming service called Disney+ which the company plans to use as the one-stop destination for all things Disney. For everything else, Disney also acquired a controlling stake in Hulu where it plans to host content from other businesses like 20th Century Studios which was formerly Fox. During a conference call, Iger announced that as Chairman he will be ensuring a smooth transition while still overseeing some of the company's creative endeavors. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.

Ben Affleck Calls for the Justice League Snyder Cut Again

Ben Affleck has once again called for Zack Snyder's cut of Justice League to be released. Affleck and other cast members from 2017's Justice League tweeted last year in support of the long-fabled "Snyder Cut" of the film. Affleck has reignited that discussion once more after telling Cinema Blend last Friday at a press event that Snyder's cut should be available. "I do think Zack's cut should be available," Affleck told Cinema Blend. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=justice-league-2017-photo-gallery&captions=true"] That comment comes off the heels of Affleck explaining why he's been vocal of supporting Snyder's version of the film. He told Cinema Blend that it's all about his support for the director. "I didn't know about it," Affleck said. "Zack was like, 'Hey, they are doing this thing.' And I said, 'Zack, I love you and I support you. However I can help you.'" Affleck continued and described Justice League as, "kind of a cow's body with a horse's head a little bit" in reference to the film's two directors. Snyder was the original director on the movie but after a family tragedy, he stepped away from production. Warner Bros. Pictures then hired Joss Whedon to complete the project. Therein lies the idea of a Snyder Cut. Snyder seemingly confirmed the existence of such a cut last year after making a post on social media network Vero that featured an image of film canisters with labels reading, "Z.S. JL Director's Cut, Running Time 214." Laid atop that photo were the words, "Is it real? Does it exist? Of course it does." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/19/justice-league-wb-has-no-plans-to-release-the-snyder-cut"] Snyder's post further fueled the flame of fans hoping to one day see that cut of the film. Fans have gone as far as renting billboard ads and flying banners behind planes in the sky with "#ReleaseTheSnyderCut" printed on them. IGN gave the movie a 7 out of 10 when it was released to theaters in 2017, but Snyder Cut fans believe a much better version of the movie exists in the wild. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker that recently watched Justice League and didn't have a good time. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes

Xbox Games with Gold March Titles Announced

Xbox Games with Gold have been revealed for March with Telltale's Batman: The Enemy Within and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 leading the way. Batman and Castlevania will be available on Sunday while Shantae: Half-Genie Hero and Sonic Generations will be free on March 16. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/25/xbox-march-2020-games-with-gold-trailer"] Batman: The Enemy Within was released throughout 2017 and early 2018. It's a sequel to Telltale's 2016 Batman series, which was one of the free Games with Gold in January. IGN's review of the final episode said, "Telltale’s take on Batman has been nothing if not full of fun twists over its first two seasons, and it sets up an intriguing jumping-off point if there is to be a third." This would ultimately be the last Telltale game fully released before the studio faced closure during the release of their next game. One of IGN's sources familiar with Telltale said, "15 [million] people watched Batman on YouTube – 250k bought it." However, Telltale jumped back with the re-announcement of The Wolf Among Us Season 2 in December. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 came out in 2014. The first Lords of Shadow and the Mirrors of Fate spinoff were both released in Games with Gold throughout 2019. Lords of Shadow 2 is still the last new Castlevania game that has been released. Aside from various collections of older games and an upcoming mobile game, there's no word on the future of Castlevania on console and PC. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=igns-top-25-xbox-one-games&captions=true"] IGN's review of Lords of Shadow 2 said the game, "has taken far too many cues from its contemporaries in an attempt to please as many people as possible. While some of these changes – like going from a linear campaign to a non-linear open world, for instance – proved largely successful, other changes, such as the addition of unseemly stealth sections and an underwhelming modern-day setting, have significantly harmed the final product." Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is the fourth game in the Shantae series that began with a Game Boy Color game from 2002. It's a 2D platformer with colorful, 3D environments where your character transforms into animals and uses her hair to attack enemies. IGN praised the game in its review, where the critic said, "Smart level design, eye-popping colors, and unabashed charm make Shantae: Half-Genie hero a strong action-platformer." Last but not least, Sonic Generations was released in 2011. After weak entries like Sonic '06 and Sonic and the Black Knight, Sonic rebounded in 2010 with Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and Sonic Colors. He continued his hot streak in 2011 with Sonic Generations, a celebration of Sonic's history with 2D and 3D stages inspired by most of the main games in the franchise. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2013/06/06/castlevania-lords-of-shadow-2-e3-trailer"] IGN's review says SEGA "finally re-purposed Sonic as a platforming mascot that is, for the first time in ages, wildly definable by its own merits instead of trying to play catch up, tagalong or sorority sister with its mustachio partner in crime." All games are compatible with Xbox One while Xbox 360 owners can only access Castlevania and Sonic. Microsoft says this is $94 in value and 4100 total gamerscore. Be sure to pick up the Xbox One title Call of Cthulhu and the original Xbox game Star Wars: Battlefront (2004). Those games will be free until Sunday. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN.

Resident Evil 3 Demo ‘On The Way’

A Resident Evil 3 demo is on the way, according to a tweet made by the Resident Evil Twitter account Tuesday. The tweet doesn't mention anything beyond that a demo is on the way so it's not clear which point in the game that this demo takes place is not known at this time. The tweet does, however, say that more details will be announced soon so it's likely that we will learn more about what this demo consists of soon. A playable demo for Resident Evil 3 wouldn't be unusual considering Capcom's use of a demo for last year's Resident Evil 2 remake. The company even went as far as updating it to tease what we now know to be the Resident Evil 3 remake. The Resident Evil 2 remake demo was a special 1-shot demo that gave players one chance and 30 minutes to reach the end. It was available for a short time in the weeks leading up to the game's release in January of last year. This demo was similar to what was available for players and press at events like E3. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/25/resident-evil-3-preview"] Whether or not the impending Resident Evil 3 remake demo is anything like the demo of its predecessor or something new entirely is unknown at this time, but Capcom will be sharing details soon. If you're looking for more Resident Evil 3 remake action as you wait for the demo, check out this gameplay from the game's multiplayer component. We also recently interviewed the producer of the game and found out how the team redesigned Jill Valentine to be an action hero. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN who's reaching for the STAAAAAARRSSSS. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

Ghost Recon Breakpoint Community in Uproar After Last-Minute Delay

Ubisoft delayed Ghost Recon Breakpoint's February update very late in the day, and fans aren't happy. The update, which is set to include the new Immersive Mode and Engineer class, was delayed until Spring – revealed via a blog post. Based on previous updates, many in the community had expected it to be released on the final Tuesday of the month (February 25), and that blog post arrived on Monday. That it came after weeks of fan questions about the update's status, and relative silence from Ubisoft, has not helped. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/28/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-breakpoint-the-terminator-event-trailer"]The Ghost Recon subreddit has seen an influx of frustrated players since the announcement: one Redditor wrote a fake game obituary, another asked for an offline mode, and others compared the game to BioWare's Anthem. Meanwhile, the Breakpoint forums have seen posters asking for refunds - although others have publicly signalled their appreciation of the delay as a sign of polishing. Some of the reaction has been more aggressive, however, and Reddit moderators have stepped in to deal with the harassment, stating:
"It seems that I have to explain to the community that we do not allow verbal threats or violence to any Ubi Staff and each other in this sub. We all understand this news may not be ideal and would frustrate some but it does not excuse you going around wishing physical harm upon people and kin. It does not give you the right to call for abuse to other despite the news - behind every screen is a human being."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/10/ghost-recon-breakpoint-review"] The main message seen across most complaints from fans is a wish for more communication. Ubisoft first announced its plans in January to release the Immersive Mode and Engineer class in February. However, the delay came in the final days of the month while fans were waiting for more information. Ubisoft tried to address concerns over transparency in their blog post: "We understand that you have been requesting more transparent communication and we aim to provide this whenever possible. There are a lot of moving parts in development which has made locking in dates challenging so we haven’t been able to communicate as much as we would have liked. We apologize for that and will be providing details on these upcoming additions starting early next month." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-confirmed-google-stadia-game&captions=true"] The current hope, according to Ubisoft, is to release the Immersive Mode and Engineer class alongside Episode 2, included in the Year 1 Pass. The blog post ends by stating to check back on March 5 for more information regarding Immersive Mode specifically. Immersive Mode emerged out of an entirely different set of fan complaints last year, when Ubisoft announced that it was working on "a more radical and immersive version" of the game. It's not been an easy ride for Breakpoint, with Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot saying that "critical reception and sales during the game’s first weeks were very disappointing", and pinning some of the company's overall underachievement for the fiscal year on its lack of success. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jeffrey Lerman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @Snakester95.

Samurai Jack Video Game Announced for PC, PS4, Xbox, and Switch

Adult Swim Games and Japanese developer Soleil Games have announced a brand new video game based on the hit animated series, Samurai Jack. IGN has the exclusive first trailer for Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time which is coming to PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch this summer. You can watch the trailer below. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/25/samurai-jack-battle-through-time-video-game-announced"] Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is set before Jack’s final fight with Aku, an evil entity that trapped Jack in alternate timelines throughout human history. Jack will have to fight through several different timelines in order to reach Aku and defeat him. The script for the Samurai Jack game is written by series head writer Darrick Bachman. The gameplay will combine hack-and-slash gameplay and allow players to wield a variety of different melee and ranged weapons. The 3D art style still retains the stylized look of Genndy Tartakovsky’s Emmy Award-winning animated series, which is a huge plus. The developers, Soleil Games, are a small studio from Japan comprised of ex-Ninja Gaiden/Dead or Alive developers so they have some background in 3D hack-and-slash games. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=samurai-jack-battle-through-time-screenshots&captions=true"] Samurai Jack series creator Genndy Tartakovsky and head writer Darrick Bachman will be at PAX East for Adult Swim Games’ panel on Friday, February 28 where they will reveal more details about the project. Samurai Jack originally aired for four seasons on Cartoon Network from 2001 to 2004 where it received critical acclaim. The series was brought back for a final season in 2017 by Adult Swim. You can read IGN’s Samurai Jack review when we awarded the fifth season our editor’s choice. There’s no hard release date for Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time other than a summer 2020 release window. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.