Monthly Archives: January 2022

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Steam Deck Has More Than 100 Verified Playable Games Based On New List

Valve's Steam Deck is coming out in less than a month, and we're starting to get an idea of what games will be playable on the system. A Steam user dug into SteamDB to see which games Valve has already tested and graded for its upcoming handheld using the previously announced verification system.

According to data pulled from SteamDB over the weekend, Valve has graded 106 games for Steam Deck compatibility. While the results aren't available on the Steam store just yet, you can check out which games will work with your Steam Deck according to this fan-curated list.

Valve detailed the Steam Deck verification system late last year, where we learned the four tiers of compatibility within the system. The highest tier is "Verified", which means a game passed Valve's tests for controller input and other factors applicable to the Steam Deck, like display and seamlessness. The next highest is "Playable", which means the game will run, but may need some adjustments — like a community-made controller configuration — for the best experience. "Unsupported" games won't work on Steam Deck, while "Unknown" games haven't been tested by Valve yet.

Right now, 60 of the 106 games tested are verified, meaning they should run on Steam Deck with no adjustments. Some of the highlights are indie gems like Cuphead, Celeste, The Messenger, and Death's Door, as well as some more performance-heavy games like Death Stranding, Portal 2, Dark Souls 2 and 3, and more.

Forty-one of the tested games are playable, and just five are unsupported. Of the five unsupported games, four are VR titles. So far, this bodes well for the Steam Deck, as nearly every tested game so far will apparently work well with the system. We won't have to wait long to find out, as the first units are set to ship at the end of February.

For more on the Steam Deck, check out our first hands-on with Valve's handheld gaming PC. Or, read about Valve's reported Half-Life project being designed with Steam Deck in mind.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Robert Pattinson’s Agent Surprised Actor Wanted to Play Batman: ‘He Is a Freak’

The Batman actor Robert Pattinson says he "obsessively" followed up on the role of Batman before he was eventually cast in Matt Reeves' upcoming film.

In a new interview with Total Film, Pattinson opened up about the time before he was chosen to play the next Caped Crusader, including just how eager Pattinson was to land the role. To the point where even his agents were surprised.

"I just kept obsessively checking up on it for the next year or so," he says. "Even my agents were like, 'Oh, interesting. I thought you only wanted to play total freaks?' And I was like, 'He is a freak!'"

Pattinson said he was aiming for different types of roles at the time of his audition for The Batman, and he never thought he'd come anywhere close to getting the part. Ever since becoming a household name for roles in mega franchises like Twilight and Harry Potter, Pattinson spent the following years focusing on indie films.

In fact, Pattinson said The Batman was the very first comic book movie he ever auditioned for. That's because Pattinson is especially attracted to the character, saying he's always had a different attachment to the Batman films compared to other superhero movies.

"Out of all the comic-book characters and that kind of movie, I’ve seen every single one of the [Batman] movies in the cinema, which I can’t really say I’ve done for any other series," Pattinson said. "I was always really looking forward to them coming out. There was the combination of just being so attracted to it, but also feeling like it’d had a lot of movies made about it, and none of them are bad movies."

We're just about a month away from seeing how much of a freak Pattinson's Batman is, as The Batman is set to release on March 4, 2022. We'll also get to see plenty of Pattinson, as the movie is set to be the longest Batman movie yet with a runtime of two hours and 55 minutes.

For more on The Batman, check out a 3-minute scene from the movie revealed by director Matt Reeves after it leaked online last week. And, read why Reeves turned down the chance to direct a Ben Affleck solo Batman movie.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Image Credit: Warner Media

The New York Times Acquires Popular World Puzzle Game Wordle

Wordle, the browser game that makes all your Twitter friends post strange colored blocks to your feed, has been purchased by The New York Times.

NYT announced the deal Monday, saying they paid Wordle creator Josh Wardle, a software engineer, in the "low seven figures" for the rights to his game.

NYT also says the popular word game will remain "initially" free to new and existing players, suggesting it may become a part of the newspaper's subscription plan in the future.

Wordle is a puzzle game that asks players to correctly guess a five-letter word. Each failed guess potentially offers new clues as to what the true answer is using a color-coded block system. “New York Times Games play a big part in its origins,” Wardle said in the company’s statement, “and so this step feels very natural to me.”

Wardle previously told an NYT reporter that he and his partner got into word games like the NYT crossword and Spelling Bee during the COVID pandemic.

Wordle was originally published in October 2021, sporting 90 users on November 1. Millions now play the game, and numerous clones appeared on the iOS and Android app stores looking to ride its coattails.

“The Times remains focused on becoming the essential subscription for every English-speaking person seeking to understand and engage with the world,” a statement from the company reads. “New York Times Games are a key part of that strategy.”

You can check out IGN's Wordle wiki for tips on how to play more effectively.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

It Takes Two Is Getting an Adaptation for the Big and Small Screens

Fans of It Takes Two can look forward to seeing more of its world and characters in upcoming adaptations for film and television. Variety reports that It Takes Two developer Hazelight Studios has partnered with dj2 Entertainment to work on potential projects featuring last year's breakout hit. dj2 Entertainment has worked on the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, as well as other video game properties including Tomb Raider.

It Takes Two is a cooperative platformer game that focuses on a couple on the verge of divorce getting transported to a fantasy world, where they're forced to work together to repair their relationship. The game received lots of praise upon its release, getting a 9/10 in our review, and taking home the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2021. Hazelight founder and creative director Josef Fares said he's looking forward to the adaptation.

"Creating the world and story in It Takes Two was so much fun for me and the team," Fares said. "Since it has a strong narrative with many crazy characters and just as crazy co-op action moments, the potential is huge for a great adaption to film or television."

The writers of 2020's Sonic the Hedgehog movie adaptation, Pat Casey and Josh Miller, are attached to write the It Takes Two adaptation for television. Right now, there is no studio or network on board with the project, but reports say that's because of a multi-party bidding war for the rights.

For more on It Takes Two, check out what industry legends Hidetaka Miyazaki and Masahiro Sakurai had to say about the game.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Bungie: New Games In Development Will Not Become PlayStation Exclusives

Sony has announced that it will acquire Bungie for $3.6 Billion. As with many of these blockbuster acquisitions, there are questions regarding what this means for the future of that studio when it comes to exclusives. According to Bungie, future games in development will not become PlayStation exclusives.

Following news of the acquisition, Bungie released a Q&A addressing some common questions players and fans might have for the future of the company. One of the big questions is whether Bungie's future games currently in development will become PlayStation exclusives? To which Bungie responds flatly: No.

"No. We want the worlds we are creating to extend to anywhere people play games. We will continue to be self-published, creatively independent, and we will continue to drive one, unified Bungie community."

Bungie is currently developing a new franchise. Last we heard the studio is hoping to become a "multi-franchise" company by 2025, meaning Bungie is aiming to have at least one new franchise to go alongside Destiny 2, which the studio continues to develop.

Destiny 2, for that matter, will also remain multiplatform and Bungie released a roadmap detailing the future of the franchise after Sony's acquisition.

The studio recently expanded its HQ with plans to "tell new stories in the Destiny universe, and create entirely new worlds in to-be-announced IPs," so Bungie's plans are by no means secret. But according to Bungie, these would-be franchises will be multi-platform after the acquisition.

There is some flexibility in the Q&A's wording, however. The question asks Bungie if future games in development will become PlayStation exclusives. And while those will remain multiplatform, that isn't to say this will always be the case for games further out or not yet considered.

The question regarding exclusivity is a big one. Bethesda games are more or less exclusive to Xbox following the acquisition barring some pre-existing deals that kept Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo PlayStation 5 exclusives.

Call of Duty reportedly will remain multiplatform for the foreseeable future because of similar pre-existing deals, though insiders say after that the future of the series is less certain.

Throughout the news of Sony's Bungie acquisition, the two companies have repeatedly affirmed Bungie's independence and right to remain multi-platform. And with future Bungie titles looking to remain that way as well, Bungie represents a different strategy for a third-party acquisition than we've seen so far.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

More PlayStation Acquisitions On The Way, Jim Ryan Says

PlayStation boss Jim Ryan says we should expect more studio acquisitions in the future, in the wake of today's news that Sony is buying Destiny developer Bungie for $3.6 billion. GamesIndustry.biz's Christopher Dring tweeted that Ryan said, "we should expect more" when it comes to further PlayStation acquisitions.

It's been an acquisition frenzy so far in the games industry in 2022. In the last few weeks, Take-Two acquired Zynga for $12.7 billion, and then Microsoft blew that number out of the water by spending $68.7 billion to acquire Activision Blizzard King. While Sony's timing may indicate that the Bungie acquisition was a response to Microsoft's move earlier this month, Dring says this deal was in the works long before that, for the past five or six months. So, it's not a direct response to the Activision deal.

Dring also says this deal could lead to Bungie taking its properties, like Destiny, to television and movies. Sony has been making a big entertainment push with its IP, including the upcoming Uncharted movie, Last of Us TV series, Ghost of Tsushima movie, and more. It's possible we could see Destiny make that move as well.

Sony was also busy with studio acquisitions throughout 2021, so it makes sense that the Bungie deal doesn't mark the end of the road. Last year alone, Sony acquired five studios, including Returnal developer Housemarque, Bluepoint Games, Firesprite, Nixxes, and Valkyrie.

For more on the Sony Bungie deal, check out what Jim Ryan is saying about Bungie's independence, and what the deal means for Destiny 2.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Bungie Shares Destiny 2 Roadmap After PlayStation Acquisition: “Multi-Platform, Full Creative Control”

Bungie will retain "full creative control and publishing independence of the Destiny universe" following its blockbuster $3.6 billion acquisition by PlayStation, a roadmap that the duo are calling their "shared vision" for the future.

The three point plan guarantees that Destiny 2 will remain on all current platforms, with the potential to expand to still more platforms in the future. Bungie's ultimate goal is a "single global community, that you can play anywhere, on any device."

Bungie's article includes a short FAQ that answers questions concerning its immediate impact on Destiny 2 players, its effect on announced seasons and expansion packs, and what it will mean for The Witch Queen. In short, Bungie says that nothing will change in the short-term, and that it remains committed to cross-platform play.

Bungie's reaffirmation of its to commitment to cross-platform play is notable in light of Sony's famous reluctance to allow PlayStation games to integrate with other consoles. Sony held back PS4 cross-play for years, blocking Rocket League, Minecraft, and Fortnite even as Nintendo and Xbox moved ahead. Sony did eventually acquiesce, with PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan saying that the platform holder supports and encourages cross-play.

Creative independence has also been a thorny issue for Bungie. The studio's high-publicized divorces with Xbox and Activision was in part due to conflicts over the studio's approach to Halo and Destiny respectively.

In a separate PlayStation Blog article, Bungie CEO Pete Parsons wrote that Bungie has found a partner in Sony who will preserve the "creative independent that beats in Bungie's heart."

"Like us, Sony believes that game worlds are only the beginning of what our IPs can become. Together, we share a dream of creating and fostering iconic franchises that unite friends around the world, families across generations, and fans across multiple platforms and entertainment mediums. Today, Bungie begins our journey to become a global multi-media entertainment company." Parsons wrote.

Destiny 2 fans were quick to observe that Bungie's roadmap doesn't preclude timed exclusives for PlayStation platforms.

"If Bungie goes back to that year long PlayStation exclusivity [bullsh*t] I'm going to be pissed. Imagine them doing that crap with entire dungeons or raids," one user wrote on Reddit.

Indeed, Destiny 2 on PS4 had exclusive armor, exotic weapons, and strikes through at least 2018's release of Forsaken.

Destiny 2's next expansion is The Witch Queen, which is due to release on February 22. Stay tuned for more info one PlayStation's big Bungie acquisition as the story continues to develop, and make sure to read our recent report on Bungie's struggle for a better work culture.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN

How Long Does It Actually Take to Beat Pokémon Legends: Arceus?

The much-anticipated Pokémon game has finally arrived, and while it isn't perfect, it brings loads of new ideas to an already fun series. You can read our full Pokémon Legends: Arceus review for more details about gameplay and more. If you're just wondering how much time you'll end up sinking into the game itself, we can help break that down.

How Long to Beat Pokemon Legends: Arceus

So how long does it take to beat Pokémon Legends: Arceus? If you focus mostly on reaching the first credits without going out of your way to catch new Pokémon or take on side quests, our experts say you can likely beat the game with about 25 - 30 hours of playtime.

That being said, there is a lot more to do in Pokémon Legends: Arceus than just finishing the main missions.

How Much Time It Takes to Fully Complete the Game

According to our resident Pokémon Legends: Arceus experts, it takes quite a bit more time to reach the true end of the game and complete your Pokédex .

"The first 'act,' which takes you through Hisui's five regions and culminates in a boss battle showdown, took me about 30 hours to finish, albeit with considerable distracted wandering off the main path to do side quests and catch Pokémon. But the main story quest continues after the credits roll, and the lengthy collect-a-thon required to finish the absolute final tasks you're given can be a time-consuming one. In total, I took 64 hours to reach Legends: Arceus' actual conclusion, which included the requirement of catching every Pokémon and happened to coincide with (but did not require) finishing all side quests."

- Rebekah Valentine, Reviewer

"I'm not actually done yet, and definitely not close at all to reaching the true ending of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, but I currently have spent about 35 hours playing. I have reached every area, unlocked every rideable Pokémon, caught 106 Pokémon, and am on the last stretch of story missions before hitting the credits. I'm a Sixth Star Member, a title earned by completing Pokédex Research Tasks, which is higher than it needs to be to finish the first stretch of story. I'd definitely be done with the first act by now if I had focused on main missions considering they really are generally quite short if you race past wild Pokémon and on Wyrdeer and don't explore larger areas."

- Casey Defreitas, Guides Team

Like any game where exploration is encouraged, the amount of time it will take you to actually finish playing is entirely up to how you decide to play.

There is a lot to explore in Pokémon Legends: Arceus if you choose to stop to smell the Rosalinas and let yourself get distracted. While you may be able to finish the main story quickly, you'd have to miss out on many of the finer details to do so.

Sony Buys Bungie for $3.6 Billion

Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced it will acquire Destiny developer Bungie for $3.6 Billion.

GamesIndustry.Biz reports that following the deal, Bungie will be run as "an independent subsidiary" of SIE, and will remain a multiplatform studio with the option to "self-publish and reach players where they choose to play."

Bungie is best known as the creators of Halo but since becoming an independent studio have focused their efforts on Destiny, a live-service FPS RPG where players can explore the galaxy as Guardians of Light. The company is also working on a new IP.

"We've had a strong partnership with Bungie since the inception of the Destiny franchise, and I couldn't be more thrilled to officially welcome the studio to the PlayStation family," says SIE president CEO Jim Ryan.

In the official PlayStation Blog post, Ryan begins by confirming Bungie's independence. "I want to be very clear to the community that Bungie will remain an independent and multi-platform studio and publisher." Ryan also says that Bungie will "sit alongside the PlayStation Studios organization," where the two groups will collaborate.

PlayStation Studios will also gain access to Bungie's proprietary tools which can be used for PlayStation Studios teams, according to the blog.

In a separate blog post, Bungie detailed what the acquisition means for the company calling SIE, "a partner who unconditionally supports us in all we are and who wants to accelerate our vision to create generation-spanning entertainment, all while preserving the creative independent that beats in Bungie's heart."

Bungie reaffirms that it retains its ability to independently publish and develop games, even after the acquisition. And that it's committed to supporting games and communities "where they choose to play."

This is Sony's sixth acquisition since 2021, though most of its studio acquisitions have been studios with long histories with PlayStation, like BluePoint and Housemarque, or support teams and specialized studios like Nixxes and Valkyrie Entertainment.

While Destiny 2 has been heavily promoted alongside PlayStation, with exclusive bonuses for players on the system, Bungie's history is intertwined across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, and the company hopes to remain multi-platform after the deal.

This deal will also be scrutinized with Xbox which has recently been making major acquisitions across the industry while building up Xbox Game Studios. Xbox acquired Zenimax Media, including Bethesda Games bringing the Fallout and Elder Scrolls developer into the fold, and later announced it will acquire Activision Blizzard and the teams responsible for games like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft.

With Sony acquiring Bungie, this new age of studio acquisitions only appears to be heating up as studios look to expand their portfolio of teams and franchises.

There is also the matter of Bungie's internal culture which IGN reported extensively on. Whether this acquisition will help guide the changes currently ongoing at the studio remains to be seen.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

The Batman Director Posts a 3-Minute Scene From the Movie

New footage of The Batman featuring Robert Pattinson has been posted online by director Matt Reeves after the scene leaked online last week.

The lengthy three-minute video — uploaded in 4K — shows Bruce Wayne (Pattinson) attending the funeral of Gotham City Mayor Don Mitchell Jr. (Rupert Penry-Jones).

The scene is instantly chilling and matches Reeves' description of The Batman being "almost a horror". But things take a turn for the worse as the Riddler (Paul Dano) attacks the church.

Screams are heard outside before a car crashes through the entrance towards the crowd gathered at the funeral.

Gotham City Police's James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) demands the driver exit the car and out steps district attorney Gil Colson (Peter Sarsgaard) with his mouth duct-taped shut, a bomb strapped to his neck, and a letter on his chest reading "to the Batman".

Despite the eerie scene, The Batman is rated a PG-13 by the Classification and Rating Administration.

The film will also be the Dark Knight's lengthiest depiction on-screen with a total run-time of two hours and 55 minutes.

As the March 4 release date approaches, Reeves addressed the backlash regarding Pattinson's casting as the Batman. "There has been no actor, when his announcement that he was going to be playing Batman in one of the feature films was announced, that has not received a backlash," he said.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.

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