Monthly Archives: August 2022

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Exclusive: Roberta Williams’ Colossal Cave Remake Announced for Nintendo Switch

Colossal Cave - Reimagined by Roberta Williams is coming to more than PC and Meta Quest 2. In an announcement exclusive to IGN, Cygnus Entertainment confirmed that the upcoming remake will also be coming to Nintendo Switch.

"Colossal Cave - Reimagined by Roberta Williams will soon be accessible to gamers worldwide on an additional platform," Cygnus Entertainment founder and CEO Ken Williams said in a release. "We hope to bring back the spirit of traditional adventure games for devoted fans who grew up with the original game and the new generation of explorers alike. We believe bringing Colossal Cave Reimagined by Roberta Williams to the Nintendo Switch will help us do that."

First announced back in March, Colossal Cave is Roberta and Ken Williams' first game in more than 20 years. The pioneering duo behind Sierra Entertainment were responsible for many of the greatest adventure games of the 1980s and 1990s, including King's Quest and Phantasmagoria.

Colossal Cave was originally conceived as a VR adventure in partnership with Unity, but its move to the Nintendo Switch means that it will be portable, too. It's based on the seminal 1970's text adventure that tasked players with finding "all the treasure" in an intricate labyrinth populated by trolls, bears, and pirates.

Here's the official synopsis:

Immerse yourself in a gorgeous Eden untouched by mortal hands…until now. Enchanted with the prospect of magical discoveries, plant a confident boot on the path ahead, unhindered by the looming threat of danger. Armed only with a trusty lantern and a limited supply of oil, cast a curious eye through massive underground labyrinths in search of something extraordinary.
Tread lightly through winding caverns so as to not awaken a magnificent dragon from its slumber. Encounter whimsical creatures of both friendly and cruel intention including adorable dwarves, brutish trolls, and fearsome pirates lurking within the corridors. Employ magic and wit to unveil mystical secrets and decrypt complex environmental puzzles. Discover exciting easter eggs and collect all 15 priceless hidden treasures before venturing back to the mortal realm.

Talking with IGN at GDC, Roberta Williams said that the remake would be as true as possible to the original, even going so far as to use all of the original source code and narration. Williams also said she doesn't plan to include any of her own puzzles.

"I want people that have played this game... to feel yeah, this is right," Williams said. "This is Colossal Cave. It's history. I get to see it now."

Colossal Cave does not yet have a formal release date, but is expected to be out this fall. It will be available for $39.99 on Nintendo Switch.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

Former Payday Developer Making a Co-Op Heist FPS With New Studio

Ulf Andersson, who worked on Payday and Payday 2, is returning to the co-op heist genre with his studio 10 Chambers. During an interview with NME, the developer revealed that his upcoming game will be a cyberpunk style, team-based action game.

“I'm back on the heist s**t, basically,” he said. “So, it's a heist cooperative FPS, and it has a sort of a techno-thriller theme. I read a lot of sci-fi books, and so imagine everything that cyberpunk is inspired by, and a ton of other s**t.”

The Payday games were defined by heavy action – gunning your way out of a bank and making off with as much cash as you could cram into a sports bag.

However, Andersson’s upcoming game isn’t that. “This one won't be constant shooting,” he explained. “Payday had a massive problem where the action would ramp up and then it would just stay ramped up.”

Andersson struck out on his own as CEO and founder of 10 Chambers after working on the two original Payday games, and the new studio is clearly taking a different approach to their upcoming heist game… but how it all works out remains to be seen. Either way, it looks as though it won’t be as difficult as its previous game, GTFO.

“You can sneak for an hour, at least, and then just f*****g die, right?” he said about GTFO. But his next game will be a bit more forgiving. “So, it's not gonna have that hardcore thing to it. It is more mechanically smooth, or you could say, easier to play.”

IGN’s review of GTFO said: “While the symptoms of its early access state may be keenly felt where breadth of content is concerned there is no shortage of depth in GTFO. It’s clever, creepy, and already surprisingly polished, and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.”

As for the upcoming game, it doesn’t have a name yet… or a release date. “We haven't put a date on it,” said Andersson. “We don't want to miss a deadline or overpromise. We're in pre-production at the moment, but things are ramping up quite fast.”

Want to read more about Payday? Check out what we know about Payday 3 so far, as well as when the highly anticipated sequel is coming.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Former Payday Developer Making a Co-Op Heist FPS With New Studio

Ulf Andersson, who worked on Payday and Payday 2, is returning to the co-op heist genre with his studio 10 Chambers. During an interview with NME, the developer revealed that his upcoming game will be a cyberpunk style, team-based action game.

“I'm back on the heist s**t, basically,” he said. “So, it's a heist cooperative FPS, and it has a sort of a techno-thriller theme. I read a lot of sci-fi books, and so imagine everything that cyberpunk is inspired by, and a ton of other s**t.”

The Payday games were defined by heavy action – gunning your way out of a bank and making off with as much cash as you could cram into a sports bag.

However, Andersson’s upcoming game isn’t that. “This one won't be constant shooting,” he explained. “Payday had a massive problem where the action would ramp up and then it would just stay ramped up.”

Andersson struck out on his own as CEO and founder of 10 Chambers after working on the two original Payday games, and the new studio is clearly taking a different approach to their upcoming heist game… but how it all works out remains to be seen. Either way, it looks as though it won’t be as difficult as its previous game, GTFO.

“You can sneak for an hour, at least, and then just f*****g die, right?” he said about GTFO. But his next game will be a bit more forgiving. “So, it's not gonna have that hardcore thing to it. It is more mechanically smooth, or you could say, easier to play.”

IGN’s review of GTFO said: “While the symptoms of its early access state may be keenly felt where breadth of content is concerned there is no shortage of depth in GTFO. It’s clever, creepy, and already surprisingly polished, and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.”

As for the upcoming game, it doesn’t have a name yet… or a release date. “We haven't put a date on it,” said Andersson. “We don't want to miss a deadline or overpromise. We're in pre-production at the moment, but things are ramping up quite fast.”

Want to read more about Payday? Check out what we know about Payday 3 so far, as well as when the highly anticipated sequel is coming.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Theaters to Offer $3 Tickets This Saturday to Celebrate National Cinema Day

More than 3,000 theaters across the U.S. are offering $3 tickets for National Cinema Day, which is happening for the first time this Saturday, September 3.

Tickets will be discounted from big chains such as AMC, Regal, Cinemark, and more in an unprecedented move that could just be a much-needed win for the industry.

“After this summer’s record-breaking return to cinemas, we wanted to do something to celebrate moviegoing,” said Cinema Foundation president Jackie Brenneman. “We’re doing it by offering a ‘thank you’ to the moviegoers that made this summer happen, and by offering an extra enticement for those who haven’t made it back yet.”

Labor Day weekend is historically rather slow for the movie industry, with most Americans making the most of the last weeks of summer. This year has proved particularly tough as theaters have experienced a distinct lack of major movies, with last weekend's box office proving the weakest since May 2021.

However, $3 tickets might be enough to bring in the crowds, and you can find your nearest participating theaters on the official National Cinema Day website. Labor Day weekend doesn’t see much in the way of new releases, but Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is back (and this time in 3D) as well as Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The Cinema Foundation is a non-profit that’s dedicated to promoting the cinema exhibition industry by developing diverse workforces and growing moviegoing communities. It was founded earlier this year by the National Association of Theater Owners with key members from across the industry.

“The future of the cinema industry is being determined right now,” said president Jackie Brenneman. “The Cinema Foundation is designed to bring together key industry stakeholders from business, technology, and the creative community to be the leading voice in what that future will be.”

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Theaters to Offer $3 Tickets This Saturday to Celebrate National Cinema Day

More than 3,000 theaters across the U.S. are offering $3 tickets for National Cinema Day, which is happening for the first time this Saturday, September 3.

Tickets will be discounted from big chains such as AMC, Regal, Cinemark, and more in an unprecedented move that could just be a much-needed win for the industry.

“After this summer’s record-breaking return to cinemas, we wanted to do something to celebrate moviegoing,” said Cinema Foundation president Jackie Brenneman. “We’re doing it by offering a ‘thank you’ to the moviegoers that made this summer happen, and by offering an extra enticement for those who haven’t made it back yet.”

Labor Day weekend is historically rather slow for the movie industry, with most Americans making the most of the last weeks of summer. This year has proved particularly tough as theaters have experienced a distinct lack of major movies, with last weekend's box office proving the weakest since May 2021.

However, $3 tickets might be enough to bring in the crowds, and you can find your nearest participating theaters on the official National Cinema Day website. Labor Day weekend doesn’t see much in the way of new releases, but Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is back (and this time in 3D) as well as Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The Cinema Foundation is a non-profit that’s dedicated to promoting the cinema exhibition industry by developing diverse workforces and growing moviegoing communities. It was founded earlier this year by the National Association of Theater Owners with key members from across the industry.

“The future of the cinema industry is being determined right now,” said president Jackie Brenneman. “The Cinema Foundation is designed to bring together key industry stakeholders from business, technology, and the creative community to be the leading voice in what that future will be.”

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Sony Forms PlayStation Studios Mobile Division to Create Games Based on New and Existing IP

Sony has announced a committed expansion into mobile gaming by establishing the PlayStation Studios Mobile Division and acquiring the untested Savage Game Studios to develop "a AAA mobile live service action game".

The new division will develop "innovative, on-the-go experiences based on new and existing PlayStation IP that meet PlayStation Studios’ high-quality standards" and will operate independently from console game development.

"This acquisition reaffirms Sony Interactive Entertainment’s commitment to delivering innovative experiences to new players around the world by expanding to additional platforms," said head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst. Sony announced back in May that releasing games on new platforms was now a key part of its business strategy, but this was largely thought to be in reference to its recent expansion into PC gaming rather than a mobile push as well.

"The PlayStation Studios Mobile team is focused on creating new experiences for players through innovative, on-the-go gaming based on new and existing PlayStation IP."

"PlayStation Studios must continue to expand and diversify our offering beyond console, bringing incredible new games to more people than ever before," continued Hulst. "Acquiring the talented team at Savage Game Studios is another strategic step towards that goal.

"I’m really excited about what Savage is working on and I’m confident they will deliver a high-quality experience. Our move into mobile, like our expansion into PC and live service games, strengthens our capabilities and our community, and complements PlayStation Studios’ purpose to make the best games that we can."

Savage Game Studios - which is yet to release a game - was founded in 2020 by veteran developers Michail Katkoff, Nadjim Adjir, and Michael McManus, who collectively have decades of experience working at developers including Spider-Man's Insomniac Games, World of Tank's Wargaming, Clash of Clans' Supercell, Farmville's Zynga, and Angry Birds' Rovio.

It's unclear if Savage Game Studios' game will see the creation of a new PlayStation IP or be incorporated into an existing franchise, but as it was in development for two years ahead of the PlayStation acquisition, it's perhaps more likely that we'll see something brand new.

On the other hand, Sony's PC publishing is so far only concerned with porting pre-existing console games, with God of War and Spider-Man proving the most successful so far. It recently purchased PC porting specialist Nixxes and established a new PlayStation PC label, expecting to make $300 million from PC games alone in its next fiscal year.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Sony Forms PlayStation Studios Mobile Division to Create Games Based on New and Existing IP

Sony has announced a committed expansion into mobile gaming by establishing the PlayStation Studios Mobile Division and acquiring the untested Savage Game Studios to develop "a AAA mobile live service action game".

The new division will develop "innovative, on-the-go experiences based on new and existing PlayStation IP that meet PlayStation Studios’ high-quality standards" and will operate independently from console game development.

"This acquisition reaffirms Sony Interactive Entertainment’s commitment to delivering innovative experiences to new players around the world by expanding to additional platforms," said head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst. Sony announced back in May that releasing games on new platforms was now a key part of its business strategy, but this was largely thought to be in reference to its recent expansion into PC gaming rather than a mobile push as well.

"The PlayStation Studios Mobile team is focused on creating new experiences for players through innovative, on-the-go gaming based on new and existing PlayStation IP."

"PlayStation Studios must continue to expand and diversify our offering beyond console, bringing incredible new games to more people than ever before," continued Hulst. "Acquiring the talented team at Savage Game Studios is another strategic step towards that goal.

"I’m really excited about what Savage is working on and I’m confident they will deliver a high-quality experience. Our move into mobile, like our expansion into PC and live service games, strengthens our capabilities and our community, and complements PlayStation Studios’ purpose to make the best games that we can."

Savage Game Studios - which is yet to release a game - was founded in 2020 by veteran developers Michail Katkoff, Nadjim Adjir, and Michael McManus, who collectively have decades of experience working at developers including Spider-Man's Insomniac Games, World of Tank's Wargaming, Clash of Clans' Supercell, Farmville's Zynga, and Angry Birds' Rovio.

It's unclear if Savage Game Studios' game will see the creation of a new PlayStation IP or be incorporated into an existing franchise, but as it was in development for two years ahead of the PlayStation acquisition, it's perhaps more likely that we'll see something brand new.

On the other hand, Sony's PC publishing is so far only concerned with porting pre-existing console games, with God of War and Spider-Man proving the most successful so far. It recently purchased PC porting specialist Nixxes and established a new PlayStation PC label, expecting to make $300 million from PC games alone in its next fiscal year.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols and Gene Roddenberry to Have Their Ashes Sent to Space

Nichelle Nichols, the Star Trek legend who played Nyota Uhura and recently passed away, will have some of her ashes sent to space alongside Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and other legends from the series.

As reported by Reuters, James Doohan, who played chief engineer Scotty on Star Trek: The Original Series, will also have his ashes sent to space on this mission organized by a Texas-based company called Celestis Inc. Some of Doohan's ashes were previously smuggled aboard the International Space Station in 2008.

Roddenberry will be joined by the ashes of his wife Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, who played nurse Christine Chapel on Star Trek: The Original Series, and renowned sci-fi visual effects artist Douglas Trumbull's ashes will also be on board. Trumbull's credits include Star Trek: The Motion Picture and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This memorial flight will be aboard the aptly named Vulcan Centaur rocket, which is under development by the Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint venture United Launch Alliance. The mission will include 200-plus capsules of human remains and DNA for what Celestis is calling its "Enterprise Flight."

The flight will "go inside the upper rocket stage that will fly on into deep space, beyond the gravitational pull of the Earth and moon and eventually enter a perpetual solar orbit."

Celestis lists some of the pricing for its memorial missions, and they range from the $2,495 Earth Rise Service that sends cremated remains or DNA to space to in a zero gravity environment before returning to Earth to the $12,500 Voyager Service that sends the remains "well beyond the Moon" on a "permanent celestial journey."

Nichols, in addition to being one of the most important trailblazers in TV history by becoming the first black woman to be featured in a major television series, also worked closely with NASA to help recruit minorities and females to the agency.

Roddenberry's ashes have been sent to space before, but the first flight in 1992 saw his ashes flown into space and brought back to Earth. There were other attempts to send his ashes to space on a more permanent journey, but those never fully succeeded.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols and Gene Roddenberry to Have Their Ashes Sent to Space

Nichelle Nichols, the Star Trek legend who played Nyota Uhura and recently passed away, will have some of her ashes sent to space alongside Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and other legends from the series.

As reported by Reuters, James Doohan, who played chief engineer Scotty on Star Trek: The Original Series, will also have his ashes sent to space on this mission organized by a Texas-based company called Celestis Inc. Some of Doohan's ashes were previously smuggled aboard the International Space Station in 2008.

Roddenberry will be joined by the ashes of his wife Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, who played nurse Christine Chapel on Star Trek: The Original Series, and renowned sci-fi visual effects artist Douglas Trumbull's ashes will also be on board. Trumbull's credits include Star Trek: The Motion Picture and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This memorial flight will be aboard the aptly named Vulcan Centaur rocket, which is under development by the Boeing and Lockheed Martin joint venture United Launch Alliance. The mission will include 200-plus capsules of human remains and DNA for what Celestis is calling its "Enterprise Flight."

The flight will "go inside the upper rocket stage that will fly on into deep space, beyond the gravitational pull of the Earth and moon and eventually enter a perpetual solar orbit."

Celestis lists some of the pricing for its memorial missions, and they range from the $2,495 Earth Rise Service that sends cremated remains or DNA to space to in a zero gravity environment before returning to Earth to the $12,500 Voyager Service that sends the remains "well beyond the Moon" on a "permanent celestial journey."

Nichols, in addition to being one of the most important trailblazers in TV history by becoming the first black woman to be featured in a major television series, also worked closely with NASA to help recruit minorities and females to the agency.

Roddenberry's ashes have been sent to space before, but the first flight in 1992 saw his ashes flown into space and brought back to Earth. There were other attempts to send his ashes to space on a more permanent journey, but those never fully succeeded.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Xbox Game Pass ‘Friends & Family’ Logo Leak Teases a Bright Future of Sharing

A leak of a potential logo for the upcoming Xbox Game Pass family plan has seemingly leaked and it looks to confirm that Microsoft is choosing to focus on branding this new subscription as the "Friends & Family" plan.

As reported by The Verge, Aggiornamenti Lumia, who previously leaked Skull & Bones' release date and Halo Infinite's campaign release date, discovered the image that hints at a bright future for sharing in the world of Xbox.

This logo is very much in-line with Microsoft's current Xbox Insider test in Colombia and Ireland that allows users to share their Xbox Game Pass Ultimate benefits with up to four people in the country where they live. It's important to note there is no restriction on sharing these benefits with immediate family members, which very much gives weight to the friends part of "Friends & Family."

Xbox Game Pass for Console and PC is currently $9.99/month, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate - which offers all the benefits of the cheaper tier and Xbox Live Gold, access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, and more - costs $14.99/month. There is no word as of yet how much this potential "Friends & Family" plan would cost.

The first report of the long-awaited Xbox Game Pass family plan was shared in March 2022 and it said that this higher tier of Xbox Game Pass will allow up to five other players in the same country as the main account holder to join the subscription and utilize all the benefits.

For more on Xbox Game Pass, see which games joined the service this month alongside Ghost Recon Wildlands, Turbo Golf Racing, and Two Point Campus.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

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