EA has announced that former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick will be returning to the EA Madden series as a top free agent in Madden 21. This is Kaepernick’s first appearance in an EA Madden NFL game since 2016. In a statement published on the official Madden NFL Twitter account, EA says, “Colin Kaepernick is one of the top free agents in football and a starting-caliber quarterback. The team at EA SPORTS, along with millions of Madden NFL fans, want to see him back in our game.” “Knowing that our EA SPORTS experiences are platforms for players to create, we want to make Madden NFL a place that reflects Colin’s position and talent, rates him as a starting QB, and empowers our fans to express their hopes for the future of football. We’ve worked with Colin to make this possible, and we’re excited to bring it to all of you today.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-madden-nfl-game-review-ever&captions=true"] Formerly the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick made headlines in 2016 when he kneeled during “The Star-Spangled Banner” in a silent protest against police brutality and racism. At the time there was a media backlash to Kaepernick's decision to kneel, though the practice has become more common across a variety of sports. He became a free agent after the 2016 NFL season, which was also the last year he appeared in a Madden game. At the time EA Sports said that after Kaepernick became a free agent, he was not included in the group licensing agreement EA negotiates with the NFL Players Association. This means EA was unable to obtain the rights to Kaepernick’s likeness and appearance for subsequent Madden games. Kaepernick’s name was also censored in two songs featured in Madden 18 and 19, which EA says was a mistake. “Members of our team misunderstood the fact that while we don’t have rights to include Colin Kaepernick in the game, this doesn’t affect soundtracks. We messed up, and the edit should never have happened.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/16/madden-21-official-reveal-trailer"] EA Sports reportedly negotiated directly with Kaepernick for his Madden comeback, and that the quarterback was “hands-on” in how his avatar would appear in Madden 21. Kaepernick has an 81 overall rating in Madden 21, placing him in the top 15 quarterbacks. For more, check out IGN’s Madden 21 review. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

EA has announced that former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick will be returning to the EA Madden series as a top free agent in Madden 21. This is Kaepernick’s first appearance in an EA Madden NFL game since 2016. In a statement published on the official Madden NFL Twitter account, EA says, “Colin Kaepernick is one of the top free agents in football and a starting-caliber quarterback. The team at EA SPORTS, along with millions of Madden NFL fans, want to see him back in our game.” “Knowing that our EA SPORTS experiences are platforms for players to create, we want to make Madden NFL a place that reflects Colin’s position and talent, rates him as a starting QB, and empowers our fans to express their hopes for the future of football. We’ve worked with Colin to make this possible, and we’re excited to bring it to all of you today.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-madden-nfl-game-review-ever&captions=true"] Formerly the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick made headlines in 2016 when he kneeled during “The Star-Spangled Banner” in a silent protest against police brutality and racism. At the time there was a media backlash to Kaepernick's decision to kneel, though the practice has become more common across a variety of sports. He became a free agent after the 2016 NFL season, which was also the last year he appeared in a Madden game. At the time EA Sports said that after Kaepernick became a free agent, he was not included in the group licensing agreement EA negotiates with the NFL Players Association. This means EA was unable to obtain the rights to Kaepernick’s likeness and appearance for subsequent Madden games. Kaepernick’s name was also censored in two songs featured in Madden 18 and 19, which EA says was a mistake. “Members of our team misunderstood the fact that while we don’t have rights to include Colin Kaepernick in the game, this doesn’t affect soundtracks. We messed up, and the edit should never have happened.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/16/madden-21-official-reveal-trailer"] EA Sports reportedly negotiated directly with Kaepernick for his Madden comeback, and that the quarterback was “hands-on” in how his avatar would appear in Madden 21. Kaepernick has an 81 overall rating in Madden 21, placing him in the top 15 quarterbacks. For more, check out IGN’s Madden 21 review. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

New details have been revealed for Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Ember Lab's upcoming adventure title. Game Informer answered some burning questions about Kena: Bridge of Spirits, including advantages to playing on PS5, game length, inspirations for the game, and more. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/30/kena-bridge-of-spirits-developer-commentary"] As you'd probably expect, there are visual differences between the PS5 and PS4 versions. More characters and visual elements appear on screen on the next-gen version, and forests and foliage will be denser on PS5. Ember Lab says Kena: Bridge of Spirits was built in Unreal 4. Gameplay-wise, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is being described as a wide-linear experience, not an open world game. There will be a hub village players discover in-game, which is a jumping off point to go explore other environments. As for combat, Kena can use a light, heavy, and charged attack with her staff, and upgrade it to turn it into a bow. The little creatures seen in the trailer are known as the Rot, and Kena can find them as she travels through the world. Besides having an important role in the story, the Rot serve a purpose in the gameplay as well. Kena can direct the Rot to help her solve puzzles and maneuver through the world. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=kena-bridge-of-spirits-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"] Game Informer says if you felt some 3D Zelda vibes from the reveal trailer, you're not too far off. There is definitely inspiration from the 3D Zelda games, which isn't surprising given that Ember Lab is known for a Majora's Mask video sitting at almost 10 million views on YouTube. Kena: Bridge of Spirits doesn't have a release date yet, Ember Lab says you can expect it to release within the next few months. The game will not cost a full $60, and Ember Lab says you will be able to comfortably finish its story over a weekend. Additionally, it will not include microtransactions. It's coming to PS5, PS4, and PC via the Epic Games Store. For more, check out every PlayStation exclusive from Sony's PS5 event. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

New details have been revealed for Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Ember Lab's upcoming adventure title. Game Informer answered some burning questions about Kena: Bridge of Spirits, including advantages to playing on PS5, game length, inspirations for the game, and more. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/30/kena-bridge-of-spirits-developer-commentary"] As you'd probably expect, there are visual differences between the PS5 and PS4 versions. More characters and visual elements appear on screen on the next-gen version, and forests and foliage will be denser on PS5. Ember Lab says Kena: Bridge of Spirits was built in Unreal 4. Gameplay-wise, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is being described as a wide-linear experience, not an open world game. There will be a hub village players discover in-game, which is a jumping off point to go explore other environments. As for combat, Kena can use a light, heavy, and charged attack with her staff, and upgrade it to turn it into a bow. The little creatures seen in the trailer are known as the Rot, and Kena can find them as she travels through the world. Besides having an important role in the story, the Rot serve a purpose in the gameplay as well. Kena can direct the Rot to help her solve puzzles and maneuver through the world. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=kena-bridge-of-spirits-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"] Game Informer says if you felt some 3D Zelda vibes from the reveal trailer, you're not too far off. There is definitely inspiration from the 3D Zelda games, which isn't surprising given that Ember Lab is known for a Majora's Mask video sitting at almost 10 million views on YouTube. Kena: Bridge of Spirits doesn't have a release date yet, Ember Lab says you can expect it to release within the next few months. The game will not cost a full $60, and Ember Lab says you will be able to comfortably finish its story over a weekend. Additionally, it will not include microtransactions. It's coming to PS5, PS4, and PC via the Epic Games Store. For more, check out every PlayStation exclusive from Sony's PS5 event. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant.

CBS All Access' Star Trek Day virtual event kicked off with a new trailer for Star Trek: Discovery Season 3. The tease came during the Disco panel, which offered up some intriguing tidbits about where the streaming service's flagship series will go when it returns on Oct. 15. Watch the trailer below, and then read on for more info about the new season.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 Trailer

Check out the trailer for Discovery's third season below: New key art and a new Discovery series logo were also revealed today, with the overall theme seemingly being that things aren't going to be too easy for Michael Burnham and her friends when they land in the far-off future a thousand years (well, 930 years to be exact) from where we last saw them at the end of Season 2. Season 3 of Disco will consist of 13 weekly episodes beginning on Thursday, Oct. 15. Here's the official logline for the season from CBS: "After following Commander Burnham into the wormhole in the second season finale, season three of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY finds the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery landing in an unknown future far from the home they once knew. Now living in a time filled with uncertainty, the U.S.S. Discovery crew, along with the help of some new friends, must work together to restore hope to the Federation." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-trek-discovery-virtual-table-read-storyboards-visual-effects-and-more&captions=true"] Returning cast members include Sonequa Martin-Green (Commander Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Commander Saru), Anthony Rapp (Lt. Commander Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Ensign Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), and Michelle Yeoh (Philippa Georgiou). Joining the cast this season are David Ajala (Cleveland “Book” Booker), and the series' first transgender character and non-binary character, played by Ian Alexander (Gray) and Blu del Barrio (Adira), respectively. Some highlights from the new trailer include: the Discovery crash-landing on a strange planet's surface; the reveal that Season 3 is set in the year 3188 (for reference, Picard Season 1 was set in the year 2399); Booker's explaining that the Federation "mostly collapsed" after an event called "the Burn"; actor Jake Weber (Dawn of the Dead, Medium, Hell on Wheels) showing up; and lots of familiar (and some not so familiar) aliens, including Trills! Keep an eye on the Star Trek Day virtual event for even more on all the upcoming Trek series, including Star Trek: Picard's second season, the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, the Section 31 series starring Michelle Yeoh, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds starring Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, and Ethan Peck, and the CG-animated Nickelodeon series Star Trek: Prodigy.

CBS All Access' Star Trek Day virtual event kicked off with a new trailer for Star Trek: Discovery Season 3. The tease came during the Disco panel, which offered up some intriguing tidbits about where the streaming service's flagship series will go when it returns on Oct. 15. Watch the trailer below, and then read on for more info about the new season.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 Trailer

Check out the trailer for Discovery's third season below: New key art and a new Discovery series logo were also revealed today, with the overall theme seemingly being that things aren't going to be too easy for Michael Burnham and her friends when they land in the far-off future a thousand years (well, 930 years to be exact) from where we last saw them at the end of Season 2. Season 3 of Disco will consist of 13 weekly episodes beginning on Thursday, Oct. 15. Here's the official logline for the season from CBS: "After following Commander Burnham into the wormhole in the second season finale, season three of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY finds the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery landing in an unknown future far from the home they once knew. Now living in a time filled with uncertainty, the U.S.S. Discovery crew, along with the help of some new friends, must work together to restore hope to the Federation." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-trek-discovery-virtual-table-read-storyboards-visual-effects-and-more&captions=true"] Returning cast members include Sonequa Martin-Green (Commander Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Commander Saru), Anthony Rapp (Lt. Commander Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Ensign Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), and Michelle Yeoh (Philippa Georgiou). Joining the cast this season are David Ajala (Cleveland “Book” Booker), and the series' first transgender character and non-binary character, played by Ian Alexander (Gray) and Blu del Barrio (Adira), respectively. Some highlights from the new trailer include: the Discovery crash-landing on a strange planet's surface; the reveal that Season 3 is set in the year 3188 (for reference, Picard Season 1 was set in the year 2399); Booker's explaining that the Federation "mostly collapsed" after an event called "the Burn"; actor Jake Weber (Dawn of the Dead, Medium, Hell on Wheels) showing up; and lots of familiar (and some not so familiar) aliens, including Trills! Keep an eye on the Star Trek Day virtual event for even more on all the upcoming Trek series, including Star Trek: Picard's second season, the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, the Section 31 series starring Michelle Yeoh, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds starring Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, and Ethan Peck, and the CG-animated Nickelodeon series Star Trek: Prodigy.

This week in Red Dead Online, jump into a new Legendary Animal Sighting Mission, take part in the Hardcore Takeover Series, and much more.

This week in Red Dead Online, jump into a new Legendary Animal Sighting Mission, take part in the Hardcore Takeover Series, and much more.

After first teasing an incoming Apple Event with a special Twitter hashtag, Apple officially announced its next event will be held on September 15th. The event's tagline "Time Flies" seems to suggest there will be an Apple Watch 6 announcement. The wearable itself is rumored to include a faster processor while adding more health tracking features including blood oxygen monitor and improved sleep tracking. There also may be a new affordable Apple Watch to replace the current Series 3 model. As with most Apple Events, we expect the Cupertino-based company will be introducing more than one piece of hardware. A new iPad is potentially in the cards, and specifically, rumors seem to suggest there will be a replacement for the iPad Air, which is Apple's mid-range iOS tablet. Other potential product announcements could include Apple's first official pair of noise-canceling headphones called the AirPods Studio, an updated HomePod 2, and Apple AirTags that'll help you keep track of your gadgets and keys. While Apple has been rumored to launch four new iPhones this year – including an iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Max, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max – it doesn't seem likely we'll see them at this upcoming event. On an earnings call in July, Apple confirmed new smartphones would be delayed from their usual September launch time frame. Apple will be kicking off its event on September 15th at 10 am PT. You'll be able to watch a live stream of the event from their website and of course, IGN will be reporting on all the news live as it happens. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

After first teasing an incoming Apple Event with a special Twitter hashtag, Apple officially announced its next event will be held on September 15th. The event's tagline "Time Flies" seems to suggest there will be an Apple Watch 6 announcement. The wearable itself is rumored to include a faster processor while adding more health tracking features including blood oxygen monitor and improved sleep tracking. There also may be a new affordable Apple Watch to replace the current Series 3 model. As with most Apple Events, we expect the Cupertino-based company will be introducing more than one piece of hardware. A new iPad is potentially in the cards, and specifically, rumors seem to suggest there will be a replacement for the iPad Air, which is Apple's mid-range iOS tablet. Other potential product announcements could include Apple's first official pair of noise-canceling headphones called the AirPods Studio, an updated HomePod 2, and Apple AirTags that'll help you keep track of your gadgets and keys. While Apple has been rumored to launch four new iPhones this year – including an iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Max, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max – it doesn't seem likely we'll see them at this upcoming event. On an earnings call in July, Apple confirmed new smartphones would be delayed from their usual September launch time frame. Apple will be kicking off its event on September 15th at 10 am PT. You'll be able to watch a live stream of the event from their website and of course, IGN will be reporting on all the news live as it happens. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam