Half-Life Remake Website Is Counting Down to… Something
A website connected to the Half-Life fan remake is currently displaying a mysterious countdown.
Pictured below, the timer on BMRF.us (that's Black Mesa Research Facility), is overlaid on top of a modified Emergency Broadcast System template. It occasionally flashes images of one Half-Life's most elusive characters, the G-Man. Only static can be heard.
The countdown should reach zero on Tuesday, May 5 at 7:47am PT. Accounting for time zones, this lines up with 8:47am in New Mexico, which is the geographic location of Half-Life's Black Mesa Research Facility.
New Dragon Age DLC Announced
BioWare has announced that a new, free multiplayer expansion is making its way to Dragon Age: Inquisition.
The Dragonslayer update provides fierce new beasts for you and your party to take on. Players will be able to strengthen their Inquisition's forces with new agents: Avvar warrior Skywatcher, Zither the Virtuoso, and Raider Queen of the Eastern Seas Isabela.
It also contains an all-new Ferelden castle location.
Dragon Age: Inquisition - Dragonslayer becomes available on Tuesday May 5 for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.
Dragon Age: Inquisition was released late last year; in IGN's review we praised its "surprisingly huge, dense world."
EA Announces When it’s Holding its E3 Press Conference
Electronic Arts has announced its E3 Press Conference will take place on June 15 at 1pm PT / 4pm ET / 9pm GMT.
The news regarding the hour-long show is hardly surprising, as it's traditional for EA, Microsoft, Sony and Ubisoft to hold their major press conferences the day before the show floor opens.
Though there's no confirmation on what we should expect to see, the smart money's on more Star Wars Battlefront, Star Wars: The Old Republic and Battlefield.
It's also possible the next Mass Effect game could be revealed at long last, along with Mirror's Edge 2, Criterion's new franchise and Visceral's undisclosed Star Wars title.
Political Satire Not a Hero Release Date Pushed Back
Roll7's Not a Hero has been delayed by a week to May 14.
The delay is due to extra tweaking in order to make the game run at 60 frames per second.
Sadly, this means the release of the political satire Not a Hero no longer coincides with the UK general election. It will cost $13 / £10 / €13, or there is a special edition available for $20 / £15 / €20.
Want to know what's in the special edition of Not a Hero, and what the pre-order bonuses involve? IGN has you covered.
Matt Porter is a freelance writer. If you fancy reading endless Tweets about games and sports, follow him on Twitter: @Matt_Porter44.
The Last of Us: Left Behind Standalone Coming Soon
Left Behind, Naughty Dog's single-player DLC for The Last of Us, will be getting a standalone release on PS4 and PS3 on May 12.
The download will cost $10 / £8 / €10, and there will also be a price drop for the PS3 add-on on the same day.
Also included will be a two hour trial of the Factions Multiplayer mode. You will be able to upgrade to the full version of the multiplayer for a price after you own the standalone version.
On PS4, upgrading from the standalone to the full Factions Multiplayer costs $10 / £8 / €10. Upgrading to the full single player game, including the multiplayer and an extra map pack will cost $40 / £29 / €35.
Will Guillermo del Toro Ever Make a Game? – IGN UK Podcast
With Kojima seemingly kissing goodbye to Konami, the future of Silent Hills - at least under the direction of the Metal Gear maestro and horror supremo Guillermo del Toro - has come to an unfortunately demise. But it's not the first time Del Toro's dabblings into video games have failed to blossom, after THQ went to pot, taking the planned horror series Insane with it. So will we ever see a game directed by Del Toro? Check out this week's podcast to see what Alex, Krupa and Rory think.
The crew is also joined by special guest Kit Harrington, AKA Jon Snow from Game of Thrones, who lifts the lid on the show and also talks about his upcoming film, Spooks. Turns out he knows quite a lot then, contrary to popular belief.
Tortoise Mauled by Rat Gets Legs Replaced by Wheels
A tortoise that had its front legs bitten off by a rat has had them replaced with a set of wheels.
The Telegraph reports the 90-year-old reptile, who resides in Prembroke, West Wales, is now moving at twice its normal speed following the operation.
The tortoise, called Mrs. T, suffered the attack whilst hibernating. Owner Jude Ryder took her to the vet upon discovering the distressed animal but, unfortunately, nothing could be done to restore the animal's mobility... or so they thought. It was then Ryder turned to her son Dale, a mechanical engineer for help. He designed and attached the wheels using resin.
Russian Cargo Spacecraft to Crash Back to Earth
The cargo spacecraft Progress 59 will fall back into the Earth's atmosphere between May 5 and May 7.
The capsule was supposed to be taking 6,000 pounds of supplies to the International Space Station, however it entered an uncontrolled spin in the wrong orbit shortly after its launch on Tuesday.
Thankfully the out of control craft poses no threat to the ISS. The crew on board still has enough supplies to last until August, despite another failed supply mission in October last year.
Apple Watch Orders Delayed By Faulty Component
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the taptic engine on the Apple Watch is faulty, delaying some orders.
The report states that the component developed by AAC Technologies Holdings Inc. - which gives the user the sensation of being tapped on the wrist - fails at an unacceptably high rate.
Apple has told IGN that it has nothing to say on this matter. A second supplier of the part, Nidec Corp., is reportedly not having the same issues.
It was recently found that supply issues for the Apple Watch means that stores may not be stocking them until June.
Valve Unleashes The New Dota 2 International Compendium
Valve has revealed the Compendium for this year's Dota 2 International 2015 tournament.
The Compendium is an interactive book that was introduced before 2013's International tournament as a way for fans to both participate in the event and donate to its substantial prize pool.
The 2015 Compendium costs $10, and for every one purchased, The International's prize pool is increased by $2.50. At the time of writing, the prize pool currently sits at $1,917,155.
As more money is donated to the prize pool, Valve unlocks rewards when certain stretch goals are met. For example, if the prize pool reaches $2M, Valve will unlock a batch of new cursors for all players. Other stretch goals include chat emoticons, a Wyvern Hatchling Courier, new music, special HUDs, and more.