A live-action Scooby-Doo TV show is reportedly in development for Netflix, among other things immediately causing actor Matthew Lillard to begin trending on social media.

"If they’re really gonna do this, they gotta have Matthew Lillard be the culprit being exposed at the end. Especially after what happened to him in [Five Nights at Freddy's]," one user wrote, referencing the film adaptation released in 2023.

if it’s not matthew lillard we don’t want it https://t.co/a290yXvBuj

— sar-AAH! 🎃 (@saraaaaahh) April 29, 2024

Social media users were reacting to a report from Variety, which claims that a new live-action Scooby-Doo is headed to Netflix. It will reportedly be a "one-hour drama" that's based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon of the same name. There are few other details, including who will take on the roles of the Scooby gang, but social media users certainly have ideas.

The fervor for Lillard is driven by his now-iconic performance as Shaggy in the live-action film released in 2002. While the movie was mostly panned by reviewers, many critics pointed out that Lillard was "uncannily spot-on as Shaggy." Lillard has since gone on to voice Shaggy in numerous animated projects as well as MultiVersus.

Whether or not Lillard is involved, the new Scooby-Doo project will reportedly be penned by Josh Appelbaum , who served as an executive producer on the live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop, and Scott Rosenberg, who wrote 2018's Venom among other projects. The project is said to be nearing a deal, though plot details remain elusive.

Elsewhere, Warner Bros. Animation recently released Velma Season 2, which has once again received mixed reviews from critics. You can find the rest of the biggest TV shows releasing in 2024 right here.

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

Wizards of the Coast has announced the next Secret Lair collaboration for Magic: The Gathering, and it features android superstar Hatsune Miku.

For the uninitiated, Hatsune Miku is a hugely popular digital character whose voice synthesizer can be heard in tens of thousands of songs, and whose holographic likeness sells out in-person concerts on a regular basis. Now she's taking her act from the stage to the playmat, as she'll soon have her own Magic cards.

The crossover will be rolled out throughout the rest of 2024, with four different Secret Lair drops themed around the seasons in which they become available. The first, Sakura Superstar (seen above), will include Miku, Lost but Singing, a legendary creature that lets you play two additional land cards per turn, and Miku, the Renowned which lets you recast instant and sorcery spells – both of which are reskins of favored commander cards. This set will include six cards total, and seems designed for those who want this digital diva to head up their commander deck.

“Secret Lair lets us take the things fans already love about Magic: The Gathering and combine them with pop culture moments and amazing new artists,” said Mark Heggen, Wizards of the Coast's Vice President of Collectibles. “We're thrilled to team up with the global phenomenon that is Hatsune Miku to put on this year-long celebration for fans around the world.”

Secret Lair x Hatsune Miku: Sakura Superstar will be available for preorder starting on May 13, and will cost $29.99 and $39.99 for the non-foil and foil editions, respectively.

Travis Northup is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @TieGuyTravis and read his games coverage here.

Bethesda fans won’t have to wait much longer before they finally get their hands on Starfield’s first expansion, Shattered Space, and there is even more content on the way, too.

Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard updated fans wih more information on post-launch content during an interview with Kinda Funny. When talking about how Starfield will be fleshed out throughout the year, he teased that Shattered Space is scheduled to launch this fall.

Details on Shattered Space remain a mystery, though some fans speculate that it will focus on House Va'ruun. In an interview with IGN last year, Howard promised plans to add “a lot of add-on content,” going on to suggest that the team was looking forward to fleshing out Starfield with future updates, too.

In the near term, Bethesda is continuing to deliver smaller updates that should address fan feedback and iron out a few wrinkles. Howard says the next update should be “announced in a few days” before it’s available on Steam Beta.

“It’s got some great stuff for ship building as well,” he added.

Howard also teases another “big update” that is “coming really soon for Starfield.” Details on what changes it will bring are uncertain, though the Bethesda boss does tease long-asked-for tweaks for the in-game maps.

"We redid the map stuff, so we have some city map stuff," he says.

More info on the Starfield Creation Kit "soon"

Elsewhere, Howard touched on the Starfield Creation Kit. Bethesda has offered similar creation tools in the past, allowing players to more freely mod their games and ensure long legs after launch. He didn’t go as far as to announce a release date but did reassure players that it is still on the way.

“We’ve delivered it to some people, some of our creators for Starfield,” Howard said. “You’re going to hear some information about that soon. We don’t have date to announce on when its full release is coming, but it’s really, really important to us. Our modders out there have been incredible.”

Bethesda brought Starfield to PC and Xbox Series X | S players last September. In our 7/10 review, we explained that we enjoyed the long-awaited space RPG but had a few gripes.

“Starfield has a lot of forces working against it,” we said at the time, “but eventually the allure of its expansive roleplaying quests and respectable combat make its gravitational pull difficult to resist.”

Bethesda has continued to churn out updates for Starfield since its launch. March brought a pair of worthwhile changes, including lots of quality-of-life improvements in Update 1.10.30 as well as the removal of the lockpicking penalty with Update 1.10.31. If the official updates aren’t enough to keep you satisfied until Shattered Space launches, you can check out one of Starfield’s DLC-sized mods.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

In its quarterly earnings presentation, Remedy Entertainment shared an update on its remake of Max Payne 1 and 2, as well as the news that Tencent has nearly tripled its investment in the studio.

In a report for shareholders, Remedy announced that Max Payne 1 & 2 remake is expected to move into "full production" during Q2 of 2024 (April through June of 2024). Additionally, Codename Kestrel — Remedy's upcoming multiplayer action game formerly known as Vanguard — is still in the concept stage.

Elsewhere, the Control 2 team is finalizing its proof of concept and is expected to advance to the "production readiness stage" during Q2. Codename Condor, a multiplayer game set in the Control universe, is in "the final development stage before a game is launched," or full production.

With all these games in the cooker, Remedy has received a new infusion of cash from existing stakeholder Tencent. Previously, Tencent acquired a minority (3.8%) stake in Remedy that it later upped to 5%. Today, Remedy announced that Tencent increased its stake again to 14.8%, nearly triple what it was prior.

A busy year for Remedy

It was a busy period for Remedy. The company fully acquired rights to the Control franchise from 505 Games, and is currently discussing future partnerships and business and publishing models, including self-publishing. Alan Wake 2 sold 1.3 million units as of the start of February, and Remedy says today that the game has recouped "a significant part" of its expenses.

The company additionally announced today that its COO Christopher Schmitz is resigning, and that long-time Remedy veteran and Control game director Mikael Kasurinen is being appointed as a company-wide creative director. Remedy's revenue for the quarter was up 56.2% year-over-year to €10.8 million ($11.6 million).

Two planned expansions for Alan Wake 2 are currently in the works, one entitled Night Springs, and a second entitled The Lakehouse. Neither has a release date just yet.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Earnings calls tend to be pretty standard fare: an overview of quarterly revenue, maybe some news here or there, and then a Q&A with analysts and investors, usually lasting around an hour.

Paramount, however — a company swirling with big behind-the-scenes moves at the moment — took a different approach during its Q1 earnings call today. Chris McCarthy, one of three newly-instated leaders at Paramount, reiterated the main points of the earnings already shared with investors, made some brief comments about their new leadership structure, and then swiftly ended the call after just about nine minutes.

The company did not take questions and, somewhat hilariously, instead loudly played the Mission: Impossible theme song on a loop. Well, that's one way to pivot.

The unconventional earnings call came on the same day that Paramount Global announced some big news. Just hours prior, the company confirmed that CEO Bob Bakish would be stepping down, replaced by a trio of executives in McCarthy, George Cheeks, and Brian Robbins, who will now collectively make up the "Office of the CEO." Bakish had been with Viacom since 1997, becoming CEO in 2016. When Viacom and CBS merged in 2019, Bakish became the CEO of the combined company, which was renamed Paramount Global.

Basically, the announcement was a big one, and Paramount's investors no doubt have questions. Media watchers on X/Twitter were quick to take notice of the avoidance of those questions.

so in summary: Paramount fired its CEO, then hosted an earnings call for only 9 minutes, refused to take any questions, and played the mission impossible song on a loop

— Anna Nicolaou (@annaknicolaou) April 29, 2024

We were on hold longer than the Paramount earnings call lasted -- 7 minutes of saying nothing beyond what was in release $PARA pic.twitter.com/czJf16KlXu

— Rich Greenfield, LightShed 🔦 (@RichLightShed) April 29, 2024

Paramount playing the Mission Impossible music at the end of its earnings call is a bit on the nose.

— Matthew Belloni (@MattBelloni) April 29, 2024

As for the actual earnings, Paramount did see a big boost from its broadcast of Super Bowl LVIII, adding 3.7 million subscribers to Paramount+ for a current total of 71 million subscribers. It managed to cut its streaming losses by 40% and, overall, earnings were up 6% from the same period last year.

Big Moves at Paramount

On the call, McCarthy did comment on the new structure, calling his dealings with Cheeks and Robbins "a true partnership." "We have a deep respect for one another and we’re going to lead and manage this company together," he added.

Bakish's exit comes as Paramount moves closer and closer to a merger with Skydance Media. According to reports, Bakish had privately dissented against the merger and had "lost the trust of Paramount Global controlling shareholder Shari Redstone," sources told CNBC. The same report over the weekend said Paramount Global's board was indeed planning on firing Bakish as early as Monday morning.

And while the Skydance negotiations continue, the New York Times reported earlier this month that Sony was in talks to join a joint bid with investment firm Apollo Global Management to acquire Paramount.

Basically, the trio of new CEOs have a lot on their plate - with that in mind, that Mission: Impossible theme seems like a fitting choice.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Baby Reindeer, a dark new British drama, is proving to be quite the hit for Netflix. It's gotten rave reviews, with critics calling it "a rare gem," "a brave, moving, and often disturbing watch," and more. It's currently the top show on Netflix's U.S. chart, and even Stephen King has taken notice. The reaction to the series, however, is sparking a new debate, as sleuths try to dig up the real-life people referenced in creator Richard Gadd's story.

For those who haven’t caught up on the drama, Baby Reindeer tells the story of Donny Dunn, a struggling comedian who winds up attracting the attention of a stalker named Martha Scott. It’s based on a true story from Gadd's own life, who also wrote the project and stars as its lead. It's undoubtably a harrowing watch, not only for the extensive stalking situation (Gadd's real-life stalker sent him 41,000 emails over three years, in addition to hundreds of hours of voicemails), but another intense plotline involving sexual abuse.

Given that it's based on real events, Gadd has spoken in several interviews about the lengths he's gone to keep his real-life stalker from being identifiable. For one, "Martha Scott" is not her real name, and Gadd told GQ Magazine that they went to far to disguise her "to the point that I don’t think she would recognise herself. What’s been borrowed is an emotional truth, not a fact-by-fact profile of someone." Still, fans believe they have found the stalker, who's allegedly come out to identify herself too, as well another person who's referenced in the series.

Warning: Spoiler for Netflix's Baby Reindeer below.

In addition to Martha, another prominent character in Gadd's story is a comedy writer named in the show Darrien O'Connor, played by Tom Goodman-Hill. About halfway through the seven-episode limited series, it's revealed that Darrien sexually assaulted Donny in one of its most devastating moments. Viewers have in turn tried to dig up the real-life inspiration for Darrien, and one individual facing the fallout of speculation is Mindhorn director and Gadd’s friend, Sean Foley, who fans targeted due to his previous work with Gadd and his resemblance to Goodman-Hill.

“People I love, have worked with, and admire (including Sean Foley) are unfairly getting caught up in speculation,” Gadd wrote in an Instagram story (later shared by Foley on X/Twitter). “Please don’t speculate on who any of the real life people could be. That’s not the point of our show.”

pic.twitter.com/6LDuNcXVBu

— sean foley (@SeanFoleyJ) April 23, 2024

In a separate X/Twitter post, Foley said, “Police have been informed and are investigating all defamatory abusive and threatening posts against me.” This same post is littered with replies related to Baby Reinder.

“Just admit it,” one user replied.

“Internet detectives got ya,” another added.

The TV version of Gadd’s stalker, meanwhile, is portrayed by Jessica Gunning, but as reported by The Daily Mail, it didn’t take viewers too long to find out who the real-life stalker probably is. The individual, whose identity the story keeps anonymous, says she’s received death threats and abuse from the show’s supporters.

“He's using Baby Reindeer to stalk me now,” she claimed. “I'm the victim. He's written a bloody show about me.”

She denies stalking Gadd, saying that he has “main character syndrome” and that he “always thinks he’s at the center of things.” The woman is considering taking legal action against Gadd.

"I'm not writing shows about him or promoting them in the media, am I?" she added. "If he wanted me to be properly anonymous, he could have done so. Gadd should leave me alone."

Baby Reindeer, a series that tackles stalking by retelling a true story through a new lens, has somehow managed to spawn an online campaign dedicated to, well, digging up real-life people. As Gadd pleads with fans to refrain from digging into the lives of real individuals, the irony isn't lost on all of the show's viewers.

"People's immediate reaction after watching a show on stalking is to stalk someone," one user on Reddit said.

Howard Kennedy Media Lawyer Mark Stephens commented on the trend that has seen true crime fans flocking to attempt to solve cases themselves (via The Guardian). He calls the desire to become an internet detective "incredibly dangerous," explaining that these same people could wind up ruining real investigations.

"Perhaps we have got to the stage now with true crime entertainment where we need warnings to viewers and listeners saying, ‘Please don’t investigate this yourself’, of the kind already made to a jury," Stephens added. "Certainly, drama makers may need to go further to disguise people, routinely changing some of the fundamentals, and not just names, to prevent people being identified or misidentified."

Baby Reindeer premiered on Netflix on April 11, 2024. For more, be sure to check out the best movies to watch on Netflix this month.

If you or someone you know are a survivor of sexual abuse you can reach the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. Additional resources can be found at the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

Google Play recently decided to pay tribute to Sonic the Hedgehog on social media. Reasonable, given that the famous mascot is currently having a bit of a cultural moment. The only problem? Most of it was completely wrong.

Over the weekend, Google Play’s X/Twitter account took it upon itself to make an impromptu Sonic The Hedgehog appreciation thread where the chili dog-eating hero gets older the more you scroll through it. But the Google Play’s scrapbook-esque thread's dabbling in historical revisionism of the blue hedgehog would spark a wave of corrections, even prompting Sega's own social media account to ask what was on every Sonic fan’s mind: What are you doing?

Google Play’s Sonic-themed thread, which sporadically covers the blue blur’s evolution from 1991 to 2022, is now riddled with community notes criticizing the social media account for its litany of factual errors.

1991 Sonic. The cover? Rotund. Husky. Still fast as lightning. The actual game? 8-bit GLORY 🙌 pic.twitter.com/a2k2j9mvXH

— Google Play (@GooglePlay) April 27, 2024

For instance, Google’s first threaded post of Sonic and Tails in 1991 is actually of Sonic’s 2013 mobile game. The key signifier of this error on Google Plays part is the fact that Tails isn’t Sonic’s companion in the original game. The post also refers to the original Sonic the Hedgehog as "8-bit glory" despite first releasing on the 16-bit Sega Genesis. And that's just the beginning.

what are you doing

— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) April 28, 2024

Other blatant errors in Google Play’s thread include a screenshot of Sonic from 2014’s Sonic Boom cartoon saying this was the “short king” in 1993; a 2022 screenshot of Paramount Picture’s live-action Sonic that was actually from the 2020 movie, and a 2006 Sonic image from the 2017 mobile game Sonic Forces Mobile —which is available on the Google Play store.

Fans went so far as to wonder if AI was used to create the strange thread, not the least because one of the images is poorly altered to remove background characters.

2022 Sonic. Just like us, he’s healed from 2020 but isn’t quite the same 😆 pic.twitter.com/f9XYSeLtxm

— Google Play (@GooglePlay) April 27, 2024

While the endgame of Google Play’s Sonic thread remains a mystery, what isn’t is the fact that Sonic fans are treating it like material for Twitter's version of a comedy club's open mic night with a sea of hilarious memes at Google Play’s expense. Here's one of our favorites.

We all know who's behind this https://t.co/CMgSvvd31X pic.twitter.com/1qpmQu6RRc

— Artvader || Commission Season (@Artvader_AF) April 29, 2024

All in all, it was a strange moment for Sega's biggest franchise, which is otherwise celebrating the release of the Knuckles TV series on Paramount+. We called it a "fun, chaotic bonus level that nails everything that made the Sonic movies great, earning a well-deserved fist bump," and is one more step along the path toward a potential Sonic Cinematic Universe.

In the meantime, the third Sonic the Hedgehog film, starring Keanu Reeves as Shadow the Hedgehog, hits theaters on December 20, 2024.

Isaiah Colbert is a freelance writer at IGN.

With the Fallout TV series topping 65 million viewers to become one of the most watched Prime Video shows ever, the pressure is on for more content set in the wasteland, and Bethesda is seemingly ready to oblige.

In a new interview with Kinda Funny Games, director Todd Howard appeared to tease two unannounced Fallout projects, saying, "We look at what we are doing with the [Fallout] franchise and then we say do we still feel good about — I can't reveal it now — but here is our runway for Fallout as a franchise."

He continued, "When is Season 2 happening. What are we doing on mobile. What are we doing in [Fallout 76]. What are we doing with this thing. What are we doing with this other thing. And when are these landing. And again if I could snap my fingers and have them all be out and ready I would. But the main thing is how do we deliver these at a high quality level. That is always most important."

Howard's oblique comments appear to suggest that at least two projects are in development, though it's unclear what they might be and when they'll be released.

One of the projects may be the Fallout 3 Remaster revealed in the documents accidentally published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which also leaked an Oblivion remaster and other projects. The remaster did not have a formal date, but appeared to be targeting financial year 2024, which ends in June.

Howard has also said that Fallout 5 will be arriving sometime after Elder Scrolls VI, and that he has a "one-pager" for the project. With Elder Scrolls VI seemingly still in pre-production, though, Fallout 5 may not appear until 2030 or later.

In the meantime, Bethesda recently released the long-awaited Fallout 4 next-gen update, which stirred controversy by breaking various key mods among other issues. Bethesda also confirmed that those who own Fallout 4 via the Playstation Plus Collection do not get the next-gen update for free.

One way or another, demand for Fallout is higher than ever thanks to the success of the show, and Bethesda is seemingly doing its best to keep up. Elsewhere, we talked to Howard in our own interview, where he clarified some of the big questions about Fallout's timeline among other issues. For more, check out our complete guide to Fallout's official timeline as well as everything we know about Fallout 5.

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

It turns out Tesla isn't the only car manufacturer experiencing a mass recall for its video-game-esque car because of pedal-related issues. Now a bunch of drivable Mario Kart toys are being recalled because they seems to pose a significant crash hazard to their drivers.

JAKKs Pacific, a California-based toy company, recalled 17,500 units of its Mario Kart 24V Ride-On Racer Cars on April 25 because of a crash hazard related to its battery-powered acceleration pedal. According to the United States Consumer Product and Safety Commission, if debris gets clogged in the $400 Mario Kart’s acceleration pedal, it can cause the pedal to stick even if the rider’s foot isn’t pressing down on it.

“The firm has received 65 reports of incidents of debris-clogged pedals sticking, of which 15 of the vehicles crashed into permanent structures with one minor injury, a chafed hand,” the United States Consumer Product and Safety Commission wrote in its recall report.

For anyone who already purchased the Mario Kart from online and brick-and-mortar stores like Amazon, Walmart, or Target, between October 2022 to January 2024, the United States Consumer Product and Safety Commission recommends that users immediately stop using it and contact Jakks Pacific to receive a free repair kit, which includes a free replacement pedal and installation instructions.

If there’s an upside to this whole debacle, it's that gamers will have a genuine experience modding their karts just like they were in Mario Kart 8.

Isaiah Colbert is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow them on Twitter @ShinEyeZehUhh.

It's official: Fallout is a hit for Prime Video. The streamer revealed that the television adaptation topped 65 million viewers in first 16 days, making it the second most-watched title ever on the service and the biggest since Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Prime Video shared the relevant stats in an official release, claiming among other things that it's the most-watched show among adults age 18-34 on the service. Its numbers have already propelled it to the top of Prime Video's charts, topping even popular mainstays like The Boys.

Fallout debuted to strong reviews and more than a little controversy over the timeline in early April. Season 2 has already been confirmed, and we already know a bit about where it will be set and what iconic monster will be making its debut.

In the meantime, Fallout's viewership seemingly adds fuel to the growing sentiment within Hollywood that video games are the new superheroes. Last year, The Last of Us was a big hit for HBO, and Nintendo found huge success at the box office with Super Mario Bros. Numerous other video game adaptations are now in the works, from Borderlands to God of War. Even Knuckles has his own show now (though some fans are at odds with how little the echidna actually appears).

For more, check out our full interview with Todd Howard and Jonathan Nolan, who answer all of our burning questions about the Fallout TV series and more.

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

Nintendo’s Switch successor console, referred to by many as the “Switch 2,” will feature magnetic Joy-Con controllers, backward compatibility, and a host of other new features, according to the latest batch of rumors.

These alleged details about the yet-to-be-revealed device first showed up from Spanish outlet Vandal and were later cooperated by third-party Switch accessory manufacturer Mobapad. They say that the console will swap away from the railed lock method used by the current Switch and its Joy-Cons in favor of larger, electromagnetic suction controllers. If the rumors are accurate, players can also expect metal SL and SR buttons as well as one additional new button on the side of each controller. Mobapad adds that the new controllers will still feature HD rumble.

Nintendo hasn’t officially pulled back the curtain on the Switch 2, much less confirmed what kind of controllers it will support. If the rumors are to be believed, it sounds like players will at least be able to continue using their old Joy-Cons and Pro-Controllers as well as their original physical and digital Switch games. It would no doubt be nice to head into another Nintendo generation with some degree of backward compatibility, though its unclear how or if the old Joy-Cons would be able to pair with the magnetic new console.

Mobapad claims that the Switch 2 will continue to support USB-C, with its dock said to feature minor changes to its appearance while delivering 4K resolution. The site also references the new dock’s adjustable “damping bracket on the back,” though it is possible they are talking about the Switch 2’s kickstand. The device’s screen is said to be an eight-inch display that supports 1080p resolution.

Nintendo’s Switch successor hasn’t been revealed, but numerous reports have stated that the console is just on the horizon. VGC reported last year that Nintendo was targeting a 2024 launch for its new gaming tech. However, a Nikkei report from February said that Nintendo was planning to launch in March 2025 instead in order to combat potential scalpers.

Again, it’s unclear if today’s rumors are accurate, so it’s best to take everything with a grain of salt until Nintendo gives us something official to chew on. For more on the Switch 2, be sure to check out everything else we know about Nintendo’s hardware before we (hopefully) learn more about it soon. You can also check out what we’re hoping to see from the device when it’s eventually revealed.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

Microsoft just held its latest ID@Xbox, a digital showcase showing many fantastic indie games headed to Xbox and PC. From existing games getting updates, such as Palworld and Vampire Survivors, to new details on existing indie games, like 33 Immortals and Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, today's showcase likely had a game for just about every type of player.

If you missed today's ID@Xbox showcase, don't worry. IGN has recapped everything announced, which you can read below.

Astor: Blade of the Monolith is out on May 30

Originally announced as Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients before the rebranding, Astor: Blade of the Monolith is a hack-and-slash ARPG. Players control the titular character, Astor, as he ventures off to unravel the mystery regarding the disappearance of the ancients.

33 Immortals' closed beta is set for late May

If you are looking for a co-op roguelike game with 32 of your friends, 33 Immortals' is the game for you. The top-down action game has beautiful hand-drawn visuals reminiscent of Spiritfarer combined with constant on-screen action from something like Vampire Survivors, 33 Immortals' closed beta is set for May 24.

Palworld is getting a massive update with new Pals this Summer

Palworld, the indie darling that has become a breakout hit for Xbox early into 2024, is getting a big update this summer that includes the introduction of four new Pals. More interestingly, the trailer showed a flamethrower weapon being wielded by a player; previously, players who wanted to use a flamethrower in Palworld needed a Foxsparks to replicate a flamethrower.

WWII-era game Commandos: Origins is getting a closed beta this Summer

Claymore Game Studios has provided a new look at the next entry in the Commandos franchise, subtitled Origins. Set in World War II, players control Jack O'Hara or one of his five companions in a series of missions that set in " historically authentic WWII environments."

A closed beta is set to be held sometime this Summer.

Centum is an 8-bit point-and-click adventure game coming this Summer

If you like 8-bit visuals and point-and-click adventure games, Centum might be worth adding to your watchlist. The gameplay from the reveal trailer reveals that the game will shift between medieval and modern settings. Centum is out this Summer.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage gets a new trailer, but no release date

Announced at the 2023 Game Awards, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is the next project from Don't Nod, the creator of Life is Strange. Unlike Don't Nod's previous story-driven choose-your-own-adventure games, which were set in a more modern period, Lost Records is set in 1995. The latest trailer oozes 90s nostalgia, with kids skateboarding and footage of the trailer being "recorded" from a 90s-era camcorder.

Keylocker is out this Summer on PC and Xbox

A turn-based cyberpunk action game, Keylocker, will be released on PC and Xbox sometime this Summer. Set in a world where music is outlawed, players control a singer. Developer Moonana explained on the game's Steam page that the Mario & Luigi RPG series and Chrono Trigger inspired Keylocker.

Stampede: Racing Royale is a battle royale racing game with 60 players on the course

While Mario Kart is still the franchise that dominates the kart racing subgenre, it is still limited to Nintendo hardware. Sumo Digital's Stampede: Racing Royale might give Xbox players something to fill the Mario Kart void.

A racing game that fuses kart racing and battle royale, Stampede: Racing Royale has 60 players burning rubber on the course. The gameplay and power-ups are similar to those in a Mario Kart game, combined with the goofiness found in MediaTonic's platform battle royale game Fall Guys.

Jackbox Games is finally making an adult-themed Party Pack coming this year

Adult Jackbox players wishing for an adult-themed Party Pack can stop praying as Jackbox Games announced today that it is finally making one.

Jackbox Naughty Pack is coming sometime this year. While there is no information on what games will be included in the party pack, the announcement reminds me of how Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity exist, with the Naughty Pack taking a darker and more provocative twist.

Times & Galaxy gets June release window

Copychaser Games' upcoming point-and-click game Times & Galaxy will be available on PC and Xbox sometime in June. Payers control a robot, the first robot reporter for the prestigious Times & Galaxy newspaper. The reporter is asked to find stories across the Galaxy as an intern, hoping to get a scoop.

Sulfur is a contemporary shooter with old-school vibes coming to Xbox

A contemporary first-person shooter with roguelike elements and an old-school design. One of the user-defined tags on the game's Steam page describes it as a "boomer shooter." Looking at the previous trailer and the one that appeared at ID@Xbox, gameplay might remind people of the older Doom and Wolfenstein games.

Fera: The Sundered Tribes is out later this year

Massive Damage Studios has shared a new trailer for Fera: The Sundered Tribes, an action RPG that fuses monster hunting with tribe management and building mechanics. The gameplay and screenshots resemble Monster Hunter: World.

Fera, The Sundered Tribes is launching later this year.

All You Need Is Help is a quirky puzzle game from the creators of PixelJunk Monsters

If you are looking for a silyl but cozy puzzle game, PixelJunk Monsters creator Q-Games' next project, All You Need Is Help, is hitting the sweet spot. The trailer indicates that this puzzle game is a multiplayer game in which players have time and need to place their puzzle pieces in the correct position.

All You Need Is Help is out sometime this Fall.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter gets new trailer, still no release date

Odd Bug Studio's upcoming soulslike action RPG Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter got a new trailer at ID@Xbox, flaunting more of its comic book 2D art style. Players will control Arlo, who is on a quest to defeat giant beasts and bandits that are scattered throughout the world.

Hangry briefly appears at ID@Xbox

Hangry, the "snack n' slash" RPG in which players hunt down and eat monsters, briefly appeared at ID@Xbox, where players got a brief new look at gameplay.

Promise Mascot Agency is the next game from the creators of Paradise Killer

Kaizen Game Works, the developers behind Paradise Killer, are back with a sophomore title called Promise Mascot Agency. As the name implies, players run a mascot agency, and gameplay includes card-based battles.

I promise Mascot Agency will be out sometime next year.

Five games published by Gamera Games are headed to Xbox Game Pass

Indie game publisher Gamera Games appeared at ID@Xbox today, revealing that five games—Depersonalization, Firework, Volcano Princess, Kelperth, and The Rewinder—are headed to Game Pass. All these games were released initially on PC before today's announcement.

Over 15 games from the Triple-I Initiative showcase will be playable on Xbox

Earlier this month, the Triple-I Initiative showcase highlighted many indie delights that are headed shortly. Games such as Palworld Arena and Cat Quest 3 appeared. Towards the end of the showcase, it was revealed that 17 games from that sizzle during ID@Xbox will be playable on Xbox.

Dungeons of Hinterberg gets a colorful new trailer focusing on gameplay

A fusion of social sim and action RPG genres with cel-shaded graphics, Dungeons of Hinterberg is set in the Austrian Alps where players control Luisa, a law trainee suffering burnout who opts to drop the corporate life and trade it in for the rugged life of living in the wild and conquer dungeons.

Vampire Survirors: Operation Guns DLC gets one more trailer before its May 9 release date

Vampire Survivors: Operation Guns, known affectionately as the Contra DLC, is headed to all platforms early next month. We got another look at the new DLC before it gets into players' hands. But the most interesting thing about the new trailer is that at the end, viewers get a "one more thing..." revealing that Brad Fang, a character who first appeared in Contra: Hard Corps, will be featured in the DLC.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Jackbox players who are older and have been wishing for an adult-themed Party Pack: your prayers have finally been answered, as Jackbox Games announced at ID@Xbox today that its next party pack is aimed at the older demographic.

As the name implies, Jackbox Naughty Pack is the next entry in the party game franchise and is designed specifically for adults. Though there are no details, such as what mini-games would appear in the pack, we do know it is out this year.

Jackbox Games has released a new party pack nearly annually since the first installment was released in 2014. Each Party Pack entry consists of five mini-games designed to be played ideally with three or more friends while everyone uses a device with an internet browser, most commonly a phone, to play.

The Jackbox Party Pack series grew in popularity thanks to content creators hosting streams where they play one of the ten currently available Party Packs. The series spiked exponentially in 2020 during the pandemic as family members or friends hosted virtual game nights on video conferencing apps like Zoom while social distancing. Beyond content creation and social distancing, Jackbox is a great option for those looking to host a game night or have a fun activity to engage in during a dinner party.

Though Jackbox is designed for all ages, releasing a Party Pack is unsurprising, particularly as many adults will typically host a game night that requires participants to be 18 or older. Or the fact that some players typically use snark or vulgar language when playing mini-games such as Quiplash.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

One dedicated fan of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has added two haptic feedback suits that simulate real pain to their already $15,000 mass immersion setup.

As reported by GamesRadar, GingasVR on X/Twitter shared how they've made their Skyrim virtual reality experience even more immersive by adding touch and feeling to the world.

GingasVR, who already boasted an extensive VR setup that includes an HTC Vive headset, three Vive trackers, microphones, and face trackers, as well as tons of mods, has added an OWO haptic feedback suit, a haptic feedback vest, and smart plugs hooked up to fans.

The first suit contains electrodes that shock the player when they receive actual damage in the game, while the second is purely for vibrations to simulate feelings of water and other less intense feelings. The fans are hooked up to simulate temperature, so they'll turn on when visiting colder regions of Skyrim and off when it's warmer.

Wearing 2 haptic feedback suits in Skyrim while talking to an OpenAi NPC and simulating temperature with smart plugs 🫡 #vr #skyrim #tech #gaming pic.twitter.com/3vDB17FM4c

— GingasVR (@gingasvr) April 25, 2024

These are shown off in the video, with the pain simulators tested against the Whiterun populus, mages, and even a dragon. GingasVR also used an OpenAI mod to give characters unique and adaptive dialogue which, partnered with their microphone and a mod that projects speech in-game, allows for lifelike interactions with the residents of Skyrim.

With The Elder Scrolls 6 still five years away at least, fans have had to find their own ways, like this, to keep the ageing Skyrim entertaining. Another player recently accrued a 267,000 gold bounty murdering 5,000 NPCs in a quest to kill "everything that was killable", for example, while one fan recreated the game in Age of Empires 2.

Waves of sentimental fans recently booted up their old Xbox 360s and PlayStation 3s to "retire" their original characters too, showing how much Skyrim has remained in player consciousness over its 12 years of being available.

In our 9/10 review of the beloved role playing game, IGN said: "Skyrim is a rare kind of intensely personal, deeply rewarding experience, and one of the best role-playing games yet produced."

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

Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron is getting three physical editions in July, including the first-ever 4K UHD release of a Studio Ghibli film.

Independent film distributor GKIDS announced on X/Twitter that The Boy and the Heron will hit shelves on July 9, and physical media enthusiasts will have three different versions to choose from, including a 4K UHD and Blu-ray release, a Blu-ray and DVD combo, and a Limited Edition Steelbook housing a 4K UHD and Blu-ray.

The Academy Award-winning THE BOY AND THE HERON will be available in three physical editions on July 9, including the first-ever 4K UHD release for a Studio Ghibli film.

The first run of all versions will include a limited edition poster! ✨https://t.co/9sPENkmNb7 pic.twitter.com/sfrWX2wUAQ

— GKIDS Films (@GKIDSfilms) April 29, 2024

As detailed on the pre-order pages for the three editions on the GKIDS website, the first run of all versions will include an 11.5" x 14" fold-out poster that depicts Mahito Maki, the protagonist of the film, during an early encounter with the heron he befriends in the hand-drawn animated tale, written and directed by Miyazaki.

Those wanting to learn more about The Boy and the Heron will have a flock of bonus features to watch. The Blu-ray contains storyboards, a music video, teasers and trailers, plus a drawing feature with supervising animator Takeshi Honda. There are also interviews with Honda, composer Joe Hisaishi, and producer Toshio Suzuki.

The Boy and the Heron will also be available to purchase on all major digital platforms starting on June 25, including the likes of Apple TV+, Prime Video, and Vudu. The critically acclaimed fantasy adventure will also head to Max and Netflix (outside the U.S. and Japan), though its premiere date has yet to be announced.

The Boy and the Heron is Miyazaki's first feature film in 10 years. It won an Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for Best Animated Feature, with critics praising it as a triumph. IGN awarded the movie a 9/10, calling it "a stunning animated adventure that reminds us how lucky we are to live at a time when Studio Ghibli is making movies."

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X/Twitter @AdeleAnkers.

Cyberpunk Edgerunners Season 2 from Netflix, Studio Trigger, and CD Projekt Red is up in the air right now, but an expansion for tabletop role-playing game Cyberpunk Red will expand upon the lore of its beloved characters.

As reported by Dicebreaker, the Cyberpunk Edgerunners Mission Kit will act as a standalone starter set for the TTRPG when it's released later in 2024 but also reveal more about Lucy, Rebecca, and other fan favorites.

The lore is authentic too, coming straight from Edgerunners creator Rafał Jaki when creating RPG stats for the anime characters. Players won't take on the roles of these characters themselves, however, but instead meet them throughout the course of the story.

Seven pregenerated characters will be provided for players, letting them explore Night City with their own Edgerunners crew before the events of the anime.

These could be the last morsels of lore fans will get for the cast of Edgerunners as a second season is yet to be announced despite the first premiering to great critical reception in 2022. The show even sparked a resurgence in the Cyberpunk 2077 video game that saw upwards of one million players jumping in each day.

CD Projekt Red's Japanese community manager Satoru Honma said in October 2022 that there are no plans to continue the show, however, saying Edgerunners was intended to be a standalone work. This comes as the Cyberpunk franchise expands elsewhere, into books, comics, and even a mysterious live action project.

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

Game of Thrones is reportedly the basis of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game set from The Finals publisher Nexon.

Sources told Redanian Intelligence that the game will at least partially be set in the North with locations such as Winterfell and The Wall both featured. It will reportedly take place around Seasons 4 and 5 of the hit HBO show, when Roose Bolton is Warden of the North and Jon Snow and Sam Tarley are still posted at The Wall.

Players will allegedly explore Westeros through a story campaign threaded throughout the MMO, coming across the aforementioned characters and others as they do, according to Redanian Intelligence. The HBO show cast apparently will not return for the game, and players will create a brand new character for themselves, with male and female options.

The game was described as a package similar to The Elder Scrolls Online, though no release window for the alleged MMO was shared. IGN has asked Nexon for comment.

Nexon, as well as publishing Embark Studios' hit shooter The Finals, has hundreds of millions of registered users across all its games, including Dungeon & Fighter, MapleStory, and KartRider.

Despite having a critically acclaimed TV show based on a critically acclaimed ongoing novel series, Game of Thrones hasn't had as much of a presence in the video game space. Beyond a handful of strategy games, an RPG based on the TV show was released in 2012 to poor reviews, while Telltale Games created an episodic, story heavy game in 2014 that failed to get a second season. Interestingly, a Game of Thrones MMORPG for mobile was announced by Netmarble in 2022 but hasn't been heard from since.

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

Escape From Tarkov developer Battlestate Games has been called "shameless" and "tone deaf" over its response to controversy caused by a $250 expansion, with fans and even its esports associate calling out the studio.

The community behind Escape From Tarkov — a hardcore and realistic online first-person shooter currently in beta — erupted on April 26 after Battlestate announced the $250 Unheard Edition upgrade, which added an exclusive player-versus-everyone mode amid other extras, and notably wasn't deemed downloadable content by the developer. This meant those who'd bought the $150 Edge of Darkness edition of Escape From Tarkov, which came with a Season Pass and thus "free access to all subsequent DLCs", wouldn't obtain this new content without spending another $250.

Many players therefore deemed the Unheard Edition "pay-to-win", "unacceptable", "disrespectful", and more, but immense backlash has now arisen in response to the developer's official comment on the matter, which was seemingly intended to rectify the situation.

Nik Buyanov, Battlestate COO and studio head, posted on Reddit to announce owners of the Edge of Darkness edition would get access to the mode upon Escape From Tarkov's full launch but couldn't yet because of server capacity issues.

Players would "have the opportunity to test this mode by purchasing the Unheard edition of the game", Buyanov said, announcing a 50% discount for owners of the Edge of Darkness edition. These players would therefore be paying $275 in total to access this part of the Escape From Tarkov beta.

Another Reddit post came from Buyanov after this one didn't go well. "I would like to say that I am very sorry that fans and the game community in general are experiencing these feelings," he said, the wording of which further upset many Escape From Tarkov players.

"Fake apology," said redamid. "'I'm sorry you feel this way' does not equal 'I'm sorry I betrayed you'." ZeroPointZero_ chimed in too: "'I'm sorry you feel this way' is really not how an apology should sound," they said. "I don't really expect much better than this, however, considering all that has happened. The corrective actions are now on the right track, but hardly enough. Introducing pay-to-win features that are infinitely more potent than the ones in Edge of Darkness is just tone deaf."

Buyanov said the reaction, "which he did not foresee", will affect future decisions and announced a handful of other changes to these editions. PvE will be made available to those who own the Edge of Darkness edition but only "in waves" because of the server capacity issues, though it's unclear how far apart these waves will come.

He also promised to balance the items and perks in this addition but provide more to those who already bought it for $250, and said Battlestate will continue to work on other patches and content for Escape From Tarkov, among other things. "Thank you for your time, love and hate, and thank you for your increased attention to the current situation," Buyanov said.

These changes aren't enough for many, however. "Saying you're 'sorry about the feeling we are experiencing' is such as BS statement," said broken-cactus. "Clearly you're not sorry for what you did. While this is a good step, honestly you guys have shown your true colors with this whole fiasco. I'm just very disappointed, and I hope you guys will take some time to build back the trust you lost with this community."

A comment from paulfunyan suggested Battlestate had made false promises in the past, and said the company is asking for too much money for a game currently in beta. "You've had the privilege of us testing your game for the past seven years, and this is the product you're delivering. If you expect anyone to pay more money to test this then you're bats**t insane," they said. "Shameless."

Escape From Tarkov's Reddit is currently full of fans sharing similar thoughts, though Battlestate's recent actions appear to be a step too far for many. A post from WebFirm4870 with a screenshot of them uninstalling the game has 3,500 upvotes. Mleeimlele's post telling other players not to fall for the apology has 6,700 upvotes. A screenshot of the Wikipedia page for a "non-apology apology" has 5,100 upvotes.

But the backlash took a step further when Evasion GG, the first Escape From Tarkov esports team and a host of more than 200 tournaments for the game, posted on X/Twitter to claim Battlestate is a bad company to work with as a result of "control issues, blatant nepotism" and more.

"We have produced over 200 Tarkov shows but if you’ve wondered why we haven’t been as active as we once were it’s because we will not be railroaded into doing events that we don’t believe in," Evasion said.

"What happened to the Tarkov community over the past week is what’s been happening to us for the last two years dealing with Battlestate. Promises not kept, gaslighting, event cancelations, control issues, blatant nepotism, [and] all while wasting our time, money, and efforts. This year we found out how terribly they have been treating the smaller event orgs as well. Now this treatment has spread to the player base.

"We’ve held back sharing this information but seeing how the community was treated as a whole recently was too much. We will not create Tarkov events until we see things truly change."

IGN has asked Battlestate for comment regarding these allegations and the community backlash.

Escape From Tarkov was released in closed alpha in August 2016 before its closed beta was released in July 2017. It has stayed in this form ever since despite regular updates and paid add-ons, with no word on a proper launch date as of yet.

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

Bethesda has issued a clarification amid confusion surrounding the much-anticipated free next-gen update for Fallout 4, confirming who does and who does not qualify for the upgrade.

Following last week’s launch of the update, PlayStation 5 owners were left confused over which subscription version of the game would qualify as getting the native next-gen patch for free when it, at least initially, wasn’t available for anyone. It turns out the free update is only for subscribers who have the game via the PlayStation Plus Extra catalog. That means everyone else has to pay for Fallout 4’s native PS5 version, if they didn't already own the game outright, including those who own Fallout 4 via the now defunct PS Plus Collection. Meanwhile, all Xbox Game Pass subscribers get Fallout 4 and the next-gen update for free.

PS Plus Collection was a promotion that gifted PS5 owners who subscribed to PS Plus a number of PS4 games to play on their new console, including Bloodborne, Persona 5, and the aforementioned Fallout 4. It was removed from PS Plus in May last year.

“We've seen some confusion regarding the free Fallout 4 next-gen update for PlayStation Plus Extra members,” Bethesda said in a statement. “The Fallout 4 next-gen update will be available to PlayStation Plus Extra members through the PlayStation Game Catalog. Your patience is appreciated while the teams work on this.”

As you’d expect, people who do own Fallout 4 via PS Plus Collection and had expected to get the next-gen update for free have expressed their disappointment, and pointed out Bethesda had said the next-gen update would be free for all owners of Fallout 4.

Bethesda has also faced tough questions around refunds for Fallout 4 after some who owned the game via PlayStation Plus Extra but bought the PS5 version during the period when a bug made the free next-gen update unavailable. IGN has asked Bethesda for comment.

The Fallout 4 next-gen update has suffered a troubled launch, and the update that launched alongside it for the PC version of the game has had technical problems of its own. Xbox players found their version lacked the promised Quality Mode. Bethesda tweeted to say the next-gen update on Xbox Series X targets 4k and 60 frames per second in all modes, with Performance Mode “more aggressive in lowering settings to maintain this target.”

The Fallout 4 next-gen update launched amid the breakout success of Prime Video’s Fallout TV show, but its release date scuppered the Fallout London mod, which relies upon third-party mods now broken following the PC patch.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Potential Spoilers! If you don't want to risk being spoiled on the plot of Captain America: Brave New World, consider yourself warned!

Captain America: Brave New World gets a new McDonald's promotional advert, offering a first look at Danny Ramirez as the Falcon.

X/Twitter user @UpToTASK shared a photo of McDonald's Captain America: Brave New World tie-in poster, showing Ramirez suited and booted as the MCU's new Falcon. He is pictured wearing a predominantly green suit to match his comic book counterpart, along with a helmet and the character's mechanical wings.

First look at the new Falcon for Captain America: Brave New World. pic.twitter.com/omlns7jksh

— It Was All a Dream, I Used to Read Wizard Magazine (@UpToTASK) April 29, 2024

Ramirez first starred as Joaquín Torres in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier alongside Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan. However, the upcoming Captain America movie will see him take on the mantle of Falcon after Mackie's Sam Wilson gifted him his busted wings in the show's penultimate episode.

The MCU's new Falcon also showed up in a McDonald's toy ad from Brazil, which featured several characters in minifigure form, including two versions of Captain America and an unexpected appearance from Thaddeus Ross' alter ego, Red Hulk, suggesting Harrison Ford's character will transform into a super-strong CG monster.

Kevin Feige and Anthony Mackie debuted the first footage from Captain America: Brave New World at CinemaCon 2024, but plot details are still largely under wraps. However, it looks like the story will, at least in part, see Falcon and the movie's titular Star-Spangled Avenger take on the general-turned-president-turned-Hulk.

Captain America: Brave New World will arrive in theaters on February 14, 2025, as part of the next wave of MCU movies after Deadpool & Wolverine.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X/Twitter @AdeleAnkers.