Month: September 2021

FFXIV Reaper And Sage Job Actions Revealed

FFXIV’s seven-hour long Letter from the Producer revealed more information about Endwalker’s two new jobs–Reaper and Sage. You can check out the Reaper and Sage segments in the Job Action video attached below to get a sense of what the rotations and designs feel like. Other jobs’ Endwalker upgrades and tweaks are also included in the same video, if you’d like to check out how your main has changed or stayed the same.

Reaper

Reaper falls under the melee DPS category. Maining a scythe weapon, Reaper players are also accompanied by a shadowy grim reaper-looking avatar. By becoming the vessel for this avatar, reapers can unleash attacks that cause more damage.

Now Playing: Final Fantasy XIV Online Endwalker Job Actions Trailer

Reaper has two gauges, one of them being the Soul Gauge. Charging up the Soul Gauge allows reapers to deploy different attacks, including some of the ones available when “possessed” by the avatar. The second gauge, the Shroud Gauge, starts filling up when the reaper uses both their attacks and their avatar’s attacks. This gauge will allow you to be possessed by the avatar and utilize special combos.

Reaper also has a unique movement ability. In the Job Action video, the Reaper opened portal-looking holes and was able to teleport to and from the placement of these said portals.

This job leans towards pure melee DPS, much like Samurai, though “not as extreme,” according to director and producer Naoki Yoshida. Reaper can buff the party–as demonstrated by the Reaper “taking” something out of the Bard in the Job Action video.

All melee DPS will get a change to Feint–the effect will reduce both physical and magical damage dealt now, with a larger reduction for physical damage.

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Sage

Sage–aka healer with guns–joins Scholar as a barrier healer. Its calling card is the unique ability to attack enemies and heal a targeted party member at the same time.

Sage has a resource that builds up over time and allows Sage players to execute instant barrier heals. The job also has a gap closer called Icarus that allows you to zoom around, aided by the Nouliths (the gun-like weapons). The overall design and feeling of the Sage job gives a more sci-fi feeling–many fans say it reminds them of Gundam–as opposed to the more fantasy vibes of Astrologian, White Mage, and Scholar.

In general, all healer jobs will get the following adjustments: addition of single-target buffs, shortened cast time for offensive spells, and a 50m limit break expansion.

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Endwalker releases on November 19 for PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, and Playstation 5. This expansion will conclude FFXIV’s 10-year story arc surrounding Hydaelyn and Zodiark, but will not mark the end for FFXIV as a whole. You can check out a short interview we did with Yoshida for more information.

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Neil Druckmann Will Seemingly Direct Episodes of the Last of Us HBO Series

Neil Druckmann, the writer and creative director behind The Last of Us, will seemingly direct at least a portion of the upcoming HBO TV series based on the game.

An updated production list on the Directors Guild of Canada lists Druckmann as one of five directors for the show’s first season.

Listed alongside Druckmann as directors for the series are co-writer and showrunner Craig Mazin, as well as Jasmila Zbanic, and Peter Hoar. They are joined by Kantemir Balagov, who recently wrapped up directorial duties on the show’s pilot episode.

While it was already known that the Naughty Dog co-president would feature as an executive producer and writer on the show, it is currently unclear whether Druckmann’s role as a director will span a single episode or more.

Since its initial announcement last year, HBO’s The Last of Us has since confirmed a number of casting choices for the post-apocalyptic series. The Mandalorian and Narcos’ Pedro Pascal was previously confirmed to be undertaking the role of series protagonist Joel while Bella Ramsey (of Game of Thrones fame) is set to play Ellie.

Since then, the show’s most recent addition to its cast comes in the form of Fringe’s Anna Torv, who will take on the recurring role as Joel’s smuggling companion, Tess.

While many of the details surrounding the show have been kept closely under wraps, back in July it was said that the TV adaptation of The Last of Us would have a budget that “exceeded the eight-figure per episode mark” likely making it “the largest project shooting in Canada”.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage Poster Teases the Return of She-Venom

Sony Pictures has released four new character posters for Venom: Let There Be Carnage, including one for Michelle Williams’ Anne Weying that teases the return of She-Venom.

The official @VenomMovie Twitter shared a new batch of posters, highlighting the duality of the characters in Andy Serkis’ upcoming Venom sequel. The images spotlight the characters’ symbiote-fuelled transformations, with portraits of Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock/Venom, Woody Harrelson’s Cletus Kasady/Carnage, and Naomie Harris’ Frances Barrison/Shriek.

Michelle Williams’ Anne Weying also gets her own poster, featuring a silhouette that teases the return of She-Venom. The tagline in the tweet accompanying the poster also points to Williams officially suiting up as She-Venom in the sequel. “She’s back in black,” the tagline revealed. Take a closer look at her poster along with all of the others in our gallery below:

Williams previously spoke of her desire to have more screen time as She-Venom in Let There Be Carnage, having briefly spawned into her symbiotic counterpart in the 2018 movie. The actress said she hoped that she would be able to assume her alternate identity for “equal time” in the sequel to the blockbuster anti-hero superhero film.

Fortunately, we don’t have too long to wait to find out. Venom: Let There Be Carnage was recently moved up on Sony’s release calendar, with the PG-13 rated sequel now expected to hit theaters on October 1. Some fans are speculating that Venom might make another appearance this year too, in Spider-Man: No Way Home when it’s released in December.

Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

The Flash Director Posts a Curious Tease About Batman’s Crossover

As production continues on 2023’s The Flash, director Andy Muschietti has posted an intriguing new teaser image on Instagram.

The teaser in question shows a familiar Batman costume defaced with the Flash’s colors and logo:

The Batsuit looks to be the same design Michael Keaton wore in 1992’s Batman Returns, which featured a slightly different Bat emblem and torso armor shape compared to the original costume from 1989’s Batman Returns. We already know Keaton and Ben Affleck are both reprising their respective Batman roles, though Keaton has admitted to having a hard time grasping the concept of the DC multiverse.

Interestingly, this image brings to mind the defaced Robin costume glimpsed in Batman v Superman, which hinted at a dark confrontation between the Boy Wonder and the Joker at some point in the DCEU’s past. Director Zack Snyder later revealed this Robin was meant to be Dick Grayson, not Jason Todd. Should we take this as a clue that Keaton’s version of Bruce Wayne may have a bone to pick with Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen? Or is this image simply teasing the idea that Barry will help coax an aging Bruce out of retirement? Or maybe Barry loses his own costume and has to repurpose one of Batman’s old suits?

At this point, we can only speculate as to the true meaning behind this teaser. We’re hoping to learn more about the plot of The Flash and Keaton’s exact role at DC FanDome in October.

DC fans can also look forward to a new trailer for The Batman as well as updates on movies like Black Adam and Aquaman 2, shows like Superman & Lois, The Flash and Sweet Tooth and games like Batman: Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

SEC Launches Investigation Into Activision Blizzard Over Handling Of Sexual Harassment, Discrimination Allegations

Activision Blizzard is being investigated by federal regulators over the company’s handling of employees’ allegations of sexual misconduct and workplace discrimination. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has subpoenaed Activision Blizzard and multiple senior executives including CEO Bobby Kotick.

The SEC has requested a wide range of documents from Activision Blizzard, including board meeting minutes since 2019, personnel files of six former employees, and separation agreements the company had reached with staffers in 2021, according to records obtained by WSJ. It also requested Kotick’s communications with other senior executives in regards to complaints about sexual harassment or discrimination by Activision Blizzard employees and contractors.

An Activision Blizzard spokesperson confirmed to GameSpot that the SEC is investigating the company.

“The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is conducting an investigation concerning the Company’s disclosures regarding employment matters and related issues, and has issued subpoenas to the Company and several current and former employees that seek information related to this. The Company is cooperating with the SEC,” an Activision Blizzard spokesperson told GameSpot.

The SEC is seeking to discern if Activision Blizzard properly disclosed allegations of workplace harassment and gender-pay issues, and if that information should have been shared with investors and other parties earlier.

An investigation by a federal agency like the SEC escalates the ongoing legal trouble Activision Blizzard has been dealing with since the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing sued the company for alleged issues of sexual harassment and discrimination back in July. California updated its lawsuit in late August, accusing Activision Blizzard of shredding evidence related to the investigation.

Long-Dead Warhammer Online MMO Just Received New Content Thanks To Fans

A Warhammer Online private server, Return of Reckoning, has seen dedicated fans bring the MMO back from the grave in an unofficial capacity, and the team behind the project is going beyond simply giving fans a place to play the game.

Released in 2008, the EA-published Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning was billed as a true World of Warcraft-killer. That, obviously, didn’t come to pass. The game failed to find a sizable enough audience and the servers were taken offline back in 2013. But, as spotted by Eurogamer, that hasn’t stopped dedicated fans from breathing new life into the long-dead MMO, even going so far to patch in unfinished content that was never officially released.

When Warhammer Online first released, it included two finished capital cities, Altdorf and The Inevitable City. But two additional capital cities, the dwarf city of Karaz-A-Karak and the Greenskin home of Karak Eight Peaks, were featured in the game’s beta before being removed prior to the full game’s launch.

The team behind Return of Reckoning has now reintroduced those two missing capital cities into the private server for players to enjoy. A new trailer for the resurrected content says the feat was only possible thanks to volunteers dedicating thousands of hours to finishing what former developer Mythic Entertainment started all those years ago.

Even though Warhammer Online may be technically dead, Return of Reckoning seems to be thriving. The server frequently hosts in-game community events, and even recently hosted a discussion with former Mythic Entertainment developers as part of Warhammer Online’s recent 13th anniversary.

Though Warhammer Online may be no more, there is no shortage of Warhammer-themed games nowadays. Total War: Warhammer III recently saw a delay into 2022, but developer Creative Assembly says the game’s release will just be the beginning, with several years of content and support planned.

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A Halo Crossover With Mahong And Solitaire Is Now Available, Because Why Not

If you’ve ever wanted a bit more Master Chief flavor with your Mahjong or Solitaire games, Microsoft has good news for you. Halo themes are now available for the Microsoft versions of the two games.

The themes are free for all players and were designed by Halo developer 343 Industries. For Solitaire, which is on PC and mobile, the cards get an overhaul, with all of the face cards now showing Halo characters instead of the normal Jack, Queen, and King. The gems in Mahjong, which is only on mobile, are changed to look like Halo’s multiplayer medals.

It might seem weird on face for Microsoft to target its casual games like this, but Solitaire and Mahjong are enormously popular. Solitaire in particular is comically massive: During Microsoft Solitaire’s 20th anniversary celebration last year, the company announced that over 35 million people still play it each month. Many of those people probably don’t play many other Microsoft games yet, despite already being connected to the Xbox ecosystem. As a result, it’s a big pool of people to market Microsoft’s exclusives to–and these themes are a straightforward way to raise awareness.

Halo Infinite is scheduled for launch on December 8 on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One, and there are a number of other promotions ahead of its release. For instance, you can grab double XP for its free-to-play multiplayer mode by eating Pringles and Pop-Tarts, and there are seemingly Halo-themed Monster energy drinks on the way. Halo Infinite’s next beta is kicking off on September 24. Be sure to check out our guide on how to sign up for the Halo Infinite beta.

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The SEC Is Now Investigating Activision Blizzard for Discrimination and Harassment

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is now also investigating Activision Blizzard for how the company handled allegations of sexual misconduct and workplace discrimination. This is a separate investigation following a similar lawsuit from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Securities and Exchange Commission has subpoenaed Activision, including CEO Bobby Kotick. The SEC is requesting documents from Activision board meetings from 2019, personnel files for former employees as well as separation agreements the company made this year.

The SEC also requested communication logs between Kotick and other Activision senior executives, particularly in regards to anything about sexual harassment or discrimination complaints.

In a statement to WSJ, Activision confirmed the SEC’s investigation and says the company is “cooperating with the SEC.”

The investigation is the second against Activision Blizzard after the CDFH accused the video game developer behind Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, of regularly discriminating against female employees. The lawsuit says the company regularly underpaid female employees for the same work, and created a hostile work environment with rampant sexual harassment.

Activision Blizzard initially dismissed the lawsuit, but investigations have shown discontent among employees, and the company’s response led to a walkout in protest. While Kotick has since called the initial response “tone-deaf” the National Labor Relations Board recently accused Activision of intimidating employees for speaking out.

The company has also hired a new Chief People Officer, Julie Hodges, from the Walt Disney Co. to oversee HR and build a more equitable workplace.

(Photo Illustration by Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

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

Fancy Anders Goes to War: Road to Perdition’s Max Allan Collins Reveals Next Novel

Novelist and screenwriter Max Allan Collins has revealed his next project. The author of Road to Perdition (the basis for the 2002 film) will return with Fancy Anders Goes to War, a WWII-era mystery with a very famous murder victim at its center.

Fancy Anders Goes to War features the titular investigator struggling to solve the murder of propaganda icon Rosie the Riveter, a mission which takes on new urgency when President Franklin D. Roosevelt is targeted for assassination. This novella also features illustrations from James Bond artist Fay Dalton.

Here’s the official description for the new book:

Fall 1942. When her Hollywood private detective daddy is called back to uniform, Fancy Anders is issued orders of her own: answer the phone, make referrals, and keep the place dusted. But the 24-year-old Barnard grad—whose hobbies include shooting, flying and jujitsu—isn’t having any.

At Amalgamated Aircraft, a young female worker chosen to pose for patriotic photos and posters has met with a suspicious “accidental death.” Fancy takes the victim’s place on the swing shift, fitting in well with co-workers very much not from high society circles. With the occasional reluctant help of LAPD homicide cop Rick Hinder, Fancy takes a hammer to the head of a saboteur, sniffs out an enemy within, and sets out to prevent an assassination attempt on President Roosevelt, scheduled to tour the plant and greet the women who work long, hard hours for the war effort.

“In years of working with artists in both novels and comics, few rival Fay for her artistry and faithful attention to the text,” said Collins in a statement. Also, she could easily play Fancy Anders in a movie, as long as she can restrain her pesky British accent.”

Fancy Anders Goes to War will be released digitally on Tuesday, October 5. No print release has been confirmed yet. The book is the first of three collaborations between Collins and Dalton.

In other news, IGN recently spoke with Devil’s reign writer Chip Zdarsky about why the Kingpin has become an Avengers-level threat. You can also check out our exclusive preview of Lugosi: The Rise and Fall of Hollywood’s Dracula.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Obi-Wan Has Finished Filming, Ewan McGregor Confirms

Ewan McGregor says filming has wrapped up on the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

After winning an Emmy for his role in Netflix’s Halston, Variety asked Ewan McGregor for any details on the upcoming Star Wars show. He confirmed that they are done filming, and said he thinks, “it will not disappoint.”

“I think it’s gonna be good. I had a really good time making it and worked with some really wonderful people,” McGregor said. He added that new technology made it a different experience than when he filmed the prequel trilogy.

Obi-Wan is set to take place 10 years after the events of the prequel trilogy and follow McGregor’s Obi-Wan as he hides on Tatooine after the fall of the Jedi Order. McGregor is the second actor to play Obi-Wan and Alec Guinness played the senior Jedi in the original trilogy.

McGregor teased Obi-Wan’s costume in the show earlier this year, saying the Jedi Master’s look will be, “slightly different than you might expect.” Hayden Christensen is also returning to the Star Wars universe to reprise the role of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in the series.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is directed by Deborah Chow, who has experience directing The Mandalorian. Other Obi-Wan Kenobi cast members include Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell, and Benny Safdie. The series is set to premiere sometime in 2022.

For more, read how Christensen’s return can resolve a major Star Wars mystery. Or, check out the full list of the 2021 Emmy Winners, including multiple awards for Ted Lasso, The Crown, and more.

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