MiHoYo’s free-to-play, anime styled juggernaut just keeps on growing, as the latest update has been announced. Revealed in a press release, the new update brings a new city and region to explore, new characters, bosses, and more.

The Version 2.0 update, titled The Immovable God and the Eternal Euthymia, introduces the brand new Inazuma region, ruled by the Electro Archon. Inazuma is across the sea from the main playable regions that have been released so far. According to the press release, the locations found within Inazuma have completely different cultures, creatures, and mysteries.

Inazuma is an island region consisting of six islands, and the Electro Archon has become obsessed with the pursuit of eternal life. Individuals including Kamisato Ayaka will be added as playable five-star characters for the first time, which will be helpful against the new bosses and enemies being added to the game.

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The feature that perhaps has the most potential to shake up Genshin Impact is the long-awaited introduction of cross-save functionality, allowing players to spread their play across multiple devices and keep their progress. As a game that is available across consoles, PC and mobile, this is a handy feature, letting players choose when, how and on what devices they want to play.

Version 2.0 launches on July 21, and brings with it some additional features for players on PlayStation 5, including DualSense haptic feedback support, whilst all versions will benefit from improved character shading, more feature optimisation, and cross-save functionality.

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Genshin Impact is currently available across PC, PS4, PS5 and mobile. The game was also originally set to launch on Nintendo Switch, but has since been delayed, and we haven’t heard anything about the Switch version for a while now. Are you interested in what the land of Inazuma offers Genshin Impact players, or are you waiting to hear when the game will come to Switch before jumping in? Let us know in the comments below.

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Liam Wiseman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @liamthewiseman

One of the announcements from NIntendo’s E3 2021 Direct I personally got the most most excited about is the upcoming Nintendo Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda edition. It’s still available for preorder at several retailers, and yes, I absolutely ordered one the split second preorders went live at Best Buy last month. It’s also now available to preorder at Amazon UK, for those across the pond.

Best Buy and Amazon have sold out of their initial run, but it’s still possible to preorder one from Walmart, GameStop or Target. There’s also a good chance Amazon and BB will get another run of orders, but they’ve been unavailable for a lot longer than I was expecting, so who knows? Maybe this one is actually limited, unlike the Super Mario Bros. Game & Watch, which I still see on the shelf at Walmart.

Preorder the Nintendo Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda Edition

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As stated in the product description, the Nintendo Game & Watch Legend of Zelda edition includes the first two NES games, the Game Boy version of Link’s Awakening, and a reimagined version of Vermin starring Link.

You can also, according to Nintendo, play “the English or Japanese versions” of the included games. Not sure if that means we’ll get the Famicom Disc System or the cartridge for the Japanese version of the original The Legend of Zelda. The FDS version has different music, and some other notable differences as well.

In addition to just looking cool, the Zelda Game & Watch comes in a box you can use as a display case, something the Super Mario Game & Watch lacked. By the way, if you want to get yourself a Super Mario Game & Watch, it’s still available online at Best Buy for its $49.99 MSRP.

The Zelda Game & Watch comes out November 12.

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Seth Macy is IGN’s Executive Editor, IGN Commerce, and just wants to be your friend. You can follow him on Twitter.

Developer MiHoYo has revealed more details on the next substantial update for Genshin Impact, which will launch on July 21, 2021. Titled The Immovable God and the Eternal Euthymia, players will be able to explore the new region of Inazuma and travel across a landscape where the weather changes quickly and drastically.

The lightning-themed Inazuma area consists of six main islands and a series of islets, with locations such as the Grand Narukami Shrine and Sacred Sakura on the mountain of Narukami Island scattered across the area. It’s worth noting that for now only three of the six main islands of Inazuma will be accessible, but MiHoYo added that the available content will have a wealth of stories and secrets to uncover.

It’s not all purple skies and sunshine though, as the islands are home to wandering samurais and even a new branch of the Fatui. New boss enemies will be added to the map for Travelers to challenge and obtain more rewards from them, while the Hypostasis family will see a new Pyro member joining. Having originally debuted in Genshin Impact Version 1.6, Maguu Kenki will also be found as a World Boss and a source for Character Level-Up Materials in Inazuma.

New companions coming to the game include Inazuma natives Ayaka, Yoimiya, and Sayu. Ayaka is the daughter of the Yashiro Commission’s Kamisato Clan who wields Cryo powers and a sword, Yoimiya is a five-star Pyro archer, and Sayu is a ninja who wields both a massive claymore and an Anemo Vision.

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Lastly, cross-save function across PlayStation, PC, and mobile will be added in Version 2.0, as well as more refined character shading, haptic feedback support for the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller, and more feature optimizations.

In case you’ve missed out on all the buzz since it launched last year, Genshin Impact is a free-to-play RPG that’s currently available on PS4, PS5, Android, iOS, and PC. The game holds the record for being the fastest mobile game to earn $1 billion, doing so in less than six months.

The full schedule for Comic-Con@Home 2021 has been released, and it features a packed line-up of movie and TV panels that can be watched from the comfort of your home.

Comic-Con International: San Diego cancelled its 2021 convention in March due to precautions around staging an in-person event during the pandemic. As with last year’s SDCC, the physical convention is being replaced with a virtual event, featuring a variety of panels covering fan-favourite topics, from TV and movies to comics, publishing, and toys.

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Paramount’s Snake Eyes: G.I. Origins will open this year’s digital convention, with a cast panel scheduled to kick things off on July 23. It is anticipated to be one of the biggest film-centric panels as Disney’s Marvel Studios and Warner Bros. DC Films both opted out of presentations this year, so we won’t be hearing any further news about their film slates.

Netflix appears to be filling in a few of the gaps at the pop-culture confab, with a Geeked line-up that includes Masters of the Universe: Revelation, the Fear Street trilogy, and The Last Mercenary, amongst many others. The panels include appearances from the creative minds and stars of these shows and movies, so you may want to start your virtual planning now.

For your convenience, IGN has put together a list to spotlight a small selection of 2021 Comic-Con@Home’s must-see panels, including the date, time, and description for each session. Read on below for the hand-selected highlight reel of presentations coming up at the event or click here to view the full schedule yourself.

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July 21

1:00pm-2:00pm: Unmasking Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins

An inside look at the highly-anticipated upcoming film Snake Eyes: G.I Joe Origins—with special content and exclusive interviews from stars Henry Golding, Andrew Koji, Úrsula Corberó, Samara Weaving, Haruka Abe, Iko Uwais, Peter Mensah, and Takehiro Hira as well as the writer of the G.I. Joe comic books, the legend himself, Larry Hama! Mari Takahashi (@atomicmari) will moderate a panel featuring the film’s main cast as they discuss bringing this incredible origin story to life. Fans in select markets who tune into the panel will have the chance to gain access to a special advanced screening of Snake Eyes on Wednesday, July 21st at the Snake Eyes Comic-Con Fans First Fan Screenings.

July 23

10:00am-11:00am: Dragon Ball Z

Since 1984, the Dragon Ball series has always brought exciting adventures to fans around the globe. We welcome special guests Masako Nozawa (voice of Son Goku), Akio Iyoku (executive producer of the Dragon Ball series, and editor for Akira Toriyama), and Norihiro Hayashida (producer of TV animation and movies for the Dragon Ball series including Dragon Ball Super: BROLY) as they discuss the behind the scenes of the next Dragon Ball movie! There will be tons of exciting news and don’t miss a special musical performance by Hironobu Kageyama!

10:00am-11:00am: Paramount+: Peak Animation with the Star Trek Universe, The Harper House, and Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out The News

Paramount+ is bringing cast and producers from its highly anticipated upcoming animated original series to ComicCon@Home. Programming includes exclusive conversations with the casts and producers of the upcoming kids series Star Trek: Prodigy; plus adult animated comedies Star Trek: Lower Decks, as the scrappy underdogs of the U.S.S. Cerritos return in an exciting second season; new series The Harper House; plus a special segment of Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out The News.

11:00am-12:00pm: Amazon Panel

Amazon Prime Video and IMDb TV have joined forces for a multi-title panel that promises something extraordinary for every Comic-Con@Home attendee. Join showrunners Rafe Judkins (The Wheel of Time), Hideaki Anno(EVANGELION:3.0+1.01 THRICE UPON A TIME), Nico Entel (S.O.Z.), Sara Goodman (I Know What You Did Last Summer), and series stars and directors Beth Riesgraf & Noah Wyle (Leverage: Redemption), as TV host Tim Kash leads each panelist through their own standalone series conversation, filled with illuminating discussion and exclusive asset drops and announcements.

11:00am-12:00pm: Tuca & Bertie

Lisa Hanawalt (creator and executive producer), Raphael Bob-Waksberg (executive producer), Nicole Byer (voice of Plant Teen 2, The Chill Bird), and Adam Conover (moderator) for a virtual Hall H to celebrate the return of Tuca & Bertie. Hear from the cast on the moments that made them laugh the hardest, their unique quarantine recording process, and the sci-fi behind birds. Watch new episodes of Tuca & Bertie Sundays at 11:30 ET / PT on Adult Swim.

12:00pm-1:00pm: HBO Max & Cartoon Network Studios: Adventure Time: Distant Lands

What time is it? It’s time for more adventure in the land of Ooo and beyond with Adventure Time: Distant Lands, based on the Emmy-and Peabody Award-winning Cartoon Network series Adventure Time from creator Pendleton Ward and executive producer Adam Muto. Join moderator Bex Taylor-Klaus (Blaine) as they deep dive into the recent special, Together Again, and preview the upcoming Wizard City along with Adam Muto (executive producer), John DiMaggio (Jake), Mace Montgomery Miskel (Pep), and Toks Olagundoye (Dr. Caledonius). Uncover some secrets, hear behind-the-scenes stories and stick around until the very end for a special sneak peek at the upcoming Adventure Time: Distant Lands – Wizard City.

12:00pm-1:00pm: Marvel Comics: X-Men

Welcome to life under the Reign of X! From the start of the Hellfire Gala right through its show-stopping conclusion, Marvel’s magnificent mutant mavens have led the new nation of Krakoa through some of the biggest changes the X-Men have ever seen. Ryan Penagos, aka Agent M, leads a panel including Vita Ayala (Children of the Atom, New Mutants), Gerry Duggan (Marauders, X-Men), Benjamin Percy (Wolverine, X-Force), Leah Williams (X-Men: The Trial of Magneto), and senior editor Jordan D. White. Join these X-traordinary X-perts for a sneak peek at what’s coming next! With Inferno heating up, the Master of Magnetism under investigation for the shocking death of Scarlet Witch, and an all-new team of X-Men out in the world, there’s never been a more X-citing time to start reading!

12:00pm-1:00pm: Netflix Geeked: Masters of the Universe: Revelation

Netflix and Mattel Television present an exclusive sneak peek at the highly-anticipated animated series Masters of the Universe: Revelation. Since its creation in 1982, the Masters of the Universe franchise has become a cultural phenomenon, transcending generations and igniting passion amongst fans around the world. This new action-packed series, which follows He-Man, Skeletor, Teela, and the other classic characters of the Masters of the Universe franchise, picks up where the iconic characters left off decades ago. Now, nearly 40 years later, the new series will delight long-standing fans and introduce a new generation to Eternia and the thrilling, heroic adventures of the Guardians of Grayskull. The cast and creators will discuss all of your questions about reviving this beloved franchise.

1:00pm-2:00pm: Crunchyroll Virtual Industry Panel

Hear about all the latest and greatest anime & manga coming out of Crunchyroll straight from the source!

2:00pm-3:00pm: Star Wars: The High Republic – We Are All The Republic!

Star Wars: The High Republic authors Claudia Gray, Charles Soule, Cavan Scott, Justina Ireland, and Daniel José Older discuss the latest books and comics in this exciting new era, including The Rising Storm, Race to Crashpoint Tower, and Out of the Shadows. Plus, get a sneak peek at new reveals and upcoming titles. Moderated by Star Wars: The High Republic Show host Krystina Arielle.

3:00pm-4:00pm: Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two

Watch the fun as panelists discuss the thrilling conclusion to this epic tale, including Jensen Ackles (Supernatural, Batman: Under the Red Hood) as Batman/Bruce Wayne, Katee Sackhoff (The Mandalorian, Battlestar Galactica, Batman: Year One) as Poison Ivy, Julie Nathanson (Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay) as Gilda Dent, Troy Baker (The Last of Us, Batman: Arkham Knight) as The Joker and screenwriter Tim Sheridan (Reign of the Supermen, Superman: Man of Tomorrow). actress/host Tiffany Smith (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, DC Daily) moderates the festivities.

3:00pm-4:00pm: Duncanville

The Harris family and friends come together for a hilarious conversation about the spectacularly average life of 15-year-old Duncan Harris on FOX’s hit animated series Duncanville. Executive producers Mike Scully & Julie Thacker-Scully, executive producer and star, Amy Poehler, and stars Ty Burrell, Riki Lindhome, Joy Osmanski, Yassir Lester, and Betsy Sodaro tease the rest of this season and next and give fans a special look at an upcoming episode featuring a musical number with everyone’s favorite teacher, Mr. Mitch (voiced by Wiz Khalifa).

4:00pm-5:00pm: Netflix Geeked: Fear Street Trilogy
All roads lead to Fear Street… In this exclusive first panel together since the release of the films, join Fear Street director Leigh Janiak, cast members Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., and Fear Street author R.L. Stine and celebrate the epic trilogy by hearing all the behind the scenes details on how they made the films and what it’s really like for R.L. Stine to see his vision turned into a blood-splattering epic.

4:00pm-5:00pm: Rick and Morty

Relive the best of season five with Dan Harmon (co-creator and executive producer), Scott Marder (showrunner and executive producer), Chris Parnell (voice of Jerry), Sarah Chalke (voice of Beth), Spencer Grammer (voice of Summer), Brandon Johnson (moderator), and special guests. Get answers to all your Rick and Morty questions, like who is Mr. Nimbus, does Beth floss, and what are decoys? Watch all-new episodes of Rick and Morty Sundays at 11 pm ET / PT only on Adult Swim.

July 24

10:00am-11:00am: HBO Max and Warner Bros. Animation: Looney Tunes Cartoons

There’s More Folks! Looney Tunes Cartoons continues to captivate a new generation of fans with over 400 minutes of Looney mayhem and there’s much more to come. Moderated by voice cast member Eric Bauza (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety, Marvin the Martian), join Pete Browngardt (executive producer), Aaron Spurgeon (art director), Alex Kirwan (supervising producer), Caroline Director (storyboard artist), and Keika Yamaguchi (assistant art director) for a panel discussion to find out what’s next for Bugs, Daffy and the rest of your favorite Tunes! Looney Tunes Cartoons is produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Stream episodes now on HBO Max.

11:00-12:00pm: Simpsons Season 33 and Beyond!

Matt Selman, Al Jean, David Silverman, Carolyn Omine, Mike B. Anderson, Debbie Mahan, and moderator Yeardley Smith give you an exclusive sneak preview of Season 33! A panel of animators, writers, and special surprise guests will answer your questions, tell behind-the-scenes stories, and reveal the secrets of the Springfield Cinematic Universe!

1:00pm-2:00pm: Fear the Walking Dead

The sixth season of Fear the Walking Dead ended with a bang… literally as Teddy brought about his vision of “The End” when he detonated nuclear warheads across the Texas landscape. Join chief content officer of The Walking Dead Universe Scott M. Gimple, showrunners Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg, and cast members Lennie James, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Colman Domingo, Danay Garcia, Jenna Elfman, Karen David, Mo Collins, and Christine Evangelista for a panel discussion about what’s to come in season seven as the survivors will decide what “The Beginning” will look like, adapting to a deadly new environment where the air they breathe is as deadly as the walkers they encounter. The Q&A discussion will feature fan questions, behind-the-scenes insights from the set, and an exclusive first look at the new season of Fear the Walking Dead, coming this fall. Moderated by Chris Hardwick.

2:00pm-3:00pm: The Walking Dead: World Beyond
The cast and creators of The Walking Dead World Beyond will participate in a moderated Q&A discussion about the upcoming 2nd and final season, which airs later this year They’ll discuss filming the new season, bringing the limited story to its conclusion, and share behind the scenes anecdotes, information about the upcoming new episodes and a first-look clip from Season 2.

3:00pm-4:00pm: Central Park
Co-creator and executive producer Loren Bouchard; co-creator, executive producer, and voice of Birdie, Josh Gad; the voice of Owen Tillerman, Leslie Odom Jr.; the voice of Cole Tillerman, Tituss Burgess; and producers Kelvin Yu and Steven Davis, from the musical animated AppleTV+ series Central Park, come together the show’s ‘Con debut discuss bringing this harmonious series to life by merging comedy with the very brightest talent of Broadway and some of the best songwriters in the world.

3:00pm-4:00pm: Netflix Geeked: The Last Mercenary
Get in on all the action as Jean-Claude Van Damme and director David Charhon offer a peek inside the highly anticipated film, The Last Mercenary, set to premiere globally July 30 on Netflix. In an explosive comeback, Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as Richard Brumère, aka “The Mist,” a former French secret service special agent turned mercenary, who must urgently return to France when his estranged son is falsely accused of arms and drug trafficking by the government, following a blunder by an overzealous bureaucrat and a mafia operation.

3:00pm-4:00pm: The Patrick Star Show

Lights. Camera. Distraction! Patrick Star is stepping into the limelight in The Patrick Star Show, Nickelodeon’s second spinoff of the number-one animated series SpongeBob SquarePants. During this exclusive panel, fans will discover a younger Patrick Star living at home with his family, where he hosts his own variety show for the neighborhood from his television-turned-bedroom. Sit back and enjoy a table read of an episode and hear all about the brand-new series featuring voice actors Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick Star), Tom Wilson (Cecil Star), Cree Summer (Bunny Star), Jill Talley (Squidina Star), and Dana Snyder (GrandPat), along with co-executive producers Vincent Waller and Marc Ceccarelli. Welcome to the show! Moderated by Tara Bennett (SYFY Wire).

3:00pm-4:00pm: The Walking Dead
The cast and creators of The Walking Dead will participate in a moderated Q&A discussion about filming the final season of the ground-breaking series, sharing behind-the-scenes anecdotes, information about the upcoming new episodes, and a first-look trailer for Season 11.

4:00pm-5:00pm: Family Guy

Cast Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Mila Kunis, Seth Green, Arif Zahir, and executive producers Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin from FOX’s hit animated comedy Family Guy celebrate 20 seasons of the series with a virtual trivia night! Watch our cast and produces compete against each other and see who knows the most about this iconic series! After, you’ll see a special sneak peek at the hilarity and hi-jinx coming up in our 20th season premiering this fall on FOX!

5:00pm-6:00pm: American Dad!

Ever wondered how your favorite American Dad! episodes get made? Join Matt Weitzman as he walks you through the creation of an upcoming episode of the current season airing on TBS! You’ll see a table read, featuring stars Rachael MacFarlane, Wendy Schaal, Scott Grimes, and Dee Bradley Baker, followed by parts of the episode in the animatic and early stages of color!

5:00pm-6:00pm: Netflix Geeked: Lucifer

Speaking of the devil, Lucifer himself, Tom Ellis will join executive producers, Joe Henderson and Ildy Modrovich, to share inside scoop on what is to be expected from the 6th and final season of Lucifer.

July 25

10:00am-11:00am: Doctor Who
Showrunner Chris Chibnall, the Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker, Mandip Gill, new Doctor Who cast member John Bishop and a very special surprise guest as they share exclusive content from Doctor Who. Moderated by Salon.com’s Melanie McFarland. Pre-recorded panel produced by the BBC and BBC AMERICA.

12:00pm-1:00pm: DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Cast Conversation and Sneak Peek

So far, in season six, DC’s Legends not only saved the world with a singing competition, stopped the Cuban Missile crisis with a football game, and fought off an alien Amelia Earhart, but also recovered Sara Lance who was abducted, cloned, and turned into a human-alien hybrid by evil genius, Bishop. With #Avalance officially engaged, it’s high time for the Legends to plan a wedding and mess up the timeline for the better. Join series stars Caity Lotz, Tala Ashe, Jes Macallan, Olivia Swann, Adam Tsekhman, Shayan Sobhian, and Lisseth Chavez, with Nick Zano and Matt Ryan, along with executive producers Phil Klemmer and Keto Shimizu for an at-home conversation about how this season was created along with a sneak peek at what is to come for the rest of the season and beyond.

1:00pm-2:00pm: Dexter

America’s Favorite serial killer is back. Currently in production on 10 new episodes, Dexter, premieres on SHOWTIME this fall. Join award-winning star Michael C Hall (Dexter, executive producer), Clyde Phillips (showrunner, executive producer), Scott Reynolds (executive producer), Marcos Siega (executive producer, director), and Dexter newcomer Julia Jones (Angela) in a virtual panel discussion moderated by entertainment journalist and Dexter super fan Kristin Dos Santos. Tune in for a never-seen-before sneak peek trailer for a look at what’s to come…

2:00pm-3:00pm: Netflix Geeked: Army of Thieves

Army of the Dead was only the beginning… Be among the first to get a sneak peek of Army of Thieves, the highly anticipated prequel to Zack Snyder’s Netflix blockbuster. Producers Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, and Wesley Coller will be joined by director and star Matthias Schweighöfer plus star Nathalie Emmanuel to reveal the heist that started it all. In this action-packed prequel, Dieter, our favorite safecracker, gets drawn into the adventure of a lifetime when a mysterious woman recruits him to join a crew of Interpol’s most wanted criminals, attempting to heist a sequence of legendary, impossible-to-crack safes across Europe.

3:00pm-4:00pm: Bob’s Burgers

The cast and producers of the Emmy Award-winning animated FOX series Bob’s Burgers are back for another virtual ‘Con breaking news about the upcoming season, showing never-before-seen footage and answering questions from a few lucky fans who get to join the zoom to ask their burning questions directly to the panelists. Join creator and executive producer Loren Bouchard, executive producer Nora Smith, and the hilarious cast including H. Jon Benjamin, John Roberts, Kristen Schaal, Eugene Mirman, Dan Mintz, and Larry Murphy for a panel you won’t want to miss!

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

This is our 600th episode but we’re not calling it that so deal with it. Cardy, Matt and Joe are here to talk about the few things that caught their eye from PlayStation’s State of Play including yet another look at Deathloop, Lost Judgement and Jett: The Far Shore, a certified “Joe Game”.

We also dig into Netflix horror trilogy Fear Street and take a walk down memory lane with Gears of War, Halo and Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

Of course there’s also an Endless Search as well as your feedback including another onsen story from hell.

Remember, if you want to get in touch with the podcast, please do: [email protected].

IGN UK Podcast #599.5: Not Quite 600

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• IGN UK Podcast #599: Loki Spoilers and Brilliant RPGs You Haven’t Played
• IGN UK Podcast #598: Mario Golf and a Side of Nattering
• IGN UK Podcast #597: The Big E3 2021 Special

• IGN UK Podcast #596: The Summer of Sun and Fun has Begun

• IGN UK Podcast #595: You’ve Been Operation Tango’

Eidos Montreal’s upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy game has a roster that has clearly been inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe incarnation of the group, but for this new version, the studio also had creative freedom to make the gang look both unique and recognizable instead of being mere movie knock-offs. In a blog post, art director Bruno Gauthier-Leblanc explained how the developer added its own personal touch to the Guardians while retaining their signature look from across comics and films.

For Peter “Star-Lord” Quill, his look was designed to be a time capsule of 1980s culture with a sci-fi twist that includes an exaggerated hairstyle, his trademark leather jacket, and other small details that are cherished memories. One of these design elements is the Star-Lord patch on Quill’s jacket back, which is from his favorite rock band.

When it came to Gamora, Eidos Montreal wanted to reflect her status as the deadliest woman in the galaxy, which resulted in full tactical body armor that has swift and lethal design elements woven into her outfit. According to Gauthier-Leblanc, Gamora’s overall look is sharp and practical, emphasizing her lethal nature.

Drax represented an interesting challenge, as his trademark tattoos are more than just fancy ink and are in fact a chronicle of his entire life. According to Gauthier-Leblanc, the markings that Drax displays so prominently are a tale of the important events in his life, such as his love for his family and the battles he fought to honor and avenge them.

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As for Rocket and Groot, the inseparable nature of the duo resulted in not only a complementary fighting style but also a visual design that played on the strengths of their bond. Groot’s body armor was designed to reflect the look of armor plating from Japanese mech designs, while Rocket’s passion for gadgets was reflected in his outfit.

“Their gear echoes their dynamic and how integral they are to one another,” Gauthier-Leblanc explained. For instance, Groot wears a harness created by Rocket so he can climb up and fire away at enemies, and Rocket sports a bead-shaped like a mini-Groot in his goatee.”

Guardians of the Galaxy releases on October 26 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC, and Switch via cloud. If you’re interested you can check out our Guardians of the Galaxy preorder hub to see what comes with each edition. For more on the game and how it makes an incredibly strong first impression, you can read our Guardians of the Galaxy preview.

If you’re looking for something new to play over the summer, Microsoft is offering a pair of games to sample on Xbox through its Free Play Days promotion. This week you can celebrate the sport of summer with RBI Baseball 21, or scare up some multiplayer action with Dead by Daylight. Both games will be available for Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members until Sunday, July 11 at 11:59 PM PT.

RBI Baseball 21 lets you create a player and work your way toward the World Series. Dead by Daylight is a multiplayer horror game in which you play as a survivor in third-person view or a killer in first-person mode. A new Resident Evil tie-in mode features Nemesis as the killer.

If you decide you want to keep the games for good, you can buy each at a discount during the event period. RBI Baseball 21 is down to $20, while Dead by Daylight is $15. Dead by Daylight also features several add-ons with franchise tie-ins like Silent Hill and Halloween, which are around $4 to $5 apiece during the sale.

Xbox Free Play Days Deals (July 8-11):

• R.B.I. Baseball 21

• Dead by Daylight

If you’re looking for other games to play on Xbox, be sure to check out our best Xbox One games of all time and the best Xbox Series X games available so far. Plus, Game Pass subscribers should check out the best games available with Xbox Game Pass right now.

Team Alto, the collaboration between studios Land & Sea and Snowman, announced today that it’s returning to Alto’s Odyssey with a new, Apple Arcade-exclusive edition called Alto’s Odyssey: The Lost City, coming out on July 16.

The Lost City consists of the full game of Alto’s Odyssey, plus brand new content that designer Harry Nesbitt tells IGN is comparable to an enhanced edition. Though he and Snowman’s Ryan Cash didn’t give too many specific clues about what the new content would entail, Nesbitt says it’s “woven in” with the existing Alto experience. “There’s a thread there you can pull on and it will lead you down a different path.”

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More specifically, the new content includes the titular Lost City as a brand new biome, but it’s more than just a fancy new backdrop for sandboarding shenanigans. There’s some new flavor added to the music track by returning composer Todd Baker, and other new mystery content as well. Much of which is connected to ideas the teams had for the original Alto’s Odyssey that they didn’t get to realize for its initial launch.

“The Lost City itself is a new biome,” Nesbitt said. “It’s not immediately available, it’s something you have to work towards and uncover, but once you do have the Lost City, what’s going to stand out to players is that it’s very different tonally to what we’ve done with the games in the past. The Lost City itself is a living, breathing city, it’s very much alive and vibrant in a way we’ve not really done before. It’s not like an old ruin or an empty wilderness.

“We want to try to explore some different feelings with the game, and with the events of the last year and the pandemic and people feeling isolated from friends and family, not being able to travel as easily, this was an opportunity for us to infuse the game with some of that excitement of experiencing a new place and traveling somewhere new. That’s reflected in the things you’ll see and experience.”

This marks the first Alto content in over three years, and the first official project from developers Land & Sea under their new studio name. Cash and Nesbitt indicated that for the time being, they have nothing to announce regarding bringing this new, updated Alto content to any other platforms.

Rather, Cash said that because Alto’s Adventure had originally been released on iOS before anything else, the team wanted to focus on doing something special for Apple Arcade. Even though it’s a service that came out after both Adventure and Odyssey were already released on other platforms.

Plus, as a subscription service, Apple Arcade affords Team Alto the ability to focus more on designing the game they want to make, rather than worrying about business model integration. He mentions another Snowman-published game, Where Cards Fall, which was an Apple Arcade launch title. It was in development for over ten years, he said, and to recoup that labor the team would’ve wanted to price it around $20. But, as Cash said, “No one’s going to pay $20 for a mobile game.” Arcade enabled them to avoid a price tag people might balk at without cheapening the perception of its value.

“When you go free to play on Android, you can reach many, many people,” he said. “We have over 100 million downloads [for Alto games because of that. And we never would have gotten those numbers being a paid game. But when you’re a paid game, you don’t have to worry about the business model. You just charge upfront, and you don’t have to tack things on to make a business out of it. So with Apple Arcade, it’s an opportunity to get the best of both worlds.”

Alto’s Odyssey: The Lost City is planned to release on Apple Arcade on July 16, 2021, and Team Alto has promised even more post-launch updates in the following months. The base game of Alto’s Odyssey sans Lost City is currently out on iOS, Android, PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

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Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.