Author: Trafficblast

Barry Keoghan, star of Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk and Marvel’s Phase 4 film The Eternals, has been cast as Officer Stanley Merkel in Matt Reeves’ The Batman.

Warner Bros. revealed the new addition to the cast in the official video description for The Batman trailer, which recently debuted at the virtual DC FanDome event to offer fans an extended first look at the 2021 reboot. Keoghan is listed as playing an officer in the Gotham City Police Department.

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In the comics, Stan Merkel was featured as James Gordon’s first partner in crime before later being killed off in the pages of Batman: Dark Victory. The character became the Hangman’s sixth victim after he was found dead at the hands of Sofia Falcone on St. Patrick’s Day.

Keoghan has officially signed on for the role opposite Jeffrey Wright, who is portraying GCPD’s James Gordon in the highly-anticipated DC film. The Irish actor previously boarded Marvel’s The Eternals, which means this announcement marks the second comic book movie role for the standout Dunkirk star.

He joins an ensemble cast that includes Robert Pattinson as Batman, Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Colin Farrell as Penguin, Paul Dano as Riddler, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and John Turturro as Carmine Falcone. The cast also includes Peter Sarsgaard and Jayme Lawson.

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During DC FanDome, fans were given a closer look at Robert Pattinson’s darker, dishevelled Dark Knight as the first official footage was released for Reeves’ Batman reboot, which is said to take place during “year two” of Batman’s career (while Reeves’ Gotham PD prequel series for HBO Max will take place in “year one.”) There’s also some new evidence in the trailer that the movie will not be set in the 1990s as previously speculated.

The Batman is currently slated for an October 1, 2021 release date. However, the film is currently only around 25% complete, according to Reeves, as production has faced multiple setbacks and delays due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. While awaiting its release, fans have been left with plenty to analyse, especially after DC FanDome’s recent wave of announcements and reveals. In fact, The Batman trailer’s riddle might have already have been solved.

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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Like The Witcher 3 before it, CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 will offer free DLC after launch, it seems. Asked if Cyberpunk 2077 would have free DLC like The Witcher 3 did, the studio shared an animated gif of the Kool-Aid man saying “Ohhhh yeaahh.”

This is how we communicate in 2020, so you can pretty much assume this is confirmation that Cyberpunk 2077 will have free DLC. For comparison, The Witcher 3 had 16 pieces of free DLC, along with two expansions that were much meatier and cost money.

Back in October 2019, CD Projekt Red’s John Mamai’s told GameSpot that The Witcher 3’s DLC strategy worked well, so you can expect that to continue for Cyberpunk 2077.

“[The Witcher 3’s free DLC with big paid expansions] was a good model for us; it worked pretty well for The Witcher 3. I don’t see why we wouldn’t try to replicate that model with Cyberpunk 2077,” he said at the time. “We’re not talking about that yet, but it seems like that would be the smart way to go.”

While CD Projekt Red has confirmed Cyberpunk 2077 will have free DLC, the Polish studio has not explained what it will entail or if there will bigger, paid-for expansions later on.

After years of development and multiple delays, Cyberpunk 2077 is due for release on November 19 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. PS5 and Xbox Series X versions will come eventually, and you’ll be able to get a free upgrade if you already own the game on previous systems.

In other news, CD Projekt Red recently confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will have adjustable subtitles, so you can change the size and color. Additionally, you can change the color of your pubic hair.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 will release for PS4 and Xbox One on September 4, bringing back the levels, soundtrack, and skaters from the original PlayStation classics. Now there’s a new trailer to celebrate the game’s impending launch, showing off a few levels we hadn’t seen overhauled yet, and getting us excited to bust out our boards again.

The launch trailer shows off the Streets level from the original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and the Bullring from the second game rendered in the new, modern style, among others. So far, the Warehouse is the only level we’ve seen in its entirety (thanks to the excellent demo), but now we can glimpse the Mall, Downhill Jam, Roswell, and more.

The trailer also shows off some of the game’s create-a-park suite, which will let you make your own levels and share them online.

The game has gotten a graphical overhaul and a few small but much-needed changes, and all of the skaters have been aged up to their current ages.

The game is available for pre-order ahead of release. Developer Vicarious Visions has confirmed the remastered package won’t include microtransactions.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout was an instant hit even before it officially launched on PC and PS4, so it’s no surprise that a mobile version is being eyed off. Perhaps more surprising is the fact that Fall Guys for mobile has been announced for China before any other market.

As revealed by industry analyst Daniel Ahmad on Twitter, Fall Guys has been licensed by Chinese company Bilibili for the purpose of releasing a mobile version in China.

While searching for “Fall Guys” on Google Play or iOS App Store will bring up plenty of results, none of these are the official game, as pointed out by the official Fall Guys Twitter account. As with most popular releases, there are plenty of scams going around that are claiming to be a mobile version of the hit game.

The Bilibili license is legit, though there aren’t currently any details on timing or a release plan for the mobile port. The Chinese version of the game will be known as Jelly Bean: The Ultimate Knockout according to a Bilibili webpage accessed by Esports Observer, which is now no longer able to be loaded.

Bilibili’s companies have published other popular mobile games for the Chinese market, including Fate/Grand Order. Fall Guys developer Mediatonic confirmed to Esports Observer that a mobile version was in the works, but could provide no details on the port or what markets it would be coming to.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been a sales phenomenon, and is showing few signs of slowing down. The game, which has sold over 22 million copies since it released in March, was the top-selling physical release in the UK over the week ending August 22. Gameindustry.biz is reporting that the game jumped to number 1 despite a 2% drop in sales from the previous week, when it was number 2 on the charts (below UFC 4).

This is just the game’s physical sales in one market, of course, but consider it’s the 22nd week the game has been on sale, the figure is amazing–especially since it means it outsold new release PGA Tour 2K21 in its first week, despite it being a multiplatform title.

Switch games make up four slots on the week’s top 10, while Sony exclusive Ghost of Tsushima has held on well–in fact, Gamesinstry.biz notes that PlayStation exclusives saw a spike due to discounts. Grand Theft Auto V is still in there, too, which is no surprise considering the game’s astonishing performance.

Here’s the complete retail top 10 for the week.

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (last week: 2)
2. PGA Tour 2K21 (new entry)
3. EA Sports UFC 4 (last week: 1)
4. Mario Kart 8: Deluxe (last week: 3)
5. Ghost of Tsushima (last week: 4)
6. Minecraft (Switch) (last week: 6)
7. FIFA 20 (last week: 5)
8. Grand Theft Auto V (last week: 7)
9. Marvel’s Spider-Man (last week: 20)
10. Ring Fit Adventure (last week: 10)

Notably absent is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare–which is the best-selling game for the year to date in the US.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons remains the second-best selling Switch game–but there’s a good chance of it overtaking Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (26.74 million) before the year is over.

The Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account recently showed off a new screenshot of the player character talking to Kirk, one of the game’s NPCs. The screenshot has drawn criticism from some since it was released, though, because it revealed a potential issue with the game’s subtitles–not only are they quite small, but the colors can clash with the backgrounds, making them very hard to real.

Poor subtitle visibility is a common issue in modern games, especially for console versions where players are often quite far back from the screen. Players have been concerned that they won’t be able to read them–but developer CD Projekt Red has promised that the subtitles can be adjusted.

When asked by a player whether the game would address the readability issue, pointing out that these subtitles are “next to impossible” to read for many players, the Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter responded by promising that the size and color of the game’s subtitles will be adjustable.

It’s common for this to be introduced as a feature post-launch, but it sounds like Cyberpunk 2077 might allow you to make adjustments from day one.

CD Projekt Red has previously talked about the importance of diversity and inclusion within their games, and this extends to accessibility options like subtitles.

Cyberpunk 2077 will launch first on PC, PS4, and Xbox One on November 19. PS5 and Xbox Series X versions will come eventually, and you’ll be able to get a free upgrade if you already own the game on previous systems.

Bungie has revealed what content will be leaving Destiny 2 with the launch of Beyond Light on November 10, 2020, and how the game will change when Io, Titan, Mars, Mercury, and Leviathan enter the Destiny Content Vault (DCV).

Bungie took to its blog to explain how the Destiny Content Vault will work, why it’s necessary, and how this removed content will make way for the Cosmodrome’s return and Europa’s debut.

It tries to simplify some of the confusion by stating that “when a destination goes into the DCV, so too do its PvE activities and associated rewards.” However, Bungie wanted to take a “crystal clear” approach and detailed exactly what will be leaving on November 10. Let’s run through it.

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Strikes

Strikes of the vaulted planets will also be entering the DCV, and they are as follows;

• The Pyramidion (Io)
• The Festering Core (Io)
• Savathûn’s Song (Titan)
• Strange Terrain (Mars)
• Will of the Thousands (Mars)
• Tree of Probabilities (Mercury)
• A Garden World (Mercury)

Gambit and Gambit Prime

Gambit and Gambit Prime will be merging into a single experience with the launch of Beyond Light, and will be “a single round face off with tweaked Blockers, heavier mote drain, and some changes to the Primeval fight.”

The Year 4 Gambit playlist map selection will be a “best of” list and will feature Emerald Coast (EDZ), Legions Folly (Nessus), Deep Six (Titan), and New Arcadia (Mars). There will be two maps moving into the DCV, and they are Cathedral of Scars (Dreaming City) and Kell’s Grave (Tangled Shore).

Crucible

Like Gambit, the Crucible will also have a curated “best of” mix and will contain maps from both Destiny 1 and 2. The following maps will not make it to Year 4 and will move into the DCV;

• Meltdown
• Solitude
• Retribution
• The Citadel
• Emperor’s Respite
• Equinox
• Eternity
• Firebase Echo
• Gambler’s Ruin
• Legion’s Gulch
• Vostok

There will also be modes in the Crucible that will find their way to the DCV, and they are as follows;

• Supremacy
• Countdown
• Lockdown
• Breakthrough
• Doubles
• Momentum Control
• Scorched

Momentum Control and Scorched will return from the DCV “at some time during Year 4.”

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Trials of Osiris

The Trials of Osiris experience will not be impacted by any of this content being moved into the DCV this year. The Lighthouse “will continue to be available to those who are able to complete a Flawless passage.”

Raids and Dungeons

There will be no dungeons rotating into the DCV this November, as “all dungeon-hosting destinations will remain active in the game during Year 4.”

However, Raids will not be so lucky. The following raids will be vaulted in November, due to the fact their destinations will be so too;

• Leviathan
• Eater of Worlds (Leviathan)
• Spire of Stars (Leviathan)
• Scourge of the Past (Last City)
• Crown of Sorrows (Leviathan)

This year’s Moments of Triumph features these five raids that will be removed, and their reward lockouts have been removed to make “grinding them extra… well, rewarding.”

Furthermore, Bungie plans on bringing the Vault of Glass raid out of the DCV and into Destiny 2 at some point in Year 4.

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Exotic Quests and Catalysts

As destinations are sent to DCV, some Exotic quests will not be able to be completed in their original forms. Those specific quests will be retired on November 10 and incomplete progress will be abandoned. If you wish to acquire these exotics via their original quests, do so “prior to the end of the Season of Arrivals;

• Sturm
• MIDA Multi-tool
• Rat King
• Legend of Acrius
• Sleeper Simulant
• Polaris Lance
• Worldline Zero
• Ace of Spades
• The Last Word
• Le Monarque
• Jotunn
• Izanagi’s Burden
• Thorn
• Lumina
• Truth
• Bad Juju

It’s important to note that none of these legacy Exotics will be retired from Destiny 2, its just that their original acquisition journeys will be vaulted.

Starting in Year 4, any Exotic tied to a quest that has been vaulted will “now become available through a new Memorial kiosk situated among the Vault kiosks in the Tower.

As for Catalysts, there will be number of them that will be going into the DCV and will be unavailable to earn starting in Season 12;

• Bad Juju
• The Huckleberry
• Izanagi’s Burden
• Legend of Acrius
• Polaris Lance
• Skyburner’s Oath
• Sleeper Simulant*
• Telesto*
• Outbreak Perfected*
• Whisper of the Worm*
• Worldline Zero*

If you have these catalysts equipped and their objectives completed, you will be able to continue to use them. If you have any of the above with an asterisk, “make sure you finish completing the necessary objective to apply it as the objective will no longer be available at the end of Season of Arrivals.”

All of these catalysts will find their way out of the DCV in a future season.

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New Guardian Experience

These changes will impact those looking to get into Destiny 2 as a free-for-all player, as the Red War, Curse of Osiris, and Warmind campaigns will no longer be playable.

Bungie is building a “new, expanded Guardian origin story on the Cosmodrome that will launch alongside Year 4 and will be available to all Guardians to play.”

The Forsaken and Shadowkeep story campaigns will still be available for owners of those expansions.

The Whisper, Zero Hour, and Year 2 Seasonal Content

The Whisper and Zero Hour secret missions will be sent to the DCV, and their Exotic weapon rewards will “not be acquirable until we find a new way to reintroduce them”

Additionally, Year 2 Seasonal content – including Forges, Reckoning, and Menagerie – will be vaulted on November 10. The full list is as follows;

• Ada-1, Black Armory, and Season of the Forge quests.
• Gambit Prime, Reckoning, and Season of the Drifter quests.
• Benedict-66, Werner 99-40, Menagerie, and Season of Opulence quests.
• Pinnacle and pursuit weapon quests. (Note: These weapons will receive an alternate acquisition method. More details to come later this Season.)

There is obviously a lot here, and Bungie promises to share more updates in the future. For more, be sure to check out its DPS article that shares more details on the DCV.

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Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Cyberpunk 2077 will feature Free DLC as well as paid expansions, CD Projekt Red has revealed.

The Polish developer replied to a fan on Twitter, who asked about the potential for Cyberpunk 2077 to have “free DLC” like The Witcher 3, which offered an entire roadmap of free content to support the game beyond its initial launch.

Responding in kind, CD Projekt Red replied with a gif of the Kool-Aid Man spouting his famous catchphrase.

pic.twitter.com/y5PNLf3nIR

— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) August 22, 2020

Beyond the free DLC, it was previously confirmed back in April of 2020 that Cyberpunk 2077 will feature paid expansions of similar size to those that were available for The Witcher 3, such as Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.

There will be more than just DLC available to complement and flesh out the world of Cyberpunk 2077 – a comic book series based on the game’s Trauma Team is on its way from publisher Dark Horse Comics. You can check out the full broadcast of Night City Wire Episode 2 to catch up on all of the latest news about Cyberpunk 2077.

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In other CD Projekt Red news, a 12″ Geralt of Rivia action figure clutching a wreath of Harpy heads was recently revealed by McFarlane Toys.

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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Gotta day though after watching this… I’m suddenly curious about the Latina population in Quebec. Just sayin 🤔

— Melissa Fumero (@melissafumero) August 20, 2020

I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and it basically comes down to this… while I understand the Latina population is v small in Quebec (& how many of them are funny actors?) the Amy n Rosa roles could’ve gone to ANY BIPOC so it’s disappointing to see that missed opportunity.

— Melissa Fumero (@melissafumero) August 21, 2020