While Blizzard has had some controversial news as of late, it says it doesn’t allow any negative feedback to influence any facet of the stories it tells through its games.
As reported by VG247, Blizzard’s Director of story and franchise development George Krstic spoke at Reboot Develop and discussed how Blizzard’s “story rooms are dojos. They’re sacred places.”
“Specifically with World of Warcraft, our creative director Alex
said a wonderful thing,” Krstic said. “He said our story rooms are dojos. They’re sacred places. And we try to tell a story as best we can and to make our players as happy as we can. But we try not to let the negativity enter the dojo,”
Head of Respawn Entertainment Vince Zampella confirmed today that Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order will be a single-player story game with no multiplayer and no microtransactions.
He made the announcement at Star Wars Celebration in an interview with IGN’s own Max Scoville, saying with no uncertainty “No multiplayer, no microtransactions, it’s a story game,” which was met with cheers from the audience. You can watch the exact moment here.
After Zampella’s reveal, multiple other developers from EA took to Twitter to confirm what he had said and express their excitement, including Respawn Producer Blair Brown and DICE’s Ben Walke.
A new trailer for Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series – Episode I reveals new aspects of the game’s story and gameplay: lightsaber wielding and all.
The trailer begins with the player being interrogated by an imperial officer, who says “You’ve caused us considerable inconvenience. In a moment, the lord of this monolith will give you a task. A word of advice: do not anger Vader.”
Now that Darth Vader has found the player character, he’s “in reach of enormous power,” and the character must escape his fortress on Mustafar. The trailer shows a droid companion ZOE3 (voiced by SNL’s Maya Rudolph) traveling with and helping the player.
A female character then says “It appears Vader has finally found his candidate, and our future is in your hands.” After this, Darth Vader says “You are the one I’ve been searching for. Do as I command.”
Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN’s weekly video game podcast. This week we’re discussing Nintendo’s 2019 lineup, games with bummer endings, and more. Watch the video above or hit the link below to your favorite podcast service.
Yesterday’s new Rage 2 trailer, titled “Everything vs. Me,” was as funny as it was informative about id Software and Avalanche’s upcoming first-person shooter sequel (it’s out May 14). There’s plenty to be learned from the trailer, too, so we stole some detailed notes from id Software (and by that we mean, we kindly asked for more information and they graciously provided it!) and put all of the information together in the breakdown trailer above.
Check it out, and since Rage 2 happens to be our IGN First game for April, that means we’re spotlighting it all month long. Take a look below for the new 11-minute gameplay video we exclusively debuted earlier this week. It shows off a boss fight, an open-world activity, vehicle combat, the new Grav-Dart Launcher weapon, and the coup de grace, the introduction of Doom’s legendary BFG 9000 into Rage 2. Check it out if you missed it, and stay tuned for plenty more Rage 2 on IGN!
“I hope [the six writers] are listed in the reveal because I accidentally said ‘I’ve wrapped this up,’ but there are other writers and I’m not even the lead guy,” Avellone said in an interview with VG247. “Story was very important to Respawn. I think they do a good job of introducing various narrative layers into their games already, but they think the story is an important part of what they perceive to be a Star Wars game. That’s one of the reasons I like Respawn, because when they tackle something like that, they understand what the important points are.”
The lead narrative designer for Jedi: Fallen Order is Aaron Contreras, who previously led the creation of the story for Mafia 3. “I think they brought me on because I have a pretty strong Star Wars pedigree so I’d probably be able to just jump right in,” Avellone continued. “And I was, which was good. It didn’t require a ton of new research.”
The first details for Jedi: Fallen Order were revealed during E3 2018. Respawn boss Vince Zampella said the Star Wars game has you play as a Jedi Padawan who escaped Order 66 after Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, still armed with a lightsaber. Zampella and Jedi: Fallen Order game director Stig Asmussen will further discuss Respawn and Lucasfilm’s collaboration on the game on April 13 at 11:30 AM PT / 2:30 PM ET / 7:30 PM BST. Prior to the panel, Jedi: Fallen Order art work was leaked.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is scheduled to release Fall 2019. Despite not knowing much about it, there’s quite a few people and places we want to see in the game. Respawn hasn’t announced scheduled platforms for Jedi: Fallen Order, but the game is presumably releasing for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Father’s Day can be one of the hardest holidays to shop for–after all, what do you get the man who has everything? Fortunately, if your dad or husband is into games, there’s practically an endless list of games-related products he’d probably enjoy, especially with new games coming out for PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC all the time.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the choices out there? We’ve got you covered–here are some of the best gift ideas for gamer dads this Father’s Day, including consoles, accessories, merchandise, tabletop games, and more. Plus, check out the best video games available for each console below in case you’re shopping around for a title he doesn’t own.
If dad has been playing games since the ’90s, he probably remembers the original NES and SNES and has fond memories of their now-iconic games. These mini versions of Nintendo’s retro consoles come pre-loaded with dozens of games (the NES comes with 30 games, the SNES comes with 21), and each system takes up so little space, even the most crowded living room can accommodate them.
If he owns a PS4, then a PlayStation VR headset is the next logical addition to his gaming setup. Despite being more affordable than many VR headsets on the market, PSVR produced some of the best VR games of 2018 and was our top choice for VR gaming last year. He’ll be able to buy and download PSVR games right away, or you can also get the headset as part of a bundle that includes games, like this Borderlands 2 and Beat Saber PSVR bundle.
Nintendo’s newest console was built to be portable, but that large, precious screen is especially vulnerable to scratches if you ever take it outside the house (and most of us do, at some point). If he travels frequently and likes to play his Switch on the plane, train, bus, or elsewhere, this hard case will protect the console and also provides handy storage for all its games and accessories.
Compatible with PC, Mac, and PS4, Razer’s Man O’War is one of the best gaming headsets you can buy in terms of price, performance, and comfort, particularly if you’re looking for a wireless option. If he plays online multiplayer games, he’ll appreciate this comfortable, surround-sound headset, which has a retractable microphone and crisp sound quality.
The Legend of Zelda is a powerhouse franchise that isn’t slowing down anytime soon, as Breath of the Wild proved with its critically acclaimed release. If he’s a Zelda fan, he’ll appreciate this 320-page guide to the Zelda universe, from the 1986 original to Twilight Princess (BOTW isn’t included here, but there’s another book completed dedicated to it). This encyclopedia is a fascinating look at the making of the games, including their art and lore, and makes the perfect gift for any hardcore Zelda enthusiast.
With 4.5 stars on Amazon and over 1,000 reviews, the Logitech G900 Chaos mouse is a solid bet if he’s a dedicated PC gamer. This mouse, which can be used wired or wirelessly, will stay charged for up to 30 hours and has a highly responsive sensor for quick, precise movements. And with its customizable button layout, it can be used whether he plays with his right or left hand.
Listen: It’s hard to argue with Pokémon and waffles. What’s not to like? Particularly if he’s a big breakfast person or enjoys cooking for the family, he’ll love using this waffle maker to make warm, fluffy Belgian waffles with a nerdy theme.
8. Xbox Wireless Controller – Phantom White Special Edition
The newly released Phantom White wireless controller for Xbox One is gorgeous, with a translucent design that fades to white and reveals the controller’s inner workings. The Bluetooth-enabled controller has a comfortable, textured grip and will be a prized addition to any Xbox collection.
You can’t go wrong with a nice T-shirt or polo, and this ThinkGeek exclusive shirt is both classy and subtle with its design so he can feel comfortable wearing it anywhere. If he’s a fan of classic arcade games like Space Invaders, this officially licensed top is perfect–but if not, ThinkGeek has a ton of other apparel inspired by various video games, movies, TV shows, and more.
10. The Witcher 3 Original Soundtrack Exclusive Vinyl Set
If he’s a dad who still enjoys listening to vinyl records, surprise him with a deluxe set featuring the official soundtrack from his favorite game or movie. (Even if he doesn’t own a record player, vinyl records look quite nice as decor on a shelf.) This stunning deluxe vinyl set featuring The Witcher 3 soundtrack would make a great gift for any fan of the critically acclaimed RPG, and Think Geek has other vinyl options too, from Undertale and Dark Souls II to Spider-Man Homecoming, Stranger Things, and more.
11. The Legend of Zelda Triforce Cufflinks and Tie Clip
Cufflinks and tie clips are subtle ways of adding personality to an otherwise traditional suit, and this silver set made from high-quality metal makes an excellent gift for any Zelda fan. You can also get the same set in gold, if that’s his preference.
If he’s a fan of board games, horror, and/or games with a strong narrative, he’ll get a kick out of Betrayal at House on the Hill, a board game for three to six players who play as a group of strangers exploring a haunted house. As they enter different rooms, they’ll stumble across mysterious objects and trigger certain events that will eventually lead to one player turning on the others, who must then fight for survival. Suspenseful and addictively fun, Betrayal has a ton of replay value with 50 unique scenarios that make the game different every time.
If he’s a dedicated console player who isn’t subscribed to PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold, getting him a pre-paid membership is a solid gift any gamer would appreciate. The subscription services for each console grant access to online multiplayer, free monthly games, and exclusive discounts. A one-year membership generally sells for $60 on each platform, and one-month, three-month, and six-month passes are also available for cheaper.
If his PS4 is the main media device in your household–meaning he uses it to stream movies and TV and play DVDs as well as games–then this handy little device will be a small quality-of-life improvement for his entertainment space. For just $20, this officially licensed remote can quickly turn the PS4 on and off, navigate the PS4 screen, pause and play media, and more. While the capabilities are essentially the same as a PS4 controller, it saves your controller’s battery for gaming, and some people simply prefer the feeling of a traditional remote.
