Astro Bot Dev Team Asobi Launches New Website, Teases ‘Most Ambitious Game Yet’

Astro Bot: Rescue Mission and Astro’s Playroom developer Team Asobi has launched a brand new website alongside teasing it is working on its “most ambitious game yet.”

Team Asobi, which itself is a newly minted PlayStation Studio, shared the news about its website on Twitter, and the site’s about us page reveals a bit more about the developer’s mission and what it is currently working on.

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“We are a new and dynamic PlayStation Studio based in vibrant Tokyo, Japan. We create top-quality games for players of all ages on PlayStation,” Team Asobi wrote. “Our latest work are the critically acclaimed ASTRO BOT: Rescue Mission for Playstation VR and ASTRO’s PLAYROOM for PlayStation 5. We’re currently hard at work on our most ambitious game yet!”

While there have been no details officially revealed as to what this ambitious game is, the current job openings give us a little hint as to what may be going on behind closed doors in Tokyo.

For example, the job listing for a game designer position reveals that this person’s role will be to “make a variety of levels for a 3D action game, each providing great tempo and creative situations.”

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The job listing for an environment artist requires someone who is able to put “an emphasis on realistic texturing techniques applied to a playful art style.”

Another job listing for an animator may give those wanting another game starring Astro some hope, as Team Asobi is looking for an artist who can “animate a wide range of cartoony and mechanical characters, props and vehicles used in game.”

It still may be some time until we know exactly what Team Asobi is working on, but these teases are exciting none-the-less and give us a glimpse into what the studio is aiming to create for PS5 owners around the world.

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

Daily Deals: Best SSD for PS5, Save £40 on Seagate Xbox Expansion Card, and More

This is week is looking rather excellent for gaming deals so far. For starters, you can currently save £40 on the Seagate Xbox 1TB Storage Expansion SSD Card, now down to £179.99 instead of £219.99. Not only that, but Sony has released details on how you can expand your PS5s internal storage. This is currently in Beta, but to make life easier for you, we’ve prepared an easy to use buying guide on PS5 storage, including all the best M.2 SSDs that will work with the console.

Other great deals today include the magnificent free £5 promo at Amazon. Just sign up for an Amazon Music trial, and you’ll get £5 credited to your Amazon account. However, this offer expires on August 4, 2021, so you haven’t got too much longer to take advantage and not miss out.

TL;DR – Best Deals of the Day

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Xbox Series X|S Seagate SSD Now £179.99 (was £219.99)

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Free Money: Claim £5 for Free at Amazon Right Now (Ends August 4)

You can currently get £5 in Amazon credit just for signing up for a free Amazon Music trial. It’s for select users only, so click here to see you can get a free £5 Amazon top-up.

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Best PS5 Compatible M.2 SSDs in the UK

For more information check out the Best PS5 M.2 SSD Options Currently Available.

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Even More Amazing Tech Discounts at Amazon

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Preorder The Lord of the Rings Illustrated Edition

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Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Daily Deals: Funimation Anime Sale at Amazon, Discounted Nintendo eShop Cards & More

This Sunday has brought with it some stellar deals, and we’ve laid out the best of the best for you. Amazon is having a huge sale on a bunch of Funimation Anime. This includes Dragon Ball, One Piece, Attack on Titan and more. Not your thing, then don’t worry, we’ve got discounts on Xbox Game Pass, Final Fantasy XIV Game Time, Nintendo eShop cards and tons of other great products.

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Dead Space Remake Is Being Led by Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Game Director

The Dead Space Remake is being led by Eric Baptizat, the previous game director for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla who left Ubisoft after 16 years to join EA Motive.

Baptizat shared the news on LinkedIn, confirming a report in June 2021 that he left Ubisoft after nearly two decades to join EA Motive to lead an unannounced project.

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According to his LinkedIn, Baptizat joined EA Motive in April 2021, which may or may not give us an idea of how far along the project actually is.

While Baptizat was only credited as a game director on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, he was also the lead game designer for Assassin’s Creed Origins, Assassin’s Creed Unity, Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, Shaun White Skateboarding, James Cameron’s AVATAR, and Surf’s Up.

EA Motive itself was founded in 2015 by Jade Raymond – who is perhaps best known for helping create Assassin’s Creed and Watch Dogs – and the studio helped out on Star Wars Battlefront 2 and recently released Star Wars: Squadrons.

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The Dead Space Remake was officially announced at EA Play Live 2021 and will be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. While no release date was given, we did get out first glimpse of the updated version of the survival horror game from 2008.

For more on the Dead Space Remake, check out our interviews with some of the other developers behind the game to learn more about how EA Motive is using next-gen tech to revive a horror classic and how the game won’t have any microtransactions.

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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.

Ariana Grande to Headline Fortnite’s Rift Tour With a ‘Can’t Miss Musical Journey’

Ariana Grande will not only join Fortnite’s Icon Series as a playable character, but she is also set to headline Fortnite’s Rift Tour with a “can’t-miss musical journey across new realities.”

From August 6-8, players will be able to jump into this new concert/experience that will pair some of Ariana Grande’s most popular tracks with “moments based on elements from the game.” Players will also be able to play this event side-by-side with friends when it arrives and everyone who participates will recieve the Cuddly Cloudcruiser commemorative Umbrella.

“Working with Epic and the Fortnite team to bring my music to life inside the game has been so fun and such an honor,” says Ariana. “I can’t wait to join my fans and see all of your reactions to such an unforgettable, magical journey to new realities.”

There will be five shows between August 6-8, and Epic Games recommends that fans arrive 60 minutes before showtime. This will give them plenty of time to be ready to join the Rift Tour Playlist, which is scheduled to open up 30 minutes before each show. The full schedule is as follows;

  • Show 1 – Friday, August 6 @ 3pm PT/6pm ET/11pm BST
  • Show 2 – Saturday, August 7 @ 11am PT/2pm ET/7pm BST
  • Show 3 – Saturday, August 7 @ 9pm PT/Sunday, August 8 @ 12AM ET/5am BST
  • Show 4 – Sunday, August 8 @ 7am PT/10am ET/3pm BST
  • Show 5 – Sunday, August 8 @ 3pm PT/6pm ET/11pm BST

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As previously mentioned, Ariana Grande will also join Fortnite’s Icon Series and will arrive in the Item Shop with a Ariana Grande Outfit and Piggy Smallz Backbling. Furthermore, there will be in-game quests between July 29-August 8 that will let you unlock such rewards as the Cosmic Cuddles Loading Screen, Rift-sterpiece Spray, and Cloudy Kitty Emoticon.

Those who are members of Fortnite Crew and log in between August 5-10 will receive the Rainbow Cloudcruiser Umbrella, the Skye up High Loading Screen, and a Rift Tour-themed Banner.

This isn’t the first time Fortnite has collaborated with a musical artist, as it held an immersive concert/experience with Travis Scott in 2020.

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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.

Aussie Deals: Up to 80% off AAA Special / GOTY Editions and More!

What’s one of the biggest benefits of holding off from a day one purchase? With some patience, you can eventually score a way better “edition” of the game you want for far, far less. That’s what we’re all about today. Get scrolling to acquire all the Gold / GOTY / Special and Ultimate editions you can carry.

Purchase Cheaply for PC

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Notable Sales for Nintendo Switch

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Exciting Offers for XO/XS

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Product Savings for PS4/PS5

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Jungle Cruise Won the Domestic Box Office With $34.2 Million in Theaters, $30 Million on Disney+

Disney’s Jungle Cruise sailed its way to a domestic box office win with $34.2 million earned in its opening weekend. The film earned another $30 million through Disney+ Premier Access and $27.6 million in the international box office for a global total of $90 million.

Disney shared the news in a press release, also saying that it remains focused on “offering consumer choice during these unprecedented times.”

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“Jungle Cruise is the perfect summer adventure film, bringing a beloved theme park attraction to both the big screen and living rooms in a way that only Disney can,” A Disney spokesperson said. “We remain focused on offering consumer choice during these unprecedented times, and it is clear that fans and families value the ability to make decisions on how they prefer to enjoy Disney’s best-in-class storytelling.”

In our Jungle Cruise review, we said that it is “a rollicking adventure full of humor and heart anchored by Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt’s winning heroes.”

While Jungle Cruise didn’t quite surpass Black Widow opening weekend that saw the MCU film earning $80 million at the domestic box office and $60 million on Disney+ Premier Access, it did surpass Cruella’s opening of $21.5 million domestically.

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Variety notes that Jungle Cruise cost $200 million to produce, meaning that it would be considered a major disappointment if times were different, as a film “with that price tag would typically have to generate at least $500 million globally to break even.”

Jungle Cruise, much like Black Widow and Cruella, released day-and-date in theaters and on Disney+. This has led to a major issue between Disney and Scarlett Johansson, as the Black Widow star has sued the company over a contract breach after the film released day-and-date on Disney+ after she was reportedly assured it would release exclusively in theaters.

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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.

Ariana Grande Will Headline Fortnite Rift Tour

Epic has confirmed Ariana Grande will headline the Fortnite Rift Tour following weeks of leaks and rumors culminating with her in-game skin appearing online today via a French Fortnite social channel. The Rift Tour kicks off this Friday, August 6, with the first of five showings beginning at 3 PM PT / 6 PM ET. Players around the world will have multiple chances to join the interactive concert–and should expect a few in-game rewards and other surprises along the way.

We first heard of a possible Ariana Grande in-game concert when Epic and Apple took their financial battle to court. Some of the same documents revealed during the trial also tipped off the massive Fortnite community to future events such as the NBA crossover and LeBron James skin. Then a leak on Reddit a few weeks ago suggested the concert was happening this summer. Now it’s official: Ariana Grande will perform in-game alongside the debut of her very own Icon Series cosmetic set.

Epic seems to have planned to reveal the full details on August 2 according to the developer’s wording last week, but was apparently moved to reveal the show’s main act a day early after undisputed leaks popped up online. Nevertheless, there should still be more for fans to learn in the days ahead, as Epic has promised a second wave of Rift Tour Quests, and has even hinted that some free cosmetics will be earned not just before the show, but during and after it as well.

Meanwhile, players who subscribe to Fortnite Crew will earn bonus in-game cosmetics simply for logging into the game between August 5-9. The list of extras includes the Rainbow Cloudcruiser Umbrella, the Skye up High Loading Screen, and a Rift Tour-themed Banner.

Fortnite Crew members will get even more cosmetics this weekend.
Fortnite Crew members will get even more cosmetics this weekend.

Rift Tour Schedule

The Rift Tour will debut this Friday evening in US time zones, but five showings between August 6-8 will give players ample opportunity to join the fun. Here’s when you can jump into Fortnite and catch the Rift Tour.

  • Show 1 – Friday, August 6 at 3 PM PT / 6 PM ET
  • Show 2 – Saturday, August 7 at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET
  • Show 3 – Sunday, August 8 at 9 PM PT / 12 AM ET
  • Show 4 – Sunday, August 8 at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET
  • Show 5 – Sunday, August 8 at 3 PM PT / 6 PM ET

The performance has been pre-recorded and thus will repeat, so you don’t need to catch it multiple times–unless you want to, of course. A separate leak also suggests that Grande won’t be the only musician on the virtual stage, with a portion of the concert leaking in a new video that shows players racing down what looks like a rushing river of multicolored Slurp Juice while a Marshmello song plays. Marshmello was the headliner of Fortnite’s first live concert in 2019.

We’ll be sure to bring you complete coverage of the Rift Tour performance, though if the Travis Scott show is anything to go by, you’ll want to be there yourself too. Set your alarm for the Rift Tour starting Friday, August 6. In the meantime, clean up the map’s Week 8 Alien Artifacts and Week 8 challenges.

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The Ascent Has No DLSS or Ray Tracing on Xbox Game Pass for PC, But It Does on Steam

While The Ascent features NVIDIA’s DLSS and ray tracing on Steam, it does not currently fully support either on Xbox Game Pass for PC. Fortunately, developer Neon Giant has confirmed it is working to bring these features to the Game Pass version.

As reported by Eurogamer, Neon Giant has been responding to PC players of The Ascent on Twitter who have noticed these differences between the two versions, sharing that build processes are different for the two versions. On Xbox Game Pass, DLSS is simply not present. Ray tracing is available as an option, but turning it on appears to make no difference to the game.

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“We are working with our partners on adressing [sic] this as soon as we can! Build processes are different for the two versions, not just a storefront swap,” Neon Giant wrote in response to @ezekiele2517.

To @SR_Chep, Neon Giant said that “it is being looked at, with the intent of fixing it/bringing it to parity with steam across the board.”

@MrChrisBee also noted that the Game Pass version takes “over twice as long to load a level as the Steam version.” Neon Giant thanked the user for bringing it to its attention, while also confirming the work to bring both versions to parity.

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Unfortunately for those playing The Ascent on Xbox Series X/S, the game does not support ray tracing or DLSS, as those are PC-only features for the cyberpunk-themed RPG-shooter.

These storefronts having different versions is nothing new, as NieR: Automata’s Steam version was noticeably worse than the Xbox Game Pass for PC version. Luckily, the Steam version has been patched to bring the versions closer together.

In our review of The Ascent, we said, “story isn’t its strong suit, but the rest of The Ascent delivers a wonderfully realized cyberpunk world mixed with satisfying twin-stick gunplay to create an enjoyable action-RPG.”

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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.