Category: Games

As the DC movie universe (or the DCEU as fans have come to call it) prepares to unleash its next wave on fans with The Suicide Squad, The Batman and The Flash, what better time to catch up on the state of the DC Extended Universe?

Unlike Marvel though, DC’s plans don’t include synergy across all mediums. Their movies, while containing many of the same characters, don’t generally cross over with the CW TV-verse that includes The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Superman and Lois, or DC Universe streaming shows like Titans and Doom Patrol. Yes, DC’s betting big and doubling up on their heroes, but the TV realm is another story entirely. However, some HBO Max exclusives will be direct tie-ins to the DCEU, such as Gotham PD and Peacemaker. And DC Universe has become a subscription comics service only, meaning the original shows on that platform will either migrate fully to HBO Max… or go away completely (RIP Swamp Thing). Just FYI!

So let’s take a look at the road ahead for the DCEU. From Black Adam to Shazam! Fury of the Gods to Aquaman 2 and beyond, sift through the following slideshow of all of DC’s planned movies and companion HBO Max series (or just read on for a quick list of the biggest titles). Some of these are definitely happening, some are in development, and some have big question marks surrounding them, but all could wind up on the big screen sooner or later…

Note: In December, 2020, Warner Bros. announced that in 2021 it will make all 17 of its theatrically-released movies that year available for a one-month exclusive window on HBO Max in addition to their theatrical release. The movies will require no extra cost to HBO Max subscribers.

And of course, all release dates remain subject to change due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Batman and Every Other Upcoming DC Movie

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For those keeping track, here’s the full lineup of upcoming DC movies and adjacent HBO Max shows, along with a handful that appear to be dead in the water:

• The Suicide Squad (August 6, 2021)
• Peacemaker TV Series (In Development)
• The Batman (March 4, 2022)
• Gotham PD TV Series (In Development)
• The Flash (November 4, 2022)
• Aquaman 2 (December 16, 2022)
• Shazam! Fury of the Gods (June 2, 2023)
• Black Adam (TBA)
• Wonder Woman 3 (In Development)
• The Trench (In Development)
• Green Lantern Corps TV Series (In Development)
• Justice League Dark TV Series (In Development)
• Constantine TV Series (In Development)
• Zatanna (In Development)
• Hourman (In Development)
• Superman Reboot (Status Unknown)
• Supergirl (Status Unknown)
• Static Shock (In Development)
• HBO Max DC Movies (In Development)
• The New Gods (Status Unknown)
• Batgirl (Status Unknown)
• Nightwing (Status Unknown)
• Lobo (Status Unknown)
• Cyborg (Status Unknown)
• Justice League: Part 2 (Status Unknown)
• Joker 2 (Status Unknown)
• Gotham City Sirens (Reportedly Dead)
• Man of Steel 2 (Reportedly Dead) 
• Jared Leto Joker Movie (Reportedly Dead)
• Harley Quinn/Joker Movie (Reportedly Dead)
• Suicide Squad: The Ayer Cut (Debunked)

Here are the most definite projects that are currently in the works:

THE SUICIDE SQUAD (August 6, 2021)

Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn is hopping over to the DCEU to helm this Suicide Squad sequel. Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller, Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag and Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang are returning, but the rest of the ensemble cast is getting a big shake-up. Newcomers include Idris Elba as Bloodshot, John Cena as Peacemaker, Peter Capaldi as The Thinker and Nathan Fillion as TDK.

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PEACEMAKER TV SERIES (In Development)

John Cena’s The Suicide Squad character will feature in a spinoff prequel series on HBO Max. The Suicide Squad director James Gunn is executive producing the series alongside The Suicide Squad producer Peter Safran. Cena will also co-executive produce. Chris Conrad has been cast as Adrian Chase/Vigilante. No release window has been given, though presumably the series won’t debut before The Suicide Squad’s August 2021 release date.

THE BATMAN (March 4, 2022)

Director Matt Reeves (War for the Planet of the Apes) is helming the next Batman solo film, which at one time was expected to star Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne. Indeed, Affleck was originally going to co-write (with DC guru Geoff Johns) and direct the film as well. But now Reeves has crafted his own script and started from scratch with a story set in the second year of Batman’s career. Robert Pattinson will instead take over the Batman role, with other casting including Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Paul Dano as Riddler, Andy Serkis as Alfred, and Colin Farrell as Penguin. The film is expected to be the first part of a trilogy. The Batman was originally scheduled for release on June 25, 2021, but will now debut on March 4, 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

GOTHAM PD TV SERIES (In Development)

HBO Max will play host to Gotham PD, a police procedural that serves as a prequel to 2022’s The Batman. The series is specifically set in the first year of Batman’s costumed career (setting it one year before the movie), delving deeper into the corruption and conspiracies plaguing the city. It’s unclear if Robert Pattinson’s Batman or Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon will appear in the series. The Batman director Matt Reeves is producing the series. Boardwalk Empire creator Terence Winter was also set to produce and write Gotham PD, but he later dropped out due to creative differences.

THE FLASH (November 4, 2022)

The Flash has gone through a variety of directors and writers over the past few years, including helmers Seth Grahame-Smith and Rick Famuyiwa and writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller. More recently, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the team that worked on the Spider-Man: Homecoming script, were involved as directors, but they too left the project. In July 2019, Andy Muschietti (Stephen King’s It) and Christina Hodson came on as director and screenwriter, respectively. Ezra Miller is still expected to star, while Maribel Verdú has been cast as Barry’s mother, Nora. Billy Crudup originally signed on to play Barry Allen’s dad, Henry, but has since dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. At one point it was rumored that Cyborg could appear in the film in some capacity, though the character has reportedly been written out of the movie. However, both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton are reportedly reprising their respective Batman roles, and it’s believed the movie will deal heavily with the concept of the DC multiverse.

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AQUAMAN 2 (December 16, 2022)

The first Aquaman made over a billion dollars worldwide, becoming the highest grossing DC film of all-time for Warner Bros. So yeah, a sequel is happening. Director James Wan is expected to return to produce and possibly helm Aquaman 2, while David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who co-wrote the first film, is scripting. Also expect stars Jason Momoa, Amber Heard and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II to return.

SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS (June 2, 2023)

It wasn’t long after Shazam!’s April 2019 release that rumors surfaced about a sequel. Given how much the franchise depends on younger actors, it’s not as if DC has much time to waste. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Zachary Levi will be back as Shazam and director David F. Sandberg and writer Henry Gayden are also returning. We’re expecting most of the cast from the first movie to return as well, with the plot possibly centering around an alliance between Doctor Sivana and Mr. Mind. Sorry, it sounds like Shazam still won’t be battling Black Adam.

BLACK ADAM (TBA)

Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam movie is finally confirmed, after years of talk about the project. Johnson himself has stated that Black Adam will debut in the DCEU prior to the character’s solo film, but he didn’t say which movie it would be in and it’s possible that plan has changed post-Shazam!. Surely the success of Shazam! gave the Black Adam movie a momentum boost. Jaume Collet-Serra will direct, having previously helmed Johnson in Jungle Cruise. Johnson himself has revealed that the Justice Society will appear in the film: Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate, and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone.

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WONDER WOMAN 3 (In Development)

With the long-delayed Wonder Woman 1984 finally out in theaters and HBO Max, Warner Bros wasted little time before confirming a sequel. Both director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot are slated to return, and Jenkins previously indicated Wonder Woman 3 will be set in the present rather than being a period piece like its predecessors.

THE TRENCH (In Development)

An Aquaman spinoff film centered on the Trench, that area of the sea where a mass of ravenous amphibious creatures attack Aquaman and Mera in the original movie, is reportedly in early development. The “horror-tinged” film is not expected to involve any of the main cast from Aquaman, and it’s said to have newcomers Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald on scripting duties. Aquaman director James Wan will produce the project. Warners is reportedly seeking a director with an eye toward beginning production in early 2021.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS TV SERIES (In Development)

A Green Lantern Corps movie was announced by DC and Warner Bros. in 2014. Subsequently, reports indicated that the film would introduce us to a new cinematic version of Hal Jordan (previously played by Ryan Reynolds in the 2011 movie) while also focusing on the John Stewart character, team up-style. Described as “Lethal Weapon in space,” Batman v Superman scribe David Goyer was hired to pen the script along with Justin Rhodes (Grassroots, Contract Killers). Most recently, DC Comics writer and executive Geoff Johns was reported to be rewriting the script, with Variety noting that Johns was expected to turn in a draft before the end of 2019. However, since then a Greg Berlanti-produced Green Lantern TV series was announced for HBO Max. It seems that is now the priority GL project, though maybe a movie will follow as well.

SUPERMAN REBOOT (In Development)

While Man of Steel 2’s future is looking grim, and Henry Cavill’s continuation as Superman is unclear, reports emerged a couple of years ago that Creed star Michael B. Jordan met with Warners to pitch his idea for a Superman reboot (before becoming attached to produce the Static Shock movie). It’s unknown whether the studio is actually moving forward with that particular pitch, but Warners is indeed developing a reboot, one the trade papers have described as “a Black Superman story.” Ta-Nehisi Coates is writing the screenplay, and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot is producing.

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DC’s movie plans continue to evolve. Joker became the most profitable comic book movie of all time, so it’s not surprising that reports indicate that DC will pursue more R-rated superhero movies. Of course, Zack Snyder’s Justice League finally debuted on HBO Max in March of 2021, and that cut of the film was R-rated.

Which DC films or shows are you most looking forward to? And which characters or titles do you want to see DC tackle in live-action next? Let’s discuss in the comments!

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During the month of March you can save on two of the best gaming chair brands on the market. Both DXRacer and Secretlab are having sitewide sales on their most popular models from now until March 31. These deals come around only a handful of times during the year. If your daily routine is anything like mine and you sit in your chair in front of your computer for several hours a day, then you owe it to your body’s health to get a good chair that feels comfortable for hours on end. In other deal news, there’s an RTX 3080 gaming PC on Amazon for $2400. Considering the next best price of an in-stock model is well over $3000, that’s a very impressive deal that won’t last very long.

DXRacer Tax Refund Sale: Save up to $100 Off Select Gaming Chairs

DXRacer is one of the first brands that pioneered the gaming chair craze. They started off making racing seats for high-end cards and they essentially created the racing-style gaming chair market back in 2006. Today the landscape has changed and there is plenty of serious competition from the likes of Secretlab, Vertagear, and more. That said, DXRacer still makes some of the best gaming chairs, and today you can get it at a very rare discount. If you want to go with a genuine leather chair, we’d recommend the G-series, which starts at $349, and if you want a more breathable mesh material, then the Formula Series chair is the way to go, and that starts at $279.

• Save up to $100 Off DXRacer Gaming Chairs

Secretlab Stay at Home Sale: Save up to $100 Off Select Gaming Chairs

We consistently rate Secretlab as the best chair in our gaming chair roundups. Secretlab chairs offer premium materials and construction, an abundance of ergonomic and quality-of-life features, endless customization options, and great customer service for a very reasonable price (especially when it’s on sale). The current sale takes $25 off 2020 series PRIME 2.0 PU Leather and SoftWeave Fabric models and $100 off 2020 series NAPA models. These include the very popular Secretlab OMEGA and TITAN chairs. Prices start as low as $334 and as always includes free shipping.

• Save up to $100 Off Secretlab Gaming Chairs

The Best Daily Deals for March 25

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More Video Game Deals

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Eric Song is IGN’s deal curator and spends roughly 1/4 of his income on stuff he posts. Check out his latest Daily Deals Article and subscribe to his IGN Deals Newsletter.

The latest trailer for the PvP heist game Hood: Outlaws & Legends details the fourth and final character class, the Mystic. The class seems tuned to support, though it’s not without its share of combat abilities as well.

The Mystic is an ex-inquisitor who uses a flail as his primary weapon. He can regenerate his stamina faster than other characters, so he can win battles of attrition. He also has a poison ability that saps opponents’ stamina. His Ultimate ability is Instinct, which allows him to see through walls for a short time and heal himself and nearby allies. Altogether, the trailer explains, he’s well-suited for healing and crowd control.

Within that context, though, the Mystic can be customized to suit your needs with different loadouts. Your perks could make your grenades heal allies instead of poison enemies, convert damage to health to withstand a battle even longer, or increase everyone’s movement speed if you sprint alongside them.

This follows similar character trailers surrounding the other three classes: Ranger, Hunter, and Brawler.

Hood: Outlaws & Legends is a reimagining of the classic Robin Hood story. Teams take part in PvPvE challenges to steal precious treasure and do battle with each other to make off with the goods. It’s coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on May 10. Players who preorder will get early access on May 7.

Jessica Walter, the award-winning actress known for iconic roles such as Lucille Bluth on Arrested Development, Malory Archer in Archer, has died. Walter was 80.

Deadline reports that Walter died in her sleep last night at her home in New York City. Walter was a mainstay on television in both live-action roles and voice acting.

She earned an Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her titular role in Amy Prentiss and has been a mainstay on television for decades.

Likely her most well-known performance was for Lucille Bluth in Arrested Development, the matriarch of a rich, squabbling, Southern California family. Walter’s portrayal earned her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress as well as a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Best Ensemble.

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In the hit animated FX series Archer, Walter voiced Malory Archer the mother of the main character and head of a private espionage agency. Other voice roles include Fran Sinclair in Dinosaurs and Granny Goodness in Harley Quinn.

Her iconic lines from Arrested Development and Archer live on online as part of the broader world of pop culture. Condolences online, including from her former cast members are appearing on social media and elsewhere.

She was a force, and her talent and timing were unmatched. Rest In Peace Mama Bluth. pic.twitter.com/wJeOeJleR3

— Tony Hale (@MrTonyHale) March 25, 2021

Walter is survived by her daughter Brooke Bowman and grandson Micah Heymann. In a statement to Deadline, Bowman says, “It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of my beloved mom Jessica. A working actor for over six decades, her greatest pleasure was bringing joy to others through her storytelling both on screen and off. While her legacy will live on through her body of work, she will also be remembered by many for her wit, class and overall joie de vivre.”

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Matt T.M. Kim is IGN’s News Editor.

(Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Metacritic, a sister-site of GameSpot, has published its annual rankings of game publishers. These rankings apply to games released in 2020, and the top publisher of the year may surprise you. Even more surprising are some of the names that ended up low on the list.

48 publishers’ games were compiled for the ranking, which used several factors such as average game Metascore, percentage of products with “good” reviews, and percentage of products with “bad” reviews to determine the final total. This way of factoring in both the stinkers and the hits meant that even the smallest publishers had a shot of reaching the top spots. Several did, in fact, including Annapurna Interactive, Aksys Games, and No More Robots.

Sega took the top spot this year, averaging an 81.6 average review score and narrowly beating out Annapurna in terms of total points factoring into the ranking. It benefited from the continued success of the Yakuza series as well as Persona 4 Golden hitting PC. Capcom, Sony, and Activision Blizzard rounded out the top five.

Big names near the bottom include Bandai Namco and Koei Tecmo. The former had a few big misses like Fast & Furious Crossroads and several underwhelming anime games. Koei Tecmo didn’t publish too many games in 2020 at all, but its only major critical hit was Nioh 2.

1. Sega
2. Annapurna Interactive
3. Capcom
4. Sony
5. Activision Blizzard
6. Microsoft
7. Aksys Games
8. No More Robots
9. Nintendo
10. Devolver Digital
11. Square Enix
12. Xseed
13. 505 Games
14. Ubisoft
15. Focus Home Interactive
16. Bethesda
17. Team17
18. Humble
19. Sold Out
20. Raw Fury
21. Electronic Arts
22. Take-Two
23. Koch Media
24. NIS America
25. SNK
26. Playism
27. THQ Nordic
28. Digerati
29. Kalypso
30. Daedalic Entertainment
31. Headup Games
32. Koei Tecmo
33. PQube
34. Curve Digital
35. QubicGames
36. ININ Games
37. Nacon
38. Bandai Namco
39. All in! Games
40. Wired Productions
41. Ratalaika Games
42. Merge Games
43. Modus Games
44. Blowfish Studios
45. tinyBuild
46. Silesia Games
47. No Gravity Games
48. Ultimate Games

Microsoft and Twitch are teaming up for the first ID@Xbox and Twitch Gaming event. Officially named /twitchgaming Showcase: ID@Xbox, the stream is set to feature over 100 games from independent developers based all over the world. Alongside featuring new game announcements from developers like DrinkBox Studios and new trailers for 25 existing games like Second Extinction, there will also be news of games coming to Xbox Game Pass.

IGN is carrying the stream and as usual, this watch guide will provide you with everything you need to know to watch the show, including when it starts, a list of places you can watch it with us, and what you can expect to see at the show.

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/twitchgaming Showcase: ID@Xbox Date and Start Time

The first-ever Twitch Gaming and ID@Xbox event will take place on March 26, 2021. The stream is scheduled to start at 9am PT/12pm ET/4pm GMT.

How to Watch the /twitchgaming Showcase: ID@Xbox Stream

IGN plans to carry the Twitch Gaming and ID@Xbox showcase stream, which means we’ll have it available on a variety of platforms. Here’s the full list of places you can watch the Xbox event with us:

• IGN.com (homepage)
• IGN’s Facebook Channel
• IGN’s Twitter
• IGN’s Twitch Channel
• IGN’s Youtube Channel
• IGN’s iOS App
• IGN’s Android App
• IGN’s PlayStation 4 App
• IGN’s Xbox One App
• Roku
• IGN App for Android TV
• IGN for Amazon Fire TV
• Apple TV
• IGN 1 on Samsung TV Plus
• Pluto TV
• Plex Live TV

What to Expect From the /twitchgaming Showcase: ID@Xbox Stream

Fans can expect to see more than 100 games featured in this first collaboration between Twitch Gaming and ID@Xbox, and there will be new game announcements from developers and publishers like DrinkBox Studios, Curve Digital, Devolver Digital, Dear Villagers, and others.

The showcase will also include new trailers and gameplay for more than 25 games, including Second Extinction, The Ascent, The Wild at Heart, Voidtrain, Exo One, an update on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and many more. Announcements about independent titles coming to Xbox and Xbox Game Pass will also be revealed.

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Community-favorite Twitch streamers will be hosting the /twitchgaming Showcase: ID@Xbox event, and they will also be conducting interviews with developers, taking on fan questions, and possibly even dropping game codes.

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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.

Ahead of the launch of Outriders on April 1 (pre-load and launch times have been released), publisher Square Enix and developer People Can Fly have detailed what players can expect to see come launch day. The game will be getting a Day 1 patch, as well as additional quality-of-life improvements for item management and cross-play multiplayer.

Square Enix writes that the hope is for the Day 1 patch to go live before the game does, but that there is a possibility that it will actually go live on April 1, and thus require a separate download from the main game. The patch is aimed at addressing bugs and the game’s sometimes uncomfortably severe camera shake during cutscenes. You can see the full notes patch notes below.

Outriders Day 1 Update Patch Notes

• Many bug fixes and improvements, with a particular focus on the latter sections of the game.
• Performance improvements for pacing/stuttering that was observed during the demo
• Camera Smoothing improvements for cutscenes and dialogues. This should reduce the camera shake that some players are struggling with
• Cutscenes/dialogues frame rate improvements
  • PC cutscenes will have the option to choose from 30, 60, 90 and 120fps
  • Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 cutscenes will be locked to 60fps
  • Xbox One and PlayStation 4 cutscenes will remain locked to 30fps

There’s also a post-launch patch in the works, which should go live in the first few weeks of Outriders’ release. “At this point in time we do not yet have a set release time for this patch as its release will depend on the amount of content we want to roll into it,” Square Enix writes. What’s currently scheduled to go live in the post-launch patch is outlined below.

Outriders Post-Launch Update Patch Notes

• Controller adjustment options such as deadzone adjustment, acceleration settings and legacy layouts.
• Loading Time Improvements for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles
• Further Performance Improvements for Co-op games
• Crossplay friends list and invite system across all platforms. This will require you to be using a Square Enix Members account.
• Bug fixes including, for example:
  • Lore collectibles bugging out on second characters

Alongside both patches, Outriders will also be getting several quality-of-life improvements as it transitions from a demo into a fully-released game. For example, cross-play multiplayer will be leaving beta. A “quick mark” feature will also be added, allowing you to sell or deconstruct items in your inventory more quickly. The full list of differences between the demo build and Day 1 build are listed below.

Outriders Demo Build Vs. Launch Day Build

• Lots of demo content bug fixes, including for example, mods on some Legendary weapons not triggering properly.
• Balancing changes for various items, mods, enemy stats and loot drops.
  • Balancing is an ongoing process and we have learnt much from internal playtests, the Insiders preview and the demo over the previous months. However, we’re sure that we will continue to learn more from the launch of the main game and the feedback provided by you, our community. So, keep it coming!
• Crossplay will no longer be in Beta and will be on by default.
  • PC players will be able to add cross-platform players that they have previously played with to their friends lists. Consoles will receive this functionality through a future patch.
  • Please note that if you turn Crossplay off manually, you will not be able to automatically matchmake with people who still have it turned on, even if you are all on the same platform. Direct inviting should still work though.
• DirectX 12 will be the default on PC.
• Added a “Quick Mark” functionality to your inventory. This will allow you to mass-mark all items based on their rarity in one or two button presses, rather than needing to mark items individually (which is still possible if preferred).
• Improvements to the Cover System
• Improvement to Travel Voting system used when in a group
• Added information about internal cooldown mechanics for Mods to their descriptions

Outriders will launch for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC, and Stadia. The game will also be available for Xbox Game Pass subscribers on day one. All your progress from the demo will continue with you to the full game.

Bungie is rolling out a new change to how it balances teams in Destiny 2‘s PvP mode, the Crucible, as part of this week’s Iron Banner event. The adjustment doesn’t change Destiny 2’s matchmaking system, but does adjust how players are assigned to teams once they’re in a lobby, in hopes of making matches a bit less lopsided.

The developer detailed the change in its This Week at Bungie blog post, where it explained how things will work in Iron Banner and Iron Banner: Freelance starting today. The new algorithm for choosing teams, Bungie said, is a little bit like a schoolyard picking system like you’d see as two team captains each take turns picking from a pool of kids to join their teams. The algorithm looks at the skill of players in the lobby and tries to assign them to teams in a balanced way, placing the top player on team one, the second- and third-best players on team two, the fourth-best player on team one, and so on.

That’s different from the balancing system Bungie was using previously, which would try to make both teams have the same average level of player skill. The result was that teams were often lopsided. This was especially apparent if you were to play multiple games in a Crucible playlist–you’d often see the same players matching with you and getting assigned to teams in roughly the same way, first on one side, and then the other. The result was a series of swings where a player might get clobbered in one match and win handily in the next, while playing with roughly the same group.

Bungie says that while it’s adjusting how it balances teams in Iron Banner lobbies this week, it is not making adjustments to matchmaking in general. In other words, this change won’t affect which players you’re matched against, only how they’re divided up into teams.

Currently, Bungie uses connection strength to determine how it matches players in most Crucible modes, including Iron Banner. Only the Elimination, Survival, and Survival: Freelance modes use the old system of skill-based matchmaking. (The Trials of Osiris, Destiny 2’s toughest multiplayer challenge, matches you based on how many wins you have on your Trials Passage card–so you’re usually playing against people who have been doing about as well as you have.) Bungie mostly did away with skill-based matchmaking back in June 2020 in response to player feedback. The idea then was to make most of the Crucible a more casual, frenetic experience, and to shorten queue times for matches.