Category: Games

We may be almost a year out from the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but just as Nintendo continues to release free content updates for the game, the merch keeps coming as well. Entertainment Earth, a store that offers toys and collectibles for various fandoms, has a new Animal Crossing: New Horizons mini-figure collection with seven characters from the game: Isabelle, Tom Nook, Flick, Flurry, Lolly, Dom, and Marshall.

According to the listing, these are Bandai Shokugan figures, which refers to inexpensive yet high-quality toys that, in Japan, are paired with a piece of candy or gum. Sadly, you don’t get a snack with this set of figures, and because you’re getting all seven Animal Crossing figures together, the collection is also a bit pricey at $48. Each figure is just over 2 inches tall and covered in a soft furry texture, and they come in window boxes with special packaging, making them a nice get for collectors.

Unfortunately, if you’re just interested in owning one of the villagers like Marshall or Lolly, they’re not available to buy separately. GameStop offers the same Bandai Shokugan figures, but you’ll receive one character at random for $8 and won’t be able to choose.

The Animal Crossing: New Horizons villager collection at Entertainment Earth is available to preorder and ships in September 2021, so it might make a nice gift for the Animal Crossing fan in your life this holiday season (or, you know, a treat for yourself).

Tetris Effect and Rez Infinite director Tetsuya Mizuguchi has confirmed that Enhance has begun work on a current-generation title, likely PS5, using past games as an inspiration.

Speaking to Famitsu (via VGC), Mizuguchi says that the studio’s next game will likely be building off Area X, an area added to Rez Infinite when it launched in 2016 that is widely considered one of the best parts of the re-release.

“In particular, Area X in Rez Infinite was developed as a ‘prologue’ to the next game, and we hope to use that concept in the next generation of games,” says Mizuguchi. “With the concept and XR technology, we’d like to increase the overall resolution and create a more detailed game.”

The Enhance CEO says that he’s excited about the possibilities of working with the additional features that new consoles like the PS5 offer, specifically spacial audio and more detailed controller vibration. He says that these allow him and his team to explore more ways to deliver even more intense visual and auditory experiences.

“When you think about the pattern of sounds coming from various directions in a space, and harmonizing them to form a piece of music, it becomes a different dimension from simple stereo sound. Everything becomes spatialized,” Mizuguchi added.

“When haptics (tactile technology) is added to the mix, the total integrated experience of visuals, sound, and tactile sensations is not just multiplied, but multiplied by a factor of several. When that happens, things start to happen that in the past would not have felt like this in a game. We believe that we can make it happen, and we’re climbing the stairs one-by-one.”

Tetris Effect started as a PS4 exclusive but has since launched on PC and Xbox as Tetris Effect: Connected, and is included with Xbox Games Pass. The game’s multiplayer mode is still exclusive to Microsoft consoles, but is scheduled to launch on PC and PS4 later this year.

Three years after Valve’s initial announcement of a partnership with Chinese MMO developer and publisher Perfect World to officially launch Steam in China, Valve is finally preparing to launch its client in beta at last next month. But after years of Steam’s unofficial existence in a legal gray area in the country for millions of users, there’s a chance its global client — and all the unlicensed games users have bought and played on it to date — might not survive the transition.

According to Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad on Twitter, the two companies have announced a public beta for February 9, which will include just two games: the Valve-published DOTA 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Chinese players can sign up for Steam China either with new accounts or using existing Steam Global accounts, though if they use existing accounts they will not be able to play any other games in their regular Steam libraries through the Steam China client for the time being. And per Ahmad, it seems that games that get approved for Steam China later on are expected to be able to cross over from Steam Global profiles if users have already purchased them.

How Steam Operated in China Previously

The road to get an official version of Steam in China has been a long one, and its upcoming release raises some concerns about the future of Steam games in the country. That’s because while Steam’s global client has been available in China for years, its presence there is unofficial and unregulated by the Chinese government, which otherwise has strict policies about what games can and cannot be released in the country.

Under normal circumstances, for a game to release in China it must meet a number of different standards set by the government, including adhering to Chinese social values, avoiding “misrepresentation” of history, politics, and law, not including anything resembling gambling, and having anti-addiction systems to curb the amount of playtime and money spend from minors.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/25/dota-underlords-season-one-trailer”]

This process has become even stricter in recent years, following a 2018 government freeze on all new game license approvals and a set of new regulations that sought to reduce the total number of games approved for release in the country each year. The freeze lifted in 2019, but analytics firm Niko Partners has noted that the total number of game approvals is much lower than it was in the past — though Niko notes this has primarily impacted the number of “low-quality copycat games” and gambling focused titles launching.

It is for these reasons, among others, that Steam’s global client has done so well in China. As of late 2018, the platform had 30 million total users in China, seemingly thanks to the government freeze on new game approvals leaving Steam as the easiest venue to play new games in the country. And while formal numbers have not been issued since then, the number of Steam users in China only seems to have risen in recent years. As of January 2020, Simplified Chinese had grown to be the dominant language among all Steam users worldwide.

[poilib element=”quoteBox” parameters=”excerpt=For%20years%2C%20Steam%20has%20operated%20in%20a%20legal%20grey%20area%20in%20China%20where%20games%20that%20are%20otherwise%20not%20permitted%20can%20be%20purchased%20and%20played”]

For years, Steam has operated in a legal grey area in China where, while certain community features are blocked by the government, games that are otherwise not permitted for release in the country can be purchased and played. But as PC Gamer found out through interviews with numerous Chinese developers in 2019, no one is sure why China has not cracked down on Steam (and now the Epic Games Store’s) operations.

Valve Partners With Perfect World

Enter Perfect World, which announced its partnership with Valve to launch a dedicated Steam China client way back in 2018, following successful prior partnerships to officially launch both DOTA 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in China. Since the initial announcement, there have been very few details about how Steam China would actually work. An alpha client for Steam China became accessible in 2019, but no servers were live and thus no games were able to be played — and it was mostly the same as the regular Steam client anyway.

A press presentation in China later that year gave an update. According to a Eurogamer interview with Valve’s DJ Powers at the event, there were over 40 games planned for launch on Steam in China, including not just DOTA 2, but also DOTA Underlords, and third-party titles like FTL, Raft, Subnautica, Euro Truck Simulator 2, and many others. This would ultimately be a net positive for the developers whose games would be a part of the official release. Due to the need for a local partner, it can be difficult for international titles to receive official approval in China, making Steam China a potentially simpler avenue for those whose games qualified.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/03/dota-underlords-trailer”]

It could also serve as an opportunity for local developers to have their games highlighted worldwide. Valve said at the event that it did not intend for any Steam China games to end up as exclusives, meaning if local developers could gain approval on Steam China, their games would also be released to international audiences via the global client, potentially gaining more traction and interest as a result.

In the same Eurogamer interview, Valve also expressed hope that all of its global social features would be added to Steam China. Both then and now, these features remain the one element of Steam’s global client that does not function correctly for Chinese users. That said, Valve could not at the time confirm for certain what these would look like in the final release.

[poilib element=”quoteBox” parameters=”excerpt=The%20direction%20%5BValve%20is%5D%20headed%20is%20that%20Steam%20global%20remains%20as%20it%20is%20today.”]

When asked if the launch of Steam China would inevitably mean Steam’s global client would become inaccessible in the country, thus cutting off access in the country to any game not officially licensed, Powers said that “nothing will change” about Steam global — at least not on Valve’s end. The goal in launching a dedicated client for China, he said, was simply to give users access to local benefits: localized titles, local servers, and community features.

But could something external, such as the government, put a stop to Steam’s regular client?

“I mean, anything, yeah,” Powers replied. “There’s always externalities you can’t control. But the direction we’re headed is that Steam global remains as it is today.”

Will China Tolerate Two Steams?

This brings us to today. At the start of 2021, Valve confirmed it would be launching the client in China early this year, and the client was trialed at an esports carnival back in January. Now, with the beta on the horizon, the question of whether Steam’s global client will be allowed to continue to exist in China has once again arisen.

Though there has been no official indication that Steam’s global client might be shut down, the ongoing regulatory crackdown from the Chinese government does not bode well for its continued existence, especially once an approved alternative is available. Even if Valve makes good on Powers’ remarks and continues running Steam’s global client in China, the Chinese government could block it at any time, forcing users to access it through VPNs or other backdoor means. That would mean users who already own and play unapproved games through that client could lose access.

[poilib element=”quoteBox” parameters=”excerpt=Even%20if%20Valve%20continues%20running%20Steam%E2%80%99s%20global%20client%20in%20China%2C%20the%20government%20could%20block%20it%20at%20any%20time”]

Were this to happen, it wouldn’t be the first time the Chinese government has gotten involved in Steam content. Last year, it blocked a game called Coronavirus Attack from appearing in China through the global version of Steam — likely because, as its creator said, it was made as a protest against the Chinese government. And before that, Taiwanese studio Red Candle Games saw its title Devotion removed from Steam entirely after a poster was found in the game mocking Chinese President Xi Jinping. Its publisher Indievent later had its business license revoked in the country as a direct result of the incident, and has since struggled to re-release the game, even on other platforms.

In light of all this, the question of what the official release of Steam in China means for dedicated Steam users in the country remains an open one. While local developers and international studios whose games can meet approval requirements may ultimately stand to benefit, concerns remain that existing users who have poured time and money into the platform over the years may end up having to jump through hoops to access their game collections if the Chinese government decides to shut the whole thing down — or they may lose access entirely.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=the-best-modern-pc-games-summer-2020-update&captions=true”]

In truth, this problem has existed for years — ever since Steam became accessible in China, there has always been the question of whether or not it would be allowed to continue unsanctioned, but tolerated. Now, with the official Steam China release on the way, Steam Global’s existence in the country may well be on borrowed time. Unfortunately, as with the sudden decisions to block Twitch in 2018 and any number of other international websites over the years, it seems unlikely that there will be any certainty on Steam Global’s fate in China until and unless it is taken down.

IGN reached out to both Valve and Perfect World for comment, but neither responded in time for publication.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

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

Mega-monster prizefight Godzilla vs. Kong, which will be released in North America on March 31 (both in theaters and on HBO Max), will feature a chaotic clash between two cinematic titans in a brutal brawl-to-settle-it-all.

Like it or not, however, the movie also features human beings speaking lines of dialogue and not just gigantic creatures punching each other in their mammoth mouths.

But – hey! – at least these characters are played by super-talented actors who are ready to dive headlong into the fray, eager to get their hands dirty with lines like “Kong bows to no one!” and “Godzilla is out there and he’s hurting people and we don’t know why!”

Kyle Chandler and Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown reprise their roles from Godzilla: King of the Monsters while all-new characters arrive on the scene, played by Alexander Skarsgård, Rebecca Hall, and more. Check out the slideshow below and learn about the Godzilla vs. Kong cast and the characters they portray.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=godzilla-vs-kong-whos-who-the-human-cast-and-characters&captions=true”]

Still wanting more Godzilla vs. Kong info? Check out how Godzilla: King of the Monsters sets up Godzilla vs. Kong, dig in on our theory on who the real villain of Godzilla vs. Kong may be, or let us explain why Kong is so big in GvK. You can also check out our picks for the 10 best Godzilla movies ever.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/27/is-this-the-real-villain-in-godzilla-vs-kong”]

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

A Sony patent may have hinted at a potential future revision to the DualSense controller.

As reported by Respawn First, a patent found on the United States Patent and Trademark Office website suggests that Sony may be working to implement a Wi-Fi transceiver in future peripherals.

The technology will allow controllers to make inputs via a Wi-Fi transceiver as well as the regular Bluetooth transceiver which is present in both the Dualshock 4 and the DualSense. Whichever of the two input signals reaches the PlayStation first will be used. Having two potential commands at once will apparently work to reduce latency, according to the pattern’s description.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/06/playstation-5-review”]

The patent image depicts a DualShock 4 controller with a Wi-Fi node in the touchpad area. It was filed nearly two years ago in July of 2019, but given its recent publication, it means that Sony may be considering implementing the technology in future controllers.

In other Sony news, the company has said it aims to exceed PS4’s 14.8 million second-year sales, but a parts shortage might stop that. In the same earnings call, it was revealed that the PlayStation 5 has shipped 4.5 million units in 2020, which matches the numbers achieved during the launch of the PlayStation 4. If you’ve been lucky enough to snag yourself a console, check out our article covering the 10 best games on the PS5.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

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

It’s immediately apparent why developer PolyAmorous named its upcoming post-apocalyptic adventure narrative Paradise Lost. This is not only a game about a world in which Nazis remained in power into the 1960s before eventually nuking the vast majority of Europe, it’s a game about the last story on Earth.

In Paradise Lost you take on the role of Szymon, a 12-year old boy that’s discovered an enormous underground Nazi bunker beneath Poland. While shielded from the ravaged and radiated barren nuclear wasteland, it’s far from an idyllic safe haven.

I was recently shown an in-progress build of the game that took place a little over an hour into the story. While the entire game is only planned to be around four hours for a single playthrough, it’s designed to include branching story moments, divergent paths through the environment, and multiple endings.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=paradise-lost-screenshots&captions=true”]

Within the lore of Paradise Lost, the United States was hesitant to act in 1945 and never retaliated to end World War II. Eventually Europe was in a stalemate so the Nazis nuked it all. The bunkers themselves are inspired by an actual bunker that the Nazis had planned to build beneath Poland but never finished. All documentation about the bunker’s exact purpose and plans were destroyed before the end of the war, making the game one giant “What if…?” scenario.

One of the bunkers is overtaken by Polish rebels, which the events have ties to actual Polish spies from the 1940s. The developers ensure that history buffs and fans of alternate history theories and conspiracy theories will have plenty to dig into here.

The mixture of Slavic pagan themes, disturbing Nazi exploits, and hidden secrets that seem poised to rattle anyone to their core, let alone a 12-year old child, puts Paradise Lost in a unique position to almost be considered a horror game. From what I’ve seen so far, most people will probably label this one a “walking simulator,” but I prefer the designation of “first-person narrative adventure game” instead.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/29/chilling-paradise-lost-cinematic-trailer-shows-nazi-and-a-mysterious-underground-bunker”]

During my demo, Game Director Bogdan Graczyk explained the choice to feature a child protagonist in this sort of dark, unforgiving world.

“Using the unique lens of a child works very well with the theme,” says Graczyk. “When we look at the aftermath of the war through the eyes of a child who is innocent, but needs to live with the consequences anyway, it’s a more powerful story. The emotional impact was always very high on our priority list of our artistic goals.”

In Paradise Lost, Szymon is on a quest to discover why his deceased mother cherished a photo of herself with a strange man. The plan is to find the man and, as a result, find some answers about what’s happened to the world. There is also a mysterious woman named Ewa that Szymon speaks with at various moments using the underground console in the bunker.

[poilib element=”quoteBox” parameters=”excerpt=Within%20the%20lore%20of%20Paradise%20Lost%2C%20the%20United%20States%20was%20hesitant%20to%20act%20in%201945%20and%20never%20retaliated%20to%20end%20World%20War%20II.”]

Another interesting design decision is that the entire game is structured from top-to-bottom with the five stages of grief as explicit parallels. The section I was shown, which featured slow-paced exploration, reading lore pages, and gradually picking through an abandoned environment was part of the ‘bargaining’ section of the story. I’ve been told the game features no traditional “combat” moments and does not devolve into a game of hide and seek in which you cannot defend yourself. Forced stealth segments in these sorts of games rarely, if ever, fit very well — so this is a relief to hear.

One interesting aspect here beyond the lore and setting is that during several key moments in Paradise Lost you’ll get to “play out” past events from the bunkers. During those events you’ll have to make choices that affect the direction the narrative takes. For a relatively short adventure narrative, having that sort of non-linearity is very intriguing. It makes sense that a game about an alternate take on history would let you choose your own path, to some extent.

[poilib element=”quoteBox” parameters=”excerpt=The%20entire%20game%20is%20structured%20from%20top-to-bottom%20with%20the%20five%20stages%20of%20grief%20as%20explicit%20parallels.”]

Visually, Paradise Lost is quite stunning. The environments are breathtaking and the lighting lends an essence of loneliness and foreboding dread that’s difficult to capture for studios of any size, let alone a small indie team like PolyAmorous. Graczyk tells me that at its conception several years ago, the game only had around four people working on it. At the peak of the project that number had reached 16, but is now around 12 developers finishing the game up for release later this year.

Paradise Lost is shaping up to be a special and evocative type of game that uses the backdrop of a ravaged post-apocalyptic Europe to tell an intimate story of loss, grief, and discovery. Rather than following the mold of Metro, with its gruesome beasts and tense gunplay, this will be a much slower and introspective journey. Hopefully it’ll live up to its potential and be one worth taking.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

David Jagneaux is a longtime freelance writer for IGN. Talk games with him on Twitter at @David_Jagneaux.

Kadokawa Corporation has given Sony a 1.93% ownership stake in the company, a financial deal that the Japanese media conglomerate says will allow it to utilize Sony’s “global expansion power of animation and consumer games.”

“We believe that it is necessary to procure such funds in order not to miss potential investment opportunities and to solidify our ability to create IP based on our track record of creating rich and unique IP consisting of a diverse portfolio of books, movies, animations, games, and UGC platforms, both financially and financially,” it said in a statement as reported by VGC.

The deal will also see CyberAgent–owner of popular smartphone game developer CyGames–receive the same percentage of shares in the company, which in turn will allow Kadowkawa Corporation to create and develop new intellectual properties in addition to maximizing the IP that it already owns.

The company is also the owner of Dark Souls developer From Software, which it acquired back in 2014. From Software has a positive history with Sony, as more than half of its video game catalogue since 1994 have released as PlayStation platform exclusives, including 2015’s Bloodborne.

Sony’s deal may also be linked to its recent plans to turn anime and manga into a core pillar of its business, which it has invested serious money into expanding lately. Anime streaming platform CrunchyRoll was acquired for $1.2 billion by Sony, adding the service to its Aniplex and Funimation divisions. Kadokawa Corporation subsidiary Kadokawa Shoten has helped produce popular anime such as Re:Zero, Rising of the Shield Hero, and Overlord.

As for From Software, its next game is the fantasy-RPG Elden Ring, and it’s lore was created in collaboration with Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin. Described as an evolution of the Dark Souls series by game director Hideki Kamiya, details on the project have been scarce since its reveal at E3 2019. For the few tantalizing details that we do know, you can check out our Elden Ring hub.