A Half-Life 2 fan-made remaster, titled Half-Life 2: Remastered Collection, is seemingly coming to Steam with Valve’s permission.

Listings for the game were spotted on SteamDB as far back as last year, however, the page has been relatively dormant since. According to its Steam DB page, Half-Life 2 Remastered Collection is not being developed by Valve, but instead, by Filip Victor, a modder who developed the Half-Life: Update mod that launched on the Steam store in 2015.

Valve reporter Tyler McVicker added to the speculation surrounding the game in a tweet recently. Mcvicker said that he is “able to confirm” the legitimacy of the project and that it is “being made by the former Half-Life 2: Update team”.

I have been able to confirm this projects legitimacy, being made by the former Half-Life 2: Update team.

Report incoming. pic.twitter.com/W0r9cnKhie

— Tyler McVicker (@Tyler_McV) July 29, 2021

The original Half-Life 2: Update mod, released in 2015 on the Steam store, is a 7GB add-on that served up a number of visual enhancements to Half-Life 2 and its two further episodic expansions. The mod itself includes improved lighting effects and more detailed environmental textures. It also looked to rectify a number of bugs that affected the original PC release version.

While it appears that Remastered Collection will include the base game and Episodes 1 and 2, very few other details about the game have been revealed by Filip Victor. However, the modder did address fans in a recent Half-Life 2: Update thread where he said the newest version will put its predecessors “to shame”.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/03/26/half-life-2-comparison-trailer”]

Whilst modders have continued to work on Half-Life 2 over the years, Valve its self returned to the series with Half-Life: Alyx – the company’s first take on Half-Life meets VR. Take a look at our review of Half-Life: Alyx where we gave the stunning VR title a 10/10.

Alternatively, for more on Half-Life: Alyx, why not check out this article where we delve into why Valve was semi-afraid of fan reactions to Half-Life Alyx’s ending. For those of you who have played Half-Life 2 and its subsequent expansions, IGN spoke to Valve last year to find out why Half-Life 2: Episode 3 was never made.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”slug=half-life-alyx-first-screenshots-4k&captions=true”][poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

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.

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

“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.”

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/10/05/astro-bot-rescue-mission-review”]

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.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/64-playstation-game-easter-eggs-in-astros-playroom”]

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

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.

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

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=amazon-tech-deals-3-list-uk&type=list”]

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

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=xbox-accessory-deals-uk”]

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.

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=amazon-hero-daily-deals-2-uk”]

Best PS5 Compatible M.2 SSDs in the UK

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

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=ps5-compatible-uk-links”]

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=ps5-combatible-ssd-list-uk&type=list”]

Even More Amazing Tech Discounts at Amazon

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=amazon-hero-tech-deals-2-uk”]

Preorder The Lord of the Rings Illustrated Edition

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=the-lord-of-the-rings-illustrated-edition-uk”]

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

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

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.

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=daily-deals-august-1-2021″][poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=ps5-compatible-m2-ssds”]

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.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/07/22/dead-space-remake-reveal-trailer”]

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.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/07/22/dead-space-remake-devs-discuss-how-ea-motive-is-using-next-gen-tech”]

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.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

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 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.

Excuse us, Ariana is coming!

Fortnite Presents the Rift Tour featuring @ArianaGrande kicks off August 6 at 6 PM ET #RiftTourhttps://t.co/1ljUFig39F pic.twitter.com/GDCnr24Wh9

— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 1, 2021

“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

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”slug=fortnite-presents-the-rift-tour-featuring-ariana-grande&captions=true”]

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.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/full-fortnite-x-travis-scott-astronomical-concert”]

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

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.

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

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-deals-aug-1-pc-hero”]
[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-deals-aug-1-pc-list&type=list”]

Notable Sales for Nintendo Switch

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-deals-aug-1-ns-hero”]
[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-deals-aug-1-ns-list&type=list”]

Exciting Offers for XO/XS

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-deals-aug-1-xo-hero”]
[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-deals-aug-1-xo-list&type=list”]

Product Savings for PS4/PS5

[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-deals-aug-1-ps-hero”]
[poilib element=”commerceDeal” parameters=”slug=au-daily-deals-aug-1-ps-list&type=list”]

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Sign up to get the best Aussie gaming deals sent straight to your inbox!

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.”

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/07/27/jungle-cruise-review”]

“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.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/07/19/disneys-jungle-cruise-cast-camaraderie-featurette”]

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.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

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.

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.

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.

Please enter your date of birth to view this video

By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

enter