Here’s a Full Look at Thor in God of War: Ragnarok

We finally got our first look at the upcoming sequel to 2018’s God of War, officially titled God of War: Ragnarok, during Sony’s PlayStation Showcase. Those with a keen eye may have spotted a familiar character teased in the trailer wielding a mighty hammer.

It was confirmed shortly after the showcase that it was, in fact, Thor who could be seen for a brief moment in the trailer. Now, we’ve gotten a full-body reveal of the Norse God himself and he looks very different than many of us are used to.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for God of War (2018).

Those who completed 2018’s God of War may remember the Thor teaser for achieving the true ending as it’s the same shot used in the trailer, implying that Kratos may be going head-to-head against the God of Thunder in the upcoming sequel.

Revealed by Sony Santa Monica Art Director Raf Grassetti on Twitter, this version of Thor more closely resembles that of Norse mythology and folklore as he’s depicted with long red hair and a red beard.

In a developer interview following the PlayStation Showcase, Sony Santa Monica’s Eric Williams, Director of the upcoming God of War: Ragnarok, revealed the character teaser and voice from the gameplay trailer was Thor. He is voiced by Ryan Hurst who is known for his work as Opie Winston in Sons of Anarchy.

Williams also mentioned that “[Opie’s] take on Thor and [Sony Santa Monica’s] take visually on Thor are very different from the hunky Australian you might know,” implying that this version of Thor would not share many similarities with Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal in the MCU films. Although, Bro Thor would like to have a word.

Williams describes his Thor as a “big, burly, hedonistic man-child” who is a “little off-kilter than the Thor people know right now.” Not much else is known of the Son of Odin, aside from his ravenous killing of Giants and his stalemate against the World Serpent, but it’s clear he’s come for revenge and will likely play a large role in Ragnarok.

No official release date has been given, but God of War: Ragnarok is currently slated for a 2022 release date.

If you missed today’s big reveals, check out our full breakdown of everything announced during Sony’s September PlayStation Showcase for information on the next Spider-Man sequel, as well as some more surprises.

Matthew Adler is a Commerce, Features, News, Previews, Reviews, and Wikis writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

KOTOR Remake: Jennifer Hale Will Reprise Her Role as Bastila Shan

As a part of the news that Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is getting a much-desired remake, we also learned that voice actor Jennifer Hale will be reprising her role as Bastila Shan.

“I can confirm that that is Jennifer Hale,” said Ryan Treadwell, lead producer at developer Aspyr, in a blog post today. “We all think the world of Jennifer. She is an amazing talent and immediately slipped back into the role of Bastila when she came to help us with the teaser trailer,”

In Knights of the Old Republic, Bastila is a member of the Jedi Order with a Force power known as “battle meditation,” which lets her boost the morale of her friends while dismaying her foes.

She plays a critical role in the game, with her rescue from Taris being a key plot point early in the game and her connection to the Jedi Council opening doors for the protagonist later on. She’s also a potential (and, in Star Wars lore, canon) romance option for the protagonist.

Hale, meanwhile, has been quite busy since she last stepped into Bastila’s shoes. In games, she is perhaps best known as one of the voices of Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect original trilogy, and her more recent roles include Rivet in Ratchet & Clank: A Rift Apart, Ashe in Overwatch, and Kronika in Mortal Kombat 11.

She’s also not the only returning voice actor from the original game. “I do think that you’re going to see some other familiar voices return, but that’s probably as deep as we’re gonna go on that one right now,” added Treadwell in the same blog post.

And it isn’t just voice actors who are returning. Treadwell also noted that many former BioWare developers who worked on KOTOR are now working on its remake, as well as developers from games like Demon’s Souls Remake, Ghost of Tsushima, and Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Aspyr’s remake of Knights of the Old Republic was announced as part of today’s PlayStation Showcase and is headed to PS5 as a console exclusive at launch alongside a PC release, though no specific date or window has been given yet. The game is being rebuilt “from the ground up.”

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

Halo Infinite’s Next Multiplayer Preview Start Date Announced

343 Industries has announced today that the next multiplayer preview for Halo Infinite will arrive on September 24.

In a tweet shared on the official Halo account, 343 Industries detailed that players interested in participating in the next preview must have a fully registered Halo Insider profile completed no later than September 13 to be eligible. 343 Industries did not specify when the upcoming multiplayer preview will conclude as of yet.

This is the second preview 343 Industries has done for its highly anticipated first-person shooter, following a technical preview held from July 29 through August 1. While the developer did not specify how many Halo Infinite previews it will hold ahead of launch, we know that 343 Industries plans to hold more before the game is released.

Halo Infinite will launch on December 8, over a year after it was originally supposed to be released alongside the Xbox Series X/S. The game will also launch with no support for campaign co-op or a Forge mode, with both features slated to arrive in the game sometime next year.

While Halo Infinite will launch nearly a month after the series’ 20th anniversary, Microsoft is releasing a Halo-themed Xbox Series X and Xbox Wireless Elite Series 2 controller to commemorate the milestone with both limited edition products arriving on November 15.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Daily Deals: Score a Dell XPS RTX 3060 Ti Gaming PC for Only $1369 with New Coupon Code, 16% Off Tales of Arise for PC

Starting today, Dell is offering a 17% off “sitewide” coupon that works on select Dell and Alienware gaming PCs and laptops. Granted it doesn’t work on most configs that are worth looking at, but it does work on two Dell XPS config equipped with your choice of RTX 3060 Ti or RTX 3070 video cards. The price after discount is far less than what we saw during Dell’s Labor Day Sale. In other deal news, there’s an MSI RTX 3070 gaming laptop on Amazon for only $1349, you can score an Xbox Elite Series 2 controller for only $119 (as long as you don’t mind getting it in “Like New” condition), and Tales of Arise is out tomorrow and GMG is offering a 16% discount for the PC digital version. These deals and more below.

Dell XPS Intel Core i7 RTX 3060 Ti PC for $1369

Enjoy high end PC gaming on a budget. There is one of the best deals we’ve seen for an RTX 3060 Ti equipped PC and handily beats out a similar deal we saw on Labor Day by over $100. The RTX 3060 Ti is a very powerful video card; it’s better than the previous generation’s RTX 2080! It’s a big upgrade from the 3060 non-Ti model and the one to get if you’re going to play games at resolutions of 1440p or higher. This particular deal is found on the Dell Small Business site, but anyone can purchase there just like on Dell’s regular site; you can treat Dell Small Business as exactly the same as Dell Home.

Dell XPS Intel Core i7 RTX 3070 PC for $1659

If you need a gaming PC that can handle 4K resolution, you should consider stepping up to an RTX 3070. The RTX 3070 performs a bit better than the previous generation’s fastest video card, the RTX 2080 SUPER. You don’t lose much fps compared to the RTX 3080 (at most 10% at 4K) but you save hundreds of dollars in terms of cost.

Out Tomorrow: 16% Off Tales of Arise for PC

After a long wait, Tales of Arise is finally out tomorrow, September 10, for PS4, Xbox, and PC. Green Man Gaming is offering a 16% discount if your preorder the PC digital edition today. If you’ve seen the gameplay videos or played the demo at all, you’re probably already aware that Tales of Arise graphics are a massive improvement over its predecessors. That’s because Bandai Namco abandoned its proprietary graphics engine for the much more powerful and flexible Unreal Engine. Aside from the revamped graphics, expect the same well-loved gameplay from before, including real-time combo-chaining battles, a wonderfully generic yet epic storyline, and cringe-worthy yet endearing character skits.

MSI RTX 3070 Gaming Laptop for Only $1349

This MSI GL66 gaming laptop just got marked down by $150, making it the least expensive RTX 3070 equipped laptop on the market right now. The GPU has a TDP of only 85W in order to keep the power consumption, heat, and noise to a minimum. That means it’s not as fast as some of the other RTX 3070 equipped laptops out there, but it still performs better than an RTX 3060 equipped laptop while running cooler and quieter.

Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller (Preowned)

If you get a preowned Xbox Elite Series 2 controller off Amazon Warehouse, you can get an extra 20% off the already discounted price. You’ll have to make sure the vendor is “Amazon” and not a 3rd party marketplace vendor. “Used: Very Good” and “Used: Like New” condition models are both available. This professional-grade controller features adjustable tension thumbsticks, shorter hair trigger locks, wraparound textured grips, interchangeable thumbsticks and paddle shapes, custom profiles saved on your controller itself, and included USB Type C cable with charging dock. It boasts up to 40 hours of battery life and is compatible with the Xbox Series S|X, Xbox One, and PC.

Dell S2721DGF 27″ 1440p GSYNC Gaming Monitor

This is one of the best gaming monitors you can buy for under $500. The S2721DGF is a 27″ monitor with an excellent IPS panel (better than the VA panel found on the popular S3220DGF model). It features wide viewing angles and excellent color rendition including 98% DCI-P3 color coverage. At the same time, it boasts a super fast 1ms response time and up to 165Hz refresh rate through the DisplayPort. It’s also FreeSync Premium Pro and G-SYNC compatible.

More Dell Gaming Monitors on Sale with Coupon

2021 65″ Hisense U6G 4K QLED Smart TV

Pick up the new 2021 65″ Hisense 4K TV featuring Quantum Dot technology for the lowest price ever. This ULED TV supports Dolby Vision HDR thanks to a ULED panel that’s rated for 600nits of maximum brightness and boasts 60 local dimming zones. It’s actually one of the highest rated TVs around, especially for its price range.

Preorder the Middle Earth 6-Film Ultimate Collector’s Edition (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)

This impressive Middle Earth Collector’s Edition includes both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies over a whopping 31 discs. That’s because there are separate 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray discs for both the Theatrical Editions and the Extended Editions. You also get digital HD copies for free, and they are compatible with MoviesAnywhere so you can merge it into your digital library. As far as extras go, you get a Special Features Blu-ray disc, a 64-page booklet, and 7 travel poster art cards. All the discs are stored in collectible foil sleeves.

Video Game Deals

More Daily Deals for September 9

Aussie Deals: Free Nioh Complete, Reduced EA RPGs, Metro Bundle, and More!

Thank God it’s allegedly Friday! (Had to check—lockdown brain says every day is basically the same.) More escapism is clearly what’s required in our lives, which is why I’ve tapped a bunch of “full franchise” sales on PC. Xbox fans can also score a ton of value from a Borderlands and AC triple pack. Lastly, Deathloop is lurking around the corner and looks amazing, so take advantage of the cheap pre-order opportunity.

Notable Sales for Nintendo Switch

Purchase Cheaply for PC

Exciting Offers for XO/XS

Product Savings for PS4/PS5

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Adam’s an Aussie deals selector who’s absolutely going to spend the next 2 days in VR. You won’t find him @Grizwords.

God of War Ragnarok Gameplay Revealed At PlayStation Showcase | GameSpot News

In this video DeVante highlights key moments from PlayStation’s September showcase including God of War Ragnarok’s gameplay reveal and the announcement of Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic Remake.

Microsoft announced new controller firmware for Xbox Insiders that will bring Xbox Series X|S controller features to some older controllers.

Later in the video DeVante talks about Halo Infinite’s new collaboration with Rockstar Energy and what it could mean for the game.

Halloween Kills Will Hit Peacock The Same Day As Theaters

When Halloween Kills debuts next month, it won’t just be in theaters. Universal has announced that the horror film will arrive on the Peacock streaming service the same day it is released theatrically (via The Hollywood Reporter).

Halloween Kills hits theaters on October 15, but if you subscribe to Peacock, you’ll be able to watch it at home. Peacock does not rent movies like Amazon Prime or have anything like the Premier Access tier offered by Disney+. In other words, as long as you subscribe to Peacock, you’ll be able to watch Halloween Kills immediately–more like Warner Bros.’ HBO Max model, minus the slate-wide release plan. Halloween, the first movie in this new David Gordon Green-directed trilogy, is not yet on the service. NBC Universal has not yet announced whether or not that film will be showing up.

Halloween Kills was originally scheduled to hit theaters on October 16, 2020, but was ultimately delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic to its new release date. Halloween Kills stars Jamie Lee Curtis, once again in the role of series protagonist Laurie Strode, alongside Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, and Anthony Michael Hall. Nick Castle returns as the masked murderer, credited as “The Shape.”

Reviews for the mid-trilogy flick have started to roll out with mixed critical reception. The final film, Halloween Ends, hits on October 14, 2022.

No More Heroes 3 – Rank 2 Boss Fight Guide

SPOILER WARNING: Be careful! No More Heroes 3 is a game filled with surprises, and sometimes boss fights don’t always go as expected. In other words, we recommend not reading the boss strategy until you’ve actually started fighting the boss to avoid spoiling some of the game’s best moments!

Oh, Henry! Travis’s sibling is back to cause problems yet again. Whatever will we do with the black-sheep brother? Well, since this is No More Heroes, there’s only one real solution–killing the hell out of him. For more guides, be sure to check out our No More Heroes 3 beginner’s tips.

How to Defeat Henry

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Henry’s got a lot of bloodlust and a lot of range, even on his melee attacks. While having a long sword range sounds rough, it also means that the area where you can Perfect Dodge is significantly larger. Keep that in mind as you work to find a good opening.

Besides melee slashing combos, Henry has two ranged attacks: floating into the air and raining down five tracking dark energy orbs, and leaping high into the air to smash down on Travis with a spinning razor slash. You’ll need to dodge the latter attack at the last second to successfully evade, though guarding also works. He’s very vulnerable once he lands, so try and get some hits in.

After you get Henry down to 2/3rds life, his attacks will change, and his mobility will increase tremendously. He’ll be able to warp around the battlefield, attempting to catch Travis off-guard with a flurry of piercing strikes. Henry also gains a ranged attack: a series of three shockwaves he’ll send sliding across the ground at Travis. You can jump over these, but they come very fast, so you might not be able to leap all three. Instead, try to dodge or guard through them.

When Henry’s down to the last third of his lifebar, things start getting really nutty. He adds two new attacks, and they are both extremely potent. The first attack has Henry summoning rows of glowing green tendrils from the ground, which will then begin moving in a circular pattern. You’ll want to move to a space between these rows in order to avoid taking damage, then wait until they spread outwards to move in on Henry. For his other new technique, Henry’s twin blades will grow to massive length, and he will then sweep them together in a fan motion to cover a massive area. You can try to evade this by moving as far out of Henry’s range as possible, or–if that’s not an option–attempting to jump over them or blocking.

Your Death Kick has proven to be extremely useful so far, and once again it will be your go-to attack to interrupt Henry’s deadlier skills in this fight. The reliable combination of Death Kick knockdown into Death Slow and Death Rain on a downed opponent will let you stack up a good chunk of damage and perhaps potentially get Henry into a stun state. Blocking is generally a better option here than in many of the previous battles, so put your guard up if you’re feeling pressured, and don’t forget you can use Death Force to knock Henry away for a bit of breathing room. Good luck putting this sibling rivalry to rest!

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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Coming 2023 To PS5, Somehow Marking Yet Another Game From Insomniac

Developer Insomniac Games announced Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 during PlayStation’s September 2021 Showcase. The game is scheduled to release for PS5.

During the showcase, we also got a new trailer for Spider-Man 2. In it, we see both Peter Parker and Miles Morales working together as the two Spider-Men of New York while a narrator (who sounds an awful lot like Kraven the Hunter) asks if anyone will give him the challenge he desires. And then Venom appears, answering that they will provide that challenge.

Now Playing: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Teaser Trailer | PlayStation Showcase 2021

As suspected by fans, Spider-Man 2 takes place after the events of both Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. How much later remains to be seen, but we’ll likely learn more as we get closer to its scheduled launch date of 2023.

That 2023 launch window is a bit surprising. Even though that’s still a ways away, Insomniac has been releasing game after game at a breakneck pace. The studio released Marvel’s Spider-Man in 2018, both Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered in 2020, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart in 2021. Plus, Insomniac revealed it’s also working on a Wolverine game. That’s a lot of games coming out really close together.

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Gran Turismo 7 Release Date Revealed

Gran Turismo 7 will launch on both PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on March 4, 2022.

Announced on the PlayStation Blog, the developers say the goal is to, “convey everything from the last 150 years of car and racing culture, whether you are a lifelong fan or discovering cars for the first time.” The devs also say legendary tracks from the series, including Trial Mountain and High-Speed Ring, will return in higher detail to match the PS5’s power.

There was also a new trailer at today’s PlayStation Showcase event, showing off dozens of gorgeous cars that will be featured in the game. We also got a brief look at the Livery Editor, customization, tracks, and more.

The game was previously pushed into 2022 due to pandemic-related production issues. It was originally announced with a trailer, but this is our first look at gameplay as you’ll see it while playing. A beta will seemingly arrive in the lead-up to launch.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.