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When you think of Tony Hawk, who you may have almost recognized at the airport, his many games’ incredible soundtracks probably come to mind. The Birdman is a big fan of the punk rock included in those early games, and he covered the original’s best song with some help from his famous friends. And no, that song is not “Superman.”

The song is “No Cigar” by Millencolin, featured in the original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater as well as the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 remake released in 2020. Hawk himself takes lead vocal duties as he skates down the street, with Millencolin lead singer and bassist Nikola Sarcevic taking on background vocal duties. Darrin Pfeiffer, formerly of Goldfinger and currently touring with Punk Rock Karoake, is behind the kit, and pro skater Steve Caballero and Mikey Hawdon both share guitar duty.

The video itself is edited to resemble a video game, with scores and ranks going up over the course of the song. If only it could have been filmed in the Warehouse, which is a real place, it would have been perfect.

You may be surprised by just how well Tony Hawk can belt out the tune, which features some pretty high notes in the chorus and bridge, but this isn’t even the first time he’s done a video like this. He recorded a cover of The Jam’s “In the City” for Punk Rock Karoake earlier this year, and we knew he had some pipes.

As for the game series, it isn’t clear if we’ll get any more Tony Hawk titles anytime soon. Though the remake was well-received, developer Vicarious Visions was absorbed into Blizzard recently. Blizzard and parent company Activision Blizzard find themselves at the center of controversy and a lawsuit that alleges widespread harassment as well as discrimination against women.

Paradox Interactive, the developer-publisher behind a titles including Stellaris, Hearts of Iron, and Crusader Kings, is currently in the midst of an unexpected change in leadership after its CEO resigned due to the company’s future strategy.

As announced by Paradox, Ebba Ljungerud is stepping down from her duties as CEO at the publisher. The company has said that her departure from the role will take place with immediate effect although she will continue working with Paradox for a period of time to “ensure a good handover”.

According to the publisher, Ljungerud’s decision to leave the role comes “due to differing views on the company’s strategy going forward.” Despite her resignation, it seems as though the decision was amicable, with Paradox praising the now-former CEO for the ‘fantastic job’ that she carried out during her tenure at the company.

“During her leadership the organisation, player base and our game projects have been strengthened and grown which give the company a strong base for future growth.” reads a statement from Paradox. “We regret that she has decided to resign but wish her all the best in future endeavours, says Håkan Sjunnesson, Chairman of the Board.”

No details have been offered as to what those differing views are, and why they became irreconcilable enough that the CEO felt she should resign.

Ljungerud’s time as CEO at Paradox was certainly filled with a number of notable moments. During her tenure, the company acquired a number of new studios, brought its first-ever grand strategy game to console, revealed Victoria 3 and launched Crusader Kings 3, which went on to garner high praise. Following her departure from Paradox, Ljungerud briefly looked back at her time with the company on Twitter before thanking both the studio and its fan base.

What a ride it has been ❤️ but now it is over and the CEO torch goes back to Fred. Thanks to @TheWesterFront @PdxInteractive and all of our amazing players for these years, I look forward to new great things to come for the games and the company!

— ebba ljungerud (@EbbaPDX) September 1, 2021

In light of Ljungerud’s resignation, Fredrik Wester, who served as CEO of Paradox for a number of years before stepping down in 2018, has foregone his role as Chairman of the Board at Paradox to take over as CEO once again. Wester’s appointment will take place with immediate effect with the company veteran confirming on Twitter that the new role is permanent.

Make sure to read our review of Paradox’s latest entry into the Crusader Kings franchise. We awarded the title a full 10/10 and said that it “takes the throne as the new king of historical strategy by expanding on and deepening the best parts of what made its predecessor memorable and unique.” Alternatively, for more on Crusader Kings 3, why not check out this article that details how the game will be coming to consoles.

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

After Cyberpunk 2077’s disastrous launch, CD Projekt made a promise to change how it markets its games, including talking about the games closer to their launch. The company’s latest investor calls saw it keeping that promise, as it refused to offer dates for the next-gen versions of Cyberpunk and The Witcher 3 – and wouldn’t even guarantee that they won’t be pushed into 2022 if necessary.

Both Cyberpunk and Witcher 3 are due to receive new console upgrades during late 2021, something CD Projekt reconfirmed during its latest financial reports. During an H1 2021 Earnings live stream, an investor asked the company to be more specific about when those next-gen upgrades would arrive, or if they could feasibly be delayed into next year.

SVP of business development Michał Nowakowski refused to be drawn on the questions, making clear that it was part of CD Projekt’s new philosophy: “Our target is to release the next-gen version of [Cyberpunk 2077] late this year […] At the same time, keeping in mind the lessons we have learned during the past year, and taking into account the fact that this project still remains in deveopment, we can’t say with full certainty that the production schedule will not change, of course.

“And with The Witcher 3, the situation is slightly different in a way that this is being tackled by the external team mainly, which is Saber Interactive, the company we have worked [with] before on Switch and also the updates in the past. As with Cyberpunk 2077, our goal is to release that game still in late 2021. However, similarly, [the] development process is ongoing, and we cannot be absolutely certain that the release schedule will not change. But for the time being, we definitely are aiming with both titles for late 2021 and I don’t want to be more specific at this moment in time.”

CD Projekt is clearly being very careful about messaging when those new versions of games will arrive but, at least in the case of Cyberpunk, the company is working towards a specific 2021 date, not simply making the new version without a deadline. In a separate webcast, CEO Adam Kiciński explained:

“Following our promise to start communication closer to actual releases, we don’t want to say anything more about the next-gen edition [of Cyberpunk 2077] other than that it is planned for the second half of the year. Of course, we have a specific date in mind internally, but it’s too early to say anything about this.”

After a botched launch that continues to cost CD Projekt a lot of money, the company has repeatedly said it’s learned huge lessons about how to approach launching games, With the company now gearing up to work on Cyberpunk and The Witcher simultaneously, we do at least have tentative signs that those lessons are being learned – hopefully leading to games that arrive on the dates promised, and to a sufficient level of quality.

Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Blade’s reported director Bassam Tariq has confirmed that he is joining the MCU to helm Marvel’s upcoming Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali.

It was previously reported that Marvel had tapped Tariq, who is best known for directing 2020’s Mogul Mowgli, to helm the vampire superhero film, though it was also said that no deal had been finalized. Marvel still hasn’t confirmed the news but Tariq himself recently discussed his move into the MCU during an episode of The Playlist Podcast.

“I didn’t think [Blade] was going to happen, just to be very honest,” Tariq said. “I’m honored and it’s a privilege, but I’m here in service of Stacy Osei-Kuffour, who is the incredible writer that is writing the film… She’s just a phenomenal presence and a juggernaut in her own right. And for Mahershala [Ali]. For me, it’s really just working in their service.

“[Marvel] takes big swings, you know?” Tariq added, sharing his praise for the team assigned to the project, particularly Stacy Osei-Kuffour who is penning the script for Marvel’s upcoming Blade movie. The new film will act as a reboot to the original 1998 film starring Wesley Snipes, which debuted a decade prior to Marvel’s launch of the MCU with Iron Man.

“Character is very important for me. I don’t think of genre, I think of character,” Tariq said of the reboot. “It’s not so boxed in as people imagine it to be [working with Marvel]. It’s quite exciting. And I think the reality is there is no ‘Blade’ canon, you know? If you ever read the comics, they’re always changing… Unfortunately, the [comic series] never lasted that long.”

The Blade comics were created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciler Gene Colan and first appeared in The Tomb of Dracula #10 in 1973 — if you need a refresher, check out our history of the vampire-hunting Daywalker, covering everything from Blade’s comic book origins to the badass bloodsucker’s big-screen debut, and how the new Blade might fit into the MCU.

Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Startup developer Poorly Timed Games, which is headed up by Destiny veteran Chris Wright, has announced its first game: Grim Tranquility, an isometric-view roguelite tactical RPG that’s coming soon to PC via Steam.

In Grim Tranquility, the story goes that humanity has exhausted the earth of habitability, and so people must venture out into space and find a new home somewhere in the stars. Naturally, a hostile alien empire they encounter isn’t too keen on allowing that to happen, and conflict ensues. Check out the announcement trailer above and the first screenshots in the gallery below.

Climate change, bureaucratic corruption, and environmental damage fuel the story and Grim Tranquility’s procedural gameplay. Poorly Timed Games says you’ll be able to “upgrade primitive Earth weapons, recruit new members with enhanced abilities, and influence alien officials with bribes for beneficial buffs or overthrow them in high stakes boss battles.”

Poorly Timed is based out of Redmond, Washington, and boasts a diverse group of developers. Wishlist Grim Tranquility on Steam and look for more on it at PAX West this weekend.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

Amazon has released the first teaser trailer for The Wheel of Time, its upcoming series based on Robert Jordan’s much-loved fantasy book series. The first three episodes will arrive on November 19.

Ahead of the series beginning, the first trailer gives us a glimpse at what’s to come, and introduces us to Rosamund Pike’s Moiraine, who instigates the show’s “dangerous, world-spanning journey.”

In the same manner as Amazon’s The Boys, Wheel of Time will see three episodes on launch day, with an episode dropping every Friday afterwards. The Season 1 finale will fall of December 24.

The Wheel of Time series has already been greenlit for a season 2 even before season 1 has aired. The book series is also set to get a film trilogy called Age of Legends, which will take place in a different era from the Amazon series but is planned to “complement the storylines” of the TV show.

Aside from Rosamund Pike, the show will star Josha Stradowski as Rand (aka the Dragon Reborn). Madeleine Madden will play Egwene Al’Vere, Marcus Rutherford has been cast as Perrin Aybara, Barney Harris will portray Mat Cauthon, Zoë Robins is Nynaeve. Game of Thrones’ Michael McElhatton will also play Father Tam.

Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Early today Sony opened up preorders for Horizon Forbidden West, the anticipated sequel to Guerrilla Games’ franchise arriving for PS4 and PS5 in February 2022. With it came details on a plethora of editions you can buy, ranging from standard game purchases to expensive and impressive collector’s editions with loads of extra goodies, all of which you can find in our preorder guide for the game. What it also revealed is that Sony is seemingly changing its approach towards PS4-to-PS5 upgrades, and it’s suddenly a lot more expensive, and more confusing, with Horizon Forbidden West.

In the past, Sony has offered a simple avenue for cross-generation upgrades. Although launch games like Spider-Man: Miles Morales offered them for free, games since have allowed PS4 players to pay $10 to upgrade their game to the PS5 version. This was the case up until now, with Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut players on PS4 able to use this method to get the PS5 version of the game when they managed to purchase Sony’s new console. This is also the case for Death Stranding: Director’s Cut coming out this month.

That isn’t the case with Horizon Forbidden West. In fact, there seems to be no current upgrade path at all planned for the game. Instead, Sony is suggesting you make that decision up front. You’ll still have the $60 version for PS4 and $70 version for PS5 to choose from, but you won’t be able to pay the $10 upgrade fee to make the jump after the fact. Instead, Sony says that they only way to get a version of that game that works across both consoles, you’ll need to purchase one of the game’s more premium editions, starting at the $80 Digital Deluxe Edition.

On the PlayStation Support website for the game, it’s plainly spelled out that this is the only currently-planned way for you to get a cross-generation version of the game.

“If you want to have access to both the PS4 and PS5 versions of Horizon Forbidden West, please purchase the Digital Deluxe, Collector’s, or Regalla Editions. Dual entitlement does not apply to the Standard and Special Editions,” the support website reads. “There are no plans for an update offer from standard to digital deluxe edition at this time.”

The FAQ also mentions that the PS4 version will, of course, be playable on PS5, but won’t then be a native PS5 version of the game. That will lock you out of any PS5-specific enhancements to visuals, performance, and more, as is normal with backwards compatibility.

This is a vastly different approach than Sony first messaged, with the PlayStation Blog stating in September of last year that Horizon Forbidden West would be getting a free upgrade similar to those that Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Sackboy: A Big Adventure did at launch.

“Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sackboy A Big Adventure, and Horizon Forbidden West will also launch on PS4,” the PlayStation Blog announced last year. “While these three games were designed to take advantage of PS5 and its unique next-gen features like the ultra-high-speed SSD and DualSense controller, PS4 owners will also be able to enjoy these experiences when they launch. The PS4 digital versions of launch games include a free upgrade on both PS5 consoles, while the PS4 disc versions of these games include a free upgrade on the PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-Ray disc drive.”

Considering that Horizon Forbidden West is the next exclusive Sony is set to publish, this could indicate a change in strategy going forward. It’s a bit alarming too, considering it’s still relatively difficult to purchase a PS5 so many months after launch. Without giving players a means to upgrade today’s purchases further down the line, Sony is forcing you to either wait or pay even more of a premium for that future-proofing.

It’s a far cry from the approach most of the industry has taken, and in stark contrast to Microsoft’s Smart Delivery system on its consoles that ensures all games work across both Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles without any additional fees.

One of the largest changes coming in the second part of Minecraft‘s Caves & Cliffs update impacts both caves and cliffs. The update will include multiple changes to the way the game generates its blocky worlds, shifting mountains even higher into the sky while caves will have brand-new underground biomes. The update itself isn’t out yet, but players can preview some of Minecraft’s new world generation in its latest Snapshot beta.

Included in Minecraft Snapshot 6 are a suite of terrain generation updates, with the first and foremost making mountains generate so they match the surrounding terrain better. The game will now take climate into account when generating its mountains, so in warm climates, players can expect to find snow higher up on a mountain, while others in colder climates will have snow closer to their base.

Caves are also receiving some sizable changes with this Snapshot, although players may not find them too friendly. Ocean floors will now be “cavier,” linking to underground cave systems. Players will now be able to find cave systems by diving to the bottom of the ocean easily, but they may also find that more of the caves they explore are totally flooded. The Snapshot also marks the return of underwater ravines.

These features are currently only available in Minecraft’s latest Snapshot beta. The second part of the Caves & Cliffs update that will introduce new terrain generation into the main version of Minecraft doesn’t have a release date just yet but is scheduled to launch during the holiday season. A full list of the changes in the game’s Snapshot 6 can be found below.

Minecraft Snapshot 6 patch notes

• Tweaked placement of the new mountain biomes so they match the mountain terrain and temperature better. Grove and snowy slopes are less likely to generate on mountain peaks. In cold climates grove and snowy slopes tend to start much lower down, while in temperate and hot climates they tend to start higher up.
• Tweaked biome placement to reduce the risk of cold microbiomes, such as a small splotch of snowy tundra in the middle of a forest (birdpoop microbiomes). It can still happen, but not as often.
• Fixed an accidental change from last snapshot that made lush caves smaller and more fragmented. Now they should be about as common as in snapshot 4 again.
• Giant tree taiga and giant spruce taiga no longer count as cold climates from a biome placement perspective. So these biomes are less likely to mixed in with snowy biomes. This caused a small reshuffle of other biomes to maintain the overall balance.
• Slightly reduced the number of water springs.
• Slightly increased underwater magma, to increase the chance of finding air when diving in aquifers.
• Cavier ocean floors! Aquifers under oceans/rivers are more likely to link to the underground. This means you are more likely to find cave openings on ocean floors that actually lead somewhere instead of being cut off. One consequence of this is that caves at y0-40 below oceans are more likely to be flooded. If you dive into an underground lake you might end up inside one of those flooded caves and pop out at the bottom of an ocean.
• Underwater ravines are back. Cave carvers can now carve through sand and gravel on ocean floors, so underwater ravines and caves will no longer be hidden under a layer of gravel or sand. As opposed to MC 1.17, we no longer use a specific carver for underwater ravines, we just use normal noise caves and carvers but on ocean floors. So the underwater ravines won’t look exactly the same as in 1.17, but we get a lot more natural variation. Magma may still generate inside them, as with all flooded caves.
• Horses, Mules, and Donkeys now follow players holding golden carrots, golden apples, and enchanted golden apples. Makes it easier to get your horse across that deep river! Similarly, llamas follow hay bales.
• That’s all.
• No wait, one more thing. Almost forgot the swamps. Swamps can now generate in dry areas. They couldn’t in last snapshot, which seemed to make sense, but it turned out that sometimes a very small area will be drier than the surrounding area, causing microbiome issues like small spots of desert in the middle of a swamp. Swamps should be less fragmented now, and they appreciate that.

Nexon and developer NAT Games have revealed a first look at the upcoming loot shooter that’s currently titled Project Magnum.

At first glance it appears to be inspired by Destiny, but other than the idea of unlocking powerful new abilities, co-op teams taking on legions of enemies that vaguely resemble the Cabal, and what appears to be an all-powerful giant golf ball in the sky, the game has a number of features to help it stand out.

As a third-person game, Project Magnum is focused on PvE activities, many of which feature gigantic enemies that players will have to work to take down. Another key feature is an energy-based grappling hook that can be used to quickly maneuver around the battlefield when the titanic enemies unleash a barrage of attacks.

Project Magnum also happens to have some impressive visuals, with the PS5 trailer below showing off some detailed environments, particle effects, and a high frame rate for all the action.

Nexon has primarily made a name for itself as a publisher in the South Korean and Japanese markets with a combination of mobile and traditional games, with MapleStory being one of its biggest success stories. NAT Games functions as a subsidiary of Nexon Korea and has worked on Counter-Strike Online and Final Fantasy XIV.