Scarlet Nexus Gets June Release Date, and a Tie-In Anime Series

Alongside revealing that Scarlet Nexus will be released on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC on June 25, 2021, Bandai Namco has announced that there is currently a Scarlet Nexus anime in development as well.

Bandai Namco shared a trailer focused on Kasane Randall with this news, which gives another glimpse at one of the two playable characters in Scarlet Nexus. As previously revealed, Kasane and the other protagonist, Yuito Sumeragi, will each have their own campaign that will let players experience the story from two different points of view.

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Kasane is a “mysterious scout whose power and skill has gained notoriety among the OSF,” while Yuito is “an energetic recruit from a prestigious political family.”

The Scarlet Nexus anime is set to release worldwide this summer, and will feature both Yuito and Kasane. The series is being produced by Sunrise Inc. and will be broadcast in the US on Funimation.

“Link your minds, unlock the future. In 2020 of the solar calendar, grotesque organisms called Others have begun eating people,” The official description reads. “To take down this new enemy, the Other Suppression Force is formed. Saved by this elite team as a child, psychokinetic Yuito enlists, bravely withstanding the training. On the other hand, prodigy Kasane was scouted for her abilities. But Kasane’s dreams tell her strange things, dragging the two into an unavoidable fate.”

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For more on Scarlet Nexus, check out our first-look preview and and how the game looks to use RPG elements alongside action.

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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

FF7: The First Soldier Hopes To Get Battle Royale Fans Into Final Fantasy

Square Enix’s surprising side-step into the world of battle royale with Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier is an effort to reach out to players who are not traditional fans of the JRPG series, says FF7 Remake creative director Tetsuya Nomura.

Talking to Famitsu, Nomura said “the fan demographics for long running IP series do tend to become quite fixed, making it something of a challenge for us to appeal outside of that existing fan group.”

“I think that many in the core audience for [the battle royale genre] will not know about FFVII or maybe even never have played a Final Fantasy game at all,” he continued. “I do want people to discover an interest in the world of FFVII from this game.”

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Nomura admits that Square Enix has no real experience in the battle royale field, but intends on ensuring that The First Soldier is done with “no half measures”. He notes that the project’s producer, Shoichi Ichikawa, is a big player of battle royale games and will provide the expertise, while Nomura himself will only provide “inexpert feedback”.

“I can safely make my reckless proposals, knowing that [Ichikawa-san] is there to keep them in check,” he said.

From Nomura’s perspective, the main focus of The First Soldier will be on gameplay and balance. While little is known of the details of how The First Soldier will play, Nomura reveals that it uses a Job system, influenced by classic Final Fantasy games. These job “styles” will provide unique skills and abilities, and so sound akin to the characters of Apex Legends.

For more from Final Fantasy 7, check out Nomura’s latest comments on plans for FF7 Remake DLC, as well as the reveal of the PS5 version, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade.

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Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

The Hunter: Call Of The Wild Gets Bloodhound Dog DLC

The hunting game The Hunter: Call of the Wild, from Just Cause developer Avalanche Studio’s sister developer Expansive Worlds, is adding a hunting dog as DLC. The Bloodhound dog is coming soon to the hunting game across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC as a $4 USD DLC pack.

Known for its excellent sense of smell and tracking instincts, bloodhounds have been used in real-world hunting for a long time. In the game, the hound will help you track animal blood as you hunt down prey.

Expansive Worlds boss Sacha Karsenty said in a statement that adding a hunting dog was one of the top-requested features from fans since the game launched in 2017.

“With the Bloodhound DLC, we’re incredibly excited to bring one of the most requested features to life, and give players the opportunity to hunt alongside this gentle, yet incredibly effective scent hound,” Karsenty said.

Expansive Worlds recorded the movements of “fantastic real-life dogs” in a studio using motion-capture technology to make the bloodhound look as real as possible in the game.

“Thanks to their amazing performances, we’re able to bring animations to life with even more realism and deliver the experience our players have come to expect,” Karsenty said.

Throughout the DLC, your dog will earn experience points that can be spent on improving tracking skills and other “companion attributes.” Forming a bond with your dog is important, too. Petting it, giving it treats, and being nice to it will help strengthen your bond. What’s more, the dog can be male or female and you can customize its coat. In total, you can have more than 20 dogs in your roster.

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An Xbox Mini-Fridge Could Become A Real Thing You Can Buy

Microsoft has again commented on the possibility of an Xbox mini-fridge becoming a real product that you can buy. Xbox marketing boss Aaron Greenberg said on Twitter that the new Xbox mini-fridge promotion with The Rock was purposefully designed as a test-case for whether or not Microsoft will actually create a real consumer product for people to buy. For those just catching up, The Rock–who has been a partner to Microsoft for decades–has rolled out a campaign with the Xbox mini-fridge and his ZOA energy drink brand; check out the video below to learn more.

Asked directly if an Xbox mini-fridge would become a real product available for purchase, Greenberg said on Twitter, “Think of us as testing that mini-fridge market with this promotion. We know fans also would love to be able to purchase a Series X mini-fridge in the future!”

In another tweet, Greenberg commented, “We are ramping up our mini-fridge operations. Stay tuned!”

This is not the first time that Greenberg has commented on the possibility of an Xbox mini-fridge becoming a real product. In October, he asked his 200,000-plus followers if they would be interested in buying it–and the majority of respondents said, “Yes, take my money now.”

When Microsoft announced the Xbox Series X back in December 2019, people immediately roasted its design for looking like a refrigerator. Microsoft took the comments in stride, embracing the chatter with its own memes. This went even further when Microsoft created an actual Xbox Series X refrigerator that it sent to Snoop Dogg and other people, and the phenomenon grew again this week with a new promotion featuring The Rock.

Now Playing: Xbox Series X Unboxing

Justice League’s Zack Snyder Speaks About How Star Wars Changed His Life Forever

The Snyder Cut of Justice League is out now on HBO Max, and to mark the occasion, Zack Snyder himself shared some insight into his life and his inspirations as a filmmaker. Speaking to EW, Snyder said the 1977 original Star Wars movie, A New Hope, had a lasting impact on his life and career.

He saw the movie 13 times in theaters and it made a huge impression on him. “It was a look into an impossible dream­scape and the movie that made me buy a movie camera and make movies with my friends in middle school. I was obsessed and it changed the course of my life,” he said.

Snyder also remarked that his work has been influenced by the work of Joseph Campbell, who is famous for writing The Power of Myth and commenting on the hero’s journey.

“A teacher, a prophet, and a genius who decoded archetypes across the centuries. You can find your own stories in the stories he decodes, and he reconnects you with the universe,” Snyder said.

Go to EW to learn more about Snyder’s influences from pop culture.

The Snyder Cut, as fans are dubbing it, is a four-hour director’s cut of the 2017 film that features, among other new additions, Jared Leto as the Joker. GameSpot’s Snyder Cut review scored the movie a 3/10.

“The four hour long re-cut of the 2018 box office bomb, complete with extra scenes and re-shoots will land on HBO Max on March 18 and–well, if you’ve ever been brave enough to ask the question ‘is it possible for a superhero movie to feel like watching paint dry?’ This one’s for you,” reviewer Mason Downey wrote.

The Justice League Snyder Cut is available to stream right now on HBO Max.

Scarlet Nexus Releases June 25, Anime Series Coming Too

Scarlet Nexus is coming on June 25, according to a new trailer from Bandai Namco, but that’s not the only way you’ll be able to access the sci-fi world. Alongside the release date, Funimation announced an anime spin-off coming this summer as well.

The game’s release date was announced in a new Kasane story trailer. That will be the date for the game on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

The end of the trailer, as well as a separate anime trailer, notes that it will have a simultaneous release with the TV animation, so the June 25 date goes for the anime as well.

The anime series will be available on the Funimation service in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, and Ireland. France, Germany, Russia, and Nordic countries can access it through the Wakanim service, and Australia and New Zealand will find it on Animelab.

Scarlet Nexus is an action-RPG revolving around dual protagonists Yuito and Kasane, who use a blade and kunai, respectively. The anime appears to explore both characters’ pasts as they started their training to become a part of the Other Suppression Force, and the paranormal things that happen to them in the process.

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Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Gets R Rating

A new Demon Slayer: Mugen Train trailer recently uploaded to YouTube by co-distributor Aniplex USA reveals that, stateside, the anime due to hit theaters on April 23 will be rated R for “violence and bloody images.” This may prove a North American box office challenge to the popular anime, which in Japan garnered a PG-12 via the Eirin, the Japanese rating board. Even still, The Japan Times ran an op-ed titled and asking the question: “Is Demon Slayer too violent for children?”

In Japan, a PG-12 is similar to an American PG-13, meaning that parental discretion and accompaniment is required only for children under 12–whereas an R rating means IDs must be checked and anyone under 17 requires an accompanying parent or adult guardian. Reporting on how Demon Slayer: Mugen Train performed in Japan, Deadline writes that when the film opened back in October, it was “the fastest film to achieve over $100M… getting there in just 10 days.” As if that weren’t impressive enough, Demon Slayer also usurped Spirited Away’s throne as the highest grossing film in Japanese history. In other words, an R-rating for Western audiences has the potential to complicate the film’s recently announced North American path for release.

As confidence returns in the moviegoing experience once again being viable and safe, pre-orders for theatrical tickets to Demon Slayer: Mugen Train will be available starting April 9 via this website. In addition to choosing between sub or dub tickets, fans can also opt for 4DX and IMAX experiences. Hopefully, the trailer gives you a sense of what that experience might be like, on a screen much, much larger than your phone or computer.

Fans will additionally be able to pre-order the film on Apple TV, the Microsoft Store, and the PlayStation Store starting April 26. After the theatrical window, fans will be able to watch the film on streaming popular platforms on June 22.

Mugen Train follows the events of Demon Slayer’s final episode, in which Tanjiro Kamado and company follow Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku to investigate a mysterious series of disappearances occurring on a train. One of the Twelve Kizuki’s, Enmu, is also aboard the train and things quickly take a turn for the worst.

GTA Online Pays Out Double Rewards For Arena Action This Week

GTA Online‘s latest update is all about arena combat for the next week, as players will be able to bank double the amount of cash, Reputation Points, and Arena Points for engaging in legalized mayhem. Every Arena event from Bomb Ball to Wreck IT will pay out double rewards according to Rockstar’s latest blog post, and Arena Workshop owners can also add the Vertical Jump ability to any Arena vehicle free of charge this week.

Double Rewards in Rhino Hunt

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Rhino Hunt is a simple game of survival, provided that you can endure three minutes of pursuers in off-road vehicles hurling sticky bombs at your heavily-armored tank. Taking part in this event this week will result in players from both sides of the competition earning double the usual payout of cash and Reputation Points.

Double rewards on special vehicle work

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Players who complete a series of Vehicle Cargo Missions can access the SecuroServ computer in their office, which gives them access to a series of special vehicle work missions. Complete these before March 24 and you’ll walk away with double rewards for all your hard work.

Unlock the Brute Heavy-Duty Tee

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Jump into GTA Online this week and you’ll unlock a free Brute Heavy Duty T-shirt.

On the podium this week: Pfister Comet SR

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If the odds are in your favor, you can stop by the Diamond Casino & Resort’s lobby to spin the Lucky Wheel. You’ll stand a chance to win cash, Reputation Points, and possibly even the grand prize of a Pfister Comet SR sports car.

GTA Online Weekly Deals

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This week’s discounts include savings on Arena workshops, upgrades, and a selection of high-performance vehicles for use in the deadly pit of the Arena such as the Annis ZR380 and the Western Deathbike.

  • Arena vehicle vertical jump upgrade — Free
  • Arena HVY Scarab — 30% discount
  • Arena Bravado Scarab — 30% discount
  • Arena Vapid Slamvan — 30% discount
  • Arena Declasses Impaler — 30% discount
  • Declasse Tulip — 40% discount
  • Benefactor Schlagen GT — 40% discount
  • Schyster Deviant — 40% discount
  • Weaponized Dinghy — 40% discount
  • Mammoth Squaddie — 40% discount

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Sea Of Thieves Reaches 20 Million Players, As Dev Says 2021 Will Be Game’s Biggest Year Yet

Rare’s swashbuckling pirate adventure game Sea of Thieves continues to set records. The game has now passed 20 million players since its release three years ago this month, Microsoft has announced.

In a blog post, the developer said Sea of Thieves is only just getting started, with plans for 2021 to be the game’s biggest year yet. The developer did not elaborate on its plans, however.

While you have to wait for that, the final update for Sea of Thieves season one is out now, and it features a new Vault Raiders event that kicks off on March 25. There is also a new ROFL emote that players can pick up for free, while there will be an Emporium sale to mark the anniversary.

Additionally, Rare is celebrating the milestone and the game’s third anniversary with a series of freebies and events. Everyone who logs in between now and March 25 will get the Prosperous Captain’s Sails as a free gift for their ship. Game Pass members will get the Jump for Joy emote if they log in between now and March 21.

In another nice perk, Game Pass Ultimate members will receive the Ocean Crawler bundle, which they can claim anytime between now and June 18.

For those who haven’t started with Sea of Thieves yet, they can grab the game for half-off this weekend only, running March 18-21. The game is also included with Game Pass on PC and console.

What’s more, Rare is holding a “Gold and Glory Weekend” event that runs March 19-22, during which players will earn double gold and Trading Company reputation, as well as extra seasonal renown.

Finally, the last of the season one bonuses for Twitch partners are now available, until March 23. These include more Gilded Phoenix equipment and a new Hornpipe dance emote.

Although Sea of Thieves is three years old, the game is still growing. In fact, January 2021 was the game’s biggest month ever in terms monthly active users.

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Grab 2 Free Tomb Raider Games For A Limited Time

Square Enix is giving away Tomb Raider games for PC, and it’s easy to claim them. The publisher announced on Twitter that fans can claim Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris and Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light by replying to a tweet.

Simply follow Square Enix on Twitter and reply to the tweet below with the hashtag #SquareEnixPresents, and the publisher will DM you a code for both.

This promotion ends when the Square Enix Presents broadcast ends, so you’ll want to act very quickly to score the freebies.

This is all happening in conjunction with the Square Enix Presents video broadcast, which takes place today at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET. The 40-minute showcase will include the announcement of a new Life Is Strange game and further updates and reveals.

In other Tomb Raider news, Square Enix has released the Tomb Raider Definitive Trilogy, which bundles together the three games in the new trilogy for only $20.

2021 marks the 25th anniversary of Tomb Raider, and Square Enix has told fans to expect further announcements about the franchise later in the year. Whether or not there will be any Tomb Raider announcements during the Square Enix Presents showcase remains to be seen.

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