State Of Live Games: How Every Game-As-A-Service Is Going Into Next Gen

As the release of the Xbox Series X/Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5 comes closer, one question in particular becomes ever more relevant: How many game-as-a-service titles are getting next-gen ports? And, of course, there is the follow-up: How many of them will keep the hundreds of hours of save data that I’ve invested into the game already?

Below, we take a look at all the major game-as-a-service titles that are still receiving new content drops, updates, and hotfix patches and listing whether they are getting next-gen ports. If they are (or if there’s a possibility that they could), we also list whether they support cross-play and cross-progression. We also let you know whether you’ll need to buy the game again. To help you find what you’re looking for, the games are listed in alphabetical order.

Anthem

BioWare has announced that it plans on giving the loot-shooter a complete overhaul following Anthem’s rocky launch, but next-gen console ports haven’t been announced as part of those plans. We assume that Anthem 2.0 will get Xbox Series X/S and PS5 ports, but we can’t know that for sure–it could remain on current-gen hardware, only playable on next gen via backwards compatibility. On current-gen platforms, Anthem does not support cross-play or cross-progression.

Apex Legends

Respawn has already confirmed that Apex Legends will be getting cross-play support and both Switch and mobile ports. However, the developer hasn’t announced anything with regard to next gen.

As Apex Legends is free-to-play, Xbox Series X/S and PS5 ports (if they exist) won’t cost you anything to download. However, it’s worth pointing out that Apex Legends does not support cross-progression, and Respawn hasn’t announced any plans to change that.

Bleeding Edge

Ninja Theory hasn’t announced how it plans on supporting Bleeding Edge going into the next console generation. However, as an Xbox first-party console exclusive, it’s probable that the game will come to Xbox Series X/S via Smart Delivery. If true, this would also likely mean that you won’t have to pay for it again (but it’s no guarantee). As is, you won’t have to pay for Bleeding Edge at all if you’re a subscriber to Xbox Game Pass. Additionally, Bleeding Edge supports both cross-play and cross-progression.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone

Infinity Ward has no announced plans to port Call of Duty: Modern Warfare to next-gen, which makes sense given Treyarch is launching a brand-new CoD, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, this year, which will be released for both Xbox Series X/S and PS5.

That said, Call of Duty: Warzone will be getting next-gen ports, so you’ll be able to keep playing the battle royale game on Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Given that the current-gen versions of Warzone are free-to-play, it’s likely the next-gen versions will be too. Warzone already offers cross-play and cross-progression.

Destiny 2

Bungie has confirmed that Destiny 2 will be getting Xbox Series X/S and PS5 ports and current players will be able to upgrade to next gen for free. So if you’re playing on Xbox One, you can upgrade to Xbox Series X/S for free and if you’re playing on PS4, you can upgrade to PS5 for free.

Destiny 2 currently supports cross-progression and this will hold true for next-gen transitions. If you’ve yet to pick up Destiny 2, the game is coming to Xbox Game Pass–including the next expansion, which will release the same day that the Xbox Series X/S launches. Though Destiny 2 currently doesn’t support cross-play, Bungie plans to add the feature in 2021.

The Division 2

Ubisoft has not announced any plans to port The Division 2 to next-gen consoles. However, the game should still be playable on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 through backwards compatibility.

Dragon Ball FighterZ

As of now, Arc System Works hasn’t said whether Dragon Ball FighterZ will re-release for Xbox Series X/S and PS5, but the fighting game still enjoys a healthy playerbase–it seems ripe for backwards compatibility support, especially since new characters are still being introduced.

Forza Horizon 4

Xbox has already announced a next-gen Forza Motorsport so Forza Horizon 4 may not get an Xbox Series X/S port. Instead, the Xbox first-party title will “upgrade” to Xbox Series standards via Smart Delivery. If you don’t own it, you can download the game on Xbox Series X/S through Xbox Game Pass.

Fallout 76

Bethesda has only confirmed next-gen ports for Doom Eternal and The Elder Scrolls Online but has also committed to offering free upgrades for any of its other games that ultimately get next-gen ports. So provided Fallout 76 is one of those games, you won’t have to pay for it again when playing on Xbox Series X/S and PS5.

FIFA 21

EA has confirmed that FIFA 21 won’t support cross-play, but it will support cross-progression support between current- and next-gen consoles. Buy the game on PS4 and your progress will follow you to PS5; same thing for Xbox One and Xbox Series. Upgrading to next-gen will be free as well, but only provided you stick to the same console family and buy the game by a specific date.

Final Fantasy XIV

No next-gen plans have been announced for Final Fantasy XIV.

For Honor

Ubisoft is planning to put cross-play into all of its PvP games, which presumably includes For Honor. However, the studio hasn’t announced any next-gen plans for the game.

Fortnite

Epic Games has confirmed that Xbox Series X/S and PS5 versions of Fortnite will be available at both next-gen consoles’ launches. The battle royale game supports cross-play and cross-progression (even between console generations), allowing you to keep playing with your friends regardless of where you set up shop. Fortnite is also free to play so you don’t have to worry about paying for the game again when it comes out on next gen.

Grounded

Obsidian hasn’t yet announced next-gen plans for Grounded, though the game is an Xbox first-party title that’s available through Xbox Game Pass. So even if an Xbox Series version isn’t made, the game won’t cost you another cent to own if you either already own it (and can take advantage of Xbox Series’ backwards compatibility) or have Game Pass and can thus download it on Series X/S as part of your subscription.

H1Z1: Battle Royale

No word yet on whether H1Z1: Battle Royale will be getting next-gen ports.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

343 Industries is hard at work on getting Halo Infinite ready–the next-gen Halo game has been delayed to 2021. In the meantime, you’ll be able to play Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Series X/S via backwards compatibility. The game is available through Xbox Game Pass as well, so you don’t have to pay for it if you’re a subscriber.

Though Halo: MCC does have cross-progression, it doesn’t yet have cross-play. Cross-play support is in the works, though.

Hyper Scape

According to SegmentNext, Ubisoft’s Hyper Scape will be playable on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 at launch, though the version of the game that will be playable will be the same as the one currently available on Xbox One and PS4. It’s some confusing wording on Ubisoft’s part that doesn’t make clear whether we can expect to see full next-gen ports that are just copies of the current-gen game or that both Xbox Series and PS5 will support backwards compatibility with Hyper Scape’s Xbox One and PS4 versions.

Regardless, Hyper Scape supports cross-progression so you’ll be able to take your data with you to next-gen if Xbox Series X/S and PS5 ports are released. The game is also free to play, so you don’t have to worry about paying for it again.

Madden NFL 21

Like FIFA 21, Madden NFL 21 will be getting Xbox Series and PS5 ports that will support both cross-play and cross-progression with current-gen consoles. The upgrade to next-gen is free as well, though only if you stick to the same console family and purchase the game by a specific date.

Marvel’s Avengers

Marvel’s Avengers will be getting PS5 and Xbox Series X/S ports and you’ll be able to upgrade to next gen for free if you already own the game. You must have the game on Xbox One to upgrade to Xbox Series X/S–same goes for PS4 and PS5.

Though your progress will follow you in the free upgrade, Marvel’s Avengers does not support cross-play or cross-progression. So, for example, if you own the game on PS4 and decide to buy the Xbox Series X/S version, your progress won’t follow you.

Minecraft

We’ve already seen what Minecraft looks like on Xbox Series X/S–ray tracing makes that game look a lot better. Whether Minecraft gets actual next-gen ports is still up in the air, but both Series X and PS5 will be able to play the game via backwards compatibility.

NBA 2K21

This is a weird one, and not in a good way. NBA 2K21 will have Xbox Series X/S and PS5 ports that will cost more than the current-gen counterparts ($70 USD on next-gen as opposed to $60 USD for current-gen). And you will have to pay for that $70 on top of the $60 you’ve already spent because there’s no free upgrade to next-gen unless you buy the $100 Mamba Forever edition of the game.

NBA 2K21 at least supports cross-progression across generations, so you won’t lose your progress when moving from Xbox One/PS4 to Xbox Series/PS5. But if you’re already planning on playing NBA 2K21 on next gen, you should consider dropping the extra cash on the Mamba Forever edition. You’ll save $30 in the long run.

No Man’s Sky

There’s no official word on whether No Man’s Sky will be getting next-gen ports. Given its still-active player-base, we can see No Man’s Sky being one of the games that can be played on Xbox Series X/S and PS5, though. The game has cross-play support as well, which could mean that next-gen ports (if they exist) might connect to the existing player-bases on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

Overwatch

Blizzard hasn’t announced next-gen plans for Overwatch but the game is getting a story-focused sequel, Overwatch 2, that will support both cross-play and cross-progression with Overwatch within system families (so, for example, Overwatch on PS4 connects to Overwatch 2 on PS4). That’s great and all, except that Blizzard hasn’t confirmed whether Overwatch 2 is releasing on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 either. It’s all up in the air on both games.

As a completely separate game, you will need to drop money to play Overwatch 2 even if you already own Overwatch. However, most of the content coming to Overwatch 2 will also be released for Overwatch–only the new PvE campaign is exclusive to the sequel. So you only have to pay if you’re interested in the PvE content.

Between the two, it’s more likely that Overwatch 2 will end up being the game that gets next-gen ports but it’s possible that both games could. Given Overwatch’s popularity in the hero shooter space, the game will likely at least be playable on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 through backwards compatibility. Blizzard has not announced any plans to add cross-play or cross-progression support to Overwatch or Overwatch 2

Phantasy Star Online 2

Phantasy Star Online 2 is getting a complete overhaul in 2021 with a new expansion titled Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis. The two universes will coexist, with your character being able to transfer between the two. However, your character level, class skills, and Photon Arts will not transfer between both universes.

Though there are no announced plans to port Phantasy Star Online 2 to Xbox Series X/S, New Genesis is scheduled to get a next-gen port. So even if your in-game progress won’t transfer from the Xbox One version of PSO2 to the Xbox Series version of NG, you’ll at least be able to transfer your character.

PlanetSide 2

There have been no announced plans to port PlanetSide 2 to PS5.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

Next-gen ports for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds have been confirmed, but that’s about it. No word on cross-play, cross-progression, release date, or whether players will have to pay for it again.

Rainbow Six Siege

Ubisoft has confirmed that Rainbow Six Siege will release on Xbox Series and PS5 at no additional cost to players who already own the game on Xbox One and PS4. The game already supports cross-play and cross-progression.

There is a small caveat to the free upgrade–it only applies to players who own the digital version of the game. So you need the digital version of Siege on Xbox One to upgrade for free to Xbox Series and likewise for PS4 to PS5.

Rocket League

No official word on next-gen ports for Rocket League, though the game does already support cross-play. It will get cross-progression when it goes free-to-play, provided you link your Rocket League save data to an Epic Games account. So if next-gen ports are in the works, you’ll be able to download them for free whenever they come out and take your account with you.

Sea of Thieves

Sea of Thieves will have an Xbox Series X/S port at the next-gen console’s launch, which will offer an improved version of the Xbox One game. You won’t have to pay for the upgrade and your progress will follow you to next gen.

State Of Decay 2

Undead Labs hasn’t announced whether State of Decay 2 will be getting a next-gen port, though its sequel, State of Decay 3, will release on both PC and Xbox Series X/S.

As Xbox first-party titles, both State of Decay 2 and State of Decay 3 will be available on Xbox Series X/S with an Xbox Game Pass subscription. State of Decay 2 supports both cross-play and cross-progression so State of Decay 3 will theoretically also support both features, though Undead Labs has not confirmed that.

Star Wars Squadrons

Currently, there are no announced plans to develop next-gen ports for Star Wars Squadrons. Instead, you’ll be able to play Squadrons via backwards compatibility on both Xbox Series X/S and PS5.

Squadrons will support cross-play at launch. However, the game won’t support cross-progression. You’re stuck with the system you buy the game for.

Street Fighter V

Capcom has yet to announce next-gen ports for Street Fighter V, though we could see the game being included in the list of supported backwards compatibility games on PS5. Especially since there hasn’t been a peep in regards to seeing the release of a Street Fighter VI anytime soon.

Valorant

Granted, Valorant isn’t even on this generation of consoles. However, developer Riot Games is prototyping Xbox One and PS4 versions of the game to see if that’s a viable option, so it could come to consoles one day. If the game does release for Xbox One and PS4, we imagine next-gen ports would also be a possibility. But we’ll have to wait and see.

Warframe

Warframe is scheduled to release on both PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. However, the free-to-play game does not support cross-play or cross-progression. That said, developer Digital Extremes did offer a limited-time, one-time platform transfer for players looking to move off of PC to consoles–a similar policy could be enacted when the next-gen ports come out. It would offer a way for players to move from Xbox One or PS4 to Xbox Series X/S or PS5.

Now Playing: Xbox Series S VERSUS Series X: Which Is Right For You?

Xbox Series S Is So Small, Phil Spencer Had It In His Background And We All Missed It

We know the Xbox Series X is a hefty console when compared to Xbox One and One X. We also know the PlayStation 5 is one of the taller systems coming to the market. But just how big is Microsoft’s “smallest Xbox ever,” Xbox Series S? You only need to check out Phil Spencer’s shelf to get an idea.

According to the official Xbox Twitter account, the head of the company has had the system on his shelf in livestream since July 1. In fact, the company pointed it out with a magnifying glass like it’s a game of Where’s Xbox. It’s so small, it’s just been hiding next to some white stuff like binders and such.

It’s difficult to point out. The zoom, while helpful, doesn’t exactly make it apparent that what’s behind Spencer is, in fact, the Xbox Series S. However, that’s likely a testament to the discless system’s size.

According to official specifications, the Series S is 10.8 inches tall, 5.9 inches deep, and 2.5 inches wide when stood vertically. For comparison, the Series X is 11.8 inches tall and 5.9 inches deep and wide.

We went hands-on with mockups of both the Series S and Series X, with editor Michael Higham getting an up-close look of the console’s final design. Higham walked away stunned with how surprisingly unbulky the Xbox Series X actually is.

Both systems are slated to launch this November 10 for $299 (Series S) and $499 (Series X). You can check out our Xbox Series S and Series X preorder guide to learn more about the next gen consoles.

Now Playing: Xbox Series S VERSUS Series X: Which Is Right For You?

Sony Apparently Has A PAX Panel, But Don’t Expect PS5 News

A placeholder has been created for a Sony presentation during PAX Online. A description for the event has not been filled out as of yet, but it is scheduled to take place on Friday, September 18.

Whatever presentation Sony has planned will last for one hour, starting at 10:45 PM PT / 1:45 AM ET. The company hasn’t publicly commented on the showcase, and it’s unclear what Sony will discuss. During a PSVR Spotlight this week, Sony said there would be no news on PlayStation 5. It’s likely the company won’t talk about its next-gen console next week.

And since Sony has been quiet about the PlayStation 5 following a June 2020 reveal event, it’s difficult to speculate about what might be unveiled during this upcoming PAX Online presentation.

PAX Online runs from September 12-20 and will be completely free to the public. The organizer said it will feature “a steady 24/7 stream of content, events, discussions, and gameplay.” CD Projekt Red and Square Enix also have placeholder livestreams on September 12 and September 18, respectively.

In other next-gen news, Microsoft has officially revealed the release date for the Xbox Series S and Series X, both of which launch on November 10. While we still don’t know how much it costs or when it drops, you can check out our PlayStation 5 preorder guide to be notified when its release date emerges.

Now Playing: Xbox Series S VERSUS Series X: Which Is Right For You?

Hades Cross-Save Between PC And Nintendo Switch Delayed

Hades, the godly roguelike developed by Bastion and Transistor maker Supergiant Games, won’t have the previously announced cross-save option available when it launches on Nintendo Switch later this year. The studio said it delayed the feature so it wouldn’t have to delay the full release of the game.

“During our preparations for launch, we encountered some setbacks in the final testing for this feature,” the studio tweeted. “Rather than postpone our V1.0 launch plans until the feature is complete, we’re going to reintroduce cross-saves in an update later this year.”

Hades originally launched in Early Access in 2018. Supergiant announced that the full release of the game would be coming in the fall of this year on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Nintendo Switch. That release window is still intact, but cross-saves will come sometime later on. A specific release date for the feature was not shared.

Cross-saves are an important feature for games that exist across multiple platforms. It lets players level up and gain progress across consoles and PC. Games like Fortnite, Dauntless, and Ori and the Blind Forest all support cross-save between Nintendo Switch and PC.

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Here’s How Gambit Is Changing In Destiny 2 Beyond Light

Destiny 2‘s Gambit mode has morphed into a strange beast since the release of the Forsaken expansion. The original mode merged PvP and PvE elements into a competition against another team that involved killing AI-controlled enemies. In the Season of the Drifter, things got even more complicated when Bungie added a faster, tougher version of Gambit called Gambit Prime, which included new mechanics. In the upcoming Beyond Light expansion, the two modes are going back to just one, but this version will be something of a merging of the two modes to make something new.

Bungie detailed the changes in its This Week at Bungie blog post, outlining alterations it’s been hinting at since it first started talking about major changes to Destiny 2 earlier this year. Consolidating the two Gambit modes into one is something director Luke Smith has talked about for a while, along with reducing the overall size of Destiny 2 by “vaulting” locations and content to make room for new things. The blog post explains that we’re going to get a new version of Gambit that sounds a lot like Prime, but with a bunch of key alterations from the original Gambit.

The original Gambit mode took place over three total rounds, with the victorious team winning two of them. Two teams play independently of one another, killing AI enemies to make them drop “motes,” which players then pick up and deposit in a bank in the center of the area. The “gambit” portion of the mode was the risk you run as you pick up motes. Depositing a certain number of motes at a time sends a powerful “blocker” enemy to the other team, which prevents them from depositing their motes until they kill it. The more motes you drop at once, the tougher the blocker–but if you die before you deposit, you lose everything you’re carrying. Once your team fills the bank to a certain level, you have to fight a big Primeval boss enemy, and the first team to kill their Primeval wins the round.

In Gambit Prime, Bungie streamlined the game some while adding new wrinkles. First, Prime is one long round instead of three shorter ones. Second, by playing the related Reckoning mode, you could gather pieces of armor that award buffs in Prime. Those buffs pushed you to play a certain role on a team–the Reaper role had you focusing on speedily killing enemies, for instance, while the Collector role got bonuses for gathering as many motes as possible.

The new Gambit will keep the longer, single round of Gambit Prime, while doing away with the Reckoning armor and the team roles they bring to the match. That brings about some other changes–since players aren’t getting certain boosts from wearing Gambit Prime armor that make enemies easier to kill, Bungie is downgrading some of the boss-level enemies running around during the mote phase of the match. The mode is also being rebalanced so that fighting the Primeval goes faster and happens later, so matches will be more like two-thirds mote-gathering and one-third Primeval fight, rather than half and half. Bungie says it wants the Primeval fight to have more of a “boss rush” feel in the new Gambit mode.

Alterations are also being made to the blockers you can send to the opposing team. Gone is the 20-mote giant blocker, which you could only get if you were using the Collector gear, as are the Taken Captain blockers that used to appear at the 10-mote mark. They’ll be replaced with Taken Phalanxes, which are a bit more resilient, but a bit less lethal to players. And invasions, in which players are able to jump over to the other team’s side of the match and try to kill players to slow their progress or heal their Primeval, will be spaced out more–you’ll now have to wait 20 seconds between invasions instead of 10.

All these changes sound like they should make Gambit a little speedier in general, combining some of the better ideas from the original and Prime modes. It’s a bummer, though, that Bungie hasn’t found a way to integrate the Gambit Prime armor set idea into a new version of the mode. Part of the reason for its removal, undoubtedly, is the vaulting of the Reckoning mode. It also seems pretty likely that very few players were ever actually using their Gambit Prime loadouts in matches; anecdotally, seeing players decked out in Reaper or Invader gear was relatively rare. Still, the armor was a cool addition to Gambit Prime that encouraged teamwork, and it’s a shame Bungie never found a good way to incentivize players to do so more.

We’re expecting more changes to Destiny 2 with Beyond Light when it launches on November 10, and Bungie is slowly rolling out information about them. We’ve now heard about the Stasis abilities players will use in the new expansion, for instance, and what content is headed to the vault. Stay tuned for more details as Bungie dishes them out as we get closer to Beyond Light’s release.

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Wrestler, Jackass Star Stevie Lee Dies At 54

Stevie Lee, who wrestled as Puppet the Psycho Dwarf and appeared in Johnny Knoxville’s 2010 film Jackass 3D, has died at the age of 54. Lee died this past Wednesday in his home, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help cover his funeral costs.

The crowdfunding page also includes a statement from Lee’s family, which reads in part: “He was beloved by many and has many friends that were family, fans that adored him, but only his brother Jim left to take care of final arrangements… Puppet has put smiles on people’s faces across the world with his hardcore attitude and lifestyle.”

Lee, born Stevie Lee Richardson, made his wrestling debut in 1992 and after years on the independent circuit, the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance, and the Eastern Championship Wrestling, he made the jump to on-camera wrestling in 2002’s NWA: Total Nonstop Action. Eight years later, Lee erupted onto TV screens across the country with Spike TV’s reality series Half Pint Brawlers, and also the big screen with Jackass 3D.

In 2013, Richardson took a further star turn, playing the role of Munchkin in 2013’s Oz the Great and Powerful. He also appeared in an episode of American Horror Story: Freak Show the following year.

Sega And Nintendo’s Console War Explored In Trailer For New Documentary

During the ’90s, two video gaming companies were engaged in a war. Nintendo and Sega were battling each other for consumers’ cash. Now, a documentary about the battle, giving viewers an inside look is debutting later this month, and the first trailer has arrived.

In Console Wars, viewers will finally have an answer to the age-old question “Does Sega do what Nintendon’t?” The documentary will arrive on CBS All Access–owned by ViacomCBS, GameSpot’s parent company–on September 23, and you can check out the first trailer below.

The film follows the story of Sega and Nintendo in 1990, two of the biggest video game companies in the world trying to one-up each other. “For the first time ever, the men and women who fought on the front lines for Sega and Nintendo discuss this battle that defined a generation,” reads a synopsis.

The film was an official selection of the 2020 SXSW Film Festival. It’s directed by Jonah Tulis and Blake J. Harris, and Harris is the author of the novel of the same name. Console Wars is produced by Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen, James Weaver, Josh Fagen (Point Grey Pictures) and Scott Rudin and Eli Bush (Scott Rudin Productions) are executive producers, and Julian Rosenberg (Circle of Confusion), Doug Blush (MadPix Films) and Katie Mustard.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits Delayed to 2021

Kena: Bridge of Spirits, the third-person action-adventure from developer Ember Lab has been delayed to Q1 2021.

The studio behind Kena announced the news on Twitter, noting the move to working from home due to COVID-19 has “caused development to move slower than we hoped.” The studio’s full statement reads:

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/30/kena-bridge-of-spirits-developer-commentary”]

The Ember Lab Team is overwhelmed and humbled by the positive response and outpouring of support for Kena: Bridge of Spirits. Your kind words and excitement for the game have been an inspiration to the team.

This year has brought many challenges and our transition to working from home has caused development to move slower than we hoped. For this reason, we have made the difficult decision to delay the release of Kena: Bridge of Spirits to Q1, 2021. We have not made this decision lightly, but feel it is best for the game and well-being of the team. We will use this time to give the game the polish it deserves and deliver an experience that meets our vision and your expectations.

We look forward to sharing more about Kena in the coming months and delivering an amazing experience early next year.

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Kena is still set for release on PS5, PS4, and PC via the Epic Games Store.

Most recently, Ember Lab offered up new details about what the PS5 offers Kena: Bridge of Spirits on a gameplay, story, and visual level, after having previously showcased more of the impressive-looking adventure during IGN’s Summer of Gaming earlier this year.

Ember Lab announced Kena during the PS5 showcase earlier this year.

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Jonathon Dornbush is IGN’s Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

Kena: Bridge Of Spirits Delayed To Early Next Year

Developer Ember Lab has announced that Kena: Bridge of Spirits has been delayed to Q1 2021 because of working from home complications due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The game was originally due out later this year on PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

“The Ember Lab Team is overwhelmed and humbled by the positive response and outpouring of support for Kena: Bridge of Spirits,” the studio said, “Your kind words and excitement for the game have been an inspiration to the team. This year has brought many challenges and our transition to working from home has caused development to move slower than we hoped.

“For this reason, we have made the difficult decision to delay the release of Kena: Bridge of Spirits to Q1, 2021. We have not made this decision lightly, but feel it is best for the game and well-being of the team. We will use this time to give the game the polish it deserves and deliver an experience that meets our vision and your expectations. We look forward to sharing more about Kena in the coming months and delivering an amazing experience early next year.”

Kena: Bridge of Spirts was unveiled during Sony’s PlayStation 5 reveal event in June. The trailer, embedded above, shows a lush world filled with ancient ruins and adorable monsters as you explore and fight as the titular Kena. With her magical staff that acts as multiple weapons–including a bow–you will embark on an adventure about “personal growth and redemption,” according to Ember Lab.

With Kena: Bridge of Spirts delayed to next year, this means the list of PlayStation 5 console exclusives has dwindled for this year. Alongside Astro’s Playroom, prospective PlayStation 5 owners can look forward to Bugsnax, Godfall, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and a heap of rereleases like Control.

Still, the extra development time will allow Ember Lab to polish up the game. It’s already been reported that Kena: Bridge of Spirits only takes two seconds to launch from the dashboard on PS5. Ember Lab said the extra time will let the studio create an “experience that meets our vision and your expectations.”

Specific information about the PlayStation 5, notably its price and release date, remains unknown. However, we learned what could potentially be inside the boxes of both the Digital and Standard editions of the next gen console. Check out our PlayStation 5 preorder guide to learn about everything we know so far, as well as to be notified when a release date has been confirmed.

Now Playing: Kena: Bridge Of Spirits Trailer | Sony PS5 Reveal Event

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Immortals Fenyx Rising Preorders Are 17% Off on Console

Immortals Fenyx Rising is heading to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC on December 3. It’s up for preorder now at a variety of retailers. And notably, owners of the PS4 and Xbox One version will be able to get a free next-gen upgrade within the same console family.

The game, which is clearly inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, is set in a colorful world filled with Greek mythology. Typhon, the villain, has just escaped Zeus’s prison and has vowed to make all the gods pay. Your job is make your way through the open-world environment and save the gods. You can check our Immortals Fenyx Rising hands-on preview for many more details.

Below are links to where you can preorder the game, but note that not all retailers have updated the title or cover art from the game’s original title, Gods & Monsters. Even so, you can rest assured you’ll get the correct game when it ships.

Preorder Immortals Fenyx Rising Standard Edition

immortalsPS4

PS5

Xbox One / Series X / Series S

Nintendo Switch

PC

The standard edition doesn’t have any extra bells or whistles, but preordering it gets you the preorder bonus described below.

Preorder Immortals Fenyx Rising Gold Edition

PS4

Xbox One / Series X / Series S

Nintendo Switch

PC

The Gold edition of Immortals Fenyx Rising gets you the following in-game extras:

  • Season Pass
  • Hades the Shadowmaster Character Pack
  • Orion’s Blessed Weapons Pack
  • Prism Wings

Preorder Bonus

preorder-bonusPreorder any version of Immortals Fenyx Rising, and you’ll receive a bonus quest called “A Tale of Fire and Lightning.” Completing this quest gets you the in-game item Blazing Wings.

Other Preorder Guides

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Chris Reed is IGN’s shopping and commerce editor. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.

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