PAX Aus 2020 Won’t Happen

PAX Australia 2020 will not go forward. Event organizers have confirmed that this October’s gaming and entertainment event in Melbourne has been canceled.

“It is with a heavy heart that today we announce the postponement of PAX Australia 2020, due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 in Australia and globally,” the organizers explained in a statement.

Plans were underway with partners and exhibitors to explore “all viable options” to hold PAX Aus this year, but it was not meant to be. As such, the next PAX Aus is scheduled for 2021.

The organizers of PAX teased that, while the physical show won’t happen in 2020, they are exploring “new and exciting ways” to offer … something for fans. More details will be shared in the coming days.

PAX Aus is the first PAX event of 2020 to be canceled. PAX East took place in Boston at the end of February. Numerous companies and attendees pulled out of the event due to concerns around COVID-19, but the show went on.

While PAX Aus in Australia has been canceled, PAX West is still on schedule to be held in Seattle in September this year. After that, PAX Unplugged is slated for November in Philadelphia.

Ron Perlman Will Donate $50k To BLM If Ted Cruz Agrees To Wrestling Match

It’s probably safe to say that the latest celebrity Twitter feud isn’t one that we saw coming. Ron Perlman of Hellboy fame has challenged senator Ted Cruz to a wrestling match, and he’ll make a donation of $50,000 to Black Lives Matter if Cruz says yes.

Perlman and Cruz have been arguing on Twitter for a few days now. The Hellboy actor had taken a crack at Republican congressman Jim Jordan a few days ago, prompting Cruz to offer $10,000 to a “non-political charity” of Perlman’s choice if he would take Jordan on in the ring.

One thing led to another, resulting in the latest tweet from Perlman where he offered up a donation so long as Cruz would agree to wrestle him. As reported by Entertainment Weekly, the two are still going at it, with Perlman doubling down on his offer to donate to Black Lives Matter so long as Cruz accepts his challenge.

At this stage, the Republican senator shows no signs of accepting the offer to what would surely be a sellout punch-up, and Jordan himself has yet to weigh in either. However, politicians getting into fights isn’t uncharted territory, considering that Mitt Romney took on Evander Holyfield a few years ago, so who knows what will happen? Maybe if Cruz doesn’t accept, Perlman can still take on Mitch McConnell for a laugh.

GameSpot has officially kicked off Play For All–a celebration of all things gaming. Join us as we bring you the summer’s hottest news, previews, interviews, features, and videos, as well as raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts and Black Lives Matter with the help of our friends from around the gaming world. Check out the Play For All schedule for more.

Remothered: Broken Porcelain–Horror Sequel Sets A Date And Makes Bold Claims In New Trailer

Remothered: Broken Porcelain has revealed some of the horrors we can expect from it in a new trailer, and a release date has also been set. The game, which is a sequel to 2017’s Remothered: Tormented Fathers, will release August 25, 2020. It’s coming to Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

The game, from Italian developer Stormind Games, makes some bold claims in the trailer, which tells viewers that they can “experience the most terrifying, most suspenseful, horror game of the year.” Judging from the trailer, it offers a more traditional survival horror experience than most other recent horror titles.

You can watch the trailer below and gauge whether you’ll be able to handle the scares offered up by Remothered: Broken Porcelain later this year.

The game follows Jen and her friend Linn, two maids at the Ashmann Inn, who have become aware that something is not right in their place of work. It’ll be up to players to help them escape. The game will also directly follow events from the first game, and the search for Celeste Felton will continue.

If you’re hungry for more horror, it’s also worth checking out the trailer for the next Resident Evil title, Resident Evil: Village, which is coming in 2021.

GameSpot has officially kicked off Play For All–a celebration of all things gaming. Join us as we bring you the summer’s hottest news, previews, interviews, features, and videos, as well as raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts and Black Lives Matter with the help of our friends from around the gaming world. Check out the Play For All schedule for more.

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Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone Adding Ice Pick Melee Weapon And More This Week

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and the battle royale game Warzone continue to introduce new microtransactions. The latest come in the form of a pair of weapon bundles, one of which features a brand-new ice pick melee weapon to finish your foes in icy style.

The “Notice Me III” bundle comes with the “Dream Dasher” SMG blueprint that features a specialized sight, barrel, ammo, and rear grip. It also features the “Chibi Trooper” weapon charm and the “Cute Cadet” sticker.

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The other new bundle now available is the “Wendigo” bundle. It comes with “Psychosis” assault rifle, the “Evil Manifest” SMG, and the “Crevasse” ice pick weapon. This bundle also includes a “Taiga” skin for the Operator Krueger.

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In its blog post, Activision did not announce price points for these new Modern Warfare/Warzone bundles, and they do not appear to be out yet, but the game’s other cosmetic bundles–of which there are many–range from around 800 Call of Duty Points to 1800 Call of Duty Points. These new bundles should go live soon.

In other news, Modern Warfare is adding the One in the Chamber mode this week, while the 50v50 Warzone Rumble deathmatch mode is staying in the game for the time being.

Now Playing: Call Of Duty: Warzone Video Review

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13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Vanillaware’s Critically-Acclaimed Mech Adventure, Gets US Release Date

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, the new game from Vanillaware (Dragon’s Crown, Odin Sphere, Muramasa: The Demon Blade), has announced a western release date. The game, which released in Japan on November 28, 2019, will be available in the US and other English-language territories on September 8, 2020. A trailer has also been released, showing off the game’s incredible 2D art.

The game, which features 13 playable characters (hence the title) has a strong narrative focus that jumps between different time periods. It’s a 2D title that features top-down combat between mechs you can customize and various kaiju.

You can check it out in the trailer below, which shows off the game’s protagonists.

Vanillaware is known for its excellent, fast-paced combat, and the game was very well received in Japan. It was the only game nominated for the Seiun Award in the Media Category for the year of its release, and received awards and nominations in the Japan Game Awards, Famitsu Dengeki Game Award 2019, and Japan Otaku Awards.

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At launch, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim will only be playable in Japanese, as the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the game’s production schedule. However, a free patch will add an English voice acting option post-launch.

The game is exclusive to PlayStation 4.

GameSpot has officially kicked off Play For All–a celebration of all things gaming. Join us as we bring you the summer’s hottest news, previews, interviews, features, and videos, as well as raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts and Black Lives Matter with the help of our friends from around the gaming world. Check out the Play For All schedule for more.

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Fortnite’s The Device Event Was A Huge Success, Epic Says

Fortnite‘s latest in-game event, The Device, was a gigantic success. Epic Games has announced new statistics about it, and also teased a water theme for Season 3.

Writing on Twitter, Epic said it was “overwhelmed by the response” to The Device. A total of 12 million people were in the game when the event took place. The numbers could have been higher, but Epic put a cap on player numbers to help with stability.

Some of those who could not attend the event watched livestreams of it. Epic said a combined 8.4 million people watched The Device on Twitch and YouTube. You can re-watch the event in the GameSpot video above.

Epic also teased that future in-game live events will be able to accomodate more users. “As we push the edge of what live-events can be, we’re improving systems so more of you can experience them in-game,” Epic said.

In a follow-up tweet, Epic confirmed that Fortnite Season 3 will begin on Wednesday, June 17. The studio also seemingly teased the long-running rumor that it’s a water-themed season, saying to fans, “We can’t wait for you to dive in!”

For lots more on The Device, check out GameSpot’s rundown of what it means for Season 3 and the future of Fortnite’s metaverse.

Now Playing: Fortnite – The Device Live Event (Gameplay)

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Endless Legend Dev’s New Game, Humankind, Launches Next Year And Is Looking For Test Players

Humankind, the next game from Endless Legend and Endless Space developer Amplitude Studios, is a 4X strategy title that will use an “OpenDev” platform to gather player feedback ahead of launch. In a new post on publisher Sega’s website, it’s been announced that the game will launch in 2021, but that the developers are currently taking applications for a free early access period where players will be able to test certain scenarios and have an impact on development.

You can sign up for the OpenDev initiative now. Players who register right now will potentially be able to access three limited-time scenarios–Towers of Babylon, Battles of History, and Hold the Fort, each seemingly exploring a different period from history.

In the trailer below, being part of OpenDev is compared to joining the game’s development team. Humankind was originally due to release in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic has complicated the game’s development.

This is different from a typical “Early Access” period or beta, Amplitude Studios argues, and you’ll have a greater impact on how the game plays when it releases.

The game, which has only been announced for PC thus far, will explore humankind’s entire history. For more on the game, check out GameSpot’s preview, including quotes from narrative director Jeff Spock.

GameSpot has officially kicked off Play For All–a celebration of all things gaming. Join us as we bring you the summer’s hottest news, previews, interviews, features, and videos, as well as raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts and Black Lives Matter with the help of our friends from around the gaming world. Check out the Play For All schedule for more.

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Star Wars Celebration 2020 Cancelled

Star Wars Celebration 2020 was officially cancelled Monday due to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic.

Star Wars Celebration will return to the Anaheim Convention Center on August 18-21, 2022.

StarWars.com has posted details on how fans can get refunds to Star Wars Celebration 2020:

“Fans who were planning to attend Star Wars Celebration Anaheim this year may either transfer their current ticket purchase to the new event dates, receive a refund or receive a credit for Star Wars Celebration merchandise. As a token of our appreciation and to thank all Star Wars Celebration 2020 fans who choose to transfer their tickets to the 2022 show, we are excited to offer a free exclusive Star Wars Celebration stormtrooper character pin for all transferred tickets.”

The ticket refund and merchandise credit request period opens Monday, June 22. The official site says these requests must be completed by August 26, 2020.

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Be sure to check out StarWarsCelebration,com for additional information on hotel cancellations, any existing merchandise pre-orders, and how to get a free exclusive Star Wars Celebration stormtrooper character pin as a token of the convention’s appreciation.

For more Star Wars coverage, find out everything you need to know to pre-order Star Wars: Squadrons, enjoy our Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge review, and discover who IGN readers picked as the best Star Wars character of all time.

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Watch Madden 21 Cover Star’s Teammates React To Seeing Him On The Box

Madden NFL 21 will be formally announced on June 16, but ahead of that, the NFL’s social media page The Checkdown has posted a teaser where NFL stars react to the cover.

We know that Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is on the cover, but the cover itself has not been released. EA Sport showed it to some of Jackson’s teammates, and their reactions are priceless. In this video, Mark Ingram, Willie Snead, Orlando Brown Jr., Mark Andrews, Ronnie Stanley, and Justin Tucker share their thoughts on the cover. They are all really excited for their teammate; some can’t even get words out. It’s a pretty wonderful video–have a look below.

Jackson was recently in the news after a viral video showed him playing football on the beach, before taking a tumble over a jet ski and falling into the water. Ravens fans were understandably worried, and there is no word yet on if he got hurt. Hopefully not.

Madden NFL 21 will be revealed with a first trailer tomorrow, June 16, and then EA will presumably speak more about it during the EA Play event on June 18. The game is confirmed for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, as well as Xbox Series X. A PS5 edition has not been announced yet, but it’s expected.

Everyone who buys Madden 21 on Xbox One can get the Xbox Series X edition for free as part of a limited-time upgrade program. In other Madden news, the NFL has voted to give EA the exclusive rights simulation NFL games for years to come.

GameSpot has officially kicked off Play For All–a celebration of all things gaming. Join us as we bring you the summer’s hottest news, previews, interviews, features, and videos, as well as raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts and Black Lives Matter with the help of our friends from around the gaming world. Check out the Play For All schedule for more.

Now Playing: Patrick Mahomes Talks Madden 21 | Inside Xbox

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Corepunk: 60% of the Game Will Be Endgame Content

Corepunk – the upcoming traditional style MMORPG – will include a huge endgame, with 60% of the game’s content designed for those who reach the highest possible level.

Revealed as part of today’s IGN Expo, we got a look at brand new gameplay from the game – which is designed to feel like classic MMOs, but with a seamless world and fog of war. Alongside the gameplay, we spoke to producer Eugene Kiver, who discussed how the game is built for those who’ll dedicate the most time to it.

“That’s a problem for modern MMOs – too little of high-end content. Basically, 40% of our game is for you to get to the cap level, and after that 60% of the game is high-level content. It’s open world, it’s a vast wilderness where you can find rare monsters, rare world bosses. That’s dungeons: randomly-generated dungeons and custom dungeons. There’s also raids, arenas, battlegrounds – just plenty of things to do.”

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In fact, much of the game’s design seems to have been built to run counter to current trends in the massively multiplayer game space. Kiver points to the fact that the genre is currently focused on instance-based and session-based games, while Corepunk is more traditional, designed to allow for thousands of players to play in a persistent world.

One of the game’s key differences from classic MMOs, however, is a fog of war. The feature, more traditional in RTS games, is designed to make the game feel more surprising, allowing for players to both plan for or be surprised by ambushes, while exploration becomes more surprising.

There’s a lot more information about the upcoming game in the interview above. If you like what you hear, you can sign up for an upcoming closed beta now.

There’s much, much more to see from today’s IGN Expo, and we’re running the Summer of Gaming throughout June – here’s the Summer of Gaming full schedule. All month, we’re supporting some incredibly important causes – the World Health Organisation and The Bail Project – if you are able, help us support them too at donate.ign.com.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter.