IGN Video Games |
- Biomutant: Where to Preorder Ahead of Its Release Later This Year
- Biomutant Release Date Set for May
- Deathloop: Here's What Comes in Each Edition
- Halo Infinite Team to Provide Monthly Updates on Development
- Hitman Developer's James Bond Won't Be Based on Any Previous Actor
- Magic: Legends Blends Diablo with the Classic CCG in Some Exciting Ways
- Platforming Modern Classic Celeste Gets a Surprise Semi-Sequel
- 19 Million People Got Star Wars Battlefront 2 For Free From the Epic Games Store
- Konami Explains Why It Restructured Its Game Development Divisions
- PS5 Scalpers Used a Loophole to Buy Stock Before It Was Live in the UK
- Resident Evil Village's Maiden: A Fantastic Demo, and a Clever Marketing Tool
- Season Has Seen Major Development Shifts Due to Alleged Toxic Executive
- Resident Evil Village: Here's What Comes in Each Edition
| Biomutant: Where to Preorder Ahead of Its Release Later This Year Posted: 26 Jan 2021 09:37 AM PST After what seemed like an eternity, Biomutant finally has a concrete May 25, 2021 release date. It's an open-world action RPG set in a colorful post-apocalyptic world. You play as a well-rounded warrior creature, whose mutations enable powers like telekinesis and levitation. As you play, you can re-code your genes in ways that affect how you look and what powers you can wield. You can also craft items like chainsaws and bionic wings, and ride on vehicles like mechs and jet-skis. The game was announced so long ago, the PS5 and Xbox Series X weren't even being talked about outside rumors, so while it seems almost a foregone conclusion at this point, we don't know with certainty whether or not there are next-gen versions or if the existing versions will have an upgrade path. If you're on board with this particular brand of apocalyptic zaniness, you can preorder a copy for yourself now. And if you're interested in either of the special editions, you may want to do so sooner than later, because with the Biomutant release date now official, they just might sell out. Here's what comes in each edition, how much it costs, and where you can preorder it now. Preorder Biomutant Atomic Edition PS4/PS5
Xbox
PC
Preorder Biomutant Collector's Edition
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| Biomutant Release Date Set for May Posted: 26 Jan 2021 09:05 AM PST THQ Nordic has announced that the long-awaited Biomutant will be released on May 25 this year. In a press release, THQ Nordic revealed that Biomutant will arrive on previously confirmed platforms - PC, PS4, and Xbox One - in May. No mention was made of a next-gen version of the game. In addition to the base version of the game, two special variants will be available: the Atomic Edition and the Collector's Edition. The Atomic Edition, coming in at $399.99/£349.99 is the big daddy of the three, and contains a detailed diorama, steelbook, t-shirt, mousepad, soundtrack, fabric artwork, and a premium box, as well as the game itself. The Collector's Edition, meanwhile, features the game, soundtrack, fabric artwork, and a figurine of the hero, all packaged in a premium box, for $119.99/£109.99, or ten of your chosen currency less if you opt for the PC version. They are all available to pre-order now. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/02/20/biomutant-official-gameplay-teaser-trailer"] The game run-down in the press release includes the major features revealed by developer Experiment 101 in previous Biomutant previews, including the mutation and crafting systems, and so it seems like the game is still very much the chaotic open-world experience that so many people have already fallen in love with. THQ Nordic promises more information in the coming weeks and months, too. For more, check out our most recent Biomutant preview from back in 2018, and 15 minutes of gameplay, too. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.  |
| Deathloop: Here's What Comes in Each Edition Posted: 26 Jan 2021 08:10 AM PST Deathloop is set to release for PS5 and PC on May 21 (see it on Amazon). It will be available in a standard edition, as well as a deluxe edition that comes with a few digital extras. You'll find full details about what comes in each edition, as well as preorder bonus information below. Let's get to it. Preorder Deathloop (Standard Edition)
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| Halo Infinite Team to Provide Monthly Updates on Development Posted: 26 Jan 2021 08:01 AM PST While Halo Infinite isn't scheduled to be released until Fall 2021, developed 343 Industries has committed to monthly updates regarding Master Chief's newest adventure, and the first one is coming later this week. 343 Industries employee ske7ch343 responded to a Reddit post claiming its been a long time since we've gotten any news on the much anticipated game, reassuring fans that all is under control and much more Halo Infinite news is on its way. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/ps5-xbox-series-x-10-delayed-and-mia-games-next-gen-console-watch"] "Has it though? Not saying it's right or a good thing, but considering we went 12 month stretches of total darkness and our last update was on December 8, I don't think there's any cause to worry," ske7ch343 wrote. "Keep in mind that many of us around the studio were out of office for 2 or more weeks to end the year and then it takes time to get back into the swing of things, etc. "We also confirmed our Fall release window in that update, so now it's clear we have some runway ahead of us and some time to go. That said, we're committed to at least monthly high level updates and the next "Inside Infinite" is coming out this week! This month we're talking with members of the sandbox team to share some insights into their vision for Halo Infinite and the work they're doing. To manage expectations, this won't have world premier big screenshots or huge things like a date announce, but our goal is to offer our community more context and insights into our team and the game we're making while we're all awaiting the larger beats and full marketing machine later this year." So, while we may not be getting huge news this week, Halo Infinite fans can rest a bit easier knowing updates will be more regular going forward. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=halo-infinite-xbox-games-showcase-gameplay-reveal-screenshots&captions=true"] Halo Infinite, and its free-to-play multiplayer, were originally scheduled for a Holiday 2020 release, but the team decided to delay the planned Xbox Series X/S launch title following negative reception to its Xbox Games Showcase reveal demo. Since then, 343 has addressed many of the complaints and has been making changes to hopefully ensure its success, including bringing back Halo veteran Joseph Staten to lead development on Halo Infinite's campaign. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.  |
| Hitman Developer's James Bond Won't Be Based on Any Previous Actor Posted: 26 Jan 2021 06:58 AM PST IO Interactive has revealed that the protagonist in the developer's upcoming James Bond game won't be based on any previous actor who has filled the role – and a director at the company has hinted at a trilogy. The news arrives as part of an interview conducted by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, which also talks about how the studio plans to double its staff over the next few years, as it works on this ambitious project. "We have been allowed to make our own digital Bond, which will not lean on a Bond actor," IO interactive's director Hakan Abrak told the Danish Broadcasting Corporation. This means that we won't see the likeness of Daniel Craig or Pierce Brosnan coming to the game - the character will be entirely unique and unrelated to previous Bond performances. "We also come up with a completely original story, and you could easily imagine that a trilogy could come out of it," Abrak added. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/19/io-interactive-bond-game-project-007-teaser-trailer"] This suggests that Project 007 may not just be a singular game. It could be a series, much like Hitman, with new locations and missions in every iteration. Abrak also revealed that IO Interactive is scaling up and planning to hire a lot more staff to deliver on its ambitions. "Today we are 200 employees and I expect that we will be over 400 employees over the next few years," Abrak said. Abrak also recounted the meeting in which IO Interactive convinced the licence owners, EON Productions, that the game was a good idea. According to the interview, IO had a meeting with Barbara Broccoli of the Broccoli family, who control the rights to the James Bond franchise. Broccoli was "expressionless" at first but quickly came around to the idea. Abrak says that the studio's "background with the Hitman universe" and its vision for Bond "went right into the heart" of Brocolli, who greenlit the project. Abrak also noted the usefulness of "good Scandinavian charm" rather than the "big American arm movements" that Abrak thought EON was probably used to. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/19/hitman-3-review"] Previous reporting of the interview suggests that Broccoli mentioned she didn't think previous Bond games were "worthy enough" and that they depicted violence "for the sake of violence," but these quotes have seemingly been cut from the interview, as of time of writing. For more details on Project 007, check out our coverage of the announcement here. You can also watch our video which talks about why a Bond game from the makers of Hitman has major potential. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.  |
| Magic: Legends Blends Diablo with the Classic CCG in Some Exciting Ways Posted: 26 Jan 2021 06:00 AM PST Figuring out how to adapt a classic collectible card game like Magic: The Gathering into a more action-focused game genre isn't an easy task. Luckily, isometric action RPGs like Diablo apparently lend themselves quite well to the deep lore, deceptively complex mechanics, and underlying sense of constant action that pervades Magic. It's a tall order for Magic: Legends, an online action RPG slated to hit Open Beta for PC on March 23, 2021. A game of Magic can sometimes take hours to finish depending on how slowly turns unfold or how skilled the players are. The first order of business to blend that property into a fast-paced action RPG, then, is to eliminate the turn order and condense down the concepts. Notably, developers have been careful to no longer describe Magic Legends as an "MMO" at all but a "persistent online action RPG" instead. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/26/magic-legends-official-deckbuilding-101-trailer"] In a recent hands-off demo presentation about Magic: Legends, developer Cryptic Studios showed me a pre-release build of the game featuring a variety of gameplay styles and an exclusive first look at how deckbuilding works. Take a look at the exclusive 'Deckbuilding 101' trailer above. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=If%20you%E2%80%99ve%20ever%20played%20Diablo%2C%20Torchlight%2C%20Path%20of%20Exile%2C%20or%20any%20fast%20action-based%20RPG%20then%20you%E2%80%99ll%20have%20a%20good%20idea%20of%20what%20to%20expect%20here."] If you've ever played Diablo, Torchlight, Path of Exile, or any fast action-based RPG then you'll have a good idea of what to expect here. The camera is positioned at an isometric top-down angle and you'll spend time gearing up and preparing back at town hub locations before venturing out into the game world and on dangerous quests. Unless you're doing a dedicated instanced story mission you can run into other players out in the world or at the town hub, but it's not quite on a "massive" scale. It's similar in concept to how Destiny funnels players together for content. You begin by selecting your very own personal Planeswalker with three main character-defining choices: your loadout of gear and artifacts, your class, and your deck. Your class will determine your innate abilities such as your primary attack, secondary special attack, and utility ability like dash-jumping as a geomancer. And then your "deck" acts like your deck of cards from the actual CCG. You'll select an assortment of spells (every "card" in Magic is a spell) and you'll need to build it with a mixture of creature-summoning spells, sorcery/arcane magic spells, and enchantments. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=magic-legends-deckbuilding-101-screenshots&captions=true"] From what I've seen, just like in actual Magic, deckbuilding is a huge part of Legends and it all comes down to how your hand is shuffled. Before you set out on a quest you'll need to customize your deck (12 cards at this time) since that directly affects which cards are randomly drawn into your hand (4 at a time) during combat. A unique curveball used to mix things up is that the buttons for using your spell cards are randomly assigned each time. For example, a Magma Burst spell might be the B button at one moment, but then after you cast it and it eventually shows back up again it could be X this time. Another interesting aspect is how they've chosen to handle mana costs. In the CCG you have a limited amount of mana resource that you slowly build up over the course of a match, but in Magic: Legends the mana pool begins large and is split between colors based on the ratio of colors in your deck. If you have an exactly 50/50 split between white and blue, then so is your mana pool. But if it's 8 white and only 4 blue, the mana pool will reflect this so the mana you have available is proportional to the types of spells you have ready to use. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Two%20players%20using%20the%20same%20class%20could%20play%20entirely%20different%20characters%20based%20on%20which%20deck%20colors%20they%20use."] There is a ton of strategy that will go into defining the right character build. Since your class itself can be a totally different color from your deck spells you can get extremely creative once you factor in all of the different progression paths and build varieties. Two players using the same class could play entirely different characters based on which deck colors they use. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/14/magic-legends-gameplay-trailer"] Similar to how you can swap decks between matches in Magic if you wanted, you can swap decks and loadouts very easily and quickly in Magic: Legends as well. Cryptic has done a remarkably efficient job of combining the concepts of a game like Diablo with the core rules behind Magic: The Gathering. Not all card game mechanics translate directly though. For example, in a game of Magic the turn order usually dictates that if it's your turn you "declare" which creatures are attempting to attack the player and then the other player chooses which attacks to block with which creatures. Abilities like trample, blocking, and provoking of course further complicate that core idea, but that's always the gist. In Magic: Legends, however, once you summon a creature, it typically follows you around and fights by your side based on its powers – you don't really do a lot of micromanagement because the "churn" of summoning, casting new spells, and re-summoning is so rapid. As of now there is a basic 1v1 dueling version of PvP, but the focus definitely seems to be mostly on the co-op side of things and experimenting with how the various classes and deck combos can work together. The game flow is extremely different, but the Magic flavors are absolutely still there. Watching the amazing, iconic artwork from the cards come to life in an action game rather than just another digital CCG is really wonderful. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=magic-legends-reveal-screens&captions=true"] That being said, I definitely have my reservations about the monetization plan. Since Magic: Legends is a free-to-play game, when you first start out you get to pick a single class to use, with all of the others locked behind a paywall. Then, using an in-game currency that you slowly accrue from playing the game called "planar mana" or by spending money directly in the cash shop, you can unlock the other subsequent classes. Other types of items available in the cash shop include convenience booster items and randomized card booster packs, but you will not be able to outright purchase specific spells or to upgrade a specific spell in your deck. [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=I%20definitely%20have%20my%20reservations%20about%20the%20monetization%20plan."] It doesn't sound like a "pay-to-win" system, which is good, but it definitely makes me curious what types of content will be for paying customers only. There will be a Fortnite-style Battle Pass as well, in which you subscribe for a season of content for a low fee, typically $15 or so in most games, and as you play and rank up you'll unlock new cosmetics, booster packs, and so on. After seeing the demo in action and getting to see the nitty gritty details of how deckbuilding works in Magic: Legends, I'm extremely eager to try it out for myself. The extra layers of nuance that are transplanted from the CCG seem to give Legends a strong sense of identity that games in this genre are often lacking, so fingers crossed it all works out. [poilib element="accentDivider"] David Jagneaux is a freelance writer for IGN. Talk RPGs with him on Twitter at @David_Jagneaux.  |
| Platforming Modern Classic Celeste Gets a Surprise Semi-Sequel Posted: 26 Jan 2021 03:52 AM PST The developers of 2018's Celeste have released a surprise semi-sequel to mark the game's third anniversary. Celeste director Maddy Thorson posted the news to Twitter, revealing that Celeste 2: Lani's Trek or Celeste Classic 2 is a sequel to the original prototype of the game, built in Pico-8. Pico-8 is a "fantasy video game console" game engine that allows for its games to be played within a browser. This means you can play Celeste Classic 2 right now if you follow this link to the game's Itch.io page. According to the short description that accompanies the game, Celeste Classic 2 was built in just three days. The mini-sequel is a challenging aside clearly set within the Celeste universe. You play as a new character called Lani, who has a grappling hook. Here's our review of Celeste from 2018, a game we scored a 10, noting its incredible platforming and innumerable secrets. If you're looking for more Celeste content, here's a speedrun of the game which manages to achieve the True Ending in just 54 minutes. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/01/25/celeste-review"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.  |
| 19 Million People Got Star Wars Battlefront 2 For Free From the Epic Games Store Posted: 26 Jan 2021 03:42 AM PST More than 19 million people picked up Star Wars Battlefront 2 for free during the game's recent Epic Games Store promotion. That's approximately the same number of new players as the population of Chile. The news was revealed by the EA Star Wars account on Twitter, in a tweet that thanked players for their continued support. "More than 19M PLAYERS got #StarWarsBattlefrontII from the Epic Game Store promo," the tweet reads. "Thank you so much for the continued support, even after our final content drop!" The promotion, which allowed players to pick up the game free of charge, saw a massive influx of new players to the game. The promotion caused some trouble with the game's servers, forcing EA to increase capacity. This also coincided with a bug that saw players losing XP, which was promptly fixed. Players who picked up the game during the promotion were given access to the Celebration Edition of Star Wars Battlefront 2, which includes all of the customization content purchasable in-game from launch, all the way up to Battlefront 2's 'The Rise of Skywalker' update. In other EA Star Wars news, a report has suggested that a new Knights of the Old Republic game is in the works, without original developers Bioware. We also learned in early January that Ubisoft is working on an open-world Star Wars game alongside the newly-reformed Lucasfilm Games. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/17/star-wars-battlefront-2-review-2019"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.  |
| Konami Explains Why It Restructured Its Game Development Divisions Posted: 26 Jan 2021 03:38 AM PST  |
| PS5 Scalpers Used a Loophole to Buy Stock Before It Was Live in the UK Posted: 26 Jan 2021 02:36 AM PST UK retailer Argos has been targeted by PS5 scalping groups, possibly contributing to lower-than-expected availability during a recent stock update. In the early hours of January 26, UK gamers were delighted to see the PS5 back in stock at Argos. But, just as we've seen time and time again, the stock lasted for a much shorter time than expected, amid widespread issues. Not only was the site buggy, alongside the app, but there was also supposedly even less stock than expected on the already limited supply of consoles. Multiple sources (who wished to remain anonymous) have confirmed to IGN that this is in part because individuals were able to order PS5 consoles from Argos on January 25, a full day before the aforementioned official stock drop. This was down to a loophole discovered by scalping group Express Notify, a paid-for Discord server that shared links allowing users to buy the PS5 before the general public even knew about the new stock. Express Notify has been publicly taking credit, with many of its users showing off their orders for multiple consoles. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps5-games&captions=true"] Argos supposedly shut these rogue links down quickly, but not without several consoles being sold and even collected from Argos outlets beforehand. There hasn't been any confirmation of how many PS5s were claimed before the loophole was closed, but this is just another example in the growing list of frustrations that customers are facing when trying to purchase the next-gen system. To compound the issues, those who were attempting to buy legitimately via Argos in the early hours of the morning weren't exactly given a head start. At first, stock appeared to be available on the Argos app – which repeatedly dropped for maintenance – but not on Argos' browser-based website. However, even success with the app was seemingly entirely dependant on your area, and whether it wanted to play ball in general. Some users reported success, others said the money came out of their account without a confirmation email, while many more were left without a console once again. Argos has responded to the situation, stating that it "identified a technical issue which allowed a small proportion of customers to place orders early" while also adding, "It's clear our customers are excited for the new PlayStation. We released a small amount of additional stock and have seen huge numbers of customers trying to place their orders with us and we have now sold out." Scalping has become a major issue for the low-stock, high-demand PS5, and has been particularly prevalent in the UK. Consoles have gone missing from Amazon deliveries, been stolen from moving trucks, and retailers have cancelled huge swathes of orders claimed by scalping rings. It's been enough for a set of UK politicians to motion for a debate on making console scalping illegal in the country. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/08/there-is-no-microsoftduracell-deal-requiring-xbox-to-use-aa-batteries-in-its-controllers-ign-news"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Robert Anderson is a Commerce Editor and deals expert for IGN. Send him awesome gaming screenshots @robertliam21 on Twitter. Credit to @PS5StockAlertUK for assisting with information.  |
| Resident Evil Village's Maiden: A Fantastic Demo, and a Clever Marketing Tool Posted: 25 Jan 2021 04:05 PM PST Capcom's release of the Resident Evil Village demo, Maiden, is a short slice of what the full release will offer...sort of. Maiden doesn't even include combat, it's over in about 15-20 minutes (unless you get stuck on a simple puzzle, like I did), and in one of my favorite demo design choices, it isn't even a scenario you'll encounter in Village itself. Instead, it's a mood piece, designed to give a sense of the atmosphere of one of Village's main locations, tease some of the characters we can expect to face, and, hopefully, creep the hell out of you with a constant feeling of dread, as it did me. While they've perhaps less ubiquitous than when publishers tucked demo discs into a gaming magazine, Maiden and other recent examples show there are many right ways to execute a demo, reminding us of just how damn effective they can be in selling players on a game in a way no other part of the video game hype machine can. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/22/resident-evil-village-maiden-demo-gameplay"] How a Demo Can Be So EffectiveRegardless of what form a demo takes, a good one should accomplish at least a few things: let a player get a sense for some key aspect of gameplay, whether it's basic gameplay mechanics or how they've changed within an ongoing series (like last year's Bravely Default II demo), or introduce you to an atmosphere of a new world (like BioShock's demo did back in 2007), or give you a sense of scale and spectacle, (like Final Fantasy VII Remake's demo in 2020). I'll never forget the BioShock demo specifically, as BioShock was a game I was unsure whether I'd like before launch. That demo, which replicated BioShock's opening minutes in Rapture, is forever ingrained in my head. I don't know if I would have ever picked up the full game had I not actually played it; it gave me just enough to want more. No amount of reviews, gameplay teases, or trailers could have properly conveyed everything that hands-on did. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=resident-evil-8-village-showcase-screenshots&captions=true"] Maiden does a fantastic job of preserving the twists and turns the developers have in store for the full game while still communicating what it is about. While it's likely the more rare case, a totally new slice of gameplay can still thematically and mechanically touch on the full experience. More commonly, a part of the existing game is sectioned off as a demo on its own, either a level a bit into the game to give a full understanding of gameplay, or even just the game's opening. And thanks to modern advancements, many of these opening mission demos now let players carry progress forward to the full experience. I will always be happy when I can pick up from that spot in the full game without needing to replay anything. Even when progress doesn't carry over, though, developers have found smart ways to incentivize players to play a demo with content they may or may not have to replay later. Take Monster Hunter Rise's recent demo, which doesn't carry over progress to the upcoming Switch game, but playing it does earn an item booster pack for players when the full game is available. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/25/resident-evil-8-village-maiden-demo-ps5-performance-review"]Risk and RewardGames by their very nature have to be sold on interactive levels that movies and TV just don't. Trailers and images are all those entertainment mediums can offer, and while there's no shortage of both in gaming, they pale in comparison to how much a demo can convey about what playing a game is actually like. Of course, there's also the inverse risk - a player can experience a demo, decide a game isn't for them, and move on without ever buying that game. I can only imagine the risk-cost analysis in releasing a demo. Not every game is for every person, and you can just as easily decide to buy a game after loving a demo as you can decide to never touch it again. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=resident-evil-village-playstation-5-screenshots&captions=true"] But when demos work, they really work. I don't know if Maiden will necessarily usher in a new era of demos - their popularity seems to come in waves, either from generation to generation or even just on a given console. And plenty of developers have been putting out demos in recent years, so Capcom's move here isn't necessarily a new or unexpected one. Tt's a reminder of the power of a demo. And they're an enormous player service, allowing for discoverability and understanding of upcoming games on a deeper level. Demos may help you decide a game isn't for you, but when they help a player fall in love with a new game, they act incredible gateways to worlds you've never experienced before, in a way no other tease could ever accomplish. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush. |
| Season Has Seen Major Development Shifts Due to Alleged Toxic Executive Posted: 25 Jan 2021 02:19 PM PST Scavengers Studio's Season, which had an impressive debut trailer at 2020's The Game Awards, has reportedly had a tumultuous development that is due to the latest in a reported pattern of workplace harassment and toxic behavior at the studio. A new comprehensive report from GamesIndustry.biz lays out a host of allegations from nine current and former employees of Scavengers Studio, the team behind the previous Darwin Project and the upcoming Season, against co-founder and Darwin Project creative director Simon Darveau. Specifically in regard to Season, the report describes an alleged, previous worry among developers at Scavengers that, should Darveau become a part of the team working on Season, he would essentially "override" the current creative director, Kevin Sullivan (who IGN previously spoke to about Season), and the rest of the team's work. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/12/11/season-announcement-trailer"] According to the report, these concerns became real, with allegations that, despite his actual role on the game remaining unclear, he has come in and led to "a considerable shift in focus and scope" on Season than what had previously been in place. "Several current employees mentioned that Darveau had used the partnership with Sony to force his own ideas onto the game, saying he had promised a number of features to seal the deal - such as a larger world, quests, and objective markers - that either weren't planned or had already been scrapped by the team. Now, they said, the studio is on the hook for them," Gamesindustry.biz's report states, with one source quoted in the story saying "I don't even recognize the game" from what was originally planned. One source even told the outlet "While it brought me extreme joy to see the work of my friends, it did sting a little bit to see a bunch of people praising the studio, saying how calming and chill and progressive everything looked. It might well be true for the Season project, but it has not been my experience with management." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=season-9-screenshots&captions=true"] And those concerns are allegedly not just due to the claims of Davreau's "inability to follow through on ideas" that was also a marked aspect of Darwin Project's development internally. Instead, the report shines a light on a number of accusations against Devreau and current-Scavengers CEO Amélie Lamarche. Chief among the claims of the alleged hostile workplace created by Davreau and Lamarche is the sense of a "boys' club" atmosphere, with allegations that women at the studio have been " frequently degraded by male employees including Darveau, or infantilized and treated as if they did not know what they were talking about even when speaking from a position of expertise about their own work." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/25/darwin-project-review"] Additionally, the report lays out reported concerns from current and former employees about Davreau's mistreatment and bullying of employees, save for a group of "commandos" that were Davreau's favorites; allegations of Davreau groping multiple employees, and the implications of Lamarche essentially serving in an HR role to other employees despite having previously been in a romantic relationship with Davreau. Scavengers responded to Gamesindustry, saying "Scavengers Studio appreciates that there have been situations during its rapid growth and takes the position that any type of harassment is unwelcomed and unacceptable and takes any complaints in this respect very seriously," and while the studio told the outlet that "Certain elements...are false, somewhat blown out of proportion or lacking important pieces," Scavengers did not comment further on what specifically may have been incorrect about the allegations. Season is scheduled for a release this year on PC and PS5. [poilib element="accentDivider"]  |
| Resident Evil Village: Here's What Comes in Each Edition Posted: 25 Jan 2021 09:09 AM PST It's official: Resident Evil Village is set to release for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on May 7, 2021. If you buy the PS4 or Xbox One version, the next-gen upgrade is free within the same console family. It will also be available in several editions, so read on to see what comes in each. You can preorder the game now (see it on Amazon). Preorder Resident Evil Village (Standard Edition)
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