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IGN Video Games

Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss Reveal The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 08:07 PM PST

Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss appeared at The Game Awards 2021 to reveal The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience, in partnership with Epic Games -- and it's out right now.

As Reeves and Moss suggested on stage, the experience is intended to blur lines between reality, game, and film. The brief trailer we saw at the show did indeed look almost like watching a film, but for what appear to be player-controlled shooting mechanics during a high-speed car chase.

Fortunately, we don't have to wait at all to learn more about what was going on here, because the experience is out now on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. But IGN also got quite a bit more detail in a preview ahead of release, during which our previewer had to check and confirm which scenes were real and which were "unreal." There's a bit of uncanny valley going on, and its playable bits are more of a proof of concept than anything -- a tech demo, if you will. But the tech on display is apparently impressive.

In its leak on PSN, the initial description said it was "Created by members of the original movie team including Lana Wachowski along with Epic Games and partners, [and] is a wild ride into the reality-bending universe of 'The Matrix' that features performances by Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss."

New Elden Ring Trailer Premieres Brand New Cinematic Story Trailer

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 08:00 PM PST

A brand new Elden Ring trailer premiered at The Game Awards that focuses primarily on the expansive story involving the war between demigods.

The cinematic story was light on gameplay but instead dove deep into Elden Ring's lore. The next FromSoftware RPG takes place in the backdrop of a war between demigods who wage war against each other in order to possess the Elden Ring.

Elden Ring is a collaboration between FromSoftware and A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin. The mind behind Game of Thrones was responsible for creating the lore and narrative foundations of Elden Ring while FromSoft used the framework to build out the rest of the game. Director Hidetaka Miyazaki is also handling the in-game writing for Elden Ring.

The trailer included several references to some of the demigods that populate the world of Elden Ring, names that should be familiar to anyone who has read our Elden Ring preview. You can check out a full boss fight with Margit the Fell Omen, or read our full Elden Ring preview for all the details.

Elden Ring is one of the most hotly anticipated games of 2022, and was recently delayed to February 25. But considering we're close to the end of this year, that doesn't seem like too long a wait.

For more check out our recap of everything announced at The Game Awards.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

How the Matrix Awakens Teases the Potential of Unreal Engine 5

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 08:00 PM PST

I think this is the first time I've had to hop on a call with PR to ask "So… which intro sections were real and which were in Unreal Engine?" What followed was a conversation where we went shot by shot and outlined what is real and what is "Unreal." That scene from Neo's room in the first film? Unreal. Some Intro shots with Keanu? Real.

The visual results are ultimately a mix. For the majority of the time, you can tell the demo was made in Unreal Engine 5 But in those first few moments where you're questioning everything, it's clear Epic is showing off. It is a testament to what they managed to accomplish that I even had to have this call. But while the introduction probably showcases some of the most difficult to distinguish moments, from the time Carrie Anne Moss comes on the screen forward it's all clearly Unreal Engine 5.

The entire demo enters that uncanny valley feeling from there. I think cynics are going to call out how, yes, things do look a tad plastic-y, but the "trick" the Unreal team pulls here is quite cheeky. They've already been showing you the engine and reality mixed together for the first 2 minutes of the experience.

Matrix Awakens isn't just a visual teaser, however. There's a playable component as well, but what you "play" is more a proof of concept than what you should expect from any final product. Really, it's a chance for the team to say, 'Yes. You can absolutely make an open-world game in Unreal.'

The demo opens with what amounts to a trailer where Keanu Reeves and Carrie Anne Moss talk about the ideas of the Matrix and what the Unreal 5 engine can create. You are then transported to an on-rails game experience where you'll play as a new character with the ability to shoot some cars and helicopters as you're chased by agents on the freeway. Of course it all ends with a massive explosion. Finally, you're allowed to explore the city at your leisure and toy with some of the engine's tools.

As I look at what's been created I can't help but compare it to Insomniac's Spider-Man Miles Morales. Their recreation of New York City had ray-tracing, heavy crowd density, as well as traffic that's procedurally generated the same way it was in the Matrix demo. One difference? Similar to how they made the Valley of the Ancient demo publicly available this year, The Matrix build will be given away for free next Spring for you to tinker around within the Unreal 5 engine. And I can't wait to see what the Unreal community does with it. If someone out there could make a certain flying man in blue and red I'd certainly love to see it.

"It's a tech demo, it's not a game. there's a little bit of gameplay, a little bit of exploration. But… it's a glimpse of the future." says Jerome Plattteaux, Art Director at Unreal as he talks us through the tech. "Basically we are the little swat team that tries to come up with 'Okay, how are we going to show the [Unreal] engine the best?'...How can we show that the engine can do something else other than just rocks?" referring to last year's Lumen demo.

The end goal is to inspire other creators to use the Unreal 5 Engine so Jerome notes that Matrix Awakens was created by a small team after shipping their Unreal Engine 5 demo last year. Because they needed to work fast, the entire city was made with procedural generation. They would rebuild the city weekly resulting in 52 unique cities that they would create, tear down, and then create again quickly with a little help from tools like SideFX's Houdini for said procedural generation. They showed us how you could quickly paint roads onto the map, add large sections of "buildings" that they quickly decide the height of, and then create an all-new world in what seems like would only take a few moments.

In this new world, you can fly to any street location, change between night and day, or move the sun or moon around the world as you watch the dynamic shadows powered by lumen stretch across the streets in real time. You can drive cars and crash into any of the 17,000 simulated and destructible vehicles. Or just fly around and admire the architecture from the air as you toggle on the different views to see just what goes into creating a city that consists of 10 million unique and duplicated assets.

When you add to the fact that this entire space has hardware ray tracing turned on, as well as ray-traced shadows in the cinematics, it's hard not to be a little impressed. Especially if you peek behind the menu and get a look at the in-engine controller as it scrambles to load all the assets in the background as you push it to its limits.

The entire experience is campy, and even has one of those "look directly at the camera and wink" moments, but the technology on display is truly impressive. I think that some people may criticize the Matrix experience at the end of the day, but my big takeaway? Excitement. Once you realize that this is the technology that will be powering our games for years to come it's hard not to get giddy about the potential on display. It's very clear they aren't trying to wow everyone with a great "game" here, but instead show off a wide variety of tools that are sure to push the games we do get a few years down the road to their limits. And for that… I'll see how deep the rabbit hole goes any day.

Destin Legarie is a Director of Content Strategy at IGN. You can follow him on Twitter if you want, but he may be busy playing Halo.

A Plague Tale: Requiem Gets Brand New Trailer

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 07:32 PM PST

Asobo Studio brought a new trailer for A Plague Tale: Requiem to The Game Awards. The new footage reintroduced us to heroes Amicia and Hugo, as well as giving as a glimpse at the new journey they are embarking on.

The trailer shows the main character sailing on a ship, traversing through a burned down town, running through a lush field, and, of course, rats. Lots of rats.

The official description for the game says that Amicia and Hugo embark on a journey south after escaping their homeland. The characters will use a variety of tools and supernatural powers in their struggle for survival.

A Plague Tale: Requiem was first announced at E3 2021 earlier this year. The game is set to release on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch (via a Cloud Version) sometime next year.

In our A Plague Tale: Innocence review, we called the original "good", saying, "A Plague Tale does an admirable job of making its young protagonists appropriately vulnerable to the surrounding dangers as you move through them from a third-person perspective, but the stealth gameplay and puzzles rarely feel imaginative."

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

CrossfireX Is Officially Coming to Xbox on February 10

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 07:20 PM PST

CrossfireX, the upcoming first-person shooter from Smilegate but with a single-player campaign developed by Remedy, is coming to Xbox Series X|S on February 10.

As announced at The Game Awards, CrossfireX is coming out next year. Alongside the free-to-play multiplayer portion developed by Smilegate, Alan Wake and Control developer Remedy Entertainment has been working on two single-player campaign Operations to go with the release.

CrossfireX is set in a conflict between two private military factions. There is Global Risk who uses technology to fight for order and security, and Black List who work to undermine these efforts. The two operations are titled Operation Catalyst and Operation Spectre and both will be available at launch.

Meanwhile, players will be able to play CrossfireX's fully-featured multiplayer modes for free on Xbox platforms. CrossfireX has been announced for Xbox Series X|S as well as Xbox One.

For more check out our page for The Game Awards for all the latest news and announcements.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Among Us Vents Into VR

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 07:02 PM PST

Soon you can murder your friends, run away, take cover in vents, set off alarms, and then lie about all of it...in VR. Because that's where Among Us is releasing next.

Announced this evening at The Game Awards, we got a very, very small sneak peek at Among Us VR: just a very brief code input puzzle in a small room. But it's easy enough to imagine the weird betrayal possibilities.

There's no release date for Among Us VR yet, but we do know that it's coming to PlayStation VR, MetaQuest 2, and Steam when it does drop. Given the small size of the Among Us team and the astronomic way it blew up over the last few years, moving it to VR eventually is a pretty impressive feat.

Released in 2018, Among Us blew up suddenly in 2020 as streamers began to pick it up to play during lockdowns. When we reviewed it then we loved the way it transformed in-person cloak-and-dagger games to a virtual space. It's since gotten tons of updates, and there may even be a collaboration with Fortnite in the works down the road.

New Saints Row Gameplay Trailer Shows Off Crazy Stunts and More

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 06:58 PM PST

Saints Row premiered a new story and gameplay trailer during The Game Awards showing off some of the havoc players can get into while running a new criminal empire.

The gameplay trailer was all about celebrating the outrageous stuff you can do in the upcoming Saints Row. Whether that's piloting a high-speed jet through skyscrapers, flying your wingsuit across the city, or kicking some poor guy in the junk, Saints Row has you covered.

A Saints Row game was first officially announced earlier this year. There was some initial pushback online regarding the direction of the reboot, but developer Volition stood by its vision for Saints Row and today showed off a trailer that leans fully into the brand of lunacy Saints Row is known for.

Koch Media announced a new Saints Row was in the works as early as 2019, but the official reveal didn't happen until 2021. IGN was able to get an early look at the upcoming Saints Row which is set in a fictional, southwest USA-inspired city of Sant Ileso. Here a group of friends must start their own criminal empire in a city with several feuding gangs.

While there aren't any classic Saints characters this time around, you'll be aided by new crewmates like driver/mechanic Nina, finance guru Eli, and thrill-seeking DJ Kevin.

After a delay, the new Saints Row is coming out on August 23, 2022. For more announcements from the show check out everything announced at The Game Awards.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Dune: Spice Wars Is a 4X Real-Time Strategy Game

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 06:51 PM PST

Shiro Games has announced Dune: Spice Wars, "a real-time strategy game with 4X elements based on Frank Herbert's groundbreaking novel Dune". It will be released into PC early access next year.

Created by the same team behind Northgard and published by Funcom, the game will include several playable factions based on Dune's houses, and will include options for politics, subterfuge, and combat. Your goal, of course, is to control Arrakis' Spice using your armies and spice harvesters, while avoiding sandworms, sandstorms, and enemy forces.

"You can deploy agents to sabotage, assassinate and spy on your opponents," reads the press release, "use political means to influence the Landsraad and pass beneficial resolutions, amass incredible wealth and simply overwhelm the other houses through economic and technological supremacy, or you can opt for open war."

The early access game will focus on single player gameplay, with multiplayer and story Campaign modes to be added before full release. The Campaign is not yet set in stone, but is likely to " allow players to write their own stories, based on the characters and factions they play."

The game's been produced with help from film studio Legendary, which means the looks and writing should feel of a piece with Denis Villeneuve's recent movie adaptation.

Publisher Funcom has made clear that this is a separate game to the open world survival game it's developing itself, which will be unrelated to Dune: Spice Wars.

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Shows Off Its First Real Gameplay

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 06:47 PM PST

We've finally seen real gameplay from Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

Revealed at The Game Awards 2021, we got a look at gameplay for all four playable characters: King Shark, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, and Deadshot. After opening with footage of the Suicide Squad taunting the Flash by calling him the Justice League's mascot, the trailer then cut to a gameplay montage filled with explosive combat. Take a look at some of the new shots below.

The fight took took place in a downtown city area, and showcased combat as crazy as you'd expect from the Suicide Squad. We saw clips of King Shark scaling buildings, using his fists for some blazing fast melee combat, and, yes, biting off an enemy's head.

Harley Quinn used what looked like a grapple to swing through the air, and she whipped out her baseball bat om the ground to take out foes. We saw some third-person shooter combat from Deadshot, and it also seems you'll have the ability to blast helicopters out of the sky.

No specific release date was given, but we know the game is coming in 2022 to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

First announced in 2020, Rocksteady's first game after the Batman Arkham series is set in the same universe and allows up to four players to control the game's antiheroes. Previously, we've seen a CG trailer and in-engine footage, but had never seen true gameplay.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 Announced

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 06:47 PM PST

Warhammer 40k: Space Marine is returning after more than a decade. During The Game Awards, Focus Home Interactive and Saber Interactive announced Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2, a sequel to the third-person shooter first released in 2011.

The new trailer shows everything you'd expect from a Warhammer 40K game: Space Marines, Tyranids, and Chainswords. It will star Titus, an Ultramarines captain and hero of the original game.

"Space Marine may stumble here and there, but manages to remain entertaining from start to finish. For every moment where a character gets stuck on part of the environment, has an animation that breaks, or just randomly pops into the world, I'm left remembering great boss battles and encounters that made me feel like a badass," we wrote in in our original Warhammer 40k: Space Marine review. "It may not be the best or most original action game, but it's a fine first outing for the franchise, and a rare gem for Warhammer fans."

The new Warhammer 40k: Space Marine will apparently take cues from World War Z, Quake Champions, and other games. But at its heart, it's still the third-person shooter we knew and loved back in the day.

It will release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN

Forspoken Release Date Announced

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 06:45 PM PST

After various teasers have showcased what Square Enix's brand new series, Forspoken, has in store, the latest trailer confirmed its 2022 release date.

Revealed during The Game Awards, Forspoken will be released on May 24, 2022 for PS5 and PC.

We last learned more about Forspoken at this year's Tokyo Game Show, as the developers dove into the magic and parkour of Forspoken's world. Forspoken was originally announced in 2020 as Project Athia, one of the first games revealed for PS5.

Forspoken is one Square Enix is hoping to make an impression with, its stated goal being to include the highest quality visuals in any open world game to date. Forspoken will also be a PS5 console exclusive for at least 2 years.

Check out everything announced at The Game Awards so far.

Developing...

Sonic Frontiers, an 'Open-Zone' Sonic Adventure, Officially Announced

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 06:15 PM PST

At The Game Awards, Sega officially revealed the next big Sonic game, Sonic Frontiers, which boasts the series' first "open-zone-inspired" gameplay.

Sonic Frontiers is being developed by Sega's Sonic Team Japan and led by producer Sachiko Kawamura and director Morio Kishimoto. Sonic Frontiers promises a new type of Sonic experience where players will be free to explore an open world.

"Sonic Frontiers is a huge leap forward for the franchise, delivering an evolved gameplay experience that can be enjoyed by longtime Sonic fans and action-adventure enthusiasts alike," says Sonic Team USA creative officer Takashi Iizuka. "[W]e've created an all-new style of gameplay experience for Sonic the Hedgehog, where players will be able to explore lush and expansive landscapes with Sonic's signature speed and abilities."

Check out the screenshot gallery of some of the open zones below.

Sonic Frontiers is targeting a late 2022 release on both current and next-gen consoles. The main locations are called Starfall Islands, but aside from the new open-ended structure details about Sonic Frontiers are still under wraps.

This isn't the only Sonic announcement from The Game Awards. The first trailer for Sonic 2 The Movie premiered tonight as well with Tails and Knuckles joining Sonic in his fight against Robotnik.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course DLC Release Date Announced

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 06:10 PM PST

Studio MDHR has announced that Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course, the expansion DLC for the critically acclaimed Cuphead, will be released on June 30, 2022.

The long-awaited release date was announced at The Game Awards 2021, and accompanied by a new trailer for The Delicious Last Course. On June 30, 2022, the expansion will be made available on all platforms Cuphead is available on; Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and GOG.

The expansion will feature Ms. Chalice - better known to Cuphead veterans as Legendary Chalice - as a new playable character, who comes with a modified moveset and new abilities. Ms. Chalice can be used not only in the DLC, but also the original Cuphead levels, too.

The DLC's levels will take you to a previously undiscovered Inkwell Isle, where new weapons and magical charms will help you take on the new bosses and help Chef Saltbaker.

"As with so many of our fellow developers, creating games during these unique times has brought with it a host of challenges, and we're so grateful to our Cuphead community for their patience and excitement as we've pushed to make The Delicious Last Course a true high watermark of the studio's art, design, and animation," said Studio MDHR co-director, Chad Moldenhauer.

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course has been delayed a number of times, first in 2019 and then again in 2020 amidst pandemic conditions.

In other Cuphead news, a TV show based on the game is coming to Netflix. And for more, check out the developers reacting to a blisteringly fast 23 minute Cuphead speedrun.

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

The Game Awards 2021 Winners: The Full List

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 06:07 PM PST

While The Game Awards 2021 looks forward by featuring some of the biggest announcements and reveals in the world of video games, it is also a time to celebrate the incredible games that this past year so special.

From Game of the Year to Innovation in Accessibility to Best Narrative, there were a ton of categories that highlighted games of all types that all deserve recognition for what they accomplished. However, only one game could win each category, and we've listed all the winners of The Game Awards 2021 below.

In addition to gathering all the winners in this article, we've also rounded up all the biggest news and announcements from The Game Awards 2021, and you can check that out here.

Game of the Year

Recognizing a game that delivers the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields.

  • Deathloop
  • It Takes Two - WINNER
  • Metroid Dread
  • Psychonauts 2
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  • Resident Evil Village

Best Game Direction

Awarded for outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design.

  • Deathloop - WINNER
  • It Takes Two
  • Returnal
  • Psychonauts 2
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Best Narrative

For outstanding storytelling and narrative development in a game.

  • Deathloop
  • It Takes Two
  • Life is Strange: True Colors
  • Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - WINNER
  • Psychonauts 2

Best Art Direction

For outstanding creative and/or technical achievement in artistic design and animation.

  • Deathloop - WINNER
  • Kena: Bridge of Spirits
  • Psychonauts 2
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  • The Artful Escape

Best Score/Music

For outstanding music, inclusive of score, original song and/or licensed soundtrack.

  • Cyberpunk 2077
  • Deathloop
  • Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139 - WINNER
  • Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
  • The Artful Escape

Best Audio Design

Recognizing the best in-game audio and sound design.

  • Deathloop
  • Forza Horizon 5 - WINNER
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  • Resident Evil Village
  • Returnal

Best Performance

Awarded to an individual for voice-over acting, motion and/or performance capture.

  • Erika Mori, Life is Strange
  • Giancarlo Esposito, Far Cry 6
  • Jason E. Kelley, Deathloop
  • Maggie Robertson, Resident Evil Village - WINNER
  • Ozioama Akagha, Deathloop

Games for Impact

For a thought-provoking game with a pro-social meaning or message.

  • Before Your Eyes
  • Boyfriend Dungeon
  • Chicory: A Colorful Tale
  • Life is Strange: True Colors - WINNER
  • No Longer Home

Best Ongoing Game

Awarded to a game for outstanding development of ongoing content that evolves the player experience over time.

  • Apex Legends
  • Call of Duty: War Zone
  • Final Fantasy XIV Online - WINNER
  • Fortnite
  • Genshin Impact

Best Indie Game

For outstanding creative and technical achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system.

  • 12 Minutes
  • Death's Door
  • Kena: Bridge of Spirits - WINNER
  • Inscryption
  • Loop Hero

Best Debut Indie Game

For the best debut game created by a new independent studio.

  • Kena: Bridge of Spirits - WINNER
  • Sable
  • The Artful Escape
  • The Forgotten City
  • Valheim

Best Mobile Game

For the best game playable on a mobile device.

  • Fantasian
  • Genshin Impact - WINNER
  • League of Legends
  • MARVEL Future Revolution
  • Pokemon Unite

Best Community Support

Recognizing a game for outstanding community support, transparency and responsiveness, inclusive of social media activity and game updates/patches.

  • Apex Legends: Escape
  • Destiny 2: Beyond Light
  • Final Fantasy XIV Online - WINNER
  • Fortnite
  • No Man's Sky

Best VR/AR Game

For the best game experience playable in virtual or augmented reality, irrespective of platform.

  • Hitman III
  • I Expect You to Die 2
  • Lone Echo II
  • Resident Evil 4 - WINNER
  • Sniper Elite VR

Innovation in Accessibility

Recognizing software and/or hardware that is pushing the medium forward by adding
features, technology and content to help games be played and enjoyed by an even wider audience.

  • Far Cry 6
  • Forza Horizon 5 - WINNER
  • Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  • The Vale: Shadow of the Crown

Best Action Game

For the best game in the action genre focused primarily on combat.

  • Back 4 Blood
  • Chivalry II
  • Deathloop
  • Far Cry 6
  • Returnal - WINNER

Best Action/Adventure Game

For the best action/adventure game, combining combat with traversal and puzzle solving.

  • Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Metroid Dread - WINNER
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
  • Resident Evil Village
  • Psychonauts 2

Best RPG

For the best game designed with rich player character customization and progression, including massively multiplayer experiences.

  • Cyberpunk 2077
  • Monster Hunter Rise
  • Scarlet Nexus
  • Shin Megami Tensei V
  • Tales of Arise - WINNER

Best Fighting Game

For the best game designed primarily around head-to-head combat.

  • Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles
  • Guilty Gear -Strive- - WINNER
  • Melty Blood: Type Lumina
  • Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
  • Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown

Best Family Game

For the best game appropriate for family play, irrespective of genre or platform.

  • It Takes Two - WINNER
  • Mario Party Superstars
  • New Pokémon Snap
  • Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
  • WarioWare: Get It Together!

Best Sports/Racing Game

For the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game.

  • F1 2021
  • Fifa 22
  • Hot Wheels Unleashed
  • Forza Horizon 5 - WINNER
  • Riders Republic

Best SIM/Strategy Game

Best game focused on real time or turn-based simulation or strategy gameplay, irrespective of platform.

  • Age of Empires IV - WINNER
  • Evil Genius 2: World Domination
  • Humankind
  • Inscryption
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator

Best Multiplayer Game

For outstanding online multiplayer gameplay and design, including co-op and massively multiplayer experiences, irrespective of game genre or platform.

  • Back 4 Blood
  • It Takes Two - WINNER
  • Knockout City
  • Monster Hunter Rise
  • New World
  • Valheim

Content Creator of the Year

For a streamer or content creator who has made an important and positive impact on the community in 2021.

  • Dream - WINNER
  • Fuslie
  • Gaules
  • Ibai
  • TheGrefg

Best Esports Athlete

The esports athlete judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021, irrespective of game.

  • Chris "Simp" Lehr
  • Heo "ShowMaker" Su
  • Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov
  • Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev - WINNER
  • Tyson "TenZ" Ngo

Best Esports Coach

The esports coach judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021.

  • Airat "Silent" Gaziev
  • Andrey "ENGH" Sholokhov
  • Andrii "B1ad3" Horodenskyi
  • James "Crowder" Crowder
  • Kim "kkOma" Jeong-gyun - WINNER

Best Esports Event

Recognizing an event (across single or multiple days) that delivered a
best-of-class experience for participants and the broadcast audience.

  • The International 2021
  • 2021 League of Legends World Championship - WINNER
  • Valorant Champions Tour: Stage 2 Masters
  • PGL Major Stockholm 2021
  • PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2020

Best Esports Game

For the game that has delivered the best overall esports experience to
players (inclusive of tournaments, community support and content
updates), irrespective of genre or platform.

  • Call of Duty
  • CS:GO
  • DOTA2
  • League of Legends - WINNER
  • Valorant

Best Esports Team

Recognizing a specific esports team (not the full organization) judged the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2021.

  • Atlanta FaZe, Call of Duty
  • DWG KIA, League of Legends
  • Natus Vincere, CS:GO - WINNER
  • Team Spirit, DOTA2
  • Sentinels, Valorant

Most Anticipated Game

Recognizing an announced game that has demonstrably illustrated potential to push the gaming medium forward.

  • Elden Ring - WINNER
  • God of War: Ragnarok
  • Horizon Forbidden West
  • The Sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Starfield

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.

PUBG: Battlegrounds Is Going Free-to-Play

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 06:06 PM PST

PUBG: Battlegrounds will move to a free-to-play structure on PC and consoles from January 12, 2022 – bringing it in line with most of the battle royale games that followed it.

Announced at The Game Awards 2021, from January 12, the game will feature two tiers: a free Basic Account that "offers access to most game features", and Battlegrounds Plus which offers more, including a Ranked mode, for a one-time $12.99 fee. Those who have paid for the game previously will automatically be a part of Battlegrounds Plus.

The full list of Battlegrounds Plus benefits are:

  • Bonus 1,300 G-COIN
  • Survival Masters XP + 100 percent boost
  • Career - Medal tab
  • Ranked Mode
  • Custom Match functionality
  • In-Game items, including the Captain's Camo set, which includes hat, camo mask and camo gloves

Those upgraded to Plus having bought the game before will also receive a Special Commemorative Pack, incuding the Battle-Hardened costume skin set, the Shackle and Shanks Legacy Pan and the Battle-Hardened Legacy nameplate.

In the weeks leading up to the free-to-play switch, developer Krafton is opening a pre-registration website to try the new version of the game, as well as offering other activities that let you earn free in-game items.

PUBG was the first in the wave of wildly successful battle royale games that have dominated the gaming market in recent years. When it came out of early access, we awarded it a 9.5/10 review and it's since gone from strength to strength, spawning a universe that will include a horror game from the creator of Dead Space and a TV show from the producer of Netflix's Castlevania.

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Silent Hill Creator Announces New Game Slitterhead

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 06:04 PM PST

Bokeh, the new studio from Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, has revealed its first game, entitled Slitterhead.

Shown off at The Game Awards 2021, we got a look at a truly upsetting trailer that appears to be set in Japan, where various people's heads -- and then their whole bodies -- get real messed up as they transform into loathesome creatures.

You appear to play as someone fighting these skeletal, messed up monsters, though it's hard to tell at this early stage exactly what the plot is beyond "everything is pretty messed up and trying to kill you." Apropos from the creator of Silent Hill.

Toyama set up Bokeh Game Studio after leaving Sony Japan alongside Junya Okura (Gravity Rush) and Kazunobu Sato (The Last Guardian). He went on to announce that the studio's first project would be a horror action-adventure and showed off some suitably grotesque concept art. Toyama will serve as the game's creative director, while Akira Yamaoka will be doing the music.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade Coming to PC

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 06:00 PM PST

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is coming to PC, via the Epic Games Store.

The news was confirmed at The Game Awards 2021.

It will arrive on PC on December 16, 2021.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade was revealed earlier this year and arrived on PS5 in June. In May it was confirmed the game would be exclusive to PS5 for at least six months.

Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.

Ex-BioWare Devs Reveal Fantasy-Victorian Survival Game, Nightingale

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 06:00 PM PST

A group of ex-Bioware devs including former GM Aaryn Flynn have announced Nightingale – a shared world survival crafting game with first-person combat and a fantastical Victorian setting.

Developed by Inflexion Games, published by Improbable, and arriving into PC early access next year, Nightingale has players take on the role of a Realmwalker – a character who's been cut off from their home and needs to use portals to make their way back across a number of dangerous areas.

Each realm promsies to be an open world, asking you to scavenge and craft to survive, and even seeing you build "estates, farms, and communities". The game can be played alone or with friends, and features first-person combat featuring guns, melee weapons, and magic – and Inflexion says they're infinitely replayable.

"From the beginning," wrote Flynn in a press release, "we knew we wanted to build an intricate fantasy setting as rich and full of history and life as anything we've worked on in the past. The realms of Nightingale are vast and have many secrets to uncover, and we cannot wait for players to start discovering them."

The game will open closed betas ahead of its early access launch next year, and you can register to take part on the game's website.

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Alan Wake 2 Officially Announced, Will Be Remedy's "First Survival Horror Game"

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 05:35 PM PST

After over a decade, Remedy Entertainment has officially announced a sequel to Alan Wake at The Game Awards 2021.

During the show, Remedy premiered a briefly trailer officially announcing Alan Wake 2. We don't know much about the plot, but apparently the story will "eat you alive."

"We know this is going to be a pretty scary experience," Remedy's Sam Lake said at The Game Awards.

It will be Remedy's first ever survival horror game. The original had survival horror elements, but it was an action game, Lake said. Remedy will be going dark "for a while" and will be back when the studio is ready to show more.

Alan Wake is a critically-acclaimed adventure mystery game starring the eponymous Alan Wake, a writer who visits the small town of Bright Falls, Washington to cure his writer's block. While on the trip, his wife is kidnapped by a mysterious force and he must use the power of light to rescue her.

Remedy combined elements of Stephen King and Twin Peaks to create a memorable adventure, but aside from an arcade-style pseudo-sequel, Alan Wake's American Nightmare, the series became dormant as Remedy began work on games like Quantum Break and Control.

There were also some rights issues when Remedy confirmed in 2018 that Alan Wake requires Microsoft's permission as the publishing rights holder. But in 2019 Remedy confirmed it acquired the full rights to Alan Wake from Microsoft, opening the door for future releases.

This became apparent when Alan Wake, who was already referenced in Control's Case Files scattered around the map, was a main character in the post-launch DLC AWE. Remedy confirmed that Control and Alan Wake exist in a shared Remedy universe.

Check out IGN's Control review and why we chose Control as our 2019 game of the year.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Heavy Rain Studio Quantic Dream Is Officially Making a Star Wars Game

Posted: 09 Dec 2021 05:34 PM PST

Lucasfilm Games has officially revealed a new Star Wars game: Star Wars Eclipse.

Announced at The Game Awards 2021, the first look at Star Wars Eclipse offers little clarity regarding its story but features heavy doses of lightsaber combat and plenty of glimpses of iconic Star Wars aliens and locations. The new official site for the game describes it as a "action-adventure, multiple-character branching narrative game set in the High Republic era of the iconic Star Wars galaxy."

It also notes it is "early in development."

We first heard rumours that Heavy Rain and Detroit developer Quantic Dream was making a Star Wars game back in September, but this is the first official confirmation.

Star Wars Eclipse marks another part of Disney's major expansion into building Star Wars games with multiple developers after recreating the Lucasfilm Games brand.

Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.

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