Month: April 2020

Spyjinx, a collaboration between Epic Games and J.J. Abrams’ production company Bad Robot Entertainment has been revealed after laying dormant for years. It will be going into beta in select markets very soon.

The game was initially revealed back in 2015 and was set for a 2016 release. Spyjinx missed that target and we hadn’t heard much about the project until now, with the game receiving a surprise development update. The Spyjinx game overview goes into more detail about what kind of game this is – first off, it’s a mobile title framed in a “secret world of espionage, thrilling heists, and crazy gadgets.”

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=spyjinx-art-and-screenshots&captions=true”]

As for genre, Spyjinx is referred to as a “mix of action-strategy gameplay, RPG character development, and head-to-head multiplayer.”

The images tease an experience similar to games like Clash of Clans, with mention of “taking down rival bases” as you forge your career as a spy mastermind. You can customize your base to “stop other Mastermind’s agents from stealing what you rightfully stole.”

In doing so you’ll build up a squad of agents including hackers, brawlers and other specialities, equipping them with gadgets and sending them on infiltration missions. It appears Epic has been teasing Spyjinx in plain sight, as the base shown on the new game’s website is identical to The Shark, the Agency base from Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 2.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/11/jj-abrams-celebrates-hideo-kojima-and-death-stranding”]

You can check out the full beta test announcement blog here, which talks about how the game will launch into closed beta in Malaysia and later Australia on iOS. You can sign up to learn when Spyjinx is coming to your region using a link in the blogpost above.

This isn’t the first time J.J. Abrams and Bad Robot have collaborated with a video game developer. You may remember the Super 8 Interactive Teaser that was added to Portal 2 as a piece of promotional bonus content, created by Valve. J.J. Abrams also spoke at DICE in 2013 and announced a partnership of sorts with Gabe Newell to work on movies related to Valve’s intellectual properties, though that seemingly never came to fruition.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Sony Corporation has revealed that it is launching a $100 million global relief fund to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fund was announced in a press release from Sony, which detailed the Sony Global Relief Fund for COVID-19. It’s worth noting that Sony Interactive Entertainment, the company responsible for PlayStation, are subsidiaries of the Sony Corporation conglomerate, which is where this news is sourced from.

The corporation revealed that it will be supporting the COVID-19 relief effort in three main areas: “assistance for those individuals engaged in frontline medical and first responder efforts to fight the virus, support for children and educators who must now work remotely, and support for members of the creative community in the entertainment industry.”

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/25/how-coronavirus-is-affecting-nintendo”]

$10 million of the fund will be allocated first and foremost to organizations such as Medecins Sans Frontieres, UNICEF and the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Sony is also looking at ways in which it can use its expertise in technology to support the loss of education opportunities around the globe, while schools are closed and teachers and students forced to isolate.

The statement also notes that it is working on means to support the creative community in “music, pictures, games and animation.” Sony Corporation CEO Kenichiro Yoshida rounded off the statement with a message of support for those affected by the virus.

“We will do all we can as a global company to support the individuals on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19, the children who are our future, and those who have been impacted in creative communities,” his quote reads.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/25/how-coronavirus-is-impacting-the-games-industry”]

This follows a number of other companies in the games industry who are doing their bit to help fight the pandemic and support health workers worldwide. Nintendo recently donated nearly 10,000 respirator masks to healthcare workers in Washington, and CD Projekt Red has donated almost $1 million to help fight COVID-19’s spread in Poland. 

IGN is encouraging safety and positivity for all of our readers during this pandemic. Read our tips on how to help, and stay safe, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

In an ideal world, purchasing and downloading digital comics would be a cinch. We don’t live in an ideal world, unfortunately. Downloading comics from ComiXology is easy in many cases, but it can get more complicated in others. If you could use some assistance, we’re here to help. Here’s everything you need to know to download ComiXology comics to every device.

Downloading ComiXology Comics on Android and Kindle Fire

It’s easy to download comics on Android and Kindle Fire devices. All you have to do is download the ComiXology app, find a comic you want, and tap the button to purchase it. If you’re a ComiXology Unlimited member, you can also download any comic with an Unlimited banner for free.

Downloading ComiXology Comics on iPhone and iPad

Presumably due to Apple’s rule about taking 30% of in-app purchases on iOS, ComiXology doesn’t let you buy comics from within the app on iPhone or iPad. What you can do in the app is flag any comics you want to purchase by adding them to your wishlist.

To purchase the items you want to buy, you’ll need to visit comixology.com in a web browser. The Safari app on your iOS device will work just fine. Make your purchases there, and you’ll find them waiting for you in the “My Books” section of the ComiXology app next time you open it.

If you have a ComiXology Unlimited subscription (which you also have to sign up for in a web browser), you can download any comics with the Unlimited banner across their covers from within the app.

Reading ComiXology Comics on a Computer

While you can’t download every comic in ComiXology to your computer, you can read them in the web app on the site. Just go to the “My Books” section and click the “Read” button. That will open the comic in the web browser, though it doesn’t have some of the fancy reading features found in the ComiXology app on other devices.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=25-best-comics-worth-binging-on-comixology-unlimited&captions=true”]

How to Download DRM-Free Backups

Some publishers allow you to download DRM-free backups of the comics you’ve bought on ComiXology. To download these, just head to the “My Books” section of the ComiXology website and click on the “Backups” tab. There, you can download any available comics in PDF or CBZ format.

ComiXology Unlimited

ComiXology Unlmited is the company’s subscription service that gets you unlimited access to over 25,000 comics, graphic novels, and manga. Previously, subscriptions started with a 30-day free trail, but now ComiXology has extended the trial to 60 days.

If, after the two months of free comics, you want to keep your membership, it’s just $5.99 per month to continue. For those who don’t want to continue, you can cancel your subscription before the first bill arrives and not spend a dime. It’s a killer value, and a great way for anyone looking to expand their comic reading for no money at all.

What to Read on ComiXology

If you’re new to ComiXology and are wondering where to start, here’s some advice. First, start your free 60-day trial of ComiXology Unlimited. Then check out our picks for the 25 best comics to binge on ComiXology Unlimited. Fans of the Dark Knight will also want to be sure to check out the best Batman comics and graphic novels on the service.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

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

[widget path=”ign/modules/recirc” parameters=”title=&type=articles%2Cvideos&tags=us-shopping&count=3&columnCount=3&theme=article”]

Own Fallout 76 on PC already but wish you could play the game through Steam? You’ll be able to do so starting on April 14, the same day that the new Wastelanders expansion launches

Anyone who purchases Fallout 76 through Bethesda.net before April 13 and links their Steam and Bethesda accounts will get the game for free on Steam. Atoms and Fallout 1^st memberships will not transfer between the platforms, but any items purchased through the shop will be available across both Bethesda.net and Steam.

This offer only applies to the PC version. Xbox One and PS4 players will have to purchase the Steam version separately in order to access it, and the game doesn’t support cross-platform play.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Joe Exotic, the central figure in the wildly popular Netflix docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, has apparently revealed that he would like either Brad Pitt or David Spade to portray him in a potential scripted movie or TV show about his life.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Tiger King directors Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin confirmed that Joe (real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage) had previously shared his casting preferences for a hypothetical biopic – without realising there is a Joe Exotic limited TV series in active development, with Kate McKinnon set to play Carole Baskin.

“He would like Brad Pitt or David Spade to play him,” Chaiklin claimed. “He doesn’t refer to David Spade as David Spade — he refers to him as ‘Joe Dirt.'”

#TigerKing = @DavidSpade Joe Dirt to #JoeExotic pic.twitter.com/JsvQgQVfSz

— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) March 30, 2020

At least one of these suggestions already has some support behind it, as several Tiger King fans have already identified the visual comparisons between Joe Exotic, the former G.W. Zoo owner who is currently serving a 22-year sentence in federal prison, and David Spade’s cinematic alter ego, Joe Dirt, the janitor with a mullet hairdo, acid-washed jeans and a dream. Artist BossLogic even created a parody poster of a Tiger King and Joe Dirt mash-up.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/31/netflixs-tiger-king-murder-mayhem-and-madness-season-1-review”]

Meanwhile, a whole host of other celebrity fans have been dream-casting themselves in various roles based on the hit Netflix series. Dax Shepard started the discussion by putting himself forward to star as Joe Exotic in “the eventual biopic,” with fellow stars Edward Norton, Justin Long, and Jim Gaffigan also joining in on the casting conversation.

The original Tiger King documentary consists of seven episodes running 40-50 minutes each and was released on March 20 on Netflix. In our review of Tiger King, we called it “a fascinating and depressing look inside a community of big cat fanatics,” which would make a worthy addition to the watchlists of “true crime fans hungry for something different.”

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=best-true-crime-shows-and-movies-to-watch-online&captions=true”]

For those that have already watched the hit show, read our follow-up piece to find out what happened to the colourful characters featured in the true-crime docuseries and take a look at our rundown of recommendations for other true crime shows and movies that are available to stream right now.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

A new update for Borderlands 3 will introduce not one but two new events, as the legendary vending machine limited-time event rotates out of play. That event, which made legendary loot available in vending machines, will end and be replaced by Slot Machine Mania and Trials Take-All.

According to hotfix notes, Slot Machine Mania will increase your chance to win legendaries from slot machines, but also increases the chances for grenades to spawn instead. Less valuable loot still might appear, but those odds have been greatly reduced. The other event, Trials Take-All, boosts the chances of rewards during Proving Ground trials, and bosses will always drop loot from their pools. Both events start today and will last until April 9 at 9 AM PT.

This follows closely after the release of Guns, Love, and Tentacles, the second major expansion for the game. That introduces a Lovecraftian threat in the midst of a happy wedding ceremony, though it doesn’t really explore some of Lovecraft’s problematic aspects. The patch that introduced the DLC also raised the level cap to 57, which Gearbox says will greatly increase the end-game power level by allowing players to use two capstone skills instead of just one.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

The first trailer for the sequel to South Korean zombie blockbuster Train to Busan is here. The movie is titled Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula and is directed once more by Yeon Sang-ho.

The trailer reveals that Peninsula is set four years after the first movie. Infected zombies have overrun the world, and the cities are now desolate and dangerous places. The trailer doesn’t really reveal many plot details beyond that, but it certainly delivers the action. While Train to Busan was set almost entirely on a train, the sequel has a much bigger scale, and it looks as influenced by post-apocalyptic action classics such as Mad Max and Escape from New York as by other zombie movies. Check it out below.

In a recent interview with ScreenDaily, Yeon Sang-ho provided a few more details about the movie. “It takes place four years after Train To Busan, in the same universe, but it doesn’t continue the story and has different characters,” he said. “Government authority has been decimated after the zombie outbreak in Korea, and there is nothing left except the geographical traits of the location–which is why the film is called Peninsula.”

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns could throw a wrench in its plans, but Microsoft is hoping to launch Xbox Series X in all regions at the same time.

Speaking to IGN during an episode of Podcast Unlocked, head of Xbox Phil Spencer said his team hasn’t worked out a “plan B” if the pandemic forces Microsoft to stagger the system’s launch. However, he understands why launching consoles in different regions at different times no longer works in the age of social media.

“I will say, having lived through the Xbox One launch, I know that significant delays in region launches hurt us,” Spencer said. “It hurts us with the sentiment of the fans and every time I go to Japan I remind that we were, what was it, nine months late in launching there with Xbox One?”

Continue Reading at GameSpot