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If Microsoft could make a video game that was as successful and beloved by gamers as Call of Duty, it wouldn’t have been in court in late June. That’s the core of the issue, according to economists, the San Francisco judge, and onlookers who await the judge’s decision with baited breath. “We wouldn’t be here if Microsoft had created Call of Duty,” Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley said to lawyers representing Microsoft and the FTC. The law wants people to make their own creative video game smash hits, rather than purchasing them, according to the judge last Thursday. San Francisco judge says that we wouldn't be here if Microsoft made Call of Duty itself, we're here because it wants to buy Call of Duty. We don't benefit from buying, we want to incentivize people to make their own COD-sized hits. Microsoft lawyer disagrees. — Shannon Liao (@Shannon_Liao) June 30, 2023 Corley is poised to make a decision within two weeks on whether Microsoft can acquire Activision Blizzard

Xbox recently took the wraps off Playground Games' Fable reboot at the Xbox Games Showcase, revealing a fun and whimsical take on the classic franchise. The trailer was well-received, but some observers criticized its lack of gameplay. Peter Molyneux, who helped design the original Fable and has more recently been dabbling in NFTs, agrees. "Like you, I would have loved to see more gameplay, but I loved when the hero threw the fireball. I loved the sensation of the impact. I thought it was truly promising. So yes, my expectations are high," Molyneux told GameReactor in a recent interview. He went on to praise the IT Crowd's Richard Ayoade as a "perfect choice" for the game, and that "making him be obsessed with vegetables was very Fable-like." The original Fable was an early hit for Xbox thanks in part to Molyneux's big promises of a constantly-evolving world; one where players could plant an acorn and watch it grown into a mighty oak tre

Ever wanted to experience the Marvel Cinematic Universe of RPGs? The Trails series is exactly that. More specifically, The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie is the Avengers: Endgame of RPGs. It’s the culmination of three different subseries within Trails and two decades’ worth of meticulous storytelling, easily totaling over 100 hours of gameplay time between its story, combat, and post-game activities. Despite a bloated cast of characters resulting from combining the expansive Trails series, impeccable pacing makes every event and interaction manageable. With its politically engaging story and strategically fun turn-based gameplay, it's one of the best RPGs of 2023. Reverie is able to pack so much content in because its overarching story is split into three routes, each with a different main character. By switching between perspectives, it’s able to keep its various plot twists and revelations fresh, and I never felt like I was lingering on one particular route too long bef

The studio head of Football Manager developer Sports Interactive has said PlayStation's claim that Xbox Game Pass is "value destructive" is not true. The United States' Federal Trade Commission spent the last week battling Microsoft in court over Xbox's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, during which PlayStation boss Jim Ryan said publishers do not like Game Pass . Sports Interactive head Miles Jacobson refuted this to Eurogamer , however, saying Game Pass has been a positive experience for Football Manager. "Different studios will have different data, because different games work well in different situations." "Every studio is going to have different opinions on this," Jacobson said. "Different studios will have different data, because different games work well in different situations. For us, it's nothing but positive on all three platforms. "The simple fact is Game Pass and Apple Arcade have brought new people to the f

Wondering if you’ll be able to squeeze in a playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3 before Starfield comes out? Be warned: one run takes on average 75 to 100 hours, developer Larian has said. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a sprawling open-ended role-playing game from the makers of the Divinity: Original Sin series. Larian announced it had brought the PC version release date forward a month , from August 31 to August 3, in order to avoid a clash with the likes of Bethesda’s upcoming behemoth Starfield in early September. The PlayStation 5 version, meanwhile, is delayed slightly to September 6, and the Xbox Series X and S versions are without a release window ( more on Baldur’s Gate 3’s Xbox hold-up here ). Speaking to IGN, Larian boss Swen Vincke said the developer is seeing a standard playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3 take 75 to 100 hours. However, players who want to “do everything” should expect to double that figure. “Between 75 and 100 hours, that's what we're seeing,” Vincke said. “That'

We've officially made it halfway through 2023. Congrats to everybody. To celebrate, Cardy, Mat, and Wes are here to share their favourite games, films, and TV shows from the year so far. But that isn't all, they then look ahead to the rest of 2023 to what they're most excited for. Want to let us know which games you’re most excited for later this year, or just want to tell us the weirdest thing you've had as a pizza topping? Drop us an email: ign_ukfeedback@ign.com . IGN UK Podcast 703: The Best of 2023 So Far IGN UK Podcast 702: The Good and Bad of Final Fantasy 16 IGN UK Podcast 701: Starfield, RoboCop & Friar Tuck IGN UK Podcast 700: Geoff's Big Night IGN UK Podcast 699: Diablo 4: Chilli Heatwave IGN UK Podcast 698: Snake N' Wake from IGN Articles https://ift.tt/IkPQzRe via IFTTT

With the Microsoft vs. FTC trial concluding, with a verdict expected next week, we discuss and analyze seven big things we've learned so far, from the fate of Bethesda game exclusivity to the other publishers Microsoft considered buying and more! Plus: our own investigative report into the state of The Initiative and the Perfect Dark reboot. Subscribe on any of your favorite podcast feeds, to our YouTube channel , or grab an MP3 of this week's episode . For more awesome content, check out my recent interview with Todd Howard, who discussed the realization of his vision for Starfield after eight years, how Red Dead Redemption 2 was something of an inspiration, what his future holds, and more! For more next-gen coverage, make sure to check out our Xbox Series X review , our Xbox Series S review , and our PS5 review . Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked , as well as our monthly(-ish) intervi

Saber Interactive is working on a football-themed take on its popular NBA Playground series, with former NFL player and social activist Colin Kaepernick taking center stage on the game's cover. Like NBA Playgrounds, Wild Card Football will include hundreds of real-life football players, including T.J. Watt, Jalen Hurts, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and more. But while it features real NFL players, it's not an NFL game, meaning you won't be able to play as the Kansas City Chiefs or the Minnesota Vikings. Instead, you can create your own customized seven-on-seven team with players "reimagined Playgrounds-style." The gameplay is reminiscent of arcade classics like NFL Blitz, with special Wild Cards granting powers like super strength and invisibility. It will include season play, local multiplayer, and online multiplayer with full crossplay. 'It shifts the power dynamic' Kaepernick, though, is one of the game's surprise inclusions. While he appeared in recent

During today's Annapurna Interactive showcase, the publisher announced that it's no longer just a publisher. It's developing its first in-house game, based on the Blade Runner franchise, entitled Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth. Though we saw a brief teaser trailer today, we don't have too many specific details about what Blade Runner 2033 will entail. We know it takes place in (surprise!) 2033 in a dystopian LA after the Blackout, wedged firmly between the original Blade Runner and the sequel, Blade Runner 2049. We don't know any details about genre or gameplay, but it will supposedly have a strong focus on narrative. And development is being led by Chelsea Hash, who formerly worked on both Solar Ash and What Remains of Edith Finch. Speaking to Hash ahead of the news, she tells me that it was Annapurna that approched Alcon to get the rights for Blade Runner, saying that the team has a "deep love" for the franchise. "When I found out about the opp

In each issue, Game Informer prints questions that are submitted by readers via email and standard mail. We'd like to give our website readers the chance to make the magazine as well. You'll need to log in to your GI account and click "okay to print" for your letter or question to go through. We'd also love it if you included your location (city, state, or country will do). We'll look through the questions and pick a few to include in our next issue, which releases on July 25. For each issue, we ask our community a question for our SoundOff section. This time around, we want to know... "Which game in the second half of 2023 are you most excited for and why?" You can answer this question and/or include any other feedback/questions you want. Thank you again for your support throughout the years, and we hope many of you get the chance to have your letter printed in an upcoming issue! Submit Your Question or Letter You must be logged in to use th

Microsoft has made a fancy Xbox controller out of actual Jade to commemorate Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty coming to the console. Xbox posted a video showcasing the creation of the controller, which required Jade craftsman Andy Chi to forge the gamepad using specialist equipment. "If I can make a very exquisite jade product as a jade worker, and people will preserve it for a long time or permanently, I could think of nothing to be prouder of," Chi said ahead of the project. Making the first jade video game controller in the world came with difficulties, of course. Chi separated the controller's shell into eight pieces, but after spending almost a week cutting two of them, he discovered cracks. "From my mistake I started many, many times," he said. Chi also had to make sure the jade surface was still comfortable for players to use and allowed for all the normal functionality one would expect from a gamepad. "When you press these directional buttons, we ens

Developer Bamtag Games and publisher Game Mill Entertainment have announced Avatar: The Last Airbender: Quest for Balance, an upcoming action-adventure game that will let you play solo or in two-player local or online co-op as your choice of nine different Avatar: The Last Airbender characters. It's due out this Fall on all major platforms (PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S). The four elements (earth, wind, fire, and water) will be the focal point of the puzzles you'll encounter. Side quests, character upgrades, and interactions with iconic characters from the franchise are all promised. Check out the first trailer at the top of this page. The nine playable characters include Aang, Toph, Sokka, and Katara. The developers also promise that you can "replay any of the 18 thrilling chapters whenever you choose to experience your favorite moments from the series." For more on Avatar: The Last Airbender, don't miss the strange James Came

Game of the Year contender The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is already being regarded as one of the best games of all time, and will surely be considered in that conversation for a long time to come. If you've been loving the game but missed out on securing the following collectable items in recent weeks, we've got some good news. Both the Tears of the Kingdom Switch Pro Controller, and the game's official Collector's Edition Guidebook are now back in stock in the UK for RRP. No need to keep a keen eye on eBay for these items. The Pro Controller can be picked up for £64.99 right with free next-day delivery if you're a Prime Member, and the Collector's Edition Guidebook is available for just £29.99 as well. The paperback edition is also available to order , but delivery is delayed as it's temporarily out of stock. Tears of the Kingdom's success this year isn't a secret as Nintendo announced the Breath of the Wild sequel sold 10 millio

Star Wars Jedi Survivor, the sequel to Jedi Fallen Order (2019), was a critic and fan hit despite a few typical bugs that have generally been ironed out since. Its RRP at launch was £69.99, which still feels a little steep despite it being the new trend for AAA games, but you can now buy the game for just £48 on sale . That's over 30% off the latest Star Wars adventure and the cheapest retail price for a new copy of the game since launch. This year already feels like it's been stacked with a great selection of new video games, and there's more on the way . But, if you haven't had the chance to pick up one of the Game of the Year contenders just yet, then here's your chance. We'll leave the links to both the Xbox and PS5 listing just below, but just as a reminder: Amazon Prime Day is also coming up soon, so you should expect even more gaming and tech deals over the 48-hour sale on July 11-12 . In our 9/10 review , IGN said: "If Respawn makes a third ga

Blizzard tech support has recently suggested players utilize a VPN if they're ever experiencing issues while connecting to Battle.net or Diablo 4 servers. This comes after Blizzard spent considerable time fighting a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack that recently rendered Diablo 4 unplayable for hours . If you're interested in using a VPN with Diablo 4, then we're here to guide you through the relevant steps as well. Then, in the future, you could be well-prepared enough to tackle any server issues or potential DDoS attacks that may arise during your gaming sessions, ensuring uninterrupted gameplay as much as possible. Quick Navigation: How to Connect to Diablo 4 With a VPN Is Diablo 4 Down? - Current Server Status How To Fix Diablo 4 Connection Problems IGN's Top VPN Pick For Gaming Diablo 4 stands out from other action role-playing games (ARPGs) with its unique approach to server selection. Unlike some other ARPGs, Diablo 4 doesn't restrict pl

July’s PlayStation Plus Essential games line-up has leaked online by way of the regularly reliable Dealabs user billbil-kun. According to billbil-kun, July’s line-up includes Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Alan Wake Remastered, and Endling: Extinction Is Forever and will go live July 2. Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War is the 2020 first-person shooter developed primarily by Treyarch and Raven. IGN’s review returned a 7/10 , saying “Cold War's quiet times are more memorable than the loud ones, even if the story’s ambition outweighs its execution”. The timing of Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War’s inclusion in PlayStation Plus is interesting given the focus on Call of Duty’s exclusivity amid the FTC’s ongoing battle to block Microsoft from buying Activision Blizzard . Alan Wake Remastered is of course the latest version of Remedy’s much-loved thriller. In IGN’s 7/10 review, we called it “a fairly inessential upgrade for existing fans, but this moody mystery is still well wor

The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 update has finally arrived in FIFA 23 alongside the Lead Your Country mode that lets players fill the shoes of any star player from the 32 international teams. Those looking to truly revel in the glory themselves can also create a custom character and essentially star as themselves in the journey to become a world champion. The classic Kick Off and Tournament modes will be available too, with local co-op and competitive multiplayer available in both. "In our most expansive EA Sports FIFA Women’s World Cup update ever, we are excited to celebrate the remarkable achievements of the teams competing in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, and to create an authentic in-game experience for players to lead their country to victory," said SVP and GM of EA Sports FC Nick Wlodyka. "Our commitment to women’s football is foundational, and we look forward to evolving and delivering on this promise for our EA SPORTS FC community." FIFA 23 is the

Nintendo has added four classic Sega Genesis games to the Nintendo Switch Online library including Ghouls ‘n Ghosts and The Revenge of Shinobi. Announced in a tweet (below), these games are joined by Crusader of Centy and Landstalker and are available now for anyone who owns Nintendo Switch Online and its Expansion Pack . Ghouls 'N Ghosts is Capcom's side scrolling sequel to Ghosts 'n Goblins, while The Revenge of Shinobi is a hack and slash action game from Sega itself. Four classic SEGA Genesis games have just been made available for #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack members! ☑️ Ghouls ‘n Ghosts ☑️ Crusader of Centy ☑️ Landstalker ☑️ The Revenge of Shinobi pic.twitter.com/Kwr1pybnNY — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) June 28, 2023 Crusader of Centy is an action adventure game from Nextech and, sticking to the theme, Landstalker is another action adventure game, this time from Climax Entertainment. Subscribing to Nintendo Switch Online and its Exp

Final Fantasy 16's Torgal, who's a giant grey dog for those unfamiliar, is driving dogs in the real world barking mad. Torgal is one of protagonist Clive's companions in the game, and when players aren't fighting savage monsters or evil knights, an option to pet Torgal becomes available. Clive will kneel down and pet Torgal if players press X nearby, and it's this mechanic that's causing such a fuss for dogs in the real world. I'm watching my brothers dog and she won't let me pet Torgal. Loses her mind if I try. She barely accepts him being on screen right now. pic.twitter.com/k4sqbGoSah — Alan (@LastGunslinger9) June 26, 2023 Reddit user Luthalis was the first to share their dog's reaction. Posting a video on Reddit titled "Torgal keeps making my dog jealous", Luthalis showed their dog getting antsy when petting Torgal in the game. "I'm watching my brother's dog and she won't let me Pet Torgal," added a Twit

A fresh Red Dead Redemption rating in South Korea has sparked rumours about a possible remake or remaster. As spotted by Idle Sloth on Twitter (below), South Korea's Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC) could be at the centre of another leak after listing something simply titled "Red Dead Redemption" earlier in June. The listing is completely separate from the original 2010 Red Dead Redemption as the rating for this can still be seen on GRAC's website, as well as Red Dead Redemption 2, which is also listed as its own entity. Nothing else is given away in the listing, except that this version of Red Dead Redemption has also been rated as an 18. The South Korean ratings board has been the source of many leaks in the past few years. GRAC listed the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 campaign remaster ahead of its official announcement, for example, and recently leaked the unannounced LEGO football video game from 2K . Its ratings do not indicate anything

Three years after it exploded into a pandemic-era sensation, an Among Us animated series is in development at CBS Studios, Variety reports . The new series will be based on the premise of the game, with a murderous Impostor sabotaging the ship, backstabbing crewmembers, and generally sowing chaos. Who will be the Impostor? Maybe we'll find out in the season finale. Among Us developer Innersloth is involved with the project. It is being led by Owen Dennis, who worked on Regular Show as a writer and storyboard artist before creating Infinity Train, a Cartoon Network series about an endless train filled with impossible worlds. Titmouse, the studio behind Big Mouth and Star Trek: Lower Decks, is handling the animation. Since Among Us first exploded into the public consciousness back in 2020, Innersloth has sought to build on its popularity, including developing a VR version and participating in various crossovers. It even got its own one-shot manga. A sequel was in development,

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5 Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC Publisher: Xseed, Marvelous Games Developer: Marvelous Inc. Release: June 27, 2023 Rating: Everyone Remakes and remasters are more common than ever in 2023. What's most interesting is seeing how these new versions handle the issue of completely rebuilding versus simply making modern visual improvements. Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is a remake of Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life that straddles the line between these two philosophies fairly evenly but still delivers an outdated experience in various aspects. Releasing on modern consoles, Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life initially looks like nothing more than an updated re-skin on the surface. However, some significant changes have made it more inclusive for players. A Wonderful Life establishes each player as a young person who has inherited a farm from their father in a small town called Forgotten Valley. Before claiming your inherit

Starfield on Xbox is getting a physical disc edition after all according to Bethesda, who caused confusion earlier in June by posting a tweet to the contrary. As reported by Eurogamer , a breakdown of editions on Bethesda's website confirms the "game disc [is] included with physical purchases of Xbox's standard edition". Bethesda was met with backlash on June 25 after its support account on Twitter said this wouldn't be the case and, just like the PC version, the physical copy of Starfield on Xbox would only include a download code. The Constellation Edition, which costs $300 and comes with a real version of the in-game watch, a Constellation patch, and more , won't have a physical disc, however, even on Xbox, which perhaps sparked some of the confusion. The misinformation was believable to many given the industry's slow but sure shift to digital, with Alan Wake 2 perhaps being the first major release to not have a physical edition at all . A report

Nintendo has added a rewind mechanic to Pikmin 4 that lets players easily undo their mistakes. It's a tragedy every Pikmin player is familiar with: one simple mistake can lead to dozens of the little beasties being lost, but this seemingly won't be an issue in the Nintendo Switch version. As reported by Go Nintendo , Pikmin 4 has the typical day and night cycle of the franchise, though players can now opt to rewind time too if something goes wrong. There won't be a penalty for doing this, nor a limit to how many times it can be done, meaning players looking to make the most efficient use of their days now can. The July 21 release date of Pikmin 4 is fast approaching and Nintendo is upping its promotion for the game as a result. It revealed a ton of new details during the June Nintendo Direct , for example, including information on its new Dandori Battle mini-gam e . In our final preview of the game , IGN said: "Playing Pikmin has always felt like a warm hug, an