Author: Game Infliction

Doom modders are annoyed at the “chum-bucket” of wrongly credited mods in the latest Doom remaster

Last week, Bethesda released a remastered edition of Doom and Doom II on Steam, with lots of extra episodes and improvements. One of these new features is a built-in browser for mods, and support for many existing mods that previously required a different version of the game. Basically, lots of good fan-made mods are now playable on the Steam version of ye olde Doom. That’s neat! Ah, but there is some demon excrement on the health pack, so to speak. The mod browser lacks moderation and lets people upload the work of others with their own name pinned as the author. That’s prompted one level designer to call it “a massive breach of trust and violation of norms the Doom community has done its best to hold to for those 30 years.”

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The Witcher 4 Stars Geralt of Rivia, But Not as the Main Character

Geralt of Rivia voice actor Doug Cockle has revealed the White Wolf will star in the next mainline Witcher game, codenamed Polaris, but not as the main character.

Developer CD Projekt Red has long made clear that Geralt’s saga has come to an end, meaning a new protagonist was fully expected for Polaris, but this is the first confirmation he’ll be in the next game at all — and fuels some rampant fan theories.

Cockle didn’t share any specific details about Geralt’s role in Polaris in an interview with Fall Damage but did confirm his involvement. “I can’t say anything about [Polaris],” he said. “What we know is that Geralt will be part of the game, we just don’t know how much, and the game won’t focus on Geralt.

“It’s not about him this time. We don’t know who it’s about. I’m excited to find out. I want to know. I have not seen any script yet. I mean, I couldn’t tell you if I did. This is the thing, so I could be lying through my teeth. But I’m not. Or am I?”

Spoiler Warning: The following paragraphs feature spoilers for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

Only a single teaser image has otherwise been revealed for Polaris, but it was enough to fan the fire of fan theories which believed Ciri would be the next mainline Witcher game’s protagonist. What’s considered the “true” ending of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, thanks to its story being continued in comics considered canon to CD Projekt Red’s universe, sees her become a witcher herself.

The teaser image also showed a medallion of a lynx, and while this is a brand new witcher school not mentioned previously in the books, games, comics, or wherever else, Ciri wore a School of the Cat medallion in the books and its philosophy matches her nimble fighting style.

The lynx medallion being a combination of this and her wilder School of the Wolf side (as she was raised by its members Geralt, Vesemir, and so on), could make a lot of sense. In fact, Cockle himself told IGN in December 2023 this was “the best theory” he’s heard, though this was before he knew about starring in it himself.

Geralt being featured in Polaris as a side character perhaps lends itself to this theory too, because just as the final quest of The Witcher 3 sees him give Ciri her sword, it would make sense for her to have a mentor character in some areas of the new game. “Maybe Geralt is the new Vesemir,” said marktheshark124 on Reddit.

At the very least, the confirmation Geralt is in the game somewhat debunks fan theories for a prequel to the original Witcher saga, taking place decades, if not centuries, earlier when the Witcher schools were at the height of prominence. They, and witchers themselves, are dwindling during the events of the original saga.

It will likely be a while before more information on Polaris emerges, though it is the main project being worked on at CD Projekt Red. The developer hasn’t revealed anything else, only that it will emphasize freedom and “intense gameplay.“

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

PUBG owner Krafton have acquired Tango Gameworks and the Hi-Fi Rush IP

Tango Gameworks are back from the dead. The Hi-Fi Rush studio have been acquired – alongside the IP for future games in the rhythm action series – by South Korean company Krafton, who also own PUBG Studios and Striking Distance, among others. “This strategic move will include the rights to Tango Gameworks’ acclaimed IP, Hi-Fi Rush,” Krafton said in a statement today. I particularly enjoy the hand-rubbing, grinning use of the word ‘strategic’ here. Great news though.

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Hi-Fi Rush IP and Tango Gameworks Acquired by Krafton From Xbox, Studio Will No Longer Be Shut Down

PUBG publisher Krafton has acquired Tango Gameworks and the Hi-Fi Rush IP from Xbox, meaning the studio will no longer be shut down.

Krafton shared the news in a press release alongside confirming that, “as part of this strategic agreement, KRAFTON intends to collaborate with Xbox and ZeniMax to ensure a smooth transition and maintain continuity at Tango Gameworks, allowing the talented team to continue developing the Hi-Fi RUSH IP and explore future projects.”

“KRAFTON intends to support the Tango Gameworks team to continue its commitment to innovation and delivering fresh and exciting experiences for fans,” the press release continues. “There will be no impact on the existing game catalog of The Evil Within, The Evil Within 2, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and the original Hi-Fi RUSH game.”

In May 2024, Microsoft announced that it had closed a number of Bethesda studios, including Tango Gameworks and Redfall’s Arkane Austin. This was obviously met with shock and anger by developers and fans alike, especially after Microsoft executive Aaron Greenberg said on X/Twitter in the past that Hi-Fi Rush was a “breakout hit for [Xbox] and [its] players in all key measurements and expectations.

Hi-Fi Rush hit two million players a month after release and recieved very positive reviews. In our Hi-Fi Rush review, we gave it a 9/10 and said it “marches to the beat of its own drum with stunning animation, loveable characters, and stylish rhythmic action that are anything but one-note.”

While it’s great news Tango Gameworks and High-Fi Rush get to live on, the other studios have not. For more on that, read out features on why success can’t save your favorite game studios anymore and what the previously thought of end of Tango Gameworks means for Game Pass.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

What’s on your bookshelf?: Destiny 2 and Dishonored narrative designer Hazel Monforton

Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week – our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! This week, I’ve been half reading in the garden and half staring in awe at my Kindle’s paperwhite doohickey and it’s ability to stay readable in searing sunbeams. I’m tempted to look up how it works but I don’t want to find out it’s made from the luminous, genetically-engineered husks of the workers that drop dead from dehydration at the fulfilment centers or something. To help distract me with yet more books, it’s Dishonored: Death Of The Outsider writer and Destiny 2 senior narrative designer, Dr. Hazel Monforton! Cheers Hazel! Mind if we have a nose at your bookshelf?

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Daily Deals: Apple iPad, Lenovo Legion Go, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, and More

The weekend is officially here, and we’ve rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Sunday, August 11, below:

Nintendo Switch Lite with Animal Crossing: New Horizons for $159

Walmart has the Timmy & Tommy’s Aloha Edition Nintendo Switch Lite available for $159. This bundle includes a turquoise Nintendo Switch Lite and a free digital copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Together, that has a $260 value, which means you can save $100 by purchasing this bundle. If you have not purchased a Nintendo Switch yet, this is an excellent option.

Elgato Wave:3 Mic for $119.99

The Elgato Wave:3 Microphone is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to enter the worlds of streaming, gaming, or voice recording. The custom Wave Link App allows you to control the Wave:3 and all connected audio sources on your device. While this doesn’t quite hit the all-time low of $104.99, this is the lowest price we’ve seen on the Wave:3 in a good bit.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance for $39.99

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is holding strong at its all-time low price! SMT V: Vengeance is an enhanced version of the former Nintendo Switch exclusive SMT V, launched in 2019. The biggest feature available in this upgraded re-release is the all new Canon of Vengeance route, which is essentially 40 hours of new story content. At $39.99, this is a steal for what will likely end up being one of the most popular RPGs of the year.

Pre-Order Star Wars Jedi: Survivor on Last-Gen Consoles

In case you’re still playing on a PS4 or Xbox One, EA just recently announced that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will be coming to last-gen systems this September. You can now pre-order the game for PS4 or Xbox One on Amazon for $49.99. While this might not be a deal, this is a new pre-order that was just recently announced.

Kingdom Hearts All-in-One Package for $36.49

If you’re itching to start a new series, Kingdom Hearts is one of the best out there to jump into. From Tetsuya Nomura, Kingdom Hearts mashes together the worlds of Disney and Square Enix to tell the tale of light and darkness. This All-in-One package contains a total of ten games, with everything up to Kingdom Hearts III included. Now is the perfect time to get caught up before Kingdom Hearts IV, so pick up the All-in-One bundle today and jump into Sora’s journey.

Skull and Bones for $10

If you’ve waited on a sale for Skull and Bones, now is the time to pick up this pirate adventure. Best Buy has the game for just $10 today, and this will likely be the lowest we’ll see the title. The Best Buy Exclusive Limited Edition includes a bonus mission in addition to the main campaign.

ASUS ROG 65W Charger Dock for $29.99

Best Buy currently has the ROG 65W Charger Dock available for $29.99. This device is the perfect accessory if you’re looking to play with your handheld PC on the big screen. With its minimal size, you can easily pack it in a bag with no issues. This device works with both the ROG Ally and the Steam Deck, as it just requires a USB-C port to pass through both power and display.

Save 21% Off Lenovo Legion Go

Amazon currently has the Lenovo Legion Go for $550.11, which is 21% off the MSRP of $699.99. This device includes the Ryzen Z1 Extreme, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. If you’re on the lookout for a solid handheld gaming PC to play through your PC library, the Lenovo Legion Go can be a great choice.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 for $19.99

Great news for stealth action fans: Amazon has Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 available for $19.99, which matches the previous low we’ve seen since this game released. This is a great package with the first three Metal Gear Solid games, in addition to Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. If you’ve yet to play through the Metal Gear series, the Master Collection is how to do so on modern platforms.

Splatoon 3 for $39.99

Splatoon 3 is available right now for just $34.99! If you have yet to pick up a Splatoon game, Splatoon 3 is a perfect starting point. As it is still the latest game in the series, content updates are still releasing alongside Splatfests. You can also play through the Side Order DLC, offering a fun new campaign!

2021 9th Gen Apple iPad 10.2″ 64GB for $224

New price drop!

Starting today, Amazon is offering the 9th gen (2021) Apple iPad 10.2″ Wi-Fi 64GB tablet for only $229. This is the best price we’ve ever seen for this particular model, and right now it’s $70 cheaper than the newest 10th gen model. This is the most affordable iPad model you can get brand new with warranty.

Save on Apple AirTags

Amazon currently has the four pack of Apple AirTags listed for $72.99, which is savings of over 25%. This roughly equates to just over $18 per AirTag. AirTags are perfect for placing in any items you need to track, such as a suitcase, backpack, or wallet.

Feature: Catch-Up Crew: F-Zero X – “In First Place I Just Yeeted Myself Off The Course”

Join our mission to seek out ‘Games of Shame’ and make first contact.

We’ve all got them. Brilliant, much-celebrated video games — sometimes ones boasting a huge lineage of excellent sequels — which, for some reason, we never got around to playing.

It might have been unfortunate timing, with another game arriving to swallow up our time and money. Maybe we own the game (eShop sales, amirite!?) with every intention of playing, or perhaps the overwhelming accumulation of entries intimidated us and we just never found a suitable series pool in which to dip our toe. Whatever the reason, the line must be drawn here.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Poll: Box Art Brawl: Zelda: A Link To The Past And Four Swords (GBA)

Portable magic.

Welcome back to another edition Box Art Brawl!

Last time, we were back with the Mega Man franchise to look at Mega Man Zero 3, the, uh, third entry in the Zero sub-series for GBA. As expected, the beautiful Japanese design won by a landslide, scoring 73% of the vote. The US variant bagged 17%, while the ghastly European design managed 11%.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Fortnite to Get Disney Villains, Incredibles Characters, and a Season With Doctor Doom | D23 2024

Epic Games is working with Disney to bring some of its iconic villains, as well as a host of new Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel characters, to Fortnite.

The latest Fortnite collaboration was revealed at the Disney Experiences Showcase at D23 2024. The latest crossover starts next week with Mandalorian characters like Grogu set to show up on August 12. Then, Fortnite’s next season will usher in the age of Doctor Doom with its Absolute Doom theme, bringing more Marvel-themed skins and items for players to toy with on August 16. You can see a trailer for Absolute Doom below.

Disney is far from done with Fortnite. This fall, Fortnite players can look forward to appearances from a selection of iconic Disney villains like Maleficent, Cruella De Vill, and Captain Hook. Pixar characters are on the way, too. Specifically, Disney’s superhero family, the Incredibles, will show up in-game, with players able to enjoy content based on heroes like Mr. and Mrs. Incredible and Frozone.

Developing…

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.