Bandai Namco has confirmed today that the Japanese version of its anime-inspired MMORPG Blue Protocol will be “discontinued” on January 18, 2025. As a result, Bandai Namco also clarified that this also means any plans to release the game outside of Japan have now been cancelled.
“We have enjoyed a strong relationship with Amazon Games throughout the development of Blue Protocol, and both of our teams are disappointed that we will not be able to deliver the game to players around the world,” the company said in a statement published on the Bandai Namco website.
“We have worked hard to prepare for the release; however, we have come to the conclusion that it will not be possible to provide a service that satisfies all of you.”
Co-developed by Bandai Namco Online and Bandai Namco Studios, Blue Protocol’s worldwide release plans were revealed at The Game Awards in 2022. At that time, Amazon Games told IGN that the live service game had been in development since 2015.
IGN’s 2023 hands-on preview found Blue Protocol “absolutely gorgeous” and “fun as hell.”
IGN has contacted Amazon for comment.
Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can chat to him on Twitter @MrLukeReilly.
Nintendo’s latest Partner Showcase and Indie World broadcast was filled with all sorts of announcements.
As usual, Japan’s broadcast was a little bit different – and sprinkled throughout its latest presentation were all sorts of different announcements. Some of these are new reveals and others might even be getting localised in the future.
Stardew Valley is no stranger to nods to other games. Among other references, Patch 1.6 has a well-placed Terraria easter egg. Nevertheless, Stardew Valley has never really appeared in another games, though creator Eric Barone aka ConcernedApe definitely has some ideas in that front.
In a Discord conversation shared by Panedwards on X/Twitter, Barone talks about the possibility of a Stardew Valley collaboration, acknowledging that he’s open to a crossover and saying that he would love to have Pam in particular in Fortnite.
“It doesn’t have to be Pam though, I would be open to anything,” Barone adds. “Abigail & Sebatian could be good. Stardrop or Joja Cola item? Galaxy sword or slingshot?”
All of these items would be fun additions to Fortnite, and Stardew Valley’s aesthetic is certainly in line with Epic’s ultra-popular sandbox shooter. Pam would hardly look out of place next to Buff Peter Griffin, Solid Snake, and all the other Fortnite crossover characters. But could it actually happen?
Reached for comment, one of Barone’s representatives acknowledged that the screenshot is real, but added a bit of additional context from ConcernedApe.
“I have a small team of people who help me with Stardew updates, admin and business stuff. Sometimes, we play games together, and one game we enjoy playing is Fortnite (Zero Build). One time we were playing and someone said ‘what if there was a Pam skin in Fortnite?’ And it kind of became a meme for us, like we were imagining us all playing as a squad with identical Pam skins. It was just a silly fun idea,” Barone explained in a statement sent to IGN.
“Then someone asked me if I would collab with Fortnite and I mentioned the Pam thing. There’s nothing official in the works or anything like that, but yea we would find it amusing and fun if we were able to play as Pam (or any other Stardew character, really) someday. Other than the occasional gaming session, my team and I are completely focused on Stardew Valley development and ports right now.”
Indeed, ConcernedApe has been busy recently amid the release of Patch 1.6 and ongoing work on the anticipated release of Haunted Chocolatier. Fans are still awaiting the release of Patch 1.06 on the Nintendo Switch, which failed to materialize during the Nintendo Direct earlier today. As for Fortnite, it’s in the midst of its latest Marvel collaboration, having added Doctor Doom for Chapter 5 Season 4.
Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
How did you find the Indie World & Partner Showcase?
Have we all recovered yet?
On the surface, today’s Nintendo Direct Indie World & Partner Showcase wasn’t as show-stopping as the main June 2024 Direct. It was never going to be: by name and virtue alone, this is a Zelda and Mario-free presentation. And we’re slowly approaching the end of the console’s life cycle, with constant reminders of “Yes, the Switch successor is coming, but we’re not talking about it today.”
The Harry Potter movies are some of my favorite movies of all time. I grew up reading the books and was young enough when the movies first started coming out to be in awe of the magic of the story I loved coming to life on the big screen. Even years after the final film hit theaters, I still binge watch the films at least once a year. And though I usually stream all of the movies on Max, I also currently own the 8-film collection in 4K just in case they ever move to a streaming service I don’t have.
If you’re looking to purchase that same collection for yourself, I’ve got some good news for you: Amazon has just dropped the price significantly. You can currently get all 8 movies in 4K UHD and Blu-ray for just $59.99 during the Amazon Labor Day sale.
The Harry Potter: 8-Film Collection Is on Sale
This film collection includes all 8 of the original movies in 4K and Blu-ray. Meaning it doesn’t include any of the Fantastic Beast prequels that came after. According to the Amazon listing, this collection also includes a code that you can redeem to get digital copies of these movies, but the product description also states that you will need to redeem that code by December 2018. So unless you have a time machine, you will only have access to the physical discs that come with the set.
Additionally, if you do want to also pick up all three of the Fantastic Beasts movies, Amazon currently has a sale on the Blu-ray set for that as well. Though as a fan of the movies, I would recommend just ignoring that these films existed in the first place.
Is This a Good Deal?
Labor Day sales in general may not seem like the ideal time to buy movies, but Amazon has been offering some surprisingly good deals so far this year. This Harry Potter collection in particular is currently priced as low as it’s ever been before. This is the best deal on this particular movie set we’ve ever seen and it isn’t likely to get much better on Black Friday.
Where to Watch Harry Potter Movies Online
If you would prefer to just watch or rewatch the Harry Potter films online, you can currently find all of the movies on Max. If you wanted to purchase only the digital version of the collection we’ve featured above, it will actually cost you more, so we don’t recommend that. A Max plan starts at just $9.99 a month and you can also check out the streaming bundle that combines Max, Hulu, and Disney+ if you’re looking to save on streaming.
Jacob Kienlen is a Senior SEO Strategist and Writer for IGN. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his home for his entire life. With a bachelor’s degree in communication and over 7 years of professional writing experience, his expertise is spread across a variety of different topics — from TV series to indie games and popular book series.
Walmart has dropped the price on the officially licensed Seagate 1TB Expansion Card for Xbox Series X and S consoles to $129.99. Log into your (free) Walmart account and the price drops even further to $121.99. This is the best price we’ve seen for the Seagate card and currently $18 cheaper than the WD C50. The Seagate Expansion Card is one of the best SSDs for the Xbox, which isn’t surprising since your options are pretty limited.
Seagate 1TB Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S for $122
The Seagate 1TB expansion card is essentially a 1TB NVME SSD encased in a specialized Xbox-compatible shell. Unlike the more complex PS5 SSD installation process, which involves opening up the PS5 to access the SSD slot, the Seagate expansion card simply plugs into its dedicated port on the back of the Xbox.
This expansion card offers the same speed as the internal SSD, ensuring that you won’t sacrifice performance or encounter extended load times as you might with a regular USB drive. With a 1TB expansion card, you can double the storage on your Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S Carbon Black Edition console, and triple the storage on your OG (white) Xbox Series S console.
In contrast to the PS5, there are no alternative methods for adding high-speed storage to your Xbox console. Your options are limited to either the Seagate or WD expansion cards, underscoring the importance of seizing a good deal when one becomes available.
While supplies last, Woot! (which is owned by Amazon) is offering the excellent Super Mario RPG remake for Nintendo Switch for only $31.99 when you apply $5 off coupon code “MARIO“. That’s 36% off the original $60 MSRP and the best price we’ve ever seen. Even better, this game is a physical copy. Note that Amazon Prime members get free shipping (the rest of us pay $5).
Super Mario RPG for $31.99
Super Mario RPG is a remake of the 1996 SNES classic. It was one of the best games to grace the console back then amidst a sea of other incredible titles, and Nintendo did a great job of staying faithful to the game’s charm and fun factor. A whole slew of improvements have been implemented to bring this game up to modern day standards, including updated visuals, music, gameplay mechanics, and several small yet welcome quality-of-life UI improvements. Check out our Super Mario RPG review for a detailed rundown of all of the the changes and our official impressions of the game. Still, it’s understandably difficult to pay $60 for a remake no matter how good it is, so a deal like this is certainly welcome.
All games and trailers from the August 27th double presentation.
The August 2024 Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase and Indie World Showcase was a 42-minute double presentation of games from third parties and independent developers coming to Switch in 2024 and 2025.
The last Indie World was back in April and there was a Partner Showcase in February, but this combined presentation — the first of its kind Nintendo has ever broadcast — featured plenty of juicy reveals and date announcements, large and small, with nearly 50 game announcements included across the two showcases.
Castlevania’s Dracula and Trevor Belmont Come to Dead by Daylight
Mitch Findlay, Senior Copywriter, Dead By Daylight
Feel the scarlet eyes upon you, accursed and ravenous. Dead by Daylight: Castlevaniais here, bringing Dracula and Trevor Belmont into The Fog.
Embody The Night
Dracula is the first shapeshifting Killer in Dead by Daylight, with 3 unique forms that offer distinct gameplay experiences: Vampire, Wolf, and Bat.
Vampire form is a base form of sorts, with the ability to fire a Flame Pillar that can traverse through objects like Windows and Pallets. The Wolf excels at hunting and can easily detect and down Survivors. The Bat is quick and quiet with a deadly teleport ability, though it lacks the ability to see Survivors.
The design intent behind the multiple forms – beyond immersing players in the ultimate gothic power fantasy – was to provide a variety of fun and engaging gameplay options. While the Wolf and Bat form can be cycled situationally, players can engage with them as often as they like.
The Dark Lord arrives with three Perks, well suited to exploiting the misguided hubris humans are so accustomed to feeling.
Hex: Wretched Fate afflicts one Survivor – the Obsession – with an impeding curse, rendering their Repair speed to a sluggish state. While this Hex is active, Dracula players can rest assured that their Obsession will not be efficiently contributing to their Objective, granting space to pursue different alternative targets.
For added pressure, consider pairing Hex: Wretched Fate with additional Hex support Perks, to ensure it remains in play for as long as possible.
Human Greed shall be their downfall, and Dracula will be quick to capitalize on it with this anti-resource Perk. Over the course of a Trial, Survivors may be keen on seeking out Chests to replenish on their Items. This Perk allows you to oversee all unopened Chests on the Map, revealing the Aura of any Survivor that approaches one.
If you manage to interrupt them while they’re rummaging, Human Greed grants you the ability to slam the Chest shut and force them to restart the process entirely.
Continuing the anti-resource streak is Dominance, which calls upon The Entity to temporarily block Survivors from interacting with Chests and Totems. This pairs quite nicely with Draculas’ own Hex: Wretched Fate, which automatically ensures that Wretched Fate will remain in play for a little longer.
As any Killer player who’s seen a pre-game lobby screen knows, Survivors love their Items. Use that to your advantage and make them rue the day.
The Belmont Legacy
Trevor Belmont is no stranger to the supernatural, and his latest dance with the Dark Lord will be unlike any he’s ever faced. His abilities manifest through 3 unique character Perks, which can grant him a valuable edge in the darkest hour.
The things he’s seen will not soon be forgotten. The Eyes of Belmont are no stranger to evil, but Trevor is not one to blink in its presence. Once a Generator is completed, the Killer’s Aura will be briefly revealed. Beyond that, any other Perk that reveals the Killer’s Aura will extend the reveal time.
Only a Belmont can find Exultation in the face of horror. While pursued with an Item in hand, Pallet stunning a Killer will instantly upgrade that Item to the next Tier. Players would be wise to plunder through Chests to keep their Item supply replenished.
Moment of Glory is another Item-centered Perk, activating after rummaging through several Chests. Once the required number has been reached, Players will gain the ability to become Broken instead of Injured. Should they manage to Survive for a duration, they will be instantly healed.
While risky, this can be immensely valuable in an extensive chase, especially if the Killer does not expect it. Consider this with any Perk that might give your looping skills an edge, buying you extra time to wait out the clock.
It’s always exciting when legendary horror gaming characters come to The Fog, and Dead by Daylight: Castlevania delivers two of the most iconic. Experience it now on Xbox.
Ever wished to play as one of the characters from your favorite horror movies? Dead by Daylight is a 1v4 multiplayer game that draws from all corners of the horror world from a powerful slasher to a terrifying paranormal entity.
Choose between playing an unstoppable Killer and one of 4 Survivors trying to evade a gruesome death. Each character has their own deep progression system and plenty of unlockables that can be customized to fit your personal strategy. Work together to escape, or stalk and sacrifice every Survivor.
This Edition of Dead by Daylight gives you access to a roster of 7 Killers (The Trapper, The Hillbilly, The Wraith, The Nurse, The Hag, The Huntress and The Doctor) and 9 Survivors (Meg Thomas, Claudette Morel, Jake Park, Dwight Fairfield, Ace Visconti, Nea Karlsson, Bill Overbeck, Feng Min and David King). It also includes two cosmetic add-ons packed with outfits for various characters.
