Rock Star Tells Rockstar to ‘Go F*** Yourself’ After ‘Extremely Low’ Offer to Use Hit Song in GTA 6

A founding member of British synth-pop band Heaven 17 has alleged Rockstar offered $7,500 to use their hit song Temptation in Grand Theft Auto 6 — a figure he has flat out rejected.

Martyn Ware, founding member of Heaven 17 and, before than, synth-pop pioneers The Human League, tweeted to tell Rockstar to “go f*** yourself” after allegedly receiving what he called a “extremely low” offer to use 80s classic Temptation in GTA 6.

“I was recently contacted by my publishers on behalf of Rockstar Games re the possibility of using Temptation on the new Grand Theft Auto 6,” Ware said.

“Naturally excited about the immense wealth that was about to head my way, I scrolled to the bottom of the email re the offer…

“IT WAS $7500 – for a buyout of any future royalties from the game – forever… To put this in context, Grand Theft Auto 6 grossed, wait for it… $8.6 BILLION. Ah, but think of the exposure… Go f*** yourself.”

IGN has asked Rockstar for comment.

Ware’s tweet includes a figure for money made by GTA 6, which obviously isn’t out yet. Predecessor GTA 5 is the second best-selling video game of all-time with an eye-watering 200 million sold, so perhaps the figure relates to an estimate of earnings from that game (Rockstar parent company Take-Two has not disclosed a GTA-specific revenue figure.)

Either way, Ware’s point that GTA makes a huge amount of money and therefore the offer to use Temptation should be significantly higher is clear. And in subsequent tweets, despite many replies suggesting he should take the money and enjoy the “exposure” offered by having Temptation appear in what is likely the biggest video game of all time, Ware doubled down, saying: “For those claiming H17 should have accepted the extremely low offer for buyout for Temptation in GTA6 claiming ‘increased exposure’… An extra 1 million streams generates each writer a pitiful $1k each.”

Then, replying to another user who suggested $7,500 would be “better than nothing,” Ware said: “Get off your knees.”

Rockstar has a long-standing relationship with the music industry, and the soundtracks to its games are among the most popular in all video games. Indeed, the GTA games’ radio stations are often as memorable as the games themselves, providing as they do the backdrop to players’ antics with each new release. GTA 5 has hundreds of licensed songs that play out over its many in-game radio stations, and it’s likely GTA 6 will go even bigger in this regard. Having a song in GTA 6 will provide significant brand recognition, of course, but Ware’s tweets have sparked a discussion about whether $7,500 is enough for a single track’s inclusion in what may end up being the best-selling and most-played video game of all time.

It feels like an age since Rockstar broke the internet by releasing the debut trailer for GTA 6. Since the December 2023 release of GTA 6 Trailer 1, as it’s called, information-hungry fans have analyzed the trailer to within an inch of its life, coming up with all sorts of outlandish theories and predictions about what to expect when Rockstar finally releases the game next year. Set in modern-day Leonida, a fictionalized version of Florida, GTA 6 will let players control Lucia and an unnamed male that some fans speculate is named Jason.

Questions have swirled around GTA 6’s release date ever since the initial reveal, with fans going feral over details like website updates. Internal conflict over Rockstar’s return to office policy has led to questions over whether GTA 6 will ultimately be delayed into 2026. However, as of right now, it looks like Rockstar is determined to get GTA 6 out the door during its intended release window of fall 2025.

Photo by C Brandon/Redferns

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Daily Deals: Forza Motorsport, SMT V: Vengeance, Logitech G915 Keyboard, and More

The weekend is officially here, and we’ve rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Sunday, September 8, below:

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance for $29.99

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is at a new all-time low price this weekend! 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 $29.99, this is a steal for what will likely end up being one of the most popular RPGs of the year.

Forza Motorsport for $30

Forza Motorsport offers over 500 cars to choose from, with an incredible attention to detail placed on each. There’s no better racing game for Series X, especially for $30. The game has dozens of environments to race through that all offer day & night cycles, with weather even possible as well! Builders Cup, the new career mode, makes for a fun single player experience that can keep you busy for hundreds of hours.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy for $29.99

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy combines Ace Attorney 4-6 into one package! This collection features 16 episodes in total, which can easily provide dozens of hours of fun. Some of the new features exclusive to this remastered collection include the Orchestra Hall to listen to in-game BGM, the Art Library to view illustrations, and the animation studio, where you can utilize character animations to create your own scenes!

Logitech G915 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard for $159.99

Amazon has the Logitech G915 keyboard on sale for $159.99 this weekend, marking a $90 discount. This full size keyboard is extra slim, offering a wireless experience without the bulkiness that some gaming keyboards bring. The G915 uses GL Linear switches, which have the same speed, accuracy, and performance as standard mechanical switches at half the size. As for battery life, you can expect around 30 hours on a single charge.

WD_BLACK 1TB SN770M M.2 2230 NVMe SSD for $99.99

Amazon has the WD_BLACK 1TB M.2 2230 SSD for just $99.99 this weekend. If you own an ROG Ally or similar handheld gaming device, this SSD is a game changer. You can instantly add an additional 1TB of storage, which is critical for installing newer titles, especially considering file size. Speeds of up to 5,150 MB/s are possible with this SSD, making this a must-have for any Ally or Steam Deck owner.

Monster Hunter Stories Collection for $36.99

Monster Hunter Stories Collection includes both Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. This marks the first time that players can experience the first game with the Japan-exclusive Title Updates, in addition to full voice acting. Jump into the world of Monster Hunter in a new light with this collection at an all-time low price of $36.99!

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.

Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition for $18.99

The Nintendo Switch version of Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition is available right now on Amazon for just $18.99. There is easily over 100 hours of content in this package, with plenty of mayhem to be had with friends. The game itself runs quite well on the Switch, with only occasional FPS drops in high-volume areas. If you haven’t yet played Borderlands 3, this is the perfect time to do so.

Roblox Innovation Awards 2024: The Full List of Winners

Yesterday the Roblox Developer’s Conference gave players a look at the future of the virtual gaming universe, today the company recognized the creators and games that drive its success with the Roblox Innovation Awards 2024.

Gunfight Arena from Splitting Point took home the fan-fueled People’s Choice Award, and the developer also grabbed Best Studio, while the fashionable Dress To Impress took home the Builderman’s Award of Excellence.

Dress To Impress was created in 2023 and has close to 400,000 active players, who compete in fashion competitions that make Project Runway look like the tweed section of a Goodwill.

“Thank you Roblox for this prestigious award,” the development team Dress To Impress Group said via an avatar-hosted acceptance speech.

“We are truly honored to be receiving such immense support and are incredibly proud of our team for what we have accomplished. Most of all, thank you to Roblox for providing a platform to bring our dreams to fruition.”

If you’re yet to try Dress to Impress or are struggling to bring your sartorial chops to the arena, we have all the latest Dress to Impress codes to help you out.

Roblox Innovation Awards Winners 2024

Best Shooter Experience

  • Arsenal from ROLVe – WINNER
  • HELLMET from Mi gato Creations
  • Gunfight Arena from Splitting Point
  • Guts & Blackpowder from Fuze Studios

Best Education Experience

  • Lua Learning from Torpedo Software
  • LLC Math Difficulty Chart Obby! From Smilish
  • Build a Rocket vs. Mark Rober from
  • Big League Jams Word Bomb from OMG – WINNER

Best Obby Experience

  • Obby But You’re On a Bike from Fortune 777
  • Altitorture [2 Player Obby] from Matrix Entertainment
  • Tower of Hell from YXCeptional Studios – WINNER
  • Flood Escape 2 from Crazyblox Games

Best Action – RPG

  • Blox Fruits from Gamer Robot – WINNER
  • Deepwoken fromMonad Studios
  • Dungeon Quest! from RPG Adventure Voldex
  • World // Zero Dungeons & RPG Adventure from Twin Atlas

Best Strategy Experience

  • Anime Defenders from Small World Games
  • A Dusty Trip from Splitting Point
  • Tower Defense Simulator from Paradoxum Games
  • The Strongest Battlegrounds from Yielding Arts – WINNER

Best Racing Experience

  • Car Dealership Tycoon
  • Driving Empire from Voldex
  • Drive World Drifting & Racing from Twin Atlas
  • Car Crushers 2 from Car Crushers Group – WINNER

Best Roleplay/Life Sim

  • Adopt Me from Uplift Games
  • Berry Ave from Amberry Games
  • Brookhaven from Wolfpaq Games – WINNER
  • Welcome to Bloxburg

Best Horror Experience

  • Doors from LSPLASH – WINNER
  • Interliminality from Studio308
  • Piggy from Piggy
  • The Mimic from CTStudio

Best Tycoon Experience

  • Elemental Powers from Tycoon Giggle Inc
  • Restaurant Tycoon 2 from Ultraw Games
  • Theme Park Tycoon 2 – WINNER
  • Patriot War Tycoon from Green Titans Entertainment

Best Fashion Experience

  • Dress to Impress from Dress To Impress Group
  • Fashion Famous from SandBox Studio
  • Catalog Avatar Creator from Parwaz Studios – WINNER
  • Royal High

Best Fighting Experience

  • BloxFruits from Gamer Robot
  • The Strongest Battlegrounds from Yielding Arts – WINNER
  • TYPE://SOUL from @typesouls
  • Guts & Blackpowder from Fuze Studios

Best Social/Hangout Experience

  • Brookhaven from Wolfpaq Games – WINNER
  • On Tap from Diepolder Club
  • PLS Donate
  • LifeTogether from Cinnamon Software

Best UGC Creator

  • maplestick
  • Rush_X – WINNER
  • Reverse_Polarity
  • Ellzd

Best Video Star

  • Conor3D
  • KreekCraft – WINNER
  • Lana Rae
  • Poke

Best New Experience

  • Dusty Trip from Splitting Point
  • Dress to Impress from Dress To Impress Group – WINNER
  • Anime Defenders from Small World Games
  • Sols RNG from Sols Studio

Best Branded Experience

  • Walmart Discovered from Walmart & Sawhorse
  • Lamborghini Lab from Automobili Lamborghini
  • Garten of Banban RP from Jule Games x Euphoric Bros – WINNER
  • Vans World from Vans & The Gang

Peoples Choice

  • Dress to Impress from Dress To Impress Group
  • Gunfight Arena from Splitting Point – WINNER
  • Driving Empire from Voldex
  • The Strongest Battlegrounds from Yielding Arts

Best Collaboration

  • DAZN x Boxing Beta
  • Despicable Me x Livetopia from Century Games
  • Bomb Pop x Restaurant Tycoon 2
  • [AUDI] Driving Empire Car Racing from Voldex – WINNER

Best Creative Direction

  • Dress to Impress from Dress To Impress Group – WINNER
  • Horse Life from Twin Atlas
  • ClipIt from Neura Studio
  • Secret Staycation from Chocolate Ants

Best Use of Tech

  • ClipIt from Neura Studio – WINNER
  • Gunfight Arena from Splitting Point
  • Swordburst 3 from Twin Atlas
  • Murderers VS Sheriffs Duels from Red21 Games

Best Video Star Video

  • Copa Roblox from Santos Masinha – WINNER
  • Cyan Loves Yellow! From Tyler & Snowi
  • Best Rainbow Friends Videos Ever Made! From FGeeTV
  • We Build Our Own Cart Rides in Roblox from ItsFunneh

Best Use of Voice and Audio

  • OnTap from Diepolder Entertainment – WINNER
  • Poke Haven from Lit Enterprises
  • Stock Crash
  • Altitorture

Best Studio

  • Century Games
  • Sawhorse
  • Splitting Point – WINNER
  • Voldex

Best Original UGC

  • Squirrel Suit from @Reverse_Polarity – WINNER
  • Knitted Arm Warmers Very White from @PureSweetener
  • Messy Mermaid Waves(Brown) from @DIDIgamedev
  • Mini Plushie 2D from @dvdko

Best Plugin

  • Moon Animator 2 from @xsixx
  • DataStore Editor from @sleitnick
  • UGC Makers Toolbox from @Onogork – WINNER
  • Load Character Pro from @AlreadyPro

Builderman’s Award of Excellence

  • Dress to Impress from Dress To Impress Group – WINNER
  • A Dusty Trip from Splitting Point
  • Gunfight from Splitting Point

Daily Deals: Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, ThinkPad P14s Gen 5, Astro Bot, and More

The weekend is officially here, and we’ve rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Saturday, September 7, below:

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance for $29.99

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is at a new all-time low price this weekend! 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 $29.99, this is a steal for what will likely end up being one of the most popular RPGs of the year.

ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 AMD (14″) Mobile Workstation

Lenovo has a fantastic deal on this ThinkPad P14s Gen 5, with savings of $1200 for a limited time this weekend. This laptop includes the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840HS Processor, an Integrated AMD Radeon 780M, 64 GB DDR5-5600MHz RAM, a 1 TB SSD, and more. If you’re looking for a new workstation on the go, look no further than this excellent device.

Astro Bot for $52.99

The only thing better than checking out a wonderful new game like Astro Bot is picking it up at a 12% discount on launch weekend! Costco has the new 3D platformer available for just $52.99. This title sees Astro fly across different galaxies to over 50 worlds, searching for bots to rescue. Familiar PlayStation icons from across the console’s history appear, such as Dante from Devil May Cry, Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid, and even Kratos from God of War.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy for $29.99

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy combines Ace Attorney 4-6 into one package! This collection features 16 episodes in total, which can easily provide dozens of hours of fun. Some of the new features exclusive to this remastered collection include the Orchestra Hall to listen to in-game BGM, the Art Library to view illustrations, and the animation studio, where you can utilize character animations to create your own scenes!

WD_BLACK 1TB SN770M M.2 2230 NVMe SSD for $99.99

Amazon has the WD_BLACK 1TB M.2 2230 SSD for just $99.99 this weekend. If you own an ROG Ally or similar handheld gaming device, this SSD is a game changer. You can instantly add an additional 1TB of storage, which is critical for installing newer titles, especially considering file size. Speeds of up to 5,150 MB/s are possible with this SSD, making this a must-have for any Ally or Steam Deck owner.

Monster Hunter Stories Collection for $36.99

Monster Hunter Stories Collection includes both Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. This marks the first time that players can experience the first game with the Japan-exclusive Title Updates, in addition to full voice acting. Jump into the world of Monster Hunter in a new light with this collection at an all-time low price of $36.99!

Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition for $18.99

The Nintendo Switch version of Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition is available right now on Amazon for just $18.99. There is easily over 100 hours of content in this package, with plenty of mayhem to be had with friends. The game itself runs quite well on the Switch, with only occasional FPS drops in high-volume areas. If you haven’t yet played Borderlands 3, this is the perfect time to do so.

Astro Bot: Has PlayStation Finally Found Its Mascot Character?

Spoiler: We mention a few cameos that appear in Astro Bot.

While today PlayStation’s headquarters may be located in San Mateo, California, the history of Sony’s beloved video game console brand started in the early 1990s in Tokyo, Japan. Ken Kutaragi – who would later become known as the father of PlayStation – had been working together with Nintendo on a CD-ROM add-on for the Super Nintendo. When this got canceled, Kutaragi went to Norio Ohga (Sony’s CEO at the time) with the proposal of making Sony’s own console.

“Do it!” Ohga famously said. As a result, in December 1994 the original PlayStation hit store shelves in Japan.

While Kutaragi is no longer involved with the PlayStation brand today, his legacy has not been forgotten. At Team Asobi – Sony’s inhouse development studio best known for the Astro Bot series – artwork along the walls depicts PlayStation’s 30-year journey.

“Do it! Go and make PlayStation. That was the order given to Kutaragi,” says Team Asobi studio director Nicolas Doucet as he shows us around his studio. “Here you can see Kutaragi walking around near Tokyo Tower as he gets struck by an amazing idea of making a 32-bit machine. The rest is history.”

Needless to say, the original PlayStation was an instant hit. With over 100 million units sold, it won the console war by a large margin against industry veterans Nintendo and Sega. Sony’s PlayStation has been an almost unbeatable brand since, launching some of the most successful consoles of all time. However, there is one department that Sony could never really compete in: coming up with a brand-defining mascot character.

Finding a Mascot

Sony just never seemed to have an answer to Nintendo’s Mario or Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog. Crash Bandicoot was an iconic character that was exclusive to the PlayStation at the time, but he belonged to a third-party studio. And while Toro from the Doko Demo Issho series reached mascot-like status in Japan, the cute feline character was hardly known outside of PlayStation’s home country.

But maybe the PlayStation didn’t need an answer to Nintendo and Sega’s beloved mascots. Games were entering an era in which more realistic human characters like Cloud Strife, Solid Snake and Lara Croft were becoming the new industry icons. As this more mature stream of gaming culture evolved, cutesy mascot characters and the 3D platformers they called home became less and less common. When Microsoft entered the industry with the Xbox in 2001, Halo’s Master Chief instantly shaped the console’s image. Microsoft’s purchase of Rare, a studio that had created platformers with mascot-like characters for Nintendo, almost seemed like an afterthought.

“We have to be aware of what makes our platform special, and iterate on that in our games.”

For Nintendo, however, platformers and mascot characters continue to be an essential part of its business and identity. While fans feared that Nintendo could no longer compete during the GameCube era and later the Wii U era, the house of Mario’s inventive spirit allowed it to make multiple comebacks. The combination of beloved characters and playful technology set it apart.

Today, PlayStation’s cinematic blockbuster titles still mostly cater to a mature audience, but Team Asobi is taking a different approach. The studio’s roster of delightful robots and the inventive gameplay with which they and players interact have been compared with the Nintendo way.

“Given Nintendo’s pop-culture standards, it’s always a nice compliment to be compared with Nintendo, but we don’t think about it too much,” Doucet says.

In the same way that Nintendo marries inventive hardware with its iconic characters, Doucet says they’re working on highlighting the PlayStation’s unique power. “PlayStation makes very high-spec machines, so we can do more advanced physics as they require a lot of calculation. We have to be aware of what makes our platform special, and iterate on that in our games.”

But utilizing the uniqueness of hardware is something that Team Asobi has always been good at – arguably more than any other PlayStation studio.

“Originally, we didn’t think that we would go back into making games. We thought that we were going to be a unit that only does R&D,” recalls Doucet. “However, some of our prototypes were received positively internally and we were asked to compile them as a preloaded game on the PS4 for people that have a PlayStation Camera.”

This became The Playroom, Team Asobi’s first game.The Playroom came preloaded with the PS4 when it launched back in 2013 and functioned as a showcase of what the PlayStation Camera and DualShock 4 controller could do. One of the mini games featured was AR Bots, a tech demo-like experience that made it seem as if 40 little robots were inside the DualShock 4. By swiping the touchpad you could throw them into the room and interact with them through the PlayStation Camera in AR, before sucking them back into the controller.

“The Playroom is now more than 10 years old, but it still makes people laugh. That’s a good sign, right?” says Doucet.

“These robots started out as bland white characters that we called AR men. When we were tasked to turn this prototype into an actual experience for players, we had to quickly come up with a character design. The fastest possible route was a robot with a simple nose, mouth and big LED eyes so that we had nothing complicated to animate.”

Astro Bot is Born

These were the early beginnings of what would one day become Team Asobi’s trademark character, Astro Bot. While Shigeru Miyamoto designed Mario to match the technical limitations of the time, Astro’s simple design also came from limitations. Perhaps the simplicity of their character design is what makes both Mario and Astro so iconic and easy to recognize.

“On top of that, we wanted them to look futuristic, as the game was launching together with a new console,” says Doucet. “At the same time, we wanted these bots to have a bit of a belly so that they looked endearing and that you would want to protect them.”

It could be said that the combination of futurism with cuteness perfectly embodies the identity of the Japanese roots of the PlayStation brand that Kutaragi started. Characters like Toro, Parappa and Ape Escape’s monkeys share a somewhat similar blend of digital, cool and cute.

Team Asobi’s success with creating a game to showcase new PlayStation technology led to its next game, The Playroom VR. Similar to its predecessor, The Playroom VR was a free launch game for the PlayStation VR that functioned as a showcase for Sony’s venture into the world of virtual reality. While the team’s focus was on creating a collection of short multiplayer experiences, there was one exception.

“We had made a prototype of a 3D platformer in VR, and there was something special about it,” says Doucet. “We decided to break the rule of only including multiplayer experiences and added it to the package. It ended up being far more popular than any of the multiplayer games we focused on!”

That 3D platformer was named Robots Rescue. While no name was given to the robot you controlled, it was the first time that Astro could be seen in his final design. Robots Rescue was a short experience that consisted of just one stage, but it was so well received that Team Asobi decided to make their next game a full-fledged virtual reality 3D platformer. That became Astro Bot: Rescue Mission, released in 2018. It remains the highest rated PlayStation VR game on Metacritic to this day, with critics citing that it does for VR what Super Mario 64 did for 3D. Astro’s first full-fledged adventure instantly made both Team Asobi and Astro a force to be reckoned with.

“VR is great as it gives you a special card to play, but the audience is more limited”

“This is also when we came up with the name for Astro,” says Doucet. “We wanted to have a short, snappy name that is international and easy to pronounce in any language.”

Astro Bot: Rescue Mission was a huge critical success, but its exclusivity to PlayStation VR was a double-edged sword. Although VR allowed Team Asobi to differentiate its game from other 3D platformers, PS VR had a relatively small install base. For a family-friendly IP like Astro Bot, the fact that the PS VR was recommended for players over 12 also limited the game’s appeal.

“VR is great as it gives you a special card to play, but the audience is more limited,” Doucet says. “We wanted to touch a wider audience, but that meant that we had to compete with developers that have been making 3D platformers for more than 20 or 30 years. It was a big test for us to see if we were capable of doing that or not.”

The result was Astro’s Playroom, a 3D platformer that was, once again, released as a free game designed to showcase a new piece of hardware. It came pre-installed on the PlayStation 5 when it went on sale in 2020. It was easily one of the best games available on the system at launch. To this day, its creative use of the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers showcase what the controller can do better than pretty much any other game. Doucet tells us that while Team Asobi learned from Guerilla Games (Horizon Zero Dawn) and Santa Monica Studio (God of War), those same studios, in turn, asked Team Asobi for advice on how to utilize the DualSense’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

One of the key reasons behind Astro’s Playroom’s creative use of the DualSense was Team Asobi’s close collaboration with Sony’s hardware division.

“Team Asobi’s studio is just across the street from our building, so they were always the first to prototype with our hardware,” says Senior Principal Product Manager Toshi Aoki, product director for the DualSense controller.

“Whenever we had something ready at the hardware team, we would just call Team Asobi and hand it to them,” Aoki explains. “A few days later they would call us back to show us something. With this quick loop, they could give us feedback on what they wanted added to or removed from the hardware.”

Aoki continues, “For our hardware, we want to give the player a new experience rather than just a piece of technology. In that regard, working closely with Team Asobi really helped us.”

The ever-growing install base of the PS5 has allowed many players around the world to enjoy Astro’s Playroom. Filled with references to hardware throughout PlayStation’s history and boasting an abundance of cameo appearances from popular characters, Astro’s Playroom celebrated PlayStation’s history in a unique way. This made Astro not just the new kid on the block, but established the bot as a character integral to the PlayStation brand.

Gaining Icon Status

As the PS5 is still a platform with a relatively mature audience, Sony likely doesn’t have the intention to cement Astro as the system’s one and only mascot. But maybe they should? A new iconic character representing your brand through top-quality games couldn’t possibly be a bad thing. Especially since a family-friendly 3D platformer like Astro Bot is also the type of game that the PlayStation’s library has been lacking.

“For Astro’s Playroom, there have mainly been two types of audiences,” says Doucet. “First, there are the people who actually are gamers. You hear more from them because they are generally more vocal. They’re mostly the type who crave more colorful games and want to go back to 3D platformers. These players are also happy to see how we treat the PlayStation heritage.

“But then, there’s a whole different type of audience that we hear from through more intimate communication,” Doucet reveals. “People come and tell us it became their kid’s first game or that they played it with their daughter or son. Many people buy a PS5 for themselves, but play Astro’s Playroom with their younger children.”

The fact that Team Asobi’s games have the potential to become someone’s first game is something that Doucet takes seriously.

“I grew up playing games like Mega Man and Castlevania. From music to gameplay and even the package art, these games will stay in my heart forever. The hard work and care of the creators has become a part of many people’s lives. We have the same opportunity with Astro, which is something we do not take lightly.”

Astro’s Playroom’s success allowed Team Asobi to get the green light for a full-scale 3D platformer. Releasing on September 6, Team Asobi’s newest game is simply titled Astro Bot. While Astro Bot: Rescue Mission and Astro’s Playroom both benefited from the marvel of new technology (VR and DualSense respectively), Astro Bot feels more like a direct evolution of Astro’s Playroom.

“We made a lot of prototypes at the time, but the game was too small to put all our ideas in,” says Principal gameplay Programming Lead Masayuki Yamada. “Our newest game has all of the best ideas we had to leave out at the time, as well as plenty of new creative ideas. In that sense it has much more volume, and what we can do with the haptic feedback has evolved a lot as well. On top of that, we’re doubling down on showcasing PlayStation’s heritage through hardware references and cameos of beloved characters in new ways, too.”

According to Jamie Smith, Team Asobi’s Principle Animation Director, the animations of Astro and other characters in the game have been drastically increased. While animation in Astro’s Playroom was simple and limited, this time around the team has gone the extra mile by adding significantly more detail through a wider variation of walk and run motions, swimming underwater, climbing vertical cables and ladders, tons of idle animations and much more. These additions enrich the gameplay while further establishing Astro as a character. Seeing Astro take out and play his PS One or being frightened to death in a horror-themed stage adds to his charm in classic mascot character fashion.

Cameos have more detailed animations too. Smith named Trico and the boy from The Last Guardian as an example.

“If you hit Trico, it will wake up and go back to sleep; but if you hit the boy, Trico will wake up and be protective over the boy like in The Last Guardian. We really wanted to go deeper and depict the relationship between characters.”

The biggest evolution of the cameo characters, however, is that four of them will actually lend you their weapons, which Astro needs to use in stages specifically designed for each one.

“People come and tell us it became their kid’s first game or that they played it with their daughter or son.”

“We call these characters PlayStation heroes. They are trapped in boss battles, so you need to defeat the boss to save them,” Doucet explains. “For these PlayStation heroes, we wanted to have a mix of characters from blockbusters and more classic fantasy characters. Since Astro is designed as a family-friendly game that anyone can pick up and play, we wanted these special stages to have simplified game design when compared to the franchise they are based on. Another thing is that we wanted there to be humor. For example, we tried to make [God of War’s] Kratos angry and cute at the same time.”

While more of an extension of its previous titles than something all-new, it sounds like Team Asobi has cooked another stellar game. With over 80 stages and more than 15 power ups, players that wanted more of Astro’s Playroom will unlikely be dissatisfied. It will also be interesting to see what kind of new experiences Team Asobi can deliver with its deep knowledge of the DualSense controller. By paying respect to PlayStation’s heritage in new interactive ways, Astro Bot also seems like the perfect game to mark PlayStation’s 30th anniversary.

“I was at [Tokyo electronics store] Yodobashi Camera last Sunday and saw a father and his son preorder Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Astro Bot,” says Doucet. “Clearly, he bought Call of Duty for himself, while Astro Bot was probably for his son. It was the first time I saw someone buy Astro Bot with my own eyes.”

Like Astro’s Playroom, Astro Bot is not just a game that PS5 owners can play themselves, but also one that they can share with their less-experienced loved ones. Will this new adventure bring Astro even closer to mascot character status? If the father and son Doucet saw at Yodobashi Camera is an indication, Astro could very well be on his way to familiarize a younger audience with the PlayStation brand.

Esra Krabbe is an editor at IGN Japan. Astro Bot: Rescue Mission is his favorite game of the last 10 years.

With Concord’s Servers Now Closed, Fans Wonder If It’ll Return as Free-to-Play. At Least One Expert Has Doubts

As of about 10:30am PT / 1:30pm ET on September 6, Concord’s servers are officially closed. Sony’s troubled live service game didn’t even last two weeks, failing to fill its beta and launching to a tragically low concurrent count on Steam. Ultimately it is estimated to have only sold around 25,000 units, which is extraordinarily low by first-party release standards.

On Bluesky, Circana executive director Mat Piscatella called Concord’s shutdown “unprecedented,” nothing that even Anthem was the best-selling game of February 2019 and is still playable today. Asked how it compares to the likes of The Day Before and Crucible, two other games that were shuttered soon after release, Piscatella said that this “one reads differently to me than anything that’s come before,” describing it as being “soundly rejected” by players.

It makes Concord one of the most remarkable news stories of the year — a first party release that ultimately never had a chance.

Does Concord have a future as a free-to-play game?

Still, at least some fans are wondering if there’s a future for Sony’s shooter. Could Concord work as a free-to-play game? That’s been one of the main questions on platforms like X/Twitter and Resetera as fans debate the path ahead for Sony. Even before Concord shut down, Forbes writer Paul Tassi called its transition to free-to-play “inevitable,” though wondered if it would change things.

There are certainly plenty of sticking points. The roster failed to resonate with fans, and the art style and writing has variously been described as a kind of off-brand Guardians of the Galaxy. There’s also little in terms of innovation to differentiate Concord from other hero shooters. In a market flooded with live service games, success is increasingly a zero sum game, and Concord was on the wrong side of the divide.

On the one hand, the game and the IP were just so soundly rejected of it that one may think it unsalvageable

Nevertheless, we found points to like about Concord. In our review, we described the competitive gameplay as “fantastic” and praised its map design. In its closing days, a collection of trophy hunters made a last second dash to try and grab what will soon be one of PlayStation’s rarest Platinums, even going so far as to throw themselves off cliffs to grind XP.

So will it return? One Resetera user opines. “I’m guessing it’ll probably end up going F2P and then quietly shuttered if it doesn’t find an audience quickly. Doing that’s going to be a hell of a task though as the game was designed around progress not being monetised. I feel terrible for Firewalk, all that time invested into what’s apparently a pretty decent game to have this happen straight after launch. I have a horrible feeling that there’s going to be some layoffs coming soon.”

Piscatella, for his part, is uncertain. “On the one hand, the game and the IP were just so soundly rejected of it that one may think it unsalvageable. On the other hand, so few know about the game that perhaps it could be brought back with a different model and a significant refresh. I think this is an unprecedented situation, with all options on the table, so anyone’s guess is probably as good as mine.”

What’s next for Sony

For what it’s worth, Concord isn’t completely finished. As we reported yesterday, Concord is still set to appear in Secret Level, the upcoming Prime Video anthology series by Tim Miller that also features the likes of God of War, Mega Man, and Warhammer 40K. While it seems unlikely that it will re-ignite interest in the property, it does represent at least one spark of life for the franchise.

The future of Firewalk Studios, for its part, is unclear. The studio behind Concord was established as part of ProbablyMonsters in 2018 and acquired by PlayStation in 2023. Design director Josh Hamrick tweeted throughout the week, thanking fans and signing off when the servers went down with “FREEGUNNER FOR LIFE.”

At one point he wrote wistfully, “I started at Firewalk in the Spring of 2019. We were less than a dozen devs working shoulder to shoulder in a friend’s attic.”

Sony, meanwhile, has more free-to-play games on the way, including Fairgame$ and Bungie’s Marathon. Marathon has already had its share of problems, at one point being forced to replace its director amid layoffs and other problems. Little has been shown of Fairgame$ outside of a CG trailer, but GI.biz’s Chris Dring recently said that he’s been hearing positive buzz about the game. One way or another, the future of Sony’s live service strategy is uncertain, though PlayStation can claim at least one victory thanks to the success of Helldivers 2 in the first part of the year (though it has also struggled of late).

For now, Sony can take comfort in Astro Bot, which is both single-player and receiving rave reviews. As for whether Concord will ever get another chance of its own, we’ll just have to see.

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.

Unlocking Black Myth: Wukong’s Secret Ending Is Legendarily Convoluted

Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers for Black Myth: Wukong!

Like many of the games it’s inspired by, Black Myth: Wukong has an unlockable secret ending – but you’ll need to complete a long list of tasks if you want to see it for yourself.

While some have managed to reach the true grand finale since Game Science launched its boss-filled action RPG last month, many others are still working to check every box needed to unlock the secret ending. It’s Black Myth: Wukong’s third and most difficult ending to achieve, as it requires players to complete a series of tasks woven throughout the duration of the campaign and then beat its final boss twice.

The journey to the Black Myth: Wukong true secret ending starts with finding secret areas hidden throughout four of the story’s six chapters. Chapters 1, 2, 4, and 5 contain these hidden locations and even contain their own hoops to jump through in order to access and complete them. Accessing the Chapter 2 secret area alone requires the completion of a separate quest for a warthog NPC, and it comes with two bosses to beat – the Tiger Vanguard and Fuban. While keeping every location and its requirements in mind, players will also need to ensure they complete the Treasure Hunter side quest in Chapter 3 and beat the game’s final boss, The Great Sage’s Broken Shell. Make sure you don’t start a New Cycle afterward, though, as there is still more to do.

After choosing to continue your journey, you’ll need to find Mount Mei, with arguably the most difficult boss in the game, Erlang, the Sacred Divinity, waiting to greet anyone who’s made it this far. Finally, after beating Erlang and the Four Heavenly Kings that follow him, you’ll need to beat The Great Sage’s Broken Shell just one more time. Then, after what is sure to result in hours of work, you’ll be rewarded with the Black Myth: Wukong true secret ending, which includes a gorgeously animated video.

It’s… a lot! Thankfully, if you’re pressed for time or just can’t get past that Erlang fight, we’ve recorded and shared the full clip below. You can skip to the 33-minute mark to see it for yourself and be sure to follow the walkthrough if you need help accessing those secret locations.

Black Myth: Wukong launched on August 20 for PC and PlayStation 5. An Xbox Series X | S version is in development but is currently without a release date. For more on Game Science’s massively popular action game, you can read our 8/10 review, where we said, “Despite some frustrating technical issues, Black Myth: Wukong is a great action game with fantastic combat, exciting bosses, tantalizing secrets, and a beautiful world.”

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.

How to Play the Call of Duty Games in Order

To say Call of Duty is an important piece of video game history would be an understatement. It’s hard to think of first-person shooters (or action games in general) without mentioning this series, which has become one of the most successful franchises ever after revolutionizing single-player campaigns and online battles.

For decades, CoD has dominated the multiplayer scene. Apart from creating iconic characters like Captain Price and Alex Mason, the series has also introduced unexpected figures to their ranks, like Spawn, Snoop Dogg, and Lionel Messi.

With entries exploring conflicts from both our past and possible future, here’s every Call of Duty game in chronological order.

Jump to:

How Many Call of Duty Games Are There?

Due to quite a few subseries, a reboot, and the many studios that have worked or are working on the series, it can be a bit troublesome to determine how many Call of Duty games have been released.

If we consider only the main entries with single-player campaigns, including all the World War II titles, the Modern Warfare suubseries (plus its reboot), and the Black Ops subseries, there are 19 video games in the franchise.

However, things get complicated when you add all the expansions, online experiences, mobile games, and spin-offs. For example, Call of Duty: United Offensive is an expansion for the first game, while Call of Duty: Finest Hour and Call of Duty 2: Big Red One are side stories of the first two entries.

Spin-offs include strategy game Call of Duty: Siege, launched in 2016 based on Infinite Warfare’s universe; Call of Duty: Heroes, released in 2014; and the mobile version of Call of Duty: Black Ops. In fact, many main entries have significantly different editions for mobile/handheld when compared to the major console releases. Examples of this are PS Vita’s Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified and Nintendo DS’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: Defiance.

Then there’s the Chinese free-to-play Call of Duty Online, released in 2015 and shut down in 2021. 2019’s Call of Duty Mobile took its place and is still running today.

The unique Zombies modes have become a staple of the series since their first inclusion in 2008’s World at War, and they have appeared in multiple entries since.

Finally, the franchise entered the battle royale and live service genres with Warzone, launched in 2020, which became a huge success. Two years later, it was replaced by Warzone 2.0, a complete overhaul of the game’s map and experience. Warzone Mobile brought the battle royale experience to iOS and Android devices in early 2024.

To avoid confusion, it’s worth mentioning that the reboot of the Modern Warfare series will be numbered with Roman numbers. Also, Black Ops 4 is not added to the list below for its lack of campaign (it’s a multiplayer-only experience).

Call of Duty Games in Chronological Order

Beware of minor spoilers for the stories, characters, and relevant events of each game in the list below.

1. Call of Duty (2003)

The franchise’s first game was developed by Infinity Ward and published in 2003. This is the first of many entries in the series focused on World War II, following the steps of other household names like Medal of Honor.

In the first Call of Duty, you play three different campaigns as different soldiers from three countries: the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union.

The North American soldier, Private Martin, starts his training in 1942 and participates in the invasion of Normandy in 1944, while the British Sergeant Evans fights in Operation Tonga that same year. Evans will later be helped by Captain Price, a recurrent name in the franchise. On the other hand, the Soviet Alexei Ivanovich Voronin’s campaign takes place in the Battle of Stalingrad.

2. Call of Duty 2 (2005)

The sequel of the original title repeats the settings and nations but with some different perspectives. Instead of three campaigns, you experience four: one from the perspective of a North American soldier, one from the Soviet Union, and two from Britain.

As Private Vasili Koslov, you have to defend Moscow from Nazi German soldiers, while North American Bill Taylor joins the army that assaults La Pointe du Hoc during the infamous D-Day. The British soldiers, Sergeant John Davis and David Welsh, participated in the conflict in North Africa. Davis is led by Captain Price.

3. Call of Duty: World at War (2008)

A few years after Call of Duty 3, the team at Treyarch came back and delivered their last entry based on the conflict the series has been breathing off since its beginnings. This time, however, the campaign was only divided into North American and Soviet forces.

You follow American Marine Private C. Miller during the Makin Island raid in 1942, and later in the Battle of Peleliu, in which American forces confronted the Japanese army. The Soviet section takes place in the Battle of Stalingrad, but this time on the Eastern Front as Private Dimitri Petrenko.

4. Call of Duty 3 (2005)

The first main game in the series not developed by Infinity Ward, Call of Duty 3 was Treyarch’s first attempt at recreating World War II events.

Taking place in 1944, armies from Britain, Poland, the United States, Canada, and France fight against Germany’s Nazi forces in the village of Chambois, France, during the Battle of Normandy.

This is the only main entry you cannot play on PC.

5. Call of Duty: WWII (2017)

Almost a decade and a half after the first game, studio Sledgehammer Games returned the franchise to World War II. This was the first time in the main series there was only one protagonist in the campaign: Ronald “Red” Daniels, accompanied by his loyal squad. As Red, you fight Nazi German forces across the European theater, from Normandy to Germany.

While WWII has some brief flashback sequences in 1940, which would set it as the first game in the series chronologically, the core of the title takes place in 1944.

6. Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)

In the latest entry set in World War II, developer Sledgehammer Games tried once again to bring Call of Duty to its roots and explore this historical event from a different perspective.

Contrary to 2017’s WWII, you are presented with multiple characters on different fronts. The main objective is to learn more about Phoenix, a secret Nazi project that could change the tide of the war in favor of Nazi Germany.

Vanguard also has flashback sequences for different protagonists starting in 1941, but the majority of the campaign is set in 1945, near the end of the war.

7. Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)

Developer Treyarch changed eras with Black Ops. Going from 1961 to 1968, you’ll experience the events of the Cold War and part of the Vietnam War for the first time in the series.

The main protagonist, Alex Mason, works with the CIA and is tasked to remember events that would help find Soviet sleeper agents. These agents are around the United States, and they plan to release a dangerous chemical weapon called Nova 6.

8. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020)

Developed by Treyarch and Raven Software, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War helps connect the original Black Ops and Black Ops 2. While the main protagonist this time is nicknamed “Bell,” you get to choose your name, gender, and other details like dialogue lines.

Set in 1981, you team up with characters from previous games, including Alex Mason, Frank Woods, and Jason Hudson. Under CIA’s Russell Adler, your elite team is supposed to catch a Soviet figure that goes by “Perseus” who is planning to attack the United States.

9. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012)

The sequel to the original Black Ops presents two timelines. On the first one, you follow Alex Mason’s footsteps several years after he and his team successfully stopped Nova 6. It’s 1986, and Jason Hudson asks Mason to aid with the search for Frank Woods, who disappeared in Cuando Cubango, Angola.

The second timeline is centered around David Mason, Alex’s son, who’s looking for Raul Menendez in 2025. Menendez is the leader of Cordis Die, a terrorist organization that provoked the Second Cold War.

10. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)

The last entry to have a number after “Call of Duty,” Modern Warfare is the first time the series abandoned its classic Allies vs Axis conflict for something more recent.

In 2011, Yasir Al-Fulani, the president of a fictional Middle Eastern country, was executed by Khaled Al-Asad, the leader of a revolutionary party. Meanwhile, Russia is going through a civil war provoked by Imran Zakhaev, an arms dealer.

A squad commanded by Captain Price and formed by protagonist John “Soap” MacTavish have to stop an international crisis.

11. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)

Set five years after the events of the previous game, Modern Warfare 2 tells the story of Vladimir Makarov, an Ultranationalist who continues the work of Imran Zakhaev. It turns out this extremist party gained control of Russia, so Makarov gained the power to start committing terrorist acts against the United States.

Well-known faces like the Captain Soap and Captain Price join forces with Sergeant Gary “Roach” Sanderson, Lieutenant Simon “Ghost” Riley, “Nikolai”, and other agents to stop Makarov’s secret plan.

12. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)

The end of the first Modern Warfare trilogy brings the pursuit of terrorist Vladimir Makarov to its climax. Captain Price’s team re-arranges itself with Yuri, an ex-Spetsnaz known by Nikolai. Captain John “Soap” MacTavish is also present for the final mission.

Makarov captures Boris Vorshevsky, the president of Russia, who was going to establish peace with the United States. After threatening the president’s daughter, Makarov acquired nuclear launch codes, becoming an international danger once again.

13. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)

In 2019, Infinity Ward rebooted the successful Modern Warfare series by reusing some classic characters in a new timeline. Well-known faces like Captain Price are present in a new conflict with Russia.

Set in the same year it was released, a fictional republic called Urzikstan is invaded by a Russian army. While this attack is going on, a terrorist organization called Al-Qatala, also from Urzikstan, begins with operations against different countries in the world. Captain Price, alongside his Task Force 141 and the Urzikstan Liberation Force, try to de-escalate the conflict.

14. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)

Taking place in 2022, Modern Warfare II follows the story of the MW reboot, featuring returning characters from Task Force 141 and the Urzikstan Liberation Force leader Farah Karim.

Al-Qatala is still a threat, but all eyes are on Quds Force, an Iranian revolutionary group commanded by Hassan Zyani. Zyani is supported by Al-Qatala and a Mexican cartel from the fictional city of Las Almas, and he plans terrorist acts against the United States after the assassination of General Ghorbrani, an Iranian forces leader.

15. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023)

Picking up after the events of 2022’s Modern Warfare II, MWIII once again stars Task Force 141, including recurring characters John Price, Simon “Ghost” Riley, Kyle “Gaz” Garrick, and John “Soap” MacTavish. Ultranationalist terrorist Vladimir Makarov, the villain from 2011’s Modern Warfare 3, once again serves as the antagonist.

16. Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013)

A standalone entry with few connections to previous titles, Call of Duty Ghosts was developed by Infinity Ward in 2013. As its name indicates, it focused on the special operation group called Ghosts, a U.S. team tasked with secret missions.

It’s 2027, and after a decade of conflicts in the Middle East and an oil crisis, a South American force called the Federation of the Americas initiated a war against the United States. Working with your new team, you have to stop Gabriel T. Rorke, the former leader of Ghosts.

17. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)

Advanced Warfare was the first entry to take place several decades beyond its release date. It was also the first game developed primarily by Sledgehammer Games.

Set in 2054, you control Jack Mitchell, a member of the United States Marine Corps who later fights in the private military corporation known as Atlas after suffering an accident. On this occasion, the enemy forces are a Chechenian separatist group called KVA led by Joseph “Hades” Chkheidze.

It was one of the first entries to feature futuristic changes in gameplay due to its setting, like the fact that soldiers now wear exoskeletons, which bring them unique abilities.

18. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015)

The end of the initial Black Ops trilogy was also set in the future. More specifically, in the year 2065, when a Third Cold War between the Common Defense Pact and the Winslow Accord is happening. Robotic drones, cyborg supersoldiers, unpiloted air forces, and other technological advancements take center stage.

A black ops team composed of you (simply referred to as “The Player”), Jacob Hendricks, and your cybernetics division will be tasked with preventing the conflict from reaching a more dangerous state. You investigate a strange event in Singapore and look out for the 54 Immortals, a crime organization.

19. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)

No Call of Duty game went further into the future than Infinite Warfare. Around the 2080s, the United Nations Space Alliance was created after humans had spent all the natural resources available on Earth. Beginning the colonization and exploitation of resources on other planets, this alliance is defended by the Solar Associated Treaty Organization, a military force that battles the totalitarian regime Settlement Defense Front from Mars.

How to Play the Call of Duty Games By Release Date

  1. Call of Duty (2003)
  2. Call of Duty 2 (2005)
  3. Call of Duty 3 (2006)
  4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
  5. Call of Duty: World at War (2008)
  6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
  7. Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)
  8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)
  9. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012)
  10. Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013)
  11. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)
  12. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015)
  13. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)
  14. Call of Duty: WWII (2017)
  15. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
  16. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020)
  17. Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)
  18. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)
  19. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023)
  20. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (2024)

What’s Next for Call of Duty?

The next Call of Duty game (and first mainline CoD title since Microsoft’s massive acquisition of Activision) is Black Ops 6, releasing on October 25 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC. Microsoft has confirmed that Black Ops 6 will be available Day 1 on Xbox Game Pass, and while the Early Access period has passed, Open Beta restarts this weekend, September 6-9.

In terms of this timeline, Black Ops 6 picks up from Black Ops 2 after the Cold War in the early 90’s. We learned more about the campaign, as well as what to expect from the new installment’s Zombie mode, in our hands-on preview of Black Ops 6 from earlier this summer. There were also plenty of details about the game revealed during this year’s Call of Duty: Next, including that we’ll be seeing the return of the classic Prestige leveling system.

Axel Bosso is a contributing freelancer for IGN, covering everything related to video games (he’s behind some of the Wikis you might have used over the years)!

Baldur’s Gate 3 Player Finds Scrapped Evil Ending in Patch 7 That’s Hilariously Anticlimactic

Warning: The below story contains full spoilers for the end of Baldur’s Gate 3.

As Baldur’s Gate 3 fans scramble to find all the secrets in the RPG’s absolutely massive Patch 7, released on PC this week, one player has found a scrapped evil ending that’s, well, a little anticlimatic.

YouTuber SlimXG (h/t GamesRadar) found the ending still in the game’s files, accessing it by merely blocking the “impossible” tag. By doing this, he discovered a fully animated new cinematic, which shows the player character leaving all this tadpole nonsense behind after an evil run.

As SlimXG explains, the character in his footage is Lae’zel, but the ending isn’t limited to her. It shows Lae’zel after taking control of the Netherbrain, leaving all of Baldur’s Gate at her mercy. As she grapples with what to do next, the removal of the “impossible” tag reveals two new options: “remove the tadpole at last and depart with your companions,” and “rid yourself of the tadpole at last and walk away from all of this — alone.”

With either option, Lae’zel then removes the tadpole from her head as onlookers, somewhat hilariously, look on in confusion, and then heads out. Basically, peace out alone, or peace out with friends.

It’s pretty easy to see why the ending was cut — it’s hardly even that evil, just apathetic — and, with each option coming in at under a minute, it’s a jarringly abrupt way to end the game. Still, it’s pretty funny to see the befuddled looks on the companions’ faces when the player goes through all that trouble to conquer the Netherbrain only to just… walk away.

It’s only one of many discoveries players have been making since the release of Patch 7, which also includes the highly anticipated addition of official mod support. The new evil endings are certainly a highlight, with Karlach’s causing her to trend on X/Twitter yesterday.

And the good news is, that may not be the last we see of new Baldur’s Gate 3 content. While Patch 7 was previously expected to likely be Larian’s last major patch, the studio’s head of publishing tweeted that “it’s not the final update” after all, though declined to reveal specifics of what’s on the horizon. Console players, meanwhile, will get to dig into Patch 7 sometime in October, Larian said with the PC release.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Starfield’s New Planet Has Over 50 New Locations, Bethesda Reveals

Bethesda has celebrated Starfield’s first birthday by sharing some new details on upcoming expansion Shattered Space.

The sci-fi role-playing shooter, which launched on September 6, 2023 as Bethesda’s first brand new franchise in years, gets its debut expansion Shattered Space on September 30, 2024.

In a tweet, Bethesda teased it has “much more coming” to Starfield beyond Shattered Space, but for now, revealed some fresh details on the expansion.

The highlight here is the addition of over 50 new locations to discover and explore across Va’ruun’kai (Va’ruun’kai is the new planet players get to visit during Shattered Space). This suggests Shattered Space will certainly keep Starfield fans busy when it comes out.

Elsewhere, there are new grenades to craft that stem from organic material you gather – “and it’s gross,” Bethesda added. There are “formidable” new enemies, too (“be on your guard for Redeemed and Vortex Horrors…”).

And finally, Bethesda said Starfield players haven’t seen the last of Zealots, Spacers, or the Crimson Fleet. “As you explore the planet be on the lookout for those taking advantage of the situation,” the developer added.

We gave Starfield a 7/10 when we reviewed it last year, writing at the time that it “has a lot of forces working against it, but eventually the allure of its expansive roleplaying quests and respectable combat make its gravitational pull difficult to resist.”

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.