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The Xbox Series X Is a Must-Own Console for RPG Fans

Microsoft’s recent excellent Xbox Showcase laid bare something we’d already suspected: that the Xbox is about to become the go-to platform for role-playing games – particularly Western RPGs. It’s an interesting shift for a platform that, from its very inception on the back of the Halo franchise, was informally known as the “shooter box.”

None of this is a surprise – not when Microsoft purchased Obsidian, inXile, and then Bethesda Game Studios – but now all of Microsoft’s RPG cards have been laid out, and the hand they’re holding is mighty impressive. To wit: Xbox now has at least one major, exclusive, first-party RPG lined up for the next 3-4 years, if not more.

From what I have seen and played, nothing in Starfield is shallow. The skill trees, the character creator, the dialogue trees, the shipbuilding systems, and so much more all have genuine depth

First up, of course, is Starfield, which will finally be released on September 6 (technically September 1 if you pony up for the pricier deluxe version) after roughly eight years in development. Game director Todd Howard told me he doesn’t want everything he works on from here on out to take that long, but after playing Starfield for an hour myself, I can confidently say that the time has not been wasted. What I mean by that – and the 45-minute Starfield Direct that immediately followed the Xbox Showcase went into more detail on – is that from what I have seen and played, absolutely nothing in Starfield is shallow. The skill trees, the character creator, the dialogue trees, the shipbuilding systems, the planetary exploration, and so much more all have genuine depth to them. Each is something you could spend hours enjoyably doing. Players are going to be plumbing the depths of Starfield’s massive in-game universe for many, many years to come.

Next year, meanwhile, the aforementioned RPG specialists at Obsidian have promised us Avowed, the first-person fantasy role-playing game set in the Pillars of Eternity universe. Unlike Starfield, Avowed won’t be gargantuan. Instead, Obsidian clarified that it’s more akin to the 20-40-hour quest that the studio’s own The Outer Worlds was. But if it’s got the quality of story, dialogue, and pure role-playing that Obsidian has made its name on, then I can’t imagine that anyone’s really going to complain.

Next we move to 2025, which seems like the most likely landing spot for Fable. Before you hit the Comments below saying that 2025 is crazy, think about this: Microsoft put “2024” on the games they are confident are coming out next year, like Avowed and Hellblade 2. Fable had no date on its debut gameplay trailer. Therefore, it’s likely not expected out next year, otherwise they’d have put 2024 on it. Playground has a truly immaculate track record, and if the snippets of gameplay we saw in that trailer are indicative of what we can expect in the full game, then Playground will strengthen its argument that it is among the most talented developers not just at Microsoft, but in the entire game industry.

Things get a bit murkier from there, release-wise, but if either or both of The Outer Worlds 2 and inXile’s steampunk-inspired, Unreal Engine 5-powered Clockwork Revolution slip to 2026 (an entirely possible if not probable scenario in the modern game industry), then you’re looking at four consecutive years of some serious RPG firepower.

And finally, of course, there’s one more RPG in Microsoft’s pocket – one that will probably outsell all of the other ones combined, and one that is arguably the single biggest property Microsoft owns (yes, bigger than Halo at this point) – The Elder Scrolls 6. That one is quite a bit further out, given the fact that Howard and his Bethesda Game Studios teams only work on one game at a time. The follow-up to Skyrim will be a juggernaut, but it’s still so far away that it might not even be released on the current Xbox console generation. If we take Howard to heart when he says he hopes his games don’t take eight years to make from now on, a five-year development cycle for a game as big and ambitious as TES6 is likely to be is probably the most reasonable guesstimate. Four years is unlikely, three is basically impossible. Five years would put us in holiday 2028 – possibly as a launch title for the next-generation Xbox, if the Series X lasts as long as the Xbox 360 did (the Xbox One was seven years, which would even more assuredly put TES6 on the next Xbox!).

The point is, the Xbox is absolutely loaded with exclusive, AAA role-playing games from accomplished game developers. If you love the genre, you’re going to have to start gaming in the Xbox ecosystem if you’re not already there. And you’re going to be eatin’ good for years to come.

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) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

IGN UK Podcast 702: The Good and Bad of Final Fantasy 16

Cardy, Dale, and Matt have played a ton of Final Fantasy 16 and have just as many thoughts on the latest in the RPG-turned-character action game series. After an extensive rundown of the things it does well and what it doesn’t, there’s time for a brief chat about Marvel’s Secret Invasion, as well as the new trailers for Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Challengers, and Kraven The Hunter.

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 702: The Good and Bad of Final Fantasy 16

Henry Cavill’s James Bond Audition Was ‘Tremendous’ – 007 Director Shares All

Henry Cavill’s 007 audition was tremendous” according to Casino Royale director, Martin Campbell.

During an interview with The Express, the filmmaker revealed new details about Cavill’s 007 screen test.

“He looked great in the audition,” he said. “His acting was tremendous. And look, if Daniel didn’t exist Henry would have made an excellent Bond. He looked terrific, he was in great physical shape… very handsome, very chiseled. He just looked a little young at that time back then.”

Famously, Cavill just missed out on the role of 007 back when casting for the 2006 hit, Casino Royale, took place. The role, of course, went to Daniel Craig. However, Campbell thinks Cavill simply missed his time to play the iconic British superspy. At the time, Cavill was only 23, so his casting would have made him the youngest Bond yet.

“It was ultimately down to, and this is what I’ve been told, it was just down to me and Daniel, and I was the younger option,” said Cavill in an interview with Josh Horowitz. “They obviously went with Daniel and I think it was an amazing choice to go with Daniel. I probably wasn’t ready at the time and I think Daniel did an incredible job over the past movies, so I’m happy they made that choice.”

It’s no secret that 007 producers are now on the lookout for the next James Bond after Daniel Craig left the franchise behind with No Time to Die. Could Cavill now play Bond? “By the time Daniel got to [No Time To Die] really he was at an age where one more would have been too old for him,” said Campbell. “I think they sign on for three Bonds, I’m not absolutely 100% certain of that. I know with Pierce [Brosnan] he had to sign on to three when we did him. So, that’s going to take, what, six years of your life maybe? I suspect Daniel [had] the same deal. And the next guy’s going to have to do that.

“Henry’s 40, so by the time he’s done the third one he’s going to be 50. Anything beyond that’s two, three years per Bond. He’s in good shape Henry, he’s a good guy. He did very well in the audition, but ironically, he was too young.”

The next Bond movie is said to be a “complete reinvention” of the series and it’s reported that producers are looking for someone younger, ideally in their 30s.

IGN’s Casino Royale review gave it 9/10 and said: “The point of Fleming’s story was always about how Bond, after suffering at the hands of Le Chiffre and then facing even greater pain later, realizes his place in the world and that he must go after the threat behind the threat. In other words, James Bond literally and figuratively gets his balls back, and that testicular fortitude is exactly what this 44-year-old franchise has needed for many years now.”

Want to read more about James Bond? Find out why some 007 favorites might be too old to play James Bond, and why John Williams would love to score a Bond movie.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Final Fantasy 16 Ending Explained

Warning: full spoilers follow for the events of Final Fantasy 16.

As you’d expect of a game in this series, the final hours of Final Fantasy 16 go to some wild places. This is a game that features massive monsters beating the heck out of each other, after all, and so naturally the finale had to go super size. If you’ve completed the game and want a detailed breakdown of what it all means, or don’t plan on playing it and want to skip straight to the end, then you’re in the right place. We’re about to reveal everything that happens in the last few hours of Final Fantasy 16, so prepare yourself for the biggest spoilers.

Ultima’s Plan

Long ago, the god Ultima and his kin created magic. It allowed them to flourish, but it also came at a price: the world-destroying Blight. The gods were powerless to stop it, and so sixteen survivors fled to a new world: Valisthea. But the Blight followed them to this new land, and so the gods realised there was only one option: to build a whole new world.

Casting the spell to create this new world would require a huge amount of magical power, and a vessel strong enough to wield it. To gain that power, the gods sacrificed their own physical forms to create the Mothercrystals, huge structures that would drain the natural aether that flowed through Valisthea’s soil. To acquire the vessel, they created humanity. After many generations this new race would eventually produce the Mythos; a human capable of harnessing unimaginable power. The Mythos could then be inhabited by Ultima, who would use the power harvested by the Mothercrystals to cast the world-creating spell.

Such a plan would take a thousand years to unfold, so Ultima and his kin went into hibernation. But by abandoning their godly duties over humanity, the new people of Valisthea were lost. Forced to fend for themselves, they eventually gained their own will and self-determination. That led to the discovery of magic, which in turn led to conflict and war, and ultimately the world-devouring Blight. In short: humanity repeated the failures of their creators.

Ultima was awoken when Clive and Cid destroyed Drake’s Head. While Joshua managed to use the power of the Phoenix to cage Ultima’s spirit, the god had already recognised that Clive, who can harness the power of multiple Eikons, was the Mythos. And so Ultima began the final stages of his plan. By influencing King Barnabas and Emperor Olivier, Ultima ensured that Clive came into conflict with the major powers so that he would kill their Dominants, absorb their Eikons, and gradually build the power of the Mythos. He also used his influence to drive Clive’s quest to destroy the Mothercrystals, as each one shattered meant another god’s spirit was freed.

Now that Clive had absorbed the power of every Eikon, the Mythos had almost reached full potential. It was time for Ultima to prepare “Raise”; a spell he reveals will allow the gods to ascend to paradise but destroy all of humanity and Valisthea in the process.

Mythos and Ifrit Risen

The Mythos’ final form is Ifrit Risen, a colossal creature that is a combination of Ifrit and Phoenix. The image of Ifrit Risen can be seen all over Valisthea as part of religious murals, but it is not until Joshua visits Gjallarhorn in Waloed that he discovers the full version of the mural.

The painting shows seven Eikons – Garuda, Ramuh, Shiva, Titan, Bahamut, Odin, and the lost Leviathan – all looking up in adoration at Ifrit Risen. The absence of Ifrit and Phoenix in their solo forms suggests that they, and by extension Ifrit Risen, are not Eikons in the same way as the other summons. This is further hinted at when Clive and Joshua come across Ultima Prime, a decaying body that looks like Ifrit, in The Interdimensional Rift. It makes sense that Ultima’s vessel would have a similar appearance to his own former physical form.

While Ultima’s plan revolves around the creation of the Mythos, he also predicted the possibility of the Logos; the corrupted version of Mythos that has its own will. This is what Clive has effectively become. Because humanity was abandoned by their gods, they gained their own will, and thus Mythos was born with the self-determination to make their own choices. Furthermore, in the generations since Ultima abandoned Valisthea, human faith in him has faded, which in turn has weakened him. But Clive, strengthened by the faith of his friends, is able to resist Ultima and put an end to his apocalyptic plans.

Stopping Ultima

After a battle at Stonhyrr fortress in Waloed, in which the last of Valisthea’s five Mothercrystals is destroyed, the defeated Ultima retreats to Twinside. The city is revealed to be built on top of Origin, the ark in which the gods came to Valisthea a thousand years ago. Ultima lifts Origin into the sky and encases it in crystal, which immediately begins to drain aether from the land. As it does so the Blight spreads faster and aether floods the land, turning people and animals into mindless servants of Ultima known as Akashic.

Clive, Joshua, and Dion decide to launch an attack on Origin. Dion transforms into Bahamut and flies the brothers through Ultima’s army and into the Origin crystal. Inside, the three use their Eikons to create a massive explosion. The blast only stalls Ultima, but Dion is killed and Clive gravely wounded. Joshua uses the power of the Phoenix to heal his brother, but this severely weakens him, leaving him barely able to walk.

Clive carries Joshua to the Core of Origin, where Ultima awaits. The god merges with the spirits of his kin who have been freed from their Mothercrystals, and then pulls the final piece – the spirit trapped back at Drake’s Head – from Joshua’s chest. With all the gods combined into a single consciousness, and Origin filled with all the required aether, the spell to create the new world is primed. All Ultima needs to do now is inhabit the Mythos.

In his final moments, Joshua gives Clive the full power of the Phoenix so that he can become Ifrit Risen on his own. Clive then fights Ultima in a huge, three-phase battle where both use the power of the Eikons to do colossal damage to one another. While Ultima does all in his power to force Clive to submit, he is eventually defeated by his own creation.

As he lies dying, Ultima asks Clive what he will do with his newfound freedom. While Clive recognises that humanity is imperfect and there will likely be generations of hardship ahead, he explains that it is worth those struggles to be free. He then absorbs Ultima’s power, and finally becomes the Logos.

Clive’s Sacrifice

Having learned the toxic effects of magic on not just Valisthea but the world that came before it, Clive realises that to save humanity he must eradicate magic entirely. The only way he can do that is by using the full power of Ultima’s vessel to burn away the heart of Origin and destroy the final Mothercrystal.

“It seems Ultima’s power was too great for this vessel all along,” Clive says. “But while I am it, perhaps I can use it to set things right, and see Ultima’s legacy consigned to the flames. Even if it means the end of me.”

It’s an act that will kill him. But, understanding that it is the only way, Clive makes the ultimate sacrifice. The final Mothercrystal is destroyed, and the world is freed. Later, Clive washes up on a beach. There, he looks up to a newly clear, star-filled sky. He watches as his own magic fades, and then slips away into a hero’s death.

Post-Credits Scene

After the credits have rolled, we’re treated to a short post-credits scene which acts as a sweet epilogue to the journey. A young boy who resembles Clive is seen making a fire with wood and flint, and he says to his mother he wishes he had the flames of an Eikon. She tells him that magic is just a fairytale. As the boy goes off to play with his blonde-haired brother and faithful dog, the camera moves to show a book: Final Fantasy, written by Joshua Rosfield. The real events of the game were recorded, but hundreds of years later they are thought of as little more than a myth. The two brothers and their dog, in a happy echo of Clive, Joshua and Torgal, play in the garden and recreate moments from their favourite book. They live free lives because of the brothers’ sacrifices.

Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Features Editor.

Xbox’s Powerhouse RPG Lineup + FTC Trial Revelations – Unlocked 600

We have so much to talk about on this milestone episode! We recap some of the games we saw and played at Summer Game Fest, then discuss how Xbox is absolutely STACKED with AAA exclusive first-party RPGs for the next several years, then pour one out for the Xbox One as Microsoft officially stops making games for it, and THEN we finish this extra-long episode digging into all of the crazy revelations that are coming out as we speak during Microsoft’s trial against the FTC regarding the Activision-Blizzard acquisition. Enjoy!

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) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

The NVC Crew Reacts to the June Nintendo Direct

The June Nintendo Direct was announced just a day before its air time, and as soon as it was official, everyone rushed to bring out their predictions and “leaks.” Nintendo definitely gave us everything they promised, which was around 40 minutes of info on games mostly coming out this year, as well as new Pikmin 4 info. The biggest surprises of the show for most people were the announcements of Super Mario RPG for Switch and a new 2D Super Mario game by way of Super Mario Bros. Wonder. We covered the show live, and you can check out the reactions of our NVC panel, but we also wanted to share our reactions to the Nintendo Direct in writing.

Seth Macy

As far as Nintendo Directs go, the announcement that got me most excited was actually for a collection of games, the youngest of which is nearly 20 years old. I’m of course talking about the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1, which bears a striking resemblance to the Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection released for the PS3 (minus a few games). They aren’t even remakes or remasters, it looks like we’re just getting the original versions of the first 3 MGS games, and honestly, I’m fine with that. They hold up surprisingly well, and I love them all a lot, so being able to drag them along with me on my Switch means more chances to play Metal Gear, and that’s a good thing. Other than that, I felt the Direct was pretty decent.

Definitely didn’t expect to see remakes of Super Mario RPG and Luigi’s Mansion 2, and I’m still processing Super Mario Wonder, the newly-announced 2D Mario game with a new elephant power-up. It looks so weird! But it also looks really interesting, probably because it is so weird. The animations and personalities were the real stars of the reveal trailer. Sure, we got some gameplay stuff, but it was mostly to show off just how bizarre this game is, as well as give us a look at the surprisingly expressive animations of the characters. It’s almost like Super Mario directed by Chuck Jones. I’m very excited to see how it all comes together.

As decent as the Direct was, I didn’t get what I was really hoping for, acknowledgment of the existence of Switch versions of Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, but that’s fine. We can’t all get what we want, and besides, I’ve been saying for a while I wished MGS games were on Switch, and now I can close that chapter of my wish book. We also didn’t hear a peep about Metroid Prime 4, which isn’t surprising at this point, but I felt like there was a chance we’d get some kind of update. Maybe Metroid Prime 4 is going to do for the Metroid series what Tears of the Kingdom has done for Zelda (and honestly, all open-world games). I have a feeling that’s not the case, though. A sad feeling.

Brendan Graeber

This particular Nintendo Direct left me feeling pretty whelmed, which isn’t a bad thing! Perhaps it’s due to already getting some great first party games earlier this year, but I wasn’t expecting any huge shocking announcements other than some really good ports. Even then, I’m pretty stoked to finally have another side-scrolling Mario out in a few months that can finally break free of the “New” format, and appears to be going absolutely bonkers in its visual style. I also feel just a little bad for Everybody 1-2-Switch!, whose bare-bones marketing the day before the direct got absolutely punted aside by the superior WarioWare: Move It!

As far as unfulfilled dreams go, I’m no longer shocked by the lack of Metroid news, and am becoming more inclined to believe that Metroid Prime 4 on Switch is no longer a thing, and may have been quietly reworked to become one of the leading launch titles for whatever Nintendo’s next console is.

Peer Schneider

I enjoyed the Direct, but it was missing one or two major announcements to make it truly feel like a Nintendo summer showcase of old. My expectations were raised by Metroid Prime’s excellent Remaster release in February – it seemed like Nintendo was getting fans ready for the sequel this holiday, which would’ve made a June reveal very likely. On top of that, we haven’t seen a truly original Nintendo game reveal in a while – think something along the lines of Arms or Splatoon to join the ranks of Nintendo classics like Mario, Zelda, or Kirby (or not, in the case of Arms). And since I’m being greedy now, a new hardware announcement is way overdue. Setting aside the much-anticipated next iteration of the Switch hardware, Nintendo’s surprised us with micro consoles, Game & Watch units, and even cool experiments like LABO before. Nintendo seemingly knew it needed a few more tasty morsels for Nintendo fans, as it dropped in a premature reveal of Princess Peach’s next standalone adventure. The all-too-short glimpse seemed at odds with the rest of the Direct. I would’ve preferred a more fully-featured reveal at a later date, but it’s clear Nintendo wanted to acknowledge Peach’s move to the forefront of its character roster based on her much-lauded appearance in the Super Mario Bros. movie.

But with all that out of the way, I have to say that what Nintendo did show was absolutely delightful. I’m so ready for a new 2D Mario game, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder looks very, very promising. While it was the star of the Direct for me, I only narrowly beat out the reveal of Super Mario RPG. I had somehow convinced myself that the original game and characters like Geno were locked up in some ancient Square/Nintendo partnership limbo that made it too complicated to bother with a remake. But that’s exactly what we’re getting: no pixel remaster or Nintendo Switch Online release, but a full polygonal reworking of an underplayed classic, with updated music by Yoko Shimomura on top of it all! Add to that Vampire Survivors Switch, a new WarioWare, and returning favorites like Pikmin 1 and 2, Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, and a Star Ocean The Second Story R remake, and we’ve got a pretty solid lineup.

Miranda Sanchez

I’m one of a handful of folks out there absolutely elated to finally see Detective Pikachu Returns. And it’s quite the return, considering the sequel was announced in 2019 with no word of it since! Other than that, I was a little surprised to see how Mario-focused the Direct was generally. Those games look generally cool, and while I play to play Super Mario RPG, I do wish we got a platform adventure Mario game rather than a side-scroller. The latter are the classic, but I like my Mario games with enough space to triple jump in any direction of my choosing. I’m also a little surprised we didn’t see another very specific Miranda and friends game, Fashion Dreamer. That’s out later this year and we still don’t have a release date for it. Overall I thought the direct did a good job setting up the rest of the year and a little bit of early next year.

Pete Hines: Starfield Wouldn’t Be Out in Nine Weeks If It Was Releasing on PS5

Bethesda’s Pete Hines has spoken about Xbox exclusivity in the years following Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax, saying that developing for fewer platforms has streamlined the process in some cases.

During today’s trial between Microsoft/Activision and the Federal Trade Commission, Hines was asked about developing games like Redfall and Starfield as Xbox console exclusives. Hines said developers can hold more rounds of quality assurance testing when a game is on fewer platforms, which he called less of a risk than developing for many platforms. Hines spoke on Starfield, saying it wouldn’t hit its September date if it was a multiplatform title.

“We would not be putting [Starfield] out in nine weeks if we were supporting an entire additional platform

“We would not be putting [Starfield] out in nine weeks if we were supporting an entire additional platform, in my opinion,” Hines said.

That being said, Hines also implied that he was blindsided by Xbox’s commitments to bring Activision games like Call of Duty to PlayStation and other platforms, while Bethesda games remained strictly Xbox exclusive. Hines said the messaging surrounding Call of Duty confused him, since it was “the opposite of what we were just asked — told — to do with our other titles”.

Hines said no one at Xbox gave Bethesda a heads up about the Call of Duty decision, and that he thought Phil Spencer would explain in an interview why the multiplatform approach is acceptable for Activision games like Call of Duty, but not Bethesda games like Starfield of The Elder Scrolls VI.

Exclusivity has been a big topic at today’s trial, as we also learned that MachineGames’ upcoming Indiana Jones title is also set to be exclusive to Xbox and PC. We also know that Arkane’s Harvey Smith said the studio canceled the PlayStation 5 version of Redfall following the Xbox acquisition. Interestingly, Xbox’s Matt Booty has said a decision hasn’t been made on a PlayStation version of The Outer Worlds 2.

To follow everything from the ongoing legal battle, check out our article on how to watch the trial and our coverage so far.

Additional reporting by Rebekah Valentine.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over seven years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

MachineGames’ Indiana Jones Game Was Originally Planned for Release on PS5

MachineGames’ upcoming Indiana Jones game was originally set for a multiplatform release, until Xbox’s ZeniMax acquisition changed plans.

During today’s trial between Xbox/Activision and the Federal Trade Commission, Bethesda’s Pete Hines revealed that Disney had an agreement with ZeniMax for a multiplatform AAA Indiana Jones game. After the acquisition, the agreement with Disney was amended to transition the Indiana Jones game to an Xbox and PC exclusive. The game is currently set to hit Game Pass on day one.

Developing…

FTC vs MS emails: Jim Ryan said he was ‘pretty sure we will continue to see Call of Duty on PlayStation for many years to come’

PlayStation boss Jim Ryan wrote in an email “I’m pretty sure we will continue to see Call of Duty on PlayStation for many years to come” in response to the news Microsoft intended to buy Activision Blizzard.

The revelation came as part of the ongoing hearing in which lawyers representing Microsoft and the United States’ Federal Trade Commission are fighting for the future of the proposed $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard.

The email, viewed by IGN reporter Rebekah Valentine in court today and dated January 20, 2022 – two days after Microsoft announced its intent to purchase Activision Blizzard – reveals Ryan’s relaxed attitude to the deal at that time, and counters Sony’s public-facing concern about the future of Call of Duty on PlayStation that emerged in the year-and-a-half that followed.

“It’s not an Xbox exclusivity play at all,” Ryan wrote in the email, “they’re thinking bigger than that, and they have the cash to make moves like this. I’ve spent a fair bit of time with both Phil [Spencer, boss of Xbox] and Bobby [Kotick, boss of Activision Blizzard] over the past day. I’m pretty sure we will continue to see COD on PS for many years to come.

“We have some good stuff cooking. Keep your eyes peeled. I’m not complacent and I’d rather this hadn’t happened, but we’ll be OK, more than OK.”

“I’m pretty sure we will continue to see COD on PS for many years to come.”

In March, Activision Blizzard EVP Corporate Affairs and CCO Lulu Cheng Meservey took to Twitter to claim Ryan had commented on Sony’s true motivation in a behind-closed-doors meeting in Brussels. “In his words: ‘I don’t want a new Call of Duty deal. I just want to block your merger.’ “

This was reportedly in response to Microsoft’s offer to Sony of a 10-year agreement that would guarantee PlayStation long-term access to Call of Duty. Sony has so far failed to sign any such deal.

It’s crunch time for Microsoft and the Xbox brand, as company leaders are heading to federal court to defend their proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard against the FTC.

The legal battle between Microsoft and the FTC began last December, when the agency announced plans to block Microsoft’s enormous purchase of the company behind Call of Duty, Diablo and Candy Crush. Last week, a federal court in California issued a temporary restraining order requested by the FTC that basically blocks Microsoft and Activision Blizzard’s deal for the time being.

This week’s trial will see the FTC attempt to impose a preliminary injunction on Microsoft and Activision Blizzard. If successful, it would mean Microsoft and Activision Blizzard can’t complete the acquisition while the FTC’s review of the transaction’s compliance with U.S. antitrust law is ongoing.

The future of Call of Duty is one of the key talking points, with Microsoft at pains to insist it will continue to release the shooter on PlayStation if it buys Activision Blizzard, and the FTC attempting to show why this may not be the case.

IGN has comprehensive coverage of the Microsoft’s battle to buy Activision Blizzard. Keep an eye on our Coverage So Far page for updates.

Todd Howard Says Only 10% of Starfield Planets Have Life on Them

Bethesda’s Todd Howard has revealed only 10% of Starfield’s 1,000 planets have life on them.

Speaking to Kinda Funny Games, Howard explained how Bethesda populated Starfield’s universe, saying different planets serve different purposes.

“For us, we view it as giving you [choices] when you look at a system. Here’s the many things you could do,” he said. This could include visiting barren planets that are only there to collect resources, or planets with major cities and settlements for players to explore and progress the story in.

“Obviously it’s procedural, so there’s no way we’re going to go and handcraft an entire planet,” Howard continued. “What we do is we handcraft individual locations and some of those are placed specifically, [like] the main cities and other quest locations, and then we have a suite of them that are generated or placed when you land depending on that planet.”

There are merits to even the emptier planets though, Howard said, as it all balances the busy ones out to create a believable universe.

“I think it is a moment when you land on some of these barren planets, and again we will generate certain things for you to find on them,” Howard continued. “But if you look at a planet, you see the resources, it has things you want.”

The more than one thousand planets available in Starfield will therefore give players plenty to explore, and even if a lot of them are on the thinner side story wise, Starfield still features more handcrafted content than any other Bethesda game.

Starfield is perhaps the most anticipated video game release in recent memory and has therefore captured the attention of fans in some wild and wonderful ways. Virtual sandwiches got people talking about it being locked at 30 frames per second, for example, while an ESRB rating revealed drugs, in-game purchases, and jetpack sex.

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