Epic Games is working with Disney to bring some of its iconic villains, as well as a host of new Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel characters, to Fortnite.
The latest Fortnite collaboration was revealed at the Disney Experiences Showcase at D23 2024. The latest crossover starts next week with Mandalorian characters like Grogu set to show up on August 12. Then, Fortnite’s next season will usher in the age of Doctor Doom with its Absolute Doom theme, bringing more Marvel-themed skins and items for players to toy with on August 16. You can see a trailer for Absolute Doom below.
It’s time for the heroes’ journey. And the enemies’ Absolute Doom.
Disney is far from done with Fortnite. This fall, Fortnite players can look forward to appearances from a selection of iconic Disney villains like Maleficent, Cruella De Vill, and Captain Hook. Pixar characters are on the way, too. Specifically, Disney’s superhero family, the Incredibles, will show up in-game, with players able to enjoy content based on heroes like Mr. and Mrs. Incredible and Frozone.
Developing…
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
Quickly earning a reputation as the face of the looter shooter genre in the years since its release, Borderlands really has become one of gaming’s most recognisable franchises. From its cel-shaded art style to its masked psycho poster child, the foul-mouthed, tongue-in-cheek sci-fi universe is now a staple of modern video game culture. It’s not stopping there though, with the series quickly morphing into a multimedia sensation in its own right, spinning off into comics, novels and even a tabletop game.
This month, that journey reaches its biggest milestone yet, with Borderlands finally making its long-awaited jump to the big screen courtesy of Hostel and Thanksgiving director, Eli Roth. Reimagining Pandora and its vault-obsessed locals for a brand new audience. And while the film did not review particuarly well, it’s still a major step for any franchise.
With the Borderlands movie now in theaters, there’s likely to be a lot of new and returning fans looking to dive back into the games and reacquaint themselves with where it all started. So, we decided to put together a quick timeline of the series to get you caught up on how it all fits together.
In total, there are currently seven Borderlands games and spin-offs that are canon to the series, and two smaller, non-canon titles: Borderlands: Vault Hunter Pinball and Borderlands Legends.
Where’s The Best Place to Start?
While it’s the simplest answer, the best place to start is arguably Borderlands 1, although if you don’t care about the story, any of the three mainline games are a good introduction.
All three entries in the trilogy are relatively similar in style, scope and gameplay, and better yet, they’re all available on modern consoles and PC. That being said, there is a great overarching story that runs through the Borderlands saga, and if you’ve just come off the movie and want to follow it as intended, starting from the beginning is the best way to play.
Every Canon Borderlands Game in Chronological Order
These blurbs contain mild spoilers for each game, including characters, settings, and story beats.
1. Borderlands (2009)
The game that kickstarted it all. The very first Borderlands launched in 2009, telling the story of Lilith, Brick, Roland and Mordecai: a group of four “Vault Hunters” that venture out on the treasure hunt of a lifetime. Arriving on the volatile planet of Pandora, they seek out a legendary bunker known as The Vault, which is said to house unimaginable treasures.
As expected, their expedition quickly turns into a chaotic maelstrom of carnage, with the group facing off against a militia known as the Crimson Lance, contending with the planet’s savage wildlife and taking down hordes of bloodthirsty bandits. From the moment Borderlands hit shelves, it was a huge hit, launching the looter shooter genre into the stratosphere through its compelling gameplay loop of killing masses of enemies, discovering a near-limitless supply of guns and building your chosen character.
The game was also supported heavily after release, getting a further four expansions that took the game from zombie-themed islands to a tongue-in-cheek riff on Mad Max’s Thunderdome.
2. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014)
Developed by 2K Australia with the assistance of Gearbox Software, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel may have launched after Borderlands 2, but it fills in the gap between the first two Borderlands games. The story follows a group of new Vault Hunters, Athena, Wilhelm, Nisha and Claptrap, as they head out on a mission to find a Vault on the moon of Elpis.
The Pre-Sequel was, in a lot of ways, a bunch more of the Borderlands fans knew and loved. Set in a new locale with fresh classes to master and learn, it offered more guns, boss fights, quests and enemy encounters to plough through while the world waited for an inevitable Borderlands 3. However, its main selling point was further fleshing out the story of Borderlands 2, with the game featuring the second game’s main antagonist, Handsome Jack, in a leading role.
Alongside featuring many of the second game’s main bosses and characters years before their roles in the sequel’s story, it also offered a full view of Jack’s descent into madness, establishing the iconic foe’s origins. Much like the other games, 2K Australia added several expansions after the game launched, including the Holodome Onslaught and Claptastic Voyage maps, as well as two playable characters: the Doppelganger and the Baroness.
3. Borderlands 2 (2012)
The official sequel to Borderlands, Borderlands 2 launched in 2012, bringing players back to Pandora with a new squad of ambitious Vault Hunters in tow. The tale begins with our heroes, Maya, Axton, Salvador and Zer0, heading to Pandora to search for a new Vault. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the planet’s overlord, the sadistic Handsome Jack, doesn’t take kindly to brave adventurers seeking fame and fortune by uncovering the latest fabled Vault on Pandora. While riding a train across the untamed planet, Jack attempts to have them killed, leaving them stranded in an icy wasteland.
Left for dead, the team set out on an adventure to discover the truth behind Handsome Jack’s schemes, attempting to stop to him and find the Vault in the process. Borderlands 2 was essentially a bigger, more expansive take on the original game, offering plenty of quests, new classes to master, a charismatic main villain to take down and, somehow, even more guns to find and collect.
It’s still regarded by many as the best Borderlands to date, offering a fun story, memorable combat encounters and a healthy dose of the series’ trademark sense of humour. Much like the first game, it also came with a bunch of post-release support, including four additional campaigns, two bonus playable characters, and several Headhunter missions.
4. Tales From The Borderlands (2014 – 2015)
The first full spin-off of the series, Tales From The Borderlands was Walking Dead developer Telltale’s take on the Borderlands universe, offering an episodic, story-focused adventure set on the surface of Pandora. Unlike the mainline entries, Tales doesn’t centre on a team of super-powered, gun-obsessed Vault Hunters. Instead, it follows a crook and a corporate lackey who unwittingly stumble into a grand adventure.
Set after the events of Borderlands 2, we follow Rhys, a Hyperion employee lobbying for a higher position in the company, and Fiona, a con artist working with her sister, Sasha. After Rhys attempts to one-up a colleague by intercepting a deal to acquire a vault key, he learns the key was a fake in a con set-up by Fiona, entangling the two together and setting off a chain reaction of events that put them on the trail of a brand new Vault.
As with all of Telltale’s games, Tales From The Borderlands focuses primarily on a branching, cinematic story with moral choices that can change the direction of the narrative. In the years following its release, Tales From The Borderlands has been acknowledged as a key piece of the Borderlands canon, with original characters from the game even popping up in Borderlands 3.
5. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands (2022)
Gearbox Software’s most recent entry in the Borderlands franchise, from the outside, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands doesn’t look like a Borderlands game. Subbing out futuristic desert wastelands for a sprawling fantasy kingdom, while Wonderlands may have plenty of dragons, goblins and unicorns, it’s very much still a Borderlands game in everything but the setting.
Acting as a fully-fledged version of the beloved Borderlands 2 DLC, Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands once again has you entering the world of Bunkers and Badasses; the Borderlands equivalent of Dungeons and Dragons. With Tina as your very enthusiastic dungeon master, you’ll battle against a range of fantasy monsters, embark on some heroic quests and battle your way to the monstrous Dragon Lord.
As with all Borderlands games, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands boasts a metric ton of guns to find, classes to master and enemies to kill, while also incorporating new ideas to complement the shift in setting, such as an overworld area you traverse between missions and the ability to use spells. It also has its own helping of expansions to dig into, with four separate DLCs featuring new dungeons, bosses and gear.
6. Borderlands 3 (2019)
Seven years after the release of Borderlands 2, Gearbox Software returned for an official third entry, launching Borderlands 3 in 2019. As always, the threequel brings a fresh new cast of Vault Hunters into the fray, introducing players to Amara, FL4K, Zane and Moze, and sending them out on a chaotic new adventure.
This time around, players are tasked with stopping a pair of murderous siren twins named Troy and Tyreen, who are venturing across the galaxy and harnessing the power inside the vaults for a mysterious cause. In a franchise first, players are tasked with travelling to multiple planets to take them down, teaming with an array of familiar faces such as Lilith, Rhys, Maya, Brick, Zer0 and, of course, Claptrap.
As always, you can expect plenty of looter shooter chaos to ensue, with a heap of guns to find, enemies to eviscerate and new character classes to master. There’s also plenty of DLC content to jump into when you’re done, with Borderlands 3’s additional content offering four new campaigns, takedown missions and even designer and director cuts that resurrect a bunch of content left on the cutting room floor.
7. New Tales From The Borderlands (2022)
Gearbox Software’s official follow-up to Tales From The Borderlands, New Tales From The Borderlands is currently the last game on the chronological timeline. Bringing in a slate of fresh characters instead of opting for a continuation of the original Tales game, New Tales has three protagonists: Anu, Octavio and Fran.
The story follows the group’s adventures after stumbling into a vault and finding a precious artefact, which inadvertently puts them in the line of fire of the Tediore corporation and its ruthless CEO, Susan Coldwell. With the relic now in their possession, the trio begins to uncover its true powers, all the while attempting to evade Coldwell as she hunts them down.
Much like the previous game, New Tales From The Borderlands is focused almost entirely on weaving a branching story that adapts and warps based on your choices. You can expect plenty of dialogue options, QTE fight sequences and tough decisions that will impact the outcome of the adventure.
Every Borderlands Game in Release Order
Borderlands (2009)
Borderlands Legends (2012)
Borderlands 2 (2012)
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (2014)
Tales From The Borderlands (2014 – 2015)
Borderlands 3 (2019)
Tiny Tina’s Wonderland (2022)
New Tales From The Borderlands (2022)
Borderlands: Vault Hunter Pinball (2023)
What’s Next For Borderlands?
In terms of games, Borderlands 4 appears to be the next major release on the horizon. Gearbox Software revealed the sequel exists and is currently being worked on after the studio announced it was being acquired by Take-Two earlier this year, with Gearbox head Randy Pitchford telling us in an interview that “It’s the greatest thing [the studio has] ever done.”
Although that’s all we have to go on for now, It seems as though projects in the Borderlands universe could be more frequent going forward. We learned recently that the franchise will be a big focus for Take-Two following the acquisition, with Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick noting in a investor’s call that the company sees a lot of “potential growth opportunities” for the IP. We’ll have to wait to see exactly what Zelnick means by that, but it appears we could be trekking to Pandora a lot more in the coming years.
Callum Williams is an IGN freelancer covering features and guides. When he’s away from his desk, you can usually find him obsessing over the lore of the latest obscure indie horror game or bashing his head against a boss in the newest soulslike. You can catch him over on Twitter at @CaIIumWilliams.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster will be released in roughly a month, and as more news trickles in, it has been discovered that the upcoming remaster has removed the ability for players to take an “erotic” photo.
As noted in a new report from Famitsu (spotted by Eurogamer), Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster’s photography mini-game has removed the “Erotica” genre from photos taken by the player. In the original game and its subsequent 2016 re-release, there were 6 types of photos depending on what Frank photographs. A photograph with a specific photo genre would award players with an additional Prestige Point (PP) bonus for the picture. The Erotica genre specifically was available when players took pictures of certain angles of a female human or zombie character.
While the Photography mini-game is almost entirely optional, as it is not required to take pictures when completing the main story, the mechanic plays a role in several side missions Frank can complete. Regarding the omission of the Erotica genre, two optional missions require Frank to take Erotica photo(s). So, it remains to be seen how those missions will be altered due to the removal of the photo type.
Capcom did not immediately respond to IGN’s request for comment.
Otherwise, Capcom appears to have put a lot of effort into improving the overall gameplay of Dead Rising. As Capcom has previously revealed, the upcoming Deluxe Remaster has improved survivor AI, making it easier to escort survivors to safety, and a new control scheme that allows players to move while aiming, in addition to providing fully voiced NPCs, realistic lighting, and improvements to facial expressions.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is out on September 19 digitally or November 8 if you prefer to obtain a digital copy. For more, check out the recent gameplay deep dive featuring the game’s director and producer.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
With Call of Duty, one of Microsoft’s most valuable gaming IPs, finally hitting Game Pass, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick expects the popular first-person shooter to boost subscriber numbers for the service “for at least a period of time.”
Speaking with IGN’s sister site, GamesIndustry.biz, Zelnick told the publication that he believes including Call of Duty on Game Pass will push consumers to subscribe to the service, at least for some time. “I think that offering a frontline title with a premium price in a subscription service, day and date, will push consumers to that subscription service for at least a period of time,” Zelnick explained to GamesIndustry.biz.
Though Zelnick explained that Microsoft’s decision “won’t affect [Take-Two’s] decisions” and its approach to handling gaming subscription services. The company has dabbled with subscription services, like GTA+, a premium membership designed for avid GTA Online players.
Zelnick’s comments came the same week Take-Two Interactive announced its quarterly earnings, where the company reported total net bookings of $1,22 billion for the quarter while also revealing that GTA V has exceeded 200 million units solid. Zelnick revealed that while there is currently a video game voice actor strike, the company does not expect its business to be impacted by the publisher in the short term. This includes GTA VI, one of the most highly anticipated games of 2026, to remain unaffected by the strike.
Blogroll Credit: Steven Ferdman / Getty Images
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
Police in Russia have launched a criminal investigation after a chess champion was caught on camera allegedly poisoning her rival’s board with toxic mercury during a regional competition in the Russian Republic of Dagestan.
Organisers were forced to suspend the chess tournament held in the city of Makhachkalaere on August 2, after 30-year-old European champion Umayganat Osmanova’s health suddenly deteriorated while taking part in the competition. Police officers investigating the scene later discovered a strange substance on Osmanova’s table, which was subsequently analysed and confirmed to be a form of mercury.
Exposure to mercury can be extremely hazardous and is capable of triggering a range of serious health problems affecting the lungs, eyes, and the digestive and immune systems. During a subsequent investigation, security footage emerged online showing Osmanova’s opponent and rival in the competition Amina Abakarova allegedly spread a substance over the table.
Russian chess champion Amina Abakarova was caught on CCTV trying to poison her rival pic.twitter.com/I23Wpar0nb
The Republic of Dagestan’s minister of sports Sazhid Sazhidov assured fans via a Russian-language Telegram post that Osmanova is not in a life threatening condition, while the Russian Chess Federation noted that “no one else was hurt” as a result of the poisoning attempt. However, Russian outlets have since reported that another woman and a competition organizer also become unwell following the alleged attack.
Russian media site RTVI reports Osmanova had known Abakarova since childhood, and that the two had grown to become rivals before falling out during a recent competition, in which the latter brought a phone to a competition, in violation of the event’s rules.
“Like many others, I am perplexed by what happened, and the motives of such an experienced athlete as Amina Abakarova are also unclear to me,” wrote Sazhidov in the Telegram post, translated to English via machine translation. “The actions she took could have led to the most tragic outcome, they threatened the lives of everyone in the chess house, including herself. Now she will have to answer for what she did before the law.”
According to the Mirror, Osmanova could face up to three years imprisonment if found guilty of the poisoning. She has also been suspended by the Chess Federation of Russia, and faces a lifetime ban pending the outcome of legal proceedings. Osmanova meanwhile was able to rejoin the tournament, and play on to secure a second place finish.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
Woot! (which is owned by Amazon) is offering the best deal on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Right now you can get a 3 month code for only $36.49. Microsoft recently raised the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to $19.99 per month, so now you’re saving 40% off a 3 month membership. Note that you can purchase multiple codes and apply them to your account, up to a maximum of 36 months. According to the Woot! page, this deal expires tonight so don’t hesitate.
Note: There is a coupon code “VIDEOGAMES” that takes $3 off one order. If you purchase multiple gift cards, this code will only work on a single gift card.
3 Months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $33.49
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gives you access to a library of hundreds of Xbox games, including day one releases. You can play them for the entirety of your membership without any restrictions. You do lose access to them once your membership is over, but if you ever decide to renew, all your past achievements and progress will be saved. You’ll also have access to Xbox Game Pass for PC. Although there aren’t nearly as many games as there are on Xbox, there are still plenty of AAA titles to keep you sated. Other perks include exclusive membership discounts, the ability to play your games across multiple devices with cloud gaming, free access to EA Play membership, as well as bonus in-game content and rewards. It is an exceptionally good – almost essential – membership for Xbox gamers. New release games are not cheap, and being able to play them without buying them will save you a lot of money and easily recoup the cost of the membership.
Warhammer über-nerd Matt has finally played a decent chunk of the upcoming third-person shooter Space Marine 2, and from what he’s played it’s far exceeded his expectations. Jesse has been sinking his time into another Warhammer 40K game, Speed Freeks , and, well… you’ll just have to listen to this week’s IGN UK Podcast to find out what he thinks. He also does way too much self-promotion, but thankfully keeps his potty mouth relatively clean for once.
Remember to send us your thoughts about all the new games, TV shows, and films you’re enjoying or looking forward to: ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.
Looking for some epic Dungeons and Dragons Heroes or Monsters to make your gameplay for you? Are you all in on D&D and want to fill your shelves with some collectibles? The good news is the world’s most popular tabletop game is packed with cool merch and add-ons for your game nights.
We’ve got stuck to official miniatures and action figures for this tier list because we want to make sure readers are getting great value on any purchases. Yes, you can buy products from other companies that make them for use in D&D, but these are the most lore-accurate with quality you can bet your coin purse on. There are some quality products in the unlicensed and proxy market, but these are the real McCoy!
Top 10 Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures and Action Figures
10. D&D Icons of The Realms: Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica Companion Starter Set One
This set continues the adventures of Set 10 Companion Starter One includes five fantasy miniatures for use with the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop roleplaying game Starter Set. Each miniature has a brilliant paint job and can be used with set two of Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica!
9. Icons of The Realms Miniatures: Snowbound Booster Brick
Each Icons of the Realms series standard booster pack contains four high-detail, acrylic-painted miniatures: one large figure and three medium or small figures. The variety and craftsmanship of these miniatures are surprisingly well done, so buying 8 packs in one is well worth it, especially for the savings.
8. Icons of The Realms: Dragonlance Booster (Set 25)
Each standard booster contains four pre-painted and pre-assembled miniatures, configured as either one large figure with three medium/small miniatures or four medium/small miniatures. There’s 49 unique miniatures to collect in total too!
This is a highly detailed, customizable D&D miniature. Pre-primed and ready to paint, it features removable eye stalks too, making it perfect for tabletop gaming, hobby painting, or as a display piece.
6. Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures: Animated Acid Breath Mini
Animated Acid Breath is a detailed, pre-primed, unpainted figure depicting a creature mid-acid attack. It looks epic on the tabletop paint or just for display, whilst sporting dynamic motion and intricate sculpting for D&D enthusiasts.
5. Icons of the Realms – Waterdeep, Dragon Heist Box Set 1
The WizKids Dungeons and Dragons Icons of the Realms – Waterdeep: Dragon Heist Box Set 1 includes detailed, pre-painted miniatures of key NPCs and creatures from the Waterdeep: Dragon Heist campaign.
4. Icons of the Realms, Monster Menagerie Booster Brick (8)
The Icons of the Realms: Monster Menagerie Booster Brick contains eight packs, each with four random pre-painted miniatures, including one large or huge figure and three medium or small figures, featuring detailed iconic monsters and characters.
3. Icons of the Realms, Juiblex, Demon Lord of Slime and Ooze
Juiblex, the Faceless Lord is a D&D demon lord of slime and ooze. A noxious creature, it exists only to consume, transforming living matter into itself. This bubbling mass with red eyes lashes out with pseudopods, obliterating its victims
2. Icons of the Realms – Adult Green Dragon Figure
The Adult Green Dragon is a huge, highly detailed figure, finished with premium paints. Recognized by its curved jawline and spiked neck plates, this iconic chromatic dragon is perfect for your miniatures collection or display shelf.
1. Icons of the Realms – Adult Red Dragon Figure
Adult Red Dragon is an epic looking detailed miniature with crimson scales and outstretched wings, making it a standout addition to any collection. Finished with a proper paint job, this iconic figure brings D&D adventures to life.
Now you’ve got all of your D&D miniatures and action figures, how do you play Dungeons and Dragons? It can be tough looking for a starting point but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
D&D: What You Need To Know
Getting into Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) can be overwhelming; there are so many campaigns and thousands with an encyclopedic mind about all things D&D. We’ve got you; here’s a simple guide to help you get started on your epic journey.
Begin by grasping the game’s fundamental concepts and gathering the essential materials. Once you understand the core mechanics, you can dive into character creation and start playing with a group of friends. Here’s how to get started:
Understand the Basics: D&D is a tabletop role-playing game (RPG) in which players create characters and embark on adventures in a fantasy world. The game is typically played with a Dungeon Master (DM) who narrates the story and controls the non-player characters (NPCs) and monsters.
Join a Group: Find a group of friends who are interested in playing or joining an existing group. If you need help finding a local group, online platforms like Roll20 and Discord can help you connect with other players.
Create Your Character: Use the Player’s Handbook to create your first character. Think of the Player’s race, class, background, and personality. This is your chance to get creative and make someone you’d enjoy playing.
Start With a Simple Adventure: Beginners should start with a pre-written adventure. Lost Mine of Phandelver is an excellent choice for new players and DMs. It offers a balanced introduction to D&D gameplay and storytelling.
Choosing the Right Miniatures
Miniatures add a visual and tactile element to D&D, making battles and encounters more immersive. Selecting the right miniatures enhances the gameplay experience, offering a tangible representation of characters, monsters, and environments. Once you’ve got to grips, you can even considering 3D printing your very own D&D miniatures as well. Here’s a guide on what to buy to get the most out of your D&D sessions:
Player Characters (PCs): Invest in a miniature representing your character. Companies like WizKids and Reaper Miniatures offer a wide range of detailed minis for various races and classes. Look for miniatures that match your character’s description.
Monsters and NPCs: Start with basic monsters commonly encountered in early levels, such as goblins, skeletons, and wolves.
Special Sets: Consider themed sets that correspond with your campaign. For instance, if your adventure takes place in an Underdark setting, look for miniatures of drow, mind flayers, and other underworld creatures.
Terrain and Accessories: Enhance your game with terrain pieces like trees, buildings, and dungeon tiles. Companies like Dwarven Forge offer modular terrain sets that can create dynamic battlefields.
Excellent Action Figures for Collectors
For those who appreciate high-quality collectibles, D&D offers a variety of action figures that are fun to display and play with. These figures capture the essence of the game’s rich lore and are perfect for any fan, whether you want to enhance your game sessions or enjoy having them on your shelf. Here are some top picks for collectors:
WizKids Icons of the Realms Figures: These highly detailed, pre-painted figures include iconic characters and monsters from D&D lore. Figures like Drizzt Do’Urden, Beholder, and TDo’Urdene are standout pieces for any collection.
Hasbro’s D&D Icons Premium Figures offer superior articulation and intricate detailing. Characters like the Archlich Acererak and the Dragonborn Paladin are perfect for display and game use.
Funko Pop! D&D Series: Funko Pop! offers a series of D&D figures featuring characters like Minsc and Boo and monsters like the Demogorgon. These stylized figures are a fun way to show off your love for the game.
Essential Items for a D&D Game
You’ll need some essential items to set up your first game of Dungeons & Dragons. These will help ensure your sessions run smoothly and are enjoyable for everyone involved. Here’s what we recommend:
Core Rulebooks: The Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Player’s Guide, and MonstMaster’sl are the fundamental texts you’ll need.
Character Sheets: You’ll print or use physical sheets to track character stats, abilities, and progress.
Dice Set: A polyhedral dice set, including d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20. Consider getting a dice tower or tray to keep the rolls contained.
Miniatures: As mentioned, invest in miniatures for player characters and commonly encountered monsters.
Battle Map and Markers: A grid-based map (often erasable) and markers to visualize combat and positioning.
Adventure Modules: Pre-written adventures for easy setup and play, or create your own!
Different Types of D&D Game Modes
D&D can be played in various modes, each offering a different style of play and experience. Understanding these modes can help you decide which type suits your group best. Here are some standard game modes:
Campaign Play is the traditional mode in which players embark on a long-term adventure, progressing their characters over many sessions. It requires a consistent group and a dedicated DM to manage the story and progression.
One-Shots: These are single-session adventures that can be completed in a few hours. They are great for introducing new players to the game or playing when a regular campaign session is impossible.
Skirmishes: These combat-focused sessions emphasize tactical battles rather than stories. Players can quickly set up scenarios and engage in fighting, making them a good choice for those who enjoy the combat mechanics of D&D.
West Marches is a style of play in which multiple DMs and a large pool of players participate in a shared world. Sessions are player-driven, and the world evolves based on the actions and discoveries of different groups.
Solo Play: While D&D is typically a group game, solo adventures and modules are available for players who want to experience the game independently.
Final Tips
Getting into D&D is more than just the game; it’s about spending time with the community, sharing stories, and having fun. Start small, engage with others, and most importantly, enjoy the process. The journey is as much about the experiences and memories you create along the way as about the adventures your character embarks on. Here are some final tips to help you along:
Start Small: You don’t need to buy anything all at once. Begin with the essentials and gradually expand your collection.
Join Online Communities: Engage with other D&D enthusiasts on forums such as Myth Weavers, social media, and websites like D&D Beyond. These communities are great for tips, inspiration, and support.
Have Fun: Remember, D&D is about storytelling, creativity, and having fun with friends. Don’t stress too much about the rules or perfection—just enjoy the adventure!
Christian Wait is a UK-based freelancer for IGN, you can follow him @ChrisReggieWait on Twitter/X.
PlayStation has revealed the PC requirements for the highly anticipated God of War Ragnarok ahead of its September 19 release date.
A breakdown on the PlayStation Blog revealed God of War: Ragnarok will require a hefty 190GB of SSD storage. Running the game on recommended settings will otherwise require an Nvidia RTX 2060 Super or AMD RX 5700 equivalent GPU, an Intel i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 equivalent CPY, and 16GB of RAM.
Minimum settings, high settings, performance settings, and ultra settings were also revealed. Running God of War: Ragnarok at the bare minimum (1080p resolution and 30 frames per second on average) requires an Nvidia GTX 1060 or AMD RX 5500 XT equivalent GPU and an Intel i5-4670k or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 equivalent CPU alongside 8GB of RAM.
Ultra settings demand quite a bit more, with players needing an Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti or AMD RX 7900 XT equivalent GPU, and an Intel i5-11600K or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X equivalent CPU alongside 16GB of RAM. Running the game at all requires a PSN account too.
God of War: Ragnarok supports all major graphics card manufacturer technologies including Nvidia DLSS 3.7, AMD FSR 3.1, Intel XeSS 1.3, and frame generation for all technologies utilizing that feature.
DOOM Eternal is finally getting official mod support some four years after its initial release, id Software announced during today’s QuakeCon 2024 livestream.
According to a post on Bethesda’s Slayers Club blog, DOOM Eternal Update 6.66 Rev 3 adds the ability to opt into mod support via Steam’s beta branch. Support for the Microsoft Store version will be added “soon,” with no mention of a console version.
Those who opt into the beta branch will be able to create and publish original mods via the idStudio Beta program, which you can see above. You can find idStudio tutorials as well as an installation guide right here.
The addition of mods should add some more life to DOOM Eternal, which continues to enjoy a robust post-launch community. First released in 2020, DOOM Eternal received praise for its extensive single-player campaign and customarily amazing shooting action.
We wrote in our review at the time, “Eternal tips its cap to DOOM 2 specifically while also building off of what made the modernized reboot a breath of fresh air for the genre. Whether you’ve been playing DOOM for a few years or a few decades, DOOM Eternal demands your attention.
“This is the first time idtech has been officially moddable in how many years now? Holy shit. They talked about it years ago but I thought I’d never see it happen. Eternal’s engine has so much potential and now the modding community can fully tap into it instead of being restricted,” one enthusiastic fan wrote in response to the announcement. “We saw hints of this coming in SteamDB, but I didn’t expect them to give us tools as well. It’s like a feverdream.”
