Just Cause creators, Mad Max developers and Rage 2 co-developers Avalanche Studios have announced that they will lay off 50 developers – nine per cent of their global workforce – and close their New York, USA and Montreal, Canada studios in order to “ensure a stable and sustainable future for the company”.
The announcement post doesn’t go into much detail about either the reasons for the layoffs or how exactly Avalanche will be supporting the departing staff, adding only that “our focus is now on supporting all Avalanchers through this challenging time” and that “we’re grateful for the invaluable contributions of those leaving and remain committed to creating incredible gaming experiences for our players.”
Avalanche’s Montreal studio had been open for all of eight months. The studio was founded in October 2023 after Avalanche acquired and integrated Monster Closet, who were themselves founded in 2021 by former developers of such headliners as Halo, Prince of Persia and Assassin’s Creed. Avalanche’s New York studio, meanwhile, dates back to 2011.
Amazon is offering the Jackery Explorer 100 31,000mAh Power Bank for only $99.99 after a $50 instant discount. This is the largest capacity power bank we’ve seen that’s TSA carry-on eligible. It also uses superior LiFePO4 battery cells, can charge up to 3 devices simultaneously, and boasts up to 100W charging output via USB Type-C.
Jackery Explorer 100 31,000mAh Power Bank for $99.99
At first glance the Jackery Explorer 100 looks like one of those large power stations you might use as a backup battery for your home. But actually, this thing is pretty small, small enough to fit on the palm of your hand. It measures only 5″x3.4″x3.4″ and weighs about 2 pounds. This is a 99Whr power bank, which means it just barely squeezes its way under TSA’s sub-100Whr requirement. With a 31,000mAh total capacity, this is definitely the largest TSA carry-on eligible power bank we’ve posted on IGN.
Unlike most smaller power banks which use lithium-ion cells, the Jackery Explorer 100 uses LiFePO4 cells. They’re usually more expensive and also a bit heavier, but in exchange you get inherently safer battery chemistry and a much longer lifespan, both in terms of number of cycles and calendar aging.
The Jackery Explorer 100 has three outputs: two USB Type-C with PPS and Power Delivery up to 100W total, and a USB Type-A with 28W of charging for a total of 128W. The Steam Deck supports up to 45W max charging, the ASUS ROG Ally up to 65W, and the Nintendo Switch up to 18W. That means ou can charge a Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, or Nintendo Switch at its maximum charging speed. In fact, you could almost charge all three at their maximum charging rate simultaneously.
Jackery is a well known brand that’s based out of Fremont, California. They’re very reliable and are often a great alternative to the juggernaut Chinese companies like Ecoflow and Bluetti. This power bank is UL 94V-0 certified and includes a 2 year warranty.
If you’re into Metroidvanias and cooking (and who isn’t?), then good news, you’ll be able to enjoy both at the same time with the upcoming title Magical Delicacy on Switch, launching on 16th July 2024.
We know what you’re thinking: “Gosh, another Metroidvania?”, and yeah, we get it. But look, this one looks pretty cool and we’re admittedly enamoured with the idea of a more ‘cosy’ Metroidvania that also allows us to unleash our inner chef. Bring on those Michelin Stars, we say.
Hello, I’m Shigeo Komori, the Game Director at Atlus and we are excited to bring Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance to PlayStation fans. In celebration of today’s new trailer, I want to share more details about the game ahead of its June 14 launch on PS5 and PS4.
Battle system
SMT V: Vengeance introduces a multitude of new skills across 270 new and familiar demons, including powerful new Magatsuhi Skills. These unison skills are unlocked after receiving a new kind of talisman called a periapt, which states the skill and demons required to use it. Gather these demons as your allies to command the tactical advantage in battle: unleash fearsome attacks, improve your chances with support skills, or bestow life-saving healing effects on your team.
More powerful skills mean more powerful foes – explore the apocalyptic netherworld known as Da’at and encounter glowing red enemies called Magatsuhi demons. These enemies are stronger than your typical demon and will hunt you down if you’re not careful! Emerge victorious and you will be rewarded with higher amounts of Macca, EXP, and even stat-boosting Incense. Be on your guard, as unlike normal enemy encounters these demons will wield fierce Magatsuhi Skills.
As a reward for our devoted fans, when certain conditions have been met the level cap will be increased from 99 to 150. Additionally, upon completing specific tasks the game will unlock the punishing Godborn difficulty mode, with all enemy demons now level 150 – a challenge that will test the prowess of even the most hardened SMT veteran.
The battle system has also received various updates and adjustments, such as being able to use magic skills during auto-battle. These system updates and new elements will be applied to Canon of Vengeance and Canon of Creation.
New demon experiences
Players can now take control of an individual demon during special side quests. During these quests the player will guide the actions of a demon, such as fan-favorites Alice and Pixie, as well as new characters like Nahobeeho, to complete a variety of non-combat tasks around various locations throughout the game. These quests give players a better understanding of an area by using each demon’s particular skills for exploration and allow players to spend more time with their favorite demons. They also allow players to better understand demons and their personalities, especially their thoughts about humans. Upon the quest’s completion, the demon may become your new Demon Navigator!
SMT V: Vengeance also adds more ways to interact with demons through a new feature called Demon Haunts. Here the player can enjoy special conversations with demons, friends, and even Aogami to improve the Nahobino’s abilities. Receive new rewards and level up through conversations, and even take a nostalgic picture of your favorite demon or ally with the free camera mode (available only in Demon Haunts). Talking with your demon party members will increase their stats as well, so be sure to return to these safe areas to chat often and create an unstoppable team!
Greater field exploration
Map exploration has been enhanced by including elements like Magatsuhi for fast travel, a sky view for a wider look around the area, and a full map view unobstructed by the Abscesses that previously blocked the path. Magatsuhi Rails provide shortcuts and open more areas to explore compared to the original, including secret locations that can only be discovered via rail travel. The Canon of Vengeance storyline includes entirely new locations in Da’at, and we hope players feel a sense of wonder as they explore the vast Shinjuku Ward and mysterious dungeon Shakan.
Traversing Da’at is never a chore with a Quest Navigator by your side, and with a greatly increased number of friendly allies we know you’ll find the perfect companion to accompany you on your epic journey. Netherworld investigation is also even easier with the addition of two support features for Quest Navigators: they now leave a vapor trail to track their movements, and stopping points will emit a pillar of light from the spot where they are first discovered. Reading the map is also easier with additional unique icons and quest markers.
New accessibility features
There have been dozens of small updates and revisions to make things more interesting and accessible, such as the increased pick-up range of relics, the ability to read tutorials at any point, gaining the initiative even after enemy detection by striking them from behind, reduced ambushes from aerial enemies, an increase in the number of Miracles (which have various positive effects), and the further enhancement and variety of actions for demon encounters.
Lastly, there are two big changes from the previous game: the ability to save anywhere on the map rather than the limited leyline founts, and Estoma, a shield to avoid enemy encounters has been updated from a skill to a Miracle, allowing the player to spend Magatsuhi instead of MP, freeing up a valuable skill slot.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance launches June 14 on PS5 and PS4. I hope you enjoy the game!
I was a diehard WipeOut player as a kid. Seriously, me and the boys used to roam the streets of Bradford looking for F-Zero players to bully, at least till the RollCagers rocked up and stole our lunch money. Mind you, I think I was probably less interested in WipeoUt’s racing than its trackside landscapes, which remain exquisite decades on – all those sweeping album-cover facades with their animate fixtures that thickened and solidified into full-blown peripheral cities as the series progressed.
I am similarly hooked by the worlds of Ghosts Ehf’s Phantom Spark, which are a million lightyears from WiPeout in terms of their influences and atmosphere, much as the underlying hover-jockeying is a million lightyears away from WipeouT in terms of its gentleness and lack of combative elements. But these spaces are just as mesmerising to fly through and think about when not focussed on finding the perfect line through the next corner, or avoiding a patch of grass. Small wonder, given that the game’s art director is Joost Eggermont, whose streaking astral contraptions and “small interactive moments” I’ve long admired, but never managed to write about until now.
As Bungie launches Destiny 2 expansion The Final Shape, fans think one developer has teased Destiny 3 with a series of cryptic tweets.
The Final Shape concludes Destiny’s overarching story by placing the player inside the Traveler in a face-off against the mysterious The Witness. It’s the culmination of 10 years of often bewildering Destiny storytelling, and will hopefully provide answers for the game’s player base.
But in previous videos, Bungie developers have teased that The Final Shape is not the end of Destiny 2 or even the series, with the developer – now owned by Sony – also working on multiplayer game Marathon. In a series of tweets marking the release of The Final Shape, Bungie executive creative director, Luke Smith, discussed the road to The Final Shape’s release and the effort its developers put in to make it happen. But it’s the mention of the word Hope three times, each capitalized, that has set the cat among the pigeons within the Destiny community.
Here’s the tweet in question:
Our Hope is always the same with Destiny games, expansions, seasons, DLCs, exotic missions, secret missions, in-game events, merchandise, et cetera – we genuinely Hope you enjoy the time you spend with it. Anything we’ve made or will make, that’s the Hope.
That tweet was enough to set off a number of Destiny content creators on the future of the series, and there’s rampant speculation across social media and forums.
Or, this could be nothing, and Smith may in fact be referencing Paul McCartney’s infamous Destiny song Hope for the Future, which, if you’re so inclined, can be watched below:
For anybody who doesn’t know in 2014 to coincide with the release of Destiny 1 Paul McCartney released “Hope For The Future” McCartney provided multiple bases for the iconic Destiny themes.
For now, the focus is on The Final Shape and its three planned episodes. Echoes kicks off next week on June 11, Revenant is set for October 2024, and Heresy rounds The Final Shape off in February 2025, although of course the plan may change.
Beyond that? Bungie is yet to say. Destiny 3 could be an opportunity for Bungie to reset the series with a potentially next-gen entry-point that would bring in a wave of new players. But, after 10 years of Destiny, the studio may decide to leave Destiny behind for new franchises, as it did when it left Halo behind all those years ago.
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.
From the moment I understood the weakness of my flesh, I thought: no bother, like. Everyone has different skills. Then, I realised that some other people might be less enlightened than me about the whole ‘having limits’ things, and that there was a lot of money to be made hawking implants. Enter spacestrategy story-spewer Stellaris, specifically, it’s spost specent spee-LC The Machine Age. It adds many options for your space civs, most of which I’m too rusty with the ever-yawpening sandbox’s myriad nuances to appreciate. But what’s this? A new origin that lets you play as techno-religious corpo-cult obsessed with transcending the limits of their meat prisons through cybernetic augmentations? I recognise that from toys! Let’s do some clicking.
A new Warzone cutscene shows Black Ops protagonist Frank Woods dishing out orders from a wheelchair, appearing to confirm a Black Ops 2 ending as canon and offering our first look at the character in the upcoming Black Ops 6.
The intro, added to the battle royale ahead of Microsoft’s big reveal of the upcoming Black Ops 6, sees fan-favorite character Woods talk about the discovery of a “mole”, presumed to be Russell Adler from Black Ops Cold War.
But it is Woods’ appearance in a wheelchair that has caught the attention of the Call of Duty community, and sparked excited discussion about the storyline running through the Black Ops series.
First, some background: in 2012’s Black Ops 2, Woods is tricked into killing his best friend and fellow soldier Alex Mason during a mission set during the 1980s. Woods is then shot in both legs, consigning him to a wheelchair. The game later shifts to the year 2025 and we see an older Woods in a wheelchair.
This new intro suggests Woods will appear in the Black Ops 6 campaign, rumored to be set during the ’90s Gulf War. The cutscene also acts as our first look at Woods in Black Ops 6. Perhaps Woods serves the function of being an ‘intel guy’ in the campaign, dishing out information to the player ahead of, and maybe even during, missions over comms.
Frank Woods in a wheelchair in #BlackOps6 in the 90s means Black Ops 2 is canon.
This means: – Jason Hudson is no longer alive. – Alex Mason may no longer be alive. pic.twitter.com/ZVN1EAfCxC
There are some unanswered questions, however. Black Ops 2 has two different endings, one in which Alex Mason survives, the other in which he is dead. Perhaps Black Ops 6 will resolve this by making one of the two endings canon.
As for the Woods intro, Warzone players are currently trying to work out what causes it to appear. It seems random, but there may be some mechanic underpinning its appearance. Meanwhile, there are a number of Black Ops 6-related challenges in Warzone right now, encouraging players to jump in to connect the dots between releases.
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.
Yes, I’ve played a portion of Elden Ring’s expansion Shadow Of The Erdtree and I think it’s brilliant. But there’s one thing I didn’t flesh out in the preview and that’s the DLC’s standalone levelling system, brought to our attention a month or so ago. Well, here I am to flesh it out! Be warned, though, the role of the system is a jarring thing to condense into words.
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they’ve been chewing over. Today, it’s time to celebrate Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door’s Vivian, and Alana does it with Pride.
Nintendo’s track record with LGBTQIA+ characters has been… mixed, to say the least. The Big N hasn’t exactly been the most forward company in making statements, even going as far as to say “we were absolutely not trying to provide social commentary” by not giving the option for same-sex relationships in the 3DS life-simulation game Tomodachi Life back in 2014.
