Rather than simply adjusting their ties and googling nice places to visit on a trip to Brussels while they wait for their meeting, the group have announced some more action they’ll be taking to get their message out in the ling term. Two Stop Killing Games non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are going to be set up to cover Europe and the US.
Harry Potter movie star Daniel Radcliffe has revealed he was once pitched a bizarre Wizard of Oz adaptation that also featured his fellow Hogwarts co-stars Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.
Describing it as “one of the worst ideas I’ve ever heard,” the plan had apparently been for the Harry Potter trio to reunite in a fresh version of the classic story, for which Emma Watson would have played Kansas girl Dorothy.
Speaking via the Hot Ones show, Radcliffe said the offer came in while the trio were still making the Harry Potter movies, when he was aged either 14 or 15. Even then, though, Radcliffe said he was instantly aware that this was “a bad idea.”
“One of the worst ideas I’ve ever heard, during Potter, somebody came to us and I think asked… like they wanted to cast all three of us, me, Emma and Rupert, in a remake of Wizard of Oz,” Radcliffe revealed. “Emma was Dorothy, I can’t remember what Rupert was, and I just remember that I was going to be the lion, but also he knew karate?
“I was like a karate kicking cowardly lion,” he continued. “And I remember I was like 14 or 15, and I was like, ‘I don’t know a lot about the world, but this is a bad idea, this should not be made.”
For context, the timeline here would place Radcliffe and his co-stars as filming the fourth Harry Potter book, Goblet of Fire. So, had the Wizard of Oz remake progressed, the trio would still have been fairly young — though not too dissimilar to the age of 16-year-old Judy Garland in the story’s classic 1939 adaptation.
Numerous Wizard of Oz adaptations have surfaced over the years, including various spin-offs, prequels and sequels. These include the 2013 Sam Raimi-directed Oz the Great and Powerful, which starred James Franco, Michelle Williams and Mila Kunis, and of course the two-part Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
Embark are continuing their meteorological experiments in extraction shooter Arc Raiders with a rousing injection of wind. There’s a hurricane coming to the game on February 24th, a new map condition that limits visibility, degrades shields, impedes movement, and makes you suck even more at shooting things. Still, this stormcloud has a few silver linings. With the gale at your back, you’ll naturally move a lot faster. Also, you may find it easier to avoid detection in the open if you disable your shield.
“We have nothing to announce regarding any other potential titles”.
The news that the GBA Gen 1 refreshes, Pokémon FireRed & LeafGreen, are coming to Switch next week has gotten us excited this morning, but it’s also raised some questions with fans.
How come these games aren’t coming to Nintendo Switch Online like the other GBA games in the Expansion Pack? Will I be able to trade? Will we be seeing more Virtual Console-style releases like this?
Festive New Year promotion comes to PlayStation Store on 4 February*! Enjoy up to 70% off on a huge range of incredible games until 25 February. Highlighted titles include Battlefield™ 6, Black Myth: Wukong, SILENT HILL f and Forza Horizon 5.
Head to PlayStation Store to enjoy savings now!
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PlayStation Plus
Players who join PlayStation Plus Extra or Deluxe during 13 February to 26 February can save up to 35% on a PS Plus 12-month membership!
Current PlayStation Plus members can save 35% on the remainder of their membership when upgrading a current plan to PlayStation Plus Deluxe.**
With PlayStation Plus Extra and Deluxe, get access to monthly games, exclusive discounts, online multiplayer, and hundreds of games through the Game Catalog and Classics Catalog, including hit titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Hogwarts Legacy, Sword of the Sea and many more. Explore the Classics Catalog with PlayStation Plus Deluxe, try select games like the epic Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with Game Trials, and more.**
*Festive New Year Promotion starts on 4 February 00:00 JST and concludes on 25 February 23:59 JST. Each title may have different sale periods. Please refer to the information in the title details page.
**Availability of Classics and Game Catalog varies over time, region/country, and plan. See https://www.playstation.com/Plus for details and updates on PlayStation Plus offerings. PlayStation Plus is an ongoing subscription subject to a recurring subscription fee taken automatically (at the then-current PS Store price) at the frequency you choose at purchase until cancellation. Terms apply: play.st/psplus-usageterms
Ubisoft has said its long-awaited Splinter Cell remake remains in development despite layoffs at the studio working on the project.
40 jobs will be lost at Ubisoft Toronto, the company has now announced, as part of the ongoing push to cut costs that has seen thousands of employees depart over the past few years. In a statement sent to IGN, Ubisoft said that work on Splinter Cell was unaffected by the redundancies.
The company announced plans to remake the original Splinter Cell using The Division’s snazzy Snowdrop engine back in December 2021, though little has been heard of it since.
“Following the recent announcement of the final phase of Ubisoft’s global cost-savings plan and the discontinuation of projects, Ubisoft Toronto will be reducing its workforce by 40 roles,” a Ubisoft spokesperson said.
“This decision was not taken lightly and does not in any way reflect the talent, dedication, or contributions of the individuals affected. Our priority now is to support them through this transition with comprehensive severance packages and robust career placement assistance.
“The Toronto studio continues development on the Splinter Cell game and serves as a co-development partner on Rainbow Six, along with supporting additional co-development projects.”
You don’t have to wait too much longer to murder the steeple for a second time, with Slay The Spire 2‘s early access release now set in stone. Following the delay which pushed it back to this previously secret Thursday, it’ll arrive on March 5th, 2026.
Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green, which originally launched for the Game Boy Advance back in 2004, will arrive on Nintendo Switch next week to celebrate the Pokémon series’ 30th anniversary.
The games will become available on Switch shortly after this year’s Pokémon Presents broadcast — The Pokémon Company’s annual announcement showcase held on February 27 each year — that is expected to be a very important one indeed.
Today, The Pokémon Company also now firmed up the timing of the Pokémon Presents stream, which will be held at 6am Pacific / 9am Eastern / 2pm UK.
════════════ Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen confirmed for Nintendo Switch! ═══════════ These download-exclusive titles will be available after the #PokemonDay Presents presentation which begins Friday, February 27, 2026, at 6AM PST. #PokemonFRLGpic.twitter.com/m8xEFOOjle
Unlike other retro games available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription, Fire Red and Leaf Green will be standalone releases — sold via the eShop for $19.99 each. Local wireless play for battling and trading will be possible, though online features are not supported.
Still, the game is expected to enable players to connect and transfer Pokémon into Pokémon Home, the franchise’s cloud-based monster storage service.
As for next week’s Pokémon Presents broadcast, fans are anticipating that the franchise’s 30th anniversary will be marked by some big announcements. We’ll hear more about promising upcoming life sim spin-off Pokémon Pokopia of course, but fans will be waiting to see if the series’ long-awaited 10th generation of games and creatures also gets a showing.
Another intriguing Baldur’s Gate 3 custom campaign mod has emerged to confront your party of quirky RPG adventurers. This one’s a short story which lets you take a break from BG3’s main story to attend a dinner party at the house of a not-at-all creepy rich bloke, who happens to be very good at jamming out on the organ via illusions.
Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green, which originally launched for the Game Boy Advance back in 2004, will arrive on Nintendo Switch next week to celebrate the Pokémon series’ 30th anniversary.
The games will become available on Switch shortly after this year’s Pokémon Presents broadcast — The Pokémon Company’s annual announcement showcase held on February 27 each year — that is expected to be a very important one indeed.
Today, The Pokémon Company also now firmed up the timing of the Pokémon Presents stream: at 6am Pacific / 9am Eastern / 2pm UK.
More to follow…
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
