PSA: Starfield Spoilers Have Begun to Leak

Well, friends, we are just over a week away from the early access launch of Starfield and spoilers have begun leaking, including the opening 40 minutes of the game from someone who got a copy early.

IGN won’t be sharing any of the spoilers, but we wanted to warn all of you to be careful on social media (block appropriate hashtags, keywords, etc.), YouTube, and beyond. The first new Bethesda universe in over 25 years is almost here, and we hope it isn’t ruined for any who wish to journey through it.

Bethesda has already fallen victim to a number of Starfield leaks perpetrated by bad actors, who have either foolishly breached their non-disclosure agreements, or, as is the case here, have taken advantage of being sent the game ahead of release.

While it’s not necessarily a spoiler of the game itself, Starfield’s start screen has leaked and was criticized by a former Blizzard employee, which prompted Bethesda head of publishing Pete Hines to issue a sharply worded rebuke.

Be sure to check out IGN’s review of Starfield when the embargo lifts at 9 A.M. Pacific Time on August 31, ahead of the game’s early access release on September 1 for players who have purchased the Premium Edition, Premium Upgrade, or Constellation Editions of the game. Starfield will be getting its full release on September 6, as a day one Game Pass title.

For more, check out 10 things we learned from a recent developer Q&A and everything else we already know about Starfield.

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

Cult of the Lamb Gets a Free Update That Adds a Don’t Starve Together Crossover and Survival Mode

Cult of the Lamb developer Massive Monster is teaming up with Don’t Starve Together developer Klei Entertainment for a special crossover event which will bring themed in-game items, decorations, a new survival mode, Webber as a follower, and so much more.

The free Cult of the Lamb update is available as of today, and, as we mentioned, it will see Don’t Starve Together’s friendly spider-infused character Webber make the leap to the charming roguelite as a follower with multiple variants. To get your hooves on Webber you’ll first need to obtain a skull dropped by a defeated spider. Proceed to bury said skull in a grave – as any self respecting lamb would – and the arachnid sycophant will pop out of the ground, ready and willing to do your unholy bidding.

Unlocking Webber as a follower has the added benefit of unlocking new Don’t Starve Together themed decorations for your cult, including the alchemy engine, marbled tree, and, of course, the aptly named pig head flag.

Gaining Webber also grants access to the Penitence game mode, which introduces Don’t Starve-inspired hunger and sleep mechanics to your unholy adventure. After selecting the Penitence mode upon starting a new game, the player will have to contend with two ever decreasing bars, representing the protagonist’s hunger and need for sleep. A failure to satiate either of these needs will result in permadeath, much like it would in real life.

“The key to survival will be to manage both your Hunger and Sleep levels – they will continue to go down, even when on crusades,” read a post on Cult of the Lamb’s Steam store page describing the new additions. “You will be able to abandon a crusade early, but this will come at a slight cost of some of the resources you gathered.”

Don’t Starve Together has also received a selection of Cult of the Lamb themed items, including the Crown trinket, which can be extracted from wet pouches fished from the oasis lake and offered to the Antlion in exchange for new blueprints. Klei Entertainment is also offering a limited time log-in reward, which will net players a number of item skins and rewards to let you starve in occult style.

The update is available now on Xbox, and PlayStation consoles, and PC, and a Nintendo Switch version containing the content will be available “very soon”.

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

Forza Motorsport PC Requirements Revealed

Xbox and Turn 10 Studios have finally shared the PC requirements for the next iteration of Forza Motorsport.

In a new blog post, the developer confirms that Forza Motorsport’s PC release will support native resolutions up to 4K and higher. The upcoming racing sim will also support Nvidia’s DLSS 2 and AMD’s FSR 2.2 supersampling technologies.

The PC requirements note that players must free up 130GB of SSD on their rigs to install Forza Motorsport. The “Ideal Specs,” which will have the game running at Ultra settings, notes that you should use a NvME SSD to install Forza Motorsport. You can check out the complete PC requirements in the image below.

Turn 10 Studios also provided transparency on what racing wheels will work on the Xbox and PC versions: 18 racing wheels are supported on the console version and the PC version supports 41 racing wheels. You can check the full list here.

An Xbox Wire blog post that went up at the same time confirms that Forza Motorosport’s PC release will also have cross-play and cross-progression available across PC and console. Additionally, Xbox noted that Forza Motorsport features rumble vibration on the Xbox controllers and improved force feedback for those using a racing wheel.

The announcement coincides with Gamescom 2023. And to celebrate Xbox’s presence at the trade show, the publisher announced that the Nürburgring GP circuit will be available in Forza Motorsport when the game releases in October.

Forza Motrosport arrives on October 10 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Half-Life 2 Will Be the Latest Game to Get a Ray-Traced Remix

As part of its Gamescom 2023 announcements, Nvidia revealed that the next game to get an RTX enhancement is Valve’s critically acclaimed first-person shooter, Half-Life 2.

Half-Life 2 RTX is being worked on by the Half-Life 2 community using an early access version of the RTX Remix creator toolkit. The RTX version of Half-Life 2 will use Nvidia’s tech, such as hardware-focused ray tracing, Nvidia Reflex, RTX IO, and the third generation of DLSS.

This is the latest RTX-enhanced game to use Nvidia’s RTX Remix toolkit, which the GPU maker announced last year. The first game to use a toolkit was Portal, and more recently, the popular 2008 mod Portal Prelude also received an RTX remix.

In our review of Half-Life 2, we said that the game “sets the standard in all areas, especially the use of physics as a gameplay tool instead of merely a visual treat for gamers.” Noting that Half-Life 2 is a great game for fans of the series and those that like action games in general.

Half-Life 2 RTX currently does not have a release date.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Former Netflix Executive Launches New Regionally Focused Publisher, Midwest Games

IGN can exclusively reveal the launch of Midwest Games, a new regionally focused video game publisher headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

At the helm of the new studio is Ben Kvalo, an industry veteran with prior experience as Netflix senior management. Kvalo says the goal of the new studio is to focus on creating opportunities for talent across the Midwest and in other underrepresented regions.

“Coming from the Midwest, I’m well aware of the challenges of breaking into and building a career within the games industry from here,” Kvalo tells IGN. “Currently, the Midwest ranks at the bottom among US regions in terms of both game output and employment opportunities. Not coincidentally, it’s also the only US region lacking an established, dedicated video game publisher collaborating with local developers.

“We intend to shift this landscape. While we’re headquartered in the Midwest, that’s not where our focus ends. We’re putting our flag in the ground and asserting that you can do this here. And if we can achieve success here, this creates a proof point it can be done anywhere — not only in traditional industry hotspots.”

Midwest Games’ leadership is also made up of co-founder and Head of Partnerships Robert Martin III, Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Corbett, Chief Project Officer Chris Klimecky, and board members Mark James and Liz Kuehn. This group brings experience from companies including Meta, 2K, Striking Distance Studios, Crunchyroll, Discovery Communications, and more.

Along with the reveal of the new publisher, Midwest Games revealed its first publishing partnership. Midwest Games will work with Cincinatti-based developer Gylee Games to release Ra Ra Boom, a 4-player cooperative beat ’em up, with 2D action taking place in a hand-drawn art style. IGN can exclusively reveal the new trailer for Ra Ra Boom, which you can check out below.

Ra Ra Boom will tell a coming-of-age narrative about four ninja cheerleaders from outer space fighting against an army of AI robots.

“We met with many publishers during the development of Ra Ra Boom, and found that Midwest Games was the closest match to our goals and values,” says Gylee Games founder Chris Bergman. “We’re not just working hard to create successful games, we want to expand the opportunities for all developers in our hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the rest of the Midwest.”

Fans attending 2D Con in Minnesota later this month can go to a panel introducing Midwest Games on Saturday, August 26, at 1 p.m. There will also be a Ra Ra Boom gameplay contest the next day at 1 p.m.

Midwest Games is backed by TitletownTech, a venture capital firm led by the NFL’s Green Bay Packers and Microsoft.

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.

Don’t Miss This New Spider-Man 2 Preorder Deal: Here’s How to Get the Best Price Possible

Spider-Man 2 has claimed its spot at the forefront of the most anticipated lists for ardent Spider-Man and PlayStation enthusiasts, and with good reason. However, if you’re not inclined to shell out the full, and rather hefty, price tag of £70 on its launch day, there are some enticing opportunities already available.

For starters, Amazon has significantly trimmed down the preorder of the game to £62.99, complemented by a preorder price guarantee to safeguard against potential further reductions. That’s not the only deal available either, so check out the full range of options below as well.

If you do preorder through Amazon, you won’t need to pay a penny until the game ships, so you won’t be out of pocket until the game is on its way to you. This preorder deal has already gone out of stock once, so it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that it will sell out again (or Amazon will simply up the price again before launch).

If these options don’t appeal to you, you could also consider buying the game digitally. ShopTo has recently expanded its range of PSN gift card deals, including the £35 card, now available at a reduced price of £30.85. If you’re a digital owner or anyone else interested, purchasing two of these cards for a total of £61.70 could offer a fantastic deal for preordering Spider-Man 2, provided you have the funds available right now.

Alternatively, another top suggestion for those with a bit of patience is to wait for Spider-Man 2 to appear among listings from verified eBay sellers (such as The Game Collection). Once it’s available to preorder, keep an eye out for a fresh eBay discount code, similar to the ongoing WOW10 promo.

This strategy could lead to a substantial discount, especially if you act swiftly to secure your preorder (as these deals can also sell out fast). Just remember, upfront payment is necessary, making this another favorable choice for those with the game funds readily available. For even more new UK deal developments follow @IGNUKDeals on Twitter or join our IGN Deals Discord for more discussion.

Insomniac announced a limited edition PlayStation 5 alongside a new trailer in July, revealed a chunky collector’s edition back in June, and even released new gameplay, bizarrely, in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Microsoft Submits New Activision Blizzard Deal for Review After CMA Confirms Original Deal Block

Microsoft has submitted a new Activision Blizzard deal for review after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed the original deal is blocked.

To address the CMA’s concerns, Microsoft has restructured the deal to buy a “narrower” set of rights. This includes signing a deal with Assassin’s Creed maker Ubisoft to sell the cloud streaming rights for all current and new Activision Blizzard PC and console games released over the next 15 years, and for non-exclusive rights to stream in the European Economic Area. The rights will be in perpetuity.

“As a result of the agreement with Ubisoft, Microsoft believes its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard presents a substantially different transaction under UK law than the transaction Microsoft submitted for the CMA’s consideration in 2022,” Microsoft president Brad Smith said.

“As such, Microsoft today has notified the restructured transaction to the CMA and anticipates that the CMA review processes can be completed before the 90-day extension in its acquisition agreement with Activision Blizzard expires on October 18.”

Microsoft said that under the restructured buyout, it will not be in a position either to release Activision Blizzard games exclusively on Xbox Cloud Gaming, or exclusively control the licensing terms of Activision Blizzard games for rival services, opening the possibility of Activision Blizzard games appearing on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles on cloud gaming services. Ubisoft can now commercialise the distribution of the games via cloud streaming, including to Microsoft itself.

Ubisoft will buy the cloud streaming rights to Activision’s games through a one-off payment and through a market-based wholesale pricing mechanism, including an option that supports pricing based on usage. Ubisoft will have the ability to license out to third-parties the cloud streaming rights to Activision’s games under any business model of its choosing, including buy-to-play, multigame subscription services, or any other model that may arise, the CMA said. Ubisoft will also be able, for a fee, to require Microsoft to adapt Activision’s titles to operating systems other than Windows, such as Linux, if it decides to use or license out the cloud streaming rights to Activision’s titles to a cloud gaming service that runs a non-Windows operating system.

Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: “The CMA has today confirmed that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision, as originally proposed, cannot proceed.

“Separately, Microsoft has notified a new and restructured deal, which is substantially different from what was put on the table previously. As part of this new deal, Activision’s cloud streaming rights outside of the EEA will be sold to a rival, Ubisoft, who will be able to license out Activision’s content to any cloud gaming provider. This will allow gamers to access Activision’s games in different ways, including through cloud-based multigame subscription services. We will now consider this deal under a new Phase 1 investigation.

“This is not a green light. We will carefully and objectively assess the details of the restructured deal and its impact on competition, including in light of third-party comments. Our goal has not changed – any future decision on this new deal will ensure that the growing cloud gaming market continues to benefit from open and effective competition driving innovation and choice.”

“We believe that this development is positive for players, the progression of the cloud game streaming market, and for the growth of our industry,” Smith added. “And as we continue to navigate the review process with the CMA, we remain as committed as ever to bringing the incredible benefits of the acquisition to players, developers, and the industry. Today’s development brings us one step closer to bringing the joy of gaming to players everywhere.”

Ubisoft said the deal will “further strengthen Ubisoft’s content offering through its subscription service Ubisoft+, as well as allowing Ubisoft to license streaming access of the Activision Blizzard catalogue of games, including future releases, to cloud gaming companies, service providers, and console makers”.

“Ubisoft+ will be able to further expand its growing library of titles enabling players the ability to play across multiple platforms including PC, Xbox consoles and Amazon Luna with a single subscription to Ubisoft+ Multi Access, and on the PlayStation platform with Ubisoft+ Classics.”

Developing story…

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.

Immortals of Aveum Review

Much like the waistband of MacGyver’s trousers, Immortals of Aveum is a gun-free zone. This may sound like a peculiar predicament for a first-person shooter to place itself in, but developer Ascendant Studios has made it work. How, you ask? Magic. And I’m not being facetious here; I mean, literal barrages of brightly-coloured bullets magically blasted from the fingertips of a bloke who really puts the war in warlock. An unexpected collision of traditional high fantasy adventure with slick FPS action, Immortals of Aveum boasts a wonderful backdrop for its classy combat and comes with everything I crave in a modern shooter: it’s striking to look at, sturdy to play, and it’s strictly single-player only.

There are times when Immortals of Aveum feels like Wolfenstein with wizards, and others when it feels like Doctor Strange has been airdropped directly into Doom. It’s a curious concoction but it’s one that works surprisingly well, and I’ve particularly enjoyed how different Aveum is to anything I’ve played in recent memory. The firefights are frantic and visually spectacular, the light platforming and puzzle work is generally satisfying, and the world itself is very well-crafted.

Aveum’s arcanepunk aesthetic is very absorbing and creates a world of interesting extremes.

Aveum’s arcanepunk aesthetic is very absorbing and creates a world of interesting extremes; it’s a world where magic is ubiquitous and powers highly-advanced technology for war-torn societies still living a medieval-inspired lifestyle. This means wild flying machines and mindbending virtual puzzle rooms juxtaposed against gilded castles and ramshackle timber slums. It’s a cool clash of styles, and straddling multiple genres seems to suit Aveum’s ambitions as a first-person shooter with a twist.

Spells like Teen Spirit

We play as Jak who, in a moment of extreme stress in the opening phase of the story, is suddenly revealed to possess the power of a Triarch – an extremely rare person able to wield the world of Aveum’s three forms of magic simultaneously. Jak subsequently finds himself drafted into the Everwar – a battle for control over Aveum’s magic that has been raging for millennia but appears to be barrelling towards a catastrophic conclusion. The story specifics get a little lost in the weeds during occasional salvoes of fantasy phrases but it’s otherwise easy to follow – and there’s a steady cadence of moderate twists to keep it from getting bogged. If you want to get seriously steeped in lore there’s a lot of optional stuff to dig through, but it definitely isn’t required to sufficiently understand what’s going on. There are some very elegant ecological and social parables tucked in here, too, and I ultimately appreciated the contemporary relevance – and that the story wasn’t just spinning its wheels mindlessly.

I’ve noticed some resistance to the choice to use modern vernacular and colloquialisms in Aveum’s dialogue, but I honestly can’t see myself being as engaged as I was if Ascendant had opted instead for po-faced, pseudo–Early Modern English. In fact, I’d argue that leaning on archaic language would only undermine how otherwise fresh and modern Aveum feels in the first-person shooter space. Not every line lands – and there’s a certain Generation Z angst about Jak that I didn’t always find entirely endearing – but the performances are good and I can get behind it broadly. Besides, I don’t know about you, but I don’t know that I need all my fantasy stories sifted through a Shakespeare filter just to dress up the dialogue with some 400-year-old dribble.

I don’t know that I need all my fantasy stories sifted through a Shakespeare filter just to dress up the dialogue with some 400-year-old dribble.

On default difficulty, Aveum kept me busy for well over 20 hours to reach the credits. It’s nicely paced and strikes a good balance between switching up our surroundings for new locations and returning us to places we’ve already visited. While there are a few drab and dreary spots, most of Aveum’s environments are exceptionally good looking – from its giant lava pools to its icy and jagged crystal caves. The excellent lighting is regularly a strong component of what makes Aveum’s levels so eye-catching.

It’s a relatively linear experience and not a single open world, but there are some maps that are admittedly quite large and primed for exploring off the main path. There were definitely occasions I found myself slightly frustrated at Jak’s inability to leap on and over surfaces that look entirely suitable for standing on, but my bigger frustration was the lack of communication around things Jak couldn’t access yet by design. For instance, Aveum was very quick to have Jak drop an audio solution to an environmental puzzle I was already well on top of solving, but it’s also content to leave me fruitlessly trying to figure out how to get into a bonus area Jak literally hasn’t been rewarded with the ability to do yet.

Rusty Mage

Jak’s list of abilities is, however, impressively long. They’re also rationed out until quite deep into the story, meaning things that might have stumped us hours and hours prior may suddenly make sense. Aveum feels a little plain at first, when Jak is limited to just his initial basic spell strikes, but as the story progresses he gains access to far more interesting attacks and abilities. These include things like sticky charges that have a slow-motion effect, the ability to hover after a double jump, and a lash that drags enemies in for an easier close quarters kill. Aveum is undoubtedly a lot more than a disguised military shooter with finger guns.

The finger guns are a fun touch, though, and they’re essentially split into three categories. Blue magic attacks function as a large calibre pistol, green magic attacks manifest as rapid fire SMG rounds, and red magic attacks are essentially a sawn-off shotgun. Red attacks are reloaded by fist pumping, by the way. Now we know what Tiger Woods is doing every time he sinks a putt.

However, if you’re worried this means there are only three basic “weapons” in Aveum, don’t be; there are variations on each that change their damage, fire rate, and shots per reload depending on the associated “sigil” you equip to Jak’s arm, and there’s also another layer of secondary attacks – from damaging blastwaves to snaking volleys of magic missiles. There’s even an extremely potent beam that combines all three magic colours in a single, destructive torrent – gushing forwards like someone just knocked Cyclops’ sunglasses off. I really enjoy how powerful this attack makes Jak feel, and it’s crucial in some of the tougher boss battles.

Aveum does motivate us to engage with discovering and experimenting with new sigils, although it also didn’t punish me for settling with the ones I had already fully upgraded and sticking with them until the end of the story.

There’s a significant degree of controller gymnastics required to get the most of Aveum’s combat. I would also say that, as a man with the multitasking abilities of a peanut, it certainly grazes the upper limit to the amount of systems I can effectively juggle at once. At its most hectic I was nursing multiple ability cooldowns, boosting both my health and mana levels, switching sigils depending on which enemy poses the most immediate threat, and slinging special spells to deal out the fastest damage I can – all while building my big beam attack.

At times, I felt on top of [combat]; at other times things descended into panicked blasting. The strength of Aveum is that it all looks rather spectacular either way.

At times, I felt on top of it; at other times things descended into panicked blasting. The strength of Aveum is that it all looks rather spectacular either way. Whether you’re efficiently and ruthlessly carving through enemies with focus and finesse – or wading into battle spamming spells and seeing what works – combat is a wild storm of shattering shields and colourful fireworks at a welcome 60 frames per second on consoles. Movement is smooth, and Jak feels agile and responsive compared to the bulk of his foes. Jak is by definition one of the most dangerous battlemages in all of Aveum, and I certainly felt like that most of the time.

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Includes a Warning for Content That ‘May Be Considered Outdated’

Whether in the incest themes in Otacon’s backstory or the series’ overall leering approach to women, Metal Gear Solid is no stranger to controversy. Noting this, Konami has seen fit to include a content warning in the opening of each of the major games in the collection, which include Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2, and Metal Gear Solid 3 as well as versions of the original 8-bit games.

According to Gamesradar, which first spotted the content warning during the recent round of previews, the collection contains the following message warning players about elements that “may be considered outdated.”

This game contains expressions and themes which may be considered outdated. However, these elements have been included without alteration to preserve the historical context in which the game was made and the creator’s original vision. Player discretion is advised

The message declines to name Hideo Kojima, who is closely associated with the series. Kojima, who was fired shortly before the completion of Metal Gear Solid V, is not involved with the Master Collection or the upcoming MGS 3 remake, Metal Gear Solid Delta.

Konami’s content warning bears a striking resemblance to the one utilized by Warner Bros. ahead of some of its golden age Looney Tunes cartoons, which contain content typically viewed as racist by modern audiences. It’s not a common sight in video games, though.

Naturally, fans were quick to speculate on what specifically might have motivated the content warning. Apart from the above-mentioned incest themes, some pointed out that Metal Gear Solid 2 included a scene in which the President grabs Raiden’s crotch, among other things. Needless to say, Metal Gear Solid has never been shy about being silly and risque with its humor.

An ‘authentic’ Metal Gear Solid experience

One way or another, Konami says it is dedicated to providing an “authentic” Metal Gear Solid experience, telling IGN, “We want to add that the concept for this collection really is to provide the most authentic MGS experience possible, with minor quality of life changes to smooth out a few edges from a different era of game development. Konami’s goal is to provide a new generation of players an accessible way to experience MGS while including all the MGS-flavored set dressing and bonus content that the core fans will appreciate.”

Konami’s professed commitment to authenticity seemingly includes releasing the collection in 720p even on modern consoles, which is currently spurring controversy among fans of the series. While it includes plenty of bonus content, it is otherwise a fairly straightforward port of the original Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, with some previewers even spotting a 2012 copyright (the original HD collection release date) in the menu screen.

Our own Metal Gear Solid Master Collection preview notes many of these issues, including the noticeable slowdown and lower framerate in the Switch version. You can read our first impressions right here.

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 is set to release October 24 on PC, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. As for Metal Gear Solid Delta, it’ll be out in 2024.

Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

Canceled Immortals Fenyx Rising Sequel Would Have Been a Mix of Wind Waker and Elden Ring

Last month, reports emerged that Ubisoft had quietly canceled a sequel to Immortals Fenyx Rising, its colorful open world action-adventure game that many reviewers compared to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Now new details have emerged suggesting that Ubisoft’s canceled game would have taken inspiration from not just Zelda, but Elden Ring as well.

According to new report on Axios, Immortals 2 — codenamed Oxygen within Ubisoft — would have shifted its setting to Polynesia, giving it an island vibe that would have been reminiscent of Wind Waker. What’s more, it would have apparently borrowed heavily from Elden Ring, eschewing map points in favor of dropping players in a hostile world.

The story would have had an environmental theme, with player actions impacting the land around them. It would have featured elemental powered and shape-shifting, with players earning new tattoos based on their actions. The art style would have eschewed the cartoonier look of the original game, featuring instead characters who were more realistic. On top of all of that, Immortals 2 would have reportedly dropped the original’s narrator and focused away from puzzles.

In short, it would have been a very different game — different enough that Ubisoft apparently considered rebranding it as a different game entirely.

Developer Ubisoft Quebec was reportedly taking its time with the project, but by spring the studio had apparently produced an internal demo featuring several playable hours. Ultimately, though, Ubisoft opted to cancel it to focus on established franchises like Assassin’s Creed.

Ubisoft tries to right the ship

Oxygen’s sudden cancellation is emblematic of Ubisoft’s recent pivot toward its best-known properties as it grapples with the effects of a bare release schedule and other issues. The original game was a modest success, but seemingly not enough to warrant a sequel. Nevertheless, its cancellation was reportedly a “surprise” to the development team at Ubisoft Quebex.

In the meantime, Ubisoft is all in on Assassin’s Creed. Assassin’s Creed Mirage, billed as a return to the franchise’s root, is set to release later this year, with Assassin’s Creed Red and Assassin’s Creed Jade also in development. Numerous other Assassin’s Creed projects are also in development as Ubisoft seeks to regain its footing in what has been a rough couple years for the publisher.

As for Immortals: Fenyx Rising, it seems destined to fade into history as Ubisoft moves on to other projects. Happily, it’s still relatively easy to find the original game, which is available on all major consoles on PC.

Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.