Fortnite continues to surprise in the most unexpected of ways, this time with a crossover event with Brandon Sanderson's ongoing Mistborn book series.
Starting today, players can dive into Fortnite's battle royale shop to add Mistborn's Kelsier to their ranks. This cloaked assassin wields a volcanic glass dagger, and players can choose whether he wears his black attire or his masked, white undercover variant. The purchase also adds the Hemalurgic Spikes Back Bling, and a Kelsier-themed loading screen.
Sanderson has penned seven different Mistborn books, and has announced plans to release four more. The next novel, Mistborn: The Lost Metal, is slated to release in December 2022. Sanderson has also projected release dates for the next trilogy of books, landing in 2025, 2026, and 2027. We'd love for George R. R. Martin to adopt a similar schedule so we could know what year (or decade) his next Song of Ice and Fire book is on the way.
Sanderson has worked with Epic Games' Donald Mustard in the past. He wrote two novellas based on Chair's excellent mobile Infinity Blade games. The Infinity Blade weapon of note appeared in Fortnite for a short stint before being vaulted on December 14, 2018. It can now be found in Creative mode.
For players that subscribe to the Fortnite Crew, the heavily armored Mecha Cuddle Master will be added to the pack this June. She comes with the Psytronic Bow Back Bling, the Nuzzle Jet Pickaxe (which shoots out a flame), and a Cuddle Mech Wrap.
What crossover event would you like to see happen next in Fortnite? Epic Games has delivered a steady drip of characters from Star Wars, Marvel, and DC Comics, and has also looked to popular movies to add The Predator and Terminator to the mix. It's fair to assume this summer's theatrical blockbusters have a good shot of being represented. Marvel's Black Widow seems like a slam dunk, but I also wouldn't be surprised if F9 (Fast & Furious 9) is represented in some way.
Tim Schafer owns a lot of Rubik's Cubes. This is something eagle-eyed viewers of Double Fine's many documentaries might've noticed throughout the years. Any scene with Schafer sitting in his office – of which there are a lot – is usually accompanied by many Rubik's Cubes covering his desk. Or they're found in his hands, as he quickly works through the Cube's puzzles in various meetings or work calls.
Take, for example, this scene from Double Fine Adventure episode three. Schafer, sitting next to Double Fine principal artist Lee Petty, is on a Skype call with artist Nathan "Bagel" Stapley as they work out various art directions for the then-in development Broken Age. Based on our frame-by-frame analysis of the scene, three different Rubik's Cubes can be seen: one in Schafer's hands, one on his desk between him and Petty, and one atop the couch near the window in the background. While there has been some debate here at Game Informer over whether or not the final Rubik's Cube counts, as it appears to actually be a small pillow, for the sake of comprehensiveness, we've chosen to include it.
Double Fine Productions/2 Player Productions Double Fine Productions/2 Player Productions
Owning a Rubik's Cube on its own is not that peculiar; they're popular toys. In fact, since its debut in 1977 (originally sold as the Magic Cube), Rubik's has sold more than 450 million of its toys. It stands to reason a lot of people own one. One. That makes sense. But three in an office alone? It's a bit outlandish.
Being the intrepid reporter I am, I decided to use a chunk of Game Informer's limited time with Schafer on our recent cover story interviews to get to the bottom of this Rubik's Cube mystery. The answer might surprise you. But probably not. He just kinda likes them.
In the 1990s, Schafer worked for LucasArts, the game development division of George Lucas' company Lucasfilm. The team used an internal engine called the Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion (SCUMM for short), named after the game the engine was originally made for. When pressed about his Rubik's Cube habit, Schafer admits that compiling SCUMM games took, as he puts it, an "awkward" amount of time. He'd often be stuck with not enough time to use the bathroom or go to the kitchen, but too much time to sit there and do nothing. So Schafer, needing a way to fill the days, learned to solve a three-by-three-block Rubik's Cube.
However, many years later, at Double Fine Productions, the company Schafer founded after LucasArts, a never-solved mystery presented itself.
"I learned how to do a three-by-three cube, and then one day at Double Fine, mysteriously, I never figured out who did this, someone left a four-by-four on my desk," Schafer says. "I was like, 'Ah, I can't solve that.' But the thing that's different now is that everything you could ever want to do, there's some kid on YouTube who can do it and will tell you how to do it. So, I was like, 'I'm going to solve a four-by-four.' And I was like, 'Hey, look! I solved it. I don't know who left that on my desk, but I solved it.' And then this five-by-five showed up on my desk, and it's like, 'Ugh.'"
While Schafer still doesn't know who left the Cubes on his desk, the mystery escalated all the way to seven-by-seven-block Rubik's Cubes. Schafer, a man determined, learned to solve them all. In exclusive photos obtained by Game Informer, you can see how large Schafer’s collection has become. Sitting in a small basket on his desk, at least 14 cubes of various dimensions, colors, and complexities can be seen.
Rubik’s Cubes now consume Schafer’s days, and no 24 hours are complete without at least a few solves of his various cubes. If you ever find yourself on a video call with Schafer, there’s a good chance that just under his camera are fingers hard at work.
"There's no secret to it, there's just these patterns and methods for doing it," Schafer says. "But once you learn it – I solve this stack every day a few times. Because I'm sitting in meetings now, and we're in these Zoom meetings, and I'm sure you all have things that you're doing when you're in a meeting. Like, there's a lot of meetings where you just have to listen. In a real-life live meeting, I want to do this, but it's rude because I'm supposed to be looking in your eyes, but I'm messing with this cube. But on a Zoom meeting, I have it down here [off camera] the whole time and no one even knows. It's fun, satisfying."
So there you have it – the secrets behind Tim Schafer's Rubik's Cube collection and habits (mostly) solved. However, Schafer leaves us with a couple surprising revelations. For one, he's moved from Rubik's Cubes to nicer, more high-end cube puzzles from China, ones that spin faster and feel good to the touch. The second revelation is that it's not just cubes anymore. He's graduated onto something else far different.
"I have [cubes] for Zoom meetings and then I also have tiny, tiny little jigsaw puzzles that I do at my desk here while I'm in the longer meetings," Schafer reveals. "Am I the only one who does that? Don't you go to long meetings?"
Cyberpunk 2077 has found a new game director in Gabriel Amatangelo following former quest director, Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, stepping down from his role and leaving CD Projekt Red entirely.
The new game director joined up with the studio back in January of 2020. He joined the team as creative director for Cyberpunk 2077. Prior to that, he has worked on several major RPG experiences, including Dragon Age Inquisition's expansions (which did much to tie the base game together) and Star Wars: The Old Republic. With his RPG background and ability to tie into an ongoing story flawlessly, his leadership could mean amazing things for Cyberpunk 2077's future following its chaotic launch.
Amatangelo will be leading the development charge as Cyberpunk 2077 continues to get into the shape it was promised to be in at launch, as well as the promised DLC for this open-world adventure.
Adam Badowski, the former Cyberpunk 2077 game director, has stepped down from his role to focus on other aspects of game development under the CDPR umbrella in a different leadership position. With more Cyberpunk experiences on the way and a return to the Witcher franchise, there is plenty of work to be done for the Polish studio.
This is all part of the revised plan of action for the studio after its game was pulled from Sony storefronts after it was revealed that the marketing for the game was not what it seemed. To learn about the road to Cyberpunk 2077's launch, and what happened after beyond just glitches, you can read more at our game hub here.
Microsoft continues to improve the capabilities of Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, recently giving FPS boost to 74 new games and making its excellent Quick Resume feature even quicker. With a massive catalog of excellent titles already available, IGN has curated this list of the best games you can play right now on your new Xbox.
With a few big releases having already hit in 2021, we've updated our list to feature only games with dedicated Xbox Series X|S enhancements — no more Xbox One backward-compatible games.
Whether you're diving into an all-new adventure, getting the most out of your gaming TV with 4K 120Hz gameplay, or revisiting an old favorite through backwards compatibility on Xbox, these are the IGN staff's picks for the ten best Xbox Series X|S games.
Depending on when you're reading this, The Medium might still be the ONLY actual next-gen exclusive for Xbox (i.e. it's not also available on Xbox One). In this case, it's because The Medium is basically running two game engines at once, and sometimes you control both at once, guiding Marianne through both the regular world of the living and the spirit world. The Medium is a psychological thriller a la Alan Wake and, thanks to its inclusion on Xbox Game Pass, is a Series X game you've got no reason not to check out.
14. Gears Tactics
Translating the brutal, brooding Gears of War universe and its cover-based action into a top-down, X-COM-style tactics game, Gears Tactics is an excellent turn-based tactics game that does a fantastic job of melding Gears’ famous style and action with the mechanics. While it's lighter on the macro strategy elements than one might expect from an X-COM-like, its campaign fleshes out the expanding Gears lore, leaves a great impression with some clever, Gears-appropriate original ideas, and looks fantastic doing it. That's especially true with Xbox Series X optimization where Gears Tactics shines at 60 FPS and 4K UHD, with enhanced textures, increased world detail and fast loading times, bringing it on par with the best versions of the game on any platform.
13. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Moon Studios' excellent Ori and the Will of the Wisps builds on the first game’s fun foundation without bogging it down or becoming overcomplicated, which is the best praise you can give a sequel. It stays true to the spirit of the original, doubles down on what made it great, and gives you more stake in the world and options to navigate it. And now on Xbox Series X, Moon has pushed the already jaw-droppingly gorgeous game to new heights at 120 FPS and 4K UHD, with native HDR support, and even a 6K resolution supersampled rendering mode at 60 FPS. When paired with the dynamic high-range audio, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the absolute best way to play this heartfelt followup of the little spirit that never gives up on its friends.
12. No Man's Sky
No Man's Sky Next is the story that the entire industry points to when looking for a comback tale and it's well deserved. Hello Games managed to continue supporting No Man's Sky with several updates that added quality of life features, like Expeditions that add a new set of challenges you can play with your friends, or the overhauled space stations, new enemies, cross-platform bases, and a ton of other community asks. Hello Games really does deserve credit because what they've created is beloved by players everywhere.
Control was already a gorgeous dive into a delightfully strange adventure and the Ultimate Edition brings it up to shiny, 4K beauty. With two performance modes for the Xbox Series X (Performance Mode targets 60fps and Graphics Mode targets 30fps with ray tracing on Series X), you can choose to the look and feel of the destruction you bring to the Federal Bureau of Control. In Jesse Faden's search for her brother, she finds herself at the bureau. Not only is she suddenly put in charge of the bureau upon her arrival, but also needs to figure out how to save it from an invasion by otherworldly beings called the Hiss. Doing so is a joy with Control's excellent combat mechanics that lend themselves to your playstyle as you unlock new weapons, powers, and upgrades for both. The collectibles and side stories are fantastically written as well. Control Ultimate Edition also includes both DLC, so you also have a chance to reunite with a certain Remedy character who wrote himself into a peculiar position.
10. MLB The Show 21
Xbox-owning baseball fans have been waiting an entire console generation to play a great simulation of America's pastime once again, and thanks to MLB making Sony take the phenomenal MLB The Show multiplatform, it is now here on Xbox Series X. This year's game brings a long-requested feature, a stadium creator, as a next-gen exclusive option, while continuing to deliver a fantastic looking, sounding, and playing baseball game to the field, with great modes like the long-running Road to the Show as well as newer favorites like March to October.
9. Destiny 2
Destiny 2's new seasonal model was met with a bit of hesitance at first, but what Bungie has delivered is instead a compelling narrative that intertwines story beats from season to season. The fact that the game had major enhancements on the Sereis X including an FOV slider and 120hz mode in crucible and 60hz across all modes only adds more reasons to give this one a shot if you have the TV to support all the frames you can handle. The fact that it has been added to Game Pass only sweetens the deal bringing more players into the fold. Whether you're looking to push back the darkness with Stasis or just shoot things with cool guns Destiny has proven the test of time and keeps players coming back.
8. Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Halo: The Master Chief Collection now collects six Halo games all under one digital roof – everything except Halo 5: Guardians. It's been torn down to the studs and rebuilt in grand fashion, and even better, it's been upgraded AGAIN for Xbox Series X with support for 120fps gameplay. Crazy to think that these games were 480i/30fps the first time we played them...
The series' next entry, Halo Infinite, is due out later this year. Developer 343 recently announced it will support multiplayer cross-play and cross-progression across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.
One of the greatest racing games ever made – and the highest-rated Microsoft exclusive on Xbox One to date – Forza Horizon 4's Series X refresh absolutely slashes loading times, making its slightly laggy menu shuffling and car switching a thing of the past (even for players with enormous, 700+ car garages).
The Xbox One X enhanced version's 1080p/60fps performance mode becomes 4K/60fps here on Series X, too – although, curiously, there are a few flourishes from the Xbox One X's 30fps quality mode that have (hopefully temporarily) gone missing. Forza Horizon 4 may be a couple of years old, but it's never too late to get on board; new, free cars are still being injected into the game every month.
6. NBA 2K21
Don't confuse this with the game you may have already bought on Xbox One – NBA 2K21 on Xbox Series X is a totally new, built-for-next-gen version that has different game modes, tech, visuals, and more. And it looks fantastic. In fact, this might be the most "next-gen" looking game of the Series X launch lineup. It's a pretty good basketball sim too!
5. It Takes Two
Admittedly, It Takes Two won't exactly melt your GPU with its graphical intensity. Is it a nice looking game with a whimsical, fairy-tale tone and graphics to match? Yes, most certainly. But you need to play It Takes Two (with a friend or loved one either on the couch or via online play, of course, since It Takes Two cannot be played alone) because it is simply one of the best and most unique multiplayer experiences you can find these days. Writer-director Josef Fares – yes, he of "F*** the Oscars!" fame – follows up the equally excellent A Way Out with this, a story about a failing marriage that might just be able to be saved thanks to the couple being turned into children's dolls and forced to work together to find their way back to their human forms. Play it and we promise you'll smile.
4. Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Yes, it’s often silly, ridiculous, and features a side mission in which you have to deliver formula to a gangster who dresses up and acts like a baby, but when you get back on the main story path, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is one of the best video game stories of 2020.
Ichiban Kasuga and his loyal party of down on their luck misfits are all lovable in their own quirky ways, and absolutely live up to the high standard set by Kiryu, Majima, and the rest of the Yakuza series mainstays. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is funny, emotional, expertly acted both in English and Japanese, and is just an all-around wonderful RPG that pays homage to the genres roots.
Following the success of Like a Dragon, the Yakuza series will remain a turn-based RPG moving forward.
3. Hitman 3
Agent 47's latest (and for now, last) outing is not only a much better game than its two last-gen predecessors, it's a much prettier one too. Hitman 3 has some truly breathtaking scenes from an eye-candy perspective, and of course it runs great on the Xbox Series X as well. The first mission in Dubai will get you hooked, but the remaining five – including the second one, which is essentially like a playable version of the fantastic film Knives Out – will keep your new Xbox powered on as you try out the myriad ways to take out your targets.
2. Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla wasn’t built exclusively for next-gen, but it’s impossible not to look at it running on the Xbox Series X and marvel at the sheer beauty and impressive detail of its open-world. It’s hard not to get stuck focusing on the stunning lighting and thick atmosphere of each environment and as you pillage, plunder, and build a kingdom in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. Valhalla’s scope, scale, and lightning-fast load times prove the series is poised to expand its tried-and-true formula on the power of new hardware.
While it's a bit of a backhanded compliment to say that 2019's Gears 5 is arguably the most visually impressive game on the Series X at launch, the fact remains that the already-gorgeous Gears of War sequel has been dialed up to take advantage of Microsoft's new console. Better lighting, raytracing, 120fps support in Versus multiplayer -- the bottom line is that if you skipped Gears 5 last year, the Series X is a great place to play it for the first time.
Upcoming Xbox Series X Games
The Warhammer 40K FPS Necromunda: Hired Gun is next up for Xbox Series X|S owners. That will be released on June 1, followed a week later by Chivalry 2, which our preview said may be the ultimate melee combat simulator.
On June 18 the Series X|S version of Metro Exodus will be released as a free upgrade to existing owners. The Series X version will run at 4K/60 FPS, while the Series S version will target 1080p/60 FPS.
Looking a bit further ahead, there are currently three notable Xbox games scheduled for July: F1 2021 on July 16, the JRPG Cris Tales on July 20, and the isometric action-RPG/twin-stick shooter The Ascent on July 29.
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Updates: On May 23, Red Dead 2, Sekiro, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and Watch Dogs Legion were removed, while The Medium, Gears Tactics, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, No Man’s Sky, Control Ultimate Edition, MLB The Show 21, Destiny 2, It Takes Two, and Hitman 3 were added. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Gears 5 also swapped positions on the list.
Are you ready for part twelve of our epic playthrough of FromSoftware's Bloodborne! Grab some snacks and come join us as we take the iconic whirligig saw out for a spin on the toughest bosses of The Old Hunters. Check out our review here and join us today at 2 PM CT!
Are you ready for a chilling thrill ride through FromSoftware's masterpiece? Bloodborne is a dark horror action/RPG that tasks the player with navigating through haunted streets full of werewolves and shuffling, shambling ghouls – and that's just the first hour. Bloodborne showcases immaculate environments dripping with atmosphere, creative and cruel monster designs, and terrors ripped from the great beyond. And we're going to play through it! Super Replay, the legendary Game Informer series that pairs pro players with even more professional commentary, is back.
As the flagship revival title, Bloodborne is going to be live and uncut every Friday at 2 PM CST. So won't you come join us for a blood-tinged brawl? How many times will I choke during boss fights? Will I even remember how to use the parry guns? (Probably not).
But I have faith that together, we will make it through, even if that includes farming up a mess of blood vials to get past a grotesque pig and other creatures of the night. This is a raw, organic playthrough at its finest, as I haven't really touched the game since my second playthrough of The Old Hunters shortly after it launched. In short, it's the perfect way to bring all the fun and intensity of the Super Replay directly into your eyeballs, shot live and beamed into reality via livestream.
"Bloodborne is a blood-drenched horror gem that has only the faintest of cracks in its façade. Bloodborne succeeds through sparse storytelling, lush atmospheres (conjuring up notions of the best of Lovecraft’s work), and tight combat that forces you to be aggressive," I said in my Game Informerreview. "While this new IP doesn’t stray far from the established Souls franchise, it is a magical, wondrous work that admirably instills both terror and triumph in those brave enough to delve into it."
Checkout the entire Replay series here and get started with the Bloodborne run in epic fashion here.
Do you like Super Replay? Are you glad to see it back? What other games would you like to see featured in the future? Let us know in the comments!
Double Fine Productions/2 Player Productions
Double Fine Productions/2 Player Productions
