Using audio logs to help convey a game’s story is nothing new. In fact, audio logs aren’t even new to Halo, with Halo 3: ODST’s Sadie's Story being one of the most memorable parts of an incredibly memorable game, and Halo 4’s Terminals delivering key details about the Didact. Halo 5 utilized them too. But Halo Infinite – thanks to its campaign’s open-ring structure – is putting them to use in a contextually fascinating way: to tell multiple sides of the larger story about the fight on Zeta Halo between the UNSC and The Banished that takes place prior to the start of when you as Master Chief enter the fray.

You’ll find data pads scattered all over Zeta Halo, and they house audio logs that fall into three categories: UNSC, Banished, and Spartan. There are also Forerunner Archives. But there are multiple stories within those groups. “The great thing that the audio logs gave us is the opportunity to fill in some of the blanks that players can experience at their own pace,” said Halo Infinite associate creative director Paul Crocker. “Each one of those then leads to another connecting kind of piece of the game, whether it's the Marines you're finding, the Spartans and what happened to some of them, [etc.].”

Crocker characterized them as “really polished kind of radio plays,” and thankfully, you don’t have to worry about trying to piece the story of these audio logs together yourself. Some audio logs will tell one-off stories relevant to the location you find them, but for the bulk of them that spin a larger yarn, you can discover the data pads in any order and they’ll play out in linear order so that you hear the story as it was meant to be experienced. But 343 was keen to make sure that finding one won’t stop the action. “We made conscious decisions with the audio logs in the game,” Crocker began. “Like when you find one, you can just hit X and you will collect it or you can hold [X] and you will get to play it [right then]. And then we've very purposefully said, well, if you hold that button and you choose to play it, it will take priority over everything else. So if you just want to be walking through the game, just listening to the data pads and having effectively your kind of library of story, moving around the game with you, apart from a cutscene, they will take priority. Everything else just gets kind of muted down.”

Halo 4’s Terminals were criticized for burying too much key story information in them, and Halo franchise narrative writer Jeff Easterling acknowledged that the 343 team is trying to strike a better balance for Halo Infinite. “I think [the audio logs are] a neat way to balance that element of, 'What are our stories that we can tell that enrich?', but that you don't feel are a requirement,” he said. “They're there for the players who want to scrape a little bit below the surface.”

Easterling hopes having several perspectives in the audio logs will give players multiple ways into this larger optional part of Infinite's story. “One of the ways that we had specifically kind of designed is that there are threads that you can also kind of choose from too,” he said. “So there will be people, of course, who want to see all, but there might be some people who may happen upon like a specific story arc or a specific thread that they're like, 'Oh, I, I kind of actually want to follow this one.'”

“They feel like these great ways to look out into the wider story,” Crocker added. “And at the same time they can be more human because like, let's be honest, you put a bunch of Marines in the back of your Warthog and drive off the side of a cliff – you're not really thinking about what's going to happen to those Marines at that moment as a player. But as Chief, you want to have that kind of reason why you're protecting humanity. And that's what they give us.”

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

Nerf has announced a collaboration with Minecraft, turning items from both Minecraft and Minecraft Dungeons into real-life blasters.

Two blasters – the Nerf Minecraft Pillager's Crossbow and the Nerf Minecraft Stormlander – are available to buy today. The Pillager's Crossbow takes inspiration from the original Minecraft and is fired by pulling back a priming lever and pulling the trigger – allowing you to fire three Nerf Elite darts at once. It comes in at $26.49.

The Stormlander is inspired by Minecraft Dungeons, and is based on that game's hammer weapon. Loaded with three darts in the top of the hammer, you fire by pulling a trigger on the handle. It comes in at $20.99. You can check out all the entire Nerf Minecraft line in the gallery below:

Also available for pre-order today are three Nerf Microshots blasters. The single-shot blasters each take inspiration from a Minecraft mob – the Dragon, Guardian, and Ghast – and each one will cost $10.99.

The can buy or pre-order the entire Nerf Minecraft line from Walmart now.

Horizon Forbidden West has a whole team of developers solely dedicated to making its open-world experience feel alive for players in the game, called the Living World Team.

In a new insight into Horizon Forbidden West on the PlayStation Blog, Lead Living World Designer at Guerrilla, Espen Sogn explains how his team is working on different aspects of world design to bring the PlayStation exclusive to life.

“When you walk through the Forbidden West, everything should feel like it belongs there," says Sogn. "The Living World team at Guerrilla works on aspects of the game that make the world feel authentic and alive: the tribes, the settlements, and the people within them. There’s an intention behind everything we place within the world.”

It's seemingly that intention that will help players to understand and fully experience Forbidden West's storyline and characters when it launches next year. As part of the post, the studio explains that the Living World team has been working closely alongside the game's narrative designers to ensure players are greeted with a visual experience that makes sense from a storytelling perspective throughout the game.

“Our main challenge is translating this narrative framework into visuals that are integral to the world itself,” says Sogn. “For example, the Tenakth [one of the human tribes within the game] are known to be competitive and combat-focused, but so are other tribes. So how do we distinguish them, and how do we communicate that visually?”

"It then becomes all about the details, the animations, and the behaviors. Within their settlements, you’ll see the Tenakth working out, readying themselves for battle. They’re often younger because they need to be capable warriors. Their base is an ancient ruin, from which they’ve picked up certain Old World gestures that they may not fully understand – like using a military salute to say hello."

"Ultimately, our goal is to make sure NPCs feel connected to where they live, and we work closely with other internal teams, such as Narrative, Quest, and Environment, to make sure that every location feels authentic," concludes Sogn.

All in all, it sounds like another potential avenue that Guerrilla is looking to improve on within the Horizon sequel. Earlier this month, the team confirmed that Forbidden West's robot animal population will be able to make use of ideas and mechanics that couldn't be achieved in the first game of the series. Meanwhile, the studio has also offered insights into changes that Aloy will experience this time around, with the character set to gain a number of additional tools at her disposal as well as added combat techniques and increased climbing capabilities.

Horizon Forbidden West is set to launch on February 18, 2022. For the latest from the game, make sure to check out our dedicated IGN page.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Netflix and Nickelodeon are bringing the magical world of Avatar: The Last Airbender back to our screens, and now we know who will be playing who in the live-action series.

Netflix first announced the live-action adaptation in 2018, when Avatar creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino were on board to helm the series. However, the original creators departed the project due to creative differences. Now, Albert Kim is serving as showrunner alongside Dan Lin, Lindsey Liberatore, and Michael Goi.

Production is taking place on a virtual stage designed and operated by Pixomondo, a visual effects studio that helped to flesh out the world of Disney's The Mandalorian. Netflix has named most of the stars who are stepping onto the cutting-edge set, with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee being one of the latest additions to the cast at the time of writing.

Keep reading for a rundown of who's appearing in Netflix's ATLA — and don't forget to bookmark the page, as we'll be updating this article with any additional casting news.

Gordon Cormier as Aang

First up, Gordon Cormier has joined the cast of the live-action series in the role of Aang, aka the protagonist of Nickelodeon's original animated series. The character is described as being a "fearless and fun-loving twelve-year-old who just happens to be the Avatar, master of all four elements, and the keeper of balance and peace in the world."

Cormier, who you may recognize from the 2020 Stephen King miniseries The Stand, celebrated the Avatar casting news on his Instagram account back in August when it was first announced that he would be playing the reluctant hero of the series, who struggles "to deal with the burden of his duties while still holding on to his adventurous and playful nature."

Kiawentiio as Katara

Aang will have a few friends to help him navigate his duties, including Katara who will be played by Kiawentiio — an actress who came to prominence when she was cast as Ka'kwet in Anne with an E in 2019. Now she will be joining Aang and the rest of the gang in the live-action Avatar series, which will see them rally together to save the world by defeating Ozai.

14-year-old Katara is described as being a "determined and hopeful waterbender," the last in her small village where she and her brother Sokka grew up. She may only be young in age but sadly she has "already endured great personal tragedy, which has held her back from rising to her true potential, though it's never dimmed her warm and caring spirit."

Ian Ousley as Sokka

It's Ian Ousley who will be starring as Katara's sardonic and resourceful 16-year-old brother in the live-action Netflix series. The rising star has a handful of acting credits to his name, though his most notable role is probably that of Robby Corman in Netflix's 13 Reasons Why, even though he only appeared in three episodes of the teen drama.

As a character, Sokka is outwardly confident, even brash, which sometimes results in a few goofy moments but he also "takes his responsibility as the leader of his tribe seriously, despite his inner doubts over his warrior skills." He is a fan-favorite character from the original series and provides some comedic relief with his wit and deadpan sense of humor.

Dallas Liu as Zuko

In addition to this trio, it was announced back in August that Dallas Liu had signed up to play Zuko in the series, where he roams the world in exile. Liu's acting career is on the rise, having most recently starred as Ruihua, the younger brother of Awkwafina's Katy, in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

As a skilled firebender and the intense and guarded Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, Liu will no doubt be showing off his martial arts skills in Netflix's upcoming series where he is said to be on "an obsessive quest to capture the Avatar because he believes that is the only way to reclaim his life and live up to the demands of his cruel and controlling father, the Fire Lord."

Daniel Dae Kim as Ozai

Next up, Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender series found its Fire Lord in Daniel Dae Kim, who is known for his roles as Jin-Soo Kwon in Lost and Chin Ho Kelly in Hawaii Five-0, amongst many other acting credits. Kim also has past experience in the world of Avatar, having voiced General Fond in one episode of the original show as well as a video game adaptation.

Netflix revealed Kim is joining the series as a regular and said his character, Ozai, the ruler of the Fire Nation, "demands everyone live up to his impossible standards, especially his teenaged son, Prince Zuko. Ozai's drive to conquer and unite the world under firebender rule is a family burden—he believes that it's his destiny to finish a war started by his ancestors."

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh

As principal photography started to get underway on the series, Netflix announced three new cast members, including Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh. Lee is best known for having played family patriarch Appa in the Canadian sitcom Kim's Convenience. He also guest-starred as rebel pilot Captain Carson Teva in two episodes of The Mandalorian.

In Avatar, Lee will be playing Iroh, a guardian and father figure to the oftentimes hot-headed Prince Zuko following his banishment from the Fire Nation. Iroh played an important role in the original series and fast became one of the show's most beloved characters. He is a wise, kind-natured and spiritual man, even though he was once feared as a skilled general.

Lim Kay Siu as Gyatso

In addition, Lim Kay Siu joined the cast to portray Avatar Aang's kind and caring mentor Gyatso. The Singaporean character actor has appeared in several films and TV shows since making his acting debut in the 1980s. He famously starred as the villainous Mao Yixin in 1995's Night Watch and also played Prince Chowfa in 1999's Anna and the King.

Throughout the animated series, Gyatso shares a very close bond with Aang and finds himself being more than just a mentor to him as he also takes on the role of guardian, father figure and best friend. They spend their days practising airbending together as part of Avatar training, though they always manage to find time for fun and games outside of those classes.

Ken Leung as Zhao

Commander Zhao will be portrayed by Ken Leung, who played criminal mastermind Sang opposite Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour before being picked up for several other mainstream features. Some of his notable roles include starring as Miles Straume in Lost, Detective Steven Sing in Saw, and Admiral Statura in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Zhao was a scheming and ambitious adversary of Team Avatar in most of the events leading up to his siege of the Northern Water Tribe. In the Netflix series, he will be out to cause trouble again as the Fire Nation military officer is said to be eager to leverage an unexpected encounter with a desperate Prince Zuko in order to advance his personal goals.

Keep checking back here for all the latest casting updates for Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye is set to star in his own Marvel Cinematic Universe series on Disney+, and it looks to tell the story of the Avenger's skilled archer in a post-Blip New York City as he meets up with Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop to put an end to a criminal enterprise. The series is set to have a two-episode premiere on November 24, and we've created this guide to help get you ready for the latest entry in the MCU.

Join us as we share everything you need to know for Hawkeye's streaming debut on Disney+, including the full cast, all the images and trailers released so far, and details of its production from those who are bringing it to life.

Marvel’s Hawkeye Release Date

The first two episodes of Marvel’s Hawkeye will premiere on Disney+ on November 24, 2021. New episodes will be released each Wednesday until the final episode airs on December 22, 2021.

How Can I Watch Marvel’s Hawkeye?

Marvel’s Hawkeye will be available exclusively on Disney+ for all subscribers.

How Many Episodes Are in the First Season of Marvel’s Hawkeye?

The first season of Marvel’s Hawkeye will consist of six episodes.

• Episode 1: November 24, 2021
• Episode 2: November 24, 2021
• Episode 3: December 1, 2021
• Episode 4: December 8, 2021
• Episode 5: December 15, 2021
• Episode 6: December 22, 2021

What Is Marvel’s Hawkeye About and How Does It Fit Into the MCU?

Marvel’s Hawkeye takes place after Avengers: Endgame in a post-Blip New York City that sees Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye trying to get home in time for Christmas. Unfortunately, a “threat from his past shows up” and derails all his plans. This all leads him to team up with Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop to put a stop to a criminal enterprise.

Will Hawkeye Get a Second Season?

There has been no official word of a second season for Marvel’s Hawkeye. We know that Loki and Marvel’s What If…? will be getting second seasons, but WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier appear to be done (for now).

Marvel’s Hawkeye Cast, Actors, and Crew

Jeremy Renner, who first appeared as Clint Barton / Hawkeye in a brief cameo role in 2011’s Thor, is once again picking up the bow as the lead in Disney+’s Hawkeye series. Joining him as a newcomer to the MCU is Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop, who just so happens to be Hawkeye’s biggest fan. Marvel’s Hawkeye will also see the return of Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova and will explore the fallout from Black Widow’s end credits scene.

Another big new addition to the cast and the MCU is Alaqua Cox, who is set to play Maya Lopez before she stars in a spin-off series called Echo. Lopez is a deaf Native American character who has the ability to perfectly copy anyone’s fighting style, much like Taskmaster.

Fra Fee is playing Kazimierz “Kazi” Kazimierczak, a character from the comics who is known as the Clown and is a Polish assassin-for-hire who is often utilized by powerful mob bosses. The Clown plays a big role in the Hawkeye comic by Matt Fraction and David Aja that this show takes inspiration from, so he may wind up being a key element of the series.

Tony Dalton will take on the role of Jack “Swordsman” Duquesne, a character who was Barton’s mentor and father figure in the comics. Jack taught Barton how to fight with a sword, while Trick Shot showed him the ways of the bow.

Perhaps most importantly, Jolt the golden retriever dog will star as Lucky the Pizza Dog, a wonderful and perfect dog who… well… loves pizza! Can you blame him?

Check out the brand new character posters for Marvel Studios’ #Hawkeye and start streaming the first two episodes November 24 on @DisneyPlus. #PizzaDog pic.twitter.com/kLG1fLyOoz

— Hawkeye (@hawkeyeofficial) November 17, 2021

Cast List:

• Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye
• Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop
• Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
• Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez / Echo
• Vera Farmiga as Eleanor Bishop
• Tony Dalton as Jack “Swordsman” Duquesne
• Zahn McClarnon as William Lopez
• Brian d’Arcy James as Derek Bishop
• Linda Cardellini as Laura Barton
• Aleks Paunovic as Ivan
• Fra Fee as Kazimierz “Kazi” Kazimierczak
• Ava Russo as Lila Barton
• Piotr Adamczyk as Tomas
• Clayton English as Grills
• Cade Woodward as Nathaniel Barton

Hawkeye's showrunner is Mad Men and Bridgerton's Jonathan Igla, and he is also serving as head writer and executive producer. On the directing front, Troop Zero's Amber Finlayson and Katie Ellwood – who are better known by their pen names Bert and Bertie – will be joined by Staten Island Summer's Rhys Thomas, who will also serve as an executive producer.

Other executive producers include Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Trinh Tran, Brad Winderbaum, and Alex Lalonde.

Will Marvel’s Hawkeye Deal With the Fallout of Barton’s Time as Ronin?

Yes, Marvel’s Hawkeye will address all the people Barton killed as Ronin following the events of Avengers: Infinity War. For those who don’t remember, Thanos’ snap wiped out Barton’s entire family and he went on a rampage streak that saw him going after the criminals of the world who did survive instead of his own family.

In an interview with Gamesradar, Hawkeye’s directors Bert & Bertie (Amber Finlayson and Katie Ellwood) confirmed that this part of Barton’s story will not be ignored.

Wasn't Hawkeye Supposed to Be A Movie?

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hawkeye producer Trinh Tran confirmed that, while the Disney+ series was originally set to be a solo movie starring Jeremy Renner, there were simply too many details that needed explaining for a feature film's runtime.

“It allows us the creative flexibility to explore the characters a lot more because we have the time and space to do so,” she explained. “We decided to move Hawkeye from the feature side over to the Disney+ side for that very reason.”

“The big question was, ‘How are we going to fit all of this into a two-hour timeframe? We have an Avenger whose backstory we haven’t quite had time to explore yet,” she continued. “We also have to introduce a new character [Kate Bishop], as well as allow enough time for them to bond and create that special dynamic that everybody finds so appealing in the comics’.”

“In moving it over, it allowed us six hours, three times as much time, which really gave us the creative flexibility we needed to tell the story,” added Tran. “But challenges come with it as well. We have a process at Marvel, and we try to maintain that same process both on the feature side and the TV series side. We treat it as one process that works well for us.”

“But things happen faster on the TV end,” she said. “We have the same amount of time that we normally do on the feature end, but we have three times as much content that we have to deliver in a shorter time span.”

Who Is Kate Bishop?

In the comics, Kate Bishop was one of the several teenage heroes who stepped up to fill a void left by the death of both Hawkeye and the disbanding of the Avengers. Bishop would go on to spearhead a new team called the Young Avengers and would take on the mantle of Hawkeye.

Kate Bishop was created by writer Allan Heinberg and artist Jim Cheung and made her debut in 2005’s Young Avengers. Much like Clint Barton, Bishop has no superhuman abilities; she is simply a skilled fighter and an incredible marksman who has made a name for herself.

In Marvel’s Hawkeye, Hailee Steinfeld will become Kate Bishop and will be trained by Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton as, unlike in the comics version of Kate’s origin, he is still very much alive.

Will Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin From Daredevil Appear in Marvel’s Hawkeye?

One of the biggest rumors swirling around the production of Marvel’s Hawkeye is whether or not Vincent D’Onofrio will once again become Wilson Fisk / Kingpin for the upcoming series. D’Onofrio starred as the villain for Marvel since the first season of Netflix’s Daredevil.

One of the main reasons people believe Kingpin will make an appearance is that, in the comics, Maya Lopez / Echo was taken in by Kingpin, although she was unaware of some of the crimes of his past that directly impacted her. This put her on a path that not only included Kingpin, but also Daredevil. D’Onofrio’s arrival could be part of the foundation they are setting for the Echo series or beyond if it actually happens.

In September 2021, D’Onofrio was interviewed by ScreenRant and shared his desire to play Kingpin again, especially in the MCU. He said he was just waiting for Marvel to ask him.

“I so badly want to play that character again,” D’Onofrio said. “I love that character. I just have to wait for Marvel to ask me. I think it's very clear that I would, and the fans know that I would jump at the chance to play again. I just need to be asked.”

Now, D’Onofrio could have been lying like many actors before him when they are linked to a secret project, or he may really still be waiting. One of his latest Tweets from November 17 fueled the speculation train, as he Quote Tweeted a Hawkeye trailer and said, “This is going to be fun. I love these @Marvel series.” Was this just a show of appreciation for the upcoming series, or is he teasing his return? Well, we will know soon enough.

Marvel’s Hawkeye Comic Book Inspiration

Marvel’s Hawkeye is inspired by the Hawkeye comic series by Matt Fraction and David Aja that focuses more on Clint Barton’s troubled civilian life than his superhero one. This doesn’t mean there won’t be action, as the comic has many tense moments of him protecting his fellow apartment building tenants from gun-toting members of a Russian gang of “Tracksuit Draculas.”

In the MCU, Clint lives on a farm with his family instead of in a city, but this story will still most likely deal with the more human side of Barton and take a look at his history and how he became who he is today, including putting a bit more focus on his time as Ronin.

Will Marvel’s Hawkeye Feature Any MCU Cameos?

While there are always surprises in store for these series, we do know that alongside Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, we will get to see more of Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, who was introduced in Black Widow.

Marvel’s Hawkeye Trailers and Behind-The-Scenes Videos

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.