Former EA CEO and current Unity CEO John Riccitiello has apologized for calling game developers who don't focus on implementing monetization early on in the creative process some of the "biggest f****** idiots."

Riccitiello shared the apology on Twitter and clarified his comments regarding these devs he called both the "most beautiful and pure, brilliant people" and "some of the biggest f****** idiots."

"I want to talk about both what I said in the interview, and my follow up tweet," Riccitiello wrote. "I'm going to start with an apology. My word choice was crude. I am sorry. I am listening and I will do better.

"What I can do, perhaps, is provide more on what I was thinking when I did the interview. What I would have said if I had taken great care.

"First — I have great respect for game developers. The work they do is amazing. The creativity can be incredible whether on a AAA console, mobile or indie game, designed to be played by millions. Or a creative project, a game made just for the sheer joy of it.

"Second — one thing I have seen is that most game devs work incredibly hard and want people to play their game. To enjoy it. And, when appropriate for players to engage deeply. For the game devs I have worked most closely with there is often anxiety about whether players will love the game and appreciate all the work and love that went into making it.

"Third — Sometimes all a game developer wants is to have a handful of friends enjoy the game. Art for art sake and art for friends. Others want player $ to buy the game or game items so they can make a living. Both of these motivations are noble.

"Fourth — What I was trying to say, and clearly failed at saying, is that there are better ways for game developers to get an early read on what players think of their game. To learn from their feedback. And, if the developer wants, to adjust the game based on this feedback. It's a choice to listen and act or just to listen. Again, both are very valid choices.

"If I had been smarter in choosing my words I would have just said this… we are working to provide developers with tools so they can better understand what their players think, and it is up to them to act or not, based on this feedback.

"Anyway, that's it. Lots of words. And a sentence that I wish I had never said."

Riccitiello received a lot of negative feedback on his comments, including from Last Night developer Tim Sore who tweeted that he was "destroying the Unity we all loved."

For more on monetizing games and microtransactions, check out our look at how loot box and microtransactions addiction destroys lives and Valve's thoughts on microtransactions and their place in the industry.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

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

Ah, the weekend after Prime Day. Some of the deals are taking the weekend off after a busy week, but there are still plenty of sales and deals to be found. Horror fans should check out a nice discount on The Quarry for PS5, while Nintendo fans can check out deals on games, travel cases, and Mario Hot Wheels tracks. And, if you missed out on the Prime stuff, don't sweat it. Some of the deals live on, including a deal on Apple AirPods.

The Quarry on PlayStation 5 Is $20 Off

The Quarry is a good follow-up to PS4 horror favorite Until Dawn, and you can save 20 bucks on the recently-released PS5 game today. If you love classic, campy horror stories, then The Quarry is sure to be a good time. It follows a group of camp counselers who face a night of horror… and it's up to you to see who lives and dies.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 Gaming Monitor Deals

This Prime Day deal lives on, with the absolutely ridiculous 49" 4K 240Hz 1ms Samsung Neo G9 curved monitor holding tightly to its sale price. It's not just the 4K model seeing savings: you can score Prime Day prices on the QLED 120Hz Samsung Neo G9 for $899 (normally $1,199), as well as the QLED 240Hz Samsung Neo G9 for $1,099 (normally $1,499). Not sure how much longer the Prime Day pricing will last, so I recommend acting sooner rather than later.

Apple Watch Series 3 for $149.99

While we had the best prices ever on the latest Apple Watch Series 7 models yesterday during Prime Day, the ever-popular Apple Watch Series 3 continues to be the best deal in smart watches going. Walmart is offering both the black and white versions for a mere $149.99. While this isn't the lowest price we've seen on Apple Watch Series 3, it's still a great price, and one you should capitalize on if you've been holding off. I have a Series 3 and I like it a lot. Yeah, it's missing some of the more complex features of the newer models, but honestly, I don't need those features. I like it for its fitness tracking, ease of notifications from apps, and also it's very convenient for telling time. Who could have guessed?

Save 15% on Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is the latest Switch exclusive, and it's a wonderful return to the world of 2019's Fire Emblem Three Houses. With returning fan-favorite characters like Dimitri, Claude, Byleth, Edelgard, and more, this game tells a fun alternate version of the war for Three Houses' land of Fodland. It's a must for any Warriors fan, or any fan of Three Houses' lore. We said the game made meaningful changes to the Warriors formula in our Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes review, saying "Three Hopes is full of well-considered changes that should bode well for the future."

Save 20% on DualSense Controllers at Target

This was a popular deal on Amazon Prime Day, and now Target is striking back with its own version of the deal. You can grab a brand new DualSense controller for $59.99 today, which is a nice discount on the pricey gamepads. Plus, you can get it in one of the fancy new colors, like purple, pink, or light blue.

Stand Base for Valve Steam Deck

Who wants to hold their Steam Deck all the time? Certainly not me. If you're like me, check out this deal on a stand for the Steam Deck system, so you can play it in tabletop mode with your favorite wireless controller.

PDP Gaming Pull-N-Go Nintendo Switch Travel Case

This is a great case for any Nintendo Switch owner who travels with their Switch often. Not only does it come with a removeable case just for the console itself, it also comes with a larger case to fit controllers, the dock, cables, and whatever else you need to bring your entire system setup with you when you travel. PDP is one of the best brands for Nintendo accessories, and this case is as good as they come.

Lord of the Rings Illustrated Edition Lowest Price, Ever

Oh man. This edition of the Lord of the Rings is great, and at this price, if you have any interest in Tolkien at all, I implore you to buy it. The illustrations are by Tolkien himself, some of which have appeared elsewhere, but all of which have not been collected into one edition of the book like this. On top of having the charm of his illustrations, you also get one of the raddest books ever. I'm re-reading it now, actually. It's better than I remembered, too.

LG C1 65" OLED Deal at Woot

I out this deal a little lower than I normally would, just because it's a woot deal, which means it has a risk of selling out before I finish writing up today's deals. But yeah, the best OLED TV in the best size at the best price. Since Amazon owns woot, if you're a Prime member, you even get free shipping. These sets are still extremely popular in spite of having been replaced by the newer C2 models.

Apple Air Pods Pro With MagSafe Charger Still $169.99

Here's another Prime Day deal that's sticking around. In fact, this was the most popular deal of all, at least with IGN readers, so it's no wonder it's still with us. This is another one I'd recommend grabbing quickly lest it evaporate into the great deals ether.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade for $29.99

The PS5 update for Final Fantasy VII Remake is quite good. I prefer playing on performance mode, because while graphics mode has all the resolution a person could want, I am now spoiled on 60 fps. It still looks great on performance mode, so that's what I recommend at least. But I'm not here to tell you how to live your life!

Hisense UG6 55" Roku Smart TV for $399

When it comes to budget 4K TVs, the Hisense 6-series absolutely hits way above its weight. It has basically all the features you'd want in a gaming 4K TV, at a price that's borderline absurd. On top of that, this is the Roku model, which everyone knows is the superior streaming software to have cooked into your TV set. This is a Best Buy deal of the day, so this price will be gone tomorrow.

Hot Wheels Mario Kart Rainbow Road Set for $82

Both Amazon and Walmart are offering discounts on this excellent Hot Wheels track. It's seriously way more fun than it should be, with sound effects and lights and different configurations. You don't need to only use the Mario Kart Hot Wheels with it, either. You can have Mario race against any toy car that's the same scale. It's madness!

Maruchan Yakisoba Chicken for $5.92

These come in a microwaveable packaging, so you can save money while also saving yourself from having to do dishes. It's win-win.

GOVEE RGB Strip Lights for $14

There were a lot of chances to save on GOVEE RGB lights during Prime Day, but this deal seems to have just arisen from the Prime Day ashes. You have to clip the coupon on the itme page to see the savings, though. Don't forget that crucial step! You'd be amazed how many people do. I mean, $25 isn't too bad, but $14 is much better. It's $11 better to be precise.

There were moments during Amy Schneider's historic Jeopardy! streak where she felt a twinge of mercy for her victims. Schneider notched 40 consecutive victories and $1.4 million in winnings from late 2021 to early 2022, often trouncing everyone else at the podium. An average Schneider game wrapped up with her comfortably out of range from even the most brazen Daily Double wagers. She was ice cold, relentless, impervious, flexing unparalleled Potpourri superiority over us clueless bar-trivia novices.

Jeopardy! used to be a game filled with modest two-day champions and tightly contested matchups, but lately the wheat has been separated from the chaff. A new generation of players have unleashed a reign of terror on America's greatest game show. It's nice to know that Schneider was capable of remorse, at least, even when she was tripling, sometimes quadrupling, our score.

"I had to be really conscious of fighting [my mercy],” Schneider tells IGN. “When I was getting pumped up before the game I was telling myself, 'This is for a house. These people are trying to take away me and my wife's house. I can't let that happen."

Schneider's 40-game streak immediately propelled her into Jeopardy!'s all-time pantheon. Ken Jennings is still the king with his 73 victories, completed back in 2004 when stringing together more than four games was cause for celebration. But the more you scroll down the record, the more you'll see that an outsized number of great Jeopardy! runs occurred within the last two years. Matt Amodio plowed through 38 games just before Schneider's dynasty; Mattea Roach, a tutor from Toronto, knocked out 23 games in April and May with a ridiculous 93 percent correct-answer rate; and Ryan Long wrapped up a 15-episode campaign last month — an incredible feat that has been unfortunately diluted by the dominance of his fellow trivia sharks.

Jeopardy! has been on the air in some form since the ’60s and has kept the same competitive format since 1984. And yet, for some reason, its players have gotten significantly better at the game seemingly overnight. Nobody is sure why, but everyone who loves Jeopardy! has their own theories.

"When we first started seeing this barrage of winning streaks, there were a lot of people — including some of the champions themselves — who argued that this was just a statistical aberration. It was the infinite monkeys at infinite typewriters theory: If you put enough nerds at enough buzzers for enough time, sooner or later you'll get some very successful nerds back to back to back," says Claire McNear, a journalist at The Ringer who wrote the definitive book about Jeopardy!, Answers in the Form of Questions. "But there's no doubt in my mind that we're also seeing the Moneyball-ing of Jeopardy."

McNear is referring to a new metagame stratagem embraced by some of the more calculative Jeopardy! champions. The goal is to approach Jeopardy like a card-counter at a blackjack table, looking for any edge to beat the house. For James Holzhauer, the player who best embodied this approach and rattled off 32 games in 2019, that meant seeking out Daily Doubles early, and putting forth aggressive, all-in wagers when he found them. Those Daily Doubles are the unwieldy agents of chaos in an otherwise staid, measured trivia tournament, and Holzhauer correctly determined that they weren't being used to their full potential. It's like how the 2015 Golden State Warriors took advantage of a three-point line that was ignored by all the other teams; sometimes all it takes is one innovator to permanently change a game.

"My whole life I felt like people were too conservative with their wagering. It's hard to do it when you're on stage, because it's your own money. But people do wager more aggressively than they used to," says Schneider. "If you're successful it makes those late-game comebacks a lot less likely."

McNear points to some other, goofier innovations players have weaned themselves on as they continue to take apart the game mathematically. She mentions the practice buzzers the Jeopardy! community have built to better simulate the precise, nanosecond-to-nanosecond rhythms of answering a clue, and the ridiculous amount of data consolidated at the J! Archive, which is essentially a sports almanac for Jeopardy!. Log on, and you can find a full breakdown of questions, answers, and categories from practically every episode in the show's history. "As with anything else, how intensely you prepare isn't the only thing that matters, but there are now so many people in the Jeopardy! contestant pool who walk into the studio not just because they love Jeopardy! but because they've specifically studied how to play Jeopardy! and maximize their odds of winning," says McNear. Casuals beware.

But perhaps the most surprising hypothesis I’ve heard from various Jep-heads is that the game show's pandemic contingencies widened its overall player base. Andy Saunders, who runs the incredibly in-depth blog The Jeopardy! Fan, tells me that during the COVID-19 lockdown, casting producers for the show pivoted to online, Zoom-based auditions. Aspirant Jeopardy! challengers no longer needed to burn a day by hustling through an interminable series of trivia trials in some beige studio; no, they could just test their mettle anytime, anywhere, with the program's newly launched "Anytime Test" module, which serves as a digital pipeline for potential contestants. Perhaps there are a million Jeopardy! geniuses hiding in plain sight, like Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting.

"It reduced the barrier of entry for a lot of people, because prior to that, you had to make a pretty big investment of time or money, because if you weren't in a big city, you'd have to travel to the audition," says Saunders. "It was hard to commit, especially when there was no guarantee they were going to get on."

Schneider also mentions that the COVID-era Jeopardy! set is a bit less intimidating than it was before the pandemic. There was no studio audience for her run, which means that she didn't feel the eyes of strangers and loved ones on her as she laid it all on the line. "That might make things a little easier," she says. Of course, you'd expect Jeopardy! to get back to herding in viewers to the theater in the future, so that's at least one advantage streak-holders won't be able to count on going forward.

That's good news for some hardcore Jeopardy! fans. Some of them complain about the new direction of the show, mostly because watching an incredible, Mensa-level champion drub lesser players every weeknight isn't especially compelling. I will admit that I prefer a final category with some drama, and that's been in short supply lately. But as a longtime fan of the show, who mourned with the rest of the country after Alex Trebek passed away and watched with exasperated rage as a bitter power struggle consumed the search for his successor, it's oddly reassuring to know that, in 2022, there are still so many people obsessed with deciphering the mystery of Jeopardy!. The show will never die. In fact, against all odds, it's never been more alive.

"It's becoming more like a sport. There are people like I am who've been studying hard and going there to win," says Schneider. "It's more professionalized, and I think it's a great change."

Netflix has found the star of its upcoming live-action adaptation of classic manga Yu Yu Hakusho. IGN can exclusively reveal that the main character, Yusuke Urameshi, will be played by Tokyo Revengers' Takumi Kitamura.

Netflix announced the adaptation last year, which will present a new version of the 1990 manga in which a teenage boy, Yusuke, dies and begins a new afterlife as an underworld detective. Kitamura (Let Me Eat Your Pancreas, Tokyo Revengers) will play Yusuke, and you can see a first look at him in costume below:

"The original work is a universal and unique masterpiece and a reason why Japan is so proud of its strong manga and anime culture. I am happy to share the masterpiece of Yu Yu Hakusho with the world and I hope we can create something people everywhere will enjoy," Kitamura tells IGN.

Kitamura is the only member of the cast announced so far. Netflix's synopsis of the manga and show follows:

"The manga revolves around Yusuke Urameshi, a junior high school student who spends his days getting into fights and dies in an accident while trying to protect a young child. As he grapples with the fact that he is looking down on his dead body, a woman named Botan, who calls herself a guide to the spirit world, relays to him the shocking truth: no one expected a delinquent like Yusuke to die performing an act of goodness, and there was no place for him in either heaven or hell. Thus, Yusuke is given a chance to be revived, and after passing his trial, he becomes an Underworld Detective. From there, Yusuke becomes entwined in a mystery that envelopes the human, demon and spirit worlds. The spectacular adventure of Yusuke will now become a live action series on Netflix."

Netflix appears to be diligent about calling this a manga adaptation, although Yu Yu Hakusho has also been adapted as an anime in the past. It was a beloved version of the story, and we've previously called it one of the best anime series of all time.

“When I first heard about Yu Yu Hakusho receiving a live-action adaptation, I honestly wondered if it would even be possible—but after being presented with the producer’s vision and possibilities with Netflix, my expectations grew and I found myself burning with passion to make this project come to life. More than anything, I think the appeal of Yu Yu Hakusho comes from its characters, which is why I wanted to highlight the appealing relationships and battles in Yu Yu Hakusho," director Sho Tsukikawa tells IGN.

Tsukikawa says that the show will include "plenty of action scenes."

"The visual effects we use are quite advanced, as we utilize cutting-edge technology, aimed for the best quality we can achieve. Lastly, from the very beginning, we were strongly aware of creating a series for a global audience. Just like when I first heard about this adaptation, there may be people out there who feel it’s an impossible undertaking, but no matter how many ways I express how I feel, I believe the work will speak for itself and prove it's possible. I will continue to pour my heart and soul into the project to deliver the best entertainment from Japan to the world," he says.

Netflix's Yu Yu Hakusho will be released in December 2023. It will be directed by Tsukikawa, written by Tatsuro Mishima and produced by Akira Morii.

Joe Skrebels is the Executive Editor of News at IGN.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has officially completed its $3.7 billion deal to acquire Bungie – the studio behind Destiny and every Halo game up to Halo: Reach – and has welcomed it into the PlayStation family.

PlayStation shared the news on Twitter, saying, "the agreement to acquire Bungie has closed. So now we can officially say… welcome to the PlayStation family, Bungie!"

Bungie also shared some words to mark the occasion and expressed how excited it is to "join the incredible team at PlayStation."

"We are proud to officially join the incredible team at PlayStation, we are excited for the future of our company, and we are inspired to bring together players from all over the world to form lasting friendships and memories," Bungie wrote. "Per Audacia ad Astra!"

Sony announced that it was going to acquire Bungie in February 2022 for $3.6 billion, but the SEC filing for the completed deal from July 15 notes that the total price was "approximately $3.7 billion."

When the deal was made public, Bungie confirmed that it will be run as "an independent subsidiary" of SIE and will remain a multiplatform studio with the option to "self-publish and reach players where they choose to play."

Bungie is currently hard at work on supporting Destiny 2, but it has much more planned for the future. While the details of these projects have yet to be revealed, the studio did confirm Destiny 2 contains an Easter Egg teasing its next game.

In 2019, Bungie said it wanted to release at least one non-Destiny game by 2025. Various job listings have hinted that this new IP could be "comedic" and may feature "whimsical characters."

While this acquisition is completed, Sony has no plans of stopping and is looking to purchase more studios in the future.

As for the future of Destiny, Bungie shared the roadmap it has planned after the PlayStation acquisition and the studio is reportedly working on a Destiny mobile game.

For more, check out our look at how Sony's Bungie buy fits into its larger PlayStation plan.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

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