Backbone is a Game for Disco Elysium and LA Noire Fans to Watch
Written by Jonathan YelenicMark Strong Is Actually Happy Dr. Sivina Won't Be In 'Shazam 2'
Written by Jusneel MahalStarfield Will Reportedly Be at E3, But It Won't Release Soon
Written by Michael BeckwithJoint Xbox-Bethesda E3 2021 Showcase Confirmed Post-Acquisition
Written by Liana Ruppert 
E3 2021 is just around the corner. With so many leaks flying around about Starfield, it's no wonder why so many gamers are eager to see more from the Xbox acquisition of ZeniMax and its umbrella properties. With Bethesda included under that umbrella, the two companies are confirmed to have a joint showcase during E3 2021, as confirmed by Head of Microsoft Studios Matt Booty in a recent interview with a French publication.
Booty confirmed the joint showcase in a recent interview with Le Figaro. This was something that has been highly speculated, especially given that Bethesda's BethesdaLand E3 show has always been a celebratory highlight of E3. It looks like that may be changing in the future, or possibly just for this digital format because the Xbox exec has confirmed that the two companies are going halfsies this year.
He didn't go into specifics, especially with E3 less than a month away, but he did reiterate something that both companies have been very adamant about: that this acquisition will not touch the creative freedom these studios have. He also added that the goal of these acquisitions is not to pump out content on Xbox game Pass, instead of looking at building a more broadened game experience over on Team Green. He also warns that Xbox should not, and is not, looking to adopt the path of Netflix in how that streaming service analyzes data.
With so many Bethesda games now available at no additional cost thanks to Xbox Game Pass due to the acquisition, what's next has fans excited. We know Elder Scrolls 6 is still a long way off, but Todd Howard did confirm that Starfield is playable. Could we finally be getting an actual trailer? It's possible, but I wouldn't expect a 2021 release.
For those interested in learning more about the background and what could and couldn't be an exclusive going forward, check out our previous coverage here.
New Back 4 Blood Trailer Lets You Get Comfy With The Cleaners
Written by Liana Ruppert 
Turtle Rock Studios has just dropped a brand new Back 4 Blood trailer, this time letting interested fans learn a little more about the playable slaying crew in the Left 4 Dead spiritual successor. Meet The Cleaners, eight different personalities that are more than just their zombie-slaying abilities. But we'll also be learning about those too, as well as another look at some of the beasties players will go up against.
There are eight playable characters in Back 4 Blood, including Doc, Walker, Holly, Evangelo, Karlee, Hoffman, Jim, and Mom. Holly became a cleaner after losing her entire family to Devil Worm. Because of her loss, she's also incredibly protective of her fellow Cleaners, a makeshift family of her own creation. She's also a beast with her nail-laden bat called Dottie.
Walker is the oldest of five brothers and sisters, born of a traditional blue-collar family. He used to be an Amry Ranger, so you know he's good in a combat situation. While he may not be the most talkative of the bunch, he does ensure that when he does speak, it's meaningful.
Doc is the lifeblood of Fort Hope. An independent personality, Doc decided to go all-in on her career, shirking any sort of social life. That all changed when she met Mom, however, a kindred spirit, that took her no-nonsense attitude to new heights in the best way possible.
Speaking of Mom, Mom is always up for a challenge and is unendingly giving of herself to others. She's a strong character, but being the "authority" of the group and giving too much can sometimes make her feel like the entire weight of the world is on her shoulders.
Click here to watch embedded mediaJim is the one you'll want to go to when you need to know more about the area, he knows Finleyville like the back of his hand. Hunting with his father as a kid gave him an intimate understanding of this world. Paired with his own military experience, he's doing what he can to provide support to his team and to kick the ass of every enemy in his vicinity.
If you find yourself a bit of a loner, then Karlee is your girl. She's always been incredibly independent and very untrusting of others. When the threat around this group continued to rise, however, she shrugged off her distrustful ways and dedicated herself to this ragtag group of friends in order to save herself and those around her.
Hoffman can always be seen with the proverbial tinfoil hat, always thinking of the next conspiracy theory. When the infection began to take over, he and his mother decided to bunker down and see if things would pass. Unfortunately, she eventually passed away and a need for supplies drove him out of safety. A little annoying, but a good guy at heart, and it's good to see that he's found new family within the Cleaner group.
The baby of the group is definitely Evangelo. Though young, he's more than proved his worth when it comes to being a viable member of the team. He's also a nervous talker, so his and Karlee's dynamic is a little amusing.
You can learn more about this first-person co-op zombie adventure in the trailer above! Don't forget to also sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below with who your favorite Cleaner is.
New Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Trailer Is About Exciting Planet Exploration Ahead
Written by Liana Ruppert 
We're getting closer and closer to launch, and to celebrate, we've got a new Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart trailer to enjoy. In the last video, we had explored the different weapons gamers will have in their arsenal. Now, we're exploring the beautiful world that pushes the limits of what this new generation of consoles can do.
Aaron Espinoza, Insomniac Games senior community manager, took to the PlayStation Blog to share a different side to the Rift Apart universe. In the video below, we get a chance to see some of the beautiful worlds this crew will explore, showing off different environments to adventure through and how easily it is to do so thanks to the PlayStation 5's loading times:
Click here to watch embedded mediaThe latest video is honestly stunning, and it's easy to see why our own Andrew Reiner said in his preview that Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a true show of power for PS5. From traversing the terrain in creative ways such as railway carts to scanning which planet to go to next, everything about the latest inside look promises a beautiful new journey for a beloved franchise.
If you're interested in learning more about the many ways to scale each planet, check out our previous coverage here, where Insomniac Games showed off the game's traversal and weapons.
Players can dive right in for themselves when Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart arrives exclusively on PlayStation 5 this June 11.
Are you excited to take on a new Ratchet & Clank adventure with Rift Apart? What are your thoughts on the latest game trailer shown? Sound off with those Insomniac Games hot takes in the comment section below!