Next month, Splinter Cell’s Sam Fisher is coming out of retirement in a new Netflix animated series, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch. While the show will feature a new story that’s not adapted from the games, the latest trailer for Deathwatch reveals that one of the primary adversaries is someone with a link to Sam’s past.

The previous trailer for Deathwatch had a quick glimpse of a gravestone for Douglas Shetland, who was a character in the Pandora Tomorrow and Chaos Theory games. Douglas was also one of Sam’s closest friends, but when he turned against his country, Sam felt there was no other choice but to kill him.

This trailer briefly revisits the final moments of Doug’s life before jumping back to his grave. Sam’s decision appears to be coming back to haunt him, now that Douglas’ daughter, Diana Shetland, has emerged as the CEO of Xanadu, the corporation that’s pulling the strings of a new crisis.

Liev Schreiber is stepping into the role of Sam for the series. Michael Ironside has voiced Sam in most of the Splinter Cell video games to date, but the role was also played by Eric Johnson in Splinter Cell: Blacklist, the most recent game in the series. The Sandman’s Kirby Howell-Baptiste is voicing a new agent, Zinnia McKenna, alongside Janet Varney as Anna “Grim” Grímsdóttir, and Joel Oulette as Thunder.

John Wick co-creator Derek Kolstad is the head writer and producer for Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, and the animation was provided by Sun Creature Studio and Fost. Netflix will debut the series on October 14.

On the video game front, there is a Splinter Cell remake in development, but there hasn’t been many updates about that game since it was announced in 2022. Earlier this year, Ubisoft added Steam achievements to Splinter Cell: Blacklist, which was released in 2013.

The next Hollow Knight: Silksong patch is on the way, as developer Team Cherry is now focused on polishing the game up further with post-launch updates. The studio says that while the first patch was focused on dealing with critical issues–and making a few boss fights a little easier—a few bugs still remain. Additionally, Team Cherry is looking to address several issues around specific tools in the game.

There’s no release date yet for the patch, but it is being tested in the public-beta branch of Silksong, and overall, you can expect tweaks and fixes across the board. For example, the Savage Beastfly in Far Fields won’t be tempting fate by being too close to lava, a softlock issue that occurred with Shaman Binding has been fixed, and an issue with the break-counter not working for certain multi-hitter tools has also been resolved. Players can also visit the Silksong help site to see what the temporary solutions are for critical bugs.

Silksong has been a big hit since it launched earlier this month, and according to GamerDiscoverCo’s estimates, the metroidvania has sold 6 million units so far–up from initial estimates of 5 million sales shortly after launch. The firm estimates that 3.2 million sales are on Steam alone, with sales mostly focused in the US and China. If you’re looking to jump in and play the challenging game, you can check out the best Silksong PC mods to fine-tune the difficulty and out GameSpot’s Hollow Knight: Silksong guides hub for several helpful features.

Silksong Patch 2 notes

• Added Dithering effect option in Advanced video settings. Reduces colour banding but can slightly soften the appearance of foreground assets. Defaults to ‘Off’.
• Updated Herald’s Wish achievement description to clarify that players must both complete the wish and finish the game.
• Fixed Savage Beastfly in Far Fields sometimes remaining below the lava.
• Fixed rare cases of Shrine Guardian Seth getting out of bounds during battle.
• Added catch to prevent Lugoli sometimes flying off screen and not returning during battle.
• Further reduced chance of Silk Snippers getting stuck out of bounds in Chapel of the Reaper battle.
• Fixed various instances of dying to bosses while killing them causing death sequences to play messily or out of sync.
• Fixed Shaman Binding into a bottom transition causing a softlock.
• Cocoon positions in some locations updated to prevent it spawning in inaccessible areas.
• Fixed Liquid Lacquer courier delivery not being accessible in Steel Soul mode.
• Fixed some NPCs not correctly playing cursed hint dialogues in certain instances.
• Fixed Pondcatcher Reed not being able to fly away after singing.
• Fixed Verdania memory orbs sometimes replaying layered screen-edge burst effects.
• Fixed the break counter not working for certain multihitter tools eg Conchcutter.
• Fixed Volt Filament damage multiplier not applying for certain Silk Skills.
• Fixed Cogflies and Wisps inappropriately targeting Skullwings.
• Fixed Cogflies incorrectly resetting their HP to full on scene change.
• Fixed Curveclaw always breaking on the first hit after being deflected.
• Fixed Plasmium Phial and Flea Brew sometimes not restoring as intended at benches.
• Various other smaller tweaks and fixes.

SpongeBob has gone on plenty of video game adventures, and on October 31, you can grab a physical edition of the SpongeBob SquarePants: Bundle that collects two of SpongeBob’s best games–Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated and The Cosmic Shake–into a single physical release. Preorders for the two-game collection are available at Amazon for just $35–that’s a 50% price cut compared to the digital version of the bundle that’s already available for $70 on the Switch eShop.

The Cosmic Shake is the better (and newer) of the two games, and it earned solid marks from critics. Our Cosmic Shake review gave it a 7/10, thanks to its classic SpongeBob humor and enjoyable platforming segments. “Despite a few hiccups and disappointing aspects of The Cosmic Shake design, at its core it achieves its goals,” writes GameSpot reviewer James Carr.

The other game in the bundle, Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated, earned similar reviews, giving nostalgic fans a massive version of the underwater town to roam around as SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy.

Gallery

This new Switch physical edition bundle isn’t the only way to get your SpongeBob fix. Fans can preorder the next SpongeBob game, Titans of the Tides, which puts you in the middle of a conflict between the Flying Dutchman and King Neptune. It launches for $40 on November 18 for Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. If you’re playing on Xbox Series X or PS5, check out the digital Bikini Bottom Bundle that includes The Cosmic Shake, Titans of the Tide, and Battle for Bikini Bottom for $90.

SpongeBob will also appear as a playable character in the upcoming Nicktoons Dice of Destiny family-friendly action-RPG adventure that sees up to three other players team up and hack and slash their way throughout a cross-over world featuring numerous fan-favorite Nicktoons. The game launches on September 30 for Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Physical console edition preorders are available for $50. There’s also an $80 Collector’s Edition available for $80 on PS5 and Switch that features the base game plus extra in-game content, a set of physical trading cards, a poster, a sticker sheet, and more.

For something different, check out The Patrick Star Game or Krusty Cook-Off. The former sees the lovable starfish getting his very own physics-based adventure, while the latter has you cooking up delicious meals to serve hungry customers. It’s radically different from the 3D platformers in the upcoming SpongeBob SquarePants: Bundle, so give it a look if you want something unique to help bide your time.

SpongeBob Video Games

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Mega Man fans haven’t seen Capcom’s iconic hero in his own game since since Mega Man 11 in 2018, but the franchise hasn’t been forgotten. 2026 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Mega Man Star Force games, and Capcom is celebrating by bringing all seven titles together in the Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection.

In 2006, Mega Man Star Force was the follow-up to the Mega Man Battle Network games. Star Force introduced players to a young boy named Geo Stelar who became a new Mega Man after merging with an alien, Omega-Xis, two hundred years after the final Battle Network game. Their adventures unfolded in seven action-RPG games before concluding in Mega Man Star Force 3: Red Joker in 2008.

The seven Star Force games in the Legacy Collection are listed below:

• Mega Man Star Force Pegasus
• Mega Man Star Force Leo
• Mega Man Star Force Dragon
• Mega Man Star Force 2 Zerker x Ninja
• Mega Man Star Force 2 Zerker x Saurian
• Mega Man Star Force 3 Black Ace
• Mega Man Star Force 3 Red Joker

Since these games were originally designed for the Nintendo DS, the Legacy Collection will feature a dual-screen style that features both screens on a single TV screen. The Legacy Collection will also have an “enhanced experience” and allow players to trade card and battle each other online.

Capcom hasn’t set a specific date for Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection beyond a vague 2026 release window. The game will be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.

Earlier this year, Capcom reiterated that Mega Man is one of its most important franchises. While there isn’t any word about a new game, the original Mega Man animated series is coming to Blu-ray on October 28.

This bundle is essentially replacing the Mario Kart World launch bundle, which has always been listed as a limited-time bundle expiring this fall. An exact end date for the Mario Kart Switch 2 bundle hasn’t been revealed, but it seems likely that it’ll be gone when the Pokemon bundle hits store shelves on October 16.

Just like with the Mario Kart bundle, this bundle saves you money versus buying the $450 console and $70 game separately. You’re getting a $20 discount by opting for the bundle. But unlike Mario Kart World, Pokemon Legends isn’t a Switch 2 exclusive; the game will also be available on the original Switch for $60.

Borderlands games are all about chasing down rate loot, and for Borderlands 4, players can once again expect to plug in some Shift codes to grab an instant high-caliber upgrade. Borderlands 4 supports Shift codes, and the ones that can be redeemed for Golden Keys will let you open the unique Golden chests found in Belton’s Bore, The Launchpad, Carcadia, or The Lockaway.

We’re still betting that each code you redeem will still give you Golden Keys that can be used to unlock a treasure chest of rare goodies in the game or new cosmetics that you can apply to your Vault Hunter. We’ll be keeping track of Shift codes and the games you can redeem them in, so you can check back often for updates.

Borderlands 4 Shift Codes

• THRBT-WW6CB-56TB5-3B3BJ-XBW3X (1 x Golden Key) [Expires September 20]
• T9RJB-BFKRR-3RBTW-B33TB-KCZB9 (1 x Golden Key) [Expires October 1]
• THRBT-WW6CB-56TB5-3B3BJ-XBW3X (1 x Golden Key) [Expires September 30]
• WHWJB-XH3SX-39CZW-H3BBB-BTF55 (1 x Golden Key) [Requires linked My2K Games account, expires October 1]

How to redeem Shift codes

To redeem your Shift code, you’ll first need to create a Shift account on the Gearbox website. This is quick and easy to do, and you can then activate your Shift codes on the same website or via the in-game Social menu or via Borderland 4’s Social menu at launch. The other thing to note about Shift codes is that they typically have expiration dates, so it’s a good idea to redeem one as soon as possible.

From there, you can bank the rewards if they turn out to be Golden Keys, or splurge and use all of them to grab some new gear in one go.

One important note: The rewards contained within these chests scale to your current level, so you may want to consider waiting to use a Golden Key. Otherwise, using one early in the game will net you low-level gun as opposed to one you can use long-term.

For more on Borderlands 4, you can see how Gearbox plans to keep you looting and shooting after launch, how to get a free Borderlands 4 gun skin, and this deep dive into every Vault Hunter in the game.

Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game celebrated its 15-year anniversary on August 10, 2025. Below, we speak with the developers of the original game about how it came to be and its enduring legacy.

Trust an elder millennial on this one: The longer you live, the more you start to see the media of your youth reflected in a weird, recursive funhouse mirror. The old Grandpa Simpson “It’ll happen to you!” meme is not just a perfect reaction to have here, but a perfect example. It’s a famous meme, born from a show that is now mostly known by younger generations as an infinite meme factory, from a scene that was directed at Gen-Xers with nostalgia for the 1970s, by a character lamenting how he was cool in the ’50s, and nostalgia for the ’40s being the actual intended joke.

Scott Pilgrim now occupies a similarly strange place in pop culture. Back in the mid-2000s, the original graphic novels were to old-school video games, anime, and Canadian indie bands what Kevin Smith’s worship of Star Wars and Marvel comics were to Gen X. Plenty of readers could latch onto the story of a nerdy slacker–the titular Scott–dating Ramona Flowers, a much cooler person with a checkered past, and Scott having to reckon with said checkered past by fighting her seven evil exes. The emotional honesty injected into the story by its creator, Bryan Lee O’Malley made it appeal to the folks who may never have picked up a controller, the folks who simply saw an extremely well-drawn, well-written fantastical slice-of-life indie book. Scott still had to deal with getting a job, paying his rent, and generally having to become an adult. He just happened to do so while speaking to nerds in a whole other secret language of nostalgic metaphors.

This is ultimately the thing that made Edgar Wright probably the only reasonable pick to handle a film adaptation. Wright had been speaking the same language through his work since the early 2000s with Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, and Hot Fuzz. This is a man who staged a climactic argument between roommates on Spaced as a round of Tekken 3, had Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now as the backdrop for a zombie getting beaten with pool cues, and used the classic tropes of both zombie films and big Hollywood action movies to examine the whole idea of how men evolve within the world.

There’s an art to using pop culture as shorthand. In Ready Player One author Ernest Cline’s hands, it’s cheap and meaningless, because it’s the validation of obsession, rather than saying anything about the people obsessed. In Wright’s hands, it’s charming and effective, because it’s using pop culture to accentuate the emotions that are already there.

And thus we got Scott Pilgrim vs. the World in theaters in 2010, a still-incredible piece of work, not just as a faithful adaptation of the novels, but a still-staggering achievement in audiovisual storytelling altogether. Its closest visual analogue is the Wachowski Sisters’ Speed Racer. You can probably count everything else in that particular echelon on one hand, and two of those slots are Spider-Verse movies. Unfortunately, that’s for good reason. Despite the incredible filmmaking, the zeitgeisty non-stop comedy, a fantastic indie rock soundtrack, the heartfelt story, a rock-solid critical reception, and a cast that would go on to become some of the most acclaimed and recognized actors of a generation, the film was actually a major flop. It opened to a $10 million opening weekend and ended at $30 million, only barely making back half its $60 million budget. It was dead on arrival. Turns out, the film has more in common with the Wachowskis’ Speed Racer than the visual language. It was hard sell to an unsavvy casual audience unaccustomed to hyperkinetic maximalist storytelling. Universal’s marketing department clearly felt the same; the film was sold as a musical with fights instead of songs. It’s not a wrong representation of the film, but it’s still difficult to sell.

At the same time Scott Pilgrim: The Movie was floundering in theaters, in real-life Canada, Scott Pilgrim was fighting a different fight in a different medium.

Jean-Francois Major is one of the co-founders of Tribute Games, the folks behind a slew of old-school pixel art throwback titles such as Mercenary Kings, Panzer Paladin, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, and the upcoming Marvel Cosmic Invasion. But back in 2010, he was part of a development team at Ubisoft that decided to make the company take a big risk.

“We mostly focused on Game Boy Advance titles: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Open Season, Star Wars, mostly licensed games,” Major said, in a brief interview with Gamespot over Zoom. “At some point we found out there was gonna be a movie made on Scott Pilgrim. And we thought, why doesn’t Ubisoft make a game based on the [intellectual property]. So we decided to make a pitch and get it cleared through Universal. That was actually the last pixel art game Ubisoft tackled. We kept it retro-looking, kind of a follow up to our Game Boy Advance games.”

For reference, the bigger games that Ubisoft would release around that time included Splinter Cell: Conviction, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, and Ubisoft’s first go-around with a game based on James Cameron’s Avatar. The closest thing to a retro game in Ubisoft’s portfolio at that time is an entirely forgettable TMNT: Turtles In Time remake. So how did Major and his team manage to slip a pixel art 2D game into the company’s slate at the time?

“I don’t know how to answer this politely,” Major said with a laugh. “I think it wasn’t really a project that was fully understood at Ubisoft. Luckily, they kind of let us do what we wanted, and didn’t ask too many questions. They were more focused on their bigger titles. Ubisoft was shifting away from [pixel art games], and that was kind of our last go. Our whole team was sent to work on more AAA games, and that wasn’t really our passion. It was why we ended up founding Tribute.” Bryan Lee O’Malley had similar mixed feelings, saying in our brief interview that “they didn’t really give us the budget to do everything we wanted to do,” and noted that the finishing touches for the game were ultimately farmed out to Ubisoft’s Chinese studio.

Still, as the film was in production, Majors and his team got to work on what would become Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, which was, indeed, a rare sight in 2010: a side-scrolling 2D beat-’em-up that felt more like River City Ransom on NES or the original Turtles In Time than the character-action titles of that moment in time. The art style–which had Bryan Lee O’Malley dividing his time between working on the film and providing original artwork embellished by famed pixel artist Paul Robertson–would take most of its cues from the original graphic novels, while still recreating specific beats from the film, including a very cute pixel art version of Edgar Wright directing Lucas Lee’s movie at Casa Loma. In return, pixel art Scott would get a cameo on the big-screen. The game character appeared as the icon for Scott’s 1-Up after defeating the Katayanagi Twins, as well as in a post-credit bit with Pixel Scott getting to throw a few brick-busting punches, a shout-out that was a complete surprise to Majors and his team.

The game also had an extra ace in the hole with its amazing, eclectic soundtrack from chiptune band Anamanaguchi.

“Our style was a natural fit for the general vibe,” said lead songwriter Peter Berkman in an interview with PlayStation Blog back in 2021, “but it was a lot of fun to flex and adapt for certain moments that a ‘band playing shows’ doesn’t normally get to do. Like a bossa nova shop theme, or boss songs.”

His co-writer, Ary Warnaar, agreed. “There were a handful of prompts that took us out of our comfort zones,” Warnaar said. “Some of those styles were definitely just for the game, but others started to shape sounds that became a bit more normal to us. Dance-tempo four to the floor tracks were a pretty new thing to us back then!”

The game was at least more of a success story than the film, selling nearly 150,000 copies within its first year, according to research firm FADE. The problem there was that the success would be, unfortunately, short-lived. Licensing problems aren’t new for video games–even as much as the industry loves its remakes and remasters, there are licensed games across the expanse of the medium that may never see the light of day ever again because of either the cost or logistics of nailing down the IP. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was no different, and in 2014, the game was delisted from the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade because of a complete mess of licensing problems between Ubisoft, Universal Pictures, and ABKCO Music, who owned the rights to Anamanaguchi’s soundtrack.

“We didn’t have Limited Run back then, or smaller physical publishers to make sure we have a physical copy that can be resold and kept alive,” said Majors. “There was also no release on Steam, that was also an issue.”

That could have been game over in terms of Scott Pilgrim’s full-court press into culture at large. But there was a continue attached to that failure.

There’s a famous story Edgar Wright tells about finding out the film flopped on opening weekend: “Monday morning, [Universal’s chief of marketing] Michael Moses sent an email with three words. It was one of the sweetest emails I’ve ever gotten from anybody in the industry. It said, ‘Years, not days.'”

That email should be nailed to the door, Martin Luther-style, of anyone daring to make art in the 21st Century. Yes, smash hit, immediate success is good, especially as far as the people who bankroll art these days are concerned. But immediate success is a flower. Lasting impact, legacy, and culture are trees.

Despite the film’s initial failure in theaters, it soon became a cult classic in the making through word of mouth, with numerous high profile creators singing its praises. The film quickly became a midnight-movie mainstay at Quentin Tarantino’s New Beverly theater in Los Angeles. The home release in 2011 was also a minor hit, managing to be the first film to knock Christopher Nolan’s Inception off the top of the sales charts. More than that, the film’s visual language–incorporating elements from video games, comics, and manga– starts becoming commonplace in media not long after. That particularly shows in Edgar Wright’s own work moving forward, with the effects-heavy production playing a big influence in how he’d handle effects in The World’s End and editing around music in Baby Driver. Ultimately, the film cracked open a door that Marvel in particular would kick down entirely in the years that followed, leaning heavier on embracing the wilder and weirder aspects of comic book storytelling, compromising less towards Hollywood conventions of four-quadrant blockbusters. The kinetic wall-of-visual-stimulation style of storytelling that nerds had been immersed in for years is now very much mainstream.

For the game’s part, Scott Pilgrim was already riding a wave of nostalgia for 8- and 16-bit style aesthetics, and the game’s eventual disappearance from storefronts only drove its popularity further. But also, while there had been occasional blips on the radar as far as old-school beat-’em-ups, Scott Pilgrim showed there was still plenty of life in the genre. Not long after, titles like Double Dragon Neon, Dragon’s Crown, and Charlie Murder joined the side-scrolling beat-’em-up roster, paving the way for the true renaissance of the genre when the likes of River City Girls and Streets of Rage 4 hit the scene.

The story is, indeed, “years, not days.” In 2020, the film’s popularity warranted an outright media blitz celebrating its modern classic status. The original cast reunited during the COVID pandemic to do a read-through of the entire script, only emphasizing the now-accumulated star power of its cast. The popularity of the stream–currently sitting at over 3 million views on Youtube. The film got a high-profile theatrical re-release in 2021 just before a 4K Blu-Ray dropped. That same year, a miracle happened: Whatever licensing problems had been keeping the game off shelves had been resolved, and it was re-released that January, with a physical release from Limited Run selling 25,000 copies in the first three hours after its announcement.

It’d be easy to chalk all that up to nostalgia becoming a cottage industry on a scale even previous generations could never imagine. But something very different was happening with Scott Pilgrim in those early days of the pandemic.

“I’d moved on to other things, but Scott Pilgrim keeps calling me back,” said O’Malley. “The fanbase just keeps growing. They’re getting younger. I feel like I owe them more and more each year.”

That sense of responsibility led to what eventually became Netflix’s Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Except the nostalgia is a little different here. In 2010, Universal promoted the Scott Pilgrim film with a 4-minute short on Adult Swim, with Michael Cera, Mae Whitman, and Jason Schwartzman voicing a fully animated scene from the graphic novel. It was a perfect fit on the same network that quietly introduced a generation to Naruto and Cowboy Bebop. It would also only air once, the night before the film was released.

In 2023, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off became a 10-episode anime splashed across the front page of the world’s biggest streaming platform, sharing promo space with the absurdly popular Delicious In Dungeon, and an anime adaptation of Castlevania. In 2025, it’s one of the first things Netflix recommends after K-Pop Demon Hunters rolls credits. Scott Pilgrim is no longer a nostalgia trip; it’s part of the zeitgeist.

“You’d expect the audience for Scott Pilgrim would be all 45-year-olds at this point,” O’Malley said, “but I have an influx of 15-year-olds coming to conventions these days, and they don’t see the references the same way… They’re more interested in the characters themselves, and they’re the flashpoint, the thing they connect to most.”

It’s with that angle in mind that Scott Pilgrim Takes Off forges its own path. The first episode is the animated adaptation of the graphic novel everyone expected, right up until the fight with Ramona Flowers’ first Evil Ex, Matthew Patel. Scott fights him…and loses.

The rest of the series then becomes Ramona Flowers’ story. Her guilt about “dabbling in being a bitch” costing a new partner his life guides the series into a very different direction from the original, a direction that can only come from 15 years of hindsight and maturity. As opposed to most plays for nostalgia, Scott Pilgrim hasn’t just grown up with its audience, but adapted to a changing world, while ensuring that even the people who have no attachment to the graphic novels or film have an entry point.

That entry point turns out to be one far more interested in Ramona being fascinatingly messy, Scott being frozen in time, and how pathetic that stagnation can be if left unchecked. Scott Pilgrim is no longer a reflection of the past, but a living examination of it. As the show ends up proving, nostalgia can be good, but a version of a person that’s still open to change and growth is absolutely the most healthy version of that person.

That same need for growth and change wound up leading Jean Majors and the folks at Tribute Games to the next step in Scott and Ramona’s journey: Tribute Games’ Scott Pilgrim EX.

“[Bryan and I] have been friends ever since the original game, and when we started Tribute we always kept in contact,” Majors said. “Over the years, after Mercenary Kings, we would reach out and ask if we could have a second stab. Things didn’t pan out, but over the years, we kept harassing him. When the anime was announced, we gave it another go…and that’s when the discussions became more serious.”

A simple sequel to the Scott Pilgrim game would be an easy slam dunk in today’s marketplace, given how successful the re-release was and the ubiquity of retro beat-’em-ups these days, but that same change and growth that guided Scott Pilgrim Takes Off extended to the new game.

“When we first pitched Scott Pilgrim EX, we shared our vision of the target audience, and Bryan told us, ‘You need to revisit those, I don’t think that’s totally accurate,'” Majors said. “We [initially] targeted older [audiences], because retro games have an easier reach for people who lived through it, but that’s no longer true. We noticed with [TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge] that it reached this massive audience that was younger, because the people who grew up playing Turtles In Time wound up playing it with their kids. We were missing out on the younger audience who grew up with the series and movie getting its second wind, and we saw it with the direction the animated series went. “

With that in mind, Majors said, much like Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, EX will grow up a little more. That especially pertains to where the challenge for the new game will be coming from this time around.

“The production [on the original Scott Pilgrim game] was so short we didn’t second-guess [the difficulty],” he said. “We did some minor playtesting, but we probably should’ve done a better job making sure it wasn’t too hardcore. One thing we’re improving is listening to the feedback from the original game, because one of the things they thought dragged the game down was the grinding.”

“[Another thing] that will surprise people is it’s not a sequel, or even a simple beat-’em-up either,” Majors continued. “We’re kind of starting from scratch, thinking about how to structure the game the way we wanted the original to be. It’s not as linear, it’s more open-ended, Link to the Past-style. You have to [explore the world] a bit more to complete quests. We’ve adopted more of a River City Ransom structure.”

For his part, Bryan Lee O’Malley is still heavily involved with EX.

“I just wanna make a video game,” he said, laughing. “Just, something new that reminds me of all the games I played growing up.”

Not that there’s anything wrong with that at all. But O’Malley is more than aware of the ride Scott Pilgrim has gone on, from a little black-and-white indie comic born of nostalgia and a love of the games, movies, and bands of his youth, to a longtime favorite for multiple generations of nerds and weirdos who have grown up and out over time–a fond memory born of fond memories.

“If they’re 20 now, they were born around the time all this was starting, when I was obsessed with the late ’70s, early ’80s,” he said. “I feel like every generation has that ’20 years behind you’ nostalgia, ‘What was the world like before the one I was born into?’ To them, Scott Pilgrim’s become this sort of rosetta stone. It’s a map to an older version of pop culture.”

This week’s hour-long Nintendo Direct was filled with exciting announcements, including brand-new reveals like Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 and long-awaited release date confirmations such as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. We now know that Nintendo has six big game launches in a two-month span starting with the Mario Galaxy collection on October 2 and ending with Metroid Prime 4 December 4. In between, we’re getting Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, and Kirby Air Riders–plus a wide assortment of third-party titles like timed-exclusive Hades II, which is published by Nintendo.

Nintendo Direct Preorders:

Nintendo also revealed seven new Amiibo figures: three for Metroid Prime 4, two for Kirby Air Riders, and two for Super Mario Galaxy. Metroid and Mario also have upcoming books releasing this fall: Metroid Prime 1-3: A Visual Retrospective and Rosalina’s Storybook.

We’ve rounded up all of the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 (and original Switch) games and accessories from the Nintendo Direct that you can preorder now at Amazon. This roundup also includes Nintendo-published games and first-party accessories for Switch 2 that are already available. If you don’t own Nintendo’s new console, Amazon opened preorders for the Switch 2 Pokemon Legends: Z-A Bundle on September 12. It’s the first time you can simply buy the console from Amazon without an extra step. To purchase the Mario Kart World Bundle and standalone console from Amazon, you need to request an invite.

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Mario Kart World’s $80 price led many Nintendo fans to believe this would be a common price point for Switch 2 exclusives. It turns out that’s not the case–at least not yet. Metroid Prime 4, Hyrule Warriors, Kirby Air Riders, and all of the other Switch 2 games in Nintendo’s popular franchises are $70. Original Switch editions of Pokemon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond are $60. The outlier here is Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2. The lone physical edition is an original Switch game that’s priced at $70. The collection has a free upgrade pack for Switch 2.

Note: A couple of the games in the list below aren’t exclusive to Switch 1/2–Dragon Quest VII Reimagined and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade–but they were part of the September Nintendo Direct. Hades II is a timed console exclusive published by Nintendo, but it will also be available on PC at launch.

Nintendo Direct (September 2025) – Switch 1/2 Game Preorders

Nintendo Switch 2 Exclusives Available Now

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Metroid Prime 4’s trio of Amiibo figures have two release dates and price points. The large Samus & Vi-O-La motorcycle figure is $40 and launches alongside the new $30 Samus Aran Amiibo on November 6. An Amiibo version of Sylux hits store shelves the same day as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. The two Kirby Air Riders Amiibo are $50 each, which makes them the priciest Amiibo figures yet. It’s not very surprising, though, as the Warp Star and and Winged Star Machines shown above are separate figures, so these are more like double packs. Super Mario Galaxy fans will have to wait until April 2026 to add the new Mario and Rosalina Amiibo figures to their collections. Each figure is $40, though the character stands are more elaborate than we typically see with Amiibo.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Amiibo Preorders

Kirby Air Riders Amiibo Preorders

Super Mario Galaxy Amiibo Preorders

The seven new Amiibo join an existing lineup of eight Zelda, Street Fighter, and Donkey Kong Switch 2 Amiibo figures. Amazon and other major retailers are offering discounts on most of the Amiibo figures that launched alongside the Switch 2.

The Legend of Zelda Switch 2 Amiibo Deals

Street Fighter 6 Switch 2 Amiibo Deals

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Nintendo raised the prices of select first-party accessories at the beginning of August. Not all of the official Switch 2 accessories were impacted, but the Pro Controller and Joy-Con 2 each increased by five bucks. The list below also includes a couple of the most popular officially licensed third-party accessories like Samsung’s 256GB microSD Express Card and Hori’s Piranha Plant Camera, which looks cool but isn’t a good piece of tech.

The Legend of Zelda fans don’t have to wait too much longer to return to the world of Tears of the Kingdom. As announced during the September Nintendo Direct, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment launches November 6 exclusively on Switch 2. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment preorders are starting to open at major retailers. Like most Switch 2 games published by Nintendo so far, Age of Imprisonment is priced at $70.

Nintendo-published games rarely have preorder bonuses, but it’s possible we’ll see exclusive Zelda-themed trinkets at major retailers in the coming weeks.

If you opt for the digital edition and want to expand your storage space, Amazon has restocked the officially licensed Samsung 256GB microSD Express Card for $59. For a higher-capacity card, we’d recommend the SanDisk Gameplay 512GB microSD Express Card at Walmart. This exclusive card is virtually identical to the $120 SanDisk model, but it’s sold for only $78 exclusively at Walmart.

Age of Calamity is the third game in Koei Tecmo’s Dynasty Warriors and Zelda crossover series. Like the previous two entries, Age of Imprisonment is a hack-and-slash action game that can be played solo or cooperatively with another player. It features a large cast of playable characters, led by Princess Zelda. This means that the two most recent Legend of Zelda games have actually starred Zelda. Last year, the heroine was the lead protagonist in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, the first mainline entry led by any character beyond Link.

Just as Age of Calamity served as a prequel to Breath of the Wild, Age of Imprisonment takes place before the events depicted in Tears of the Kingdom. The story revolves around Demon King Ganondorf’s previous attempt to take control of Hyrule. This invasion is referenced in Tears of the Kingdom, and now fans will get to see how it all went down. Other playable characters beyond Zelda include King Rauru, Mineru, and other Sages. Most importantly, you can play as a Korok.

Age of Imprisonment supports GameShare on Switch 2, so you can play with a friend over local wireless with only one copy of the game. All Zelda Amiibo figures are compatible with the new game. Scanning Amiibo figures will drop crafting materials and other items.

If you haven’t played Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, it’s worth noting that anyone with a save file on their console will get the High Guard’s Claymore weapon in Age of Imprisonment. You’ll also get the High Guard’s Sword if you have a Tears of the Kingdom save file.

Hyrule Warriors and Zelda Games for Switch 1/2

If you want to catch up or revisit the previous Hyrule Warriors games ahead of Age of Imprisonment’s release, Woot has physical editions of Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition and Age of Calamity for $50 each. These are international editions, but the Switch and Switch 2 are region-free, so the only tangible difference will be the ratings board logo on the cover. Walmart has US editions for $55.

• Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition
• Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

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Even though Age of Imprisonment takes place before Tears of the Kingdom, you will almost certainly get more out of the story if you’ve played the brilliant open-world adventure. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is available for $79, or you can grab the Switch version for $59 and purchase a $10 Switch 2 Upgrade Pack from the eShop. We’ve included a list of all of the mainline Zelda games with physical editions for Nintendo Switch and/or Switch 2 below.

• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
• The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

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As Valve changes the way it handles adult content on Steam, it’s been revealed that games containing “mature themes” will no longer be accepted for Steam Early Access. The update comes as anti-porn lobbyists continue to put pressure on adult games, working through the payment processors that storefronts like Steam and Itch.io rely on.

Dammitbird, the developer behind adult action RPG Heavy Hearts, revealed on X that their game had been rejected from Early Access due to its adult themes. “Your app has failed our review because we’re unable to support the Early Access model of development for a game with mature themes,” the rejection message from Steam, as shared online by Dammitbird.

“Due to current events, I panicked and contacted my publisher to help me get on Steam Early Access,” Dammitbird said to GamesMarkt about their application. “The general rule is that your game should be about 65% done before doing EA. Well, we are about 70% done so the time was right anyway. But now, all of a sudden and without a policy announcement, the rules have changed and now I can’t join Steam EA.”

Heavy Hearts, which contains explicit sexual content alongside its traditional RPG gameplay, also fell victim to Itch.io’s delisting of adult games earlier this year. “Heavy Hearts is still available on Itch, but you’ll never be able to search it, because it is de-indexed,” they explained. “I made a free demo page that you can find though. Itch.io was 50% of my games revenue. It’s how I paid my artists and other partners. I still have Patreon and Subscribestar, they are keeping the game afloat, but it won’t be enough in the long run.”

Dammitbird added that Patreon is now their most reliable source of support for Heavy Hearts, but the platform also has an uneasy history with adult content creators, leaving them open to the risk of being deplatformed there as well.

Gamers and developers, including industry body International Game Developers Association, have spoken out against the arbitrary censorship of adult games, calling out the lack of transparency and clear guidelines in the process. Itch.io is also seeking its own solutions, which included re-listing free NSFW content, and searching for alternative payment processors to handle adult content purchases.

The Ultimate Final Fantasy 14 Cookbook Vol. 1 was released several years ago, giving fans of Hydaelyn a chance to bring its best virtual dishes to their real-life dining table. With recipes for all skill levels and meals that run the gamut from snacks to desserts, it simplified the process of preparing Final Fantasy 14’s best delicacies. This year, you’ll get to dive into The Ultimate Final Fantasy 14 Cookbook Vol. 2, which is up for preorder ahead of its October 21 release. Much like the first volume, this one includes nearly 200 pages of recipes–only it now focuses on dishes found in the Shadowbringers and Endwalker expansions.

Gallery

This cookbook joins a long list of other cookbooks inspired by video games, TV shows, movies, and other pop culture icons. Meals from Avatar: The Last Airbender to World of Warcraft have all been given a similar treatment–many of which are available as gift sets. The World of Warcraft Cookbook, for example, is bundled with an apron, while the Star Wars Galactic Baking Set comes with a spatula. Beyond World of Warcraft, other notable gaming cookbooks include Pokemon, Minecraft, and Fallout.

More Cookbooks

The Enyclopedia Eorzea series is also a great companion for the upcoming Final Fantasy 14 Cookbook Vol. 2. Three hardcover books are available in the series, each one covering different aspects of the game’s lore, development, and design. All three are currently on sale, dropping their prices from $50 to less than $31 each.

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With a career record of 113 losses and no wins, racehorse Haru Urara became an unintentional pop culture icon in Japan and beyond. The beloved race-losing horse inspired one of Umamusume: Pretty Derby’s horse-girl characters, and her death this week has been marked by many well beyond the racing sphere.

After making her debut in 1998, racehorse Haru Urara became famous for her reliable losing streak, becoming a household name across Japan and for some a kind of patron deity for losers who nevertheless refuse to give up.

Haru Urara lends her name and trademark losing streak to one of the characters in Umamusume: Pretty Derby, a game and anime franchise centered around anthropomorphised horse-girls who double as racers and idols. Though the racehorse Haru Urara retired in 2006, the Umamusume character made more people aware of her quirky background, with the anime and game seeing a trend of fans coming to visit the horse where she was spending her retirement at Matha Farm.

Haru Urara died at the age of 29, Eurogamer reports, but her legacy will live on in the form of an unlucky but endlessly positive anime horse girl in a surprisingly popular gacha game.

Umamusume was first announced as a gacha game back in 2016, but due to delays the anime adaptation released first in 2018. While the free-to-play game was released in Japan in 2021, it didn’t see a release outside of Asia until June this year. Umamusume’s worldwide Steam release proved popular with gamers, with the game hitting a peak of over 87,000 concurrent players in its first month of release. The game is also available globally on iOS and Android.

From Software’s games tend to be challenging for most players, and the developer is making things even harder with Elden Ring Nightreign’s new Deep of Night mode. Before that launches later this week, Elden Ring Nightreign has received patch 1.02.2 with new bug fixes and gameplay tweaks. From Software has also shared a video that breaks down some of the changes coming in Deep of Night.

One of the ways Deep of Night will keep players on edge is that they won’t know which Night Lord they’re actually facing until the battle begins. Flexibility is going to be the key to overcoming those battles, and the video suggests preparing relic presets before going into those fights.

More powerful enemies will appear throughout Deep of Night, and players will have the opportunity to pick up weapons that can dispatch them. However, those weapons will have a detrimental effect on player characters that may make battles even more grueling. As players go deeper into Deep of Night, their enemies will become increasingly difficult.

In the patch notes, From Software indicated that Everdark Sovereign Libra may be a little easier going forward because his Condemned warriors will now have less damage negation and they will drop items that can help players in-battle.

Guardian class heroes will be receiving increased strength and dexterity when leveling up, as well as a larger range for their ultimate art’s attack. The patch also appears to penalize players who drop out of matches, even if their connection was disrupted. But players can remove the penalty if they rejoin the session.

Deep of Night will go live on September 11. The full notes for Elden Ring Nightreign version 1.02.2 are included below.

Balance Changes and Feature Updates

Nightfarers Adjustments

Wylder

• Increased Poise while casting Claw Shot.
• Increased Stamina damage dealt by Claw Shot to blocking enemies.

Guardian

• Increased Strength and Dexterity gain when leveling up.
• Increased the Steel Guard passive ability angle range.
• Increased the range of the Wings of Salvation Ultimate Art’s weapon portion.
• Increased the attack power of Halberd guard counters.

Duchess

• Increased Dexterity gain when leveling up.
• Increased the attack power of some Dagger attacks.
• Decreased the two-handed Dagger’s second heavy attack damage.
• This change does not affect charged attacks.
• Increased the duration of the Finale Ultimate Art.

Raider

• Increased the Greataxe’s and Great Hammer’s ability to stagger enemies with attacks.
• Increased the attack range of the Retaliation skill.

Revenant

• Adjusted the transparency of Revenant’s summoned spirits.
• Players can now pass through Revenant’s spirits Helen and Frederick.

Recluse

• Increased the offensive spells attack power of Magic Cocktail.
• Decreased the time required to cast spells using Magic Cocktail.

Executor

• Increased attack power while Cursed Sword is in use.
• Increased the attack power of the Cursed Sword weapon skill when the skill is in use and the blade is in its unleashed state.
• Increased the attack power of some attacks while Aspects of the Crucible: Beast is active.

Weapons, Passive Effects, and Special Effects Adjustments

• Increased the stagger damage with dual-wielded jump attacks for some small and medium weapons..
• Decreased the stagger damage with dual-wielded jump attacks for some large weapons.
• Increased the potency of the death status ailment applied by the weapon skill Death Flare of Eclipse Shotel.
• Set a cap on the cumulative effects of the Power of Vengeance and Power of House Marais passive effects and adjusted their potency accordingly.
• Adjusted the stagger effect of the “Guard counters trigger holy bursts” passive’s explosion to ensure that it doesn’t reset the enemy’s posture break state.

Relic Effects Adjustments

• Adjusted the effect “[Wylder] Standard attacks enhanced with fiery follow-ups when using Character Skill (greatsword only)” to consume stamina when performing follow-up attacks.
• Increased the attack power of the “[Wylder] Art activation spreads fire in area” burn effect.
• Adjusted the effect “[Wylder] Art activation spreads fire in area” so that the burn effect’s attack power does not vary between one-handed and two-handed weapon wielding.
• Increased the duration extension of the “[Ironeye] Extends duration of weak point” effect.
• Increased the potency of the “Continuous HP Recovery” effect.
• Increased the potency of the “HP restored when using medicinal boluses, etc” effect.
• Increased the potency of the “[Recluse] Activating Ultimate Art raises Max HP” effect.
• Changed the “[Recluse] Activating Ultimate Art raises Max HP” effect so that the HP increase persists until an attack is received, even after the art’s duration ends.
• Increased the amount of Runes obtained through the “Critical Hits Earn Runes” effect.
• Increased the potency of the “HP Restoration upon (specific weapon type) attacks” effect.
• Increased the potency of the effect “FP Restoration upon (specific weapon type) attacks” effect.
• Reduced the duration of the “Improved Poise & Damage Negation When Knocked Back by Damage” effect.

Other Nightfarers Adjustments

• Adjusted the visibility of the “Rykard’s Rancor” sorcery.

Everdark Sovereign adjustments

Everdark Sovereign Sentient Pest

• Increased attack and stamina attack power against guarding Nightfarers while possessed by Animus, Ascendant Light.
• Adjusted and modified the attack actions of Animus, Ascendant Light, Gnoster, Wisdom of Night, and Faurtis Stoneshield.
• Reduced the stagger duration when Nightfarers is hit by some attacks of Animus, Ascendant Light.

Everdark Sovereign Equilibrious Beast

• Adjusted the effect granted to summoned condemned Nightfarers so that it can be dispelled by Law of Regression.
• Increased the enhancement granted by the light dropped by defeated condemned Nightfarers.
• Reduced the attack power of the condemned Guardian.
• Removed the effect that increased damage negation upon re-summoning condemned.
• Reduced the death status effect resistance of condemned Nightfarers.
• Adjusted the reaction of condemned Nightfarers to player character’s ranged attacks.
• Adjusted the targeting priority of condemned Nightfarers under specific combat rules.

Note: We have confirmed an issue where condemned Nightfarers summoned during this fight may not be rendered under specific conditions. This will be addressed in a future update.

Everdark Sovereign Darkdrift Knight

• Increased the HP and stamina attack power against guarding Nightfarers for Fulghor, Champion of Nightglow.
• Increased the attack power of some attacks from Fulghor, Champion of Nightglow.

Other Enemies

• Adjusted the reaction to player character’s ranged attacks of condemned Nightfarers that appear during events.
• Added a stagger reaction when strong attacks, such as Ultimate Arts, hit the Red Wolf of the King Consort boss.
• Fixed a bug where some attacks of the Marionette Soldiers were less likely to hit player characters.

Limveld Adjustments

• Increased the Night’s Tide damage after defeating the second night boss.
• Adjusted the spawn locations of Sentient Pest incursions so they are less likely to occur far from player characters.

Menu Adjustments

• Adjusted the design of the Holy attribute icon.

Regarding Penalties for Disconnecting from Online Sessions

• Adjusted the penalties rate for session disconnection.
• Disconnecting from a session due to network issues or quitting the game during a session in progress will result in penalties, which may limit multiplayer capabilities. Rejoining the session you left will remove the penalty imposed upon disconnection.

Bug fixes

• Fixed a bug where the post-attack delay for right-handed Greatswords when handled by Wylder was shorter than expected when using Sorceries or Incantations with a left-hand weapon right after attacking.
• Fixed a bug where Guardian’s Wings of Salvation Ultimate Art could be interrupted by enemy attacks or other factors during its activation.
• Fixed a bug where Guardian’s Wings of Salvation Ultimate Art could be deflected and interrupted.
• Fixed a bug where backstepping as Duchess did not accept pre-inputs for skill commands.
• Fixed a bug where spells cast through using the Magic Cocktail skill could be casted again under certain conditions.
• Fixed a bug where allied player characters could clip through tombstones when Totem Stella was used.
• Fixed a bug where spirits summoned by Revenant did not revive if their HPs were depleted.
• Fixed a bug where special effects applied to spirits summoned by Revenant would appear above Revenant.
• Fixed a bug where Executor could not perform critical hits using the Cursed Sword while holding a weapon in the right hand that cannot land critical hits.
• Fixed a bug where the Relic Effect “HP Restoration upon Thrusting Counterattack” did not apply to the attacks of Executor’s Cursed Sword.
• Fixed a bug where Executor could not use pre-inputs for actions after deflecting an enemy attack with the Cursed Sword under certain circumstances.
• Fixed a bug where accumulated effects of Power of Vengeance and Power of House Marais Passive Effects would disappear when opening the large door and moving to the final battle area by using the “Open the door” action prompt in the Spirit Shelter.
• Fixed a bug where the rarity of weapons placed directly on the field from Dormant Power might not be displayed correctly.
• Fixed an issue where Passive Effects triggered by walking did not activate during horizontal movement with precision-aimed shots using “Bow” and “Crossbow”.
• Fixed an issue where the player character could become unresponsive for several seconds after performing an attack from a stance with certain Skills.
• Fixed an issue where the passive effect “Improved Charged Sorceries” was not applied to the sorcery “Shattering Crystal”.
• Fixed an issue where the status ailment “Frostbite” could be inflicted on the player character due to the accumulation of the frostbite status ailment from some enemy attacks while using an Ultimate Art.
• Fixed an issue in the battle with the Everdark Sovereign “Equilibrious Beast” where “Libra, Creature of Night” could move below the ground under certain conditions.
• Fixed a bug where levels would decrease without healing from flasks when False Blessing occured during the battle against Everdark Sovereign Equilibrious Beast.
• Fixed a bug where the player would level down if the False Blessing effect was activated during the battle against Everdark Sovereign: Equilibrious Beast, even if the action was interrupted by an enemy attack before the HP recovery effect occurred.
• Fixed a bug where blessings would become usable again after defeating the second night boss.
• Fixed a bug where the player character could perform unintentional moves when using the Spectral Hawk.

This addresses issues that were not fully resolved in App Ver. 1.02.

• Fixed a bug where the player might not be correctly transported to the battle area if they died from falling during the cutscene while moving to the final battle area in the Spirit Shelter.
• Fixed a bug where Dormant Power might not appear upon defeating an enemy under unstable network conditions.
• Fixed a bug where the effect of an used Wending Grace could activate when rejoining a session after a disconnection.
• Reduced rendering load for some attacks of the Everdark Sovereign Tricephalos on PS4 and Xbox One.

PC-Only Adjustments

• Fixed a bug where it was difficult to switch targets with a diagonal input.
• Improved game stability in some environments.

In 2020, a remake of Sega’s Panzer Dragoon was released on modern consoles by Forever Entertainment. Now, a remake of Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei is on the horizon from Forever Entertainment and developers MegaPixel Studio and Storm Trident. It may even be coming sooner than expected.

Gematsu shared the announcement that Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei: Remake will make its public debut September 25-28 at the Rainy Frog booth at the 2025 Tokyo Game Show. The publisher didn’t share a release date, but the game will be available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei was originally released in 1996 on Sega Saturn as a prequel to the first game. Players assume control of Jaen Jaqeue Lundi, a young man who defies convention by raising and training a dragon named Lagi. The dragon is the players’ means of transport and their primary weapon in the game, as Lagi and Jaen face an onslaught of deadly enemies while uncovering secrets of lost civilizations.

Like the original, Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei: Remake will be a rail shooter. It will also have some modern touches, including branching routes and an evolution of Lagi’s powers that depends upon players’ performance and play style. Additionally, players can utilize a berserk attack and replay mission variants after the campaign is finished.

Fans who buy Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei: Remake will have the option of choosing between classic and modern controls. The game will also feature modernized graphics as well as a remastered version of the soundtrack included alongside the original score.

Eleven years after P.T. was released, the delisted Silent Hills demo is an example of a project that could have become a great horror game if it hadn’t been canceled by Konami. Resident Evil 2 and Devil May Cry director Hideki Kamiya counts himself among P.T.’s fans, and he wants Hideo Kojima to make another game like that. And if Kojima won’t revisit the horror of P.T., then perhaps Kamiya will tackle it himself.

In a post shared on X (translated by IGN), Kamiya said, “If it’s impossible to resurrect P.T., Kojima should make a new game in the same style. if Kojima doesn’t do it, maybe I’ll give it a go. I hate horror though, so it wouldn’t be horror… Plus, I have no ideas.”

Kamiya has previously shared his admiration for P.T., while adding that he finds the game too scary to play alone. He also noted that the Japanese horror title, The Exit 8, taps into the desire for more P.T., but he felt it was a “lite” version of P.T..

Although P.T. is no longer available to readily play, someone figured out how to track the movements of Lisa, the malevolent spirit in the demo. The legacy of P.T. has lived on since its release, and it’s even been remade by fans in Halo Infinite.

One of Kojima’s upcoming titles, OD, appeared to pay homage to Silent Hills in an early trailer. That game is believed to be a horror title that’s exclusive to Xbox Series X|S, but Kojima has yet to share firm details about what the game is about.

Most Arcade1Up releases these days are $500-$600 Deluxe Arcade Cabinets, but Walmart carries a trio of models that more closely resemble Arcade1Up’s early hits. These throwback Special Edition machines cost $334 each and are themed around Mortal Kombat 2, Ms. Pac-Man, and Pac-Man. Each cabinet is preloaded with 13 games and has a 15.6-inch IPS display. Other features include dual stereo speakers, Wi-Fi support for leaderboards and multiplayer, and pretty solid controls to mirror Arcade1Up’s pricier options.

There are a few reasons why these are cheaper than the average machine from Arcade1Up. The Deluxe cabinets are just over 5-feet tall–ideal standing height for adults–whereas the Special Editions are just under 4-feet tall. The good news is you can get a universal Arcade1Up Riser for $59 that raises the height to 5 feet. If you don’t get the Riser, you will likely want an adjustable barstool–unless the cabinet is for kids, in which case the original height will likely be a better fit. The Deluxe editions have 17-inch displays and light-up marquees, so the screen is slightly smaller and you miss out on the illuminated marquee with the Special Edition. The Special Editions also drop the faux coin doors in favor of a panel with logos showcasing each preloaded game.

Outside of those features, however, the Special Edition line offers the same build quality and similar graphics on the sides. These are nice options for those who want to add an arcade cabinet to their game room for under $400. Mortal Kombat II, for instance, is also available as a Deluxe Cabinet for $500, but you can get the extremely similar Special Edition model for $334 (or $393 with the Riser). Just keep in mind that all Arcade1Up cabinets require some assembly; If you’ve ever put together a bookcase or basic cabinet, then you should have no problem building one of these cabinets.

If you’re interested in checking out Arcade1Up’s Deluxe Arcade Machines, check out the list below of in-stock cabinets at Amazon.

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For something a little different, you can also check out Arcade1Up’s new $600 Ms. Pac-Man Head-to-Head Arcade Table. This is different from the standing arcade cabinet, as it features a 17-inch screen countertop display with control panels on each side. Essentially, it’s a table that you can play games on, and while we wouldn’t recommend using it as one, it does possess a level of durability as the display is protected by a clear acrylic top installed on top of it. It also comes with 12 games installed on it, including popular classics like Dig Dug, Galaxian, Mappy, Rolling Thunder, and Rompers.

While it has been discontinued, you can also grab the Arcade1Up Class of ’81 Countercade for $168. Amazon still has stock of it, and this is a compact arcade cabinet that can easily be placed on your desk for when you want a quick distraction. This model has a 7-inch, vertically oriented LCD screen, full-size controls, and features artwork of Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga. It can be powered via an included Micro-USB cable or four AA batteries (not included).

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If the Countercade intrigues you, we’d recommend checking out the Evercade Alpha Taito Bartop Arcade. Set to launch November 12, this miniature cabinet has an 8-inch display and 10 preloaded games, but you can play hundreds of other titles on it by purchasing Evercade cartridge collections. This is the third Evercade Alpha following the launch of Mega Man and Street Fighter editions–both of which have been sold out all year in the US. Check out our Evercade Alpha review for more details on the hardware. We also created an Amazon hub filled with in-stock Evercade game collections. The Evercade Alpha Taito Bartop Arcade is available to preorder now for $260 at Amazon. All of the cartridge collections work on the Evercade EXP-R handheld and Evercade VS-R home console, both of which were recently restocked at Amazon for $130 each.

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There’s no denying that the hype train for Hollow Knight: Silksong is unlike anything we’ve ever seen for an indie game. In the days leading up to its release, multiple other small studios delayed their games to stay out of Silksong’s way, something generally reserved to make space for the Grand Theft Autos of the gaming world. The sequel’s release led to Steam and the Nintendo eShop crashing (the lack of preorders played a role here, of course) and saw the metroidvania game top out at 587,000 concurrent players on Valve’s platform alone. The game also released on PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and Switch 2, plus it’s available on Game Pass. With that in mind, the total player numbers for Silksong are huge, showcasing that the online memes and anticipation for the game to show up at events were true indicators of sales success.

All of this said, it’s begun to feel unlikely that Silksong’s launch will ever be matched by another indie game. But as Yoda said: There is another.

One indie game that could take the entire gaming world by storm is Haunted Chocolatier, the follow-up to Stardew Valley. Sure, it’s not a direct sequel to the perennially popular farming simulator (that could be in the cards eventually, though). However, Haunted Chocolatier shares a similar visual presentation and will offer a larger world than Stardew Valley, according to creator Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone. The RPG will see people living in a haunted castle and making chocolate, which requires gathering ingredients. It’s a “town game” like Stardew Valley, per Barone, though Haunted Chocolatier will lean more into the action-RPG genre. Oh, and it may just be set in the same world as Stardew Valley.

Haunted Chocolatier was announced in late 2021, so the wait has already been years long at this point–similar to Silksong. Barone has said the game will focus on mystery and whimsy, adding to the allure for an audience that loves discovering secrets on their own and through online communities. But the most obvious reason Haunted Chocolatier will be a huge event when it launches is found simply by glancing at Stardew Valley’s concurrent players on SteamDB. The farming simulator has averaged 100,000 players over the past month and, despite releasing back in 2016, peaked with over 235,000 people playing at the same time just last year.

When comparing the two, it quickly becomes evident that Hollow Knight doesn’t swim in the same waters for Steam concurrent players as Stardew Valley. Not only does Stardew Valley have a lot of players, it has a lot of engaged players–ones that keep coming back to the game and help it maintain its extreme popularity. It’s possibly an unfair comparison, as the former is strictly solo while the latter has co-op multiplayer. But it’s also possible that Stardew Valley simply has a bigger fanbase, which could catapult Haunted Chocolatier to even greater heights than what we just witnessed with Silksong.

There’s one other point to consider as well: Stardew Valley is the best-rated game of all time on Steam.Sure, platform availability could minimize its full impact, but Haunted Chocolatier is still primed for a monstrous debut. And if it follows suit with Stardew Valley, it could very easily start on PC before eventually coming to almost every platform, including mobile devices. Oh, and as for industry impact, it’s worth bringing up that Devolver Digital co-founder Nigel Lowrie has already told IGN that he monitors Haunted Chocolatier in case they need to alter release plans around it.

However, there’s also an argument that the next Silksong can’t be predicted. No one ever expected Hollow Knight to be a phenomenon–just check out this decade-old Reddit post about the game for confirmation. Additionally, some of the most popular Steam games of all time seemingly landed out of nowhere. Palworld has seen over 32 million players since coming out in early 2024, a mind-boggling number. Were you aware that there is a game called Banana on Steam that sees about 100,000 players daily? Sure, it being free-to-play certainly balloons those numbers, but not many people would expect a game about clicking on a piece of fruit to create that sort of long-term engagement. The chance to collect a rare banana and possibly sell it for actual money clearly has its attraction.

Another recent example of this phenomenon is Peak, a co-op climbing game that sees players working together to ascend a mountain. Fascinatingly enough, it’s the opposite of Haunted Chocolatier and Silksong from a developmental perspective. Peak came together during a month-long game jam, though co-developer Aggro Crab had previously pitched the concept.

The only thing that seems certain is that the indie space will continue to surprise us with unique experiences that might take years to land in our hands, or possibly appear almost magically out of thin air. Maybe Silksong is a unique moment, something that can’t be replicated. Or maybe it’s another landmark event that will be surpassed eventually, but not forgotten by those who experienced it.

Later this year, Octopath Traveler 0 will put you in control of your own destiny as you attempt to rebuild your town alongside a party of heroes. But the size of your city is going to be limited based on which system you choose to play the game on.

Square Enix has shared the Octopath Traveler 0 specs (via Wario64), which reveal that each console has a limit to the buildings that can be added to a town. Nintendo Switch comes in far below the other platforms with a 250 building limit. Switch 2 and PlayStation 4 can handle 400 buildings. But to get the maximum of 500 buildings, you’ll need to play the game on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, or PC.

When it comes to rendering resolution and frame rate, the Switch once again lags far behind the other consoles with 1280 x 720 and a maximum of 30 FPS. Switch 2, PS4, and Xbox Series S can all reach 1920 x 1080 resolution, but the Series S can also hit 120 FPS while the other two consoles are locked at 60 FPS. PS5 and Xbox Series X both have 3840 x 2160 resolution and 120 FPS, and the PC version allows users to select their own resolution and frame rate.

After playing a demo for Octopath Traveler 0 during Gamescom, GameSpot’s Steve Watts praised the game’s expanded customization, larger parties, and bigger towns. Octopath Traveler 0 will arrive on December 4 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch. However, Square Enix has revealed that there won’t be an option to upgrade the Switch version to the Switch 2 version.

Astro Bot is celebrating its 1-year anniversary today, September 6, 2025. Below, we reflect on what the plucky robot has come to represent for some burgeoning gamers.

More than 30 years ago, I fell in love. I was visiting extended family with my parents and two siblings, and the object of my affection was a boxy gray-and-black video game console hooked up to an equally boxy CRT television. I had seen video games before in arcades, and had played some rudimentary Mac games on our family computer. But Super Mario Bros. was something else entirely. The simple but flexible controls, the stage variety, the music. By the time we left my aunt’s house, we three children were staging a coordinated influence campaign to convince our parents to buy our own Nintendo Entertainment System, eager to play more Mario. The rest is history.

My story isn’t unique. Lots of children of the 1980s have similar origins for their gaming obsession. But now, decades later, as a parent myself, I’m struck by how Astro Bot has enraptured my own kids in ways that remind me of my experience with Mario. Years in the future, it will almost certainly be Astro that they credit with first igniting their love of games.

In my particular case, my experience with Mario all those years ago had a massive impact on the trajectory of my life. It affected not only my hobby and interests and circle of friends, but also my career. It’s hard to imagine that I would have gone into writing about games professionally without catching the bug from an early age. I don’t particularly think my own kids will become games critics, but it’s a testament to how important these early experiences can be, and how they can manifest in unexpected ways.

Just before the release of Astro Bot, I visited Team Asobi in Tokyo for an extended hands-on. It was a normal-enough studio visit, but I could sense an infectious energy around this game in particular. This was shaping up to be something special, and I think Asobi knew it. In interviews, game director Nicolas Doucet talked about how important it was to make this game appealing and approachable for younger gamers. Astro is a robot with a relatively simple character design, intentionally kept simple enough so that kids would be able to draw themselves. The character communicates wordlessly with expressions and sounds so that even kids who haven’t yet learned to read will understand the story. The platforming stages are made to be tough enough to present a nice difficulty ramp for younger or novice players, with optional challenge stages for older and more experienced players.

“I remember the first few video games that I played, and because of how greatly they were designed, they stayed with me for my whole life,” Doucet said. “And both of these are really important, I think. When we make something like a platformer, we have to be able to cater for both. So we’ve been building not only the game, but the culture of the team, always around that principle.”

While Doucet didn’t mention Mario specifically during the studio visit, the inspiration was clearly there. The studio set out to make a game that would feel great and have staying power.

They succeeded. A year later, Astro Bot is still one of the most-played video games in my house. My youngest, who can’t read yet, usually calls it “the wobot game,” but has started to know the character as Astro. The levels are just challenging enough to give him a satisfying sense of friction and accomplishment, while still remaining doable. He often surprises the rest of the family with how well he navigates even more challenging late-game stages.

My older kids are happy to play with him, helping him past the difficult parts, or playing their own extra-tough challenge levels. They all love to take on bosses together. They laugh and cheer each other on as they take on tougher challenges or replay their favorite stages. When one of the kids inadvertently deleted my 100% completion game save–I’m not naming names here; they know who they are–I ultimately shrugged it off because we could just start anew.

Now to be sure, Astro Bot isn’t likely to be as ubiquitous for my kids’ generation as Mario was for mine. In the ’80s, video game releases were sporadic and mascot characters were almost unheard of. Today, kids get into video games in all sorts of ways, from mobile devices and tablets to consoles, with massive, established franchises like Minecraft and Fortnite. Almost every gamer who came of age in the 1980s has a memory of Super Mario, but Astro’s impact will be more diffused because there are more avenues leading to the same destination. Astro won’t be a universal constant for its time period, and only time will tell if it has anywhere even remotely approaching Mario’s staying power. Still, it will always be special to me for what it has meant in my household.

Astro Bot has enjoyed plenty of success over the last year. It has sold well, inspired merchandise (including multiple special-edition controllers), and won the top honor at The Game Awards 2024. For me, though, the impact has been more personal: Astro Bot is the game that unlocked a sense of curiosity and play in my kids, and sparked their interest in playing video games more broadly. When I see them playing it, it’s like staring through a portal in time and watching myself all those years ago–face alight with the hypnotic glow of an old brown television, mouth agape as my mind reels at the possibilities of this magical new medium.

In early 2024, Disney invested more than a billion dollars in Fortnite creator Epic Games and announced some sort of new Disney-powered metaverse experience. We’ve already seen a few aspects of this deal come to fruition, like Fortnite skins for the Incredibles and the Disney Villains, plus new Marvel and Star Wars-themed seasons. There’s been a lot of Disney in Fortnite since that announcement, in other words.

But the big Disney x Fortnite metaverse mode has yet to see the light of day, and the project remains shrouded in mystery. Let’s take a look at what we know about it so far.

What actually is the Disney x Fortnite mode?

We don’t really know. There’s been no teaser images or videos, and nobody is talking about it in terms that we would consider concrete. But here’s how Disney described it in the original announcement:

“In addition to being a world-class games experience and interoperating with Fortnite, the new persistent universe will offer a multitude of opportunities for consumers to play, watch, shop and engage with content, characters and stories from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar and more. Players, gamers and fans will be able to create their own stories and experiences, express their fandom in a distinctly Disney way, and share content with each other in ways that they love.”

While most of this is too nebulous to accurately break down with any real confidence, the key detail there is that Epic’s new Disney experience is described as being its own thing that “interoperates” with Fortnite, rather than being a Fortnite mode. The reason for that distinction is that Disney x Fortnite will be its own walled garden of content–not every Fortnite skin will work with it, and there will be skins that work in the Disney mode that don’t work in the rest of Fortnite.

“Not every outfit will be able to do everything,” Epic executive Saxs Persson told The Verge in October 2024. “A [Lego] minifig doesn’t hold a gun. Brands should be able to enforce the brand guidelines to the degree that they’re comfortable with that brand being associated with particular ratings.”

In March 2025, meanwhile, a Disney Imagineer, speaking at South by Southwest, indicated that Fortnite’s Disney experience will have some interactivity with the Disney parks in the real world.

“Imagine … what if you could go to the park and have an experience in Smuggler’s Run [and] go on this amazing mission, but then have that affect or connect your gameplay at home?” said Asa Kalama, head of interactive experiences at Disney.

OK, but what will the game/experience actually be like?

Despite the quotes above, we still don’t know anything really tangible about the moment-to-moment experience of this Fortnite x Disney thing. Yes, they’ve teased certain features, like being able to watch Disney content in-game or buy Disney merch, and leaks indicate the experience will at least partially be set in some sort of digital adaptation of the real-world Disneyland park, and so perhaps you’ll be able to ride those Disney rides in the game. And another leak mentions cinematic cutscenes and story content, so it may have a campaign to play through.

But even though we have this smattering of details about what will be included, we still have no real idea of what the core gameplay will be for this Fortnite x Disney thing. All these details are hints, but they don’t add up to any sort of big picture.

When is Disney x Fortnite coming out?

Considering how vague the details have been so far, there’s no reason to expect this Disney x Fortnite project to release this year, and a recent Wall Street Journal report indicated it might be a while before it all comes together. The report claimed the mode is being held up by the many layers of Disney bureaucracy that have to approve anything Epic does with it. However, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney claimed the report was false and that Disney actually has been much more responsive than they expected.

Regardless of what is and isn’t true with that story, the total lack of tangible info about the mode means there’s no real reason to think that the Disney x Fortnite project is close to completion. Expect a 2026 launch at the earliest, unless Epic has majorly improved its ability to keep secrets recently.

Darksiders 4 was officially announced in 2025 during a showcase for developer THQ Nordic, and many longtime fans of the franchise are curious about its release date, story, and gameplay. The last time we saw the Darksiders franchise was in 2019 with the release of Darksiders Genesis, a prequel to the original trilogy. This game was met with positive reviews from critics and fans alike, but after radio silence from THQ Nordic for several years, many players thought it could be the last time we’d see the Four Horsemen in action.

Now, with Darksiders 4 confirmed, we finally get to see what THQ Nordic has been cooking up all of this time. We know the Four Horsemen are returning and picking up where they left off at the conclusion of the original Darksiders, but what else do we know about the fourth installment in the franchise? You can check out everything we know about Darksiders 4 in the guide below.

When will Darksiders 4 be released?

While we did get the reveal of Darksiders 4, THQ Nordic still has not given us a release date for the new action-RPG. Right now, the current release date is “to be announced,” and there’s no indication as to when an announcement is expected.

So, as of right now, we’re pretty much in the dark when it comes to a release date for Darksiders 4. It’s unclear how far along in development THQ Nordic is with the game, either, so we don’t have anything to go on at the time of writing.

Preorder Darksiders 4

As we don’t have a concrete release date for Darksiders 4, there’s currently no way to preorder the game on any of its available platforms (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S). This also means we don’t know how much Darksiders 4 will cost. However, Darksiders has, in recent years, usually been priced under the industry standard for a new AAA game. For example, Darksiders III retailed for $40 at launch, and Darksiders Genesis came in at $30. THQ Nordic could take that same approach with Darksiders 4, which would put it at around $50-60, but it might also be a full-priced, $70 game.

All you can do right now is wishlist the game’s Standard Edition on PC via Steam. This gives you a notification when Darksiders 4 officially goes live for preorders.

Watch the Darksiders 4 teaser

If you want a small glimpse into what THQ Nordic has in store with Darksiders 4, you can watch the official teaser trailer for the action-RPG below.

Naturally, this is only a sneak peek at the game that confirms the return of the Four Horsemen. We’ll have to wait for a proper trailer to see exactly what Darksiders 4 will look like.

Darksiders 4 Platforms

Darksiders is coming to PC via Steam, as well as PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It’s currently unknown if THQ Nordic will attempt to port the game to other platforms, such as Nintendo Switch 2, in the future. For now, though, Darksiders 4 will launch for only the current-gen platforms.

Darksiders 4 Story, Setting, And Characters

As we only have a small teaser trailer to go off, we don’t know too much about the story of Darksiders 4. We do know that the game picks up at the conclusion of the original Darksiders, though, so the setting will still be the post-apocalyptic version of Earth that’s remained prevalent throughout the franchise’s life. The developers also said that the setting will take place over different realms within the post-apocalyptic landscape, and each realm has unique bosses, items, and visuals.

During the game, you’ll get to play as one of the Four Horsemen characters, who have become staples of the franchise. Death, Strife, Fury, and War are back in Darksiders 4, and you can choose which one to play as for a playthrough. Each of the Horsemen features different weapons, abilities, and playstyles, giving you more replayability options for second, third, and fourth playthroughs of the main story.

Aside from the Four Horsemen, we’re unsure of any additional characters in Darksiders 4. However, with the story starting from the end of the first game, it’s a safe bet that some characters from the original will make an appearance.

Darksiders 4 Gameplay And Multiplayer

While we await more details and showcases of Darksiders 4, the developers have given us an idea of how the game will play. Just like the other games in the series, the fourth installment is a third-person action-RPG that emphasizes combat, narrative storytelling, and exploration through a lore-rich world.

The combat in Darksiders 4 features up-close melee action and supernatural abilities that each of the characters possesses. These abilities can all likely be used in combat in some fashion, but other abilities could be more useful outside of engagements with enemies. In the case of Strife, we’ll also likely be able to use his guns. Building on the cooperative feature in Genesis, it’s also been confirmed that Darksiders 4 will support up to four people in cooperative play, with each controller one of the Four Horsemen.

THQ Nordic specifies “traversal and puzzle-solving” as key components to the game. Darksiders is no stranger to unique movement and puzzles across the post-apocalypse, but the early marketing seems to suggest those elements will play a larger role in Darksiders 4. Some characters might offer more traversal abilities than others, which could give them an edge while exploring the map, while other characters might have abilities that make them tankier in battle.

We still don’t know a large chunk of how Darksiders 4 will look when it comes to gameplay, but THQ Nordic should be able to build off the foundation from the previous games in the franchise.

Humble has brought back one of the most popular game bundles from last year as part of its Best of Humble Bundle series. From now until September 24, you can get 17 Lego video games for only $15. Many of the biggest franchises from Traveller’s Tales extensive catalog of licensed games are included in the lineup: Star Wars, Batman, Marvel, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Jurassic World, and more. All told, Lego Worlds Collide 2025 is valued at $499, while the 2024 version was worth $419.

All 17 games in the bundle will be instantly added to your Humble account as Steam keys, and the vast majority run wonderfully on Steam Deck. Most of the games have split-screen cooperative modes and are great adventures for parents to play with kids.

Part of the proceeds from your $15 (or more) donation go toward Raiden Science Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure for the genetic disorder UBA5 and other rare diseases that affect children.

The Lego Worlds Collide 2025 bundle does have a couple of minor differences compared to last year’s iteration. This time around, you also get Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga’s Deluxe Edition, whereas last year the bundle included a coupon to get the game for 85% off. Additionally, the two Lego Harry Potter games are noticeably absent, dropping the total number of titles from 18 to 17. But you’re getting extra content elsewhere: Four of the games that were standard editions last year are now Deluxe/Premium Editions that include season passes with additional content.

The headliner is The Skywalker Saga, the newest game in Traveller’s Tales series. The Skywalker Saga broke from the familiar mold by offering large, open-world environments, an overhauled combat system, and a modern third-person camera angle.

The Skywalker Saga was the biggest and most ambitious Lego game yet when it launched in 2022–though we’ll see if that changes when Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight releases in 2026. And what we’ve seen and played so far has been quite promising. With that in mind, now’s a pretty good time to revisit the first three Lego Batman games, all of which are included in Lego Worlds Collide 2025.

For bundle deals on real Lego sets, check out our roundup highlighting all of the great offers in Walmart’s Bricktember Sale. This limited-time promotion includes exclusive bundles for Lego Star Wars, Spider-Man, Harry Potter, Fortnite, and more. Walmart also has exclusive Lego Gift Sets featuring a bunch of Star Wars and Minecraft minifigures as well as discounts on the newly released Lego 2025 Advent Calendars.

Lego Set Bundle Deals (Only at Walmart)

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The Witcher fans can now play Gwent with real cards thanks to the official physical adaptation. Revealed last December, Gwent: The Legendary Card Game starts shipping this month, and Amazon is now taking orders for $45. The complete set features five factions, over 400 cards with new artwork, and six game modes for 1-5 players.

Gwent: The Legendary Card Game was designed by No Loading Games and published by Hachette Boardgames. Amazon’s store page for Gwent just popped up this month. Though not marked as a preorder, the delivery estimate of three to four weeks suggests Amazon still needs a few weeks to get its inventory situation sorted. Gwent is sold by the game’s publisher but will ship from Amazon for free.

Gallery

Gwent has been playable as a digital card game for a decade at this point. It first appeared as a minigame in The Witcher 3. The minigame’s immense popularity led CD Projekt Red to release a standalone version in 2018. Though official support ended in October 2023, Gwent remains playable today on consoles, PC, and mobile devices. Additionally, the Gwent community is keeping the digital version fresh with fan-made content updates and mods.

Gwent has technically been available in physical format before. Decks of cards were offered for a limited time to support the launch of The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine. That said, the new retail edition includes the first full set of Gwent cards.

The Witcher Board Games

The Witcher video game series has served as the inspiration for multiple board games over the past few years, including the competitive strategy game called Old World. More recently, The Witcher joined the strategy fighting game series Unmatched.

The card game isn’t the only exciting release for The Witcher franchise this month. The ninth novel in Andrzej Sapkowski’s original book series will be published in English on September 30. The Witcher: Crossroads of Ravens is a prequel novel that explores Geralt’s backstory before he became the character we know today. You can preorder a hardcover copy of Crossroads of Ravens for $23.49 (was $30) at Amazon.

Just like the mainline games, Gwent was inspired by a game mentioned in Sapkowski’s novels called Gwint. If you haven’t read Sapkowski’s other Witcher novels and story collections, you can get the first seven by purchasing the two box sets below:

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Hollow Knight: Silksong isn’t a linear adventure by any stretch of the imagination. It expects you to explore thoroughly as you chart your path through its perilous maps. Doing so will sometimes lead you to some unique NPCs who ask you to complete quests known as Wishes, such as the Seamstress you’ll encounter in the Far Fields. This character will assign you the Flexile Spine Wish, tasking you with finding 25 Spine Cores. Luckily, you won’t have to make too long a journey to collect these items.

Where to find Spine Cores in Hollow Knight: Silksong

To collect Spine Cores, you must find enemies known as Hokers, which look like floating white balls with a green beard and spikes. If you leave the Seamstress’s home and head to the right, you can move through some rooms filled with plenty of these enemies, so you won’t have to travel far to get what you need.

However, instead of focusing on killing these enemies, your goal is to harvest their spikes. Each time you hit them, they’ll fire off spikes that will stick to nearby surfaces. You can then strike these spikes to make them drop an orb containing a Spine Core. Do this 25 times, and you’ll have everything you need.

Each Hoker can take three hits before they die. The trick to getting the most bang for your buck is to hit them one time and wait for them to regenerate spikes again. If you hit them before they regenerate spikes, you’ll ultimately end up with fewer Spine Cores from that Hoker.

Additionally, beware that the spikes Hokers fire out will disappear after a few moments, so make quick work of them to ensure you aren’t missing out on the Spine Cores within.

Once you’ve collected all 25 Spine Cores, return to the Seamstress to earn your reward, which is the Drifter’s Coat. This upgrade lets you glide after a jump, and it’ll allow you to ride the air currents you’ve probably seen around the area. Now, you can explore even further than ever before.

There are plenty more Wishes to finish throughout your journey. For instance, if you haven’t finished the Berry Picking Wish, check out where to find 3 Mossberries in Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Roblox has become a hub for crossovers and a growing metaverse of IP, and its next collaboration will see one of the most popular anime series of all time, My Hero Academia, land on its shores starting September 6. My Hero Academia: Ultimate launches that day and is billed as a PvP-focused MMORPG that will allow players to go on quests to unlock new abilities, level up their characters to get stronger, and use their powerful “Quirks” to climb up the in-game leaderboards.

Set in the world of My Hero Academia, the main goal is to become a Pro Hero while attending the superhero academy known as UA. The game looks fairly accurate to the My Hero Academia manga and anime source material, and the trailer briefly showed off characters like Izuku “Deku” Midoriya, Katsuki “Dynamight” Bakugo, Ochaco “Uravity” Uraraka, and the strongest hero of his generation, All Might.

According to anime streaming platform Crunchyroll, players can expect to battle in the PvP arena of UA Stadium, socialize in the All Might lobby, and visit other locations like the Musutafu Suburbs, Takoba Municipal Beach Park, and more. Exploration will allow you to unlock abilities and level up your characters when you take on various enemies. This tie-in comes just in time for the final season of the anime series, which kicks off on October 4, 2025, on Crunchyroll.

If you’ve never watched it, My Hero Academia is set in a world where almost everyone has gained unique powers, and this seismic shift in society has led to the rise of superheroes who protect the populace from those who would use their Quirks for crime. The series revolves around the Quirkless Midoriya after he is granted the power of All Might and he enrolls at UA, an academy where the next generation of superheroes train so that they can become professional protectors.

Fans of the series can also look forward to a new game in the future, My Hero Academia: All’s Justice. The 3D fighting game is planned to launch for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, and it features a massive roster of heroes and villains.

After being announced six years ago, multiple delays, and years of anticipation, Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally releasing on September 4. Now, on Silksong eve, a resurfaced Reddit thread about the original Hollow Knight is a great reminder of just how far the franchise and developer Team Cherry have come in the past decade.

The thread, posted by Reddit user crazy_loop 10 years ago, includes a trailer for the original Hollow Knight prior to its release in 2017 and features a heartfelt message.

“Last year my best friend quit his full-time job to chase his dream and make a fully fledged video game,” the post reads. “Today he just released a trailer and it looks beyond amazing.”

In 2025, a new trailer for Hollow Knight: Silksong would have set the internet ablaze, but back in 2015, the response was more muted, to say the least. Many players seemed indifferent.

The most upvoted response to the post stated that the game is probably “a fine game, but the market is currently saturated with side-scrolling platformers so I feel his game may not do as good as he hopes.” Another user said the game looked fun, but they “hate to be raining on a parade” and continued that Hollow Knight looked to lack the “innovation and individuality of something like Limbo.” They continued: “probably not going to be huge.” Yet another said the game looked “cliche.”

What a difference a decade makes. There were definitely people in the Reddit thread who disagreed that the market was “saturated” with similar games and recognized that Hollow Knight could be something special. Some even expressed interest in buying it based on the trailer. Overall, however, the general consensus seemed to be that Hollow Knight looked fine, but might have a hard time finding an audience. Some said it might get a decent sales boost from appearing on Reddit’s front page.

Flash forward to now, and Hollow Knight has sold more than 15 million copies, is breaking its all-time concurrent player peak on Steam, and its sequel is such a big deal that numerous other games have announced delays in order to avoid Silksong’s release. Not bad for the sequel to a small indie game that, judging from this Reddit thread, many expected to just be another drop in the metroidvania bucket.

Despite Hollow Knight’s huge success and wild anticipation from fans, Hollow Knight: Silksong will only cost $20, $5 more than the original. Silksong will launch on PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and Switch 2 (with a free upgrade for Switch 2 owners). It will also be a day one Game Pass release.

Microsoft has announced a new line of Xbox Wireless Controllers, dubbed the Breaker special edition series. These controllers will be released in three distinct colors–Heart Breaker, Ice Breaker, and Storm Breaker–and they’ll be launching simultaneously on September 9, priced at $80 each.

Aside from the bold colors for each variant and textured grips, these are your typical Xbox controllers in form and function. This has been the default design since the Xbox Series X|S consoles were launched in late 2020, and they’ve stood the test of time thanks to several factors: comfortable ergonomics, durable inputs, and strong battery life. The other great thing about Xbox controllers is that they’re extremely versatile, as you can pair them with your Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One consoles, PC, Android, and iOS devices. Thanks to Bluetooth connectivity, linking them to compatible hardware is relatively easy.

If you’d prefer something different, you can also check out our list of the best Xbox controllers, as we’ve rounded up the best premium and budget options from Razer, Victrix, 8BitDo, and more. For something that’s quite colorful, the 8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Rare 40th Anniversary Edition is a lovely tribute to the famed developer behind decades of hit games. This is 8BitDo’s first wireless controller for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, and it’s compatible with PC/Mac and mobile devices as well. It’s highly customizable, and it has premium parts like Hall Effect sticks and a metal D-pad.

For something more brutal, there’s the Doom: The Dark Ages-themed Xbox Wireless Controller at Walmart for $74 (was $80), and this one looks like a mini-Doom Slayer. It has matte green-and-silver color scheme modeled after the Doom Slayer’s iconic armor, rubberized grips with a leather-like texture, and 3D “spikes” on either side of the Xbox Guide button.

Another great controller worth looking at right now if you’re on PC is the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller: Wuchang Edition for $65, as it’s a special-edition Ultimate 2 decked out in some very cool colors and design elements inspired by the action game Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. One thing to note here is that this is a 2.4GHz wireless controller for PC, Mac, and Android via Bluetooth, but it’s not compatible with Xbox Series X|S and PS5 consoles.

The Collector’s Edition for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is back in stock for PS5 at Amazon on September 2. You can also grab the $200 edition at Walmart, but stock is running low. All retailers are sold out of the Xbox Series X Collector’s Edition.

It’s not surprising the Collector’s Edition has been so difficult to find in stock. The included Terrarium Diorama and exclusive steelbook are very cool. The diorama recreates a scene from the game’s first mission, and the steelbook has Yoji Shinkawa’s artwork from the original Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Here’s everything you get with the Collector’s Edition:

• Collector’s Box
• Terrarium Diorama
• Steelbook Case
• Snake’s ID Card Lanyard
• Halo Jump Patch
• Fox Patch
• Tactical Edition of game
• In-game content:
  • Sneaking DLC Pack
  • White Tuxedo

If you haven’t picked up a physical copy for PS5 or Xbox Series X but aren’t interested in the Collector’s Edition, there’s still time to get Metal Gear Solid Delta’s Tactical Edition for either platform. The Tactical Edition includes a voucher for the White Tuxedo and the Sneaking DLC Pack, a bundle with 10 additional cosmetic items for Solid Snake, including six alternate suits. The Sneaking DLC Pack is sold separately for $15, so you might as well get it for free while you can.

PC players, meanwhile, can save 25% on Steam keys at GameSpot sister site Fanatical.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater – Tactical Edition:

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For more Metal Gear collectibles, take a look at GameStop’s exclusive merch collection. And if you want to read more about the remake before you order a copy, check out our Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater review. We awarded the remake a 9/10. Solid Snake’s return is solid.

Sony’s upcoming PS5 and PC live-service game Fairgame$ has lost another top developer. Game director Daniel Drapeau has left developer Haven Studios to join WB Games Montreal.

Haven founder Jade Raymond left the company in May. It was reported at the time that Fairgame$ was delayed to 2026 after a playtest proved unfavorable.

Drapeau left Haven weeks ago, and said in a LinkedIn post that they’re joining WB Games Montreal as a creative director for an upcoming project. “Let’s do this!” Drapeau said.

Drapeau is a video game industry veteran, having started back in 2006 in testing and internship positions with VMC and Odd1 before joining Ubisoft in 2007 as a game designer. Drapeau was later promoted to lead game designer on Rainbow Six Siege before leaving to join Eidos-Montreal in 2017 to work on Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Drapeau re-joined Ubisoft in 2019 and worked at the company for two years before moving to Haven in 2021.

There is no word yet on what Drapeau is working on at WB Games Montreal, but the studio was said to have been pitching a new Game of Thrones game earlier this year. The studio assisted Rocksteady with 2024’s underperforming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and also made 2022’s Gotham Knights.

As for Haven and Fairgame$, the game is now reportedly coming in Spring 2026, putting it in the vicinity of GTA 6 in May 2026.

What is Fairgame$ all about?

As you can see in the announcement trailer, Fairgame$ has players going after billionaires who have “too much money and too much power.” In the trailer, we see a squad of players infiltrating some kind of compound, working together to take down security guards with the apparent aim of sticking it to the man.

“Fairgame$ will give you an opportunity to break the rules as a modern-day Robin Hood, a thrill seeker, or just someone who wants to collect cool loot,” creative director Mathieu Leduc said. “Trespass inside forbidden locations around the world, fill your pockets like a kid in a candy store and unravel the nefarious plans of untouchable billionaires.”

Trouble with Sony’s live-service push

Back when Fairgame$ was announced in 2023, Sony was in the midst of a huge push and investment into the live-service market. At one point in time, Sony wanted to release 12 live-service games over the coming years (alongside its commitment to single-player games). However, in May 2023, Sony announced that it was halving its planned live-service game output, with management stressing it wanted to focus on quality over quantity. After this announcement, Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us multiplayer game was canceled in December 2023.

At the beginning of 2024, though, Sony found its biggest success to date in the live-service market with Helldivers 2–the game went on to smash sales records and become the No. 3 overall best-selling game of 2024 in the US. It recently came to Xbox, and, along with a new update, has seen a huge surge in popularity.

In August 2024, Sony launched the multiplayer game Concord. It had such a dismal performance out of the gate that Sony quickly took the game offline and refunded all players. Its developer, Firewalk, was later closed. At the end of 2024, Sony confirmed that it canceled multiple projects, including a live-service God of War and another live-service title from Bend.

It was reported in 2023 that PlayStation boss Jim Ryan, who left Sony in 2024, had a mandate that Sony’s teams should make more games-as-a-service titles. A number of PlayStation developers were reportedly upset with this, and the blame was said to have fallen not on Ryan but Connie Booth, one of the most important and veteran PlayStation developers, leading to her eventual departure.

Another former PlayStation boss, Shuhei Yoshida, recently said the chance of finding success in the competitive live-service market was “small,” but his replacement, Hermen Hulst, was given the resources to fund both single-player games and live-service titles at the same time. However, had Yoshida stayed in that role, he said he would have “tried to resist” the push into the live-service market. He joked, “That’s one of the reasons they removed me.”

In addition to Fairgame$, Sony is working on multiple other live-service games, including Bungie’s Marathon–which is facing its own set of challenges and has been delayed indefinitely. Another game, codenamed Gummy Bears, which spun out from Bungie at SIE, recently crossed a milestone.

Following the failure of Concord, top boss Hermen Hulst said Sony put new structures in place to help ensure its live-service games come to market in better shape.

For more on Sony’s live-service games, check out the gallery below to get the latest on the status of all the projects in the works.

Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi is on sale for 20% off at Walmart thanks to the retailer’s newly launched Bricktember Sale. The promotion is loaded with exclusive Lego bundles as well as deals on rarely discounted sets. Walmart’s deal drops the price of the 1,215-piece pixel art display model to only $104 (was $130). The Bricktember Sale also includes the largest Lego Super Mario expansion playset. The 1,392-piece Bowser Express Train is discounted to only $80 (was $120).

Last week, Walmart and Amazon both had the Super Mario World Lego set for $117. Only Walmart has the $104 deal at this time, but Amazon’s $117 deal is still active. Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi launched last October and is one of only a handful of Nintendo Lego sets geared toward adults that is actively being produced today.

Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi is one of only eight Lego Nintendo display models designed for adults. Earlier this year, Lego launched a 1,972-piece Mario Kart display model for $170. The elaborate build features Mario’s iconic red kart and the first realistic Lego replica of the character’s modern 3D look.

On October 1, exactly one year after Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi’s launch, Lego’s highly anticipated Game Boy replica will be available at major retailers and the Lego Store. The 421-piece display set only costs $60 and includes two buildable cartridges, three lenticular screens, multiple display stands, and several interactive features. Check out our Lego Game Boy preorder guide for more details, and keep in mind multiple retailers have sold out of preorders numerous times. Preorders sold out at Amazon in late August, but Walmart restocked the Lego Game Boy around the same time.

Lego Nintendo Building Sets for Adults

The most affordable Lego Nintendo display model is the 540-piece Piranha Plant, which you can find on sale at Amazon and Walmart for just $48 (was $60).

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Save on the largest Lego Super Mario Playset

As mentioned, The Bowser Express Train is the largest Lego Super Mario playset by piece count. There are a few Lego Nintendo display models for adults with more pieces–The Mighty Bowser is the biggest overall with approximately twice as many pieces–but the 1,392-piece Bowser’s Express Train is considered a Lego Super Mario Expansion Set. Based on The Bowser Express level in Super Mario 3D World, this elaborate and well-designed build has four train cars, a makeshift station, and numerous interactive elements such as a spring-loaded shooter. It comes with six buildable Lego Super Mario figures.

Up until now, The Bowser Express Train hadn’t received any notable discounts–it almost always sold for full price–so now’s your chance to save $40 on this awesome Bowser-themed Lego set.

There’s something deliciously smug about wielding the best Terraria ranged weapons. While melee players are sweating it out in close quarters and mages are chugging mana potions like they’re at an all-night rave, you’re standing comfortably out of reach, raining down arrows, bullets, or bees with barely a scratch on your armor. It’s the class for anyone who enjoys watching health bars melt while staying three steps ahead of the danger.

That’s not to say it’s easy. Ranged combat is a balancing act between conserving ammo, picking the best Terraria accessories for your build, and stocking up on enough arrows or bullets to avoid the dreaded “click” of an empty chamber mid-boss fight. But when it all comes together, nothing feels quite as powerful. From simple ore bows to weapons that literally summon storms, the marksman’s journey is one of precision, chaos, and plenty of smug grins.

Pre-Hardmode

Platinum Bow

• Damage: 13
• Knockback: 0
• Critical chance: 4%
• Speed: 25 (Fast)
• Velocity: 6.6
• Ammo: Arrows

Forget the wooden twig you start with, as the Platinum Bow is your first taste of real power. Made from just eight Platinum Bars, it delivers enough punch to make the Eye of Cthulhu feel more like target practice than a boss fight. It’s easy to craft, doesn’t ask much of you beyond a bit of mining, and instantly transforms you from hapless survivor into a hunter who means business. Pair it with Flaming Arrows for a fiery upgrade or Jester’s Arrows to pierce crowds, and you’ll sail through those chaotic early nights.

It’s not flashy, but that’s exactly the appeal. Early ranged combat is about consistency, and the Platinum Bow never lets you down. Think of it as your training wheels before Terraria decides to throw a real challenge at you. You’ll eventually outgrow it, but for a weapon you can forge on day two, it’s absurdly good at keeping you alive and on the front foot.

The Bee’s Knees

• Damage: 23
• Knockback: 3
• Critical chance: 4%
• Speed: 23 (Fast)
• Velocity: 8
• Ammo: Arrows

Every ranged player remembers the first time they loosed an arrow with The Bee’s Knees and watched the screen fill with buzzing chaos. Dropped by Queen Bee, this jungle treasure transforms plain old Wooden Arrows into swarms of homing bees that ricochet off walls and sting anything unlucky enough to be nearby. Suddenly, accuracy doesn’t matter quite so much because you can just fire in the general direction of trouble and let your insect army handle the rest.

It’s perfect for messy fights. Goblin Army invasion? Bees everywhere. Skeletron’s skull and hands? Our friendly Bumbles chew through them like paper. Even Terraria bosses that usually require tight aim feel easier because your insect army simply doesn’t miss. It’s not the most elegant weapon, but it’s certainly one of the most fun, and mid-game Terraria is exactly where a bit of spectacle makes the grind feel worthwhile.

Hellwing Bow

• Damage: 22
• Knockback: 5.5
• Critical chance: 4%
• Speed: 13 (Very Fast)
• Velocity: 6
• Ammo: Arrows

If you’re heading into the Underworld, you’ll want something with a bit of bite, and the Hellwing Bow more than delivers. Pulled from Shadow Chests, it transforms Wooden Arrows into fiery bats that pierce through everything in their path without slowing down. Suddenly, those cheap arrows you’ve been hoarding turn into deadly projectiles capable of hitting multiple enemies at once. When you’re staring down the Wall of Flesh, those piercing bats feel like a cheat code.

It does take a little adjustment. The bats don’t fly in perfectly straight lines like arrows, and their arcing paths can throw you off at first. But once you get the hang of it, the Hellwing Bow becomes indispensable. It’s the ultimate pre-Hardmode boss killer, equipped with a single-click auto fire, which is usually reserved for Hardmode alternatives.

Hardmode

Daedalus Stormbow

• Damage: 38
• Knockback: 2.25
• Critical chance: 4%
• Speed: 19 (Very Fast)
• Velocity: 12.5
• Ammo: Arrows

If there’s one weapon that makes you feel like you’ve broken Terraria, it’s the Daedalus Stormbow. Dropped by Hallowed Mimics, this unassuming bow calls down arrow rain from the heavens. Pair it with Holy Arrows, and suddenly you’re orchestrating meteor showers of destruction. The Destroyer barely stands a chance as its segments are pummeled from above, each shot multiplying into falling stars. It’s chaos, but the good kind.

What makes the Stormbow so beloved is that it rewards creativity. Build a flat arena, give the sky some clearance, and watch bosses dissolve under the deluge. Even with simpler arrows, it’s wildly strong and feels almost unfair for early Hardmode.

Onyx Blaster

• Damage: 24
• Knockback: 6.5
• Critical chance: 4%
• Speed: 48 (Extremely Slow)
• Velocity: 14
• Ammo: Bullets

Don’t be fooled by the damage drop-off on paper; the Onyx Blaster steps up as your mid-Hardmode workhorse. An upgrade to the Shotgun with two Dark Shards and 10 Souls of Night, this beast spits out a spread of bullets and follows it up with a dark explosive blast for good measure. Crafted with Souls of Night and Dark Shards, it’s one of those weapons that feels purpose-built for mowing down anything in your path.

The best thing about the Onyx Blaster is how adaptable it is. Load it with Ichor Bullets to shred boss defenses or Crystal Bullets to split each shot into even more damage. The additional explosive dark projectile guarantees impact even if your spread misses, which makes it forgiving in hectic battles. It’s the kind of mid-game weapon you’ll hold onto long after you technically have upgrades, simply because it’s that satisfying to use.

Phantasm

• Damage: 50
• Knockback: 2
• Critical chance: 4%
• Speed: 12 (Very Fast)
• Velocity: 20
• Ammo: Arrows
• Bonus: 66% chance to save ammo

Near the top of the ranged food chain sits the Phantasm, a bow that spits arrows out in torrents. Crafted from 18 Vortex Fragments in an Ancient Manipulator, it launches rapid volleys, each shot spawning bonus homing arrows for free. The effect is overwhelming. Your screen fills with arrows, bosses evaporate under constant pressure, and suddenly you feel less like an archer and more like a living artillery cannon.

Of course, it’s hungry. You have a small chance each shot to save ammo, but the Phantasm otherwise eats arrows faster than you can craft them. Some may say that’s part of the charming challenge. Fortunately, you won’t need many to humiliate your enemies, especially with Luminite Arrows in your pocket. This is the ranged endgame fantasy, granting you the smug satisfaction of watching the Moon Lord melt like butter.

S.D.M.G.

• Damage: 85
• Knockback: 2.5
• Critical chance: 14%
• Speed: 5 (Extremely Fast)
• Velocity: 12
• Ammo: Bullets
• Bonus: 66% chance to save ammo

Beating the Moon Lord is no small feat, as the Space Dolphin Machine Gun is the perfect endgame gun to give you a pat on the back. Dropped by the big bad final boss, it boasts one of the fastest fire rates in the game and absurd base damage, meaning it can shred health bars before enemies even realize they’re under attack. Despite its playful design, it’s a powerhouse that turns bullets into a relentless stream of pain.

Of course, the S.D.M.G. has one big caveat: ammo. This thing chews through bullets faster than any other weapon, so keeping it fed becomes a logistical challenge. But when paired with high-end rounds like Luminite or Chlorophyte Bullets, the DPS is off the charts, so you shouldn’t need to spend too many. It’s strong, stylish, hilarious, and deeply satisfying to use.

Ranged combat is Terraria at its most efficient. Why risk your neck with other Terraria weapon types when you can fill the air with arrows, bullets, or bees and watch enemies crumble from a safe distance? Sure, you’ll burn through ammo and your piggy bank might feel the strain, but few things compare to the feeling of staying untouched while bosses drop like clay pigeons.

Whether you’re orchestrating divine arrow showers or letting a space dolphin unload on the Moon Lord, the marksman’s path is one of precision and spectacle. It’s chaotic, stylish, and just a little bit cheeky.

Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion’s Limited Edition is back in stock at Amazon and Walmart ahead of the mecha-action game’s September 5 launch on PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Titanic Scion’s Limited Edition had been sold out for most of the summer at all major retailers. The $100 edition is available for all three console platforms and comes with numerous collectibles for only $30 more than the price of the standard edition.

Developed and published by Marvelous, Titanic Scion’s Switch 2 physical edition includes the full game on the card, just like the other Switch 2 games the studio has made for Nintendo’s new console: Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, which was a Switch 2 launch game, and Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, which released last week. Titanic Scion’s listed eShop file size is 22.9GB, so opting for the physical edition lets you avoid using 10% of the Switch 2’s 256GB onboard storage on the new mecha-action title. Unlike Guardians of Azuma and Grand Bazaar, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion will not be available on original Switch hardware.

Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion takes place in a world where people born with unique abilities rebel against the rest of humanity. Eventually, they take control of an array of orbital defense satellites and rule the planet below with an iron fist. What follows is a series of intense mech battles as the warring factions fight for control of the world. You can customize your Arsenal (mech) and explore Titanic Scion’s open world solo or alongside up to two friends in the online cooperative mode.

Titanic Scion is the sequel to the 2019 game Daemon X Machina, which was exclusive to Nintendo Switch at launch. Marvelous ported the first game to PC in 2020, but Titanic Scion marks the franchise’s debut on PS5 and Xbox. GameSpot awarded the original 7/10 in our Daemon X Machina review for its engaging mech combat and surprisingly deep lore.

Returning players will have an advantage when it comes to lore and understanding some references, but Marvelous says the sequel was made for newcomers, too. The story takes place 300 years after the conclusion of the first game, so all of the characters and plot points will be new to all players.

That said, if you want to play the original, be prepared to pay more than you’d probably expect. The digital edition still sells for $60 on the Switch eShop, and the physical edition has been out of print for years. Walmart has Daemon X Machina on Switch for $66 via a reputable third-party seller, and PC players can get a Steam key for $42.49 (was $50) at Fanatical with promo code FANATICAL15.

Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom.

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Marvelous Inc.’s Nintendo Switch 2 Games: Full file on Game Card

Titanic Scion arrives just one week after Marvelous launched Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, the latest entry in the farming life sim series formerly known as Harvest Moon. Grand Bazaar also has two editions for Switch 2: a $60 standard edition and $80 Premium Edition. Guardians of Azuma, meanwhile, is on sale for $60 (was $70) at Amazon. The Earth Dancer Limited Edition only launched on Switch, but you can upgrade physical and digital versions of the new Rune Factory game to Switch 2 for $10 on the eShop.

As mentioned, all three of Marvelous’ Switch 2 games–Titanic Scion (22.9GB), Guardians of Azuma (18GB), Grand Bazaar (7.7GB)–include the full file on the game card. We included the digital edition file sizes in parentheses next to the game titles to roughly note how many gigabytes you’re saving versus buying digital editions.

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Another notable third-party game that opted for the truly physical edition route is Cyberpunk 2077. And since the digital edition of CD Projekt Red’s impressive open-world adventure eats up 60GB, the physical edition is even more beneficial from a storage perspective.

Unfortunately, most third-party Switch 2 games available now and on the horizon utilize the Switch 2’s Game-Key Cards, which are license keys in cartridge format. Game-Key Cards grant you the ability to download the game from the eShop. Essentially, you’re buying a digital game, but the card must remain in the system to play it. To be fair, this allows you to sell the Game-Key Card, which you can’t do with eShop games, but the impact on storage space is the same whether you use a Game-Key Card or buy directly from the eShop.

A few of the best GameCube-inspired controllers for Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and PC are on sale for their best prices of the year at Amazon. NYXI’s Warrior and Wizard wireless controllers combine the GameCube form factor with modern features like Hall Effect sticks, remappable back buttons, microswitch triggers, and other customization options. The Warrior Lite Bluetooth Controller released earlier this year with the GameCube’s iconic purple color scheme. Normally $50, you can grab this versatile gamepad for $40, which is the best price yet.

If you also want 2.4GHz Wireless support for original GameCube and Wii hardware–and PC with the included adapter–you can step up to the Warrior for $55 (was $69).

And after being sold out for most of the year, the NYXI Wizard is back in stock and discounted to $56 (was $70). On the original Switch and Switch OLED, the Wizard can replace your left and right Joy-Con in handheld mode. It’s also a traditional wireless controller for Switch and Switch 2 when both sides are connected to the included bridge. It does not work in handheld mode on Switch 2.

We’ve tested the Warrior Lite, Warrior, and Wizard on Nintendo Switch 2, Switch, and PC. Take an in-depth look at each model below.

It’s worth noting that NYXI recently launched the Wizard 2. Just like the Wizard, the second-gen model works in handheld mode on Switch and Switch OLED. If you buy it for Switch 2, it will only work in TV mode. The Wizard 2 has upgraded TMR joysticks, dual trigger modes, and microswitch face buttons. Essentially, NYXI implemented some of the features found in its Warrior controllers, which are newer than the original Wizard. The Wizard 2 retails for $90 and hasn’t received any discounts yet.

More GameCube Controllers for Switch 2 & Switch

From a customization perspective, the Warrior series is the most impressive GameCube-style controller we’ve tried, but there are other GameCube controllers for Switch 2 that offer a more authentic experience. As mentioned, Nintendo’s wireless GameCube controller for Switch 2 is as close to the original as you’ll find. It feels almost exactly like the original, just without the cable and with a few extra small buttons on the top: C button for GameChat, home/menu buttons, and a small ZL button to make up for the fact the GameCube controller only had one shoulder button. But while this is best option for GameCube games on Switch Online, the aforementioned tiny ZL button makes it less than ideal for modern games.

Unfortunately, the price of the official Nintendo Switch Online GameCube controller recently increased to $70.

Officially licensed GameCube-style controllers from PowerA and Hori add Nintendo-inspired designs and have modernized shoulder and trigger layouts. The form factor of these controllers is closer to the original GameCube controller, as they have slimmer profiles compared to the NYXI Warrior. PowerA also recently raised the price of its GameCube-style controller to $70.

Looking for a conventional Switch 2 or PC controller? Check out the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 and brand-new 8BitDo Pro 3 Wireless Controllers, both of which are discounted at Amazon this weekend.

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According to EA, the Battlefield 6 play test is the biggest beta in Battlefield’s history in terms of players. Research firm Oppenheimer estimated that the beta reached more than 20 million people. However, a “substantial number” of those fans may have been playing Battlefield 6 with the minimum recommended specs.

Battlefield 6 technical director Christian Buhl made that assertion during an interview with Eurogamer. Buhl also noted that EA and DICE planned from the beginning to ensure that players using lower-end hardware would still receive a comparable experience to those on high-end machines.

“Min spec is certainly one of our most important specs … it’s super important from both a commercial and business perspective,” said Buhl. “We want as many people as possible playing the game … We did a lot of analysis, we did tests on the game on a wide range of hardware above and below our minimum and recommended specs. We figured out what we can hit, what we need to hit from a business perspective, and that was to capture a wide audience on PC. It’s been super critical.”

In the same interview, Buhl addressed the game’s unpopular secure boot requirement, which he says is critical to fighting cheaters.

“The fact is I wish we didn’t have to do things like Secure Boot,” said Buhl. “It does prevent some players from playing the game. Some people’s PCs can’t handle it and they can’t play: that really sucks. I wish everyone could play the game with low friction and not have to do these sorts of things … Unfortunately these are some of the strongest tools in our toolbox to stop cheating.”

EA has shared the PC specs for Battlefield 6, as well as some upcoming changes to based on player feedback from the beta. Battlefield 6 launches on October 10 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

The announcement that Hollow Knight: Silksong would release on September 4 was such a surprise that even the most tuned-in Hollow Knight fans were in shock at the news. And now, just days before Silksong releases, Hollow Knight is seeing a renaissance with gamers, passing its Steam concurrents records over and over again, hitting a new peak of 56,192 players on August 29, according to SteamDB.

For years, Hollow Knight’s biggest day was in May of 2022 when the game had over 20,000 concurrent players. Since the announcement of Silksong’s impending release date, though, each consecutive day has seen that concurrent peak rising, having hit 21,000 on August 22, just a day after the announcement, and hit 56,192 today. For a seven-year-old indie game, this is pretty big.

Of course, it’s important to note that SteamDB is not the be-all-end-all of game stats. Steam is a dominant platform for sure, but Hollow Knight is available on all last and current-generation consoles, including Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox, with Switch being a particularly popular platform for the game. Even so, it’s indicative that the legend of Hollow Knight continues to grow.

We got a sneak peek last week, and signs are looking good. “Hollow Knight: Silksong appears to be exactly what we all should have expected: a strong, well-designed, visually lovely game that carries forward the aesthetic and design philosophies of the original with thoughtful, if not earth-shattering, updates,” GameSpot’s Steve Watts wrote after going hands-on with Silksong at Gamescom.

In the latest sign that Lego may not be able to keep up with demand for its 421-piece Game Boy building set, preorders have sold out at Amazon. Up until now, Amazon was the only retailer to offer uninterrupted preorders throughout August. Other major retailers and the Lego Store have sold out multiple times since preorders opened in late July. The good news? The Lego Game Boy is back in stock at Walmart and the Lego Store for $60. The highly anticipated Game Boy Lego set launches October 1, just in time for the holiday shopping season.

If you’re interested in the Lego Game Boy for yourself or as a holiday gift, reserving one would be a smart move. Retailers rarely sell out of Lego preorders, but when they do–the Game Boy is always sold out at a couple of retailers–it can be challenging to find one at launch. It’s unknown if Amazon will reopen preorders, but it’s worth noting that preorders at Target sold out in July and never returned, so this could happen at other stores, too.

The brick-built Game Boy is almost exactly the same size as the handheld that quickly became a worldwide sensation when it hit store shelves in Japan and North America in 1989. This looks like an awesome display piece, and retro Nintendo fans are sure to appreciate the nostalgic interactive elements.

Part of Lego’s display model series geared toward adult builders and collectors, the Game Boy building kit was teased in January and fully unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con in July. The Game Boy is tied with the Super Mario Piranha Plant as the most affordable display model in the Lego Nintendo lineup. It will be the eighth Nintendo-themed kit designed for adults since the pair kicked off their partnership with a replica of the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Along with the Game Boy itself and a buildable stand, the set includes replica Game Paks (cartridges) of two timeless classics: Super Mario Land (1989) and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (1993). The cartridges can be loaded into the Game Pak slot just like a real Game Boy. You can display the other cartridge on a second buildable stand.

The Game Boy doesn’t have any electronics, so it won’t interact with Lego Super Mario figures, but it does have a cool trick that makes it appear like a functioning Game Boy. The set comes with three swappable lenticular screens: the boot screen that greets you each time you flip the power switch, a still from World 1-1 of Super Mario Land, and the cutscene in Link’s Awakening where you sit next to Marin on a log and have a pretty strange (one-sided) conversation. Tilting the Game Boy creates the illusion of movement, so the the Nintendo logo slides down the screen just like the real boot sequence; Mario moves across the side-scrolling level; and the memorable Link’s Awakening cutscene (briefly) comes to life.

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The Lego Game Boy’s interactive features such as loading carts and displaying scenes from actual games is reminiscent of the Lego Nintendo Entertainment System. Released back in August 2020 to launch Lego’s partnership with Nintendo, the 2,646-piece set included the console with a functional top loader, a Super Mario Bros. cartridge, a wired NES controller, and a CRT TV with a stand. There’s a crank on the side of the TV that moves Mario through a side-scrolling level. Even five years later, the NES is arguably the coolest gaming-related Lego set.

Unfortunately, the Lego NES was officially retired late last year, and it’s sold out at every major retailer. A couple months back we noticed Amazon restocked the discontinued set but with an extra $60 added to the price. When Lego Game Boy preorders opened, we wrote here that we wouldn’t be surprised if Amazon sold out of the Lego NES at the inflated $330 price. And that happened within days. At the moment, the Lego NES is only available via resellers, and some of the prices make $330 look like a deal.

Speaking of deals, Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi is on sale for the first time at Amazon and Walmart. Released last October, the 1,215-piece build features pixel art versions of Mario and Yoshi based on their 16-bit sprites. Yoshi walks when you turn the crank on the side, and twisting the dial on the back recreates the animation of Yoshi sticking out his tongue.

The most recent addition to the Lego Nintendo “for adults” lineup is the 1,972-piece Mario Kart set with a large buildable Mario and his famous red kart. It launched in May on the Lego Store for $170 and arrived at major retailers in July. Check out our Mario & Standard Kart review for more details on this charming display piece.

While you wait for the Lego Game Boy to arrive, you could warm-up by building the 540-piece Piranha Plant from Super Mario Bros. The Piranha Plant and Super Mario World models are the only Lego Nintendo sets for adults on sale right now.

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Lego Retro Gaming Hardware

Lego has created a few other display model sets based on retro gaming hardware. The other big one is Lego Icons: Atari 2600, a wonderful 2,532-piece build that authentically captures Atari’s legendary home console. Unfortunately, Lego discontinued the Atari 2600 last year. Amazon restocked it recently for normal price, but it disappeared just like the NES.

The Lego Icons: Pac-Man Arcade is still available at major retailers for $270. This impressive 2,651-piece set has a bunch of cool interactive features that make it a stellar collectible for Pac-Man fans. But if you’re looking for a cheaper set in the vein of the Game Boy, check out the adorable 468-piece Lego Arcade Machine. As you can see in the picture above, this isn’t based on a real arcade machine, but it still looks awesome. Plus, the Lego Arcade Machine only costs $40 and includes a gamer-themed minifigure.

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It’s not Lego, but there’s also an official brick-built Xbox 360. Part of Mega Bloks’ Collector Series for adults, the 1,342-piece Xbox 360 building set is only available at Target for $150.

Long-term binge gaming and internet gaming disorder are still relatively new phenomena that aren’t fully understood yet. However, a recently released study examined the effects of binge gaming on both boys and girls, and the results demonstrated that males have a greater chance of developing the addiction-like symptoms of IGD if they play games for five hours or longer at a time.

PLOS recently shared a 2022 Hong Kong-based study that was compiled using male and female schoolchildren. For the purposes of this report, smartphone gaming and PC gaming were both counted towards the length of a binge session.

The study was comprised of 2,000 students from primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong, with a median age of 12 years old. According to the findings, 38% of boys self-reported binge gaming, while only 24% of girls did the same. The results also suggested that male players who engaged in binge gaming were more likely than females to experience IGD, depression, stress, poor sleep quality and “lower educational self-efficacy.”

Because of the small sampling group, the results of this study are far from definitive. However, they do suggest that there’s a real gender gap between males and females suffering from the negative side effects of binge gaming. The study also noted that non-binge gamer boys and non-gamer girls both had lower levels of stress, anxiety, grief, and depression than non-binge gamer girls.

The study concludes that interventions for treating IGD and binge gaming should be gender-specific in order to address the potential mental and physical health risks that come with them. More studies are likely to be conducted in the future to examine these results and build upon the report’s findings.

Arcade cabinets were the original competitive esports of their time, and if you’re looking for an even more intense approach to setting a new high score benchmark, you can check out this deal on Arcade1Up’s new Ms. Pac-Man Head-to-Head Arcade Table. This model moves the screen from a vertical to a horizontal position for two-player head-to-head action, and it’s loaded with 12 games. You can order it now for $600.

Like other Arcade1Up cabinets, this new Ms. Pac-Man machine is built to be both stylish and durable. To help protect the screen, there’s a clear acrylic top installed on top of it, and it’s designed to be a space-saving collectible. The selection of games listed above is also a compilation of all-time classics, as in addition to the timeless appeal of Ms. Pac-Man and Pacmania, Dig Dug offers a charming descent into the depths of the planet, Tower of Druaga is still a beloved action-RPG focused on escaping mazes, and Galaga set a new standard for shoot-’em-ups when it was first released in 1981.

If you’d like to fill out your own home arcade, several Arcade1Up cabinets are also on sale right now. These are billed as “Classic Special Edition” cabinets that don’t include a riser. This drops their size down to four feet–but you can purchase a riser for just $59 to get it back to standing height–and helps to save space. Currently, Walmart is offering the Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, and Mortal Kombat 2 arcade cabinets for $334 each. All models come pre-loaded with extra games in addition to their marquee titles.

Each cabinet shares the same technical specs, as they’re equipped with a 15.6-inch IPS color monitor, dual speaker setups, and online connectivity for leaderboards and multiplayer in supported games. What also makes them attention-getters is that each cabinet is wrapped in artwork that’s designed to make them look like they were yanked straight out of an ’80s or ’90s arcade, and they have a durable selection of controls. You’ll also get an anti-tip-over strap and side panels to cover up screw holes. As a reminder, these cabinets do require some assembly, but the process is relatively easy to understand. Here’s a closer look at the games that each one comes with:

$334

Included games:

• Dig Dug
• Dig Dug 2
• Galaga
• Galaxian
• Galaga ’88
• King & Balloon
• Mappy
• Pac-Man
• Pac-Man Plus
• Pac-Mania
• Pac & Pal
• Super Pac-Man
• Rompers

You can also score a great deal on a sought-after Arcade1Up Countercade that has been discontinued. The Arcade1Up Class of ’81 Countercade is back in stock at Amazon, and this model is equipped with a 7-inch, vertically oriented LCD screen, full-size controls, and features artwork of Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga. Designed to be played on a flat surface like a desk or countertop, it’s a lightweight arcade machine that comes with Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, and Dig Dug installed on it. It’s powered via an included Micro-USB cable or four AA batteries (not included), so you won’t need to plug it into a nearby outlet if you don’t want to clutter your space with cables.

September 4 is quite the scary date for indie devs this year. You probably already know why, but here’s the reason anyway: After a long wait, Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally arriving on that exact date. It’s easily going to be one of the biggest indie releases of the year, and because of that fact, a number of indie games have opted for a delay to avoid being drowned out by the Silksong-mania. One exception is a co-op racing party game called Fling to the Finish, as the companies responsible have decided to release its console ports on the same day as Silksong.

Publisher Daedalic Entertainment and developer Splitside Games confirmed the game will be releasing on console September 4 in a press release, referencing Silksong in a tongue-in-cheek manner: “Arriving same day as THAT metroidvania.” To be fair, as you can see in a trailer below, there’s no real reason to think that Fling to the Finish is in any direct competition with Silksong.

Fling to the Finish is more in the vein of games like Human: Fall Flat, as it sees you playing as perfectly spherical, cartoonish characters that are tied together two at a time. You then have to maneuver through various obstacle courses as you try not to drag your friend down with you, all while racing other players. Apart from both games featuring platforming, their target audiences couldn’t be more different, so there’s no reason to think Silksong should affect Fling to the Finish’s release on console.

You can also play Fling to the Finish in solo, online multiplayer, local split-screen, and both local and online co-op, and there’s cross-play between platforms too. If you really want to start an argument with your friends, there’s even a “share a controller” local co-op mode.

Fling to the Finish launches on September 4, and you’ll be able to play it on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. It’s already available to play on PC.

Amazon has restocked a pair of Nintendo Amiibo figures that it hasn’t had in its inventory in more than seven years. Super Mario fans can add Koopa Troopa and Goomba Amiibo to their collections for $16 each. Both characters are shipped and sold by Amazon, so we wouldn’t expect Mario’s iconic punching bags to remain in stock for very long. Goomba and Koopa Troopa are part of the long-dormant Super Mario Amiibo series.

Both figures released in the US in October 2017 and were sold out at Amazon by time the calendar flipped to 2018. The regular price of Nintendo Switch Amiibo recently increased to $20, so you’re technically saving 20% on Koopa Troopa and Goomba. The same could be said about Sora from Kingdom Hearts, which launched in early 2024 and is in stock for $16.

Splatoon fans can get the Pearl & Marina 2-Pack for $25, but you’ll need to move fast; the combo pack is $10 below MSRP and almost out of stock. Randomly, the European edition of Robin from Fire Emblem is also in stock, though for the peculiar price of $20.90.

You can find many other Switch Amiibo figures on Amazon, but the five listed above are the only characters sold/shipped by Amazon at this time. Check out the Koopa Troopa and Goomba Amiibo below. Nintendo Switch 2 owners should also take a look at the deals on the new Zelda and Street Fighter Amiibo before they’re gone.

Goombas and Koopa Troopas have been franchise fixtures since the original Super Mario Bros. debuted in 1985 on the Nintendo Entertainment System.

In World 1-1, the first few obstacles Mario encounters are the ever-grumpy mushrooms with feet. After flattening a handful of Goombas by jumping on their heads, Mario meets the perpetually smiling tortoise for the first time. There’s only one Koopa in World 1-1, but that’s enough to introduce players to the more efficient method for eliminating Goombas. Over the past 40 years, Super Mario fans have hurled countless Koopa Shells at groups of Goombas.

Nintendo has iterated on Bowser’s original henchmen on many occasions, but you can still count on seeing regular Koopas and Goombas in the vast majority of Super Mario Bros platformers and spin-offs. When you encounter one, there’s a good chance the other is nearby, so it’s only fitting that Amazon has both of these Amiibo in stock at the same time.

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Amazon has seven of the eight Nintendo Switch 2 Amiibo figures in stock, and four characters are on sale for $20 each. Two of the four Legend of Zelda Sage Amiibo–Tulin and Sidon–are eligible for Amazon’s $10 discount. Amazon is offering $20 discounts on Luke and Jamie Amiibo from Street Fighter 6.

Amazon’s deals will likely end when GameStop’s Amiibo promotion expires this weekend. Unlike Amazon, GameStop has all seven Zelda and Street Fighter Amiibo for $20 each; GameStop is also offering a 50% discount on the retailer’s exclusive Street Fighter 6 Amiibo Card Starter Set.

PlayStation has revealed next month’s batch of free games for PlayStation Plus subscribers. All PS Plus members will be able to claim a trio of freebies starting September 3: Psychonauts 2, Stardew Valley, and Viewfinder. If you haven’t claimed August’s PlayStation Plus free games yet, make sure to do so before next Tuesday. You can also check out all the games that were recently added to the PS Plus Game Catalog for Extra and Premium-tier subscribers.

Regarded as one of the best games made by Double Fine, Psychonauts 2 is a creative tour de force that sees protagonist Raz return for another round of cerebral adventures. Years in the making, the game was well worth the wait when it first launched in 2021.

Almost a decade after it first launched, Stardew Valley is still a genre-defining indie game. It helped usher in a new generation of cozy farming games, and since it first arrived on the scene, the game has regularly been updated with new content that has helped solidify it as a modern-day masterpiece.

Finally, Viewfinder is a terrific little puzzle game where you’ll take Polaroid-style photos and use them to push past various obstacles in the environment. The central gameplay mechanic evolves as you dive deeper into the game, as the idea of solving platforming puzzles with photography remains consistently engaging throughout the entire experience.

PlayStation Plus free games for September 2025

Available September 3 – 30

• Psychonauts 2
• Stardew Valley
• Viewfinder

It’s been an extremely eventful start to Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 4, with Epic already pulling this season’s medallions from circulation for being too overpowered and ridiculous after two weeks of backlash. Fortunately, Fortnite is always introducing new ways of being absurd and over-the-top, and this week’s update is proof of that, as it added two very silly new vehicles: the Roly-Poly bug, and Hammerhead Choppas.

The Roly-Polys are extremely easy to find since they’re just lying on the ground all over the place. If you see bugs running around, then there are some Roly-Polys, too. There are enough of those for everybody, more or less. But that’s not the case with Hammerhead Choppas, of which only a handful spawn each match.

It makes a lot of sense for there to be more Roly-Polys than Hammerhead Choppas. The Choppas, which are new, much cooler-looking versions of Fortnite’s old helicopters, have enough room for a full squad of players and a hired NPC. Roly-Polys, by contrast, can only fit a single player each–they’re essentially new, bouncier versions of Ballers. So, while there are dozens of Roly-Polys that spawn around the island each match, there are only a few Hammerhead Choppas.

Where to find the Hammerhead Choppas in Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 4

There are five guaranteed Hammerhead Choppas at four main spawn locations–one of the spots actually has two of them. The Hammerhead Choppas spawn at each of the three OXR outposts, which is where the “push back the bugs” events happen, and there are two that spawn at OXR HQ to the north of the center of the island. All five of these Choppas appear to have a 100% spawn chance.

That said, there are also a few other spots where Hammerhead Choppas have some unknown chance of spawning. You can see the spawn locations in the handy map we’ve provided below. Black stars indicate a spot where a Hammerhead Choppa may spawn, red stars indicate a guaranteed Hammerhead Choppa spawn, and red with a black outline indicates two guaranteed Choppas.

The guaranteed Hammerhead Choppas won’t just be on the ground, of course. The reason they spawn in these locations is that OXR has all the helipads. So when you’re in one of those places trying to nab your fun new method of air transportation, look for it on platforms like this.

For those locations where there’s only a chance of a Choppa spawn, however, they’ll be parked on the grass.

How to use the loudspeaker on Hammerhead Choppas

Fortnite is celebrating the arrival of Hammerhead Choppas to Battle Royale by adding two weekly quests, neither of which is particularly complicated. The first is to damage players from 50 meters or more away while in a Choppa, and while the Choppa itself has no weapons, you presumably would–all you have to do is switch to a passenger seat and fire away. You don’t have to kill anybody. You just need to hit a few shots. And shots on the bugs counts, for the record.

But while anybody who plays Fortnite has shot some enemies before, the other Choppa quest involves a non-standard mechanic that is completely unique to Choppas: the ability to blast music over a loudspeaker while you fly around. There’s a quest to do just that within 100 meters of an enemy player. It’s not a difficult task, but since it’s only something Choppas can do, and Choppas aren’t in the game very much, most folks probably don’t know about it.

Fortunately, this quest is as easy at they come, because you can turn on the loudspeaker by pressing the emote button–that’s down on the d-pad on a controller, or B on a keyboard. If you didn’t immediately complete the quest when you fired it up, just fly around until you find somebody. Considering that a 100-meter radius is pretty large, it’ll probably happen by accident.

Ancient Effigy Revives any dead player or players. Ancient Idol You gain invulnerability to everything… as long as you hold it, that is. Antidote Cures poison partially Anti-rope Cannon When shot at a surface, it releases a rope that “falls” upwards instead, starting from the point of impact. Anti-rope Spool It releases a rope that “falls” upwards instead. Backpack It can carry up to four items Bandages Restores health partially. Berrynana You can throw it on the ground to cause other people to fall. Big Lollipop Grants infinite stamina for about seven seconds, and inflicts the drowsy status immediately after. Bing Bong Basically just a cute plushie, and part of a tough achievement that involves finishing a run while carrying it, in a similar fashion to Gnome Chompski in Left 4 Dead 2. Binoculars No abnormal effect here. They’re just binoculars. Blowgun Shoots a dart that clears negative status except for the curse status. The player who receives the shot will be temporarily drowsy. Bounce Fungus Creates a mushroom platform when thrown at a surface, making for a good spot to rest while climbing. Bugle Plays a song, or heinous sounds, depending on your taste. If you use it around the capybaras in Alpine, you’ll get an achievement. Bugle of Friendship Boosts everybody’s stamina momentarily. Cactus It does nothing, but beware of its thorns if you throw it around. Chain Launcher Shoots a chain to the spot you’re aiming at. Be mindful of your current stamina before committing to it. Compass Points north, which matches the peak of the mountain. Conch It does nothing. You can throw it at your friends if you want, though. Cure-All Cures all negative statuses. Cursed Skull Heals allies at the expense of your own health. Dynamite Causes an explosion, which can also cook items. Energy Drink Increases speed momentarily while inflicting the drowsy status afterward. Faerie Lantern Gets rid of all negative statuses. It doesn’t help with hunger. First Aid Kit If injured, it restores all of your health, while also curing poison. Flare This emits a big smoke cloud that alerts others of your location. It’s also used at the peak to call the helicopter. Flying Disk You can just have some fun with this. Heat Pack When used, it gradually removes cold for some time. Useful for blizzards in the Alpine biome. Lantern Emits light, and its heat also removes cold gradually. Magic Bean It summons a beanstalk, which is great for climbing. Pandora’s Lunchbox It removes all negative effects upon use, but you also get a random assortment of new effects, which can be either positive or negative. Thanks, Pandora. Parasol Along with protecting you from the sun, you can use it for gliding. Pirate’s Compass Points toward suitcases nearby. Piton Adds a piton on any suitable surface that you can grab onto to restore stamina. Portable Stove Useful for cooking items and reducing cold. Remedy Fungus It creates a healing mist when thrown against the ground. If you’re playing with others, make sure you’re all gathered together first. Rope Cannon Shoots a harpoon to where you’re aiming, which releases a rope in the place of impact. Rope Spool Releases a rope. You can adjust the height and, once ready, press the action button again to anchor it to the surface you’re standing on so it stays in place. Torch A great source of light, albeit limited. Scout Cannon You can shoot yourself from a long distance with it. Scout Efficy Revives another player. If more than one player is dead, the item picks one at random. Scoutmaster’s Bugle If you’re playing solo, using this rare bugle summons the Scoutmaster. Useful for an achievement. Scroll There’s a chance of seeing them at the summit of biomes. You can use them to create Torn Pages. Shelf Fungus It creates a mushroom platform when thrown at a surface, great for climbing or to provide an extra platform when attempting long jumps. Strange Gem It does nothing. At least for now. Torn Page Mostly for an achievement, which tasks you with collecting eight Torn Pages. Weird Shroom No weird side effects, it just restores your health partially. More to come at some point There’ll likely be more items added in the future.

The Legend of Zelda and Street Fighter 6 Amiibo figures that launched alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 are steeply discounted at Amazon and GameStop. All four Tears of the Kingdom Sages are on sale for $20 each, down from $30. The trio of Street Fighter 6 characters are also available for $20, but these are 50% discounts, since each one retails for an eye-watering $40. Fans can also snag the GameStop-exclusive Street Fighter 6 Amiibo Card Starter Set for $20 (was $40).

At the time of writing, GameStop had all seven Zelda and Street Fighter Switch 2 Amiibo for $20 each, but Amazon only has four figures for this price: Tulin and Sidon from The Legend of Zelda and Luke and Jamie from Street Fighter. That said, we’d recommend checking the store pages for all seven figures, because Amazon’s prices have changed a couple times already. It’s likely Amazon will soon price match the other two Sages from Zelda.

Nintendo Switch 2 Amiibo Deals at Amazon

Nintendo Switch 2 Amiibo Deals at GameStop

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The $20 offers align with Nintendo’s recently updated prices for Amiibo released prior to the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch. For instance, Nintendo is reprinting the King K. Rool Amiibo, and you can preorder the Donkey Kong villain for $20 at Best Buy. You can pair original Donkey Kong big boss with the Donkey Kong & Pauline Amiibo, which released alongside Donkey Kong Bananza in July. Because the DK and Pauline figure is in the Nintendo Switch 2 line, it carries a $30 MSRP and has yet to be discounted at a major retailer.

Check out our gallery below for a closer look at all seven Nintendo Switch 2 Amiibo figures on sale right now.

Final Fantasy I-VI Collection for Nintendo Switch is back on sale at Amazon for $45, the same price offered during last month’s Prime Day sale. This was the most popular video game deal with GameSpot readers during the sales event, and Amazon sold out before the promotion officially ended. If you missed out on the $30 discount, now’s your chance to snag all six of Square Enix’s Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters on a single cartridge for an awesome price. Unfortunately, the PS4 version isn’t eligible for this discount.

Released last October for Switch and PlayStation, this special Anniversary Edition comes with a sticker sheet of Final Fantasy character sprites. It’s worth emphasizing that this is a true physical release, with all six Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters on the Switch cartridge or PS4 disc (fully compatible with PS5). Square Enix initially released the physical in 2023, but the small print run sold out extremely fast. Last fall’s rerelease brought the collection to major retailers for the first time as the Anniversary Edition.

Square Enix’s Pixel Remasters project debuted on PC and mobile in Summer 2021 with the three 8-bit Final Fantasy games and came to a close with Final Fantasy VI in February 2022. The collection was ported to PlayStation and Switch in 2023 and to Xbox Series X|S last September.

The proper Final Fantasy III was exclusive to Japan until the release of the 3D remake for Nintendo DS. Long-time fans in North America may remember Final Fantasy VI, arguably the best game in the franchise, as Final Fantasy III.

The games can be played in any order, but it’s really cool to see how the series evolved from the 8-bit era on the Nintendo Entertainment System to the 16-bit era of the Super Nintendo.

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If you love classic Final Fantasy games, you should also check out FF Dot: The Pixel Art of Final Fantasy. This lovely 280-page hardcover book offers an in-depth look at the gorgeous artwork that, considering the existence of the Pixel Remasters, has proven to be timeless.

PlayStation users can get a great deal on Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade for PS5. The physical edition had been out of print for years before Square Enix made a fresh batch earlier this year. Amazon has Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade for only $30 right now.

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Stanley Kubrick and Stephen King fans can secure a preorder for a highly collectible 4K Blu-ray edition of The Shining at Walmart. Part of The Film Vault collector’s series, The Shining Special Edition Steelbook is available to order for $100 at Walmart ahead of its September 2 release in the US. Along with the steelbook case with new artwork, this limited-edition release comes with cigar box packaging, a double-sided poster, and a bunch of art cards. It looks like the ultimate collector’s version of the legendary horror movie, so snag a copy while you still can. A cheaper edition without the extras releases the same day. The Shining Solus Steelbook Edition is $65 and has sold out at least twice already.

Created by Vice Press in partnership with Warner Bros. UK, The Shining Special Edition is one of two early ’80s horror films in The Film Vault Wave 3. The Shining will launch alongside the 1982 supernatural horror film Poltergeist. Walmart is also taking preorders for Poltergeist’s Special Edition Steelbook and Poltergeist Solus Steelbook. Both editions were in stock at the time of writing. The Shining and Poltergeist Film Vault limited editions come with region-free 4K Blu-ray and 1080p Blu-ray discs.

The Film Vault Wave 3 at Walmart

Note: Both of the Film Vault editions listed on Walmart’s site, along with a couple of other retailer-exclusive versions, sold out months ago in the UK and at specialty Blu-ray shops.

Walmart will almost certainly sell out of both editions before launch. If you missed out on the 2025 Walmart-exclusive Steelbook Edition of The Shining, now’s your chance to grab one that looks much cooler. But you may want to move fast. I wrote an article about Walmart’s The Shining Steelbook when preorders opened last December, and it sold out the following day.

The Film Vault: The Shining Special Edition

The Film Vault places the movie title and other text on acetate O-rings, allowing fans to choose whether to display the cigar box with or without words and logos. The new artwork by Matt Ferguson and Florey looks beautiful. The cigar box has a large silhouette of Jack Torrance with the fireman’s axe overlooking (sorry) the Overlook Hotel. On the back is Jack’s typewriter, and there are even words on the paper–likely the same sentence over and over again. The artwork on the steelbook case recreates the scene where Jack trudges through the hedge maze.

The steelbook artwork is also featured on the double-sided movie poster. The other side is a retouched version of Saul Bass’ well-known poster that was created for The Shining’s 1980 theatrical release. The eight art cards showcase memorable shots from the film as well as behind-the-scenes production photographs.

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If you’re unfamiliar with The Film Vault, it’s a series of collectible editions of classic movies from the Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures film catalogs. The Film Vault was created in 2022 by Vice Press, a UK company specializing in officially licensed movie collectibles and artwork. All of the 4K Blu-rays released by The Film Vault are region-free discs, but as a UK company, these limited-edition versions of all-time classics aren’t regularly found at US retailers. We suspect The Shining is exclusive to Walmart in the US.

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The Film Vault: The Shining Steelbook Edition

At the time of writing, The Shining Solus Steelbook Limited Edition is sold out–but we’d recommend checking to see if Walmart restocked it. It has already received at least one restock. It was sold out when I first found the store page August 22, but I was able to order a copy on August 23, just a few hours before writing this story.

The above image provides a look at the back cover of the steelbook case and the hedge maze landscape artwork on the inside covers. Just like with the Special Edition, the Solus Steelbook comes with an acetate O-ring with with the title and other text. It is worth noting that the Special Edition’s O-ring is for the cigar box–you won’t get a second O-ring for the steelbook case.

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Philipp Batura didn’t expect one of his most successful designs to be a giant red bow. Simple and cartoonishly oversized, the Big Hair Bow became one of Roblox’s biggest fashion hits during Christmas, selling more than 455,000 copies and generating over $150,000 in revenue.

“What’s funny is that it’s such a simple design, but that’s probably why it worked,” Batura told GameSpot via email. “It appealed to a wide audience. I remember logging into games and seeing it on so many players, and I still spot it in YouTube and TikTok videos.”

It’s a story that illustrates how Roblox fashion works and why it’s so different from the real-world fashion industry. In Milan or Paris, designers might obsess over silhouettes or fabric innovation. In Roblox, the fashion ecosystem moves at the speed of memes, and sometimes the winning accessory isn’t high-concept at all; it’s a giant bow anyone can slap onto their avatar.

Batura, who goes by Topcat in Roblox, didn’t enter the User Generated Content Creator program expecting to become a digital fashion powerhouse. He has, in a way, since he leads a full-time team of modelers and a rigger that help him design multiple items a day. When he first started selling avatar accessories in early 2023, he gravitated toward tongue-in-cheek ideas inspired by internet culture.

“The weirdest design I made that sold well was the SIGMA Chain,” he wrote. “It was part of my very first UGC drop in early 2023 and ended up getting over 13,000 sales. That moment was a turning point–it made me realize this could be more than just something I did for fun. It could be a real business.”

That business began with meme-driven accessories like the Mr. Peebles Head–a giant cat head–and the Rizz Frame, a literal frame you wore around your face. They were funny, eye-catching, and briefly popular. But Batura soon realized the downside.

“While meme-based items might spike in popularity, they aren’t a sustainable niche,” he said. “So I pivoted toward streetwear, which allowed for more consistent results and long-term growth.”

At first glance, it might seem strange that the bow outperformed more complex or trendy designs. But in Roblox, simplicity is a superpower. Players want items that work across multiple outfits and social settings. The bow managed to be playful without being tied to a specific meme or cultural reference, making it endlessly adaptable.

It also didn’t hurt that it dropped during the Christmas season, when the Roblox avatar shop is flooded with players looking for festive ways to dress up. Big, bright, and jolly, the bow was the right item at the right time.

And once enough players picked it up, it became inescapable. Roblox fashion spreads not just through the in-game store, but through visibility in popular experiences, streamers’ avatars, TikTok edits, and YouTube skits. The bow wasn’t just an item–it was a trend, woven into Roblox culture.

The success of the Big Hair Bow underscores how Roblox fashion has matured into its own industry. The UGC program has empowered thousands of independent designers to create and sell virtual clothing, and with hundreds of millions of monthly users on the platform, the audience is massive.

For some, like Batura, it has become a career. The fact that one digital accessory can generate six-figure sales is a reminder that digital fashion isn’t a novelty; it’s an economy. Roblox has seen collaborations with luxury brands like Gucci, Ralph Lauren, and Nike, but the real pulse of its fashion world comes from homegrown creators. They move quickly, understand the platform’s culture, and know when to trade high-concept ideas for something as straightforward as a bow.

“Seeing something I created become part of the culture like that has been incredibly rewarding,” he wrote. While it may amuse Batura that his most iconic creation is essentially a cartoon bow, it’s fitting. Roblox fashion is democratic and often surprising. Success doesn’t always come from complexity–sometimes it comes from knowing what players will actually want to wear.

For Topcat, that realization has transformed a hobby into a livelihood. For Roblox, it’s another reminder that in the world of digital fashion, anyone–with the right idea–can become the next big trendsetter.

Read more: The latest developments in the controversy involving Roblox.

Arcade1Up’s Countercades are great for those who have limited space as well as anyone who doesn’t want to drop $500 on a standing home arcade machine. Unfortunately, Arcade1Up seems like it could be done with its series of compact machines. All of the manufacturer’s Countercades are discontinued. Until this month, we hadn’t seen an Arcade1Up Countercade in stock since last holiday season. So we were surprised to find the Arcade1Up Class of ’81 Countercade in stock at Amazon this week.

The Class of ’81 Countercade is themed around Ms. Pac-Man and Galaga, though it also includes Dig Dug. The cabinet launched last October for $150 and then disappeared before Christmas. It had a peculiarly brief lifecycle, and now it has a fittingly strange restock. The Class of ’81 Countercade is sold and shipped by Amazon, but the price is $167.16. It’s only $17 above the original MSRP, and the $150 MSRP was surprisingly low to begin with–and contributed to it selling out so fast.

Snag the Arcade1Up Class of ’81 Countercade while you can; over on StockX, resellers have it listed for $299. The compact machine is one of only about a dozen Arcade1Up cabinets available on Amazon at the moment.

The previous Pac-Man Countercade retailed for $200. Amazon’s store page makes it seem like $167.16 is MSRP. This sometimes happens when Amazon restocks discontinued products. Amazon sometimes has really random prices for things that have effectively turned into Amazon exclusives.

The Ms. Pac-Man Head-to-Head machine is the only arcade table from Arcade1Up available on Amazon today. Some of Arcade1Up’s traditional standing Deluxe Edition Cabinets are still actively being produced today. Most are priced at $600, though a few such as Pac-Man, NBA Jam, and Mortal Kombat are $500.

Arcade1Up Deluxe Edition Arcade Cabinets (August 2025)

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If you’re interested in Namco arcade classics, check out the upcoming Atari 2600+ Pac-Man Edition Console Bundle. This special-edition system plays real Atari 2600 and 7800 cartridges and comes with a yellow wireless joystick and Pac-Man: Double Feature, a cart with a newly developed version of Pac-Man and the original 2600 release. Extra joysticks themed around the Ghost Gang are available to preorder separately, as are three additional Namco classics on cartridge, including Galaga and Dig Dug.

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KPop Demon Hunters’ fictional bands have become some of the hottest musical acts on the planet since the Netflix animated film released in June–but before Huntrix and Saja Boys were tearing up the charts, a quartet of League of Legends characters were making waves in virtual K-pop.

Even before KPop Demon Hunters was released, the film’s fictional K-pop band was seeing comparisons to Riot Games’ virtual girl group, K/DA. It’s not a stretch to spot the similarities–two animated girl groups releasing catchy K-pop anthems in between fighting enemies with signature weapons and battle costumes. Even some of the costumes and color schemes feel familiar, and both groups have collaborated with real-world K-pop girl group Twice.

Though it feels likely that the team behind KPop Demon Hunters was inspired by K/DA, it hasn’t commented much on the comparison. One of the only official references to K/DA comes from KPop Demon Hunters’ music supervisor Ian Eisendrath, who confirms that Riot’s virtual band was “one of our many influences” for Huntrix’s musical sound. Eisendrath adds that K/DA was just one of “8-12 references” that was mainly used to “envision what these songs could sound like.”

No matter what level of inspiration K/DA had on KPop Demon Hunters, the Riot K-pop project proved almost seven years ago that fans would get behind a virtual girl group.

Made up of League champions Ahri, Akali, Evelynn, and Kai’sa, each member of K/DA is voiced and performed by a real-world pop artist. American artists Madison Beer and Jaira Burns provide the singing voices for Evelynn and Kai’sa, respectively, while members of K-pop group I-dle (formerly (G)I-dle) Miyeon and Soyeon voice Ahri and Akali, respectively. The group is structured like a classic K-pop girl group, with each member having a performing strength, and they mirror certain K-pop archetypes in personality and style.

K/DA was formed back in 2018 as an opening act for the League of Legends World Championship–and as a vehicle to sell their shiny popstar outfits as skins. The single and music video launched the same day as K/DA’s debut augmented-reality performance in Incheon, South Korea, and quickly took off.

The debut single, Pop/Stars, charted at number one on the K-pop music charts and number five on the overall pop charts for Apple Music in the US, as well as topping Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart. The music video went viral on YouTube, reaching over 100 million views in its first month. Despite being a fake band, K/DA made history by becoming the first K-pop girl group to have a single certified platinum with Pop/Stars.

Viranda Tantula, the creative lead on the opening ceremony performance, explained in an interview that Pop/Stars’ success was all about commitment to the “fantasy of the champs being in the real world.” In order to sell this fantasy, Tantula explained, they had to create a pop song that stands up against real-world pop music and a performance that competes with real-world stadium-level pop.

Despite how much went into K/DA’s debut, it initially wasn’t intended to be any more than the one single. “We really went into it wanting to make the singular moment as dope as possible and intentionally weren’t thinking much further into the future than that,” Tantula said in the same interview. When Pop/Stars started taking off, far eclipsing anything the Riot music team had released previously, Tantula says the team started “chatting about where this could go.”

K/DA was quiet for a while after their debut, though they remained popular with fans who created art, cosplay, and dance covers for Pop/Stars–and spent plenty of cash on K/DA skins. After two years of speculation, the group finally returned with a bang in 2020, releasing the five-song EP All Out and once again gracing the Worlds opening ceremony with an augmented-reality performance of lead single More.

While none of the All Out tracks reached the viral peak that Pop/Stars saw, the EP performed well as a musical release in its own right–with play counts on Spotify comparable to Huntrix’s discography at the time of writing.

Riot hasn’t revisited K/DA since the All Out release–though it did experiment with a boy band, Heartsteel, and an Akali-led side project, True Damage, all of which exist in the same alternate universe of League of Legends lore. The rise of KPop Demon Hunters seems to have brought fans back to K/DA, however: The Pop/Stars YouTube comments are full of people who say they’re watching because of KPop Demon Hunters, while the K/DA subreddit is full of Huntrix/K/DA mashups and fan art.

Some fans who were introduced to K-pop by the Netflix film even appear to be jumping to K/DA for their next fictional K-pop fix. Though this could just be because both bands have a similar sound, there’s an argument to be made that virtual acts may be less intimidating for first-time fans who aren’t ready for the complexity of real-world K-pop fan culture. No matter the reason, both K/DA and Huntrix have proven themselves successful gateway artists for fans who have never engaged with K-pop before.

The similarities between K/DA and Huntrix may be undeniable, but there’s one major element that sets the two groups apart: K/DA is a virtual K-pop group, while Huntrix doesn’t exist outside of the narrative of KPop Demon Hunters–for now. The difference is the conceit that K/DA is a band that really exists in our world–they’ve performed stadium shows, filmed music videos, and even held interviews and addressed fans directly via social media.

Riot’s handling of K/DA as a virtual band provides a template that Netflix could very well follow with KPop Demon Hunters. In a Reddit AMA with members of the KPop Demon Hunters team, a fan asked if Huntrix and Saja Boys could become bona fide virtual bands, and music supervisor Ian Eisendrath replied, “I would love that.”

Just like K/DA before them, both Huntrix and Saja Boys are blowing up the charts right now–going head to head with some of the most popular real K-pop groups. Huntrix surpassed Blackpink as the highest-charting K-pop girl group when it hit number two on the US Spotify charts, while Saja Boys surpassed the likes of BTS and Stray Kids to become the highest-charting K-pop boy group. There’s no word yet on Netflix’s plans for either fictional group, but it’s not hard to picture them selling out stadiums.

If you’ve been using the jump button a little too often in the Battlefield 6 beta, then you’re going to notice some changes upon launch. DICE has announced that there’s now a penalty for making consecutive jumps that lowers the jump height. Momentum carried from a slide into a jump has also been tweaked to reduce its speed. Nevertheless, Battlefield 6 principal game designer Florian “DRUNKKZ3” Le Bihan wants players to know that the movement changes “are not drastic.”

“Movement is also getting more responsive in general in places that have felt a bit clunky before. so there is a lot more that is getting quality improvements [and] polish in this same area,” wrote Le Bihan on X. “Adding diminishing returns to jumping is what we’re actually doing, an initial slide or an initial jumps will not be affected. We’re still trying to retain depth to movement with some skill curve to it, just making sure it doesn’t become insane.”

The Battlefield 6 devs also recently defended the changes to Rush mode in the beta, including smaller lobbies of 24 players for 12v12 matches. According to the programing team, Rush mode doesn’t work as well with more than 24 players at a time.

Another upcoming change change before for launch is the nerfing of the M87A1 shotgun, which was overpowered in the beta. Now, the shotgun will “[require] more pellets to secure a kill.”

According EA, the recent play test was the biggest beta in Battlefield’s history in terms of players. Research firm Oppenheimer estimated that the beta reached more than 20 million people.

Battlefield 6 launches on October 10 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

A decade is a long period of time, but for Metal Gear Solid fans, it’s an eternity. Fortunately, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater launches at the end of the month, bringing a classic from the original series into the modern age of gaming. But beyond that? Expect the future of Metal Gear Solid to be handed over to a new generation of developers.

Metal Gear veterans Noriaki Okamura and Yuji Korekado recently spoke about how they were preparing to hand over the franchise to a younger team if Konami ever decides to produce a brand-new Metal Gear Solid game.

“One of the reasons why we brought in a lot of fresh meat–all the new, younger developers–is because, not only did we want to give them a chance to figure out how to create and develop a Metal Gear game, but also give them a chance to experience the game themselves,” Okamura said to Rolling Stone. “And we’ll still be here for a while, but right now the goal is to build a team that could carry on the legacy on our behalf and could produce, hopefully in the future, more exciting games.”

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is designed to be a bridge for that idea, as Okamura and Korekado view it as having the potential to reenergize the franchise and draw in new creators. Korekado explained that the seasoned developers working on the game were able to incorporate feedback from younger members on the team that would help modernize the game, while still retaining the original elements that made this entry in the series so captivating when it was first released in the 2000s.

The future of Metal Gear Solid is also one that will likely not involve series creator Hideo Kojima, as following his exit from Konami, the industry legend has been busy with multiple projects at his studio, like Death Stranding and its sequel, OD, and a spiritual successor to Metal Gear Solid, Phsyint.

Kojima has also spoken about how all the demanding work of creating a video game has begun to take a mental and physical toll on him as he grows older, but he still plans to remain as creative for as long as possible–or at least until he becomes the first person to make a game in space. He’s also not planning to play Metal Gear Solid Delta.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater launches for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on August 28, and we gave it a 9/10 in our review. “Konami’s Metal Gear Solid 3 remake is a safe but successful modernization of a beloved classic,” Tamoor Hussain wrote in GameSpot’s Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater review.

Delta Force, the PC and mobile free-to-play shooter, is also now on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. The game does feature full controller support, but the aiming and movement can feel a bit weird on console. Here, we recommend the best settings to help you improve your aim, sensitivity, and movement when playing Delta Force on console and with a controller. Audio and graphics recommendations are also included.

Delta Force also features cross-play, but this is limited depending on which platform you play one. Make sure to check out our full Delta Force cross-play guide on how to play the game with friends on other platforms.

Currently, the game features a roster of 11 class-based operators, and here’s how to unlock and use all operators in Delta Force.

Controller settings

Delta Force started out as a PC and mobile game before being released on console. If you’re coming from another popular shooter like a Call of Duty or Battlefield game, you might find Delta Force’s controls on console to feel a bit awkward and stiff when it comes to movement and aiming.

A lot of game settings you likely won’t need to tweak, but you’ll definitely want to adjust some of the controller sensitivity settings. Settings are often personal preference, so you might want more or less sensitivity when hip firing or aiming, but for the most part, these settings will help you better refine your movement and aiming.

You’ll likely want to adjust the sensitivity when using ground vehicles and tanks as well. Try boosting these sensitivity levels to around the same vertical and horizontal sensitivities you use for your operator. Personally, I only use ground vehicles and never fly the aircraft, but I assume those will need similar adjustments.

Controller sensitivity

Controller Deadzone

Right Stick Center Deadzone – 10

Right Stick Maximum Input – 80

Left Stick Center Deadzone – 10

Right Stick Maximum Input – 80

Input Sensitivity

Stick Response Curve – Standard

Sensitivity Preset – Custom

• Hip Fire Horizontal Sensitivity – 450
• Hip Fire Vertical Sensitivity – 300
• Hip Fire Horizontal Outer Deadzone Acceleration – 50
• Hip Fire Vertical Outer Deadzone Acceleration – 50
• Hip Fire Turning Activation Time – 30
• Hip Fire Turn Delay – 0
• ADS Horizontal Sensitivity – 200
• ADS Vertical Sensitivity – 150
• ADS Horizontal Outer Deadzone Acceleration – 20
• ADS Vertical Outer Deadzone Acceleration – 20
• ADS Turning Activation Time – 50
• ADS Turn Delay – 0

Set Sensitivity Per Zoom – Off (You can turn this on and manually set different zooms for all your scope types, but the default setting works fine here.)

Sensitivity Transition Mode – ADS Transition

Scope Magnification Adapts Automatically – On

Invert All Vertical Input – Off

Invert All Infantry Vertical Input – Off

Invert All Ground Vehicle Driver Vertical Input – Off

Invert All Aircraft Vertical Input – Off

Invert All Gunner Vertical Input – Off

Turret Locked While Vehicle Turning – Off

Controller Vibration – Off

Adaptive Triggers (PS5) – Off

Adaptive Trigger effect is something you definitely want to turn off for PS5. The immersion might feel cool, but for more precise aiming, you want to have this effect turned off.

Ground Vehicle Sensitivity

First-Person Horizontal Sensitivity – 400

First-Person Vertical Sensitivity – 300

Third-Person Horizontal Sensitivity – 300

Third-Person Vertical Sensitivity – 250

Set Sensitivity Per Zoom – Off

Aircraft Sensitivity

First-Person Horizontal Sensitivity – 400

First-Person Vertical Sensitivity – 300

Third-Person Horizontal Sensitivity – 300

Third-Person Vertical Sensitivity – 250

Set Sensitivity Per Zoom – Off

Gunner Sensitivity

First-Person Horizontal Sensitivity – 400

First-Person Vertical Sensitivity – 250

Set Sensitivity Per Zoom – Off

Aim Assist Switch

This is your aim assist, and you definitely want to keep this on while playing with a controller.

Controller Controls

Controller layout and combat sections

This section is mostly personal preference. You can use these settings to adjust whether or not you want to use the bottom triggers or the top bumpers for shooting. You can also choose to swap your crouch and melee buttons, to allow you to crouch, dive, and go prone faster with the right thumbstick.

Movement

Auto Run / Tactical Sprint – Close or Auto Run

Run /Tactical Sprint Control – Toggle

Tactical Sprint Activation – Press While Sprinting

Slide/ Dive Activation – Press to Slide/ Hold to Dive

The only change needed here is the Auto Run / Tactical Sprint setting. This will be based on personal preference. Keep it on Auto Run if you’re someone who is always looking to charge toward the fight. Change this to “Close” if you want to use the thumbstick to adjust your speed. This means that slight pressure will let you walk, and you’ll start running with more pressure applied. This is preferred if you’re someone who wants to walk around and be more stealthy and tactical about your movements.

Controls And Combat

Leave this section all default unless you want to remap various movement controls.

Aim

Leave this section all default unless you want to remap various aiming controls.

Vehicle

Leave this section all default unless you want to remap various vehicle controls.

Screen Settings

General

Show Performance Parameters – On

Operations

Show Detailed Item Pickup Tips – On

Close Backpack /Pick up Tab When Being Attacked – On

Close Backpack / Pick up Tab When Sprinting – Off

Warfare

Minimap

Rotating Perspective – Off (This is personal preference and can be turned on if preferred)

Infantry View Distance – 100

Ground Vehicle View Distance – 150

Aircraft View Distance – 240

Minimap Icon Scale – 100%

Language

Text – English by default, but set this to whatever your preferred language is

Graphics

Display

Brightness – Default

V-Sync – Off

Performance Mode – Frame Rate

Turning off V-Sync and prioritizing frame rates over graphics will be most beneficial in this game, as well as most online multiplayer shooters.

Combat Perspective

Default (field of view) FOV – Set this somewhere around 100 to 120.

Audio

Audio is generally a personal preference as well. For me, the game audio is way too loud, and it becomes difficult to hear friends in a party chat. I’ve dropped my Master Volume setting to 60, but you might want to adjust yours more or less. I also turn the music volume down really low to prioritize important in-game audio and chat, but maybe you want to rock out with it.

Another setting to highlight is the streamer setting that allows you to remove the copyrighted music playback. If you’re not streaming, you can just leave this on for the music.

Master Volume

Master Volume – 60

Audio Output mode – Speakers or Headphones

HRTF – Default

Mute When Minimized – On

Individual Volume

Music Volume – 25

Sound Effects Volume – 100

UI Volume – 100

Voice Volume – 100

Copyrighted Music Playback – On by default

Voice*

Chat Channel – Squad

• Mic Mode Switch – Choose between Always On, Push to Talk, or Off
• Mic Volume – 100

Channel – All

Voice – English or your preferred language

When the Nintendo Switch 2 was properly revealed, a perhaps-unsurprising reveal was the fact that Elden Ring would be coming to the platform. The console is more powerful than the original Switch after all, though there was still the question of how it might run given just how big Elden Ring is. Well, as it currently stands, performance might be quite bad, as a demo for the port of the game at Gamescom is reportedly running at a low frame rate. Not only that, but Bandai Namco staff running the demo apparently weren’t letting people record footage of the game either.

Nintendo Life shared a video featuring video producer Felix Sanchez in which he detailed his experience with Elden Ring on Switch 2. “It’s really bad, and I understand why they don’t want you to see this, because wowie zowie, it is terrible,” Sanchez explained, also claiming that no gameplay could be recorded through direct capture or even over the shoulder.

“Of course, you’re never going to see the light of this–maybe it will just release in that state, but I can’t imagine they will do that. It was like playing Ocarina of Time. It was like 20 frames per second. Sometimes I was like, ‘This has dropped [to] 15 frames per second.'”

It’s worth noting that Sanchez played the game in handheld mode, and during the tutorial section of the game it ran well for the most part, but it was when he arrived at the full open-world section where performance nosedived.

As it stands, Elden Ring doesn’t currently have a Switch 2 release date, though it is supposed to be releasing this year. That does give it some time to improve upon these reported performance issues, but you’ll have to wait until the game is out to see how the Switch 2 really handles it.

Goddess of Victory: Nikke–the sci-fi-RPG gallery shooter on mobile and PC from the developer of Stellar Blade–is adding one of the most famous heroines in video game history to its roster. As teased during Gamescom, the Goddess of Victory: Nikke × Resident Evil collaboration will feature Jill Valentine, one of the original RE game’s main characters.

The initial teaser features a cult as it prepares to take part in a gruesome ritual. Poli–one of the characters from Goddess of Victory–is briefly seen when she is grabbed by someone with a bloodstained hand. The initial trailer hid Jill’s debut, but developer Shift Up subsequently confirmed it was her.

Shift Up also hinted that Jill may not be the only RE character to appear during this crossover. Further details about the collaboration’s story and launch date are being withheld for now. But this isn’t the first time that Goddess of Victory has been given a prominent crossover. Previous collaborations have included characters from Evangelion and Nier: Automata. There was even a collaboration between Stellar Blade and Goddess of Victory earlier this summer.

As for Resident Evil, Capcom is gearing up for the 30th anniversary of the original game next year. Although Jill doesn’t appear to be featured in the next game, Resident Evil: Requiem, Capcom’s latest trailer for the sequel offers a more complete introduction to the new heroine, Grace Ashcroft. That game will be released February 27, 2026. Additionally, a new Resident Evil movie by Weapons director Zach Cregger will hit theaters on September 18, 2026.

Sony is raising PS5 prices in the US, with every system going up by $50. The company said it is continuing to “navigate a challenging economic environment” and will pass the cost on to consumers in the form of higher prices. The new prices go into effect on August 21.

The new prices can be seen below:

• PlayStation 5 – $550 (previously $500)
• PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – $500 (previously $450)
• PlayStation 5 Pro — $750 (previously $700)

The price points for PS5 accessories are not changing, Sony said, adding that the PS5 console price hikes apply only to the US market. Other markets saw PS5 console price hikes earlier this year.

Analyst Daniel Ahmad said Sony is raising prices against the backdrop of higher tariff rates on countries where the PS5 is produced, including China (30%), Japan (15%), Vietnam (20%), and Malaysia (19%).

Before this, Microsoft announced price hikes for its Xbox consoles. Nintendo, meanwhile, has said it cannot rule out raising the price of the Switch 2 due to tariffs. The company has already raised prices on a number of Switch 2 accessories.

On August 1, US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs that led to some market turmoil. This followed on from the initial “Liberation Day” tariffs that were announced back in April.

Sony is raising prices on the PS5 just after the company disclosed that the system has reached 80 million units sold worldwide. While Sony hasn’t spoken about a hardware successor yet, a few recent developments have given us a few clues on what we can expect from a potential PlayStation 6 console.

The Nintendo Switch 2-exclusive edition of Yakuza 0 has dropped to $37 (was $50) at Amazon and Walmart. This is the best price yet for Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, which received its first discount to $40 last week. If Amazon and Walmart sell out, you can still snag a copy for $40 at Best Buy and GameStop.

Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is one of four Sega-published Switch 2 games on sale at Amazon and other retailers. You can also save 10 bucks on Raidou Remastered–a Shin Megami Tensei spin-off from Atlus–the stellar puzzle crossover Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, and the Switch 2 edition of Sonic X Shadow Generations.

Nintendo Switch 2 Sega Game Deals

If you’ve never played Yakuza 0, then you’ve missed out on one of the best games that Sega has ever published. Set in 1988 Japan during its financial boom, the game is an origin story for longtime Yakuza characters Kazuma Kyru and Goro Majima, revealing how they became the legends known as the Dragon of Dojima and the Mad Dog of Shimano, respectively. At its core, Yakuza 0 is a 3D beat-’em-up with a heavy emphasis on storytelling, with major beats in the game playing out like episodes of a gangland drama series.

In addition to the superb mainline campaign, Yakuza 0 is packed with engaging optional content, including side stories and minigames. About a third of the way through the storyline, you’ll unlock Real Estate Royale, a side-story that places Kiryu (you) in the role of an investor who needs to outwit and pummel the Five Billionaires syndicate. Goro also has his own unlockable side hustle managing the Sunshine Cabaret Club. Like the investment side-story, it mixes Yakuza’s beat-’em-up gameplay with management sim features. Both modes are surprisingly deep, and either one could work well as a standalone game.

Razer is expanding its line of Pokemon-themed gaming gear with a new version of its Razer Kraken Kitty V2 wired gaming headset based on the fan-favorite Ghost-type Pocket Monster, Gengar. The Razer Kraken Kitty V2 Gengar Edition first launched in China a few months ago, but is now available worldwide. The headset features a special purple colorway and a headband sporting Gengar’s iconic ears and headspikes, along with all the same specs, features, and device support as the standard Kraken Kitty V2 Headset–which means it works on PC and any other device with a USB Type A port. The Razer Kraken Kitty V2 Gengar Edition is available to buy now. We expect this to be a popular release, so grab the headset while you can.

Like other models of the headset, the Kraken Kitty V2 Gengar Edition uses Razer’s proprietary TriForce 40mm audio drivers and HyperClear Cardioid mic. It also supports 7.1 virtual surround sound on PC (requires Windows 10 or higher). The headband and earcups use hybrid fabric and leatherette cushioning, which provides some passive noise isolation for a more immersive listen. While Windows PC users will get the most feature support, it can be connected via wired USB-A to other devices as well, including consoles, Mac computers, and more. That means Switch and Switch 2 users looking to pick up the headset ahead of Pokemon Legends: Z-A will be able to plug into their consoles while in docked mode.

The Razer Kraken Kitty V2 Gengar Edition headset is dropping just a few weeks after Razer’s Pokemon Collection that launched last month. The collection includes gaming mice, mechanical keyboards, headsets, and other accessories that sport unique designs featuring Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. Surprisingly, despite how fast Pokemon-themed products normally sell out, the Razer X Pokemon line is still in stock at Amazon.

More Razer X Pokemon Gaming Gear

As mentioned above, the next big Pokemon console game, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, is launching for Switch and Switch 2 on October 16, and preorders for both versions of the game are available now. Preordering at Best Buy gets you an oversized mouse pad as a physical bonus, while Walmart preorders include an exclusive enamel pin set featuring the game’s starter Pokemon: Chicorita, Totodile, and Tepig. Preorders are also available at Amazon, though you won’t get any bonuses, unfortunately. Along with the physical copies of the game, Nintendo is also launching a new Switch 2 bundle that includes the console and a digital copy of Pokemon Legends: Z-A that launches the same day. Check out our Pokemon Legends: Z-A preorder guide for more information.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A Preorders

Last year, solo developer Chris Allen released his old-school dungeon crawler Shade Silver on PC. Now, Allen is temporarily giving Shade Silver away for free on Steam, if you take the time to grab it before the offer expires.

To claim Shade Silver, the only thing players need to do is claim it on Steam before 10 AM PT on August 21. After that time, you’ll have to pay for it.

The game casts players as a wizard named Shade Silver as he embarks on a side-scrolling adventure that forces him to avoid traps, shoot enemies, solve puzzles, find treasures, and even bribe a few ogres to advance to the next level. There are four bosses and boss battles across 81 levels, with multiple secrets to discover along the way.

Allen has also shared a trailer for his next solo-dev game, Vein-Weaver Knitting. The demo for that game is already on Steam.

Valve recently unveiled a tweak to the way that reviews are displayed on Steam to make them more relevant for players. Valve is also refreshing the look of Steam’s game pages to make them wider, with more room for images and videos. However, Steam and other digital outlets have been bending to pressure from the anti-porn non-profit Collective Shout and removing NSFW games from search results or banning them altogether.

One of the games banned by Steam was the indie psychological horror game, Vile: Exhumed, which is now available as a free download.

Although Pokemon battles have been traditionally fought between two Pokemon trainers, Pokemon Legends: Z-A is increasing the number with a new mode.

A new trailer introduces the Z-A Battle Club, a mode that pits up to four players in free-for-all battles. The trainer who defeats the most Pokemon in three minutes is crowned the winner.

The trailer is set in an arena in Lumiose City at nighttime and gives an idea of the different tactics players can have and how fortunes can quickly change within the time limit. Just like the core Pokemon Legends experience, battles take place in real-time, so there are power-up items around the arena that players can run and collect, or you can choose to play it safe, or go on the offensive.

As the match progresses, it’s also possible Pokemon to undergo a Mega Evolution and unleash more powerful attacks, which can be effective on multiple Pokemon. Trainers whose Pokemon have fainted can still make a comeback by switching out Pokemon. The video concludes with a Dragonite that Mega-Evolves in the last ten seconds of the match before unleashing a move so powerful it knocks out three opponents at once to clinch the win.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch on October 16, with a Nintendo Switch 2 console launch bundle also available to preorder for $500.

At a recent Pokemon Legends: Z-A hands-on, we said, “It seems like a solid foundation that will give players a new way to experience Pokemon battles that have become so familiar.

When thousands of works were deindexed from Itch just a few weeks ago, livelihoods hung in the balance.

Itch hosted the works of developers, artists, writers, and zinesters. It was (and is) home to taboo pornography, garden-variety smut, video game memoirs, and game jam detritus. Over the last five years, it has perhaps become best known for hosting massive charity bundles, supporting causes like Black Lives Matter, Ukraine war relief, and Palestinian liberation. Those bundles were lined with small projects from hobbyist creators alongside big hits from professional developers. When payment processors forced Itch to de-index thousands of games following a pressure campaign from a right-wing anti-porn group, they threatened all of these avenues of artistic expression and financial income.

Nathalie Lawhead, a developer and artist who has hosted their work on Itch for years, is one of the creators who could be affected by the large-scale push for increased censorship. Their game, Everything is Going to Be Okay, is part of the permanent collection in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. But despite its acceptance into a major hub of mainstream arts culture, their work has struggled to find a home in the world of video games.

“The work I host on Itch is all the work that I had struggled in the past to get on mainstream storefronts… I can’t count the number of times that my work has been rejected because of reasons like ’simulated error’ (glitch art), or because it features a visual style a storefront deems inappropriate, or because it is built a certain way that’s not standard enough for these storefronts,” Lawhead said over email.

Lawhead’s work is not, strictly speaking, “gamey.” They have described Everything is Going to Be Okay as a zine, and their upcoming game Blue Suburbia as an interactive poem. Lawhead’s words and their work reflect a broader truth about Itch: that it has acted as a bastion for the weird and off-center from its inception.

For Lawhead and many other developers, the mass de-indexing represents a threat to that weirdness, whether their works are NSFW or not. In our conversation, Lawhead emphasized, “We are losing our ability to create work like this, slowly.”

Other developers worry about the effect these bans will have on their thought process.

“I almost included a sex scene in my game Spring Gothic, but if I had put a sex scene in there, it would have been delisted,” visual novel developer and critic Kastel said on a phone call. “I don’t want to think like that. That’s self-censorship.”

For Howling Angel Games founder Olivia Nenmyx, their freedom to approach sensitive topics was hard-won.

“I had a lot of religious or psychological guilt around abnormal kink,” they said over Zoom. “It took a lot of therapy and encouragement to start writing porn.”

It’s that experience that makes them determined to fight for the right of expression, but also frightened of what this precedent could mean.

“I know first-hand how strong the pressure to fall-in-line can be. I see a lot of people shying away from or not expressing themselves in ways that are controversial,” Nenmyx said.

In kind, Kastel sees a danger in trying to police more taboo work.

“The executives, they don’t really care if works are SFW or NSFW. Those are terms that creators and players decide,” she said. “In the end, the payment processors are deciding everything and they have their own paradigms.”

In addition to these concerns, the de-indexing has caused a lot of confusion and misinformation. Press and players cited Consume Me and Mouthwashing as examples of affected games, but Itch had actually de-indexed both games before receiving pressure from payment processors, for unrelated reasons. The mess has caused some developers to criticize Itch fiercely, claiming the storefront should have done more, both to protect developers and warn them about what was happening.

Lawhead, however, believes that Itch deserves some benefit of the doubt.

“They don’t have the resources that a place like Steam does,” Lawhead said. “They are about as indie as I am. It’s not hard to knock something like that off its feet and make it impossible for it to get back up… The only way to fight this is to understand that we are all in this together, and that includes Itch.io too.”

But the question remains: How and where should independent artists share their work? As “someone that’s already tried every possible alternative” and “that’s been very vocal about alternatives out there,” Lawhead admits they are skeptical there are real substitutes for Itch. Indeed, in the weeks since this policy changed the landscape of Itch, no obvious new options have emerged–although the dust is still settling and it is unclear what will remain in the aftermath or if Itch’s policies will change. But the threat payment processors pose to marginal work is bigger than Itch or even Steam. True alternatives may be hard to find.

Some developers are already planning to divest. While Nenmyx wants to maintain a relationship with Itch, they are actively looking for alternatives and have added a storefront to their studio’s website.

“I will continue to host free demos on Itch to try and get people onto my site, but I don’t think I’m going to host paid content on Itch in the future,” they said. “That’s not set in stone though.”

Kastel believes that trust will be slow to return, if it comes back at all.

“Even if Itch survives, people are going to be concerned that their games will be pulled off,” Katel said. “The optimal way is probably, make a jam on Itch, but also upload a mirror copy somewhere else, like the Internet Archive.”

But while individuals scramble for potential solutions, the stakes of the broader fight remain high. For Lawhead, the fate of Itch could set a precedent that would affect our online lives in every way.

“Given the bigger context of how corporations and monopolies have funneled everyone into these heavily-controlled walled gardens that now occupy our daily online lives, or even the way us developers can distribute software… I don’t think there’s any coming back from this.”

It’s hard not to see what they mean, as the UK threatens the country’s access to Wikipedia or as Steam removes games like Vile: Exhumed. But Lawhead is not giving up.

“We need Itch.io to live,” they said. “We need our own precedent.”

To celebrate the start of the 2025 Pokemon World Championships, The Pokemon Company is giving away another special freebie in the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet games.

For a limited time, players can claim a free Farigiraf based on the one used by Luca Ceribelli, winner of last year’s Masters Division. This Farigiraf has the same stats and nature as Luca’s, as well as the same moveset.

To receive the Pokemon, you must fire up your copy of Scarlet or Violet on either Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 and follow these steps:

1. Press X to open the menu
2. Select Poke Portal
3. Select Mystery Gift, then choose Get with Password
4. Enter the code W0RLDSARM0RTA1L
5. Download the gift and save your game

The Farigiraf code will only be valid until August 23, so you have until then to claim the free Pokemon.

The 2025 Pokemon World Championships are underway until August 17, with dedicated competitions for the main Pokemon video game series as well as the Pokemon TCG, Pokemon Unite, and Pokemon Go. Other in-game freebies will be distributed throughout the weekend. You can see the full list on the official Pokemon website.

Farigiraf isn’t the only free Pokemon that Scarlet and Violet players can claim right now. As part of the ongoing Treasures of Ruin event, you can receive a shiny Wo-Chien via Mystery Gift until September 30. The other shiny Treasures of Ruin will be distributed in the coming weeks.

Story of Seasons fans don’t have to wait much longer to return to the Grand Bazaar on Nintendo Switch 2, Switch, or PC. The remake of the 2008 Nintendo DS hit launches August 27 with two physical editions to choose from. Standard and Premium Editions are available to preorder for either Nintendo console, with the Switch 2 versions priced $10 higher than the Switch editions. Like all games published by Marvelous for Switch 2 (so far), Grand Bazaar is a true physical edition with the full game on the card, regardless of whether you buy the $60 standard or $80 Premium Edition.

Revealed during a Nintendo Direct in March, the Grand Bazaar remake has significantly overhauled graphics, a new mode of transportation in the wind glider, new characters and story events, and full voiceovers for the first time in franchise history. Check out both editions below. And if you need a new game to pass the time while you wait, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma–also published by Marvelous–is on sale for the first time for Nintendo Switch 2 at Amazon.

Story of Seasons was formerly known as Harvest Moon, which is a bit confusing since Harvest Moon games are still released to this day. When Marvelous decided to take over North American distribution responsibility from Natsume many years ago, the name had to be changed due to Natsume holding the rights to the title. So if you’re an old fan of Harvest Moon trying to get back into its relaxing world, Story of Seasons is the name to look for.

More Farming and Life Sims for Nintendo Switch & Switch 2

Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 players have many farming and life-sim games with physical editions to collect, including several other Story of Seasons games, Rune Factory, Harvest Moon, and Hello Kitty Island Adventure. We made lists featuring games from these franchises below. Some of the games are new releases, a few are releasing in the coming months, and others are older titles that are now available for cheap.

Story of Seasons Games

Three Story of Seasons games are available for around $30 each in physical format. It’s also worth noting Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life’s Premium Edition is up for grabs for only $38 at Amazon.

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Rune Factory Games

For a more action-oriented farming/life sim, check out Guardians of Azuma, the recently released entry in the Rune Factory franchise. The highly rated Switch 2 and Switch game launched alongside Nintendo’s new console on June 5. Amazon is offering the standard edition on either console for $10 off. Amazon is also one of the only retailers with the Earth Dancer Edition in stock for its $100 MSRP.

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Hello Kitty Island Adventure

The wildly popular Hello Kitty Island Adventure life sim is available in a Deluxe Edition with hundreds of pieces of in-game items and gear for $54 (was $60). A standard edition launches August 29 for $40, and a special $60 Gift Box with trading cards and other collectibles is up for preorder ahead of its November 7 release.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure for Nintendo Switch:

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Harvest Moon Games for Nintendo Switch

Two Harvest Moon games, The Lost Valley and Skytree Village, recently released together in a value bundle for $40. You can also preorder the upcoming Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home Special Edition for $40.

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Another great option for fans of life sims is Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. It didn’t get a physical edition in the US, but Level-5’s long-awaited sequel to the 2012 3DS hit has Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 digital editions.

It feels like it’s never been a better time to be a Virtua Fighter fan. I’ve loved this series since its inception, and seeing it again at Evo 2025 after a lengthy absence felt incredible. Both Virtua Fighter 5 REVO and the upcoming new Virtua Fighter game were heavily showcased at the event, and the sense of excitement around the series in the fighting game community and beyond has never felt stronger.

With both the current and upcoming games featured at the show, we had the opportunity to chat with Seiji Aoki, the lead of Sega’s Legacy Virtua Fighter team, and Riichiro Yamada, who is producing the New Virtua Fighter Project.

One of Sega’s announcements at EVO was the release date for the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of VF5 REVO, now titled VF5 REVO World Stage. The title isn’t just a multiplatform rebrand–it will be receiving a host of new updates like cross-platform play, with the crown jewel being a brand-new, dedicated single-player experience akin to the Quest Modes seen in past Virtua Fighter games.

I’ve been consistently surprised at the amount of effort Aoki and his team have been putting into updating and revitalizing this classic title, and seeing the new single-player mode was a clear sign that they’d been listening to player feedback for such an addition. But there’s still one thing I needed to know: What about all the extra character customization items and decorations from Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown that hadn’t made their way into REVO?

“We’ve heard from players that they want more of the items they saw in the previous releases,” Aoki said. “So, in World Stage mode, there is a tournament. As you proceed, you’ll be able to earn some of those customization items. I do feel like there needs to be more new items, but for now, there are no plans.”

An element where the Virtua Fighter teams have been stepping up their game has been community engagement. Besides opening an official Discord and running a global tournament series, the team has also been polling players on subjects like what controllers they use, what type of stages they dislike, and–most prominently–a global character popularity poll, with the results displayed on the official VF website.

I asked Aoki if the polls offered up any surprises. “We did do the poll around the time the first tournament for VF5 REVO was held in Chicago, at Frosty Faustings. Seeing the players there, I really felt that the characters that are relatively unpopular in Japan tend to be popular in the West. For example, Aoi was pretty popular, Brad was very popular, Eileen was very popular. Those Western characters usually are not on the top of the list in Japan. In Japan, it’s more like Akira, Jacky, Pai, [and] Sarah. It was interesting to see, and I think that was reflected in the poll as well.”

With the launch of VF5 REVO came the game’s first major balance update in over a decade. Does the team use things like polls, online play data, and other analytics to decide on gameplay tweaks?

“We’re not really thinking about things like who to make weaker or stronger, but to put everyone on a similar level,” Aoki replied. “How do we balance characters and keep what makes them distinct? Previously, a lot of players said that Taka-Arashi was too strong. But we tried not to make him specifically much weaker, but bring everyone to his level.”

Aoki also says that further tweaking is unlikely in the near future. “There are no plans for changes right now. But as time passes, we might get to a point where we say, ‘Oh, maybe we should make some balance changes, when the timing is right.’ But at the moment, there are no plans. Currently, I feel like the gameplay is in a complete state, but we’ll see how it goes.”

While Virtua Fighter titles have appeared as sub-games in many of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon titles, an official series compilation has never happened. I wondered if Aoki’s legacy Virtua Fighter team had ever considered doing a Capcom Fighting Collection-style release of Virtua Fighter and similar Sega fighting games, such as the Fighting Vipers series and Last Bronx. “I’ve definitely seen those compilations and thought, ‘We should do something like that.’ …By doing that, we could bring back the old fans in addition to bringing in new fans. It’s something to consider.”

While VF5 REVO had a full tournament as part of the Evo Extended Lineup, what many VF players at the event were hoping to see was the New Virtua Fighter Project. Sega did not disappoint, with a gameplay showcase trailer in the Evo Arena on finals day debuting to cheers and awestruck gasps (and my frenzied screams of delight). With my anticipation continuing at a fever pitch, I was eager to chat with producer Riichiro Yamada about the upcoming game.

Though only a select few characters have been shown so far, those that have, such as Akira and Wolf, have seen some big changes to their appearance. They also look markedly older, potentially indicating the passage of time in the VF world. I asked Yamada if he could tell us a bit more about these changes. “We can’t say much just yet, but yes, the time has passed on. The setting for VF5 was roughly around the year 2006. This game is not a parallel world or an alternate universe–it’s based on a certain timeline.”

Yamada also elaborated on how they’re approaching character design this time around: “So up until now, the characters have been designed based on their combat style, with a short backstory for each character. We’re redesigning them now based on their lifestyle, why they are fighting, what they are fighting for. That’s the new approach that we’ve been taking.”

One of the most talked-about elements of what’s been shown so far–and that’s been generating even more buzz with the Evo gameplay showcase trailer–has been the realism and fluidity of the combat animation, with details like characters having distinct guarding animations for specific attacks. “We really want people to be able to see the changes that we’ve made,” says Yamada. “Virtua Fighter up until now might have been seen as very plain, not very flashy. However, we don’t want to change it up too drastically–we want a cool, flashy sense of realism. Change it, but don’t lose the essence.”

“In the process of creating this game, I’m always thinking, ‘What can we progress? What can we evolve? What can we make improvements on?’ When I was a child, I used to watch kung-fu movies. Those movies make people and their combat look very exciting. I really wanted to bring that element into the game–the flow, like the smoothness, all the things I used to see in those classic kung-fu movies, you know, make people excited by watching those. That’s the approach I’ve been taking right now.”

“Before we released those trailers, I didn’t know how the users would respond,” he continues. “But seeing everyone enjoying it, I’m really relieved to see that players are excited.”

Compared to other fighting games, Virtua Fighter’s control scheme is more simplistic, with three main buttons and skills executed with directional movements. Only one game in the series–Virtua Fighter 3–significantly altered the control scheme by adding a fourth button. With the new Virtua Fighter making some clear visual changes, I wondered if the game would try anything new with the control scheme. “We’re trying a lot of different things as we’re fleshing out gameplay,” Yamada answered. “But VF started as an arcade game, with deliberately simple controls. Punch-kick-guard is easy for players to grasp. So while I can’t give specifics, the concept that I have in mind is ‘anyone can play anyone can play easily, without any stress.'”

This being a game by Ryu ga Gotoku Studio–a team known for its storytelling prowess and character-building–many are expecting a heavy emphasis on story this time around compared to previous titles. “Previously, VF lacked much of an in-game narrative. Again, I can’t say too much, but I would like people to look forward to how we put the narrative and gameplay elements together at the finish line.”

The Battlefield 6 open beta is currently in its second weekend, and players are still adsorbing the latest entry to the franchise. Meanwhile, Digital Foundry has shared its technical breakdown from the first weekend of Battlefield 6’s open beta, and the early verdict is very good.

That’s not to say that the open beta was flawless. In the opening minutes alone, DF broke down some of the issues with the destructible environments. There are occasional glitches, including pieces of rubble floating in air without being connected to the structure around them. Battlefield 6’s buildings appear to fall apart using a state-based system rather than registering unique damage or breaking points. Yet it’s still an improvement over Battlefield 2049 and Battlefield 5.

Visually, DF saw the best results when running the SSGI option on PC, which allowed for more natural lighting, and suggested that this feature should be included for PlayStation 5 Pro. Unsurprisingly, the PS5 Pro performed better than the standard PS5, but the gap wasn’t as great as it was between the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S. In a side-by-side comparison, the S noticeably struggled to keep up with the on-screen details that the X handled more smoothly.

Even in the beta’s current state, DF said that Battlefield 6 “is very shippable at the moment” and added that it has “a level of mechanical polish that feels top-notch.” However, DF added that the game could really use some raytracing embellishments and that it doesn’t feel innovative in the way that some of the previous titles have.

Among players, one of the current complaints is that the size of the 12v12 Rush mode is too small, but the final game’s bigger maps may solve that issue. Regardless, Battlefield 6’s beta has already passed Call of Duty’s concurrent-player record, as well as the record of the previous Battlefield games on Steam. The second Battlefield 6 open beta will conclude on August 17.

Blackbird Interactive has announced that it has bought back the rights of Hardspace: Shipbreaker from publisher Focus Interactive.

The sci-fi simulation game, notable for its themes of labor exploitation, initially released in early access in 2020 before launching in 2022 on PC and console.

In a Steam post addressed to its community, the developer shared that an agreement had been reached with its former publishing partner to reacquire full ownership of the Hardspace IP.

“As our studio begins this exciting new chapter, Hardspace is going to become a core part of our business strategy going forward,” stated Blackbird Interactive’s comms director Steven Messner, confirming that multiple Hardspace projects are currently in development, which suggests that there may be games spanning different genres within the game’s universe rather than just a sequel.

For players who own Hardspace: Shipbreaker, the new ownership will also be reflected through a small update, including updated splash screens, logos, and privacy policies around the collection and use of private data.

While it is confirmed that Focus Entertainment will no longer be affiliated with Hardspace: Shipbreaker, Messner added, “Let’s not mince words, Hardspace: Shipbreaker wouldn’t be what it is today without [Focus Entertainment]. We’re eternally grateful for their partnership and willingness to work with us so we could take ownership of the Hardspace IP.”

The announcement also coincides with the pre-registration for the LYNX Pioneer Program, where the Hardspace community can sign up for the chance to access exclusive early playtests of future Hardspace projects (and other original IP from Blackbird Interactive), behind-the-scenes development updates, and more.

With certain parties targeting payment processors as a way to control what kinds of games are allowed to be sold, paying for games on services like Steam is a little bit weird right now. In fact, if you’ve tried to pay for something on Steam using PayPal recently, you might’ve noticed that the option isn’t available. This is apparently isolated to certain countries, and now Valve has offered an explanation.

“In early July 2025, PayPal notified Valve that their acquiring bank for payment transactions in certain currencies was immediately terminating the processing of any transactions related to Steam,” Valve wrote on its Purchasing Issues support page, as reported by RockPaper Shotgun. “This affects Steam purchases using PayPal in currencies other than EUR, CAD, GBP, JPY, AUD and USD.”

“We hope to offer PayPal as an option for these currencies in the future but the timeline is uncertain,” the page continues. “We are also evaluating adding additional payment methods on Steam for the customers affected by this. In the meantime, please use one of our other current payment methods during checkout. If you can’t use any of the available options, you can consider using a Steam Wallet code to add funds to your account.”

Valve further confirmed to RPS that this is “regarding content on Steam related to what we’ve previously commented on surrounding Mastercard.”

“One of PayPal’s acquiring banks decided to stop processing any Steam transactions, which cut off PayPal on Steam for a number of currencies,” Valve explained via a spokesperson.

In other words, unless you’re paying with euros, pounds, dollars (US, Australia, Canada), or Japanese Yen, you can’t make Steam purchases using PayPal for the time being.

One of the most popular game modes in the NBA 2K franchise is MyTeam–2K’s version of EA’s Ultimate Team–in which players can build their own super squads using player cards purchased in packs or earned through in-game challenges. NBA 2K26 is looking to improve on the MyTeam experience with a groundbreaking addition, as the players and teams of the WNBA will be available in the mode for the first time ever.

WNBA players will be “fully integrated” into MyTeam in this year’s NBA 2K game, which will allow players to mix and match current and legendary WNBA players with players from the NBA. Attributes and Badges will work the same for all players regardless of gender, according to the official announcements, in an effort to ensure a “balanced, consistent gameplay experience no matter who is on the court.”

WNBA team jerseys and court floors will also be added for players to unlock in the game mode–though the MyTeam versions of the WNBA court floors will have an NBA-regulation three-point line. New commentary has been recorded to reflect the new pool of MyTeam players, with featured voices including Kevin Harlan, Greg Anthony, and Stan Van Gundy.

Other new features for NBA 2K26’s MyTeam mode include new Game Changer cards with special power-ups, the return of NBA 2K15’s Sunset Beach court for the Triple Threat Park mode, and a new mode called Breakout: Gauntlet, where players run a gauntlet of challenges using their entire MyTeam collection. The catch is simple: Each card can only be used once per run, and the further down the gauntlet a player goes, the better the rewards they’ll receive.

NBA 2K26 is set to launch September 5 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Preorders for the standard and deluxe editions–including the premium Leave No Doubt Edition–are available now.

After adding two-player expeditions in the last Elden Ring Nightreign update, From Software’s latest patch is adding some balance adjustments to the powerful abilities that come with the legendary sword known as Storm Ruler.

Going forward, it won’t take as long to charge the storm effect and the animation speed of the blade will be faster. Overall, the performance of Storm Ruler will be increased, even when the attack power isn’t charged with the storm. However, those upgrades come with a tweak that removes the bug that allowed players to use Storm Ruler without burning through FP.

The update also includes a number of other bug fixes, including one that addresses slowdown for other players when using too many Sorceries and Incantations. Performance issues appear to have been the main problems addressed in the patch, but there were others as well, including a bug that prevented some attacks of the Everdark Sovereign Caligo, Miasma of Night from hitting other players.

There was also one bug fix that specific to PlayStation 5, where both the user interface and the heads-up display might disappear for players. That bug might be followed by the game crashing altogether if players attempted to continue playing.

What’s coming next for Nightreign after this patch? A recent datamine suggests that a ranked mode may be debuting on Nightreign in the future. Last month, Bandai Namco and From Software announced that Nightreign has shipped 5 million copies since its debut at the end of May.

The original Elden Ring is getting a Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 later this year, which will include the base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. There’s also a live-action Elden Ring movie in development from A24 with Alex Garland slated to direct.

The complete patch notes for Elden Ring Nightreign version 1.02.1 are included below.

Balance Adjustments

• Increased the performance of the skill “Storm Ruler”
• Reduced the time to charge the storm effect
• Increased the speed of the blade unleashed by the attack
• Increased the attack power when not charged with the storm

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug where, under certain conditions, using dropped items would prevent any actions other than moving and camera operation.
• Fixed a bug where effects triggered by successful guards would not activate for certain guard actions.
• Fixed a bug where target lock would immediately be released on eggs or insects parasitizing the player character when Duchess’s Ultimate Art “Finale” effect is active.
• Fixed a bug where some attacks by Everdark Sovereign “Maris, Fathom of Night” would cause stagger damage when negated with the Executor’s Skill.
• Fixed a bug where, under certain conditions, the relic effect “[Executor] While Character Skill is active, unlocking use of cursed sword restores HP” would not activate.
• Fixed a bug where the skill “Storm Ruler” could be used without consuming FP by specific steps.
• Fixed a bug where the damage dealt to enemies by the passive effect “Frostbite Produces a Mist of Frost” was higher than intended.
• Fixed a bug where using a Flask would not heal the player’s own HP when equipped with relics that have the effect “Flask Also Heals Allies”.
• Note: We have identified a bug where healing is not distributed or the amount of healing distributed changes for allies who have acquired the passive effect “Gradual Restoration by Flask.” This will be fixed in a future update.
• Fixed a bug where the displayed effect value of “Extended Spell Duration” differed from the actual effect value.
• Fixed a bug where the color of effects generated by certain Passive Effects was different than intended.
• Fixed a bug where some attacks of the Everdark Sovereign, “Caligo, Miasma of Night,” would not hit playable characters.
• Fixed a bug where the framerate would drop during battles with Everdark Sovereigns “Caligo, Miasma of Night” and “Maris, Fathom of Night” under certain conditions.
• Fixed a bug where the number of displayed relics did not match the actual number shown when sorting by “Order by Size” or “Order by Color” in the Relic Rites menu.
• Fixed a bug where certain relics could not be equipped when using specific filter functions in the Relic Rites menu.
• Fixed a bug where, under certain conditions, audio may not play correctly.
• Fixed a bug where continuous use of Sorceries and Incantations would degrade game performance for other players.
• Fixed a bug where activating certain passive effects or continuous use of Sorceries and Incantations could impact network stability.
• Corrected some texts in Brazilian Portuguese.

Only for PS5 Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue where the UI, including the HUD, would disappear and the game might unexpectedly terminate if play were continued.

One of the big draws of Assassin’s Creed games has been its attention to historical detail, especially when you were given a chance to soak it all in via the Discovery Tour mode from previous games. Sadly, this feature won’t be coming to Assassin’s Creed Shadows, as Ubisoft confirmed that it has no plans to offer a “Japan Discovery Tour” as post-launch DLC.

“We do not currently have a ‘Japan Discovery Tour’ like we had for ‘Viking Age’ in the works,” Assassin’s Creed Shadows producer André said in a Reddit AMA.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows does have a Historical Codex that provides a wealth of content to read through, but it doesn’t quite compare to how Discovery Tour allows you to explore the game’s world and learn more about the history of that specific era. If you’re unfamiliar with it, Discovery Tour was an optional mode introduced in Assassin’s Creed Origins, with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla also receiving the mode as post-launch content.

The mode stripped out all combat from the Assassin’s Creed games, giving you free rein to wander around at your leisure or engage in a guided tour. For example, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey had dozens of guided tours covering themes like ancient Greek art and philosophy, while Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Viking Age mode had players assume the roles of various characters and take on quests that were designed to educate them about life in Norway and Anglo-Saxon England.

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows won’t be offering any post-launch history lessons, fans can look forward to its new expansion when it arrives next month. Ubisoft also spoke about how it is planning to dig deep into the secret war between Templars and Assassins, and it looks like the live-action Netflix series adaptation is starting to gather momentum.

More than three years after its original launch on Nintendo Switch, Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition has been rereleased. Notably, the MSRP for the new physical edition is $30, half the price of the original and the digital version on the eShop. Collectors will be even more pleased by Rockstar’s decision to put all three games on the Switch game card this time. You can buy GTA: The Trilogy’s new Switch physical edition at Amazon.

GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition includes three classic Grand Theft Auto games from the PlayStation 2 era: GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas. The collection had some major performance and visual issues at launch, and many of those problems remained unfixed until Rockstar overhauled the experience on consoles last fall. It’s by no means perfect for any console, but it is in a substantially better state than it was at launch.

It’s unclear if the price of the digital edition will receive a permanent price drop to $30 on Nintendo Switch. At this time, it’s one of the rare Switch games with a higher MSRP on the eShop than the physical edition.

A new update for Monster Hunter Wilds is due later today, August 12 at 7:30 PM PT / 10:30 PM ET, and Capcom has shared what you can expect in the latest patch notes. First up is the size of the patch, which differs depending on the platform. PS5 players can expect a 3GB-sized update, where as Xbox Series X|S and PC players will only need to download a 2GB-sized update. If PC players decide to also download the high resolution texture pack, then that gets bumped up to 6GB.

Game director Yuyua Tokuda went into some specific detail as to what you can expect from today’s patch in a Director’s Letter. Endgame content originally intended for title update three, due this September, has been moved up to this update, so you can expect a new set of high-difficulty quests, as well as the appearance of nine-star monsters if you are HR 100 or higher.

The update also brings in some adjustments for various weapons. With this update the Sword & Shield has seen a buff to its Guard Slash move to help increase the usage of Counter Slash. The Charge Blade has also made it so that “increased damage via enhanced phials is reflected while in Power Axe Mode, making it easier to maintain high damage output while keeping Power Axe Mode active.”

Lastly, the Light Bowgun will see a slight increase in the power of elemental ammo for light bowguns, and both it and the Heavy Bowgun will also see an increase in the “amount of gauge recovery for various ammo types and improve the handling and power of special ammo in order to expand viable ammo selections for more situations.”

One of the big things that Tokuda stressed is the intention to improve game stability in future updates, an issue many players have been facing, particularly on PC. Title update three, the next update due out after this one, will introduce some improvements for NPCs and Seikret mounts in relation to the game’s texture loading process. Tokuda also noted how the team plans to address CPU load reduction in the game’s fourth title update due this winter.

You can check out the full Monster Hunter Wilds patch notes below.

Ver.1.021 Patch Notes

Major Additions and Changes

Monsters

• At HR 100 or higher, tempered versions of the following nine monsters will now begin to appear in the field as 9★ quests: Rey Dau, Uth Duna, Nu Udra, Jin Dahaad, Gore Magala, Arkveld, Mizutsune, Lagiacrus, Seregios.
• Regular and tempered versions of Rey Dau and Nu Udra will now appear in the Wounded Hollow at HR 100 or higher.
• Adjusted the appearance rate of monsters at HR 100 and higher.
• The appearance rate of standard monsters has been slightly increased.

Player

• A new appraisal item, Glowing Stone, has been added.Note: It can be obtained as a reward from 9★ monster quests. The item is appraised upon quest completion, yielding a talisman with random skill attributes.
• The upgrade limit has been increased for armor of rarity 5 and above.

System

• Added a feature to hide/show specific ammo and coatings in the Ammo/Coatings Bar. This can be configured from the Ammo Pouch and Coating Pouch.
• Added the new Recoil Aim Assist option.
• You can now set weapons, armor, and talismans as Favorites. Favoriting an item provides the following benefits:– A star icon will display, making it easier to identify.– You can sort and rearrange by Favorites.– A confirmation message will appear if you try to sell or use it as melding material.
• Added an option to sort by Favorites to the Equipment Box, Decoration Box, and Artian Materials Box.
• Improved directional input responsiveness on the World Map, allowing for more intuitive cursor movement.

Bases and Facilities

• Added a new feature related to Appraised Talismans to the Melding Pot.

Bug Fixes and Balance Adjustments

Bases and Facilities

• Increased the duration of meal effects from Portable BBQ Grill meals, Meal Invitations, and Canteen meals.

Monsters

• Fixed an issue where Focus Strikes could fail if a tear was present near an exposed weak point.
• Fixed an issue where it was difficult to cause wounds with attacks while mounted on Blangonga and Ajarakan.

Player

• General
  • Fixed an issue where using an item via shortcut while recovering from a damage reaction or evading with weapon drawn would not trigger item use. Items will now be used automatically after those actions complete.
  • Adjusted the damage scaling during mounts to tone down the amount of damage reduction applied to non-mounted players’ attacks.
  • Fixed an issue where the wet status would not be removed when retrying an Arena Quest while the player was wet.
• Underwater Hunting
  • You can now chain into an evade from ascending/descending movement.
  • You can now use items during ascending/descending movement.
  • Fixed an issue where items could not be used while in Focus Mode underwater.
• Great Sword
  • Made it easier to chain into Tackle from combos such as Strong Wide Slash to True Charged Slash, Tackle to True Charged Slash, and Side Blow to Strong Charged Slash.
  • Leaping Wide Slash now chains faster into Side Blow.
  • Strong Wide Slash now chains faster into True Charged Slash.
  • Raw damage for Charged Slash, Jumping Charged Slash, Strong Charged Slash, True Charged Slash, and Strong Wide Slash has been slightly increased.
  • Element scaling for Strong Charged Slash, True Charged Slash, and Strong Wide Slash have been increased.
• Long Sword
  • Reduced the delay between input and action when chaining into Iai Spirit Slash from Special Sheathe. Additionally, slightly extended the window for performing the Iai Spirit Slash.
• Sword & Shield
  • Counter Slash raw damage has been increased.
• Dual Blades
  • Adjusted Focus Strike: Turning Tide so that it can now be chained into Turning Tidedrill, a new finisher action that delivers a multi-hit attack to a targeted wound, by pressing △ (PS5) / Y (Xbox) / default Right Click (PC).
  • Increased the effect duration triggered by a Perfect Evade while in Demon Boost Mode.
  • Movement speed during Demon Mode has been increased.
  • The window for a successful Perfect Evade has been extended very slightly.
  • Improved the responsiveness of directional changes when using Screw Slicer during Focus Mode.
• Hunting Horn
  • Added armor properties to Hilt Stab, preventing the user from being knocked back by monster attacks.
  • Hilt Stab can now be chained into from Focus Strike: Reverb, Echo Bubble, Special Performance, Encore, or evading.
  • Echo Bubble can now be chained into from Offset Melody, Resounding Melody, or Encore.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the finisher attack Focus Strike: Reverb to be difficult to connect.
• Lance
  • Damage taken while in Power Guard has been further reduced.
  • Raw damage and elemental scaling for Retribution Thrust following a Perfect Guard have been increased.
  • Wide Sweep, Reverse Attack, Finishing Thrust, Finishing Twin Thrust, and Counter Rush raw damage and elemental scaling have been increased.
  • Charge Counter can now be chained into after a Perfect Guard or Guards with minimal knockback.
  • Elemental scaling for Return Thrust , Mid Thrust I, II, III, and Triple Thrust have been increased.
  • Payback Thrust, Grand Retribution Thrust, and High Thrust I, II, III raw damage have been increased.
  • The hitbox for Retribution Thrust has been enlarged.
  • Extended the distance traveled when inputting a direction with Leaping Thrust, Return Thrust, and Payback Thrust.
  • Adjusted the transition from Wide Sweep into Mid Thrust, High Thrust, and Dash Attack to be quicker.
  • The amount of weapon sharpness consumed when performing a Focus Strike: Victory Thrust was reduced.
  • After winning a Power Clash, you can now follow up with Return Thrust, Payback Thrust, or Retribution Thrust.
  • Fixed an issue where certain attacks hitting the opposite direction the player is facing during a Power Guard would not correctly transition into a Stalwart Guard.
  • Fixed an issue where guarding while moving would not properly block attacks.
• Gunlance
  • Fixed an issue where, under certain conditions, performing Burst Fire while the skill Load Shells Lv 2 was active would result in fewer hits than intended.
• Switch Axe
  • Relaxed the offset detection for Axe: Offset Rising Slash, making it easier to trigger an offset attack.
  • The offset buildup for Axe: Offset Rising Slash has been increased.
• Charge Blade
  • The raw damage for Axe: Element Discharge I and II has been increased.
  • The raw damage for multi-hit attacks while in Power Axe Mode has been increased.
  • Adjusted Axe: Element Discharge I and II so that, when an enhanced phial is used during Power Axe Mode, the explosion damage properly reflects the enhanced phial’s effect.
• Insect Glaive
  • Relaxed offset detection, making it easier to trigger offset attacks.
  • The invulnerability window when vaulting backwards has been increased.
  • Increased the distance when vaulting backwards granted by the skill Evade Extender.
  • The raw damage of Strong Reaping Slash and Dodge Slash has been increased.
  • The raw damage and elemental scaling of Strong Double Slash and Tornado Slash have been increased.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the midair combo to have lower than intended attack power.
  • Improved the hit detection of Focus Thrust: Leaping Strike while moving away from the target in the air. This attack will now also retrieve extracts upon a successful hit, as it does when performed on the ground.
  • Fixed an issue where certain parts of Rathalos would not yield the intended extract colors.
  • Fixed an issue where the amount of mount buildup from Jumping Advancing Slash performed as a drawn attack varied depending on the timing of the hit.
  • Fixed an issue where, when quickly inputting commands after getting up, Leaping Slash or Sidestep Slash would trigger instead of Kinsect: Harvest Extract or Kinsect: Recall.
  • Fixed an issue where Descending Slash could not be performed after getting up.
  • Fixed an issue where, when performing a Strong Jumping Slash in Focus Mode and the player took damage while the Kinsect was in flight, the Kinsect would continue to repeatedly hit the monster.
• Light Bowgun
  • Adhesive Ammo and Wyvernblast raw damage have been increased.
  • Increased the recovery speed of the Rapid Fire Gauge when using Exhaust Ammo, Poison Ammo, Paralysis Ammo, or Sleep Ammo.
  • The reload speed for Adhesive Ammo and Focus Blast: Eagle Strike has been increased.
  • The raw damage and elemental scaling for Flaming Ammo, Water Ammo, Thunder Ammo, Freeze Ammo, and Dragon Ammo have been slightly increased.
  • The amount of Rapid Fire Gauge consumed while using Dragon Ammo in Rapid Fire Mode has been decreased.
  • The amount of Rapid Fire Gauge recovered while using Pierce Ammo has been increased.
  • Fixed an issue where only one projectile out of the multiple projectiles fired with the light bowgun’s Spread Ammo would receive the scaling from the Ballistics skill.
• Heavy Bowgun
  • Wyvernblast Ignition and Wyverncounter Ignition raw damage have been increased.
  • The scaling for Wyvernblast Ignition and Wyverncounter Ignition during Ignition Mode ST I and ST II has been increased.
  • Increased the recovery speed of the Ignition Gauge when using Exhaust Ammo, Poison Ammo, Paralysis Ammo, or Sleep Ammo.
  • Adjusted the hitbox of Focus Blast: Wyvern Howl to make it easier to land.
  • Chaining into Guard after firing Spread Ammo is now faster.
  • The amount of Ignition Gauge recovered while using Pierce Ammo has been increased.
• Bow
  • Fixed an issue where the arrows from an Arc Shot would disappear if the attack hit the top of the area.
• Skills
  • Adjusted the effects of the set bonus skill Bubbly Dance as follows:
    • Before Adjustment:– Bubbly Dance I: Prevented major bubbleblight and increased evasion while afflicted with bubbleblight.– Bubbly Dance II: In addition to previous effects, it also granted minor bubbleblight after evading several times.
    • After Adjustment:– Bubbly Dance I: Prevents major bubbleblight and grants minor bubbleblight after evading several times.– Bubbly Dance II: In addition to previous effects, it also increases evasion while afflicted with bubbleblight. This evasion boost has also been increased.
  • Adjusted the duration of the set bonus skill War Cry. With this change, its effects will now stack with all other effects, allowing for greater flexibility in equipment choices.
  • Adjusted the set bonus skill Powerhouse so that it now stacks with all other effects.
  • Effects of the set bonus skill Burst Boost have been increased.
  • Increased the duration of the set bonus skill Affinity Sliding.
  • Adjusted the Shock Absorber skill so that, while active, guarding abilities (blocks) no longer trigger in response to ally attacks.
  • Adjusted the Ballistics skill to increase the effective range for Normal, Pierce, and Spread Ammo. Additionally, Normal and Spread Ammo will now be within effective range even at point-blank distance (0m) from Level 2 onward.
• Support Hunters
  • Adjusted the performance of Alessa and Fabius to reflect the changes made to the Lance.
  • Fixed an issue that caused Support Hunters to stop attacking under certain conditions during underwater hunts.
• Seikret
  • Increased the speed at which you can turn 180 degrees while mounted on Seikret.
  • Adjusted the dismount timing window after a successful evasion, allowing players to dismount earlier.
  • Adjusted input timing to make it easier to open the map immediately after mounting.

Miscellaneous

• System
  • Fixed an issue where performing certain actions in the item bar could cause the game to crash.
  • Increased the amount of Guild Points awarded from Limited Bounties.
• Network
  • Fixed an issue where, if a player disconnected just before the animation of gestures like Gou Hadoken or Water Gun hit, the game would crash for other players.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the following incorrect message to display when viewing the rankings for a new Challenge Quest or Free Challenge Quest: “This is a repeated quest. You can view the results from when it was last available.”
• Locales
  • Fixed an issue where shrine fragments that appear during quests in the Dragontorch Shrine would sometimes not activate from direct attacks.
  • Fixed an issue in Photo Mode where toggling off the scoutfly effects from the edit menu only hid the glowing effect.
• Other
  • Fixed an issue where some voice lines would not trigger properly.
  • Fixed various text issues.
  • Fixed other miscellaneous issues.

The First Descendant developer Nexon Games has announced one of its upcoming titles, Woochi the Wayfarer, which is based on a classic Korean novel The Tale of Jeon Woochi. The announcement was accompanied by a teaser trailer that may give fans of The Witcher some Deja vu.

There’s no English language audio option for this video, but the closed captioning does offer an English translation of the spoken lines. The woman’s name is Myoan, and she’s a shaman who performs a violent sacrificial rite with a snake. Woochi is the man who confronts Myoan at her dark shrine before she transforms into a monster before his eyes. Woochi isn’t defenseless and the manifestation of his sword is impressive. However, Myoan overpowers Woochi before declaring, “Proclaim it to Heaven, we rise again.”

The game is set durning Korea’s Joseon era, and Jeon Woochi is said to be a man “who uses his powers to fight injustice and trick the corrupt.” This is a single-player game built with Unreal Engine 5 by developer LoreVault Studio. The announcement notes the dev team is currently consulting experts on Korean literature and traditional music, while also scouting locations that will be used to recreate the period setting of the game. The game’s music will be composed by Jung Jae-il, whose previous credits include Squid Game and Parasite.

Nexon Games hasn’t set a release date yet for Woochi the Wayfarer, but it will be available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

The Battlefield 6 beta got off to a flying start on the weekend–over 520,000 concurrent players on Steam alone–but one of the major complaints amongst PC players has been the influx of cheaters into the game. EA and developer Battlefield Studios are well aware of this problem, with one of the measures taken being the implementation of Secure Boot technology for the PC version of the game. While this can help in a fight, EA’s anti-cheat team has admitted that it’s not a “silver bullet” that can stop all cheaters.

“On Secure Boot, I want to be clear that Secure Boot is not, and was not intended to be a silver bullet,” a representative from EA’s SPEAR Anti-Cheat Team wrote on the EA forums. “Secure Boot is how you’re helping us build up our arsenal. It’s another barrier that helps us make it harder for cheat developers to create cheat programs, and makes it easier for us to detect it when they do.”

While SecureBoot isn’t foolproof, EA claims it has used it alongside other measures to crack down on cheating significantly. According to EA, 330,000 attempts to cheat or tamper with anti-cheat controls were prevented with Javelin anti-cheat alone–as of August 8–thousands of cheaters were reported each day, and its Battlefield teams are coordinating efforts to improve the integrity of the game.

Echoing the statements made by Battlefield Studios head Vince Zampella about being locked in an anti-cheat arms race, EA says it’ll continue to work on staying a step ahead of cheaters. While there are several reasons why gamers will use cheats to gain an advantage, one thing is for certain–the market for cheats can be very lucrative.

The second Battlefield 6 open beta starts on August 14, and in the wake of the first weekend, there has been a lot of discussion about the game. Former AEW champion–and noted gamer–Samoa Joe also hopped into the beta on the weekend, and he’s wondering if Battlefield 6’s positive reception is being shaped by Battlefield 2042’s poor reception.

Battlefield 6 will launch on October 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|sS.

Walmart is randomly celebrating Super Mario by offering a bunch of Nintendo Switch games starring the Nintendo mascot for $39. The catalog of deals features platformers like Super Mario Odyssey, role-playing games such as Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, and sports titles like Mario Golf: Super Rush. It’s unclear when these Nintendo Switch game deals end, so check them out while you can. The deals on Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi: Brothership, both of which launched last year, are new all-time low prices.

Nintendo Switch Mario Game Deals at Walmart

All of the $39 games listed below are physical editions. Walmart also has the digital version of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury for $40. We also included deals on physical editions of Super Mario RPG and Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

• Role-playing:
• Platformers:
• Sports:

A few of the Super Mario platformers on sale have free Nintendo Switch 2 upgrades. Super Mario Odyssey, the brilliant 3D platformer from the team that just recently launched Donkey Kong Bananza, looks and runs beautifully on Nintendo Switch 2. Speaking of the new DK game, Amazon has Donkey Kong Bananza for $63 (was $70)–though it will likely disappear soon.

For a more traditional side-scrolling Mario platformer, check out New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, which compiles New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U in one enhanced collection. Like Mario Odyssey, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe has a free Switch 2 upgrade. We’d also highly recommend Yoshi’s Crafted World for parents who want to introduce their kids to Super Mario games. A 3D side-scroller, Crafted World is an adorable platformer with inventive boss fights and optional settings that make it a great first Mario game to play in local co-op alongside a youngster.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership released late last year with some unfortunate performance issues on Nintendo Switch hardware. It hasn’t officially received a Switch 2 upgrade, but the turn-based RPG runs noticeably smoother on Nintendo’s new console. For another turn-based RPG, check out the 2024 remaster of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, a game many fans see as the best Mario RPG. Its main competition for the crown is Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, the. 1996 SNES classic that was remade for Nintendo Switch in 2023. All three of these Mario role-playing games are worth grabbing at these low prices.

Following multiple delays, CRKD’s officially licensed Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controllers are available now. Well, not all of them. The Pro and Encore versions of the multiplatform model launched today, August 8, but Amazon doesn’t have an estimated delivery date listed. The $125 Blueberry Burst Pro model is “temporarily out of stock,” so you may want to order one before Amazon stops taking orders. The Tribal Black Encore edition is in stock for $115, though it also doesn’t have an estimated delivery date.

The multiplatform versions are compatible with PC, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, Android, and PS3 in wireless and wired modes. The Pro and Encore editions of the multiplatform controller also sport a unique feature that allows players to use the guitar for Fortnite Festival with a wired connection on PlayStation and Xbox consoles.

Officially licensed versions of the Pro and Encore editions for Xbox are currently slated to release August 29 and cost 10 bucks more than the multiplatform edition. Preorders for CRKD’s guitar controllers initially opened in February. If you reserved one early, you may have gotten lucky with the price. Each model has increased by five bucks in the months since–likely due to tariffs.

Take a closer look at all four CRKD Gibson Les Paul Guitar Controllers below.

The Les Paul is CRKD’s first traditional guitar controller, but it’s technically not the brand’s first guitar controller. CRKD partnered with Epic Games late last year to release the Fortnite Festival Edition of the Neo S Wireless Controller for Switch consoles and PC. The Neo S is compact conventional controller with a detachable five-fret module. Reminiscent of the attachment for Guitar Hero games on Nintendo DS, the placement of the buttons provides a more natural feel compared to standard face buttons. The Neo S Fortnite Festival Edition costs $56 (was $60) and is compatible with Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mobile. If you’re not a fan of the wavy purple color scheme, there’s a Black Tribal Edition of the Neo S with the fret attachment.

CRKD’s Gibson Les Paul is the second officially licensed guitar controller to release for modern platforms. Last spring, PDP released Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller in PlayStation and Xbox models for $130 each. Earlier this year, PDP increased the price of the Riffmaster to $150, but Amazon has the PlayStation and Xbox editions of the PDP Riffmaster discounted to $120 right now. If you want to play Fortnite Festival with a wireless guitar controller, you’ll want to go with the Riffmaster. For Switch and Switch 2 players, the multiplatform CRKD controller is the choice by default, because neither Riffmaster model works on Nintendo consoles.

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The open beta for Battlefield 6 is available now, and it’s putting up huge numbers right out of the gate. It reached huge player numbers during its early access on August 7-8, and now it’s open to everyone, on all platforms–no code required.

Here’s a rundown of everything we know so far and what we expect from the open beta, including start times, maps, modes, rewards, and more.

When is the Battlefield 6 open beta?

The Battlefield 6 open beta begins August 7 and continues throughout multiple periods in August.

• August 7-8: Limited access; you need to obtain a code from watching a streamer or be part of Battlefield Labs. You can also sign up to EA Play Pro to get in right away.
• August 9-10: Open to everyone.
• August 14-17: Open to everyone.

How to get into the Battlefield 6 open beta

Now that the Battlefield 6 open beta is truly open to anyone, all you have to do is find the game client on your preferred platform, press download, and you’re in. Specific instructions can be seen below, and be aware that there are several known issues you might encounter.

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From EA’s blog post, here are the key things to know about the beta:

Platforms

• PlayStation5
• Xbox Series X|S
• PC
  • Steam
  • Epic Games Store
  • EA app

Specific instructions

• Early access opens on August 7 at 8:00 UTC (1AM PT)
  • If you signed up for Battlefield Labs before July 31, you don’t need a code. Just log in with the EA Account you registered with Battlefield Labs.
  • If you didn’t sign up for Battlefield Labs, you can watch select creators during the reveal streams on July 31 on Twitch to unlock Early Access.
• Weekend 1 opens on August 9 at 8:00 UTC (1AM PT) and closes August 11 at 8:00 UTC (1AM PT)
  • No code needed, available to anyone
• Weekend 2 opens on August 14 at 8:00 UTC (1AM PT) and closes August 17 at 8:00 UTC (1AM PT)
  • No code needed, available to anyone

PC Requirements

Can you PC run the Battlefield 6 beta? You can check out the list of PC requirements below to find out. Note that these requirements may differ for the full game’s system requirements upon release in October.

Minimum:

• Graphics settings: 1080 @ 30FPS low settings
• GPU: Nvidia RTX 2060/AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT/Intel Arc A380
• Video Memory: 6 GB
• CPU: Intel Core i5-8400/AMD Ryzen 5 2600
• RAM: 16GB
• OS: Windows 10
• DirectX: Direct X12
• Storage: 756 HDD

Recommended:

• Graphics settings: Balanced: 1440p @ 60FPS high settings. Performance: 1080p @ 80FPS low settings.
• GPU: Nvidia RTX 3060Ti/AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT/Intel Arc BF80
• Video Memory: 8GB
• CPU: Intel Core i7-10700/AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
• RAM: 16 GB
• OS: Windows 11 64-bit
• Direct X: Direct X12
• Storage: 756 SSD

What’s in the Battlefield 6 open beta?

The Battlefield 6 open beta will contain a sampling of the content from the full game. That means players can expect a selection of maps and modes, but not everything.

For the August 9-10 beta, players can expect to play the Siege of Cairo, Liberation Peak, and Iberian Offensive maps, along with the Conquest, Closed Weapon Conquest, Breakthrough, Domination, and King of the Hill modes, according to Dexerto.

Weekend 2 (August 14-17) will reportedly include all the maps from the first weekend, plus Empire State. As for modes, all the Weekend 1 modes are coming back, along with Rush, Squad Deathmatch, and more.

Battlefield 6 has a campaign mode, too, along with the rumored return of the Portal mode and a potential battle royale mode. The open beta, however, is only expected to offer up a multiplayer trial.

Battlefield 6 open beta rewards

Everyone who plays the Battlefield 6 open beta can earn plenty of rewards, including everything you see below.

Does progress from the beta carry forward?

Progress from Battlefield 6’s open beta will not carry forward to the full game.

“Progress does not carry over into launch, as changes, new introductions, and balance passes will occur, which would skew such progression and create an unfair advantage. There will be rewards available for participating in the Open Beta, which carry over into Battlefield 6 though!” community manager Kevin Johnson said.

Battlefield 6 is the first new Battlefield game since 2021’s tepidly received Battlefield 2042. A release date hasn’t been announced, but speculation suggests it’s launching on October 10. That’s about a month before Call of Duty: Black Ops 7’s rumored November 14 release date.

Earlier this year, Krafton released the life-sim InZoi in early access with the promise of free DLC throughout the year. Now, details about the second DLC have been revealed, and it’s coming later this month alongside InZoi’s debut on Mac.

The new DLC is called Island Getaway, and it was inspired by the tropical locations in Southeast Asia. It will include a new map called Cahava, which features both a primary island and a separate island dedicated to a vacation resort. Players can give their Zois new outfits and hairstyles to fit their environment, and let them go swimming, boating, and snorkeling.

This update will also include enhanced character interactions, including random gatherings, thought bubbles, and the ability for players to perform cooperative actions. Other new features being added across all maps include farming, mining, gem crafting, and fishing. Players will also be able to ride motorcycles and electric scooters. Over 90 new music tracks will also be added to the game, alongside other quality of life improvements.

Island Getaway and inZOI’s Mac debut are both set to launch on August 20, through the Mac App Store and Steam. Krafton will show off both the PC and Mac versions of inZOI at Gamescom from August 20 to 24. However, fans who want a sneak peek at the new DLC will be able to catch a livestream on Twitch or the official inZOI YouTube channel on August 14 at 6 PM PT.

This week, Fortnite’s Shock N’ Awesome campaign kicked off after an epic showdown ended the previous season, with the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers and a new Halo Spartan skin joining the battle royale against a horde of giant bugs. To celebrate the start of the bug-squashing season, Epic Games has kicked off a new Twitch Drop initiative for this weekend, where 90 minutes of viewing time can land you three new items for your locker.

In order to claim the items, simply log in to Twitch between now and August 10 at 8:59 PM PT / 11:59 PM ET and watch any streamer playing Fortnite for 30 minutes in order to claim the first of the three items. The other two items will unlock at the 60-minute and 90-minute marks, and each item will appear instantly in your in-game locker’s inventory once you’ve hit the time milestones.

The three items that can be unlocked through the Shock N’ Awesome Twitch Drop campaign are as follows:

• Metal Menace Wrap: Watch for 30 minutes
• Tome of Skulls: Watch for 60 minutes
• Skeletal Cyberscythe: Watch for 90 minutes

Shock N’ Awesome follows the Super Showdown season, which featured Superman as featured in the most recent Superman movie directed by James Gunn. Super Showdown ended with a live event on August 2 where players fought against a giant purple kraken-like monster, which was eventually defeated by the Man of Steel himself.

Fortnite is available now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, and mobile devices.

This year’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios in California and Universal Orlando in Florida will feature haunted houses devoted to Fallout and Five Nights At Freddy’s–and while both are inspired by video games, both houses will lean into their respective live-action adaptations.

The theme parks haven’t shared any of the footage of this year’s HHN houses yet, but the creative team on both coasts has offered a few teasers about what fans can expect to see.

While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Universal revealed that Amazon Prime’s Fallout series provided the HHN team with 3D models of Walton Goggins’ The Ghoul to ensure that masks used in the attraction are identical to his face on the show. Universal Orlando’s Lora Sauls also said that a teaser has been filmed, with “one of their characters for us to tease their second season in the house.”

Universal Orlando’s Mike Aiello added that the Fallout house will be a montage of different locations from the show and the games, with appearances by Lucy (played by Ella Purnell in the series), The Ghoul, Maximus (played by Aaron Moten in the series), and a 500-pound animatronic bear.

Speaking of animatronics, the Five Nights At Freddy’s house will feature full-size animatronic recreations of Freddy Fazbear and his pals as created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. Universal Hollywood’s John Murdy called them “the most complicated animatronic figures that we’ve ever done” for HHN. He added that guests will “see a fully animated Freddy Fazbear performing like he would in the movie or the video game” in a convincing recreation of the pizzeria that serves as the setting for the games and movies. Even the game’s famous security room will be a part of the attraction.

Universal Orlando will kick off the Halloween festivities with Five Nights At Freddy’s on August 29, while Universal Studios will wait a little longer and start the FNAF event on September 4. Halloween Horror Nights on both coasts will run until November 2.

While Doom: The Dark Ages is the third game in the new Doom reboot trilogy that started with Doom 2016 and followed by Doom Eternal in 2020, The Dark Ages is a prequel that takes place before the events of Doom 2016, which canonically places it in the middle of the main Doom series timeline. If you’re looking to catch up on the full series before playing the new game, there’s a convenient collection available called Doom Anthology.

This collection includes Doom, Doom 2, Doom 64, Doom 3, Doom 2016, and Doom Eternal Deluxe Edition. You also get a steelbook case and a mini replica of the series’ iconic BFG weapon. The Switch version does not come with a cartridge, but the PlayStation edition includes a Doom Eternal PS4 disc.

The collection is regularly available for steeply discounted prices these days. You can buy it for all three console platforms or PC for at least 50% off right now.

Everyone’s favorite subnautical cartoon is returning for his next video game adventure with SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide. Launching for PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, and PC, the 3D platformer will have you swapping back and forth between SpongeBob and his BFF Patrick Star as they unravel a spooky new story. Preorders are now live ahead of its November 18 release, with three versions up for grabs, including a $40 standard edition and a $90 Ghostly Tides Edition. Both editions are available in physical and digital formats.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide Preorder Bonuses

Preordering SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide gets you the Natural Costume Pack, which includes two hilarious butt-bearing costumes for SpongeBob and Patrick.

Titans of the Tides is the latest in SpongeBob’s long run of video games that started with 2001’s SpongeBob SquarePants: Legend of the Lost Spatula. The last few years have given us several SpongeBob video games, including 2024’s The Patrick Star Game, which saw SpongeBob’s pal take the starring role in his own 3D platformer on Nintendo Switch. You can grab it while it’s on sale for just $18 (was $40).

Other notable SpongeBob games worth checking out before Titans of the Tides include Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated, which is an enhanced remake for PS4, Switch, and Xbox One of the fan-favorite action-platformer that originally launched on the PS2, GameCube, and Xbox in 2003. It got a spiritual successor in 2023 with SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch, which you can grab for $25. For a break from all these 3D platformers, Switch fans can also check out the SpongeBob-themed cooking and puzzle game, Kustry Cook-Off Extra Kustry Edition.

Titan of the Tides isn’t the only game SpongeBob is appearing in this year. He’ll also be a playable character in the family-friendly action RPG Nicktoons Dice of Destiny, which sees iconic Nickelodeon characters joining forces for an epic quest. Preorders are open ahead of its September 30 release, and you’ll find a Collector’s Edition that’s packed with collectibles like trading cards, dice, and a travel pouch.

More SpongeBob Games

Before EGM, GamePro, and a legion of other video game magazines, Computer Entertainer was one of the first publications to cover the industry in the early ’80s. Now, the Video Game History Foundation has announced that it has acquired the rights to post the entirety of Computer Entertainer’s eight-year run online as part of its free digital archive.

Computer Entertainer was owned and founded by sisters Marylou Badeaux and Celeste Dolan in 1982, and it was the only video-game-focused magazine to survive the infamous crash of 1983. As a result, Computer Entertainer was one of the few publications that had stories about the aftermath of the crash, as well as the period before and immediately after the North American launch of the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985.

The magazine also had some of the earliest reviews for the NES titles, including Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario Bros.

“I often call the period between 1985 and 1988 the ‘dark ages’ of the home console game industry in the US,” said VGHF founder Frank Cifaldi in a statement. “Games and even entire systems were still technically being released, but without an enthusiast press to cover them, we don’t have a lot of insight into what people thought. Computer Entertainer gives us an incredibly rare glimpse into the rebirth that would define the industry as we know it today, and we are incredibly proud to offer the magazine in its entirety to everyone as a public utility.”

The VGHF digital archive already features over 3,000 out-of-print video game magazines, as well as hundreds of trade magazines that weren’t available to the general public. The archive also includes rare artwork, videos, and other behind-the-scenes materials from the past four decades of gaming.

More information about the Computer Entertainer archives can be found on the VGHF blog.

After 14 long years, Katamari Damacy is finally getting a brand-new console game when Once Upon A Katamari launches for PS5, Xbox, Switch, and PC on October 24. The new sequel features the signature ball-rolling gameplay the series is known for in a collection of new stages and–for the first time in a Katamari game–a competitive multiplayer mode. Several versions of the game are now up for preorder on consoles and PC, including a $40 standard edition and a $60 King of All Sounds Edition with a few bonuses. Grabbing a copy of either version early also gets you a few in-game bonuses.

Once Upon A Katamari Preorder Bonuses

Preorder any version of the game to unlock 3 Face customization parts. These parts can be unlocked through normal progression, but preordering gets them into your inventory earlier than usual.

Also, while not a preorder bonus, it’s worth noting that players with save data from either Katamari Reroll or We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie will unlock a playable Young King in Once Upon A Katamari.

Once Upon A Katamari King of All Sounds Edition

$60 | Releases October 24

Once Upon A Katamari is also available in a $60 King of All Sounds Edition. This digital-only version includes the base game plus 60 extra song tracks and 26 costumes from previous entries. Digital preorders are available on console and PC. PC players will once again want to check out Fanatical’s preorder deal to snag a copy for just $50.39.

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If you can’t wait until October to get your Katamari fix–or want to ensure you have the proper save data to unlock the Young King playable character in Once Upon A Katamari–you can grab Katamari Damacy Reroll and We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie on consoles and PC right now. In some cases, you can even grab a copy for less than $20. These are remasters of the first two games in the series, Katamari Damacy and We Love Katamari, which released back on the PS2 in 2004 and 2005, respectively. The Reroll versions include enhanced graphics, gameplay tweaks, recreated HD cutscenes, and more.

Katamari Game Deals

Katamari Damacy Reroll

We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie

While Once Upon A Katamari is the first all-new sequel in several years, the series has maintained a passionate cult following around the world thanks to its quirky humor and charming art style. Its popularity even extends beyond games, spawning numerous adaptations and spin-off media over the years–including an official webcomic chronicling the Prince of the Cosmos and his father’s strange adventures, which has been collected into a hardcover book featuring all 150 comic strips. There’s also the Katamari Damacy book written by L.E. Hall and published by Boss Fight Books that chronicles the game’s history and enduring legacy, and is a great read for fans who want to learn more about the game’s development and lasting impact on Japanese pop culture.

Katamari Damacy Book Deals

Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom.

Players have been hunting ghosts in Phasmophobia for almost half a decade now, and developer Kinetic Games is ready to send them out to hunt on a new map called Nell’s Diner.

As the name implies, Nell’s Diner is a retro-styled restaurant that has seen some better days. For the living, there are booths and counter seating available. As for the ghosts, their plans for the kitchen are probably not going to pass a health inspection. The size of the map isn’t going to be much larger than the houses that are already in the game.

While Kinetic Games won’t release Nell’s Diner until later this year, the studio has revealed that the much-anticipated reworking of the Grafton Farmhouse map will be coming to Phasmophobia on August 12.

The new version of Grafton Farmhouse has been “totally overhauled” with “newly themed rooms” including an attic and a seamstress room. It’s even less inviting than Nell’s Diner, and it certainly seems more eerie in the accompanying screenshot.

“Nell’s Diner, alongside the Farmhouse reworks, are all so central to our efforts in amplifying the horror in Phasmophobia, and I can’t wait for our community to experience it for themselves,” said Phasmophobia lead director Daniel Knight in a statement. “Our incredible art team have worked tirelessly on the upcoming content, and the Diner map in particular is one of the most unique maps we’ve added yet. We don’t want to spoil anything, but just know there are plenty of surprises to look forward to.”

Knight has previously teased that Phasmophobia will finally get version 1.0 next year. Although Knight has been deliberately vague about the details, he’s noted, “We’re basically going to be reworking the entire horror in the game. So everything is going to be changing.” The game’s Chronicle update recently added improvements to the way players can document hauntings. A Phasmophobia movie is also in development by Blumhouse.

Bandai Namco confirmed Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is officially headed to the Switch 2 and Switch during Nintendo’s July Partner Direct. These new Switch and Switch 2 versions will play just like the PS5, Xbox, and PC versions that launched last year, but will add support for motion controls for certain moves, such as Goku’s Spirit Bomb ultimate attack. Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero will be available on Switch 2 and Switch in multiple versions, including a $60 physical standard edition and multiple digital editions that include tons of extra content, all of which are available to preorder now ahead of Sparking Zero’s November 14 release date. Preordering any edition of the game on either of Nintendo’s hybrid handhelds also unlocks several of the game’s characters early.

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Preorder Bonus

If you preorder Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero on either Switch 2 or Switch, you’ll get Goku’s child form from the most recent Dragon Ball anime, Dragon Ball Daima, as a bonus playable character. You’ll also get early unlocks for six variations of Gogeta (the fused form of Goku and Vegeta) and Broly–but that’s still a nice head start on unlocking the game’s full 182-character roster. Here’s a list of all the preorder bonus characters for the Switch 2 and Switch versions:

• Goku (Mini)
• Gogeta (Base form)
• Gogeta (Super Saiyan)
• Gogeta (Super Saiyan Blue)
• Broly (Base form)
• Broly (Super Saiyan)
• Broly (Legendary Super Saiyan)

Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Digital Deluxe Edition (Switch 2 and Switch)

$90 | Releases November 14

Along with the physical standard edition, Sparking Zero will also get two digital-only Switch 2 and Switch versions that include additional content. The first is the Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Digital Deluxe Edition, which features the base game plus a Season Pass, which gets you new story campaigns, playable characters, and more. Here’s what’s included in the Season Pass:

• Four DLC Packs based on Dragon Ball: Super Hero, Dragon Ball Daima, and more
• Over 20 additional playable characters
• Summon Shenron ability

Preorders for Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Digital Deluxe Edition are available for $90 on the Nintendo eShop. Preordering gets you the bonus Goku (Mini) playable character and the early Gogeta and Broly variant unlocks. Note that the season pass content will also be available as separate purchases at a later date.

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Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Ultimate Edition (Switch 2 and Switch)

$100 | Releases November 14

There’s also the $100 digital-only Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Ultimate Edition, which includes everything in the Digital Deluxe Edition, plus a few Ultimate Edition-exclusive extras:

• Goku (Super) Costume with Power Pole
• Emote Voice Set
• 2 player card backgrounds
• 1 customization item that increases a character’s fighting ability
• Summon Super Shenron ability

Preorders are available on the Nintendo eShop.

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While there have been many Dragon Ball games, Sparking Zero is easily the biggest one. The game is a celebration of the entire Dragon Ball franchise, featuring a roster of 182 characters from various Dragon Ball anime series and movies. In addition to the single-player campaign that spans multiple Dragon Ball sagas, there’s also a mode that lets you change the outcome of notable moments from the series. The game also includes online and local multiplayer for up to six players.

There are several other great Dragon Ball games available for Switch, all of which are also backwards compatible with the Switch 2. If you’re looking for another fighting game, Dragon Ball FighterZ is a superb entry in the genre. Developed by Arc System Works, the studio behind Guilty Gear, Dragon Ball FighterZ is a 2.5D tag-team fighting game with a roster of characters pulled from Dragon Ball Z, GT, and Super. However, it offers a more traditional fighting game compared to the three-dimensional action of Sparking Zero. You can pick it up for $25 at Amazon.

For a story-focused single-player Dragon Ball experience, there’s Dragon Ball Kakarot. The game retells the entire Dragon Ball Z story of Goku, but it adds an action-RPG flair with an enjoyable grind and skill customization as you explore the anime’s iconic world. The game has also received several post-launch expansions that adapt other Dragon Ball storylines, including Dragon Ball Super and Dragon Ball Daima. Finally, there’s also Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, which allows you to create your own custom character and team up with Goku and the other Z Warriors to protect all of time and space. While it is an older game in the series, Xenoverse 2 has been supported constantly with new DLC over the years, and its roster is up to date with modern Dragon Ball media.

More Dragon Ball Games on Switch

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is currently in development at Guilty Gear studio Arc System Works, and if you’re looking to try out an early slice of it, you can sign up for its upcoming closed beta. There’ll only be a short time to go hands-on with the game as it runs September 5-7, but it’ll give you access to six playable characters, online matches, limited offline matches, spectator mode, the game’s training tutorial, and more. Here’s how to enter it.

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Closed Beta: How to get access

First revealed in June, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is a 4v4 fighting game scheduled to release sometime in 2026. The game’s current roster features an all-star roster of Marvel characters, like Captain America, Doctor Doom, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, Star Lord, and Storm, all reimagined with a fresh new art direction.

The game was playable during Evo 2025, and as its tutorial trailer revealed, it features gameplay systems like EX moves, super moves, and ultimate moves tied to a meter that charges up during battle.

In related fighting game news, there were quite a few announcements coming out of Evo 2025. Street Fighter 6 fans got a teaser trailer for C. Viper ahead of her arrival in the game, a new trailer showed off how Lucy from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners will play in Guilty Gear: Strive, and a New entry in the Virtua Fighter series is on the way.

A bunch of Nintendo price increases went into effect today, August 3, and while Switch 2 hardware and games aren’t impacted, controllers for the new console will cost you more now–unless you buy them soon. The Switch 2 Pro Controller has increased from $85 to $90, and Joy-Con 2 pairs have moved from $90 to $100. Nintendo’s exclusive retro controllers for Switch Online have also increased. Not all retailers have updated their prices yet, which means you can get “deals” right now. Deals from the future, you could say.

The Switch 2 Pro Controller is $84 at Walmart–for the time being, at least–and $85 at Target and Best Buy. Amazon sold out of units at the $85 price today due to the price change that could go into effect at any moment. On Friday, Amazon and Target dropped the price of Joy-Con 2 to $90–five bucks lower than its old MSRP–and those deals are surprisingly still available despite the $100 price being active on the Nintendo Store. Amazon also has two-packs of Joy-Con 2 wrist straps for $13–Nintendo raised the official price from $14 to $15.

Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller — New MSRP is $90

Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con (2-Pack) — New MSRP is $100

Official Nintendo Switch 2 Accessories

As mentioned, Amazon also has Joy-Con 2 Controllers in stock for $90, but the price is likely to climb to $100 very soon. Even so, the combo pack still offers better value than the $55 singles. Keep in mind that one of the Switch 2 Pro Controller’s big new features is available with Joy-Con 2 with an additional accessory. The $40 Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip has built-in back buttons, so you could opt for this grip and turn the pair of controllers included with the console into “pro” controllers for docked mode.

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With the official Switch 2 carrying cases difficult to find in stock, we’d recommend the officially licensed RDS Industries Game Traveler Deluxe lineup. Hardshell RDS Switch 2 travel cases start at $20, and you can get the RDS equivalent of the sold-out All-In-One case for only $40 instead of $85.

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Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller Alternatives

There are other great traditional controllers for Nintendo Switch 2, including a handful of budget-friendly options from popular controller manufacturer 8BitDo. Shortly after the Switch 2 launched, 8BitDo released firmware updates for several of its customizable controllers to make them fully compatible with the console. Most notably, the flagship 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth Controller works wonderfully on Switch 2.

8BitDo Wireless Controllers for Switch 2

8BitDo also added support for its USB Adapter and USB Adapter 2, which allow you to sync a wide range of Bluetooth controllers to your Switch 2 that otherwise wouldn’t be supported.

8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth Controller

The 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth Controller has four remappable buttons–two back, two shoulder–adjustable trigger locks with two stopping points, TMR electromagnetic sensors (better than Hall Effect), RGB lighting rings, and robust customization features via 8BitDo’s software suite on PC and Android. You can set up three custom profiles, modify stick and trigger sensitivity, create deadzones, alter rumble intensity, and set up different lighting effects/colors. The Ultimate 2 and the other Switch 2-compatible 8BitDo controllers have turbo buttons, which is quite useful for Donkey Kong Bananza.

The Ultimate 2 Bluetooth comes with a matching charging dock with a storage compartment to keep the included 2.4GHz receiver. You can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth or 2.4GHz on Nintendo Switch 1/2 consoles as well as PC. The Ultimate 2 also works wirelessly in Bluetooth mode on Android, Apple hardware, and other devices.

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8BitDo Pro 3 Bluetooth Gamepad

Another Switch 2 Pro Controller alternative to keep on your radar is the recently announced 8BitDo Pro 3 Bluetooth Gamepad. Releasing August 12 for $70, the Pro 3 has TMR sticks, trigger locks, and four remappable buttons–just like the Ultimate 2–but it also adds swappable magnetic face buttons and an extra pair of stick tops. The stick caps are arcade-style ball-top sticks, which is a unique addition.

The Pro 3 is the follow-up to the excellent Pro 2, which is our top pick for Nintendo players who prefer PlayStation-style aligned sticks as well as for retro games. The Pro 3 connects wirelessly to Switch 2, Switch, and PC via 2.4GHz and Bluetooth. It also supports Apple devices, Steam Deck, Android, and more over Bluetooth. It’s available to preorder in three colors: Gray, G Classic, and GameCube-inspired purple. Each edition comes with a matching charging dock.

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Here are two other Switch 2-compatible third-party controllers that are worth checking out for different reasons:

• GameSir G8 Plus: This can cradle the console like a Backbone Controller and used as Joy-Con alternatives in handheld mode.
• NYXI Warrior Lite: A GameCube-inspired wireless controller with remappable back buttons and Hall Effect sticks.

Lego’s Mario Kart collection has nearly doubled in size with the release of the second wave of playsets on August 1. And just like with January’s launch lineup, the new building sets feature karts pulled from the video game series and introduce a character that had previously never received the Lego treatment: Wario. The fan-favorite antihero and his signature pink kart and paraglider are bundled with King Boo’s adorable Teddy Bear-inspired Buggy. The combo pack is one of five new sets you can buy now. And if there was any doubt if Lego Mario Kart is here to stay, the collection now has its own Interactive Lego Mario & Standard Kart starter set.

Here’s a quick rundown of the full Lego Mario Kart lineup, including the new releases and the original lineup of playsets, some of which are on sale for all-time low prices:

Lego Mario Kart Collection

Browse at: Amazon | Lego Store | Target | Walmart | Best Buy

Bowser enthusiasts will be happy to hear his fiery castle has joined the lineup with a 1,000-plus piece, $100 set that complements the Grand Prix playset from the launch lineup. If you mainly care about Bowser the character, not the castle, you should check out the soon-to-be-retired Bowser’s Muscle Car for $26 before it’s gone at major retailers–it’s already sold out on the Lego Store. Plus, you might want to spend your $100 on a different brand-new Bowser Lego set. Prince Florian & Castle Bowser, the first Super Mario Bros. Wonder-inspired build, recreates the final boss battle from the Switch game as a 1,251-piece model. It’s one of three new Lego Super Mario mainline sets.

Lego Mario Kart’s second wave also has what appear to be the first retailer-exclusive playsets in the series. Piranha Plant Power-Up Pursuit featuring Koopa Troopa and Toadette is only listed on Target and the Lego Store. The $20 Shy Guy & P-Wing set also only has a store page on Target and the Lego Store. We haven’t been able to officially confirm exclusivity for either yet, but it’d be quite unusual for Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy to all be missing the same two new releases. These two sets were revealed after the other three, which is something we’ve seen with Target’s previous Lego Mario exclusives.

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As of August 2025, the Lego Mario Kart includes 11 playsets, most of which are priced at $50 or less. If you owned the full collection, you’d have 17 karts, 24 figures, and a whole bunch of interactive accessories. Not included in those figures is Mario Kart: Lego Mario & Standard Kart, the 1,972-piece display model for adults that debuted in May on the Lego Store and launched at major retailers last month.

If you still need to pick up a few of the original six Mario Kart sets, you can save on almost all of them at Amazon and Walmart (as of August 3): Baby Mario vs. Baby Luigi, Toad’s Garage, and Donkey Kong & DK Jumbo are all on sale for 20% off.

Below, you can read detailed breakdowns of all 11 playsets and the superb display model. The gallery is organized by newest to oldest. If you’re in it for the character figures, we included alternative options in the traditional Lego Super Mario line. Plus, figures and elements from those sets are compatible with the Lego Mario Kart collection.

Fans of Nintendo Lego sets may want to secure a preorder for what very well could be the biggest hit since the pair started its collaboration five years ago. The Lego Game Boy is a 421-piece brick-built replica of the the legendary 1989 handheld. Preorders have already sold out multiple times on the Lego Store, Walmart, and Best Buy. At the time of writing, you can still preorder the Lego Game Boy for $60 at Amazon and Target.

Here’s a look at all four Lego Super Mario starter sets with Interactive Lego Mario, Luigi, or Peach figures:

Sonic has been blazing through a wide variety of genres over the years, from standard platformers to role-playing outings to rowdy party titles. But one of his most popular spin-off experiences has been the Sonic Racing franchise, which has consistently wowed with each game introducing creative new features on top of its core racing mechanics and exciting track designs.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds brings races across the land, sea, and air alongside tons of kart customization and gadgets. Moreover, there are plenty of beloved Sonic characters to choose from, and even some surprising crossover characters from the worlds of Spongebob Squarepants, Persona, and more.

All of this is best enjoyed with friends, right? Well, what if your friends play on platforms different from yours? Or what if you want to move your progress between platforms? Here’s what you need to know about cross-play and cross-progression in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.

Does Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds have cross-play?

Sonic fans can rejoice, as Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has full cross-play matchmaking for everyone, regardless of which platform they choose to play on. This means that PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC players will all be able to race in the same lobbies.

Additionally, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds supports up to four-player split-screen to allow family and friends to join in the fun while hanging out on the couch. So, whether you’re enjoying Grand Prix, Race Park, or Time Attack with a group, no one’s left behind in this frenetic racer. Just remember to play nice. No one likes a gloater.

Does Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds have cross-progression?

SEGA has not yet revealed whether Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will feature cross-progression. We’ll be sure to update this section as soon as information about this functionality is clearer.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds launches September 25 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is expected Holiday 2025 and will be available via an upgrade path or as a standalone purchase.

The Lego Fortnite building set collection just gained a new member: Mecha Team Leader (77078). Revealed back in April, the 2,503-piece robot kit finally launched August 1 at the Lego Store and major retailers. The $250 building set is the second display model designed for adults in the collection; the first, Peely Bone, is one of three Fortnite Lego sets from the original launch lineup that’s discounted at multiple major retailers right now. The 1,414-piece Peely Bone model is on sale for $92 (was $100), so if you want a Fortnite Lego set ripe for display without spending $250, the impressive banana-skeleton model is worth checking out.

The other two Fortnite Lego sets that are on sale are extremely friendly on the wallet. Lego’s replica of the iconic Supply Llama is a nearly 700-piece build that’s up grabs for only $34 (was $40). The 193-piece Durrr Burger is always cheap with its $15 MSRP, but right now you can get it for $11.

Lego Fortnite: All Building Sets & Deals

Amazon | Walmart | Lego Store | Target | Best Buy

Lego’s Fortnite series debuted last fall with four sets, the trio of discounted builds mentioned above, and the 954-piece Battle Bus, which has yet to drop below its $100 MSRP. The same can be said for the three sets added to the lineup in June–Klombo, Durrr Burger Restaurant, and Peely & Sparkplug’s Camp–but that’s not all too surprising considering they launched two months ago.

All Lego Fortnite sets include a QR code on the instruction manual to redeem a free cosmetic for Lego Fortnite the video game. The four launch sets come with the same bonus–Operation Brite Starter Pack–but each of the four sets released this year includes a bonus that is unique to that product.

Here’s the full Lego Fortnite series as of August 2025. We included a detailed breakdown for all eight Fortnite Lego sets below, and we’ll continue to add to this roundup as more playsets and display models are revealed.

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When Darksiders hit consoles in 2010, it left gamers with tantalizing cliffhanger of with the tantalizing cliffhanger of the protagonist, War, ready to fight ready to fight the forces of Heaven, Hell, and the Council. Now, after 15 years, the ending of the original game is revisited in the first teaser for Darksiders 4. The announcement video recalls Darksiders’ closing moments as War is joined by his fellow Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Death, Fury, and Strife.

The sequel was officially unveiled today during THQ Nordic’s online preview event. The publisher confirmed that Darksiders 4 will continue the story directly after the first game and allow up to four players to ride together as the Four Horsemen through co-op.

Darksiders and its sequels take place in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a conflict between Heaven and Hell. War was initially blamed for triggering the apocalypse early, and then given the chance to prove his innocence by searching for the one responsible.

Death and Fury were respectively featured as the leading characters in Darksiders 2 and Darksiders 3. Then Strife took the lead in the 2019 spin-off title, Darksiders Genesis, which moved away from the series’ third-person action in favor of a top-down view.

Darksiders 4 will return to the franchise’s third-person perspective, and THQ Nordic states that it will have “cinematic” action that is “fast-paced” and “visceral,” with melee and supernatural abilities at players’ disposal.

THQ Nordic hasn’t set a date for Darksiders 4 yet, but it will be released on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is getting multiple physical editions for PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Switch. The collection–er, Kollection–has a Day 1 Edition, a Deluxe Edition with a steelbook case and a bunch of other extras, and a Kollector’s Edition that’s only available to preorder for a limited time.

Preorders for the Legacy Kollection are live now at Atari’s online store, and listings are up at Amazon for the Day 1 and Deluxe Editions. We expect more retailers to open preorders soon. The Legacy Kollection will also be available for PC and Xbox when it launches, but physical edition options are more limited on Xbox.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection physical editions were jointly unveiled by Warner Bros. Interactive, Atari, and Digital Eclipse at Evo 2025. Check out all three editions below.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection – Kollector’s Edition

$150

There’s also the $150 premium Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection – Kollector’s Edition, which has its own list of exclusive physical goodies, along with a copy of the game on either PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, or PC. Here’s what you get:

• The full Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection base game
• Goro controller holder statue
• Commemorative arcade token
• Hardcover art and lore book
• Pin set
• Numbered collector’s box

Preorders for the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection – Kollector’s Edition are available exclusively at Atari’s online store and Limited Run Games until August 31.

The Mortal Kombat: Legacy Collection compiles multiple arcade, console, and handheld versions of several classic Mortal Kombat games released during the franchise’s first decade from 1992 to 2003. Here’s the list of the games confirmed so far:

• Mortal Kombat
• Mortal Kombat II
• Mortal Kombat 3
• Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
• Mortal Kombat 4
• Mortal Kombat Advance
• Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
• Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition
• Mortal Kombat Trilogy

Along with the games, Digital Eclipse is also including tons of archival materials, including interviews with Ed Boon and the rest of the original Mortal Kombat development team, an interactive timeline, image galleries, easy access to each game’s hidden or unlockable content, and more.

Earlier this year, EA showed off some of the destructible elements in Battlefield 6. That glimpse of destruction you can wreak was amplified in the recently released multiplayer trailer for the game. But if you were hoping to be able to knock down every building on the map, then you may be disappointed, because the game’s Tactical Destruction system will only offer so much leeway.

EA executive vice president Vince Zampella told PCGamesN that the Tactical Destruction system gives player “unparalleled levels of freedom.” However, he reasons that if it was possible to completely destroy all of the buildings on the map, then the system wouldn’t reflect the original intentions of the dev team.

“We make maps very purposefully for fun, combat sight lines, and performance,” said Zampella. “So if you’re able to control that destruction, [it can still be] different, because you might blow up this building one time, this building another, or nothing at all. That’s where the flexibility comes in. But even when they are destroyed, the map is still full. We guarantee you that the map is still fun to play. So it’s about making a map and then making multiple versions of that map that are all equally balanced and fun to play.”

Zampella went on to argue that too much destruction would ruin the gameplay of the map, making it less fun. He reiterated that the developers are primarily concerned with ensuring the game is fun, above all else.

EA has already revealed the nine Battlefield 6 maps that will be available at launch. The game’s open beta will begin on August 7 and preorders are already live. Battlefield 6 will launch on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC on October 10.

As part of the July Nintendo Direct, Square Enix announced Octopath Traveler 0. The newest entry in the HD-2D series launches for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on December 4. It remains to be seen if the game is headed to other platforms beyond Switch. You can check out the reveal trailer below.

It’s called Octopath Traveler 0 because players “start from zero” and go on a quest for “restoration and retribution.” Along the way, players will “confront powerful villains and rebuild your hometown.”

The original Octopath Traveler came out in 2018 for Switch before leaping to PC in 2019, Stadia in 2020, Xbox in 2021, and then PlayStation in 2024. Octopath Traveler II was released in 2023.

The July Nintendo Direct included other announcements, including Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection and Once Upon a Katamari, along with details about the Switch versions of Madden 26, Apex Legends, and Just Dance 2026, among others. Check out the gallery below to see all the big reveals.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom fans can grab the recently restocked Link Figma for $85.35 at Amazon. Made by Good Smile and released on June 24 for $90, this premium, customizable action figure had been sold out for many months after preorders first opened way back in March 2024. Good Smile also released a DX Edition with extra accessories in May, but that $136 model sold out fast when Amazon replenished its inventory.

Figma figures of Princess Zelda and Ganondorf based on their appearances in Tears of the Kingdom are also in the works. Unfortunately, both of the figures remain sold out as of July 30.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Figma Action Figures

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The new Tears of the Kingdom Link figure isn’t the only premium Zelda collectible available on Amazon. Bandai Namco’s Tamashii Nations collectible brand released a beautiful replica of the Master Sword late last year. The 41-inch Master Sword Proplica comes with a blue-and-gold sheath and display stand. You can get your own Master Sword for $186 (was $200) from Amazon.

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The next Switch 2 exclusive, Drag x Drive, arrives soon on August 14. Ahead of its release, Nintendo has uploaded a new gameplay trailer revealing more details and reminding players of the upcoming Global Jam demo.

This will kick off on August 9 and runs through August 10, but the catch here is that you’ll need an active Switch Online membership to access it. If you’re interested, the demo will be available to download later today and the sessions will take place at the following times:

Drag x Drive Global Jam playtest times

August 9

• 3 AM – 7 AM PT / 6 AM ET – 10 AM ET
• 5 PM – 9 PM PT / 8 PM ET – 12 AM ET

August 10

• 9 AM – 1 PM PT / 12 PM ET – 4 PM ET

As mentioned above, the new overview trailer also provided plenty of details on how to play Drag x Drive. The Joy-Con 2 controllers are used to control each wheel on the wheelchair via mouse controls, and you can swipe forward or backward to control your momentum and direction. While a table is probably best for using these controls, Nintendo added that “most” flat surfaces–like your legs–will do just fine in a pinch. I’ve also tried the mouse controls on my oblivious cat as he naps on my bed next to me, and his squishy body worked surprisingly well as an impromptu mousepad while creating art in Donkey Kong Bananza.

Drag x Drive is one of two big releases for the Switch 2 in August. An upgraded version of Kirby and the Forgotten Land launches on August 28, and it’ll include a brand-new expansion alongside updated graphics.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is also out in October, and Nintendo announced a new Direct livestream for July 31. The company says there’ll be “roughly 25 minutes of information” on upcoming games to expect here, so it’ll be interesting to see if Metroid Prime 4: Beyond gets a proper release-date confirmation.

Dungeons & Dragons has exploded in popularity over the past few years, and part of that is due to the success of Stranger Things. The TTRPG features heavily in Netflix’s nostalgia-tinged supernatural series–not only do we see the characters play the game, they even give many of the otherworldly creatures they encounter names pulled from Dungeons & Dragons lore. Soon, fans will be able to take part in the Stranger Things crew’s tabletop adventures with an all-new D&D crossover game, Stranger Things: Welcome to the Hellfire Club.

The game looks to be a streamlined version of D&D that comes with everything you need, is easy to set up, and includes adventures based on the campaigns made by Stranger Things character Eddie Munson. The final season of Stranger Things doesn’t premiere until November 26, but fans will be able to join the Hellfire Club on October 7. You can preorder the crossover game for $50 at Amazon.

Unlike the full version of D&D that relies on large rulebooks and the theater of the mind, Welcome to The Hellfire Club adopts a board game-style presentation more akin to HeroQuest, featuring numerous cards for spells, items, and monsters. There are also illustrated grid maps and punch-out tokens for each of the playable characters and monsters. Everything you need to play Dungeons & Dragons Stranger Things: Welcome to The Hellfire Club Adventure Game comes in the box, including:

• Play Guide Booklet
• Quick-Start Guide
• Four Adventure Booklets
• Four Handouts
• Hellfire Club Poster & Poster Maps
• Combat Tracker
• DM Screen
• 11 Dice
• 91 Cards for Spells, Magic Items, Monsters
• 72 Tokens for Player Characters and Monsters
• 15 Character Sheets

These pieces are all rendered with a classic art style inspired by ’80s heavy metal and classic D&D illustrations. Dungeons & Dragons Stranger Things: Welcome to The Hellfire Club Adventure Game seems like it could be a perfect game for Stranger Things fans who enjoy TTRPGs, or anyone who wants to dip their toes into tabletop gaming with a more structured experience that’s easy to pick up and play.

The upcoming TTRPG isn’t the first Stranger Things board game. In 2023, prolific board game publisher CMON Limited released Upside Down, a cooperative strategy game for 2-4 players based on the first two seasons of the show. Stranger Things: Upside Down retails for $50 and is in stock at Amazon.

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More Stranger Things Books, Merch, And More

While Stranger Things is nearing its conclusion, fans have plenty of other Stranger Things releases to check out, including numerous official books and graphic novels that flesh out the Stranger Things universe. There are even a couple of Stranger Things x D&D comic collections in trade paperback, including the newest miniseries. Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons: The Rise of Hellfire releases September 30 in paperback and is up for preorder for $20 at Amazon.

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Stranger Things Graphic Novels & Comic Collections

Experience Stranger Things Seasons 1-4 in a new medium

There’s also a new set of books that collects all the written scripts for each episode into paperback volumes. Each book costs $30 and covers a full season. Scriptbooks for the first two seasons release September 2, and Seasons 3-4 will follow on December 9.

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Stranger Things Novels

• For adult readers:
• For YA readers:

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New Stranger Things Lego Set

Along with the wide collection of reading material listed above, new Stranger Things merch is on the horizon, including a collection of four Stranger Things Lego BrickHeadz figures launching October 1 for $40.

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Looking for more tabletop games? Check out these new D&D and HeroQuest releases

As for D&D fans, there’s also the newly released Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons board game, which–as the title implies–puts a D&D spin on the award-winning horror-themed board game, Horrified. 1-5 players explore the dungeons of Undermountain and take on quests that pit them against iconic D&D monsters like The Mimic, The Beholder, The Displacer, and Red Dragon. The game was originally expected to launch August 10, but it’s already out–at Target at least–for $30. Amazon also has a store page for the game, though it’s not available to buy just yet. We had a chance to play the game ahead of launch, so be sure to check our Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons review if you want to learn more.

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If you want to try the real thing, the best place to start is the recent D&D 2024 Edition Core Rulebooks set. The new Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual are all required to play the latest edition of D&D. If you’re looking for some pre-made adventures to follow along with, there’s the recent Dragon Delves Adventure Anthology that contains 10 modules designed for characters from levels 1-12. And if you want to expand your game even further with new classes, monsters, and and more, all set in Eberron campaign setting, you can preorder the upcoming Eberron: Forge of the Artificer Rules Expansion for $30 ahead of its August 19 launch date. Check out all the D&D 2024 book below.

All Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Edition Releases

Beyond these new D&D releases, tabletop fans looking for more themed adventures should also check out the new HeroQuest: The Crypt of Perpetual Darkness Quest Pack expansion that launches in August. This set of 10 adventures is designed by actor and TTRPG super fan Joe Manganiello. The box includes new cards, dungeon tiles, dice, and a metallic Black Dragon miniature. And just like Welcome to the Hellfire Club, The Crypt of Perpetual Darkness features a heavy metal aesthetic that’s perfect for the dark fantasy adventures Manganiello cooked up. Unfortunately, it’s currently sold out at Amazon, but hopefully we’ll see a restock soon.

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Note that The Crypt of Perpetual Darkness requires the HeroQuest base game to play, which is available now for $88 (was $135), or the HeroQuest: First Light set that’s available for $50. As mentioned above, HeroQuest is a more streamlined, board-game-style TTRPG that is perfect for anyone who wants to try out TTRPGs or who prefers the more tactile, mechanics-driven experience of a tabletop game with the aesthetics and crunch of pen-and-paper games.

HeroQuest Board Game

Now that the Switch 2 has launched, we’re expecting to see more accessories for it revealed in the months to come. While an ergonomic set of controllers to replace the Joy-Con 2s would be appreciated, one creator has come up with a different–and potentially greasier–alternative that you can build for free, if you have a 3D printer. Called the GamiFries, this container allows you to clip your Joy-Cons or Switch to it, and enjoy an artery-clogging meal of McDonald’s fries during a Donkey Kong Bananza session.

The add-on is pretty simple in its design: the container is big enough for you to pop in a carton of medium-sized fries, and there’s a hole in the middle for the McDonald’s logo to peer through. The rails on the side allow for a Joy-Con 2 to be securely fitted, or you can supersize the experience to sit on either side of your Switch 2 console and then add the controller. This gives you the opportunity to devour some fries when one of your hands is free, which is a frankly terrible idea given how much grease is involved in the production of this food.

Of course, the best option here is to simply smash your face into the container and forage for food like an animal, but that might not be the best idea when you have company. Either way, you’re going to be cleaning your Switch 2 and its controllers quite often if you decide to 3D-print this game-and-eat cradle, so maybe consider dropping $85 for a Switch 2 Pro Controller or one of 8BitDo’s reliable third-party devices.

In other Switch 2 news, it’s going to be interesting to see how the console does during the lucrative holiday season, as Circana analyst Mat Piscatella expects this to be the first big test of the new Nintendo hardware following its impressive launch. The Switch 2 has sold 1.6 million units in the US for its first month–smashing a US sales record that stood for 17 years–and globally, 3.5 million units were sold in just four days. Nintendo is predicting that it will sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles during its current business year that concludes in March 2026.

Just in time for the annual EVO fighting game tournament this weekend, PlayStation has detailed more information about its upcoming wireless PS5 and PC fightstick–which we now know is called the FlexStrike–slated to launch sometime in 2026, thanks to a new PlayStation Blog post.

Originally dubbed “Project Defiant,” the PlayStation FlexStrike fight stick controller was an unexpected surprise announcement at PlayStation’s June 2025 State of Play presentation. It’s Sony’s first official fight stick, and as such, it utilizes the PlayStation Link wireless connection, which enables several cool features on the PS5, including the ability to pair a wireless PlayStation Pulse headset or earbuds for simultaneous, lag-free audio. You can also connect two FlexStrike fight sticks to one PS5 at the same time for local multiplayer.

The FlexStrike will feature an eight-button layout and a joystick with a black and white color scheme that matches the look of the PS5 and other official peripherals. According to Sony, it will feature a “sturdy, ergonomic design for a comfortable feel during intense fight sessions. It’s unclear how moddable the FlexStrike will be, but so far, Sony has confirmed it will have three different movement gates for the joystick–square, circle, or octagon–that can be swapped out without needing tools. There will be a built-in compartment for storing the extra restrictor gates and the included PS Link USB adapter when not in use.

As for the rest of the inputs, the eight main face buttons (which map to Cross, Circle, Square, Triangle, R1, R2, L1, and L2) use mechanical switches. The rest of the standard inputs from the PS5’s DualSense controller are also present on the fight stick, including:

• PS Button
• Share Button
• PlayStation Link Button
• L3 Button
• R3 Button
• Touch Pad
• Options Button

There is also a Lever Mode Switch for changing how the stick operates and a Lock Button. You’ll be able to wake up the PS5 from sleep mode using the FlexStrike’s PS Button. The FlexStrike will also include a sling carry case, which we got a glimpse of in the new PlayStation blog post.

Unfortunately, the new blog post didn’t divulge pricing, preorder information, or a specific launch date for the FlexStrike, but if you’re attending EVO 2025, you’ll be able to see the fight stick in-person during the event–though you won’t be able to actually go hands-on with the controller yet. Sony says even more details will be revealed over the coming months, so we expect to know the price and finalized release date soon. Expect preorders to open shortly thereafter.

The FlexStrike reveal is notable for several reasons, the most obvious being that this is PlayStation’s first official fight stick peripheral. The PS5 has plenty of excellent fight sticks to pick from–including PDP’s Victrix Pro FS and its leverless sibling, the Pro FS-12–but we’re curious to see how a PS5-dedicated model made specifically by Sony will stack up to the third-party options.

The June 4, 2025 PlayStation State of Play had several other exciting fighting game announcements, including the reveal of Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, a 4v4 team fighting game developed by Arc System Works and featuring a roster of Marvel characters, releasing on PS5 and PC in 2026. Digital Eclipse also announced the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection, which compiles numerous classic Mortal Kombat titles–including arcade, home console, and handheld editions–plus exclusive behind-the-scenes content. The Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection launches on PS5 and PS4 later in 2025.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated on July 28 with new information on the FlexStrike name reveal EVO 2025 information.

After a few hours with Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 remake, it became clear to me that the oft-derided developer had made something special, and the conversation about the studio was about to change. After a few hours with Bloober Team’s next game, the sci-fi horror Cronos: The New Dawn, questions about the studio’s capabilities are virtually an afterthought for me. I’m no longer wondering if the team can set and achieve lofty goals. Cronos has impressed in the two hours I’ve played it so far, and though I still have questions and will reserve my final judgment for the full game later this year, it’s clear the team has found its secret weapon in how it has designed Cronos’ combat gameplay.

When I previously saw Cronos during a hands-off showing in June, I likened its “merge system” of combat encounters to Dead Space, only played almost in reverse. Rather than strategically “cut off their limbs,” like the famous bloody wall scrawl once instructed Isaac Clarke to do, Cronos delivers its own desperate plea: “Don’t let them merge!” Enemies can absorb their defeated comrades, creating towering monstrosities that may well combine multiple classes into something more threatening.

For example, if one of the stalking husks of biomass that has blade-like appendages merges with one of the others that spews toxic bile at you, well, now you’ve got yourself a third, worse thing, offering the most horrific of both worlds. Sometimes the stakes are heightened from the get-go, with no shortage of motionless husks lying around any momentary battlefield you might find yourself in, and it may cross your mind to first burn away those buffs with a flamethrower–and maybe with a nearby fuel recharger, you can even accomplish this at times.

But the real tension of any encounter comes when you’re trying to manage not just how you’ll kill enemies, but where. With an area-of-effect blast of your flamethrower that shoots out toward the ground in a small circle, you can permanently burn the bodies and prevent them from merging into a still-active enemy. This left me constantly worrying about where defeated enemies would fall, forcing me to sometimes purposely evade, but not yet kill, the game’s monsters, or “orphans.”

Flamethrower fuel was extremely limited in my demo, so the best practice was to get a few of them to die almost on top of each other, then light them ablaze like a big sci-fi viking funeral. But that’s easier said than done, so inevitably I’d be faced with the choice to kill an enemy outright, whether its place of death was advantageous to me or not…which would then feed this felled monster back into my path as I’d watch it merge with other monsters still pursuing me.

It’s a really clever wrinkle that once more gives Bloober Team an exceptionally tense combat system to lean into. In my Silent Hill 2 remake review, I wrote abou how I’d often make it out of a fight for my life and “observed my breathing return to normal, and felt my shoulders release their tension.” Similar feelings defined my Cronos hands-on preview. Initially, I was quite proud of my smart combat decisions that did just what I was instructed to do: I wasn’t letting them merge. However, as encounters became more complicated, some merging felt like an unfortunate inevitability. I couldn’t be everywhere at once, and I didn’t have enough fuel to burn away all the bodies, so I saw more than a few merged, ambulating nightmares, which always provided the healthy kind of stress and anxiety that horror games should offer.

With a gun that slowly charges to fire off its most powerful shots, ammo scarcity went beyond just the fuel, too. I could quickly fire off multiple, weaker rounds, using up more ammo, or I could try to nail more powerful single shots, but they were sometimes very difficult to land on target, and the enemies would charge toward me in the meantime, of course. Combined with the merging enemies, this created combat encounters that demanded I constantly consider my moment-to-moment choices. Lining up shots on one particular boss’ weak points was difficult enough, and supplies were low enough, that it took me about four or five tries to finally kill the thing. Since my demo started from the game’s opening, I understood this to be the first boss of the game. Future bosses are not likely going to be more forgiving, I assume.

With gunplay and exploration taking plenty of cues from the genre’s long history, I now find myself a few months out from Cronos’ launch without much to worry about when it comes to gameplay. Upgrading my suit and weapons provided hard-fought and welcome buffs, I was constantly rewarded for going off the main path–like when I rescued a cat tied to a side quest that tasks you with saving many of them over the course of the story–and I especially loved the downbeat vibes of safe rooms, made whole with their own theme song like one of Capcom’s finest.

There’s still so much more to see before I know how the whole experience comes together. Bloober Team says the game will take about 16 hours to beat on a typical playthrough–more if you plan to see everything it offers. Cronos comes from a team of people within Bloober Team that is different from those responsible for Silent Hill 2. Naturally, the Silent Hill 2 remake enjoyed the blueprint of Team Silent’s effort, so Cronos is the studio’s chance to show it can do it all on its own. For now, at least, it seems the studio has found a way to make combat compelling and put its own original spin on the horror genre.

The biggest first-party Nintendo Switch 2 launch games are on sale for the first time at Woot as part of the retailer’s Video Game Super Sale. The Amazon-owned discount shop that has become one of the best places to get Nintendo game deals over the past year. Mario Kart World, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom are discounted by eight bucks each. Though not massive discounts, these games are pretty unlikely to be featured in official Nintendo sales anytime soon.

Make sure to browse the much, much larger list of original Switch game deals below the trio of Switch 2 deals. Woot has dozens of first-party game deals, including multiple Zelda titles, a handful of Pokemon adventures, and a wide selection of Super Mario platformers and spin-offs.

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Amazon briefly discounted Donkey Kong Bananza to $63 on July 25. We’ve included a link to it below, because it’s worth checking to see if it’s back on sale.

Nintendo Switch 2 Game Deals

If you pick up one of the Zelda games, heads up that Amazon finally has all four of the new Zelda Amiibo–and the Donkey Kong Amiibo–in stock.

Since it’s bundled with the more popular of the two Switch 2 console options, many Switch 2 owners have a digital copy of Mario Kart World already. But if you are planning to buy the Pokemon Legends: Z-A Switch 2 Console Bundle, for instance, this deal is worth considering.

If you already own the original versions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, it’s worth noting you can upgrade to the Switch 2 Editions for $10 each–and it’s definitely worth the upgrade fee. Both games have markedly improved performance on the new console.

Woot also has the original Nintendo Switch edition of Tears of the Kingdom for $48 (was $70), so you’d wind up paying $58 for the Switch 2 version after buying the upgrade pack. If you opt for this route, we’d recommend waiting until your Woot order arrives before buying the upgrade. There’s a chance you’ll get a copy from a different region. Though fully playable regardless, DLC for games must be purchased from the same region’s eShop.

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Nintendo Switch Game Deals

All of the Switch games in the list below are fully compatible with Switch 2, and some have free Switch 2 updates that improve performance and/or add new features. Many games without dedicated Switch 2 updates run noticeably better on Nintendo’s new console.

Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV launched on Switch 2 last week for $80. The Switch version is on sale for $45 (was $60) at Woot. The upgrade pack for Switch 2 is $20, so you could potentially save $15 by purchasing the original and the upgrade separately. Just like with Tears of the Kingdom, you’ll want to ensure you get a US edition before buying the DLC from the US eShop.

There are some third-party games in the alphabetized list as well. Here’s just about every Switch game deal at Woot available now:

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With Amazon carrying Nintendo games again, it seemed possible that the treasure trove of deals on Switch games at Woot would disappear. After all, the Amazon-owned discount shop’s catalog of Nintendo games expanded significantly throughout 2024. Amazon itself, meanwhile, didn’t have any Nintendo games for most of 2024. That remained true in 2025 until late June, a few weeks after the Switch 2 launch. But Amazon selling these Switch 2 games for full price (or $1 below) seemingly doesn’t impact Woot’s ability to offer deals like this–at least not at the moment.

In fact, the trio of Switch 2 game deals at Woot might indicate the offers will be even more noteworthy. All three Switch 2 games at Woot are North American editions with ESRB ratings. None of the store pages feature a disclaimer about region-free imports. This is interesting because Woot added that disclaimer to Switch game pages last year. Sometimes Woot sells imported editions from other regions. The games are always playable in English, and Nintendo Switch consoles can play games from any region. The Switch 2 is the same way–it isn’t region-locked, so you can import a game from Japan and it’ll work just fine.

At this time, Woot’s game deals for the original Switch still contain the disclaimer, but many of the store pages were created before Amazon started selling US editions of Nintendo games, accessories, and hardware. It’s possible original Switch games from Woot will always be US versions before long. For reference, when you buy a Switch game from Woot, it is shipped from an Amazon warehouse and often arrives in Amazon-branded packaging. Purchases can be made using your Amazon account.

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8BitDo’s reimagined Nintendo 64 wireless controller launches next Wednesday, July 30. The controller manufacturer confirmed the release date in an email to GameSpot. The 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller was revealed alongside the Analogue 3D last October. Analogue’s 4K Nintendo 64 has been delayed twice, and since the new gamepad was designed in collaboration with the retro hardware manufacturer, the 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth has been pushed back twice, too.

Though designed with the Analogue 3D in mind, the controller supports PC, Nintendo Switch, and Android. If you’re a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscriber, the new controller will offer a cool new way to play classic N64 games. You can preorder the 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller for $40 in white or black at Amazon.

We’ve reached out to 8BitDo about Switch 2 compatibility. A handful of the manufacturer’s controllers received firmware updates when the Switch 2 launched in June. Considering that 8BitDo’s newest Switch controllers–Ultimate 2 Bluetooth, All-Button Arcade, the upcoming Pro 3 Bluetooth–support Switch 2, we would be surprised if the 64 Controller doesn’t work on Nintendo’s new console.

The Nintendo 64 controller isn’t 8BitDo’s only exciting upcoming release. On August 12, 8BitDo will launch the Pro 3 Bluetooth Gamepad for $70. The highly customizable retro-inspired wireless controller is compatible with Nintendo Switch 2, Switch, PC, Apple devices, and Android. Check out our 8BitDo Pro 3 preorder guide for more details.

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What is the Analogue 3D?

The Analogue 3D is the premium retro hardware manufacturer’s next FPGA console. Unfortunately, preorders for the $250 console sold out last October, so interested retro gamers will want to keep an eye on potential restocks after the console launches in late August.

The console lets you play your original N64 game cartridges with hardware-accurate emulation and 100% compatibility in up to 4K resolution. The console has four controller ports for real Nintendo 64 three-prong controllers or third-party wired controllers. It does not come with a controller, though, so you’ll want to grab an 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller or another controller or two.

Preowned N64 controllers are available to purchase at GameStop. Alternatively, you can buy one of the many clones of the original controller on Amazon for cheap.

Luto is an unsettling psychological horror game filled with challenging puzzles that can sometimes leave you scratching your head for extended periods. So, whether you’d like to be guided step-by-step through this creepy horror title or simply need help solving one of its clever puzzles, we’ve got everything you need in our full game walkthrough below. Let’s dive in.

Chapter 1 – It’s Happening Again

You begin the game in a desert on Monday. Move forward until a sandstorm begins. When prompted, press the button displayed on your screen rapidly.

When you regain control in the next segment, turn around and leave the bathroom.

In the hallway, turn left and walk forward. Grab the note resting on the banister to your left, then continue forward and down the stairs on the right.

In the next room, walk forward until you reach an entryway table against the left wall. Take a document from the trash beside the table. Afterward, pick up the keys from the table and open the front door of the house.

Now, it’s Tuesday. Leave the bathroom again, then run when you’re told to.

Wednesday comes next. Leave the bathroom once more, head down the stairs again, and then interact with the sketchbook on the floor.

Now, use the other door in this room to go to the basement. Down here, head to the desk against the back wall, then pick up the card and document sitting on it.

Return to the bathroom upstairs and get the keys from the sink. Afterward, go back downstairs and open the front door once again.

It’s now Thursday. Head back downstairs again and answer the phone on the entryway table.

Go back to the basement, this time interacting with the trap door in front of the desk from before, and choose to enter it.

Chapter 2 – Beyond the Noise

Make your way down the ladder, then pass through the next two doors.

In the living room, pick up a sheet of paper from the side table, then head down the hallway to the right of it.

On your way down the stairs here, stop and pick up a card sitting in a hole in the wall. Additionally, pick up the little note from the ladder at the bottom of the stairs.

Look up at the light above you in the room with the stairs. Notice a hammer there? We need that.

How to get the hammer in Luto

Head forward and take a right to find another table with a phone on it. Pick up the sketchbook page here, then pick up the phone and press “SOS” three times.

This will cause the hammer to fall. Return to the area with the staircase and pick up the hammer from the floor. You’ll use this shortly.

Backtrack and take a left into the next hallway this time.

Down this hallway on the right is a door with clocks around it. To open this door, you need to find seven clocks.

How to solve the clock door puzzle in Luto

For a clock to count as “found”, you just need to interact with it.

Continue forward into a bathroom. Clock 1 is in the bathtub.

Leave the bathroom and walk back down the hallway. Clock 2 is leaning against the wall next to a vase in front of the glass door.

Clock 3 is located halfway up the stairs you originally came down.

Now, walk over to where you picked up the phone and look up between two wooden beams to find Clock 4.

Continue past the phone and go down the stairs. Down here, you’ll find Clock 5 in a chair.

Open the next door and follow the hallway to find yourself back in the living room. Clock 6 is beneath the side table.

From where you entered this room, head forward into the next hallway and into a lit room on the left to find a card.

Leave this room and head the way you came from, stopping at the boarded-off door. Use the hammer to remove the nails here, then enter the room. Clock 7 is on the floor here.

Gallery

Pick up the drawing beside the final clock and the card on a box in this room, then leave.

Return to the clock door, which can now be opened, and enter the next room.

Pick up a ripped note on the left and take the stuffed monkey hanging from the ceiling.

Return to the phone in the hallway. Dial the number 555-1725.

After the dialogue completes, turn and look down the hallway to see a figure that has emerged.

Dip into the room on the right and run down the hallway. Eventually, you’ll see a little toy ambulance in front of you, so follow it until it crashes into a door, then enter it and walk down the stairs.

Take the sketchbook page from the table on the left, then go through the door.

Follow the path until you reach the bathroom again. Pick up the note here, then turn around.

A coin will be floating in front of you now. Move toward it to trigger a scene.

Select any dialogue options here until you wake up inside a cave.

Make your way through the cave until you come across a familiar desert. As you did at the beginning of the game, press the button displayed on your screen rapidly when the sandstorm begins. Eventually, the screen will fade to black.

Chapter 3 – One More Time

You’re once again in the bathroom. Leave and head down the hallway, stopping to pick up the document on the right before going downstairs.

Grab the keys from the entryway table and leave through the front door.

You’ll now cycle through each day of the week. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, simply leave the bathroom and interact with the document again before heading downstairs, getting the keys, and leaving through the front door.

When Friday arrives, a door on the left in the hallway can be opened to reveal a bedroom.

Grab the sketchbook page from the desk, then interact with the corkboard. Place the monkey drawing in the slot on the lower right.

Next, place the stuffed monkey you found earlier on the bed next to the other one.

Look away, and suddenly the stuffed monkeys have disappeared. You’ll need to find them around the room now.

Where to find the stuffed monkeys in the bedroom

Find them on the bookshelf above the computer, then turn around. Find them on the fan above you, then turn around. Find them in the laundry basket to the left of the TV, then turn around. Lastly, find them on the shelf to the right of the TV. Interact with them to get an eyeball.

Gallery

Leave the room, go left down the hallway, and pick up the document on the right once more. Go downstairs, grab the keys, and leave through the front door.

You’re back in the bathroom. Head downstairs yet again. When you reach the bottom of the stairs, grab the flashlight in front of you and turn it on.

Grab the sketchbook page on the front door, then turn around. Pick up and read the stamp on the table near the stairs, then head back up to the hallway.

Upstairs, there are four descending photos on the left wall. Interact with the fourth (lowest) one to get a key. You can also grab a document from the back of the fallen picture.

Go back downstairs and open the little lockbox on the table using the key you just found. Take the tiny Entrance Door from the lockbox. Weird.

Head through the opening where the front door once was and walk down a creepy corridor until you reach a dilapidated home interior.

Make your way through this linear interior, stopping to grab a card from a metal cart along the way, then go down some stairs to another cave.

Walk through the cave until a large storage box is blocking the path forward. Move the crate out of your way, then enter the door.

Back in the house, go downstairs to answer the ringing phone.

After the dialogue finishes, repeatedly press the button to resist the darkness and head back to the living room to find a door ajar (every other door you approach will slam in your face during this segment).

Open the door and follow the corridor. Open two more doors to find a figure floating on the other side. Continue to resist during this period while walking toward the figure.

Interact with the figure and watch the scene here, then walk toward the ladder ahead.

Suddenly, the narrator will bring up the pause screen and kick you out of the game. Don’t worry: This is meant to happen.

Load back in and press “Continue.”

Walk toward the glowing figure ahead while resisting. Once you reach the figure and it disappears, stop resisting.

Chapter 1 – It’s Happening Again (revisited)

Guess what? You’re back in the bathroom.

Head to the stairs as usual and go down them. However, they will loop for a very long time. Just keep going until you come to a hole you can descend.

Chapter 4 – Thanks for Pushing Me

Head forward until you reach a door on the left leading to a room with a blue hue.

Enter the room, then pick up the sketchbook page on the left. Take note of the board on the wall here that is missing drawings. We’ll be returning later.

Leave the room for now.

Continue forward, stopping to pick up a note on your right before heading left past a boarded-off door.

Up ahead is the bathroom, which now has a tub filled with blood. Go past it and take a left at the fork. Walk up the stairs.

Pick up the drawing on the bannister.

Return to the fork and take the right path this time. Walk down the stairs.

Pick up the drawing on the floor.

Next, continue winding through this room until you reach a door with a gate. Interact with the gate and take the Golden Piece.

Go back upstairs and turn right into a hallway where only one door is cracked open. Enter the room.

Pick up the card on the desk, then go through the next door.

Take a left and head in the direction of the boarded-off door ahead. Before reaching it, stop and turn right to see a corridor full of doors.

At the end of this hallway is a door with a gate. Use the Golden Piece to open it.

Go down the stairs and interact with the door here to get the Moon and Sun Knocker and reveal another set of stairs. We’ll return here shortly.

For now, head back to where the path forked left and right. Take the right path again and enter a corridor full of doors.

Take a left while listening for a door with a ringing sound coming from within. It will be the second door on your right.

Place the Moon and Sun Knocker on this door, then use it to knock. The door will open, so head inside.

Answer the phone and go through the conversation.

Make your way through this area until you see a glowing blue door at the end of a hallway. Walk toward it, but stop to grab the drawing on a table on your right.

Go through the glowing blue door, turn right, and head toward the large gate ahead.

Open the gate and pass through it, follow the stairs down, and grab the Silver Piece from the shrine.

Go back upstairs and backtrack. Eventually, you’ll see a ghost pass in front of a door. Head through that door, take a right, and make your way toward another open door.

The ghost will attack you, sending you into a dialogue scene. Select your choices, then you’ll wake up the cave yet again.

Continue forward until you once again reach a glowing figure. Resist until you reach the figure, then stop resisting.

And you’re back in the bathroom again. Surprise!

Leave the bathroom and return to the room with the blue hue where you saw the board with missing drawings.

How to solve the drawings puzzle in Luto

You have to place the drawings in the correct spots:

• “Look for the signs amidst all the noise” – Drawing of Strange Symbols
• “Find the childhood that hides from pain” – Drawing of Two Monkeys
• “Escape for the false prison of memories” – Drawing of a Canarian House

Now, leave the room and take a left. Follow the path back around to where it forks. Take the left path and go upstairs.

There’s now a glowing red room at the top with a videotape in a window. Interact with it to make it fall downstairs.

Turn around to see a figure has spawned behind you. It won’t bother you, so just walk past it and make your way back down the stairs.

In a basket by the bathroom ahead is the videotape. Pick it up.

Follow the path back around to a room with a bunch of TVs.

A TV located in the center of the room says “No Signal,” so interact with it and place the videotape inside the built-in VCR.

You’ll now be controlling a character on the TV.

Go down the stairs nearby, then take some more stairs on the left.

You’ll eventually see some TVs with symbols before the screen goes black and resets you somewhere else.

Walk through a sequence of pathways that will constantly reset. Eventually, you’ll leave the TV and be yourself (?) again.

A new door will now be open directly in front of you, but you don’t need to enter it currently.

Leave the TV room, then take an immediate right. Go back through the door you opened earlier with the Golden Piece and follow it all the way to the end to reach three TVs.

How to solve the TV symbols puzzle in Luto

Interact with the glowing red TVs and enter the following symbols from top to bottom:

• Top TV – Spiral
• Middle TV – Single middle line with two half-circles on top and bottom
• Bottom TV – Three triangles (tri-force)

A door will now open. Go through it.

Follow the left path around until you find a figure wearing glasses in front of a red static screen. Take Sam’s Broken Glasses.

Turn around to go back. You’ll soon fall through a hole.

Walk forward, then look to the right and grab the sketchbook page from the banister. Now head back left.

Follow the path back to the room with all of the TVs. Leave the room and go forward, heading to the left of the boarded-off door. to reach the fork again.

Take the right path and go down the stairs to the room with all the sketches.

Pick up the sketchbook page from the crate ahead, then take note of the monkeys once again. Here we go.

Where to find the stuffed monkeys in the sketch room

Look at the monkeys hanging from the crate, then turn around. Find the monkeys to the right of the crate on a shelf next to a basketball, then turn around. Find the monkeys hanging from the ceiling behind a sketch, then turn around. Find the monkeys on the ground behind a sketch near a gated door, then turn around. Find the monkeys on a crate near the last spot you found them.

Gallery

Pick up Isaac’s Deflated Ball.

Now, go over to the gated door and use the Silver Piece to open it. Downstairs, make your way through the linear path until you reach a red valve on a metal cart. Pick it up.

Leave the way you came. The screen will start shaking, closing off the door you originally used to come through here. Instead, there’s now a small hole you can enter.

Walk forward, pick up the coin, and pay no mind to the red spider that pops up. At the end of the corridor, move the crate out of your way.

Go down the stairs in the maintenance hallway here to reach a red pipe where you can attach the valve. This will allow you to stop the blood from flowing down the ladder in front of you.

Go down the ladder and walk forward. Pick up Joel’s Dull Heart.

Go back up and head into the section with the flickering blue light.

Directly to your right is an open door leading into a room with a rocking chair and a chest on a table.

First, grab the sketchbook page on the table to your right, then the note on the table near the rocking chair.

Place the Entrance Door into the door slot located on the photo on the wall.

Now, you need to find a way to open the chest.

How to open the chest for the mum’s items puzzle in Luto

The note you picked up a moment ago gives you hints on how to get the combination for the lock by counting items around the room. But if you want to bypass that process, enter the number: 3715.

You’ll hear a knock at the tiny door in the frame. Open it. Take Eva’s Shattered Photograph from inside.

Return once again to the maintenance hall and back down the stairs where the large gate was. You’ll know it’s the right spot if says “House of Lost Dreams” above it.

You now have the four items needed to solve the puzzle that awaits you at the bottom.

How to solve the House of Lost Dreams puzzle in Luto

You need to place four items on the trays beneath the paintings in this room. There are clues to be found in your sketchbook, but you can skip that altogether using the solutions below:

• El Amanecer – Eva’s Shattered Photograph
• El Mediodia – Isaac’s Deflated Ball
• La tarde – Sam’s Broken Glasses
• La noche – Joel’s Dull Heart

After placing the items, attempt to leave. A levitating figure will appear, so resist by pressing the button on your screen as usual. Keep doing so as you approach the figure, then interact with it to trigger a scene.

When you try to leave again, a painting will fall off the wall to reveal a hole you can pass through.

Make your way down the claustrophobic hallway of pictures for a while until the screen goes black, sending you back to… the bathroom again.

Leave the bathroom and start down the hallway. A figure will appear and drop into a picture on the floor. Follow it through.

You’re back in the bathroom, of course. Leave again and walk forward a bit, but do not enter the frame this time. Instead, turn around to find a new staircase has appeared where the bathroom once was.

Go down the stairs and through a door into a flooded hallway.

At the split, go left. Take a left down a short hallway and enter the door here.

When presented with two small hallways, each leading to doors, choose the one with the House For Sale sign near it.

Walk down a hallway, turn right to find two more small hallways with doors, and again choose the left one with the House For Sale sign near it.

You’ll enter an eerie scene with a figure in front of a moon. Walk toward the moon until the scene ends.

Continue through the claustrophobic hallway of pictures until you emerge from the bathroom mirror, then take the note from the door here.

Leave the bathroom. You’ll be attacked by the figure again.

Choose your dialogue options, then you’ll be back in the desert, where you’ll need to work your way back into the house.

Run toward the figure in the distance while resisting. It will disappear when you reach it, but you’ll be able to look around and spot another one. Keep running (while resisting) toward it until you reach it, then the screen will close in and… well, you can probably guess where you’re headed.

Yeah, you’re back in the bathroom.

Turn around and pick up the coin. Then take a few steps back and enter the door leading into a dark hallway.

Chapter 5 – Playing with the Truth

Continue forward and down a set of stairs, then take a right and follow the path around to a set of stairs going up.

Take the card on the ground at the top of the stairs, then take a left here, and take the stairs leading down on your right at the end of the hallway.

In the next room, take the sketchbook page from the table on the right.

Up ahead is another fork. Go to the right first and take a card sitting atop a painting, then head back around and go left to grab the Staff Key at the dead end.

Backtrack to the level above you and walk forward through the hallway to a door that says “Staff Only”. Use the Staff Key to open the door.

In the Staff Room, wrap around to the left and take the videotape from the stack of boxes, then leave the Staff Room.

Walk forward until you find a white door on the left just past the staircase.

Interact with the white door multiple times until it finally opens.

Inside the next room, touch the TV to insert the videotape, and then you’ll find yourself within it as you were before.

Walk forward and interact with the figure with an “O” above its head to make it disappear, then continue ahead until you reach a room with multiple figures with letters above their heads.

In this segment, you’ll need to solve a hangman puzzle.

How to solve the hangman puzzle

On the left of the TV are six sheets of paper. You need to spell a specific word by touching the figures with the correct letters above their heads. Below these six sheets is another sheet of paper with a game of hangman that will advance each time you pick an incorrect letter. Once the hangman is finished, you’ll be kicked out of the TV and have to start over.

As usual, referring to your sketchbook can help you solve this puzzle, but for the sake of moving things along, the correct letters are R-O-M-P-E-R.

The figures are scattered throughout various rooms within the TV world, so take your time and be thorough. It can take a while to find every letter needed.

When you complete the puzzle, you’ll leave the TV.

Leave the room and start backtracking down the stairs toward where the chapter started. At the bottom of the stairs, turn left and enter the door here.

Turn right and walk down the hallway of doors. Sprint down this hallway until you hit a box that says “Load Level”, causing the screen to go black.

Chapter 22 – A Mouth Full of Sand Can’t Scream

You’ll wake up in a very dark room. Look around for a coin in the distance and walk toward it.

Collect the coin, then head back toward the light behind you until the screen goes black and you start over.

This time, listen for a weird sound in the distance and make your way in its direction.

Eventually, you’ll come across a radio. Interact with it to make it disappear.

Afterward, there will be two more radios to find in the darkness. Follow the sounds to them. Interacting with one of these will spawn a dog bed in the light with a second sketchbook page. The other will be near a table with a sketchbook page you can pick up before you get close to it. It will disappear on its own.

When the final radio disappears, you’ll spawn in front of a glowing, levitating figure. Resist as usual, pressing forward until you can reach the figure and interact with it to end the sequence.

Follow the sound once more to a final radio. Interact with this one to bring up a frequency slider. Move the slider below 53 AM and wait a few moments.

A figure will appear and spawn a “Load Level” box in front of you. Enter it.

You’re back in the hallway of doors. Walk forward and enter the open door on the left.

In this room are two boxes: Forward and Backward. It’s puzzle time.

How to solve the forward and backward puzzle

This one is easier than it looks at a glance.

At the end of this area is a major Out of Bounds gap that will teleport you back to the start of the room when touched. The Forward and Backward boxes here will make all the toy ambulances in the room go, well, forward or backward.

Spot a toy ambulance on the floor by the door you first entered. Pass through the Backward box, then follow that toy ambulance through the room while bypassing the Forward box altogether.

As the toy ambulance reaches the Out of Bounds gap, walk atop it and ride it across to the other side.

If you mess up and find the toy ambulance is lost on the other side of the Out of Bounds gap, just use the Forward box to bring it back to you and start over.

Enter the door ahead and turn left. Answer the phone down the hall, listen to the dialogue, then hang up.

Turn around and go up the staircase (where you initially got the hammer earlier in the game).

At the top of the stairs, turn left and go through the door here, then walk toward the Play Music box ahead.

Walk through this corridor, climb the ladder at the end, and interact with the trap door at the top a few times.

The narrator will once again kick you out. As last time, this is normal.

Load back in and press “Continue” multiple times to cycle through the narrator’s dialogue. This can take a while. Eventually, a scene will begin.

After the scene, you’ll be inside a game called 30/03. This functions as a mini-game where you have to avoid red spiders while collecting hearts to deposit in the center of a building. While there’s a trophy/achievement for beating it, failing is the primary method of moving forward in the story, so pause the game and choose to exit.

Once this sequence ends, you’ll be back in the bathroom, which shouldn’t surprise you at all by now.

Leave the bathroom and head toward the Trigger Title box ahead. Before you reach it, dip into the area on the left to grab a sketchbook page.

Enter the Trigger Title box.

Chapter 3 – One More Time (revisited)

Open the first door you come to, then head to the end of the room and pick up the keys.

Leave the room, continue down the hallway, and walk down the stairs. Interact with the front door.

Head forward into the bathroom, then turn around and re-enter the Trigger Title box.

Go downstairs again and pass through the Change Day box at the front door.

Wrap around and walk through the Increase Speed box, then follow the path until you enter a room with a lot of doors with words above them.

Enter the Teleport door.

Walk through the Play Music and Light Candles boxes.

When presented with a choice to go left or right, choose either. They both lead to the same place.

Walk all the way forward to a metal cart and pick up a card.

Now head down the path and through the gate under the words “House of Lost Dreams”. At the end of this area, you’ll drop back down into the room with all the doors.

Walk around the side of this area to spot a radio on a table. Pick it up. This is Joel’s Radio. You can take it out and tune it a second time for a trophy/achievement if you wish.

Afterward,

Work in progress.

Are you curious about New Game Plus in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers? This mode is a staple in soulslike and role-playing games, letting you restart your adventure with the goodies that you’ve found during your first playthrough. That said, there are some caveats that might surprise you with how Wuchang handles this concept. Oh, and before we continue, please be reminded that this article contains minor spoilers.

What to expect in New Game Plus in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

New Game Plus mode is unlocked after completing the campaign and obtaining an ending. After the end credits roll, you’ll be sent back to the main menu. Unfortunately, we’re not allowed to show an image just yet, but you should see an option called “Causality Reversal,” which is the term that the game uses for New Game Plus mode.

Should you start New Game Plus mode?

Here’s the surprising part: You’re actually forced to start Wuchang: Fallen Feathers’ New Game Plus mode after beating the game.

It doesn’t matter if you pick “Causality Reversal,” “Continue,” or “Load Game.” All these options bring you back to the game’s intro for a New Game Plus run. Worse, your original save file will be overwritten, too.

This can be a bit problematic, especially if you missed a few items or spells during your initial playthrough. It’s also different from how other games handled this feature–i.e. there’s an option to try New Game Plus via the main menu, but you can still load your original save.

Is there a way to avoid New Game Plus mode?

If you’re not ready yet for New Game Plus in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, you need to have a backup save before you conclude the campaign. This is how we did our workaround for the PC (Steam) version of the game:

• Prior to obtaining an ending, we exited the game so we could have a backup of the save state.
• The files/folders that you need are in the “C:Users[username]AppDataLocalProject_Plague” directory.
• Copy the whole “Saved” folder and place it somewhere else.

If you need to revert to a previous state, simply place the “Saved” folder in the “Project_Plague” directory and overwrite everything there. Then, launch Wuchang and pick “Load Game” from the main menu.

The save file might say “Causality Reversal 1”–i.e. New Game +1–but that’s fine. This is mostly due to cloud functionality. Upon loading it, you should find yourself at the same spot as your original save.

What carries over and what changes in New Game Plus?

Here’s what you can expect in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers’ New Game Plus mode:

• You carry over all your equipment/gear pieces, Red Mercury, unlocked skills, spells, temperance needles, and the like.
• Enemies will be tougher this time around.
• Jade Pendants and Benedictions that you pick up have a +1 coefficient, which means their effects are more potent.
• Vendors still sell the same items. You can’t purchase stuff that can’t have duplicates–i.e. spells.
• If you loot items that can’t have duplicates–i.e. Manna Vase upgrades and spells–you’ll receive Red Mercury-related materials instead.
• Panda Bamboozlings/Bamboo Shoots and Inner Demons that you killed before will respawn in the same locations. You should be able to amass more of their rewards.
• You have to reacquire quest items. You can tackle quests that you weren’t able to complete previously.

That does it for our guide on New Game Plus in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. We hope you’re well prepared if you want to continue your adventure. If you’re still looking for other gear pieces, you can take a look at our best weapons and armors/outfits guide.

Finding the best weapon loadout in Killing Floor 3 is easier said than done. The feature is a first for the series, and with it comes a plethora of new guns to learn and get used to. With a total of 24 primary weapons–four for each of the six perks–some guidance is necessary.

In order to craft mods, you’ll need to gather resources. This is a time-consuming task, meaning that investing in the wrong places can cost you. It is possible to recycle crafted mods, but only for a fraction of the original cost. Don’t fret, though, as we’ve gathered the best weapon loadouts in Killing Floor 3, picking the most essential option for each perk in the process.

Best Weapon Loadout for the Commando Perk

Most weapons in Killing Floor 3 have a futuristic twist, but the SCAR EIR gets fairly close to the traditional guns of old. This assault rifle touts high precision, with relatively low recoil. It’s a great all-rounder option that’s on a high tier but doesn’t cost as much as the Knightsbridge. That being said, handling, recoil, and penetration power are quite low.

Here’s the best weapon loadout for the SCAR EIR in Killing Floor 3:

• Ammunition: Armor Piercing Rounds
• Barrel: Muzzle Brake
• Underbarrel: Laser Sight
• Sight: Reflex Sight
• Magazine: Lightweight Mag
• Internal: Fast Action Receiver

Starting with the ammunition, you have quite a few different elemental types to choose from. The Armor Piercing Rounds add a punch of stumble affliction, but most importantly, they also increase damage and penetration power. They reduce accuracy, but the Muzzle Brake and Laser Sight help to mitigate this.

Meanwhile, the Reflex Sight improves recoil, accuracy, and zoom critical damage, while also increasing handling considerably. The Lightweight Mag is a great option to improve reload speed, and lastly, the Fast Action Receiver will grant some additional fire rate.

Best Weapon Loadout for the Firebug Perk

A Firebug wouldn’t be complete without a flamethrower. While the other three weapons are more hybrid in nature, the Incinerator M7 does exactly what you expect it to–spread fire. As you can imagine, though, its default version is lacking in several departments.

Here’s the best weapon loadout for the Incinerator M7 in Killing Floor 3:

• Ammunition: Tar Fuel
• Barrel: Focused Nozzle
• Underbarrel: Incendiary Launcher
• Magazine: Condensed Fuel Tank
• Internal: Slowed Tick Receiver

Starting with the ammunition, the Tar Fuel increases the scale and duration of the area of effect. It decreases damage, but we’ll be compensating this. The Focused Nozzle reduces the scale of area of effect, which is already compensated, while also improving the effective range of the weapon.

If you don’t want the handling penalty that comes with the underbarrel, you can skip this. That being said, the Incendiary Launcher adds a grenade launcher as an additional fire mode, which definitely comes in handy with bigger enemies. Plus, the mod increases damage and duration of the area of effect, while also improving burn and panic affliction. The grenade launcher itself has a ton of damage, so that’s a plus as well.

Lastly, the Condensed Fuel Tank reduces the mag size slightly but improves handling and reload speed. For that extra damage, the Slowed Tick Receiver will bring the build home.

Best Weapon Loadout for the Engineer Perk

It’s a grenade launcher. What else is there to say. The G33 packs a punch, but it definitely relies more on its sheer force than on trying to balance its shortcomings. Thankfully, some mods can help with this, making it an excellent choice for the Engineer.

Here’s the best weapon loadout for the G33 in Killing Floor 3:

• Ammunition: Enfeebling Smoke Grenades
• Barrel: Extended Barrel
• Sight: Red Dot Sight
• Magazine: Three Round Cylinder
• Internal: Aluminum Alloy Receiver

The ammunition category offers multiple options. After much deliberation, the Enfeebling Smoke Grenades seem to be the best choice. Dealing damage over time through clouds of smoke doesn’t sound as enticing, but it compensates for this with quite a few stats. It adds overall damage, as well as damage, duration, and scale of area of effect, and both enfeeble and stun afflictions.

Then, you should pair up the attachment with the Red Dot Sight for better accuracy, recoil, and zoom critical damage. The Extended Barrel hits the handling, but also improves projectile speed and accuracy. Don’t worry, though, as the Three Round Cylinder improves both handling and reload speed in exchange for mag size. Lastly, the Aluminum Alloy Receiver decreases bash damage but improves fire rate and handling considerably.

Best Weapon Loadout for the Sharpshooter Perk

The Sharpshooter has a quite viable options to pick from. ESR 36 rifle, though, is a great rapid-fire sniper. It’s not great out of the box with its low penetration power and high recoil–it doesn’t even have a scope!–but it can be improved.

Here’s the best weapon loadout for the ESR 36 in Killing Floor 3:

• Ammunition: Armor Piercing Rounds
• Barrel: Compensator
• Underbarrel: Enhanced Foregrip
• Sight: Sniper Scope
• Magazine: Lightweight Mag
• Internal: Precision Receiver

The Armor Piercing Rounds add a punch of stumble affliction, but most importantly, they also increase damage and penetration power. They reduce accuracy, but the Enhanced Foregrip is meant to counter that. That mod, alongside the Compensator, also reduces recoil.

The Sniper Scope is a must to bring the weapon’s main purpose to fruition, and it also improves accuracy and zoom critical damage. Lastly, the Lightweight Mag reduces mag size slightly while making reload speed better, and the Precision Receiver increases the fire rate while also adding to the recoil decrease.

Best Weapon Loadout for the Ninja Perk

The blade options for the Ninja are great, but don’t underestimate the Kunai. They’re fast and accurate, and with the right mods, you’ll also get to improve the weapon’s shortcomings.

Here’s the best weapon loadout for the Kunai in Killing Floor 3:

• Coating: Stunning Coating
• Grip: Smooth Grip
• Blade: Lightweight Blade
• Pommel: Whistler Pommel Ring
• Quiver: Expanded Ammo Pouch

There are multiple coating options, but the Stunning Coating is short and to the point, adding stun affliction to attacks without any stat drawbacks. Then, the Smooth Grip improves project speed and accuracy, adds damage when you throw the Kunai, and sprinkles a bit of stumble affliction as well.

Meanwhile, the Lightweight Blade improves attack speed for both melee and ranged attacks, adds bleed affliction, and improves projectile speed. The Whistler Pommel Ring also improves the latter, while adding accuracy and penetration power. Lastly, the Expanded Ammo Pouch decreases ranged attack speed, which is heavily countered by the other attachments, while also increasing max ammo.

Best Weapon Loadout for the Medic Perk

Who says the Medic isn’t allowed to pack a punch while also acting as a vital support role for the group. The LF-85 is an excellent weapon for this reason–it has a high fire rate and accuracy, a massive mag size, and the healing darts are recharged by dealing damage. It’s an expensive purchase during matches, but once you have it, you’ll be set for the rest of the match.

Here’s the best weapon loadout for the LF-85 in Killing Floor 3:

• Ammunition: Efficient Battery Formulation
• Barrel: Penetrating Barrel
• Underbarrel: Enhanced Foregrip
• Sight: Reflex Sight
• Magazine: Primary Battery Booster
• Internal: Overlocked Receiver

Starting with the ammunition, the Efficient Battery Formulation decreases primary damage slightly, but adds accuracy and ammo efficiency for the primary shot. Then, the Penetrating Barrel says what it says on the tin and adds penetration power. It decreases the primary fire rate, but we’ll compensate for it later.

Meanwhile, the Enhanced Foregrip improves recoil and accuracy. The Reflex Sight doubles down on both stats, while also adding a substantial improvement to handling and some zoom critical damage. Lastly, the Primary Battery Booster increases primary mag size while decreasing reload speed and secondary mag size. Remember that you need to shoot and deal damage to recharge the healing darts, so it’s worth the trade-off. If you’re worried about fire rate and damage, the Overclocked Receiver is there to improve both.

Best of luck fighting back the ZED invasion!

Have you been waiting to hear any news of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond recently? Well, you might be in luck because the upcoming game has recently been given an age rating, suggesting that it may be getting a release date pretty soon.

As spotted by VGC, a listing for Metroid Prime 4 has gone up on South Korea’s classification board where it is currently rated for “ages 12 and up” due to mild violence. The content of the listing itself doesn’t reveal much else about the content of the game, but the filing does suggest that Metroid Prime 4 is indeed closing in on the finish line and could still stand to release later this year, where it’s being pegged as a holiday release at the moment.

Additionally, VGC reports that the listing comes around the same time that it’s been hearing of an imminent Nintendo Direct, where it is believed that a formal release date will finally be provided.

It’s been a long road for Metroid Prime 4. Initially announced at E3 in 2017, the game has changed developers and undergone at least one reboot before being re-announced with the subtitle Beyond back in 2024. Since then, there’s been a steady drip of information, including the game’s first hands-on previews earlier this year, as well as a bizarre advertisement in the London Underground that falsely claimed the game was “out now.”

Now, Metroid Prime 4 seems likely to launch by the end of 2025 on both the Nintendo Switch, which it was first announced for, and its successor, the Switch 2.

Epic Games apparently removed passive XP gains from Fortnite’s main Battle Royale and Zero Build modes on Thursday afternoon, in the midst of its Summer Road Trip event that will award a free Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 car body for gaining XP to complete a series of daily quests. Playing Battle Royale had awarded 550 XP per minute, or a little less than half a level per hour, just for existing in the game mode–but that’s no longer the case.

While this certainly is a bit of a nerf, it’s actually not typical for Battle Royale and Zero Build to give passive XP. In fact, passive XP was only just added to those modes at the beginning of the current season–before then, we lived without it. The change had made leveling the battle pass this season meaningfully faster.

Assuming the change will stick for a while, there are two fairly obvious potential reasons for the change. The Summer Road Trip event is one of them, since its quests simply require gaining XP to complete. You only need to gain eight total levels across these quests, so the lack of passive XP in BR probably won’t slow anyone down very much. Another possibility is that we’re approaching the end of Chapter 6 Season 4, and this change will make it a little tougher for folks who are just now getting started on the battle pass to catch up before the season ends on August 7.

When Chapter 6 Season 3 ends on August 7, it’ll also mark the end of the current seasons of Fortnite OG and Lego Fortnite. In other words, it’ll be a pretty eventful season launch. In fact, there’s even an end-of-season event ahead.

The Switch 2 has had some impressive early sales numbers, quickly proving to be one of the biggest console launches of all time, but one of its sales figures is particularly notable. Purchases of the premium-priced Pro Controller have been surprisingly high, with almost one-third of all early Switch 2 purchasers also picking up the $85 accessory.

The statistic was picked up by Circana industry analyst Mat Piscatella, who reported that the Switch 2 Pro Controller saw a 32% attach rate during the Switch 2’s launch month–that is to say, 32% of people buying a Switch 2 also picked up the $85 premium controller. Piscatella also reports that the Switch 2 Pro Controller was June’s best-selling accessory in dollars.

Game File reports that an estimated 512,000 Pro Controllers were sold in the US in the first month of the Switch 2’s release, which is a huge number considering the luxury controller isn’t necessary for playing the console or any of its launch games, and the original Switch’s Pro Controller is also compatible. It’s also worth noting that the Pro Controller saw a $5 price hike after its announcement, likely due to concerns around Trump’s import tariffs.

Of course, the kind of consumer who is buying a console at launch is likely to be the same kind of consumer who splurges on extra accessories, so the Pro Controller’s adoption rate is unlikely to stay this high for long, but it’s still an impressive sales stat for the brand-new console.

Speaking with IGN, Piscatella gave the caveat that it’s difficult to predict how well a console will do throughout its lifespan from its early sales, as early sales usually just reflect how much supply the company has made available. That’s not to say the Switch 2’s numbers aren’t still impressive, with Piscatella calling the console’s launch month sales a “helluva good start” towards long-lasting success.

As part of its San Diego Comic-Con showcase, Lego has unveiled the next large-scale Batman building set for adults and collectors. Batman Arkham Asylum is a massive 2,953-piece Lego interpretation of the psychiatric hospital in Gotham City where many of the Caped Crusader’s longtime foes are often confined (before escaping again). This highly detailed recreation of Arkham Asylum comes with 16 minifigures and has a modular design that Lego says can double as a 24-day buildable Advent Calendar.

Lego DC Batman Arkham Asylum launches September 9 and is available to preorder for $300 exclusively at the Lego Store.

San Diego Comic-Con Lego Sets

Arkham Asylum is one of several exciting Lego sets making its debut at SDCC. Lego also unveiled its Game Boy building set, a 421-piece replica of the original Nintendo Game Boy. The Lego Game Boy releases October 1, the same day as the newly announced Stranger Things BrickHeadz. The four-pack of buildable figures is only the second Stranger Things Lego set–the first launched back in 2019–and arrives just in time for the long-awaited final season on Netflix. Lego will also expand its lineup of Wicked building sets with six new products, including display models for adults and playsets, on September 1.

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Batman Lego Sets Available Now

The new Arkham Asylum display model joins the existing catalog of cool Lego sets featuring the Caped Crusader, Gotham’s biggest villains, many different variations of the Batmobile, and other Gotham City landmarks.

Arkham Asylum isn’t the only Batman Lego set launching soon. You can bide the time until September by picking up the Batman Forever Batmobile. The 909-piece recreation of the unique design from the 1995 film launches August 1 and costs $100. It’s one of many Batman Lego sets that focus on the Batmobile or one of his other stylish rides like the Bat-Pod from The Dark Knight Trilogy. The Bat-Pod is available in a pretty awesome set with a Batman Construction Figure for $48 (was $65) at Walmart. Meanwhile, the retired Lego Technic: Batcycle from The Batman (2022) is only available at Walmart and on sale for $40 (was $50).

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The Arkham Asylum set will be one of the most elaborate Batman Lego sets in the current lineup. It doesn’t have the most pieces, though. That honor goes to Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City, a large piece of 3D wall art featuring the skyline. It retails for the same $300 price as Arkham Asylum, but it has 4,210 pieces. The Arkham Asylum build will likely be more dynamic, though, as these 3D art pieces have high piece counts partly because of all of the tiny bricks that create the backdrops.

Moving beyond Lego, Batman fans should also check out the upcoming Amazon-exclusive Steelbook Library Edition of The Dark Knight Trilogy. It comes with four steelbook cases, a bunch of collectibles, and metal case to store and display all of it. Take a look at our preorder guide for more details.

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Resident Evil is lurching back into theaters next year in a new film by Barbarian and Weapons director Zach Cregger. In an interview, Cregger spoke about how he grew up playing the Resident Evil games, and how that love for the Capcom franchise has guided his vision for this new film adaptation of it.

“I played all of the games. I played Resident Evil 4 a hundred times through. I’m obsessed with it. And so, I just want to tell a story that feels like it’s honoring the experience you get when you play the games,” Cregger said to ComicBook. “I haven’t seen the movies; that’s just not my thing. But the games are my thing. That’s just a playground I just love–I think the movie is going to rip.”

All but one of the previous live-action Resident Evil films were directed by Paul WS Anderson. They were very loose adaptations of the games, remixing ideas from them with original storylines centered around Milla Jovovich’s character of Alice. Cregger doesn’t want to be slavishly obedient to the lore of the games, but as he explained in a separate interview earlier this month, he isn’t planning to break “any major rules” of the franchise with his spin on it. Overall, the director says that he just wants to “tell a story that just feels authentic to the experience you get when you play the games.”

In the video game department, the next Resident Evil game is scheduled to be released in February 2026. Resident Evil: Requiem will see players travel back to the ruins of Raccoon City for a new survival-horror experience, and it’ll be coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. A mobile spin-off game called Resident Evil: Survival Unit is also in development, and Cregger’s Resident Evil film is targeting a September 18 release date next year.

Easily one of the most popular manga and anime of the last decade, My Hero Academia is getting a brand-new video game that’ll cover the final arc of this beloved comic book-inspired series. Called My Hero Academia: All’s Justice, the 3D fighting game is planned to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X in the near future. While we’re still waiting on a release date, preorders for the game are already live, and you can reserve a physical copy for $60 at multiple online retailers.

If you’re unfamiliar with My Hero Academia, the series began as a manga written by Kōhei Horikoshi and was then adapted into the now-popular anime series. My Hero Academia takes place in a world where certain people have superpowers, known as “Quirks.” This has given rise to a new era of superheroes who protect the people from villains who use their quirks for crime, and the greatest of these public defenders is All Might. The series’ protagonist, Izuku Midoriya, dreams of becoming a hero, but was born without a Quirk. However, a chance encounter with All Might allows him to inherit the ailing hero’s powers, which makes him eligible to enroll at the prestigious UA Academy for upcoming superheroes.

My Hero Academia quickly became a smash hit in print and on TV thanks to its likeable everyman protagonist, colorful supporting cast, and a Japanese take on western comic books, and it will be interesting to see how the new My Hero Academia: All’s Justice 3D fighting game will adapt the elements and expand upon the previously released 3D MHA fighting games released so far.

While waiting for My Hero Academia: All Justice, you can catch up on the anime saga, as most of it is available on Blu-ray. So far, all six seasons and the first half of the seventh season are available at Amazon. Check the list below to see all the Blu-ray releases available now.

If you’d prefer to start with the manga source material, the best way to do so is with a box set that bundles together the first 20 volumes. Amazon has it on sale for $90 (was $180), and it comes with a full-color double-sided poster and an exclusive 48-page booklet featuring never-before-seen bonus illustrations and author commentary.

My Hero Academia Anime and Manga Deals

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The talent behind Critical Role have previously hinted at their collective desire to create a video game. Now, it’s finally happening as Critical Role has partnered up with AdHoc, the developer behind the upcoming superhero action-RPG Dispatch.

According to Variety, the new game will be set in Exandria, the world that was created for Critical Role’s fantasy campaigns. Critical Role’s Travis Willingham also indicated that characters from the Vox Machina, Mighty Nein, and Bells Hells could appear, but the story “would have to be something brand new.”

Willingham was instrumental in bringing AdHoc into co-development on the new game after he was cast in Dispatch. He noted that Critical Role wants to follow Dispatch’s template and open up the narrative based on player choices.

“We’re tossing around ideas, what are we thinking about in terms of scope and budget, and some of the things we must have,” said Willingham. “You are going to want to see your favorite characters.”

The actor went on to explain that Critical Role doesn’t see its new endeavor as a AAA title, and the team wants to complete the game in a faster timeframe than the typical five-year cycle for larger projects.

Earlier this year, Critical Role’s Darrington Press hired two of the designers behind Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition to create new fantasy projects for the company. More recently, Critical Role lined up a collaboration with Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Every mainline Final Fantasy game introduces its own lore and cast of characters to the franchise, and Final Fantasy XVI is no exception. Set in Valisthea, a world of magic, cruel gods, and powerful Eikons, Final Fantasy XVI features one of the most mature and gritty settings of the mainline series–but still offers the expansive worldbuilding and fantastical themes the series is known for, along with unique interpretations of Final Fantasy staples like Moogles, Chocobos, crystals, and more. If you want to learn more about Valisthea, you can revisit Final Fantasy XVI’s setting with the upcoming Logos: The World of Final Fantasy XVI. As the title implies, this hardcover book will offer a deeper look at Final Fantasy XVI’s many kingdoms, factions, and characters when it launches on March 31, 2026. Preorders are discounted to $39.80 (normally $45) at Amazon.

If you’re looking to build your own Final Fantasy library, you can pair Logos: The World of Final Fantasy XVI with the The Art of Final Fantasy XVI. Published last year, the massive hardcover art book offers hundreds of pages of concept art, illustrations, and behind-the-scenes development materials for the game. The book is currently on sale for just $22, a nice 45% discount compared to its normal $40 price. There’s also the Final Fantasy XVI Poster Art Collection book, which collects 33 posters featuring illustrations from the games, including pieces of the main characters, the Eikon summons, and more. Normally $35, it’s on sale for $20.44.

Of course, the best way to experience Final Fantasy XVI’s world first-hand is with the games itself. If you’re on PS5, you can grab it for $24.88 (was $40) at Amazon, while PC players can get it for $50 on GMG. While this gets you the base game–which will take you through the main story featuring Clive’s struggle to free the world of Valisthea from the control of the giant, magical Mothercrystals–Final Fantasy XVI has also received two paid DLC expansions, Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide, that add additional side stories that flesh out the world with new characters, dungeons, side-quests, and unlockable abilities for Clive to master. These are available as separate purchases on PS5 via the PlayStation Store, while PC players can purchase the $70 Complete Edition, which includes the base game, both DLC chapters, and a few extra in-game items.

Final Fantasy XVI Book And Game Deals

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