From Red and Blue to Scarlet and Violet, Pokémon is known for often launching its games with two different versions — and now, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has discussed one of the reasons why: to try and rival the sales of his own creation, Super Mario.

Since its inception on the Game Boy, Pokémon has typically released its mainline games twice, ensuring diehard fans pay double to own both varieties. Over the years, the decision has proven lucrative — and, of course, that was the plan all along.

Speaking during an investor Q&A meeting this week, in response to a question about whether Mario Kart's enormous sales could ever be lapped, Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto said he'd once spoken to Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri and heard his plan to beat Mario.

"A long time ago, before creating the first Pokémon game, Satoshi Tajiri, the director of Pokémon, joked with me that to surpass Nintendo's Mario he'd have to sell two copies of the game to each consumer," Miyamoto revealed.

"That is one reason why Pokémon started with both Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue," he continued. "I believe that new ideas are born precisely because of people like him, who challenge themselves to surpass what came before."

In the past, official discussion of why Pokémon frequently arrives in two flavors has centered on the possibilities for player interaction this opens up. Each Pokémon version traditionally offers a different set of creatures to collect, encouraging players to meet and trade. More recent Pokémon games have also offered minor story differences between versions, tempting fans to play both games for the full experience. And, frequently, Nintendo has sold double packs of the two versions together, sometimes at a slight discount.

As for whether any game could ever actually beat Mario Kart — and specifically, the enormous sales of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch 1 — Miyamoto was coy.

"If some Nintendo IP or innovation is widely accepted by consumers as something new and never before seen, the numbers could potentially reach beyond the boundaries of entertainment," he suggested. "One thing that is interesting about Nintendo is that it’s okay to try anything.

"On the other hand, even if something like that happens, Mario Kart would probably continue to sell well in that undertaking as well, so it may never be surpassed!"

Last month saw the launch of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the series' latest spin-off that features a menagerie of new Mega Evolutions. Fans widely expect next year — the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon brand — to host the next mainline Pokémon games: the series' 10th generation of titles. And yes, recently-leaked information suggested these would also be sold in two different versions.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Nintendo has suggested it is comfortable with Switch 2's current price point, despite rising component costs and recent price hikes by both PlayStation and Xbox.

Speaking during a shareholder Q&A session, company president Shuntaru Furukawa said Nintendo believed Switch 2 would continue to retain its profitability despite the rising prices of some components, as it could offset these against unspecified savings made through "ongoing mass production efforts."

Fans have taken the statement as a signal that Nintendo does not have plans to raise the price of Switch 2 in the near future — though Furukawa does go on to caveat his response regarding the matter of tariffs.

"We believe that we'll be able to maintain the current level of profitability for hardware for the time being unless there are significant changes in external factors, such as a shift in tariff assumptions, or other unexpected events," Furukawa said.

"While we are aware that the costs of various materials are rising, we also anticipate some areas where cost reduction may be achieved for Nintendo Switch 2 through ongoing mass production efforts. Therefore, currently we do not expect the recent rise in material costs to greatly impact profitability. We will continue our efforts to maintain the same level of profitability as we currently have."

Nintendo has so far resisted the urge to increase Switch 2's price amid a turbulent year of tariffs, though the company has offset some of its losses with price rises for Switch 2 accessories, as well as a price increase for the aging Switch 1.

In August, Nintendo increased the cost of a standard Switch 1 console from $229.99 to $339.99, while the Switch OLED's price was hiked from $349.99 to $399.99. The Switch Lite went up from $199.99 to $229.99, and there was even a $5 price rise for Nintendo's Alarmo clock, to $100.

Both Sony and Microsoft has increased the cost of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, respectively, domestically and internationally. In August, Sony slapped an extra $50 on the price of its various PS5 models, and blamed the decision on a "challenging economic environment." In September, Microsoft raised the cost of all Xbox Series X and S models for the second time this year, after previously hiking prices back in May.

The price of video games themselves has also been a hot topic this year, after Mario Kart Tour launched at an unheard-of $80. Xbox initially announced it would also introduce $80 games this holiday though backtracked on that decision shortly after — though not before raising its prices for Game Pass.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

GTA 6 is delayed again, this time from May to November 2026. Perhaps we should have seen it coming. After all, aren’t all Rockstar games delayed multiple times before they eventually come out and break sales records?

We’ve got plenty of coverage on the delay already, including comments from Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick, who told IGN in an interview he was “highly confident” in the new release date (I’m sure he’s said that before?). And, if you need a reminder, here's a whopping 89 details from GTA 6 Trailer 2.

But how has the internet reacted to the GTA 6 delay? Fans are, as you’d expect, in tatters. And spare a thought for PC gamers, who now face the prospect of having to wait to play GTA 6 in 2027 at the earliest. But video game publishers — some, publicly at least — are having fun with it, while some are expressing concern for any game that might have earmarked a fall 2026 release window. And then there are the memes. Lots of memes.

Let’s start with Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt, which took the opportunity to remind everyone that it once promised no more delays to Cyberpunk 2077, and look how that turned out when its sci-fi action RPG came out in December 2020. What CDPR is saying here is trust in Rockstar to deliver — it’s better to delay the game and ensure it’s great than launch it when it isn’t ready.

https://t.co/SqC2ZYRK6s https://t.co/l5o58PULml

— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) November 6, 2025

Hotline Miami and Cult of the Lamb publisher Devolver Digital, meanwhile, continued the bit by continuing to promise (threat?) to release a game on the same day GTA 6 comes out. Now it’s moved whatever game it had in mind to GTA 6’s new release date: November 19, 2026. Devolver won’t — can’t at this point — stop. It even cheekily asked Rockstar if it needed help getting GTA 6 out the door, tweeting: "DO YOU NEED A PUBLISHER TO GET THIS THING BACK ON TRACK? DMs are open. Our work on @BALLxPIT speaks for itself." Those scamps!

You can’t escape us.

November 19, 2026 it is then. https://t.co/EMLwGWb1yY

— Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) November 6, 2025

Speaking more seriously, Christofer Sundberg, founder of Liquid Swords and former boss of Just Cause developer Avalanche, called the delay “a gravitational shift.” He continued: “When giants move, the ground shakes. That’s not competition. That’s opportunity.”

This is a comment about how publishers will be left scrambling to adjust their own release dates in the wake of GTA 6 moving from May to November. Some may be able to hit May or thereabouts now GTA 6 has moved out of that window. Others already locked into fall 2026 may now be set for crisis talks. Will next year’s Call of Duty be okay, for example? COD usually launches in November, so we're potentially set for a GTA 6 vs Call of Duty showdown in 2026. I know what my money's on.

But the delay may even impact games set to launch in 2027. John “Bucky” Buckley, Communications Director and Publishing Manager at Palworld developer Pocketpair, took to X / Twitter to say "expect to see many games (especially AAA ones) swerve to avoid the 2027 awards season," now GTA 6 is set for a November 19 launch, which puts Rockstar's game outside the nominaton window for most game awards in 2026. "Intentional or…?🤔" Bucky wondered.

Microsoft might be the publisher most heavily impacted by this GTA 6 delay.

Halo Remake, Gears E-Day, Fable, AND Call of Duty 2026 are all almost certainly scheduled for next Fall. Maaaaaybe Forza Horizon 6 too? Better ship 'em well before Nov. 19 now! https://t.co/UWp6h1aMO1

— Ryan McCaffrey (@DMC_Ryan) November 6, 2025

every other publisher right now https://t.co/MZcSrpEVxM pic.twitter.com/uYSNVQiGzG

— Sean Murray (@NoMansSky) November 7, 2025

Looks like Batman needs to delay his trip to Miami. #LEGOBatmanGame pic.twitter.com/EAGQYXhgff

— LEGO® Batman™: Legacy of the Dark Knight (@LEGODCGame) November 6, 2025

And then there are the memes. So many memes! Too many, of course, to fit into a single article, but I would like to highlight a BBC Sport Live Report journalist who, while covering last night’s round of soccer matches, dropped in the news of the GTA 6 delay.

The BBC Sport Live commentator can’t believe they’ve delayed GTA 6😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/vMfwlglUcl

— The 44 ⚽️ (@The_Forty_Four) November 6, 2025

Even Guinness World Records took a shot.

Current record for the longest development period for a videogame? 14 years and 43 days.

Officially announced on 28 April 1997 by developer 3D Realms, the FPS 'Duke Nukem Forever' was finally released on 10 June 2011. https://t.co/8XBZGM3i98

— Guinness World Records (@GWR) November 6, 2025

There are now 376 days until GTA 6 comes out, with fans having to wait another half a year for what is expected to be the biggest entertainment launch of all time. What to do in the meantime? Play other games! And there are many to choose from. Hell, even GTA 5 is returning to PS Plus.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

It looks like Grand Theft Auto V will soon return to PlayStation Plus.

While the news hasn't yet been confirmed by Rockstar Games or Sony, Dealabs' billbil-kun once again has the scoop on what games are coming to the PlayStation Plus library, and reported that GTA 5 will pop up on November 18 for all PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers. (Unfortunately, no, those on the Essential tier will not be able to access it.)

This isn't the first time Rockstar's smash shooter has been given away as part of the PS Plus library, of course, but it does mark the first time in a year that GTA 5 will be playable for no extra cost as part of the PS Plus library.

Given GTA 5 has sold an eye-watering 220 million copies, so it's hard to imagine there are many gamers left who haven't tried it at some point, but if you've somehow avoided it until now, this could be a good time to find out what all the fuss is about. In news unlikely to surprise you, we thought GTA 5 was "preposterously enjoyable, breathtaking in scope, and bitingly funny." It returned a 10/10.

Don't forget, you have until December 1 to grab November's free monthly games: Stray, EA Sports WRC 24, and Totally Accurate Battle Simulator.

ICYMI, yes, Grand Theft Auto VI has been delayed until November 19, 2026. This news was announced yesterday, November 6, by Rockstar as a part of parent company Take-Two's second-quarter earnings. In a release shared with IGN, Take-Two said the delay was about "giving the team some additional time to finish the game with the high level of polish players expect and deserve. Rockstar has our full support of course, and we are confident they will deliver an unrivalled blockbuster entertainment experience."

GTA 6 was originally announced for a fall 2025 release, which CEO Strauss Zelnick said he felt confident in, even amid speculation of a delay. The game was then delayed to May of 2026, with Rockstar citing a need for extra time "to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve." And now, of course, it's been delayed again. Find out why some people think the delay could be a good thing.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

If you've ever wanted to run your own zoo, then Raise Animals is the Roblox experience for you. Though you'll start with just a single animal, you can race along an obstacle course, taming new animals with your lasso to bring them back to your farm. Feed your animals, level them up, and unlock new mutations that will increase the value of your zoo, so visitors will pay more to see your collection. Want a head start? Here are all the codes that are currently active for Raise Animals.

Working Raise Animals Codes

These codes are currently active and can be redeemed in Raise Animals:

• Primordial - 2,500 Rubies (NEW)
• Jurassic - 5x Daily Spin Wheel (NEW)
• Ancient - 1x Dinosaur Egg (NEW)
• TRADING!!! - 2,500 Rubies, 5,000 Candy, 5 Daily Spin Wheel spins
• Sorry4Bugs - 1,000 Rubies, 1,000 Candy, 1,000 Coral
• 150MVisitsTysm - 1,000 Rubies
• HALLOWEEN2025! - 500 Rubies, 500 Candy
• FreeCorals - 1,000 Coral and 150 Rubies

How to Use Raise Animals Codes

When you're ready to redeem your Raise Animals codes, launch the Roblox experience. You'll then need to join the Raise Animals Studio group before you can redeem codes. Once you've done that, follow these steps to get your freebies:

1. Click the gear icon in the top right corner to open settings
2. Scroll down to "Redeem Code"
3. Copy the code from this article and paste it into the box
4. Click redeem!

Expired Raise Animals Codes

The following codes have now expired:

• HappyHalloween!
• 1MGroupMembers
• SorryForAllTheBugs
• Update1
• 50MVisitsTysm
• Ocean
• SryForTheGamepassIssue
• 10MVisitsTysms
• 10KActiveTysm
• Release!
• FREE RANDOM ANIMALS
• 5MVisitsTysm
• 1MVisitsTysm
• 5KActiveTysm
• 3KActiveTysm
• SorryForBugs

Why Isn't My Raise Animals Code Working?

Codes for Roblox experiences are usually case-sensitive, so the best way to ensure you've got a working code is to directly copy it from this article. We check all codes before we upload them, so you can guarantee they're working. Just double-check that you haven't copied over an extra space!

Lauren Harper is an Associate Guides Editor. She loves a variety of games but is especially fond of puzzles, horrors, and point-and-click adventures.

Netflix has released the first five minutes of Stranger Things Season 5, showing a crucial moment in the story that teases answers to one of the biggest questions fans had from Season 1.

The creators of Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers, had already teased that Season 5 would finally answer questions surrounding the kidnapping of Will Byers, played by Noah Schnapp. Stranger Things began with the mysterious disappearance of Will, and Season 5 will finally answer why he was taken to the Upside Down in the first place. In the latest Season 5 trailer, we see evil monster Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) in full control over Will’s body. “You are going to help me… one… last… time,” it says.

For years fans have theorized about why Will was kidnapped, rather than simply killed like so many others. What happened to him when he was in the Upside Down, and to what end?

Warning! Spoilers for the first five minutes of Stranger Things Season 5 follow:

The first five minutes of Stranger Things Season 5 starts to answer those questions. We see a de-aged Will terrified in the Upside Down and running for his life from the Demogorgon. While Will puts up a valiant fight, he is eventually dragged to the lair of Vecna himself. It’s here that things get strange, as Vecna summons vines to prop Will up. Vecna then pumps some sort of substance through a tendril and into Will via his mouth. Will does not look like he’s enjoying the experience.

Clearly, whatever is inserted into Will is designed to take him over in some capacity and potentially become a part of the Upside Down itself. It’s all part of Vecna’s master plan, of course. “At long last,” Vecna says, menacingly. “We can begin. You and I, we are going to do such beautiful things together, William. Such beautiful things.”

November 12, 1983. Watch the first 5 minutes of Stranger Things 5 now. pic.twitter.com/F8S9y6Y2dV

— Netflix (@netflix) November 7, 2025

If you’ve watched Stranger Things you’ll know that Will's mother Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Chief of Police Jim Hopper (David Harbour) eventually find Will and bring him back to our world, although he is much changed. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ross Duffer said that fans should go back to Season 2, Episode 6, called ‘The Spy,’ to help them understand what’s going on. This is, Ross said, “the most important episode,” and shows Will “working, in a way, for the Mind Flayer.”

In The Spy, Will is brought to Hawkins National Laboratory. At one point, a severed tendril from the tunnels is burnt, causing Will to experience pain. Will later points soldiers in the direction of a place the monster doesn’t want him to see, which turns out to be a trap. Will says "he made me do it" because "they upset him." Will, it seems, is the spy.

Season 5 begins in the fall of 1987, near the anniversary of Will’s disappearance in the Upside Down. “So much of the season was built around the idea of coming full circle, answering many of the questions that were posed all the way back in Season 1,” Matt Duffer told EW. “I think the two biggest questions that we didn’t really answer in Season 1 that we do answer this season is ‘what is the Upside Down, truly?’ and ‘why was Will taken?’”

“We reveal really everything about the Upside Down, all of which was planned out in season 1,” Matt added. “It was fun to finally pull back the curtain on all of that.”

Here’s the official blurb on Stranger Things Season 5:

The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.

Stranger Things Season 5 debuts on Netflix in three parts, with the first four episodes arriving for the Thanksgiving holiday on November 26. The next three episodes premiere on Christmas, and the series finale will debut on the streamer and in over 350 theaters nationwide on New Year’s Eve.

Stranger Things Season 5 release dates:

• VOL 1 - November 26, 5pm PT
• VOL 2 - Christmas, 5pm PT
• THE FINALE - New Year’s Eve, 5pm PT

Season 5 arrives over three years after the finale of Season 4. For more, check out the burning questions we still have from Stranger Things Season 4. Meanwhile, Millie Bobbie Brown and David Harbour have reunited for the Stranger Things Season 5 premiere, with Stranger Things and Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy addressing alleged bullying concerns.

Image credit: Netflix.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game shows no signs of slowing down in 2025. Whether you're a competitive player, a casual collector, or someone who's just dropped way too much money on framed booster art, this year's TCG lineup is going all in with new mechanics, nostalgic reprints, and plenty of chances to chase that cardboard high.

Pokémon TCG: 2025 Release Calendar - At a Glance

• Prismatic Evolutions: Jan. 17, 2025 (Out Now)
• Journey Together: Mar. 28, 2025 (Out Now)
• Destined Rivals: May 30, 2025 (Out Now)
• Black Bolt / White Flare: Jul. 18, 2025 (Out Now)
• Mega Evolution: Sep. 26, 2025 (Out Now)
• Phantasmal Flames: Nov. 14, 2025 (Preorders Live)

Mega Evolution: Phantasmal Flames - Nov. 14, 2025

Amazon recently shadow-dropped preorders for the Booster Bundle for under market value at $59.99 (compared to resale prices at trusted sites such as TCGPlayer).

Featuring six booster bundles, there's every chance that you'll pull a Mega Charizard X ex double rare, alt rare, or even Secret Art Rare or Gold Rare. I've pulled three normal Zard ex's so far, so no need to worry about deck building with Phantasmal Flames.

They also had the Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box live for a moment (at $79.99), but it looks sold out for now. It's been going in and out of stock all day, so I'd suggest keeping an eye on that too.

What makes this set even more exciting is its size , about 90 cards before secret rares, which makes it the smallest English set in nearly a decade. For collectors like me, that usually means a much more manageable chase, while still packing in plenty of heavy hitters for players.

The product lineup looks pretty stacked too. We’ll be getting the usual booster packs and booster box (36 packs), a 9-pack Elite Trainer Box featuring a shiny new Charcadet promo, and an Ultra-Premium Collection built around Mega Charizard X ex.

On top of that, two theme decks for Mega Gengar ex and Mega Diancie ex are arriving a few weeks early on October 24, which is a fun way to get a taste of the set before launch. If you’re like me and love cracking packs, the booster box is the way to go, but the UPC is already looking like the big collector piece this time around.

What ties it all together is the Japanese set Inferno X, which hit shelves there in late September. That set had only 80 cards, and once you add in the Mega Gengar and Mega Diancie decks, you basically get the full Phantasmal Flames lineup.

We’ve already seen some killer reveals, including the Mega Charizard X ex secret rare previewed at Worlds, so I’m fully expecting that to be the chase card when this launches. Between the smaller set size, Charizard hype, and some solid gameplay cards, I think this one’s going to fly off shelves and I’m definitely locking in my preorder.

The Pokémon Company started releasing annual holiday calendars back in 2022, inspired by the Pokémon Countdown Calendar from 2008.

These products are surprisingly good value in the current TCG market, as well as for casual fans of the series in other forms. You can see the listing here at Amazon or scroll on for more details.

The 2025 Pokémon Holiday Calendar released on August 22 and initially retailed for $49.99 at Target before quicklly selling out. It's now available at Walmart for a pricier $64.99 or at Amazon for $69.

UPDATE: Barnes and Noble Phantasmal Flames preorders now open. Mega Charizard X Ultra Premium Collection is $129.99, Elite Trainer Box for $54.99 and Booster Bundle for $29.99. They're receiving high traffic volumes right now, so keep trying if you get an error page.

It's been a real pain trying to secure Phantasmal Flames preorders at a decent price in the run-up to launch day (November 14). But, Amazon just kindly shadow-dropped preorders for the Booster Bundle for under market value at $59.99 (compared to resale prices at trusted sites such as TCGPlayer).

They also had the Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box live for a moment (at $79.99), but it looks sold out for now. It's been going in and out of stock all day, so I'd suggest keeping an eye on that too.

Stranger Things stars Millie Bobbie Brown and David Harbour reunited at last night's Stranger Things Season 5 premiere, just days after a report claimed the young star had filed "pages and pages of accusations" concerning the Marvel actor's behavior ahead of production on the Netflix hit's final season.

Last week, The Daily Mail reported that Brown had lodged "harassment and bullying" complaints against Harbour. There was no suggestion of sexual impropriety. It was claimed that Netflix investigated the matter "for months," and Brown was ultimately accompanied by a personal assistant whenever on set.

Last night, the two actors put on a noted show of unity while walking the Stranger Things red carpet — chatting together, posing for photos, and standing alongside Netflix top brass such as co-CEO Ted Sarandos and CCO Bela Bajaria.

Speaking at the event, Stranger Things and Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy was asked directly about the alleged complaint and how he had ensured actors felt safe and respected on set during production of the show's final season.

"At the end of the day, that's the job," Levy told The Hollywood Reporter. "You have to create a respectful workplace where everyone feels comfortable and safe, and so we did everything to build that environment. And we're proud of the fact that we did so.

"I've read a bunch of stories and they range from wildly inaccurate to... there's so much noise around it. But the truth is that we view this crew and this cast as family, and so we treat each other with respect, and that's always been bedrock."

Sony is suing an eBay seller for allegedly selling counterfeit PS5 accessories, requesting up to $2 million for "each and every use of the PlayStation Trademarks."

In court papers filed on October 24 and seen by The Game Post, Sony is suing the eBay account known as "zaocuand-002" for alleged trademark infringement and counterfeiting. The papers have been filed in the state of Illinois.

Sony claims the seller "directly targets business activities towards consumers in the United States" via a "fully interactive" online store that uses Sony's trademarks to sell "unauthorized products." One such product cited in the papers is a $90 carrying case for PS5, although right now, zaocuand-002's eBay store is "sold out," and none of its current auctions include any gaming accessories. However, the profile states the account has sold around 9,000 items and is followed by 555 people.

A screenshot of a prior auction selling the carrying case is included in the court papers.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick is teasing a bright future for the Mafia franchise after this year’s prequel, Mafia: The Old Country, “performed well ahead of expectations.”

Zelnick spoke about the future of 2K Games’ long-running open-world crime series during an interview with IGN ahead of Take-Two's Q2 financial report (the one with the latest GTA 6 delay). As developer Hangar 13 prepares to release new content and updates following The Old Country’s launch in August, the Take-Two boss teased that fans may eventually have more Mafia to look forward to.

“Definitely,” Zelnick said when asked if The Old Country performed well enough to instill confidence to continue the franchise. “We’re really excited about Mafia, and I think that’s a great question because it is sort of a reset for the franchise. We don’t have anything to announce — that comes from the label — but it definitely performed well ahead of expectations."

It sounds like the decision to sell Mafia: The Old Country at a cheaper than expected $49.99 price point paid off, then. Fans praised The Old Country's $50 price tag when it was confirmed, and publisher 2K and developer Hangar 13 managed expectations by stressing pre-launch that it was absolutely not a Grand Theft Auto-style open-world game, but a linear, narrative-driven game.

Take-Two stopped short of providing exact sales figures but said the early 1900s Sicily-set Mafia “quickly surpassed our internal expectations and affirmed our belief that consumer demand remains strong for premium, narrative-driven experiences that over-index on value.” Although it’s unclear when or how another Mafia game could materialize in the future, more new content and updates for The Old Country are confirmed to be in the works.

Mafia: The Old Country launched in August as a prequel for the crime drama video game franchise that first got its start with the original Mafia in 2002. The series saw semi-regular releases up until the launch of the divisive Mafia 3 in 2016, with only a group of well-received definitive edition remasters arriving to break up the wait for more in 2020. After nearly a decade of waiting for a new entry, it sounds like fans won't have to wait quite as long for more.

Hangar 13 and 2K propped The Old Country up as a fresh start for Mafia when it released earlier this year, and it appears to be a plan that’s panning out. We called it “Great” in our 8/10 review. At the time of its release, we said, “Mafia: The Old Country is a conventional but effective return to the linear and tightly story-driven format of the original Mafia and Mafia II, and it boasts a wonderful eye and ear for detail.”

For more on The Old Country, you can read up on the Free Ride mode it received as part of a free update a few months back. You can also check out everything you need to know about its PC and console specs, features, and more.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Take-Two Interactive says it is confident Borderlands 4 will rebound after technical issues led to “a little bit of softness” for U.S. sales at launch.

In an interview with IGN ahead of Take-Two's second quarter financial results (which confirmed the latest GTA 6 delay), we asked CEO Strauss Zelnick how Gearbox Software’s September looter shooter performed. He admitted the launch was met with “a little bit of softness” due to technical issues that have since become infamous in the Borderlands community, but he remains confident “it’ll all be made up,” given enough time.

Those technical issues resulted in "a little bit of softness out of the gate on the U.S. sales side, but in the fullness of time we’re convinced it’ll all be made up, and we’ll be in a great place," Zelnick said.

Take-Two expanded on that in its financial report annoncement, saying: "The game received high critical praise, with many reviewers calling it 'the best Borderlands yet.' The series’ highly active community eagerly welcomed the title, and during its opening weekend, it reached the largest concurrent player count on Steam in franchise history. Borderlands 4 also dominated YouTube with 30 million views and earned the #1 spot on Twitch during its launch, underscoring the franchise’s enduring mass appeal. While we experienced some challenges with optimization and performance on PC, Gearbox has been addressing these issues and releasing updates to improve gameplay. We are confident that Borderlands 4 will achieve strong unit sales over its lifetime."

Borderlands 4 received praise from critics (we gave it an 8/10 in our review) upon its September 12, 2025, release date for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, but it was also almost immediately faced with a wave of criticism from fans. As Steam player counts reached record numbers at launch, many were met with technical hiccups that dampened months of hype.

PC users reported performance issues, even on high-end hardware, as players were forced to lower settings across the board while still struggling to hit desired framerates. It was a speed bump that Gearbox eventually attempted to address by asking players to push through the technical difficulties for about 15 minutes following any tweaks to graphics settings.

PS5 and Xbox fans faced a separate issue, as Borderlands 4 players gradually discovered worsening performance during longer play sessions. A lack of FOV sliders at launch only heightened tensions, as Gearbox continued to promise fixes for the issues plaguing all platforms.

Updates for FOV sliders, PC performance issues, and more eventually helped address most complaints related to the game itself, but it was clear these issues, as well as Take-Two’s controversial terms of service agreement, affected the fourth mainline Borderlands game’s reception online at launch. Borderlands 4 currently sits at a 4.5/10 user score on Metacritic, with its Steam reviews also sitting at “Mixed” across the board.

Despite dissatisfaction from players and Zelnick's comments, U.S. video game data company Circana reported that Borderlands 4 was the top-selling premium game of September 2025 and the third best-selling game of 2025 so far. It’s a report based on revenue generated instead of actual sales numbers, but it still means the game managed to generate the highest launch month dollar sales of any other entry in franchise history.

The last Borderlands 4 patch delivered balance changes for players across all platforms. DLC content, including seasonal mini-events and additional vault hunters, will be released as post-launch development continues.

As Take-Two, publisher 2K, and Gearbox aim to make up for lost ground, you can read about how Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford responded to those unhappy with the state of Borderlands 4 at launch. You can also see why he urged some players to request a refund if they remained unsatisfied with the experience.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Petit Planet is not the first to mimic Animal Crossing to some eyebrow-raising degrees, nor will it be the last. Developer HoYoverse doesn't shy away from acknowledging the similarities – a character even balks at the idea of its new planet-owning lead falling into debt for merely having a home – though they don't deny that upgrades will come at a price. In my short time of about five hours with a preview of the closed beta, Petit Planet offered a charming, "The Little Prince"-themed take on Animal Crossing: New Horizons with an emphasis on clear progression and multiplayer. While these are two things some seemed to crave and were left empty in ACNH, the Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail studio may offer an answer – with potential caveats.

For all I enjoyed about Petit Planet, I started disappointed with its opening on a lackluster character creator. The skin tone range is limited and the hairstyle options are a bummer, though more hair and eye styles and colors for each are available for in-game currency later on. I acknowledge this isn't the final version of Petit Planet, so I'm hoping that'll be the case for a game touting customization that limits its global players to four skintones, with only one looking darker than a light brush with the sun.

The overall setup of Petit Planet is that you're joining three anthropomorphic animal members of a company called Loomi Co in developing a fledgling planet and exploring the surrounding galaxy. You get to choose between two with different environments and different starting planets to begin with. I chose the one described as "hot and dry" with golden prairies. As you complete tasks assigned by Mobai, the fill-in for Isabelle and Tom Nook, you're given special water for an equally special tree that serves as the heart and, in a way, control center of your planet. With new levels and upgrades, the playable area takes shape with a multi-level field, larger river, and a beach and ocean. I liked that, after a point, I could take a look at the sorts of upgrades ahead, like a mountain area and new kinds of trees.

The first hour held a death grip on my playtime with confined tutorials and limited space for any sort of exploration or creativity, but it loosened up considerably after that, while still introducing new mechanics. The next three or four hours is where upgrades start getting locked behind daily progression. Not the mobile-game clock countdown kind, but real days similar to ACNH. Since Petit Planet access is tied to logging into a HoYoverse server, you can't force your way forward by changing your device’s clock. That being said, I didn't run out of interesting things to do while needing to wait.

I spent my time with familiar activities; smacking trees for fruit, catching bugs, picking flowers, smashing rocks for ore, fishing, and, a nice and quite different touch – using shellfish tongs to collect tidepool creatures. Then of course there's crafting and cooking, all the things you'd expect, but with a dash of charm in the starry, round designs and constant, clear direction. Activities that involve tools require strength, or basically energy replenished by consuming fruit or food. Fruit and sources to make food were ample in my playtime, so this wasn't much of a hassle.

I also enjoyed meeting the three Neighbors I encountered, or Petit Planet's NPC residents who you invite to live on your planet and build relationships with. I especially love that, familiar to HoYoverse's other games, each character has a distinct identity that goes deeper than their aesthetics and catchphrase. Each has background stories, and more information about them and their individual tastes that can be discovered over time. The first two are used as introductions to core mechanics, but I'm excited to see who else I'll run into in space travels.

During my playtime, I unlocked access to a car of my own that let me explore the stars – with limitations. The car runs on earnable and purchasable (with in-game currency) batteries. One lasted me about two or three trips to random Planettes, or tiny planets in a sea of stars that have limited and sometimes unique resources or potential new Neighbors. I found one on these Planettes, and convinced her to move to my larger Planet.

The other place I was able to travel to was called the Galactic Bazaar, or an online multiplayer hub with two simple mini-games and plenty of spots to sit and chat with other players. More than any other game HoYoverse has made, Petit Planet looks intended to grab the attention of young audiences. The player characters even look like children. Yet when you get to the Galactic Bazaar, you're immediately encouraged to sit and talk with strangers. The in-game text chat didn't seem to have limits on mild expletives I tested. You do have to sit in certain spots in the Galactic Bazaar to chat with others, but as it is, I didn't see any other ways to limit other player interactions in this space I had to visit as part of the main quests.

Safe online spaces for children are another conversation entirely, but I do hope HoYoverse has plans to make sure I'm not invading spaces of younger folks when I just want to play a game like Animal Crossing with my friends. That all being said, the official closed beta test FAQ calmed my worries a tad seeing that this beta test is limited to "users aged 18 and above," so I'd like to imagine that more serious safety features beyond blocking others are on the way.

The other thing I'm worried about is pricing: what's going to be the cost to play this free-to-play game? As with any of HoYoverse's games, it seemed there were ample ways to earn the few currencies I saw in-game, but it's hard to see exactly how that'll work in the future. I doubt we'll see HoYoverse relinquish its gacha method of random rewards mixed with a slight chance to get what you want, but it's hard to say if characters, cosmetics, or both will be what they target for this. It's also worth noting I found two different AI chatbots in Petit Planet. One as an on-demand source of in-game help, and another was a barista you can chat with in the Galactic Bazaar. These are easy to dodge if you don't care to use them.

All that being said, Petit Planet being an online HoYoverse game is a potential massive strength. Progression has been clear and fun so far, and knowing how HoYoverse has supported its other big games, it's highly probable that we'll see this get plenty of updates, events, and regular quality-of-life support. Mobai mentioned that we don't have a "restaurant yet," and I'm already eyeing cute cosmetics I want to save for and whole furniture sets I want to craft. The data from my playtime will all be wiped, but I still couldn't help but be excited about what the upgrades I've earned will bring to my planet tomorrow.