The Final Fantasy: Through the Ages collection reimagines classic Magic: The Gathering cards with iconic art and characters from all 16 mainline Final Fantasy games. Packed into Magic's newly released Universes Beyond: Final Fantasy set, these reprints aren't just nostalgic; they're in high demand for collectors, with several fetching serious prices on the secondary market.

TL;DR: 16 Most Valuable Final Fantasy: Through The Ages MTG Cards

Beyond just looking incredible, many of these cards are proven staples in multiple formats like Commander. That combination of competitive relevance and collector appeal has already driven prices up, with several cards becoming some of the most sought-after in the entire set.

Whether you're opening boosters or tracking down singles, these are the 16 most valuable cards from the Through the Ages collection right now. They're powerful, flashy, and, for longtime fans of both games, pretty irresistible right now. Let's take a look.

16. Clive Rosfield (Vial Smasher the Fierce)

Since these drops are no longer available directly from Wizards of the Coast, don’t expect to find them at their original prices. Standard nonfoil sets launched at $30, and rainbow foil versions at $40, but most listings now sit between $80 and $150 or more.

It’s a steep jump, so if you’re looking to grab one now, make sure you know exactly what you’re paying for. You can find them on eBay, but we’ve always found TCGPlayer, while also eBay-owned, to be the more secure and trustworthy option for picking up Secret Lair drops after release.

Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.

Early on in Elio, archival audio of the late astronomer Carl Sagan states that humanity’s interest in the cosmos takes root in finding out if we’re alone in the universe. It’s a question about whether or not there’s intelligent life on other planets, but the deeper concern, as it relates to the latest animated movie from Pixar, is our need to know if other people have ever felt the same way we do. And if they don’t, can they still love us for who we are and not who they wish we were? In Elio, this preoccupation takes the form of a wondrous sci-fi epic, in which the titular, stargazing orphan (Yonas Kibreab) gains a friend in an unexpected place and forges a stronger bond with the aunt who adopted him after his parents died.

Dazzling as its animation is, what’s most striking about Elio is how it depicts the slippery feeling of yearning for something we might not even know exists. Here, that desire for belonging means traveling across galaxies to find radiantly rendered, playfully envisioned worlds and extraterrestrial lifeforms. Elio’s curiosity about aliens is sparked when he learns about The Voyager Golden Records, the “message in a bottle” humanity sent into space in the 1970s. (Sagan’s involvement in that project in real life makes his inclusion in Elio particularly relevant). The opening scene showing this epiphany conveys a bittersweet sentiment somewhere between melancholy and hope, setting the tone for the entire movie.

As Elio grows up and becomes obsessed with UFOs and being abducted by one, his relationship with his Aunt Olga (Zoe Saldaña) – an Air Force major at a satellite terminal who once dreamed of becoming an astronaut – deteriorates. When he achieves his goal of communicating with outer space, he not only escapes the military camp Olga enrolls him out of desperation, but Earth altogether. After a voyage through a luminous portal, Elio arrives at the communiverse, a fanciful gathering place for dignitaries from countless planets. As far as they’re concerned, this new arrival is the leader of Earth.

There’s an intricate thought process behind every aspect of the production design in Elio – just get a look at the homemade cape the main character wears, festooned with plastic cutlery and soda-can tabs. The various sections of and advanced technology in the communiverse read as if they were imagined by a kid – and that’s absolutely a compliment, because every element feels fantastical, yet intuitive, like a hands-on exhibit at a children’s museum. In fact, there might be too much cool stuff onscreen. There simply isn’t enough time within this 93-minute feature to fully explore the number of intriguing ideas and fun-looking alien characters it introduces. Not that the movie is incapable of painting a whole picture from just a few glimpses: For example, Elio and Olga’s Latino identity comes across in small details like a Spanish-language song on the radio or a setup in their house that seems like a Day of the Dead altar.

Fortunately, there’s ample room in Elio for the other main pillar of Pixarian animated whimsy: an astute sense of humor pitched at older members of the audience, best exemplified by the communiverse’s sentient “user’s manual.” Appearing as a glowing, perpetually shuffling deck of translucent cards, it contains all the secrets of the universe, even the meaning of existence – big questions that, naturally and hilariously, don’t interest a kid like Elio. This echo of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is but one example of how Elio toys with staples of the science-fiction and horror genres, the cleverest of which puts a goofy, goopy spin on cloning.

Conflict kicks into high gear when the fearsome Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett) is denied admission into the communiverse. To prove his usefulness to his newfound comrades, Elio volunteers to negotiate with the towering, four-eyed warlord, a doomed endeavor that leads him to meet Grigon’s son Glordon (Remy Edgerly). An adorably plump, miniature version of a Dune sandworm (complete with the rows and rows of sharp teeth), Glordon connects with his new pal over their inability to make their parental figures understand them. He doesn’t want to become a war machine like his father, which would involve putting on a rigid armor and giving up all manner of emotional softness. It’s a tad on the nose, but a poignant analogy nonetheless: Glordon’s people must step into a protective, mechanized shell to become adults, much like how most humans leave behind their capacity for wonder and build emotional barriers when they come of age.

Intrepid, intergalactic feats follow, leading to a moving resolution with Sagan’s voice reminding us that it’s only human to ponder what’s hiding in the mysterious darkness of space. The adventure helps Elio reexamine his beliefs about what home can be – a thoughtful conclusion to this delightful animated treasure. Life on Earth or any other planet is inherently imperfect, and it’s surprising (and rewarding) how deeply Elio engages with that notion.

James Cameron’s beloved sci-fi film The Abyss has been removed from Disney+ in the UK due to the inclusion of a banned scene.

The original version of the 1989 film includes a scene in which a rat is dunked into a vat of fluorocarbon liquid — and a real rat was used in production. The rodent is believed to have survived, but that didn’t stop groups like charity The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) from taking steps to have the scene removed 36 years ago.

The scene was subsequently cut by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) under the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937, which means it must be cut for any theatrical use. The BBFC also cut the scene under the Video Recordings Act 1984, meaning it must not be included on releases on formats such as Blu-Ray and DVD. Similarly, the scene should also not be aired on traditional TV in the UK.

Despite this, a version of the film that included the banned scene was added to Disney+ a few months ago in April. In response, the RSPCA called out what it described as a "loophole" that enabled the banned rat scene to make it onto Disney+ in the UK, pointing out that streaming platforms are not bound by the same standards as film releases in cinema, DVD, or on traditional television.

Speaking last month, David Bowles, the RSPCA's Head of Public Affairs, said: "The RSPCA is really concerned that a loophole currently exists allowing animal abuse scenes deemed unacceptable elsewhere to be streamed freely and legally into our homes.

"The Abyss' controversial rat scene has long concerned the RSPCA, and has always been deemed unacceptable by BBFC — so it's hard to fathom out why Disney Plus has decided to broadcast it.

"We need to ensure people are not being exposed to content which promotes or showcases cruelty to animals.

“As the way millions of households consume entertainment changes, it's vital the legal framework is responsive to that and continues to consistently protect people and animals."

As reported by GamesRadar, Disney has now pulled The Abyss from Disney+ in response. "This isn't about cancel culture — we'd welcome Disney Plus reinstating the film to their platform, just with this troubling scene removed — as is already the case in cinemas, on TV, and on DVD," Bowles said in a fresh statement.

"This was instead about highlighting a loophole that currently exists allowing animal abuse scenes deemed unacceptable elsewhere to be streamed freely and legally into our homes — and protecting the public from having to see this animal abuse content."

Disney has yet to say when The Abyss will return to Disney+ in the UK.

Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.

Minecraft was never designed with visuals as its key selling point. With an endless sandbox landscape and unlimited customisation, Mojang's now-familiar pixellated graphics were never the main focus.

Today, however, that all changes, with the launch of Minecraft's long-awaited Vibrant Visuals update on PC and a range of compatible consoles and smartphones. But not all platforms will get the upgrade, and the game's classic Minecraft: Java Edition will also be left without.

Still, if you're playing the main Minecraft: Bedrock Edition on PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S or certain Android and iOS devices, Vibrant Visuals is available now, as part of the game's wider Chase the Skies update.

Chase the Skies adds ridable Happy Ghast creatures to the game's overworld, following years of stress caused by their meaner cousins who spit fireballs in the Nether. You can also now leash a chain of camels together to create a resource-transporting caravan, and track down your friends faster with the Player Locator HUD bar.

If you play Minecraft on an older console, such as PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, or if you play on an older Android phone, you'll need to manually switch on the Vibrant Visuals option via the game's video settings menu. Mojang warns that "performance may degrade for these devices".

On PC or smartphone, you'll need the following tech specs:

• Android: Adreno 640, Mali-G68, Mali-G77, or Xclipse 530 or higher

• iOS: A12 or M1 or higher

• PC: Running Minecraft on DX12

Splitscreen multiplayer, custom Worlds and Texture Packs are not currently supported by Vibrant Visuals, either.

And what of Nintendo Switch — or Switch 2? No mention is made of Nintendo's console platforms in today's Vibrant Visuals launch blog, leaving fans in the dark about compatibility there.

However, on a brighter note, Minecraft is now at last listed as Xbox Series X/S optimised, some five years after Microsoft's current console generation launched.

Vibrant Visuals finally makes good on Microsoft's promise to launch a proper graphical upgrade for Minecraft, first mentioned back in 2017 when a fancy trailer was released for the later-cancelled Super Duper Graphics Pack. At the time, Mojang said this upgrade would arrive for Xbox One and "Project Scopio" — what became Xbox One X. Now, finally, something similar has arrived.

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

The humble party game genre has connected people throughout gaming generations. And while nobody really considers it whenever a new one hits the fray, the results are usually an enjoyable time. That’s true for Lego Party, the mini brick’s seemingly successful attempt to Lego-fy Mario Party so that fans of the tiny constructables can get together in a group of four and proceed to ruin their friendship over minigames.

If you’ve played Mario Party you know exactly what to expect for Lego Party. A group of four players will drop onto a boardgame-like table and roll numbers to advance the requisite number of spots. Some spots will have special prizes, some will hide traps that will steal your hard-earned Stars, or in this case, a golden Lego Brick. After every player rolls their turn, they’ll all drop in to compete in one of 60 Lego-themed minigames.

And to Lego Party’s credit, the minigames is where this effort can differentiate itself from Mario Party. There are some standard-fare activities, like a game where players jump over a swinging octopus tentacle until the last player is left standing, to some very off-kilter ones. One I tried is a Bennett Foddy-style unicycle racing game where players must use the joysticks to balance atop a very fiddly unicycle and inch their way towards the finish line. We only played about eight minigames total, so I’m very excited to see what else Lego Party has in store.

Another Lego innovation is how Lego Party leans into the creative aspect of the toy bricks. While the overworld maps are themed after fun concepts like “Pirates,” they can also be modified if certain conditions are met within the game. Landing on a specific spot will let players create unique elements to add to the map like a pirate ship that wasn’t there when the game began.

Visually, Lego Party has the crisp, colorful aesthetic Lego games have come to be known for, though the party game aesthetic means that these Legos lean towards more whacky designs than something I’d consider charming. That is to say, these Legos are all about being zany and loud, which is perfect for the genre.

Playing with three other players (my two IGN colleagues and a developer), we found ourselves immediately sucked into its playful orbit. The goal is to collect as many Gold Bricks by the end of the game. Winning minigames on their own will only award you Lego bits that you can turn into ways to score Gold Bricks, such as movement modifiers that will help you land on the spot where a Gold Brick has spawned.

There’re also traps you can purchase (don’t worry, it’s not in a microtransaction way) to potentially steal Gold Bricks from other players, and unique spots on the board that will initiate a special 2v2 game where the winning team will both get Gold Bricks as a reward. These 2v2 rounds include special minigames where, for example, both players each control one half of a car and must coordinate their controls to drive to the designated goal.

While we did complete a small game ourselves, we only saw a fraction of what Lego Party has to offer. If the rest of the games are anywhere near as fun as the handful that we played, I can see Lego Party having the kind of addictive appeal Mario Party has had – which is especially good news for PlayStation and Xbox players that don’t have access to Mario Party.

Matt Kim is IGN's Senior Features Editor.

Microsoft has announced a partnership with AMD to power the next generation of Xbox, including its first-party future Xbox consoles.

“Announcing that we’re building the next-generation of Xbox first-party devices and cloud, including our future Xbox consoles, together with AMD,” Microsoft said in a statement published online.

Microsoft failed to detail its plans, but did promise “next-level performance, cutting-edge graphics, breakthrough gameplay, and unmatched compatibility.” It also said everything it’s working on will be “fully compatible” with users’ existing Xbox game library.

“We’ve established a strategic, multi-year agreement with AMD to co-engineer silicon across a portfolio of devices, including our next-generation Xbox consoles,” Microsoft said.

“Together, we’re delivering deeper visual quality, immersive gameplay, and AI-powered experiences - grounded in a platform designed for players, not tied to a single store or device, and fully compatible with your existing Xbox game library.”

In a video, Xbox president Sarah Bond said Microsoft was investing in "our next-generation hardware lineup across console, handheld, PC, cloud, and accessories."

The news confirms Microsoft's plan to release another home Xbox console as well as an Xbox handheld. No release date was mentioned, but Bond did say "we can't wait to show you what's next."

Earlier this year, Microsoft was reported to be targeting a 2027 release window for both its next-gen Xbox and its Xbox handheld. At the time, it was said that the next-gen Xbox would be more like a PC than any Xbox before it, and would support third-party storefronts such as Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG.

Comments from Bond in today's video back that up. "This is all about building you a gaming platform that's always with you, so you can play the games you want across devices anywhere you want, delivering you an Xbox experience not locked to a single store or tied to one device," Bond said.

"That's why we're working closely with the Windows team, to ensure that Windows is the number one platform for gaming."

In the shorter term, Microsoft is partnering with third-parties on Xbox-branded hardware such as the Xbox Ally. This is a handheld gaming PC that runs on a version of Windows 11 designed to be more usable on a handheld. Expect a release later this year.

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.

If you're still on the hunt for a Switch 2 console, here's an opportunity you might want to consider. Not only does AliExpress have the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World Tour Console Bundle available for shipping, the price is actually discounted. Yes, you heard that right. The seller prices the console bundle at a moderate markup of $532.24, but a $70 off coupon code "IFPPVZR" drops it to $462.24 with free shipping. Is this Switch 2 deal too good to be true? It's quite possible. The last time I checked, coupons were not intended to work on this listing.

The Nintendo Switch 2 was released on June 5 and is currently sold out everywhere. We expect more units to trickle out from participating retailers throughout the year, but that won't necessarily make it easy to get one. If you're looking for our official review of the new console, it's still in progress. The biggest Switch 2 video game release is Mario Kart World Tour. It retails for $79.99, but buying it as part of the launch bundle means you'll effectively pay just $50. Logan Plant recently reviewed the game and wrote that "Mario Kart World may not make the most convincing case that going open-world was the boost the series needed, but excellent multiplayer racing, incredible polish, and the thrilling new Knockout Tour mode still more than live up to its legacy."

Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

A solid way to judge a co-op shooter is by how many inside jokes you and your mates come up with while you play. And after around seven hours working in The Oldest House, it’s safe to say that if that were the only metric to judge FBC: Firebreak on, it would be an easy 10. Of course, it helps that the setting and the enemies you face are so curiosity-inducing. So far, I’ve encountered a sticky note behemoth, an evil drum kit, and a possessed traffic light. I’ve also carved a path through pink goop and loaded mannequins into ski lifts. Do I understand why? No. Does it matter? Not at all. With slick combat, striking graphical effects and diverse objectives, FBC: Firebreak is a first-person shooter that’s a load of silly fun with your friends. The main question I’m still figuring out is: how far can Remedy sustain this wackiness to keep me interested in the long term?

FBC is set six years after the events of Control, and invites you back to the wonderfully strange architecture of The Oldest House under wildly different circumstances. Instead of saving the day as upstart director Jesse Faden, you’re a trio of first responders attending to oddball emergencies that would make an OSHA officer wince. When radioactive leeches have infested a quarry and need to be thrown into a furnace on wheels that resembles Team Fortress 2’s Payload, it’s you and your team that receive the call. And once you’ve finished your Jobsite shift, your team will also have to trek back to the elevator you arrived in and survive until it reaches your station. Hey, it’s hard work, but someone's gotta do it.

Despite the time since Control, that game’s interdimensional antagonist, The Hiss, also remains ever-present. As such, while you’re trying to tackle the quirky jobs at hand, you’ll also need to manage hordes of possessed office employees hellbent on your disposal. While there hasn’t been a vast range of enemy types to tackle, at least so far, there is enough diversity to keep gunplay interesting. And, whether it was a glowing ghoul sprinting at me, or flying desk jockeys zooming through the sky, I found plenty of joy in taking them out all the same.

To pull off these expedition, you call in the help of two additional players, with each member of the squad wielding a specialised ‘Crisis Kit.’ Similar to the class systems found in other cooperative shooters, each kit equips you with a unique skill set that can expedite key tasks throughout jobs. For example, on the map called Hot Fix, the player wielding the Fix Kit can speedily repair the internals of a broken fan with their quick-fixing wrench, while the Splash Kit crew member can provide support by keeping them from heat death thanks to their globs of healing ammunition. Meanwhile, the Jump Kit player can sprint around activating the generators with their electro-kinetic charge impactor, using their secondary fire to rocket jump around the map and control the field.

It’s worth mentioning that there are no restrictions on repeating roles, and your crew can triple down on one skillset, rather than diversifying the team. You’ll still be able to finish jobs, though the approach you’ll need to take will be drastically different depending on the specific composition of your team. While the gunplay across each role is identical (depending on your choice of loadout), the mixture of your cohort's Crisis Kits do well to tailor expeditions around your team’s preferences.

Regardless of how your team pick powers between the roles, though, FBC provides opportunities for each role to shine, especially as you start to level up and invest in the upgrade trees to unlock perk-based modifiers and new weaponry. As the resident Fix Kit operator and player most likely to get into sticky situations, I funnelled my Lost Assets (the currency that allows you to progress the upgrade tree) into perks like ‘Shower Thoughts’, which enabled me to expedite recovery when using healing sources, as well as ‘Greasy Fingers’, which allowed me to switch between my tools faster. While I was initially sceptical that these additions would make any tangible difference, I immediately noticed a positive change in my performance, especially during high-octane combat encounters.

As of now, FBC has five unique Jobsites to choose between, with more expected to arrive after launch. And, despite the small pool of options, there’s plenty of replayability in the current lineup already. The pink goo level, which my friends lovingly dubbed the Mr Blobby level in homage to the British children’s TV mascot from the early 90s, became the bane of our existence – primarily due to our clumsy play leading us right into explosives. The sentient sticky note-infested Paper Chase mission, on the other hand, provided the right amount of risk vs reward, and we revisited that map frequently in search of more Lost Assets.

Each Jobsite in FBC offers three unique ‘Clearance Levels’ that expand on the base job, and as you progress deeper into these levels, the number of Hiss agents and objective criteria increases in both number and intensity as the map expands. Soon enough, the infected office workers make way for winged eldritch horrors and tanky beasts, and your team will be forced to communicate to avoid being downed.

There is some reprieve from the constant combat, and in each Clearance level, you can find healing decontamination showers and ammunition bays. Though in the FBC, not even safe zones are truly safe, and these life-saving stations can also break and falter, demanding a quick fix from a certain kit or a more lengthy button-pressing session if you’re caught in a bind. Attempting a repair without the appropriate kit in FBC leads to a rhythmic quick-time event where you have to tap Q and E (or L1 and R1) in sequence without making errors to progress the meter. I wasn’t expecting to encounter a stressful rhythm game in my cooperative shooter, but I was pleasantly surprised by how it ramped up the anxiety of completing essential tasks nonetheless.

Perhaps what makes FBC so morish, though, is how quickly poor communication can turn a level upside down. During one such mission, I found myself caught between enemy fire and literal flames while attempting to retrieve Lost Assets. In response to my screams, my Splash Kit teammate valiantly came to my rescue, putting out the fire and starting to revive me… that was, until a second horde of Hiss appeared, and the fire restarted without warning. As you could expect, my teammate fell to the same fate I did while trying to revive me. At any point, I could have said, ‘Leave me, save yourself.’ But, naively, despite the flames and enemies, I thought it was going to be okay. Thankfully, FBC isn’t keen on punishing you for your poor planning, and depending on your difficulty setting, you’ll have a series of lives to expend before it’s a total game over.

FBC is an engaging extension of the Control universe, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time blasting through the Oldest House with friends in tow. Unfortunately, beyond the initial exhilaration, I was disappointed to find that I didn’t feel as embedded in the Remedy Connected Universe as I was expecting. It is the nature of the replayable co-op shooter genre, I suppose, but the story only appears in loading screens and the occasional voice line on the main menu. So far, it’s left me with many stories, but I’m still keen for a little bit more lore, and hoping that it arrives as I push deeper into the difficulty modifiers.

As of this writing, I’ve completed the final stage of each Jobsite and am now messing around with Corruption and Threat-based difficulty modifiers to unlock rare Research Samples that will allow me to specialise my perk build. There’s still a lot more to explore before I deliver my final review, like playing on my own and the forthcoming weapon upgrades, like the ‘Functional’ Submachine Gun that I’ve yet to unlock. But right now, despite how sparse the story can seem in moments, there’s a lot of fun to be had wrangling erratic monsters in Remedy’s spectacularly absurd bureaucratic setting. I’ll be playing more this week and wrap up this review as soon as I’ve tested the limits of Remedy’s chaotic cooperative job simulator.

Pik-Sen Lim, an actress known for roles across British and Malaysian television, has died at age 80.

Per Malay Mail, the Penang-born actress appeared in numerous roles over the years, including appearing on Doctor Who as Chin Lee in The Mind of Evil. Lim also gained international fame for her role as Chung Su-Lee in Mind Your Language, a British comedy from the 1970s.

She also appeared in series like Coronation Street and Spearhead, as well as American TV shows like Vampire Academy and The Nevers. On the film side, Lim played the Killer Cleaner in Johnny English Reborn.

In today’s interesting crossover news, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is set to screen the world premiere of a cinematic cut of the hit video game Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.

The screening will be playing in the special screenings section during the festival, which takes place annually in the Czech Republic, and will be held on July 9 at 7pm in Kaiserbad.

“We are honored to be working together with world leaders in their field on this unique project,” the festival’s artistic director Karel Och said in a statement. “Which represents an exceptionally original contribution to our long-standing goal of presenting powerful and gripping stories captured in a unique manner.”

The game’s developer, Warhorse Studios, will also be represented at the festival with a KVIFF Talk with directors Daniel Vávra and Petr Pekař earlier in the day at 3.30pm in Kaiserbad.

“I have wished to see Kingdom Come: Deliverance II on the big screen for a long time. I believe that the civil story of a blacksmith's son will also appeal to film audiences and stand up to the competition of international movie productions,” Martin Frývadlský, CEO of Warhorse Studios, said in a statement. “Together with my colleagues in the studio, we are proud that we have the opportunity to present the story we have been working on for many years in a world premiere at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.”

According to the festival, the film’s synopsis teases an epic. “Kingdom of Bohemia, 1403,” it reads. “Chaos has befallen the Kingdom. As invaders pillage this ungoverned land, sowing fear and terror, Henry of Skalitz seeks revenge for his murdered family. Now a trusted servant of the rightful king’s allies, Henry is sent to escort Sir Hans Capon on a diplomatic mission. After they are ambushed and nearly killed, the two young men embark on a series of perilous adventures, putting their skills, character and friendship to the ultimate test”.

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival takes place July 4-12 this year.

Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.

IGN's Mario Kart World map is here! Our interactive map tracks essential locations across Mario Kart World's Free Roam mode, including P-Switches and Peach Medallions. It also tells you where to go to find Dash Food, which is essential for unlocking new character outfits.

Mario Kart World Interactive Map

A new Amazon Prime Day event in July has been revealed, but the service is now offering a free selection of six PC games to celebrate early, all of which Amazon Prime members can claim right now, including Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, Saints Row 2, Saints Row IV Re-Elected, Star Wars: Rebellion, and more.

The heavy metal-themed horror comedy Deathgasm is expanding into a veritable multimedia franchise. Not only is the original film getting a direct sequel (appropriately titled Deathgasm II: Goremageddon), the series is also spawning an original prequel graphic novel and a 16-bit-style video game.

Now that the Deathgasm 1.5: Director's Cut graphic novel is live on Kickstarter, IGN can exclusively reveal a very cool new detail about the book. It's going to feature a cameo from the stars of 2014's What We Do In the Shadows movie, Taika Waititi's Viago and Jermaine Clement's Vladislav. Check out the slideshow gallery below for a closer look at that cameo and the previously revealed artwork and Kickstarter extras for Deathgasm 1.5. Note -beware of some NSFW language and violent imagery!

Deathgasm 1.5: Director's Cut is written by Deathgasm director Jason Howden and Peter Bune (Squatch Watch), with art by Industrias Lamonicana (Fierro), colors by Zac Atkinson (Farscape, Star Trek), and letters by Jeremiah Lambert (Masters of the Universe, Transformers). The book features covers by Skinner (Skin Crawl Magazine), Preston Asevedo (The Exiled), and Matthew Therrien (The Wrath of Becky). The book also includes contributions from writers Michael Schwartz (Armored, Zombie Town) and Joshua Viola (True Believers, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver).

“Between the events of Deathgasm 1 and Deathgasm 2 was a story that I needed to tell,” said Howden in a statement. “The story was so visually epic, so gory, and so offensive that it could never be filmed without watering it down. Instead, we made it into a graphic novel: Deathgasm 1.5. We’re stoked for fans to witness Brodie and Medina slashing demons and thrashing metal riffs, meeting old mates and an ageless evil that lurks in the shadows of a heavy metal-hating church!”

The Kickstarter campaign for Deathgasm 1.5 and the Deathgasm video game features a number of optional extras like latex masks, original art, shirts, and signed art prints.

For more on What We Do In the Shadows, check out IGN's review of the TV show's final episode.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Dying Light: The Beast game director Nathan Lemaire walks you through the weapons you'll wield in Techland's upcoming standalone first-person melee/shooter/parkour open-world action-adventure, in which you once again play Kyle Crane, who's out for revenge on the people who experimented on him and turned him into the eponymous Beast.

From flamethrowers to vicious (and maybe even a bit rusty) melee weapons, the development team is aiming to give weapons even more impact on the world than they've had the first two Dying Light games. Check out the trailer above, and if you missed our exclusive 30-minute extended gameplay trailer, you can watch that below.

If you missed our other two exclusives so far this month, we had an exclusive hands-on preview (that included a fight with one of the Chimeras), and we also had a deep-dive video on the Chimera bosses you'll battle.

Dying Light: The Beast will be released on August 22 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Stay tuned to IGN all June long for more exclusive coverage.

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

There’s a scene in F1 that I think counts as the movie’s big rah-rah speech. It’s about how if everybody on the crew contributes a half second at some point in the race, if they can all find just a fraction of a second here or there, that’s the difference between last place and first. As far as sports-movie speeches go, it’s pretty good. But what I found so intriguing about it is that it perfectly describes the difference between a bad sports movie and a good one. It seems to be a lesson Joseph Kosinski, Brad Pitt, and the rest of the team behind F1 took to heart. As a sports movie following some pretty tried and true tactics, F1 ups its game at every stage of things. This won’t win it any awards for originality, but it still adds up to a real win.

I’m a sucker for sports movies. Unashamedly and unreservedly, I love an underdog defying the odds on a field, a court, a pitch, wherever. Even, as it turns out, on a racetrack. There’s something comforting about their formula, which comes in subtly different flavors, of course: Inspirational, comedic, based-on-a-true-story, based on Super Bowl ads that team Michael Jordan with Bugs Bunny. But ever since Rocky in 1976, any new entry the genre gets a head start thanks to a blueprint that’s honestly hard to mess up. F1 is definitely not a sports movie that messes this up.

Director Joseph Kosinski clearly has both hands on the wheel where the sports-movie formula is concerned. The story he’s concocted with Transformers vet Ehren Kruger follows an aging, never-was racecar driver as he tries to rescue his old pal’s team and the cocky rookie driver who’s got lessons to learn before he can realize his full potential. Throw in a romantic interest and feel free to stop me when you’ve heard all that before.

But when I use the word formulaic here, it’s not meant to be derogatory. Because here’s the thing about a good formula: If it didn’t yield good movies, people wouldn’t use it over and over and over again. But it requires a steady and delicate hand. Use too much of one ingredient here, or apply the wrong amount of heat there, and the whole thing can blow up in your face.

On a technical level, F1 is impeccably put together. Kosinski and his frequent collaborator, Academy Award winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda, put cameras in just… all the places. Picking up where they left off with Top Gun: Maverick, F1 is filled with impossible angles and quick, robotic pans that make us feel like we’re at the mercy of these rocketship machines. The major difference between these movies’ depictions of speed and mechanical might is that there isn’t a global television audience tuning in nearly every weekend from mid-March to early December to watch fighter jets tool around. There’s a deep cultural familiarity with what a Formula One race is supposed to look like onscreen. F1: The Movie gets that too. One shot puts you intimately and dangerously into the driver’s seat while the next feels broadcast-worthy.

The editing does the same as well, thanks to Stephen Mirrione, another member of the pit crew with an Oscar in the garage. F1 is cut beautifully and peacefully in stretches, chaotically and nervously in others. There’s one character who owes her entire struggling-to-keep-up-to-coming-through-in-the-clutch story arc to the editing. That particular sports-movie must-have is landed perfectly in the three second edit of a tire change.

But that’s behind the camera. In front of the camera you can see the fruits of the reliable sports-movie formula as well. The fun everybody had making this movie is both obvious and infectious; there’s an ease and joy that shows up in even the tensest scenes. Everybody knows the score. It’s like “We’ve seen this movie before, so let’s just enjoy ourselves.”

Pitt plays his character, Sonny Hayes, like the Don Quixote of driving: Searching for the great prize that even he can’t articulate, and carrying F1 with the uncomplicated charm of one of Earth’s last movie stars. Sonny approaches his assignment with what he describes as hard-earned wisdom and a directness that sometimes borders on disinterested. He’s every bit the archetypal weary veteran, a Brad Pitt specialty at this point in his career. (It’s the type that won him his Oscar, after all.) If he’d endeavored to paint outside the lines too much, F1 would’ve been a weaker movie for it.

The supporting cast is stacked with celebrated actors doing admirable work alongside Pitt. Javier Bardem is perfect as the friend who’s in over his head and needs a Hail Mary. (It’s fair to mix this particular sports metaphor, because F1 does it, too.) He’s rooting for Sonny, and we’re rooting for him – it works great. Kerry Condon is charming as hell as technical director Kate McKenna – a tremendous foil for Sonny and Damson Idris as Joshua Pearce, the aforementioned arrogant young racer with a lot to learn from the grizzled old man.

All the pieces that you’d expect are there – and, again, plussing up the “familiar” is the best thing Kosinski and his crew have done with F1. They’ve built a super-charged vehicle that can outdo the competition on almost every level – give or take a two-and-a-half-hour-plus runtime. While I can totally understand the instinct to include every frame of that in-the-driver’s-seat footage, by the time F1 made its final laps, I was starting to feel out of gas.

This is where the film runs into the downside of a formula: For most of F1, the competition is internal, with Sonny and Joshua battling themselves and each other. Their rivals on the circuit are all familiar faces and sponsors from the real world of Formula One, but as movie characters, they’re as anonymous as the “enemy” countries in Top Gun and Maverick. As if to correct for this lack of an antagonistic Ivan Drago to their Rocky (or Yankees to their Bad News Bears, or East Germany to their Jamaican Bobsled Team…), an adversarial element that’s been hovering in the background plays an outsized importance in the final act. It’s one extra thing that the formula demands, but that F1 just doesn’t need.

The climactic race also gets a little exposition-heavy, going out of its way to establish the obscure rules (maybe just semi-obscure… I’m not that into actual Formula One racing) that bring a last gasp of hope to Sonny and Joshua’s chances. That’s not the case for the rest of F1 – you don’t have to be fluent in the sport to tell what’s going on in the rest of the races. Each one brings a new obstacle, which in turn gives rise to a new and character-building solution. It’s a pattern that really works, escalating in all the right ways until Kosinski goes to the well one too many times.

But that’s the formula for you, I suppose. It’s a game of inches with sports movies, or in the case of F1, tenths of seconds. Kosinski and his incredibly talented crew have all the pedigree to elevate a road-tested format, Brad Pitt and his co-stars are talented drivers sitting on top of an immaculately crafted racecar, and all any of them need to do is hang on and not steer too far out of their lane. For 125 or so of its 156 minutes, F1 is every bit the experienced veteran. In its weaker moments though, it reverts to brash-rookie mode.

After months of rumors and searching, DC has finally selected Tom Rhys Harries as the actor who will play legendary Batman villain and shapeshifter Clayface in the upcoming standalone DCU film.

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn announced the news when sharing a Deadline article on social media platform Bluesky. It’s a promising update for the movie, which is still finding its shape as its September 11, 2026, release date inches closer.

“After a long and incredibly exhaustive search, we finally have our DCU Clayface in Tom Rhys Harries,” Gunn shared. “Both Matt Reeves and I were just blown away by this guy, and can't wait for you to see this film, directed by James Watkins and written by Mike Flanagan.”

Physical media fans, this is a preorder well worth picking up for your collection: Monty Python and the Holy Grail is getting a 50th anniversary 4K steelbook (see here at Amazon). Huzzah! The beloved comedy's fun new steelbook is now available to preorder for $39.99 and is set to release in just a couple of months on August 26.

Preorder Monty Python and the Holy Grail 4K Steelbook

Years before Fortnite became a battle royale phenomenon, Epic Games' shooter originally launched as a PVE game, with an offering now dubbed Save the World that saw teams working together to survive against waves of zombies.

Now, Fortnite is returning to its roots with a Lego Fortnite Expeditions, a fresh mission-based PVE mode for up to four players, which looks like a mix of the game's existing Lego gameplay with PlayStation console hit Helldivers.

In Expeditions, players embark from the mode's Academy hub, where you choose from a range of combat missions set in one of three locations. Successful mission completions contribute to global Team Projects that unlock buffs for all players, as well as new mission types. You can also chill back at the Academy and undertake Assignments from other Fortnite characters.

Expeditions launches with three map locations and three upgradable hero classes. Shadow Caller lets you fly and launch ranged explosive attacks, or enter Shadow Form to escape battle. The Hunter is equipped with Bull's-eye Blade, a mark that multiplies damage and makes attacks for all players more accurate. Rift Ripper, meanwhile, can warp around the battlefield, fire rift crystals and buff other classes.

Developer Epic Games is positioning Expeditions to be another permanent Fortnite mode, and the game's third major Lego experience after the survival-focused Lego Odyssey and sim-like Lego Brick Life. But while these have been fairly separate experiences, Expeditions will feature the theme and main villain of the game's main Battle Royale mode storyline.

At launch, Expeditions sees players facing off against Mask Maker Daigo and his minions, while allying yourself with Battle Royale's various heroes. (Yes, Jonesy and Hope are included.) A trailer for the mode also includes the current Battle Royale season's logo, Super, and its major crossover character, Superman. The suggestion seems to be that Expeditions may adapt to tie in with other Battle Royale season themes going forward.

Fortnite is currently early in its new superhero-themed season, which arrived following the explosion of its Star Wars Death Star. This week is a busy one for Fortnite, with the arrival of a new 32-player battle royale mode named Blitz Royale, pitched as being perfect for quicker gameplay sessions on mobile devices. Both Blitz Royale and Lego Fortnite Expeditions launch tomorrow, June 18.

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

Microsoft has announced the Xbox Game Pass June 2025 Wave 2 lineup in what is a strong month for the subscription service.

As confirmed in a post on Xbox Wire, available today is Remedy’s co-op first-person Control spin-off FBC: Firebreak (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) in Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass as a day one release. Also today is Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (Console and PC) via Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Standard, and Lost in Random: The Eternal Die (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass as a day one launch.

Tomorrow, June 18, sees the release of Star Trucker (Xbox Series X|S) and Wildfrost (Console) into Game Pass Standard.

June 19 sees 5v5 online arcade soccer game Rematch (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) hit Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass as a day one release. It’s worth noting that crossplay is not available at launch, which means PC Game Pass players can’t play with Steam players.

Moving on to June 24, Volcano Princess (Cloud, Console, and PC) is added to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. June 26 is a big day for Game Pass, with Against the Storm (Cloud and Console) via Game Pass Ultimate (it’s currently available on Xbox PC and coming soon to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta).

Blizzard is set to release a trio of PC Warcraft games on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, all on June 26: Warcraft I: Remastered (PC); Warcraft II: Remastered (PC); and Warcraft III: Reforged (PC).

And here’s a surprise: Call of Duty: WWII (Console and PC) hits Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Standard on June 30. This is Sledgehammer Games’ 2017 Call of Duty effort, which has a Headquarters social space where players can call down loot boxes onto Normandy beach.

Moving into the early part of July, Little Nightmares II (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Standard on July 1, and also on that day, Rise of the Tomb Raider (Cloud, Console, and PC) returns to the Game Pass library across Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Standard.

Xbox Game Pass June 2025 Wave 2 lineup:

• Star Trucker (Xbox Series X|S) – June 18 Now with Game Pass Standard
• Wildfrost (Console) – June 18 Now with Game Pass Standard
• Rematch (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – June 19 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Volcano Princess (Cloud, Console, and PC) – June 24 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Against the Storm (Cloud and Console) – June 26 Game Pass Ultimate
• Warcraft I: Remastered (PC) – June 26 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Warcraft II: Remastered (PC) – June 26 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Warcraft III: Reforged (PC) – June 26 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Call of Duty: WWII (Console and PC) – June 30 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
• Little Nightmares II (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 1 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
• Rise of the Tomb Raider (Cloud, Console, and PC) – July 1 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard

Leaving Xbox Game Pass on June 30:

As always, a number of games leave Game Pass this month. Subscribers can get a discount to save up to 20% to keep the games in their library.

• Arcade Paradise (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Journey to the Savage Planet (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• My Friend Peppa Pig (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Robin Hood: Sherwood Builders (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• SteamWorld Dig (Cloud and Console)
• SteamWorld Dig 2 (Console and PC)

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.

With PS5 games getting bigger each year and SSD prices rising, we want to make sure you can find the best storage for the lowest price possible. Here, we'll point you in the direction of some of the greatest 2TB SSD deals we can find, including this deal on the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB PS5 SSD, which has dropped to $149.99.

It's worth noting that you can't use any old SSD and expect it to perform well on the PS5 console. You'll want to pick up a PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 solid-state drive with at least a 5,500MB/s read speed to match the PS5's internal drive. We've gathered up SSDs that match or exceed these specs in the list below to make your search easier.

Note that Sony recommends that you have a heatsink attached to your SSD, and not all SSDs listed here have pre-installed heatsinks. For the ones that do, we'll be sure to mention it. For the ones that don't, all you have to do is purchase your own heatsink (like this one for $10) and install it yourself. For our top recommended picks for 2025, check out our full breakdown for the Best PS5 SSDs.

Samsung 990 Pro 2TB PS5 SSD for $149.99

Preorders for the upcoming Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet expansions, Black Bolt and White Flare, are starting to roll out at major US retailers ahead of the release next month on July 18.

Walmart has confirmed its listings will go live on June 18 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET. Amazon and Target are also expected to follow up with wider availability soon, potentially even around the same time, so keep an eye out and bookmark the following links if you're looking to secure early stock.

Amazon's listings are up but not live yet, so bookmark each so you're ready to lock in your preorder ASAP when each set goes live.

You can also see our full list of trusted retailers just below that will likely host preorders between now and release on July 18.

Best Buy is also putting restrictions in place for those looking to preorder, so make sure to check the following on your Best Buy account, as well as every other retailer:

• Make sure you have an account set up and logged in.
• Confirm your location and address for store pickup or shipping.
• Add the item to your cart as soon as you can for account verification and inventory checks.
• Make sure to follow on-screen prompts and not refresh or close your browser window.
• Don't try and use multiple devices to secure stock, retailers usually track your IP Address (Sometimes bypassing VPNS).
• Complete the purchase as soon as possible when adding to basket.

Where To Preorder: Pokémon TCG Black Bolt

Like previous sets, Black Bolt and White Flare will likely sell out incredibly quickly, so it'll be a massive task to find the expansions in stock.

I'll be keeping track on retailers and updating this article as preorders go live, as I'll be looking to pick up a few sealed boosters myself.

The everything below also be found at The Pokémon Center, although its currently out of stock, and its queue system when new stock is added can take a rather long time with no guarantees.

Black Bolt ETB

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Target
• Walmart
• Magic Madhouse
• TCG Player

Black Bolt Binder Collection

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Target
• Walmart
• Magic Madhouse
• TCG Player

Black Bolt Booster Bundle

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Target
• Walmart
• Magic Madhouse
• TCG Player

Black Bolt Tech Sticker Collection

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Target
• Walmart
• Magic Madhouse
• TCG Player

Where To Preorder: Pokémon TCG White Flare

White Flare ETB

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Target
• Walmart
• Magic Madhouse
• TCG Player

White Flare Binder Collection

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Target
• Walmart
• Magic Madhouse
• TCG Player

White Flare Booster Bundle

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Target
• Walmart
• Magic Madhouse
• TCG Player

White Flare Tech Sticker Collection

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Target
• Walmart
• Magic Madhouse
• TCG Player

Release Date: Black Bolt and White Flare

Pokémon TCG's release schedule is looking chock full over the next few months, alongside the split explansion set Black Bolt and White Flare, there's also Destined Rivals that recently released at the end of May.

Black Bolt and White Flare will have a staggered release between July 18 - August 22, and you can find all the relevant dates to note down just below.

Available July 18, 2025:

• Scarlet & Violet: Black Bolt or White Flare Elite Trainer Box, each containing nine booster packs, an illustration rare promo card featuring Thundurus or Tornadus, and gameplay accessories
• Binder Collection, including five booster packs and a nine-pocket album featuring Zekrom or Reshiram
• Unova Poster Collection, with two booster packs from each expansion, three promo cards featuring Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott, and a full-size double-sided poster
• Unova Mini Tin, including one booster pack from each expansion, one art card, and one sticker card

Available August 1, 2025:

• Tech Sticker Collection, with three booster packs, a promo card featuring Reuniclus or Gothitelle, and a themed sticker sheet
• Unova Victini Illustration Collection, with four booster packs, a foil promo card featuring Victini, a premium parallel Poké Ball version of Victini, and an oversized foil card

Available August 22, 2025:

• Booster Bundle, including six booster packs from either Black Bolt or White Flare

Key Features: Black Bolt and White Flare

• Six Pokémon ex
• Eight ultra rare Pokémon and Supporter cards
• One illustration rare or special illustration rare card for each Unova Pokémon
• One special illustration rare Supporter card

A new card style, called Black White rare, will also debut. These cards will feature full artwork in either black or white monochrome, depending on the expansion.

Players will also be able to access Scarlet & Violet: Black Bolt and White Flare digitally starting July 17, 2025, through the Pokémon TCG Live app on iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows. The digital release allows players to collect and battle with new Unova-region cards and earn in-game login bonuses.

Pokémon TCG: Best Deals Today

Checking these prices against TCG Player secondary market values, a lot of these products aren't far off the mark. Make no mistake, they're still way off MSRP, but finding Pokémon products on shelves that haven't been marked up past the point of anyone caring is a positive.

Still refusing to pay over MSRP for new sets? Well played, I'm proud of you. Here's some single card highlights for you to shuffle through instead. Spoiler, there's plenty of deals to be had.

Destined Rivals Singles Are On The Rise (Again)

It's hard to stick a pin on Destined Rivals single card values right now, and the dips in value seem to match the little bits of stock distributors release to stores.

Looking at the tracking charts for each of these cards, we can see mostly plummets from day one, then either upticks or cards for sale that exceed the original value at launch.

It's crazy, but we now know how low these cards can go. Sure there's always attempts at market manipulation, but I wouldn't buy any cards on the rise right now.

Journey Together Singles Are Settling In Value

Having keeping an eye on the market since launch, Journey Together singles are now more affordable than ever.

Many of these cards have stabilized, with the main chase card - Lillie's Clefairy ex SIR, settling at around $150.

If you were planning on getting into Journey Together at some point to collect the illustration rares and SIRs, now is a great time to jump in.

Epic Primastic Evolutions Cards That Aren't Umbreon

There's so many great cards in this set that aren't Umbreon ex SIR, all of which are a damn sight more affordable right now.

Because I hate anything popular (Yes, I know I'm a massive fan of the most popular IP on earth), my two favorite cards are Dragapult ex SIR and Roaring Moon ex SIR.

The former is now down to a respectable $125, with the latter holding it's value well since launch, floating towards the $200 mark. These prices and below are great deals for these cards, so don't miss out.

Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.

Additional contributions included by Robert Anderson.

Oni Press recently acquired the rights to the Adventure Time franchise, and they've wasted no time in delivering new comic book adventures featuring Finn, Jake, and the rest of the gang. Oni is about to kick off the monthly series' next major story arc, "Friends to the End," and IGN has an exclusive first look at cover art for issue #5.

Head to the slideshow gallery below to see cover art for Adventure Time #5:

Adventure Time #5 is written by Nick Winn (Silver Sprocket’s Bloody Mary) and drawn by Kenzie Bugg (Adult Swim’s Tuca and Bertie). Both creators have also contributed covers to this issue, alongside Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb, and Agustin Morales. Issue #5 also features a backup story by Adventure Time animated series writer and storyboard artist Derek Ballard.

Here's Oni's official description of the new issue:

Finn and Jake, fresh off their funky dance battle in outer space, get word that Billy has mysteriously reappeared in… the Computer Kingdom?! Determined to find the Enchiridion for Computer Princess and prove himself a true hero (and not just some adventurin’ kid), Finn wastes no time in getting there—but Billy is not all he appears… Just what exactly is hiding in Computer Princess’s past? And what darkness awaits in Finn’s future? Definitely totally not something super-duper evil, right? RIGHT?!?!

Adventure Time #5 will be released on September 3, 2025. You can also preorder Adventure Time Vol. 1: Best of Buds on Amazon.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Cartoonist Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer is widely regarded as one of the best and most influential graphic novel memoirs of the 21st Century. It's also among the most commonly banned books in the US, with the Los Angeles Times labeling it “the most banned book in American schools.” Fittingly, Kobabe is teaming with Oni Press for a new fundraising campaign dubbed "Fight Censorship, Read Comics."

With the Fight Censorship, Read Comics campaign now live on Oni's site, IGN can exclusively debut new images of the exclusive merchandise featured. Get a closer look in the slideshow gallery below:

A portion of the proceeds from Fight Censorship, Read Comics will be donated to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) and the Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP). The campaign features 15 different items, including T-shirts, art prints, enamel pins, keychains, and even signed and numbered editions of the Gender Queer hardcover. Preorders are open from now until August 20, with fulfillment slated to begin in September.

“The freedom to read, the freedom to access information, and the freedom to learn are some of the most vital rights in this country,” said Kobabe in a statement. “Removing books from schools and public libraries cuts off people's access to knowledge about the wider world and about their own lives within it. This is especially true when the books being removed are about minority identities, or topics less commonly portrayed in popular culture. A book that might seem pointless to one reader might be life-saving to another. Removing a book because its themes offend one reader is censorship, and must be combated at every turn. Please stand up for the freedom to read and the freedom to write!”

"For nearly a century, comics as an art form have played a critical role in championing the all-American ideals of free speech, equality, and anti-authoritarianism," said Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson. "Although Maia's work is one of the first and prominent examples of impactful and important work to be singled out by pro-censorship forces, we can guarantee that it will not be the last. It is the responsibility of creative institutions like Oni Press and our fellow publishers to protect the free expression of cartoonists and our medium as a whole, and we are proud to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and Florida Freedom to Read Project with our ongoing 'Fight Censorship, Read Comics' initiatives."

To help celebrate Pride Month, check out our recommendations for the best LGBTQ comics to read right now.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Hello. I’m Simon, and I’ll be reviewing Death Stranding 2: On the Beach for IGN. As you probably know, the response to the original Death Stranding was varied to say the least, so I thought it would be helpful to provide a bit of context regarding my own feelings about the 2019 sci-fi epic before hearing my thoughts on the sequel.

I didn’t review Death Stranding for IGN – that was the job of the excellent Tristan Ogilvie, and you can read his thoughts here. His score of 6.8 isn’t anywhere close to the most negative assessment Death Stranding received at launch, but it’s also far from the glowing praise some others bestowed upon it. As I said, verdicts were varied, and I’m about to add yet another to that mix. Opinions are inherently subjective, especially when it comes to art, so naturally my thoughts on Death Stranding differ from Tristan's, albeit not by too much. This is not a re-review, so you won’t get a different score here, but let me explain what I did and didn’t like about the original.

Let’s start with the story, arguably the most complex and divisive aspect of Death Stranding. It’s the element I enjoyed the most, as I fully embraced its ever-increasing glossary of fresh sci-fi terminology and ended up quite connected to its core cast of characters. I think it's definitely the sort of experience that rewards you the more you put into its world, and while it can prove a little impenetrable during its slower, earlier hours, I really did end up fully invested by its final act. Sam’s connection to Lou, as well as the dynamic between Cliff Unger and Die-Hardman, especially resonated with me. Die-Hardman’s final scene, brilliantly brought to life by Tommie Earl Jenkins, is one of the most affecting performances in a video game that I can remember. That’s not to say that the rest of the cast aren’t also fantastic; I could lay on praise for all of them, ranging from Margaret Qualley’s dual roles to Lea Seydoux’s complicated Fragile. I’m looking forward to seeing new faces join them this time around, in particular Elle Fanning’s enigmatic Tomorrow, and I’m willing to go on the record as saying I don’t trust her at all.

Yes, there’s a huge scale here in its world-ending events and giant oil monsters, but this is the sort of sci-fi and post-apocalypse fiction I really connect with – grand, global stories rooted in deeply personal tales, a la Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival or Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. Death Stranding delicately balances moments of wonder, whether they be colossal looming threats or simply walking over the crest of a hill to a dose of Low Roar, with one-on-one conversations that anchor that grandeur in relatable humanity. It’s those very human themes of birth, death, hope, and grief that we can all relate to, and I enjoyed greatly how these shone through, no matter how much alien language was thrown my way over the 40 or so hours its tale takes to tell.

In terms of gameplay, it looks like we’ll be getting more of that MGS-flavour tactical espionage action from Death Stranding 2, if recent hands-on previews are anything to go by. This excites me greatly, because no matter how much I enjoyed the original’s story, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find the act of actually playing Death Stranding a slog at times. In fact, it’s what made me bounce off of it when it first released back in 2019. On my first go around, I got just a handful of hours in before deciding all that walking just wasn’t working for me. Its routine of setting out for a hike, crossing rivers and mountains, before eventually reaching nothing more exciting than a delivery location became tiresome for me very quickly, especially during its laborious (and seemingly never-ending) third chapter.

But I’m very glad I gave it another shot a couple of years ago, this time playing the Director’s Cut to completion, as I found myself having a much more enjoyable time with it. That new version’s addition of deeper combat and new delivery tools, such as the companion bot and catapult, introduced some much-needed variety into the mix. Plus, the fact that many half-built highways, helpful ladders, and convenient bridges already existed in the world thanks to the online Chiral network definitely made the journey a lot smoother than it was at launch. The further I got into the game and the more my collection of tools grew, the more fun I found myself having. I bombed along on a motorcycle and enjoyed setting up zipline systems to dart around with ease. I’m hopeful that many of these more convenient delivery options are available from the get-go in Death Stranding 2.

Travelling across Death Stranding’s world was ultimately rewarding, then, but I still can’t say I ever fully clicked with its combat. Yes, I did have a good laugh chucking blood and piss grenades at a big oily lion, but I largely found its BT encounters a bit of trudge. It meant that I avoided conflict as much as I could – a perfectly valid way to play Death Stranding, but one that did result in me letting out a groan every time it started to rain. I also found myself largely dodging human enemies, too, with their yellow hazmat suits often signifying tedious stealth situations. I’m encouraged, then, that Death Stranding 2 looks to be quite a bit more action-heavy in the way it's expanding your arsenal and enabling you to deal with threats in more dynamic ways. While I’m not asking for Sam to become a super soldier able to take waves of enemies head-on, I am looking forward to wielding a bit more firepower this time around instead of opting to skirt around the edges of combat.

So, the TLDR version is that I really enjoyed the world of Death Stranding and its characters, but didn’t find the moment-to-moment gameplay consistently rewarding. I liked it, just didn’t love it. I am very excited to jump back in with Death Stranding 2, though – from what we’ve seen so far, it does look like the story is packed full of intrigue again, and that we’ll be treated to the sort of spectacle that rarely gets created outside of Kojima’s studio walls. I’m just hoping it has the gameplay to match its cinematic ambitions this time around, and doesn’t make the gaps between its gloriously sculpted cutscenes as much of a chore. I guess we’ll all find out when my review of Death Stranding 2 drops on June 23rd.

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.

Developer Mūn Mūn Games has announced Out Fishing, a seemingly benign first-person fishing simulator. Even its title suggests that it's cozy and chill. And it is...during the day. But when nighttime rolls around in the game, it turns into a horror game. It's in development for PC.

The developers describe it like this: "Explore a calm yet unsettling wilderness. Search for rare fish and scattered remnants of the past. Time is your enemy, but the farther you go, the closer you get to the truth. Fish, sell your catch, upgrade your gear, and build up your camp — a fragile safe zone where the line between memory and hallucination starts to blur."

The dynamic day/night cycle includes unpredictable weather that changes the conditions, including the fish you might catch. You can also upgrade your tools and fishing techniques, up to and including vehicles(!). You'll also need to build and sustain your own camp. Check out the debut trailer at the top of this page to get a good idea of what Out Fishing is all about.

Out Fishing invites you to "reel in the one thing that was never meant to be found." Wishlist it on Steam if you're interested.

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

It's easy to get drawn in by the unmistakable chrome and neon look of the Tron movies. It definitely made Tron: Catalyst, a top-down action game set in a different virtual world than those we've seen in the films, catch my eye. But in this case, those aesthetics only carried me so far. It doesn't make any critical system errors, but almost every part of it seems like it could have used a little more compute time.

Catalyst focuses on a determined and likeable courier program, Exo, who gets mixed up in a sweeping conspiracy relating to a potential hard reset of the server she and her fellow digital consciousnesses reside on. This Arq Grid was created by Kevin Flynn, AKA Jeff Bridges from the films, and is currently the stage for an interesting political struggle between the authoritarian organization Core and their free-thinking opponents, Automata. Getting to explore this world held my attention, but a lot about it felt two-dimensional.

Most of the life it has is injected by occasional dialogue scenes with fairly respectable but somewhat inconsistent voice acting, and I’m not sure the cartoon character art hit quite the right tone. It almost reminds me of the animated kids’ shows Disney often does these days to follow up many of their popular, live-action blockbusters. And that doesn't quite fit the gloomy, noir vibes of apocalyptic intrigue. I did like the character designs conceptually, though. Every major player is certainly distinct and imaginative.

The plot is also just alright. At the risk of repeating myself, Catalyst really is the picture of a game that is merely pretty good and rarely ever great, in just about every arena. I was interested in the various factions and sub-factions, but they never got fleshed out enough to matter. I was intrigued by the central mystery and the looming threat of the server ending, but I rarely felt a strong urgency to unravel those threads. The writing at least does what it needs to do to move things, but frequently relies on what feel like deliberate leaps of logic to avoid breaking up the flow of a level.

The best example of this is the Glitch, a condition affecting Exo that allows her to reset the server to an earlier state. This is essentially a way to start the current chapter over from the beginning, but retaining any knowledge you've gained, abilities you've earned, and shortcuts you've unlocked remaining open. It’s a very clever idea, but I feel like this mechanic had a lot more potential than what it ends up being used for.

Most of the time, I simply pressed the reset button when the quest objective told me to, or when I'd goofed up big time by getting too much heat from the Core enforcers. There weren't enough instances in which I felt like I could use it in a clever or dynamic way to open up optional paths or gain an advantage I wouldn't have had simply by following the main quest rigidly. It’s a time loop story without a lot of opportunities to exploit the fact that you know what’s going to happen. Time travel is always tricky to work with, and Tron: Catalyst mostly plays it safe in that regard.

Combat is also, and I'm sorry again for sounding like a broken record, but… it's fine. The controls are very responsive and the animations are kinetic and snappy. It looks cool as hell to dance back and forth through a pack of cyber cops, bouncing the light disc off walls and slashing away with stylish violence. But it started to feel fairly repetitive and never really got my blood pumping or my neurons firing in the way a better action game might because its attempts to keep me on my toes never succeeded at breaking me out of the same basic hack and slash routine.

There's a respectable difficulty curve, introducing new mechanics along the way like the ability to steal an enemy's code to copy their fighting style, or bosses that can only be damaged by parrying one of their attacks first. But too many fights can still be concluded swiftly and with token effort by spamming dodge and melee attacks. Eventually Catalyst introduces a stealth system, but I didn't use it except when I was forced to because it's pretty dull, and fighting through a level the loud way seemed so risk-free that it didn't even offer a meaningful advantage.

The key problem with combat is that it usually doesn't feel necessary to think very tactically to progress on the default difficulty. This is the entire skill tree right here, and it's possible to fill it out completely long before the end of the journey if you're meticulous about looking for secrets like I am, so there aren’t a lot of either/or choices to make. Even stolen enemy abilities that can power up your attacks like this blade module didn't end up feeling all that impactful for me, to the point that I wasn't bothering with them in the majority of fights. To be clear, it's not bad. It's fun enough. But that's all it ever is.

Of course, a Tron game without light cycles would be very odd indeed, so Catalyst gives you one pretty early on that makes it quick and enjoyable to navigate some of its larger areas. Many outdoor zones still ended up being a bit cramped for how fast this thing is, though. And the few instances of light cycle combat or chases highlighted how clunky it can feel in certain circumstances. There's even a light jet you get to pilot later, but this felt even more like a minigame and less like a well-thought-out mechanic.

Maybe the aspect I was most underwhelmed by, though, was the music. At this point, I associate the Tron universe with the likes of Daft Punk and Trent Reznor. And that's a high bar, I'll admit. I doubt any of those guys are available to create bespoke music for a project of this modest scale. But Tron: Catalyst's subdued, understated, overly safe blend of orchestral and electronic never gave me the chills I was looking for, even when I put my nice headphones on and turned the volume way up.

The score often fades into the background because it's too repetitive, and it doesn't vary enough in intensity between stretches of low-key exploration and the biggest plot reveals or action sequences. Sure, it does the job. But if there's one aspect where I would expect a Tron tie-in to go above and beyond, it would be the music. So it was harder to accept “merely acceptable” on that front.

While it might sound like damning with faint praise, I honestly think one of the aspects of Tron: Catalyst that works best is its restrained scope and length. It didn't even take me 12 hours to finish, playing pretty meticulously, and that's just about exactly how much attention I had to give its digital world. It would have been really easy to overstay its welcome, especially with the meager trickle of new mechanics it doles out, so it was definitely a smart decision to not pad this out. Playtime isn't directly correlated with quality, and I respect how much this adventure respected my time.

What’s happening with Batman movies? It sounds like things are moving at a glacial pace for the live-action incarnation of the Caped Crusader, with DC Universe co-chief James Gunn admitting: "Batman's my biggest issue in all of DC right now."

In February, James Gunn and fellow DCU steward Peter Safran confirmed The Brave and the Bold will introduce a new Batman into the DCU, ruling out current Batman actor Robert Pattinson in the process.

At the time, Safran and Gunn said Pattinson would play Batman in director Matt Reeves’ Batman universe, dubbed The Batman Epic Crime Saga, only. Pattinson played Batman in 2022’s The Batman, with The Batman - Part 2 confirmed to be in development.

However, last year The Batman Part 2 was delayed once again, this time to October 1, 2027. If this date stands, it will end up being five years between the world first seeing Robert Pattinson become the Dark Knight and again in its sequel.

And what does this mean for the timing of The Brave and the Bold? Gunn faces the potentially confusing situation of having two actors playing Batman in movies across two different DC universes.

So perhaps it comes as no surprise to hear Gunn explain the challenge he faces with Batman right now. In an interview with Rolling Stone (the same interview in which Gunn touched on the Snyderverse fandom and the decision to ditch subtitles from the Superman and Supergirl movie titles), he once again cast doubt on Pattinson crossing over into the DCU to play Batman in both versions.

“I would never say zero, because you just never know,” he said. “But it’s not likely. It’s not likely at all.”

Amid the speculation about how Gunn will handle Batman, rumors have sprung up that The Batman - Part 2 is canceled. But Gunn denied this, insisting director Matt Reeves is just being “slow.” However, it sounds like the movie is some way off, given there's no script.

“I’ll also say Batman Part 2 is not canceled,” Gunn said. “That’s the other thing I hear all the time — that Batman Part 2 is canceled. It’s not canceled. We don’t have a script. Matt’s slow. Let him take his time. Let him do what he’s doing. God, people are mean. Let him do his thing, man.”

So, thoughts turn to The Brave and the Bold, which some have suggested may end up taking The Batman Part 2’s October 2027 slot. As of February, The Brave and the Bold was said to be in “very active development,” and the story was “coming together very nicely.” But is The Flash director Andy Muschietti still directing? Gunn and Safran are developing the script, and will show it to Muschietti "when we have it in a place where we think it's ready to go... and see if it's a fit for him," Safran said earlier this year. "I'm very, very actively involved in that script," Gunn said, also earlier this year.

Speaking now on Batman, Gunn said he’s not actually writing The Brave and the Bold, but is working with an unnamed writer to “get it right.”

“Batman’s my biggest issue in all of DC right now, personally,” he said. “And it’s not — I’m not writing Batman, but I am working with the writer of Batman and trying to get it right, because he’s incredibly important to DC, as is Wonder Woman.

“So outside of the stuff that I’m doing in the projects that are actively going, our two priorities are finishing our Wonder Woman and our Batman scripts.”

Gunn then discussed in vague terms the kind of Batman he’s going for — or, perhaps it would be better to say the kind of Batman he's trying to avoid.

“Batman has to have a reason for existing, right? So Batman can’t just be ‘Oh, we’re making a Batman movie because Batman’s the biggest character in all of Warner Bros.,’ which he is. But because there’s a need for him in the DCU and a need that he’s not exactly the same as Matt’s Batman.

“But yet he’s not a campy Batman. I’m not interested in that. I’m not interested in a funny, campy Batman, really. So we’re dealing with that. I think I have a way in, by the way. I think I really know what it’s — I just am dealing with the writer to make sure that we can make it a reality.”

While fans wait for The Brave and the Bold to see Gunn's Batman, Episode 6 of DCU canon kickstarter Creature Commandos showed Batman standing on a rooftop looking down at crime boss Doctor Phosphorus. The image below revealed a mega-stacked Caped Crusader in his iconic costume, but there was little else that could be discerned about Gunn’s take on the superhero.

Donkey Kong Bananza is set to release exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 on July 17. It’s a big 3D platformer that's possibly made my the team behind Super Mario Odyssey; we'll have to wait until it comes out to know for sure. In any case, it finds our simian hero running, climbing, rolling, and digging through a variety of wide-open environments that look to be almost entirely destructable. It’s available to preorder now (see it at Amazon). Read on for the details.

Donkey Kong Bananza

Yes, the MSRP Is $69.99

While Nintendo is deploying a horrible new $79.99 price point for some Switch 2 games (looking at you, Mario Kart World) and even some upgraded and expanded original Switch games (looking at you, Super Mario Party Jamboree and Kirby and the Forgotten Land), it’s sticking with $69.99 for Donkey Kong Bananza. That’s $10 more than the standard Nintendo kept for most original Switch games, but I’m glad it’s not $79.99.

What Is Donkey Kong Bananza?

Donkey Kong Bananza is the first new 3D Donkey Kong game since the 1999 N64 platformer Donkey Kong 64. The main gameplay mechanic here seems to be a digging ability that has Donkey Kong pounding and smashing his way down into the ground or through the sides of cliffs. And based on the trailer, there appear to be plenty of secrets and treasure to be found.

While most of the levels do appear to take place underground, you’ll get to play through a variety of environments, including forests, canyons, lagoons, and frozen tundras. True to the series history, there are also side-scrolling and mine cart rail-riding sections. It looks like fun. Check out our Donkey Kong Bananza hands-on preview for more information.

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Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World (say that three times fast) is set to release exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28. It contains the full original Switch game, but with improvements like a faster frame rate and higher resolution. It also comes with a whole new story, called Star-Crossed World, that hasn’t been released anywhere else before. It’s available for preorder now (see it at Amazon). Read on for the details.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World

Upgrade Pack Is Also Available Separately

However, here's some good pricing news for anyone who already owns the original version of the game. Since this version simply comes with the original Switch game, plus the Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack, anyone who already owns the original game for Switch can purchase the upgrade pack separately from the Nintendo eShop for $19.99 and save some money.

What is Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World?

From our Kirby and the Forgotten Land review: “Kirby and the Forgotten Land successfully warps the series’ already fun mix of ability-based combat, platforming, and secret hunting into the third dimension. The post-apocalyptic setting may not be as thematically interesting as Planet Popstar, but it is still lovely and vibrant, with cleverly designed levels that make consistently smart use of Kirby’s abilities. Despite the change in perspective, Forgotten Land maintains most of what I love about classic Kirby games – and if the future means more 3D adventures for our hungry pink hero, I’d be more than happy to swallow them up.”

So this Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game comes with the full original game, complete with improved graphics, plus the Star-Crossed World expansion, which brings a new adventure to the package. Nintendo describes the new content like this: “Kirby must use his amazing abilities, including some all-new Mouthful Modes, to clear a trail through uncharted territory after the world is struck by a powerful meteor.”

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Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.

Super Mario Party Jamboree Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV is set to release exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 on July 24. It comes with everything included in the original party game for Nintendo Switch, plus a new Jamboree TV expansion that’s like a game show hosted by Toad. The game is available for preorder now (see it at Amazon). Let’s dive in and look at more details.

Super Mario Party Jamboree Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV

Yes, It Costs $79.99

Nintendo is using a sliding-scale pricing model for Switch 2 games. While most first-party original Switch games cost $59.99 (with the exception of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which cost $69.99), for Switch 2, Nintendo is cranking the ceiling up to $79.99. Mario Kart World is also $79.99, while other games are $69.99 or even less.

Upgrade Pack Is Also Available Separately

This version of the game comes with the original Switch game, plus the Switch 2 Edition upgrade pack. The upgrade pack boosts the base game to higher definition and faster frame rates, while also adding the Jamboree TV expansion content. If you already own the original game for Switch, you can purchase the upgrade pack separately on the Nintendo eShop and at select other retailers (as a printed download code) and save some money. The upgrade costs $19.99.

What Is Super Mario Party Jamboree Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV?

The big new addition here is the Switch 2-exclusive Jamboree TV expansion, which brings new modes and minigames to the party. It includes a number of minigames that use new input types, only available on Switch 2. There’s audio recognition, along with mouse controls and “more expressive rumble.” It also makes use of the Nintendo Switch 2 camera accessory (sold separately; see it at Target).

The minigames that use the camera accessory are probably the most notable addition here, because it puts the faces of everyone playing into the game. Up to four players can participate using a single camera, to do things like balance digital goombas on your head, hit question blocks with your Joy-Con, and more.

Overall, this is probably one of the bigger expansions coming to a Switch 2 version of an original Switch game. It’s especially appealing to anyone who has people over and enjoys playing party games.

Our Review of the Original Game

It’s worth noting that the original Jamboree on Switch was one of our favorite Mario Party games in a long time. From our 9/10 Super Mario Party Jamboree review:

“Super Mario Party Jamboree is an amazing followup to Mario Party Superstars and easily one of the best games in the series. Not only does it faithfully return to the classic formula established in the Nintendo 64 entries, it confidently improves upon it with a fantastic set of boards that introduce unique and memorable mechanics. It’s also the most flexible Mario Party has ever been, with tons of ways to customize your game, including its brilliant new optional Pro Rules that reduce luck-based elements to a minimum and crank up the strategy for those who want it. The wonderful maps are supported by a great lineup of new and returning minigames and character-specific challenges that steal the show, even if I wish there were just a few more minigames in the rotation. The side offerings may not have much staying power, but when partying with friends and family locally or online, Super Mario Party Jamboree boldly completes the series’ redemption arc as its newest superstar.”

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Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.

Nintendo has been working with Japan’s major online marketplaces to tackle misleading Switch 2 listings, with Yahoo Japan Auctions opting to outright ban resales of Nintendo’s next-gen offering. However, despite these measures, there have been a number of different scams in Japan involving second-hand Switch 2 consoles. Resellers sending out empty Switch 2 boxes or even photos of the console instead of the real deal are two scams that have been common enough to attract mainstream Japanese news coverage.

TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) and FNN (Fuji News Network) are among the news broadcasters that have released video segments looking into Switch 2 resales and scam listings, particularly on Mercari Japan. FNN focused on a prevalent con in which resellers send buyers a photo or an empty Switch 2 box instead of the actual console. At first glance, most of these scam listings look like regular Switch 2 console posts. However, tucked away in the description are sentences like “I will send a photo of a Switch 2” or “I will send out a Switch 2 box.” Many scammers are writing long descriptions to increase the chance that people click on “buy” without bothering to read all the details.

TBS news also highlighted “confusing” listings, such as a listing where the header describes an OLED model of the Switch 1, however the photo shows a Switch 2 box, with the small print in the description saying “Switch 2 is not included.”

Both news channels reached out to a lawyer to determine which Switch 2 listings could be considered fraudulent. According to Kunitaka Kasai of Rei Law Office, if the product is described as a Switch 2 console in the listing but the buyer doesn’t receive the described product, then the seller can potentially be charged with fraud.

However, even if the pictures show a Switch 2, it is not considered a fraudulent listing if the description specifies that the actual item the buyer will receive is something different (be it a photo of a Switch 2, an empty box, or a Switch 1).

Due to heavy demand, it is still not possible to walk into a store and buy a Switch 2 in Japan (even Nintendo’s Official Stores are not stocking the console yet). Would-be Switch 2 owners in Japan are left with two choices at the moment: keep entering official Switch 2 lotteries in the hope of getting lucky enough to purchase one, or try buying a resale console from online marketplaces.

However, buyers are cautioned to be wary and check listings thoroughly before they hit the “buy” button. Changes in how the Switch 2’s warranty works is another issue that might make people rethink snapping up a second-hand console.

Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.

Epic times are ahead for Q3 and Q4 for console gamers thanks to Donkey Kong Bonanza on Switch 2 and Borderlands 4 dropping on PS5 and Xbox Series X. Preorders just dropped on Amazon, which are conveniently found below because I'm an absolute legend like that. Speaking of Switch 2, I've included a solid deal on the best-selling TomToc slim carrying case to protect that hefty chunk of change.

TL;DR: Deals For Today

IGN Store only has a stunning Master Sword replica in stock too, complete with its scabbard and a sleek display stand. Unfortunately, you won't be able to destroy anything with it as it's not a real sword, but it's a cracking collectible to have above the fireplace or on your back consistently. Moving onto today's tech deals, I've found a banging deal on one of the best gaming monitors at the moment, Samsung 57"Odyssey Neo G9 and a bag full of Apple Mac and iPad discounts. Let's get into it:

Pokémon Restock Updates

Checking these prices against TCG Player secondary market values, a lot of these products aren't far off the mark. Make no mistake, they're still way off MSRP, but finding Pokémon products on shelves that haven't been marked up past the point of anyone caring is a positive. Still refusing to pay over MSRP for new sets? Well played, I'm proud of you. Here's some single card highlights for you to shuffle through instead. Spoiler, there's plenty of deals to be had.

Destined Rivals Singles Are On The Rise (Again)

It's hard to stick a pin on Destined Rivals single card values right now, and the dips in value seem to match the little bits of stock distributors release to stores. Looking at the tracking charts for each of these cards, we can see mostly plummets from day one, then either upticks or cards for sale that exceed the original value at launch. It's crazy, but we now know how low these cards can go. Sure there's always attempts at market manipulation, but I wouldn't buy any cards on the rise right now.

Journey Together Singles Are Settling In Value

Having keeping an eye on the market since launch, Journey Together singles are now more affordable than ever. Many of these cards have stabilized, with the main chase card - Lillie's Clefairy ex SIR, settling at around $150. If you were planning on getting into Journey Together at some point to collect the illustration rares and SIRs, now is a great time to jump in.

Epic Primastic Evolutions Cards That Aren't Umbreon

There's so many great cards in this set that aren't Umbreon ex SIR, all of which are a damn sight more affordable right now. Because I hate anything popular (Yes, I know I'm a massive fan of the most popular IP on earth), my two favorite cards are Dragapult ex SIR and Roaring Moon ex SIR. The former is now down to a respectable $125, with the latter holding it's value well since launch, floating towards the $200 mark. These prices and below are great deals for these cards, so don't miss out.

Discounted MTG: Aetherdrift Boxes

Magic: The Gathering discounts at a big box store like Amazon? Surely not! Aetherdrift turned the MTG meta on its head introducing vehicles and other unique mechanics. This is a great time to jump into it and rip open some packs, it's deffinately one of the most "out there" twists on the ever popular trading card game.

Where To Buy MTG: Final Fantasy

It's finally here, Magic the Gathering: Final Fantasy is out in the wild. If you got a preorder for MSRP, well played, but many TCG and Final Fantasy fans missed out. Fear not, there's still some options on sealed products available right now, including options from the secondary market with TCG Player which is around the same or lower than the pricing of big box retailers right now.

Donkey Kong Bananza

Switch 2 tomtoc Slim Carrying Case

The Legend of Zelda Master Sword

Borderlands 4 Preorders

Borderlands 4 preorders have finally landed, and the started edition is just under the $70 mark in a suprising move after the comments made by Randy Pitchford. We've had a bit of a behind the scenes look with the beggining of the "Beyond the Borderlands" video dropping on how to make a vault hunter, and it's all looking good.

Narrative Arc Bundle

Apple Mac and iPad Deals

Need an upgrade or a good introduction into the Apple ecosystem? There's plenty of choices here, with the M4 chip powering the MacBook and Mac Mini, it's just a case of thinking about if you'd like a traditional desktop setup or something you can take on the go. iPad A16 is perfect for pretty much anything too, even a bit of Apple Arcade.

Samsung 57" Odyssey Neo G9 Gaming Monitor

Big Discounts On Crucial DDR5 and Storage

Crucial are one of the most dependable brands when it comes to M.2 and portable drives, and is a great option for those wanting the benefits of DDR5 RAM without flashy RGB and it's price tag. Here's some of the best deals in the Crucial price slashing marathon on Amazon right now. I currently use the X10 Pro 4TB for backing up files and folders on my PC and for watching videos on my projector, just a solid piece of kit.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (PS5)

DOOM The Dark Ages Art Print

Power Up Pride Bundle

By the early 1990s, Gotham City was a place at a crossroads — not just on the comics page, but on the silver screen. The runaway success of 1989’s Batman had turned DC Comics’ brooding Dark Knight into a global pop-culture juggernaut. But 1992’s darker, more off-kilter follow-up, Batman Returns, presented a challenge the suits at Warner Bros. couldn’t ignore.

Director Tim Burton’s gothic stylings and psychological undertones gave the films a distinct flavor far removed from traditional superhero fare. But Returns’ darker, more adult themes and its sinister villains — Danny DeVito’s grotesque Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer’s complex, troubled Catwoman — also alienated parents and retailers alike with its unapologetically weird, adult-oriented tone.

While the sequel did solid business, its earnings still marked a sizable drop from the earlier film, with Burton’s unfiltered approach proving especially divisive. Warner Bros. suddenly found itself wrestling with a dilemma: how to keep their new golden goose of a franchise afloat in a market hungry for spectacle, cross-quadrant appeal, and yes, merchandising galore.

That delicate balancing act would shape the creation of the third film, Batman Forever. As the film celebrates its 30th anniversary this week, let’s take a look at the fascinating cinematic time capsule it has come to be in the years since.

A Gotham City in Transition

With concerned parents threatening boycotts and Happy Meal tie-ins in peril, Warner Bros. decided a tonal course correction was in order. Burton, who had given the franchise its visual signature, was nudged into a producer role (his name still prominent in the opening credits, perhaps as a gesture of reassurance, albeit with minimal input and likely under duress). While Burton had been developing a third installment centered around the Scarecrow, the studio increasingly saw his idiosyncratic sensibilities as misaligned with their evolving goals.

In came Joel Schumacher, a director with a résumé as eclectic as it was stylish, who came in only after first getting assurance from Burton himself that he was okay with stepping aside. From The Lost Boys to Falling Down, Schumacher had proven he could deliver visual pop and thematic heft. His Gotham would be less shadow-drenched nightmare, more neon-drenched fever dream — a city of kinetic color and electric energy.

But this wasn’t just about lighting changes and brighter spandex. It signaled a broader pivot: Batman as brand. Theatrical, toyetic, and teed up for mass consumption. Schumacher, for all the neon and noise, did try to delve a bit deeper under Bruce Wayne’s cowl. However, his hiring marked the moment commerce began to drive the creative engine more visibly than ever before.

Initial scripting duties went to Lee and Janet Scott Batchler, who delivered a draft heavy on psychological texture. Too heavy, as far as the studio was concerned. Enter Akiva Goldsman, who reshaped the narrative into something faster and splashier, cutting down on introspection in favor of momentum. Not quite as campy as the 1960s TV show (that was still two years away), but certainly closer than the Burton films had been.

Even the score got a tonal revamp. Danny Elfman’s haunting, operatic themes (also utilized in the fan-fave Batman: The Animated Series) gave way to Elliot Goldenthal’s wild, brassy compositions — less brooding and more bombastic, in lockstep with Schumacher’s amplified aesthetic. (The theme does grow on you, it’s worth acknowledging.)

Val Kilmer Dons the Cape and Cowl

Casting choices further reflected this tonal recalibration. Michael Keaton, who overcame initial fan skepticism and quickly became beloved as Bruce Wayne and Batman, declined to return. Offered a hefty $15 million paycheck, he still walked away, citing discomfort with the new direction and loyalty to Burton’s vision.

Although a roster of mid-’90s heartthrobs were considered, it was Val Kilmer, fresh off his iconic turn as Doc Holliday in Tombstone, who stepped up, signing on to wear the cape without even reading a script. His take on Bruce Wayne was cooler and more reserved — bordering on sleepy in some scenes — but there’s no doubt he cut a dashing figure in the sculpted rubber suit.

As for the villains, Warner Bros. leaned hard into marquee names, just as they had previously. Recent Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones, who had just worked with Schumacher on The Client, took over from Billy Dee Williams as District Attorney Harvey Dent/Two-Face. (Williams would eventually get his due — in LEGO form, no less — in 2017.)

The Riddler was a more contentious casting journey. Robin Williams passed, Michael Jackson lobbied, but Jim Carrey — riding high from his 1994 Triple Crown of Ace Ventura, The Mask, and Dumb & Dumber — won out. His manic energy matched the movie’s madcap carnival vibe, though not everyone was thrilled. His performance became the film’s tonal bellwether: delightfully unhinged to some, gratingly over-the-top to others (including, most notably, Tommy Lee Jones).

Meanwhile, Nicole Kidman was brought in as the female lead, psychologist Dr. Chase Meridian, after Rene Russo — considered for the part when Keaton was still in the mix — was infuriatingly deemed too old, at 41, to play the 36-year-old Kilmer’s love interest. Regardless, the smoldering Kidman no doubt brought sex appeal and star power to the project while aligning with the slicker, more commercial direction favored by the studio.

Robin finally made his long-awaited entrance to the franchise as well, with Scent of a Woman’s Chris O’Donnell beating out the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon to play Dick Grayson — reimagined as a rebellious teen (played by a 25-year-old) with an affinity for earrings, motorcycles, and just enough edge to seem cool in the MTV ’90s.

Notably, Michael Gough and Pat Hingle returned as Alfred and Commissioner Gordon, essentially the “Q” and “M” of this series, offering a tenuous thread of continuity to the prior entries and giving Forever just enough connective tissue to avoid being thought of as a hard reboot. (That wouldn’t come until Batman Begins 10 years later.)

A Rave in Comic Book Form

Gotham City itself got a makeover as well, courtesy of production designer Barbara Ling, who jettisoned the expressionist grime of Anton Furst’s earlier work in favor of towering statues, neon lighting, and architectural excess. It wasn’t just stylized, it was maximalist, looking less like a city and more like a rave rendered in comic book form.

The Batsuit was also redesigned with a high-gloss finish and sculpted nipples — a detail that became a lightning rod for criticism but perfectly captured the film’s unapologetic shift toward camp. Even the Batmobile was reimagined, glowing with bio-mechanical flourishes that recalled H.R. Giger. Every production element leaned into what toy marketers call “play value.” From costumes to set pieces, it was all designed with dual functions: cinematic storytelling and shelf appeal.

Behind the scenes, not all was harmonious. Kilmer repeatedly clashed with Schumacher, who got into a shoving match at one point with the actor, and Carrey later recounted Jones telling him, memorably: “I cannot sanction your buffoonery.”

Still, the real battleground emerged in post-production. Warner Bros. pushed for a faster, lighter cut, leading to the removal of numerous scenes, including Bruce’s encounter with a giant bat and more psychological explorations. What remained was a polished, popcorn-friendly version that smoothed out rougher edges in favor of commercial considerations.

Release and Reappraisal

When Batman Forever hit theaters on June 16, 1995, its arrival was trumpeted with all the subtlety of the Bat-Signal, blasting across every TV screen, cereal box, and fast-food wrapper in sight. The marketing machine was in full tilt, and audiences responded in kind. Opening to a then-record $53 million, the film eventually pulled in over $330 million worldwide — handily outpacing Batman Returns and validating Warner Bros.’ gamble (at least in the short term).

Critics were more mixed, however. Some praised its energy and visual dazzle; others bemoaned the tonal whiplash and cartoonish villains. Fans, too, were divided. Younger viewers embraced the spectacle, while longtime Bat-faithful mourned the departure from the character’s darker, more introspective roots.

Batman Forever has undergone something of a reputational rebalancing since it first hit theaters. Initially greeted with open arms by audiences riding high on Bat-mania, it eventually found itself unfairly tethered to the neon excesses of its successor, 1997’s Batman & Robin, and dismissed as part of the franchise’s descent into self-parody. But with time and distance, a reassessment has taken root.

Viewed through a more generous lens, Forever reveals itself as a sincere (if uneven) effort to thread the needle between Tim Burton’s gothic melancholy and the toyetic sensibilities of a blockbuster-hungry studio. It doesn’t always stick the landing, but there’s a genuine ambition beneath the spectacle that makes it more than just a prelude to disaster.

Robert Kirkman and David Finch are easily two of the biggest names in the comic book industry right now. That said, they haven't really worked together yet, unless you count Finch's covers for The Walking Dead Deluxe. That's finally changing thanks to Skinbreaker, a violent new action epic from Skybound and Image Comics.

IGN can exclusively debut the first preview of Skinbreaker #1. Check it out in the slideshow gallery below:

The creative team on Skinbreaker also includes colorist Annalisa Leoni (Invincible Universe: Battle Beast), and letter Rus Wooton (Transformers). The first issue features covers by Finch, Ryan Ottley, Lorenzo De Felici, Eric Canete, and Tony Moore. Here's Skybound's official summary of the new series:

Enor has led his tribe for many seasons, but his time as Chieftan is coming to an end. He wields the mighty SKINBREAKER, but at his age, he can barely lift it. Will Enor’s reluctant heir, Anok, take over before their world falls to ruin? As a bloody power struggle begins, an even bigger threat lurks in the darkness beyond their village.

"I have wanted to work with David Finch for the entirety of my career,” said Kirkman in a press release. “We’ve gotten close many times over the years, but we wanted our collaboration to be something truly special. Skinbreaker is that series. I feel like this book is a high-water mark for both our careers. An action epic that is unrelentingly brutal but also contains a ton of emotion and heart. It’ll shock you and make you cry.”

For as long as there have been video games, there have also been bad movie tie-ins. And with the exception of the Nintendo 64 classic GoldenEye, the ‘90s was arguably the worst decade for turning movie gold into video game slop. Independence Day? Stinker. Cliffhanger? Utter bollocks. Men In Black: The Game? We all needed neuralising after that one.

Despite its smash hit success at the movie box office, 1991’s Terminator 2 wasn’t immune from this curse. It also experienced a less-than-stellar video game treatment, published by Ocean Software on the ZX Spectrum, Amiga, and other platforms, and not one of the many versions was even close to being worthy of the film’s classic status.

“I remember playing the Ocean T2 game from way back,” recalls Mike Tucker, designer and programmer at developer Bitmap Bureau. “I think they went all-out with the blend of game designs in there, including one where you had to rewire the Terminator's arm. And then there's a sliding block puzzle [to reconfigure the Terminator’s face].”

Tucker’s colleague, pixel artist Henk Nieborg, also remembers the Probe Software Terminator game, based on the first film and released for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. “It was just a very simple use of the license,” he says.

“If you look at the Mega Drive and Super Nintendo versions of Terminator 2, [they’re] pretty woeful really,” Tucker concludes.

Disney's long-awaited Pirates of the Caribbean 6 will see the return of some familiar faces, franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer has confirmed.

Various plans for a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie have been floated ever since the series' fifth entry, Dead Men Tell No Tales, launched back in 2017. But a lukewarm reception to that film and then a series of lengthy legal issues for Captain Jack Sparrow actor Johnny Depp have resulted in the franchise being stuck in the doldrums.

Now, however, plans appear to finally be coalescing around the idea of a fresh Pirates of the Caribbean story featuring a mix of new and returning characters — though which old favourites will return remains to be seen.

Speaking earlier this month on British chat show This Morning, Pirates of the Caribbean star Orlando Bloom said he was open to returning as blacksmith-turned-rogue hearthrob Will Turner, after sailing off into the sunset with Keira Knightley's Elizabeth Swann back in 2007's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

A decade later, Bloom and Knightley both made cameo appearances in Dead Men Tell No Tales' brief post-credits scene, setting up a possible full return in the future — though as the years passed, fans have since begun to doubt whether this teaser would ever be picked up on.

"Well, I don't know, I can't say anything at the moment because I really don't know, but there's definitely availability," Bloom said this month (thanks, Game Rant).

"I think they're trying to work out what it would all look like, I personally think it'd be great to get the band back together. That would be great, but there are always different ideas, and so we'll see where it lands."

An array of different concepts for possible future Pirates films has been touted over the years, with reports of Disney exploring all manner of options. These have variously been said to star classic characters, all-new casts, act as a full reboot or offer a spin-off tale made while the series' main storyline was rested.

A key issue has been the status of Johnny Depp, who previously said he had no desire to return as Captain Jack Sparrow after Disney cut ties with the actor during a string of legal issues.

In 2018, Depp lost a libel case he lodged against the UK publisher of The Sun newspaper over an article which characterised him as having been violent towards his former wife Amber Heard. The following year, Depp then successfully sued Heard for defamation over an article written by her in The Washington Post, the publication of which, Depp claimed, had led to Disney refusing to work with him.

But as the years have passed, and Depp has again begun picking up projects elsewhere, Pirates of the Caribbean boss Bruckheimer has since stated he was now keen for Depp to return. Last year, Fortnite hosted a major Pirates of the Caribbean crossover — and it was telling that the series' classic characters of Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann, and Captain Barbossa were the ones featured as in-game skins.

Now, speaking to Screen Rant, Bruckheimer has confirmed "some" previous Pirates of the Caribbean actors will indeed be back for the next installment, despite the movie still offering "a new take" on the franchise overall.

When asked whether a new take meant an all-new cast, Bruckheimer replied: "Well, not all new actors. We'll have some back... I’m not going to tell you which ones — you'll have to guess."

Will that include Depp? For now, Disney's not saying — and, as yet, Pirates of the Caribbean 6 still currently lacks any kind of formal announcement or release date.

Photo credit: TERTIUS PICKARD/AFP via Getty Images.

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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer Sandfall Interactive is "currently exploring a wide range of future improvements."

In a social media post shared on the game's channels, the team said these improvements — "from accessibility features to new content and all sorts of bits and bobs we're actively assessing" — will also include expanded localization options (thanks, Eurogamer).

"While we don't have specific timelines or confirmed languages to share just yet," the team added, "we wanted to let you know that it's very much on our radar. Wheee!"

Suggestions from fans on what these improvements could be include a request for photo mode, loadouts, quicksave, and, ahem, "more swimsuit options for Gustave."

In IGN's 9/10 review of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, we described it as a "modern RPG classic," adding: "In so many ways, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 reminded me of numerous classic and contemporary RPGs I love, but developer Sandfall truly understood why those games are special and made the pieces it borrowed its own." If that's convinced you to give it a go, be sure to check out our tips for the important things to know before going into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

The cast of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stopped by IGN Live this month to not only discuss the beloved new game, but also to exclusively premiere an over 10-minute look at the game's making-of documentary. It comes after the team was congratulated for their success by the French President Emmanuel Macron himself.

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.

Nintendo Switch 2 users have reported having the vibration effect of their controllers turned off, should the console detect you making "prolonged use" of their rumble feature.

Reports of warnings for excessive rumble use have filtered in since the Switch 2's launch earlier this month, as users see a message from Nintendo pop up on screen — "Rumble has been turned off due to prolonged use" — before the ability to make the Joy-Con vibrate further is temporarily disabled.

"I was getting this message originally after about an hour and a half of handheld playtime," one user wrote on reddit. "Now it shows within the first 20 min. Anyone else having this issue?"

Switch 2 owners say they've experienced issues with Joy-Con rumble while enjoying a number of games, including vibration-heavy moments in Cyberpunk 2077 (firing the minigun is reported to be particularly energetic), and during cutscenes within The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker on Nintendo GameCube.

But a reddit thread of users tracking the issue lists other titles, too. "Got it during the final boss of Sonic Generations," wrote one disappointed fan. "Been getting it a few times playing Fast Fusion," noted another.

Nintendo is yet to address the warning, though fans believe it is a feature designed primarily to limit the Joy-Con's battery consumption. After all, vibration requires extra power, and while disabling the feature entirely is somewhat heavy-handed, the move will ensure your Joy-Con don't too quickly run out of juice.

"This keeps popping up for me, too, even when I've only played for a few minutes," wrote one concerned fan in another reddit thread on the issue. "Worried I have a defective Joy-Con."

For now, fans impacted by repeated warnings say that fully disabling controller rumble in the Switch's settings menu is their only option to avoid the pop-up continually recurring. Others say that the warning was, for them, only temporary — with the ability to recover their buzz in a matter of minutes.

IGN has contacted Nintendo for more.

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

All the major studios and publishers have now revealed their biggest announcements through the numerous summer showcases. But IGN’s Summer of Gaming continues! We’ve already run down the biggest and best trailers of the season, but now we move on to bigger issues. Which games have us the most excited and counting down the days until they’re eventually released?

That’s why we’re here today to highlight our most anticipated games… and decide which one we’re hyped for the most. Our top pick has been chosen from a pool that includes every reveal from across the various shows we’ve seen, as well as the games that we’ve been able to go hands-ons with. We’ve also considered the enthusiasm that you, our readers and viewers, have shown for the many newly-announced titles – and so we’ve weighed up comments and trailer viewcounts along with our own personal excitement.

But before we get to our top pick, let’s take a bit of time to reflect on some of the other amazing games we’ve seen and played over the past couple of weeks. Here are some of our other favourites:

5. Ninja Gaiden 4

Soulslikes may have dominated the last decade of action-RPGs but the hack-and-slash renaissance is in full swing thanks to games like Ninja Gaiden 4. Team Ninja and PlatinumGames, two of the best character action developers in Japan, are teaming up for this direct sequel to 2012’s Ninja Gaiden 3.

The high-speed actioner jumped onto the scene in style thanks to a stylish new trailer, but our 25-minute hands-on with the game left us wanting to play much, much more. Super-fast and hyper-bloody, it will make you feel like the ultimate killing machine, provided you have the dexterity to juggle your enemies and pull off the right combos, of course. Luckily, we won’t have to wait too long, as Ninja Gaiden 4 will be out on all platforms on October 21, 2025.

4. Silent Hill Remake

It may have been just a logo and a little bit of nostalgic music at the end of Konami’s Press Start livestream, but the announcement that the Silent Hill 2 remake’s developer Bloober Team will be tackling the original Silent Hill as its next collaboration with Konami was enough to send all of our heads spinning.

The first Silent Hill kicked off one of the most horrifying and beloved video game franchises in history, but while it was ahead of its time in many respects when it came out in 1998, it certainly hasn’t kept up with the times. A remake crafted with the same care and consideration Bloober gave to its sequel is certainly an exciting prospect.

3. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls

Move aside Marvel vs. Capcom, there’s a new superhero fighting game in town. The big surprise of PlayStation’s latest State of Play was Arc System Works’ Marvel Tokon, a 4v4 tag team fighting game featuring Marvel heroes like Iron Man and Captain America reimagined through a Japanese lens. Arc System Works is already lauded for their visually striking and deeply competitive fighting games like Guilty Gear and Dragon Ball FighterZ, but Marvel Tokon could take this beloved-but-niche developer to new heights thanks to the power of Disney. The detail and depth of mechanics showcased in the lengthy reveal means Marvel Tokon just inches past our excitement for another superheroic fighting game announced over the Summer of Gaming - Invincible VS. Plus, Fighting Souls is 4v4 rather than 3v3, so that extra couple of heroes only helps push our anticipation up further.

2. 007 First Light

IO Interactive finally unveiled its long-awaited 007 game and – surprise! – it looks fun as hell. While the developer’s usual suited assassin, Agent 47, might be an emotionless killing machine, young James Bond here in 007 First Light looks to be having the time of his life as he sets out on the path to become one of the most famous secret agents in the world (a mission that, admittedly, seems something of a contradiction).

The trailer has everything a good James Bond game should have: exotic locales, sports cars, laser wrist watches, a little light flirting, and plenty of explosions. Pair that with the knowledge that IOI has said we should expect the same level of freedom as available in the Hitman: World of Assassination trilogy, and 007 First Light is one game we just can’t wait for (plus, with a 2026 release window, this is likely going to be our first big Bond outing since Daniel Craig bowed out). Perhaps the only reason it’s not our overall most anticipated game of the event is that we sadly haven’t had a chance to play it yet, and therefore can’t definitively speak to its quality. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for gamescom 2025…

So, that’s four reveals of varying sizes that have us hyped for future games. But the big one – our most anticipated game – is something coming pretty soon, and something we’ve already been able to play. And, based on how much we love its predecessors, we’re hoping it continues the series’ legacy and offers up one of the finest survival horror experiences of the generation. Our most anticipated game from the Summer of Gaming is…

1. Resident Evil Requiem

Capcom delivered an epic bait-and-switch during Summer Game Fest 2025, suggesting that there would be no official Resident Evil 9 announcement as part of the show, only to formally reveal Resident Evil Requiem a few minutes later. I guess delayed jump scares are part of the Resi recipe, after all.

The next mainline entry in the popular survival horror franchise is set to star a new hero, Grace Ashcroft, who has a close relationship to a character from a forgotten Resident Evil game. More excitingly, though, Capcom revealed that Resident Evil Requiem will be playable in both first- and third-person at launch, combining the best of both worlds when it comes to modern Resident Evil games. We got a chance to play a short preview build of Resident Evil Requiem and came away impressed with how first-person focuses on pure horror, while playing in third-person delivers some added action thrills.

Grace seems like a compelling new character, too, given her background as an FBI analyst who’s more comfortable behind a computer than with a gun. This’ll make her (and us) even more afraid when we come face to face with Requiem’s new stalker monster, a hulking figure whose grotesque frame fills up entire hallways.

All this, plus Capcom’s ongoing winning streak of great games, means we’re incredibly excited to play the next mainline Resi game when Resident Evil Requiem is released on consoles and PC on February 27, 2026.

Resident Evil Requiem is our most anticipated game from the Summer of Gaming, but what’s yours? You can let us know in the comments below, or join us tomorrow when we’ll be ranking the biggest announcements in an IGN community tier list.

Earlier this year, Pokémon Go maker Niantic announced it was selling its portfolio of mobile games to Monopoly Go owner Scopely for $3.5bn, in a move that was both celebrated and scorned by parts of the game's devoted playerbase.

For some fans, new ownership finally meant freedom from previous owner Niantic's focus on pushing largely unwanted augmented reality features into the game. (Post-sale, Niantic has essentially rebranded under a fresh title, Niantic Spatial, and made pursuing AR technology its sole goal.) Scopely, by comparison, is entirely gaming-focused.

But for other fans, particularly those who have played other Scopely titles, the change sparked concerns around the potential for increased monetisation, and of any involvement by Scopely's parent company Savvy Games, which is a product of Saudi Arabia's controversial Public Investment Fund.

As part of his first round of interviews since the $3.5bn acquisition was finalised earlier this month, I sat down with Pokémon Go director Michael Steranka to discuss the impact of the game changing hands, and what being owned by Scopely would really mean for fans of the hit smartphone game going forwards.

"We physically moved basically one block over so, you know, it wasn't too much of a change," Steranka begins, as we sit on Pokémon Go-branded deck chairs at the game's big Go Fest 2025 live event in Paris last weekend. "It was actually one of our overflow offices that we had anyways, so a really familiar space.

"I would say the most remarkable thing about this transition so far is how uninterrupted it's been," he adds. "It's very much been business as usual."

For Pokémon Go, business as usual means a continually busy schedule of in-game events and additional Pokémon releases, as well as physical events such as Go Fest 2025 and the upcoming debut of a mysterious mobile event series, Pokémon Go Road Trip 2025, set to begin in the UK later this month and wrap up in Cologne in August. Throughout this, and through its acquisition period, Steranka says Pokémon Go has continued as normal — though it is, as he acknowledges, still early days.

"Granted, [the acquisition] fully closed during Osaka Go Fest, the team has been quite busy, and so it's probably intentionally not disruptive around this moment in time," he notes. "But the sense that I've been getting through all the conversations I've had with folks at Scopely is the way they operate is to be quite unintrusive with individual game teams.

"As you know, our full development team moved over with us, and in terms of the day to day, who we interact with, we all still ladder up to Ed Woo, our team's leader within Niantic, who still is within Scopely as well."

So, what will change? Let's start with a positive for most Pokémon Go fans — the likely reduction in focus of AR-focused gameplay going forward.

"The key thing that's maybe a little bit less of a priority is the augmented reality focus," Steranka acknowledges. "It's no secret a lot of players have not been super excited about some of the AR systems that have been added to the game over the years. Moving forward, if we add any AR functionality to Pokémon Go, it'll be because we as a team really believe it's going to be a fun and exciting thing to add."

Unlike Niantic, Scopely is a company entirely dedicated to video games — something Steranka perhaps tellingly describes as a "breath of fresh air" for his own team.

"Philosophically it's great, or I'm expecting it to be great, to be at a company that's fully dedicated to games, because that's where I feel like we did struggle a little bit over on the Niantic side," he says. "It's just when it comes to overall company priorities, and where do we want to invest, and what sort of company initiatives we're pushing forward at Scopely, it'll be very much focused on what's best for this game. And I think that'll be a nice breath of fresh air for everybody."