Marvel is suiting up for another Swimsuit Special comic book release, and it looks like NetEase Games’ Marvel Rivals will join in on the summer fun with some of its own swimsuit skins.

Details on what could eventually result in the arrival of long-awaited Marvel Rivals swimsuit cosmetics were shared in a recent post on the Marvel website. It promises that Marvel will return to the fan-favorite series come July 9 with Marvel Swimsuit Special: Friends, Foes, and Rivals #1. The story will give Earth’s Mightiest Heroes a much-needed break from the stresses of saving the world, but more importantly, the comic book giant teases that the run will include a sneak peek at designs for Marvel Rivals.

The latest trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps paints a better picture of a new Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) world and how Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer plays a part in it.

It’s a two-and-a-half-minute clip that reveals more about how Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), the Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) have helped build their universe into a shining utopia. In this world, Marvel’s First Family is celebrated as a (growing) squad of heroes who not only save the day but stand as examples for children and adults alike. However, it looks like their skills will be put to the test when Garner’s Silver Surfer descends from the sky to warn of an impending threat: Galactus.

Today’s trailer is notably more action-packed than the footage we’ve seen thus far. Ben Grimm can be seen barreling through pillars just as we get one of our first real looks at Reed Richards’ stretchy powers. These are new takes on classic powers the Fantastic Four has had for decades, and we’ll get to see a better look at how they’ll all work together this July.

It’s Garner’s Silver Surfer who is the real show stealer this time around, though. Despite only uttering a few words warning that this alternate Earth is now “marked for death,” this version of the Surfer seems especially powerful as she bats away the Human Torch and speeds through explosions. Sadly, we’re still being kept in the dark when it comes to Galactus’ full, updated MCU appearance, though we do get a shot of him stomping through the city upon his arrival.

Fantastic Four: First Steps premieres July 25, 2025. While we wait to see how the MCU will handle Marvel’s First Family, be sure to check out more on Thunderbolts* before it arrives in May. You can also see our list of every upcoming Marvel project here.

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

Nintendo just wrapped up its April 2025 Mario Kart World Direct, revealing details about new items, modes, and more about those strange snacks players can chomp into when the Nintendo Switch 2 launches this June.

Nintendo’s latest entry into its long-running kart racing spinoff series looks like the next big step for Mario and co. That’s thanks in part to a smorgasbord of both new and returning items, while other familiar features have either been given small tweaks or total facelifts. Mario Kart World dived into a solid slice of everything players can expect in its 15-minute presentation, so we made sure to gather the highlights.

Items

The biggest question block hanging over everyone’s heads has had players questioning which wacky items they’ll be able to toss at their friends come June. Nintendo’s got a fittingly wacky answer that includes spins on items and abilities that may be able to be paired with some of Mario Kart World’s new features.

Items like the Bullet Bill and Lightning appear to function just as you remember. The former sends players flying forward at breakneck speeds, while the latter stops and shrinks opponents, though now it also causes it to start raining in the game now that Mario Kart has introduced weather effects. Meanwhile, classic items like the Feather also remain largely unchanged, but now, players can use them to not only hop over some of the many new track hazards but also reach new areas, high-up rails, and even shortcuts.

New items have plenty to bring to the table, too. The Coin Shell is a golden shell variant that leaves a trail of coins for you – and your enemies – as it moves forward through the track ahead of its thrower. Kamek is an especially wild addition, as the Koopa wizard can be spawned to transform each of your opponents into something completely new. Other highlights include Hammers that now stick in the ground for a short time and a slightly tweaked Ice Flower that can seen multiple opponents spinning at a time.

One of Mario Kart World’s more mysterious items are those new food-related abilities. These are called Dash Foods and come in the form of tasty burgers, plates of sushi, kebabs, and more. These are collectibles that can be acquired around Mario Kart World’s giant map and, once gobbled up, unlock new outfits to use elsewhere. In case you were wondering, yes, the Moo Moo Meadows Cow can, in fact, eat burgers.

New Tricks

Tricks have been an important part of Mario Kart since 2008’s Mario Kart Wii, and in Mario Kart World, they’ve been given added importance. You can charge jump straight from the track this time around, allowing you to not only short hop over items but fully clear hazards like other vehicles, too. It should help reach those out-of-reach rails to grind on as well, with additional tricks in the air giving players the ability to gain a bit of extra air.

Tricks will also help players leap toward and latch onto walls, which can be hopped between to find new portions of a track and even some hidden item blocks. Chaining tricks together can be tricky, so if you find yourself missing a particular jump to a high-up ledge, a new Rewind feature will help you turn back the clock for a few moments to hone your skills.

Modes

While modes like Grand Prix and Time Trials are back, Mario Kart World comes with loads of new modes, too. Knockout Tour is one of the more substantial additions, as it allows players to compete to stay ahead of the pack across extended races. Those who fall behind are in danger of being, well, knocked out.

Time Trials are one returning mode that have been beefed up to accommodate Mario Kart World’s improved multiplayer functionality. When hopping online, players will have the option to download data from other racers from around the world. Longtime Mario Kart fans will also be happy to know that fan-favorite modes like VS Race, Balloon Battle, and Coin Runners are back and feature some of those new tracks to fight off friends with. There’s also a full-on photo mode, which can be used to capture iconic moments when cruising around the world.

Of course, Mario Kart World’s biggest new mode is its open-world-inspired free roam feature, which allows players to explore its vast map and all of the tracks it houses. We explained everything you need to know about this major addition to the Mario Kart universe and how you can play it with your friends here.

Mario Kart World launches alongside the Switch 2 June 5. We’re still waiting for Nintendo to set a new date for pre-order options in the US and Canada following their delay earlier this month. Meanwhile, the topic of the console’s price remains one detail that continues to take over Nintendo comment sections. Today’s Mario Kart World Direct was no exception, as players made sure its chat sections were filled with comments like “drop the price.”

For more on Mario Kart World, you can read up on all of the new characters and tracks arriving this June. You can also see how players have been reacting to the title’s controversial $80 price tag and how Nintendo attempted to address it. Finally, for everything else announced during today’s Direct, you can click here.

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

Netflix has released the first trailer for The Sandman Season 2, revealing plans to bring Dream’s story to an end with a two-volume release this July.

The streaming giant spelled out its schedule for the dark fantasy universe alongside the second and final season’s debut trailer today. It’s a one-minute look at the follow-up batch of episodes that includes a few teases for how The Sandman will quickly wrap up its story with just one more season. Volume 1, which includes six episodes, is currently scheduled to premiere July 3, 2025, with Volume 2’s remaining five episodes set to arrive three weeks later come July 24.

Netflix shared an official description for the series’ final season: “After a fateful reunion with his family, Dream of the Endless (Tom Sturridge) must face one impossible decision after another as he attempts to save himself, his kingdom, and the waking world from the epic fallout of his past misdeeds. To make amends, Dream must confront longtime friends and foes, gods, monsters, and mortals. But the path to forgiveness is full of unexpected twists and turns, and true absolution may cost Dream everything.”

The Sandman Season 2 will turn the page for the graphic novel adaptation following multiple sexual assault allegations against creator Neil Gaiman in July 2024. After claims from multiple women emerged as part of a Tortoise Media podcast series, the author offered to step back from his work on Amazon Prime Video’s Good Omens. That series, another Gaiman adaptation, was later confirmed to end with Season 3, which will be comprised of just one slightly longer episode. A musical adaptation of Coraline was also canceled in the wake of the allegations.

It's unclear how the controversy has impacted production on The Sandman. Although Dream’s live-action story was only just confirmed to end with Season 2 this past January, showrunner Allan Heinberg told Variety that the plan to produce just one more season dates as far back as 2022. Gaiman remains attached as an executive producer for the Netflix project.

The Sandman Season 2 will cover the remainder of its story when it premieres all 11 of its episodes throughout July. For more, you can read up on the many, many cast additions the series has picked up in the last year. Our 9/10 Season 1 review can be found here.

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