Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is out, and as porters worldwide begin trekking across Hideo Kojima’s newest adventure, all sorts of little secrets and discoveries are being uncovered. While much attention will be paid to the grand, cinematic experience on display, Kojima also went ahead and stuffed Death Stranding 2 to the gills with little flourishes and details, some obvious, some very, very hidden.
We’ve compiled a list of all the little details that help bring the world of Death Stranding 2 to life, from easter eggs to ingenious gameplay we can’t believe Kojima Productions thought to even add in the first place.
1. The best part of Death Stranding 2 is seeing how the natural world interacts with Sam, or how Sam interacts with the natural world. Given that this is a game about traversing the different biomes of Australia, Sam will naturally get dirty, and this will be reflected on Sam’s character model. He’ll be covered in dirt, snow, and sludge after long journeys, which will require you to take showers to clean off.
2. It’s not limited to just the elements, either. After an intense fight, Sam will also become covered by the blood of his enemies. While this might make him look very battle hardened, it probably isn’t how Sam wants to present himself when he’s on deliveries, so be sure to clean off the blood in the shower too.
3. When not covered in grime, even just exposure to the sun can affect Sam’s appearance. He’ll turn redder as he gets more and more sunburnt, to the point where he can start resembling a cherry tomato in the face. Taking a shower will heal these burns, so bathe regularly.
4. However, if you decide to take off your backpack before showering, you’ll find that while you become clean, your backpack will stay dirty. Why you'd take your pack into the shower is beyond me, but it's better than carrying around a dirty pack, I suppose.
5. If you can’t make it to a shower, hopping into a lake or river will clear off some of the dirt up to the point you submerge yourself. Meaning if you only dip your shoes into the river, your boots will be clean, but the rest of you won’t be.
6. There are all sorts of different weather conditions in the world of Death Stranding 2, all of which will hit in real-time.
7. The earliest natural event you encounter is the sandstorm, which severely impairs Sam’s visibility, forcing you to rely on your Odradek scanner to scope out the terrain. When the storm gets particularly bad, you’ll lose stamina and will need to hide behind large structures to shield yourself from the storm.
8. Other natural disasters include blizzards that, like a sandstorm, will impair Sam’s vision and slow him down. Plus, when Sam’s too cold, his stamina will deplete faster than normal.
9. Lastly, thunderstorms will also strike Sam when he’s out and about. The rain in Death Stranding 2 is known to degrade Sam’s cargo and equipment faster than usual so be sure to find shelter fast to prevent your packages from getting damaged. And watch out for lightning strikes. While I haven’t seen anyone get hit by one yet (unlike in The Legend of Zelda), they can strike awfully close to Sam if he’s not careful.
10. What’s more, you can even see these weather events in real-time from afar. Meaning if there’s a blizzard happening on a mountaintop, you can see it from the base of the mountain.
11. Dust, rain, snow, and even chiral creatures build up on the screen when you spend too long in them, which adds to the immersive and cinematic approach Kojima takes with his games.
12. If you’re in the high heat of the desert too long you’ll begin to see mirages of rivers flowing through the sands. But as you get closer you’ll realize there’s no water there. Sorry.
13. Depending on which biome you’re in, whether it’s the hot desert or freezing mountaintops, Sam will take either a cold shower to cool off, or a hot shower to warm up.
14. As you and other porters begin carving paths through the world of Death Stranding 2 to make deliveries, you’ll find that regularly used paths become roads by themselves from being worn down, making them easier to traverse over time.
15. Rivers will also rise and fall with the rain. Some rivers become flooded under heavy rainfall, making them more difficult to traverse than under dry conditions.
16. The iconic image of Death Stranding as a series is Sam carrying a stack of boxes on his back. That’s because his porter job is inspired by the Japanese Bokka porter who transport boxes to homes that aren’t reachable by trucks or cars. There are references to the Bokka in dialogues with other porters and even a Bokka skeleton for Sam, which make it easier for him to traverse difficult terrain like rivers, inclines, and snow.
17. One of the most useful vehicles is the Pickup Off-Roader, which lets you haul tons of packages across long-distances. Depending on how and where it’s parked, Sam changes the way he climbs into the driver’s seat.
18. Ramps are invaluable when it comes to getting your vehicle across large gaps. But depending on what vehicle you use to jump the ramp, whether it’s on a vehicle, your floating carrier you ride like a skateboard, or even just using a skeleton on your legs, you can even do some cool skateboard and acrobatic tricks off the ramp.
19. Some Pickups aren’t driveable because they belong to specific shelters. Weirdly, Pickups that aren’t owned by Sam or Drawbridge feature the logo of Yamato Transport, a real-life Japanese delivery company.
20. There are numerous monorail lines you can build across Death Stranding 2 at set points, much like the roads you can build in Death Stranding 1 and 2. But they’re not just for trains as you can use a zip line to attach yourself to a monorail pole and travel that way.
21. But if you’re inclined to travel on foot, always remember to wear shoes! Walking barefoot too long will eventually cause Sam’s feet to bleed, which leaves a trail of blood behind. While you'll still be able to get around without shoes, Sam will refuse to run given how uncomfortable it is on his toes.
22. If you choose to give Sam a rest while on the road, or leave your controller idle for too long, Sam will have a nice sit down to catch a breather, at which point a floating Lou will appear over Sam’s head as he dreams about her.
23. While it might be fun to see how high you can stack boxes on your back, be careful of your surroundings as tall stacks of boxes won’t fit through certain doors and will instead topple over if they hit the ceiling, forcing you to pick them up again.
24. There are also special timed events set to specific dates, just like in the first Death Stranding. At the beginning of the game you’re asked to input your birthday. And if you boot up the game on your special day a unique cutscene will trigger where all your friends (and enemy) will wish you a happy birthday.
25. More than that, if you go out into the world and use the call out feature, other NPC porters will wish you a happy birthday too.
26. Your birthday isn’t the only special day. Playing Death Stranding 2 on Christmas day will add Christmas Tree holograms to shelters and give NPCs little Santa hats to wear to celebrate the joyous occasion. If you don’t want to wait for Christmas or your birthday, changing your PS5’s internal clock to the correct date will trigger these events.
27. While Death Stranding 2 isn’t purely about combat, there are a ton of ways to fight the BTs. Sam’s blood already has anti-BT properties making Blood Grenades lethal to BTs, but shooting a normal bullet through the blood cloud left behind the grenade will make them deadly against BTs too.
28. Guns aren’t your only weapons in a fight. If you unlock the secret cutscene for the Pizza Chef (played by Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii), you’ll unlock an entire new martial arts fighting style based around the delicious meal.
29. One of your constant companions on the road is Dollman, who you can throw up high into the air to do reconnaissance on enemy bases. But you can also throw him straight at an enemy to temporarily stun them.
30. Unlike other weapons, Dollman is a living being and he will eventually get mad at you if you throw him at too many enemies, or let him drop to the ground after a recon trip. If he’s upset, he won’t let you throw him for a while.
31. Bandits in Death Stranding 2 are often equipped with stun rods that blast waves of electricity. However, if you have the Electric Shock Absorber add-on for you backpack, you can turn their electric attacks into power for your battery.
32. Boss fights return in Death Stranding 2, and while you should have all the weapons and tools to get through them, some are incredibly tough and can cause you to die repeatedly. If a fight is too annoying, the game will trigger a “Pretend You Won” option to skip the fight in exchange for a small impact to your overall mission score.
33. Death Stranding 2 is populated by a ton of survivors, many with familiar faces, and if you make enough deliveries to them they might give you some unique items. The Data Scientist, who is a famous Vtuber named Usada Pekora, will give you a bunny hood that makes Sam say “Peko” after each sentence, similar to Pekora’s verbal tic. Peko.
34. The Peko hood is only one of a variety of hoods and hats you can earn in Death Stranding 2 with others giving Sam unique abilities. The camel hood will protect Sam from the heat of the desert and refill his water for stamina, and the seal hood returns which lets Sam safely float across rivers. One gooey looking Chiral Roden hat will even ward away Chiral Creatures.
35. Shelters house different survivors, and depending on their real-life counterpart, will have little nods to their identities. The Adventurer and his son who are played by RRR director SS Rajamouli and SS karthikeya, for example, their holograms outside their shelter has them doing an iconic pose from their hit film.
36. Another shelter in Australia is an animal sanctuary overseen by members of a conservationist group, played by the music group CHVRCHES. If you rescue animals and send them to the sanctuary, the group will send you social media pics of the animal living happily in their new home.
37. However, you have to be careful when traveling because you can accidentally run over and kill these poor creatures if you’re not paying attention. Which is one way to earn dislikes in the world of Death Stranding 2. While a lot of what you do in the world will get you likes from your fellow porters and shelter dwellers, there are ways to have likes taken away, and accidental animal killing is one of them.
38. There are also a ton of scares in Death Stranding 2. During certain times, Sam will get nightmares while sleeping aboard the DHV Magellan, which trigger some frankly terrifying cutscenes, including one notable one that features a mannequin doing some freaky stuff.
39. There are scares out in the world too. One mission revolves around a Ghost Track haunted by Headless Bikers. Find them and you’ll trigger a unique boss fight.
40. There is also a haunted monorail train that only appears at night. You can sometimes see it as it passes by you while you're riding the monorail, or you can see it flying through the sky on its own. It gives a sinister red glow as it passes by and triggers your odradek, implying the train is full of BTs.
41. It’s not all scares and monsters though. There are plenty of pleasant experiences to be found aboard the DHV Magellan and elsewhere. On the ship, one crewmate, Rainy, will give Sam intermittent trivia quizzes with some special prizes for getting the correct answer.
42. Dollman, who hangs out with you in your cabin, will not only talk with you whenever you want, but playing ‘Horizon Dreamer’ by Daichi Miura while chatting triggers a fun dance from him.
43. Sam is also apparently an avid reader given the stack of books in his cabin. If you pick up a copy of Frankenstein, Dollman will mention a movie about the fictional doctor starring Elle Fanning, the actor of Tomorrow.
44. The Pizza Chef, who is a fountain of many little surprises, will eventually make Sam a Pac-Man shaped pizza that, once eaten, turns Sam’s world map into a minigame of Atari classic.
45. One very special item you can receive is an instant camera that unlocks a unique photo mode. Unlike the default photo mode, this camera can only be used aboard the DHV Magellan and can be used to take photos of Fragile, Tomorrow, and Rainy. These photos can then be given to crewmates or used to decorate your room, and the photo you take yourself will even appear in a cutscene towards the end of the game.
Today’s deals are the definition of variety. We’ve got 4K steelbooks, heat-busting neck fans, noise machines, and some wild savings on Prime trials. Fancy catching up on classics like The 40-Year-Old Virgin in ultra-high def, or diving into Geralt’s world with The Witcher book set? There’s plenty here to pad your cart without draining your wallet (much).
TL;DR: Deals For Today
Amazon’s running early Prime Day offers, and if you’re 18–24, you can still snag six months of Prime for free. Audible’s back with the 99-cent triple trial, and Kindle Unlimited is doing three months free for Prime members too. Meanwhile, eBay’s pushing big-name refurb deals from Bose, Dyson and Roborock, all with bonus AllState warranties. Let’s break it down.
The 40-Year-Old Virgin - Limited Edition Steelbook
Steve Carell’s awkward charm now comes in steelbook form with The 40-Year-Old Virgin, now upgraded to 4K Ultra HD. This release bundles both the theatrical and unrated cuts, letting you relive all the cringe, chaos, and unexpected sweetness with stunning clarity. From laugh-out-loud bad advice to genuinely touching moments with Catherine Keener, it’s a classic comedy that still delivers.
The Witcher Boxed Set
This is the core of Sapkowski’s epic—Blood of Elves, The Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of Swallows, and Lady of the Lake—finally bundled in one set. If you’ve only seen the show or played the games, this is where the real magic lives. The writing is sharp, the world-building deep, and Geralt’s story hits harder on-page.
FrSara Neck Fan
The FrSara neck fan is down to $26.99 and it’s built for real heat relief. It’s bladeless, quiet, and pushes air from both sides with a 360° flow that cools you fast. The 5200mAh battery lasts up to 16 hours, so it won’t quit halfway through your day. It’s comfortable, won’t tug your hair, and the three speed settings give you full control.
Dreamegg Portable White Noise Machine
This Dreamegg portable white noise machine is down to $16.15 with the on-site 15% coupon, shaving nearly a quarter off the list price. It’s small enough to fit in your palm but loud enough to drown out hotel noise, snoring, or busy office chatter. With 16 nature sounds, a beefed-up 1000mAh battery, and USB-C charging, it’s a smart little travel buddy. The nubbed button makes it easy to use in the dark, and the memory function keeps your settings locked in. For sleep, focus or baby naps, it punches way above its size.
Amazon Prime Day Is Coming
We're all over Prime Days 2025, and some deals are going live now. For more information about the event and an inside scoop on hot deals and top tips, check out our Prime Day hub.
6 Months Free Amazon Prime For Young Adults
This one is a no-brainer. If your 18-24, snap up this 6-months free deal for Amazon Prime. It includes the free and fast delivery Amazon is known for alongside unlimited streaming, free delivery on GrubHub+, free Prime games every month and loads more.
Assassin's Creed: Shadows Limited Edition (PS5)
Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally delivers the long-awaited leap into feudal Japan, and it doesn’t waste the opportunity. This Amazon-exclusive Limited Edition includes the full game plus the Sekiryu Character Pack, and it's now down to $49.99—29% off the original $69.99 price. You’ll switch between Naoe, a nimble shinobi, and Yasuke, a powerhouse samurai, across a moody and expansive Sengoku-era Japan. We praised the game’s dynamic environments, more focused pacing, and demanding combat. It doesn’t reinvent the series, but it smartly trims the bloat while offering rich stealth and action-driven storytelling. At this price, it’s a sharp buy for any AC fan.
3 Months for $0.99 Audible Deal
Audible’s doing that 99c a month deal again for Premium Plus, and it’s a steal. Amazon Prime Members get three months free, so make sure to check for an active subscription before looking for this deal. You get three audiobooks to keep, full access to the big library, and it works even if you’ve had a sub before as long as it’s not active now. I just logged in, saw the banner, and grabbed it. Sunrise on the Reaping is already in my library, and I’m eyeing that massive new Sanderson one next. Less than three bucks for all that? Easy win.
3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited
I’ve never really stuck with audiobooks before, but this Kindle Unlimited deal finally got me into them properly. Right now you can get three months free if you’ve got Prime, and it works on your phone or tablet, not just a Kindle. I gave it a go, downloaded a couple of books, and now I’ve actually started finishing them while I’m out walking or doing stuff around the house. It’s made getting through my backlog way easier and I didn’t have to pay a thing to try it. If you’ve been on the fence, this is a solid excuse to dive in.
Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection
Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection is going for $195 right now, beating Amazon by 6%. You’re getting a full-art foil Eevee ex promo card, a plushy-soft Eevee deck box, and a matching playmat with all the Evolutions. 15 Prismatic Evolutions booster packs and 65 themed card sleeves round out the box.
Certified Refurbished Bose products from the official Bose eBay store are a smart way to save. You’re getting gear that’s been tested, cleaned, and backed by a full 1-year warranty—plus an extra 2-year AllState warranty. It’s the same great sound, just way cheaper.
Roborock Q Revo Robot Vacuum and Mop
Roborock robot vacuums are packed with smart features and often come in cheaper than Roombas, without sacrificing performance. I've used both brands, and my current Roborock has outlasted and outperformed every Roomba I've owned. The official Roborock eBay store sells certified refurbished models from across their lineup, all backed by a 6-month warranty.
Dyson V11 Torque Drive+ Vacuum Cleaner
Dyson gear rarely comes cheap, but the official Dyson eBay store makes it a lot more affordable. They’ve got certified refurbished vacuums, fans, and beauty tech with big discounts. Vacuums and fans come with a 6-month Dyson warranty, and beauty products get 12 months.
Coke Zero Sugar 12 Pack
Even if you change your mind and don't want to subscribe and save, you can still get this great deal on Coke Zero when you purchase. It's Coke with zero sugar, and there's 12 cans that you can drink out of and recycle (thumbs up).
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones 5-Book Boxed Set
The full A Song of Ice and Fire box set (Don't blame me for the listing name) brings together George R. R. Martin’s five epic novels in one heavyweight bundle. Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, Storm of Swords, Feast for Crows and Dance with Dragons form a world of brutal politics, ancient threats and unforgettable characters. If you've only watched the show, you're missing huge layers of intrigue and detail the books lay bare.
Humble Choice
Humble Choice is bringing the heat this month with a killer lineup for just $14.99. You’ll snag Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, Daemon X Machina, Cat Quest III, Death’s Door, and more including a free month of IGN Plus. That’s over $200 in games ready to drop into your library. Every month you stay subbed, you get exclusive discounts and new indie gems in the Vault. Oh, and 5% of your sub supports charity too.
Symphonic Journeys Pokémon Red & Blue Vinyl
his one’s a real collector’s gem. Symphonic Journeys: Pokémon Red & Blue is getting the orchestral treatment, and the exclusive IGN variant presses it to Fire Red vinyl. It ships September 2025, but you can lock in your pre-order now for $34.99. Nolan Markey leads the score with full performance by Budapest Scoring, reimagining everything from Pallet Town to the Champion Battle.
M3GAN 2.0 - Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
M3GAN 2.0 dials up the chaos and trades in some of the original’s horror flair for a louder sci-fi action vibe. The Limited Edition Steelbook packs in 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and Digital formats for $37.99, with a pre-order guarantee that locks in the best price. While we noted the sequel stumbles trying to balance satire and spectacle, M3GAN still steals the spotlight with her savage wit and unpredictable presence. It may not reinvent the killer robot genre, but if you’re in for stylish carnage and sharp-edged commentary, this edition delivers plenty of polished personality for the price.
WOWBOX 32 PCS Clear Plastic Drawer Organizer Set
For $15.99, this 32-piece WOWBOX drawer organizer set is an easy win for cutting clutter across any room. You get four sizes of clear black bins, perfect for separating everything from office supplies to cosmetics and kitchen tools. The plastic is sturdy enough to handle daily use without cracking, and the stackable design lets you double your storage without taking up more space.
Tunise Rechargeable Portable Neck Fan
It's a fan that you don't have to hold because it sits comfortably around your neck. This is such a cool and handy product for under $15, especially if you're like me and get warm at the thought of some sunshine.
The Silmarillion Deluxe Illustrated by the Author
I can't describe how much I need this work of art. This edition of the Silmarillion arrives in a deluxe stamped clothbound hardcover edition housed in a custom slipcase and lavishly illustrated with over 50 color pieces by J.R.R. Tolkien himself. This collector's version presents the complete text in two-color print and includes exclusive extras like two fold-out maps of Beleriand, a booklet on the making of The Silmarillion by Christopher Tolkien, and a collectible art card. From the crafting of the Silmarils and Morgoth’s theft, to the fall of Númenor and the forging of the Rings of Power, this volume captures the vast mythological backdrop of The Lord of the Rings. Beautifully quarterbound with foil-stamped black cloth boards, silver-edged pages, and a ribbon marker, it’s a definitive edition for Tolkien devotees.
Pokémon TCG Price Comparison
Some of the pricing here by Amazon is insane, but there's some deals to be had when comparing these products to TCG Player. For example, Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection was a massive 56% below market value, but TCG Player is coming in cheaper now at $195. On the other end of the scale, TCG Player has Cynthia’s Garchomp ex Premium Collection at a massive 48% below Amazon's current price, which is very close to MSRP. I've compared all the prices in the carousel above, but another pro tip is clicking through to eBay to see if there's any new bargains to be had.
This Weeks Pokémon Card Crashers and Climbers
I’ve been keeping a close eye on the Pokémon TCG market this month, and we’re seeing two very different stories unfold. On one side, Surging Sparks cards are going through a steep correction.
On the other hand, Crown Zenith cards are showing early signs of what could be a long-term value surge. The bottom line? If you're a collector or investor, now is the time to buy into both.
I’m picking up what I can from both sets. The current dip in Sparks is a glimmer of hope for long-suffering 2024-2025 collectors. And Crown Zenith is a train I want to be on before it leaves the station.
Pokémon TCG Classic
The Sam's Club Pokémon TCG Classic deal is back, and it's massively undercutting other big box retailers and the secondary market. Just for comparrison, the top four cards from this set, Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur and Mewtwo, are worth the same price as this discounted offer. This deal is well worth it and should be snapped up as soon as possible.
Mega Evolution Pokémon Cards Are Climbing
I can't believe the X Y era of Pokémon cards came out 12 years ago, but it was an amazing era for the TCG introducing the Mega Evolution mechanic. Mega's will be returning later this year with the start of the Mega Evolutions era and the end of Scarlet and Violet, so snapping up these top Mega cards before prices go even higher is a wise move. We know how it'll play out, no one will be able to grab the new sets at launch, then the nostalgia will kick in and these cards will skyrocket. Just the Charizards and Rayquazzas alone are worth a look.
Magic: The Gathering Price Comparison
MTG doesn't seem to be struggling to keep up with demand despite it being one of the biggest trading card games on earth, but that doesn't stop big box retailers getting cheeky when they notice a peak in demand. Like with Pokémon TCG, i've gone through the majority of MTG stock on Amazon and compared their pricing to market values on TCG Player. The Theros Beyond Death booster made me spit out my tea. Amazon is listing a single booster for $378.08, but these can be picked up any day of the week for $5.59 on TCG Player. Go figure. Another big difference is Marvel's Spider-Man - Play Booster Box. Amazon has their preorder price guarantee on this, but it's still 17% cheaper to preorder on TCG Player.
This Weeks MTG Crashers and Climbers
As we covered in our recent synergies feature, Harmonic Prodigy gives double Wizard triggers – nice! That means it's gone up by 118.70% in the past month (246.76% in three) – not so nice!
That's good for those that own the card, not so good for those who are looking to pick it up standalone. Still, market is still just $12.75 right now, so it could be a lot worse.
Moving away from Vivi, Tifa’s getting some love from Bristly Bill, Spine Sower. This Outlaws of Thunder Junction card can help power up our martial artist heroine, but at a cost of almost $40 now.
Another nifty synergy that's climbing is Perch Protection. This Instant has climbed from a dollar to almost $6, since it handily ties into Chocobo decks.
If you’re sensitive to light while sleeping, this 3D contoured eye mask from WAOAW might be worth trying. It’s designed with deeper eye cavities so there’s no pressure on your lids, and the wide, adjustable strap helps it stay put without pulling at your hair. The material is soft and breathable, and it comes with earplugs and a travel pouch, which makes it a handy option for travel or quick naps.
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.
Where Winds Meet, the upcoming open-world action Wuxia action adventure from Everstone Studios, is a PlayStation 5 console exclusive for at least six months.
Confirmation comes via a new video published to the PlayStation YouTube channel (the multiplatform version of this trailer is below). As well as offering a peek into the game's story, the end of the teaser revealed that Where Winds Meet is a PS5 console exclusive for "at least six months." It's also coming to mobile and PC.
As for a release date? I'm afraid we're given no more than a vague "coming 2025" for now, but publisher NetEase has confirmed its final test is set to launch on July 25 on PC and PS5, which includes a brand-new urban region, Kaifeng, which hasn't previously been available. If you're interested, you can join via the official registration link. No pre-order incentives have been offered as yet, but players are welcome to wishlist from today.
Where Winds Meet was first released on PC in China at the end of 2024 and was ported to mobile in 2025. It's set in the Ten Kingdoms Era during a battle between rival dynasties, where the player takes the role of a swordsman who will influence the conflict in different ways depending on their choices. It's influenced heavily by Wuxia, a Chinese fiction genre where ancient Chinese fighters are depicted with superhuman abilities.
In a Where Winds Meet preview from August 2023, we went hands-on, getting a taste of its mix of Zelda and The Witcher gameplay and the seemingly massive amount of systems, choices, and possibilities at play.
As for Sony, it's on the hunt for a repeat of the enormous success of Black Myth Wukong, which launches on Xbox Series X and S this August a year after it came out on PC and PS5.
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.
Younger Americans are spending 25% less on video games today than this time last year.
That's according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, which used data from market research company Circana to analyze the spending habits of young Americans.
While spending was down 13% across the board from January to April 2025 for 18- to 24-year-olds — particularly on accessories, technology, and furniture, which fell by 18%, 14%, and 12%, respectively — video game spending saw the largest fall. This is not a trend observed in older age groups.
Spending also dropped in the categories of prestige beauty, clothing and apparel, and sports equipment.
The WSJ posits that "a combination of economic challenges is driving the decline," with graduates struggling to find employment and credit card delinquency rates highest for 18- to 29-year-olds.
"Young grads are having a much tougher time finding jobs," the report reads. "Student-loan payments are restarting for millions of borrowers. Over roughly the past year, credit-card delinquency rates have risen to their highest points since before the pandemic, and are highest for those 18-29, according to the New York Federal Reserve."
It's worth noting that the time period featured in the study does not include the June launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, which will boost the figures. And next year's launch of Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected to set records for consumer spending not just on video games, but all of entertainment.
Meanwhile, the cost of gaming has gone up, with some publishers moving to $80 for video games, consoles rising in price, and in-game monetization becoming more aggressive. Circana's Mat Piscatella took to social media to say people are still turning up to play video games, "but engaging more with free-to-play on devices they already have access to."
The report comes at a time of great instability across the games industry despite record profits. Around 2,800 game devs have lost their jobs in the first half of 2025 alone, on top of 14,600 cuts in 2024, and 10,500 in 2023.
In the same message that informed staff about the cuts, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said that he "recognize[d] that these changes come at a time when [Xbox] have more players, games, and gaming hours than ever before."
Photographer: Ariana Drehsler/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
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.
Romero Games, the studio founded by Doom co-creator John Romero and Brenda Romero, has said it has been left "heartbroken" after discovering that funding for its next project has been pulled, reportedly as part of Microsoft's latest cuts, leaving the game and its team at risk.
In a statement, studio director Brenda Romero said the company's publisher and financial partner confirmed last night it was walking away from the project "along with several other unannounced projects at other studios."
A separate post on social media, a now-former Romero Games employee stated that they are now out of work at the developer "due to the recent Xbox layoffs." IGN has contacted Microsoft for comment.
The news comes just hours after Microsoft's latest round of mass layoffs impacted numerous internal Xbox studios, resulting in the cancellation of multiple projects including Everwild and Perfect Dark, as well as other, unannounced titles that Microsoft had been funding.
"This was a strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher, well above our visibility or control," Romero stated. "We deeply wish there had been something, anything, we could have done to prevent this outcome."
Romero suggested that the publisher's decision had come as a surprise, as Romero Games had "hit every milestone on time, every time, consistently received high priase, and easily passed all our internal gates".
For now, Romero Games said it was "currently evaluating next steps and working quickly to support our team", and asked for anyone with "any opportunities or ways you can help our incredible team" to "please reach out."
"These people are the best people I've ever worked with," John Romero himself said, sharing the news via social media. "I'm sorry to say that our game and our studio were also affected."
Romero Games' recent projects include 2019's Sigil and its 2023 sequel Sigil 2, as well as mafia strategy game Empire of Sin, launched in 2020.
"It's a new dawn for Romero Games," the studio said at the time. "We're working with a major publisher to develop John Romero's next shooter: an all-new FPS with an original, new IP."
Image credit: Shane Anthony Sinclair/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Warcraft Rumble was a high-profile attempt by Blizzard to bring the Warcraft universe into the lucrative mobile space. Development began in 2016, with the game itself releasing in 2023 as a free-to-play tower defense RTS inspired by the likes of Clash of Clans. The PC version launched late last year.
In a blog post, Blizzard admitted Warcraft Rumble “struggled to find its footing relative to our ambition for its long-term success,” and that recent attempts to improve the popularity of the game weren’t enough to sustain development.
The news comes as part of a bloodbath at Microsoft that saw 4%, or just over 9,000 staff, cut from the company. While the majority of those layoffs were outside the gaming business, Xbox studios were hit hard. Rare’s Everwild, for example, was canceled, as was the Perfect Dark reboot. The Initiative was closed.
Alex Apple, client engineer at Blizzard, took to LinkedIn to say they had been laid off “along with the entire Warcraft Rumble team.” Other developers on the game reported similar.
In its blog post, Blizzard said Warcraft Rumble will remain playable but will only receive updates focused on regular, systemic in-game events and bug fixes.
Dear Warcraft Rumble Community,
We have an important update on the future of Warcraft Rumble. After much deliberation, we’ve arrived at an extremely hard decision. Moving forward, we'll continue supporting Rumble with updates focused on regular, systemic in-game events and bug fixes, but no new content.
Warcraft Rumble began development nine years ago as a love letter to Azeroth and launched back in 2023, reflecting input from enthusiastic players around the globe and the effort of a passionate team — some of whom continue to support Rumble or other Blizzard games, and some we’ve had to sadly part ways with. Since launch, Rumble has struggled to find its footing relative to our ambition for its long-term success, and for some time now the team has been listening to player feedback, refocusing in certain areas, and exploring different options. Some of that work showed signs of progress, but ultimately wasn’t enough to put the game on a path to sustainability.
During this transition, we are focused on supporting our teammates. We’re deeply grateful to everyone at Blizzard and in the community for helping bring Warcraft Rumble to life and embracing the joy that makes this game so special. Your enthusiasm and feedback mean the world to us.
Fans of the game reacted with disappointment to the news, but there is little surprise given how the game has gone over the last two years. Most players are now waving goodbye to Warcraft Rumble and its community, while sending messages of support to the affected developers.
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.
Ryan Coogler, director of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and executive producer of its spin-off Ironheart, has said he knows "jack s**t" about when the latter's characters will now return.
Ironheart wrapped up its brief two-week release schedule on Disney+ a couple days ago, with several major cliffhangers that leave its characters' next steps uncertain. But when asked by Variety where Ironheart heroine Riri Williams might next appear — for example in the upcoming Black Panther 3, which Coogler himself is now writing — the director claimed he had no idea.
"I don't know jack s**t. I just did an all-nighter writing X-Files," Coogler said, referencing yet another upcoming project of his that's currently in the pipeline, an X-Files TV reboot.
"I'm here for whatever Chinaka [Hodge, Ironheart head writer]'s got coming at us next; whatever Kevin [Feige]'s got coming at us next, you know what I'm saying," Coogler continued. "I think the audience is going to take to that ending and I can't wait to see those characters again."
Warning! Spoilers for Ironheart follow:
Ironheart's finale sees Williams defeat Parker Robbins, played by Anthony Ramos, but also make a Faustian bargain with Mephisto, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, to save a dead friend. Robbins suggests his next move will be to hunt down the MCU's Sorceror Supreme for presumably nefarious reasons, Williams is seen slowly being corrupted by Mephisto's magic, while the devil himself remains very much at large.
"I'm hoping for all work in Hollywood right now," Hodge said. "Yes, a second season, a third season, a fourth season. Yes!"
For now, Marvel has said nothing of any future plans for Riri Williams, let alone Robbins or Mephisto, and the response to Ironheart itself has been mixed. "A cynical addition to the MCU as science and magic collide in Chicago," IGN said of the series in our Ironheart review.
VOID Interactive has responded to player backlash after it made changes to the PC version of its controversial shooter Ready or Not in order to secure a console release, citing "misconceptions and misinformation" about the amendments.
At the time, VOID insisted the changes were "small enough that most people here wouldn't notice if we didn't say anything," but it "wanted to be transparent" with its players. The news has caused Ready or Not's Steam user review rating to hit "mostly negative" for recent reviews, although overall the review rating remains "very positive." Most of the negative reviews complain about "censorship."
Now, in a new statement, VOID set out "full visibility" into what has, and has not, changed, including before-and-after screenshots. It insisted "the effects of gore and violence have not been toned down."
"We recently shared that Ready or Not’s PC version underwent minor content changes to support stability and align with policies enforced by global platforms and age rating bodies," the statement began. "These adjustments were made to ensure a smooth global launch across platforms — while fully preserving the game’s tone, themes, and intensity.
"Unfortunately, we’ve seen misconceptions and misinformation circulating around the scope of these changes. We want to ensure our entire community has full visibility into what has — and has not — changed. We’re including before-and-after visuals to show that the game’s tone, atmosphere, and graphical impact remain intact. The effects of gore and violence — key to the game’s immersive realism — have not been toned down."
VOID stressed that missions such as Elephant, Neon Tomb, and the infamous Valley of the Dolls "remain unchanged," adding it has "always believed in creative freedom and the right to build experiences that push boundaries in the service of immersion and realism. That will not change."
"At the same time, we operate in a global ecosystem of platform standards, age rating boards, and local legal restrictions," the studio added. "While we may disagree with how some content is treated, we’ve only made changes where absolutely required, and only to the letter of the regulations — no further. As a hyper-realistic tactical FPS, Ready or Not faces different scrutiny than more stylized or fictional games. That’s a reality of the world we publish in — not a change in our creative vision or values."
Warning! Potentially distrubing images of Ready or Not follow:
The team then outlined specifically what the "six targeted visual changes" entailed:
Twisted Nerve: The girl is now depicted as sleeping instead of convulsing
A Lethal Obsession: Nudity involving the ghillie suit suspect has been adjusted
Hide and Seek: Female hostages now wear underwear
Narcos: Police informant hostage now wears underwear
23 Megabytes a Second: ‘Photo of Minors’ objective model was revised, also to better connect narratively with the later ‘Sinuous Trail’ mission
Post-mortem dismemberment has been disabled (note: dismemberment for living characters remains unchanged).
"It's not about the specifics, it's a matter of principle," wrote one respondent in the comments. "Any amount of censorship is too much." Another said: "great, so you're saying you're hearing us, but refusing to listen." "Yeah, damaging the vision of the game just because of console port?" added someone else. "Get a grip, at least put a slider in the settings. What is this?"
While most of the 1,200+ comments continue to complain about censorship, not all players are aggrieved: "Honestly, not that big of a deal as long as overall map atmosphere stays good," said another.
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.
NACON has shared the official gameplay overview trailer for RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business. The trailer shows two minutes of gameplay footage. So, if you’re interested in the game, you should check it out. Unfinished Business is a stand-alone sequel to RoboCop: Rogue City. Just like the first game, it’s being made with Unreal … Continue reading RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business Gets Gameplay Overview Trailer→
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 got its hotly anticipated Siege Mode update last week, and while fans are enjoying it, crashes and disconnects have marred the experience.
Siege Mode is Space Marine 2’s take on the classic video game Horde mode. It sees teams of three players fight against increasingly difficult waves of Tyranid and Chaos enemies for exclusive rewards.
Players have responded to Siege Mode and its accompanying Patch 8 well, and Space Marine 2 has seen a surge of players on Steam at least, where player data is public. But connection problems are on occasion ruining the experience, especially when they arrive deep into the waves.
“I just spent almost three hours in a Siege round. FINALLY got some good brothers who know what they are doing. Most epic experience I had in a long time. So looking forward to the rewards and feeling of accomplished, finally beating it. BUT NO MID FIGHT LAST ROUND BEFORE EVAC THE SERVERS JUST GIVE UP. NO MONEY, NO EXP, NO SKINS AND NOT EVEN AN SATISFYING END TO THE GLORIOUS FIGHT THAT ME AND MY BROTHERS HAD. I had fun, yes but essentially I just got robbed almost three hours of progress. That feels so incredibly insulting, I can't man…
“Please anybody in charge I know you're working already on it, with great haste too probably... BUT STILL, BY THE EMPEROR, WHAT THE WARP.”
In response, Space Marine 2 developer Saber Interactive and publisher Focus Entertainment have released the 8.1 hotfix, which is now live on every platform. It fixes various crashes and connectivity issues, as well as a bug preventing the reward for completing 25 waves in Siege Mode to unlock.
The hope is this hotfix stamps out the Siege Mode problems reported by the likes of poor old Justusowesme like a Space Marine stomping on the head of a xenos, but it’s early days yet.
Looking ahead, there’s a lot of exciting content coming to Space Marine 2. While Patch 9 will focus on balance changes only, Patch 10 adds a new Chaos vs Chaos PvP mode, the new Power Axe melee weapon, and the new Techmarine class. Check out all the Space Marine 2 Patch 10 details here.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 8.1 hotfix patch notes:
Fixed several crashes
Fixed several issues causing disconnects
Fixed Siege Mode rewards from wave 25+
Lots of small fixes to Siege Mode map geometry
Fixed bug that was causing random enemies to get stronger much faster in infinite waves, causing one shot deaths randomly (Note: enemies are still going to get stronger but it will be not random and more consistent)
Fixed a bug in Siege Mode that occurred when a player would join a game in progress, the game would not apply difficulty modifiers correctly.
Fixed a bug in UI that was causing inability to change colour presets
Minor localization fixes
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.
This latest patch doesn't specifically deal with end-game issues this time, but does make some QoL improvements, such as being able to interact with vehicles more easily, spawning on Trading Posts, and hiding empty loot containers if they're empty for the player who picked up the corpse.
You'll also now find that Sandworms linger a little around recently harvested spicefields, Harkonnen attacks on certain Atreides bases will happen less frequently, and the team has "closed" several vulnerabilities that "could lead to increased combat damage."
A handful of exploits have been addressed, too, including one where you could repair all items to full durability, one where you could duplicate resources, and another that used to let vehicles pass through Pentashields unauthorized, but doesn't anymore.
Here's the full list of changes. Brace yourself — it's a doozy!
Dune: Awakening update 1.1.10.00 patch notes:
Highlights
Sandworms now linger for a bit around spicefields that have been recently harvested from.
Reduced the frequency of Harkonnen attacks on certain Atreides bases (and vice versa) in Hagga Basin.
Main menu “Play Now” button has been set to filter out private servers.
When streamer mode is active, map creator name is hidden if the player created the sinkchart. In addition, while in streamer mode, sector name in the Deep Desert is now hidden as well.
In the exchange, items can now be listed from and claimed to the vehicle inventory of your Ornithopter.
Improved interaction with vehicles. It should now be easier to enter them from different angles.
We closed several vulnerabilities that could lead to increased combat damage.
Fixed an exploit where you could repair all items to full durability.
Fixed an exploit where a player could duplicate resources.
Fixed an edge case issue allowing vehicles to pass through Pentashields unauthorized.
FEATURES AND CHANGES
Technical and stability:
Main menu “Play Now” button has been set to filter out private servers.
After dying due to Coriolis Storm while offline, players now get moved to Hagga Basin so that the respawn menu shows all respawn points in Hagga Basin.
Trading Post checkpoints can now be used as a respawn point while in different maps.
Updated the minimum required version of Intel GPU driver to 32.0.101.6793 to prevent sand surfaces displaying a triangular mesh pattern when using an Intel Arc graphic card.
Removed false positive warnings about minimum hardware specification and driver version for GeForceNOW users.
Resources, Building, and Crafting:
Moved The Atreides Decorations away from Asmara Efendi (Harko Village Weapons Vendor) and onto Ormunda Laaks (Harko village Structure vendor).
Loot containers dropped after picking up NPC corpses are now invisible if they’re empty for the player who picked up the corpse.
Added three unique weapon schematics to Asmara Efendi.
Vehicle Backup Tool and the Solido Replicator can now be crafted in the Survival Fabricator. The Vehicle backup tool can be found in the Utility Tools category, and the Solido Replicator can be found in the Building Tools category.
Armor in the main menu will now use the correct armor swatches applied to your character in-game.
Range info added to the Welding Torch info card.
Removed the Hawkeye Scanner Module MK5 Unique schematic from Landsraad rewards due to it being an old item not intended for use.
Combat:
Visual improvements to buff and debuff icons for legibility.
Changed the Sentinel ability’s action text from “Detonate” to “Deploy”.
Added range information to Weirding Step’s info card.
Added duration information to Suspensor Pad’s info card.
New VFX created to indicate the way sword parrying staggers multiple targets.
Updated dagger slow blade animations to make the stab connect better.
Correct VFX should now be played on receiving side if shielded or otherwise damage immune.
Underslung weapons can no longer be used while in a passenger seat of a vehicle.
New VFX created to indicate the way sword parrying staggers multiple targets.
We closed several vulnerabilities that could lead to increased combat damage.
Abilities:
Suspensor Dash will now cost 20% of maximum power instead of a flat cost of 75. This allows the perk to be more usable across all tiers of power packs while also making it more costly in high pressure combat situations.
Reduced Poise Damage Resistance of Thrive on Danger to 34% from 50% to avoid scenarios where poise resistance could go over 100% when combined with other effects.
It is no longer possible to jump while under the effect of Crippling Strike.
Updated the description of Center of Mass and Marksman Techniques to indicate that body damage also affects damage dealt to shields.
Performing melee attacks within Gravity Fields will now cause the player to play exhausted attack animations as they strain under the increased gravity.
Updated description of the ‘Ranged Damage’ passive ability. It increases damage with all ranged weapons, not just darts!
Clarified description of poison tooth activation to better convey how it works.
Vehicles:
Tweaked the buggy turret camera to improve overall visibility while operating.
Minor tweaks to the camera when boosting with a vehicle.
Improved interaction with vehicles. It should now be easier to enter them from different angles.
Ground vehicles now have a failsafe system against being stuck in flipped state.
Improved ground vehicles’ behavior when flipped or kicked by the Sandworm.
Scout Ornithopter Thruster modules have seen an increase in speed when using Vulture Mode. Players opting to forego Inventory (or other modules) in favor of a boost Thruster should now have a speed advantage.
Balancing:
Updated anti gravity fields to allow for stationary targets to get out of them rather than be locked into their initial 0 velocity.
Rusher NPCs now animation cancel out of their melee attack finishers when their target moves out of melee range.
Worldbuilding and Exploration:
Sandworms now linger for a bit around spicefields that have been recently harvested from.
Reduced the frequency of Harkonnen attacks on certain Atreides bases (and vice versa) in Hagga Basin.
Improved collision in the room of the Proteus where you encounter your first shielded enemy.
Miscellaneous journey step improvements.
Replaced an incorrect Pardot Kynes’ hologram in an O’odham Testing Station.
A salvagable Buggy in Imperial Testing Station no 10 has been replaced by a broken Buggy.
Respawn Beacons are now removed upon account or player deletion.
Story, Journey and New Player Experience:
Improved journey auto tracking to address edge cases where journey system sometimes did not track the next appropriate journey card.
The Journey step “Complete Contract “The War Profiteer”” will now complete in the Journey even if players have canceled the contract, but continued in the faction story with Thufir Hawat.
User Interface:
Added individual keybinding for “Take” (quick loot), “Exit climbing” (same as CROUCH by default) and “Exit vehicle” (same as PRIMARY INTERACT by default).
Updated colours for the Pinned Recipes display.
Added support for unfavoriting items in the inventory loadout by pressing the [T] key again whilst hovering the favorite item. An input hint on the info card will also show for this.
Updated icons for a Maula vest variant.
Updated the colors used for online status.
Updated the icons for the Slaver Stillsuit.
The Compass shows a consistent coloured line representing which zone the Player is in.
Navigation icons from the Crafting, Journey and Customization menus are animated when switching between them.
While in the expanded Building UI with an active tutorial popup, pressing ESC now correctly closes the tutorial popup instead of collapsing the Building UI.
While in streamer mode, map creator name is hidden if the player created the sinkchart.
While in streamer mode, Sector name in the Deep Desert is now hidden.
Added an additional step to the delete character progress, to make sure deletion is intentional.
In the trade UI, when changing something on the offered items inventory, or the Solaris offer, both players are now set as “not ready”.
Updated the Sub-fief Console icon in the building menu.
Updated the party UI in players menu tab to show accurate amount of slots available in a party.
In the exchange, items can now be listed from and claimed to the vehicle inventory of your Ornithopter.
Improved the text of the dialogue message you get when choosing to visit a friend on another server.
Graphics, Animations, and VFX:
Added and updated another batch of animations in various cinematics, NPC lip-sync during dialogs, and cloth simulation for various outfits.
Optimization improvements on lighting for Wreck of the Hephaestus.
Performance pass on VFX assets for Wreck of Hephaestus cinematic.
New surface hits for LMGs to improve visuals.
Update unique surface hits VFX for Disruptor and Power LMG to improve visuals.
Adjusted brightness of staking unit VFX to make it more grounded.
Softened the lighting transition in an Imperial Testing Station in the Deep Desert.
Audio:
The sound effects indicating an active Blood Purifier has been improved
Re-balanced audio levels on Sandstorms, to make the audible experience better.
Made improvements to melee audio.
Minor audio mix polish tweaks.
Added new sounds for spice bloom geysers.
The headphone mix preset and weapon tails in enclosed spaces are increased to be louder.
The volume of the Ornithopter engine start and engine loop have been lowered.
Voiceover for House Vernius representative at Helius Gate has been added.
Replaced placeholder radio show sound effects with an actual radio show.
FIXES
Technical and stability:
Text chat notification indicating when a player is muted has been localized.
Fixed issue that would cause a server to become unresponsive to logins.
Fixed multiple issues in Deep Desert that caused server crashes.
Addressed cases where players moving across servers would result in a soft locked client.
When the player has no other sub-fiefs on the map and builds one, it will be set as a default respawn location on that map.
The message to make the vehicle you drive/pilot a default vehicle spawn location will no longer show when crossing borders in the Deep Desert.
Respawn menu now appears after the character dies while the game is disconnected.
The death location marker now appears after the character dies while the player is offline.
Fixed an issue that caused the player to sometimes enter loading screen when exiting vehicle in the Deep Desert.
Fixed a rare server crash caused by the permission system.
Fixed an issue causing the service alert notification to block mouse / virtual cursor interactions.
BattlEye has been updated in order to fix some rare crashes.
Fixed an exploit where you could repair all items to full durability.
Fixed an exploit where a player could duplicate resources.
Resources, Building, and Crafting:
Loot bags dropped on placeables should no longer fall inside them.
Fixed an issue sometimes preventing highlighting of placeables with the construction tool.
Fixed an issue that would make a sub-fief consoles projection linger after it has been destroyed.
The favorites hint in the construction tool should now be hidden if all favorite slots are full.
Fixed a bug causing the building menu icons to sometimes show the number 3 on the left corner.
Fixed an issue making it possible to place a wall intersecting a pentashield projection.
“Remove Sub-Fief Console” prompt no longer appears when you try to demolish a sub-fief owned by someone else
It should now be possible to highlight and demolish pentashields that lack power.
Harkonnen prudence doors should now play a pass-through sound effect.
The diagetic UI for large pentashields should now show up properly if the player aims at the center of them.
It should no longer be possible to place large water cisterns slightly inside walls.
Fixed some visual artifacts on the base shields power on animation over the pentashield surfaces.
Fixed an issue causing wind turbines to disappear at shorter distances compared to similar placeables.
Pentashield placement now shows if it is overlapping with something else instead of saying that it can’t snap to sockets.
Fixed being able to build placeables through ceilings and walls.
Placeables with a projection effect should only show up when built, and not as projections.
Fixed an issue where the positioning of a pentashield surface will get stuck overlapped with an existing pentashield surface.
Fixed an issue that caused cancelling crafting requests to sometimes not refund the water cost.
Removed blue rays on corners of pentashield surfaces.
Fixed an issue making it impossible to move melee weapons into some placeables storage.
Fixed the secret doors on imperial testing stations showing an extra error message on interactions.
Visually upgraded the Communinet Transceiver device.
Made Choam Modular Couch slightly larger to fit the player character better.
Tweaked Harkonnen Modular Bench to avoid clipping with player character.
Fixed an issue where you couldn’t take items from a loot container using Take All when they were available.
Fixed an issue where the Take Item prompt in the loot preview of a loot container wouldn’t be updated when you could no longer take that item.
Repair icon in the repair station is properly hidden once an item is repaired.
Fixed an issue where item types and durability amounts to restore weren’t shown in the Recycler or Repair Station menus.
Combat:
Fixed problem in swordmaster “afterimage” effect that allowed it to see through environmental vfx.
Fixed the sideways root motion on the staggers that had it.
Fixed an issue where Rusher NPCs could travel too far from their spawn location when in combat.
Gas clouds now fade out instead of instantly disappearing.
Centered the lightning effect on Energy Capsule so it is no longer offset from the character.
Fixed an issue that caused Blade Damage passives to give the incorrect amount of increase for Long Blade weapons.
Fixed edge case where “The Sentinel” would attack an allied “Solido Decoy” clone.
Fixed issue where player can sometimes experience rubber banding issue when attempting to move through other players in social hubs.
Can no longer move civilian npcs in non combat zones using Knee charge.
Fixed an issue where weapon reloading resumed automatically after switching or holstering and unholstering a weapon.
Fixed an issue where melee execute sometimes missed.
Fixed an issue that caused Second Wind to activate when an enemy NPC would die.
Fixed an issue that could cause block to be unusable if a melee weapon was equipped while aiming down sight was blocked due to being too close to geometry.
Melee attacks can no longer critically hit targets.
Fixed an issue that could cause the character to be unable to perform any action other than moving, if they attempted to revive a player while also executing them.
Fixed an issue that could cause a melee attack to become a block or vice versa in some rare perfectly timed situations.
Fixed a rare server crash in the weapon aiming system.
Assault NPCs should now run to regain sight of a Target they’ve lost sight of, and start shooting again once they find the Target.
Fixed an issue that could cause the melee soft lock system to disengage if an attack was initiated in the middle of a weapon swap.
Fixed an issue where assault NPCS were not shooting while picking a new position. Now they will run to regain sight of a target they’ve lost sight of and will start shooting again once they have acquired the Target.
Abilities:
Fixed an issue where sometimes the player would lose the ability to swap weapon after using the Poison Capsule ability.
Fixed a desync that could happen when using “Weirding Step”, causing the player to be stuck in place.
Adjusted the cooldown that you get when equipable abilities fail. It is now a universal ~2.5 seconds.
Players will no longer lose 1 skill point when respeccing their skill tree.
Vehicles:
Fixed bounding box issues for better hit feedback and replaced hit VFX with the correct one.
Harkonnen light ornithopter interior mesh no longer clips through outer hull.
Fixed an issue where players could get trapped inside another player’s ornithopter if it landed on them.
Fixed some collision issues related to the Sandworm.
Fixed issue related to boost functionality and input behavior.
Fixed some LOD issues on some vehicles.
Fixed collision on transport Ornithopter to avoid having players be able to get inside the vehicle.
Fixed an issue where a character exiting a vehicle could appear seated on the ground for other players.
Fixed an issue that would sometimes lead to a crash when a seated character received damage.
Fixed an issue causing the “Out of Fuel” warning notification to sometimes appear briefly when entering a Vehicle.
Players can no longer enter a vehicle that is currently pending travel, meaning the vehicle pilot has a travel confirmation popup open.
Fixed an edge case issue allowing vehicles to pass through Pentashields unauthorized.
When the player character gets blocked inside vehicle collision, it’s now possible to get out.
When the Welding Torch is in Customize Mode vehicle modules now get highlighted properly.
Worldbuilding and Exploration:
The player will no longer fully lose radiation on log out. Any gained radiation will be retained until it can decrease again when logging back in.
Fixed rare crash with exploding barrels.
Player can no longer move on Overland Map while being in loading screen.
Fixed sudden Ornithopter altitude changes near on the Overland map, particularly near Arrakeen and Water Fat.
Fixed camera twitching while mouse panning on the Overland Map.
Fixed issue that prevented repairing a vehicle with passengers in them.
Landing a flipped Carrier Ornithopter in vulture mode will not result in the vehicle continuously sliding afterwards.
Vehicle cameras are now a bit less likely to clip through terrain.
For players in the same party, damage will be reduced to 25 % when shooting with Ornithopter rockets at each other.
Fixed an issue where the sandworm threat indicator could get stuck at max in the deep desert.
An issue with planar lock toggle for Ornithopters when crossing server boundaries in the Deep Desert was fixed.
Fixed a potential camera issue that could happen after being eaten by the giant Ringmouth sandworm in the Deep Desert.
Fixed an edge case issue causing the Landsraad to get stuck.
Fixed a floating island in Deep Desert.
Fixed an issue where a duplicate delivery window would appear when delivering a certain journal to Jocasta Cleo.
Improved respawn behavior of target NPC in contract “The Price of Rejection”.
Adjusted the position of a couple of objectives in contract “Looking for Leaders”.
Fixed an issue where some Maas Kharet ambushers in the O’odham would instantly appear at ground level rather than drop down from above.
Fixed an issue where the cuttable hatches on small shipwrecks could appear misaligned.
Fixed an issue where contract “Making a Martyr” would resolve when killing an unrelated and completely innocent Maas Kharet assassin.
Performed an optimization pass on the entrance of the Imperial Testing Station in O’odham.
Walking through a passage at the Hand of Khidr is now smoother, and players will no longer get caught on a ledge.
Extended a pipe inside CHOAM Mineral Facility #7 in Hagga Rift, so that it now connects to the rock wall.
Addressed some minor collision issues on assets in Atreides Fortress.
Addressed some minor collision issues on assets inside CHOAM Mineral Extraction Facility #5.
Fixed a visible gap in a wall in Imperial Testing Station No. 76 in Jabal Eifrit Al-Janub.
Fixed floating asset issues in several Hagga Basin locations.
Adjusted collision on building pieces and set dressing in Imperial Testing Stations in Hagga Basin.
Addressed collision issues on multiple locations in Hagga Basin.
Added a sand mound under a scaffolding structure where the player could get stuck in Eastern Vermillius Gap.
Addressed gaps in the landscape in multiple Hagga Basin locations.
Fixed small gaps in the ceiling of Imperial Testing Station no 163 in O’odham.
Removed wrong textured sand mounds under an NPC outpost in Eastern Shield Wall.
Fixed collision issues on Harkonnen Fortress where players could unexpectedly interact with invisible surfaces. Collision has been updated to better match the shape of the building, improving movement and preventing unintended blockages.
Replaced scrap metal with a more appropriate asset to improve visual consistency and prevent clipping with a nearby metal pipe. Also adjusted surrounding asset placement for better alignment and overall fit and added an additional metal piece to conceal minor clipping issues.
Adjusted color of sand mounds and sand decals on main building of Mysa Tarill.
Addressed misplaced assets in different locations around Hagga Basin.
Smoothed out steep landscape angles a bit in order to address textures looking stretched.
Fixed a clipping issue between secret bookshelf and walls in Imperial Testing Station no 29 and also did an optimization pass.
NPCs should no longer walk through and get stuck in cliff walls of their camp sites.
Adjusted textures of sand and rock surfaces across Hagga Basin.
Fixed a spot behind some mining machinery in Hagga Rift where players could get stuck.
Updated the mesh of an arch inside Mysa Tarill landmark to improve collision.
Removed abundant assets and collision on assets and did an optimization pass on the Wreck of Hephaestus.
The hatches on the side of the small crashed shipwrecks should now always be above sand and therefore cuttable.
Fixed several issues with the cuttable panels in the Wreck of Hephaestus.
Fixed an issue where players could lose the Ceremonial Damasteel Sword permit key item when dying.
Fixed an issue that caused Copper-tier Light Armor worn with a Stillsuit to not provide Heat Protection or allow catchpockets to gather water.
Fixed a rare issue where Thufir Hawat would fail to recognize Minimic Film deliveries from Zayn De Witte and hence block contract completion.
Fixed an issue that caused exchange terminals to not be available in some servers.
Story, Journey and New Player Experience:
Debug text should no longer be appearing in subtitles of certain Shigawire Reels.
Added correct 21:9 aspect ratio setup for cinematic scenes that did not yet have this.
Ariste should no longer look to the side, but at the player, in the Star Door dialogue in The Sietch.
Fixed issue where an incorrect camera would show during the assassination of the Water Shipper
Camera should no longer be twitching during Harkonnen Pledge cinematic.
Addressed issue where ‘Add a sandbike inventory Mk1 to your Sandbike’ substep of ‘A Backup Plan’ journey was not retroactively completable.
Addressed issue where certain decorations did not complete ‘Construct a Decoration from a CHOAM furniture Set’ journey step.
Addressed issue where Dew Reapers would not continuously harvest water between dewfield patches.
Addressed issue where fire visuals were missing from portion of New Player Experience.
Addressed edge case issue where player could inadvertently get stuck in New Player Experience environment.
Subtitles in the intro movie now match the style of the regular subtitles and respect the accessibility settings.
Fixed an issue where players could complete a Journey step without triggering a key cinematic at the Introduction of the Assassins Handbook.
Fixed an issue that could block player progression in The Assassination Journey.
User Interface:
The UI panels for the Journey menu no longer overlap the Social Button
Player name now fits correctly into the space limit in the Social Menu and if not, will auto-scroll.
While in the expanded Building UI with an active tutorial popup, pressing ESC now correctly closes the tutorial popup instead of collapsing the Building UI.
Fixed an issue when using virtual keyboard with controller which would submit the text even when just closing the virtual keyboard by any means.
Fixed a bug that could cause the Inventory tabs to get out of sync and overlap each other
Fixed an issue with several discovery toasts appearing more than once.
Fixed some layout issues with tab buttons with long texts.
Fixed an issue where the favourite icon on the inventory loadout item would remain on the item when dragged into the backpack.
Fixed an issue where activating the Spice Prescience ability caused certain UI elements (such as the Heat Bar, Sandworm Bar, and Party Info) to disappear.
Fixed an issue where the ‘Cancel Contract’ button would disappear after switching away from and back to the Contracts tab.
Fixed positioning issue with XP notifications.
Fixed a bug where the Solaris icon appeared broken after the trading complete popup.
Fixed an issue where respeccing your skill tree whilst in a vehicle would incorrectly clear the vehicles abilities and not auto equip your starting ability.
Fixed an issue where learning an ability in your skill tree whilst in a vehicle would not auto equip the ability to a valid empty slot.
Fixed issues where switching from the survey probe launcher while doing a survey would break the survey UI and not cancel the survey.
Fixed a bug where the HUD showed incorrect steps or progress for active “Untwisted Questions” advanced trainer contract.
Fixed an issue that caused an inaccurate controller prompt for scroll right button in building and welding menus.
Fixed an issue with the notification system that could potentially cause a crash when travelling to and from the Overland map.
Fixed an issue where the View button on gamepads and the TAB key on keyboards became unresponsive after a notification appeared.
Fixed an issue causing reset of keybinds to defaults not persisting.
Fixed an issue that caused the Mentor description box to get overlapped by dialogue options in character creation.
Fixed a bug where in streamer mode, the player name wasn’t hidden if the player was the reason of their own death.
Fixed an issue where certain Map Marker types would disappear after a Coriolis Storm on Hagga Basin and Social Hubs, causing the Survey Report to become incorrect, and important information to be lost.
Fixed an issue where the crafting progress bar could get desynced on the player’s UI.
Primary Source for Welding Torch in Tech Tree should now say “Imperial Testing Station”, which matches the icon to the right of the label.
Tooltip when hovering the Continue button in the Main Menu was fixed to show target server player will be teleported to instead of the Home server. Travel dialog when clicking the Continue button in the Main Menu was also fixed to show target server instead of the Home server.
Inaccurate controller prompt for scrolling right button has been fixed.
Fixed an issue where the scrollbars in the Contracts menu were not functioning correctly
Fixed issue where privacy policy could be automatically accepted due to skipping cinematic.
Trying to talk on party or guild chat without being in a party or a guild, now correctly appears as a generic error.
Fixed confirm button input not working correctly on the edit guild description and Sub-fief console edit name popups.
Fixed a bug causing friends pending acceptance to be shown on the “Add permissions” menu.
Inviting another player to join a guild through the Inspect menu now provides feedback if the the invite succeeded or failed.
Removed “Player joined guild” chat broadcast message for the player that created the guild.
Numerical input fields no longer move the caret to the end on every edit.
Fixed guild disband popup opening twice if triggered using the keyboard.
In the Keybind Settings, keys that are symbols are now represented as such instead of their name, i.e. ‘[‘ instead of ‘Left Bracket’.
Fixed an issue where certain map markers would disappear after a Coriolis Storm in Hagga Basin and the cities, making the Survey Report incorrect and lacking important information.
Fixed an issue where gamepad input was still processed even when the game window lost focus.
Improved behaviour where Landsraad victory and decree popups on the Landsraad UI screen would appear again after traveling or relogging.
Graphics, Animations, and VFX:
Fixed an issue causing weapon to flicker when aiming with and holstering a scoped rifle.
Fixed the dark gray and gray lipstick color position in the character creator and corrected their color.
Fixed character LOD issues in cinematics.
Fixed minor clipping issues on Choam Light Armor.
Fixed an issue where the landscape would render “blurry tiles”.
Fixed issue where personal map marker in Deep Desert was placed not under the cursor.
Fixed issue in Deep Desert where survey information was shown for wrong zone.
Fixed issues with NPC’s dissapearing on rotating camera in Arrakeen.
Fixed incorrect settings on several lights to address flickering and bloom issues
Added missing lighting for several dialog scenes.
Fixed Medium Chemical Refinery missing VFX when crafting.
Fixed colour of vehicle dust trails to fit better Red Desert.
Fixed rocket launcher vfx being misplaced for Buggies.
Improved muzzle flashes visuals to fit various viewpoints.
Update Cinematics campfire to use final assets for cutscenes.
Shooting the compactor to a campfire now will remove the light from said campfire.
Fixed vehicle explosions to scale properly.
Fixed Sardaukar Cape silk shading being disabled.
Replaced a doorframe in the shipwreck of the Second Trial of Aql.
Replaced placeholder radio show SFX in Arrakeen with actual radio show.
Fixed an animation issue causing weapon to briefly stick out through the player character’s chest if aiming during weapon unholstering or while mantling a ledge.
Fixed an issue causing the Sandbike Big Moment aspect ratio to flicker.
Fixed issues with T-posing and camera offsets that affected The Fourth Trial of Aql.
Fixed an issue where a frame was missing camera, making an unintended scene flash for a second.
Player pose and animation should now be consistent during the “Awaken Prescience” cutscene of the Fourth Trial of Aql.
Fixed an issue causing GPU crashes related to memory corruption from camera shake
Fixed an issue that made the Trial of Aql failed test VFX not always work.
The Water Shipper boss no longer stands in T-pose at the end of the assassination cinematic.
Polished visuals of a rope present in cave area of first tutorial.
Lighting exposure balance has been done for the Carthag cinematic.
Audio:
Removed unintended SFX on the black screen of the New Player Experience cinematic.
Fixed an issue that muted the death sound when falling into the large fan from Carthag.
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.
Gregg Mayles, the veteran Rare designer and director, will reportedly depart the studio following yesterday's sweeping cuts of Xbox staff and projects that included the long-in-development Everwild.
Mayles' departure, as reported by VGC, ends an influential career at Rare stretching back more than 35 years, to the studio's origins developing games like Battletoads for NES and through its N64 heyday, during which Mayles helped design characters such as Diddy Kong.
Perhaps best known as the director of N64 classic Banjo-Kazooie, Mayles more recently served as creative director on hit pirate game Sea of Thieves. Over the last four years, however, Mayles has been overseeing Everwild, Rare's long-gestating fantasy follow-up that will now no longer see the light of day.
Everwild's cancellation, now confirmed by Microsoft, comes six years after the game's initial public announcement, and after around a decade of work by Rare on the project overall. Louise O'Connor, who had been serving as the game's producer, will also reportedly leave Rare, after more than two decades.
IGN has contacted Microsoft for comment.
The last Everwild trailer, released in July 2020, carried the following description: "Everwild is a brand new IP from Rare. A unique and unforgettable experience await in a natural and magical world." Back in February this year, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said he had recently visited the studio to catch up on the game's progress. "It’s nice to see the team with Everwild and the progress that they’re making," Spencer said at the time.
"We have made the decision to stop development of Perfect Dark and Everwild as well as wind down several unannounced projects across our portfolio," Booty wrote.
"As part of this, we are closing one of our studios, The Initiative. These decisions, along with other changes across our teams, reflect a broader effort to adjust priorities and focus resources to set up our teams for greater success within a changing industry landscape.
"We did not make these choices lightly, as each project and team represent years of effort, imagination, and commitment."
Image credit: YouTube.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
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