IGN

Daily Deals: GoPro HERO11 Black, Fire Emblem Engage, Assassin's Creed Mirage

1 year 3 months ago

It's finally the weekend, and Saturday has brought some new and exciting deals to explore for the weekend! Starting off, Best Buy has huge savings on the GoPro HERO11 Black Camera and Nintendo Switch titles, while Amazon has a sweet discount on the latest Assassin's Creed title. Below, we've compiled the best deals available for Saturday, February 17. Take advantage of these offers before it's too late!

Huge Savings on GoPro HERO11 Black Creator Edition

The GoPro HERO11 Black is one of the best action cameras on the market. It's fit for absolutely any task, with no obstacles in your way to capture any type of footage you'd like. Filming video at 5.3K, you can expect a level of quality you won't be able to achieve on other action cameras or any type of smartphone. At $399.99, this is an incredible deal that gets you the HERO11 Black and plenty of mods to attach to your camera.

Save on Fire Emblem Engage

If you've yet to check out the latest Fire Emblem title, Best Buy has an ongoing sale that will save you up to $30 on Fire Emblem Engage. Featuring characters from the entire series, Engage was released last year as the seventeenth mainline title in the Fire Emblem series. With a solid discount like this, now is a great time to check out the game.

Assassin's Creed Mirage for $29.99

Author
Noah Hunter

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When the PlayStation 6 Might Be Released

1 year 3 months ago

Sony believes the PlayStation 5 is now in the “latter half of its life cycle.”

That’s according to Sony’s senior vice president Naomi Matsuoka, who made the comments following the company’s revision of how many PS5s it expects to sell during the current financial year (down from 25 million to 21 million) as well as Sony’s most recent earnings report and a weaker than expected holiday 2023 quarter. So obviously the question now is: When can we expect the PlayStation 6?

Before diving into that question, I feel like I should first ask what is going on with this console generation? Never mind what’s happening over on the Xbox side of things, and that Nintendo is now so firmly marching to the beat of its own drum that it no longer aligns with either Sony or Microsoft when it comes to console launches. But where has the time gone?

2023 felt like the first truly normal year for this current game generation, with PlayStation 5s readily available after two years of severe shortages and scalping. The worldwide pandemic wreaking havoc on the global supply chain gave both PlayStation 5s and Xbox Series X|S a false start for sure. Nevertheless, it seemed that as far as product launches go, 2023 was the first year in the rest of our Gen 9 lives, and there was a tsunami of great games to go along with it. Fast-forward a couple of months and now suddenly we’re effectively halfway through Gen 9? Time didn’t just fly, it jumped through hyperspace.

Author
Matt Kim

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Nintendo Switch 2 Reportedly Delayed to the 'Early Months of 2025'

1 year 3 months ago

While many have been expecting and hoping for the Nintendo Switch 2 to arrive later this year, new reports suggest the much-anticipated console has been delayed until the "early months of 2025."

As reported by Bloomberg, VGC, and Eurogamer, sources claim Nintendo has been telling game publishers that the Switch 2 was originally planned to be released at the end of 2024 but is now expected to slip to "March 2025 at the earliest."

If this proves to be true, it will be an interesting year for the original Switch which recently passed 139.36 million units sold. As it stands on the first-party front, we only know of such heavy hitters as Princess Peach: Showtime on March 22 and Luigi's Mansion 2 HD and the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake later this year.

Author
Adam Bankhurst

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Helldivers 2 Review

1 year 3 months ago

The first time my squad fought a Bile Titan was a disaster. We dropped into a hot zone full of Termanids, Helldivers 2’s alien bugs, and lost all of our extra lives before we even found the thing. We were running for the hills when we ran right into it instead: an absolutely massive, hulking bug that dripped (and spit) acid, easily towering over anything we’d seen so far. It took everything we had – bullets, airstrikes, orbital cannons, grenades, and more than a little luck – but we somehow managed to fell the beast and get the entire squad back onto our evac ship just as our position was about to be overrun. “I can’t believe we survived that,” one of my friends said. “Me neither,” I said. “Wanna go again?” Reader, we played for several more hours.

That’s the Helldivers 2 experience in a nutshell. It’s hilarious, smartly designed, and intense whether you’re playing solo, with a squad of other random Helldivers, or serving up a nice hot cup of Liber-tea across the galaxy with your buddies – though like most games of its type, Helldivers 2 is much, much better with friends. With varied missions, a huge catalog of weapons, emotes, armor, and abilities to unlock, and long-term campaigns against the bugs and Automatons (think Terminators) to fight in the name of Managed Democracy, Helldivers 2 has enough laughs, close shaves, and pure, unabashed fun to keep you busy for a long, long time. I’ve put more than 40 hours in since release, and I’m still enjoying traveling to exciting new places, meeting exotic life forms, and killing them for the glory of Super Earth.

Author
Dan Stapleton

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Bandai Namco Reveals it Canceled at Least Five In-Development Games

1 year 3 months ago

Bandai Namco has recently revealed that it has canceled five games that were currently in development, along with changing its development structure.

In a recent earnings report, Bandai Namco stated that it has revamped its criteria for evaluating the quality of its games internally and that has lead to the cancelation of five games that were in development, per IGN's own translation. Bandai explained that is now has stricter rules on which games get to proceed in development, as games have become more expensive and costly to make.

Bandai Namco also said that it is still working on Elden Ring DLC and is planning more games for the Dragon Ball series. On a post-earnings call, Bandai Namco explained that the company's disappointing financial results to underperforming games. One of them is most likely Blue Protocol, an MMORPG that Bandai partnered with Amazon Games as its publishers. It was released in Japan last year, but still hasn't made its debut in other territories.

On a brighter note, Bandai Namco revealed that Tekken 8 sold over 2 million copies, and expects the game to contine selling until the next fiscal year.

Bandai Namco currently has other projects in store for 2024, including Little Nightmares 3 and Sand Land. The Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 8020 and Dragon Ball: Sparkling! Zero don't have release dates just yet.

Author
George Yang

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Skull and Bones Review

1 year 3 months ago

Like spotting the first sign of shore after years adrift, Skull and Bones has finally, actually found its way to launch. Six separate delays and several different concepts that were forced to walk the plank might make you understandably apprehensive about Ubisoft’s long-brewing pirate game, but after spending over 60 hours hoisting sails and swabbing decks, I’ve had a yo-ho-whole lot of co-op fun with friends and strangers alike. The 17th-century Indian Ocean works well as avast open world to be explored and plundered, the RPG mechanics are (briny) deep with opportunities for buildcrafting alongside your fellow scurvy dogs, and the naval combat you’ll spend bucca-nearly all your time on the high seas engaging with is tactical and consistently entertaining. Predictably, there are still some major concerns common with always-online games nowadays, including performance issues and bugs aplenty, as well as a very small list of endgame activities that become monotonous and grindy in short oar-der. Skull and Bones might not be the AAAA Man-of-War Ubisoft was hoping for just yet, but with a strong start to a live-service that’s got a year of upcoming content mapped out, it’s already quite seaworthy.

Author
Tom Marks

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10 Years On, Is There a Future for Amiibo on Switch 2?

1 year 3 months ago

“No, I’m good with just Mario for now.”

That’s what I told the GameStop employee in November of 2014 when I was preordering Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the GameCube controller adapter to go with it, and one lone fireball-wielding amiibo figure. Oh, how little I knew. Nintendo was joining the toys-to-life market as its newly-announced amiibo figures were just weeks away from sitting next to Skylanders and Disney Infinity on store shelves.

I managed to avoid the entire toys-to-life craze up to this point, but that’s because Skylanders was aimed at younger kids and I’m not a Disney fanatic, so I never felt like I was part of the target audience. But when I — a lifelong Nintendo and Smash Bros. diehard — learned that Nintendo was making the Super Smash Bros. Melee intro video a reality with actual figures of the Smash fighters? Well, the target was instantly planted right on my chest, and my wallet and I felt like Ralph Wiggum on the bus: we were in danger.

I foolishly thought I’d stick with Mario and other select figures of my favorite Smash fighters, but it was only a matter of days before I was fully invested in the hunt, determined to end up with every last Smash Bros. amiibo on my shelf (Thanks in part to the antics on Nintendo Voice Chat at the time, which I’m sure many of you amiibo hunters out there can relate to).

Author
Alex Simmons

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Helldivers 2 Will Temporarily Grant Extra XP and Requisition This Weekend to Alleviate Rewards Issue

1 year 3 months ago

Helldivers II developer Arrowhead Studios has announced that players can earn 50% extra XP and Requisition until the end of the day on Sunday in Central European Time thanks to a bug that prevented some players from earning rewards after a mission.

This morning, the official Helldivers II Twitter account posted a statement by Deputy Game Director, Sagar Beroshi in the hopes of addressing reports of the progress-preventing bug. The statement confirms that Arrowhead is working on a fix for the issue and that all players will receive the XP boost, not just those affected by the error.

Players looking to ensure that they're benefitting from the surge in rewards should look for a Game Master Effect called "Accounting Corrections" while in the Super Destroyer. Beroshi then thanked the Helldivers II community for its support and patience.

Problems with players earning rewards after a mission are only some of the issues the comically-tinged shooter has faced since its launch earlier this month, though Arrowhead studios has promptly squashed many of these issues. Most recently, matchmaking is currently unusable according to Arrowhead Studios' community manager, Katherine "Baskinator" Baskin, but players can still party up with their friends.

Author
Charlie Wacholz

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Elden Ring Trademark Is Now Fully Owned by FromSoftware

1 year 3 months ago

FromSoftware, the developer known for games such as Bloodborne and Dark Souls, now has full ownership of Elden Ring, the critically acclaimed action RPG it released nearly two years ago.

According to a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office trademark assignment document, Bandai Namco, which published Elden Ring, switched the ownership of the trademark for the game over to FromSoftware. The document notes that Bandai Namco signed the document in March 2023.

"NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, [Bandai Namco] hereby assigns to [FromSoftware] all right, title, and interest in and to the Trademark," the document reads. "[T]ogether with the goodwill of the business symbolized by the Trademark and the identified registration therefor, and with all claims arising out of or relating to the use of ownership of the Trademark.

Elden Ring was released in February 2022 and became a massive hit for FromSoftware, becoming a critical and commercial success, selling over 20 million copies in its first year. Following its release, FromSoftware announced nearly a year ago that it was working on Elden Ring's first DLC expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, which has yet to receive a release date.

Author
Taylor Lyles

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Epic Games Store Gave Away $2,000 Worth of Games in 2023

1 year 3 months ago

The Epic Games Store has released its 2023 year in review, which includes stats revealing it gave away more than $2,000 worth of games last year.

A blog post on the Epic Games Store, which looks to rival other PC storefronts such as Steam, revealed it gave away 86 games in total amassing to a recommended retail price of $2,055. More than 580 million games were downloaded through the free giveaway offer.

As for actual player numbers, the Epic Games Store reached 75 million monthly active users in December 2023, which was a 10% increase from the previous year.

This still pales in comparison to Steam, however. The latest data for Valve's platform saw it hit 132 million monthly active users by the end of 2021, a number that's likely grown significantly since then considering the platform's concurrent users jumped from 27.4 million at the same time to 33 million by January 2023.

Player spending was also up for the Epic Games Store in 2023, rising by 16% to $950 million. Its top titles by player spending and engagement were Genshin Impact, Rocket League, Dead Island 2, Grand Theft Auto 5, and Fortnite.

These big numbers still aren't enough for the storefront to be profitable though, as Epic Games Store boss Steve Allison admitted in November 2023 it was still a loss leader for the company after nearly five years.

Author
Ryan Dinsdale

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Star Wars Mandalorian Video Game Reportedly in the Works at Respawn

1 year 3 months ago

Star Wars Jedi and Apex Legends developer Respawn Entertainment is reportedly working on a first-person Mandalorian video game.

Insider Gaming reports Respawn’s Mandalorian game, which in the early stages of development, lets players control a Mandalorian bounty hunter during a time when the Empire is dominating the galaxy. IGN has asked EA for comment.

The player is reportedly tasked with taking on bounties for cash, as you might expect from a Mandalorian video game. There’s word the iconic Mandalorian jetpack plays a part in the game’s “high mobility”, with boost sliding similar to that seen in Respawn’s battle royale, Apex Legends.

It’s said to be “fast-paced”, with health regenerating upon successive kills. Gadgets supposedly include a wrist rocket, grapple hook, and a visor for tagging enemies and bounties. According to Insider Gaming, this Mandalorian game is not open world, rather made up of linear levels set across multiple planets. There’s no word on multiplayer. As for when this game will come out, Insider Gaming reports it’s still a year or two away at least.

It’s extremely busy times for Respawn, which is working on the ongoing live service Apex Legends, the third game in the Star Wars Jedi series, an untitled Star Wars first-person shooter, and even a Star Wars strategy game.

Author
Wesley Yin-Poole

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After Pricing Dragon’s Dogma 2 $70, Capcom Is Now Considering a Video Game Price Review

1 year 3 months ago

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is the first Capcom game priced $70, but it sounds like there’s more to come.

In a financial results conference call Q&A summary, Capcom responded to a question about the company’s video price policy that also pointed out $69.99 had become the norm for triple-A video games across the industry.

“Dragon's Dogma 2, which is scheduled for release this fiscal year, will be priced at $69.99,” Capcom replied. “Industrywide development costs are rising, and we are considering a price review as one option. Ultimately, we intend to take a thoughtful approach in pricing our games while ascertaining user feedback.”

That very much suggests $70 will become the standard for Capcom video games, as it has become the standard for so many other triple-A video game publishers. It seems reasonable to expect Monster Hunter Wilds, due out at some point in 2025, will cost $70 — or perhaps even more.

News of a potential price review comes as little surprise, given comments made last year by Capcom president Haruhiro Tsujimoto. Speaking at the Tokyo Game Show, Tsujimoto said he thought the price of video games were "too low", and that increasing the price of video games would be a “healthy option” for the industry.

Author
Wesley Yin-Poole

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Fallout and Fallout 2 Free on Epic Games Store Next Week

1 year 3 months ago

A handful of classic Fallout games, including the beloved Fallout 2, are free to download and own forever via the Epic Games Store from February 22 for a week.

As reported by VGC, Fallout, Fallout 2, and Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel will be available from February 22 to 29 to anyone with an Epic Games account. Players just need to log in to the store and visit the individual game pages to claim them, granting access to them forever.

The original Fallout, not developed by current franchise owner Bethesda but Interplay Productions, launched in 1997 and laid the groundwork for what would become one of gaming's most iconic franchises.

Players would explore a wasteland littered with wild and wacky characters and engage in turn-based role-playing combat to defeat all manner of mutants.

Fallout 2 is perhaps the most beloved of the pre-Bethesda games, offering a similar game to the original but improving systems across the board. "With its great storyline, huge game world, and well written scripts, Fallout 2 gave [us] many, many hours of totally absorbing gameplay," IGN said in our review.

Finally, Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel takes that beloved world and applies tactical, squad-based combat. "Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel does just about everything right. The only problem is that there's too much of it," we said in our review.

Author
Ryan Dinsdale

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Call of Duty Dataminer Reveals Unannounced Warhammer 40,000 Skins

1 year 3 months ago

Following the revelation that Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone are getting a surprise Warhammer 40,000 crossover, a dataminer has revealed what the skins actually look like in-game.

Modern Warfare 3 dataminer TheOfficeCOD posted a video showcasing two Space Marine operator skins coming to Activision’s shooter, one from the Ultramarines chapter, the other from the Blood Angels.

While the Space Marines look goofy holding Call of Duty guns (these Power Armour-clad transhuman warriors are meant to dwarf the average human in terms of size and power), it sounds like they are reserved for use with the Juggernaut killstreak, which lets you wear a hulking, armoured suit and wield a devastating minigun. That sounds much more up a Space Marine’s street. Perhaps the Juggernaut's minigun will be swapped out for a Bolter, the iconic Space Marine weapon from Games Workshop's grim dark sci-fi universe.

Indeed, TheOfficeCOD revealed the Warhammer 40,000 skins are labelled as Juggernaut in the files, and suggests they are reserved for a limited-time event or special game mode. But, there are Space Marine finishers, apparently, which suggests an Operator addition.

Author
Wesley Yin-Poole

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Best PS5 Deals: Preorder Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Game Deals, SSD Discounts & More

1 year 3 months ago

Now that PS5 consoles are regularly available to buy, it's an excellent time to start picking up games, accessories, and hardware for it. What's even better is when you can find all of those things at a discounted price. Below, you can find a variety of different sales on everything from games to SSDs and even information on where to buy a PS5 now. You can even still grab a Spider-Man 2 PS5 Slim bundle right now, though you'll want to act fast to pick one up as they're starting to sell out. We've also included links to where you can preorder Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth ahead of its release on February 29 for PS5.

TL;DR - Best PS5 Deals Right Now

Author
Robert Anderson

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Post Malone Is Not Only Curating WWE 2K24's Soundtrack, He's a Playable Character, Too

1 year 3 months ago

Prolific musician Post Malone will not only be a part of the soundtrack for WWE 2k24, but will also become a playable character in the game, 2K Sports has confirmed.

In a blog post, 2K Sports revealed that the rapper would not only include a few of his songs on the soundtrack, but that he curated the game's score, serving as Executive Soundtrack Producer, with various genres from electronic music to rock. 2K also revealed that Post Malone would be a playable character in WWE 2K24, purchasable via a DLC pack that will be available at an undisclosed time following the game's release.

Additional info for WWE 2k24, including the roster, Superstar ratings, and DLC, will be "shared soon," 2K wrote in the blog post.

2K also revealed the list of 12 songs featured, which you can check out below:

Author
Taylor Lyles

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Helldivers 2’s New Extraction Missions Are Absolutely Wrecking Players

1 year 3 months ago

If you’re playing Helldivers 2 you’ve probably heard the in-game call to action: the Automatons are making a push towards Earth and it’s time for players to turn their attention away from the killer bugs they started with and onto the killer robots. The only problem is, the killer robots are absolutely wrecking players.

This week, Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead opened up two new worlds to play on, and introduced new Automaton defense missions including some that involve safely extracting a certain number of scientists or civilians. And it’s these extraction missions in particular that players are having trouble with.

Why? Simply put, these missions chuck hordes of heavily armoured Automatons at you in relentless waves of robot death. It’s incredibly difficult to cope with, even when in a four-person squad. The Automatons, already considered the tougher of the two enemy factions, land from their dreaded dropships in their droves. It can feel overwhelming from the moment you spawn in. All this, and you need to keep those squisy scientists alive until they reach safety.

“I've had a few goes at the civilian defense mission and holy shit we were getting WRECKED,” said redditor Cracker3011. “They don't stop coming. THEY DON'T STOP COMING.”

Author
Wesley Yin-Poole

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Where to Buy Nintendo Switch Consoles (February 2024)

1 year 3 months ago

Nintendo's latest console, the Nintendo Switch, has quickly become one of its best-selling consoles of all-time, surpassing even the likes of the massively popular Nintendo Wii. Since its launch in 2017, it has been heavily sought after by seasoned and casual gamers alike, as well as families due to its massive library of family-friendly Nintendo Switch games.

If you're looking for the best places to purchase Nintendo Switch consoles online, we've got you covered with a full breakdown below, including pricing on current Nintendo Switch consoles, the best time to buy a Nintendo Switch, information on Nintendo Switch Online, as well as where to trade in your exisiting Nintendo consoles and games.

Where to Buy Nintendo Switch Consoles Online

If you're looking to buy a new Nintendo Switch OLED, Nintendo Switch, or Nintendo Switch Lite, here's where you can purchase them online in 2024. You can also check out our guide to the best Nintendo Switch deals for potential discounts.

Nintendo Switch OLED

Nintendo's newest Switch is the Nintendo Switch OLED, aptly named due to its larger 7" vivid OLED touchscreen display. Nintendo Switch OLED retails for an MSRP of $349.99. Internally, it's no more powerful than the standard Nintendo Switch, but has double the internal storage at 64GB, an improved kickstand for tabletop mode and better speakers. Here are all of the main retailers currently selling this Switch model:

Author
Matthew Adler

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Palworld Dev Outlines Anti-Cheat Plan, but Admits It’s Struggling to Keep Up With Cheaters

1 year 3 months ago

Palworld developer Pocketpair has addressed the rampant cheating that is affecting the 'Pokemon with guns' survival and crafting game, and outlined a number of steps it’s taking to try to combat the problem.

In a statement, Pocketpair confirmed that some Palworld players are currently unable to connect to official servers due to cheating “and the influence of fraudulent activities.” “We have confirmed that some players are unable to play the game properly,” Pocketpair continued.

“As a company, we do not tolerate any fraudulent activity or cheating, and we are working on measures to deal with it strictly and as a priority.”

Cheating has been an issue for Palworld ever since its explosive launch on PC and Xbox Series X and S earlier this year. Xyrem, from video game cheat prevention organization the Anti-Cheat Police Department, told IGN that Palworld cheats “have been kind of exploding as there are a lot of people who are interested in cheating”.

That doesn’t come as a surprise given Palworld’s incredible launch success — it’s sold an incredible 12 million copies on Steam, and is the biggest third-party Game Pass launch ever.

According to Xyrem, Palworld does not have an anti-cheat system in place. “Everything is client authoritative,” Xyrem continued. “Meaning most things you do inside the game are done via the client, the server does not check for any of these things. So for example, you can spawn items, manipulate your player's speed, damage, health, etc..”

Author
Wesley Yin-Poole

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IGN UK Podcast 736: Who Remembers the 1990s?

1 year 3 months ago

Cardy, Mat, and Jesse delve into the whole Xbox exclusivity situation and how it can teach us all to just calm down. Then, we've got plenty of games and TV shows to talk about including Persona 3 Reload, Tomb Raider, Helldivers 2, Mr and Mrs Smith, and much more. That's all before the show descends into a game of "remember this thing from the '90s?". Listen or the Demon Headmaster will come for you.

What's the scariest kids TV show? What's the best KitKat? Get in touch at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.

IGN UK Podcast 736: Who Remembers the 1990s?

Author
Simon Cardy

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Hi-Fi Rush Datamine Appears to Confirm PlayStation and Switch Ports

1 year 4 months ago

Roughly a year after its original release, it looks like Xbox console exclusive Hi-Fi Rush is indeed headed to new platforms.

Hi-Fi Rush was released in early 2023 and received strong praise for its distinct art style and unique rhythm-based combat. We wrote in our review, "I swear Hi-Fi Rush could be a premier cartoon series. It’s got best-in-class animation, endearing heroes to cheer for, and villains you love to hate, all wrapped in good-natured humor."

Hi-Fi Rush was held up as a solid example of Xbox's console exclusives strategy, but newly-datamined t-shirt textures appear to suggest it won't be a console exclusive for much longer. They include a red t-shirt that says "Rock Out! Anywhere" — an apparent reference to the Nintendo Switch — and a blue t-shirt that says "I'm here Baby," which fans have interpreted as a nod to the PlayStation.

Author
Kat Bailey

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Dragon's Dogma 2: Everything We Know After 10 Hours of Play - IGN First

1 year 4 months ago

It has been a long month of coverage for Dragon's Dogma 2. We kicked it all off with 18 Minutes of Gameplay, continued with extended looks at character creation and everything that's new with Pawns, had some insightful interviews with Game Director Hideaki Itsuno, Art Director Daigo Ikeno, and the rest of the team at Capcom Japan, and revealed brand new footage and information for both the Trickster Vocation and the mysterious Sphinx.

We've now reached the end of our IGN First coverage, and to wrap everything up, myself and Casey thought it might be best to sit down and just have an unscripted conversation about everything that we got to experience at Capcom. There will be some overlap with what we've already covered in previews and other extended looks, but this is also our opportunity to talk a bit about the story, things we liked, things we didn't like, and much more.

We hope you enjoyed this month of coverage, and thanks for sticking around.

Author
Mitchell Saltzman

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More Details on The Day's Before Collapse Emerge, And They Aren't Pretty

1 year 4 months ago

The information surrounding developer Fntastic’s December game release, The Day Before, just got a lot worse, according to reports from German game outlets GameStar and Game Two.

The two sites published their findings from investigations today, explaining that they spoke with 16 former employees from the studio as well as one volunteer and seven employees from publisher Mytona to get to the bottom of what happened behind the scenes to result in last year’s disastrous release.

Author
Michael Cripe

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The 13 Best Board Games for Couples to Play in 2024

1 year 4 months ago

While there are plenty of two-player board games that are excellent, board games for couples to play together deserve their own special sub-category. A lot of two-player games are pretty hardcore war board games or abstracts, for example, which are difficult categories for couples to agree over. Even if you can avoid such niche picks, two-player games also have a tendency to be fiercely competitive, which might also be a bad idea unless you’re both super forgiving. So here are our picks of the best games that balance the competitive and the cooperative, and the luck with the strategy, just so you can find a sweet spot to enjoy together.

Author
Justin Davis

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Claim a Key for Hellcard, the Turn-Based Deckbuilding Rogue-Lite From Book of Demons Developer

1 year 4 months ago

If you dig old-school turn-based fantasy games, I've got some great news for you. Hellcard is going to scratch that itch, and it adds quite a few strategic gameplay elements to the mix as well, keeping the game engaging for a long time. What could be better? Well, I'm glad you asked. Right now, we're giving away keys for the Steam version to members of IGN Plus!

IGN Plus Monthly Game: Hellcard

Hellcard is the latest game from Thing Trunk, the studio behind Book Of Demons. It's a turn-based fantasy game where you choose one of three classic fantasy classes (Fighter, Wizard, and Rogue) and start to delve beneath an old cathedral to defeat the forces of evil. Sound familiar (that's part of the point)? Along the way you'll pick up extra party members to form a team of up to three heroes to tackle skeletons, giant spiders, and monsters from beyond (you can also play with human companions via the game's multiplayer system).

Author
Brian Barnett

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Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition Will Only Have a Physical Release in Europe

1 year 4 months ago

Capcom has confirmed that the Gold Edition of Resident Evil 4 Remake will get a physical edition, but only in Europe.

In an email sent to IGN, a Capcom spokesperson confirmed that Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition will remain a digital-only release in the US when it releases on February 9. Capcom Europe also announced on X/Twitter that it will release a physical copy of the game, but physical media lovers in Europe must wait until March.

Capcom is the latest publisher to hop on the digital-only trend. Ninja Theory and Microsoft announced last month that the upcoming game Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 will be a digital-only release. Remedy Entertainment revealed last May that Alan Wake 2 would not see a physical release to keep the game below $70.

Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition includes the base game and the DLC expansion Separate Ways. The Gold Edition will also include digital content available in the Deluxe Edition and a separate DLC add-on, such as additional costumes for Leon and Ashley, the Sentinel Nine and Skull Shaker weapons, a soundtrack, exclusive charms, and more.

Author
Taylor Lyles

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Why I Hope Physint Is Kojima’s New Metal Gear Solid

1 year 4 months ago

Hideo Kojima has announced he is returning to the world of spycraft.

During the latest PlayStation State of Play, Kojima joined PlayStation Studios boss Herman Hulst to announce Physint, a new “Action Espionage” game from the creator of Metal Gear. Kojima alluded that it will also be a movie, but clarified on X that the “look, story, theme, cast, acting, fashion, sound, etc… are all at the next level of ‘Digital Entertainment’ that could be called a ‘movie.’”

A bit redundant, I’d say, since Kojima’s already leveraging movie-calibur production on his current project, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. But nevertheless, Kojima’s return to the genre he revolutionized and popularized nearly four decades ago is worth celebrating.

Author
Alex Simmons

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IGN Fan Fest Returns with Avatar: The Last Airbender, Dune: Part Two, WWE 2K24, and More

1 year 4 months ago

IGN Fan Fest returns this February with a lineup filled with the biggest names in games and entertainment.

Everything kicks off on Feb. 19 and continues throughout the week with exclusive interviews, trailers, gameplay, sneak peeks, and more. The event continues with two days of Fan Fest livestreams on Feb. 23 and 24, featuring even more reveals and surprises.

Dune: Part Two and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire are just some of the big movies coming to this year’s show that also includes the hotly-anticipated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, Tracker, and The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. Plus, we dig deep into new seasons of fan-favorites such as Abbott Elementary, Invincible, and others.

Fan Fest 2024 also features new and exciting looks at WWE 2K24, Street Fighter 6, G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Brawlhalla, and more of your favorite (and soon to be favorite) games.

New for Fan Fest this year is a huge celebration of popular anime, including Gear Five From One Piece, Oshi no Ko, and Solo Leveling. From the world of comics, fans can expect exclusive reveals from Marvel Comics, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II - Re-Evolution, and Spawn: Rat City.

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Michael Peyton

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Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition Arrives Next Week

1 year 4 months ago

Capcom has announced a Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition will launch February 9 as a package including the base game and all of its downloadable content.

Announced with a trailer (below), the Gold Edition therefore includes the Separate Ways expansion plus bonus items previously only available in Resident Evil 4's Deluxe Edition.

These include various costumes for Leon and Ashley (such as Casual and Romantic), the Sentinel Nine and Skull Shaker weapons, a soundtrack, exclusive charms, and more.

No price for the Gold Edition was shared by Capcom but will likely emerge in the coming days as it becomes available to preorder.

Resident Evil 4 launched in March 2023 as a remake of the beloved 2005 game. It proved a smash hit for Capcom, selling more than three million units in just two days, and topping six million in the months since.

In our 10/10 review, IGN said: "The Resident Evil 4 remake is the series' most relentlessly exciting adventure rebuilt, refined, and realised to the full extent of its enormous potential."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

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Ryan Dinsdale

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Silent Hill 2 Remake Vs Original Scene Comparison

1 year 4 months ago

We got our first proper look at the Silent Hill 2 Remake during yesterday's State of Play and, as someone who adored the original game, I immediately noticed a handful of familiar scenes. From James' first steps into the Woodside apartments to his encounter with Pyramid Head, it's possible to see that while many things have remained faithful in the Remake, others things have changed.

Take a look at the video or slideshow above to see the similarities and differences we spotted in the first trailer for Silent Hill 2 Remake. And if you haven't already, check out the trailer itself below.

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Alex Simmons

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NFL Star Jason Kelce Wants to Bring Back Backyard Football and Baseball

1 year 4 months ago

NFL star Jason Kelce is on a mission to find out who owns the rights to the Backyard Sports franchise, as the Philadelphia Eagles center is interested in reviving Backyard Baseball and Backyard Football games.

In the latest episode of podcast New Heights, which Jason co-hosts with his younger brother Travis, the two briefly reminisce about playing Backyard Football on the computer before Jason reveals that he has been "secretly" trying to figure out who owns the rights because he wants to bring back Backyard Baseball and Backyard Football for modern platforms.

"I don't even know if I want to mention this cause I have secretly been looking into seeing if anybody holds the rights to Backyard Football and Backyard Baseball, cause I wanna buy it and get this thing going again," Jason said. "It's the best game ever. It was so electric. Can you imagine playing Backyard Football right now on your phone? Cause you can do that whole thing on your phone, it wasn't that complicated."

The official New Heights X/Twitter also posted a call to action, with a snippet of the clip along with a caption asking who currently holds the rights to the Backyard Sports series to get in touch with the Kelce brothers.

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Taylor Lyles

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Children of the Sun: The First Preview – Like Sniper Elite Meets Superhot

1 year 4 months ago

Devolver Digital are auteurs of style. It's a reputation the publisher has cultivated over the course of 15 years—from the gloriously bloodsoaked Hotline Miami to the ridiculously macabre Carrion—and if you, too, feel like life is better with a rhapsodically gory indie project on hand, then you'll be pleased to know that Children of the Sun is the ideal harbinger of Devolver's legacy. Limbs will fly, brain matter will splatter, the squeamish will be appalled, but like so many of the company's hits, a rock-solid design foundation ties everything together.

Consider Children of the Sun to be something like Rebellion’s Sniper Elite. You take control of a woman who has escaped the clutches of a sinister cult. To get her revenge, she has brandished a long-range rifle, with the intention of murdering the principal members of the order, one by one. Each level begins with you positioning our protagonist at the preferred vantage to prey upon a mingling sect of goons. Pull the trigger, and the camera jumps to the crown of the bullet zooming through the environment, until it meets its fleshy destination.

But here's the catch. Children of the Sun gives you exactly one bullet to fire. After discharging it, you'll then take control of the same shell, which must be redirected into the other targets. The bullet pinballs around a cult encampment, powered by fate or telekinesis. In practice, that makes Children of the Sun much more of a puzzle game than a shooter. To succeed, you must map out the geometry to ensure that everyone you want dead is in clear line of sight.

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Ryan McCaffrey

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Video Game Release Dates: The Biggest Games of February 2024 and Beyond

1 year 4 months ago

February is typically a slow month in the video game release cycle, but that's not the case for February 2024. A number of high-profile remakes and remasters are out this month, including Persona 3 Reload, a Tomb Raider 1-3 collection, and a souped-up Star Wars: Dark Forces. Also out this month are heavy hitters like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Skull and Bones, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Below, you'll find release dates for all the biggest games that have been announced so far. Whether you have a PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and/or PC, you can find something worth playing in February 2024.

The following list is divided by platform; you can jump to any one using the shortcuts below. And if you're someone who likes to preorder, you can click the buy link to make sure it arrives on launch day.

Shortcuts

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Chris Reed

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Best Nintendo Switch Deals Today (February 2024)

1 year 4 months ago

Like many video games, ones from Nintendo don't come cheap. This was especially true when The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was revealed to be $69.99 on release, a whole $10 more expensive than other Switch titles. However, this doesn't mean there aren't deals to be had for Nintendo fans. In fact, there are plenty of sales on games, Switch consoles, and various accessories that are worth checking out throughout the year, and we've made sure to gather the very best going on at the moment below.

TL;DR - Best Switch Deals

You can also follow @IGNDeals on Twitter or Threads for even more updates on the latest discounts, or check out all our handpicked Switch deals just below.

The Best Nintendo Switch Deals - Navigate to:

Perfect Switch SD Card for $25.99 (and More Deals)

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Robert Anderson

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WWE 2K24 Hands-On Preview

1 year 4 months ago

Annual sports games always face the same issue: What do you add to an already refined (and successful) formula for an individual effort to stand out from the pack? Countless series’ have had to tackle this problem, such as NBA 2K, EA Sports FC and now, following its recent revival, WWE 2K. Last year’s hugely popular WWE 2K23 is without question still an extremely good wrestling game package, so cynical players may just conclude that this year’s upcoming entry, WWE 2K24, isn’t an essential upgrade. But from what I’ve played so far, WWE 2K24 has added enough exciting gameplay-focused innovations that it's definitely worth your attention. Let me talk to ya…

Although the next game in this long line of releases will naturally update and modernise the roster and cosmetics of WWE, 2K24 still requires headline additions to hang its hat on. This year they come in the form of four brand new match types: Special Guest Referee, Casket Match, Gauntlet Match, and an Ambulance Match. Only the latter was available for me to sample during a hands-on demo, but if its quality standard is anything to go by then I’m very excited to play the others.

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Dale Driver

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The Best PS5 SSD Deals (February 2024)

1 year 4 months ago

2023 and 2024 have shown that 2TB PS5 SSD upgrades are actually worth the price. In 2022, prices for 1TB PS5 SSDs averaged around $150, whereas 2TB SSDs hovered closer to $300. Now, we're seeing 1TB SSDs trickle below the $70 price point and 2TB SSDs can drop to around $100 or sometimes even lower if there's a good sale. It's worth noting, though, 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.

TL;DR - The Best PS5 SSD Deals Right Now

Note that Sony recommends 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 $9) and install it yourself. For our top recommended picks for 2024, check out our full breakdown for the Best PS5 SSDs.

Seagate Game Drive 1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe 1.4 SSD with Heatsink for PS5 for $104

This is an excellent deal for getting 1TB of storage, saving you $20 off its MSRP of $124.99. This Seagate SSD is officially licensed and built with the PS5 in mind. It even has a built-in heatsink so you don't need to worry about spending extra cash on one. On top of all that, it features 7300MB/s read speeds and 6000MB/s write speeds.

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Eric Song

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How to Choose the Best Gaming Console in 2024

1 year 4 months ago

Are you searching for a new console? We’re here to help. Whether you're looking to play great single-player story-driven games on the PS5 or want some family-friendly action that the Nintendo Switch delivers, there's truly something available for everyone. Check out our full breakdown of the most popular video game consoles available now, and skip to the end to see if you should consider PC gaming at home or on the go instead.

For more information about prices, games, and accessories for each console, use the links below to jump to each section:

Jump to:

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Matthew Adler

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Obsidian Explains Why Avowed Only Lets You Pick Human or Elf

1 year 4 months ago

Upcoming Obsidian RPG Avowed takes place in Eora, which in the fictional universe of Pillars of Eternity, is pretty diverse. But after Pillars let players choose from a number of different character races, fans have been wondering for some time now why Avowed is only letting them pick human or elf when customizing a player character.

We've learned that Avowed player character creation is limited to making either a human or an elf in previous game reveals - no dwarves, no aumauas, and definitely no godlikes. While this has been a disappointment to some fans, Avowed game director Carrie Patel has made it clear that the reasons for this limitation are twofold: it's both a story choice and a development decision.

On the story side, Patel explains in an interview with IGN, it's because the player in Avowed is a representative from the Aedyr Empire, which is predominantly made up of humans and elves. Those familiar with Pillars of Eternity lore will recognize that this is indeed established canon, and has shaped a lot of the region's particular culture.

Still, that might be cold comfort to those hoping to recreate their aumaua OC from Pillars in Avowed. For those folks, Patel offers some additional context that helps things make a bit more sense from the development side:

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Rebekah Valentine

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The Internet Reacts to Hideo Kojima’s Brilliantly Bizarre Death Stranding 2 Trailer

1 year 4 months ago

If there was a game of January 2024’s PlayStation State of Play it was Death Stranding 2.

Not only did we get confirmation of its full title (yep, it’s really called Death Stranding 2: On the Beach), and a first look at characters played by Mad Max director George Miller and Elle Fanning, but we got an extended trailer that showed Hideo Kojima at his brilliant, bizarre best. There’s a glam rock Joker, creepy little hands, and the star of the show: a stop motion puppet that looks like Alan Wake.

As a reminder, here’s the trailer:

As Kojima surely knew it would, the internet is having its fun analysing the Death Stranding 2 trailer for hidden details. Here Kojima delivered. As one Twitter / X user pointed out, there are BTs in the smoke during the scene in which Fragile enjoys a cigarette.

Twitter user @killian_C_u noticed the riff Higgs plays on the guitar is the BBS theme (Kojima reposted this tweet, so we know it’s on the money).

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Wesley Yin-Poole

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Metro Developer Makes Clear PlayStation VR2 Game Awakening Isn't Next 'Mainline' Metro Game

1 year 4 months ago

Developer 4A Games has made clear Metro Awakening, the PSVR2 game announced during the January 2024 PlayStation State of Play, is not the next mainline Metro game but instead a spin-off.

Following its announcement at the State of Play, Metro fans without Sony's $550 / £530 PlayStation 5 accessory grew a little concerned they'd waited five years for another game only to see it announced for a platform they didn't own or want.

4A Games took to X/Twitter to alleviate these concerns, however, reassuring fans it's still working on the next multiplatform mainline Metro game, while Awakening is developed by Vertigo Games.

"This is not the next mainline Metro game by 4A Games," the developer said. "That is still in development and, as we have stated previously, will come to generation nine consoles and PC. This is a different project developed by Vertigo Games."

Generation nine refers to the current generation of consoles, meaning the PS5 and Xbox Series X and S. Nintendo continues to allude typical console cycles, though its imminent Switch successor could also be a possibility for whatever this next mainline Metro game is.

Author
Ryan Dinsdale

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