Gaming News

'I Don't Think It's Much of a Stretch for the Game to Go 30 Years' — The Elder Scrolls Online Developers Promise Big Changes Following Internal Shakeu

The Elder Scrolls Online has been going for 11 years now, which is a huge achievement for any video game. But the developers at ZeniMax Online Studios have an ambition for it to last for at least another 20 years, and are openly talking about ESO being a 30+ year game. Can they manage it? After a recent shakeup at the Microsoft owned studio — and big layoffs that hit Bethesda hard — players are wondering what the future holds for their beloved game. It was with all this in mind that I sat down to chat with Nick Giacomini, who has taken over the ESO game director role from Rich Lambert, and Lambert himself, who is now studio-wide director, to discuss the past, present, and future of The Elder Scrolls Online. Rich is a true Elder Scrolls...

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The Elder Scrolls Online Devs Know Their MMO Is Scratching That Elder Scrolls Itch While Fans Wait for The Elder Scrolls 6 to Come Out

As the long, long wait for The Elder Scrolls 6 goes on, the developers of MMO The Elder Scrolls Online have seen players take to their game to scratch their Elder Scrolls itch. In fact, they even saw a player bump following the release of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. Remarkably, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim came out nearly 14 years ago, in November 2011. Its sequel, Skyrim, was officially announced with a teaser trailer at E3 2018 an eye-watering eight years ago. Yes, Skyrim has released on multiple platforms in the years in-between (so many in fact that it’s become a Bethesda meme), but there’s a tangible clamouring for a fresh Elder Scrolls experience. Enter, The Elder Scrolls Online. ESO launched in 2014 and struggled...

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Echoes Of The End Mini-Review: A Deeply-Nostalgic Magical Adventure

I’m always drawn to games that feel like spiritual successors to the late PS2 era. They don’t need to share the same setting – just the same vibe. Echoes of the End, the debut from Icelandic studio Mykur Games, gives me strong Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy energy. At least, it feels like the developers played it and thought, “We really like the idea of lifting people with our minds.” In Echoes of the End, you play as Ryn, a vestige – a wielder of incredibly powerful magic. As you progress, you’ll grow her abilities, using them not only to defeat monsters (both literal and metaphorical) but also to solve a variety of puzzles. Magic comes at a cost, though, forcing Ryn to be strategic and deliberate with her powers. You’ll also...

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Amid Legal Drama Over $250 Million Bonus, New Developer Vlog Shows Work on Subnautica 2 Continues

Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds has dropped a new vlog. Offering a behind-the-scenes look at the all-new deep-sea predator, and "how the team has used Unreal Engine 5 AI for lifelike behavior, real-time reactions and tense encounters for players," the 10-minute vlog is one of the first development updates we've had since the studio's entire leadership was fired amid a messy public falling out over a $250 million bonus from parent company, Krafton. The update claims new giant squid-like predator Collector Leviathan represents "the next step in the franchise’s evolution with a creature that is both visually striking and powered by advanced AI to create tense, dynamic encounters." The video shows off the "aggressive" first...

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Escape From Tarkov Players Will Have To Buy The Game Again If They Want to Play It On Steam

Escape from Tarkov fans have criticized Battlestate Games after the developer confirmed players will be required to repurchase the full game if they want to play it on Steam. The tactical extraction shooter released in early access back in 2017 and recently confirmed it's finally moving to version 1.0 on November 15, 2025. Alongside side the 1.0 launch, Escape from Tarkov is finally coming to Steam. However, a quick study of Escape from Tarkov's FAQs reveals that even those who've been playing the shooter through its bespoke launcher for years "must purchase" the game again if they'd like to add it to their Steam libraries. "To play Escape from Tarkov through Steam, you must purchase any edition of the game on Steam," the FAQ...

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'Stop Removing the Modern Day!' Assassin's Creed Fans React as Black Flag Remake Reportedly Cuts Everything Outside the Animus

Assassin's Creed fans are reacting with disappointment after a new report on Ubisoft's long-expected Black Flag remake has stated that the game will no longer contain any modern day gameplay. The report, published by French outlet Jeuxvideo, states that all of Black Flag's modern day sections have been removed from the upcoming piratical remake, which is currently set to launch in 2026. In the original Assassin's Creed: Black Flag, players occasionally pop out of the Animus to explore the offices of Abstergo Entertainment, unlocking clues to how the story of pirate Edward Kenway is tied to the series' overarching modern day narrative. Ubisoft is reportedly adding extra content from Kenway's pirate era to make up the lost gameplay...

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The Best Deals Today: Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, Charlie Brown Vinyl, and More

Looking to stretch your gaming and entertainment budget, today’s lineup of deals and preorders has something for just about everyone. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is officially up for preorder on Switch, Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, giving longtime fans a fresh way to experience the classic RPG ahead of its February 2026 release. Meanwhile, Amazon is offering steep savings on everyday essentials like the Lisen 240W USB-C cable two-pack for just $5.30 and the INIU 20,000mAh 65W portable charger for $35.98—two picks that make charging your gear easier at home or on the go. TL;DR: Deals For Today On the collectible side, the 60th Anniversary edition of A Charlie Brown Christmas is available for preorder in a limited Zoetrope vinyl...

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Hollow Knight: Silksong Walkthrough and Progression Guide (Updated!)

Our expert Hollow Knight players are hard at work adventuring through the depths of Pharloom to unearth everything Silksong has to offer, updating IGN's Hollow Knight: Silksong Walkthrough as they go. While it's still in Act 1, we still have you covered with our latest findings, along with the recommended Silksong progression route to get the most out of the game. Here's every Silksong main quest and Wish (side quests) that we recommend doing, in the order we recommend, so far. The newest ones are at the bottom. Don't forget to use our Silksong interactive map! It's an essential tool, helping you track exact locations for quests, items, bosses, and more. You can use the filters to help find exactly what you're looking for and the...

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The Massive Iniu 25,000mAh 100W Power Bank Drops to the Lowest Price of the Year

I've posted plenty of power bank deals, but today's deal is easily one of the best I've seen all year. Amazon is offering the high-capacity, high-output Iniu 25,000mAh 100W power bank for just $27.49 after you apply coupon code "IP3GGX8A". This power bank is ideal for long flights or trips where you might not have an available outlet for extended periods of time. It's powerful enough to charge just about every phone or gaming handheld PC - including the Asus ROG Ally X and upcoming Lenovo Legion Go 2 - even while you're playing games, as well as most non-gaming laptops. Iniu 25,000mAh 100W Power Bank for $27.49 A 25,000mAh power bank isn't exactly tiny but this is one of the more compact models I've seen, measuring 6"x3"x1.3" and...

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IGN Fan Fest Returns With a Special Fall Edition Featuring Keanu Reeves, Dispatch, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, and More

More than 75 game announcements, trailers, exclusive clips, and celebrity interviews will be featured when a brand-new special edition of IGN Fan Fest arrives October 15. Streaming across all IGN platforms, IGN Fan Fest 2025: Fall Edition will see the likes of Keanu Reeves, Aziz Ansari, and other A-listers stop by to reveal exclusive looks at major upcoming movies and streaming series. We’ll also be announcing brand-new video games and showing off never-before-seen looks at some of the year’s biggest gaming titles. IGN Fan Fest 2025: Fall Edition kicks off October 15 at 9am PDT / 12pm EDT / 5pm BST with a special one-hour pre-show filled with even more gameplay, trailers, and first looks. Then, the main event streams on IGN.com...

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5 Things To Know About New Survival Game Lost Skies

If you're looking for a new survival game to obsess over, Lost Skies officially goes from Early Access to full release on September 17. As the name suggests, you're doing a lot of grappling and gliding in the game, exploring floating islands to unlock technology and collect raw materials, but the core of the game is its detailed, physics-based ship-building system. There's co-op for 1-6 players too, so you don't have to fly alone. If you haven't checked it out yet now is the perfect time, and here are a few details to tempt you to take off. PSA for sufferers of airsickness Lost Skies is all about exploring ruins and biomes, collecting resources to craft and refine a skyship, so you're spending all your time at high altitude. You'll...

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The Lift Turns Mundane Productivity Into a Clever Puzzle Game

If your interests lie in the fairly specific cross-section of Soviet-inspired utopia/dystopia, tinkering with stuff, and techno-goop, then you’ll need to set eyes on The Lift (that’s an elevator, for my American English-speaking friends). This supernatural puzzle game has a compelling pitch, and I was excited to get hands-on with a bunch of quirky tools in a PC demo build. I played two polished chapters – one being the tutorial scene, and the other a slice taken from mid-game. All three hours I spent in-game made for an entertaining voyage into the unreal, with only some minor niggles. The Lift may still be on the workbench, but I’m happy to say that it’s looking ready and wired up for a great time. Speculative Fix-tion You play a...

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Introducing Green Man Gaming Bundles

We’ve got big news: Green Man Gaming Bundles is coming soon! Built from the ground up with one clear mission – bundles done properly – our new platform is all about delivering instant keys, massive savings, and real impact through charity. Whether gamers are looking to grow their PC library, discover hidden gems, or support good causes while they play, Green Man Gaming Bundles is designed with gamers in mind. Why Bundles, Why Now? When we asked our Green Man Gaming community what they wanted most, the answer was clear: bundles. In fact, 95% of our members told us they wanted gaming bundles – and we listened. For years, gamers have had to put up with slow key deliveries, confusing deals, and even mystery boxes that didn’t always...

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MindsEye Actor Says Awful Launch Left Him Wondering if He'd Ever Work in Games Again: 'Do I Have the Opposite of the Golden Touch, The S***-Brown Touc

Alex Hernandez, the actor who provided the performance and likeness of MindsEye's main character, has shared his thoughts on the game's negative reception — and said he initially thought he would "never work in a game again" after starring on its front cover. Speaking on the FRVR podcast, Hernandez said being featured so prominently on MindsEye's box art as player character Jacob Diaz was ultimately "the flip side of the blessing that it is" to be a video game's cover star. Indeed, Hernandez has experience of this before, having previously portrayed Lincoln Clay, the main character of Mafia 3 — another game which arrived to mixed reviews. "I'm not a superstitious man, but I can’t help but have some kind of Spidey Sense, like, 'Is it...

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The Megalodon Comes to Jurassic World Evolution 3 — Just Don't Try Punching It in the Face

The Megalodon is coming to Jurassic World Evolution 3. Having roamed prehistoric oceans around 20 million years ago, the Megalodon is one of the largest shark species ever discovered, measuring as long as 15 meters, weighing up to 50 tonnes, and boasting — gulp — over 270 teeth. Of course, you may better know the Megalodon as The Meg, the enormous shark Jason Statham goes toe-to-toe with during the 2018 action flick. "Guests are certain to be drawn to lagoons where Megalodon lurks, with a large body of water needed to have its impressive silhouette," Frontier teased. "Placing a shark feeder allows park managers to provide ample food for this powerful prehistoric giant, while creating unforgettable moments for onlookers as it surges...

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Hollow Knight: Silksong Developer Team Cherry Releases Patch Notes for Second Post-Launch Update

Hollow Knight: Silksong's second post-release patch is on the way. While the first patch prioritized "critical issues," this one focuses on other lingering problems, as well as "cleaning up some bugs around specific tools." (We can only presume that's a reference to video game bugs rather than the ones found in The Citadel!) Before it rolls out to all, however, Team Cherry is testing the new version via the public-beta branch on Steam. This means anyone can select and download it, albeit on the proviso that while it includes fixes, it may also be unstable — so something to bear in mind. You can find out more about the public beta on the game's Steam discussion page. Based on the patch notes, below, Update 2 doesn't include any...

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Dispatch, the Superhero Comedy from Ex-Telltale Devs, Confirms PC + PS5 Release Date and Episodic Release

Dispatch, the upcoming workplace superhero comedy adventure game with a strategy layer from a group of ex-Telltale developers, is coming to PC and PS5 on October 22. It will be released episodically over the course of four weeks, with two episodes dropping each week starting on October 22. It's priced at $30 for the full season, or $40 for deluxe version of the full season that includes a digital artbook and four digital comics. Watch the new release date trailer/PS5 announcement trailer above. Dispatch's cast is headlined by Aaron Paul, Jeffrey Wright, and Laura Bailey and is a narrative adventure game where you'll not just make dialogue choices, but also manage which superhero is deployed to which crisis as the calls come in your...

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How Nioh 3 is Changing the Game with Ninja Style and the Distinctive Mist System – IGN First

One of the charms of the Warring States Soulslike series Nioh is its plethora of playstyles. So far in the series, we've seen weapons including swords that ooze Samurai Style, ninja-like sickle and chains, and even unusual choices like tonfa. Each weapon also has high, medium and low stances that players switch between in order to best face an enemy, all working together to create the sort of action that the series is known for. Add a variety of skills on top and you get a wide range of RPG builds that act as one of the draws for the series. Nioh 3, the long-awaited return to the series, features a more advanced combat system composed of Samurai Style, whose combat is similar to what we expect from a Nioh game, as well as Ninja Style...

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Xbox Game Pass September 2025 Wave 2 Lineup Confirmed — Hades Dominates

Microsoft has confirmed the Xbox Game Pass September 2025 Wave 1 lineup of titles, which is headlined by beloved indie game Hades. But first, available today, is Roadcraft, where you operate a fleet of authentic construction vehicles to restore roads and repair bridges. It's available on Xbox Game Pass Standard and Ultimate. Tomorrow, September 17, brings a flurry of titles to Xbox Game Pass Standard subscribers, which Ultimate owners will already have access to. These include Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (the one from 2023, not 2011), roguelite tabletop-style role-player For the King 2, and the Game Preview version of city builder Overthrown. Also available tomorrow, September 17, is Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, a single-player...

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Assassin's Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji DLC Review

Assassin’s Creed expansions come in two flavors: straightforward follow ups that elaborate on the drama and intrigue of the main game, or completely bonkers flights of fancy that turn everything upside down by adding unicorns or dragging you to Asgard. Shadows’ expansion, Claws of Awaji, is firmly the former, almost to a fault. Naoe gets some new combat tricks thanks to a whole new weapon type, and the general pace of exploration is made more hectic and tense as enemies are way more dangerous and way more motivated to bring the fight to you. But the land itself doesn’t feel much different than the rest of Japan, and the straightforward adventure is light on revelation and doesn’t make too great a case for its own existence. The story...

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Assassin's Creed Shadows DLC Includes a Prince of Persia-Style Side-Scrolling Sequence

Assassin's Creed Shadows DLC Claws of Awaji, which launches today, kicks off with a surprise side-scrolling intro sequence that's reminiscent of Ubisoft's classic Prince of Persia series, themed around a Japanese puppet show. During a hands-on gameplay session, developers who worked on Claws of Awaji at Ubisoft Bordeaux told IGN that the idea began life as a cool concept put together by a small team while the studio was between major projects, following its work on Assassin's Creed Mirage. When Bordeaux officially started work on Claws of Awaji, the idea resurfaced as a method to introduce the new story's setting and characters, and was built out using inspiration from Prince of Persia, the spin-off Assassin's Creed Chronicles series...

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'My Advice to Users Is to Accept Reality and Tune, or to Not Play' — Randy Pitchford Is at the 'Get a Refund From Steam' Stage of the Borderlands 4 PC

Randy Pitchford has continued his social media push to address complaints about the performance of the PC version of Borderlands 4, telling some disgruntled players they can get a Steam refund if they’re unhappy with the game. Since Borderlands 4’s huge Steam launch last week, Pitchford has issued confusing comments on why the console version of Borderlands 4 lacks a field of view (FOV) slider, promised that it would have been impossible to break the Borderlands 4 servers through sheer weight of player numbers alone, told people to “code your own engine and show us how it’s done, please,” and declared Borderlands 4 “a premium game made for premium gamers.” So, what’s the truth of the matter? Borderlands 4 is currently on a mixed Steam...

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'Abuse It While You Can' — Borderlands 4 Has an Infinite Damage Build So Broken It Kills Bosses in Seconds

Borderlands 4 players have discovered an infinite damage build so broken it kills bosses in seconds — even on the hardest difficulty levels. As reported by PC Gamer, YouTuber NickTew released gameplay showing a Vex build that makes a mockery of Borderlands 4’s toughest enemies. And now the build is spreading like wildfire, fans are convinced Gearbox will soon nerf it into the ground. So, as NickTew suggested: “abuse it while you can.” To make this build work you need the Vampiric Vivisecting Throwing Knife with the Penetrator Augment. Land a hit with this knife and subsequent damage to the target are automatic critical hits for five seconds. Here’s the trick: add bleed stacking and each tick of the bleed effect registers as a...

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Sega Mocks Mario Kart World and its Dull Open World in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Trailer

Sega has reignited its old rivalry against Nintendo in a spicy trailer for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds that doesn't hold back on its comparisons with Switch 2 launch title Mario Kart World. In a voiceover for CrossWorlds' "Come Race on Our Level" trailer, Sega highlights the differences between the two games, hyping up its game's multiverse-spanning racetracks and cross-platform gameplay. The same voiceover then noticeably sounds bored when referencing the other game's ability to "roam around on the open world" — a clear nod to Mario Kart World, whose open-world gameplay has garnered a mixed response from fans. What looks to be actual footage of Mario Kart World is even featured in the trailer — although Sega has pixellated the video...

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As Nintendo and the Pokémon Company's Patent Lawsuit Rumbles On, Pocketpair Says It's Heads Down Getting Palworld Ready to Exit Early Access and Offic

Pocketpair has said it’s now heads down getting Palworld ready to leave early access and officially release its 1.0 update at some point in 2026. In a video message, communications director and publishing manager John “Bucky” Buckley said Palworld will officially exit early access and release the Ver 1.0 update in 2026, making a significant milestone for the game. Palworld will launch proper alongside what sounds like a huge update, which Pocketpair is now focusing on. This, Bucky said, means the rest of this year will be a little quieter for Palworld, although a winter update is still planned. “It’s no secret that Palworld has a lot of quirks and jank, and we want to take the time to properly address those before releasing the...

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AU Deals: Save $261 on Physics Mayhem Classics, RPGs, Shooters, and Old Gold Dropped to Tantalising Lows Too

I keep telling myself I'll resist but these discounts are like a siren song. Four platforms, four dangerous rabbit holes, and more ways to sink my free time than I have hours. Still, I'd rather be broke and happy than miss out on the awesome bundled gems in today's haul. Contents Retro Nintendo Xbox PlayStation PC LEGO This Day in Gaming 🎂 In retro news, I'm asking the Human Torch to light 15 candles on a cake baked for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, the action-RPG brawler I adored playing in 4P co-op. This was a full-blown superhero buffet, letting you smash through enemies with a roster that felt like it had leapt right off the comic shop shelves with a Civil War storyline front and centre. The fusion system was the big add here...

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Every Final Fantasy Game on the Nintendo Switch in 2025

When you have a series that's consistently gotten new games for almost 40 years, you have to think about how younger generations will be able to play them. That, and, of course, thinking about your bottom line, has led every publisher to lean more and more into multiplatform releases. On top of PC ports, Square Enix has released a decent amount of remasters and special editions of the Final Fantasy series specifically for Nintendo's handheld. The Final Fantasy games hitting Switch isn't entirely unprecedented. The connection between Final Fantasy and Nintendo dates back to the series’ infancy, when the first game debuted on Nintendo's Famicom system in 1987. In fact, the first six mainline Final Fantasy games debuted on Nintendo...

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My Favorite High-Capacity Battery Bank for Traveling Is on Sale for the First Time in Months

If you're looking for an Anker power bank that can handle the demands of power hungry electronics like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally X, or even a laptop, the model that I use myself has dropped in price. Amazon is offering the Anker PowerCore 737 24,000mAh Power Bank with 140W of Power Delivery for $87.99 with free delivery. I bought this power bank nearly two years ago and still use it today; it has been on multiple flights and road trips and works like new. Anker 737 24,000mAh 140W Power Bank for $87.99 The Anker 737 is still one of our favorite Steam Deck chargers. This is a relatively hefty power bank, measuring 4.6"x2.2"x2" and weighing in at 1.4lbs. It's something you'd put in your travel bag or backpack instead of your pocket...

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Hades 2 is Now Up for Preorder, But You'll Have to Wait a Few Months If You Want the Physical Edition

Supergiant's Hades 2 is officially set to release on September 25, 2025, for Nintendo Switch 2, and will surely consume my life just as much as the first game did all those years ago. Look, I know this release schedule is going to confuse somebody, so let me break it down bit by bit for you. Hades 2 will release digitally, as I mentioned, in September 2025, and again later as a physical edition on November 20, 2025. Now, let's discuss both and what your options are for preordering each edition. Hades 2 - Physical Edition Hades 2 is now available to preorder in physical format via Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for $49.99. You won't have to pay anything until release, as each retailer charges on dispatch, not order date. The physical...

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Tech Experts Say Borderlands 4 on PC Runs 'Worse Than Usual for an Unreal Engine 5 Game,' Advise Against Badass Setting

Tech experts say Borderlands 4 on PC has significant stutter problems, and have advised against running the game on its ‘Badass’ graphics setting. Borderlands 4 launched big on Steam but it’s currently sat on a ‘mixed’ user review rating, mostly due to complaints about how the game runs on PC — even on high-end rigs with which PC gamers aren’t getting the graphics performance they’d expect. Gearbox development chief Randy Pitchford has spent some time on social media addressing those complaints, even directly responding to some disgruntled fans to clap back. Now, the tech experts at Digital Foundry have taken a look at Borderlands 4 on PC, and their initial analysis shows stutter problems that will be familiar to anyone who’s...

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