Pokémon character designer Yusuke Omura has revealed how he created the designs of the Ultra Beasts, showing that even rejected concepts can prove inspirational to artists later on.

Ultra Beasts first appeared in the 3DS games Pokémon Sun and Moon (known as Generation VII of the Pokémon games) back in 2016. They are extradimensional Pokémon that come from Ultra Space, and occasionally stumble into the Pokémon World through wormholes.

Pokémon series character designer Yusuke Omura tweeted on February 4 about how he designed the Ultra Beasts. For Sun and Moon, Omura was the lead Pokémon character designer, continuing to work alongside original Pokémon designer Ken Sugimori.

Omura explained that he came up with the Ultra Beasts’ looks by thinking back on his Pokémon designs that Sugimori had rejected. Omura then explained: “I then deliberately based the artistic direction (of the Ultra Beasts’ designs) on the reasons that these Pokémon were rejected.”

“In a way, they are like a collective manifestation of my own resentment, which is kind of scary.” Omura noted, before clarifying: “This doesn’t mean that I hate Sugimori or anything like that.”

The Ultra Beasts are more sci-fi or insect-inspired than the cuter, often animal or plant-influenced designs of Ken Sugimori’s original Pokémon, like Squirtle or Bulbasaur. They also often have exaggerated features, like the mosquito-like Buzzwhole’s chunky muscles, or the elegant Phermosa’s long antenna.

In response to Omura’s tweet, users chimed in with praise for the Ultra Beasts’ designs. “Thank you for bringing Ultra Beasts into the world!” one user replied. “I think their otherworldly appearance also opened up new avenues for Pokémon.” Omura replied “I designed them hoping that would be the case.”

“It really feels like the Pokémon world expanded thanks to the Ultra Beasts,” another commenter added. “The designer’s hard work really paid off.” Many others hope that the Ultra Beasts will appear in another mainline Pokémon game in the future.

With Pokémon marking its 30th anniversary this year, fans can look forward to at least one new game coming out: Pokémon Pokopia. But it’s likely that there are more announcements in the pipeline. For starters, Jigglypuff will be appearing at the Superbowl (of all places…) in a special anniversary video this weekend.

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

PlayStation 5 sales declined year-on-year during the crucial holiday quarter, but it’s pretty much neck-and-neck with the PlayStation 4 at the same point during its lifecycle, and it even outsold the Nintendo Switch 2 during the last three months of 2025.

Sony shifted another 8 million PS5 units during the three months ending December 31, 2025, a decline from the 9.5 million PS5s it sold during the same period in 2024. But there are a number of factors at play here. For a start, 8 million sales isn’t too shabby when you consider the PS5 price rises Sony put in place last year (Sony raised the prices of the PS5, PS5 Digital Edition, and PS5 Pro by $50 each in August). Then there’s the tough economic conditions globally that’s putting pressure on consumer spending generally to contend with.

And it’s also worth noting that the PS5, which is now five years old, actually outsold the six month-old Nintendo Switch 2 during the holiday quarter. This week, Nintendo said the Switch 2 sold around 7 million in the three-month period. PS5 sold 1 million more.

The PS5 has now sold 92.2 million units globally, which means it’s still lagging ever so slightly behind its predecessor, the PS4, at this point in each console’s lifecycle (PS4 had sold 94.4 million by now). But with the release of guaranteed console seller GTA 6 coming in November, the PS5 will receive a shot in the arm that may drive it to outselling the PS4 when the dust settles on both consoles.

And here's a fun stat: the PS5 has now officially outsold the PS3. As mentioned, PS5 has sold 92.2 million, and the PS3 managed 87.4 million lifetime sales (as of March 31, 2017). And while the PS5 has some way to go before matching the PS4's 117 million lifetime sales, with the help of GTA 6, it could eventually beat it.

Speaking during a webcast reviewed and transcribed by IGN following its financial results, Sony pointed to increased monetization of its growing PS5 install base as well as growing software sales as more than making up for the decline in console sales. It pointed to the release of Sucker Punch’s PS5 exclusive Ghost of Yotei, which made a “significant contribution” to the quarter, as well as ongoing revenue from Helldivers 2 and MLB The Show.

“FY25 Q3 sales decreased 4% year-on-year, primarily due to lower hardware unit sales,” Lin Tao, Sony’s chief financial officer, said. “Operating income increased 19% year-on-year, primarily due to the positive impact of foreign exchange rates and the impact of increased sales and network services and first-party software, setting a record for the third quarter in this segment.

“We upwardly revised our FY25 sales forecast 4% from the previous forecast to 4,630 billion yen, and our operating income forecast 2% to 510 billion yen. User engagement trended well during the quarter with the number of monthly active users across all of the PlayStation in December increasing 2% compared to the last December to a record high of 132 million accounts. And total play time for the quarter increased 0.4% year-on-year.

“Although conditions in the console hardware market during year-end selling season were more challenging than expected, we were able to steadily expand our PS5 install base in line with our original plan and exceeded 92 million units on a cumulative selling basis.

“While PS5 hardware unit sales have decreased moderately in the latter half of the console cycle, software revenue from the PlayStation Store reached a record high during the quarter, primarily driven by the contribution of major third-party franchise titles and new hit releases. PlayStation Plus significantly contributed to the results of the quarter as the shift to higher tiers of the service continued.”

Sony even waved away concern about potential further PS5 price rises as a result of the rising cost of memory fueled by the AI boom, insisting it’s already in a position to secure the minimum quantity necessary to manage the year-end selling season of its next fiscal year.

“Going forward, we intend to further negotiate with various suppliers to secure enough supply to meet the demand of our customers,” Lin Tao continued. “Given the stage of our console cycle, our hardware sales strategy can be adjusted flexibly and we intend to minimize the impact of the increased memory cost on this segment going forward by prioritizing monetization of the install base to date and striving to further expand our software and network service revenue.”

Sony also namechecked Bungie’s live service extraction shooter Marathon, which is due out in March after a significant delay. It sounds relatively confident in the game after it was retooled following negative feedback.

“We expect that Marathon, which is scheduled to be released on March 5, will be enjoyed by many users thanks to Bungie having strengthened the gaming experience,” Lin Tao said. “Next fiscal year, we plan to release new titles such as Saros and Marvel's Wolverine, and we intend to enhance our effort to increase the revenue of our studio business.”

Last month, an analyst report coming out of Japan suggested that Sony may push the launch of the inevitable PlayStation 6 beyond 2028 and lengthen the PS5 lifecycle instead.

David Gibson, senior analyst at MST international who focuses on game and tech companies, published a Japanese language report ahead of today’s financials giving insights into the Sony Group's current performance and potential next moves. “Sony expects the PS5 lifecycle to be longer than that of previous console generations,” Gibson said, adding that this is likely to push the PS6 launch back beyond previous predictions. “There’s a high likelihood that the PS6 launch will occur after 2028.” If Gibson is right, we won't see the PS6 until 2029 at the earliest.

Gibson suggested that Sony is more focused on existing PS5 users than boosting console sales, something the latest comments from Lin Tao now back up. Regarding PlayStation Network services and active PS5 users, Gibson observed that “PS5 user activity continues to set all-time record highs according to usage data. Sony is focusing more on retaining active users than expanding hardware sales.”

Photo by Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto via Getty Images.

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.

Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo appears to have confirmed that Thor star Chris Hemsworth will be back for Avengers: Secret Wars.

During a Buzzfeed interview, both Avengers were asked if they could accurately count the number of superhero projects they'd now been in. While counting, Ruffalo suggested Hemsworth was in six Avengers movies — even though his current total (including his announced appearance in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday) is five.

Marvel fans have pounced on the clip, which is now being shared around social media, as evidence that Thor survives the events of Doomsday long enough to be around for its sequel. There's the suggestion, too, that Ruffalo is speaking like he's in the same boat — which would mean Hulk makes it to Secret Wars as well.

Mark Ruffalo spoils that Chris Hemsworth is returning as Thor in ‘AVENGERS: SECRET WARS’

(via @BuzzFeedUK) pic.twitter.com/16BC4YS9pt

— Avengers Updates (@AvengersUpdated) February 4, 2026

While it's not a huge surprise to learn that Hulk and Thor aren't part of Doomsday's spree of seemingly-inevitable deaths, Hemsworth had previously sparked speculation he was preparing to say farewell to the character, after issuing an ominous sounding note of gratitude for having played the part (something he later backtracked on somewhat).

Thor's recent Avengers: Doomsday trailer (that's not a trailer, apparently) also struck a somber tone, as Thor begs for strength from his fallen father so he can return home to his daughter. And finally, there have been the usual questions around how long these actors want to continue playing the roles that have now taken up well over a decade of their lives.

"One, two, three, four — how many have we done?" Hemsworth says, counting out loud.

"Six," Ruffalo responds.

"Six?!" Hemsworth replies, surprised.

"Well, there will be," Ruffalo says.

After counting some more, Hemsworth then replies: "Yeah, but we haven't shot that one."

For those who've also lost count, four Avengers movies have been released to date (The Avengers, Age of Ultron, Infinity War, and Endgame) with a fifth, Avengers: Doomsday, already in the can. Secret Wars would certainly be a sixth (though this would seemingly put an end to the speculation that Marvel is secretly planning to split Secret Wars in two, to make a new Avengers trilogy.)

Of course, even if Thor (or Hulk) does appear in the multiversal Secret Wars, all bets are off as to what form any appearance might take. Even if Hemsworth does return, it could still be via flashback, alternate version, or even a deathly appearance set in Valhalla, hanging out with Jane and Heimdall.

For now, Marvel has said very little about Secret Wars, as it focuses attention on Doomsday. There's no official confirmation yet on any Secret Wars cast members (as, obviously, these would be a spoiler), though a report recently revealed that Stranger Things star Sadie Sink would reprise her Spider-Man: Brand New Day role in the movie, sparking speculation she was secretly playing a major character.

Image credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for SiriusXM.

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

Sony has highlighted the performance of PlayStation 5 exclusive Ghost of Yotei, insisting it outsold predecessor Ghost of Tsushima during the same period, and made a “significant” contribution to its financial results.

Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Yotei went on sale October 2, 2025, and sold 3.3 million units as of November 2 (at the 32 day mark). Reporting its financials for the quarter ending December 31, 2025, Sony failed to provide an updated sales figure, but did highlight the game in its webcast, reviewed and transcribed by IGN.

“In the studio business, Ghost of Yotei, a tentpole title we released in October, exceeded the sales of the previous title in the same period of time and significantly contributed to the financial results of the quarter,” Lin Tao, Sony's chief financial officer, said.

“Our established live service titles like Helldivers 2 and MLB The Show also contributed stable recurring revenue.”

The statement here is a little vague (we assume “same period of time” reflects each game's first quarter on sale, which would be the first three months of availability), but Sony sounds happy with Ghost of Yotei either way. How exactly does it compare to Ghost of Tsushima? Ghost of Tsushima, which was initially released for PlayStation 4 on July 17, 2020, sold 2.4 million copies in its first three days, then hit 5 million after 118 days (just shy of four months). Latest sales figures provided by Sony show Ghost of Tsushima on 13 million copies sold, including sales of the PC and PS5 Director’s Cut, as of August 11, 2024.

We should consider that Ghost of Tsushima came out on the PS4, which in the summer of 2020 had a much bigger install base than the PS5 does today, and released into the stay-at-home gaming boom fueled by lockdowns. Ghost of Yotei also sold for $70, which means its dollar sales are greater compared to the cheaper Ghost of Tsushima, whose standard edition launched at $60.

Meanwhile, multiplayer add-on Ghost of Yotei: Legends comes out at some point this year, which will undoubtedly give Ghost of Yotei a shot in the arm. And we all know that Ghost of Yotei, like Ghost of Tsushima before it, will eventually launch on PC in Director’s Cut form. Perhaps there will even be a PS6 version, whenever that console rolls around.

While we wait to find out, check out IGN’s Ghost of Yotei review. We’ve also got a cool story about Atsu's sword-drawing technique, which Japanese martial arts experts have said is kind of doable in real life.

Ready to master Ghost of Yotei? Check out our comprehensive guides, which cover everything from things to do first, best skills to unlock, advanced combat tips, getting the best early-game armor set, and uncovering every Altar of Reflection location. Our Walkthrough also provides essential tips and strategies for defeating every boss, and our secrets and easter eggs guide ensures you never miss another hidden reference again.

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.

Movement is afoot for Disney’s live-action Eragon TV series, with news the Disney+ show has picked up a pair of showrunners, according to Variety.

Todd Harthan and Todd Helbing will reportedly serve as co-showrunners on the series, with Harthan slated as a co-creator alongside author Christopher Paolini, the writer of the original 2002 Eragon novel.

Harthan is presently showrunner for the crime comedy/drama series High Potential and was the creator of short-lived police procedural Rosewood. Todd Helbing was the showrunner and co-creator of Superman & Lois, and was also showrunner on The Flash for a number of seasons.

In addition to this news, Marc Webb (director of The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2) has also joined the project as executive producer.

News of an Eragon TV series in development for Disney+ was revealed back in mid-2022, but new faces boarding the project is a significant step for the series after several years.

Eragon was previously adapted by 20th Century Fox as a film in 2006. Featuring an experienced cast, Eragon met a poor critical reception but did reportedly earn around $250 million at the box office globally. It was intended to kickstart a franchise and set the stage for follow-up films based on the novel’s sequels, but these plans never came to pass.

Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.

A jump starter is an essential part of car's emergency kit, but you don't need to pay a premium for a cordless model that gets the job done reliably. Cordless jump starters on Amazon that cost under $50 are all pretty much the same, so you basically want one that offers the best features for the lowest price. Amazon is currently offering the Acmount P120 12V 7,000A cordless car jump starter for just $33 after applying 55% off coupon code "VHY83SV8". It even performs double duty as a 26,800mAh power bank.

Acmount P120 7,000A 12V Car Jump Starter for $33

Also doubles as a 26,800mAh power bank

When the Steam Machine was first announced back in November 2025, Valve told me that the console-like PC would be launching in the first quarter of 2026. But things might be more complicated now.

Valve just released a blog post, where it says "we planned on being able to share specific pricing and launch dates by now." However, the AI shortages that are causing PC hardware to spike in price has caused the company to take a bit more time to nail down the price and release date for the Steam Machine and Steam Frame.

Valve does still claim that it intends to launch the Steam Machine in the first half of the year, which follows an AMD earnings call that also suggests an early 2026 launch date. No matter how you slice it, though, it looks like the Steam Machine will be coming a bit later than we initially expected it to.

When is the Steam Machine Coming Out?

Shortly after the Steam Machine was announced, I tried to predict when Valve was going to launch its mini gaming PC – but that was before the RAM crisis really kicked off in earnest. Back in November, I guessed that Valve would have announced a release date and price for the Steam Machine by the end of January 2026 – but obviously, that didn't happen.

Instead, it looks like the Steam Machine has been delayed, if only by a few months, until Valve can find concrete pricing. But with how volatile the RAM market is right now, Valve is probably holding off until pricing stabilizes a little bit. Either way, this probably means the Steam Machine will also be more expensive.

From the beginning, Valve has been adamant that it would price the upcoming mini PC according to a PC with comparable hardware. A few months ago, I figured that this would put the Steam Machine at around $800. But with the way PC pricing has been for the last few months, I could easily see the upcoming console hit $1,000 or more.

This is all just speculation, and we won't know the actual Steam Machine launch date or price until Valve announces something. But if you were looking forward to the Steam Machine, you might want to brace yourself for a longer wait and a higher price tag.

Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra

With the advent of PC gaming handhelds, the nearly limitless library of games on Steam and other PC clients are now at your fingertips anytime and anywhere. The best gaming handhelds have a hefty price tag and the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X - arguably the best Windows gaming handheld - retails for $1,000. Fortunately, there are ways to get one for a sizeable discount, although you will have to be fine with getting an import or pre-owned model.

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X for $909.49

Import (brand new) model

I have a bad habit of remembering exactly what I paid for certain games, usually right when they turn up in a sale like this. That sting is useful. It tells me which discounts actually matter. This list is mostly those games. Learn from my mistakes and save.

Contents

• Retro
• Nintendo
• Xbox
• PlayStation
• PC

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I’ve whipped up a wumpa fruit-flavoured cake for Crash Bandicoot 2's 27th birthday. I can vividly recall getting my arse handed to me at launch as I tried to jump, spin, body slam, slide, duck, and "death route" conquer my way to every gem needed for its secret ending.

I also have fond memories of a Simpsons pisstake of this franchise deployed around the same year. Apparently, "Dash Dingo" needed to find and devour "seven crystal babies" in the "Down Underverse" lest he spend eternity trapped in deep didgeridoo. Frankly, I'd rather play Knifey Spoony: The Video Game.

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

- Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PS) 1999. eBay

- XCOM 2 (PC) 2016. Get

Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch

There is a ton of Disney merchandise available at any given time. If it's something you can buy, there's probably a Disneyfied version of it that has existed at some point in time. And while I do think there's maybe a bit too much Disney stuff out there already, I'm not mad that the Toy Story Space Crane toy is making a comeback.

Toy Story was one of my favorite movies as a kid and is, in my opinion, the best overall Pixar movie franchise of all time. The two most iconic images from the first movie that still haunt my memory are the Pizza Planet truck, and of course, the Space Crane scene. This actual working miniature crane game is really pressing all the right nostalgia buttons for me.

The Toy Story Alien Crane Game Is Now Available