Season 4 of Bridgerton ends with a bang. And that bang was the sound of my jaw hitting the floor when the final twist of the final episode was revealed. It seems there’s a new Lady Whistledown in town, and she promises to bring her readers (and the rest of us) “so much fun.”
Look, it may seem like an easy task, revisiting an updated version of the show’s central mystery (and one that didn’t appear in Julia Quinn’s books at that). But if that mystery keeps Julie Andrews (long may she reign) on our screens even a minute more than she would have been otherwise, sign me up. The finale shocker and its cliffhanger question – Who is Lady Whistledown? – is indicative of a leveled-up batch of episodes that elevates Season 4 of the Netflix regency drama from ho-hum to fantastic.
While Part 1 of the Benedict Bridgerton-centric season was at times plodding and frustrating, Part 2 takes off like a rocketship and doesn’t let up until the credits roll. It kind of makes one wonder (Dearest Gentle Reader) why Netflix insists on splitting up the seasons. But regardless of the rationale, the four new Bridgerton episodes are worth the wait.
When we last left our favorite very large 18th century British family, second son Benedict (Luke Thompson) had asked his maid-cum-paramour Sophie (Yerin Ha) to be his mistress (even though she was the woman he had unknowingly fallen in love with at a masquerade ball). Erstwhile Lady Whistledown Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) was finding it difficult to suss out her place in society now that her secret identity had been revealed. Matriarch Violet (Ruth Gemmell) was navigating a new relationship, and quiet Francesca (Hannah Dodd) was trying to find peace with her husband’s cousin.
When we pick up in Season 4, Part 2, a plodding and at times ridiculous confluence of events resets and takes off in spectacular fashion. Benedict and Sophie’s relationship grows deeper and more passionate. In a turn that will surprise absolutely no one, Benedict (internet memes be damned) finally realizes Sophie was the mysterious lady in silver and plots to find out a way to marry her, even though they are of different classes.
Violet, who at one point becomes betrothed to her love interest Lord Anderson (Daniel Francis), uses Benedict’s situation to realize that she is better off on her own and wants to revisit the spirited girl she used to be. And thus one relationship fizzles while another ramps up.
Sophie’s “wicked stepmother” and her stepsisters (one nice, one not) get their comeuppance, but in a way that’s both realistic and empathetic. In one of the season’s great surprises, we’re left with a feeling of sadness and empathy for the Season 4 “villains,” given that their station in the stuffy Regency era was no cake walk. Hats off to Katie Leung, who plays lead villain Araminta, for being so horrible the entire season but still not letting us hate her fully.
The season’s third main plotline revolves around resident Bridgerton introvert Francesca, her husband John (Victor Alli), and John’s cousin Micaela (Masali Baduza). For those who haven’t read the books, Micaela is a gender-swapped version of the character Michael - who eventually enters into a relationship with Francesca upon John’s death. Season 4, Part 2 sees John - surprise! - kick the bucket and Francesca and Micaela are left to pick up the pieces. Dodd and Baduza play the relationship brilliantly. There’s barely a hint of future romance, but there’s SOMETHING there even if you’re not quite sure what it is. And if you weren’t familiar with the books, you’d have a hard time placing it.
It’s a brilliant choice from the producers of the show that’s flawlessly performed by the two actresses. This isn’t the yearning we see between Sophie and Benedict but there’s a connection; one that’s severed when Micaela leaves in the middle of the night at the end of the season, leaving Francesca – and us – mourning what may have been (and probably will be in Season 5.
All of these plotlines synthesize into a Cinderella happy ending for Benedict and Sophie, culminating in a mid-credits wedding sequence, which is preceded by the Lady Whistledown reveal. Some might say that the surprise is a cop-out: returning the show to the surefire mystery that made it a success in the first place. But I disagree. The core mystery was always essential to the appeal of Bridgerton. The “Who is Lady Whistledown?” question balanced out the more romance-heavy and fantastical elements of the show and created a throughline for the series across changing protagonists and dramas. I’m glad the show is getting “back to basics,” and perhaps even more happy that Penelope will be given something to do other than half-heartedly pretend to care about her former alter-ego.
Bridgerton Season 4, Part 2 gets the show back on track after what had been a somewhat disappointing start to the season. It returns the series to where it was in earlier seasons, and that’s pretty great.
Team Ninja has released Title Update 1.03.03 for its latest title, Nioh 3, and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what this new update brings to the table. Patch 1.03.03 comes with a lot of balance tweaks and changes. For instance, it increases the effects of numerous crests. It also increases the effects … Continue reading Nioh 3 Patch 1.03.03 Released With Lots of Balance Tweaks→
Amazon will no longer publish UK developer Maverick Games’ yet-to-be-titled open-world driving game, reports The Game Business.
“As part of our strategic evolution to focus on projects that leverage Amazon’s unique strengths and scale, including the recent re-launch of Luna and our Tomb Raider franchise partnership with Crystal Dynamics, we have decided to release Maverick Games from their publishing agreement with Amazon Game Studios,” the company explained in a provided statement.
“We have tremendous respect for the Maverick Games team and the compelling narrative-led driving experience they’re creating. This decision allows Maverick Games the flexibility to find a publishing partner whose strategic priorities are better aligned with bringing their game to market. We’re proud of what we accomplished together during our partnership and wish them every success in the future.”
Fortunately, this does not mean the end of the road for the project itself, with Maverick Games co-founder Mike Brown confirming on social media that development is continuing to progress strongly and plans are in place to share information about the game later this year.
Maverick Games was founded in 2022 following the departure of a number of staff from Forza Horizon developer Playground Games. At that time, former Forza Horizon 5 creative director Mike Brown was joined by producer Tom Butcher, technical director Matt Craven, technical art director Gareth Harwood, audio director Fraser Stachan, and art director Ben Penrose. It was revealed in January 2023 that the team was working on a “premium open-world game for consoles and PC.”
Amazon’s partnership with Maverick on this “narrative-led open-world driving” project was unveiled in mid-2004.
Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.
If you're looking for a more elegant charging solution for your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch, then Amazon has a limited time deal that's totally worth your consideration. Right now the Iniu 3-in-1 Qi2-certified wireless charging station has dropped in price from $35.99 all the way down to $18.35 after you clip a 49% off coupon code. I actually have this exact model and highly recommend it. I use it every evening on my nightstand next to bed and I also bring it along on extended trips because it folds away so neatly.
Iniu 3-in-1 Charging Station for iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods
The Iniu 3-in-1 charging station has three separate sections reserved for wireless charging your (1) iPhone, (2) Apple Watch, and (3) AirPods. Obviously all three devices need to be MagSafe compatible for this to work. Only a single USB-C cable is needed for all three devices, saving you a couple of outlets and a rats nest of cables. The iPhone charger is QI2 certified, capable of delivery up to 15W of wireless inductive charging. Other smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Ultra should work as well, as long as they are wireless charging compatible. The other sections support 5W of wireless charging.
The charging station works great at home by your bed, but it's also an excellent traveler. The entire unit folds into a small brick that measures a mere 4" long x 2.4" wide x 0.8" thin. It can easily be stowed away in any small bag or even a pocket. Better yet, a wall charger and USB cable are included in the package.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
From portable gaming handhelds to smartphones, our lives rely on portable, untethered electronics, and it can't hurt to always have a charger on hand. Amazon is currently offering a Baseus Picogo 100W USB Type-C wall charger for just $21.99 after you apply coupon code "76CRAZVA". You don't need to be an Amazon Prime member to get this deal. This diminutive adapter can fast charge even the most power hungry handheld gaming PCs like the ROG Xbox Ally X.
Baseus Picogo 100W USB-C Wall Charger for $21.99
The Baseus wall charger is tiny, measuring only 3.2" x 1.7" x 1.7" but it's still able to pack in three charging ports: two 100W USB Type-C and one 22.5W USB Type-A. Note that the maximum output for all three ports is 100W, so if you used both USB-C ports at time same time, you would pull 70W + 30W.
The 100W of USB-C Power Delivery is higher than what I typically see at this price point. This charger has a higher output than the stock adapters that come packaged with power hungry handheld gaming PCs like the Xbox Ally X, ROG Ally X, Legion Go S, and Legion Go 2; even though these handhelds support up to 100W charging rates, they're supplied with 60W max charging adapters. It's also compatible with devices like the Steam Deck and Switch 2 that can only accept a lower rate, since the charger only delivers as much power as the device allows, nothing more.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
The attorney general of New York Letitia James is suing Valve, alleging the platform illegally promotes gambling to children.
This comes from a press release issued by the attorney general's office today, which states that following an investigation, the office of the attorney general "found that Valve’s video games, including Counter-Strike 2, Team Fortress 2, and Dota 2, enable gambling by enticing users to pay for the chance to win a rare virtual item of significant monetary value."
"In Valve’s most popular game [Counter-Strike 2], the process resembles a slot machine, with an animated spinning wheel that eventually rests on a selected item. The randomly selected virtual items have no in-game functionality but can be sold online for money, with one item reportedly being sold for more than $1 million. The lawsuit alleges that Valve has made billions of dollars luring its users, many of whom are teenagers or younger, to engage in gambling in the hopes of winning expensive virtual items that they can cash in on. With this lawsuit, Attorney General James seeks to permanently stop Valve from continuing to promote illegal gambling in its games and to pay disgorgement and fines."
The lawsuit itself describes both the mechanics of how loot boxes work in all three games, as well as the ways in which users can "cash in" virtual items, either by selling them on the Steam Community Market, or by connecting their accounts to third-party marketplaces, the latter of which the attorney general's office says it found Valve "facilitates and even assists." The attorney general's office argues that Valve's loot box model is "quintessential gambling, prohibited under New York's Constitution and Penal Law." Gambling is illegal in New York with only some exceptions, which the attorney general says are all irrelevant here.
The question of whether loot boxes can or should be regulated as gambling has been ongoing for more than a decade, with different countries issuing various regulations around them over the years. China, South Korea, and some other countries require companies to disclose odds on receiving certain items in very specific ways. In Australia, the presence of loot boxes automatically nets a game an M rating (not recommended for children under 15, albeit not legally restricted), and anything with simulated gambling gets an R18+ rating, meaning it cannot be sold to minors. Belgium has attempted to ban them entirely, though it is apparently struggling to enforce this.
The New York lawsuit aims to permanently stop Valve from promoting gambling features in its games, make full restitution to consumers and give up all profit its made from this practice, and pay fines for violation of New York laws. If successful, this case could have significant ripple effects on the rest of the industry, as companies are forced to confirm to an increasing array of different loot box laws in different regions.
“Illegal gambling can be harmful and lead to serious addiction problems, especially for our young people,” said Attorney General James in a statement. “Valve has made billions of dollars by letting children and adults alike illegally gamble for the chance to win valuable virtual prizes. These features are addictive, harmful, and illegal, and my office is suing to stop Valve’s illegal conduct and protect New Yorkers.”
IGN has reached out to Valve for comment.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Editor's Note: This article is sponsored by ONNIT Alpha BRAIN.
Competitive PC and console gamers know that your mental state is just as vital as your skills and equipment when it comes to winning. If you’re not focused, a mispress or panic input could lead to your demise, especially in esports, where mere milliseconds matter most. Sure, getting enough sleep and breaks can help, but sometimes you just need a boost of focus during those extended gaming sessions and pivotal game moments.
If you haven't heard of ONNIT Alpha BRAIN yet, it's a nootropic designed to help you get past cognitive fatigue by supporting focus, memory, and clarity. From serious gamers to athletes, this brand is growing to gain international attention. (Apparently Joe Rogan is a fan.)
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While this nootropic can be super beneficial for multiplayer gaming, it’s also great for when you need to concentrate on a work deadline or project. Alpha BRAIN promotes that “flow state” where you just stay locked in and concentrate on the task at hand without distraction.
If you are looking to stay focused during long gaming sessions, ONNIT Alpha BRAIN may be for you. It’s available in 30 or 90-count capsules, with free shipping on orders of $100 or more. You can save even more by subscribing.
There’s also an Alpha BRAIN Black Label for days when you need that extra caffeine kick and next-level focus. It’s not just capsules either; you can grab focus shots, neuro gummies, pre-workout, and instant powder, each with different brain-boosting ingredients, all of which should help improve your mental clarity.
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ONNIT, the brand behind Alpha BRAIN nootropics, expertly curates formulas using globally-sourced, scientifically-backed ingredients. It then rigorously lab tests its products, ensuring purity and potency, before sending them to consumers. Beyond supporting cognitive functions, ONNIT offers other nootropics to improve mood, endurance, gut health, and more for optimal performance, no matter what you’re doing.
Danielle is a Tech freelance writer based in Los Angeles who spends her free time creating videos and geeking out over music history.
Samsung Unpacked has come and gone. Thankfully, your trusty team here at IGN has the inside scoop on some fresh Galaxy devices Samsung Australia is about to drop. From today (February 26), you can pre-order your devices before the March 11 release date hits. You’ll have the new Galaxy S26 or Galaxy Buds right as they hit the shelves.
Galaxy Buds 4 Pro – A$399 in Black, White (Pink/Gold Exclusive to Samsung AU)
About the new Samsung Galaxy Lineup
First things first, let’s dive into the specs of the new Galaxy S26. You’ll still have the common improvements you’ve come from Samsung—improved camera quality with a 200MP wide lens and 50MP telephoto lens, lightning quick charging ability, and of course, the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip.
Yet, what really makes this device stand out is the world-first ‘Privacy Screen’ display on the Ultra. When enabled, this update narrows the arrangement of pixels to obscure your screen better. You can even hide your notifications or apps from view at the push of a button.
Samsung Australia also revealed a couple more surprises during Unpacked. They’ve reaffirmed a commitment to expanding Galaxy AI through a multi-modal mixture—with Google’s Gemini LLM, Bixby, and the introduction of Perplexity (an additional AI agent) into the mix. There’s the newly redesigned Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 on their way. Refreshed to better match the S26 design, these 96kHz buds will now have both the EQ and Adaptive Noise Cancellation settings better integrated with Galaxy OS.
Skate developer Full Circle has announced layoffs affecting an undisclosed number of staff as it aims to “better support” the “long-term future” of its free-to-play title.
Publisher EA revealed its “reshaping” plans with a blog post on the studio’s website. No detailed information about the number of affected employees or their roles was given, with the message only stating that “making changes to our team structure” means that “some roles will be impacted.”
“The teammates affected are talented colleagues and friends who helped build the foundation of skate.,” Full Circle said. “Their creativity and dedication are deeply ingrained in what players experience today. This decision is not a reflection of their impact and we’re committed to supporting them through this transition.”
The post mentions that tens of millions of players have played the free-to-play Skate reboot since it launched as an Early Access title for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X | S September 2025. Today’s restructuring is said “to better support skate.’s long-term future and focus the team on the things that matter most to you.” EA and Full Circle sign off by assuring fans they will work with the community as they “move faster, listen more closely, and deliver consistently” as development on Skate continues.
This decision is not a reflection of their impact and we’re committed to supporting them through this transition.
“To our departing teammates: thank you. skate. exists because of your hard work and dedication to the craft.”
Full Circle will continue development on Skate as it works to secure its long-term future. As detailed in a separate post last week, the free-to-play skating revival will soon launch into Season 3. The rest of its roadmap includes the promise of additional features, cosmetics, game modes, and more.
IGN reached out to EA for comment regarding the restructuring at Full Circle, but was pointed back to the note shared by the studio in lieu of further comment.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone (ConcernedApe) has announced that he will publish a video tomorrow revealing the two new marriage candidates coming to the game in patch 1.7.
I made a video for tomorrow's 10-year Stardew Valley Anniversary, it will "premiere" tomorrow at 11am PST. In the video, I comment on some pre-release footage, and reveal the 2 new 1.7 marriage candidates at the end. See you in the chat https://t.co/di6uAhYADr
In a post on Twitter/X, ConcernedApe shared the following message: "I made a video for tomorrow's 10-year Stardew Valley Anniversary, it will 'premiere' tomorrow at 11am PST. In the video, I comment on some pre-release footage, and reveal the 2 new 1.7 marriage candidates at the end. See you in the chat." He included a link to YouTube, where the video will appear tomorrow.
Tomorrow is indeed the 10th anniversary of Stardew Valley, which we celebrated earlier this month with an interview with ConcernedApe himself, during which he revealed that two new marriage candidates were coming with the planned 1.7 update. This is significant news for Stardew fans. There have been no new romantic relationships added to the game since its early days, and fans have long hoped for the opportunity to marry other villagers such as Robin, Sandy, the Wizard, or Marlon. We do not know at this time whether these will be existing characters with new dialogue and relationships, or if two new characters are being added, though fans suspect the former.
Ever since Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight’s reveal at gamescom 2025, one of the hottest topics surrounding it has been the surprisingly small number of playable characters on its roster. But developer TT Games promises that there’s a very good reason for this.
Over the past decade or so, Lego games ranging from DC and Marvel superheroes to Star Wars and Harry Potter droids and wizards have included unlockable playable character numbers stretching into the hundreds, but in the upcoming Legacy of the Dark Knight, that total at launch is just seven. Those that made the cut include the Bat family and a few friends: Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, Jim Gordon, Talia Al Ghul, and Catwoman.
IGN recently spoke to the head of the TT Games development team, Jonathan Smith, to find out why this number has been reduced so drastically by comparison. “We're taking these individual characters on a journey,” Smith explains. “So you are constantly upgrading and developing new skills and opening up new abilities for each of those characters. Within the Bat family, as well, we really wanted to focus on making those characters really unique, making their personalities come across and their abilities very distinct.”
For example, Batman can throw batarangs and use his grapple to assist in combat as well as solve puzzles, but Catwoman can utilise her rangy whip and call in the help of her kittens by triggering a laser pointer on a target. Those same cats can also be directly controlled by the player to grant access to small vents and distract unsuspecting guards with a delightful “meow”.
You still get that moment in the Bat Cave where you've got all the different suits from all the different characters arrayed in front of you.
While the focus is seemingly on a deeper gameplay experience this time around, with a Rocksteady Arkham-influenced combo-based combat system leading that charge, fans of old-school Lego games shouldn’t fear too much, as Smith promises there will still be plenty to collect across its open world and movie-inspired levels.
“The story is more focused on a tighter roster of characters that are now more differentiated with much deeper gameplay,” confirms Smith. “So they work well in partnership with each other, and we then want to give you lots and lots of options to see the full range of what those characters can be by giving you more than a hundred different suits to collect. So you still get that moment in the Bat Cave where you've got all the different suits from all the different characters arrayed in front of you, colorful and glorious. You're still compelled to want to complete that collection.”
For more on Bat Suits, take a look at every one confirmed to be in Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight so far, and if you want to know a lot more about the game, check out more from our interview with the studio as part of IGN Fan Fest 2026.
Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.
Rockstar's most recent GTA 6 delay might mean a longer wait for the year's biggest launch, but it also brought relief to other developers previously set to release games in the same timeframe.
That includes TT Games, the storied British studio behind numerous LEGO titles such as LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Harry Potter, and the promising-looking LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight.
Due to launch for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on May 29 (with a Nintendo Switch 2 edition to follow on later), the open-world Gotham action adventure is now set to launch within days of Rockstar's previous GTA 6 date — May 26.
TT Games made its Legacy of the Dark Knight release date announcement last December at The Game Awards, a month after Rockstar's latest GTA 6 delay was made public. (GTA 6 now looks to have a seemingly-final launch date, with marketing set to ramp up this summer ahead of its long-awaited arrival on November 19.)
"We knew we wanted to come out in spring of this year," TT Games Head of Production and Strategic Director Jonathan Smith told IGN in a recent interview, discussing the "space" now opened up by GTA 6's delay to this holiday.
"Look, I want to play that game [GTA 6], but we're also really glad to have some space for people to play Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. We're giving you an open city and a fantastic experience for all players. Which I thoroughly recommend."
Going hands-on with the game last year, IGN came away impressed, saying that "LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight was the Arkham Game you've been waiting for."
“We want to keep that Lego idea of ‘fun’ modern, relevant, and up to date, and not get stuck in the past”, says Jonathan Smith, Head of Development Team at TT Games.
It’s a tricky balance. For well over a decade, Lego games were the definition of consistency. You always knew what you were going to get: a series of puzzle and action-filled levels navigated by a wide roster of multiskilled licensed characters. But Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight looks set to distance itself from that formula, at least slightly. This is a new chapter in TT Games' history, one that blends a reverence for all things Batman — including, notably, Rocksteady’s Arkham games — with a deeper gameplay experience that was first experimented with by 2022’s Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.
“With Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, we made a couple of really significant changes that fans really appreciated”, Smith states. “In particular, getting closer to the character, having a really immersive camera system, and then just starting to make the combat experience or some of the core gameplay systems deeper and richer than they had been before”.
“We don't want to lose the accessibility and immediacy, but that showed that we could add layers to that and make environments that were really big and broad and really deep and rich and rewarding,” Smith explains. “We've just gone further with Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, and then also found aspects of the Batman character and the Batman story, and in Gotham City, that have really worked well with that aspiration to get deeper. To be even more authentic in our treatment of Lego, in our treatment of the story, in our treatment of the characters.”
Characters, and in particular, the number of playable ones, have been a big talking point ever since this Lego Batman’s reveal. Fans of the series had become accustomed to rosters stretching into the hundreds in previous Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and Harry Potter Lego projects, but in Legacy of the Dark Knight, that number has been stripped down to just seven.
You are constantly upgrading and developing new skills and opening up new abilities.
It’s all in service of depth, says Smith. “We're taking these individual characters on a journey,” he explains. “So you are constantly upgrading and developing new skills and opening up new abilities for each of those characters. Within the Bat family, as well, we really wanted to focus on making those characters really unique, making their personalities come across and their abilities very distinct.”
One of those characters is Catwoman, who we got a brand new look at in action as part of IGN Fan Fest. TT Games is aiming to present the “essential version” of each Bat hero and villain, so naturally, Batman’s feline foe/friend channels all eras of her screen depictions, ranging from Julie Newmar’s ‘60s TV show thief to Zoe Kravitz's modern revenge seeker. Across the game, we’ll see glimpses of all of her incarnations, just as we’ll see her skillset grow beyond what we’ve seen in the films as the story progresses.
Tools at Catwoman’s disposal include a whip that can not only damage enemies, but aid in solving puzzles thanks to its flexibility (just don’t ask me how Lego plastic can be quite that bendy, I’m not a materials scientist). She’s also armed with a very handy laser pointer that can quickly summon a sharp-clawed kitten to scratch a Joker goon’s face to ribbons, or allow you to directly control a tamer four-legged friend to distract guards with a meow or crawl through vents to help unblock paths. Of course, she’s also highly trained in hand-to-hand combat, which remains largely consistent across each of the playable characters and is rooted in a punch, dodge, and parry system that TT Games isn’t afraid to say is influenced by Rocksteady.
“To make an essential, really cool Batman combat experience, of course, we honor, and we look to, and we draw upon the definitive work that Rocksteady did to bring that character to life,” explains Smith. “We want a really fluid combo-based combat system. We want very dynamic encounters.”
The story is more focused on a tighter roster of characters that are now more differentiated with much deeper gameplay.
That doesn’t mean that Legacy of the Dark Knight is fully pushing into action game territory, though. This is still a game that wishes to cater to all ages and audiences, so many of those old-school, adventure-focused Lego game staples are still to be found.
“The story is more focused on a tighter roster of characters that are now more differentiated with much deeper gameplay,” confirms Smith. “So they work well in partnership with each other, and we then want to give you lots and lots of options to see the full range of what those characters can be by giving you more than a hundred different suits to collect. So you still get that moment in the Bat Cave where you've got all the different suits from all the different characters arrayed in front of you, colorful and glorious. You're still compelled to want to complete that collection.”
Trying to appeal to everyone’s desires is often a risky strategy. Introducing an extra layer of complexity to combat, as well as character progression across a much-shrunk roster of heroes, could appeal to those looking for more of an action-heavy, “traditional” Batman game that the absence of an Arkham game has left a void for, but could risk alienating those who loved the joyful nature of the Lego games that TT built its reputation on. That’s not something that Smith is worried about, though.
“On the contrary, what we find with all our Lego games is that the more we can draw upon different aspects of a character, the wider we can make our gameplay, the more appealing it is to us as players, and to younger players and older players,” he answers. “There's something about Lego that just translates well for everybody. So the more we can put into that, we don't find that it misses the mark for anyone at all. It just brings more to the party.”
The Bat party will truly get started when Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight arrives on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on May 29, 2026, with it coming to Nintendo Switch 2 at a later date.
Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight developer TT Games has shared a positive-sounding update on whether suits from the Dark Knight's brooding Ben Affleck era will be included in the game.
While the game's character roster may be limited (and we've also got more detail on why that is, too), LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight will feature an enormous wardrobe of 100 Batsuits to celebrate the character's long history.
Already, there have been confirmations of Bat-clothes as worn by Robert Pattinson, Christian Bale, Val Kilmer, Michael Keaton and Adam West — but what about Ben Affleck, who portrayed the character in a handful of movies through the DCEU era, including Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.
Batfleck's Batsuit has been a key question among fans of the Caped Crusader, and one that IGN was keen to ask TT Games Head of Production and Strategic Director Jonathan Smith when we recently got a chance to find out more about the promising-looking LEGO Batman game.
"We draw upon everything across the history of the franchise into this game," Smith said when questioned specifically about references to Ben Affleck's incarnation of the character and the DCEU era overseen by director Zack Snyder. "So yeah, you've got suits and moments and vehicles that everyone will recognize from across all movies," Smith continued.
While the majority of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight's Batsuits are being kept under wraps for players to find, TT Games has already shown off around a dozen through early trailers. We've listed everything that fans have spotted so far below, along with further details if we have them.
Other than Batfleck, are there are there any other suits you'd like to see?
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Batsuits
Batman: The Brave and the Bold (from the Brave and the Bold animated series)
Golden Age Batsuit (inspired by Detective Comics #27, unlocked via pre-launch WB Games account signup)
Rainbow Batman (as seen in Detective Comics #241)
The Dark Knight (Christian Bale's outfit from the second Christopher Nolan movie)
The Batman (Robert Pattinson's suit from his 2022 movie)
The Serials (inspired by 1940s black and white Batman films)
Batman '66 (Adam West's costume from his classic TV series)
Batman Forever Sonar Suit (as worn by Val Kilmer in Batman Forever)
Batman: The Animated Series (inspired by the 1990s cartoon)
Batman '89 (Michael Keaton's suit from the 1989 Batman movie)
2025 Batsuit (based on the minifigure used in recent LEGO toys)
Connexion
PC Gamer
IGN
