Ubisoft has detailed its plans for the future of Assassin's Creed, and said it is already winding down support for last year's Assassin's Creed Shadows.

Later this month, Assassin's Creed Shadows will celebrate its first anniversary — but it sounds like a muted affair, with a community livestream, a competition, and not a lot else.

Today's update from the new Assassin's Creed leadership team makes it clear that Shadows will not receive any major new content additions in future, following earlier confirmation that there would be no second expansion similar to last fall's Claws of Awaji. It's a disappointing end for Shadows, which has limped to the end of its first year of post-launch support and offered fans only a fraction of the continued adventures afforded to the franchise's previous blockbuster, Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

"As we reach this [first anniversary] milestone, Shadows will be moving into its final phase of support," Ubisoft said. "We're winding things down with smaller, less frequent updates... but still a few surprises! At the same time, our teams will begin shifting more focus toward what's next for Assassin's Creed."

Fans already have a fair idea what's next for the series, though today brought a reminder of that. In terms of scope, the next big all-new Assassin's Creed game is Codename Hexe, which will be set in mainland Europe and feature witchcraft-esque vibes. Until last month, the project was being overseen by Ubisoft veteran Clint Hocking — though following the brand's leadership reshuffle it is now being managed directly by Assassin's Creed head of content Jean Guesdon, with Hocking now out of the company again.

"We are taking the time to deliver on its ambitious vision, which means we'll be quiet for a while longer," Ubisoft said today, setting expectations that the game was still a while from launch. "We love seeing all the enthusiasm happening on our channels and can't wait to unveil more when the time is right."

The company has not confirmed it, but fans suspect Hexe was one of the many projects to receive a delay in January this year, at the same time Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake was cancelled.

A flurry of other brief updates provided a reminder that Ubisoft has plenty of other Assassin's Creed things in the works, though without any firm news on any of them today. The multiplayer-focused Codename Invictus, announced years ago alongside Hexe, is still "progressing steadily with a test and learn approach," Ubisoft said, "led by a dedicated team of For Honor veterans."

"We understand there's a lot of curiosity around this project: yes, it's a new approach to multiplayer in the franchise, but it isn't quite what the rumors have suggested," Ubisoft continued. "With player feedback at the heart of our approach, we're exploring ways to bring the community in earlier so we can shape the experience together."

Separately, Ubisoft acknowledged it was investigating "bringing co-op back to Assassin's Creed" and "recently chose to pivot away from an early project." This was, reportedly, a co-op idea that would have continued Shadows' story, which sadly sounds like it will no longer see the light of day.

In terms of what you can play today, Ubisoft announced a 60fps patch for the French Revolution-set Assassin's Creed Unity would arrive for Xbox and PlayStation today.

Wrapping up, Ubisoft namedropped the Ancient China-set smartphone game Assassin's Creed Jade (which again was announced years ago, with nothing heard of it now in a long time), the Assassin's Creed live-action Netflix series (which sounds like we'll see something concrete of soon, following recent casting announcements), and then, lastly, dropped yet another hint at Assassin's Creed: Black Flag remake that everyone knows is set to launch this year.

"Some whispers have a little more wind in their sales," Ubisoft teased, just weeks after seemingly confirming the Black Flag remake was real via a GTA meme on social media. "Keep your spyglass on the horizon."

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

Like Cuphead before it, I am pleased to report that, as it turns out, Mouse: P.I. for Hire isn’t just all sizzle. There is plenty of steak there too. Just as Cuphead built an incredibly good bullet-hell, boss-rush shooter underneath its hand-drawn, hand-animated exterior, so too – at least, based on what I’ve played so far – is Mouse underpinning its 1930’s-era, black-and-white, rubberhose-animated facade with a mechanically sound first-person shooter. In fact, while its own developers have referred to it in conversations and interviews with me as a boomer shooter, I’d argue they might be selling their creation a little short: there’s a lot more going on in its campaign than I thought. The end result is an action game that seems like it’ll have the gameplay to match its sublime looks.

The Look

By now you’ve probably seen at least a bit of gameplay from Mouse, and thus you know, at its core, what it is: a first-person shooter with a deep commitment to looking and sounding like a Steamboat Willie-era cartoon. I’ve already taken one test drive with Mouse last summer, and I was impressed with it then. I’m even more excited for it now after playing a chunk of a case – meaning, a mission – from an advanced build ahead of its April 16 release date for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.

Mouse starts out in a rather unexciting way, if I’m being honest. The intro level acts as a tutorial, introducing you to its uniquely animated but ultimately familiar weapons: a pistol, shotgun, Tommy gun (called a James gun here, which is either a clever way to sidestep a potential Tommy gun trademark, a nod to the Guardians of the Galaxy director and head of DC Studios, or both), and sticks of dynamite. It doesn’t take too long before you get your hands on the Turpentine gun, which melts the skin off your animated enemies’ bodies like The Dip from Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

The Sound

It also doesn’t take long before you see how developer Fumi Games leans all the way into its 1930’s cartoon setting. See, it’s not just the look that screams “hyperviolent Steamboat Willie,” it’s the sound. The ubiquitous and ultra-talented Troy Baker lends his voice to the player character, the titular P.I. for hire named Jack Pepper. This isn’t a role that Baker completely disappears into, like Joel or Indiana Jones. But what he delivers as a stereotypical hard-boiled detective is perfect for the self-aware tone that Mouse proudly flaunts.

The sound design also follows the visual aesthetic, with a jazzy soundtrack that, again, fits like a glove. But I even love the little things about its audio, like the way Jack Pepper slurps and gives an over-the-top “Ahh” when popping the cork and guzzling down a bottle of health-replenishing tonic. Or the “ding” of the bell on the typewriter that you save your game at. Everything that hits your eardrums seems to perfectly fit what your eyes are seeing on the screen, and it added to how much fun I was having with the game.

The Play’s the Thing

But let’s talk about gameplay, because the depth there is what really surprised me about Mouse. And before I get to the nuts and bolts of it, I want to talk about the structure. Mouse is split into cases. And no, that’s not just a synonym for “missions” here. Instead, again (are you sensing a theme yet?), Mouse leans all the way into its choices. Between levels you’ll return to a noncombat hub area – a seedy corner of Mouseburg that’s home to Jack’s office, where you’ll piece together clues from your current case; the Little & Big Bar, where you’ll talk to various people in Mouseburg; and down a dark alley, Tammy’s Bearings, where you can upgrade your weapons, money for which is accumulated by scouring each level and collecting all the cash you can find.

I had a blast setting my weapons down and just walking around the Mouseburg hub talking to people (and by people, of course, I mean fellow anthropomorphic mice). It added a lot of life and character to Mouse that I think make the entire experience more appealing if I picture what it would be like just going from one combat-focused mission to another, with no break in-between. It’s not that it would’ve been bad, necessarily, but I do like that these literal inter-missions give you a chance to let your guard down and enjoy the worldbuilding that Fumi Games has done here. And there are even secrets to discover, which is a nice little bonus. I do have one minor complaint that did particularly annoy me, though: having to button through every single line of dialogue. It’s all fully voiced, which is great, but my goodness did I get tired of clicking through every last one of them. I’d love an option to get rid of that for the final game, please.

Getting back to the combat: the early mission I played was clearly not showing off every trick in Mouse’s arsenal. Most of the fights were fairly simple, against no more than two or three foes, but I nevertheless had a good time with them for a couple of reasons: first, the full-on cartooniness of this world. Remember how I said earlier that Mouse leans into everything it’s trying to do? That even applies to the kill animations. If you headshot an enemy mouse robot, their head will simply pop in over-the-top cartoon style, with drops of oil spewing out of the pencil-thin neck stump. (Side note: there’s a sentence I’ve probably never typed in my entire career or life before.) There’s even lockpicking, in which you cleverly use your mouse tail to maneuver inside the lock and hit the pins correctly.

Rubberhose Guns

And second, it’s the weapons. I simply love using them. I’d wager that there are more first-person shooters in history that have used a pistol, shotgun, and machinegun of some variety than ones that haven’t, so I recognize that it’s not exactly novel. But the weapons all have an appropriately over-the-top feel and sound to them. My favorite so far is the shotgun, which has a nice kick to it, and I’d be remiss not to mention the satisfying reload animation of the James gun, which sees Jack Pepper click a new drum of ammo into the bottom of the weapon.

That’s not to say there aren’t original ideas in Mouse’s arsenal, however. The Turpentine gun, as I mentioned earlier, fires blobs of ink-dissolving solvent that melts these cartoon bad guys, leaving their bones on display before they too dissolve into a pile of dust. It is one of my favorite first-person shooter weapons in a good little while now – maybe since Doom: The Dark Ages’ Skullcrusher gun from last year.

Also, not only do I really enjoy using Mouse’s weapons, I get a kick out of just watching them in action. The rubberhose animation makes your guns look like they’re constantly wiggling, and the firing and reload animations are equally satisfying. I can’t wait to see what other squirmy firearms are waiting for me in the rest of this single-player-only campaign.

Robo-Boss

Mouse is also promising plenty of boss fights, and though I only got to experience one of them over three separate stages, it definitely made me up my game a little bit. I wouldn’t say I felt particularly threatened – I didn’t die at all – but this was also an early mission on Normal difficulty. Anyway, I faced off against a robo-mouse called the Watchamacallit (whose identity will be properly revealed when you played the game for yourself). I had to jump to avoid bolts of electricity spinning around the floor and take cover behind glass panels that would pop up when she moved to another phase of her attack. The encounter definitely kept me on my toes, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the challenge ramps up in later boss fights.

As I mentioned at the top, I’d already had the privilege of playing Mouse last summer, so I came into this new hands-on session with some earned optimism. But when I was done with this newest preview build, I was left even more impressed than I’d expected to be. Mouse: P.I. for Hire, based on what I’ve played so far, is far more than its distinct 1930’s rubberhose-animated look. It sure seems to have legitimate gameplay depth and mechanics to it as well, and it’s moved up my list of anticipated games in a year that’s already packed with some serious potential. Here’s hoping that Mouse can sustain this over its entire campaign when it drops next month.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our semi-retired interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

Microsoft has patented a method for an AI model to take control of your game, should you need a helping hand.

The idea, which Microsoft initially registered back in 2024, is designed for players who might be stuck in a video game. Patent documentation dug up by Tech4gamers shows a Clippy-style pop-up that suggests another player who can "take over your game."

Players would be able to see the name and identity of this player, as well as a rating for how helpful they had been in the past. Associated notes confirm that Microsoft is exploring the idea of this player either being human — another Xbox gamer keen to help — or, alternatively, an AI model.

The Humble Choice lineup for March is officially live. If you’re looking for a new selection of games to add to your Steam library, this month’s drop is led by Tempest Rising, Chants of Sennaar, Sworn, alongside five more games.

For just $14.99 when you sign up for a Humble Choice membership, you can add all of these games to your PC library. On top of that, you get a bonus month for free of IGN Plus. It’s a pretty sweet deal. Head to the link below to sign up, and further down you can see this month’s full lineup. Keep in mind this selection of games only lasts for the month, so be quick to make a move on it if they interest you.

Humble Choice March 2026 Game Lineup

Apple has refreshed its most popular laptop: the 2026 MacBook Air comes with an M5 chip, double the storage (512GB), and “improved wireless connectivity.” The M5 chip sports a faster CPU and GPU, making it more capable of handling tasks like video editing and AI. The extra storage ought to appeal to anyone running out of space on their current machine, and it can be upgraded to up to 4TB. It starts at $1099 (at Best Buy it comes with a free $50 gift card) and is available for preorder now. It’s out March 11.

Preoder MacBook Air with M5 Chip (2026)

If you played the Marathon server slam, you might have found Bungie’s extraction shooter a challenging experience. It’s designed to be a “dangerous climb,” as the developer behind Halo and Destiny calls it, but Marathon’s difficulty curve can be overcome.

Part of the challenge comes from the very nature of Marathon as an extraction shooter. If you die, you lose all your gear. And not just what you looted while out on the battlefield, but what you brought in. And given how easy it is to die in Marathon, at least as it was in the Server Slam when players were just getting started, it could feel like a brutally punishing video game.

Could people bounce off Marathon because of this? Could some find its steep learning curve too hard of a climb and seek fun elsewhere? Might the Server Slam have separated the wheat from the chaff, leaving Marathon’s actual launch tomorrow, March 5, with a loyal, hardcore fanbase, but few casuals to swell its playerbase? (Check out our guide to when Marathon unlocks in your timezone to find out the exact release times.)

Bungie offered some words of reassurance to players in its latest blog post, and as a Marathon Server Slam player who struggled for motivation at times after yet another crushing failed extraction, I found comfort in them.

While pointing to Marathon’s seasonal model, and how all players will start each season fresh after a sweeping progression wipe, Bungie said everyone will find themselves under “the constant threat of death in a world more lethal and powerful than you are.”

From there, the idea is to improve your base stats and gain access to better items in the Armory by completing contracts and progressing your faction upgrades. In this way, Marathon isn’t just about extracting with better loot. You need to play the long game and think of the bigger picture. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, so to speak.

“Over the course of the season, you’ll complete contracts and progress your faction upgrades, granting you access to stronger base stats and better wares in the Armory,” Bungie explained. “It’s not just about what you loot, it’s about raising your power floor and the options available to you. Over time, recovering from a bad loss will get easier, and crafting your ideal build will be more accessible.

“As you master survival and grow your available resource pool, you’ll be able to take on increasingly challenging contracts, zones, and enemy Runners. Climb the Ranked ladder, prep for high-stakes Cryo Archive runs, and secure the most lucrative loot and prestigious rewards of the season.

“Then as the season comes to a close and the feeling of ‘$@%& it let’s ball’ settles in, roll with your best loot knowing a fresh start for everyone, with more to discover and a new climb to master, is just around the corner.”

I’ve seen plenty of debate about Marathon’s difficulty curve in the wake of the Server Slam, with some suggesting the game could do with a balance tweak here and there. The enemy AI feels particularly powerful, so one wrong turn can end your run in the blink of an eye. Some say this will become less of a problem as players bring more powerful gear and items into the fray. Others think Bungie needs to make ammo more readily available to cope with the challenge (you run out of ammo a lot in this game). And I haven’t even mentioned other enemy human players, who are, usually, even harder than the AI.

"It doesn't surprise me that some people quit the game after one hour because to understand it you need at least 4-5 hours to know what each thing does, and the UI doesn't help at," said one player who called on Bungie to add a tutorial.

Bungie has acknowledged player debates about all this, including the ultra fast TTK. It will be interesting to see if Marathon launches with a balance pass. Until then, perhaps we can take solace in the fact that all players are in the same boat. We can all suffer Marathon together.

We’ve got plenty more on Marathon, including one Bungie developer’s commitment to “fontslop.” Check out IGN's Marathon review so far to find out what we think.

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.

Apple has taken the wraps off a brand new entry to its MacBook line of laptops: the MacBook Neo. It will come in four vibrant colors, feature a 13-inch display, and be driven by an A18 Pro chip, the same that powers the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. Best of all, it'll be cheap: It starts at $599 (or $499 for those with education discounts).

The price and the fact that this thing uses a smartphone chip instead of a laptop- and- desktop-class M-series Apple silicon chip are the obvious headliners, putting the laptop in competition with budget Windows machines and Chromebooks. But make no mistake: While this won't go toe-to-toe with the finest gaming laptops, the A18 is no slouch. Just looking at basic Geekbench scores, the A18 Pro in an iPhone 16 Pro put up single-core performance that’s within striking distance of an M4 MacBook Air, and outdid the M1 MacBook Air in multicore scores.

Apple says the Neo will be "up to 50 percent faster for everyday tasks like web browsing and up to 3x faster when running on-device AI workloads like applying advanced effects to photos compared to the bestselling PC with the latest shipping Intel Core Ultra 5." It comes with either 256GB or 512GB of storage, 8GB of RAM (with Apple Intelligence support, to boot), and a 36.5-watt-hour battery that Apple says is good for up to 16 hours of use at a go. The laptop comes with a 20W USB-C power adapter and USB-C charging cable (unless you're in the UK or EU, where the adapter is not included).

The Neo will weigh 2.7 pounds and come in a 0.50-inch thick aluminum chassis – that's a touch thicker than the 0.44-inch-thick MacBook Air – with four colors that Apple is calling Blush (pink), Citrus (yellow/green), Indigo (blue), and Silver (uh, silver). It won't have the MagSafe charging port from other MacBooks, but will feature two USB-C ports (one USB 3 and the other USB 2) for both charging and data – good to see Apple not repeating the single-port mistake it made with the 12-inch MacBook – leaving one for power and one open for accessories. It'll have a color-matched Magic Keyboard, but you'll need to upgrade if you want Touch ID, as that's not available in the base model. Below the keyboard, a Magic Trackpad, which means multi-touch and gesture support.

The retina display will lack the notch from other MacBooks, meaning a thicker bezel, and will feature a 2408x1506 resolution and 500-nit brightness. In the top of the bezel, a 1080p webcam, and on the side of the machine, a headphone jack and dual side-firing speakers with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support. And, via the rear USB-C port, the laptop can drive an external 4K display at 60Hz.

Apart from the A18 Pro, which has a 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine for AI tasks, the MacBook Neo features Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 compatibility. The MacBook Neo is in preorder on Apple's website now, and will be available to purchase for $599 and up and starting March 11.

Wes is a freelance writer (Freelance Wes, they call him) who has covered technology, gaming, and entertainment steadily since 2020 at Gizmodo, Tom's Hardware, Hardcore Gamer, and most recently, The Verge. Inside of him there are two wolves: one that thinks it wouldn't be so bad to start collecting game consoles again, and the other who also thinks this, but more strongly.