The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales has reappeared at today's Nintendo Partner Direct with a proper release date of June 18, 2026.

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales was first announced last July at a Nintendo Partner Direct. It's Square Enix's first attempt to translate its HD-2D style into a more action-focused game than a turn-based RPG. Rather than a part of heroes, Elliot can use different weapon types that will play differently and can be advantageous or disadvantageous against different foes. His fairy companion, Faie, can also either attack enemies herself or be controlled by a second player in a co-op mode.

You can catch up on everything announced at today's Nintendo Partner Direct right here.

Developing...

I may have only played the opening couple of hours of Planet of Lana 2, but I lost count of the number of ways it reminded me of Star Wars. From just a single glance at one of its many gorgeous landscapes, you can see in the geography and architecture what look like Studio Ghibli interpretations of Ralph McQuarrie’s original sketches for Lucasfilm’s immortal sci-fi series. Peek within that frame and you’ll see rickety sci-fi vehicles and clunking robots that wouldn’t be out of place on the streets of Mos Eisley. Lend your ear to that scene, and the whirring sounds of those same droids and digitised radio chatter of enemy guards could easily be coming from R2-D2 and Stormtroopers, respectively. All of these aspects add up to something that is far more than referential, though, instead shaping a confident, expansive puzzle platformer sequel of its own original design.

One of the first things that hits you when booting up Planet of Lana 2 is the music. Again, the soaring of its strings and the twinkle of its brass conjure up strong images of a galaxy far, far away. But, this time, it shouldn’t come as a surprise — the sequel's score is once again composed by Star Wars: The Clone Wars orchestrator, Takeshi Furukawa. Incidentally, he’s also behind the music of The Last Guardian, a game that greatly inspired Wishfully, the small Swedish developer behind Planet of Lana 2. It carries on that same “child on a dangerous, yet wondrous adventure with a fantasy animal companion” legacy, this time with a darker tone as shades of Limbo and Inside come to the fore.

The 2.5D stealth-puzzle-platforming takes place on a bigger canvas compared to its 2023 predecessor. Two years after the events of that game, protagonist Lana has settled back into family life on the planet of Novo, though clearly mystery and intrigue still remain, both on its surface and bubbling below it. After a short tutorial section investigating the corpse of the hulking spaceship that brought her people to this new land, Lana’s sister is taken ill, and you’re promptly sent on a mission to hunt down rare ingredients for a remedy. This journey takes Lana to new regions of the world, which gives Wishfully’s art team new scope to stretch their creative muscles, but also presents welcome new ideas when it comes to puzzle design.

A now older, more confident Lana is more agile than before, able to slide under low-hanging metal for quick escapes and even dive into the ocean to solve whatever conundrums its depths are hiding. Lighter on her feet this time around, she’s practically a backflip and a handstand away from moving more like a Lara than a Lana. Whether clambering through caverns or broaching darkened mine shafts, platforming is more about patience and precision than speed and reflexes. The sequel’s expanded vision also extends to the framing of its puzzles, with larger areas demanding further exploration of the scene – you must look for helpful items in areas high above and further off-screen than you might expect.

That said, many of the challenges I faced through this two-hour demonstration were largely the sort of combat-avoidant stealth sequences that reward patience – as in, you must remain motionless while waiting for obstacles to morph into the required shape, or for enemies to turn the other way, creating a safe passage through. I would never say this becomes tedious, but for those who prefer a bit more zip and thrust to their action, here's a heads up that I wouldn’t necessarily expect that here. To those who didn’t play the original Planet of Lana, it’s much closer to a Little Nightmares than it is to a Metroid in its level design and enemy encounters. But similar to Samus’ space adventures, there’s a great sense of tactility to every heavy lever pull, as heavy machinery and hulking robots lurch and creak inside a mountain facility, dwarfing Lana and her even smaller, spherical companion, Mui.

This little ball of charm provides a furry edge to many of Planet of Lana 2's puzzles, with their newly increased ability set adding welcome extra variety to the mix alongside their existing skillset. I particularly enjoyed further explorations of Mui’s somewhat telepathic ability to control creatures around the world of Novo. For example, fish can be sent to zip around and deploy clouds of ink that masks the vision of larger-finned foes, and sticky balls of blob can create trails of sludge that transform into paths of fire to remove flammable obstructions. These fuse-like puzzles, which task you with examining the level geography as you trace its edges to reach your goal, were some of my favourites in this preview demo.

Although I’ve only seen around a third of the game, even at this early stage, I am wary that some mechanics are already on the edge of being used one too many times, threatening to turn some brainteasers into busywork. But, largely on the whole, the puzzles have proven fun and fair, compelling me to pause and think, but never to the detriment of the momentum of the story. It fits the urgency of the tale being told, with many mysteries lurking in the background. It's this intrigue that drove me through these early hours on the path to discovery, as well as the distinct sense of adventure as you hop around this thoroughly alien planet, painted with beautiful art and soundtracked by a sensational score.

Much like Star Wars does with its flashy lightsaber duels and thrilling space battles, Planet of Lana never forgets to put character front and centre, even in its puzzles. Reassuring nods and moments of murmur in an alien tongue help solidify the bond between Lana and her furry friend, all while keeping the story of their adventure foremost in mind. And, just like The Empire Strikes Back, Planet of Lana 2 teases in these early hours that it’s certainly not afraid to enter darker territory on a grander scale, whilst leaving plenty of time for those smaller moments. It’s all very promising, and a reassuring sign that the heart of its short and sweet predecessor is being carried over into this expanded, more ambitious sequel on March 5th.

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.

Spoilers follow for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Episode 5, “Series Acclimation Mil,” which is available on Paramount Plus now.

So here it is – the Benjamin Sisko episode that Starfleet Academy has been teasing since at least as far back as last summer. The notion of returning to the mystery of what happened to Avery Brooks’ legendary Deep Space Nine captain is a daunting undertaking for the fledgling Starfleet Academy, but fortunately the episode’s writers (Trek vets Kirsten Beyer and Tawny Newsome) don’t attempt to alter or add to Sisko’s story – which after all was essentially completed with the end of DS9 – but rather use his legend to expand on one of the new show’s main characters, Sam (Kerrice Brooks).

I mean, that’s literally how the episode starts off as “A Story About Me” is scrawled over the “A CBS Studios Production” title screen. Make no mistake: “Series Acclimation Mil” is about Sam, not Sisko. The episode is even named after her!

Pearl Abyss has dropped another exciting features overview video for Crimson Desert, offering a better look at how combat will work as you "learn what it means to fight like a Greymane," unlocking skills, upgrading equipment, facing the threats of Pywel, and "grow into a formidable fighter."

The 10-minute trailer is packed with new details and insights, and focuses specifically on combat and progression, including how you can parry and counter attacks and upgrade your weapons.

Confirmation that dual-wielding is still coming is particularly exciting; as some of the overwhelmingly positive comments on the Crimson Desert subreddit explain, we've seen very little of the ability up until now.

Oh, and there's also a peek at how you can travel around Pywel, including by bear. No, that's not a typo — you ride a massive bear.

"My last bits of apprehension for this game have disappeared because of this," commented one happy fan. Another simply said: "March 19th cannot come soon enough."

"This game just gets better and better with every video. It is so impressive," added another impressed fan, while someone on YouTube wrote: "I honestly can’t remember the last time I was this excited for a game. Everything shown so far looks incredible, and I truly hope it delivers a deep, immersive adventure. I’m really looking forward to getting lost in this world and experiencing something special."

"It's not crazy to say that I'm more interested for this game's release than GTA 6," joked another impressed fan.

There's one more final features overview video still to come, but Pearl Abyss didn't reveal when just yet.

Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure set in the beautiful yet brutal continent of Pywel. Discover adventure, uncover wonders, and experience thrilling action as you witness the saga surrounding Kliff, leader of the Greymanes, whose mission takes him on an incredible journey. It's set to release on March 19 2026, for PC and Mac, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. For more, check out our thoughts about whether Crimson Desert is promising too much.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Nintendo will soon pull back the curtain on its third-party plans for Switch and Switch 2 with its February 2026 Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase.

The company behind Super Mario Bros, Metroid, and The Legend of Zelda will turn the focus to its gaming partners when the presentation brings 30 minutes of reveals and updates in just a few short minutes. As the show was announced just yesterday, there’s no telling what will be announced, but fans, at least, are hoping to see games like Capcom’s Resident Evil Requiem and FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods.

Nintendo Directs only come around every so often, so expect Nintendo to make the most of its half-hour event when it starts at 6 a.m. PT - 9 a.m. ET. We’ll catch all of the highlights and share them below, so be sure to keep refreshing this page to see everything announced during the Partner Showcase.

Old School Anime-Inspired Co-op Game Orbitals Narrows Nintendo Switch 2 Release Window

Orbitals has captured the attention of anime and gaming fans since it was first announced, and now, developer Shapefarm is confirming plans to launch for Switch 2 this summer.

Valheim Brings Survival Gameplay to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026

Popular Viking survival game Valheim is officially coming to Switch and Switch 2. First released in 2021, developer Iron Gate will bring its online building and crafting game to Switch 2 sometime later this year.

Hollow Knight Upgrade Shadow Dropped for Nintendo Switch 2

Everyone’s favorite bug warrior is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 with an upgrade that’s free for owners of the original – and it’s out today. It’s a surprise update for Team Cherry’s original hit Metroidvania that follows last year’s massively successful Hollow Knight: Silksong, adding in improved framerates and enhanced visuals.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date Confirmed

Hot off the heels of the launch of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade for Nintendo fans, Square Enix made a surprise appearance during today’s Nintendo Direct to confirm that its sequel, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, is coming to Switch 2. It has a release date, too, with the publisher telling fans they’ll be able to continue Cloud and Sephiroth’s story June 3, 2026.

Turok Origins Announced for Switch 2 With Fall 2026 Release Window

Saber Interactive is mixing dinosaurs and aliens with Turok Origins on Switch 2. Highlights from its gameplay trailer showed off third- and first-person gameplay, co-op support, and a release window of fall 2026.

Developing…

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).

With perfect timing, the modders behind the Van Buren remake in Fallout: New Vegas have released a new teaser trailer.

UnitedWestTeam released the teaser, which sets up Fallout: The New West, the fan-made total conversion mod for Fallout: New Vegas inspired by Fallout: Van Buren, the cancelled Fallout 3 that was in development at Black Isle Studios in the early 2000s before the franchise moved over to Bethesda.

Why is this well-timed? Because Van Buren would have been set in post-apocalyptic Colorado, which is exactly where Amazon’s Fallout TV series is headed for Season 3.

Fallout: The New West aims to adapt the core narrative threads of Van Buren and turn them into a fully playable story built in the New Vegas engine. Expect modern gameplay systems, expanded roleplaying opportunities, and “the mechanical depth and tone that defined classic Fallout,” the modders said.

Here’s the official blurb:

Fallout: The New West is a fan-made total conversion mod for Fallout: New Vegas. In many ways, it tells the same broad story envisioned by Fallout: Van Buren, but restructured and expanded to form a cohesive, playable experience. The project’s primary narrative goal is to take the disparate plot threads and unfinished concepts found in the original design documents, including for example, the NCR–Brotherhood conflict, the Great Tribal War between Caesar’s Legion and the Daughters of Hecate, the fight for the soul of the Mormon State and much more, and weave them into a satisfying, unified narrative that adheres to the main plot as described in the design documents.

Players assume the role of a new protagonist, released from captivity in 2253, known as “the Prisoner,” and the story is set in an alternate continuity that predates and reinterprets the events of Fallout: New Vegas. Unfortunately due to many Van Buren concepts being folded into FNV, we cannot set the project in the same timeline. Our secondary goal is to incorporate many of the modern gameplay conveniences introduced through Fallout: New Vegas and its more than 15 years of modding, while preserving the distinctive mechanics and design quirks of classic Fallout found in the original design documents. Much of Fallout’s original charm is an acquired taste, and one that we believe remains worth acquiring.

It sounds exciting, and given the success of Fallout: London, which had Bethesda’s blessing, it may even have a chance of survival. Indeed, a new demo is apparently due out soon (an initial demo, which released under the name Fallout Revelation Blues, came out last year). This alternate start demo under the new name of Fallout: The New West will be followed up with the entirety of Act 1 of the game as a vertical slice, the modders said.

If Fallout: The New West does make it to release, it will see Van Buren realized — albeit in fan-made form — 20 years after it fell by the wayside. In 2024, Fallout creator Tim Cain revealed new information on how it ended up canceled amid significant financial problems at Interplay.

Cain, who worked on the first two, much-loved Fallout games in the mid-to late 90s before leaving Interplay to start a new studio called Troika Games, revealed that in the middle of 2003, an unnamed Interplay vice president asked him to play the Van Buren prototype, saying: “I don’t think they can get it done, so I’m just going to cancel it. But if you look over it and give me an estimate there’s a chance I wouldn’t cancel it.”

Cain said he played the prototype for two hours and asked the development team a number of questions before delivering his verdict to the vice president. “I said, ‘I’m convinced in 18 months you could have a really good game shipped.’ And he said, ‘huh, could it be done any faster?’ And I was like, 'oh, shoot, I’ve said too long.' I said, ‘well, even if you did a death march crunch I don’t think you could do it faster than 12, and then you’d be shipping something that was unbalanced and buggy, and the team would be destroyed. So I don’t recommend that.’

“And he said, ‘OK, thanks.’ As we walked out he basically explained any answer over six months was going to result in him having to cancel it, meaning the answer I just gave got the game canceled. But he was going to cancel it anyway. He thought it couldn’t be done in six months, and I just confirmed that to him.”

According to Cain, the cancellation of Van Buren was, ultimately, about money; Interplay’s dire financial situation meant it simply did not have enough cash to fund more than six months of further development. Interplay went on to close Black Isle Studios and cut its entire staff. The company released the console spinoff Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel in 2004 for the Xbox and PlayStation 2, but it was not enough. That same year, Interplay announced a licensing deal with The Elder Scrolls developer Bethesda for future Fallout games, and in 2007, Interplay sold the Fallout IP to Bethesda outright. The rest is history.

And if you’re wondering about the Fallout TV show’s journey to Colorado, check out what co-showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet and even Todd Howard himself have had to say about it.

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.

Microsoft's next pair of games headed to Nintendo platforms now have leaked release dates, ahead of today's Partner Direct broadcast.

Dealabs' ever-reliable billbil-kun has now spilled the details of both Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition, which were previously confirmed for launch on Switch 2 last year.

Up first will be the Fallout 4 Anniversary Edition, which will launch its physical edition (containing a digital download code) on April 28, priced $59.99. Dealabs suggests the game could arrive digitally via the Nintendo eShop even sooner — perhaps as soon as today — though this is unconfirmed.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will then arrive on May 12, priced $69.99. Dealabs believes this date will apply to both the game's physical edition (likely containing a Game-Key Card) as well as its digital eShop release.

Finally, a physical version of Skyrim Anniversary Edition is also reportedly coming, following its eShop debut back in December 2025, albeit with notable performance issues. Boxed copies will be available from April 28, Dealabs reported, and contain a download code inside.

Fallout 4's Anniversary Edition includes the base game, six official add-ons, and over 150 pieces of Creation Club content. It's apparent announcement today would be well timed, following the finale of Fallout Season 2. Here's hoping it's more enjoyable than Amazon's disappointing Fallout announcement tease.

The beloved Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, meanwhile, launched on PC and Xbox back in December 2024 to rave reviews — IGN's own verdict returned a 9/10. A PlayStation 5 edition followed in April 2025, while its short-but-sweet expansion The Order of Giants followed last September.

These latest leaks come just hours after an updated ratings board listing suggested that Hollow Knight's Switch 2 Edition could arrive today as a shadow drop.

Officially, of course, we'll just have to wait and tune in to Nintendo's big Partner Direct broadcast, which is set to air imminently — at 6am Pacific, 9am Eastern or 2pm UK time.

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

UPDATE: As leaked earlier this morning, Hollow Knight will indeed launch its Nintendo Switch 2 Edition today. Confirmed by Nintendo during today's Partner Direct, owners of the acclaimed platformer on Switch will be able to upgrade to its Switch 2 Edition for free.

For much more, here's everything announced in today's Nintendo Partner Direct.

ORIGINAL STORY: With just hours to go until today's Nintendo Direct broadcast, an updated ratings board listing suggests Hollow Knight could get an imminent Switch 2 release.

Team Cherry's long-awaited game is now listed for Switch 2 with a February 5, 2026 release date, per the website of European ratings board PEGI. Hey, that's today!

Of course, Hollow Knight originally launched for Nintendo Switch back in 2018, though we learned a couple of months ago that the game would be getting an updated Switch 2 Edition at some point this year. Now, it seems, that new version is moments away.

Nintendo is due to air its latest Partner Direct later today, at 6am Pacific, 9am Eastern or 2pm UK time. This third-party game showcase will include 20 minutes of announcements featuring titles headed to Switch and Switch 2 that aren't developed by Nintendo itself — such as Hollow Knight.

Don't tune in expecting a new Mario game announcement, then, but do keep an eye out for more news on other upcoming Switch 2 releases such as this month's Resident Evil Requiem, and the promising-looking 007: First Light. Oh, and Hollow Knight now too. What will this new edition contain?

Alongside releasing Hollow Knight again on Switch 2, Team Cherry is now busy working on Sea of Sorrow, its first expansion to Hollow Knight: Silksong. Will we see more of this today as well? Time will tell, but as ever IGN will be reporting all of the major announcements live.

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

The latest episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy centers on the mystery surrounding Deep Space Nine's beloved captain Benjamin Sisko — and even includes a cameo of sorts from actor Avery Brooks.

Warning! Spoilers for Starfleet Academy follow:

Starfleet Academy's fifth episode, Series Acclimation Mill, was released today, and follows some notable hints by the show that it would reveal more about Sisko's fate. Indeed, the story does include new details on what happened next to Sisko's family following the events of Deep Space Nine's finale, which saw Sisko leave the physical plane to go live in a wormhole — while promising one day to return.

As Starfleet Academy's new character SAM investigates what happened, viewers get to see Ben's son Jake appear in hologram form (played by returning DS9 actor Cirroc Lofton) and meet a new incarnation of Trill lifeform Dax, both of whom reveal new detail on life after Deep Space Nine's credits rolled.

The boss of Take-Two has discussed Rockstar’s approach to marketing Grand Theft Auto 6, saying it needs to be “delicate.”

This week, as part of its latest financial results, Take-Two said marketing for what will surely be the biggest entertainment launch of all time kicks off this summer ahead of GTA 6’s confirmed November 19, 2026 release date.

It’s a statement of intent that Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick doubled down on in an interview with CNBC’s Jim Cramer. When asked how he knows GTA 6 will hit November, Zelnick said development progress is tracked every day, and pointed to the marketing milestone.

“We also announced that we have marketing beats coming this summer, and we don’t spend money on marketing until we’re pretty close to release,” he explained.

So, what can we expect from the marketing itself? Zelnick didn’t say exactly, but it sounds like it’ll be something unusual, at least from a video game marketing perspective. In the interview, Zelnick described the effort as a “challenge.”

“It is a challenge, because we want the product to be authentically owned by our consumers,” he said. “And so the marketing has to be delicate. It has to feel like, you know, this is real. We’re not selling hamburgers. We’re selling this unique art form.”

What this means is anyone’s guess at this point. Perhaps a social media-fueled ARG of some description? Real world GTA events of some kind that get fans involved? Given the enormous interest in all things GTA, nothing’s off the table here. All fans really want is GTA 6 Trailer 3, of course. That would do.

One thing Zelnick has been clear on is denying rumors that GTA 6 will be a digital-only release upon its initial launch. He told Variety there are no plans to do so, after reports suggested GTA 6 could delay its physical launch to 2027 to avoid leaks.

GTA 6 has of course already suffered from multiple leaks, both of development footage and of its first trailer, alongside a number of AI-generated fake leaks. Developer Rockstar North has also had to contend with a boiler room incident that sparked the need for numerous fire crews last month. Also last month, an employment tribunal rejected an application for interim relief filed on behalf of the fired GTA 6 developers at Rockstar Games.

Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP 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.

As unhappy players fight to get refunds out of Steam, an update from one of the studio's directors claims the "entire" development team working on the ill-fated MMO Ashes of Creation was reportedly laid off without notice or their January paychecks.

The shocking revelation comes from Intrepid Studios' former director of communications, Margaret Krohn, who revealed in a lengthy post on Twitter/X that three days after originally being told around 100 developers would be losing their jobs, a "confusing email" arrived confirming "all" staff would be laid off. "It is still shocking," Krohn wrote. "The entire studio gathered to try to understand what had happened and what it meant for our future."

Earlier this week, Steam quietly withdrew Ashes of Creation from sale after its director and leadership team quit just weeks after it launched as a $50 Early Access game on Steam. The game's director Steven Sharif said "much of" the senior dev team had quit "in protest," claiming that its management board had asked him to do things he "could not ethically support." According to Sharif, the Board then issued WARN Act notices — layoff warnings, in other words — to the remaining staff. It's unclear who sits on this mysterious board.

According to a new public record request, we now know that the formal WARN Act notification was issued on January 31 and indicated that 210 employees were "affected" by the filing, 123 of whom worked in California.

"In the end, none of us are receiving our final paychecks, the 60-day notice and pay outlined under the WARN Act, PTO payouts, or other compensation owed," Krohn explained.

"What matters most to me now are the people — both the players and developers. To my colleagues: this team is truly a family. The culture we built together is something I have never experienced anywhere else. In the midst of heartbreak and uncertainty, we have come together to review resumes, help with portfolios, share job leads, and support one another emotionally. That says everything about who we are as people."

"To the players: the entire development team was working extremely hard, pulling long hours, and wishes with all our hearts that we could give you Ashes of Creation. There are no words that fully express how sorry we are that this journey ended this way. You should pursue a refund, you deserve it."

Unfortunately, Steam doesn't seem to agree. While you can find plenty of people across Discord and Reddit claiming to have received refunds despite having played more than two hours, there's an equal number of players frustrated that their requests have been denied, and there seems to be little consistency across Steam's Support team.

"They denied me with 2.3 hours played. Bought in December and denied because it 'exceeds refund time,'" wrote one player, while another said: "I can't believe it… and I'm hearing they froze/reversed the December payment to Intrepid so basically Steam have stollen [sic] my money."

"How many hours did you have? I had 15 Hours played and got refunded on a manual process," replied one. "[Steam support] said to me if I open another ticket about this they will close it without reading," added this unhappy player who had failed to convince Steam of a refund despite several attempts.

The most successful requests seem to be via human checks, so players are still suggesting that those looking for a refund check the box to "request a refund," but instead contact Steam via the "I have a question about this product" box. That way, your request will be routed to a member of customer support, and not an automated service.

19,576 backers pledged $3,271,809 on Kickstarter to help make Ashes of Creation a reality, the most ever raised on the platform for an MMO. Refunds via Kickstarter seem unlikely given the game launched in Early Access form.

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

This article contains spoilers for the Fallout Season 2 finale, “The Strip.”

After eight episodes of post-apocalypse insanity and plenty of irradiated creatures, Fallout wrapped up Season 2 with the season finale, “The Strip,” this week. Given that multiple characters are left with their fates in the air, not to mention multiple wars either in progress or brewing, it’s going to be a long wait to see how Season 3 of the Prime Video series deals with the…what’s the word? Oh, right: Fallout.

While we wait, we’re going to attempt to answer some of your biggest burning questions about the finale and what might come next. We’re being a little vague on that front, because despite taking place in the same continuity as Bethesda’s video games, it’s clear the TV show is forging its own path and adding a bunch of details to the overall tapestry of the world Vault-Tec helped create.

To give the broadest overview of how things wrapped up, the main conflict of the season was arguably whether Lucy (Ella Purnell) would be corrupted by the Wasteland or end up “okey dokey” at the end of the day. It’s clear she’s been changed by her journey with the Ghoul (Walton Goggins) to New Vegas, but as Lucy exasperatedly explains to the severed head of Representative Diane Welch (Martha Kelly) midway through the finale, “Why does everyone always want me to kill them all the time?”

This is a problem that Lucy runs into multiple times in the finale – first, with the head of Welch, who Lucy’s dad, Hank MacLean (Kyle MacLachlan), is using to give his brainwashed drones a little character beyond blank amnesiac slates, and then later with Hank himself. After the Season 1 finale, Lucy headed off to confront her father; here she’s given the opportunity to have some resolution, only for it to be ripped away from her. Because of that, it’s a little confusing as to where the show lands with Lucy’s arc. Rather than a definitive statement, she bashes Welch’s head with a crowbar, presumably killing her (we don’t get to see what happens, so maybe her head will be back in Season 3). With Hank, Lucy is given a gun by the Ghoul, but decides instead that she’s going to brainwash Hank using miniaturized tech he developed, thus getting the father she always wanted. But that doesn’t happen either, as Hank brainwashes himself.

As we leave Lucy, her arc seems to have gone from not wanting to kill anyone in the Season 2 premiere to killing people sometimes in the Season 2 finale. One could argue that sort of flippant attitude is part of the cheeky nature of both the video games and the show. Certainly, Maximus (Aaron Moten) backs that up while he and Lucy stand hand in hand, watching Caesar’s (uh, it’s pronounced “kai-czar”) Legion march into New Vegas. Lucy thinks she could have prevented the upcoming war – the New California Republic, sworn enemies of the Legion, are currently in residence – and it’s all her fault. “Yeah, well. Welcome to the Wasteland,” Maximus says. But is that dramatically satisfying? No? It’s not?

Speaking of Maximus, he also has his heroic moment interrupted. After killing multiple Deathclaws and getting some backup from the now one-armed Thaddeus (Johnny Pemberton), he doesn’t manage to rally the people of New Vegas, and he doesn’t even get to kill the last Deathclaw or die in glory, despite getting a cool hero moment holding a roulette wheel as a shield and a pool cue as a sword. Instead, the NCR storms in and handles it for him; like Lucy, he’s character arc-us interruptus.

The Ghoul is the only one who gets any sort of closure. For two seasons, he’s been wondering if his family is dead and thinking he’s not worthy of meeting them. Thanks to a computerized version of Robert House (Justin Theroux) on a Pip-Boy, he finally finds their cryo-pods…but they’re empty. Empty, that is, except for a postcard to Colorado in his wife Barb’s (Frances Turner) pod with the handwritten note, “Colorado was a good idea.” So now he knows for sure that his wife and daughter are alive, and where to find them, even if Colorado is a pretty big place to be traveling on foot. Of our main trio, though, the Ghoul reaches an emotional turning point while Lucy and Maximus are just sort of bummed out.

There’s lots more that goes down in the finale, as the show continues to juggle way too many storylines. Steph Harper (Annabel O'Hagan) responds to the Vaulties wanting to kill her for being a 200-year-old Canadian by activating Phase Two of the Enclave’s plan; Norm (Moisés Arias) survives a radroach attack and heads back out into the Wasteland; Hank, as we mentioned, is left brainwashed on the steps of the casino; and Macauley Culkin is no longer home alone, having named himself Caesar of the Legion.

But wait, there’s more, including an end credits scene that reveals what the Brotherhood of Steel is up to, which is a civil war and building an enormous, unstoppable robot called Liberty Prime Alpha. And that’s not even bringing up all the dangling plotlines and burning questions left over from the rest of the season…so how about we get into a few of those now?

Is Stephanie Really Norm and Lucy’s Mom?

We haven’t really touched on the flashback sections set in 2077 yet. As we discover, Steph has been working as a maid at the Lucky 38 Casino, and we see her and a hideously digitally de-aged Hank giddily telling Cooper (the pre-Ghoul version of Goggins’ character) and Barb Howard that they got married. Then, in 2296, when Steph calls The Enclave on her evil black Pip-Boy, she explicitly introduces herself as Hank MacLean’s wife, despite her currently wearing a wedding dress and matching white eyepatch from her aborted wedding to Chet (Dave Register).

One would think this indicates that Steph is Norm and Lucy’s mom, right? Well, no. There might be more to come here, but it’s important to remember that the apocalypse happens later in 2077, meaning Steph and Hank have only been married for a short time when they’re put in cryostasis. Hank was unfrozen in 2268, met a woman named Rose (Elle Vertes), fell in love and married her despite still being married to Steph. Rose is the mother of Lucy and Norm, and Steph didn’t wake up until after that.

As far as we know from the TV show, nobody else knows that Hank and Steph were married apart from Cooper and Barb. It’s possible the marriage was annulled immediately, or more reasonably, there’s just nobody awake in the vaults who is aware of their relationship. As we’ve seen, Steph holds secrets pretty close to her vest, and so does Hank.

What Did Barb Know and When Did She Know it?

Right after Hank and Steph announced their marriage, Cooper was arrested by the House Un-American Activities Committee, taking the fall for stealing the diode from Hank and giving it to the President of the United States (Clancy Brown). So what happened between then and when the bombs dropped, as seen in the first episode of the series? If you’ll recall, Cooper was performing at a party, his daughter Janey (Teagan Meredith) was there, and they escaped the bombs on horseback.

This is one we don’t have a good answer to, but how Cooper got out of jail, why he was with Janey and not Barb, how Barb and Janey ended up in a cryostasis without Cooper – heck, even how Cooper became the Ghoul – are all questions for the future. However, for the purposes of this episode, the one aspect of this mystery we can probably answer is how Barb knew to leave a postcard for Cooper to send him to Colorado, and the answer is likely faith. We may get another explanation later, but the simplest explanation is she had to believe if Cooper was alive, he would come find them. So she left him a clue – simple as that.

What Happened to Ron Perlman’s Super Mutant?

Of all the weirdly dropped storylines in the season, the biggest is probably the appearance and disappearance of Ron Perlman’s nameless super mutant. There were a lot of hints with Norm’s storyline referencing the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV) that creates super mutants, and even Perlman’s speech about how a war is coming and the Ghoul needed to choose sides. But that was it – for him, the mutants, and the FEV. It all ties into the Enclave, the big bad of the series, but there really was no payoff on this one. Maybe that’s down to Perlman’s schedule, or maybe they’re just holding back on it until the Enclave is more involved in Season 3. Either way, we need to see this super mutant of anarchy do his thing!

What Is Phase Two?

Speaking of the Enclave, what is this Phase Two that Steph has set in motion? We see shots of the Enclave Research Facility, and they’ve clearly been keeping tabs on the MacLean family, but we don’t really get a hint as to what, exactly, Phase Two is all about. Actually, now that we’re talking about it: What was Phase One? Hank gives some hints about that – it turns out he’s been working for the Enclave, not Vault-Tec – including that his miniaturized control units are for the Enclave and that “The surface is the experiment, not the Vaults.”

This could indicate any number of things, but perhaps Phase One is about control, and Phase Two is about subjugation. Now that the Enclave has Hank’s missionaries everywhere out in the field with virtually undetectable brainwashing tech inside them, the Enclave can work to control the lawlessness of the Wasteland through influence. Then, Phase Two (i.e., probably the FEV) would give them controllable, massive soldiers that nobody can stand against. The Enclave is a fascist group, and perhaps when the Deathclaws turned out to be less-than-controllable, they’re moving on to something else. Whatever it is, we’ll hopefully know more next season.

Is Woody Really Dead?

Look, everyone loves actor Zach Cherry, so it was a shocking moment when Chet discovered Woody’s glasses and assumed he was dead. While it may simply be that Cherry is a busy guy and had to go film Severance or something, the general rule of thumb is “bodies or it didn’t happen.” The assumption now is that Woody is dead, but it’s more likely – and much funnier – if Steph is turning him into a super mutant somewhere else in the Vaults. Here’s hoping, because we really need to see Woody do a flip before this is all over (that’s a Spider-Man reference, look it up).

Are The Deathclaws Dead?

By the season finale’s end, the NCR has killed the last Deathclaw in New Vegas…so that’s it for Deathclaws, right? Not necessarily. Remember, they were the “demon in the snow,” and there’s not a ton of snow in Las Vegas. We first saw one up north, so it likely means they’re all over the place; after all, they’re too good a monster not to bring them back in some fashion.

What Did House Know and When Did He Know it?

When we leave Computerized Robert House, he’s seemingly stuck inside the Pip-Boy that the Ghoul left near Barb and Janey’s vacated cryo-pods. He’s found a way to pop back into the large computer in his office, however, despite the signal being lost. We aren’t done with him yet; after all, the House always wins.

There is an open question as to whether he knew Janey and Barb weren’t there, and the answer is “probably,” but he likely didn’t know about the Colorado postcard. As for what his endgame is at this point, that’s TBD, but he sure seems to be pissed about the Enclave. Will he team up with Lucy and Maximus in Season 3? Or given he has possession of the cold fusion diode, will House shack up with one of the many factions vying for control of the Wasteland?

NCR vs. The Legion: Whoever Wins, We Lose?

The Legion is headed for New Vegas while the NCR is stationed there; the latter is definitely positioned as our heroes, while the former are the baddies. But Fallout is never as simple as that, and it’s likely that the ambivalent residents of New Vegas will pay the price. The bigger question is what, if anything, the Brotherhood of Steel might have to do with this, and the answer to that is probably dealing with bigger problems.

As we saw in the end credits scene, the faction of the Brotherhood led by Quintus (Michael Cristofer) is under attack. We don’t see by who, but it’s strongly implied that it’s other Brotherhood factions, given they tried to start a rebellion, and Maximus killed Paladin Xander Harkness (Kumail Nanjiani), wrecking the whole thing; whoops. Meanwhile, Quintus has blueprints for a devastating robot called Liberty Prime Alpha, a riff on Liberty Prime Mark II seen in the Fallout games. If the robot can wreck the other Brotherhoods, will Quintus use it to bring his form of order to the rest of the Wasteland as well? And if so, are the NCR and Legion next?

Will Hank Return in Season 3?

Despite getting brainwashed, it would be silly not to bring Kyle MacLachlan back for Season 3. At the very least, there’s more to tell about his backstory with Steph and the Enclave. We’ll definitely get more – shudder – digitally de-aged Hank, if not Hank in the present, though he likely has a part to play as a fresh-brained newborn as well.

Is The Ghoul Off On His Own?

The heart of the show has been the relationship between Lucy and the Ghoul, and it looks like we’re losing that in Season 3, as our favorite noseless killer heads off to Colorado in search of his family, alongside his faithful dog (who he probably grabbed on the way out of New Vegas). There’s lots to do in Colorado – new factions, new enemies, maybe even a secret Vault – but the Ghoul likely won’t have Lucy by his side to provide a moral counterpoint. Perhaps that was the purpose of him giving her the gun and leaving the choice to kill Hank up to her; their journey together is finished.

That said, in an interview with IGN, co-showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet teased that things may not go the way you think. “We want to remind viewers that just because the Ghoul is heading to Colorado, of course this is the Wasteland where you always get sidetracked by bullshit every goddamn time. So how long will it take him to get there, or will he get there in the first episode of the next season? We will have to wait to find out. It may not be as linear a journey as one would hope.”

Short answer? Until the Ghoul finds his family, he’ll probably be off on his own little show for the time being. Whether that brings him back to Lucy and company to get there the long way around? TBD.

What Will Season 3 Be About?

Fallout was picked up for Season 3 way back in May 2025, so we know it’s more than likely happening (with the requisite caveat of “the streaming business changes rapidly”). So what will it be about? Unless they continue to slow burn this (please don’t), the Enclave should be front and center as the main villain of the season. We’ll also likely see a war between the NCR and the Legion, as well as a civil war with the Brotherhood of Steel.

And what’s happening back at the Vaults? Are they necessary anymore? Steph is about to be killed, Norm is outside, and though they are very fun to spend time in given the multiple balls in the air on the surface, seeing what’s going on below seems less and less important as time goes on. So will we put them behind us for good?

Furthermore, what about the central emotional conflict? As we noted before, this season was all about whether Lucy should kill or not, ending on a resounding “idk maybe sometimes?” So what is her arc in Season 3, particularly now that she’s reunited with Maximus? Will this be “how to date in a time of apocalypse,” or is this about Lucy growing up and finding herself as a leader in a world that has plenty of them…but none who are looking out for other people?

We’ll have to wait at least a couple of years until Season 3 premieres to find out. Okey dokey?

Switch 2 owners, if there's one upgrade you'll absolutely need, it's additional storage. The Switch 2 only has 256GB of onboard storage, and chances are you'll run out of space down the road. Fortunately, Amazon just lowered the price of the 512GB Samsung P9 MicroSD Express card, which will triple your available storage, to just $79.99. This is currently the least expensive 512GB MicroSD Express card we can find right now. We reviewed this model and highly recommend it.

512GB Samsung P9 MicroSD Express Memory Card for $79.99

Nintendo Switch 2 compatible

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre finally has more gas in the tank, as A24 has started working on a TV series and movie based on the iconic horror franchise.

The company behind Marty Supreme and Euphoria is said to have kick-started a fresh run of projects set in one of horror’s most brutal universes after acquiring the rights through a tense bidding war (via The Hollywood Reporter). Expect to see the TV series take form first, though plot details, release dates, and casting information for both projects remain under wraps for now.

Although much of its creative team is still coming together, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre show has found help in Top Gun: Maverick’s Glen Powell and The Long Walk writer JT Mollner. The former is definitely best known for his work as an actor but will only serve as an executive producer on the series via his Barnstorm banner, with Mollner attached as a director.

“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is one of my favorite films,” Powell said in a statement. “It defined a generation of horror films and over half a century after its release, it remains one of the definitive movies of my home state. I’m honored to have Barnstorm help bring in a new chapter for such an iconic title and franchise. With a marquee home in A24 and visionary filmmaker with JT Mollner, alongside our top shelf producing partners, I couldn’t have dreamed of a better team for such a dream property.”

Powell and Mollner will be joined by executive producers Roy Lee and Steven Schneider for Spooky Pictures, Stuart Manashil, Ben Ross, and Barnstorm's Dan Cohen. Exurbia Films’ Ian Henkel and Pat Cassidy are involved as producers, with original Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie co-writer Kim Henkel also on board as an executive producer.

“I’ve said publicly that I’m not interested in remaking perfect films, and the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a perfect film,” Mollner added. “[Director and co-writer] Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel created something bold, transgressive, and truly seminal that holds up even today as the gold standard for horror. When the opportunity for a long form exploration into this world arose, I saw it as a fresh way in, as well as a way to honor the existing folklore. I can’t imagine better partners for this approach than A24. This is truly an honor.”

Most of the same crew is in the beginning stages of revving up the latest Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie installment with A24. Mollner is sticking to the series, though, and will not be involved in whatever the new film ends up being.

Leatherface and the rest of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre family have been quiet in recent years. The original film made headlines upon its release in 1974 due to its relentless and brutal horror, quickly establishing it as one of the more unique entries in the genre ever. What followed were decades of sequels, reboots, and spinoffs, with the most recent being Netflix’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie in 2022.

Although the franchise’s chainsaw-wielding behemoth has come to video games in the past, the series has never made a proper jump to television. While we wait to see what an episodic Leatherface story looks like, you can check out our 5/10 review of the 2022 reboot.

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).