Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is estimated to have made a staggering half a billion dollars in less than three months, the same amount popular culture hit Pokémon Go made in just 22 days fewer.
PocketGamer.biz cited figures from AppMagic that estimated the digital card game hit $500 million on February 4, meaning just 97 days after it launched. It's now just the second Pokémon mobile game to hit that number, behind only the aforementioned Pokémon Go.
The release of the Space Time Smackdown expansion saw daily sales skyrocket to more than $10 million for the first time, with the two days it was available in January accounting for 22% of the entire month's revenue.
Space Time Smackdown, at 207 cards, was the first full expansion for Pokémon TCG Pocket, which launched with its debut, 286 card Genetic Apex set in October before releasing a smaller, 86 card set called Mythical Island in December. Developer Creatures Inc. plans to continue releasing sets in this manner, with a large one and a small one in interchanging months.
The game follows the standard mobile and free to play game model, flooding players with rewards in the opening few days before soon drying up, with spending real world money the only real way to re-experience that early thrill.
Creatures Inc. today gifted players 1,000 Trade Tokens — enough for just two significant trades — as it continues to investigate ways to fix the controversial mechanic, though fans are still frustrated at the lack of communication and false promises.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Series developer World’s Edge revealed PlayStation versions of its strategy hits in a blog post on its website, laying out plans to enter new territory with release date information. It means console ports for the classic Xbox Game Studios titles, which will feature content parity and crossplay across all platforms, are just around the corner.
“Playing across all platforms is a game-changer for our franchise, and it’s all about bringing our community together,” World’s Edge explained in its post. “This isn’t just about convenience — it’s about growing and strengthening the Age community. With crossplay, we’re creating one global battlefield where every strategy, every empire, and every player matters.”
Age of Mythology: Retold kicks things off for PS5 players on March 4, 2025. Launching alongside the Immortal Pillars expansion, fans on PlayStation will also have the option to purchase the Premium Edition for five-day early access starting February 27. Those who pre-order their copy will also enjoy two exclusive Blessings for the Arena of the Gods mode.
Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition is slated to follow at an unspecified point in the spring. Its release will also coincide with a new expansion, and although World’s Edge is keeping its lips sealed about what exactly it has in store, it teases that players can look forward to new civilizations for Ranked play. It also shared two screenshots related to its upcoming content plans which you can see below.
All future Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition and Age of Mythology: Retold updates will become available for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms simultaneously, Microsoft added. According to World’s Edge, the franchise has reached 60 million players globally.
It’s unclear if other entries in the series will come to PlayStation, but there is at least more content on the way for fans of other Age of Empires games. Age of Empires 4 is set to receive two DLCs in 2025, with one showing up in the form of the Knights of Cross and Rose this spring. Age of Empires Mobile, meanwhile, will receive new features and events this month, including the new Battle of Dawn campaign, Stellar Glory event, Valentine’s Day cosmetics, and more.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).
Warhorse Studios' medieval Europe action RPG sequel launched on February 4 across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, and soon shot to the upper echelons of Steam’s most-played games list.
On Valve’s platform, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 hit a peak of 159,351 concurrents, a number that will surely grow as it heads into its first weekend on sale. For context, the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance hit a peak Steam concurrent player count of 96,069 seven years ago.
It’s worth noting that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s actual peak concurrent player count will be bigger, given the game launched on console as well as PC. However, neither Sony nor Microsoft make player numbers public.
In a tweet, Warhorse called Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 “a triumph,” suggesting it’s done the business for the Czech video game developer and its owner, Embracer subsidiary Plaion.
The question now is how big can Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 get? It’s currently the top-selling game on Steam by revenue, globally, ahead of the likes of Counter-Strike 2, Civilization 7, and Monster Hunter: Wilds, which suggests it will have legs for some time.
IGN’s Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review returned a 9/10. We said: “Armed with excellent melee combat and an exceptional story, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one part sequel and one part coronation, bringing a lot of the original's ideas to fruition.”
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
For those who have been hoping to pick up Ubisoft's latest release set in a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars Outlaws for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X has dropped to $40 at Amazon. This deal marks a discount of over 40% from its list price of $69.99, making it well worth jumping on before the price goes back up. And this deal may not stick around for long, either, as Amazon has the Xbox Series X version listed as a limited time deal at the moment, so you'll want to act fast to secure it at this price.
Star Wars Outlaws Is Discounted to $40 at Amazon
We found a lot to love in Star Wars Outlaws upon release. In our review, IGN's Tristan Ogilvie said, "As far as Star Wars video games go, we’ve taken countless turns at twirling lightsabers and unleashing flashy Force powers, but Star Wars Outlaws swaggers into the cantina, slinks down into a booth with its holster clip unbuttoned, and argues that those are no match for a good blaster at your side."
If you're looking for even more video game deals, it's worth having a look at our roundups of the best Xbox deals, the best PlayStation deals, and the best Nintendo Switch deals. In each of these we've highlighted game deals for each platform that have stood out to us recently, alongside discounts on hardware and accessories.
If you'd prefer to have an overall look at the best deals available for each console, alongside some of the best PC gaming deals at the moment, check out our breakdown of the best video game deals. Our Daily Deals roundup is another great place to look for the best video game deals available at the moment across each platform.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
If you've been playing on your PlayStation 5, or even recently upgraded to the new PS5 Pro, it's worth making sure you have a solid display to play it on. One of the best PS5 accessories you can grab is a capable TV that unlocks the Sony console's full potential. So, to help in your search, we've done the heavy lifting of hands-on testing and research, narrowing your selection down to eight of the best TVs for gaming on the PS5.
TL;DR - These Are the Best TVs for PS5:
The PlayStation 5 is capable of gaming at 120Hz in 4K and supports features like VRR and ALLM for crisp, buttery smooth graphics and fluid motion in even the most fast-paced games like Gran Turismo 7 or Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Grabbing a 4K TV that can keep up is an absolute must to ensure the action remains smooth while taking full advantage of all that the PS5 can do.
Our favorite TV for the job is the LG C4 OLED Evo, but we’ve found seven other stunning TVs rocking all the gaming features you could want while delivering vibrant colors, deep blacks, and bright highlights that will bring every scene in the best PS5 games to life. Whether you’re after the top-tier HDR performance of the Samsung QN85D for extra depth and immersion, or something a little more affordable but still keeps up with all the action, like the Hisense U7N Series, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at our favorite TVs for PS5 below:
1. LG 65" C4 OLED Evo
Best TV for PS5 and PS5 Pro
The LG C4 OLED Evo features a 4K display that's even brighter and more vibrant than last year's stunning model. A high contrast rate ensures highlights pop and deep blacks while colors are well-balanced and accurate. We just wish Micro Lens Array (MLA) technology was used in the OLED panel to boost brightness further. But even without it, the HDR modes shine on this TV, delivering a more realistic picture whether you’re watching movies or gaming on the PS5.
If you want to make the most of PS5 games, from Alan Wake II to Returnal, the LG C4 OLED Evo delivers. It features four HMDI 2.1 ports, so beyond your Sony console, it’s ready to juggle other next-gen consoles and a gaming PC. When the PS5 is slotted in, you can take advantage of the screen’s silky smooth 120Hz refresh rate, ALLM, and VRR where supported, which is handy for high-intensity shooters. It’ll even push 144Hz with gaming PCs. The low input lag means almost no delay between the press of your PS5 controller and the action on screen. The impressively fast response time also keeps motion blur to a minimum.
Although we haven't had the chance to test the lastest TV in the C-series line, we did review the LG C2 and it's been our favorite gaming TV brand for years now. The LG C4 is only an improvement over the previous generations.
2. Sony 65" Bravia X90L
Best LED TV for PS5
The Sony 65" Bravia X90L is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to elevate their PS5 gaming experience. With its cutting-edge Cognitive Processor XR, this TV delivers a truly lifelike picture that brings your games to life. You’ll get incredibly detailed blacks, vibrant natural colors, and dynamic contrast that mirrors how we see the real world. Whether you’re diving into an open-world adventure or racing through a high-speed track, the picture quality feels immersive and real.
While the X90L does sport an LED panel rather than an OLED panel, the LED backlight technology paired with XR Triluminos Pro results in higher contrast and brightness, offering a more detailed and vibrant picture, with brighter highlights and richer dark areas. This is especially important for PS5 games that support 4K at 120Hz, where the sharpness and smoothness of the visuals make everything feel more cinematic and immersive.
Of course, the X90L Series doesn’t stop at just looking good; it’s also packed with features tailored for gamers. With HDMI 2.1, you get the high-performance gaming perks you’d expect, including support for 4K/120, VRR, and ALLM. On top of that, the TV’s exclusive PS5 features like Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode optimize picture quality specifically for your PS5, ensuring you’re getting the best visuals possible while gaming or streaming.
Beyond gaming, the Sony X90L is a premium smart TV, giving you access to all your favorite streaming apps through Google TV and voice control via Google Assistant. Whether you're gaming, streaming, or watching a movie, this TV has everything you need to enjoy your entertainment. Add in the immersive audio with Dolby Atmos support, and you’ve got a setup that looks and sounds incredible.
3. Sony 65" Class Bravia A95L OLED
Best OLED TV for PS5
Sony decided against revamping the Bravia A95L with their 2024 lineup, but given how absolutely stunning this TV from 2023 is, we can see why. Its OLED panel is a standout among others thanks to quantum dot technology. So, in addition to offering the unbeatable contrast OLEDs are known for, colors and brightness are taken even further for even more clarity and a true-to-life picture. Blacks are rich and deep while highlights pop, allowing you to see details in even the darkest, shadowy scenes of games like Diablo 4 or God of War Ragnarok, especially in HDR.
Unfortunately, we haven't had the chance to review the A95L, but we were able to do somehands-on testing of the Sony A95K and found it to be one of the best OLED TVs on the market at the time. The Sony A95L has made a few improvements. Most notably to brightness, as it’s brighter in both SDR and HDR. So, even in PS5 games that don’t support HDR, the picture will sparkle just a little bit more and reflection handling is still excellent for easy viewing in well-lit spaces.
Of course, given this Sony TV will be paired with a Sony console, it has a few extra features baked in exclusively for the PS5 to make adjusting picture settings even easier. Auto HDR Tone Mapping will optimize HDR settings without lifting a finger and Auto Genre Picture Mode automatically switches picture settings depending on what is being viewed. For example, Game Mode will see lower input lag. And if you want to get into the nitty gritty, the A95L also has a bespoke gaming menu that allows you to stick a crosshair on the screen and tinker with other gaming-focused settings.
Aiding in your PS5 gaming experience are two HDMI 2.1 ports that support a 120Hz refresh rate in 4K, ALLM, and VRR, ensuring smooth visual sailing with minimal screen tearing as you play. We just wish all four HDMIs supported this technology. Also, given this is an OLED TV, motion handling is great, and there’s incredibly low input lag, meaning the press of your controller will reflect the action on the screen nearly instantaneously. And although you can’t take advantage of this on PS5, support for Dobly Vision Gaming is a nice perk.
4. Samsung 65" QN90D Smart QLED
Best Cinematic TV for PS5
With support for VRR, ALLM, and 120Hz, we found in our extensive testing and review of the Samsung QN90D QLED that it provides a worry-free experience when tackling the best games the PlayStation 5 offers. That means screen tearing is kept at bay whether you’re scaling heights, driving race tracks, or fighting foes when your console is ported into one of four HDMI 2.1 ports. Samsung’s solid game bar menu lets you check in-game metrics and easily adjust certain settings. A gaming hub also provides access to cloud gaming services when you want to take a break from PS5.
The Samsung QN90D QLED has the gaming chops; luckily, its picture quality is just as great. Cinematic games like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth look striking thanks to the QLED panel that uses Quantum Mini LEDs to amplify details and contrast perfect blacks against rich hues. Everything looks stunning from almost any angle. HDR only boosts brightness and contrast further for sharper, realistic images. There’s also a new AI processor for better upscaling of content, but the difference it makes to your picture is minimal.
5. Hisense 65" U7N Series ULED
Best Budget TV for PS5
If you want gaming features without breaking the bank, the Hisense U7N, an updated model of the U7K we've reviewed ourselves, is one of the best budget TVs for your PlayStation 5. You won’t get an OLED panel, but its mini LED panel utilizes Quantum Dot technology with tons of local dimming zones to maintain a high level of contrast across the screen. That means a dramatic spell or gloomy dungeon bonfire won’t disrupt the atmosphere of the whole scene. However, there will be some blooming around bright objects and the viewing angles aren’t the best. Luckily, with HDR support, the TV's picture has increased clarity.
Though this TV is often on sale for under $1,000, it’s still chock-full of gaming features that rival higher-end models. You’ll get two HDMI 2.1 ports, which means you can slot your PS5 into one. Support for a 120Hz refresh rate, VRR, and ALLM will keep your graphics ultra-smooth and tear-free. If you’ve got a gaming PC hooked up, it can hit up to 144Hz. An improved game bar also makes it easier to check settings and make adjustments.
6. Samsung 85” Neo QLED 8K QN900D
Best 8K TV for PS5
Want to future-proof your PS5 setup? The Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D is an 8K TV that will be with you for the long haul. Rather than a 4K resolution, this option bumps it up to 8K for four times as many pixels, ensuring an insanely sharp picture. Its QLED panel’s brightness and contrast are next level, while the picture remains crisp and natural no matter what you’re viewing. Of course, 8K content is hard to come by, but this TV has a top-notch AI processor to upscale your 4K content.
Gaming features on the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D won’t disappoint, as it offers 8K/60Hz. The PS5 supports that output, though it’ll be harder to find games that can hit those high frames at such a sharp resolution. It also offers 4K/240Hz. Your console won’t be able to push that frame rate, but some gaming PCs can. Of course, VRR is on TV to help with screen tearing, while a game hub makes for easy setting adjustments and provides access to various cloud gaming services.
7. Samsung 65" Neo QLED 4K QN85D
Best HDR Perfomance on a TV for PS5
The PlayStation 5 supports HDR, so if you want to take advantage of HDR content, you need a TV like the Samsung QN85D. It uses a mini-LED panel ready to deliver a commendable HDR performance thanks to high peak brightness and exceptional contrast. Blacks are truly black and highlights pop even in well-lit rooms. HDR game mode sees more blooming around brighter objects, but it’s still exceptional. Plus, with Auto HDR Remastering, SDR content can be upscaled to HDR similar quality, while an HDR Brightness Optimizer adds more detail to dark scenes.
Given you’ll be slotting your PS5 into the Samsung QN85D to take advantage of Spiderman 2 or Horizon Forbidden West’s HDR support, you’ll be happy to learn the TV also delivers a host of other gaming features, starting with four HDM 2.1 ports sporting 4K/120Hz, VRR, and ALLM for buttery-smooth, tear-free action. With low input lag, the TV is ultra-responsive, and the speedy response times make for top-notch motion handling. Samsung even includes a game bar to display in-game performance metrics and provide easy access to different settings.
8. Sony InZone M9 II
Best TV Alternative for PS5
A TV may be your go-to display when playing on a console, but there’s a case to be made for the best monitor for PS5, the Sony InZone M9 II. The original Sony InZone M9 we reviewed was basically purpose-built for the PS5, with auto HDR tonemapping that worked with the console to dial in the picture. However, it was using a limited LCD panel that, while beautiful for its time, had started to show its age. Luckily, Sony followed it up with the InZone M9 II, a gaming monitor with a much better Full Array LED display that also adopts all the game-changing features of the original monitor.
The InZone M9 II is far less garish than its predecessor, packing a modern rotating stand that all but fades into the background, and it fully rotates, making it easy to place your monitor just where you want it. You can even raise, lower, and tilt the monitor to your heart's content – the InZone M9 II is truly an ergonomic dream.
Just like the original M9, the InZone M9 II is a 4K gaming monitor, but it actually has a faster refresh rate, clocking in at 160Hz. For the PS5, this is a bit of overkill, but it will be capable of running at 120fps in PS5 games that support it. And if you have a gaming PC attached to it, the higher refresh rate means you get even smoother gameplay out of the monitor.
It is a bit more expensive, but with a display as bright and colorful as the Sony InZone M9 II, it's worth paying for the perfect companion to your PS5 or more powerful PS5 Pro.
Upcoming TVs For PS5
At the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show, LG revealed its newest lineup of high-end consumer TVs, the G5 and M5 OLED, that comes with "four stack" OLED panel that claims to up the brightness over the G4/M4 models by 40%. The M5, in particular, also has new wireless capabilities in its Zero Connect Box that can loslessly stream any of your HDMI inputs straight to the TV, which fully supports 144Hz, 4K, and VRR.
How to pick the best TV for PS5
When picking a TV to pair with your PS5, pay close attention to important details that have a greater bearing on gaming, like refresh rate, display type, and inputs.
TV size and screen placement canaffect your experience outside of specs alone, with issues like glare able to thwart your best-laid plans. We’d suggest testing the room’s natural lighting over a full day to avoid running into any problems. With this in mind, our list includes TVs with multiple size options so you can adequately find a match to fit your living space. When switching between sizes while shopping, be sure to recheck the specs to ensure you are happy with the details of the model.
TV for PS5 FAQ
Do I need a specific kind of TV for my PS5?
If your TV has a basic HDMI port, it will work with your PS5 for all intents and purposes. However, a TV’s specs can dictate the visual quality and allow you to access certain features such as VRR and Dolby Vision. For example, if high refresh rate gaming is important to you, your TV will need to have an HDMI 2.1 port and support 120Hz. Because the PS5 can also stand in as a Blu-ray player, you can get the most out of a 4K TV, but this is by no means a requirement.
Do I need a 120Hz refresh rate TV for my PS5?
While you don’t need a TV with 120Hz capabilities to enjoy games on your PS5, the higher refresh rate will allow you to experience a select number of games, such as God of War: Ragnarok, Fortnite, and Destiny 2, with greater fluidity. However, gaming at 120hz is by no means standard on PS5, with many top-flight titles opting for a lower frame rate that delivers a more reliable visual experience.
When do gaming TVs for PS5 go on sale?
In general, the best time to buy a new TV for any reason is on Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day every year. Both of these sales will have discounts on pretty much every brand available, including some of the best overall TVs for PS5 owners. Outside of those two shopping holidays, you can usually find TV discounts in January after new models are released or during various other holiday sales events throughout the year.
THQ Nordic and Bugbear have announced that Wreckfest 2 will be coming to Steam Early Access on March 20th. To celebrate this announcement, the teams have shared a new in-engine trailer that you can find below. According to THQ Nordic, Bugbear has rebuilt its physics simulation engine to take full advantage of modern hardware. As … Continue reading Wreckfest 2 is coming to Steam Early Access on March 20th→
AMD fans, get ready as the red team is about ready to launch its new RDNA4 GPUs. As its CEO, Dr. Lisa Su, said during a recent Q4 2024 earnings call, AMD plans to release the Radeon RX 9070 (and most likely the RX 9070XT too) in early March 2024. As Dr. Lisa Su specifically … Continue reading AMD confirmed that it will launch its RDNA4 GPUs in Early March→
Now here is something really cool. Modder ‘S3ik3n’ has just released a new mod for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth that allows you to explore its world in first-person mode. This mod will allow you to better appreciate the world that the devs have created. Thus, I highly recommend trying it. What’s crucial to note is … Continue reading Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth just got an amazing first-person mod→
Developer Noodle Cat Games has announced Cloudheim, a new multiplayer action-adventure/survival/crafting game due out next year in 2026 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. It boasts a Zelda-like art style and a powerful physics-based combat system.
Noodle Cat hopes that the crafting mixes with the multiplayer and the physics-driven team-based combat and gameplay and lead to memorable gameplay sessions. You can take a look at the announcement trailer above and a bunch of first screenshots in the gallery below.
IGN will have more on Cloudheim as development progresses.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) 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.
The Nintendo Direct will also, hopefully, give us the full Switch 2 launch lineup of games as well as a release date, which is expected to be at some point between June and September 2025. Fingers crossed Nintendo announces the Switch 2 price, which analysts predict will be $400.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Universal has released the debut trailer for Jurassic World Rebirth, offering a good look at what to expect from the hotly anticipated action movie when it comes out in July.
The trailer, below, sets up the Scarlett Johansson-led team, which heads to a remote island that’s home to dinosaurs deemed too dangerous for the original park and, it turns out, is the research facility for the original Jurassic Park.
It doesn’t sound like the best of ideas, but apparently DNA from the eggs of the world’s three most massive dinosaurs will help create a drug that could save countless lives. As you’d expect, things do not go according to plan.
Here’s the official blurb:
Anchored by iconic action superstar Scarlett Johansson, breakthrough talent Jonathan Bailey and two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, this action-packed new chapter sees an intrepid team racing to secure DNA samples from the three most colossal creatures across land, sea and air. Also starring acclaimed international stars Rupert Friend and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, the film is directed by dynamic visualist Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) from a script by original Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp.
Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures within that tropical biosphere hold the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.
Academy Award nominee Johansson plays skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett, contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure genetic material from the world’s three most massive dinosaurs. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized by marauding aquatic dinos, they all find themselves stranded on an island where they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that’s been hidden from the world for decades.
Ali is Duncan Kincaid, Zora’s most trusted team leader; Emmy nominee and Olivier Award winner Jonathan Bailey (Wicked, Bridgerton) plays paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis; Emmy nominee Rupert Friend (Homeland, Obi-Wan Kenobi) appears as Big Pharma representative Martin Krebs and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Lincoln Lawyer, Murder on the Orient Express) plays Reuben Delgado, the father of the shipwrecked civilian family.
The cast includes Luna Blaise (Manifest), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty) and Audrina Miranda (Lopez vs. Lopez) as Reuben’s family. The film also features, as members of Zora and Krebs’ crews, Philippine Velge (Station Eleven), Bechir Sylvain (BMF) and Ed Skrein (Deadpool).
Image credit: Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Marvel has denied using AI to create posters for The Fantastic Four: First Steps after fans spotted one image that includes what appears to be a man with just four fingers.
Marketing for The Fantastic Four: First Steps kicked off this week with a teaser for its debut trailer, as well as a series of posters published to social media.
One of these posters, below, raised eyebrows after fans noticed the man holding the largest Fantastic Four flag on the left appears to be missing a finger.
On top of that, fans have called out various aspects of the poster they believe suggest the use of generative AI in its creation, such as duplicated faces, faces not looking in the correct direction, and odd-sized limbs.
However, a Disney/Marvel spokesperson told IGN that AI was not used in the creation of these posters, which suggests something else is going on.
Let’s start with the four-fingered man. Some suggest his missing finger is hiding neatly behind the flag pole, although based on the size of the fingers, the size of the pole, and the angle the missing finger would need to be set at, that seems improbable. Others have suggested this is simply a poorly put together poster, which is perhaps more a critique of someone’s Photoshop skills than it is of AI.
Disney/Marvel has yet to comment directly on the four-fingered man or explain what happened there, which is leaving a space for rampant speculation. Could the four fingers be a simple mistake in the post-production process? Perhaps the missing finger was in the original image but was erased without Photoshopping the rest of the hand to compensate. And repeating faces might not necessarily be generative AI. Some are suggesting it’s the result of a common copy / paste background actor digital trick.
Either way, the debate around The Fantastic Four: First Steps and generative AI this poster has sparked will surely cause even more scrutiny on subsequent assets for the film. While we wait to find out what’s next, we have plenty on The Fantastic Four: First Steps, including features on Galactus and Doctor Doom.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
MultiVersus will shut down when Season 5 ends in May, but the sweeping changes to combat speed that were introduced in a new update have fans enjoying its gameplay now more than ever — and even sparked a #SaveMultiVersus trend on social media.
The community for the Warner Bros. platform fighting game woke up ready to dive into its fifth and final season when it launched yesterday, February 4, at 9am PT. Developer Player First Games had spelled out plans to shutter the project last week, teasing that the update would include DC’s Aquaman and Looney Toons’ Lola Bunny as its last playable characters. What was poised to be a somber sendoff for MultiVersus actually brought on extensive movement changes across the board, resulting in a much faster-paced experience overall. It’s a fundamental adjustment that players have begged Player First to implement for years, and it arrives just as things are coming to an end.
Players first took notice that combat in Multiversus had been sped up after Player First published a Season 5 Combat Changes Preview video on X/Twitter. For those who have played the free-to-play Warner Bros. fighting game in the past, the differences are impossible to ignore, as characters can be seen chaining together combos and moving across the screen faster than ever before. It’s a substantial shift away from the floaty gameplay fans criticized during the MultiVersus beta test in 2022, and it’s even faster than what was seen when it relaunched in May of last year.
Season 5 update patch notes reveal that the increase in combat speed comes as a result of a reduction to hitpause “across most attacks in the game.” It means stringing together combos will be faster than you remember regardless of who your main is, with a handful of specific characters receiving additional adjustments to their speed, too. Morty, LeBron, Iron Giant, Bugs Bunny, Black Adam, and many more feel especially quick thanks to changes that allow them to fast fall when using certain aerial attacks. Garnet, meanwhile, now has stronger ringout potential on the ground and weaker ringout potential in the air to help level out her impact as an already fast character.
MultiVersus Season 5 turns the nearly one-year-old fighting game into something almost completely different, and those diving in already are finding far more to enjoy than just two new characters. The problem is that this... is it. Just as Player First finds its footing with an update that delivers long-awaited gameplay changes, MultiVersus will completely shut down come May 30. Its demise will bring the end of seasonal content drops as well as its removal from digital storefronts as Warner Bros. Games guts online play from the experience entirely, leaving only offline modes for fans to experiment with.
Now, fans are left feeling shocked and powerless as MultiVersus becomes the experience they’ve always dreamed of just in time for it to completely shut down. X user @PJiggles_ commented on the changes, calling MultiVersus “the most interesting bad game in existence,” referring to its beta rollout, 2024 relaunch, and sudden combat speed increase. Professional Super Smash Bros. player and content creator Jason Zimmerman (a.k.a. Mew2King) replied to a Player First post to ask why movement speed was increased now and not earlier.
…but man, if this was how the relaunch started off we could’ve really had something.
“I know everybody's been playing the blame game when there likely isn't a single individual or even group who deserves the entirety of the blame,” one Reddit user said, “but man, if this was how the relaunch started off we could’ve really had something. (Apex Legends) is probably one of the worst monetization schemes out there but it lasted so long because it nailed the fundamentals at the start.”
It’s painful, especially as players gather not only to mourn the game’s demise but to celebrate such a drastic leap in quality. Reddit user Desperate_Method4032 said the Season 5 update fixed “every issue I had with the game,” explaining that things like touched-up shield animations helped turn MultiVersus into an experience that looks and feels far more polished. Although the gameplay shakeup follows confirmation of shutdown plans, they said the “potential” has them hoping Warner Bros. could reverse course.
“I'm not naïve,” Desperate_Method4032 said. “Just a fan with tons of love for the characters showcased in this game. But is it so wrong to have just LITTLE bit of hope that the game will make a comeback? There's just far too much potential to let things end like this. Not when the game finally feels like it found its footing.”
Sooooo
You announced the game was shutting down but then fixed the thing that made players quit
Unfortunately, while some are expecting the worst and hoping for the best, Player First and Warner Bros. show no sign of backing down from their plan to cease service this summer. MultiVersus game director Tony Huynh took to X earlier this week to share a few closing thoughts while addressing long-unanswered player questions and concerns. Warner Bros. also disabled real-money transactions as of January 31, leaving players unable to purchase content without using previously earned in-game currency. The Season 5 premium battle pass has been made free for all players as one final gift.
MultiVersus will go dark, for good this time, at 9 am PT on May 30. While Warner Bros. has already initiated its shutdown plans, players are finding some joy by creating and sharing memes. It’s a bittersweet moment for the fighting game community as they relish a game that finally lives up to their expectations just before it meets its end.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).
2025 looks like a stacked year for triple-A video games. Not only do we have the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 and its exclusive games to contend with, but we’ve got a long list of big hitters set for later in 2025, such as Borderlands 4, Mafia: The Old Country, and Ghost of Yōtei. And then there’s the inevitable new Call of Duty from Activision, no doubt set for October or November.
But the big one is Rockstar’s guaranteed behemoth Grand Theft Auto 6, which is still down for release in fall 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. Will it be delayed? Parent company Take-Two is so far sticking to the fall 2025 release window, but it’s that uncertainty coupled with all the other huge shooters coming out that means EA’s Battlefield may face a tricky job carving out some space for itself.
EA has the next Battlefield down for its 2026 fiscal year, which means before April 2026. That’s prime GTA 6 territory right there, and maybe even prime Call of Duty and Borderlands 4 territory. So, how much does EA have to consider release dates from competing games when it comes to working out when to launch Battlefield?
A fair bit, EA CEO Andrew Wilson admitted in a recent financial call — and it may even be willing to delay Battlefield if it has to.
“Certainly we exist in a competitive marketplace,” Wilson said in response to a question from an analyst on this exact topic. “I've had the great fortune to be in this company for 25 years and we have done a great job of competing with all of our great franchises over time.
“That being said, we've invested more in this Battlefield than any Battlefield before. We have four studios. We've had a meaningful amount of time. We're looking for this to be the biggest Battlefield we've ever made. And we of course want to make sure that we launch that into a window where we can deliver on the fullness of the promise of what Battlefield can be and grow the community to a level that is commensurate with the size of the game that we're making.
“I do believe that this year might be a nuanced year relative to competition. There may be some things happening in the year that may cause us to think differently about our launch timing. We have an FY 26 launch window that the team is targeting. We believe the game will be great and ready at that time, but if we got close to that timeframe and believed that this wasn't going to be a great window for us, then we would take a look at what an alternate window might be that would give us the appropriate time, energy, and player acquisition opportunity for this Battlefield to be all that it needed to be.”
As it stands, the new Battlefield will be out before April 2026. Let’s say November 2025 (Battlefield 2042 came out November 2021 and Battlefield 5 came out November 2018). What if GTA 6 launches in or around then? Perhaps EA will, in response, push Battlefield back to the first quarter of 2026, still making its fiscal year.
But what if it intends to release Battlefield Q1 2026 already, and then Rockstar announces a GTA 6 delay to Q1 2026? Could EA bring Battlefield forward? Or maybe it would, in that case, push Battlefield out of the fiscal year and into the next. That would be a big decision, but based on Wilson's comments, something EA is prepared for.
You can see why EA, and, we’ve heard, many other third-party publishers are holding their breath as they wait for Rockstar to announce the news the entire industry is hanging on: the GTA 6 release date. Once that’s out in the open, whether it’s for this fall as planned or a delay into 2026, all the other pieces will fall no doubt into place.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket developer Creatures Inc. has gifted players 1,000 Trade Tokens — enough for just two significant trades — as it continues to investigate ways to fix the controversial mechanic.
Players logging in today will find the Trade Tokens in their Gift menu with no message, but Creatures Inc. posted on X/Twitter to thank fans for their feedback and patience. The developer was last week called "hilariously toxic," "predatory," and "downright greedy" after finally introducing trading to the trading card game.
Alongside the standard Pokémon TCG Pocket mechanic that restricts players from opening packs or Wonder Picking or, now, trading too much without spending real world money, the feature was also introduced with these Trade Tokens as an extra restriction. Players criticized the high cost of obtaining these, as they essentially had to delete from their collections five cards before trading one of the same rarity.
It's now been eight days since Creatures Inc. released trading to the incredible backlash, but it did have a heads up that fans weren't impressed when it outlined the feature almost three weeks ago. "Your concerns are seen," it said at the time. "Once this feature becomes available, I'd like to invite everyone to try it and provide feedback."
This made many players believe things would be better than expected, but this wasn't certainly the case. Creatures Inc. eventually responded by admitting "some of the restrictions put in place are preventing players from being able to casually enjoy" trading.
It also promised to alleviate complaints by introducing required items as rewards in upcoming events but has already failed to do so as the Cresselia ex Drop Event released February 3, includes none.
This is also evidenced by the inability to trade cards of 2 Star rarity or higher, as if players could immediately trade for their missing cards, they wouldn't need to spend $10 or $100 or more for a random chance of getting them. It cost one player around $1,500 just to complete the first set, for example, and the third in three months arrived last week.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
As you’d expect, EA is eyeing the Nintendo Switch 2 as a platform for its games. In a recent financial call, CEO Andrew Wilson was asked directly about Nintendo’s next-gen console, and he replied to suggest the company has plans to release many of its games there.
Wilson singled out EA's money-spinning sports franchises, Madden and FC, as potentially finding “real energy” on Nintendo Switch 2, and also pointed to The Sims as a game that could do well on the console.
“Anytime a new console comes into the marketplace that's of a benefit to us, it gives us the ability to access and acquire new players,” Wilson said. “Typically, we've had franchises perform very well on Nintendo platforms. Certainly our expectation is that products like FC and Madden and others might find real energy on the platform as they have done in the past.
“When you think about something like The Sims and the My Sims cozy bundle, which performed well ahead of our expectations, 50% of all players were new to EA. That represents a great opportunity for us.
“So again, nothing in our models at this juncture, but our expectation is that anytime a great new console comes in the marketplace that gives us access to new players and new communities, that we have the IP that will benefit from that.”
While it comes as little surprise to hear the likes of Madden and FC will be released on Nintendo Switch 2, fans will be wondering what version of those games they can expect on the console. Historically, EA has released what it calls “legacy” versions of FIFA on Nintendo Switch, but in recent years it has aimed for feature parity for the rebranded FC franchise. Given the Switch 2 will be a more powerful console than its predecessor, perhaps FC 26, say, will be closer to the FC 26 on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Star Wars Celebration 2025 will feature an official appearance from Sequel Trilogy star Oscar Isaac, sparking rumors of Poe Dameron's return to the galaxy far, far away.
The Sequel Trilogy wrapped up in 2019 with the infamous Star Wars: Episode 9 - The Rise of Skywalker, and Isaac has gone through the motions of sharing his distaste for appearing in Star Wars to being open to a return.
He said in 2020 he would only return to the franchise if he needed "another house or something" but had changed his mind by 2022, telling Variety he had "no real feeling one way or another" and was therefore "open to anything."
Speculation is therefore brewing over a potential return of all three main characters in the Rey film, which will take place roughly 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker as she looks to rebuild the Jedi Order.
Ridley has already expressed her desire for Boyega to return alongside her, and with Poe making up the final part of the Sequel Trilogy's main trio, his return could make sense too. Definitive answers could come at Star Wars Celebration 2025, but fans will otherwise be waiting a while to see what comes together.
As Respawn’s battle royale Apex Legends nears its sixth birthday, EA has said it’s failing to do the business for the company, and outlined plans for what it called Apex Legends 2.0.
Speaking in a financial call on its third quarter results, EA said that Apex Legends net bookings (revenue) were down year-over-year, but performed in-line with the company’s expectations.
During a question and answers session with analysts, EA CEO Andrew Wilson was asked for an update on the performance of Apex Legends, and his response was clear: Apex Legends is a huge game with millions of players, but it’s simply not making enough money for EA.
“Apex is probably one of the great new launches in our industry over the last decade and has been loved by that core cohort and we've had over 200 million people play the game,” Wilson began. “However, the trajectory of the business of that franchise has not been headed in the direction that we have wanted for some time. We have been trying, tuning, and testing many things in the context of the ongoing support of the community.
“As we think about Apex today, I really think about the development happening across three core vectors. The first is how do we continue to support this incredible community that plays the game day-in and day-out, which numbers tens of millions of people, and that's both quality-of-life, anti-cheat, and all of the things that make the core experience great as well as the creation of new content for that community.
“And we continue to try and test and develop more and great content for that community. And I would say we have seen some progress in that, but probably not as much as we would have liked.”
So, what’s EA going to do to turn Apex Legends around in financial terms? Wilson said it’s working on a major update to the game, what he called Apex Legends 2.0, that sounds designed to reinvigorate the franchise, bring more people into the game, and, yes, make more money.
However, Wilson said he doesn’t want to release Apex Legends 2.0 on top of the next Battlefield, which is due out before April 2026. It’ll come out after that, so, probably, at some point during EA’s 2027 fiscal year ending March 2027.
“We do believe there will be a time where we need to do a more meaningful update of Apex as a broad game experience, and the team is diligently working on that,” Wilson said. “You should imagine we probably wouldn't drop that on top of a Battlefield launch. And so from a timing standpoint, our thinking right now is that that would exist post-Battlefield.
“And then on a longer-term time horizon, again, these franchises that exist at this level and have this much fan love don't come along all that often. What I think we've demonstrated as a company is an ability to build franchises that last 10, 20, 30 years and growing.
“Our expectation is that Apex will also be one of those franchises and that sometime on a longer-term time horizon, there will be an even bigger, more meaningful update to that broader game experience, an Apex 2.0, if you will. This will not be the final incarnation of Apex.
“So the team remains incredibly committed. We continue to invest behind the core community who continues to play, that numbers in the tens of millions of players. We do believe that there should be a more major update that will probably happen after a Battlefield launch just in terms of timing, and the team is diligently working through what that would be.
“And then longer-term, our expectation is that we'll continue to expand what this franchise is and how we support a core community of highly competitive players and new communities that want to come and experience all the greatness that Apex has to offer.”
Apex Legends 2.0 sounds a bit like what Activision tried with Call of Duty battle royale Warzone, which rebooted somewhat with a 2.0 version in 2022. The jury is still out on whether that was the right move, with fans of the free-to-play shooter often reminiscing about Warzone as it was in the first two years of its life. The situation with Apex Legends is different, of course, but EA will be mindful of how its competitors in the battle royale market have fared as they work to grow its player base.
Speaking of which, Apex Legends remains one of the top-played games on Steam via concurrent player count (Microsoft and Sony do not make player numbers public). However, it is well past its peak on Valve’s platform, and is on a trajectory to hit record lows.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Connexion
