The Stop Killing Games initiative has reached the crucial 1 million signatures milestone in its quest to preserve video games for decades to come, but its fight isn’t over yet.
The self-described consumer movement soared past the goal yesterday, July 3, cementing its status as an impressive petition in gaming history and a movement that has plenty of gas left in the tank. It’s all in the name of protecting the video games players love – and even the ones they don’t – as the industry steadily marches toward a digital future.
Social media feeds have since filled with reactions from supporters praising an operation that could help save multiplayer and single-player games for future generations. While gamers take to the internet to celebrate, spokesperson and organizer Ross Scott says reaching 1 million signatures is good news but far from a victory.
“OK, the breaking news: The European Citizens’ Initiative has crossed 1 million signatures – except it hasn’t,” Scott said in a video update uploaded yesterday. “This is going to kill morale, but there are two things going on here. The first we knew was coming. Every time somebody makes a mistake when they sign the Initiative, their signature gets invalidated. So that means we need more signatures to make up for everybody’s mistakes.”
So, yeah, that sucks.
It's an important variable in the equation on the road to 1 million legitimate Stop Killing Games endorsements, and it’s just one flaw to consider. The other involves reports Scott has received regarding fabricated signatures that could be artificially inflating the initiative’s progress.
“First off, I want to say that this is not a Change.org petition,” Scott adds. “This is a government process. Spoofing signatures on it is a crime. Please do not do this. They’ll be checked later by the EU commission, and my guess is the fake ones will get turned over to the Europol or Interpol, and they’ll follow up on this.”
To anyone who made a mistake or isn't sure if they signed the EU initiative already, you can contact the official spokesperson (Daniel Ondruska) and he can direct you on how to reach the EU to sort it out. His contact is on the page under "more info"https://t.co/EpnNTDR85U
To account for what could be a significant number of invalid Stop Killing Games signatures, the initiative has altered its ideal goal to be 1.4 million signatures. At the time of this story’s publication, Stop Killing Games has reached 1.07 million endorsements ahead of its July 31 end date.
“So, yeah, that sucks,” Scott continued. “We’ll just keep plodding away unless we can figure out what the safe numbers are. Sorry this isn’t a big victory celebration. This is just kind of suspenseful and tense instead, and will probably hurt the morale of people signing.”
It means everything from The Crew to Concord could theoretically remain online to enjoy should the initiative amass enough public complaints to see the European Commission pass a law protecting consumer rights. Ideally, players could see live-service and multiplayer titles like BioWare’s Anthem, which was given a shutdown schedule just yesterday, could continue on in some form should a publisher decide to sunset support. Success could also mean single-player games that rely on online components, such as Death Stranding or Dark Souls, could remain intact, too.
WEAK
I know Anthem got panned, but it's another example of one that seems like it had a cool looking world to run around in. I was interested in trying it out and keeping my expectations low. Yet another example of why SKG is so needed.https://t.co/fDsq0ZsP8K
Stop Killing Games wants to save the art that developers pour their hearts into while protecting consumers who prefer to access games they’ve already paid for, and it’s a movement that hundreds of thousands of game players are already supporting. Following its promising launch last year, however, the initiative struggled to maintain the support it needed to push its way through to the eyes that needed to see it.
Stop Killing Games’ chances at a successful campaign became so dire that Scott went as far as to publish a video titled “The end of Stop Killing Games” just last week. In the hour-long explainer piece, Scott listed a lack of exposure as one primary cause behind the lack of support. It was the Hail Mary the initiative needed, though, as prominent YouTubers like Jacksepticeye, penquinz0/Cr1TiKaL, Ludwig, and more were quick to voice their support with their own videos.
All within the weeks since Scott shared his concerns, Stop Killing Games has gained hundreds of thousands of signatures, resulting in a solid chunk of the more than 1 million names attached to the movement today. Success remains uncertain even if Scott is able to reach that magic 1.4 million number, with even more uncertainty lying on the other side of that goal post. Still, as outlined by Scott on the Stop Killing Games website, he feels optimistic about the future of game preservation if the signature goal is met.
"If we can pass the signature threshold," Scott says, "there is a very strong chance that the European Commission will pass new law that will both protect consumer rights to retain video games that customers have purchased and advance preservation efforts massively."
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).
With Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s Siege Mode in full swing, players are soldiering through waves of Thousand Sons and Tyranid forces as they bid to reach the highest level possible. But apart from frustrating connection issues and bugs that prevent progress, some players have a bigger problem: Chaos.
Siege Mode forces players to fight against waves of enemies from Space Marine 2’s two enemy factions: the Thousand Sons traitor legion, and the terrifying bug-like alien menace that is the Tyranids. There is no way to play against one faction only. Tyranid and Chaos waves will come separately.
That’s a problem for some Space Marine 2 players who feel like fighting the Tyranids is a lot more fun than playing against Chaos. A lot of this has to do with the different challenge each faction presents. The Tyranids are a swarm-type enemy type that packs the screen with a mix of smaller foes and much bigger, harder-hitting foes. There’s a bloody minded pleasure that comes from chewing through scores of Tyranid enemies as a Space Marine, sweeping your Power Sword through xenos flesh, parrying a strike that gives you a clean response, and — my personal favorite — punching those Tyranids in the face with my Power Fist.
In contrast, the Thousand Sons present a more measured challenge. You are, after all, going up against fellow Space Marines here and their daemonic forces; they’re supposed to be tough. When those Terminators spawn and spam their missile barrage, playing against Chaos can feel like pulling teeth. The Thousand Sons are less of a 'switch your brain off and cleave through it' proposition, and more of a, 'if Space Marine 2 wanted to be a bit like Elden Ring, it would probably go a little like this.'
The effect is more pronounced the harder the difficulty you play Space Marine 2. At the easier difficulties, Tyranids and Chaos are much of a muchness in terms of challenge. But ramp the difficulty up — which you need to do for certain levels of progression in Space Marine 2 — and Chaos become an absolute bloody nightmare, whereas the Tyranids often still feel manageable.
It’s not as simple as saying 'Tyranids easy, Chaos hard.' The Tyranids as a foe work brilliantly in terms of recreating the faction feel from the lore and the tabletop upon which Space Marine 2 is based. Similarly, the Thousand Sons work as they should, as a traitor legion fueled by warp magic. They’re different because they’re supposed to be.
Still, Space Marine 2 players — and this has been a thing in the PvE Operations mode ever since the game’s record-breaking launch in September last year — often pop online to say they much prefer to fight the Tyranids. Some are even saying they back out of Siege mode whenever they get a Chaos wave.
“Is there a way to play Siege mode with Tyranids only?” asked Think_Fan_5943 recently on the Space Marine subreddit. “I really hate fighting Chaos and being forced to fight them sucks and I usually just drop out when the enemy switches. You can choose Tyranids only missions if you don't like Chaos so why can't we choose which enemy we face in Siege mode?”
No-one expects the developers at Saber Interactive to release a Tyranid-only version of Siege Mode; if they did, perhaps the Chaos version wouldn't have enough players to form a healthy matchmaking pool, such is the preference for the Tyranids. It is what it is, I suppose. But the Tyranids vs Chaos debate in Space Marine 2 does spark fun conversations around the enemy factions we’re expecting to see in the already confirmed Space Marine 3.
What sort of challenge might the Necrons, which everyone expects will turn up, present the Ultramarines? Could a different type of traitor legion pose a more interesting challenge? What if the plague-ridden Death Guard were in the game, and players were forced to contend with skin-melting disease as well as bolter fire? And what if the Orks return after starring in Space Marine 1? Could they become the Tyranid-equivalent enemy faction everyone prefers to fight against?
For now, we’re left with the Tyranids and Chaos, and the ongoing challenge of having to contend with both in Siege mode whether we like it or not. Looking ahead, there’s a lot of exciting content coming to Space Marine 2. While Patch 9 will focus on balance changes only, Patch 10 adds a new Chaos vs Chaos PvP mode, the new Power Axe melee weapon, and the new Techmarine class. Check out all the Space Marine 2 Patch 10 details here.
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.
A real-time strategy take on Resident Evil has been announced for iPhone and Android, developed in "close collaboration with Capcom to ensure authenticity and quality."
Resident Evil Survival Unit is being co-developed by Joycity Corporation, a Korean mobile gaming company that previously made Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War, another licensed real-time strategy spin-off.
A full reveal of Survival Unit will take place next week but, until then, a single piece of artwork released today offers the smallest of clues to the game's setting.
Amid a suitably dark and ominous atmosphere, a vehicle is stopped in the woods next to an advertising billboard for... you guessed it, Umbrella Corporation. The ad shows two happily smiling people, with the tagline: "Our Business is life itself..."
Umbrella existing likely places Resident Evil Survival Unit before the events of Resident Evil 4, by which point the evil organisation has crumbled. Could we be looking at the woods around the Arklay Mountains, near Raccoon City? We can just about glimpse a mountain range in the background, so it's possible.
It's easy to imagine a real-time shooter taking advantage of the events seen in and around the Resident Evil game, where several teams of STARS commandos — characters that fans have now grown to care about — most be poked and prodded into action, while kept alive for as long as you can.
An accompanying press release states that Survival Unit is "designed to appeal to both long-time fans and new players," suggesting we will see some familiar faces or settings here.
And with the main series headed back to Raccoon City in Resident Evil Requiem, and supposedly picking up the storyline of Umbrella, now seems a good time to revisit the setting and events that started it all.
Resident Evil Survival Unit will launch in Japan, South Korea, North America, Europe, and Asia, published by anime company Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony. More details will be confirmed next week via an online showcase, set to broadcast via YouTube on July 10.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
If you're even thinking about picking up a Nintendo Switch 2 later this year, this is the membership deal to jump on. Walmart+ is currently 50% off for July 4th weekend, bringing it down to just $49 for the full year. That’s already good value, but the timing makes it even better.
Walmart’s answer to Prime Day, "Walmart Deals", runs from Tuesday, July 8, at 12 a.m. ET through Sunday, July 13. Walmart+ members get early access starting on Monday, July 7 at 7 p.m. ET, giving them a head start on the biggest discounts and limited stock items.
50% Off 1-Year Walmart+ Membership
That early access really matters. During the last Switch 2 restock, Walmart+ members were given priority through a special access window before consoles were opened up to everyone else. We’re expecting a similar approach for future restocks, and this membership gives you the best chance of actually checking out with a console in your cart.
Not only that, but the incoming Walmart Deals event is set to feature major discounts across gaming, tech, home essentials, and more. If you're planning to take it seriously, this half-price Walmart+ offer is well worth locking in now to get access to the best deals ASAP.
Plus, Walmart+ covers you for the rest of the year, includes plenty of useful perks, and crucially gives you an edge during high-demand drops like Pokémon TCG restocks (such as Black Bolt and White Flare or Destined Rivals), Switch 2 consoles, and more.
With early access to Walmart’s summer sale and a real advantage when Switch 2 restocks happen again, this is the kind of membership that could pay for itself fast.
Walmart+ Basic Membership Perks
If you're a regular Walmart shopper, then the Walmart+ membership is worth $49 even outside of Black Friday. Standard perks like removing the minimum threshold for free shipping or being able to return an item from the comfort of your home are significant everyday perks that shouldn't be overlooked. Some of the best standard benefits include:
Free shipping with no minimum (normally $35+)
Free returns, including free pickup from your house for many items
10 cent discount on select gas stations
Free tire repair and road hazard warranty at Walmart Auto Care Centers
Mobile scan & go checkout at retail locations
Complimentary Paramount+ Subscription
The Walmart+ membership also includes an annual Paramount+ Essential (ad-supported) subscription, which normally costs $60.
Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) is one of the better populated streaming services available, especially since this plan is ad-free. Its extensive library of media has been bolstered with the addition of Showtime in 2023, making it a great service for those who enjoy movies, original shows, live sports, and news.
Popular TV shows include Landman, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Tulsa King, Halo, and Yellowjackets. Movies include Transformers One, Sonic 3, and Gladiator 2. If you're not interested in picking up Walmart+ then Paramount+ is also discounted right now, with its Premium with Showtime Annual Plan down to $0.99/mo for two months right now.
If you're a Dexter fan, then this is the perfect time to sign up. The upcoming Dexter: Resurrection TV series will air its first two episodes on July 11 and the remaining episodes will air weekly thereafter.
Will Walmart Deals Be as Good as Amazon Prime Day?
Although Prime Day started as an Amazon exclusive, Walmart has steadily built up a solid rival event of its own. Amazon still tends to offer a wider spread of deals overall, especially across smaller tech and household items, but Walmart often matches or even undercuts on major products like AirPods, iPads, and gaming consoles, the big-ticket stuff most people are after.
Where Walmart really sets itself apart is with its exclusive brands and partnerships. Just like Amazon always discounts its own devices, Walmart usually offers the best prices on brands tied closely to its own ecosystem.
That includes Vizio TVs, which are expected to hit their lowest prices since Black Friday, and increasingly, Nintendo Switch hardware and games. Amazon still hasn’t fully restocked first-party Nintendo items this year, but Walmart has stepped up with multiple recent drops.
It’s worth comparing prices across Amazon, Walmart, and even Target during these summer sales. Target’s Circle Week will likely feature many similar offers, but if you already have a Walmart+ membership,or grab it while it’s half price, those early access windows could make all the difference when stock is limited.
Amid the video game cancelations and studio closures that have come as a result of Microsoft’s devastating round of layoffs this week is concern about the fate of pretty much every Xbox game without a firm release date.
That’s a lot to take in, but it begs the question: which Xbox Game Studios games remain? And which, if any, were quietly canceled?
In a memo sent to all Microsoft gaming staff and viewed by IGN this week, Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, said Microsoft still has "more than 40 projects in active development, continued momentum on titles shipping this fall, and a strong slate headed into 2026."
Additionally, a source told Variety that every game featured at the Xbox Games Showcase presentation in June is continuing on. So, what were those games, which we now assume are safe — at least for the time being?
Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was at the show, and is certain to come out later this year (despite the layoffs hitting its various developers). inXile game Clockwork Revolution starred at the show, so that’s safe. Obsidian’s Grounded 2 and The Outer Worlds 2 were at the show and we should assume are both safe. It's a similar deal for Double Fine’s Keeper, The Coalition’s Gears of War: Reloaded, Ninja Gaiden 4, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s Order of the Giants DLC. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, and the ROG Xbox Ally, both at the show, will continue too. Despite the cancelation of Everwild, Rare’s Sea of Thieves continues with new updates.
At the end of the showcase, Xbox boss Phil Spencer teased Forza, Fable, Gears of War: E-Day, and a Halo: Combat Evolved remake for 2026. We assume since those games were mentioned, they’re safe, although it’s worth noting that the Forza mentioned by Spencer no doubt relates to the next Forza Horizon game from Playground, which is also making Fable. Turn 10, which makes the more sim-focused Forza games, was hit hard by the layoffs.
So, we know which games Microsoft still intends to release. But, given the events of this week, it’s now impossible to think about other Xbox games in the works without a degree of concern. Everwild and Perfect Dark were conspicuous by their absence at last month's show and both were canceled. What else failed to turn up?
Minecraft — remember Microsoft owns Minecraft! — remains huge and safe as houses, you feel. But what about Contraband from Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios? Where’s Undead Labs’ State of Decay 3? Ninja Theory’s Project Mara? Microsoft has a Hideo Kojima game, OD, on its books. Is that still happening? Toys for Bob, the Crash Bandicoot 4 developer and Call of Duty support studio that left the Xbox-owned Activision in February 2024, signed an agreement with Xbox directly to publish its next game. Is that still alive?
It’s only when you run through what wasn’t at the Xbox Games Showcase last month that you realize what’s at stake here: Microsoft owns a huge number of development studios across the globe, from Bethesda to Blizzard and Activision to Halo. When Xbox suffers significant problems, a huge swathe of the video game industry and its developers do, too.
All eyes are on August's gamescom, where Microsoft is expected to show more of what is has coming down the line. Perhaps Phil Spencer will give fans a clear idea of what’s in the works from Xbox and what isn't as Microsoft's multiplatform push soldiers on. It is still planning to release a next-gen Xbox console, although we don't know when. Is the first-party Xbox handheld Spencer teased last year also still alive? Does Microsoft still plan to release its own gaming app store, despite the failure of Call of Duty Warzone Mobile, Warcraft Rumble, and this week's significant cuts to Candy Crush maker King?
In the short term, at least, the games we saw in June are still on the way. But the long term future of Xbox remains vague indeed.
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.
Releasing alongside a highly anticipated Switch 2 exclusive, the amiibo is now available through the My Nintendo Store UK for £16.99, with orders capped at three per customer.
Like other amiibo, though, a unique dual-character figure doesn’t just look great on your shelf. It also unlocks in-game content for Donkey Kong Bananza. Most notably, this includes the Diva Dress costume for Pauline, which grants the ability to make the appearance of discs after defeating an enemy twice as likely.
But that’s not all. By scanning either the new DK-Pauline amiibo, the Power-Up Bands from Super Nintendo World, or any of the other Donkey Kong series amiibo; solo Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, King K. Rool, etc; gold “KONG” tiles with explosive power will appear. You can hurl these during gameplay to wreak extra havoc in the game’s many environments, and add an extra tactical edge to DK’s new adventure.
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Nintendo also confirmed during its dedicated Donkey Kong Bananza Direct that the game supports every previously released amiibo. Scanning non-DK series figures will instead get you giant material balls, which you can also make DK throw to traverse certain stages.
Preorders on the My Nintendo Store UK include standard delivery for £1.99 or free shipping if your order hits £20 or more. If you were planning on ordering any other DK figures (like those above), or games, like the various bundles for Pokemon Legends: Z-A, you may as preorder one of those now and save yourself a few pounds.
I’ve checked by adding both items to my basket testing the checkout and, even though Pokemon Legends: Z-A is releasing later than the Donkey Kong & Pauline amiibo on October 16 (meaning both will arrive via separate deliveries), shipping will still be free for the entire order.
The amiibo announcement follows a jam-packed Nintendo Direct showcasing Donkey Kong Bananza’s return to 3D platforming. New features include wild Bananza transformations, skill trees, a costume shop, and the creative DK Artist Mode where players sculpt and paint items and characters.
Donkey Kong Bananza drops in just a couple of weeks, and with this amiibo, you’ll be more than ready to swing into action and have a cool figure in your display.
Modder Echox has released a new addon pack that adds 40 new cars to Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced Edition. And, since this is a free car pack, I highly recommend getting it. From what I can see, this pack adds cars like the Ford GT17, Nissan 350Z, BMW M4 CSL, Pagani Huayra R, and … Continue reading This addon pack adds 40 new cars to GTA 5 Enhanced Edition→
Cyberpunk 2077 fans, here is something for you today. Modder Cazanu released the best blood mod for CDPR’s title, and it’s a must for everyone who wants to make the game a bit more gory and brutal. Going into more details, this mod adds cool animated blood pools to the game. The blood spreads out … Continue reading Cyberpunk 2077 Gets a Brutal and Gory Overhaul with This Mod→
Yesterday, Microsoft announced that it’s shutting down The Initiative studio and canceling the game Perfect Dark. A report then surfaced, suggesting that the game’s Xbox Games Showcase 2024 trailer was fake. But that’s not fully true. A former dev said the demo shown was a playable vertical slice. Adam McDonald, a level designer who worked … Continue reading Perfect Dark Remake 2024 Demo Was a Playable Vertical Slice→
In The Sandman’s first season, Lord Morpheus (Tom Sturridge) escaped from 106 years of captivity and immediately got to work rebuilding his realm and reestablishing his place in the grand cosmology of powerful, god-like entities. So what does Morpheus (AKA Dream) do in season 2? He tears it all back down. In the wildly fantastical and wide-ranging six-episode volume 1 of the second and final season, Dream discovers that the only way to atone for past mistakes is to make some devastating choices. Though the story sometimes feels like it’s rushing to the conclusion that’s coming all too soon, the way this show continues to combine the imagination of old fairy tales with stories about deeply broken characters provides a lot to savor.
In season 2, The Sandman develops into a twisted kind of family melodrama as Dream tries to settle some long-standing feuds. In season 1 we met three of the other Endless: the oddly cheery and down-to-earth Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), the perpetually miserable Despair (Donna Preston) and the mischievous, manipulative Desire (Mason Alexander Park). Season 2 begins with a family meeting called by the solemn Destiny (Adrian Lester), attended by the flighty youngest sibling Delirium (Esmé Creed-Miles). Absent, as always, is Destruction (Barry Sloane), who abandoned his realm and responsibilities eons ago. These characters are all very different in personality and purpose, and one of the big sources of tension in The Sandman – to its benefit – is the way these various embodiments of human nature struggle to coexist.
Volume 1 (which is made up of six of the 12 episodes of season 2) is itself roughly divided into two halves. The first operates – quite well – in maximalist mode, as Dream plays host to a room full of angry gods and other mythological beings. After his old nemesis Lucifer (Gwendoline Christie) simultaneously blesses and curses him, the show swings between dark comedy and grotesque horror as a series of strange and often hideous-looking creatures arrive in Dream’s realm to make their offers and show off The Sandman’s impressive special effects. There’s a poignant side to all this bedlam too, given that this whole underworld adventure begins with an attempt by Dream to rescue an ex lover, Nada (Deborah Oyelade), the first of many old acquaintances he has to make apologies to in these episodes.
There’s a poignant side to all this bedlam
This theme continues in the even more emotionally resonant second half of volume 1, as Dream reckons with the ways he has been unintentionally cruel to the people he believed he loves. When Delirium asks him to help her find Destruction, Dream soon realizes that the only way to find his brother may be reconciliation with another family member. This three-episode arc begins as a mystery, but it becomes more of a deep-dive into Dream’s complicated relationships as it progresses.
Amid these larger stories the show’s primary writer, Allan Heinberg, boldly weaves in fragments of some of the better-known short stories from the comics, usually inserting them as flashbacks. (Want to see how and why Dream inspired Shakespeare to create A Midsummer Night’s Dream? That’s here in season 2.) Collectively, the six episodes of volume 1 are about Dream’s most significant unfinished business, accumulated over thousands of years of him coexisting with humans and deities. That’s what gives volume 1 its drive: The women he wronged, the creatures he irritated, the family members he disappointed… all of these mortals and immortals now expect Dream to atone.
All the while, The Sandman is one of the more visually distinctive TV series on Netflix, with what must’ve been a large chunk of its budget going to creating strange-looking beasties and opulent kingdoms. This first half of season 2 includes a lot of scenes set in Dream’s own magnificent, mercurial castle, which its master can change to suit his moods and whims. Here, the screen is filled with spectacle when a host of supernatural beings – including Norse gods, hideous demons, and angels from the literal Heaven – descend on Dream’s home to make their case for becoming Hell’s new rulers. The images are properly overwhelming, immersing us in a place far removed from the mundane.
The images are properly overwhelming, immersing us in a place far removed from the mundane.
The frequent flashback sequences include scenes from the French Revolution and ancient Greece, giving a sense of how long the Endless have been meddling in human affairs. Even more than season 1, season 2’s first half is crammed with incidents, as Heinberg and company introduce all of the relevant characters and history that factor into The Sandman’s ending (which will show up on Netflix later this month). It’s effective, though: Fans of the comics may appreciate getting to see live-action versions of all the oddballs and ogres they remember from the page, while people who only know The Sandman from its first season are getting everything they need to understand the plot.
The way this story is structured is very intentional on the part of the TV series’s creators, who skip about half of creator, executive producer, and accused sexual assailant Neil Gaiman’s comics in order to streamline all of their events into a tighter story that’s focused almost entirely on a simple arc: Dream’s return, Dream’s rebuild, Dream’s regrets, and Dream’s amends. Nevertheless, it is unusual for a show only in its second season to spend so much time setting up a farewell, given that its first only ran for 11 episodes. Given that the graphic novels have plenty of material that the show could’ve adapted into more episodes, it seems like a lot was left on the table.
Sometimes the quickened pace and the abundance of action works well, and sometimes it doesn’t. A point of failure is when The Sandman unreasonably expects us to be deeply invested in some characters – like Nada, or Dream’s chauffeur Wanda (Indya Moore) – who we barely get much of a chance to know. That said, the richness of the world Gaiman created does mean that even the most minor characters – like Destruction’s wryly humorous dog, voiced by Steve Coogan – are uniquely entertaining. Nothing about this show feels bland or generic, so it’s at least making good use of the shortened time it has.
As was the case with season 1, season 2 gets a lot of juice from showing how the Endless aren’t that different from us, lifespans aside. These powerful beings also worry that the world is sliding into chaos and mayhem and feel the need to change with the times, however glacially. Amid all the dazzling fantasy trappings, The Sandman effectively hits its emotional moments, especially when it shows how someone like Dream – a shaper of realities – can feel powerless.
In one of the more touching moments in volume 1, a man who has been alive for over 12,000 years – since the time of the saber-toothed tiger – is killed in a dumb accident. When Death comes to collect him, she’s not that impressed by his longevity. She says he only lived a lifetime, “no more, no less.” The Sandman is at its best in scenes like these, which weave together the supernatural and the everyday, giving all these scattered stories a point. In this case, it’s the fact that whether you’re one of the Endless or an ordinary human mortal, you have to make the best of the time you have.
I’ve always been skeptical of Persona spin-offs. How can you twist such rich games into new shapes while maintaining the intricate details that make the series so beloved? Well, when it comes to the most recent addition to the family, Persona5: The Phantom X, the team at Perfect World appear to have done just that – or, at least, that’s how it seems on the surface. With beautifully animated cutscenes and a goosebump-inducing soundtrack, The Phantom X makes it clear early on that it isn’t keen to shake up the Persona formula. What it does do, however, is infuse that already excellent base with the all too familiar premium currencies of a mobile-focused gacha game. I have a more to play before my final review, but no matter how close it comes to recapturing the magic, there’s already a creeping sensation that this walk down memory lane is going to make way for endless grinding eventually.
Despite being a Persona 5 spin-off, The Phantom X doesn’t centre around Joker and his crew – instead, you’ll be playing as a fresh protagonist, Nagisa Kamisiro (though you can still pick your own name), in an alternate timeline version of that story. A seemingly average student, Kamasiro’s life changes when an adorable owl called Lufel calls on them to fight back against the misery and hopelessness enveloping the world, and to turn the tables against the great despair that clouds the hearts of the public. Unable to refuse, Kamasiro learns to wield their inner Persona and travels to the shadow world to help clear out the collective unconscious, one monster at a time. If you’ve played Persona 5, you’ll quickly notice that The Phantom X is following its formula beat by beat.
To fight off the aforementioned evil, you’ll bounce between beautifully recreated Tokyo neighborhoods and the monster-filled Metaverse, seeking out misbehaving fiends and infiltrating their minds while learning to master the series’ trademark turn-based combat that centers around elemental weaknesses. And because Kamisiro is a teen, you’ll also have to balance studying, part-time work, and home life, too. With all of its obvious derivations, The Phantom X struggles to conjure fresh ideas or immediate excitement in the shadow of a nearly decade-old modus operandi, but it at least manages to successfully clone the Persona formula, and that will be enough for some.
Thankfully, where the gameplay itself feels overfamiliar, the surrounding cast of characters provides enough mystery and warmth to keep things interesting. Alongside Kamisiro, you’ll meet the baseball-loving Motoha Arai, your husband-obsessed neighbour Kayo Tomiyama, and adorable schoolmate Tomoko Noge, to name a few. With energetic voice acting to back up their emotive and often humorous dialogue, it’s clear there’s been an effort to give the NPCs a sense of self, or at least the ones I’ve met so far. It didn’t take me long to forge an emotional attachment to them. Morgana’s anthropomorphic owl counterpart, Lufel, is a particular standout, and I am thoroughly enjoying a running gag about their somewhat archaic vocabulary confusing the school-aged NPCs.
The Phantom X follows Persona 5's formula beat by beat.
You’ll spend most of your days in Kamisiro’s shoes doing time-progressing tasks like studying for school in local cafes, working at the Konbini for cash, and buying groceries that you can use to cook back at your home. I’m still scratching the surface on how integral these side tasks feel in the scope of saving the world, though I’ve been enjoying making shopping lists and gawking at iconic Tokyo landmarks all the same. Particularly, wandering through the bustle of Shibuya Scramble and spotting its famous puppy mascot amongst the beaming electronic signs felt like a wonderful ode to a city I’ve come to love in both real life and games.
Aside from being a typical teen, much of your time in The Phantom X is spent in battle, and your combat expeditions launch from the Metaverse app located on Kamisiro’s phone. You can access these challenges anytime from the overworld, but you’ll need to use a naturally refreshing currency called Stamina to reap the rewards. Focusing on the mainline story missions will help keep you on track in terms of difficulty, though you can also explore a variety of combat challenges as you please to stockpile loot and earn experience, too. This is where the first hints of grinding come into focus but, mercifully, the combat in The Phantom X is very moreish and easy to sink time into.
The Phantom X bases its combat system on Persona 5, meaning it's turn-based with engaging reactive elements. When you roll up on a baddie, you’ll cycle through your party one member at a time, choosing between melee attacks, ranged attacks, and special Persona abilities. Similar to Pokémon, the enemies you’ll face, as well as the Personas you deploy, all have elemental strengths and weaknesses (like fire or ice) that can be exploited for extra damage. It’s a tried-and-tested system with enough diversity in its moveset to keep battles fresh, and even if you are starting to tire of it, the imagination-stoking enemy designs pull a good amount of weight throughout. What makes Persona combat truly unique, though, is the series’ bold interface design and legendary battle themes. I promise, no matter how many times you’ve already heard Persona 5’s Last Surprise, it just doesn’t get old.
Sadly, no amount of vocal flair from singer Lyn Inaizumi can make up for the sizable array of gacha systems and currencies you need to balance in The Phantom X. While there are characters and Personas you can unlock through the story, the quickest way to bolster your team is to engage in the lucky dip Contracts menu. In line with most other Gacha games on the market, you can earn the currencies you need to pull by grinding, or cut to the chase and pop in your credit card details to get an instant boost. I’m still only about 10 hours into my playthrough, and I’ve not hit any obvious roadblocks, but I can see them coming. At my current level, I have enough cash to buy health items, as well as a plethora of unique currencies to upgrade my Personas, weapons and more. Plus, when it comes to actually engaging with the gacha spins, I don’t feel like the boost they provide are hugely necessary to my success yet. Inevitably, this won’t last, though, and I can see cash-shaped hurdles on the horizon.
Outside of the inclusion of premium currencies, perhaps my biggest issue with The Phantom X so far is that it feels more like an uncanny reflection of Persona 5, rather than a unique take on its established lore. Other spin-offs like Persona 5 Tactica or Persona 5 Strikers feel like strong additions to the series that come at it from a completely different angle, whereas The Phantom X is more of a well-executed imitation. It’s not to say that I’m bored, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both its combat and getting to know the characters so far. The first few chapters of its story are well-written, appropriately shocking, and do well to hook you into the world. But The Phantom X’s “do-over” take on the story The Phantom Thieves just isn’t providing a new enough experience to warrant the amount of time (or possibly money) I’ll need to invest to see it through when Persona 5 and its predecessors are readily available and feel far more curated and engaging.
While I’m mostly enjoying my time with Persona5: The Phantom X so far, there’s still so much to explore before delivering my final review, like investigating the depth of the upgrade systems and the long-term impact of premium currencies as you progress. As a fan of the series, it’s hard to look a gift horse in the mouth when it comes to fresh Persona 5-related content. But as of right now, I’m just unsure about how The Phantom X can deviate enough from the core material to compel me to invest in it long term – only time will tell.
Paramount is kicking off its Summer Sale by offering only $0.99 per month for your first two months of Paramount+ Essential or Premium streaming service. I'd definitely suggest going with the Premium tier, which normally costs $12.99 per month, has no ads, and includes all of Showtime. This promotion should be available to both new and previous (currently expired) subscribers, although your mileage may vary depending on how long ago you last signed up.
Paramount+ Premium with Showtime for $0.99/mo
Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) is one of the better populated streaming services available, especially since this plan is ad-free. Its extensive library of media has been bolstered with the addition of Showtime in 2023, making it a great service for those who enjoy movies, original shows, live sports, and news. Popular TV shows include Landman, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Tulsa King, Halo, and Yellowjackets. Movies include Transformers One, Sonic 3, and Gladiator 2.
If you're a Dexter fan, then this is the perfect time to sign up. The upcoming Dexter: Resurrection TV series will air its first two episodes on July 11 and the remaining episodes will air weekly thereafter.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
In March 2025, we informed you about a fan remake of Counter-Strike 1.6 in the Source Engine, CS:Legacy. However, it appears that this fan remake is now running into some legal trouble with Valve. For those who did not know, CS:Legacy is built from the ground up with 100% custom code and game assets. The … Continue reading The fan remake of Counter-Strike 1.6 is encountering legal issues→
Black Bolt and White Flare are out in Japan, and prices are already settling on the most sought-after cards. I've been following the early market closely on TCGPlayer and eBay, and it's clear which cards are leading the packs... get it?
Zekrom and Reshiram are pulling in the highest numbers, while full-art Trainers and EX cards are also climbing fast. For now, here's a look at the most expensive cards from both sets right now, based on what I've found.
Black Bolt: Japan's Most Expensive Cards
I’ve been tracking Black Bolt and White Flare since their Japanese launch, and the early market has already picked its favorites. No surprise, Zekrom ex 174/086 leads the Black Bolt pack at $343.12, and it’s not even close.
The alternate Secret Rare version, Zekrom ex 169/086, is holding strong too at $171.29. Both are big pulls with bold art and high early demand. But it's not just dragons making waves.
N’s Plot 173/086 is already climbing to $97.51, making it the priciest Trainer card in either set. Mid-tier cards like Kyurem ex 168/086 and Serperior ex 167/086 sit in the $50 to $60 range, while Meloetta ex and Genesect ex are slightly lower but still fetching healthy prices for new EXs.
Even the cheaper cards, like Kyurem ex 160/086 at $10.93, or Snivy and Pansage, both hovering around $20, are drawing in early collectors looking to complete those secret rare numbers before the English release.
White Flare: Japan's Most Expensive Cards
Over in White Flare, things look just as competitive. Reshiram ex 174/086 has taken the top spot here, priced at $347.76, basically mirroring Zekrom’s dominance.
The second Reshiram ex, 168/086, isn’t far behind, fluctuating between $159.95 and $181.85.
Then there’s Hilda 173/086, which is shaping up to be the Trainer pull from this set. It’s listed at $110, but already hitting $121.36 on eBay.
Beyond that, we’ve got Hydreigon ex at a solid $57.50, and a few mid-range hitters like Keldeo ex, Jellicent ex, and Whimsicott ex, all sitting around $25 to $30.
Even cards like Oshawott 102/086, Zoroark, and the alternate Hilda 166/086 are seeing interest around the $16 to $24 range.
These sets are just getting started, and the market’s already showing clear lines between casual rares and serious collector targets.
Where to Buy Sealed Boosters (JP)
Japanese Cards are more popular than ever. The challenge is getting hold of them, which is where TCGPlayer comes in. Instead of paying for importers and stores' fees from getting this stuff for retail in Japan to get into your hands, you're paying market value for sealed products.
There's plenty of chase cards in a booster box for Black Bolt and White Flare, specifically one secret rare, full art, hyper rare or alt art alongside 3 art rares. I'm not saying you'll get your money back in card values, but it's fun ripping boosters open. It's the next best option if you're not just buying cards standalone for display.
Black Bolt White Flare Preorders
There's been recent preorder restocks for big box retailers such as Walmart, so we'd recomend keeping an eye on these listings to secure your day one sealed product.
Black Bolt and White Flare sealed products are also on TCGPlayer, although they're all over MSRP which is to be expected on the secondary collectors market right now. My advice? Wait until after release on July 18 to see where to market setles before making any big moves.
This Week's Pokémon TCG Crashers and Climbers
With Black Bolt and White Flare wrapping up the Scarlet & Violet era, all eyes are now on what’s next —and Mega Evolution is officially back.
The Japanese Championships 2025 confirmed MEGA Symphonia and MEGA Brave as the first entries in the new Mega Expansion Packs, launching August 1 in Japan. These sets reintroduce Mega Evolution ex cards in a powerful new form, now Stage 2 Pokémon worth 3 Prize Cards when knocked out.
Cards like Mega Gardevoir ex, Mega Venusaur ex, and Mega Lucario ex are leading the charge, and collectors are already snapping up classic Mega cards in anticipation of their return to the spotlight.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
EA has announced it will shut down BioWare's Anthem on January 12, 2026.
Because Anthem's only content is online, this means the game will be unplayable after that date.
Premium in-game currency will stop being sold today, July 3, though existing balances will still be able to be used until Anthem shuts down. The game will be removed from EA Play on August 15, 2025, but will still be available for download if it's already in your library until it officially shuts down.
Anthem launched in February of 2019 to lukewarm reviews, including our own 6.5/10 which criticized the grindiness, lack of polish and variety, and a mismatched story. The game had sold 5 million copies as of December of 2023, which fell short of EA's target of 6 million copies in the first few months. Though EA continued to update and improve Anthem in the months that followed its launch, in February of 2021, EA ceased active development on the game. The following month, its game director departed the company.
In an FAQ, EA stated that no layoffs occurred at the company as the result of Anthem's sunset. This will come as a relief, given that EA has undergone a number of massive staffing cuts in the last few years that have left staff reeling.
As for BioWare, it's currently fully focused on Mass Effect 5 after the sales failure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Michael Madsen, who starred in Quentin Tarantino movies Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, has died aged 67 from cardiac arrest.
NBC reported that Madsen was found dead at his Malibu home on Thursday morning, according to his manager Ron Smith.
"In the last two years Michael Madsen has been doing some incredible work with independent film including upcoming feature films Resurrection Road, Concessions and Cookbook for Southern Housewives, and was really looking forward to this next chapter in his life," managers Susan Ferris and Ron Smith, and publicist Liz Rodriguez said in a statement.
"Michael was also preparing to release a new book called Tears For My Father: Outlaw Thoughts and Poems, currently being edited. Michael Madsen was one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, who will be missed by many.”
Madsen is best known for his collaborations with celebrated director Quentin Tarantino, first as the demented Mr. Blonde in 1992's Reservoir Dogs (Tarantino's directorial debut), then assassin Budd, the brother of Bill (David Carradine), in the Kill Bill films. He would later star in Tarantino's 2015 western The Hateful Eight and, most recently, 2019's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Rest in peace to Michael Madsen. I'd argue his work in this one scene from Reservoir Dogs birthed Tarantino's whole career. One of the greats. pic.twitter.com/5mYdhSRI9A
Michael Madsen’s creative partnership w/ Quentin Tarantino was a once in a lifetime spark. His work in KILL BILL is phenomenal, layering that down-on-his-luck lout with pathos & sympathetic sadsack grit, building him out into a complex, dimensional character. #RIPMichaelMadsenpic.twitter.com/HU4qCYqVVV
While those movies are considered masterpieces, Madsen also starred in less well-received films, such as 1995's Species and Uwe Boll's universally panned BloodRayne, which he later called "an abomination."
Born in Chicago, Madsen's first notable Hollywood role was in 1983's WarGames. Other films he starred in over the last 40 years include 1991's Thelma & Louise, family movie Free Willy, 1997's Donnie Brasco, 2002 Bond film Die Another Day, Sin City, and Scary Movie 4.
We are very sad to hear of the passing of Michael Madsen, who played NSA Chief Damian Falco in DIE ANOTHER DAY. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/qbC37VUOmx
He also had a number of voice roles in video games, including Toni Cipriani in Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 3, William Carver in Telltale's The Walking Dead, and Daud in Arkane's Dishonored series. In 2023, Madsen starred in co-op first-person shooter Crime Boss: Rockay City.
Photo by Paul Archuleta/WireImage.
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.
IGN can exclusively reveal the first look at the Shonen Jump Store that is set to host an exclusive pop-up shop near the Los Angeles Convention Center during Anime Expo 2025, and it will feature limited-edition merchandise, brand-new product reveals, immersive photo ops, and much more based on Dandadan, Demon Slayer, Naruto, and more.
The Shonen Jump Store will be setting up shop from July 3-5 and, among many other things, will be the only place to get new themed items from Dandadan and Kagurabachi two weeks before their online debut.
Rare items from the JUMP Shop Japan, BIOWORLD's anime apparel (including Hunter x Hunter and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure basketball jerseys), new figures from Bandai's Figuarts line, and returning favorites from Naruto, Kaiju No. 8, and One Piece will also be available.
Funko fans will also be delighted to know that a fresh Dandadan Pops! Funko POP! collection will be unveiled on July 3 and will be available to preview and pre-order at the Shonen Jump Store.
Alongside all of this, photo ops will include Dandadan and Demon Slayer-themed backdrops, UNION ARENA TCG demos featuring BLEACH and Jujutsu Kaisen, and more. Oh, and attendees will even receive a free demo deck and an exclusive card.
If you'd like to visit the Shonen Jump Store during Anime Expo 2025, it will be open from 11am - 7pm daily and is just around the corner from the convention center at 212 West 12th St. in Los Angeles, California. If you are a Shonen Jump member, you'll even receive priority entry via a special VIP line.
Given the current state of the world, it’s only natural that creatives of all stripes should start pondering hypothetical apocalypses. Much like the zombies that tend to inhabit these stories, some artifacts from the last boom a decade or so ago are still clambering along while others – including one currently in theaters – experienced a sudden reanimation. It’s tempting to slot 40 Acres along with the rest of those, but while it does feature a fungal plague and a rural setting, director R.T. Thorne’s debut pivots away from horror and instead into family drama with a tendency towards suspense. The familiar end-of-the-world framework provides much of the expected pleasures of a home-invasion story, but like all good horror or post-apocalyptic films, it’s also got a lot on its mind.
That much is clear from the title, a direct reference to the broken promise of “40 Acres and a Mule” as reparations for American slavery. It also refers to the location where the majority of this movie takes place: a Canadian farm run by the mixed family of Hailey (rising star Daniel Deadwyler) – the latest in a long line of Black farmers emigrating after the Civil War – and her partner Galen (Michael Greyeyes).
Their histories as former soldiers of various stripes emerges in the opening scene, as they and their children execute a defense run against raiders that would put Jake Sully’s family to shame. It’s a close-knit bunch out of necessity: in a future decimated by famines and wars, their ability to grow food has ensured their survival, but it’s also made Hailey an isolationist. Trading is only done at set drops where no one interacts, and her only real contact with the outside world is fellow farmer Augusta (Elizabeth Saunders). As portrayed by Deadwyler, Hailey’s a hard-ass who puts her kids – especially eldest son Emmanuel (Kataem O’Connor) – through rigorous training and lectures on everything from battle to farming. But crucially, she lets glimmers of light slip through, usually when on radio chats with Augusta but also with some of their younger children. It’s hard not to compare it a little to the recently released 28 Years Later in its depiction of parents caught between warmth and coldness. Both also feature genuine danger, here in the form of rumors that a cannibalistic gang has been ransacking farms on their small network.
As portrayed by Deadwyler, Hailey’s a hard-ass.
Emmanuel is a growing teenager, so naturally when he spies a girl in a river he frequents the mind starts to wander, especially once she turns up on the farm. Rest assured, 40 Acresisn’t the kind of movie to spring some wild twist on us. Instead, Thorne and co. use it to probe at the whole disaster-preparation mindset. Surviving the worst is good and all, but what comes next? These conflicts aren’t necessarily new, and neither is the emerging theme of Emmanuel’s need to become his own person rather than the rigid symbol that’s expected of him, but they still resonate thanks to Deadwyler and O’Connor’s performances.
If nothing else, Thorne shows quite the knack at orchestrating tense scenes. An early highlight features a firefight in an abandoned military facility, with a particular event held just to the corner of the frame that provides an excellent jolt. Flashbacks come in like seamless transmissions from another life as a low-key indie drama, giving Hailey precisely the right amount of backstory and layering in the themes of racism and ancestral history.
So skilled is the direction that it almost doesn’t matter that the villains end up kind of weak by comparison. For as much setup as they’re given, by the time they hit the climax and dish out some pretty gnarly violence they can’t help but feel rather nondescript, with a leader who’s more functional than memorable. Even so, Thorne still manages to throw in a fantastic shootout in total darkness lit only by muzzle flashes, and a wonderful callback to a joke about the value of spices. He also gives Deadwyler the chance to throw out some very funny one-liners by the end, just enough to be self-aware without breaking the fourth wall. The ending sends us out on a high note, leaving us with a vision of family unity that suggests a brighter future for all involved. A little sappy to be sure, but it’s hard-won.
Hades 2's next patch could be its last before the game emerges from its early access cocoon.
As spotted by RPS, the roguelike action RPG's latest patch — the Unseen Update — introduces a "number of adjustments to some of the latest additions," but developer Supergiant did tease that this will "likely be [its] final patch before the v1.0 launch"... "whenever that will be."
The team said it will continue to monitor your feedback in the meantime.
The full patch notes are included below, although please note we've removed any notes including spoiler tags, so you'll have to head on over to Steam to read those. Anything in bold has been inspired directly "by community feedback."
Hades 2 Unseen Update Patch 10 patch notes:
General Gameplay
Reduced further cases of successive attacks causing you to become 'stun-locked'
Whenever you take damage to Armor, it will reduce any temporary Armor you have from sources such as Security System (Hephaestus), prior to reducing the more-permanent kind
Nocturnal Arms & Abilities
Sister Blades: Omega Attack can no longer be interrupted by foes
Umbral Flames: reduced orbit speed of Omega Special projectiles, but increased their damage
Argent Skull: Omega Special wave projectiles no longer stagger foes
Black Coat: increased speed of Attack sequence and damage of first strike; slightly increased Omega Attack channel speed, and it can block more types of incoming area-effect damage; increased Special accuracy
Aspects of the Nocturnal Arms
Witch's Staff (Melinoë): reduced bonus to Magick and Power
Witch's Staff (Momus): slightly increased how long it takes your serpents to fire successive Omega Moves
Oath of the Unseen
Vow of Frenzy: now also makes foes enter the battle faster; reduced effect on Vow of Rivals moves
Vow of Scars: fixed several cases where this was not reducing Life recovery as expected
Boons & Blessings
Steady Growth (Demeter): now will only Rarify itself if you have no other eligible Boons
Hestia: Scorch Curse can no longer deal Critical damage or similar, nor is affected by Air Quality (Zeus)
Success Rate (Hermes): no longer affects the passive effect of Raki
Incandescent Aura (Hera x Hestia): reworked — now deals damage to all Hitch-afflicted foes when you restore Magick
Natural Selection (Poseidon x Demeter): reworked — now distributes bonus Lv. to your primary Boons
Scalding Vapor (Poseidon x Hestia): no longer can activate the Froth Curse
Gigaros Dash (Hades): reduced damage; fixed Scorn amplifying damage other than Attack and Special
Unseen Ire (Hades): fixed an issue causing the effect duration to last longer than stated
Crimson Dress (Arachne): fixed an issue causing this to give a high damage bonus right away; increased bonus per Encounter
Daedalus Hammer Upgrades
Boosted Ignition (Skull): no longer offered while using
Looming Ignition (Skull): fixed an issue causing this to give its full damage bonus immediately rather than over the duration as described
Hexes & Path of Stars
📢 Adjusted Path of Stars layouts to make room especially for Godsent upgrades
Adjusted when Godsent upgrades are offered during the story for the first time, now later than before
Twilight Curse: this and other Morph effects now block any on-death attacks when afflicted foes are slain, with the exception of Inferno-Bombs
Prize of Poseidon (Moon Water): cut from game; replaced with...
Pride of Poseidon (Moon Water): new! Godsent upgrade gradually restores Life and Magick over time
Zenith (Sky Fall): cut from game; replaced with Ambition, which deals bonus damage to Guardians
Lineage: new! Your Hex can be Godsent one more time when used in Guardian Encounters
Keepsakes
Discordant Bell: effect now persists for the night even after you switch Keepsakes
Resources & Reagents
Reduced chance of never finding the resource type aligned with your Animal Familiar in shorter regions
Shrine of Hermes
Fresh Sustenance MAX: reduced Life recovery
Art & Visual FX
Added alternate textures when using upgraded Tools of the Unseen
Updated visual FX when Crescent Pick Outcroppings are depleted
Added visual indicator in Boon Info for when Arcana are disabled due to Barren (Chaos)
Miscellaneous
Melinoë now can greet Frinos while he is in the Training Grounds, as with the other Animal Familiars
Gameplay Timer now also pauses automatically when interacting with the Path of Stars
Heracles no longer sometimes ominously just stands around after his Encounters
Updated presentation for Icarus fly-by attacks
Improved feedback on Life and Magick gauges after swapping Keepsakes that modify your totals
Improved feedback spending resources in the Altar of Ashes, Silver Pool, and Music Maker screens
Improved contextual feedback on various Boons when affected by Vow of Scars
Damage from Specials and Omega Specials is now separated for some weapons on the Victory Screen
Reduced cluttered damage numbers using Argent Skull (Medea)
Added letterbox to the game intro in some aspect ratios
Updates and fixes to translations in some languages
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where Melinoë could suddenly take 500 damage using Eruption (Path of Stars) and Night Bloom (Selene) to raise a Tempus in the battle against Chronos...
Fixed a number of story events that were never playing
Fixed a number of contextual voice lines that were never playing
Fixed cases where you would sometimes Dash-Strike unexpectedly using the Moonstone Axe
Fixed some interactions between and Psychic Whirlwind (Daedalus)
Fixed Black Coat not interacting with some abilities that improved Channeling speed
Fixed visual issues where strikes with Hidden Aspects sometimes appeared to be interrupted by foes
Fixed Wounds from Ares sometimes causing on-hit slowdowns too frequently
Fixed Sea Star (Poseidon) sometimes doubling items created by Gold Gold Gold (Echo)
Fixed Personal Loan (Dionysus) giving you nothing back if it got Rarified
Fixed Heracles sometimes turning invisible while attacking
Fixed cases where Athena could unexpectedly appear more than once per night
Fixed cases where using Cast to interrupt Attacks or Specials would pause animations longer than expected
Fixed Past Deeds screen not showing more than 36 Boons if you had that many
Fixed Satyr Supplicant Life Bars persisting after they were slain
Fixed Ares Plasma UI indicator sometimes disappearing unexpectedly
Fixed several text errors
Other minor fixes
Hades 2 is the sequel to Supergiant's hit game, mixing engaging storytelling and roguelite action elements for an engaging dungeon-crawling experience. We thought Hades 2 was 'Amazing' when it released in May 2024, slapping it with a 9 in our early access review, writing: "Even in its Early Access state, Hades 2 is just about everything one could ask for in a sequel to one of the best roguelites of all time. Featuring excellent refinements to its roguelite progression, a fantastic new main character in Melinoe, and two unique sets of levels that have you fighting foes on the surface and in the underworld."
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.
Roblox brought in 1,000 developers to participate in The Hatch, an event the Lego-like game platform says will go down as its biggest Easter Egg hunt ever. While the official experience is propped up as an important moment, thousands of players have already voiced their support for a boycott by using the #BoycottTheHatch across social media.
The Hatch went live earlier today, cracking open its doors for players across the platform to enjoy the work put in by an army of Roblox developers. It’s entirely free-to-play and will no doubt attract millions of players who have been looking forward to the company’s latest Easter Egg hunt experience for the last month. What should be an exciting moment for the community has turned into a controversial stain as players and developers alike band together to opt out of The Hatch in favor of a movement that aims to make the platform safer for all ages forever.
Communication from Roblox Corporation has done little to ward off concerns that the gaming giant is failing to protect users from inappropriate content. Though much of the firestorm that’s taken hold of the conversation has subsided, many fear issues surrounding The Hatch are only a symptom of larger issues yet. Community organization opposed to The Hatch could be the start of what players hope will be meaningful change, but they’ve got a long way to go.
What Is The Hatch?
Prominently featured atop the Roblox home page, The Hatch is an Easter Egg hunt-themed umbrella event that runs from July 2–12 and incorporates a variety of Roblox experiences. Joining the event teleports players to an island realm, which itself serves as an in-between area to hang out in before traveling to a more fleshed-out hub world. In this vacation paradise, users can take in the sights across different colorful biomes while completing quests, challenging others for higher leaderboard spots, and purchasing cosmetic items. It all revolves around one goal: collect as many eggs as possible.
Each painted collectible isn’t found in The Hatch itself, though. Instead, players use the official Roblox hub world to transport themselves to other user-created Roblox experiences via portals placed around the map. Each portal features around 40 games that range from Squid Game obstacle courses to anime-inspired fighting simulators. These are where the eggs can be found, and while they’re often not particularly well hidden, The Hatch and Easter Egg hunts in general have proven to be enticing events that get Roblox players engaged with experiences they know and some they don’t.
Hundreds of Roblox games are included in The Hatch, cementing the event as a crucial limited-time mode with official backing from Roblox Corporation. The Hatch’s page had more than 46 million visits at the time of this piece’s publication. It also describes an experience that is “suitable for everyone.”
Roblox Players Take Action Against a Controversial Creator
Roblox pulled back the curtain on The Hatch June 12, marking a return to beloved Easter Egg hunting festivities with more to do and more polish than ever. It was an exciting moment marred by controversy when players caught wind that infamous (and verified) Roblox developer TheOfficiaITeddy had been invited to include his creations.
Roblox is a free-to-play platform that is no doubt used by countless children every day, yet, nearly 20 years into its lifespan, Roblox Corporation still finds itself facing accusations that it’s cultivated a dangerous environment for younger players. TheOfficiaITeddy is one developer at the center of the conversation surrounding these topics thanks to his involvement in what many call “condo” games. These social experiences allow players to mingle with one another, but it’s the allegations that Teddy’s condo experiences have featured romantic, dating, and even sex-themed content that have the community ready to take action.
This person has gained HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of visits on games that can only be described as s*x games.
“This person has gained HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of visits on games that can only be described as s*x games,” one popular post from X/Twitter user @RoCatchers said. “These games feature inappropriate animations disguised as innocent stuff, and people within the games use it for lewd acts. These games also feature private ‘motel rooms’ that you can lock allowing people to be 1 on 1. These games are often a target for predators.”
The creator, whose seemingly harmless light-blue teddy bear avatar has filled social media feeds, is responsible for publishing popular titles like Boys and Girls Club Hangout Roleplay and CNP and Slender Hangout, both of which have since been removed from Roblox’s list of publicly available experiences. Suggestive content is believed to be the cause behind previous bans and content takedowns from Roblox Corporation, but despite numerous reports of action taken against TheOfficiaITeddy in the past, players found that the creator has managed to find his way back to the Roblox spotlight on more than one occasion.
but for whatever reason, he was UNBANNED, and he directly claimed that he received an invite to RDC. Then, Roblox bans him again, and very very recently Roblox UNBANNED him- pic.twitter.com/OLbxDae3Xx
While most Roblox developers invited to participate in The Hatch include names behind popular obstacle courses and action-focused experiences, TheOfficiaITeddy stood out to many as a concerning outlier who has been repeatedly accused of harming the safety of users on the platform. Roblox’s confirmation that Teddy was, along with many others, invited to be officially involved in The Hatch only added fuel to the fire, with his official backing now sitting at the forefront of the issues the #BoycottTheHatch movement seeks to resolve.
What Is #BoycottTheHatch?
The #BoycottTheHatch movement’s sails first caught wind with posts from X users like @RoCatchers and @greenlegocats in mid-June. The goal was clear: spread awareness. Posts covering the topic quickly gained thousands of likes on X alone as users called not only for Teddy’s invitation to be rescinded but for the controversial creator to be banned altogether.
What was a simmer quickly evolved into a full-on boil as Roblox developers involved in The Hatch began to pull out from the event. Popular creations like DOORS, Pressure, Piggy, untitled tag game, LOCOfficial, and many more stepped away not only due to the issues surrounding TheOfficiaITeddy but because of issues regarding how The Hatch has been handled thus far. These include general quality concerns as well as other points of contention such as fears some The Hatch promotional images were generated by artificial intelligence and a concern regarding how developers were selected for participation.
“The safety and well-being of the Roblox community is our top priority,” Roblox said. “On top of our community standards, we have additional guidelines to qualify to participate in platform events. TheOfficiaITeddy should not have been invited; we have rescinded their invitation to The Hatch and have taken appropriate action in accordance with our policies. Our team is thoroughly re-examining the invitation list against our community standards and are re-evaluating these processes to ensure an additional level of vetting for our invitees going forward.”
We appreciate their removal from the event, but I please ask that the moderation team reviews their account accordingly. If their game doesn't follow your guidelines, surely their account doesn't either. I want this platform to be a safer place, I know you guys can do better
Piggy developer MiniToon was one of the first to respond to Roblox Corporation’s message, explaining that while the sentiment was appreciated, it remained worried that the moderation team would not thoroughly address the situation. It added in a post: “I don't want to have to make these tweets, but it feels like we are just being seen and not heard, witnessed and not understood.”
As the #BoycottTheHatch hashtag continued to fill feeds in the weeks that followed, Roblox finally returned with a lengthy statement June 30, two days before The Hatch would begin. The company explained that, during its absence, it conducted an investigation into Teddy that involved an attempt to alter experiences that complied with its Community Standards. Although these standards were eventually met, Roblox said it was able to confirm “a separate outstanding policy violation that cannot be rectified.” Teddy and all of his creations have since been removed from the platform.
“At Roblox, safety is foundational to everything we do — that’s why we take reports of harmful content or behavior seriously, and we investigate them thoroughly,” Roblox said. “It can take time to investigate properly, and we’re always working to make this process more efficient while maintaining our high standards for fairness.”
Teddy may be banned but we still have a lot of work to do in the fight against online dating, degeneracy, and pedatory behavior on Roblox. This has been a big victory in an even bigger battle. Continue fighting the good fight to make Roblox a safer space for all.
There’s been no word regarding how the #BoycottTheHatch movement may pivott to address other common complains, but Teddy’s removal stands as a major moment for the movement. For now, the event is scheduled to run for another nine days.
Roblox The Hatch launched July 2 and, at the time of this piece’s publication, sports more than 40K likes and more than 97K dislikes. As players continue to shape their experiences in the coming days, you can read up on Grow a Garden, which has catapulted itself past multiple concurrent player records in its journey to become one of the most popular games of all time.
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).
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