Marvel Comics is gearing up to introduce one of the darkest Alien comics ever published. Dubbed Alien: King Killer, this new series explores a colony world almost totally overrun by Xenomorphs, and one where it turns out that humanity is still its own worst enemy.

Check out the slideshow gallery below for an exclusive, unlettered preview of Alien: King Killer #1:

Alien: King Killer is written by Saladin Ahmed (Daredevil) and illustrated by Carlos Nieto (Ultimate Black Panther), with cover art by David Yardin (X-Factor). Here's Marvel's official description of the first issue:

When humanity has already lost the war against the Xenomorphs, what remains? Set on a planet overrun by the savage alien species, the dregs of humanity cling to the protection of the mysterious siblings known as the Three Kings. But these warlords have a fourth sibling who is out for revenge- and the humans' remaining protectors are harboring secrets deadlier than the aliens outside their gates. The first chapter in one of the most epic - and darkest - eras of the ALIEN universe!

Alien: King Killer #1 will be released on April 1, 2026. You can preorder a copy at your local comic shop.

This is just Marvel's latest foray into the Alien/Predator universe. Previous releases have included Aliens vs. Avengers and Predator Kills the Marvel Universe.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

If I want to game on a flight, I typically have two options. Either I hold a device, like my phone, Switch, or Steam Deck, in my hands and crane my neck to watch it, or prop it on the tray table, hoping the seat in front won’t abruptly recline (which it usually does). Neither is comfortable for long. On the last trip, however, I had a third: a wearable display, called the RayNeo Air 4 Pro, and it may have finally made gaming fun on the go.

The TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro may look like a pair of smart glasses, and though they are often labelled interchangeably as AR or XR ones, they are kind of neither. Yes, they project digital content in your field of view, but no cartoons or app icons will be superimposed in your room. A more apt description for them would be a head-mounted TV, or as some put it, “headphones for your eyes.” You put them on, and suddenly it’s as if you have been teleported to an empty movie hall, staring alone at a large, cinema-grade screen, unbeknownst to the people around you.

The latest generation of TCL’s glasses doesn’t offer a significant upgrade over its predecessor, but it does add a handful of meaningful changes that can elevate the viewing experience. Most notably, there’s now support for an industry-first HDR10 and improved Bang & Olufsen speakers, all while being half the price of its competitors at $299. And after streaming countless movies and games on them, it could be the new wearable display to beat.

TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro – Design and Build

At the outset, the RayNeo Air 4 Pro’s all-black look and compact, Wayfarer-esque form factor help it pass as any regular pair of sunglasses. Part of the reason is the glossy, reflective cover plate on the front, which prevents outside light from entering your vision. It’s only when you unfold it that you notice the tech it hides.

The temples, for starters, house the speaker grilles, controls for the display and volume, and the USB-C port, and are far thicker than your standard shades. They can be adjusted to one of three vertical angles to align the screen with your eyes, but I and the few people who put them on were fine with the out-of-the-box settings.

The core circuitry of glasses lies inside the thick bar touching your forehead. Under that, you’ll find angled prisms that are designed to reflect displays embedded in the frame’s top. There’s even a nose pad, and another in the box should the default size not fit you. If you opt for a prescription, this is also where those lens inserts will slot in.

Wearing the RayNeo Air 4 Pro can feel awkward at first, particularly due to the bulky top, which can also get a tad warm after an hour or so of use. But thanks to its lightweight, plastic design (2.6 ounces), that feeling doesn’t linger for long, and I got used to its various oddities. What bothered me at times, however, was the USB-C cable connected to the end of the right temple, which threw the balance off a little.

TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro – Display

The RayNeo Air 4 Pro comes equipped with a pair of 0.6-inch microLED displays that can project a virtual 120Hz screen of up to 135 inches at a 6-meter depth. In the 2D mode, its resolution maxes out at 1080p, while switching to 3D bumps that up to 4K.

Like any monitor, connecting the Air 4 Pro to a device is as simple as plugging it in, given that it supports DisplayPort video over USB-C. This means it works with nearly all modern computers and phones with USB-C ports, like the iPhone 17 and the Google Pixel 10 Pro. Pairing it with a gaming console, like a Nintendo Switch or a PlayStation 5, though, is a little more complex. You will need an HDMI-to-USB-C converter, and that can be hard to find, since USB-C-to-HDMI adapters are way more commonly available. TCL also sells its own for $59, as well as a JoyDock travel accessory for the Switch, which eliminates the need to carry Nintendo’s bulky dock.

Once you have the RayNeo Air 4 Pro up and running, it offers a sharp and bright image that goes toe-to-toe with more premium options. Its 1200-nit brightness was especially useful in daytime, when some light can leak into your vision and hamper your experience. This also helps with ignoring the reflections of yourself that can come up from the prisms in well-lit rooms.

The attached cover plate is see-through, so that you are never completely detached from your surroundings. But if you want to further cut down external light, you can snap on the bundled blackout shield, available in solid black and special Batman and Joker themes.

Because the Air 4 Pro’s screens have 3840Hz PWM dimming, flickers weren’t an issue, either, and combined with the built-in Eye Comfort mode, which reduces blue light, I was able to play games for more than an hour without feeling any eye strain. As you would when you come out of a movie hall, I did always need a few seconds when I took them off to adjust to real-world lighting.

Gaming and consuming other content on the RayNeo Air 4 Pro has been a joy. It’s the most immersive viewing experience I’ve experienced, especially while playing scenic games, such as Ghost of Yotei. The addition of HDR10 complements that even more, bringing the best out of scenes to create a lifelike picture. In fact, I was able to type this story in the RayNeo Air 4 Pro while resting on my bed’s headboard and using the laptop’s keyboard.

The one downside to the RayNeo Air 4 Pro is that it doesn’t offer as much control over the projection as some competitors. You can’t, for example, adjust its size or how far it is from your vision. Since its field of view is narrower than others, I often faced blurred corners and had to move my head to read text on the edges. The Air 4 Pro can also artificially upgrade content to HDR10, but that can be a hit or a miss and doesn’t do more than just boost the brightness.

TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro – Speakers

The RayNeo Air 4 Pro’s quad integrated speakers do well indoors, producing ample loudness and clarity. Their open-ear design also means the people around you will be barely able to hear them, particularly in the Whisper Mode. Outside, though, such as on flights, they can be inadequate, and I usually end up switching to my earbuds. Attaching the silicone sound tubes, too, doesn’t much help the cause. The Surround Sound, similarly, felt gimmicky and couldn’t create an immersive environment.

TCL RayNeo Air 4 Pro – Software

On the glasses itself, you can adjust a few settings with the dedicated menu button, like the refresh rate, HDR, and picture modes. In addition, you can download the companion apps to enter the 3D mode.

On the desktop client, for example, you can pin individual windows in a 3D space, and work on them simultaneously. It was helpful at times and made me feel like I’m Tom Cruise in Minority Report, but transitioning between each window wasn’t as smooth as I’d like it to be. You have to wait a few seconds before the cursor switches focus and when you are in the middle of work, those can add up.

The mobile app, similarly, allows you to turn your 2D content, such as photos and videos, into 3D, while converting your phone into a remote you can point and click with. It’s a neat party trick and does well to add depth to foreground subjects, but it loses its appeal quickly and can be glitchy, at times. You can also experience spatial videos shot on an iPhone Pro in this mode.

The RayNeo Air 4 is, however, compatible with Android 16’s new desktop mode, and gives you an option to choose between that and traditional screen mirroring. I tried working on it at a cafe, while my phone was connected to a keyboard, and it was surprisingly productive, except for the questionable looks I got from other customers.

Sony has confirmed that Resident Evil Requiem is the first game to use its upgraded PSSR upscaler on PlayStation 5 Pro.

The company made it official in a post on the PlayStation Blog, where Mark Cerny, Lead Architect, PS5 and PS5 Pro, said the upgraded version of PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) is rolling out globally to PS5 Pro players in the coming weeks.

PSSR is an AI library that analyzes game images pixel by pixel as it upscales them, and it’s been used to boost the effective resolution of over 50 titles on PS5 Pro to date, Cerny explained.

“We’ve been hard at work on a new version of PSSR, which takes a very different approach to not only the neural network but also the overall algorithm,” he added. “We are happy to share that Resident Evil Requiem — shipping today — is the first title to use this more advanced PSSR, which is helping to keep both frame rate and image quality high.”

Capcom’s Masaru Ijuin, Senior Manager Engine Development Support Section R&D Foundational Technology Department, commented: “With Resident Evil Requiem, we focused on enhancing the presentation quality of the protagonist through an upgraded version of RE Engine to deepen the player’s immersion in horror. For example, each individual strand of hair and beard is rendered as a polygon, allowing it to move realistically in response to body motion and wind. The way light passes through his hair changes depending on how the strands of hair are overlapped as well. This detailed expression of texture is one of the many details that we would especially love for our fans to see.

“The upgraded PSSR has allowed us to elevate our expressiveness by successfully processing these details and textural particularities, which are traditionally difficult to upscale because of their intricacy. We hope you will experience this unprecedented level of horror and visual fidelity, and the new gameplay feel it delivers.”

To illustrate the point, Sony published one screenshot of Resident Evil Requiem featuring original PSSR upscaling alongside the same image featuring the new PSSR upscaling. The strands of hair do look slightly more defined in the second screenshot.

Cerny said the algorithm and neural network used in the new PSSR stems from Sony’s Project Amethyst partnership with AMD. “Through AMD’s FSR 4 upscaling technology, PC gamers have already seen the benefits of our collaboration,” he said. “With the updated PSSR, we’re delivering the very latest of this co-developed technology with a further six months of refinement for PS5 Pro players.”

Sony said multiple existing games will be upgraded to the improved PSSR in March, but there’s no word yet on which games will be included. There will also be a system software update at that time; selecting “Enhance PSSR Image Quality” in Settings on PS5 Pro will allow you to experience the new PSSR with any PS5 Pro games that currently support PSSR.

“Once the system update releases next month, try it and see, some games may have noticeably crisper graphics,” Cerny said.

The February 2026 Pokémon Presents might be one of the most anticipated presentations the series has seen in years, and we’re here to catch all of the highlights.

We’re just moments away from seeing how The Pokémon Company plans to build on the global phenomenon as it heads into yet another year with new monsters to catch and games to play. Pokémon Day 2026 is a special one, though, as this year’s anniversary celebration marks 30 years since the franchise began with the release of the Red and Green video games. Viewers are expecting bombshell updates and reveals to help commemorate the occasion, with most gaming fans on the edge of their seats, hoping to see even the smallest glimpse at Pokémon generation 10.

With Nintendo Switch ports for FireRed and LeafGreen out today, what exactly will be shown is a mystery, but updates for projects like Pokémon Champions, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, and other spinoffs seem likely. We’ll only need to wait a few more minutes to find out what’s behind the curtain, so be sure to keep refreshing this page to see everything announced at the February 2026 Pokémon Presents when it goes live on Twitch and YouTube at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm UK time.

Developing…

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

The battle of the extraction shooters is on, but developers Bungie and Embark are presenting a united front on social media — even after Marathon temporarily censored Arc Raiders in chat.

After the Marathon Server Slam event went live yesterday (and hit impressive Steam concurrent player numbers), players noticed that Embark’s hugely successful Arc Raiders was censored in chat.

A clip showing Tyler 'Ninja' Blevins of Fortnite fame finding this out for himself went viral on social media after Jake Lucky posted it to Twitter / X, below. Other competitive shooters, such as Halo, Counter-Strike, and Apex Legends, were not censored.

ARC Raiders is censored in Marathon's chat in game LOL pic.twitter.com/W2XUiYfJ3S

— Jake Lucky 🔜 GDC (@JakeSucky) February 26, 2026

This censorship didn’t last long, and Arc Raiders is now allowed in Marathon chat. But the odd situation did spark a wholesome follow-up as the official Marathon account replied to the viral tweet to declare “Arc Raiders is awesome,” in an in-game chat screenshot.

And now, the official Arc Raiders account has replied to Marathon with a similarly loving statement: “No matter if you're a Runner or a Raider, loot is loot. We’ll save you a seat in the shuttle 🫶”

No matter if you're a Runner or a Raider, loot is loot.
We’ll save you a seat in the shuttle 🫶

— ARC Raiders (@ARCRaidersGame) February 27, 2026

So, all smiles on social media for now. But of course there’s huge pressure on Marathon to do well for Bungie, especially after Destiny 2’s downturn and the significant internal struggles at the legendary studio. In November, Bungie parent company Sony said the studio had failed to meet its sales and user engagement expectations, and recorded a 31.5 billion yen (approx. $204.2 million) impairment charge as a result. That was significant enough to drag down profits at Sony’s Game & Network Services Segment, which includes Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Sony chief financial officer (CFO) Lin Tao said at the time: “Regarding Destiny 2, partially due to the changes in the competitive environment, the level of sales and user engagement have not reached the expectations we had at the time of the acquisition of Bungie. While we will continue to make improvements, we downwardly revised the business projection for the time being, and recorded an impairment loss against a portion of the assets at Bungie.”

A few months before Sony's financial report, in August last year, Bungie CEO Pete Parsons left the company after 23 years and nearly 10 as CEO. He was succeeded by Justin Truman, previously chief development officer and fellow Bungie veteran. Parsons oversaw Bungie during many turbulent years, first taking over as CEO in 2016 from Harold Ryan and overseeing its break from Activision in 2019. He was at the helm throughout many of the events catalogued in our 2021 report on Bungie's internal work culture. Just months after our report, Bungie was acquired by Sony for $3.7 billion, ending the studio's flirtation with independence.

As the acquisition settled in, concerns began to arise about the studio's future. Destiny 2 was struggling, and Marathon was still years away. Then the layoffs came. In 2023, Bungie laid off roughly 100 individuals and delayed Destiny 2's The Final Shape DLC, with Parsons taking responsibility for the cuts. Developers told IGN at the time that the atmosphere at Bungie was "soul-crushing" as fears grew of a total Sony takeover of the company. In 2024, this was followed up with even more layoffs, impacting 220 people despite The Final Shape's success. 155 people were also integrated from Bungie into Sony at this time. In the wake of those layoffs, former workers claimed Bungie misrepresented its finances and had significantly overextended itself when Sony acquired the studio. It was apparently bad enough that at least one source described as a "well-connected former worker" went so far as to claim that Bungie faced dire consequences if the acquisition hadn't happened, saying that the "alternate history is insolvency."

Troubles continued to rock the studio through the rest of 2024 and into 2025, with Marathon seeing a delay out of its previous September 2025 release window. Most recently, Sony confirmed Bungie would be integrated into PlayStation Studios so the company could have more control over the developer.

Back in June last year, Sony said it remained committed to live service video games despite high-profile failures such as Concord, and insisted Marathon would be out before April 2026 despite the mixed alpha feedback and damaging accusations of plagiarism against Bungie. Since then Bungie has worked to improve not only Marathon, but the sentiment among gamers around it.

Sony will be keen to avoid another catastrophic launch like Concord, which was pulled offline just two weeks after launch, with one estimate suggesting it sold just 25,000 copies. It has proved a costly failure for Sony, with hundreds of millions of dollars wasted amid the closure of its developer, Firewalk Studios. Bungie now faces concern over its own future, with the pressure on Marathon to deliver. Marathon launches proper across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S next week.

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.

When it comes to the Pokémon Trading Card Game, there are thousands of cards you could consider ‘iconic’. These collectibles blend childhood nostalgia, high-stakes chasing, and jaw-dropping artistic brilliance into a beloved hobby that’s recently exploded in mass market appeal.

With Pokémon’s 30th Anniversary celebrations already fully underway, and with that huge Pokémon Presents event to boot, we’ve put together the definitive list of the 10 most iconic Pokémon cards ever printed.

You may ask - what’s this based on? It’s a healthy mix of current resale value, the cultural impact each card has had, and a card’s visual aesthetics, and also a bit of personal preference from myself as well (so just keep that in mind).

From playground legends of 1999 to modern-day chase cards of the 2020s, these are the top 10 most iconic Pokémon cards of all time.

10. Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat (Van Gogh Museum Promo)

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s long-awaited patch 12.0 launched this week, and with it came the new playable class, the Techmarine (check out the patch notes here if you want to know what's included). And while fans are having fun getting to grips with this new Astartes, Space Marine 2’s first ever voice pack has sparked a backlash.

The $4.99 Chapter Voice Pack 1 includes 450 re-recorded voicelines and a unique Space Marine Head cosmetic for each of the following Space Marine Chapters: Blood Angels, Space Wolves and Black Templars. It’s only available as a standalone purchase, and is not included in either the Season Pass 1 or Season Pass 2 (much to the annoyance of some fans). But it’s the way these new voice lines are incorporated into the game that has caused a “mostly negative” Steam user review rating for the DLC.

It turns out that equipping a DLC voiceline will revert to the class’ default voice when interacting with objectives, like when searching a Cadian’s body for codes in Inferno. This was unexpected and, in gameplay, a jarring switch. It means the Ultramarine standard voice lines still play for all the dialogue related to interactive elements within missions, so your Space Marine’s voice will flip flop back and forth, which feels awkward and janky.

Meanwhile, some players feel misled by the 450 re-recorded voicelines number on the Steam page. Most believe this number includes re-recorded voicelines across all languages, not just one.

“I have no idea where they got the 450 voicelines from, it mixes with the standard voice lines when doing operations and it sounds dead silent during the mission because there is no banter,” reads one negative review. “So far the only the difference that is noticeable is that emotes are different. The description seems very deceptive, I am very curious to find out where they got 450 number from.”

“I am insanely DISAPPOINTED!” reads another. “I've tested the Blood angels voice and I was disappointed that his lines were 80-90% what Vespasius [Vespasius is a Jump Pack Assault Intercessor of the Ultramarines Second Company and leader of Combat Squad Talasa] is just saying besides a few lines. FINE, maybe the writers aren't there anymore. But WHY IN THE EMPEROR'S NAME are the Ops voices not changed???? Check for the Inferno missions, on the part where your obtaining codes for the dead guardsmen, THE BLOOD ANGEL VOICE BECOMES LITERALLY VESPASIUS AGAIN WHEN HE DOESN'T GET THE CODE OR WHEN HE OBTAINS THE CODES!

“Not to mention there are no voices for the helmet versions yet! I'm wearing a helmet and my Blood Angel voice sounds like he doesn't got one! MAN I'm disappointed!”

Another disgruntled fan said: “Such a low-effort underwhelming DLC. Each of these voices lock you out of character banters, objective dialogues are spoken by the original character's voice actor through the vox instead the one you spent $5 on. Adding to the laziness, some voice lines are the same as their vanilla counterparts (ex. the Space Wolf sharing almost all of his reload alerts with Decimus) to the point where you're even questioning if you changed voices altogether. Something that Saber doesn't mention is also how after selecting a voice for a character, you can't revert that decision unless you spend 400 accolades to buy it back. Another complaint is how every single one of the faces presented in this DLC is the most unfazed depiction of stoicism in the galaxy, no expressions or lip sync whatsoever, just pure unadulterated void in each of their eyes. On a positive note however, each voice has different lines for every special ability, showcasing yet again how class locking is a moronic idea in PvE games.”

It’s a similar situation on the Space Marine subreddit, which is currently littered with complaints. One redditor posted a screenshot of a successful refund on the DLC, saying: “The voice pack is just not a worth the money. Not only was it underwhelming but I almost feel like it was just straight up false advertising. No mission dialogue? No banter between brothers or even not finding data on a Guardsmen? They gave us the option to equip the voice pack and keep our helmets on, but there is no helmet filter for the voices either. I’m a Black Templar fan and to my dismay, it seems like a lot of the voice lines are reused ones from Assault.

“I know they’d have to add voice lines to every new and existing mission, but that’s what you should be paying them to do. Why would they not go all the way and just release the pack at a higher price ? I’m not trying to be hateful, this game introduced me to the 40k universe and got me hooked. I love this game, I have sunk so many hours into it. That being said I’m just sad this didn’t meet the expectations that a lot of the community had.”

“Waiting to see if Steam will refund mine right now,” said another customer. “I did earlier. I hope Saber is getting slammed with refund fees for this nonsense,” another said. “From day one I've been telling people: it’s 700 lines in seven languages for three characters. So around 30 lines per character,” another said. “Saber did an abysmal job managing expectations. Telling people the amount of lines including all language versions is like measuring your dick and including the length of your spine.”

The upshot of all this is that what should have been a positive time for Space Marine 2, with all the cool new additions that came with patch 12.0, is instead perhaps the first meaningful community uproar the game has faced since its record-breaking launch in 2024. Space Marine 2 has been a huge success for Focus, developer Saber, and Warhammer owner Games Workshop, and is credited with leading an army of new fans to the hobby. It's so successful that Games Workshop has made Titus, the game's protagonist, the poster boy of the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game. Space Marine 3 was announced as in development soon after Space Marine 2 came out.

So this DLC backlash is a rare misstep for Saber and Focus when it comes to Space Marine 2, but it will no doubt fuel concern some already have that the priority for both now is the development of Space Marine 3. IGN has asked publisher Focus Entertainment for comment.

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.

There's a whole bunch of great deals that are now live for Pokémon's 30th Anniversary celebrations, and that includes some outstanding new discounts on Pokémon games for Nintendo Switch consoles.

Amazon’s Woot store has been known to offer a bunch of deals in the past, but it might just have outdone itself this time around with its brand new "Video Games For All!" sale. The biggest standout is on Legends Z-A, which is down just $35.92 on Nintendo Switch when using promo code LEVEL20.

IGN's Rebekah Valentine gave the game an 8 out of 10 in her review last year, saying “Pokémon Legends: Z-A finally feels like Game Freak hitting its stride in Pokémon’s 3D era, with a fun setting to explore, a well-written story, and a total battle system overhaul that works surprisingly well.”

It now even features in our special 10 Best Pokémon Video Games of All Time roundup, "It may be the most recent game in the franchise, but Pokémon Legends: Z-A is an exciting look into the future of pocket monsters. A total overhaul of the classic 30-year old battle system sees turn-based attack rallies transformed into real-time action sequences, bringing the video games closer to the epic clashes of the beloved anime than ever before."

You can also upgrade to the Switch 2 version digitally as well for just $10 after making your purchase, making this a certified bargain. Plus, Legends Z-A isn't the only game up for grabs at a discount either, as you can also score Scarlet for just $35.99, which is one of the best prices I've ever seen on the Gen 9 game. Violet is also available at a discount, if just a slight bit more expensive at $37.59. Both of these run incredibly on Switch 2, so I'd highly recommend playing them on the new console if you can.

There's also Legends Arceus, Sword, and Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee, all available at a reduced price today. But, and this is a big but, these are certified Pokémon Day deals that will expire by the end of today (February 27, 11:59 PM CT, to be exact). I wouldn't be surprised is several sell out even before then, so act fast to avoid disappointment.

Robert Anderson is IGN's Senior Commerce Editor and resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Bluesky.

Nintendo has finally detailed when its Resident Evil Requiem amiibo figurines will be ready — and there's still a significant wait yet for fans, despite the game's official launch today.

As detailed in a fresh post on Nintendo's website, the Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy amiibo will go on sale on July 30 — a date which is still five months away.

There's no word on why the amiibo won't be ready sooner, and an image of the two posted today shows the same figures as revealed previously (which attracted some fan criticism for the design of Leon's rather basic-looking features). Perhaps July will mark the arrival of some new Requiem content? Or perhaps Nintendo knows fans will buy the amiibo regardless.

Amiibo figures for third-party games are rarer than those for Nintendo's own titles and characters, but far from unheard of. Dark Souls and Diablo both received a tie-in amiibo figurine, while Nintendo has also decided to create one for Resident Evil publisher Capcom's upcoming Pragmata.

Earlier today, Nintendo flagged that a last-minute day one update for Resident Evil Requiem was now available, which the company said contained "several fixes" for issues that fans should install before booting up the game. While the game has only been available a few hours, Requiem is already Steam's biggest ever launch for a Resident Evil title. Meanwhile, fans are still puzzling through a convoluted in-game mystery that has stumped players with early copies — it's more complicated than anything seen in the franchise to date, and something we're keeping a close eye on.

"Like the result of an experiment conducted in an underground Umbrella Corporation lab, Resident Evil Requiem successfully splices two separate strains of survival horror together into the one highly infectious new mutation," IGN wrote in our human-authored Resident Evil Requiem review, awarding the game 9/10.

IGN's Resident Evil Requiem guide will help you every step of the way through RE9. Take note of these key tips and tricks before you get started, and focus on finding these important items early. Plus, our comprehensive walkthrough will make sure you don't miss a single Bobblehead or file as you try to survive from the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center all the way to Raccoon City.

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

Metacritic has been forced to remove a suspicious-sounding Resident Evil Requiem review published by a previously high-profile website, after claims that the outlet was now pumping out AI slop.

The popular review score aggregation source told Kotaku it had now delisted a 9/10 Resident Evil Requiem review from veteran UK website Videogamer.com after concerns were raised about its authorship following cuts to its human staff.

Videogamer's 543-word appraisal of Requiem, still live on its own website, is published under the byline of "experienced iGaming and sports betting analyst" Brian Merrygold. Alas, Merrygold does not appear to exist. His profile image includes a URL that suggests it was created by ChatGPT in October last year, the same month a social media profile for the author was created that's yet to be used.

Merrygold's persona, along with several others on the website, have been used to publish what appears to be AI-generated gambling slop on Videogamer over the past few months. Kotaku reports that Videogamer's new owners Clickout then began using these same personas for video game coverage this month, after human writers were made redundant.

"The RE Requiem review and a handful of other Videogamer reviews from 2026 have been removed," Metacritic co-founder Marc Doyle acknowledged.

"Metacritic has been a reputable review source for a quarter century and has maintained a rigorous vetting process when adding new publications to our slate of critics," he continued. "However, in certain instances such as a publication being sold or a writing staff having turned over, problems can arise such as plagiarism, theft, or other forms of fraud including AI-generated reviews.

"Metacritic's policy is to never include an AI-generated critic review on Metacritic and if we discover that one has been posted, we'll remove it immediately and sever ties with that publication indefinitely pending a thorough investigation."

Metacritic's warning comes at a time when all kinds of journalism face an existential crisis due to the rise of AI. From the ability to quickly conjur up regurgitated opinions scraped together from elsewhere, to the fact that search engine article discovery is quickly being replaced by AI summaries, the landscape is much changed. Metacritic's warning, meanwhile, suggests the company thinks it likely this won't be the only attempt to get AI slop past its filters.

"Like the result of an experiment conducted in an underground Umbrella Corporation lab, Resident Evil Requiem successfully splices two separate strains of survival horror together into the one highly infectious new mutation," IGN wrote in our human-authored Resident Evil Requiem review, awarding the game 9/10.

IGN's Resident Evil Requiem guide will help you every step of the way through RE9. Take note of these key tips and tricks before you get started, and focus on finding these important items early. Plus, our comprehensive walkthrough will make sure you don't miss a single Bobblehead or file as you try to survive from the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center all the way to Raccoon City.

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

Sony is reportedly pulling away from PC when it comes to single-player PlayStation games to focus more on console exclusivity.

Various comments from credible sources, including Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier and Digital Foundry’s John Linneman, indicate PC has become less important for Sony, and that single-player PlayStation exclusives may remain just that.

Speaking on the Triple Click Podcast, Schreier indicated that Sony will continue to release its live service games on PC as well as PlayStation, but “the sense I'm getting is that they're backing away from putting their exclusive console stuff like traditional single-player stuff on PC.”

Schreier pointed to Insomniac’s Wolverine, due out on PS5 exclusively this September, which he suggested may never come to PC.

Schreier then suggested Sony hasn’t seen significant commercial success putting its single-player games on PC. “It doesn't seem like it's going to be that big of a blow,” he added. First-party single-player PlayStation games that have made the jump to PC include Marvel's Spider-Man, God of War, The Last of Us, Ghost of Tsushima, and Days Gone.

In a post on ResetEra, Schreier said his comments were “not speculation, but sometimes topics come up on the show before I'm quite ready to publish a story about them. More to come soon I'm sure.”

Digital Foundry’s John Linneman said something similar on Digital Foundry Direct. “I actually have an inkling that they’re pulling away from PC,” Linneman said. “Watch this space. I get the feeling that under the current leadership, PC has become less important.”

“One might argue that the Jim Ryan era, the one positive thing to come out of it is this shift to PC. But I’m not confident they have a huge vision for PC going forward. Not to say we won’t still see some PC games happening. But I think it’s not going to become more PC focused. I think if anything it’s going to become less. This is the reason I don’t think they would ever consider a PC launcher, like going bigger on PC at the expense of console. I think console is where they want to be.”

IGN has asked Sony for comment.

Sony has in recent years expanded PlayStation to PC, but refrained from going as far as console rival Microsoft, which releases all its games on PC at the same time as console. Sony, however, has employed a staggered approach, releasing its single-player PlayStation games on PC after a period of console exclusivity. When it comes to live service games like Helldivers 2 it’s a different story, with Sony publishing on PC day-one — and in the case of Arrowhead’s third-person action game, to record-breaking success. Indeed, Sony-owned Bungie is about to launch live service extraction shooter Marathon across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S at the same time. Guerrilla’s live-service multiplayer Horizon spinoff, Hunters Gathering, is set for PC and PS5, as is MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls.

The reports cast doubt on the likes of Wolverine ever coming out on PC. But there are more games to consider here. We had assumed Sucker Punch's Ghost of Yōtei would eventually hit PC having launched on PS5 last year, but will it? Will Housemarque's Saros?

It’s worth noting recent reports that Sony may have to delay the release of the PlayStation 6 to 2028 or even 2029 as a result of the AI-fueled chip crisis. In January, an analyst report suggested that Sony may push the launch of the PS6 beyond 2028 and lengthen the PS5 lifecycle. David Gibson, senior analyst at MST international who focuses on game and tech companies, predicted that “rising memory prices will not impact short-term performance thanks to Sony’s existing inventory.” However, he noted that increased memory costs could become an issue for Sony in the next fiscal year (ending in March 2027), saying “Sony might pass future cost increases onto consumers.”

With that in mind, doubling down on PS5 as the home of exclusive games may help reinforce the console’s value for PlayStation fans, and encourage sales.

This month Sony announced the shock closure of Bluepoint Games, the studio behind the remakes of both Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls. Sony still operates PC port specialist Nixxes Software, which it bought in 2021.

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.

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise. With over 1,000 pocket monsters to collect, battle, and trade, dozens of mainline and spinoff games, a lucrative trading card game, various animated shows and movies, as well as a plethora of merchandise, Pokémon is one of the most profitable franchises in the world. It also happens to be my favorite.

I’ve spoken ad nausea about how much I love Pokémon. I’ve collected all but one of the mainline games, my room is adorned with statues, posters, and plushies of my favorite monsters, and my social media profiles are labeled with custom Pokémon artwork. This franchise means more to me than any other. And for this Access Designed, in honor of Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, I want to explore how its relatively consistent accessibility has shaped me, not only as a disabled player, but as a disabled reporter.

Catching Them All

My first introduction to the series wasn’t a video game. It was actually a single trading card: a Machop, effortlessly holding a massive boulder above its head. My older brother had been forced to reluctantly share it with me. And from that moment on, all I wanted was to collect more. I watched my brother trade with his friends, slowly developing my favorites from afar.

It wasn’t until the age of five, when my mother picked me up from kindergarten with a copy of Pokémon: Blue Version, that I experienced my first foray into the digital world of Pokémon. Back in 1999, my disability had yet to progress to where it is now. Yes, I was weak and required a wheelchair, but my hands had yet to atrophy into their current shape, and so it was far easier to use handheld consoles like the Game Boy. And because early Pokémon games had simplistic movement and play-at-your-own-speed turn-based combat, I could spend hours catching and battling without physical fatigue or strain.

For years, well into Pokémon’s third generation with games like Ruby, Sapphire, Fire Red and Leaf Green, that classic, accessible gameplay design remained the same. While the different iterations of Game Boys changed their shapes and sizes, Pokémon’s overall play style was the only accessibility constant in my gaming life. Whether relaxing after school or stuck in an ICU room with IVs and tubes coming from my body, I was always able to play Pokémon.

When Change Creates Conflict

Pokémon’s inclusive gameplay design is inherent to its overall accessibility. The games are meant to be played by everyone, with difficulty being exclusive to the individual. Do you want to breeze through the game with just your starter and a legendary? Go for it. Do you want to build an intricately competitive team with proper stat distribution and type matchups? Nothing is stopping you. There is a level of freedom offered by Pokémon games that, for me, is unmatched in terms of accessible design.

Even as Nintendo evolved, with new handhelds that chased new ambitions, Pokémon’s core gameplay loop remained the same. While the DS and 3DS games used the touchscreen for minigames, I was still able to play the entirety of each Pokémon entry released on those consoles. That streak was brought to an end, though, with the release of the first Pokémon game for the Nintendo Switch.

Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee were released in 2018. They are both remakes of the original generation’s Yellow Version, albeit with some notable differences. All Pokémon are visible on the overworld, making it easier to find your favorites and even hunt for elusive shinies. The overall difficulty is significantly easier, with an emphasis on attracting a new generation of Pokémon fans. Both of those changes were more than welcome. But the most controversial difference was the inclusion of forced motion controls.

Catching Pokémon meant flicking the Joycon, imitating throwing a Pokéball to activate the controller’s motion systems. There was no alternative to this mechanic, no ability to catch using traditional controls. For the first time ever in a mainline entry, Pokémon changed one of its core gameplay principles, and the result was a less accessible game. For the first time in my life, I was unable to play a Pokémon game due to its overall inaccessibility. And while I wasn’t disappointed to be missing another first-generation remake, I was fearful that this gimmick would set a precedent for future games.

In 2018, I wrote my first article exploring the negative accessibility impact of the Let’s Go games. In a uniquely beautiful, full circle moment, the series that was my accessibility constant helped launch my career as a disability and accessibility reporter. With gaming journalism in this field still within its infancy, it was refreshing to see a publication take a chance on a new writer to essentially call out one of the largest franchises in the world. My piece was deeply personal, but also spoke to the greater concerns of accessibility as a whole – can innovation be dangerous in the face of accessibility? Thankfully, Let’s Go were the only games to incorporate forced motion controls, but Pokémon continues to try to innovate.

An Uncertain Future

Pokémon’s recent Legends entries once again redefine what it means to capture and battle powerful monsters. While 2022’s Pokémon Legends: Arceus kept the series’ classic turn-based battle system, it implemented real-time catching without providing any accessible tools. And so while I was able to play Arceus to completion, I needed to use a specialized controller in combination with Nintendo’s native system accessibility settings, activated through the Switch itself rather than in-game. Fast forward to 2025’s Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and for the first time in a Pokémon entry everything was real-time. It meant that I found it a struggle to play for consecutive hours. So while I did complete both Legends games, I did so while grappling with a level of physical fatigue and strain that I’ve never experienced with Pokémon before. And even though I love these new interpretations of this 30 year-old classic series, I’m slightly apprehensive when thinking about the future of Pokémon. Will there be another Let’s Go-esque game I can’t play? I don’t know, and that quite frankly terrifies me.

I will always love Pokémon. I will always view it as my emotional comfort series. And as I’ve grown, I’ve learned to appreciate the nuances behind each game. Competitive battling, shiny hunting, and even Pokédex completion have historically been aspects of each game that I can comfortably engage with despite my physical disability. While I’ve become hesitant to let my accessibility guard down with new games and announcements, Pokémon’s vast library means I can always return to my comfort place. And for that reason alone, I’m excited to see where the next 30 years take us.

Grant Stoner is a disabled journalist covering accessibility and the disabled perspective in video games. When not writing, he is usually screaming about Pokémon or his cat, Goomba on Twitter.

Amazon is going through something of a massive restocking mission this week for Pokémon cards, and it comes at just the right time for Pokémon Day and the 30th anniversary celebrations.

There's a whole bunch of great deals already live (including discounts on cards, games, and toys), but I wanted to draw attention to one of the best deals out there right now as well.

That's on the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet - Journey Together Booster Bundle, which is now back in stock at Amazon, and with a significant reduction to boot.

Magic: The Gathering has kicked off its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set prerelease weekend, but one product has been tougher to find than even Collector Boosters - the Pizza Bundle.

New for this set, it’s a bundle of packs and bonus goodies intended to look like, well, a pizza box, and it includes a Collector Booster - but is it worth picking up at Amazon right now?

The much-delayed Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse currently has a June 18, 2027 release date. If the animated movie does hit that date, it’ll arrive four years after 2023’s Across the Spider-Verse, and eight years after 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse came out. So, what’s taking so long?

In an interview with io9, Spider-Verse producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller explained the hold-up. They said that a lot of the delay had to do with the pressure they put on themselves to outdo the previous two movies, which enjoyed critical and commercial acclaim, and the sheer amount of work required to come up with something that will do just that. Then there were issues that came with the decision to split the sequel in two, and subsequently having to piece it back together to create not just a coherent trilogy, but coherent individual movies.

“At one point it was one movie, but there was too much movie there, so it was separated into two,” Miller explained. “But then once you looked at that second half of a movie, you’re like, ‘Well, that’s like not just a story arc that has a beginning, middle, and end.”

“We know where it’s headed, but we need to understand better what’s happening in the middle,” Lord added. “And we came upon a really wonderful notion, which is when your family is broken apart by your calling, your talents, how do you put them back together? How do you have it all?”

“We put the most pressure on ourselves,” Miller went on to say. “There’s no one that puts more pressure on us than ourselves, wanting to outdo ourselves each time and see things that you haven’t seen before and make it feel like something you’ve never experienced before. And so, trying to get something that is as worthy as the previous two has been the driver.”

“Having to take it apart to put it back together again was really, really [the] real thing that made it take longer,” Miller said.

Then there was, as Lord put it, the “small detour” that was Project Hail Mary. That’s the upcoming Ryan Gosling adaptation of the 2021 hard sci-fi novel of the same name that Lord and Miller directed. That’s a pretty big detour, I’d say.

As it stands, Beyond the Spider-Verse is a little over a year away. So what can we expect? Daniel Kaluuya, who played Hobart "Hobie" Brown / Spider-Punk in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, is set to play the same character in Beyond the Spider-Verse (he’s also set to reprise the role in a Spider-Punk animated spinoff).

Marvin Jones III, who voices supervillain Tombstone in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, is also set to reprise his role for Beyond the Spider-Verse. (He’ll play a live-action version of the character in this year’s MCU movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day, too.)

Last year, Sony released the first photos of Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse during its CinemaCon presentation. Check them out in the gallery below.

Footage screened for attendees began with a voiceover from Miles: “You can’t ask me… not to save my father.” The footage then pulled back through trippy sky colors and images from the last movie with dialogue excerpts. Miles was seen fighting his evil self and walking into a dark tunnel with others behind him. Then his line from the last movie — “Imma do my own thing” — was heard before confirmation of what was then a June 4, 2027 release date.

Story wise, Lord said Beyond the Spider-Verse picks up right after the events of Across the Spider-Verse, and that Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales’ friends may or may not be enough to save everyone.

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.

Resident Evil Requiem has landed on Steam, and is now the series' biggest launch to date on Valve's PC platform.

At the time of writing, 230,210 people are playing Capcom's latest chapter of survival horror on Steam — though shortly after launch, a peak of 267,509 users were in-game concurrently.

That figure marks Resident Evil's best ever numbers on Steam, up from the 168,191 peak for Resident Evil 4 Remake in March 2023, and the 106,631 who turned up for Resident Evil 7 back in 2021. It also paints a pretty positive picture for the game's sales performance overall.

Of course, these numbers reflect just a fraction of the overall number of players now getting started in and around Raccoon City. Requiem is also available on PC via Epic Games Store, and of course has launched on consoles for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, where many more will be playing.

IGN has much, much more to help get you started with Resident Evil Requiem as smoothly as possible. After checking its global release times, we also have a guide to how long Resident Evil Requiem is, and there's been word today of a day 1 patch for Switch 2. Once you have got started, we also have a pointer to the game's most perplexing challenge that you can get started with early on.

"Like the result of an experiment conducted in an underground Umbrella Corporation lab, Resident Evil Requiem successfully splices two separate strains of survival horror together into the one highly infectious new mutation," IGN wrote in our Resident Evil Requiem review, awarding the game 9/10.

IGN's Resident Evil Requiem guide will help you every step of the way through RE9. Take note of these key tips and tricks before you get started, and focus on finding these important items early. Plus, our comprehensive walkthrough will make sure you don't miss a single Bobblehead or file as you try to survive from the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center all the way to Raccoon City.

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

There's a whole bunch of great Pokémon deals available right now online as part of Pokémon Day and the 30th Anniversary celebrations. That includes Pokémon TCG as well, with Amazon going through something of a massive restocking mission this week, and at just the right time.

The biggest highlights from Amazon's selection include the Journey Together Booster Bundle, now back in stock, and scoring a sizable reduction. It's now just $34.97 at Amazon, but I can see these selling out fast today, so snap one up ASAP.

Ascended Heroes - Elite Trainer Box, now available and in stock for trainers, matching market price at $119,99 as well, alongside the Pokémon Day 2026 Collection, which, considering the ongoing 30th anniversary celebration, should absolutely be at the top of your buy list right now.

This features a specially stamped foil Pikachu promo card, a metallic coin featuring the 30th anniversary logo, and a random variety of three booster packs from Phantasmal Flames and Mega Evolution.

While the stamped foil promo card of Pikachu isn’t a unique illustration, its status as the first official 30th-anniversary product might be worth something to completionists in a few years. I’d recommend picking up two if you’ve got the space - one to hold onto as an investment, one to rip.

You can also secure both of these at TCGplayer right now at slightly reduced prices (without considering delivery), but I'll leave it up to you to decide where you want to buy today.

Beyond the headliners, it’s also worth flagging last year’s Prismatic Evolution-themed Pokémon Day 2025 collection, which Amazon has quietly restocked at $40.64.

The set comes with two Prismatic boosters, a metallic Eevee coin, and a foil Eevee promo stamped with the Pokémon Day 2025 logo. It pairs nicely with the new 2026 collection if you’re looking to bulk out a themed pickup.

Stock has also resurfaced on a few other notable bits, including the Phantasmal Flames Three-Pack Blister at $32, the Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection, and several Scarlet & Violet Unova-era items like the Poster Box, assorted tins, and the Illustration Collection.

Robert Anderson is IGN's Senior Commerce Editor and resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Bluesky.

Nintendo has advised fans to ensure they have Resident Evil Requiem's day one patch installed before beginning the game on Switch 2.

The Resident Evil Requiem "Day 1 Patch" will bring the game up to Version 1.1.0, Nintendo said, in an update issued in the early hours of the game's launch day today, February 27.

In a note on its official website, Nintendo said Version 1.1.0 included "several fixes," though did not go into further detail. "Please be sure to apply the 'Day 1 Patch' before playing the game," it continued. It's likely the update will begin updating automatically — though be sure to connect online to receive it.

Resident Evil Requiem is the first new Resident Evil game to simultaneously debut on a Nintendo platform in many years — since Resident Evil: Revelations on 3DS back in 2012. In the meantime, Nintendo platforms have received cloud versions and various belated ports — and indeed, Resident Evil 7 and Village also both launch for Switch 2 today.

In a recent video interview published to Nintendo's YouTube channel, Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi admitted that the game's development team had been "skeptical" about Switch 2's ability to run the game — but quickly decided it would be able to run the full game "as-is" after seeing the hybrid console's horsepower in action.

"Like the result of an experiment conducted in an underground Umbrella Corporation lab, Resident Evil Requiem successfully splices two separate strains of survival horror together into the one highly infectious new mutation," IGN wrote in our Resident Evil Requiem review, awarding the game 9/10.

IGN's Resident Evil Requiem guide will help you every step of the way through RE9. Take note of these key tips and tricks before you get started, and focus on finding these important items early. Plus, our comprehensive walkthrough will make sure you don't miss a single Bobblehead or file as you try to survive from the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center all the way to Raccoon City.

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

The Marathon Server Slam is off to a quick start, with impressive player numbers on Steam.

As part of the Server Slam event, Bungie’s extraction shooter was made available to download for free across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S yesterday, February 26, allowing players to give it a shot over the weekend.

Marathon hit a peak of 143,621 concurrent players on Steam, although the true figure across all platforms will be higher (neither Microsoft nor Sony make player numbers public). And while the Server Slam is free and Marathon will cost $39.99 when it launches proper next week, the numbers do suggest significant interest.

Perhaps a useful comparison is to rival extraction shooter Arc Raiders, which went on to enjoy enormous success and huge sales after a similar server slam event ahead of launch and the same price point. Arc Raiders’ stress test hit a peak of 189,668 concurrent players on Valve’s platform. Marathon is behind that for now, but its peak number will surely grow as we head into the weekend and more people are available to play.

Already, Bungie has signalled it is gathering feedback from players, and said it will make updates during the Slam itself and “tie up any loose ends” ahead of launch on March 5. In a post on social media, Bungie outlined a number of bugs it’s working to fix, but perhaps of most interest is an acknowledgement of feedback on Marathon’s user interface.

If there’s one aspect of Marathon that has been roundly criticized, it’s the UI. Some players are saying they’re finding the icons of items unintuitive, and there’s too much visual clutter, which makes navigating the menus trickier than it should be.

“We've heard your thoughts and want to hear more!” Bungie said on the UI feedback, before pointing players to its Discord. It seems unlikely the developer will be able to make any meaningful change here before launch, but hopefully tweaks can be made sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, Bungie said it had received reports that PvP isn’t frequent enough overall. It offered some tips for players hoping to engage in PvP more often.

“Perimeter (Beginner) intentionally infils fewer Runners,” Bungie said. “Head to Perimeter and then Dire Marsh for a greater challenge. Additionally, the UESC are deadlier than you might think and will wipe you off the map (thus limiting the lobby's PvP opportunities) if you let them swarm.”

The Marathon Server Slam ends at 10am PT on March 2, with rewards available for testing the servers.

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.

Where Winds Meet is taking us back to "one of China's most glorious eras," the Tang Dynasty, with its next major update, the Hexi expansion, which kicks off, for free, on March 5.

Between March and May, the team will release Hexi's three chapters in sequence, taking wanderers "from desert to ice fields to grasslands," starting with Jade Gate Pass next week.

"In ancient China, friends would write poems for each other. Think of these three chapters as our poem to all of you," the team explained, stressing that this marks "a much more cinematic approach to storytelling" that feels "quite different from our previous storytelling."

Set in a vast desert landscape, developer Everstone Games said the Hexi expansion represents the "biggest expansion since the game’s launch, and will offer up brand-new narratives, new bosses, fresh gameplay features, and martial art styles." We can expect three major maps, which, combined, boast nearly 20 sub-regions, 11 unique bosses, seven Jianghu Legacies, "dozens" of side quests, and "so much more." There's also a new path called Bamboocut-Dust, with two new martial arts for Umbrella and Roped Dart. Umbrella's Spring Dreamscape is "all about agility," while Rope Dart's Fleeting Clouds is "all about big, sweeping AOE attacks."

The stream showed off some of those aforementioned boss fights in detail;, including Jade Gate Pass' campaign boss, Guo Xin, the aging general and last grand protector who "remains at his post defending the land to the very end." He'll come at you with "sweeping combos and summon veterans to fight alongside him," so you'll need to use your deflects wisely to protect against his attacks. His second phase, on the other hand, boasts "sands swirl and time reverses" as the call of his army "jostles him back to his prime," enabling him to unleash his full power.

We also get a sneak peek at Wandering Ark, which, I'm delighted to say, is exactly what it sounds like — a huge ship. Once a messenger, it's now obsessed with finding its way home through the desert. If you hang on after the main presentation finishes, there's also a good chunk of the battle against Hexi's Moongazing Maiden boss fight, too, where all the skills and weapons are related to the moon.

While the stream focused primarily on the desert, we also paid fleeting visits to the upcoming Liangzhou and Qingchuan maps, too. The former is a city known for its fine wine and precious jade in our first snow mountain region, and the latter, your final destination, where you'll cycle through all four seasons on one map and find warring factions everywhere you turn.

Best of all, though, Everstone stressed that all your progress carries over from season to season, including character levels, talents, and arsenals, so there's "no need to start from scratch."

As for goodies? Here's just some of what you can expect:

• 30+ Lingering Melody
• 90+ Resonating Melody (includes pulls obtained via free Echo Jade earned through exploration)
• 100+ Appearances and items
• Win exclusive Whirl of Radiance outfit (obtained through exploration)
• 100+ Exquisite Rewards, including Appearances like Burlap Sack, Bride's Bloom, War Drum and more, the White-Headed General Avatar, the Radiant Horizons Nameplate, and the Who Else? And Pluck Stars Emotes

That's not all! Everstone also revealed a slew of new quality-of-life updates, too, which we've summarized below:

Cross-platform optimization and improved stability

• Performance and stability optimizations:
  • Performance and memory usage have been optimized across all platforms. This effectively reduces crashes, ensuring a more stable and reliable overall experience.
• Dynamic scene enhancements:
  • Optimized object motion in dynamic scenes to make screen transitions and movement processes smoother and more natural.
• Unified cross-platform experience:
  • Through comprehensive adjustments across all platforms, we have improved the consistency of the gameplay experience on different devices.
  • Optimized notifications for Compendium, Achievements, Events, Martial Arts, and Guilds. We hope to ensure timely and clear information delivery for all players while minimizing distractions and repetitive alerts.

Console control upgrades and smoother interactions

• PS5 controller optimization:
  • Adjusted controller inputs for the Taiping Mausoleum and select events to enhance intutitiveness and handling.
• Focus and cursor display optimization:
  • Optimized the logic for controller focus display and fixed cursor issues, making UI navigation clearer and more stable.
• Polished console experience:
  • Further improved interaction details on consoles to minimize control interference and improve overall gameplay experience.

Inventory management upgrades

• Recycling and sorting improvements:
  • Optimized the interaction of the recycling interface to support the quick recycling of multiple item types, improving sorting efficiency.
• Fast recycle now available:
  • Added a Fast Recycle function to quickly process expired, discarded, and recyclable items in bulk.
• Item categorization and stacking optimization:
  • Introduced new item categorization methods and increased the stack limit for certain Life Materials, keeping your inventory clean and organized.

Gameplay and social updates

• Guild gameplay updates:
  • Added various Guild-related gameplay modes and challenges to enrich combat styles and play choices.
• Guild War optimization:
  • Adjusted league and command mechanisms to reduce interference, ensuring smoother combat flow.
• Social feature upgrades:
  • Added multiple chat channels and group chat functions to facilitate interaction among players and allow sharing of Jianghu stories.

Where Winds Meet's Hexi expansion can be pre-downloaded from today (February 27). "To wrap up, Hexi is a cinematic open world experience. Three chapters, tons of creative storytelling. We really hope this passion project brings something fresh to all of you," the team said.

The Wuxia open-world action-adventure RPG set in ancient China debuted on PC and PlayStation 5 on November 14, topping 9 million players in just two weeks. The mobile version released on December 12.

It didn't take long for players to find creative — and highly amusing — ways to make use of the game's chatbot NPCs, including taking a novel approach to solving riddles by… simply telling the game's AI-powered chatbot NPCs that they have solved the game's riddles.

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.

Pokémon Day 2026 is a particularly special celebration for fans, as it's officially the 30th anniversary of the famous Red and Blue release in Japan in 1996. There's plenty of excitement going into the day, which also makes it one of the best times to check out the best deals on everything Pokémon.

TL;DR: The Best Pokémon Day Deals

Whether that's restocks or price reductions on the latest and greatest Pokémon TCG releases, or some sizable discounts for almost every Pokémon game on Nintendo Switch - I've done the hard work for you, and found the best offerings available today.

Pokémon TCG: Restocks and Best Prices

Quite surprisingly, there's actually a whole lot of great Pokémon TCG restocks and deals available right now online, with Amazon having some of the best around. The online retailer has gone through something of a massive restocking mission this week, and at just the right time.

Pokémon Day Finds at Amazon

The biggest highlights from Amazon's selection include the Ascended Heroes - Elite Trainer Box, now available and in stock for trainers to freely buy. It's matching market price, at $119,99 as well.

There's also the Pokémon Day 2026 Collection, which, considering the ongoing 30th anniversary celebration, should absolutely be at the top of your buy list right now.

Besides those standouts, I also wanted to highlight the Prismatic Evolution themed Pokémon Day 2025 collection that released last year. Listed for $40.64, Amazon has recently restocked the special edition set.

It includes two Prismatic boosters, a special metallic Eevee coin, and a foil Eevee card that features a unique Pokémon Day 2025 logo. That's absolutely worth picking up alongside the new 2026 collection, if I say so myself.

I also want to call out availability on the Phantasmal Flames - Three Pack Blister, for $32, alongside the Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection, and several of the Scarlet & Violet Unova series, like the Poster Box, Tins, and Illustration Collection.

Pokémon Day Finds at TCGplayer

TCGplayer has also pulled out all the stops for Pokémon Day, and has several of the most popular Pokémon TCG sets in stock and at market price.

In terms of sealed sets, I want to highlight the Perfect Order booster boxes, which are currently available for $201.18 market price at TCGplayer. That's a remarkably good price for the upcoming set releasing on March 27, and probably one of the best deals I've seen all year.

Featuring 36 booster packs, you're looking at about $5.50 per pack, which is as close to MSRP as I think we're ever going to get. Compare this to Phantasmal Flames booster boxes, which are currently going for $320 or more, this is a huge saving. I'd snap this up ASAP before prices spike again as we get closer to release day.

My next best suggestion is to consider The Pokémon Center Exclusive Ascended Heroes ETB, which is currently available for just $246.84 market price at TCGplayer. Considering this was selling for $400 just a few weeks back, I'd consider this one of the best deals available right now for the biggest Pokémon TCG fans out there.

Nintendo Switch Games on Sale Today

Amazon’s Woot store has been known to offer a bunch of deals in the past, but it might just have outdone itself this time around with its brand new "Video Games For All!" sale that includes a whole slew of Pokémon games on Nintendo Switch. Just use promo code LEVEL20 to access the new bargains.

The biggest standout is on Legends Z-A, which is down just $35.92 on Nintendo Switch. IGN's Rebekah Valentine gave the game an 8 out of 10 in her review last year, saying “Pokémon Legends: Z-A finally feels like Game Freak hitting its stride in Pokémon’s 3D era, with a fun setting to explore, a well-written story, and a total battle system overhaul that works surprisingly well.”

You can upgrade to the Switch 2 version digitally as well for just $10 after making your purchase, making this a certified bargain. But, and this is a big but, these are certified Pokémon Day deals that will expire by the end of today (February 27, 11:59 PM CT, to be exact). So, act fast to avoid disapointment.

Pokémon Funkos, Toys and Plushies

I couldn't wrap things up without at least mentioning several amazing Pokémon plushies that are on sale at Amazon right now. That includes an adorable and massive 20-Inch Torchic Squishmallow that's down to just $30.99, which is lowest price in the past 30 days.

There's also a great deal on Lugia and Snorlax 12-Inch plushies, which are just perfect, and also at 30 day price lows right now at $22.99 each (down from $34.99).

It's also worth mentioning the brand new lineup of Pokémon Funkos. A select few are now available, while several others are still up for preorder.

There are some bangers in here as well: an angry, electricity-summoning Pikachu, an angry, vine-summoning Venusaur, and more. Take a look and see if you want to order any from Amazon for Pokémon Day.

Pokémon LEGO Back in Stock and Now Available

There's also a trio of new Pokémon LEGO sets that are now available from today! There’s an adorable Eevee, a dynamic Pikachu, and a pricy (yet incredible) set depicting Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise. All sets are now back in stock and available to purchase, exclusively at the LEGO Store.

My favorite from this is definitely on the Eevee LEGO set. This LEGO version is definitely going to be popular, so I'd snap it up ASAP before it sells out again fast.

We recently built this set as well, so you can check out our full impressions over there. Long story short, it's a gorgeously designed set that manages to turn a pile of blocks into a smooth and fluffy-looking critter. In addition to the loveliness of this set, the price is right as well.

For more on Pokémon's 30th Anniversary celebrations, be sure to check out our roundup on best Pokémon games of all time.

Robert Anderson is IGN's Senior Commerce Editor and resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Bluesky.

Warning: This review contains full spoilers for The Pitt Season 2, Episode 8!

One of the big questions surrounding The Pitt Season 2 from the start has been what unexpected disaster will throw this already chaotic emergency room into complete turmoil. Last season, it was the mass shooting at Pitt Fest. This season, if these past few episodes are any indication, it’s the steadily worsening fallout caused by a ransomware cyberattack. As Season 2 moves past the halfway mark, it’s only becoming more intense and stressful a viewing experience, which is exactly where the show shines best.

Episode 8 is definitely at its strongest early on, when we see the doctors and nurses scrambling to come to terms with the fact that they’ve just been cut off from every digital lifeline they’ve come to take for granted. It’s an especially ironic twist given how much Dr. Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi) has been pushing generative AI on her underlings. The sense of fear and unease is palpable in these scenes. That’s what happens when you ask a hospital staffed primarily with students and interns to suddenly backpedal 20 or 30 years into the past.

Adding to the tension here is the fact that Dana (Katherine LaNasa) is otherwise indisposed, forcing Princess (Kristin Villanueva) to step up as temporary charge nurse. It’s both entertaining and anxiety-inducing watching her struggle to stay afloat, particularly as it becomes clear her support staff aren’t The Pitt’s best and brightest. Even in the most frantic of times, The Pitt finds room for a little humor.

As with last week’s episode, LaNasa is really dominating the screen at the moment. We see two very different sides of Dana over the course of “2:00 PM.” First, she’s the calm, compassionate source of strength as she guides the sexual assault victim through a very difficult process of gathering evidence. That only changes when Dana finally explodes in righteous fury upon discovering that the previous evidence kit was never picked up. Then she transitions into a more familiar mode, taking command of the E.R. and instilling order through sheer force of will. It’s a very strong and layered performance from LaNasa, who may well turn out to be the MVP of Season 2.

Elsewhere in the ER, the series manages to continue building on Dr. Langdon’s (Patrick Ball) subplot in a compelling way. Following Langdon’s brief but emotionally crushing conversation with Robby (Noah Wyle) last week, he’s now silently feuding with Dr. Santos (Isa Briones). It’s a reunion the series needed to get around to eventually, given that Santos is the one responsible for exposing Langdon last season. I enjoyed how their conflict played out here, with Langdon trying to reassert himself as a resident and Santos responding with cold hostility. With each exchange, you can see Langdon contemplating whether to speak up or silently take his lumps and keep moving forward.

Conversely, there’s a great scene between Langdon and Dr. McKay (Fiona Dourif), who is much more understanding of and empathetic towards Langdon’s plight. Given McKay’s own personal demons, it makes sense to position her as one of Langdon’s few allies in an otherwise hostile workplace. Season 2 hasn’t been great about using Dourif to her fullest, but moments like this go a long way toward rectifying that problem.

Overall, “2:00 PM” serves as a very solid addition to Season 2. It doesn’t quite reach the heights of certain recent installments, but the combination of strong character drama, fascinating medical cases, and occasional bursts of humor is a very effective one. There’s just one fly in the ointment, and his name is James Ogilvie (Lucas Iverson).

I wish the series weren’t quite so determined to make us hate Ogilvie. It’s an odd choice, considering how well-rounded most of the characters are. Even Ogilvie’s fellow student doctor Joy (Irene Choi) has been coming into her own of late. But with Ogilvie, we have this oddly two-dimensional caricature of a doctor who’s defined by two traits: He’s an insufferable know-it-all, and he has a startling lack of compassion for his patients. In the wake of his behavior in this episode, it’s getting to the point where I want the show to borrow a page from its cousin series, E.R., and drop a flaming helicopter on top of Ogilvie. I’d just as soon the series not make me feel that way about any of its ensemble characters.

Netflix has announced that it has declined to raise its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, meaning Paramount Skydance now has a clear path to win the bidding war for the company in charge of Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, the DC Universe, and much more.

Netflix shared a memo today that included its response to WB's board of directors, who said Paramount's latest proposal was "superior" to the existing merger agreement it had with Netflix.

"The transaction we negotiated would have created shareholder value with a clear path to regulatory approval," Netflix's co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters wrote. "However, we've always been disciplined, and at the price required to match Paramount Skydance's latest offer, the deal is no longer financially attractive, so we are declining to match the Paramount Skydance bid.

"Warner Bros. is a world-class organization, and we want to thank David Zaslav, Gunnar Wiedenfels, Bruce Campbell, Brad Singer and the WBD Board for running a fair and rigorous process. We believe we would have been strong stewards of Warner Bros.' iconic brands, and that our deal would have strengthened the entertainment industry and preserved and created more production jobs in the U.S. But this transaction was always a 'nice to have' at the right price, not a 'must have' at any price.

"Netflix's business is healthy, strong and growing organically, powered by our slate and best-in-class streaming service. This year, we'll invest approximately $20 billion in quality films and series and will expand our entertaining offering. Consistent with our capital allocation policy, we'll also resume our share repurchase program.

"We will continue to do what we've done for more than 20 years as a public company: delight our members, profitably grow our business, and drive long-term shareholder value."

Paramount's latest $31 per share also offer gives shareholders extra cash for each quarter the deal would fail to close after this year (about $650 million), and it would cover the $2.8 billion it would owe Netflix for walking away from the existing agreement.

So, as it ends, Netflix's nearly $83 billion deal couldn't quite match the roughly $111 billion deal from Paramount.

This is a change of tune, as Warner Bros. had mentioned to its shareholders two months ago that it should reject Paramount's takeover bid for the company.

Photo by Anna Barclay/Getty Images.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.

Secretlab recently opened up preorders for its highly anticipated lineup of Titan Evo Pokémon gaming chairs, and what better time to pick up one of these coveted chairs than on Pokemon Day. None of these chairs are discounted (and I don't expect any sale to happen in 2026), but you don't have very many options anyway. In fact, this is the only officially licensed Pokemon themed gaming chair that's sold in the United States.

Preorder the Secretlab Titan Evo Gaming Chair for Pokemon Day