Charizard - love it or hate it, there’s no denying that this Pokémon is an icon in its own right. It may be #0006 in the Pokédex, but it’s #1 in the hearts of Trainers across the globe. Since taking place front-and-center on Pokémon Red’s cover art 30 years ago, this Fire-type is iconic in its own right.

Since its debut in the Base Set of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, back in 1996, Charizard has been printed on a whopping 50 unique cards. But which is the most iconic? Let’s settle it, once and for all.

10. Charizard VMAX (Champion's Path 074/073)

The reveal of Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves for Nintendo Switch 2 has given us our first look at the franchise's long-awaited 10th generation of creatures — as well as many returning favorites.

Below, we've rounded up every Pokémon species already confirmed to appear in the series' Gen 10 games — including its three new Starter Pokémon, the lovable Browt, Pombon and Gecqua.

Those three were the only all-new species announced today, alongside a returning cast of several dozen familiar faces that you'll be catching, hatching and trading all over again.

Today's first Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves trailer includes at least 28 species, which we've listed below. In brackets, we've also listed their accompanying evolutions (and in Pikachu's case, its baby species) as the inclusion of one Pokémon in a family typically means the inclusion of them all.

If this continues to be the case, the number of species technically confirmed is already around 50 (and likely a few more than that, as each starter creature will almost certainly get two evolutions).

For now, though, here's every Pokémon species we've seen in Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves with our own eyes:

Pokémon Winds and Waves confirmed species list

• Pikachu (Pichu, Raichu)
• Oddish, Gloom (Vileplume, Bellossom)
• Krabby (Kingler)
• Tangela (Tangrowth)
• Ledyba, Ledian
• Slugma (Magcargo)
• Wingull (Pelipper)
• Taillow (Swellow)
• Wailmer, Wailord
• Duskull (Dusclops, Dusknoir)
• Corsola
• Mareanie, Toxapex
• Sandygast (Palossand)
• Tropius
• Carnivine
• Tympole (Palpitoad, Seismitoad)
• Nymble (Lokix)
• Sizzlipede (Centiskorch)
• Lumineon (Finneon)
• Frillish (Jellicent)
• Tynamo (Eelektrik, Eelektross)
• Browt
• Pombon
• Gecqua

Of course, Pokémon now has 1028 unique species (including today's new starter confirmations). Recent games have typically featured a large chunk of that in their Pokédex, though it's been some time since the last title that featured every single species.

Add in costumed creatures, gender differences and other alternate forms, and quickly it becomes clear why no game has tried to cram everything in. Already Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves have introduced two new unique Pikachu, too, the improbably named Mr. Windychu and Ms. Wavychu. Yes, really.

Why has Pokémon stopped including every species in each game? In a nutshell, The Pokémon Company has suggested that there are now just far too many to feature in every game, and balance against everything else. Add that's not even counting the many regional species variants, Mega Evolutions, Gigantamax forms and more now found throughout the franchise.

Which species are you hoping to see return? And which starter will you be picking? Already there's a wave of love for fire pooch Pombon, though also calls for it remain standing on four legs after it evolves.

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

Early teasers for a 30th Anniversary Pokémon TCG set were shown during the recent Pokémon Presents livestream. It will feature "an exciting line of products" that will be released later this year, with minimal other details revealed so far.

This has the potential to be similar to the "Celebrations" set that was released in 2021 to commemorate Pokémon's 25th anniversary, and featured reprints of iconic cards like Charizard, Blastoise, and more.

Ring in 30 years of the Pokémon TCG! 🎉

To celebrate, an exciting line of products is set for simultaneous global launch in participating markets in 2026. Stay tuned for more details! #Pokemon30 pic.twitter.com/DdCpcpP7DV

— Pokémon TCG (@PokemonTCG) February 27, 2026

13 cards were shown off during the 30th anniversary teaser video, including Pikachu, Palkia, and several others, so it may be fair to assume that these will all be getting reprints.

Teased with the line "The Future Awaits" were a potential look at new Mew and Mewtwo cards.

Enthusiast Pokémon site Pokebeach has also speculated that the 2026 30th anniversary set will be called "Celebration Collection" that was trademarked back in November last year.

Pokémon TCG has already been rather busy in 2026, releasing its latest Mega Evolution expansion set, Ascended Heroes at the end of January.

Its follow up Perfect Order will be released on March 27, and will be honing in on many of the Pokémon featured in the Legends: Z-A game.

It's also heavily rumored that the set after this will be called "Chaos Rising", and is alledgedly scheduled to release on May 22, 2026. It's suggested this will rumored to be the Western release of Japan’s Ninja Spinner set that spotlights Mega Greninja.

The Pokémon Company has just unveiled the next generation of Pokémon games, Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves, and with it the three new starter Pokémon who we'll choose a partner from to accompany us on our journey. Among those starter Pokémon is a cute little Fire-type pomeranian-inspired dog named Pombon, and within seconds of its reveal, fans were begging it to stay on all four legs.

please let pombon remain on all fours, please arceus

— 𝓶𝓲𝓶𝓸𝓾 🧸🎀🌹 ꒰ bear vtuber ꒱ (@mimourie) February 27, 2026

If this is confusing to you, you probably have a healthy relationship with how many limbs creatures tend to stand on, but as I'm also in the "please don't stand up, Pombon" camp, allow me to explain. Pokémon starters tend to come in two varieties: two legs (and two arms/wings), and four legs. And often, those Pokémon will change how many limbs they are standing on at some point in their evolutionary lines. As an example, Mudkip starts on four legs, but when it evolves into Swampert, it stands on two, with its two front legs now serving as arms.

Pombon pls stay on all fours 🥺👉👈 https://t.co/BVoAGo9Z8b

— AL (@notalomaga) February 27, 2026

What fans are upset about is how in recent generations, most quadrupedal starter Pokémon end up standing up on two legs by the time they fully evolve. For example, Sprigatito, the grass cat from Scarlet and Violet, starts on four legs, ends on two. Sobble and Grooky from Sword and Shield do the same thing. As does Litten from Sun and Moon, Fennekin and Froakie from X and Y, and Tepig from Black and White. If that doesn't sound like too much, note that in almost every single generation, the starter Pokémon I didn't list above are already on two legs when introduced and stay there, so the end evolutionary result is often a trio of bipeds.

As we get closer to the release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, a variety of fun tie-in goodies and toys are dropping for fans to check out. Even cereal brands are getting in on the fun. Both Trix and Lucky Charms have released some new variations on their cereals in collaboration with the upcoming movie, with each box offering their own tasty flavor.

If you're a big fan of Trix, this tie-in cereal comes in a blue raspberry flavor. Prefer the magically delicious Lucky Charms? This version is strawberry flavored with some galactic marshmallow shapes thrown in of planets and stars. Head to the links below to order a box if they've caught your eye.

Trix and Lucky Charms Super Mario Galaxy Movie Cereals

Amazon has revealed the first photo of its God of War series, showing off Kratos and Atreus.

Announcing its God of War TV show is now in production, Amazon issued the image below alongside the tagline: “Their journey to the highest peak begins.”

I almost feel sorry for Browt and Gecqua. How is an angry little leafy bird and a damp blue gecko meant to compete with the face card that Pombon showed off in the reveal trailer for Pokémon Winds and Waves? A tiny, smiley Pomeranian with eyes that could melt hearts as quickly as the fire he, in all likelihood, breathes, I fear that I already know I would die for him.

The thing is, when it comes to starter Pokémon, I’m not even traditionally a fire-type guy. I still insist to this day that there’s no cooler Pokémon than the hydro-pumping, water cannon-strapped Blastoise, so, naturally, my choice in that original generation was always going to be Squirtle. I’m not going to sit here making Brock’s Gym and Mt Moon harder for myself than it needs to be. That penchant for water transferred straight into Gold and Silver, with Totodile more often than not being my first Pokémon of choice. Just look at his little fanged face. Adorable.

And so, I would switch between elemental types for the next couple of decades, picking tactically, and thinking about what would make my onward journey the most fun and frictionless. I’m normally one to utilise an analytical approach to these things and not rush into a quick decision. So, when today’s Pokémon 30th anniversary stream ended with Gen 10’s reveal trailer, and inside of it hid our first peek at Winds and Waves starters, it was frankly embarrassing how quickly I decided that Pombon would be sitting snuggly in my very first Poké Ball. I’m not saying it’s as easy to give me an adorable little smile to get me on side, but in this case, the Pomeranian only went and did it.

Of course, we don’t yet know what any of these three starters will evolve into — I think it’s safe to assume larger birds, dogs, and geckos — but already I don’t even care. Sure, we’ve had our fair share of fire dogs over the years in Pokémon, perhaps most notably Cinnabar Island natives Growlithe and Arcanine, but Pombon is a fierce new breed, and one I will likely arm with quick attack, bite, and ember until he’s a big enough boy to incinerate any flammable fool stupid enough to stand in his way. Yes, even your tiny little Browt, if you, for some reason, decide that he’s the one for you in 2027.

The official Pokémon website describes Browt as a “lively but clumsy Bean Chick Pokémon”. Why would you want to hang out with a clutz? Gecqua is listed as an “intelligent Water Gecko Pokémon”. Brains are overrated; manners are everything. That’s why I’ll be making the actual smart decision and going with Pombon, the “friendly Puppy Pokémon”.

Stick with me, boy, I’ll keep you safe. Fire, come walkies with me.

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.

The mainline Pokemon games make up one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. From Pokemon Red and Blue to the Pokemon Legends, these games have amassed a huge audience that just keeps coming back for more year after year.

If you haven't played all of the Pokemon video games in the series, however, you may find yourself in a bit of a dilemma trying to figure out where to start in 2026. Most of the major titles in the series are excellent standalone games to dive into, but if you want to start from the beginning, there are two different ways to play in order: Chronologically or by release date.

Jump to:

• How to Play by Release Order
• How to Play in Chronological Order

Which Pokemon Games Should You Actually Play First?

Choosing where to start boils down to what Nintendo console you currently have. If you only have a Nintendo Switch, you can start with Let's Go Pikachu or Let's Go Eevee, which are kind of like remakes of the original Yellow version from 1998. You can also play Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl for another remake experience. Pokemon Legends: Arceus is also an option (and technically first up on the timeline), but it is very different from the other mainline games.

If you're wanting to dive right into Pokemon Scarlet and Violet or Legends: Z-A, it's worth noting that you likely won't be missing out on any overly pertinent information from the previous games. The only games in the main series you might not want to jump right into is Black 2 and White 2 as those are sequels.

How to Play the Pokemon Games in Chronological Order

The Pokemon timelne may seem pretty linear at first glance, but without enough obvious details to go off of, it can be pretty confusing to try to follow the chronology from title to title. Luckily, a now deleted tweet from Toshinobu Matsumiya has given us a starting point for some of the games. For the rest, we can only make educated guesses based on a few key details witin the games.

1. Pokemon Legends: Arceus

The first game in the chronology is very clearly Pokemon Legends: Arceus seeing as it's set in a time when the relationship between humans and Pokemon was only just starting to form. You spend a large portion of your time running around a vast open wilderness catching and battling wild Pokemon, and the people you interact with are clearly just beginning to understand the world of Pokemon. This game features crafting and research tasks, which greatly differentiates it from the usual gym battle formula we are used to.

Though we don't know just how long ago Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes place compared to the other games in the series, we do atleast know that it seems to feature the ancestors of Diamond and Pearl characters.

2. Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow

As the original games in the series, Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow are up next in the timeline. Bringing the first-generation Pokedex and introducing us to the classic Pokemon game formula, these best-selling games are what started it all.

Although we can't know for sure that these Game Boy games are up next in the timeline, the deleted Tweet from Game Scenario writer Toshinobu Matsumiya confirmed that the series starts with these. The technology featured in the game is also fairly limited compared to some of the newer games -- though still advanced enough to bring fossils back to life!

Bonus: Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are remakes of the original Red and Blue games and thus are at the same exact point in the timeline. Much of the plot is the same as the originals with some key differences -- including visiting the Sevii Islands after becoming champion of the Elite Four.

3. Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald

Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald brought all new Pokemon and throws you into the Hoenn region -- which is some distance from both the Kanto and Johto regions. Considering this game features the third generation of Pokemon and some new technology, it seems most likely that it would take place after both Red and Blue and Gold and Silver. However, according to that same deleted tweet from Matsumiya, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire take place at the same point in time as FireRed and LeafGreen.

This also means that Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are at the same point in the timeline here seeing as they are remakes.

4. Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

As the second game in the series (in terms of release date) Pokemon Gold and Silver take place three years after the events of Red and Blue. With some exciting new Gen 2 Pokemon and some of the best post-game content in the series, Gold, Silver, and Crystal were an excellent follow up to the original games. By traveling to the Kanto region after becoming the champion of Johto, you get a firsthand look at the passage of time. You even get to battle the protagonist from the first games, Red, who is quite strong.

This placement in the chronology also applies to the remakes: HeartGold and SoulSilver. Although the remakes offer some additional content, they are essentially just updated versions of the originals.

5. Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum

In terms of series release order, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl came a few years after Ruby and Sapphire. However, we now know from that deleted tweet from Matsumiya that Diamond and Pearl actually takes place at the same time as HeartGold and SoulSilver. This may seem a little bit confusing considering the advancements in technology we see in Diamond and Pearl, but we can likely just chalk it up to the actual date the games were created rather than the chronology within the Pokemon universe.

This would also mean that the remakes, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are set in the same point of the timeline. Though the timeline gets a bit wonky with the inclusion of Fairy-type Pokemon considering those weren't introduced until X and Y.

6. Pokemon Black and White

Featuring the fifth-generation of new Pokemon, Black and White was the second mainline game to come out on the Nintendo DS. Although we don't know exactly when the story takes place in the Pokemon universe, we do that it takes place after Diamond and Pearl thanks to Matsumiya's tweet. Since there aren't any obvious links to the previous games, we can only assume that Black and White takes place more than 3 years after Red and Blue.

7. Pokemon Black 2 and White 2

As a true sequel to Black and White, Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 offer a fairly obvious transition through the chronological timeline. We see changes where gym leaders pass on their duties to the next generation, Team Plasma has advanced their plot, and there is a new Champion. Between all of these things, we know that roughly two years have passed since Black and White, progressing the timeline forward in an uncharacteristically linear fashion.

8. Pokemon X and Y

As the first game in the series to allow payers to explore and battle in 3D, Pokemon X and Y was a fresh take on the classic Pokemon formula. While this is largely due to it being the first title in the series to be a Nintendo 3DS game, it definitely helped set up future games. While we don't know exactly when the game fits in the chronology, thanks to Matsumiya we atleast know that X and Y take place at the same time as Black 2 and White 2. However, it's possible that it is set in a different universe due to Mega Evolution being a thing.

9. Pokemon Legends: Z-A

Although we don't know its exact place on the timeline, we do know that Pokemon Legends: Z-A takes place pretty soon after the events of X and Y. Based on the characters and events in the story, it's clear that Z-A takes place sometime within five years of X and Y. It's in the same Kalos region as X and Y and appears to be a direct sequel.

10. Pokemon Sun and Moon

Happening a few years after X and Y, Pokemon Sun and Moon takes us to the Alola region. While we don't have any information from Matsumiya about where this game fits in the timeline, it features a few characters from X and Y that indicate that time has passed between games. An adult Red and Blue also make an appearance, though their exact age isn't revealed, so we still don't know exactly how much time has progressed since Red, Blue, and Yellow.

This also means that Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon take place at the same point in time as they are essentially remakes of Sun and Moon with some additional content.

11. Pokemon Sword and Shield

With the arrival of the Nintendo Switch came the first Switch-exclusive mainline Pokemon game: Sword and Shield. Featuring a brand-new region, new Pokemon, and the introduction of Gigantamax, Sword and Shield is essentially a soft reboot of the series. So that being said, we have no idea where it fits on the chronological timeline. There aren't really any hard references to the previous games, so there is no way of accurately fitting it into the known Pokemon universe.

One of the only clues we have about the timeline comes in the form of new technology. The addition of the Rotom Phone seemingly places us further in the chronology than Red and Blue at the very least, but that's all we can really gather. It's possible that Pokemon Sword and Shield simply takes place in an entirely different universe than any of the other games.

12. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

As the latest mainline entry in the series, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet brings all-new Gen 9 Pokemon and the open-world Paldea region to the Nintendo Switch. There haven't been any obvious clues revealed about where it lands on the timeline, so we unfortunately don't have enough information to try to accurately place it. That being said, if it follows the chronological structure of previous mainline games, it's possible that it takes place at the same time as the events of Pokemon Sword and Shield.

Upcoming Pokemon Games

Pokemon Pokopia

The next Pokemon-adjacent release is just around the corner. More of an Animal Crossing-like than your traditional Pokemon game, Pokopia places you as a Ditto who can transform and learn new skills to build up an island for your Pokemon friends. You can learn more about this new spin-off's gameplay in our hands-on preview.

Gen 10: Winds and Waves

One of the biggest announcements coming out of Pokemon Day 2026 was the confirmation of the next generation of mainline Pokemon games. Pokemon Winds and Waves will launch on Switch 2 in 2027, and we've already gotten our first look at the three new starters.

Pokemon Champions

Game Freak and The Pokemon Company also announced Pokemon Champions, a new battle game for both Switch and mobile devices, releasing for the former in April 2026. This is most likely the "multiplayer Pokemon game" that was alluded to in earlier leaks. More like Pokemon Showdown than other Pokemon releases, Pokemon Champions will allow trainers to battle with Pokemon they've caught and trained in other games through the Pokemon Home app. No release date information has been revealed.

Looking for additional Pokemon content? Check out our guide to the best Pokemon movies and Pokemon Video Games for more. You can also shop for the coolest Pokemon merchandise at the IGN Store for some of our favorite Pokemon toys.

Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness is finally headed to Nintendo Switch Online this March. As it's a GameCube game, it will only be available for Nintendo Switch 2 users.

The game was previously announced for Nintendo Switch Online back when the GameCube Classics were first revealed last April. However, the game was not given a release date at the time, and fans have anticipated its appearance for almost a year now. Also at that time, Pokémon Colosseum was shown, but that game was not given a release date today nor do we know when it will arrive on the service.

Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness first released on GameCube back in 2005, and was a successor to Pokémon Colosseum, taking place in the same region. The game is a single-player 3D adventure where the player travels the Orre region to fight, capture, and purify Shadow Pokémon. Pokémon XD was also compatible with Pokémon FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald at the time, allowing players to transfer Pokémon back and forth between games and use them to battle in a multiplayer Battle Mode.

When it first came out, we gave Pokémon XD a 6.8/10, saying, "Pokémon XD has merit on its own for players who may not have experienced the first GameCube design [Colosseum], but as a sequel this one doesn't have nearly the same 'oomph' as the original."

Unfortunately, not only did we not get a date for Colosseum, we also still have yet to see Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Crystal, Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald on Nintendo Switch Online. The closest we've gotten is a Switch port of FireRed and LeafGreen, but it's not clear yet how, or even if, it would be compatible with XD.

You can catch up on everything announced at today's Pokemon Presents right here.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

30 years on from the release of its original games, the 10th generation of Pokémon has been revealed.

As ever, two titles will launch together, with Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves set to arrive in 2027 for Nintendo Switch 2.

The games will be set across a sprawling open world featuring a string of islands, include underwater gameplay, and of course feature a brand new batch of Pokémon, including three new starter choices: Grass-type bird Browt, Fire-type pooch Pombon, and Water lizard Gecqua.

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 celebrated the franchise’s 30th anniversary with 25 minutes of updates – and a first look at Generation 10, Pokémon Winds and Waves.

The show went about as fans expected. Most of the presentation focused on celebrating the series’ history, all while delivering announcements for spinoffs like Pokémon Pokopia, Go, Trading Card Game Pocket, and the upcoming Champions. Highlights include plans to bring Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness to the GameCube Classics catalog in March and, of course, a first look at Gen 10.

The real surprise for Winds and Waves was seeing what the game actually looks like in motion, with the presentation also showing off its three new starters and a release date window of 2027. You can see everything announced during the February 2026 Pokémon Presents in our roundup below.

The Pokémon Company Unveils the Pokémon Game Music Collection and a Tiny Game Boy Player

Pokémon is releasing a small music player based off of the original Game Boy that will play the original music from the games. #PokemonPresents pic.twitter.com/8PEKsSnqG7

— IGN (@IGN) February 27, 2026

The Game Music Collection is a new way for Pokémon fans to collect and listen to some of their favorite songs from the franchise’s beginnings. Releasing today, February 27, 2026, is a Game Boy-style music player that allows players to plug in cartridges for Pokémon Red and Blue.

Pokémon Trading Card Game Set Featuring Mew and Mewtwo Teased

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?