Europa Universalis 5 has its first public patch, which encompasses over 350 fixes. Among the bigger things it smacks with the heal-o-spanner (an actual game development tool, traditionally carved from the base of a Taito arcade machine) is the Steams achievements system, which will no longer shower players in plaudits they haven’t earned. On the plus side, you’ll now earn achievements even if you activate the “allow ahistorical” game rule.
We’ve teamed up with IGN for the definitive ranking, but you can have your say, too.
Nintendo has been in this business for a long time, so when you’re attempting to decide on what the 100 best games released on its consoles and handhelds are, it’s little wonder that it’s quite the challenge.
However, we’ve teamed up with our friends over at IGN to do just that – and we’re in the process of concocting a list of the best games ever released on Nintendo’s systems.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!
Activision Publishing Inc.
Activision Publishing Inc.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 – November 14
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|X / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery
The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare. David Mason leads an elite team on a covert mission to the sprawling city of Avalon. While there, they discover a sophisticated plot that won’t just plunge the world into chaos, it will pull them into their own haunting pasts. Squad up or go solo in an innovative Co-Op Campaign that redefines the Black Ops experience. Multiplayer explodes out of the gate with 16 electrifying 6v6 maps and two 20v20 maps at launch. Master a cutting-edge arsenal and outmaneuver your enemies with an evolved Omnimovement system.
CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Monster Hunter Stories – November 13
Monster Hunter Stories is an RPG that takes the world of Monster Hunter and expands upon it in new and exciting ways! No longer are you hunting monsters, but raising them! In this deep story featuring heroes known as Monster Riders, you will live alongside monsters and form lifelong bonds with them.
CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin – November 13
A new adventure awaits you in this second installment of the turn-based RPG series set in the world of Monster Hunter! Become a Rider and form bonds with friendly monsters known as Monsties to fight alongside them as you take part in an epic story.
Noodlecake
Winter Burrow – November 12
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery
Winter Burrow is a cozy woodland survival game. Explore, gather resources, craft tools, knit warm sweaters, bake pies and meet the locals! You play a mouse who returns from the big city to find their childhood home in ruins. To make matters worse, your Aunt (who was supposed to be looking after it) has gone missing. Restore your broken-down childhood burrow to its former glory so you can relax in front of the fireplace.
Ubisoft
Anno 117: Pax Romana – November 13
Experience the premier builder and design the cities of your dreams at the peak of the Roman Empire. Optimize your economy while balancing your people’s needs with the relentless demands of the emperor. Build upon the land that you see, from the beautiful heartland of Latium to the mysterious Celtic wetlands of Albion… where no civilized Roman wants to be.
THQ Nordic GmbH
Sacred 2 Remaster – November 11
In this remaster of the beloved action RPG Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, players return to a massive fantasy realm filled with hundreds of quests, dangerous dungeons, and unique combat arts to master. Battle monstrous creatures, uncover ancient secrets, and shape your character through loot, leveling, and deep customization.
Torpor Games
Suzerain – November 11
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery
Embark on a thrilling story as President Anton Rayne, steering Sordland through a pivotal time. Confront potential border conflicts, deep-seated corruption, and economic turmoil while navigating complex political dynamics in Anton’s first term. As the leader, your choices will shape Sordland’s destiny. How will you lead?
EpiXR Games
Zumba World – The Lost Marble Island – November 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Zumba World – The Lost Marble Island combines classic marble-shooter action with an interactive island adventure! You play as a masked tiki warrior, mouth brimming with vibrant marbles. Dash through a top-down tiki hub—sprinkled with hidden treasure chests and level portals—to choose your next challenge. Once you select a stage, position your warrior at the center of winding jungle paths and launch marbles to match three or more identical orbs. Trigger dazzling chain reactions, clear waves swiftly, and earn up to three stars by preventing any marble from slipping past the ruins’ thresholds.
LEVEL5 Inc.
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road – November 10
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
The newest title in the hyperdimensional football RPG series Inazuma Eleven is finally here! A new story featuring a new protagonist, over 5,400 characters to collect and train, as well as an intense competitive mode; there is no shortage of activities to enjoy!
Skybound Games
Goodnight Universe – November 11
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
From the creators of Before Your Eyes. You are Isaac, a 6-month-old baby, developing mysterious psychic powers. What you want most is to be loved and accepted by your family, but a secretive tech corporation wants you for their own.
Digital Bandidos
Let Them Come: Onslaught – November 11
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery
Brace yourself for the explosive action of Let Them Come: Onslaught, a fast-paced roguelite shooter where survival means adapting, upgrading, and unleashing devastating firepower. Battle relentless alien swarms across procedurally generated stages, unlocking new weapons and stacking brutal upgrades with every run.
Midnight Works
Mudness Offroad & Turbo Dash Kart – November 11
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Mudness Offroad & Turbo Dash Kart Bundle combines rough terrain challenges with fast-paced kart mayhem for players who crave diversity and action behind the wheel. From muddy trails to colorful circuits, this duo delivers excitement across every turn. This bundle brings together precision driving and playful competition—a true celebration of offroad power and arcade-style speed.
Perp Games
P1: Anchor Light – November 11
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Step into the lavish lighthouse; an opulent façade hiding a sinister secret. Its beacon, once a trusted guiding light, now threatens to unleash untold horrors upon the world. Your mission is clear: identify the ever-seeping anomalies in a bid to shut it down. But the restless entities within will fight back, their desperate whispers echoing through the halls, yearning for their dark truths to be heard. Can you silence the light before its madness consumes all?
Owlcat Games
Rue Valley – November 11
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Break free from a mysterious time loop! Embark on a journey of self-discovery and resilience. Delve into the enigmatic depths of the small godforsaken town: Rue Valley. Each day feels like an uphill battle against the shadows of your own mind. Along the way, you will encounter a captivating ensemble of characters, each wrestling with their own emotional complexities and revealing hidden depths as you get to know them.
Top Hat Studios, Inc.
Windswept – November 11
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Marbles and Checkers need your help finding their way home after being swept away in a storm. In this ‘90s buddy-platformer there’s a ton of stuff to do and even more to collect! Don’t be fooled by its cute charm! The journey home won’t be an easy one! Windswept is a love letter to a period of gaming where collectathon platformers reigned supreme, trying again was the norm, and players only had a game manual to guide them.
Eastasiasoft Limited
Bomb Kitten – November 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Get frisky with explosives and blast your way through tricky mazelike puzzle stages! Play as Bomb Kitten, a cunning black cat in a red cape, in this old-school action puzzler! Blast through grid-based stages, outsmart enemies, and use bombs to clear paths—but watch for spikes and traps. Collect hidden items, master 50 explosive challenges, and reach the exit ladder to escape these labyrinthine halls!
Webnetic s. r. o.
Bus Stop Shuffle – November 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
All aboard! Get ready for a colorful, brain-teasing puzzle experience where your goal is simple but oh-so-addictive: arrange all passengers to fit perfectly on their matching buses. Sounds easy? Think again! In this fun and relaxing puzzle game, you’ll face increasingly tricky challenges as you sort passengers by color and seat them correctly before the buses depart. Each level brings new patterns, tighter spaces, and more passengers to organize — testing your logic, speed, and strategic thinking.
Contrast Games
Chorus of Carcosa – November 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Chorus of Carcosa is a psychological horror game inspired by the classic horror fiction of “The King in Yellow” collection by R. W. Chambers. You play as a sculptor who is forced to abandon his place of comfort one night, when a blood-soaked neighbor knocks on his door.
SilenGames
Flying Candy – November 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
An addictive and relaxing chain reaction game featuring an exciting upgrade system and a wide variety of achievements. Your goal is simple yet endlessly engaging: pop bubbles, trigger satisfying chain reactions, and collect colorful candies along the way.
Afil Games
Hexa Chippy – November 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Get ready for a heartwarming hexagonal puzzle adventure where clever thinking meets cozy charm. Guide the adorable Chippys, little squirrels with big personalities, as they collect every shiny acorn and make their way safely home. Across 30 hand-crafted levels and three seasonal worlds: Spring, Summer and Autumn, you’ll twist, swap and align tiles to form perfect paths through nature’s maze.
Silesia Games Sp. z o.o.
Hidden Cats of Rio de Janeiro – November 12
Rio de Janeiro! What begins with a monochrome scene is going to burst with vibrant colours as you uncover more than 900 hidden objects – playful cats, lively streets, sandy beaches, and famous landmarks! A cozy adventure that captures the exuberant spirit of a Brazilian holiday… are you in?
Synnergy Circle Games
Hollowgrace – November 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
In a land once blessed by divine light, grace has hollowed into silence. The world of Elyndra was once watched over by radiant gods whose touch gave life to all things. But their gifts turned to rot. What was meant to heal began to consume — transforming faith into obsession, worship into madness.
SimulaMaker
Schedule 1: Dope Empire – November 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery
Step into the underworld and rise from street-level nobody to criminal kingpin in Schedule I: Dope Empire, a gritty drug empire simulator set in the decaying city of York Port. Manufacture, distribute, and rule — but every decision carries risk.
Lioncode Games
Wildkeepers Rising – November 12
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Tame monsters! Slay waves of enemy hordes! Explore fantasy lands! Wildkeepers Rising is a whimsical action-RPG roguelite set in a beautiful hand-drawn world that combines the power curve of bullet heaven games with the compulsive fun of a creature collector.
Take IT Studio! sp. z o. o.
Before Exit: Gas Station – November 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Before Exit: Gas Station is anomaly-detection game with dense atmosphere and some unexpected plot-twists. To reveal all its secrets and fully understand it, you will have to play through the campaign several times. Over 40 story-rich scenarios, packed with unique content, 4 different endings, and 6 mysterious bonus episodes.
Super Pixel Games, LLC
College Bowl – November 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
The official spin-off to the hit game Legend Bowl takes you from the pros into the college ranks. It’s time to bring back College Football for fans of the sport who’ve been waiting for a College experience for a long time! Are you ready?
Akupara Games
Gigasword – November 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Balance the weight of the Gigasword, battling between brain and brawn in this action-puzzle metroidvania where the might of the sword will determine all. As tensions rise in Thoenhart, a city plagued by famine and disease, the humans within set their hopes on a final solution: invade the ancient tower Nestrium, slay the Nocturne, and take the God Crystal, Gnosis, for themselves.
Ocean Media
I Love Finding Cats Collector’s Edition – November 13
Purrrfect hidden object game for all of us cat lovers! I Love Finding Cats! – Collector’s Edition is a classic Hidden Object game with a great selection of mini-games. Visit beautiful locations from across the globe while you find and collect adorable feline friends! This Collector’s Edition also includes Christmas Bonus levels.
Firenut Games
Legends BMX – November 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Pure Flow and Adrenaline! Legends BMX is an energetic and exhilarating game made for extreme sports enthusiasts! Ride your BMX through a variety of parks and scenarios designed to let you pull off incredible tricks.
Orube Game Studio
Lia: Hacking Destiny – November 13
Fight, hack, and survive in a world overrun by hostile machines, where each incursion is a race against death. Lia: Hacking Destiny is a fast-paced action roguelite with intense combat and choices that shape your journey toward freedom.
NiuGamer
Love is All Around 2 – November 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere
Intiny proudly presents the official sequel to the Love is All Around series—making a spectacular return! This time, we invite you to step into the treacherous yet enchanting world of ancient martial arts and imperial courts, experiencing an unprecedented, immersive romantic adventure.
Nacon
Rennsport – November 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Rennsport delivers an authentic racing experience, developed in close collaboration with car manufacturers and professional drivers to ensure all cars look, feel, and drive true to life. Get behind the wheel of fan-favorite GT3s like the Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) and Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, or push cutting-edge hypercars like the BMW M Hybrid V8. Every single detail is crafted with meticulous precision, from ultra-realistic physics to lifelike car models and authentic sound down to the exhaust note. Hit the track and get to experience the perfect harmony between driver and machine.
Wild Rooster
Astro Duel – November 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Astro Duel is a fun, frenetic local multiplayer party game for 1 to 6 players! Prepare for a fierce battle: rounds are quick and death is sudden. Blast your friends into space. Run over their helpless bodies for good measure.
Emprom Game
Bioprototype – November 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere
Bioprototype, a Roguelike & Skill Customizing Rhapsody! This is an auto-bomber with programming elements. Customize your character skills with visual programming, utilize enemy organs to finish the mutation, and construct the ultimate prototype, one can survive in the endless wave of flesh.
Emprom Game
Bioweaver – November 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere
Bioweaver is an RPG with the main content of treasure hunting and character building. You can use basic programming logic to deeply customize your skill sets, and you can also create organs with different attributes and functions with the special crafting system.
Afil Games
Bunninjutsu – November 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Leap into a world of calm precision and clever rhythm in this 2D platformer where every jump changes everything. You play as a brave ninja bunny in training, mastering the art of movement where each leap toggles platforms, spikes, and saws on or off. Timing isn’t just important, it’s everything.
Entity3 Limited
Chopper Strike – November 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere / Smart Delivery
Take to the skies in Chopper Strike, an adrenaline-fueled aerial combat experience. Command a powerful attack helicopter and rain destruction upon enemy forces in high-stakes missions that test your precision, strategy, and firepower.
Megabit Publishing
Clawpunk – November 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Prepare yourself for the ultimate adrenaline rush with Clawpunk, a pulse-pounding, melee-focused 2D action game infused with roguelite elements and an array of badass cat characters. Tear through a fully destructible environment, where every smash and bash rewards your reactive and aggressive play style. Aim for the highest score possible by laying to waste everything in your path!
SelectaPlay
Dark Atlas: Infernum – November 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
If hell is a state of the soul, these are the steps that will lead you to its gates. Dark Atlas: Infernum is a disturbing first-person story where an esoteric end of the world meets psychological survival horror with a strong narrative component.
Gametry LLC
Dirt Bike Retro isn’t just another racing game—it’s a full-throttle challenge where only the fastest, fiercest, and most fearless riders survive. Tear across classic dirt bike tracks with a modern twist, leave your opponents in the dust, and push your skills to the absolute limit.
EpiXR Games
Horror Tale 3: The Witch – November 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
The nightmare continues… and the witch is watching. In Horror Tale 3, the darkest secrets of a cursed neighborhood come to light. As children keep disappearing without a trace, Tom’s search for the truth brings him face-to-face with Wanda — the terrifying witch behind the horror. But she’s not the only surprise waiting in the shadows. New friends, strange allies, and buried secrets emerge as you step into the most intense chapter yet.
Digital Star Games
Liminal Department – November 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Trapped in what seems to be an endless hospital department. Carefully observe your surroundings in each loop to escape the Liminal Department. Explore an ever-changing hallway filled with unusual occurrences. Each loop could have multiple anomalies or none. Some are easy to spot, others are not.
QubicGames S.A.
Pocket Minigolf – November 14
Xbox Play Anywhere
Enjoy beautiful and charming graphics while listening to chill music. Test your skills on 50 creative levels with clever obstacles. Avoid water, walls, magnets, windmills or it’s game over! Warning – In some levels, you will have to show off your cleverness! Oh, and grab the bonus diamonds on the way.
Smiling Buddha Games, LLC.
Use Your Words 2 – November 14
The cult hit Use Your Words has all-new prompts and twice as many mini-games where you compete to write the funniest punchline – we set ‘em up, and you knock ‘em down! Players can use their phones or tablets as controllers, so it’s easy to jump in and seamless to play. And if you can’t think of a punchline, you can use one of our sneaky “Decoy” answers to lay a trap for your opponents… all with beautiful new visuals by artist Andrew Kolb!
Ratalaika Games S.L.
Videoverse – November 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery
Relive the days of past social gaming networks in Videoverse, a decision-based narrative adventure focusing on character development, friendship and love. Will your actions help Videoverse thrive, or will you get caught up in teenage drama, video game fandoms and corporate conspiracies?
The post Next Week on Xbox: New Games for November 10 to 14 appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Amid confirmation that GTA 6 really has been delayed again, we have word that Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 has become the fourth best-selling game of all time.
As detailed in publisher Take-Two’s investor call yesterday (November 6), the sequel has sold over 79 million units — making it the “best-selling title of the last seven years in the U.S. based on dollar sales” — and taking sales of the entire series to 106 million.
To give that some context, think of all the hugely successful games that have been released in the last seven years — Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Hogwarts Legacy, Elden Ring, to name but a few — as well as everything that’s released over the last few decades. Apart from Minecraft, GTA 5, and Wii Sports, which have sold 350 million, 220 million, and 82.9 million copies, respectively, Red Dead Redemption 2 has outsold everything.
With 79 million sales, that puts Red Dead 2 just ahead of the prior fourth-place Mario Kart 8’s estimated 78.02 million sales, as well as PUBG (75 million), The Oregon Trail (65 million), Terraria (64 million), The Witcher 3 (60 million), and the original 1985 Super Mario Bros. (58 million).
You’d think then, that Red Dead Redemption 3 is a dead cert. But Rockstar has yet to announce a sequel. Earlier this week, Rockstar Games co-founder and former lead writer Dan Houser said he’d feel more sad to learn Red Dead Redemption 3 was in development without him than he feels about GTA 6, but admits the game “will probably happen.” As lead writer, Houser wrote almost all of Rockstar’s games, but having left the company over five years ago, Houser recently confirmed to IGN that GTA 6 won’t have a story or a character set he developed, but expects the game to be great nonetheless.
“Of course, letting go of something I worked on in one way or another for like 20-odd years, and wrote on them for the last 10 or 11 that came out, wrote all of them, or you know, lead writer on all of them, whatever it was… letting go of that is a big change. And sad in a way,” Houser said.
“Because each of the [Grand Theft Auto] games was a kind of standalone story it’s not quite the same as… I think probably it would be in some ways sadder if someone continued on Red Dead, because it was a cohesive two-game arc. That might be more sad to hear someone working on that. But again, that will probably happen too. I don’t own the IP. That was part of the deal. It’s a privilege to work on stuff, but you don’t necessarily own it.”
In 2023, Roger Clark, who played Arthur Morgan, the main playable protagonist of Red Dead Redemption 2, said he was “certain” fans will see Red Dead Redemption 3 “one day,” but qualified that statement by saying he had no idea when that would be. Clark also ruled out the return of Arthur Morgan in the game, should it come to be. If you’ve played Red Dead Redemption 2, this might seem like stating the obvious, but there’s always the chance Rockstar may consider another prequel of some kind.
“I’m certain we will see Red Redemption 3 one day,” Clark said. “When that will be — I have absolutely no idea. Don’t count on Arthur’s involvement either. His story has been told, I feel.”
In a subsequent interview with IGN, Clark expanded on his thoughts: “Yeah, that got really picked up! I would have thought that was obvious though. Wouldn’t you? And it’s not like I have any insider information whatsoever, but of course there’s going to be another Red Dead. It sold over 60 million copies!”
He continued: “Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take-Two said it himself. He said GTA and Red Dead are prominent franchises for Rockstar Games and that they will be returning to them in the future. So there’s no doubt there will be another Red Dead. But if Arthur Morgan will be involved? I highly doubt it, to be honest. And I think it’s going to be quite some time before we even see a snifter of anything new Red Dead related. I have no idea how it would pan out, but I wouldn’t bet on Arthur being a part of it.”
Today, Red Dead Redemption 2 is widely considered to be one of the best video games of all time. We thought it was a masterpiece, too, with IGN’s review returning a 10/10. “Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game of rare quality; a meticulously polished open-world ode to the outlaw era,” we wrote.
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.
Mass Effect Day has arrived, which means the time has come for Dark Horse to reveal another exclusive Mass Effect collectible. This year, it’s time for Tali’Zorah fans to geek out, as the fan-favorite quarian tech specialist is getting a new 1’6 scale statue.
IGN can exclusively reveal the first images of Dark Horse’s Tali’Zorah 1/6 Scale Statue. Check it out in the slideshow gallery below:
This statue was sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios and features a highly detailed rendition of Tali’Zorah in her classic enviro-suit. The statue depicts her wielding her Arc Pistol and standing alongside her trusty combat drone Chatika vas Paus.
The Tali’Zorah statue measures 12.6 inches tall and is limited to 1000 units worldwide. It’s priced at $229.99, with an initial $20 discount available for those who preorder between now and November 14.
The statue will be sold exclusively through the Dark Horse Direct website. Preorders are expected to ship between June and August of 2026.
For more Mass Effect fun, why not check out the many Mass Effect collectibles available on the IGN Store?
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.
I was nosing around for a feelgood story to perk you up after this morning’s depresso news stew. But then I thought: what have you done for me lately? So instead, we’re going to write up the release of Diggergun, a life sim platform game about burrowing for lithium, in which you lose a portion of your take-home pay to costs based on real-world current UK tax, national insurance, debt and household expenses. Glorious! That’ll teach you to show up here, expecting some kind of escapism.
From Red and Blue to Scarlet and Violet, Pokémon is known for often launching its games with two different versions — and now, Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto has discussed one of the reasons why: to try and rival the sales of his own creation, Super Mario.
Since its inception on the Game Boy, Pokémon has typically released its mainline games twice, ensuring diehard fans pay double to own both varieties. Over the years, the decision has proven lucrative — and, of course, that was the plan all along.
Speaking during an investor Q&A meeting this week, in response to a question about whether Mario Kart’s enormous sales could ever be lapped, Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto said he’d once spoken to Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri and heard his plan to beat Mario.
“A long time ago, before creating the first Pokémon game, Satoshi Tajiri, the director of Pokémon, joked with me that to surpass Nintendo’s Mario he’d have to sell two copies of the game to each consumer,” Miyamoto revealed.
“That is one reason why Pokémon started with both Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue,” he continued. “I believe that new ideas are born precisely because of people like him, who challenge themselves to surpass what came before.”
In the past, official discussion of why Pokémon frequently arrives in two flavors has centered on the possibilities for player interaction this opens up. Each Pokémon version traditionally offers a different set of creatures to collect, encouraging players to meet and trade. More recent Pokémon games have also offered minor story differences between versions, tempting fans to play both games for the full experience. And, frequently, Nintendo has sold double packs of the two versions together, sometimes at a slight discount.
As for whether any game could ever actually beat Mario Kart — and specifically, the enormous sales of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch 1 — Miyamoto was coy.
“If some Nintendo IP or innovation is widely accepted by consumers as something new and never before seen, the numbers could potentially reach beyond the boundaries of entertainment,” he suggested. “One thing that is interesting about Nintendo is that it’s okay to try anything.
“On the other hand, even if something like that happens, Mario Kart would probably continue to sell well in that undertaking as well, so it may never be surpassed!”
Last month saw the launch of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the series’ latest spin-off that features a menagerie of new Mega Evolutions. Fans widely expect next year — the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon brand — to host the next mainline Pokémon games: the series’ 10th generation of titles. And yes, recently-leaked information suggested these would also be sold in two different versions.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Final Fantasy developers and publishers Square Enix have announced plans to lay off staff, with workers across “nearly all areas” of their Western business arms being affected. More than 100 UK staff are reportedly expected to be affected, with an indeterminate number of US-based workers also reportedly facing a future that’s up in the air. The reasoning given for the cuts centres around that depressingly ever-present word nowadays – restructuring – as Square look to cut costs and consolidate their focus around their Japanese development base.
Who wouldn’t?
Nintendo has released the English translation of its recent financial Q&A session, and it mostly covers the company’s plans for the Switch 2, its games, and potential movies going forward – lots of stuff we already know about, to be honest.
One question, however, managed to raise a smile on our otherwise stone cold faces, and its regarding the late president of Nintendo, Hiroshi Yamauchi, who passed away in 2013 at the age of 85. One attendee essentially asked what kind of comments Yamauchi would make if he were to evaluate the success of the Switch 2.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
It looks like Grand Theft Auto V will soon return to PlayStation Plus.
While the news hasn’t yet been confirmed by Rockstar Games or Sony, Dealabs‘ billbil-kun once again has the scoop on what games are coming to the PlayStation Plus library, and reported that GTA 5 will pop up on November 18 for all PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers. (Unfortunately, no, those on the Essential tier will not be able to access it.)
This isn’t the first time Rockstar’s smash shooter has been given away as part of the PS Plus library, of course, but it does mark the first time in a year that GTA 5 will be playable for no extra cost as part of the PS Plus library.
Given GTA 5 has sold an eye-watering 220 million copies, so it’s hard to imagine there are many gamers left who haven’t tried it at some point, but if you’ve somehow avoided it until now, this could be a good time to find out what all the fuss is about. In news unlikely to surprise you, we thought GTA 5 was “preposterously enjoyable, breathtaking in scope, and bitingly funny.” It returned a 10/10.
Don’t forget, you have until December 1 to grab November’s free monthly games: Stray, EA Sports WRC 24, and Totally Accurate Battle Simulator.
ICYMI, yes, Grand Theft Auto VI has been delayed until November 19, 2026. This news was announced yesterday, November 6, by Rockstar as a part of parent company Take-Two’s second-quarter earnings. In a release shared with IGN, Take-Two said the delay was about “giving the team some additional time to finish the game with the high level of polish players expect and deserve. Rockstar has our full support of course, and we are confident they will deliver an unrivalled blockbuster entertainment experience.”
GTA 6 was originally announced for a fall 2025 release, which CEO Strauss Zelnick said he felt confident in, even amid speculation of a delay. The game was then delayed to May of 2026, with Rockstar citing a need for extra time “to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve.” And now, of course, it’s been delayed again. Find out why some people think the delay could be a good thing.
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.
