Author: Game Infliction

The Pokémon Company Officially Delays Ascended Heroes TCG Booster Set, With Release Week Now Featuring Just a Single Sealed Product

The Pokémon Company has officially delayed the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution – Ascended Heroes Erika/Larry two-pack blisters from its original release date of January 30, 2026, to February 20 in the US and Canada.

Ascended Heroes is the latest Pokémon TCG set from the new Mega Evolution series. But, with the latest delay, this means that just a single sealed product will now be available to fans during its release week.

The new set is already getting a fairly staggered release, with the majority of products now releasing between February 20 and April 24. That includes some of the most popular items from a new Pokémon card set, such as the Elite Trainer Box, Booster Bundles, and more.

The delayed booster set features a promo card with either Erika’s Tangela or Larry’s Komala, a metallic coin featuring the chosen Gym Leader, and two booster packs from the Mega Evolution – Ascended Heroes expansion.

The only new booster set available in release week will be the Ascended Heroes Tech Sticker Collection, featuring Charmander and Ghastly as a foil promo card, plus a sheet of tech stickers featuring Mega Charizard Y and Mega Gengar, plus three Ascended Heroes boosters.

It’s already been hard to come by Ascended Heroes preorders, and undoubtedly this delay won’t make it any easier for fans after release day. Ascended Heroes ETBs, for example, are currently averaging around $115-120 on resale markets – around a 135% markup from its MSRP of $49.99.

Ascended Heroes’ Booster Bundles are also looking a little steep right now, and sit at $79.10 market price. That’s a fair lot more than its $26.94 list price, roughly a 194% markup, and almost triple the cost for what accounts for just six boosters.

It’s a similar story across the board, with fans likely to find it tough to find boosters from the new expansion outside of retailers like TCGplayer. That’s also consistent with the follow up expansion for Mega Evolution, Perfect Order.

Ascended Heroes being hard to come by won’t be surprising for most fans. The scarcity of the Mega Evolution series isn’t exactly an outlier for Pokémon TCG, with stock issues, lack of common availibility, and delays plaguing the world’s most popular trading card game for the past couple of years, at least, and stretches back through its Scarlet and Violet series as well.

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

I tried to fight for RuneScape’s sharksuit, but Jagex were having none of it – “it’s for the greater good”

“We want to put Runescape back on the map,” associate director of design Ryan Philpott says. But, reader, I need you to know the cost of this metaphorical cartography. Over the years, the Monty Python-infused medieval world of RuneScape has expanded in many directions. It’s gained new landmasses, professions, raids, and characters, but also many many many odder cosmetics. Some of them, like the delightful sharksuit, walk a distinctly non-medieval path.

Philpott says these are a problem. The meanie.

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The 10 Priciest Cards From Magic’s New Lorwyn Eclipsed Set That I’m Already Chasing

Magic: The Gathering’s Lorwyn Eclipsed set is here to kick off 2026, and marks our first ‘Universes Within’ set since Edge of Eternities back in August.

Early signs suggest it’s a welcome return to a much-beloved Plane, too, having been delayed from 2025. Lorwyn has been part of Magic’s locations since 2007, and there are some great cards in the set – including some that are already spiking in value.

The Most Expensive Cards From Lorwyn Eclipsed

We’ve got the most expensive Lorwyn Eclipsed cards you can find right now listed below, courtesy of data from the lovely folks at TCGPlayer.

Don’t forget, if you’re after these cards, you’ll likely want to pick up Collector Boosters – but those aren’t cheap.

10 – Bloom Tender (Showcase) – From $80

At the time of writing, this Showcase Bloom Tender is being sold for around $80.

It’s a 1/1 Elf Druid, but it taps for mana from permanents you control. Could be a good inclusion if you’re upgrading the Dance of the Elements precon.

9 – Bloodline Bidding (Showcase Fracture Foil) – From $83

This eight-cost Sorcery brings back all creatures of a chosen type from the graveyard to the battlefield – and I think I’m going to need it for my Sultai Arisen precon upgrade.

Bloodline Bidding is currently sitting at a market value of $83, but it’s recently sold for around $68.

8 – Collective Inferno (Showcase Fracture Foil) – From $95

This five-cost Enchantment doubles damage of a chosen creature type, making it an ideal inclusion in just about any typal deck that has access to Red.

It’ll set you back $188 with current listings, but Collective Inferno’s Showcase (Fracture Foil) version’s actual value is closer to $95.

7 – Glen Elendra Guardian (Showcase Fracture Foil) – From $96

This three-cost Faerie Wizard has some absolutely stunning artwork, and can be cast with Flash. It’s a 3/4 with flying, but arrives with a -1/-1 counter, which can be removed as an activated ability that also counters a noncreature spell.

That’s a lot to remember, but if you find Glen Elendra Guardian in Fractured Foil Showcase art, you could earn around $96.

6 – Harmonized Crescendo (Showcase Fracture Foil) – From $102

This six-cost Instant has Convoke, and lets you draw cards based on the number of cards you have in that type. There’s great artwork, too, showing merfolk singing.

It looks as though the price will drop, but for now, the Showcase version of Harmonized Crescendo in Fracture Foil is north of one-hundred bucks.

5 – Winnowing (Showcase Fracture Foil) – From $200

This version of Winnowing just about breaks the $200 barrier, with some gorgeous, colorful art and that always impressive Fracture Foil treatment.

As for what it does, this six-cost Sorcery has Convoke and allows you to essentially boardwipe all but one of your opponents’ creatures.

4 – Spinerock Tyrant (Showcast Fracture Foil) – From $200

A late addition post-launch, Spinerock Tyrant is a 6/6 flying dragon with Wither and the option to copy single-target instants and sorceries.

It’s sitting at around $200 right now, with some amazing artwork in the Fracture Foil treatment.

3 – Moonshadow (Showcase Fracture Foil) – From $231

Yep, that’s a big jump for this version of Moonshadow, which is functionally the same as any other Moonshadow card in the set.

This Fracture Foil variant commands a fee of almost $231 post-launch.

2 – Selfless Safewright (Showcase Fracture Foil) – From $298

TCGPlayer marks the current market value of Selfless Safewright in Showcase Fracture Foil at $298, but it’s been sold for less already.

1 – Bloom Tender (Showcase Fracture Foil) – From $482

This version of Bloom Tender is gorgeous, and could net you a sizeable windfall if you open a pack and find it waiting for you.

It’s sitting at around $480 for market value, and the most recent sale is around the same amount. Happy hunting!

For more on Magic: The Gathering’s latest set, be sure to check out our guide to the two new Commander precon decks: Blight Curse and Dance of the Elements.

Where to Buy – Lorwyn Eclipsed

Not only is Lorwyn Eclipsed the first set of a fairly packed year for Magic fans, but it marks big changes to the product lineup as well.

For starters, theme decks are back for Standard play, while a new Draft Night boxed product encourages players to, well, draft cards to build their decks. Then there’s our first Commander decks since Edge of Eternities, and both look pretty great.

If you’re looking to pick up the rarest cards going, then you’ll want to invest in the Collector Booster Box, as it has the highest pull rates going. Good luck, and let us know if you manage to score anything good when cracking those new packs.

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He’s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife’s dismay.

Digital Foundry Delivers Its Tech Review Of Grid Legends On Switch 2

Here’s how it holds up.

GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition speeds onto the Switch 2 this week, and it just might be the best-looking game to date on Nintendo’s new hybrid system.

Digital Foundry has now taken a look, and here’s exactly what you can expect when it comes to the game’s performance and resolution across the docked and handheld modes.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Surprise! Splatoon 3’s First Update Of 2026 Has Added Health Bars

We weren’t expecting this!

Nintendo released a major update for Splatoon 3 this week, and in case you missed it, it adds health bars to the game.

This has come as a real surprise to Splatoon players, as up until now, the enemy’s health in multiplayer was displayed through visual cues. As Nintendo notes, the remaining health of opponents will now be shown above their heads for “a few seconds” when they’re visible. Certain abilities can also make this bar visible.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Disney Afternoon Collection Finally Announced for Nintendo Switch Consoles With February Release Date and 2 New Games

The nostalgia-packed The Disney Afternoon Collection finally has a Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 release date, and it’s bringing two more games for patient fans.

A Switch version of the bundle of ‘90s Disney video games was announced today after first launching for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One back in 2017. Retro remaster developer Digital Eclipse has the original collection – which includes DuckTales, DuckTales 2, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers 2, Darkwing Duck, and TaleSpin – set with a digital Switch release date of February 26, 2026, with Goof Troop and Bonkers packed in, too.

Both are Capcom games that made their way to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in the ‘90s, and both will only be available on the Switch and Switch 2 versions of The Disney Afternoon Collection. Goof Troop sees Goofy and his son, Max, go on a swashbuckling co-op adventure to save Pete and PJ, while Bonkers follows Bonkers D. Bobcat as he solves crimes in Toontown.

It’s a bundle fit for the biggest fans of classic gaming from the House of Mouse, with the total game count now reaching eight. The February re-release will finally bring the bundle to Nintendo’s hybrid consoles, with access to soundtracks, a behind-the-scenes gallery, and rewind features, available, too. There are also Time Attack and Boss Rush modes for those looking to shake up that classic gameplay.

A Disney Afternoon Collection physical edition is also confirmed to be in development for those willing to wait until after the February digital release. Disney says the physical Switch release – which comes with the game cartridge, two sticker sheets, eight retro milk caps, and three collectible cards – is now available for pre-order and will ship “at a later date.”

The Disney Afternoon Collection launches digitally next month. For more, you can check out our 7/10 review from 2017.

“With three hits and three duds from Capcom/Disney years that you might remember with varying levels of fondness,” we said at the time, “the Disney Afternoon Collection is clearly aimed at children of the 90s. I have trouble seeing its appeal to anyone else. But if vintage duck-based platformers are your thing, grab a Capri Sun and a handful of Gushers and invite your friends over to play.”

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

Dune: Awakening hopes to spruce up its endgame in its next major update, coming next week

Dune: Awakening has struggled a touch with its endgame pretty much since launch, but with the MMO’s next big update, Chapter 3, is promising to offer a revamp that you (yes, you! The person playing Dune: Awakening right now! Maybe!) have been after. A release date was also offered up for the big update, alongside some specifics on just what this new endgame might look like.

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Magic’s Upcoming Secrets of Strixhaven Set Has Five Commander Decks, And You Can Preorder In The UK

Magic: The Gathering is all over the place in 2026, from Turtles to Star Trek, but Secrets of Strixhaven preorders are now live in the UK.

The set, which is getting its own prequel novel and includes a whopping five preconstructed Commander Decks and two Theme Decks, can be found on Amazon right now.

Here’s everything you can preorder right now, including Collector Boosters.

Grab Magic’s Secrets of Strixhaven Set In The UK

As with any MTG set, the Play Booster Pack is the cheapest way to open some cards. It’ll cost you £4.45 to preorder one, but there’s a nine-pack bundle for £48.45 or a box of 30 for £141.45.

Collector Boosters can’t be purchased on their own just yet, but it looks as though the Collector Booster Box may have already sold out.

Elsewhere, there’s a Draft Night boxed product for £86.45 (which includes one Collector Booster), as well as a pair of themed decks for Standard play: Eerie and Lifegain. Those are £19.99 each.

As we mentioned, there is not one, not two, but five Commander decks for this set – the most since Tarkir Dragonstorm last year.

  • Silverquill Influence (White/Black)
  • Prismari Artistry (Blue/Red)
  • Winterbloom Pestilence (Black/Green)
  • Lorehold Spirit (Red/White)
  • Quandrix Unlimited (Green/Blue)

Whichever one you grab will include a 100-card deck to play right out of the box, and they cost £43.99 each. They might end up being put in a bundle, too, but there’s nothing live for that just yet.

For more on Magic’s current set, Lorwyn Eclipsed, be sure to check out our list of the best chase cards in the set right now, as well as a look at all eight creature types in the new set.

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He’s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife’s dismay.

Coral Social Club is like Webfishing where you’re the fish, or, uh, mermaids

A thing that was quite endearing, perhaps the main appeal even, about the early internet was how it was a place you could go to, with lots of other, unique places to go through, be they forums, chatrooms, or oddball social games. The last item in the list there kind of faded away for a while, replaced by MMOs and live service games like Fortnite, but these smaller scale, social-first games, or hangout games, are making a comeback, with games like Webfishing. And soon, for the more aquatic amongst you, there will be Coral Social Club.

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