Category: IGN

As the debate over the price of Grand Theft Auto 6 rages on, one developer of the original Saints Row — itself heavily inspired by GTA — has said he hopes Rockstar charges $100 for it, insisting it’s the only game in the world that can get away with it.

Strauss Zelnick, boss of Rockstar parent company Take-Two, is often asked how much Rockstar will charge for what is expected to be the biggest entertainment launch of all time. And each time he’s asked, Zelnick dances around the question, pointing to delivering value for customers.

Adding fuel to the scrutiny is the industry’s recent jump from $70 to $80 for some games. If Nintendo is charging $80 for Nintendo Switch 2 games like Mario Kart World, and Microsoft, as many expect, jumps to $80 for its games from next year after backtracking on doing just that this year, then it’s hard to see GTA 6 priced any cheaper.

Fans often baulk at the idea of forking out $100 for GTA 6. But according to Chris Stockman, the design director of the first Saints Row game, GTA 6 “deserves” to be $100.

In an interview with Esports Insider, Stockman responded to the suggestion that GTA 6 will be the first $100 video game.

“They’re the only ones that can get away with it, Stockman said. “I don’t think it’s a rising tide that floats all boats. I think that there’ll be a tremendous amount of backlash if everyone switched to $100. Not all games are created equal. I think GTA is the only one that can get away with it, and I hope they do. I really hope it’s $100. I think it deserves to be $100.

“The scope and magnitude of this production deserves that price tag, but not everything is treated equally. It would be a disaster if everyone tried to match them.”

Stockman here is saying the sheer scope of GTA 6 will be of a magnitude higher than any video game before it. Certainly it’s rumored to have the largest development budget of all time. Rockstar has barely shown any of the game, so it’s unclear exactly how big and varied an experience it will be. But it seems like a safe bet that barring the worst disaster in video game history, GTA 6 will rewrite the record books when it comes to critical and commercial acclaim.

But is the world ready for the jump to $100? Earlier this year, a $100 GTA 6 was mooted by Epyllion CEO and analyst Matthew Ball in a lengthy presentation on the state of gaming in 2025. Near the end of the presentation, Ball said that “some gamemakers hope GTA 6 will be priced at $80 to $100, breaking the $70 barrier and helping $50 titles to move up to $60, $60 to do $70, $70 to $80 etc.”

“Packaged game prices have never been lower in real terms than they are today — even though budgets are at all-time highs and player growth is stalled,” Ball wrote. “GTA 6 could re-establish packed video game prices after decades of deflation despite rampant cost growth.”

Other analysts have poured cold water on the $100 suggestion though, saying that such is the huge excitement around GTA 6 that there’s simply no need to limit the game’s potential audience by pricing some out of the experience.

Indeed, recently published research claimed that if Rockstar were to go with $100 for GTA 6, it would actually cost the company money, with the revenue “sweet spot” remaining $70.

Price is just one of the many unanswered questions swirling around GTA 6. Another is what Rockstar plans to do with GTA Online. Could the company charge more for access to GTA Online? Will it be a standalone free download? Could Rockstar sell a subscription? Will Rockstar and Take-Two really keep GTA Online available at no additional cost, as before?

Hopefully it won’t be long before we get answers. GTA 6 is due out May 26, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S.

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.

The Pokémon world can feel a bit idyllic at times to imagine, especially when you think of the free universal healthcare via magic healing machines provided to all Pokémon at any Pokémon Center. Since the very first games, these Pokémon Centers have been staffed by a roster of completely identical women (skin, hair, eyes, expression, everything!), all known in the anime as Nurse Joy.

But in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, for the first time, working Nurse Joys can be a little different.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces unique Nurse Joys at every Pokémon Center for the first time in a Pokémon game. While the first one you’re likely to encounter looks like a fairly standard Joy, every woman staffing a Center has slightly different features: different skin tones, different eyes, different mouths, and different eyebrows. They’re all still in the same uniform and still sporting the same red loopy pigtails, but they now are giving a lot less pre-1980s Rockette.

This is in keeping with one of the features I’ve really enjoyed about Z-A so far: its character diversity. In past Pokemon games, towns could start to look a little samey, as every character of a single trainer class would have the exact same features copy-pasted. That has started to change in more recent games, but Scarlet and Violet took a bit of a step backward by dressing most of its cast in samey uniforms, again creating the illusion that every character looked the same.

In Z-A, though, not only do NPCs all have different facial features, their outfits can change things up a bit too. You still might see a couple of matching characters here or there, but I’ve spotted athletes sprinting through town in different colored workout gear, and artists with different colored aprons. It’s a small touch, but it adds a lot to the feeling that Lumiose City is actually populated by real people and not a lot of weird clones.

So congrats to every woman who didn’t look exactly like the original Nurse Joy in Pokémon Red and Blue (read: every woman), the job is now open to you, if you want it! Sorry to the gents though, as I still haven’t seen any men in the profession. Hopefully next game we can move into the 21st century on that front.

My review-in-progress of Pokémon Legends: Z-A is now live, if you want to check out my impressions of the first 24 hours, with a full review coming next week.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Nintendo has responded to reports that its servers were recently breached by hacking group Crimson Collective, and has claimed that no development or business information was taken.

In a statement to Japanese newspaper The Sankei Shimbun, Nintendo suggested that any breach had been minimal, and limited to servers simply hosting its websites.

The short statement, below, notably makes no mention of this week’s other major hacking story that has dominated gaming headlines: the continued spread of development details relating to the Pokémon franchise, originating from a confirmed breach of developer Game Freak’s servers last year.

Nintendo had attempted to pursue those responsible for last year’s so-called Teraleak of Pokémon details — which until this week appeared to be confined to information on past projects. But Nintendo does not appear to have had much success in locating the culprit, and this week a further cache of development details that seemingly chart The Pokémon Company’s roadmap of game releases until at least 2030 have hit the internet, timed to hit alongside the launch of Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

Last week, Crimson Collective claimed it had breached Nintendo’s servers, and an image purporting to show a long list of Nintendo development files was widely shared on social media. “We have not confirmed any leak of personal information, and there has been no leak of development or business information,” Nintendo’s statement today reads.

IGN has contacted Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for comment on this week’s further spread of information derived from the Teraleak, but has not heard back.

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

Disney Lorcana’s latest expansion, Whispers in The Well, has been revealed by Ravensburger and is now available to preorder. Amazon has preorders up at the moment for a booster box, the Illumineer’s Trove box, a single booster pack, and two single-player decks: Amber & Emerald and Sapphire & Steel.

All of these are set to be released on November 14 this year as well, so thankfully, you only have about a month to wait before you can get your hands on them. Get your preorders in at the links below before they sell out.

Disney Lorcana Whispers in The Well Expansion Revealed

On top of the expansion, two new Disney Lorcana playmats are releasing on the same day.

One of these is a delightful playmat featuring a design of Mickey Mouse, while the other features Jasmine from Aladdin. At the moment, they are both available to preorder for $19.99 a piece.

If the big booster box has caught your eye, it comes with 24 booster packs that each contain 12 randomized cards. Illumineer’s Trove, on the other hand, comes with 8 booster packs alongside six damage-counter dice, six card dividers, one lore counter, and a card storage box.

If you’re not looking to splash out on these big sets, though, the single booster pack will just set you up with 12 cards. As for the single-player decks, these come with 60 cards (including two foil cards of the characters featured on the front of the package), 11 damage tokens, a bonus booster pack, and a rulebook.

If you’re looking for even more card deals and preorders to drop some cash on, check out our breakdown of the best deals of the day. Yesterday’s write-up featured some great Pokémon TCG discounts and information on where you can preorder the new Magic: The Gathering’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

2K has reaffirmed its support for 3rd-person action roguelike shooter Project Ethos, and has appointed the former executive producer for Apex Legends as the new studio head of developer 31st Union.

This news was shared with employees today in a town hall followed by an internal memo, the latter of which was shared with IGN by 2K. The memo, written by 2K president David Ismailer, states that Ben Brinkman will take over as studio head of 31st Union beginning Monday, October 20. Brinkman will oversee Project Ethos development as the game is “reimagined” “with a renewed vision” after the game’s 2024 playtests revealed a need for “a more distinct identity.”

Here’s an excerpt from the memo:

The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision – one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our players

Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.

Brinkman joins 31st Union directly from EA, where he had previously been working as executive producer on Apex Legends since 2020, following six years at Treyarch on Call of Duty. IGN has reached out to EA for comment on what this means for Apex Legends, and who will be taking over Brinkman’s former role.

Project Ethos was first announced in October of last year as a free-to-play, third-person, hero extraction shooter with some roguelike elements. It’s being developed by 31st Union, a studio founded in 2019 by ex-Sledgehammer Games co-founder Michael Condrey and originally referred to as 2K Silicon Valley. We previewed Project Ethos at the time, and liked it fine, but said it “fails at being a new experience that players will crave over and over again.” Other outlets shared similar feedback, that the game was fun enough but didn’t do anything significant to stand out in a crowded genre.

31st Union has been quiet on the Project Ethos front since then, but in February this year, Kotaku reported that Condrey was fired by 2K Games due to the lukewarm reception of the game. At the time, 2K reassured employees it would continue to support the project.

This news indicates that 2K is indeed making good on its promise to continue to support Project Ethos, even amidst ongoing concerns that the audience for online, multiplayer shooters – especially extraction shooters – is worn out. But it may be a while before we get another update given the wording of the email.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Dovetail Games, perhaps best known as the developer and publisher of the Train Sim World series of video games, announced a brand-new title at IGN Fan Fest 2025: Fall Edition– and it’s unlike anything they’ve released before.

Metro Rivals: New York is “an innovative and genre-defying subway simcade game” set to release in early 2026.

In the game, “players step into a near-future New York City where the subway system has been carved into 10 fiercely contested districts.” In addition to its single-player campaign, Metro Rivals: New York includes a PvP mode where up to four players can compete online or with friends. Drivers can “race to stop at designated platforms,” and are “scored on their ability to handle their train with precision and control under pressure.”

Metro Rivals: New York’s first trailer was revealed as part of IGN Fan Fest and, as you can see in the player at the top of the page, gives a brief glimpse into train racing mechanics.

According to Dovetail, the game’s narrative sees “players begin their journey with nothing but a hand-me-down train and a determination to rise. To succeed, they must take on a variety of missions, earn cash fares, upgrade their train’s performance, build a loyal following, and earn respect.”

While there will be in-game purchases, Dovetail says those are “entirely cosmetic” and that the game is not “pay-to-win.” Instead, players “can express themselves with extensive options to upgrade their train’s performance, apply unique skins and liveries in signature colours, and personalise their character’s appearance to stand out on the tracks.”

And if neither the single player campaign nor the PvP mode is your cup of tea, you also have the option to partake in a “more relaxed experience” where “players can set their own paths, hop into their train, and enjoy the sights of the city.”

Publisher Reef Entertainment and developer Bitmap Bureau have published a new Terminator 2D: No Fate trailer, showing off how next month’s arcade-inspired action game reimagines the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

It’s a two-and-a-half-minute look at a modern take on retro gaming that debuted as part of IGN Fall Fan Fest 2025. Director James Cameron’s original ‘90s sequel has been picked apart by movie fans for decades, and Terminator 2D: No Fate aims to let players experience fan-favorite moments – and new scenarios, too.

As Bitmap Bureau lead programmer and designer Mike Tucker explains in today’s trailer, a Terminator 2D: No Fate playthrough begins simply enough, with players tasked with revisiting the events of the Terminator 2 movie through the lens of a 2D, retro side-scroller. That No Fate title then takes over on repeat playthroughs, as fans are given the option to make choices that alter the story they’ve known for years.

Secret levels and remixed weapon loadouts are just the tip of the iceberg for Terminator 2D: No Fate. The example we see in today’s IGN Fall Fan Fest 2025 trailer revisits Sarah Connor’s trek through Cyberdyne HQ. Players will first fight through waves of SWAT officers by using little more than Sarah’s pistol and a few well-timed punches. A follow-up playthrough, coupled with different choices, however, could see her use an assault rifle to go in guns blazing while Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 tears through enemies with his minigun.

“Adding in this pivotal decision the player must make gave us a way of staying accurate to the movie,” Tucker explained, “while also opening up the possibility of new scenarios and gameplay ideas that could make repeat playthroughs both rewarding and entertaining, allowing fans of the franchise to experience battles they have only ever dreamed of before.”

Following a recent delay, Terminator 2D: No Fate has a release date of November 26, 2025, for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X | S. For more while we wait to see the multiple new endings it can give longtime Terminator 2 enjoyers, you can read up on why Bitmap tracked down one of the film’s original actors. You can also check out why we think the game needed to be made in 2025.

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).

Love them or, more likely, hate them, Minecraft’s Creepers are now an iconic part of Mojang’s beloved sandbox game. But the explosive creatures probably wouldn’t be included today, the developer has said, if it were to design them from scratch now.

Speaking in a new developer video discussing game balance and fairness, chief creative officer Jens Bergensten said that Mojang now followed a strong principle when adding any new item, biome or enemy to Minecraft that could cause players grief. In a nutshell, if anything causes the player to suffer, it should be because players brought it on themselves.

“We want to avoid treating players in a way that feels unfair,” Bergensten said. “So we have this guiding principle that bad things [can] happen, but they’re technically the players’ fault. What we mean by that is either the player caused it, or the player had a chance to prevent it.”

That means enemies have to feel fair — so players can choose to take them on if they want or have a decent chance of mitigating the danger if not. Situations that negatively impact a player should also never feel too random.

Bergensten listed various examples of things that have been added in the past that haven’t felt as fair as intended — such as Iron Golems protecting villages by attacking Creepers (and getting said villages blown up), or Endermen randomly stealing blocks that could have some pivotal signifiance (such as a painstakingly-built Redstone circuits).

This doesn’t mean that Mojang won’t add in tougher challenges, though the developer said it was now careful to make difficult content feel like something players were opting into — such as when actively making the choice to enter The End and take on the game’s climactic Ender Dragon.

The new Disney Lorcana expansion, Whispers in The Well, is now available to preorder. Amazon has preorders up at the moment for a booster box, the Illumineer’s Trove box, a single booster pack, and two single-player decks: Amber & Emerald and Sapphire & Steel. All of these are set to be released on November 14 this year as well, so thankfully you only have about a month to wait before you can get your hands on them. Get your preorders in at the links below before they sell out.

Preorder Disney Lorcana Whispers in The Well Expansion

On top of the expansion, there’s also two new Disney Lorcana playmats that are releasing on the same day. One of these is a delightful playmat featuring a design of Mickey Mouse while the other features Jasmine from Aladdin. At the moment, they are both available to preorder for $19.99 a piece.

If the big booster box has caught your eye, it comes with 24 booster packs that each contain 12 randomized cards. Illumineer’s Trove, on the other hand, comes with 8 booster packs alongside six damage-counter dice, six card dividers, one lore counter, and a card storage box. If you’re not looking to splash out on these big sets, though, the single booster pack will just set you up with 12 cards. As for the single-player decks, these come with 60 cards (including two foil cards of the characters featured on the front of the package), 11 damage tokens, a bonus booster pack, and a rulebook.

If you’re looking for even more card deals and preorders to drop some cash on, check out our breakdown of the best deals of the day. Yesterday’s write-up featured some great Pokémon TCG discounts and information on where you can preorder the new Magic: The Gathering’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

The Battlefield 6 team at EA and Battlefield Studios is shrinking ticket sizes for their large-scale Conquest multiplayer game mode, but players aren’t sold that these changes will improve the pace of matches.

An update to the structure of Conquest matches arrived in an official post from the Battlefield Comms X/Twitter account. It details blanket changes across every Conquest map in Battlefield 6, as the developers aim to ensure matches “finish at a more natural pace.”

To achieve this, BF Studios says it has reduced ticket sizes from 1000 tickets to a unique ticket goal for each map. These range from 900 tickets on maps like Siege of Cairo and Empire State to 700 tickets on maps like Mirak Valley and Operation Firestorm. You can see the full breakdown below.

• Siege of Cairo from 1000 to 900
• Empire State from 1000 to 900
• Iberian Offensive from 1000 to 900
• Liberation Peak From 1000 to 800
• Manhattan Bridge From 1000 to 800
• Operation Firestorm From 1000 to 700
• New Sobek City from 1000 to 900
• Mirak Valley from 1000 to 700

BF Studios says its goal is to keep matches moving at a more natural pace, but players aren’t convinced that reduced ticket requirements are what Battlefield 6 needs.

Meanwhile, BF Studios added in a separate tweet that the Out of Bounds timer for vehicles on Battlefield 6’s Manhattan Bridge map in Conquest and Escalation have been increased from five to 10 seconds.

Developing…

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