Another intriguing Baldur’s Gate 3 custom campaign mod has emerged to confront your party of quirky RPG adventurers. This one’s a short story which lets you take a break from BG3’s main story to attend a dinner party at the house of a not-at-all creepy rich bloke, who happens to be very good at jamming out on the organ via illusions.
Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green, which originally launched for the Game Boy Advance back in 2004, will arrive on Nintendo Switch next week to celebrate the Pokémon series’ 30th anniversary.
The games will become available on Switch shortly after this year’s Pokémon Presents broadcast — The Pokémon Company’s annual announcement showcase held on February 27 each year — that is expected to be a very important one indeed.
Today, The Pokémon Company also now firmed up the timing of the Pokémon Presents stream: at 6am Pacific / 9am Eastern / 2pm UK.
More to follow…
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
What a surprise!
Just like clockwork, The Pokémon Company has announced that its annual Pokémon Presents showcase will once again arrive to celebrate the series’ birthday on 27th February.
The Presents is scheduled to kick off at 2pm GMT / 3pm CET / 6am PT / 9am ET, and you’ll be able to watch along on The Pokémon Company YouTube channel. Here’s the precise time that the event will get underway in your region:
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Beat ’em up with “Bimmy & Friends”.
The 2D pixel beat ’em up Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons continues to add new characters, and in the “largest character update yet”, it’s now added four more fighters.
Each character in this free “Bimmy & Friends DLC” brings a new face, new personality, and a new fighting style to the city – allowing players to experiment with “powerful tag-team” combos. Here’s the rundown about and you can see each fighter in action in the trailer above.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Don’t miss them!
Nintendo has this week surprised Xenoblade fans with a Switch 2 Edition of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. There is also a paid upgrade for existing owners.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The League of Legends trading card game Riftbound’s second set, titled Spiritforged, was released in the US on February 13. The newest expansion has been out in China for a couple of months now, and in the west for just over a week, sowe’ve seen a general picture of how the new cards are impacting the metagame thanks to two recent Regional Qualifiers in Fuzhou and Chengdu. With that being said, these are some of the best Spiritforged cards I think you should look into picking up now that the set is finally available.
At uncommon, this card is relatively easy to pick up at an affordable price as a single. This is a super cheap and efficient early removal spell to help you stay on tempo, and you’d be hard pressed to see Yellow decks like Viktor, Herald of the Arcane not running three copies.
Card Sharp is pretty versatile. There are a few Power hungry decks with Spiritforged, so being able to offset some of that cost with the Gold generated from Card Sharp and pressure with a 3 MIght body is worth considering.
Thanks to the recent errata to refexive triggers, nerfing cards like Icathian Rain, Not So Fast got significantly better. Before, you’d only be able to counter just one instance of damage, but now you can just counter the entire spell with Not So Fast. Definitely keep this card on your radar if you like Green decks.
The new Repeat mechanic offers a more dynamic way to interact with opponents. Bellows Breath is one of these, being able to clear a Battlefield of smaller units in the early game.
One of my favorite new equipments from the set, Trinity Force is one of the few cards that allow you to store extra points. I can see this making waves in Master Yi, Wuju Bladesman, as his Legend ability buffs defending units. In the Origins meta, the deck was great at holding to score points, and looks to be the same situation with Spiritforged.
Like Bellows Breath, this can be an early game removal spell for tempo, or an easy two-for-one later on. Kai’Sa, Daughter of the Void typically ran two to three copies of Falling Star, so I can see this finding a home in that deck too.
Ferrous Forerunner is a big body that continues to pressure your opponent even after it dies. Doing its best Wurmcoil Engine impression, this guy will spit out two 3 Might Mech tokens upon death, allowing you to maintain your board presence.
Even if Called Shot had 1 Energy cost, I would consider extremely powerful. At 0 Energy and sporting the Repeat mechanic has convinced me it’s the best draw and filter spell in the game. With a ton of ways to generate Gold tokens to help pay Power costs, this card is positioned to be seen in every Purple deck.
Guardian Angel is essentially copies four through 6 of Zhonya’s Hourlgass, which has the same effect. This, however, is an equipment, so it comes with a +1 Might buff and costs a Power to equip to a unit. Master Yi, Wuju Bladesman is still poised to be a contender with Spiritforged, and this card is one reason for that.
While Draven, Glorious Executioner is easily the strongest deck in the Spiritforged meta, many lists are playing Ezreal, Prodigy, which is the best card in the set for my money.
Purple is undoubtedly very strong, and Ezreal’s effect allows you to filter through your deck and a lot cards early, and fits into a few other archetypes nicely.
If you prefer the rush of cracking packs hoping to pull your favorite chase cards, below are the Spiritforged sealed products available for purchase.
Like Origins before it, the second set is already sold out on Riot’s online storefront, but you can order through TCGplayer at pretty high markups if you’re desperate to secure the goods.
Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.
Hey, I’m Ede Tarsoly, the Founder of Elder Games. I’ve been the vision keeper and main developer on my roguelite FPS Soulslinger: Envoy of Death – and what may surprise you, I’ve also been one of the two motion capture actors in it as well. In the game, all the male characters are played by me, while all the female characters are played by my wife. Today, I’d like to tell you about our setup, our process and how we were able to create custom animations with a mocap setup as an indie developer.
I’ve been fascinated with motion capture ever since I was a kid, I always watched the extras on DVDs. The behind-the-scenes stuff was sometimes more exciting to me than the films themselves. I saw motion capture first being used in “The Lord of the Rings” and I knew right away that I really wanted to do this sort of stuff. However, the setup that needed to be involved was unattainable for a very long time. I continued watching a lot of content about the topic, and my passion never really faded away.
By the time the technology had become more available, and I finally had the opportunity to buy a motion capture suit, thanks to my publisher Headup, I was prepared. I’d basically been preparing for this my whole life!
We use a setup, where you put straps around your wrists and your head, and wear a suit on top, that marks every joint with a sensor. The gloves are put on separately and are much more sensitive.
Through a custom router all the data is fed into the computer. In a nutshell, as soon as you move, there’s a real-time representation of you on the screen that moves with you. I hit record, and it immediately captures the motions.
The preparation phase always takes the longest. I usually know six months in advance what’s likely coming up, unless things change during development. It’s “develop, develop, develop” until a cutscene comes up, and I’ll do nothing else for two or three weeks except that one cutscene. Then it’s back to development, which is of course still the biggest part of my work. We’re still making a game, not a movie.
Especially for longer prerendered cinematics, I need to know well in advance. The 3D models, scripts voice lines all need to be ready.
Our writer, Michelle Clough, creates a very detailed script right out of the gate. She usually adds little notes like “make this cool,” which then is up to the voice actors and me. It’s always a collaborative effort, where we try to come up with something to make the script shine.
I usually choreograph an entire scene from start to finish. For example, I’ll note that a character comes in from the right while another comes from the left, so I have to walk a certain number of meters. Practicing the movements before recording usually takes three to four very intense days, repeating it over and over until it’s perfect. For example, the intro scene of the pirate character – I could tell you the entire conversation of it by heart, I’ve listened to it so many times – is an uncut two-minute scene that needed to be meticulously prepared, down to the last motion.
But it’s not just the script and stage directions that need to be good to go. One thing I learned early on from the extras of old Disney DVDs, is to send the script to the voice actors, record their performances, and then animate to the voice performance afterwards. That way, actors can perform freely instead of lip-syncing to pre-made animations. The actors already embody the characters so well, that listening to their recordings on loop while performing really inspired my motions during mocap.
Additionally, I also developed a distinct motion style for each character. The villain is very upright and calculated. The main character is closer to my natural movement. The pirate is very animated and expressive. I’m not an actor, but I try to make each character as unique as possible. Zombies and skeletons are my favorite though, with their twisted, exaggerated motions.
After all the preparation and practice, recording day is just one day. Thanks to all the preparation, I usually have the perfect recording after two or three takes. Then, I import everything into Unreal. From there, it’s about placing the camera and characters, which usually takes another two days.
During motion capture, weight matters. If you pretend to hold a gun, the motion feels artificial. This is why I worked with a metallic replica of the revolver in the game. It’s heavy, so when you move with it, your body compensates naturally, and the motion looks real. Another character has a huge knife, so we tried to find something in the house that matched it and ended up using a big bread knife.
For the scenes where props can’t help you, we had to be creative to make non-existent things exist. For example, there was a scene where a spell pulls the character backwards. My wife tied ropes around my arms and pulled me while I resisted. In mocap, it looks like magic pulling the character. In another instance, for a floating enemy, I simply stacked boxes and acted on top of them.
We also did some stunts. I put a mattress on the ground for scenes where a spell knocks the character back. As it turns out: falling looks quite silly until you try to do it correctly. Of course, you instinctively try to protect yourself, but that looks bad in-game. While the end result looks great in the game, I don’t think I’d recommend this method to anyone – and I probably wouldn’t do it again!
Overall, even while it takes a lot of time, effort and organizing, I really did enjoy every second of it, because it is something I deeply care about. A lot of people ask how I can do so much programming, writing, choreographing, and acting and I always just tell them: “It’s easy, because it’s for my game.”
I’ve only used my setup for Soulslinger: Envoy of Death so far but having a remote capture kit has already influenced what kinds of projects I’m thinking about next. It’s a strength of our studio, and I really want to plan even more projects around it. I’m so excited that Soulslinger: Envoy of Death is finally launching on Xbox Series X|S today. It is truly a work of passion, from the code to the self-recorded animations. I hope you will enjoy my wild west roguelite FPS experience and have as much fun with the game as we had creating it
Headup
MEET STRAY SOULS AND MAKE ALLIES OR ENEMIES
Step into the rich and immersive world of Haven, filled with mysterious NPCs who hold the secrets to its dark history. Be wary of the allies and enemies you make as every encounter might shape your journey ahead. In this mesmerizing western-fantasy world, you will experience a tale of despair, loss, and one man’s obsession with cheating death itself.
CRAFT YOUR WEAPONS AND RISE TO VICTORY
Forge your own destiny with every run by crafting powerful weapons and unlocking permanent upgrades in Haven. Grow stronger with every new challenge and become an incredibly deadly gunslinger. Get ready for a fast-paced rogue-like FPS experience you won’t ever forget!
KEY FEATURES:
• Fast-paced, story-driven roguelike FPS set in random sequences of rooms built in a unique western-fantasy world
• Customize Soulslinger through a deep upgrade system
• Experience a tightly written story filled with loyal allies and charismatic villains. The story adapts to what you do in the roguelike gameplay
• Tons of gun fodder creeps that attack in waves, spiced up by challenging elite mobs
The post How Soulslinger’s Indie Team Brought Custom Mocap to Xbox appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Violent weather is about to hit the Rust Belt, as developer Embark Studios has revealed a first look at the new Hurricane map condition coming to Arc Raiders.
The studio pulled back the curtain on Shrouded Sky, its next major content update, with a post on its website. It comes with a sneak peek at how hurricanes will tear through maps like Spaceport, promising what already looks like the most dangerous weather the southern Italy-set video game has faced yet.
Powerful Electromagnetic Storms and wintery Cold Snap conditions have had players seeking shelter before, but Embark says Arc Raiders hasn’t seen anything quite like this. Starting with the launch of Shrouded Sky February 24, Raiders may be subjected to strong winds that will have them rethinking how they approach PvP and PvE.
Searching for topside resources and blueprints during a hurricane will have players fighting both with and against the wind. Running with the storm could provide a small speed boost, for example, but running against it will result in slowed movement and drained stamina. Raiders can also expect everything from gas grenades to trailblazers and other throwables to behave differently when winds pick up.
One look at the trailer makes it clear visibility will be low during a hurricane, but Embark says Arc Raiders players will want to be wary of debris, too. However, like with most other map conditions, the increased threat level means more opportunities to find better loot, with today’s post teasing Raider Caches and relics of the First Wave for those who brave the storm.
Shrouded Sky is Embark’s major update for February and follows the January Headwinds update. While that relatively small content drop added a solo vs. squads queue option and the Bird City map condition, Shrouded Sky is said to come packed with a Raider Deck and map update, as well as a new Arc threat, which we may have gotten a small glimpse of toward the end of today’s trailer. Players can also expect to reset their ranks once again with the launch of the next Expedition the following day.
The Arc Raiders roadmap also promised the Flashpoint update for March and Riven Tides for April. The former is said to come with yet another map condition, while the latter’s headlining feature is a brand-new map to raid. We interviewed Embark CEO Patrick Söderlund earlier this month to learn more about what the studio has in store for its popular extraction shooter and how its success has set it up for a bright future. Meanwhile, the team is still doing its best to crack down on cheaters by issuing suspensions for those who take advantage of in-game exploits.
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).
Developer Mega Crit has published a new animated trailer for Slay the Spire 2, revealing four-player co-op and an early access release date of March 5, 2026.
The sequel to the studio’s beloved roguelike deckbuilder reappeared with a two-and-a-half-minute trailer today. Alongside the promise to bring a host of new features to Early Access players on Steam in just a few weeks, the footage comes mixed with a stylish animation that almost looks like it could stand alone as its own TV show.
As the trailer’s silent hero falls in battle, we see others come to their aid, revealing that players won’t have to fight through Slay the Spire 2’s dark fantasy world alone. Gameplay featured in the footage highlights combat encounters for up to four players, with Mega Crit explaining in a blog post on Steam that the multiplayer mode will feature its own specific cards and team synergies.
While Early Access is said to come with new cards, characters, events, relics, potions, abilities, alternate acts, and more, today’s trailer shows off how some of these new mechanics will offer chaotic twists on the original formula. The footage also teases an additional new character to look forward to.
“For 1,000 years, the Spire lay dormant, its secrets buried and its horrors forgotten,” an official description for Slay the Spire 2 says. “Now, it has reopened, hungrier and more dangerous than ever, devouring all who dare to ascend.
“New perils demand sharper strategies, relentless cunning, and unwavering resolve. Outwit the Spire’s brutal trials and uncover the truths hidden at its peak.”
Slay the Spire 2 is Mega Crit’s follow-up to its massively popular 2019 original and was announced in 2024. Although a delay saw its release date move from late 2025 to this March, fans will no doubt be excited to hear they’ll now only need to wait two weeks before going hands-on when it comes to PC via Steam March 5.
For more, you can see why we thought the original Slay the Spire is a 9/10. You can also check out how the world’s first human Neuralink patient used the technology to play Slay the Spire.
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).
If you haven’t yet already, there’s no better time to start monster huntin’ than now. Starting today and running through Saturday, Best Buy is offering the Monster Hunter Wilds PlayStation 5 game for for just $19.99. This is by far the lowest price I’ve seen for the wildly popular PS5 game, the previous low being $30 during Black Friday.
It’s easy to see why Monster Hunter is one of Capcom’s best selling IPs. Monster Hunter Wilds is the latest game in the franchise and continues the series’ trademark action-adventure gameplay of hunting down fearsome monsters and grinding for better loot. This open-world game offers dozens of hours of exploration, exciting combat, excellent creature design, statisfying loot progression, and most importantly, cats! According to How Long To Beat, the main story takes 17 hours, with another 13 hours to tackle all of the sidequests. Completionists should expect to spend a whopping 90 hours to reach 100% and attain that Platinum Trophy. At just $20, it’s absolutely worth adding to your collection.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
