Author: Game Infliction

With the PlayStation 5 entering the second half of its life, figures from Sony indicate around half of all current PlayStation gamers are yet to upgrade to current gen.

As pointed out by Game File’s Stephen Totilo, Sony announced this week that PlayStation has 118 million monthly active users (MAUs), up 9% year-on-year, but around half of those are still on the 11-year-old PlayStation 4. PS5 has sold over 59 million units since going on sale in November 2020, and it has yet to see a price cut. Infact, Sony has raised the price of the console.

Speaking to the investment community (as reported by Totilo) Sony president Hiroki Totoki painted a rosy picture of the situation, saying MAUs will steadily increase as PS4 players eventually upgrade to PS5, but as Daniel Ahmad, Director of Research and Insights at Niko Partners, pointed out in a tweet, the transition from PS4 to PS5 has so far been “slow.”

On console PlayStation Network MAU’s have barely grown since the PS5 launch.

It’s just been a slow transition from PS4 > PS5

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) May 16, 2024

So, why have so many PS4 gamers held off on upgrading to a PS5? Or, perhaps to put it a better way, why are so many PS4 gamers content to stick with the console they have?

Mat Piscatella, Executive Director and Video Game Industry Advisor at Circana, suggested in a tweet that the most-played games in the U.S. are all currently available on the last generation of consoles, and that’s enough for most people. These games (Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox, GTA 5, and Call of Duty), are all available on PS4. “Any console that can play a majority of, or all five, of these games will be just fine for many people,” Piscatella commented.

This is not a situation unique to PlayStation, either, Piscatella added, as it affects all consoles. IGN has already reported on tumbling sales of the Xbox Series X and S, which looks like it will struggle to outsell its predecessor, the much-maligned Xbox One. Microsoft’s answer includes bringing its Xbox games to rival platforms, including PS5, but it has also committed to releasing a more powerful next-gen console, and there are rumors it plans an Xbox handheld, too.

As for Sony, PS5 sales currently trail those of PS4 after the same amount of time after launch, but it’s worth pointing out the PS4 had undergone price cuts totaling $100 by now. Sony has said it expects PS5 sales to continue to decline, although it is also expected to launch a PS5 Pro later this year.

Sony’s plan to increase sales and profits from PlayStation in the coming years depends upon its ability to expand the number of active PlayStation users and user engagement, and cutting business costs. In February, Sony announced a significant round of layoffs affecting around 900 staff, or about 8% of its global PlayStation workforce. The layoffs affect a number of PlayStation studios, including Insomniac, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla, Firesprite, and, most significantly, PlayStation’s London studio. Alongside the layoffs, a number of in-development games were canceled.

Sony also plans to grow sales of first-party games. It has said this financial year ending March 2025 will not see the release of big new games in its major franchises, ruling out sequels in the Spider-Man and God of War series. But Sony is expected to release a number of big-hitters from April 2025 onwards, including the likes of Insomniac’s Wolverine.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Take-Two plans to go big on Borderlands now it owns Gearbox Entertainment.

In March, the embattled Embracer Group sold Borderlands developer Gearbox to Take-Two for $460 million. As part of the deal, Take-Two, which through its publishing division 2K already had a long history with Gearbox, now owns the franchises Borderlands, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Homeworld, Risk of Rain, Brothers in Arms, and Duke Nukem. Gearbox is joining 2K Games and will continue to be led by CEO and founder Randy Pitchford.

Gearbox has enjoyed enormous success with the looter shooter Borderlands franchise over the years. It’s sold nearly 86 million units across all titles, with Borderlands 2 secure as 2K’s top-selling video game with 28 million sold. Borderlands 3 is 2K’s fastest-selling video game ever, and has sold nearly 20 million units to date.

Currently, Gearbox has both a new Borderlands and “at least one exciting new intellectual property” in development. 2K Games plans to reveal the “next iteration in one of its biggest and most beloved franchises” at Summer Game Fest, which is set to take place on Friday, June 7. Fans speculate this game may be Borderlands 4.

If so, it would match up neatly with the release of the Borderlands movie, which comes out on August 9. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has teased Borderlands 4 in the past. “Look, we haven’t even announced anything of it,” Pitchford said back in March. “Clearly, we’re working on something. And I know what we’re working on, and holy shit… It’s the greatest thing we’ve ever done. And I can’t wait, but it’s not time yet. It’s not time yet. There will be a time.”

Speaking in an investor-focused call following its latest financial results, Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick said the company now plans to double-down on Borderlands, and had already identified “many potential growth opportunities” for the series.

“Borderlands 3 outpaced our forecasts and we are thrilled that Randy Pitchford and Gearbox Entertainment are slated to join officially 2K’s renowned internal studios in the coming weeks,” Zelnick said.

“We have already identified many potential growth opportunities for the Borderlands series and Gearbox’s catalog, which we plan to pursue once the studio is integrated into our organization. We are also excited to see growing buzz for the star-studded Borderlands feature film which is planned for release by Lionsgate this summer.”

The Borderlands franchise has already expanded with a number of video game spin-offs and is set to expand further with the release of the aforementioned Borderlands movie, starring the likes of Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, and Jamie Lee Curtis. One spin-off Take-Two has singled out as doing particularly well is 2022 action role-playing first-person shooter Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, which is set within the world of a fantasy-themed tabletop RPG.

Expanding on the decision to buy Gearbox during the investor call, Zelnick said that when the opportunity presented itself to buy the company “on terms that we felt were reasonable, we frankly jumped at the opportunity.”

“We have all the respect in the world for Randy Pitchford and his team,” Zelnick continued. “He has the ability to bring AAA products to market, responsibly and on a very reliable and rather rapid cadence. And he is a hit maker. And it’s very hard to make a new hit, and [Tiny Tino] was a new hit. And of course, Borderlands just goes from strength to strength. So we’re thrilled to have Gearbox in the family.”

Based on Zelnick’s comments, we can expect plenty more Borderlands in the future now Gearbox is under the Take-Two umbrella. But there are issues elsewhere in the company. Earlier this month, Take-Two announced a cost reduction plan that included project cancellations and layoffs amounting to 5% of its workforce. Amid this announcement came reports based on internal documentation that seemed to confirm Take-Two was closing OlliOlli World developer Roll7 and Kerbal Space Program 2 developer Intercept Games. But when IGN asked Zelnick why these closures happened, he replied: “We didn’t shutter those studios.” Reports also indicate publishing label Private Division, which is behind was also gutted.

This week, Take-Two narrowed the hotly anticipated GTA 6 release date window to fall 2025.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The LEGO Minecraft builds are both attractive and simple, and although most of the builds depict pre-conceived designs, there are also sets that enable the sort of free play that both LEGO and Minecraft are famous for.

Minecraft’s retro, pixelated appearance lends itself to brick form, especially with how alternating color patterns create the impression of shadow, texture, and three-dimensionality. Below we’ve gather the 10 best LEGO Minecraft LEGO sets that you can purchase in 2024. You can also check out our picks of the best LEGO sets overall.

The Nether Portal Ambush

Set: #21255

Age Range: 8+

Piece Count: 352

Dimensions: 4 in. (11 cm) high, 8.5 in. (22 cm) wide, 5.5 in. (14 cm) deep

A battle scene on the border between the Crimson Forest (check out the mushroom trees) and the Basalt Deltas, this set also includes an Orc Warrior and a Ghast that shoots discs from its mouth.

The Frog House

Set: #21256

Age Range: 8+

Piece Count: 400

Dimensions: 4 in. (11 cm) high, 8.5 in. (22 cm) wide, 6.5 in. (17 cm) deep

Shaped as its name implies, the Frog House has a fully realized interior and a roof that detaches, allowing for easy access and roleplay.The set comes with a zombie, a drowned, three Minecraft frogs, and a slime to feed them.

The Armory

Set: #21252

Age Range: 7+

Piece Count: 203

Dimensions: 2.5 in. (6 cm) high, 3 in. (9 cm) wide, 2.5 in. (6 cm) deep

This workshop for the Armorsmith contains an anvil, furnace, and cauldron along with a number of weapons, including two swords, two shields, a golden axe, and an enchanted trident.

The Devourer Showdown

Set: #21257

Age Range: 8+

Piece Count: 420

Dimensions: 5 in. (12 cm) tall

Your Hero rides atop a Big Beak as he fights a massive monster. The model of the Devourer does not disappoint; it is appropriately imposing and has launchable vomit from its mouth and mucus from its backpack.

The Swamp Adventure

Set: #21240

Age Range: 7+

Piece Count: 65

Dimensions: 3 in. (8 cm) high, 3.5 in. (9 cm) wide, 3 in. (8 cm) deep

At only 65 pieces, this is the smallest and most inexpensive LEGO set on this list, but don’t let that fool you. A compact, economical representation of a mangrove swamp biome, you rig the environment with TNT and blow up any enemies that come calling.

The Panda Haven

Set: #21245

Age Range: 8+

Piece Count: 445

Dimensions: 8.5 in. (22 cm) high, 4.5 in. (11 cm) wide, 4 in. (10 cm) deep

This massive, pixelated panda is secretly a three-story, furnished house, which you can open from the back if the panda is ‘sitting’ on its haunches. Outside, you get two actual Minecraft pandas plus a bamboo forest.

The Crafting Box 4.0

Set: #21249

Age Range: 8+

Piece Count: 605

Dimensions: Fortress: 8 in. (21 cm) high, 14 in. (36 cm) wide, 8.5 in. (21 cm) deep. Cat House: 5 in. (13 cm) high, 14.5 in. (37 cm) wide, 7.5 in. (20 cm) deep

Emphasizing the value of free play over strict adherence to guidelines, the Crafting Box 4.0 contains instructions for two possible builds: The River Towers and the Cat Cottage. It also includes suggestions for three other possible builds, which should help get your creative juices flowing if you need Minecraft build ideas.

The “Abandoned” Mine

Set: #21166

Age Range: 7+

Piece Count: 248

Dimensions: 5” (14cm) high, 7” (19cm) wide, 4” (12cm) deep

You play as Steve, on the hunt for mining materials. There’s also a gimmick that allows you to create a rock slide, so you can crush the zombie, spider, or whatever else tries to stand in your way.

The Fox Lodge

Set: #21178

Age Range: 8+

Piece Count: 193

Dimensions: 3.5 in. (10 cm) high, 6.5 in. (17 cm) wide, 5 in. (12 cm) deep

An animal-as-house build, the fox lodge is open in the back and comes with a detachable roof, allowing for access to the furnished interior. The outer shell is a facsimile of a Minecraft fox, curled up in slumber.

The Iron Golem Fortress

Set: #21250

Age Range:9+

Piece Count: 968

Dimensions: 9 in. (23 cm) high, 12.5 in. (31 cm) wide, 4.5 in. (12 cm) deep

Another 2-in-1 build, the Iron Golem Fortress can transform into massive Iron Golem with articulable, moss-overgrown arms. At close to 1000 pieces, this set enables larger scale battles than the other, more compact builds.

LEGO Minecraft FAQ

How Many LEGO Minecraft Sets Are There?

There are currently a total of 33 LEGO Minecraft sets available at the LEGO store. This includes 30 full sets, 2 video game sets, and 1 keychain.

Are LEGO and Minecraft a Good Match?

There’s something charmingly redundant about crossing LEGO with Minecraft. One is based around physical building blocks. The other is based around digital building blocks. And now, we have physical blocks of those digital blocks. So If you’re a digital builder who’s looking to branch out into the physical world, Minecraft LEGO provides an easy gateway for that transition.

Developer Player First Games has published a video that walks players through the new MultiVersus PvE Rift Mode ahead of its relaunch in a few weeks.

The developer detailed the mode in a highlight video hosted by Scooby Doo’s Velma and Adventure Time’s Finn and Jake. While MultiVersus is known for its PvP modes that pit Warner Bros. icons against one another, Rifts offers players the chance to sharpen their skills with single-player and online co-op activities.

Rifts launch players into gameplay scenarios with twists to keep you on your toes. Each Rift has Nodes that range from a standard battle to a mini-game challenge. One example of the many shown in the trailer sees Bugs Bunny attacking targets while collecting stars. Nodes also have unique mutators, which can add additional challenge or even story elements into the mix.

As mini-games and bosses are taken down, players will earn Gems that can raise stats and grant special effects. Player First says Rifts give players an assortment of activities to enjoy outside of PvP, with more content said to be added in future updates.

Player First has been busy prepping players for MultiVersus’ return later this month. Last week, it was announced that legendary DC Comics villain, Joker, would join its roster of playable Warner Bros. characters. He’ll be voiced by longtime actor Mark Hamill, reuniting him with the late Kevin Conroy, who provided his chops as Batman for the game before he passed. More information about the re-release was announced in March.

MultiVersus launches for free on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X | S come May 28. For more, you can check out our 8/10 review of the project’s 2022 release. At the time, we said, “MultiVersus may not be a must-play at social gatherings, but its refreshing team-based battles make it a great platform fighter online.”

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.