Microsoft have become the latest company to start introducing age verification measures in response to the the Online Safety Act that’s just come into force in the UK. Folks logging into Xbox services with a Microsoft account from today will start getting optional notifications directing them to verify they’re over 18, with the checks becoming a hard requirement in early 2026.
To be clear, these checks are UK-only for now, in line with this new legislation that aims to stop users who aren’t verified as over 18 seeing content that’s illegal or deemed unsuitable for children.
The library of SNES games available on Switch with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription now stands at 74 titles. While it may lag behind the number of NES games on the service, there are plenty of Super NES gems to enjoy.
Aetherdrift might not have been the most popular Magic: The Gathering set of 2025 so far, but there’s no denying that Wizards of the Coast poured plenty of creative fuel into the engine of the long-running card game.
As a result, there are still some great cards to chase, from The Aetherspark to Ketramose, The New Dawn, and we’ve rounded up all of them below. Looking for more chase cards? We’ve got you covered for Innistrad Remastered and Tarkir: Dragonstorm.
TL;DR: 10 Most Valuable Chase Cards From Aetherdrift
Aetherdrift has dozens of borderless, Fracture Foil, First-Place Foil, and Showcase editions of main set cards, but these are the 10 most valuable.
From a competitive standpoint, not many of these see much play, although Ketramose, the New Dawn is the face of a hot new Modern combo deck.
And for you Commander players, this is a great chance to nab the elusive Radiant Lotus Fracture Foil or the Aetherspark First-Place Foil.
The original Kaladesh mono-colored Gearhulks were Standard powerhouses, and these new two-color bad boys are powerful in their own right. Brightglass Gearhulk is the best of the five, and is currently sitting at a market value of $50.88.
9. Mimeoplasm, Revered One (Showcase Fracture Foil)
I love this as a fun graveyard strategy in Commander, and of course that art is something to behold. It’s market value is $56.38.
8. March of the World Ooze (Showcase Fracture Foil)
This is a pretty neat, if a bit high-cost, anti-control card that can turn your little mana dorks or tokens into beefy 6/6 creatures. Market value is $61.86.
7. Mu Yanling, Pathfinder (Showcase Fracture Foil)
Another one with gorgeous art, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this slotted into a blue artifact-focused Commander deck like Urza, High Lord Artificer. It’s currently at a market value of $69.50, but available much lower.
6. Cursecloth Wrappings (Showcase Fracture Foil)
This is right at home in any Zombie deck. Personally, it’s going into my Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver Commander deck. It also has some of the coolest art of any of these cards. Grab it for much lower than its $76.01 market value.
5. Ketramose, the New Dawn (Borderless First-Place Foil)
The First-Place Foil is awesome (better than its regular printing art, in my opinion), and this is one of the most played chase cards from the set. It’s currently at $98.54 market value, but can go as low as $75.
4. The Aetherspark (First-Place Foil)
The Aetherspark is one of the most mechanically-unique cards I’ve ever seen. It’s both an Equipment and Planeswalker, with some powerful Loyalty abilites to boot. It’s currently sitting at a market value of $89, but you can get it cheaper than that.
3. Chandra, Spark Hunter (Showcase Fracture Foil)
This version of iconic Planewalker Chandra Nalaar has great synergy with Vehicles and other artifacts, and is currently sitting at a market value of $130. However, you can find it much cheaper.
2. Loot, the Pathfinder (Showcase Fracture Foil)
Loot is undeniably adorable, but you’d be hard-pressed to see this showing in many decks due to its mana cost and slow set up. Still, you can grab it for much lower than its market value.
1. Radiant Lotus (Showcase Fracture Foil)
This might be one of the prettiest Magic cards I’ve ever seen. It’s currently sitting at a staggering $219.60 market price, but some vendors have it for less if buying singles is more your bag than gambling on cracking packs.
Mario Paint is the latest Nintendo game to be added to the Nintendo Switch Online library.
A SNES classic, Mario Paint encourages all forms of creativity, including art, music, and animation, and — up until now, anyway — was entirely unplayable for anyone who didn’t have the game and the console system from the first time around.
Interestingly, the 1992 OG release permitted players to plug in a mouse controller, which could be why Nintendo has chosen to resurrect the long-lost classic; one of Nintendo Switch 2‘s most hyped features was its new mouse controls, making this a natural, and exciting, game to add to the NSO library.
Nintendo says that Nintendo Switch players who’ve yet to upgrade to the new system can also get involved if they have an OG Switch and “a compatible USB mouse (sold separately).”
Nintendo Switch Online is a subscription-based online gaming service for the Nintendo Switch gaming platform. Memberships include online functionality, allowing you to compete or cooperate with friends, as well as a collection of classic Nintendo games spanning four decades, including titles from the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and, most recently, the new GameCube library. A free seven-day trial is also available.
The GameCube library currently includes The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and Soulcalibur 2. Further titles thought to be joining the service include Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, and more. Most recently, Super Mario Strikers was added to the library of GameCube classics.
“The Nintendo Switch 2 is a vital upgrade over the original Switch if that’s the only way you’ve been able to play games for the last eight years,” we wrote in IGN’s Nintendo Switch 2 review, awarding it 7/10, “but improvements that are mostly playing catch-up and a big price jump make this sequel system about as exciting as a long-overdue phone upgrade in the larger scheme of things.”
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.
Ubisoft’s next big patch for Assassin’s Creed Shadows is available today, July 29, 2025, and the publisher has now given a detailed rundown of everything included.
As previously announced, Title Update 1.0.7 adds New Game Plus mode, which will unlock as soon as you hit the credits after completing the game’s story. From here, you have a couple of options: either to restart the game from scratch, or pick up the action from when Naoe first arrives at the game’s hideout. Either way, your hard-earned gear, skills, allies and hideout progression will carry over.
Whether you’re playing New Game Plus or not, there’s a level cap increase from 60 to 80, and a boost in the Knowledge Rank cap from 8 to 10, allowing you to counter the game’s higher-level enemies with the ability to unlock more skills. You can also now upgrade gear at your Forge to level 4, too.
Sweat your way through Shadows’ story a second time via New Game Plus and you’ll unlock a gold katana and long katana for Naoe and Yasuke, respectively, and also snag the last of the following three new achievements/trophies, which this update also adds:
Enjoy the Ride: Reach Level 80
Stars Unseen: Reach Knowledge Rank 10
Worth its Wait: Complete the story on New Game Plus
Finally, Ubisoft has rebalanced some of the game’s money and resources. Players will likely be happy to see a boosted amount of Mon now given from selling items, while purchased items cost less. You’ll also get more resources from dismantling items and from end of season chests.
Ubisoft is set to continue updating Shadows for the forseeable future, with a further patch due in early September that will add the ability to fast-forward the time of day and better unfog the world map when synchronising viewpoints. Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ first major expansion, Claws of Awaji, then arrives on September 16 as the game’s first paid add-on — though it will be free for anyone who originally pre-ordered the game.
Find today’s full patch notes below:
NEW GAME+
Upon completing the main story on any difficulty, start a new game while keeping all collected skills, gear, Allies and hideout progression from your first playthrough.
KNOWLEDGE RANK & LEVEL CAP INCREASE
We’ve raised the level cap from 60 to 80, meaning tougher foes with enhanced tactics and awareness – demanding sharper reflexes and smarter strategies.
To meet this rising threat, we’ve also expanded the Knowledge Rank system to 9 & 10 allowing players to unlock and develop a broader array of skills, passives, and combat techniques to become even more masterful.
The Forge can now be upgraded to level 4, allowing players to upgrade all weapons and gear to level 80 to have the edge on the rising threats that await.
ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
Removed a performance warning on MacBook Air when using M4 following improved support.
Fixed an error in Photo Mode where the “Show UI” prompt was visible in preview mode, affecting players taking screenshots with their native systems.
Individual items will now have their dedicated page within the store.
Katsuhime no longer vanishes from the hideout after the previous 1.0.5 fix for the breakup bug.
BALANCING
Adjusted the number of Mon received from trading. Purchasing items costs less, whereas selling items gives more.
Increased the number of resources gained from dismantling items.
Slightly increased the amount of crafting materials needed to upgrade items.
Rebalanced the end of season chest rewards and increased the quantity of crafting materials and Hideout resources given.
The Radial Effect upgrade in Yasuke’s Teppo tree had its base damage increased from 25% to 50%, and its damage is now also further increased by other Armor Buster upgrades.
Allies now gain more health and damage as the player levels up.
Ronin enemies now have 4 Health Segments, up from 3.
LIST OF BUG FIXES
General
Cultural discoveries near Katano Castle now appear correctly in the codex after being observed.
Corrected Naoe’s Kata dialogue in Wakasa.
Added a ‘Mark all as Read’ option for the Codex menu.
Added a Level Selector for Knowledge Path.
Fixed the ‘Limitless’ trophy occasionally not unlocking after obtaining a legendary piece of gear of each type.
Gameplay
Addressed an issue where players potentially got stuck outside the Animus wall during the Revenge mission in Tsuruga Castle. Get back here!
Fixed a bug where players could get stuck inside a room in Saika Castle.
Corrected a bug where players could get stuck whilst exiting the Miyataki Warehouse.
Fixed a bug where players could get stuck inside rocks in the Obama Hillside area.
Addressed an issue with Naoe’s Robes of the Enraged.
Genzaburo’s Teppo Master is back from lunch and is now present at Kaya Shrine.
Fixed an error with some cross-progression achievements caused if a playthrough was partly on MacOS.
Skills & Upgrades
Fixed an issue where the “Hidden Hand” cooldown reduction upgrades were not applied.
Fixed an issue where the “Extended Perception” Shinobi Upgrade didn’t grant the extra tools damage.
Corrected an issue where the “Nightcrawler” Assassin passive didn’t grant damage at night.
Corrected an issue where the “Endless Barrage” Tanto Upgrade was instead granting the effect of the “Contemplation” Tanto Upgrade, and vice versa.
Fixed an issue where the “Invigorating Kill” Tanto Upgrade only worked with the stabbing part of the move and not the throw.
Addressed an issue where the “Teppo’s Might” Teppo Upgrade only worked with the automatic follow-up shot and not the Teppo melee swing.
Corrected an issue where perks that increased adrenaline gained on deflect, parry and dodge had little to no effect.
Fixed an issue where damage assassinations gave less adrenaline than successful assassinations.
Fixed an issue where the “Ability damage” knowledge tree node had no effect beyond 1st level.
Corrected an issue where the “Posture damage” knowledge tree node had no effect beyond 1st level.
Solved an issue where the “Vulnerable damage” knowledge tree node had no effect beyond 1st level.
Fixed an issue where afflictions had lower durations on civilians than on enemies.
Fixed an issue where damage reduction perks weren’t applied against some enemy projectiles.
Addressed an issue where the “Wave of Wasps” Teppo was awarded with a random perk, instead of its legendary perk.
Addressed an issue where equipping the “Gown of the Spirit” Naoe Light Armor prevented all tools from applying any buildup.
Visuals & Graphics
Addressed various environmental issues with floating trees and rocks. Tree huggers rejoice!
Fixed an issue where the glowing eyes on the Mountain Demon Kanabo appeared out of place when the weapon was holstered.
Corrected an issue where the Ikko Ikki banner within the Hideout did not match its preview.
Fixed an issue causing the game to crash when previewing hideout cosmetic stations on a building with the Dragon Skin applied to it.
UI
The database entry for Sen No Rikyu now displays the correct image.
Corrected an issue where setting HUD visibility to “Disable”, then switching to “ON” would cause some of the HUD modules to not work.
Fixed a text-only issue where “Armor Avoidance” Long Katana Upgrade stated it granted 100% armor piercing, when it only granted 50%.
Corrected a text-only issue where “Marksman’s Touch” Teppo Upgrade stated it granted 100% armor piercing, when it only granted 50%.
Fixed a text-only issue where “Widespread” Tools Upgrade stated it increased the Smoke Bomb radius to 10 meters, when it only increased it to 5 meters.
Addressed a text-only issue where “Absolute Shockwave” Kanabo Upgrade showed 167% instead of 67%.
Corrected an issue where the “Improved Ground Assassinate” icon was larger than intended.
Reworded the “Improved Sense” Assassin Upgrade to showcase the lingering effect duration in seconds.
Reworded the “Temporal Mastery” Bow Upgrade to showcase the slow time duration in seconds.
Localization
Corrected the German localization in Rescue the Special Guest.
Fixed an error where unnecessary characters appeared in the German translation of the “+50% damage on next hit after a kill” engraving.
Addressed a typo in the “Kirishitan” codex entry for Cristão.
SPOILERS WARNING!
Quests
Fighting for the Cause: Fixed an issue where Kimura Kei could not be killed because the third attack sequence would not begin. Why won’t you die already?!
Butterfly Collector: Adjusted the positioning of the Paper Merchant.
Against The Koga-ryu: Fixed an issue where players could not complete the quest because Katsuhime was missing. Can’t a girl take a break?
A Promise: Addressed an issue where the servant did not respond to interactions. Rude.
Temple Stories: Fixed an issue where players could not continue due to being unable to interact with Joken Hokkyo.
Addressed an issue where killing all Genzaburo soldiers before meeting Koshiro prevented his quest progression.
Lost Honor: Fixed an issue where players couldn’t progress in the quest because Ise Sadatame was stuck in place.
Homecoming: Fixed an issue where players could not complete the quest after killing the target in version 1.0.6.
PLATFORM-SPECIFIC FIXES
PC
“Critical Hit!” achievement now unlocks correctly.
Corrected the mistranslation of “manual” for the Chinese localization for HUD settings.
Fixed a typo in the “Collector” achievement for the German localization on Steam and Ubisoft Connect.
Mac OS
Engravings are now correctly awarded when looting a legendary weapon.
DK is back in his latest outing Donkey Kong Bananza, and apart from new merch and promotions in mobile games like Super Mario Run, he’s also getting his very own Tetris 99 event.
Yes, Nintendo’s Switch Online-focused battle-royale Tetris game will be hosting a special event between 1st – 4th August, 2025. In this limited-time Maximus Cup, you’ll be able to unlock a theme including special art, music and Tetrimino designs once you’ve accumulated 100 event points.
Nintendo has been rolling out regular firmware updates since the Switch 2 launched in June, and now before the end July, it’s released another one.
According to the official patch notes on Nintendo’s support page, this is another stability update. It’s available for the original Switch as well and bumps the firmware up to 20.3.0. Here’s the full rundown, courtesy of Nintendo:
Getting a group of friends together to learn and play a board game can be a daunting task. Not only does it require everyone in-person, but between setting up, learning the rules, and actually playing through the game it can end up taking multiple hours. Thankfully, there’s an online solution that solves many of these issues.
Board Game Arena might be one of the best-kept secrets, despite having more than 10 million registered players. Still, the flexibility to play many of the most popular games today whenever you desire makes it a must for board game enthusiasts. With a massive catalog spanning every genre, it’s got plenty to offer for both casual and hardcore players alike. Check out our full breakdown below to learn more about Board Game Arena, some of the included games, pricing, and what devices are supported.
What Is Board Game Arena?
Board Game Arena is a website that allows you to play more than 1,000 popular board games—completely free. What’s the catch? Surprisingly, there isn’t one. It really is as good as it sounds. A metaphorical board game buffet just waiting to be devoured.
The browser-based website is pretty lightweight, allowing it to run seamlessly across desktop and mobile devices. You can play games in real-time with players from across the world or set up a turn-based match that lets players take turns when it’s convenient for them. While this significantly increases the time it takes to complete a game, it’s a flexible option that’s perfect for those with a busy schedule who can’t dedicate the time it takes to sit down and play longer games.
How it works
Most games include a step-by-step guided tutorial, which is the perfect way to learn a new game that doesn’t require combing through a massive rulebook. Many also have links to educational videos if you prefer to learn by watching.
The best part about Board Game Arena is that the entire experience is automated. That means no more worrying about the rules or players potentially cheating. Each game features a simple interface that clearly indicates which moves you can make at any given moment. This also helps games move along at a brisk pace, as there’s no setup, teardown, or fiddling with components.
Players can create digital tables and indicate the number of opponents they are looking for before starting a match. Generally, finding players is quick, with tables often filled in a matter of seconds. Some games even include expansion content, which you can decide to enable when setting up your table.
Each game features a built-in text chat option to interact with your friends or opponents. And, if you want to host a virtual game night and get the full experience, optional voice and video chat are also available.
Because many board games require a lot of time and commitment, Board Game Arena leverages a reputation system for all players. Anyone who takes too long to make a move or leaves a game before it’s finished receives a penalty. This allows you to quickly identify potential problem players and avoid matching with them to ensure a positive play experience.
For players looking to test their ability, Board Game Arena also offers ranked matches and tournaments for every game. This is a great way to face off against some of the best players in the world and improve your skill.
How Much Does Board Game Arena Cost?
Board Game Arena is available in two tiers: free and Premium. The free tier only requires that you create a free account in order to access the catalog of games. However, you’ll quickly find that many of the most popular games have the “Premium” badge on them, which means you can’t start a table unless you have a paid subscription. If you’re patient, though, you can wait for another premium member to set up a table and join for free.
But, to experience the best of Board Game Arena without any restrictions, you’ll want to sign up for a Premium account. Like most game subscription services, you can pay monthly or yearly, with the latter being a bit cheaper in comparison. Board Game Arena’s is priced at $5 per month or $42 per year (which works out to about $3.50 a month). For less than the price of a new board game you can experience more than 1,000—with more added every week.
For more experienced players, there are plenty of longer, more strategic games that typically need a well-versed group to play including Terraforming Mars, Ark Nova, and Terra Mystica. While these games can take hours in-person, the instant setup and automated turn structure helps them move much faster than their real-world counterparts, making this the ideal way to play many of these heavier games.
Although most games require two or more players to enjoy, Board Game Arena has a vast catalog of solo games for players who prefer that format. Many modern games also include a solo variant, allowing you to play against an automa and learn the strategy without the pressure of additional players.
Even if you only have a few minutes to spare, Board Game Arena also features dozens of quick board games that can be played on your phone to give you your fix. The beauty of its massive catalog is that you can choose the perfect game based on how much time you have available.
Board Game Arena – Available Platforms
Since Board Game Arena is browser-based, it’s available on just about any modern device that can access an internet browser. While you can play games on mobile, I find that some games’ visual aspects don’t scale well for the smaller screen. Your best bet is to play on PC, Mac, or even a tablet as each of these can fit more visuals and information on the screen.
Matthew Adler has written for IGN since 2019 covering all things gaming, tech, tabletop games, and more. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.
It’s no secret that while Nintendo Switch 2 has some excellent games already available, many of these are quite expensive. While the console just launched in early June, Woot has an ongoing sale where you can save a few dollars off some of the biggest Switch 2 games out now. This includes Mario Kart World and the Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Save on Mario Kart World and Zelda Switch 2 Editions
First, Mario Kart World is on sale for $71.99. As the first new Mario Kart experience in over a decade, World has a ton of new courses and mechanics to discover. For the first time ever, Mario Kart enters an open world, with each track interconnected on one landmass. The trick system has seen a massive overhaul, with support for wall riding, and the new Knockout Tour mode is an excellent battle royale-style way to play Mario Kart.
Moreover, the Switch 2 Editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are both on sale, and these games are simply masterpieces. The Nintendo Switch 2 Editions only improve on that, offering enhanced resolutions and framerates that elevate the experience. You can even use the new Zelda Notes functionality through the Nintendo Switch app to hear voice recordings and tips to assist you on your journey through Hyrule.
Beyond these three games, there are dozens of first party Nintendo Switch games like Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, Super Mario Party Jamboree, and more on sale. This is really an excellent time to expand your collection without breaking the bank.
Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundles Are Getting Restocks
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.
