It’s been no secret that Remedy’s FBC: Firebreak landed like a piece of haddock at the fishmongers. This shouldn’t necessarily be a complete surprise, after all this is their first attempt at a live service game that’s all them (they also helped to make CrossfireX, and that didn’t go very well either). Still, to Remedy’s credit they’ve also committed to bring changes to the game, and those changes are coming in the form of a big update titled Breakpoint next week.
At the most recent Nintendo Direct, Nintendo fans were blessed with the news that not one, not two, but three modern Resident Evil games would be coming to Nintendo Switch 2: Village, Requiem, and Biohazard. But according to Requiem’s developers, this wasn’t always the plan. In fact, the team didn’t originally plan to bring anything to the Switch 2 at all.
Speaking to me at Tokyo Game Show, producer Masato Kumazawa explains the story of how the Nintendo Switch 2 ended up with the three most modern Resident Evil games on their way to the system:
The Switch 2 hadn’t been announced when we started planning this game [Requiem], so of course it wasn’t in the original plan. When the Switch 2 was announced we were able to start testing developing games for it, and we thought it would be great if we could bring the Resident Evil series to this platform. We started off with internally porting Resident Evil: Village to see if it would work well on the hardware, and it looked really great, so that gave us the confidence to add a Switch 2 version of Reqiuem to the plans, and that led us to the recent announcement where we confirmed not only Reqiuem was coming, but 7 and 8 would also be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 at the same time.
It’s no surprise that Kumazawa is gassing up the Switch 2 port of his own game, but I played a brief section of Resident Evil: Requiem at Tokyo Game Show in handheld mode on the platform and…yeah, it looks pretty good! I asked him as a follow-up if there was anything unique about the Switch 2 version of the game, and his response that no, there isn’t, “in a good way.” It’s just Requiem, on the Switch 2, able to be taken on the go. And though my sampling of this experience was brief, I’m optimistic from that short demo that Kumazawa’s not just all talk here.
We previewed Resident Evil: Requiem just last month, and you can read our impressions of what we’ve seen so far right here. You can also check out the rest of my discussion with Nakanishi and Kumazawa, including continued efforts to get them to say something, anything, about Leon Kennedy, and why the pair are struggling to figure out what qualifies as “scary” after all these years. We’ve also previously spoken to the pair on a number of other topics, such as Raccoon City’s return and the game’s new monster design.
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.
Heart Machine have had a busy year. It was only in January that they launched Hyper Light Breaker into early access, a surprise follow-up to their beloved indie action RPG Hyper Light Drifter. That launch didn’t go amazingly due to a myriad of reasons, and even now the game hasn’t completely managed to find its footing yet. And then there’s Possessor(s), their search action (not Metroidvania) game that at long last has a release date!
When I walked into my interview with Resident Evil: Reiquem director Koshi Nakanishi and producer Masato Kumazama, I came equipped with a big pile of questions about a character who, as far as we know officially, is nowhere to be found: Leon Kennedy.
I had these questions prepared because the day before my interview, Capcom aired its Capcom Online Program showcase to coincide with Tokyo Game Show. And to eager Resident Evil fans, me, and many of my coworkers, it seemed obvious that we were finally going to get a new trailer revealing Leon’s official precense in the game, as a playable character or otherwise.
But that’s not what happened. We did see a new trailer, but no Leon. And a preview build available at TGS, which I went hands-on with after my interview, was similarly bereft of Leon.
When I brought up the strangeness of my expectations and the resulting Leon Kennedy drought to Nakanishi and Kumazawa, they just laughed.
“We will take on board this feedback,” Kumazawa said.
Fan clamor for Leon has been going on for months now, ever since the game’s first trailer appeared to contain multiple teases for, at minimum, a Leon appearance. But rumors have since grown, with some suggesting Leon might show up in the game as a secondary playable protagonist alongside newcomer Grace Ashcroft. Nakanishi and Kumazawa have attempted to brush those rumors aside, saying that Kennedy is a poor match for Reqiuem’s less action-heavy tone, but the fervor has persisted anyway, and the two are stopping short of saying outright that we won’t get to control him at all, even for just a little bit.
Given all this discussion, I asked the pair if they had any concerns that all the Leon nonsense was distracting from their attempt to position Grace as the game’s star. But they’re not worried. “We’re always happy that people are interested in the game enough to speculate so much,” Kumazawa said.
If, then, the pair are so insistent that Grace is the new face of this Resident Evil story, could Reqiuem server as a sort of passing-of-the-torch between old and new Resident Evil? Not quite, Kumazawa says.
“Although we don’t have firm plans for the future storylines of later titles in the series, I still think passing the torch is probably going a bit too far, because we’re not just going to wipe the slate clean completely in terms of the series lore and history. But at the same time I don’t want to always have to just go back to the well of existing characters to create new games, which was part of the motivation to introduce Grace.”
We previewed Resident Evil: Requiem just last month, and you can read our impressions of what we’ve seen so far right here. You can also check out the rest of my discussion with Nakanishi and Kumazawa, including how Reqiuem came to the Nintendo Switch 2. We’ve also previously spoken to the pair on a number of other topics, such as Raccoon City’s return and the game’s new monster design.
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.
The best GBA ‘Nintendo Classics’ on Switch.
Updated with Mr. Driller 2 and Klonoa: Empire of Dreams following the September 2025 update. Remember, this is a dynamic, reader-ranked list based on each game’s User Rating in our database. The order is therefore subject to real-time change as those ratings fluctuate. Enjoy!
Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers have instant access to a growing library of brilliant handheld games from yesteryear, including Game Boy Advance entries in some of Nintendo’s biggest series. Are they all brilliant, though? Well, with the help of you lovely Nintendo Life readers, we can answer that question.
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The Underworld beckons.
Hello folks! It’s the weekend once again, but before we dive into what we’re playing, let’s just do a quick recap of the last week.
First up, it seems only right that we go over some of the reviews we posted this week, because these include some pretty big games:
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Following the game’s Switch 2 release in July.
If you enjoyed the Another Code: Recollection Switch remake, you might want to check out Arc System Works’ next interactive game for the Switch 2.
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Game-Key Card release also confirmed.
Sega this week surprised Yakuza fans with the announcement of Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties for the Switch 2.
It will be making its way to Nintendo’s new hybrid system early next year on 12th February 2026, and while we’ve already got a teaser of what to expect, the team at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has now shared a “first look” at the combat gameplay in Yakuza Kiwami 3.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Including fixes specific to Switch 2.
Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Edition didn’t get off to the best start when it arrived on the Switch 2 in June, but IO Interactive has made an effort since then to improve the overall experience.
With this in mind, the developer has now released another game update, which makes some updates across all platforms and also resolves multiple bugs in the Switch 2 version of the game. This follows an update in August, which added a Frame Rate option to lock the game at 30fps.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The long-awaited Mega Evolution era has finally arrived in Pokémon TCG following the Japanese releases of Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia in August 2025. With their towering HP values, spectacular full-art designs, and that notorious 3-Prize rule when a Mega ex is knocked out, these cards are already shaking up both the collector market and early deck-building experiments in Japan, and we expect the same to happen worldwide, too.
Like every major set, certain chase cards have risen to the top. That’s whether for playability, stunning artwork, or simply the popularity of their featured trainer or Pokémon. Below, we’ve ranked ten of the most expensive Mega Evolution cards in today’s market on our favourite dedicated marketplace, TCGPlayer, starting from the lowest on the chart and working up to the crown jewel.
The original Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia expansions have already delivered some of the most eye-catching and valuable cards of the year, with the 10 most valuable of which from the combined Mega Evolution set can be found below, for those who don’t feel like scrolling through the whole larger list.
However, with the set only just being released, TCGplayer’s exact most valuable card rankings are changing rapidly, due to continuous market price changes. So, be sure to also check out the live page showing the most expensive Mega Evolution Pokémon cards on TCGplayer right now.
Still, as for our top 10, from dazzling behemoths like Mega Venusaur ex and Mega Gardevoir ex, to nostalgic Special Art Rares of fan-favourite trainers like Lillie’s Determination, collectors are still scrambling to secure them before prices climb higher. Here’s a quick look at the ten of the most expensive cards currently dominating the Mega Evolution market.
Mega Venusaur ex cards in general thrive on endurance, and Mega Evolution’s is no different. Solar Transfer lets you freely move Grass Energy around, while Jungle Dump delivers 240 damage and heals 30, making it tough to topple.
5ban Graphics’ artwork reinforces that bulk, with Mega Venusaur ex crouched under vibrant petals in a pose that radiates raw power. Both a sturdy option in Grass decks and a visually commanding card, it’s a sought-after Ultra Rare.
Absol has always had a cult following since its debut in Gen III , and this new Mega form captures that same aura of menace. Mega Absol Ex’s Ultra Rare gives us an eye-catching, almost gothic rendering, making it look like it has stepped out of a noir film, with its mix of black and yellow tones.
Competitively, its Terminal Period attack is an intriguing win-condition attack, knocking out foes that line up perfectly on damage counters, while Claw of Darkness offers raw power plus disruption. Though it’s a little clunky in the current fast-paced meta, Absol’s fan appeal ensures this one holds value.
Gameplay-wise, Vulpix won’t shake the meta with Stampede and Combustion, which are serviceable but underpowered. What makes this card stand out is its Illustration Rare art by saino misaki, showing the fox Pokémon curled up by a fireplace in a warmly lit, rustic room.
It’s a cosy-looking slice-of-life card that collectors are eager to chase, proving once again that atmosphere and nostalgia can lift even a low-power card into a high-value slot.
Marshadow is one of the more competitively promising Illustration Rares. Shadowy Side Kick deals respectable damage, and its effect of blanking damage to Marshadow on the following turn if it takes a KO can stall opponents effectively. Altogether, this card straddles the line between competitive tech and collector gem.
Already a major seller amongst Pokémon TCG collectors on TCG player, this Mega Evolution Bulbasaur’s Bind Down is a deceptively disruptive move, trapping your opponent’s Active Pokémon in place while chipping away at their board state.
This utility, combined with Bulbasaur’s nostalgic allure as the original Grass starter, gives it both competitive and casual appeal. Artist mashu delivers bold, swirling colours that make Bulbasaur appear almost dreamlike, enhancing its chase factor. Along with being playable, it’s one of the most visually striking cards in the set.
Although not as dazzling as its more artistic counterpart below, this UR of Lillie’s Determination is already one of the hottest chase cards of the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Evolution set. Atsushi Furusawa’s stunning full-art design captures Lillie with delicate, vibrant detail, and the card effect remains a flexible draw option.
While it may not dominate the competitive scene, it is almost guaranteed to headline binders and display cases. It can be easy for newcomers to underestimate Lillie’s immense popularity, but that doesn’t stop its position near the very top of the set’s value list.
Razor Leaf offers a reliable 60 damage for two Grass Energy, positioning Ivysaur as a useful bridge to Mega Venusaur in dedicated Grass decks. The artwork, again by mashu, captures Ivysaur leaping forward with fierce determination against a backdrop of glowing foliage and vibrant petals.
As part of the full Kanto starter line, collectors are eager to build the evolutionary trio, and its combination of steady damage and stunning visuals cements its rising market value.
Our third-most valuable card in the Pokémon Trading Card Game’s new Mega Evolution set, Mega Venusaur ex is a true battlefield tank, with Solar Transfer enabling seamless Energy redistribution and Jungle Dump delivering 240 damage while healing itself.
In terms of gameplay, this makes it one of the most flexible and durable attackers in the set. The SAR artwork by mashu is extraordinary, depicting a lush, chaotic jungle scene bursting with colour, where Venusaur looms as a dominant presence. The synergy of competitive utility and jaw-dropping art is what has pushed this card into the top tier of value.
Few Trainers hold the same sway in the secondary market as Lillie. Not only does the floral artwork of Lillie’s Determination by Atsushi Furusawa give off endless warmth and nostalgia, the actual effect of this Trainer card is great as well: refreshing your hand with seven new cards or even eight when behind, presenting real utility in control and comeback strategies.
On top, Lillie’s sheer popularity, though seems to be additionally driving the price tag into the around-$200 stratosphere, just as we’ve seen with her earlier Sun & Moon prints.
Priced at over $500 at the time of writing, Mega Gardevoir ex stands as the Pokémon TCG’s crown jewel of the Mega Evolution set. Whilst Overflowing Wishes accelerates Psychic Energy across your Bench, Mega Symphonia converts that fuel into devastating damage.
Raita Kazama’s museum-quality artwork, full of pastel tones and floral elegance, perfectly matches the card’s grace and strength. It’s this union of competitive power and striking style that cements this beautiful piece of cardboard as the set’s most coveted prize.
Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.
