Horror asymmetric multiplayer game Dead by Daylight is celebrating its ninth anniversary later this year, an amount of time so large it really makes you think “man, most live service devs should have had the foresight to make their game a decade ago, huh?” With that anniversary approaching imminently, developer Behaviour Interactive held a year nine anniversary broadcast where there was one reveal that’ll have you going “yeah that makes sense” and another where you’ll say “ok, sure.”
The Monster Hunter franchise is a phenomenon, accumulating critical and commercial acclaim and spanning dozens of main titles and spinoffs. The secret to its success is an addictive gameplay loop, where you battle huge and terrifying monsters to gain loot that, in turn, lets you acquire better gear and hunt bigger, badder beasties. It’s an easy loop to replicate on the tabletop and that’s exactly what Monster Hunter World: The Board Game does. Just like its parent franchise, however, it comes in a variety of flavors, so here’s what you need to find your feet in this video game board game.
If you’re not one for blurbs, you can scroll through all the items in this article right here. However, if you’d like to know more about what’s available and what comes in each box, read on for the goods.
Each of the core boxes is a standalone game, containing four hunters and four monsters for them to hunt. However, they can also be combined, allowing you to mix and match characters and their prey from different sets. The majority of the components in each box are specific to the hunters and monsters unique to that set, but there is some overlap, and each set contains a few extra cards that are only used if you’re combining with its opposite number.
As such, you’re probably best off with a single core box to start with and, if you get into the game, you can start by adding some of the smaller expansions, listed below, doubling up on a second core set in the event that you develop a passion for the series.
There’s not really any difference between the core sets in terms of quality. Both feature the same ruleset, the same compulsive loop and the same stratospheric levels of production quality, with gigantic monster miniatures that tower above the hunters for an awesome sense of scale. But the look and feel of each is quite different, so you’re best off just going whichever one appeals most aesthetically, or ties in with fond memories from the video game series.
As you might expect from the title, the setting for this collection is a primeval forest. The game boards are a lush green and brown and the monsters are clearly inspired by dinosaurs and tropical animals. There’s the lizard-like Great Jagras, the furred and scaled Tobi-Kadachi, the fearsome tyrannosaur Anjanath and the huge dragon Rathalos. Setting out to take them down are the classically-armed hunters Great Sword, Sword and Shield, Dual Blades, and Bow.
Wildspire Waste is a little more esoterically-named but the monsters and boards make clear that it’s a badlands-type setting, with a mixture of rocky outcrops, desert and swamp. The included creatures are the heavily-armored Barroth, monstrous swamp-fish Jyurados, the bird-like Pukei-Pukei, and underground behemoth Diablos which bears more than a passing resemblance to its demonic namesake. The hunters in this set are a little more bizarre, wielding Charge Blade, Switch Axe, Heavy Bowgun and Insect Glaive respectively.
As is often the case with Kickstarter-driven games, there were a slew of expansions available to pre-order at the same time. Most of these are still available at retail, however Nergigante is very hard to find and Teostra is exclusive to the publisher, Steamforged games – both of them are currently available directly from their website.
Nergigante, Kushala Daora and Teostra are all Elder Dragons, a new type of monster for you to hunt. They come with additional quest content for the base game, but perhaps most appealing of all they offer an extra, five-star difficulty level that’s a grade above any of the base game monsters, and the included miniature is a whole level bigger than any of their core box counterparts, too. That gives you an extra, mega-boss challenge to overcome and extends your campaign.
While getting to fight an ultimate boss in a longer campaign might sound like the ideal way to extend your base game content, all these expansions are expensive, and many have features that only work with one core box or the other. For example, Daora has one special crafting weapon that fits a hunter from the Ancient Forest, and another for a hunter from the Wildspire Wastes. As such, picking up the second core set might well be your best first stop if you want additional content for your game.
This offers six new hunters, as usual named after their weapons, which are a mixture of the traditional and peculiar. You can choose from the Light Bowgun, the Long Sword (which is very long indeed), the Gunlance, the Hammer, the Lance and the Hunting Horn (which looks nothing like a horn). While cool dragons and other monsters are obviously appealing, in terms of adding variety to your games, this box gives you the biggest bang for your buck as you get six different new toys to play with, and six new upgrade paths to explore, rather than just one beastie. However, you’ll need both core sets to be able to fully utilize all six.
If you do want one single dragon to add to your campaign, this might be your best bet because it allows you to craft additional weapons for all the currently available characters, including all those from the core sets and the Hunter’s Arsenal. He’s also delightfully odd, a spiny colossus who grows vicious spikes to impale the hunters wherever he’s damaged.
Kushala Daora is a wind dragon, who buffets the hunters with powerful storms and he’s also got the biggest miniature in the range, with a foot-wide wingspan. As if beating such a behemoth wasn’t a tough enough fight in the first place, you’ll also have to fight through strong winds and tornado blasts just to even close with your quarry.
Of all the dragons, Teostra might be the most familiar simply because it’s the classic fire dragon everyone knows and either loves or fears, possibly in equal measure. As you might expect that means a lot of ranged punishment from blasts and fireballs for anyone that dares trespass onto the dragon’s lair.
This was originally only available as part of the Kickstarter campaign for the game. Expect to pay a hefty premium if you want to pick one up second-hand. However, there’s currently another chance to snag one thanks to the more recent Kickstarter campaign for the new Iceborne boxes, detailed below.
This bizarre creature can pick things up in its dextrous claws, such as rocks to throw at intrepid hunters. In mechanical terms this not only gives it a missile attack but its ability to use tools makes it unpredictable, ensuring you’ve got to pick the right spot from round to round in order to score maximum damage. It looks a lot like an ornithomimosaur – an ostrich-mimic dinosaur – so looks right at home in the Ancient Forest although it can be used with either core box.
Following the success of the initial lineup detailed above, publisher Steamforged Games ran a second Kickstarter for a new iteration of the basic design called Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. While it features the same core mechanics it has a range of new concepts, so it’s only partially compatible with the original boxes: you can port monsters and hunters from one to the other in arena games, but you can’t shunt a campaign from one setting to a different one.
The Iceborne content follows a similar, but slightly different path to the original campaign. There’s just one core box this time, Hoarfrost Reach, again with four monsters and four hunters. Also as before there are Elder Dragons and a Hunter’s Arsenal expansion to add. But instead of another core box there are three monster expansions with four new monsters each, Absolute Power, Seething Anger and Overpowering Hunger. Plus a smattering of extras unlocked during the campaign.
While the campaign has closed, the game has not yet shipped and you can still order items from the offered range via Gamfound.
For more, check out our Arkham Horror buying guide if you’re into horror board games, or take a look at our Dominion buying guide if you’re more a fan of deck-building games.
Matt Thrower is a contributing freelance writer for IGN, specializing in tabletop games. You can reach him on BlueSky at @mattthr.bsky.social.
Risk of Rain 2 is still trudging along, it seems, as yesterday publisher Gearbox announced that a new expansion is on the way, Alloyed Collective. In a post over on Steam, the Risk of Rain team explained that alongside updating the game’s previous bit of DLC, Seekers of the Storm, they’ve brought on some “additional folks that are familiar with Risk of Rain to help us build out the next DLC.” Alloyed Collective is apparently still a while away from being ready, but it sounds pretty jam packed.
DayZ creator Dean Hall is alleging that Unity are threatening to revoke all licenses for workers at his current studio Rocketwerkz, the team behind Icarus. The developer made this claim in a lengthy post on Reddit saying that Unity are doing based on “bogus data about private versus public licenses.” Hall shared what he claims is an email from Unity dated May 9th where they explained that the Unity Compliance Team has flagged Rocketwerkz’s account as according to their data, the developer “currently [has] users using Unity Personal licenses when they should under the umbrella of your Unity Pro subscription.”
Lap 1 – SMK, MK64 & Super Circuit.
We’re just weeks away from a brand new Mario Kart, and to say we’re excited is a sizeable understatement. The Booster Course Pass, which arrived in waves starting in 2022, breathed life into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but the base mechanics beneath are the same MK8 we’ve been playing since May 2014 on Wii U.
Don’t get us wrong – we’ve loved every minute with the Switch’s best-selling game (and have also enjoyed Live: Home Circuit, and we liked Tour more than most), but after a decade of it, we’re definitely ready to broaden our horizons and explore a new world – a Mario Kart World, even.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
There’s a new union in town. Yesterday, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) announced that almost 200 developers at Activision Blizzard working on Overwatch have joined the union. They’re doing so as the Overwatch Gamemakers Guild-CWA (OWGG-CWA), described in a press release as a “wall-to-wall unit that includes game developers across all disciplines, including design, production, engineering, art, sound, and quality assurance.”
Not quite a slam dunk.
Remember when local, arcade party games were a dime a dozen? The late 2000s and early 2010s were filled with bite-sized, fun, and digestible experiences you could hop in and out of or sit down to play with friends. Well, Dunk Dunk revitalises that spirit in 2025 with a fun local co-op, action-platforming twist on basketball that is a good time with friends, or on your own in brief sessions, especially for its price point.
Dunk Dunk is a competitive sports game that takes the concept of basketball (scoring points by throwing a ball into a ring) and places in on a 2D arena-style stage similar to Smash Bros. Either in short 1v1 or 2v2 matches, you play as little cartoon characters against other players locally or against the computer to gain possession of the ball and shoot or dunk it into the opposing team’s goal (a floating circle).
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Mafia: The Old Country was in ‘managing expectations mode’ this week, announcing a cheaper than expected $49.99 price point, and confirming that it is absolutely not an open-world game, rather a linear, narrative-driven game.
The Hangar 13-developed gangster shooter showed off new gameplay in the trailer, below, and it is impressive indeed. But this is no GTA 6. Indeed, it is no Mafia III. Tellingly, 2K President David Ismailer said of Mafia: The Old Country: “We think there’s a large audience for compelling stories that don’t require massive time commitments.” It felt like a PSA more than a promo.
Based on these comments, Mafia: The Old Country will be a relatively short affair. There is no multiplayer mode, so the story is the entire package. How long will it be? Some are speculating anything from five to 15 hours.
Yes, there are some complaints in the reaction across the internet, mostly from those who were hoping for a Mafia game more along the lines of a GTA than a, say, shorter Uncharted-style game. But The Old Country was never going to be that sort of game.
In December, I interviewed Hangar 13 President Nick Baynes and game director Alex Cox about all things Mafia: The Old Country, and the prospect of running up against GTA 6, which was still due out fall 2025 at the time.
In the interview, the pair dismissed comparisons to GTA 6, insisting Mafia: The Old Country shouldn’t be considered an open-world game at all.
Rather, the pair explained, Mafia: The Old Country is more like Mafia 1 and 2 than it is the open-world Mafia 3. It is a “linear, narrative-driven” game, a “focused package” that offers a “cinematic experience.” You might find yourself driving around an authentic representation of 1900s Sicily in Mafia: The Old Country, or even riding around on horseback a bit like that other Rockstar game, Red Dead Redemption 2, but the similarities to Rockstar games stop there.
So, while there are the perhaps inevitable complaints about the scope of The Old Country, I’ve seen positivity about the experience on offer. Many are saying they’re more interested in a high quality, cheaper, shorter story-driven Mafia game than a bloated open-world game filled with repetitive mechanics.
Indeed, there seems to be a growing call for more of these cheaper, manageable games, with Sandfall’s well-received Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which has sold an impressive 2 million copies despite being available day-one on Game Pass, held up as a potential trend-setter.
This comes as game prices are becoming more expensive, with both Nintendo and Microsoft hitting $80. In a market when Mario Kart World costs $80, a $50 Mafia: The Old Country looks like a bargain.
“I think setting the price at $50 is the move,” said IGN reader BabyGroot1 in response to the Mafia news. “Look at Clair Obscur sales.”
“Yea, I think there could be a lot of fence-sitters that see $70-80 and wait for a game to be on sale around $30,” added Automating_The_Game. “But at $50 they’re like f*** it, getting it now.”
It’s a similar sentiment across social media and reddit. “I hate putting things on a number scale, but if this is one of those games that are like a good 10-12 hour, 8/10 experience I feel like we have to support it as best as possible,” said 99DGE of Mafia. “$50 when publishers are pushing for $80 is so fascinating that we need to reward and vote with our wallets if it’s worth it (that is of course, we can afford it given the economic climate).”
“I was probably going to pass on this as I just don’t have it in me for most open world games anymore, but hearing that it’s linear, story focused, and priced at $50? I’m on board day one now,” said ElJacko170.
“I’d rather have a short Mafia game for $50 than one with a needlessly empty open world with almost nothing to do in them like all the previous Mafia games,” said everythingsc0mputer.
“If they’re not gonna add side quests or side activities for you to do like the previous Mafia games, then might as well keep it short and linear.”
For all this positivity online, for publisher 2K and developer Hangar 13 it will be sales of Mafia: The Old Country that determine its and the franchise’s future. The game will have a sales target it needs to hit in order for the project to be declared successful, and social media and forum posts do not generate revenue. Hard sales do.
All eyes will be on Mafia: The Old Country to see if the success of Clair Obscur really is the start of something sustainable for the video game industry.
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.
Preorders for Pokémon TCG’s new Scarlet & Violet expansions, Black Bolt and White Flare, are expected to go live at major retailers like Best Buy and Amazon from May 8 onwards in the US.
Select sets, like the White Flare Elite Trainer Box, dropped on May 9, 8am PT via Best Buy’s app. Look for the “Drops” tab in the app to secure your preorder.
So what’s the latest? While the Pokémon Center and Best Buy drops have come and gone, we’re also expecting Amazon and Target preorders to go live soon.
Amazon’s listings are up but not live yet, so bookmark each so you’re ready to lock in your preorder ASAP when each set goes live.
You can also see our full list of trusted retailers just below that will likely host preorders between now and release on July 18.
Best Buy is also putting restrictions in place for those looking to preorder, so make sure to check the following on your Best Buy account, as well as every other retailer:
Like previous sets, Black Bolt and White Flare will likely sell out incredibly quickly, so it’ll be a massive task to find the expansions in stock.
I’ll be keeping track on retailers and updating this article as preorders go live, as I’ll be looking to pick up a few sealed boosters myself.
The everything below also be found at The Pokémon Center, although its currently out of stock, and its queue system when new stock is added can take a rather long time with no guarantees.
Pokémon TCG’s release schedule is looking chock full over the next few months, alongside the split explansion set Black Bolt and White Flare, there’s also Destined Rivals releasing on May 30.
Black Bolt and White Flare will have a staggered release between July 18 – August 22, and you can find all the relevant dates to note down just below.
A new card style, called Black White rare, will also debut. These cards will feature full artwork in either black or white monochrome, depending on the expansion.
Players will also be able to access Scarlet & Violet: Black Bolt and White Flare digitally starting July 17, 2025, through the Pokémon TCG Live app on iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows. The digital release allows players to collect and battle with new Unova-region cards and earn in-game login bonuses.
If you’re trying to keep up with Pokémon TCG without getting ripped off or left behind, here’s where to start, including the latest update on what can be bought here and now from trusted retailers in the US.
Moreover, from our latest report on the biggest Pokémon TCG crashers and risers of the week, prices on cards like Magikarp 203/193 and Pikachu ex 238/191 have nosedived by over 30% this week and are well worth considering as single buys.
While Rayquaza VMAX and Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat are making moves in the opposite direction. Whether you’re hunting bargains or watching the next big spike, here’s what to buy and what to keep an eye on right now.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of “Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior”. Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
Additional contributions included by Robert Anderson.
Break out the banjo.
Say hello to the weekend folks, because it’s here.
Before we get into what we’re playing, however, let’s just recap the week so far. Nintendo released its latest financial data, confirming that it is forecasting a total of 15 million Switch 2 sales within the next fiscal year. It also reconfirmed its upcoming slate of games, updated its user agreement to crack down on emulation, and appointed a new outside director to its board.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
