Nintendo has confirmed that Switch 2 Edition games contain both the game and the upgrade on the cartridge itself.
Confusion arose after conflicting reports based on comments from customer service staff suggested Switch 2 Edition games may not include the game itself.
However, in a statement to Vooks, Nintendo clarified this is not the case, although pointed out that some publishers may release Switch 2 Edition games as download codes in physical packaging with no game card.
Here’s the Nintendo statement:
“Physical versions of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will include the original Nintendo Switch game and its upgrade pack all on the same game card (i.e. they are exclusively Nintendo Switch 2 game cards, with no download code). Alternatively, some publishers may release Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games as download codes in physical packaging, with no game card.”
These Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games improve upon their original Switch versions in various ways. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, for example, gain additional support for the Zelda Notes service in the Nintendo Switch App that provides game help. They also have achievements on Switch 2.
Switch 2 game-key cards are physical cards that only contain a key to download your chosen game. That means there’s no actual game data on the card you insert into your Switch 2, so you’ll need to download it once the card is inserted. Every game-key card case will be appropriately labeled on the lower portion of the front of the box, so if you’re concerned about what exactly you’re purchasing, you should have a heads-up right away.
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.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is finally on sale, and it’s not a minor token discount either. The Steam Store has knocked 20% off the full price, bringing it down from $59.99 / £49.99 to $47.99 / £39.99 until April 21st. If you’ve been waiting for any excuse to dive into Larian’s massive, sprawling RPG, this is it.
I’m not saying today’s deals are going to ruin your budget, but I wouldn’t open your banking app until tomorrow. Stellar Crown is back in stock (finally), and Amazon also has the Terapagos ex Ultra-Premium Collection if you’re feeling like a true Tera master. Meanwhile, Lenovo quietly dropped Xbox Wireless Controllers to $39.99, and I’m just over here trying to convince myself I don’t need one in every color.
Stellar Crown Boxes and $25 off Xbox Series X/S Controllers
On top of that, there’s a new Humble Bundle that looks like someone dumped every neon-drenched game into one lineup, and somehow Fallout fans are getting a $200 Pip-Boy replica that actually works as a clock. It’s a chaotic mix of gaming greatness, and I’m into it.
Pokémon TCG: Terapagos ex Ultra-Premium Collection
I want this box purely for the overkill. Eighteen booster packs, three promo cards, and enough accessories to make a Magic: The Gathering player cry. Terapagos ex, Lapras ex, and Cinderace ex look gorgeous, and the display-worthy gear (card protector, playmat, deck box) makes this feel like more than just another TCG drop. It’s overstuffed, overpriced, over the top and exactly what I want from a premium Pokémon box.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet Stellar Crown Elite Trainer Box
I think the Stellar Crown ETB is one of the best recent Pokémon releases, and not just because it includes a full-art Noctowl. The sleeves featuring Stellar Form Terapagos are slick, and you get nine booster packs — nine! For under $55, that’s a solid entry point into Scarlet & Violet or just a fun rip session waiting to happen. If you missed the last drop, now’s your shot at redemption.
Neon Lights Game Bundle
This bundle is like a cyberpunk fever dream. Ghostrunner, Neon Abyss, and The Red Strings Club all in one lineup? I don’t even care that I’ve already played half of these. For $14, I’ll happily double-dip just to have them in one place. I want more game bundles that feel like a hacker curated them at 3 a.m. while jacked into a mainframe.
Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller – Various Colors
In my opinion, Xbox controllers never go on sale when you need one — only when your current one starts drifting mid-match and your rage googling leads you here. $39.99 is a no-brainer price, especially with options like Astral Purple and Deep Pink in stock. I already have two, but I want a third just because Microsoft had the audacity to make them this pretty.
Fallout – Pip-Boy Die-Cast – Replica
Look, I don’t need a $200 Pip-Boy replica with a functioning LCD screen, clock, and radio. But I absolutely want it. It’s absurdly detailed, looks screen-accurate, and would make a great desk flex or cosplay showpiece. I think if you’re the type to own a vault jumpsuit, this is your holy grail.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet Booster Display Box
I think of this as the “no regrets” box. Thirty-six booster packs is a full-on dopamine factory for collectors or anyone building out a Scarlet & Violet deck. You’re getting the Tera Pokémon ex mechanics, fan favorites like Koraidon and Miraidon, and honestly, more chances at pulls than I usually trust myself with. I want this in my cart and hidden from my partner. It’s a big upfront price, but when you break it down, it’s solid value for serious collectors.
Monster Energy Zero Ultra, Sugar Free Energy Drink, 16 Ounce (Pack of 15)
I want to believe I drink Monster Zero Ultra for the energy, but deep down I know it’s just my gamer juice of choice. $26.11 for a 15-pack works out to about $1.74 per can, which is cheaper and less effort than running to a 7-Elevan. Bonus points for the Subscribe & Save option, which is where this deal kicks in.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Surging Sparks Booster Bundle
I’ve been tracking the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Surging Sparks Booster Bundle for weeks, and while this $45.02 price on Amazon is still above the original MSRP of $26.94, it’s the most reasonable listing I’ve seen that doesn’t involve a sketchy seller or a mystery warehouse. You get six booster packs from the latest set, which is hard enough to find in stores, and I appreciate not having to overpay a reseller just to get in on the new pulls. For anyone trying to keep up with the expansion, this is as straightforward as it gets.
INIU 140W Power Bank
I think the INIU 140W 27,000mAh Power Bank is the backup battery I actually trust when I know I’ll be away from an outlet for more than a few hours. It’s currently $74.56, which isn’t exactly pocket change, but for something that can charge a MacBook Pro or a Steam Deck without breaking a sweat, I’d say it’s well-priced. The digital display is genuinely useful, and having three ports (two USB-C and one USB-A) makes it easy to keep everything charged without doing the cable shuffle.
Fallout – Lucys Vault 33 – Backpack
I don’t usually get excited about merch, but the Fallout – Lucy’s Vault 33 Backpack from the IGN Store actually feels like something I’d use. It’s $199.99, which sounds steep until you realize it’s a legit replica built from the same patterns used on the show. This isn’t a cheap cosplay throw-in, it’s got a full 20L capacity, a 16-inch laptop pocket, and more compartments than I know what to do with. Plus, it comes with that massive yellow fleece blanket for the full Fallout-core vibe. I’m not planning on trekking across a wasteland anytime soon, but it’s good to know the bag is ready just in case.
INIU Power Bank, 20000mAh 65W
INIU 65W 20,000mAh Power Bank is the one I reach for when I need power without the bulk. It’s $39.99 and still strong enough to fast-charge my laptop, but compact enough to throw in a backpack without thinking about it. The extra port flexibility is nice, and the built-in phone stand is one of those small features I didn’t think I’d care about until I started using it constantly. It just does its job well without getting in the way.
Humble Heroines Game Bundle
Humble Heroines: Rebels, Curses, and Mystery bundle is exactly the kind of thing I buy and then spend the next six months working through. For $12, you get seven games including Control: Ultimate Edition, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, Darksiders III, and a few smaller indie gems that deserve the attention. The lineup is solid, the value is obvious, and part of the money goes to Girls Who Code and Girls Make Games, so I don’t even have to justify it to myself. It’s a good excuse to grab some character-driven games that don’t all feel like the same recycled formula.
INIU Power Bank 100W
I picked up the INIU 100W 25,000mAh Power Bank because I wanted one charger that could handle everything without fuss. For $53.98, I get enough power to charge two larger devices at once, thanks to dual USB-C outputs, and it still recharges fast when it’s drained. It’s well-balanced in size and performance, and I haven’t run into overheating or throttling issues even during heavy use. That’s more than I can say for a few others I’ve retired.
INIU Portable Charger, Slim 45W
Then there’s the INIU Slim 45W 10,000mAh Power Bank with Built-In USB-C Cable It’s currently $22.49, but the real win here is the integrated cable. It charges both the power bank and my phone, which is ideal when I want to carry as little as possible. The compact build doesn’t compromise on speed, and I like that I can toss it in a jacket pocket without it feeling like dead weight. It’s simple, efficient, and takes up no mental space.
ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless Gaming Headphones
I’ve tried more wireless earbuds than I care to admit, but the Cetra lineup actually gets it right for gaming. I want latency low enough that my killshots sync with the sound of glory, not a second later. These deliver that, with the added bonus of active noise cancelation that’s good enough to block out my neighbor’s saxophone practice. The 27-hour battery life doesn’t hurt either, especially for marathon gaming sessions — or, let’s be honest, Netflix binges. Wireless charging is just the lazy cherry on top.
ASUS ROG Harpe Gaming Wireless Mouse
This thing weighs 54 grams. Fifty-four. I’ve had granola bars that were heavier. I think it’s illegal to call something this light a “mouse” without an asterisk. The Harpe’s low-latency tri-mode connection and snappy AimPoint sensor make it feel like an extension of my brain. If you’re the type to tweak DPI mid-match just because you can, this one’s built for you. Also, shout out to ASUS for not naming it something ridiculous like “ShadowFang X69 Ultra.”
Vampire Hunter D Book Bundle
Here’s the deal: for less than the price of a mediocre pizza, you get 29 volumes of vampire-fighting, post-apocalyptic drama illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano. I want this bundle just so I can say I finally read the source material instead of quoting the anime like a poser. And since it supports World Central Kitchen, I’ve checked off my good deed for the day whilst reading about bloodthirsty aristocrats. Win-win.
ASUS ROG Spatha X Wireless Gaming Mouse
If the Harpe is the Ferrari of gaming mice, the Spatha is a tank with RGB. I mean, 12 programmable buttons, a magnetic charging stand, and enough battery life to outlast the apocalypse? I think this one’s for the MMO players and spreadsheet warriors who want their macros locked and loaded. The hot-swappable switches are a nice bonus for anyone who treats mice like seasonal accessories.
Street Fighter Trading Cards
I grew up spamming Hadoukens, and now I can channel that energy into shiny cardboard form. I want the Collector Box because ripping open packs and chasing rare inserts scratches an itch I didn’t know I had. But if you’re a “go big or go home” kind of collector, the Inner Case ($240) or Master Case ($960) options are basically loot crates for adults — minus the digital regret.
ASUS ROG Falchion NX 65% Wireless RGB Gaming Mechanical Keyboard
I don’t always want a full keyboard taking up half my desk. The Falchion understands that. It’s compact, mechanical, and still manages to squeeze in arrow keys and a weirdly satisfying touch panel for volume and macros. I love that it’s wireless but still offers USB-C when I’m feeling traditional. Bonus points for the cover case—it makes me feel like I’m carrying a fancy typewriter to a LAN party.
ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless Deluxe
This one’s a mouthful in name and a handful in features. I think this keyboard is perfect for anyone who wants their setup to scream “I game and I have taste.” The wrist rest is plush, the switches are fast and precise, and the tri-mode connection lets me hop from work laptop to gaming rig like some sort of digital nomad. It’s absurdly overbuilt, and I kind of respect that.
MainGear North RTX 5070
I think this is one of the smartest ways to get your hands on an RTX 5070 without building from scratch or skimping on quality. MAINGEAR’s setup skips all the common bottlenecks — no mismatched parts, no airflow nightmares, no “good enough” corners cut. For $2,095, you’re getting a clean combo of a Ryzen 5 7600X CPU, 16GB of DDR5 RGB RAM, and a 1TB NVMe SSD, all assembled by people who care about things like cable management. It’s future-ready, quiet, and fast enough to leave your current rig feeling like a potato in comparison.
Pokemon TCG: Azure Legends Tin – 5 Packs
This tin is pure Pokémon chaos in the best way. You get one random promo card—Kyogre ex, Xerneas ex, or Dialga ex—and five booster packs; 2 x Surging Sparks, 1 x Stellar Crown, 1 x Temporal Forces and 1 x Obsidian Flames. It’s a fun, low-stakes gamble for collectors or casual players who want a shot at good pulls without needing to take out a second mortgage.
Humble Bundle: Earth Defense Force Collection
EDF is the kind of game where logic goes out the window and fun takes over, and this $25 Humble Bundle gives you the best of it — EDF 5, EDF 4, World Brothers 2, plus a ton of downloadable content. I think this is worth it just for the laugh-out-loud co-op mayhem alone, and it doesn’t hurt that part of the proceeds go to charity while you blast oversized bugs into space.
SanDisk 256GB microSD Express microSD Card
If your current microSD card loads like it’s on a coffee break, or if you need to expand your Nintendo Switch 2 storage on launch day, this one’s a serious upgrade. I want this SanDisk Express card purely for the ridiculous transfer speeds — up to 880MB/s read and 650MB/s write. It’s built for 4K video, gaming, and surviving every possible disaster short of lava, and it’ll likely outlive every other accessory in your bag.
Pokémon TCG: Shining Fates Collection Pikachu V Box
The Shining Fates Pikachu V Box is a great grab if you’re chasing shiny cards or just really into oversized electric rodents. You get a Pikachu V promo, a jumbo card version for display, and four Shining Fates booster packs. It’s pricey, but Shining Fates is out of print.
The Elder Scrolls Skyrim – Dragonborn Helmet – Replica
This Skyrim Dragonborn helmet replica isn’t going to protect you in battle, but it will absolutely level up your desk setup. At just under six inches tall, it’s small enough to display but detailed enough to show off. I think it’s a solid collectible if you’re still emotionally tethered to Skyrim and have no shame in displaying that fact proudly.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box
This Shrouded Fable ETB is the kind of set that makes you feel like you’ve got your TCG life together. It comes with nine booster packs, a Pecharunt promo, energy cards, dice, and a nice little collector’s box to keep your chaos organized. Shrouded Fable is a slept on set, perfect for trainers who are sick of chasing Journey Together and Prismatic Evolutions stock.
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.
The former boss of Sony Interactive Entertainment America has commented on the backlash to Nintendo’s Switch 2 pricing, saying the desire for exclusive Nintendo games “mitigates the sticker shock.”
Last week, Nintendo confirmed the Switch 2 price at $449.99, which is around $50 more than some analysts had predicted, and, more controversially, the $10 jump to $79.99 for some Switch 2 games, including Mario Kart World.
It’s worth pointing out that Nintendo is bundling Mario Kart World with a Nintendo Switch 2 for $499.99, cutting the cost of the game by a huge $30 in the process. However, Nintendo has indicated this bundle is a limited-time offer, and it remains to be seen if the bundle holds at $500, given the uncertainty surrounding the tariff situation and Nintendo’s pre-order delay in the U.S.
IGN has plenty of reaction to Nintendo’s jump to $80 for the Switch 2 generation, including from analysts who have helped us understand why this has happened. Now, Shawn Layden, who used to run PlayStation in the U.S., has offered his thoughts, pointing to the fear of missing out on Nintendo exclusives as justifying price hikes.
Speaking on the PlayerDriven YouTube channel and podcast, Layden highlighted the contrasting strategies of Sony and Microsoft, and Nintendo, where Sony and Microsoft are downplaying exclusive games as they move to PC and rival consoles, but Nintendo is keeping its games on its own consoles.
“But right here you see, ‘wow, that’s kind of a hefty price hike from Switch 1 to Switch 2 and, wow, 80 bucks for a game?’ ” Layden said.
“But if it’s the only place where you can play Mario, then you get your wallet out and you buy into it… and Donkey Kong and Zelda. That first-party exclusivity kind of mitigates the sticker shock, if you will, of these price hikes, because you want that content so bad.”
Nintendo Switch 2 pricing in the U.S.:
Nintendo Switch 2 by itself: $449.99
Nintendo Switch 2 with Mario Kart World bundled in: $499.99
Mario Kart World by itself: $79.99
Donkey Kong Bananza: $69.99
Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller: $79.99
Nintendo Switch 2 Camera: $49.99
Joy-Con 2 Controller pair: $89.99
Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip: $34.99
Joy-Con 2 Strap: $12.99
Joy-Con 2 Wheel pair: $19.99
Nintendo Switch 2 Dock Set: $109.99
Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector: $34.99
Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case: $79.99
Nintendo Switch 2 AC Adapter: $29.99
Layden also talked about the price of video games generally, which, he insisted, have actually gone down over the years when you take into account inflation. Layden said console manufacturers should have hiked the price of games by $5 with each new console generation so that they would cost around $90 now.
“In 2025 dollars, $59.99 in 1999 is equivalent to $100. Your purchasing power compared to your cost of living, it’s much smaller now than it was before, but still companies have been reluctant to push that price up.
“I was in it at the time — probably every generation they should have baked in a $5 software price hike, and make that the typical, ‘well every generation it’s another five bucks.’ And you would have been up to $90 already by now.”
This week, IGN published its interview with Nintendo of America’s Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, conducted at a recent Switch 2 preview event in New York, but before Nintendo announced the delay to pre-orders due to Trump’s tariffs.
In the interview, Trinen insisted Mario Kart World justifies its $80 price tag, and pointed to the upcoming dedicated Mario Kart World Nintendo Direct where fans will learn more about the game and what it has to offer.
“I would say it’s less about the strategy of pricing Mario Kart World, it’s more just whenever we look at a given game, we just look at what is the experience, and what’s the content, and what’s the value?” Trinen said.
“Mario Kart World, I think especially as you see from the Nintendo Direct, not to give you any hints or anything, but I did read your article this morning and I think you had mentioned that you didn’t find a lot to discover when roaming around. So I would say tune into our Mario Kart Direct to see what, maybe you’ll be able to find out about that.
“But honestly, this is a game that is so big and so vast and you will find so many little things in it to discover. And there’s still some other secrets remaining that I think as people end up buying and playing the game, they’re going to find this to be probably the richest Mario Kart experience they’ve ever had.”
We also asked Trinen about the $80 cost of some of the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games. While there is a $10 upgrade path for existing owners of these games on the Switch, and both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ($69.99) and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ($79.99) are available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, Nintendo is not offering any sort of discount to newcomers on Switch 2.
Trinen’s answer here echoed his Mario Kart World response, pointing to the value Nintendo sees in its games.
“Well, again, what I would say is that we just look at each individual game and we look at the content and the value of that game, and then we say, ‘what is the right price for the value of this entertainment?’ ” he said.
“What I would probably counter to some of that is that really what you’re looking at is for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, that’s the physical price for somebody that has not bought the base game. For somebody who has bought Tears of the Kingdom or Breath of the Wild, the upgrade packs for those are $9.99. And if you happen to be a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack member, both of the Zelda upgrade packs are inclusive within that membership. So there’s no additional charge for those.
“But I think overall, our general approach is really just focus on what’s the content, what’s the value, and what’s an appropriate price based on that.”
As for the current $450 price tag of the Switch 2 itself, Trinen again pointed to value, but also highlighted the increasing costs associated with releasing a video game console.
“Obviously the cost of everything goes up over time, and I personally would love if the cost of things didn’t go up over time,” he told IGN.
“But I think any time you’re building a new system that’s got new features and new tech, there’s costs associated with that. So again, we look at what is the experience on Nintendo Switch? What’s the experience on Nintendo Switch 2? What are the new features that it offers? And certainly there’s the cost of goods and things that factor into that, but we try to find the right appropriate price for a product based on that.”
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.
One of the many games Nintendo highlighted during the Switch 2 Direct last week was the new Zelda title Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. This is another Koei Tecmo Musou game where you’ll take control of multiple characters and unleash all sorts of attacks on seemingly endless hordes of enemies.
Former Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aimé has pointed to the story of Wii pack-in game Wii Sports in thinly-veiled tweets addressing the controversy surrounding Nintendo’s decision to charge for Switch 2 tutorial game Welcome Tour.
Nintendo revealed Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour during its Nintendo Direct last week. It’s a game set to launch alongside the Switch 2 in June that offers a guided tour of the console itself in video game form.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is described as a “virtual exhibition” of the new hardware. Per Nintendo: “through tech demos, minigames and other interactions, players will get to know the new system inside and out in ways they may never have known about otherwise.”
The Nintendo Direct showed footage of a small player avatar exploring a super-sized Switch 2, reading about the different features and facts about the console. It also includes mini-games such as Speed Golf, Dodge the Spiked Balls, and a Maracas Physics Demo.
Now, Fils-Aimé has tweeted three clips from IGN’s two-year-old interview with the former Nintendo executive in which he discussed the internal battle he had with legendary developer Shigeru Miyamoto to get Wii Sports as a free pack-in for the hugely successful Wii console.
In the first clip, Fils-Aimé says “it is an understatement to say that Mr. Miyamoto pushed back” on the call to make Wii Sports a Wii console pack-in. As we know, this is a battle Fils-Aimé won to a degree, with Wii Sports bundled with the Wii everywhere except Japan.
The second interview clip Fils-Aimé tweeted pointed to a similar battle to bundle Wii Play with the Wii Remote. In the clip from our interview, Fils-Aimé revealed he “pissed off” Miyamoto once again with the suggestion. “He was not happy about that either.”
And finally, tweeting “and the results,” Fils-Aimé clipped out the section from our interview in which he reveals that all this was, ultimately, the right call.
“In the Americas and in Europe Wii Sports was packed in with the Wii proposition. It was not in Japan, which created a bit of a test market. It was obvious that in the markets where Wii Sports was packed in that we became much more of a phenomenon. Wii Sports itself became much more of a phenomenon.
“We did pack the Remote with Wii Play. And it became the fifth best-selling piece of software in the history of the Wii.”
It’s clear to see what Fils-Aimé is doing here. Although he’s not directly commenting on Nintendo’s Switch 2 strategy, he is making the point that free pack-ins have worked in the past for Nintendo consoles,so it stands to reason that it would do so again for Switch 2.
Fans know what’s up, too. “Hahaha, guys I think Reggie is watching our comments about the Switch 2,” said one X / Twitter user. “We know you would have packed in Welcome Tour,” said another.
This week, IGN published its interview with Nintendo of America’s Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, conducted at a recent Switch 2 preview event in New York, but before Nintendo announced the delay to pre-orders due to Trump’s tariffs.
Trinen said there’s more to Welcome Tour than it appears based on the showing during the Nintendo Direct and even during recent hands-on opportunities the media had access to. Based on what’s actually in the game, Nintendo decided $9.99 “is not an exorbitant price,” he continued.
“It’s an interesting product,” Trinen began. “We’re actually getting ready today, we’re going to be doing some Nintendo Treehouse Live segments and covering a lot of games in detail. That’s one of them. And I think people will be able to see through Treehouse Live probably a little bit more maybe than you were able to see on the show floor. It’s a pretty robust piece of software. There’s a lot of great detail in there.
“For some people, I think there are people who are particularly interested in the tech and the specs of the system and things like that, for them I think it’s going to be a great product. It’s really for people that want more information about the system rather than necessarily a quick intro to everything it does.
“And for that reason and just the amount of care and work that the team put into it, I think it was decided that, ‘Yeah, this feels like $9.99 is not an exorbitant price. It feels like a good value for what you’re getting out of the product.’ “
Photo by Susan Goldman/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
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.
Appearing on the ‘PlayerDriven’ YouTube channel and podcast recently, Layden linked Nintendo’s game price increase back to the relevance of “exclusives” and how “the only place you can play Mario” and other Nintendo IP is on a Nintendo platform. He also thinks fans often “want that content so bad” it effectively “mitigates the sticker shock”.
Have you been eagerly awaiting your acceptance letter to Hogwarts? This month, you can finally step into the magical world of the wizarding school and its spellbinding surroundings with Hogwarts Legacy.
Or, you could investigate a mysterious shifting manor filled with puzzles in Blue Prince, continue the nostalgic narrative adventure of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage with Tape 2, or golf your heart away in EA Sports PGA Tour.
There’s plenty to choose from in April’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup*. Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 and Blue Prince are both releasing day one into Game Catalog, with Blue Prince available to play April 10, and Bloom & Rage Tape 2 available April 15. EA Sports PGA Tour will also be playable April 11, while all other titles will be playable from April 15.
Meanwhile, PlayStation Plus Deluxe welcomes survival horror Alone in the Dark 2 from the original PlayStation and PS2’s kaiju-filled fighting brawler War of the Monsters.
PlayStation Plus Extra and Deluxe | Game Catalog
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Hogwarts Legacy | PS4, PS5
Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive, open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. Embark on a journey through familiar and new locations as you explore and discover magical beasts, customize your character and craft potions, master spell casting, upgrade talents and become the wizard you want to be. Experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. Discover the feeling of living at Hogwarts as you make allies, battle Dark Wizards and ultimately decide the fate of the wizarding world. Your legacy is what you make of it.
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Blue Prince | PS5
Welcome to Mt. Holly, the mysterious manor with shifting rooms. In Blue Prince, you embark on a genre-defying experience, filled with a unique mix of mystery, strategy, and puzzles that weave together to create an unpredictable journey. As the heir of Mt. Holly, you have been tasked to explore its shifting halls in search of Room 46. Yet as your journey takes you further into the mansion’s depths, you start to discover that there is more lurking under the surface than a missing room. Investigate a past woven with the threads of blackmail, political intrigue, and the mysterious disappearance of a local children’s book author. The deeper you venture, the more you realize that the past is closer than it appears.
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Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 2 | PS5
Dontnod’s latest narrative adventure takes you to a picturesque corner of Michigan in 1995, where lies the seemingly sleepy little town of Velvet Cove. Between dense woodlands and serene lakes, it’s a place where beauty meets the bizarre. The first episode, titled Bloom, was included in the Game Catalog in February. This new episode, titled Rage, continues and concludes the sisterhood’s adventure. As the story unfolds, the bonds forged through their growing friendship, their punk band, and the unexplained event that forever changed their lives are put to the ultimate test. Navigate between dual timelines – 1995 and 2022 – to uncover the life-changing secrets they discovered back then and understand why they’re reuniting now, after all these years. Together, they must confront the fateful memories that have eluded them for the past 27 years.
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EA Sports PGA Tour | PS5
The exclusive home of the Majors, EA Sports PGA Tour features Pure Strike for superior golf gameplay and unrivaled access to the world’s most exclusive golf courses. As your golf game improves, so does your path to becoming a Major champion. Create and customize a golfer, develop your skill set with new Shot Types, gain deeper course knowledge as you play, and learn to attack every hole like a pro. The tee is yours at 30 courses, including some of the world’s most exclusive, designed in stunning quality with Frostbite so you can enjoy more of golf’s finer details than ever before.
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Battlefield 1 | PS4
Experience the dawn of all-out war in Battlefield 1. Fight your way through epic battles ranging from tight urban combat in a besieged French city to the heavily defended mountain forts in the Italian Alps or frantic combats in the deserts of Arabia. Discover a world at war through an adventure-filled campaign, or join in epic multiplayer battles with up to 64 players, and adapt your tactics to the earth-shattering destruction and dynamic weather. Fight as infantry, lead horse charges or take control of amazing vehicles on land, air and sea, from tanks and biplanes to the gigantic Behemoths – some of the largest vehicles in Battlefield history.
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PlateUp! | PS4, PS5
PlateUp! combines chaotic kitchen and restaurant management with strategic planning and development to create a delightful roguelite dish unlike any other. Up to four players build and run a restaurant from scratch, choosing dishes, buying and placing appliances – some of which can be daisy-chained together to create ambitious automatic kitchens – cooking food and serving customers. Players have free rein to design their restaurant which will expand and develop between shifts – with additional content and challenges unlocked through progression. Equip your restaurant to handle the most fickle of customers and deliver them what they need, right when they need it.
PlayStation Plus Deluxe
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Alone in the Dark 2 | PS4, PS5
The sequel to the critically acclaimed Alone in the Dark has Edward Carnby dive into another mystery.
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War of the Monsters | PS4, PS5
Giant monsters have stormed the planet, and they’re fighting each other for supremacy. In War of the Monsters, choose your own mutant brute (or armored robot, or giant lava beast) then battle it out across 13 destructible battlegrounds. This PlayStation 2 classic from 2003 looks stunning in HD and features full trophy support – including an all-important platinum.
Because this title does not support PlayStation 2 peripherals, there may be times where the game plays differently to the original, or where some features may not be available.
*PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and PlayStation Plus Deluxe lineups may differ by region. Please check PlayStation Store on release day.
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Starting on April 16, 2025, PlayStation Plus subscription prices will change to the following in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia
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Last week, Nintendo confirmed The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker would be sailing onto the Switch 2 as part of the GameCube library at launch.
If you’re worried this might rule out the Wii U HD version of the game making a return one day, it seems there’s still hope. Tim Gettys of Kinda Funny Games spoke to Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of product development Nate Bihldorff and was informed “all options are on the table”.
I don’t know about you, but I’m already giving my shelf space a worried look as I consider the number of Switch 2 launch titles I want to pick up.
It’s been just about a week since Nintendo revealed the Switch 2 and its 21 separate launch games (24 if you include those dropping on the NSO GameCube library), which, the more you think about it, is a truly wild number. Just for reference, the only Nintendo consoles that have pulled together a bigger launch line-up are the GBA in Japan (23 releases on day one) and the North American release of the Wii U (29). The big difference is that Switch 2 doesn’t have the crutch of movie tie-ins to pad out its day one roster — no shade to stone-cold classics like the Wii’s Happy Feet there.
