Voice acting union SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labour practice charge against Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, and Llama Productions, the game’s signatory company, for using an AI-generated voice of James Earl Jones to portray Darth Vader in-game.
In a statement posted on its website (via gamesindustry.biz), SAG-AFTRA says it “celebrate the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas and welcome the use of new technologies”, however, its issue lies with Epic Games and Llama Productions’ choice to “replace the work of human performers with A.I. technology.”
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, and developer CD Projekt is already giving fans a taste of the concerts, merch, and more it has in store.
The third Witcher video game undeniably left an impression on gamers when it launched May 19, 2015, so the studio behind it is pulling out all the stops to make sure today’s milestone feels special. Included in its list of festivities are videos that fondly look back at The Witcher 3 as well as special events and unique merch.
It all starts with the trailer, below, celebrating the series’ monster-hunting protagonist, Geralt, highlighting some of his most memorable moments as fans are treated to actor Doug Cockle’s gravelly delivery. It’s not quite a Witcher 4 update, but it does do a good job of reminding viewers of what made The Witcher 3 so special in the first place.
Meanwhile, Cockle joined the latest installment in CD Projekt Red’s REDstreams to reminisce about the 20 years he’s spent providing his voice for the English version of Geralt while sharing how he helped shape the White Wolf.
If you’re looking to join in on The Witcher 3’s 10th anniversary celebration, CD Projekt has further outlined its plans to bring The Witcher concerts to fans this summer. The first is in Boston at the Emerson Colonial Theater, come May 31, with the second following in Poland at Poznan’s Sala Ziemi. Tickets for both events, as well as the European leg of an upcoming tour, are available now, and more tour dates will be revealed in the future.
CD Projekt said more surprises, including art from 10 different Witcher artists, are on the way in the form of a Displate collaboration, T-shirts, and mugs. The vibrant The Little Witcher comic series and Embody’s Immerse Gamepack, which were both recently released, are also included in CD Projekt’s recommended list of goodies for fans looking to celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Witcher 3. More details about what to expect will be revealed in the near future.
Each item, stream, and event will help die-hard fans celebrate the critically acclaimed 2015 RPG, but it should also help with the wait for The Witcher 4. Since pulling back the curtain on the Ciri-focused follow-up at The Game Awards 2024, CD Projekt has (mostly) kept its head down when it comes to its progress. It’s not scheduled to arrive for quite a while, so don’t expect any serious updates anytime soon.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
We’re seeing massive jumps on cards that have sat stable for years, all because Gen V is back in style. If you’re looking to trade, cash in, or just gawk at how weird card prices can get, I’ve got you covered.
Here are five cards that are flying and five that are faceplanting. Some of these are smart buys. Others? Let’s say I wouldn’t want to be the one who paid full price three weeks ago.
Pokémon Card Crashers
Leafeon ex from Prismatic Evolutions dropped 21% since mid-April, from $467.85 to $369.96. Still expensive, sure, but that’s a big chunk of change to evaporate in just a few weeks. If you bought high, I’m sorry. If not, maybe give it a few more dips before you pounce.
And then there’s Eevee ex, also from Prismatic. Down 28%, now sitting at $172 after peaking above $240. Honestly, I think Eeveelution fatigue is real. There are just so many of them floating around that even good cards are struggling to keep their value.
Lillie’s Clefairy ex from Journey Together has slid 26% this month, from $212 to $158. I still like this card a lot, but the dip is noticeable. Early adopters probably paid more than they should have, and now the market’s correcting like it just remembered what money is.
Salamence ex is rough. It’s down a staggering 63% since late March, from $242 to $90.50. That’s not a correction, that’s a full-on crash landing. I wouldn’t be shocked if it dips further. Might be worth watching, but I wouldn’t touch it yet unless you’re in it for the art.
Lastly, we’ve got Iron Crown ex from Prismatic, down 19% just this month. It was sitting around $84 and is now at $67.75. That’s not terrible, but it’s still part of a clear trend. The set had a big debut and now the shine is fading fast.
Pokémon Card Climbers
I’ll start with Reshiram from Black & White, which has absolutely rocketed. It was sitting at a modest $33.92 in mid-March, and now you’re lucky to find one under $240. That’s a 150% leap for a card that’s over a decade old. I’ve seen faster elevators, but not many. With all 156 Unova Pokémon getting fresh prints soon, I think Reshiram’s still got room to climb.
Then there’s Zekrom EX from Next Destinies, which has gone from $34.63 to nearly $392 since March. It’s another reminder that Full Art cards from the EX era aren’t just collectible, they’re volatile. In a good way, if you got in early. I’d still grab this if it fits your binder, because it’s only going to get more attention once White Flare drops.
I’m also watching Sprigatito from Paldea Evolved. The IR version has quietly crept up from $17.98 in January to $21.95 today. It’s not a moonshot, but compared to the general slump of modern IRs, it’s doing surprisingly well. Plus, it’s a smug little cat and people love smug cats.
Now for Dialga-GX from Forbidden Light. This one was hanging out around $14 just two months ago, and it’s shot up to $74.99. I wouldn’t call it graceful, but it’s definitely gaining traction. GX-era cards are getting more attention lately, and Dialga’s age plus playable nostalgia make it a solid hold in my opinion.
Don’t laugh, but Vileplume-GX from Cosmic Eclipse is up too. It was stuck at $6.83 for what felt like forever, and now it’s over $10. It’s not exactly a gold rush, but it’s one of those oddball rares that sneaks up when no one’s looking. You’ll thank yourself later if you pull it out of a bulk box and it suddenly pays for lunch.
Currently sitting at $10.33 a pack, it’s obvious that Amazon is now going above MSRP and secondary market value. If you’re not bothered about opening packs and just want 151 chase cards, here’s some of my favorites as well.
If you’ve dedicated your life to pulling chase cards yourself, here’s what we can find in stock right now. Just watch out for pricing over MSRP, we’re in a weird spot as Pokémon trainers right now, so don’t pay more than what you have to.
Here’s the Pokémon TCG full Release Schedule so far for this year, too, so you don’t miss anything. Buying singles is the cheapest way to collect right now, but don’t feel like you have to “Catch Em’ All!”.
You could also just wait a few months for more solid stock, but like I said in my preview, this set is one of my favorites in the Scarlet and Violet era, and well worth picking up ASAP.
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.
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is a “Slow Life RPG” in which you live out 14 different lives in… hold on, record scratch and/or Gru’s Plan fourth panel – let me run that premise by myself again. I have to live 14 different lives? How is that “slow”? I have a hard enough time keeping up with one life in the amateurishly designed role-playing game we call reality, with its saddening shortage of rideable dragons.
Ah, but of course developers Level-5 are merely being cute with their framing. By “lives” they really mean classes or character jobs. In this blend of open world boglin basher and island town-builder, you will switch lives like you’re, well, exactly like you’re putting on different coats and hats, going by the trailer. Those 14 lives are split between three self-explanatory categories: under Gathering Lives we find farming and fishing, while Crafting Lives include blacksmithing, alchemy and such, and Combat Lives are all about ending them.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally (almost) here, and a new console means a whole new slate of exciting video games. Nintendo’s next generation of hardware is coming out of the gate strong with an incredible 23 launch games, among which includes long-awaited ports such as Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition and Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, alongside the titanic Nintendo first-party launch game in Mario Kart World.
Beyond that, there’s plenty of juicy games coming to the Switch 2, including Donkey Kong’s big, brand new game, a new Hyrule Warriors game, and a FromSoftware exclusive in 2026. And we’re sure Nintendo has more and more to announce as we go through the year — so we’ll be keeping this list as up to date as possible
Fortnite’s Star Wars season has just dropped its biggest new skin yet from a galaxy far, far away — and stunned fans by locking it behind a 1.28 million XP grind.
Darth Jar Jar became available to buy from Fortnite’s Shop over the weekend, but only after you earn the ability to do so. And even then, after accruing that 1.28 million XP, Darth Jar Jar still costs 1500 V-Bucks (around $13).
Fortnite has locked skins behind an XP requirement before, but only done so once in recent years and not with a skin that had been anticipated as one of the key cosmetic releases of this shortened Star Wars season.
Several weeks in, there’s now less time for players to get the XP needed to nab Darth Jar Jar (Fortnite’s Star Wars season ends on June 7), and anyone who had managed to finish their battle pass already now has a fresh chunk of level grinding to go.
“I was so hyped for this skin and was fine with it being behind a pay wall, after all it is just another skin,” wrote one fan on reddit, in a long thread dedicated to Darth Jar Jar’s release. “But this whole locked behind an XP wall is ridiculous. You want me to earn the right to give you money? I immediately closed the game.”
Another common complaint is the fact that Darth Jar Jar has been released alongside a regular Jar Jar Binks skin, which does not have an XP requirement but still costs a separate 1500 V-Bucks.
Together with the various accessories for both Sith and Gungan variants of this skin, you could choose to pay 6,500 V-Bucks for everything Jar Jar Binks. Which is a lot.
“Regular Jar Jar alone is 20 dollars,” another fan wrote. “If you want both that s**t is 52 entire ass dollars for something that ought to have just been 1 skin with 3 styles.”
Others, meanwhile, have countered to say that Jar Jar is simply a cosmetic option — and there’s no need to buy him at all if you don’t want to. Ignore him, and your Fortnite locker will be as free of the character as George Lucas wanted to be after the backlash to Phantom Menace hit.
“It wasn’t that hard to earn the XP took me around 8/9 hrs,” wrote a third fan. “I had no plans on Saturday. I did it in 3 sittings, but all in one day. I played Rocket Racing and Ranked and did Alignment Challenges to farm as much XP as possible.
“Nothing is making anyone get every item in the Shop you can just pick and choose, and the fact he was just 1500 V-Bucks when Deathstroke was 1,800 V-Bucks I wasn’t bothered at all by the price. I was pissed off at first than I realised after a couple hrs that I had over 300,000 XP already.”
Fortnite’s Star Wars season continues this week with a focus on Mandalorian warriors, and the highly-anticipated release of a new customisable Mandalorian skin in the game’s Shop next.
Epic Games’ battle royale will conclude its time in the Star Wars galaxy with a live narrative event on June 7 — which fans believe will see them boarding the Death Star that has been hovering ominously over the game’s Island since the start of the season.
Sending my trading vessel to sail the seas of Anno 117: Pax Romana offers up a cornucopia of dangers and discoveries. Dastardly pirates. Lush islands. New leaders to barter and play diplomacy with. Most of all though, it allows me to discover hitherto unknown depths of petty jealously, as I realise how much nicer everyone else’s city layout is compared to mine. Time to go demolish several family’s houses and rearrange them in a slightly more aesthetically pleasing manner it is, then.
Nintendo has confirmed it will return to Gamescom to showcase Switch 2 this year, after skipping 2024’s event.
Gamescom, the biggest games show by attendance in the world, will this year run from August 21 to August 24 at its usual home in Cologne, Germany.
A post by Nintendo on its German-language social media account has confirmed the company will be back on the show floor at the event. But does this mean we’ll get a new Nintendo Direct for Switch 2 at the same time?
Nintendo has not yet said what it plans to showcase at Gamescom 2025, but it’s worth bearing in mind that its two main titles for the Switch 2 launch window — Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza — will have been out for some time by that point.
What could Nintendo focus on next? Well, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 shooter Metroid Prime 4: Beyond currently still sits with a vague “2025” launch date, and seems likely to arrive this fall. We may see more of that, and a longer demo than the one previously shown to the public at the Nintendo Switch 2 Tour events made available.
There’s also Pokémon Legends Z-A, another title set to arrive for both Switch and Switch 2, which is down for a “late 2025” launch.
And while Nintendo could sail through the second half of 2025 with those two games, it seems possible the Mario maker may also have something else for this year still tucked up its sleeve.
Last year, Nintendo raised eyebrows by skipping Gamescom’s 2024 event — an ususual move that many saw as indication its aging Switch hardware was running out of steam, and the company did not have much else to show.
Gamescom is one of the key dates on the gaming calendar, with its in-person event regularly attracting more than 300,000 attendees. Online, the show is now accompanied by the Geoff Keighley-fronted Gamescom Opening Night Live, which in 2024 included looks at Borderlands 4, Monster Hunter Wilds and Dune: Awakening.
Last week, WizKids’ Baldur’s Gate 3 miniatures arrived, and they didn’t exactly garner rave reviews. The public response seems to have been heard, and now WizKids is offering refunds to anyone who feels dissatisfied with their minifig boxes.
“As a company, WizKids seeks to create products that enhance and add to the enjoyment of game play,” the company said in an announcement. “We want our customers to build long-lasting, fond memories around game nights with friends and family using our products.
“Unfortunately, we missed the mark on this goal with the D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Boxed Set. If you purchased this set through our online stores, we will be offering a full refund to those who are unsatisfied with their set.”
WizKids went on to say it’s aware of the reports, and its team is investigating the issues and taking action to both “make this right” and to ensure issues do not pop up again in future products.
The $49.99 pre-painted D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Boxed Set started rolling out to buyers last week, and the results surprised more than a few. Opening the box to strange paint jobs, off details, and a seemingly melting Withers left purchasers feeling frustrated.
WizKids is offering refunds through two options. If you bought the set online, you can contact customerservice@wizkids.com to start a request. If you went through a local retailer, you can return it at the point of purchase for a full refund. The company is also offering a product replacement through its replacement site, where WizKids says it will work to provide a replacement that “meets the standards expected.”
It’s not exactly the happiest ending for those hoping for a nice new set of Baldur’s Gate 3 miniatures, but it’s at least something for those disappointed with the outcome of their box of minis. Hopefully those affected can find some other figure-makers to fill the miniature-shaped hole in their hearts.
In classic me fashion, I swanned off for a few days just as another graphics card fracas has spilled out into public view. At the centre this time is the previously unassuming RTX 5060, which you may have noticed is due for launch today yet only has a handful of “hands-on previews” to tell you how big of a graphics it does. Allegedly, that’s because Nvidia have been keeping hold of the drivers needed for full reviews, only providing them at the eleventh hour to press outlets that have previously run these previews. No preview? No review, at least until the drivers release publicly later today, and what’s more, the same reports say that these previews were only offered under strict testing provisos set by Nvidia themselves.
