You probably already know this, but the Nintendo Switch 2 was officially unveiled to the world yesterday. And you’ve also likely noticed that we haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
The brief trailer — coming in at two minutes and twenty-one seconds — seemingly hinted at a few features while not giving away too much. We got a look at the new design, the bigger size, and what seems to be mouse functionality on the Joy-Con. But we think there’s a bit more hiding in plain sight. So, the lovely Alex and Felix on our YouTube channel have jumped head-first into the trailer and pulled out the juiciest details that might be a bit less obvious.
Hexes, Headrotten, and Havoc – The Lore of Diablo IV: Season of Witchcraft
Chelsea LeahEditor, Blizzard Entertainment
Darkness stirs in the swamps of Hawezar. Beginning January 21, the Tree of Whispers—a macabre yet essential presence in Sanctuary—finds itself under siege in Diablo IV’s Season of Witchcraft. This seventh season takes you deep into the haunting lore of Hawezar, uncovering the mysteries of the witches who guard the Tree and the sinister events that threaten its ancient balance. When power is stolen, truths are revealed, and bargains are broken. Nothing is left unscathed.
The Cries of the Tree of Whispers
Immense and enigmatic, the Tree of Whispers has stood for ages as both a guide and a reckoner. Hanging from its massive branches are severed heads brimming with knowledge—the ultimate price paid by those who once sought the Tree’s wisdom. These heads are bound to the Tree, fulfilling deals struck in exchange for power and secrets of the highest order.
But something—or someone—has disrupted this unyielding cycle. Severed Fugitive Heads, desperate for autonomy, have been stolen and scattered across Sanctuary. From this desecration arise the dreaded Headrotten—twisted monstrosities bursting with brambles, roots, and rot as they search for host bodies. These independent horrors take hold of the living, aiming to claw their way back to power. With the Tree’s influence waning, you must answer its call for vengeance. Vile forces are at play, and if balance is not restored, the repercussions for Sanctuary will be dire.
Meet the Witches of Hawezar
To aid your quest, you’ll join forces with the Witches of Hawezar, a guarded yet formidable trio bound to the Tree of Whispers. Each witch brings a distinct and potent expertise, reflecting their connection to the swamp and the Tree’s ancient powers.
Gelena: A stern leader who relies on magic tied to the psyche, mastering illusions and divination. She sees the unseen, but her strict adherence to rules keeps her grounded in chaos.
Caidin: A rogue hailing from Scosglen, balances dark humor with sinister powers. His swampborne skills create plagues and potions, but his chaotic nature is an unpredictable force of its own.
Ouna: The enigmatic youngest witch, straddles the boundary of life and death. Her eldritch magic embodies the eerie cycle of growth and decay, making her abilities both otherworldly and horrifying.
Together, Gelena, Caidin, and Ouna enlist your help to retrieve the Fugitive Heads. Yet their motives differ and their approaches clash, creating a tense alliance. Be cautious with your trust, for everything comes at a cost.
Witchcraft Powers Unleashed
Season of Witchcraft introduces an exciting new mechanic: Witchcraft Powers. Harness supernatural energy and tailor a playstyle from three distinct schools of magic:
Eldritch Magic (Fire & Shadow Damage)
Psyche Magic (Mind & Soul Manipulation)
Growth & Decay Magic (Damage Over Time & Healing)
Plus, discover rare Lost powers of Witchcraft unknown to both the Coven and the Tree. Each school of Witchcraft gives you the chance to experiment between new styles of power. Occult Gems, new Seasonal Legendary Gems, further amplify these Witchcraft abilities. Customize your gear and combat style with these powerful tools to ensure every spell carries a unique impact.
Headhunts and the Rise of the Headrotten Bosses
Seasonal gameplay ramps up with Headhunts, intense subzone events reminiscent of Helltide mechanics. The Tree of Whispers identifies areas teeming with Headrotten activity, calling players to purge Sanctuary of their rotting corruption.
Headrotten bosses guard these areas, each tied to a Fugitive Head and their lingering memories. Some are merely parasites, while others are rare Headed Headrotten Bosses, fully merged with their stolen hosts. These grotesque enemies wield devastating abilities, forcing you to strategize in order to claim victory and reap legendary rewards.
While completing Whisper bounties within Headhunts, keep a keen eye for any Rootholds. These seasonal dungeons have bonus challenges and rewards to aid your quest to support the Coven.
Even More New Features
Beyond the Witchcraft mechanics and Headhunts, Season of Witchcraft brings fan-requested updates and exciting seasonal rewards:
Armory Feature: Switch between saved loadouts with ease. Save Skill Points, Paragon Points, and gear sets for fast swapping between builds.
Seasonal Rewards & Legendaries: Gain access to new Uniques, Legendaries, and gameplay updates, including three new Runes and exclusive tiers within the Seasonal Journey. Progress through the tiers to unlock cosmetic upgrades like the coveted Raven Pet.
Coven’s Favor Battle Pass: Earn prestigious rewards by conquering Coven-inspired challenges tied to the seasonal theme.
Claim Balance from Chaos
Diablo IV: Season of Witchcraft is one of the most haunting journeys yet. By exploring the secrets of the Tree of Whispers and allying with the Witches of Hawezar, you will unravel a deeply engaging saga rife with moral complexity and danger lurking in every shadow.
Sanctuary awaits your bravery, Wanderer. The Tree calls for justice, and its whispers demand action. Will you answer?
Don’t miss the start of Season of Witchcraft, coming January 21.
Diablo® IV is the next-gen action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish Dungeons and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters throughout a beautifully dark open world and a gripping story. Dive into an expansive End Game where players can meet in towns to trade, team up to battle larger-than-life World Bosses, unlock robust character and loot customization, and uncover tons more action-packed activities to explore with cross-play and cross-progression on all available platforms.
This is only the beginning for Diablo® IV, with new events, stories, Seasons, rewards, and more looming on the horizon.
Battle.net® account required. Internet connection required.
Howdy, folks! This week, the crew returns for the first show of 2025! Topics of discussion include Marvel Rivals and retro classics Final Fantasy 5 and the Contra series. Plus, Brett joins to close out the PlayStation 30th Anniversary discussion by sharing his favorite PS5 and PS VR2 games.
Stuff We Talked About
Next week’s release highlights:
Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles | PS5, PS4
Synduality Echo of Ada | PS5
Dynasty Warriors: Origins hands-on details
Arken Age pre-launch details
Platformers of PlayStation Plus
Marvel Rivals
Brett highlights his top games on PS5 and PS VR2
The Cast
Download the image
Sid Shuman – Senior Director of Content Communications, SIE
Brett Elston – Manager, Content Communications, SIE
Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music.
[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero will receive its first major downloadable content release on January 23, with the DLC 1: Hero of Justice pack adding 11 new heroes and more.
Bandai Namco announced the expansion with a trailer, below, and revealed the release date alongside word that anyone who buys the $34.99 Season Pass, which will eventually deliver three full DLC packs, can access it on January 20 at 3pm Pacific / 6pm Eastern / 11pm UK.
The pack of 11 new characters, which all arrive at once, includes Gohan (Super Hero), Gohan (Super Hero, Super Saiyan 2), Ultimate Gohan (Super Hero), Gohan (Beast), Piccolo (Super Hero), Piccolo (Potential Unlocked), Orange Piccolo, Orange Piccolo (Giant), Gamma, Gamma 2, and Cell Max.
The pack also comes with Piccolo’s Red Ribbon soldier disguise as a costume and three custom battles. Bandai Namco also teased “that’s not all” but didn’t say what other extras fans can expect.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero proved incredibly successful for the publisher, surpassing three million sales in a single day. It became the first sequel to the beloved Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series in 15 years when it launched in October 2024.
They didn’t even get mad when one fight proved unbelievably difficult at launch, as Great Ape Vegeta had the coveted combination of random, unrelenting, and rapid attacks that all do big damage. Players were pulling their hair out at its difficulty and placement relatively early on in the game’s campaign, though Bandai Namco assured them it’s okay to lower the difficulty and move on.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
Team Cherry’s long-awaited metroidvania Hollow Knight: Silksong will be re-revealed in April, if you believe a bunch of frantic reddit posts about cake. The standard practice when writing up such fan theorising is to walk you through it step by step, peeling back the layers like Inspector Clouseau. But I know that you are a busy person, so I will jam it all into a single sentence: a Twitter account purporting to be a Silksong developer has posted a tweet that seemingly predicts the Switch 2 announcement while using a profile picture of some cake taken from a recipe book that was published on 2nd April 2024 which is exactly a year before 2nd April 2025 which is the date of the Nintendo Direct teased in the Switch 2 announcement.
Pokémon TCG: Prismatic Evolutions is hands down the most in-demand set of the Scarlet and Violet era, and scalpers know it. Everyone should have a shot at buying Pokémon cards, so treat this guide as a bible of where to find Prismatic Evolutions for retail pricing. Here are some quick tips before you dive into the links below to keep you safe from overpriced products:
– Note the price I’ve given: If it’s considerably higher, it’s a rip-off.
– Buy direct from retailers, not third party: Some retail spaces have other sellers, such as Amazon and Walmart, buy direct for the best prices.
– Check In-Store: Some online retailers, such as Best Buy, offer stock updates for store pickups, but you can bet this won’t be live. Head to your local GameStop, Target, Walmart, or Best Buy if you’re striking out online.
Prismatic Evolution Boxed Products
These will be the most popular prismatic Evolution products, specifically the Elite Trainer Box for the stunning Eevee full art promo. Speaking of promo cards, there’s a complete set of Eeveelution ex cards with a Prismatic Evolution stamp to be found in the Suprise Boxes.
Whilst plenty of trainers will want the Prismatic Evolutions binder, the poster collection has standard holo promos for the first three Eeveelutions: Flareon, Jolteon, and Vaporeon. The stock has been jumping in and out of stock at the retailers below, so keep checking back.
Prismatic Evolutions Booster Tins and Bundles
Don’t think cheaper products won’t be popular. Everyone wants to open Prismatic Evolution packs right now, and there are some cool bits to grab out of the blisters and booster pack collections below.
There are the tech blisters featuring Leafeon, Sylveon, and Glaceon, with tins featuring colored Eevee coins and a fact card for one of nine Eeveelutions. There’s even a four-pack booster box with a lovely Eevee-themed soft pouch. The best value here is the six-pack booster bundle when you can find them. Check the links below and pop into the relevant stores to snag yours.
We’ll also keep up to date with stock refreshes for Prismatic Evolutions, older sets such as Surging Sparks, and upcoming sets like Journey Together. Just fight the FOMO and make sure not to pay extortionate prices for Pokémon cards if it’s still in print. Keep checking the above links; more stock will be available throughout 2025.
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.
There’s a lot you can do with a third dimension. Texture. Nativity dioramas. Spheres. Hyper Light Breaker, in expanding from the 2D action of Hyper Light Drifter, chooses to almost entirely remake itself as a free-roaming roguelike, trading post-apocalyptic pixel art for big proc-gen vistas and even more acrobatic swordplay.
Its technical ambition, sadly, ends up undermined by the emptiness of its world, the lack of exploratory pleasure that Drifter nurtured so well, and combat that’s more faithful to the original yet doesn’t quite adapt well enough to 3D. Not to mention it has more than its fair share of early access bugs and, especially in the early stages, balancing missteps.
Eurogamer reported that Busche, who was game director on Dragon Age: The Veilguard from February 2022 to its launch last year, is set to leave the studio in the coming weeks. IGN has asked EA for comment.
There have been questions over Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s success ever since its release in October last year. Eurogamer reported that while Busche is leaving the studio, it is otherwise unaffected by any other changes.
Busche joined BioWare in 2019 after a stint at Maxis, where she helped design the systems on various The Sims projects. As part of IGN’s article, ‘How BioWare Finally Got Dragon Age to the Finish Line After a Tumultuous Decade,’ we detailed the game’s near decade-long development, which included a major reset that saw it shift from the skeleton of a multiplayer game with repeatable quests, a tech base, and the outline of a story, to a full-blown single-player RPG. Busche, as director, helped get Dragon Age: The Veilguard over the line during its final few years of development.
Eurogamer reports that Busche’s exit from BioWare is unrelated to Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s commercial performance. EA has yet to say whether sales and revenue met or exceeded expectations. The company is expected to report its Q3 2025 financial results on February 4.
In August 2023, coincidentally the same month that Larian’s all-conquering Dungeons & Dragons RPG Baldur’s Gate 3 released, BioWare laid off around 50 workers, including longtime veterans like narrative designer Mary Kirby, who had been with BioWare since Dragon Age’s inception.
At a higher level, the layoffs came amid an internal shakeup at EA that effectively resulted in it being split into sports and everything else. That summer, rumors spread within BioWare that it was about to be acquired. Star Wars: The Old Republic was allowed to go third-party, ostensibly so that BioWare could focus on Mass Effect and Dragon Age.
BioWare’s rollercoaster ride continued through Dragon Age’s reveal in 2024. Reactions to the initial reveal trailer were negative, sending the studio scrambling to release an early gameplay tease just days later to placate fans. The name change from Dreadwolf to The Veilguard wasn’t particularly well-received either. After that, though, impressions were generally positive.
Dragon Age fans are now left wondering, will BioWare be given the chance to follow up The Veilguard with another Dragon Age sequel?
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.
Atari has released an end-of-year business update regarding its work and performance during 2024; its first full calendar year in executing its new retro-focused strategy.
Next Week on Xbox provides an overview of the upcoming games set to launch on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass. Detailed information about these upcoming games is provided below, with links to their profiles for further details (please note that release dates are subject to change).
Available on day one! Crash over and over until you master the mountain in the snowy follow up to Lonely Mountains: Downhill. Now supporting up to 8 players via cross platform multiplayer – work your way down the slopes as a group sharing a small number of checkpoints, or risk it all in a breakneck race to the base!
Robodunk is NBA Jam meets Rogue Legacy — with robots. A combat dunkball game with sky-high dunks, satisfying tackles and explosive weapons. A roguelite campaign where every match is different, and you can buy the next permanent upgrade even if you die.
Dive into the vibrant world of AquaRun, a fast-paced 2D pixel art platformer that tests your reflexes, precision, and determination! Inspired by the best of hardcore platforming games, AquaRun challenges you to guide a fragile yet determined character through 40 meticulously designed levels filled with relentless obstacles, devious traps, and tricky platforms.
Escape the department store and uncover the hidden truth in this full 3D roguelike dungeon crawler. The girl gradually overcomes her trauma by uncovering the truth of her past. Join the journey of a heartbroken girl finding her true self.
A dark fantasy 2D side-scrolling action RPG where you venture through the desolate Land of Fumes trying to save both humans and Homunculi. Follow the journey of destruction and rebirth in a post-apocalyptic world, decades after the disastrous Rain of Death.
You are a helping hand for a guy who is so tired that he can never get enough sleep… which is not surprising, considering that he’s trying to rest in a house full of horrors and monsters! Be a helpful force in his life and solve spooky puzzles (sometimes even nasty puzzles) for the sake of helping your friend sleep safe and sound, of course.
Mika and the Witch’s Mountain is a fantasy adventure about an aspiring witch who delivers packages to the townspeople of a small island. Explore every cranny and soar through the sky with your magic broom.
Guide Popotinho safely back to his home as you run, hop and double-jump your way through side-scrolling platformer stages inspired by genre classics. Collect fruit to earn extra lives, grab hearts to replenish health and more as you traverse 50 tricky landscapes, from grasslands and forests to the dark of falling night.
Rynna has arrived on one of Shalnor’s most dangerous Islands. Prepare yourself for an epic RPG, action adventure game. With focus on gauntlet-style combat, traps, boss fights and beautiful pixel-art scenery.
Take off on a crazy adventure with Stellar Strider, a precision platformer packed with challenges, obstacles, flying saws, lightsabers, aliens, and gravity inversion.
Dance of Cards is a tactical gambling RPG where you try to survive seven days of a deadly cruise by playing poker. With no option to escape, they are forced to accept the rules and put their lives at stake for a fleeting hope of salvation.
Step into the surreal with Dreamcore, a body-cam styled psychological horror game that plunges you into the eerie beauty of “liminal spaces.” Unravel the mysteries of Dreamcore’s non-linear worlds and uncover its hidden secrets. Can you discover what lies beyond the edge of reality?
Begin your adventure as the reluctant future heir of a stud farm. Prove that you are more than just a spoiled brat. Start from scratch and learn how to keep and manage a stud farm; it will be a challenge that will prove incredibly rewarding – return the stud farm to its former glory! Along your journey, discover that nothing is as lasting as the bond with your horses!
Welcome to the new chapter of the Mystery Box series. You’re trapped inside dark rooms and must solve intriguing enigmas to open boxes and escape. Interact with bizarre mechanisms, think out of the box to gain your freedom, and discover historical unsolved mysteries. Can you make it?
Take back the Theed Palace in this fast and furious lightsaber action game. You will have the power of the Force and your trusty lightsaber to help you ward off legions of battle droids, destroyer droids, assassins, and other creatures from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
What would you do to bring back someone you love? Sword of the Necromancer is a dungeon-crawler action RPG with Rogue-like elements where you can revive your defeated enemies to make them fight alongside you. Turn your foes into allies using the forbidden powers of the Sword of the Necromancer and help Tama reach the dungeon’s depths in order to gain enough power to bring Koko back from the dead.
Taking place in the year 2222, years after a mysterious poisonous rain called The Tears of the New Moon wiped out most of humanity and birthed deformed creatures that now hunt the population. Amidst the calamity, humans are forced to build an underground haven to survive. Take on the role of a Drifter whose goal is to collect the rare resource known as AO Crystals. In your quest, you must collaborate with your artificial intelligence partner to face xenomorphic creatures known as Enders and survive the hazards on the surface.
An interactive game experience that is designed to relax your mind and soul. Jump into the role of a little bird, explore beautiful landscapes and collect magical crystals that mark certain landscapes.
A challenging puzzle game which adds various mechanics on top of the Sokoban genre like shot reflections, destroyable ice, crumbling floors, and more. Collect all the 135 holographic cubes across 45 mind-twisting levels and reach the exit!
A horizontal arcade-style shoot-em-up. Defeat foes to harvest their energy for maximum power and defense! Mysterious aliens, led by a brainwashed soldier, have occupied a scorched Earth. 400 years later, a lone pilot seeks to rescue him from this cycle of destruction. Do you have what it takes to defeat the rampaging alien forces? Burn through waves of impenetrable foes with a sleek arsenal of weapons.
Cats and friends come together to commemorate special occasions in two vibrant scenes that capture the warmth of new beginnings and heartfelt connections. Every corner is filled with details that spark the imagination, inspiring you to create your own stories around the lively moments you find.
Quickly get to the most thrilling part of Rogue-like! Unlock your favorite classes, upgrade your preferred talents, face hundreds to thousands of monsters, make your choices, and play in your own style! But first, you need to make sure you can survive!
: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles
