Over the last week or so, we here at Nintendo Life have been having a few spirited debates about when Metroid Prime 4: Beyond might actually launch. By all accounts, it’s still scheduled for 2025, but time’s ticking by quickly, and we’re still very much in the dark.
Frankly, after literal years of waiting, it feels good to finally talk about Prime 4’s release date without feeling the need to plaster our faces with clown makeup (yeah, it’s not just you, Silksong fans). But here’s the thing: Nintendo’s schedule over the next few months is looking reasonably healthy, with Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World launching today, Pokémon Legends Z-A following on 16th October, and finally Kirby Air Riders on 20th November. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is also due in Winter, but this rather broad window means it could potentially come out in January or February 2026.
Free Play Days – EA Sports College Football 26, Surviving Mars, The Knightling and Lost Eidolons
Kyle Ocean, Marketing Manager, Xbox
Lock in this weekend, as we’ve got plenty to play with Free Play Days! EA Sports College Football 26, Surviving Mars and Lost Eidolons are available this weekend for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Standard and Core members to play from Thursday, August 28 until Sunday, August 31.
The Knightling is free for all Xbox members to try during Free Play Days with a 2-hour timed trial (Xbox Game Pass Game Pass Ultimate, Standard and Core membership not required).
How To Start Playing
Find and install the games on each of the individual game details page on Xbox.com. Clicking through will send you to the Microsoft Store, where you must be signed in to see the option to install with your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Standard and Core membership. To download on console, click on the Subscriptions tab in the Xbox Store and navigate down to the Free Play Days collection on your Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
Keep The Fun Going
Purchase the game and other editions at a limited time discount and continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event! Please note that discounts, percentages, and title availability may vary by title and region.
EA Sports College Football 26 Optimized for Xbox Series X|S Bring Glory Home in EA Sports College Football 26 and experience the world of college football. Whatever path to greatness you choose, from high school recruit to the Heisman, or as a coach, you can forge your legacy.
Surviving Mars There will be challenges to overcome. Execute your strategy and improve your colony’s chances of survival while unlocking the mysteries of this alien world. Are you ready? Mars is waiting for you.
The Knightling Optimized for Xbox Series X|S The Knightling is a platforming action adventure where you play as an aspiring knight in search of their missing mentor, Sir Lionstone. Equipped with only a legendary shield, you’ll brave your way through the lands of Clesseia to become the unlikely hero.
Lost Eidolons Optimized for Xbox Series X|S Try our turn-based tactical RPG with a gripping cinematic narrative for a limited time. Set in a waning empire riven by civil war, take on the role of a charming mercenary captain, Eden, and lead his band of allies through epic encounters on a classic turn-based battlefield during Free Play Days. Enjoy a special 40% discount until September 8.
Don’t miss out on these exciting Free Play Days for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Standard and Core members! Learn more about Free Play Days here and stay tuned to Xbox Wire to find out about future Free Play Days and all the latest Xbox gaming news.
A bundle of games aiming to raise money to aid the United Nations’ Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in their efforts to help Palestinian refugees is set to go on sale via Itch.io next week. Just over 380 games are part of it, including the likes of Coffee Talk, Lucifer Within Us, and a cow life simulator that features an alligator who’s really into arson.
Organised by Junch and the South East Asian Games for Good initiative, the bundle’s dubbed Play for Peace – Games for Palestine. It’s taken over 10 months to come together. The result’s a 382-game strong bundle that includes a huge variety of creations that contain not a whiff of AI or NFTs.
The Crown Zenith market has been sending some mixed signals this month. While some Galarian Gallery Ultra Rares are dipping in value, Secret Rares are heating up thanks to collector demand and limited availability. Mid-tier fan-favorites like Leafeon VSTAR and Suicune V are seeing downward pressure, while the golden Secret Rares – particularly Giratina VSTAR and Arceus VSTAR – continue to climb. Crown Zenith’s overall collector appeal remains high, but the card-to-card movement tells a more nuanced story.
TL;DR: Crashers and Climbers This Week
On the climber side, I’ve seen Giratina VSTAR (Secret) make a strong move from around $152 in July to as high as $180 recently. That’s a healthy 18% jump, and it tracks with what I’m seeing in collector circles: people are still chasing the big four gold cards, and Giratina seems to be the crown jewel. Mewtwo VSTAR has also caught some upward momentum lately, jumping from around $102 to nearly $127. It’s not just about nostalgia with this one – its twin art featuring the Charizard faceoff is iconic and playable decks still find room for it.
On the flipside, Leafeon VSTAR has slipped from its February peak of $49.87 down to about $45.54. That’s not a dramatic crash, but it’s enough to suggest the hype has faded a bit. Deoxys VMAX is feeling a sharper drop, now sitting around $36 after once approaching $45. These cards were never unplayable, but they’re not commanding the same attention in the meta or from collectors.
Pokémon Card Crashers
Leafeon VSTAR was riding high earlier this year, mostly on the strength of its gorgeous Galarian Gallery artwork and the general hype around Eeveelutions. But lately, it’s slipped about 9% in value. I think this one’s a mix of over-saturation and fading competitive relevance. Ivy Star is a solid switch ability, and Leaf Guard can wall a bit of damage, but the format’s gotten faster and more aggressive, and Leafeon just isn’t keeping up. It’s still a nice display piece, but with more copies floating around and other Secret Rares taking the spotlight, it’s drifting down.
Glaceon VSTAR is in a similar boat. It’s down about 10% from its February highs, currently sitting around $43. Crystal Star offers decent protection, and Icicle Shot has some control value, but let’s be honest – no one’s building their deck around this card anymore. Like Leafeon, its value was inflated by early demand from collectors chasing the full Eeveelution spread, but that moment seems to have passed. It’s still a strong artwork, but in today’s market, that’s not enough.
Deoxys VMAX has dropped nearly 20% since February, and I’m not surprised. Protective DNA is a cool ability on paper, reducing damage from opposing VSTARs, but it’s a little too niche in practice. Max Drain heals and hits for 160, which was decent a few metas ago, but now it feels underpowered. Players aren’t reaching for it, and collectors are more focused on the cleaner, flashier Secret Rares.
Suicune V has taken a heavier hit, dropping around 24% since May. This one hurts a little because I still think Blizzard Rondo and Fleet-Footed give it solid play value. But it’s been power-crept hard, and its role in decks has diminished. The artwork is still clean, and there’s nostalgia here, but in the context of the Galarian Gallery, it’s getting outshined. With so many cards in the set, not every V is going to hold long-term value.
Raikou V has followed a similar path, slipping about 22% since March. It’s basically Suicune V’s Lightning-type twin, with the same draw ability and scalable damage based on benched Pokémon. Again, decent in a vacuum, but there are just better, more dynamic options now. This feels like a victim of set fatigue – there are too many similar cards in Crown Zenith, and only the top-tier ones are holding collector or player attention.
Pokémon Card Climbers
Giratina VSTAR (Secret) is having a real moment. It’s jumped nearly 18% in the last month, and honestly, I think it still has more room to grow. Lost Impact and Star Requiem are both game-ending tools in the right deck, and the alt-art gold treatment puts it near the top of many collectors’ wishlists. If you’re looking for a high-end Crown Zenith card to hold, this one feels as stable as it gets.
Mewtwo VSTAR has quietly surged too, climbing around 24% since June. Star Raid and Psy Purge both offer serious utility, especially in matchups where you want to punish your opponent for loading their board with Vs. But let’s be real – this one’s rising just as much for the art as the gameplay. That Charizard vs. Mewtwo scene is one of the most memorable alt-arts in the set, and people are starting to grab it before prices push any higher.
Arceus VSTAR (Secret) has seen a solid 14% boost, and it’s one of those cards that straddles playability and collectibility perfectly. Starbirth is still one of the strongest consistency abilities in the game, letting you grab any two cards from your deck. Trinity Nova helps ramp energy quickly, which is never out of style. The gold art has a premium feel, and with Arceus being such a central figure in the franchise, it’s an easy card to like long-term.
Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR (Secret) is up 16% since July, and I think people are finally waking up to just how powerful Star Chronos can be. Taking an extra turn is one of the rarest effects in the game, and when paired with the right energy acceleration, it’s absolutely devastating. Metal Blast scales well too. From a collector standpoint, the gear-and-time themed art is eye-catching, and scarcity is keeping demand high.
Finally, Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR (Secret) has climbed around 13%. Star Portal remains one of the best ways to recycle Water Energy, and Subspace Swell scales nicely with full benches, which are common in current lists. The art has a dynamic, aquatic style that’s really grown on people. It may not be as flashy as Giratina, but it’s a steady riser, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it break the $70 mark soon.
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.
Dig your finest cricket bat out of the loft – Atomfall developers Rebellion have revealed its second story expansion is set to arrive in September. It’s dubbed The Red Strain, and looks to star a not-Robobrain who’s connected to a bunch of crimson plantlife filling the Cumberland quarantine zone.
This second DLC follows Wicked Isle, the first Atomfall expansion that you got automatically if you plumped for the deluxe edition of the radioactive pasty survivathon. I still need to go back and play that expansion, and this next add-on looks like an intriguing excuse to do so.
In one of the more wholesome video game stories of the year, veteran Helldivers 2 players who’ve seen and done it all on PC and PlayStation 5 are helping out Xbox newcomers, with player numbers hitting new heights.
Arrowhead’s Sony-published third-person co-op shooter launched on Xbox Series X and S this week, and, according to the CEO of the developer, concurrents hit an incredible 500,490 players across all platforms.
But Helldivers 2’s community is celebrating another milestone: the coming together of all players to help out new recruits on Xbox. Helldivers 2, as anyone who’s played it for more than a few hours will know, can be a panic-inducing experience, with deliberately fussy controls and a level of complexity that can make what start out as easy-going missions quickly descend into chaos. Helldivers 2’s focus on physics-driven gameplay and friendly fire being on can also create an intimidating experience for newcomers. This is what fans of the game love about it, and what newcomers via Xbox are now getting to grips with.
So it’s great to see the Helldivers subreddit, Discord, and social media channels littered with tales from players who are either thanking others for their co-op handholding, or just bigging up the community for being so helpful overall.
In a post on the Helldivers subreddit upvoted 7,400 times, Xbox player DrifterzProdigy thanked the community for helping out new Xbox players.
“My first drop out of training I immediately called in a machine gun and noticed an ‘SOS beacon’ so I called that in too,” they said. “Not even 15 seconds later two people joined (both level 100+) and immediately showered the ground with some dope ass stuff. Quasar, mech suit, a bunch of other stuff I don’t know the names for yet when it comes to ordnance. The best part? They both in chat said ‘welcome brother, try these out’ and then proceeded to guide me for the next three hours of gameplay.
“With how toxic online gaming can be nowadays this release was a breath of fresh air and the community has been absolutely wonderful to interact with. I knew I was in a good community when I accidentally pushed a button on a guys backpack and all he did was give me a hug and typed ‘hold me brother’ as we lit up in glorious liberation luminescence.”
Experienced players are now seeking out Xbox players to help, scanning for low level missions and looking at the player levels before joining. Level 1-15 players are usually Xbox players, at the time of this article’s publication, but of course as Helldivers 2’s Xbox launch heads into its first weekend, that range will fluctuate.
“I call in a mech and they always get in like puppies after a tennis ball,” said redditor TheMustOnenShow. “It’s really cute.”
“I always avoid the mechs that high level players drop because I don’t want them to think I’m stealing it,” responded Embarrassed-Split-71. “I’m an xbox player.”
Then, continuing the wholesome exchange, TheRealPitabred explained: “If they ping it, they want you to get in it. Source: me, level 150 bringing toys.
It’s a particularly great time for Helldivers 2, which has some eye-catching new gameplay experiences coming following the Halo: ODST crossover event. The Into the Unjust update, due out September 2, will see Helldivers venture into Hive Worlds, which include towering structures built by Terminids beneath the planet surfaces.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Every October, Microsoft host an Employee Giving campaign for charities chosen by staff, with the company matching any funds they raise. During last October’s Giving month, a group of Microsoft workers organised a vigil for Palestinians killed by the Israeli military during the current invasion of Gaza, stumping up donations for organisations such as the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, while paying tribute to fellow tech workers who’ve lost their lives in the war.
The latest boxed charts from Japan are now available thanks to Famitsu, and as expected, Nintendo’s first-party line-up for Switch 2 is doing particularly well.
Specifically, Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza remain unchanged at the top, selling a further 30,202 and 8,424 copies respectively. We’d like to see those lifetime sales for Bananza climb a little higher, but it’s a solid performance, at least.
You never see a true ninja attack coming. So it’s only appropriate that none of us predicted Joe Musashi sneaking back onto our screens when Shinobi: Art of Vengeance was announced at The Game Awards in 2023. It’s been eagerly anticipated since, but the 2D action platformer is finally ready to unsheathe its blade on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 August 29.
Less of a surprise was the reveal that Lizardcube was tasked with Shinobi’s razor-edged return. The developer is no stranger to breathing life into Sega’s classic IP, with its slick work on WonderBoy: The Dragon’s Trap remake and Streets of Rage 4 proving its pedigree.
“Back in 2021 Sega wanted to revive an older IP and hinted if I had anything in mind,” says LizardCube CEO and Art/Creative Director Ben Fiquet. “I’m a Shinobi kid, so I quickly pitched my vision for that. Because we make 2D titles, when I create drawings it’s like rendering what will be the same in the final game.”
The actual art of Vengeance
This immediate visualization provided a relatively easy win in terms of Shinobi’s striking aesthetic, something Ben describes as “a continuation of their style; a bit more Japanese, but still very French and very Lizardcube”. With Ben revealing that he grew up on beautifully animated 16-bit platformers like Aladdin, it’s easy to see what inspired that look. But from there the challenge became working out how to mix classic Shinobi authenticity with a contemporary feel.
“It was a bit different compared to working on Streets of Rage or Wonder Boy because Shinobi has more iterations,” explains Ben. “At first I wanted to make something more like a direct follow up to the original Shinobi games. But I quickly realized that it wasn’t as fun as I remember. Gameplay-wise you can lose yourself by going too far in the other direction, too, but Shinobi has always been changing with the times. So we wanted to make a modern game but with the appeal of the first titles.”
“We felt that a slow-paced, methodical 2D game wouldn’t quite match the tastes of modern players,” agrees Toru Ohara, Sega of Japan’s Chief Producer. “We decided to focus on delivering exhilarating, satisfying action, and make the most of Lizardcube’s strengths — their distinctive art style and their expertise in 2D games.”
Cutting into the combat
The big secret weapon in keeping that classic Shinobi feel with an up-to-date gloss? A katana. And kunai. And Ninpo. And… okay, let’s just wrap it all up into the development team’s focus on fast, fluid, personalised combo-driven combat.
“We quickly realized we wanted to push the combat further,” says Ben. “So we added more systems. That sort of thing can snowball when you’re making it, given it mixes platforming with fighting. But it’s very satisfying to be able to fight your way through levels, and more ninja-like by being swift and chaining combos.”
That wasn’t to say that the process of crafting this system was entirely smooth. “The prototype we had was very different to what we ended up with,” Ben reveals. “After a playtest we saw something was missing so we went back to the drawing board.”
The result was the inclusion of the execution system, which rewards the player with stylish finishing moves and resources to spend on upgrading Joe’s abilities. Which played nicely into the freeform system that sits at the centre of Shinobi’s compelling and polished gameplay.
“Lizardcube wanted to prioritize freedom of choice and allow players to perform actions that look cool,” says Toru. “I’ll admit I had some concerns at first, but as the system took shape, I realized that being able to unleash the move you want, when you want, created a tremendous sense of exhilaration.
“I often explain it like this: in the early stages, the character controls like one from an action game, but by the mid-to-late game, it starts to feel more like controlling a character in a fighting game. Being able to create that kind of fresh gameplay experience was a very pleasant surprise.”
“And you can mash buttons and still do something cool, and maybe end up with an execution,” laughs Ben. “We’ve already seen players do amazing things in the demo, with speed runs and combos.”
Bosses now, villains next
If you’ve not yet played the demo – and you should – the question some of you now might be asking is, “can I perform these combos and executions on the bosses?” Yes, you absolutely can. And those boss fights remain spectacular in their own right, something Ben is keen to keep as a surprise for you to discover yourself. Although when pressed, he admitted he has a couple of favourites. “The monkey boss Kozaru at the end of the first stage,” he admits. “And the boss of stage five. It’s a vampire Yakuza, but I can’t say anything more than that.”
Which led us to talk about the Villains Stage DLC coming at a later date, featuring boss characters from other Sega titles, the first being Sonic the Hedgehog’s arch rival Doctor ‘Eggman’ Robotnik. “I hoped people would see this game as one of Sega’s many iconic IPs making a comeback,” says Toru. “So I thought it would be interesting to go beyond the original Shinobi world.”
“We wanted to acknowledge the amazing presence that these IPs have,” agrees Ben. “As well as offer other little references here and there. Shinobi is kind of a serious game. But also silly, in a way.”
What Ben is referring to is the wry sense of humour present across Lizardcube’s games which keeps things from getting too dark in Shinobi. Sure, it’s occasionally bloody, brutal and visceral, but the dev team also leans into its inherent absurdity, too.
“Joe only says one word through the entire game, which is very much an intentional joke,” says Ben. “And he’s the most obvious ninja you’ll see, dressed in white and red, riding his dog and fighting demons. But it still works. The premise is silly, but you have to treat it with respect. I just want people to have fun and help keep the IP alive.”
Stay sharp because this is one action platformer you won’t want to miss – Shinobi: Art of Vengeance launches on August 29 for PS4 and PS5.
You may have spotted the brand new trailer for GRYPHLINE’s upcoming game Arknights: Endfield, a real-time 3D RPG with strategic gameplay elements, during Opening Night Live, but there was certainly no missing the game’s presence on the show floor at gamescom.
As one of the leading game companies from China making a strong push onto the global stage, GRYPHLINE came prepared.
The Arknights: Endfield booth in Hall 8, was a sight to behold. From the three giant LED screens to the towering installation facing the main hallway, the message was clear: this is a world they want you to step into. And judging by the crowds gathered, it worked.
GRYPHLINE recreated one of the key locations in the game, which will be released on PlayStation, PC, and mobile – an Automated Industry Complex (AIC) – in impressive detail, so that visitors could step inside the world of Endfield Industries and their expansion of the frontiers of the planet Talos-II.
Just like in the game, which was nominated for Best Mobile Game at the 2025 gamescom award, the booth casts you as an ‘Endministrator’ or Endmin, a guardian who has protected the people of Talos-II and saved the planet from multiple disasters in recent years. You have a unique mastery over the planet’s most valuable resource, Originium, and have worked with Endfield Industries to provide pioneering industrial technologies and services that harness its power, in order to forge a future for the budding civilisation.
But as well as driving innovation and progress, Endfield also faces threats posed by hostile entities the Aggeloi and The Blight – a mysterious dimensional anomaly that infects and taints any matter it comes into contact with.
Arknights: Endfield’s AIC is crucial to establishing the new world on Talos-II and defending its people from these dangers. A form of miniaturised and modularised industrial production line, they process gathered raw materials to generate gear, medicines, food, explosives and more at scale.
The gamescom booth featured an AIC’s central PAC (Protocol Automation-Core), which towered above a recreation of the Grinding Unit, the Filling Unit, and the Shredding Unit, alongside their input and output crates. Thanks to clever use of magnetic levitation, these crates hover above their winding transport belts, vividly recreating the scene from the game. As they pass through these factory facilities, they transform and reveal their contents in a newly refined state, just like how materials turn into products in the game. Overhead, beams of light and glowing tethers linked electric pylons to the core, adding an additional layer of immersive realism.
Standing beneath the towering Protocol Automation-Core and its intricate production network, it felt as though you’d stepped onto the Automated Industry Complex on Talos-II itself.
Also, during the event, eight cosplayers could be found at the Arknights: Endfield booth, representing a selection of the Operator characters from the game.
As well as multiple stations to play Arknights: Endfield on PC, the booth also featured a special event composed of four IRL mini missions, each of which awarded visitors with game merch upon completion. Those who worked through all four could enter a daily raffle for an RTX 5080 graphic card, €500 Amazon gift card, or a deluxe Arknights: Endfield merch bundle.
At a show full of spectacle, Arknights: Endfield carved out a space that left an impression, bringing its world to life on the show floor. If you’re keeping up with our gamescom coverage from afar, there’s still plenty more to discover about Arknights: Endfield — stay tuned for what’s next.
College Football 26
