Stellar Blade studio Shift Up has once again given bonuses and gifts worth around $4,000 to its entire team.
According to the South Economic Daily, the South Korean studio gifted each of its 300-ish staff a pair of Apple AirPods Max, an Apple Watch, and a cash bonus of around $3,400.
The studio has previously said that it provides these bonuses to retain and encourage existing talent at the company (thanks, VGC).
This isn’t the first time Shift Up has lavished gifts upon its staff, either. This time last year, the studio gifted all staff a PS5 Pro as well as a cash bonus of 5 million won, which is also around $3,400. Staff also secured a Nintendo Switch 2 each in June when Stellar Blade hit the 3 million copies sold milestone. In 2024, staff were given pre-paid credit cards worth around $6,800, and in 2023, staff were given iPhone 14s, among other bonuses.
“This Presidential Citation is thanks to the developers and fans who believed in and supported Shift Up,” Kim said at the time. “We will continue to do our best to further promote the competitiveness of Korean games on the global stage.”
Don’t forget that a sequel, Stellar Blade 2, is also on the way. Shift Up is also working on Project Spirits, to be published by Level Infinite.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
The developer of Hytale has issued a warning to fans ahead of what is expected to be a hugely popular early access launch tomorrow.
Minecraft-esque sandbox game Hytale’s hotly anticipated PC early access release date is set for January 13, and Hypixel Studios said it expects over 1 million players to turn up.
Hytale founder Simon Collins-Laflamme took to X / Twitter to make the bold 1 million player prediction, and to call on fans to download the launcher today (January 12) and log in “to help us significantly reduce launch-day stress.”
1 million players on launch day may sound like wishful thinking, but Hytale is one of the most anticipated games around, and views to its various trailers are enormous. This one does feel like it’s going to be big.
In November, League of Legends developer Riot Games confirmed it had sold the rights to Hytale back to Collins-Laflamme after it had acquired the game back in 2020. Riot said that after considering “a range of options,” it decided to sell the IP rights back to Collins-Laflamme as this “gives players the best chance to one day experience a revised version of the game they’ve been waiting for.”
Development on the game had been stagnating despite its sale to Riot, but Collins-Laflamme set out to resurrect the dying IP, confirming he had rehired more than 30 developers who had worked on it.
Hytale was announced in December 2018 with a trailer that has an incredible 61 million views on YouTube. Here’s the official blurb, as it was back then:
Hytale combines the scope of a sandbox with the depth of a roleplaying game, immersing players in a procedurally generated world where teetering towers and deep dungeons promise rich rewards throughout their adventures. Hytale supports everything from block-by-block construction to scripting and minigame creation, delivered using easy to use and powerful tools.
Excitement around Hytale was fueled by the experience of the developers themselves, who co-founded Hypixel, one of the most influential Minecraft servers in the world. Riot invested in the project and eventually bought the studio. Now, it’s ready to go it alone.
“Hytale and Hypixel Studios are independent again, and we are returning to the original vision from the 2018 trailer,” Collins-Laflamme said in a statement issued in November. “Because we went back to an older game build that was now meant for prototypes, some parts of the game will feel behind, but momentum is strong, and we’re working fast to make this into the game we all dreamed of.
“Modding and creative tools are in a decent state; however, they’re not where we want them long term. That being said, they’re ready for players who want to create content on day one. This is a good moment for modders, server owners, and creators to step in early! They will play a significant role in Hytale’s future.
“Since the cancellation, we’ve rehired more than 40 former and new team members, bringing the total to 50. Reacquiring a game from a AAA studio and preparing an early access launch within weeks is rare, and players will be able to watch the progress as it happens.
“If you don’t feel comfortable pre-ordering, please don’t. This is true early access, meaning it’s still very much unfinished and will be buggy for a while, but you have my and the team’s commitment to make Hytale the game we’ve always wanted it to be.
“The first impression will be rough, but the path ahead matters more.”
Then, in a statement published at the end of 2025, expressed his “anger” at what had happened to Hytale.
“The game has insane potential, but four years of engineering went into rebuilding the engine rather than gameplay features. That leaves us with a four-year gap and a lot of catching up to do, and that rebuilt engine is never gonna be used.
“When you don’t invest in gameplay, you don’t just lose time. You lose momentum, iteration, and player feedback. Now the focus has to be on gameplay first and rebuilding trust by actually shipping things at a rapid pace.
“It’s a damn miracle we were able to salvage Hytale. It was barely playable. All basics were broken. Camera, movement, combat, crafting, building, gameloop, sounds, rendering. Everything, everything was wrong.
“It should have taken years to fix, but within weeks, we got the game into a playable, fun state. And now, instead of slowing down or celebrating a release, we have to keep pushing for years to make up for the time that was lost.
“So yes, I feel anger. And I’m turning that into focus and execution. I’m committing more money, more time, and personal sacrifice to deliver the game this vision deserves.”
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.
Magic: The Gathering had some great sets in 2025, but it also showed Wizards of the Coast perhaps straying a little too far from what makes the long-running card game special.
That’s not to say Universes Beyond was a total bust. Final Fantasy brought in record-breaking numbers of players, and Avatar: The Last Airbender was a return to some semblance of form after the disappointment of Spider-Man.
Still, cardboard waits for no Planeswalker, and there are more sets in 2026 – seven, in total. That’s before we even get into the myriad of Secret Lair drops, and perhaps most worryingly, four of those sets are Universes Beyond.
Will they end up being closer to Final Fantasy or Spider-Man? And will the in-universe sets live up to the high bar set by Tarkir: Dragonstorm or Edge of Eternities? Here’s everything coming to Magic: The Gathering in 2026.
Lorwyn Eclipsed – January 23, 2026
If you’ve been yearning for a return to Lorwyn, the first set of 2026 is here to get things started. The set is a Universes Within to kick off the year, and marks the debut of the Draft Night Box.
You can preorder it now, and it’ll see the return of Commander Decks for the first time since 2025’s Edge of Eternities with two options: A five-color, or a Jund option.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – March 6, 2026
Wizards of the Coast revealed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at Comic-Con New York, with Universes Beyond going back to The Big Apple for the second time in a few months.
Still, expect colorful new art of the Heroes in a Half Shell, their assorted rogues gallery, and the debut of a Turtle Team Up co-op game mode.
We’ve got a full rundown of the product lineup, so be sure to check out the preorder guide, including a five-color Commander deck that stars all four Turtles.
Secrets of Strixhaven – April 2026
We still don’t know a great deal about our return to Strixhaven, but it is getting its own tie-in novel.
This Plane has been fertile ground for fun card designs and characters in the past, so here’s hoping for something good when it arrives in April.
We’ve already seen cards for Iron Man, Black Panther, Fantastic Four, and more, and the set will lean on comic book versions of the Marvel universe’s characters. Will it be better than the underwhelming Spider-Man set, though? We’re at least hoping the increased roster of heroes and (hopefully) villains will make this more exciting.
We’re expecting a Mentor/Sidekick theme, and for this one to be a popular entry point for new players. It might even be a good choice for a Beginner Box.
The Hobbit – August 2026
We’re going back to Middle-earth! Universes Beyond: Lord of the Rings was a colossal win for Magic: The Gathering, and the fact its fantasy theming fit so well with the card game means it feels a lot less jarring than other crossovers.
“Join Bilbo’s adventure of a lifetime with Dwarves to befriend, Trolls to trick, Elves to outwit, and songs to sing. There’s gold or dragon’s fire at the end, so enjoy the journey!”
Give us some Five Armies Commander Decks, please, or at least a Smaug card that isn’t just a Token creature.
Reality Fracture – October 2026
The last in-universe set of 2026 is Reality Fracture, and it’ll feature callbacks to Tarkir: Dragonstorm and Outlaws of Thunder Junction.
The team has suggested it has a theme players have wanted for a long time, but that’s all we know so far.
Star Trek – November 2026
If you felt Wizards had got the sci-fi out of their system with the (excellent) Edge of Eternities, think again.
November 2026 will see the arrival of a Star Trek set to celebrate that franchise’s 60th Anniversary, and it’ll incorporate everything from the original series to Strange New Worlds. It even got a trailer.
Magic’s 2025 Sets – At a Glance
It’s also good idea to take stock of 2025’s sets, because it was definitely a year that divided opinion.
Innistrad: Remastered – January 24
Aetherdrift – February 14
Tarkir: Dragonstorm – April 11
Final Fantasy – June 13
Edge of Eternities – August 1
Marvel’s Spider-Man – September 16
Avatar: The Last Airbender – November 21
That’s seven sets in total, with three of those being Universes Beyond collaborations with the likes of Square Enix, Marvel, and Nickelodeon. And, from looking at the 2026 schedule, it looks as though Wizards is looking to stick to that ratio.
Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He’s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife’s dismay.
We’ve rounded up the best deals for Sunday, January 11, below. Don’t miss your chance to save on these deals!
Digimon Story Time Stranger for $52.45
Digimon Story Time Stranger was the long-awaited next entry in the Digimon Story franchise, and it turned out to be a major hit. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “Digimon Story: Time Stranger builds on its predecessors to deliver one of the best Digimon RPGs to date. It has a much more engaging story this time around thanks to its clever time travel setup and a charismatic and lively cast of Digimon characters.”
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 for $58.99
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 released for Nintendo Switch last Fall, and today, you can score this double pack for $58.99 at Woot! These two adventures are some of Mario’s greatest, making this a must-own game for any Switch owner. Plus, there’s a free update for Nintendo Switch 2 that enables 4K support.
New Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 Up for Pre-Order
Last week, Nintendo revealed the first new set of Joy-Con 2, which feature purple and green colors. These are set to launch on February 12 alongside Mario Tennis Fever, so now’s the time to secure a new pair if you’re planning on heading to the courts together with friends next month.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound for $31.12
Ninja Gaiden had an incredible 2025, and today, you can score one of the franchise’s most unique entries for $31.12. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound released in August and was created by The Game Kitchen. In our 9/10 review, we wrote, “Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound looks and sounds incredible, and the fast but thoughtful combat is so satisfying it’s hard to put down.”
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for $46.99
Tears of the Kingdom is one of the best games of the decade, maybe even ever. The expansive world and formula that Breath of the Wild introduced was perfected on, with Sky Islands and The Depths adding to an already gigantic world. Right now, you can take home a physical copy for $46.99, which is 33% off the usual price.
Save on The Art of DOOM: The Dark Ages
Art books are a great way to gain greater insight into the development of your favorite games. This DOOM: The Dark Ages art book was released a few weeks ago, and it’s already on sale for just under $31. Featuring over 200 pages, you can dive into behind-the-scenes art of the Doom Slayer, his weapons, and even enemies or locations.
8BitDo SN30 Pro Bluetooth Controller for $29.99
If you’re looking for a solid gamepad, the 8BitDo SN30 Pro is hard to beat. This controller is compatible with Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, iOS, and Android devices, so you can play games wherever you please. Drift is not a concern with Hall Effect Joysticks, and the battery life will last through multiple long sessions.
Silent Hill 2 for $27.39
Silent Hill 2 is available for $27.39 at Amazon. The Bloober Team-developed remake brought new life to the iconic Konami game, depicting the story of James Sunderland as he travels to Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his dead wife. With revamped combat, a rerecorded soundtrack, and new story additions, Silent Hill 2 is a fantastic horror game that is worth experiencing.
Devil May Cry 5: Official Artworks for $24.59
Devil May Cry 5 had a fantastic group of artists working on it, and you can take home the Official Artworks book this weekend for $24.59. This hardcover 256 page book packs in concept art, weapon designs, locations, storyboards, and more. It’s the perfect addition to any DMC fan’s collection.
Warhammer 40,000 lore fans are in overdrive after a single page of a new campaign book teased something that’s never happened before in the setting: the meeting of two loyalist primarchs.
Only two loyalist primarchs are confirmed alive and active in the current Warhammer 40,000 setting: Ultramarines boss Roboute Guilliman, who returned to the galaxy during the Gathering Storm event in 2017, and Dark Angels chief Lion El’Jonson, who miraculously popped back into existence as part of the Arks of Omen storyline in early 2023.
Ever since Lion El’Jonson’s shock return to Warhammer 40,000, fans have wondered when he’d finally bump into his brother, Roboute. Now, it looks like that long-awaited family reunion will take place in the coming months, after a new campaign book teased a meeting of the Emperor’s sons.
Word comes from Warhammer 40,000 lore expert Arbitor Ian, who IGN has partnered with for a number of explainer videos, such as the one above. Arbitor Ian got an early look at 500 Worlds: Titus, a soon to be released Warhammer 40,000 campaign book and narrative expansion that features 80 pages of lore covering the beginning of the Ultramarian Reclamation, and published a new video on its most explosive lore reveal.
To back up briefly, Lieutenant Titus from the Space Marine 2 video game has become one of the most recognizable faces in Warhammer 40,000 following its enormous success. To capitalize on Titus’ newfound fame, Games Workshop promoted him to Captain and made him Master of the Watch, which means he’s in charge of defending the 500 Worlds of Ultramar, the realm of Space Marine poster boys, the Ultramarines. With Roboute Guilliman off gallivanting with his Indomitus Crusade, Titus is now in charge of keeping things safe and sound back home, where new Necron threats have emerged, as they always do.
According to the new video from Arbitor Ian, 500 Worlds: Titus has a crucial piece of new lore, found right at the back of the book, that teases a meeting between Guilliman and Lion El’Jonson. It is an intergalactic message written by Lion El’Jonson and intended for Roboute Guilliman that reads: “Brother. We need to talk.”
This seemingly innocuous message teases a momentous plot development for the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Never before have two loyalist primarchs met in the current setting. Of course they spent a great deal of time with each other before the 41st millennium. They were, generally, pals during the glory days of the Great Crusade, for example. All the primarchs (apart from the two we don’t talk about) were active during the foundational events of the Horus Heresy, which took place 10,000 years before the current setting. And we just got our first novel set during the era known as The Scouring, which saw the loyalist primarchs enact their revenge on the traitor legions in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy.
The question now is, how will this meeting between Lion El’Jonson and Roboute go? It’s hard to tell. Some fans are speculating the Lion will be a bit miffed at Roboute, who has alarmed more than a few inquisitive minds with his Indomitus Crusade. Others think (hope?) the brothers will join forces to help drive back the forces of Chaos and rekindle the glory days of the Imperium. Given this is Warhammer 40,000 and everything is… awful, I suspect that plenty will go wrong, no matter the Lion’s feelings about his brother.
And then there’s the speculation around the message itself: “Brother. We need to talk.” That doesn’t sound aggressive necessarily, but it does suggest a matter of some importance needs to be brought to Guilliman’s attention. What does the Lion know that his brother doesn’t? Does he carry a warning? Has he discovered some grand conspiracy about their father, the Emperor? Does he bring good news? Is another loyalist primarch about to return?
Arbitor Ian speculates that the Lion may be upset with Guilliman because he believes his brother to be trying to usurp the Emperor with all this Indomitus Crusade and Ultramarian Reclamation business (there’s a whole thing about Roboute potentially doing something similar during the Horus Heresy when it looked like Chaos might win). Alternatively, Arbitor Ian suggests the Lion will reveal some new threat that becomes central to the plot of the next Warhammer 40,000 campaign book, perhaps to do with would-be fifth Chaos god Vashtorr the Arkifane.
Whatever Games Workshop has up its sleeve, it looks like we’re set for some answers over the next few months. At least, that’s the hope. Fans have been waiting three years for the Lion and Guilliman to get together. If Games Workshop just sat on this tease for another few years, well… that would be very Games Workshop, wouldn’t it?
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.
We’ve rounded up the best deals for Saturday, January 10, below. Don’t miss your chance to save on these deals!
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 for $58.99
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 released for Nintendo Switch last Fall, and today, you can score this double pack for $58.99 at Woot! These two adventures are some of Mario’s greatest, making this a must-own game for any Switch owner. Plus, there’s a free update for Nintendo Switch 2 that enables 4K support.
Fantasian Neo Dimension for $26.70
Fantasian Neo Dimension is the latest game from a legendary creator who needs no introduction: Hironobu Sakaguchi. This incredible turn-based RPG is a joy to play through, featuring a great story with music from the all-time great Nobuo Uematsu. Pick up a Nintendo Switch copy today and add it to your collection for only $26.70.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound for $31.12
Ninja Gaiden had an incredible 2025, and today, you can score one of the franchise’s most unique entries for $31.12. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound released in August and was created by The Game Kitchen. In our 9/10 review, we wrote, “Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound looks and sounds incredible, and the fast but thoughtful combat is so satisfying it’s hard to put down.”
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for $46.99
Tears of the Kingdom is one of the best games of the decade, maybe even ever. The expansive world and formula that Breath of the Wild introduced was perfected on, with Sky Islands and The Depths adding to an already gigantic world. Right now, you can take home a physical copy for $46.99, which is 33% off the usual price.
Save on The Art of DOOM: The Dark Ages
Art books are a great way to gain greater insight into the development of your favorite games. This DOOM: The Dark Ages art book was released a few weeks ago, and it’s already on sale for just under $31. Featuring over 200 pages, you can dive into behind-the-scenes art of the Doom Slayer, his weapons, and even enemies or locations.
Silent Hill 2 for $27.39
Silent Hill 2 is available for $27.39 at Amazon. The Bloober Team-developed remake brought new life to the iconic Konami game, depicting the story of James Sunderland as he travels to Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his dead wife. With revamped combat, a rerecorded soundtrack, and new story additions, Silent Hill 2 is a fantastic horror game that is worth experiencing.
Devil May Cry 5: Official Artworks for $24.59
Devil May Cry 5 had a fantastic group of artists working on it, and you can take home the Official Artworks book this weekend for $24.59. This hardcover 256 page book packs in concept art, weapon designs, locations, storyboards, and more. It’s the perfect addition to any DMC fan’s collection.
Games Workshop has announced plans to build a new Warhammer World in the United States with a late 2027 target for opening its doors.
Warhammer World, in Nottingham, England, is the focal point for Games Workshop’s various tabletop games and a social hub for the hobby. It includes an exhibition centre with dramatic, large-scale dioramas featuring everything from famous battles in the grimdark sci-fi setting Warhammer 40,000 to the fantasy world of Age of Sigmar.
For competitors, a sizeable castle-themed gaming hall lets fans play matches, often in scheduled tournaments. There’s a themed bar and restaurant, areas to paint miniatures, and an in-house store with exclusive products.
In a post on Warhammer Community, Games Workshop confirmed its plans to start work on the new Warhammer World, to be built just outside Washington DC.
“This new Warhammer World will be a flagship venue that celebrates Warhammer in all its forms: gaming, painting, modelling, storytelling, events, and community,” Games Workshop said.
“The original Warhammer World in Nottingham, UK sets a very high bar. We’re not going to replicate it brick-for-brick, but instead build something equally uncompromising on quality and experience, something worthy of Warhammer’s rich settings and of course the title ‘Warhammer World.’ And of course, at the heart of all this is creating something extraordinary for all of you — the Warhammer fans!
“Now, there’s a lot to do – but with a fair wind, and the might of the Emperor and his inexhaustible armies, we hope to open the doors late in 2027.”
With this new Warhammer World, Games Workshop is clearly hoping to reinforce its explosive success and the ever-increasing popularity of Warhammer 40,000 in particular, which in recent years has grown far beyond the confines of a tabletop game. Its loyal fandom fusses over lore, analyzes new novels for fresh insight into the setting, and speculates about future development. The smash hit video game Space Marine 2 boosted interest in all things Warhammer 40,000 — so much so that playable character Titus is now the poster boy of the tabletop game and is even at the heart of its next narrative expansion. And former Superman actor Henry Cavill’s upcoming Warhammer 40,000 Cinematic Universe for Amazon will undoubtedly take it to new heights. It makes a lot of sense to have a Warhammer World in place to capitalize on the army of newcomers Cavill’s Prime Video work will surely rally together. (Cavill once visited Warhammer World in the UK and posted a video of his tour on Instagram.)
In the shorter term, Warhammer 40,000 fans are bracing themselves for an announcement and release of the 11th Edition of the game, accompanying lore developments, and new model releases. And we’re arguably in the golden age of Warhammer 40,000 video games, with Space Marine 2 still receiving updates, Space Marine 3 in the works, and Dawn of War 4 and Total War: Warhammer 40,000 waiting in the wings.
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.
Last month, Larian Studios presented console players of Divinity: Original Sin 2 with a special treat: an upgraded version of the game for PS5, Xbox Series, and delightfully, Nintendo Switch 2. But while Original Sin 2 has been on Nintendo’s system since 2019, Larian’s next game, Baldur’s Gate 3, never made it to any Nintendo console. Why not? Well, Larian at least says it wasn’t its decision.
In a Reddit AMA today conducted by various members of Larian, CEO Swen Vincke took a moment to answer a question about whether or not Baldur’s Gate 3 for Nintendo Switch 2 was “even possible”. Sadly, his answer wasn’t a happy one: “We would have loved to but it’s wasn’t our decision to make.”
Vincke is speaking in the past tense because officially, Larian is done with Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s still supporting the game with minor bug fixes, but there’s no reason to expect the studio to do a whole new release on a new platform now, especially since it’s moved on to a new Divinity game. That leaves Wizards of the Coast in charge of the future of Baldur’s Gate 3, meaning a port isn’t happening without its blessing.
Which seems to be what Vincke is implying here – that Larian would have done one, but Wizards for whatever reason decided not to. We’ve reached out to Wizards of the Coast for comment on this.
Which is a shame for Switch owners, because Baldur’s Gate is a fantastic game. We gave it a 10/10 at launch, saying that “with crunchy, tactical RPG combat, a memorable story with complex characters, highly polished cinematic presentation, and a world that always rewards exploration and creativity, Baldur’s Gate 3 is the new high-water mark for CRPGs.”
I wouldn’t be doing what I’m lucky enough to do for a living without Mario games. Heck, I’m not sure I’d even be playing video games if not for Mario. And so, when I reviewed Super Mario Odyssey for IGN in 2017, it checked off a career bucket list item for me. And oh how lucky I was that Odyssey turned out to be – and still very much is – one of the greatest 3D platformers ever made.
It was worth the long wait, as in case you’re too young to remember (which would be perfectly understandable at this point), the last mainline 3D Mario game before Odyssey was Super Mario Galaxy 2…all the way back in 2010. Yes, it was seven long years between headlining 3D entries in Nintendo’s biggest franchise, but fast-forward to 2026 and we’ve already surpassed eight years as we continue to wait for Odyssey’s 3D Mario successor. I thought for sure last Fall was going to be when it finally happened, as what better way for Nintendo to have celebrated the 40th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. than with the next mainline 3D Mario game, cementing the Switch 2 as the must-have device for its first Christmas, just as Odyssey did for the Switch 1’s first holiday on the market back in 2017? But that big anniversary came and went with nothing but a questionably priced 4K remaster of Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2.
However, I think the wait for the true next-gen mainline 3D Mario game is finally almost over. Let’s run through the reasons:
First and foremost – and this is 90% of my argument – is that Nintendo has essentially fired every other bullet (Bill) in its chamber in recent years! What big megafranchise moves do they have left for this year? A mainline 2D Mario game? We just got that in Fall 2023 in the form of the (sensational) Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Mario Kart? After its own incredibly long hiatus, it was the Switch 2’s big day-one launch title. How about 3D Zelda? Tears of the Kingdom was just two-and-a-half short years ago, after we waited six years for it following Breath of the Wild. That means we won’t see Aonuma’s next effort for at least a few more years. What about 2D Zelda? Echoes of Wisdom was in Fall 2024, and though this year is the 40th anniversary of Zelda, last year’s 40th anniversary of Mario suggests you should set your expectation to, at best, a 4K remaster of Twilight Princess or Wind Waker.
Donkey Kong Bananza dropped in the Switch 2’s launch window and is arguably the system’s best game so far. Super Mario Party Jamboree just released in 2024. Animal Crossing is getting a Switch 2 update in just a few days, making it unlikely we see an all-new game anytime soon. Super Smash Bros., barring a miracle, is retired due its director leaving it all on the field with Ultimate. Is Splatoon big enough to really move the needle? Maybe, maybe not. Pokemon is really Nintendo’s best non-Mario bet, but we just had Legends: Z-A last Fall.
Nintendo has essentially fired every other bullet (Bill) in its chamber in recent years.
Shall I keep going? The last of Nintendo’s “Big Three,” Metroid, has shipped a 2D (Dread, 2021) and 3D (Prime 4, barely a month ago) entry in recent years. And anyway, Nintendo itself admits that Prime 4 wasn’t it. An unnamed senior source revealed to The Game Business that Switch 2 sales fell behind the pace of the Switch 1 in key markets this past holiday in large part due to the “absence of a major Western game.” Ouch – that is some serious Metroid Prime 4 slander!
But back on topic: what would fit the definition of a “major Western game” for Nintendo that hasn’t already shipped in recent years? How about the next major 3D Mario game, which isn’t just a major Western game but a major global game? Odyssey sold nearly 30 million copies – an absolutely staggering amount that could easily be replicated over the life of the Switch 2 if Nintendo delivers it this Fall…or perhaps even sooner?
That brings me to reason number two: The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the highest-grossing video game movie ever, raking in over $1.3 billion dollars at the box office. Its sequel, The Super Mario Bros. Galaxy Movie, is set to debut in theaters on April 3. What better way to capitalize on what’s likely to be another massive Hollywood hit for Nintendo than to feed those moviegoers’ enthusiasm with the next big 3D Mario entry – one that, as we’ve already established, can easily sell another 25 million copies (which, given the likely $80 price point for the next 3D Mario game, would mean $2 billion in revenue, besting the box office take of the first film – and likely the second) – not to mention a whole bunch of Switch 2’s?
Ultimately, though Nintendo is tough to reliably predict (honestly, I would’ve bet money – and lost – on the next big 3D Mario game arriving last Fall for Switch 2’s first holiday and Mario’s 40th anniversary), the planets do seem to be aligning for Mario’s next major 3D platformer to arrive sometime this year. If I’m wrong and Odyssey’s successor debuts in 2027 (or, gulp, later!), it means we’ll be going at least a full decade since the last mainline Mario, which basically means Nintendo is just torturing us.
I would’ve bet money – and lost – on the next big 3D Mario game arriving last Fall for Switch 2’s first holiday and Mario’s 40th anniversary.
Whenever it’s finally confirmed, the next question is, of course, what is it? Is it Super Mario Odyssey 2, or an entirely new adventure? Based on Mario’s history, I’d hope for and expect the latter – in Mario’s 3D era, Nintendo has only ever done one sequel in the form of Galaxy 2 (or two if you want to count 3D World as a sequel to 3D Land). But we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, beggars can’t be choosers. We can only hope that 2026 is finally going to be the year. I think it is. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to start replaying Odyssey again, just to experience the sheer joy of New Donk City one more time.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our old interview show, IGN Unfiltered. Super Mario Bros. 3 is his favorite video game of all time. Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
The Sims developer Maxis is kicking off the new year with an update on what its whole deal is, after plenty of rumors and concerns about the future of the franchise. Ans as a part of that, it seems to be teasing the “next evolution” of single-player PC and console The Sims games…even as its long-touted “next generation” of The Sims, Project Rene, is relegated to a mobile-only social spin-off.
This comes from a lengthy blog post on the EA website, in which Maxis speaks at length about its philosophy around The Sims in the coming year. Most of it is pretty mission statement-y, but in the middle, we get a glimpse of what’s planned for the future of The Sims.
For three years now, Maxis has been teasing something called Project Rene. Initially billed as the future of The Sims that would exist across PC and mobile, EA nevertheless refused to call it The Sims 5. Since 2022, there have been multiple closed playtests, and the feedback has gradually soured as Project Rene increasingly started to look like a pretty basic mobile game. Meanwhile, while The Sims 4 community remains robust, there hasn’t been much discussion on what The Sims 5 might look like, or if the console and PC base should even expect anything new at all. As recently as last August, EA Entertainment president Laura Miele insisted that it wouldn’t be “player-friendly” to release one when the community had already invested so much time and money into The Sims 4.
Which is why the wording in this blog post is both exciting and nerve-wracking as a The Sims fan. The post separates out its plans for “The Sims” on PC and console, and Project Rene. For PC and console, Maxis reaffirms its commitment to new content for The Sims 4, and adds that “Single-player PC and console experiences will always be a part of our future, with more than half of our global development team dedicated to The Sims 4 and the next evolution. More news in the coming months!”
That wording, “the next evolution,” is huge. While it’s not exactly “The Sims 5,” it’s the first crumb we’ve gotten in years that we might see something like one eventually. What’s even more promising is that EA is designating Project Rene as a social, multiplayer game that’s mobile-first. That’s disappointing for those who were hoping Project Rene would be an exciting new future, but it sounds like that’s still going to exist in some fashion alongside whatever the actual new evolution is.
Still, Maxis has a rough road ahead. Miele is correct that one of the biggest issues with a new The Sims game is that players have spent tons of money already on expansion packs for The Sims 4, and historically brand new The Sims games have felt woefully feature incomplete when they launch with no such packs. That was the case with The Sims 4, which launched to relatively weak reviews as players adjusted to the shock of features they’d come to get used to – pets, interactive children, weather – suddenly gone, until a new paid expansion pack was released.
It would behoove Maxis to figure all this out, because The Sims 4 is over a decade old now, and starting to show its age. What’s more, a number of potential competitors have come out of the woodwork in recent years, including Krafton’s inZOI and the indie Paralives, both in early access.
The most recent The Sims 4 expansion pack was Adventure Awaits, which launched in October of last year.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
