A group of over 450 developers on the game Diablo at Blizzard have voted in favor of unionization with Communications Workers of America (CWA).
Per a press release, this new union consists of game developers, artists, designers, engineers, and support staff across the Diablo franchise, and has been formally recognized by parent company Microsoft.
“With every subsequent round of mass layoffs, I’ve witnessed the dread in my coworkers grow stronger because it feels like no amount of hard work is enough to protect us,” said Kelly Yeo, a game producer and a member of the organizing committee. “I am overjoyed that we have formed a union—this is just the first step for us joining a movement spreading across an industry that is tired of living in fear. We are ready to begin fighting for real change alongside our Diablo colleagues.”
Over 3,500 workers at Microsoft have organized with CWA to date.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Elden Ring: Nightreign’s previously-rumored ultra-hard difficulty mode is real and official, according to Bandai Namco, and it’s coming to the game on September 11.
As announced in an official post, the new mode is called “Deep of Night” and is essentially a challenge mode of the base game. While previously, Nightreign’s ongoing challenging endgame content has been limited to more difficult bosses, Deep of Night will impact an entire run, from start to finish.
For one, enemies will just be stronger than normal across the board. You also won’t get a heads up about which Nightlord you’ll be fighting, nor will you know if you’re getting a Shifting Earth event in advance, so you won’t be able to prep a build for any specific type of run.
However, to counterbalance this, players will be able to collect new types of weapons and relics with even more powerful effects…though they may also have some new drawbacks attached as well.
As you play and win Deep of Night you will descend to deeper depth levels, going at least as far as Depth 5. Each new Depth gets even more challenging, though losses will push you back up to easier Depths.
This mode was previously datamined, with dataminers getting all the announced details correct. Not announced but suggested by the datamine is that Deep of Night will feature skill-based matchmaking, and that some enemies will get special additional effects, such as being “magmafied,” or covered in magma. The datamine also suggests that players can unlock access to three additional relic slots for Deep of Night only, giving them up to a total of six.
We gave Elden Ring Nightreign a 7/10, saying “when Elden Ring Nightreign is played exactly as it was designed to be played, it’s one of the finest examples of a three-player co-op game around – but that’s harder to do than it should be, and playing solo is poorly balanced.” The game recently got a much-requested duos mode, and currently has two Everdark Sovereign bosses available for players wanting a challenge before Deep of Night: Libra, and Caligo.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Final Fantasy 14’s community is once again in a tizzy about the use of mods in game, to the point where the game’s producer and director, Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P), has weighed in.
First, some background. While modding is an extremely common practice across many games, including other MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy 14 has always had a slightly more hostile relationship with them. That’s not to say players don’t use mods in FF14 – they absolutely do. But officially, they’re not allowed. Even so, Square Enix has largely operated for a long time on a policy of letting mods slide…as long as players aren’t too loud or obvious about it. So players might use mods to customize their UIs, or change the way their character looks just on their own screen. As long as they aren’t interfering with other people’s games or, say, being very public about their mod use, the publisher has mostly turned a blind eye.
But that strategy hasn’t always worked out for Square Enix, especially due to the lack of real clarity for players as to what Square Enix will be permissive about, versus what it will immediately ban. And recently, mods have been in the crosshairs of the developer once again. Earlier this year, Yoshi-P himself threatened legal action after a mod went around that could track other people’s player data – a mod that’s pretty obviously not permitted by any standards. But more recently, a different, less obviously problematic mod has entered the discourse: Mare Synchronos.
Mare Synchronos is a mod that’s become popular with Final Fantasy 14 players over the years, especially for role-playing communities. Essentially, it lets those who use it “synchronize” their character appearances with those of other players. Here’s an example. If I’m playing FF14 and don’t have a lot of cool gear to dress my character up in, and don’t want to run the content needed to acquire it for whatever reason, I can use a mod that will let my character appear exactly how I want them to – but only on my screen. However, with Mare Synchronos, everyone else using Mare Synchronos can also see that modded appearance. Players who do not use the mod will see my character in whatever bland gear I’m actually wearing. And critically, Mare doesn’t actually let you change your character’s appearance – other mods are needed for that. Mare just lets you see other mods, and be seen.
However, a week ago, Mare Synchronos announced it was shutting down. The cited reason was that it had received a “legal inquiry” surrounding the project, and after reviewing options, the creator decided to wind it down. It officially went dark last Friday. While some fans were unphased by the shutdown, or even claimed they’d expected it eventually, many others were deeply upset. Though Mare’s developer hadn’t specified who the legal inquiry was from, many speculating it was likely Square Enix, and even took to the FF14 official forums to complain about the third-party mod shutting down. It’s even getting review bombed on Steam right now, currently sitting at “Mixed” recent reviews versus “Very Positive” total reviews.
Which is what has prompted Yoshi-P to speak up. In a lengthy post on the official Final Fantasy 14 website, the producer reiterated his past-stated stance on mods: he tolerates them. That stance, he says, hasn’t changed. Mods made entirely for one’s own personal use that only impact the individual using them, Yoshi-P explains, are fine with him. “I’d like to stress the importance that players follow two rules: that their style of gameplay does not infringe upon others, and that they do not negatively impact the core game, its services, or intended game design, as mentioned above.”
Yoshi-P goes on to detail exactly what he means by “negative impacting the intended game design” and “infringing upon others.” He offers an example of a player, Player A, who loves to raid and acquires a new title and weapon by successfully finishing an Ultimate raid. Player B does not have time to raid, and uses a mod that allows them to see their character with the same title and weapon as Player A. As long as that only displays on Player B’s screen, that’s not a problem for Yoshi-P.
However, where Yoshi-P takes issue is when this begins to impact others. If Player B’s changes are visible to Player A somehow, “it considerably negates the cooperation, time, and effort invested, not to mention the pride they might have felt in their achievement.”
He goes on to illustrate another example that is unacceptable: a mod that allows players to freely equip optional items purchased from the FF14 Online Store and display them to others:
“Some may say that Square Enix is to blame for trying to make money by demanding that players spend extra on optional items,” he writes. “We operate our servers and data centers twenty-four hours a day, three-hundred-sixty-five days a year with the hope that our players can enjoy a reliable gaming experience. Currently, global inflation is taking its toll at a rapid pace, driving up server electricity costs, the cost of land, and even the price of servers themselves. We do not want to increase subscription fees for players, if at all possible─but keeping our game running requires sufficient income. If we start creating a deficit, FFXIV may no longer be able to operate. This is an example of damage dealt to the services we provide.”
In a third example, Yoshi-P mentions the possibility of a mod that displays a character completely naked. Even if this is only displayed on the player’s screen, he explains how it could potentially still be harmful. For instance, if a player posts a screenshot of their naked character on social media, FF14 may face legal consequences.
I ask that all players in turn respect our game by enjoying their fun within the confines of some basic rules.
“Laws that regulate the content of video games grow stricter by the year,” he says. “These laws are there to protect minors and for a variety of other reasons, but the fact remains that they are tangibly becoming stricter. We have a duty to provide our services in adherence to the laws of all countries where FFXIV is available, and if we are unable to do so, the distribution of our game can be prohibited. This is another example of damage dealt to our services.”
Yoshi-P ends his post by saying he intends to listen to player feedback and try to increase the freedom of players to equip different types of gear. “While paying respect to the long-standing tradition of modding PC games, I ask that all players in turn respect our game by enjoying their fun within the confines of some basic rules,” he concludes.
While this post contains some much-needed clarification, it ultimately does leave Final Fantasy 14 in the same odd limbo state it’s always been in: no mods allowed, except it’s fine if no one ever knows you’re using them. While that will likely be sufficient clarification for many players, it’s still a potentially frustrating place for players who have built their gameplay styles around the modding community and what it has to offer. At least over on console, no one has anything to worry about.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A will add a fresh batch of superpowered creatures to the franchise’s Mega Pokédex — and here’s every one revealed so far.
While the game is not expected to add any all-new Pokémon species, Legends: Z-A’s setting within the region of Kalos, the home of the Mega Evolution ability, has made it a fitting title in which to introduce a number of never-before-seen designs, and give players something fresh to collect.
In the run up to Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s launch for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 on October 16, 2025, The Pokémon Company has begun drip-feeding fans with new Mega Pokémon reveals — and one species has even already made its Pokémon anime debut.
Below, we’ll recap every Mega Pokémon announced so far, and discuss a widely-shared leak of all the Mega Pokémon species fans now expect.
Mega Dragonite
The first new Mega Pokémon species to be revealed in over a decade was Mega Dragonite, the beloved Dragon/Flying-type pseudo-legendary from the franchise’s original Kanto Pokédex. Mega Dragonite gains a large set of wings that sprout from its head, and a large jewel on its tail thats reminiscent of its earlier evolution Dragonair.
“For Mega Dragonite, ending a Pokémon match quickly is an act of kindness toward its opponent,” reads the Pokémon Company’s official blurb. “Its kindhearted nature gets amplified when it Mega Evolves, and it launches powerful attacks at its opponent with a smile. At the same time, if it senses someone in trouble, it has the kindness to instantly rush to their aid — even if it’s in the middle of an intense battle.”
Mega Victreebell
Second to be announced for Pokémon Legends: Arceus was another new Mega species hailing from the series’ original 151 creatures: Victreebell. This Grass/Poison-type’s Mega evolution features a more bulbous base, due to the volume of acid inside it, filling its mouth.
“Its body has swollen as a result of Mega Evolution,” reads its official blurb. “Even the leaves on top of its head have grown bigger. It flaps the leaves on its sides and moves its large body by bouncing around. It opens its large mouth to let loose a Sludge Bomb. It looks more like a Victreebel when it has deflated. It has so much acid that even closing its mouth tight isn’t enough to hold it in, so it contains the acid by wrapping its own vines around its throat.”
Mega Hawlucha
Luchador-inspired Hawlucha also gets a Mega Evolution, which will hopefully ensure it ultimately gets a wider release in Pokémon Go, where it currently sits as a Mexican regional exclusive. This Fighting/Flying-type is something of a fan-favorite, and once again its Mega’s design focuses on its appearance as a masked wrestler.
“It uses its muscles, bulked up by Mega Evolution, to take hit after hit from opponents’ moves and flex its own strength,” reads its official blurb. “After luring its opponent into attacking, it retaliates to make them flinch before diving at them using its signature move, Flying Press, to aim for victory. Before Mega Evolving, Hawlucha would sometimes let its guard down as it became caught up in parading its flashy moves, but with newfound confidence in its own defensive capabilities, it can now show off again and again to both its opponent and its Trainer. It lifts both hands and spreads its wings, constantly putting its beauty and tough pectoral muscles on full display.”
And more to come…
In addition to these new Mega Pokémon species, a previous trailer confirmed the return of other, already-existing Mega Evoutions, such as Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Absol, and Mega Charizard X — though it’s unknown as of yet whether every past Mega Evolution will be present in the game.
Regardless, Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s central focus on Mega Pokémon is clear. The game’s plot revolves around the seemingly-spontaneous Mega Evolution of local wild Pokémon, here dubbed as Rogue Mega Pokémon. Players will need to utilise their own Mega Pokémon to take them down, and you can also bring in help from another of your Team MZ allies to battle alongside you. But exactly what’s going on here — and how the game will incorporate Zygarde into proceedings — are all questions for another day.
So far, each of the announced new Mega Pokémon have corroborated a widely-shared leak listing 27 species set to receive new Mega Evolutions within Pokémon Legends: Z-A. These include, by region:
Kanto: Mega Clefable, Mega Starmie, Mega Victreebell (Confirmed), and Mega Dragonite (Confirmed)Johto: Mega Meganium, Mega Feraligatr, Mega Skarmory Sinnoh: Mega Froslass Unova: Mega Emboar, Mega Excadrill, Mega Scolipede, Mega Eelektross, Mega Scrafty, and Mega Chandelure Kalos: Mega Greninja, Mega Delphox, Mega Chesnaught, Mega Malamar, Mega Pyroar, Mega Dragalge, Mega Barbaracle, Mega Hawlucha (Confirmed), Mega Zygarde, Mega Eternal Flower Floette Alola: Mega Drampa Galar: Mega Falinks
With apologies to Flygon fans, these species are all of the ones that fans expect to encounter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A when it arrives. That said, it’s worth reiterating that datamined information is not final, and it’s likely that at least some of the game’s Mega Pokémon may well be held back for the final game itself.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
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.
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.
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.
Much like all-you-can-eat Pizza Huts, reasonably-priced concert tickets, and The Secret World of Alex Mack, Screamer is something I enjoyed in the 1990s but essentially disappeared from our lives decades ago. The original Screamer, released in 1995, was one of a trio of games developed by Italian studio Graffiti before it quickly rebranded itself as Milestone a year later. An over-the-top arcade racing game exclusively for PC, it arrived rapidly in the slipstream of pioneering 3D racers like The Need for Speed, Ridge Racer, and Destruction Derby (and was followed by a sequel and two one-and-done spin-offs) but has faded into relative obscurity since. However, over a quarter of a century since Milestone’s final Screamer game, the series is howling back to the track with a wild new look and an interestingly nuanced suite of controls and power-ups that shake up the slamming, the shifting, and even the steering.
According to game director Federico Cardini, Screamer is a game Milestone has long wanted to resurrect, but you should know that it’s more the name that’s being brought back here. That is, aside from the title there really isn’t anything immediately significant in the new Screamer that meaningfully reminds me of the original. Dramatic changes of identity are usually kryptonite for sequels and reboots – especially belated ones – but I actually don’t think it’s a problem in Screamer’s case. The original was an impressive game for its time, but it was admittedly otherwise largely typical of arcade racing games in that era. The new one is a bit of a different story.
You can’t describe Screamer in a single sentence the way you can with a lot of arcade racing games.
You can’t describe Screamer in a single sentence the way you can with a lot of arcade racing games. A good deal of arcade racers generally allow you to count the number of pertinent instructions on your nipples. That is, there are only two: accelerate and steer. After an hour of hands-on driving and drifting with Screamer it’s clear there’s a lot more to it than this, and it’s this depth that makes it quite fascinating.
Screamer is a twin-stick racing game, and it instantly reminds me of 2020’s Inertial Drift in this sense. While the left stick is used for conventional steering, the right stick is used to add drift angle. In simple terms, the left stick controls the front of the car, and the right stick basically controls the rear. It’s easier to grasp than it perhaps sounds, but it does require a certain deftness on both sticks to make the necessary adjustments to your angle.
It goes much further than this, however, as Screamer also packs a potent range of power-ups that are extracted from two separate gauges that fill based on certain actions. Inspired by fighting games, Screamer calls this its ‘Echo’ system – where using one side of the gauge affects the other side. There’s a shotgun spray of bespoke, in-game terminology that you’ll encounter if and when you play Screamer yourself, but I’m going to avoid most of that here because I think it’ll only serve to make Screamer sound a little impenetrable. On track – and in the thick of it – it’s all fairly intuitive, so I’ll try to describe it as such.
Essentially, the left side of the gauge will fill throughout a race both passively and via certain actions – like perfectly-timed shifts. Screamer’s vehicles have semi-automatic transmissions, so they’ll shift automatically if you’re overwhelmed (or you forget), but if you nail your upshifts you’ll fill the left gauge faster. It’s not a remotely racing related comparison, but it reminded me of Gears of War’s active reload system.
The left gauge is used to provide both boosts and shields against attacking opponents. Even boosts are handled differently, with a press–hold-and-release mechanic that you need to time by using an onscreen icon. Get the release spot-on and you will earn a longer and more effective boost than standard.
So what of the gauge on the right? Well, you fill the gauge on the right by using the power-ups afforded by the gauge on the left. The gauge on the right allows you to use the offensive abilities Screamer has dubbed ‘strike’ and ‘overdrive.’ ‘Strike’ is a temporary boost in speed during which any other car you smash into will explode, and ‘Overdrive’ is an indefinite boost that lasts until you crash. Overdrive is pretty tough to use on the twistiest portions of the tracks; after a certain amount of time locked in Overdrive you’ll reach a critical state where even a brush off a wall will see you blow up. It is extremely quick, though, and it’s a power-up I observed the AI was always willing to deploy at every opportunity.
Like the 1995 original, Screamer features a roster of unlicensed cars. However, while the original game’s cars were clearly just de-badged versions of iconic ’90s sports cars and exotics with otherwise generic names, the cars in the upcoming Screamer are wild, anime-inspired vehicles covered in aggressive, time attack-style aero. The anime inspiration extends beyond the cars, too; indeed, Milestone has partnered with Japanese animation studio Polygon Pictures for Screamer’s story. We weren’t privy to any of these cutscenes during our preview, but I did get to race as a variety of different characters – each of whom have different abilities that alter how they fill their power gauge, and how their cars handle. There’s a really significant difference in car feel across characters so, even though the handling is quite easy to pick up, it’s not one-note.
Milestone achieved the improbable in 2021 with Hot Wheels Unleashed, creating a gorgeous and highly approachable arcade racing banger that far exceeded any expectations one might have had of a game based on a licensed toy. It’s a very different sort of racing experience to the Hot Wheels Unleashed series but, after my hour with it, I’m not expecting Screamer to quietly come and go when it arrives in 2026.
Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.
It’s hard to believe it’s been four years since I first set sail and fell in love with Valheim. As a fan of survival crafting and all things Norse, it’s one of the best experiences out there in both regards. And while it still feels fairly familiar at the outset – and somehow it’s still calling itself “early access,” whatever that means anymore – it’s gotten a mountain of patches since launch, with a list of changes that would take longer to read than the rambling tangent about some side character’s great-grandfather in a viking saga. From new biomes and new bosses to crafting and combat improvements, the version of Valheim you can download today cuts like a blade that developer Iron Gate has been sharpening winter in and winter out.
All of that still holds true today, except that the world has gotten much bigger and just about every system has been improved on in some small or large way. Except greydwarves. They’re still annoying as hell. But we’ll get to that.
Good news for melee builds
This revisit is based on the opt-in beta patch announced at Gamescom 2025, known as the Call to Arms update, and that’s fitting because it’s brought some of the most significant changes to combat yet. Trinkets are a new equipment slot that lets you build up adrenaline by skirmishing – basically a super meter if you’re familiar with fighting games – with different effects at full adrenaline for different trinkets. They’ve also added a “perfect dodge” that makes it possible to run a melee build without a shield, as long as you’re good at timing enemy attacks. And perfect blocks no longer cost stamina, which makes that build way more viable too. Finally, the reign of the stealth archer may be coming to an end! Well, probably not entirely, but at least it won’t be so far ahead of other playstyles. Just like nearly everything else that’s changed in Valheim over the years, combat is the same system that’s always been here but just a bit better and deeper.
We finally get (killed by) bears!
The mascot for this patch, though, is the lumbering bear enemy. Why did it take this long to put a bear in the viking survival game? I don’t know, but I’m glad she’s here now. Sitting somewhere between greydwarves and trolls in terms of difficulty, bears add some much-needed enemy variety to the early areas where most people end up spending a majority of their time anyway. And collecting bear parts lets you build a new weapon and armor set that really lean into the super-aggressive melee playstyle. I’m worried that these items will be completely underpowered in the mid-late game, but it’s nice for the first leg of your adventure to be able to go full berserker.
Journeying through mist and flame adds mythological flair
In the bigger picture, Valheim has become a much more complete saga since I originally reviewed it. Two additional biomes, the foggy Mistlands and burning Ashlands, have been added along with their attendant bosses, but I haven’t been able to check the latter out yet on this fresh save I made for the patch where I’m about 25 hours in. As a matter of fact, even with well over 100 hours in Valheim overall across multiple playthroughs, I’ve still never seen the Ashlands – added just last year – at all, actually. The world is huge! And that’s very exciting. There’s still a bit left to go on the roadmap, with one major boss and one biome still missing, but it’s much closer to the finish line than it is to the start.
Even in my initial Early Access outing, I said I could barely tell this is an Early Access game, and that’s only become more and more true. The amount that’s already here could take you months to chew through playing off and on like I do. The final 1.0 release might be out already by the time you finish the Ashlands if you start today. The sheer amount of time it would take to even run into a proverbial Under Construction sign puts them out of reach of what most of my playthroughs have even come close to accomplishing. And I have to ask: if it takes 60-plus hours for me to even notice something isn’t finished, is it really unfinished at all? Or am I just waiting for an expansion to come out? It kind of feels more like the latter.
Swamps are still a bummer
Every new area has fresh enemies, unique survival challenges, new recipes to discover, and a strong theme. Higher-level biomes pull in more mythological elements that really remind you you’re not in Kristiansand anymore. Moving from the Black Forest into the Swamps is still a rough transition with how much more unforgiving the terrain, enemies, and status effects become – right at the same time that travel distances are becoming an issue, and before you can unlock portals. It’s no surprise to me that that’s where a lot of my runs have ended. Plus, who likes a stinky poison swamp anyway? It’s definitely my least favorite biome, even in the latest patch. But it’s worth getting through to see what comes after it.
Greydwarves are still annoying as hell
Greydwarves in the Dark Forest remain annoying little pests that come to bother you all the time and present very little combat challenge. If we could craft a trinket that scares away lower-level enemies, I think that would be great. Remember the Morrowind mod that added a belt that would zap cliff racers out of the air? Are Valheim players too young to remember Morrowind? You know what, don’t even answer that. I don’t want to know.
Mining feels less grindy, but maybe that’s just character development on my part
Gear progression feels a lot less grindy now as well. I haven’t compared the numbers to see how much of that is actual changes to ore drop rates and carry weights and how much it’s just that I’ve gotten used to how time-consuming it is. I no longer feel like I’m spending hours and hours teching up from stone to bronze. And while I was initially annoyed by the lack of realism in the fact that repairing items doesn’t cost crafting mats… I have to admit I was wrong. It’s a great little quality-of-life feature that I don’t have to go hunt down extremely rare materials to keep my best gear nice and shiny. It’s good to know that once I craft something, it’s mine forever.
The building system could still use some work
Building is one area where I think other survival crafting games have kind of left Valheim behind, mainly in terms of how fiddly it can get. I know part of this is that it’s meant to be fairly realistic, and I respect that. But the variety of structural building pieces, especially early on, is still kind of disappointing. And it remains a massive pain to work on rooftops or anything high up due to how stairs, ladders, and slopes behave. As unrealistic as it is, I find myself wishing for something as simple as Minecraft scaffolding, which lets you ascend up to whatever height you need just by holding jump. I know we can’t have Dune: Awakening-style hovering in fantasy Scandinavia. Maybe I could send a raven up there to help me place stuff? Just some ideas.
One of the best survival crafting games ever has only gotten better
I adored Valheim when it was roughly half the adventure it is now. The world has gotten so much richer and the progression so much deeper in the four years since, while even mechanics I was interacting with on my first day of a new playthrough have improved in small and subtle ways. If it doesn’t lead the pack for the whole genre outright, it’s at least very close to the front, howling gleefully as its charming, low-res 3D art style beckons me into calm meadows and foreboding dungeons. I haven’t ever really stopped playing it for more than a handful of months at a time since it launched in early access, and the idea of starting a new world always gets me excited even if I know the first few verses of the saga by heart at this point.
Crystal Dynamics has laid off an unknown number of workers following the cancelation of Perfect Dark by Microsoft.
In a statement on LinkedIn, Crystal Dynamics confirmed the layoffs, but did not specify the number of people impacted.
“Today we made the very difficult decision to part ways with a number of our talented colleagues as the result of evolving business conditions,” the statement reads. “This decision was not made lightly. It was necessary, however, to ensure the long-term health of our studio and core creative priorities in a continually shifting market.”
The company also confirmed that Tomb Raider, still in development, was unaffected by the decision.
While the statement does not explicitly mention Perfect Dark as the reason behind the layoffs, multiple former workers have posted on social media whose posts and profiles suggest that was the game they were working on. These layoffs seem to be a delayed reaction to Xbox canceling Perfect Dark, which Crystal Dynamics was working on with The Initiative, earlier this year. The Initiative was shuttered at the time of the cancelation, back in July.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
