Pokemon Legends: Z-A is getting an update that will make rewards from Ranked Battles, specifically a desirable set of Mega Stones, much easier to obtain.
In an official news post, The Pokemon Company revealed that at the start of Season 2 of its online Ranked Battle mode, players will be able to receive Greninjite at Rank Y, and Delphoxite at Rank S. Previously, in Season 1, players had to achieve Rank K to receive Greninjite (Delphoxite was not yet available).
This is a pretty big deal, as the difficulty of obtaining these Mega Stones has been a point of criticism from the community ever since they were first announced as rewards. The trio of original Kalos starter Pokemon: Fennekin, Froakie, and Chespin, are available fairly early on in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and all three of them have new Mega Evolutions. However, those Mega Evolutions can only be unlocked via the items obtained as rewards from online Ranked Battles, and aren’t available in the story campaign at all. This was frustrating for many players, as plenty of people don’t touch online play at all and would rather just play through the story only.
This update doesn’t make it possible to obtain the rewards without engaging in the online component of Z-A, but it does make them much easier to obtain. With Season 2, you’ll basically be able to get a Greninjite with a single Ranked Battle, even if you lose, as you can get rank points for actions taken in battle as well as actually winning. And you can move up multiple ranks in one go if you play well enough, making it pretty fast to go from Z to S for that Delphoxite. And it looks like Game Freak is updating how points are distributed to make it even easier to gain ranks.
Additionally, if trends continue this way, it sounds like the Season 3 update will introduce Chesnaughtite at a similar rank to Rank S, and lower the rank requirement for Delphoxite to something even easier as well. Per the announcement, “Mega Stones will continue to be reissued frequently in future seasons.”
Overall, this is a pretty good change for folks wanting to collect all the Mega Stones. A couple of Ranked Battles in Season 2 and 3 will net you all three stones with very little effort, and then if you prefer you never have to play Ranked again.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Season 2 starts on Wednesday, November 5.
I reviewed Pokemon Legends: Z-A and gave it an 8/10, saying that it “finally feels like Game Freak hitting its stride in Pokemon’s 3D era, with a fun setting to explore, a well-written story, and a total battle system overhaul that works surprisingly well.” The game sold almost six million copies in its opening week.
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.
Back in 2020, Blaze Entertainment made a splash in the retro gaming market with the introduction of the cartridge-basedEvercade platform. Ever since, the platform has grown to include a variety of handhelds, consoles, andbartop arcades, along with more than 650 games across 78 – and counting – cartridges.
In late 2023, the company created the new brandHyperMegaTech to release a series of simpler GameBoy-like handhelds with built-in games, which also happen to accept Evercade cartridges. As with the growing number of other Evercade-compatible devices and cartridges, the Super Pocket series is already up to a half-dozen variations. Although the Super Pocket series may not have the best screen size and resolution, or the most ideal controls for every game, it’s still a value-packed portable companion, filling a completely different market than a handheld gaming PC. However, depending upon your gaming preferences, certain models may prove better values than others.
HyperMegaTech Super Pocket – Design and Features
Other than aesthetic themes and associated colorways, every Super Pocket edition features exactly the same hardware. The only other differentiator between models is the types and number of built-in games, which are themed to a specific publisher like Taito, Capcom, Atari, Technos, NeoGeo (SNK), or Data East. Sometimes limited editions will feature an additional cosmetic variation, like with the Atari Edition or NeoGeo Edition, with a woodgrain look for the former and MVS styling for the latter.
As a plug-and-play device, each Super Pocket package comes with the handheld, USB-C to USB-A charging cable, and quick start guide. You just need to charge, then power on.
When first powering on, you are prompted to answer a few questions, including your language and preferred difficulty (Easy or Normal) across all included games. Naturally, these and other settings are available to change after the fact by pressing the Game Menu button and choosing Settings.
At 3.07 x 4.92 x 0.98 inches and 0.36lbs, the Super Pocket is slightly smaller and lighter than the original Game Boy that clocked in at 3.5 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches. The sleeker body does support a slightly larger display at 2.8 inches (2cm larger than the Game Boy’s), although that’s still rather small for modern handhelds.
The IPS screen has a resolution of 320×240, a 4:3 aspect ratio. Overall, the display is colorful with good brightness and viewing angles, although the small screen size and low resolution do mean loss of detail in some places, particularly with text or games that don’t have a native 4:3 aspect ratio. While good close-up vision always helps when it comes to handheld displays, just keep in mind that certain games on the Super Pocket will not have an optimized viewing experience.
Display options include Original, Pixel Perfect, or Full Screen aspect ratios, as well as Shaders/Scanlines. Original aspect ratio ensures the original game’s graphics are not stretched or distorted, but may result in black bars on the sides or top of the screen. Pixel Perfect aspect ratio maps the original pixels to a “perfect” square of pixels, but may result in an even smaller active display than Original. Full Screen aspect ratio stretches a game’s image to fit the entire screen, which eliminates any black bars or dead space on the display, but also stretches or distorts in-game objects. Shaders/Scanlines include None, Subtle, or Strong, the latter two of which are meant to mimic how classic CRT displays processed pixel graphics. Subtle adds thin scanlines with minimal screen darkening, while Strong adds thick scanlines with more prominent screen darkening.
Below the display is the Game Menu button, direction pad, front speaker, Select/Insert Credit button, Start Game button, and the A, B, X, and Y face buttons. Both the direction pad and face buttons use standard membranes, so they have a softer feel and no real click but are still responsive enough for most games.
Each Super Pocket comes with a blank dummy cartridge to protect the rear slot. Also on the rear of the unit is a volume control, and R1, L1, R2, and L2 buttons, the latter two of which are used to fast scroll in menus. Below the buttons is a rear speaker, which provides clear, distortion-free sound output even at maximum volume when combined with the front speaker, although you’ll still want to use a good pair of wired headphones for the best possible audio. (Like other Evercade-compatible hardware, Bluetooth audio isn’t supported.
At the bottom of the Super Pocket is the USB-C charging port, power switch next to an indicator light that’s blue when on, and 3.5mm headphone jack. Between the power switch and charging port is a charging indicator light, which shows red when charging and green when fully charged.
With its modest 3000mAh battery, you’ll only get up to four hours or so of run time depending on play volume and game type. On the plus side, the battery does a tremendous job of holding a charge. I’ve gone many months without using some of my charged Super Pockets and they’re still ready to play with 100% capacity when I do grab them again.
HyperMegaTech Super Pocket – Built-in Game Options
Blaze has a history of working around certain licensing restrictions on how certain games can be sold by building them into both their Evercade and HyperMegaTech hardware. While some of these restrictions have loosened of late – meaning, you’re starting to see some previously built-in only games coming to cartridge – a product like the Super Pocket is still one of the more reliable ways to guarantee access to games not yet, or may never be, on an Evercade cartridge. You can read the full lineup that comes preloaded on each edition in this sheet.
Each Super Pocket features the original games from their original platforms, so they’re not scaled to or optimized for the display. This is not an issue for many of the games, but for some – especially arcade games with a vertical/portrait (aka TATE) display – the active area can be quite small unless you choose to purposely distort the image with the Full Screen aspect ratio option. Examples of portrait display arcade games include Kiki Kaikai on the Taito Edition Super Pocket and BurgerTime on the Data East Edition Super Pocket, the latter of which highlights how difficult it can also sometimes be to make out text. In general, though, there are always enough games, even on the 12-game Capcom Edition, that work just fine within the display’s constraints.
You also have to consider that the direction pad and four face buttons are not the best way to control every game. For example, Operation Wolf included on the Taito Edition is a light gun game in the arcade, so using the direction pad to drag the targeting cursor across the screen is less than ideal. Similarly, a game like Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting on the Capcom Edition is controlled with six buttons. Normally, this wouldn’t be an issue, but the rear buttons on the Super Pocket are not ideally positioned to both hold the handheld and easily and consistently press those buttons, particularly in the heat of battle. Games that need four or fewer buttons, which is admittedly most of what’s included, are not a problem.
On the plus side, when you’re in any game, you can press the Game Menu button to Save or Load your place in one of six slots, as well as reference the controls. You can also change the Display settings, reset the game, or quit back to the main menu.
Between the six current editions, the Atari Edition features the most games at 50, and also the most games from (five!) different platforms. While some of the arcade games like Super Breakout or Crystal Castleshave portrait displays or native controls that don’t map well to a digital direction pad, for the most part, the other games work quite well on the Super Pocket thanks to the modest controls and resolutions of the original consoles and handheld. Of course, older arcade and 8-bit console games may have less appeal to some people than what’s featured on something like the Capcom Edition Super Pocket, even with just 12 games.
If you want a slightly newer mix of arcade and console games, the Technos Edition might be more for you, though it only features 15 games with a good amount of overlap. For a little better variety, the 18-game Data East Edition might be more desirable, although that also features a few games not particularly optimized for the display. Finally, there’s the NeoGeo Edition with 14 games, but each are well-optimized for both the controls and display as the Super Pocket’s setup closely matches what the MVS arcade machine offered, making it arguably the best choice if you can choose only one.
HyperMegaTech Super Pocket – Cartridge Games
The HyperMegaTech Super Pocket’s ace in the hole is its cartridge slot, which provides access to hundreds ofadditional games from nearly every genre across dozens of cartridges. There’s some overlap, like withTaito Arcade 1, but in general, these games are only found outside of what’s built into any of Blaze’s hardware.
Every cartridge is compatible, but not every game included on them is optimized for the Super Pocket’s display or controls. They are, however, tuned or tunable for the mainline Evercade hardware; theEvercade EXP-R handheld, for example, has an 800×400 resolution 4.3-inch IPS screen, and can also enter TATE mode to better display portrait-oriented arcade titles. The two pairs of shoulder buttons are also far easier to reach and press in the heat of action.
The other functionality missing from the Super Pocket that the mainline Evercade hardware gets is online connectivity. That means that the Super Pockets don’t get access to firmware updates or free games of the month, nor can they apply any updates to cartridges. On the rare chance a cartridge needs an update to run properly, it needs to be done on a mainline Evercade console, handheld, or bartop before it can be used in a Super Pocket.
In general, if you want the full Evercade experience, you’re better off with the EXP-R handheld, theVS-R console, or the Alpha bartop. Fortunately, this is not a zero-sum game as the Evercade platform is designed to expand as your wants and needs evolve. To put it another way, investing in one or more cartridges (and one or more pieces of hardware) allows you to play a particular game or games however you want. The Super Pocket, in mimicking the general Game Boy design, certainly has its appeal, as does its ability to simultaneously host both its internal games and a cartridge that can nearly double its available content on the go.
A new Pokémon TCG deal as appeared in the wild, this time it’s the Mega Evolution-themed Mega Latias ex Box at market via Amazon. That means $37.30 for two Mega Evolution, one Destined Rivals and One Journey Together boosters alongside a very playable promo Mega Latias ex card and not-so playable jumbo card.
Pokémon TCG: Mega Latias ex Box
The Best Pokémon Cards you could pull from Mega Latias ex Box
It’s really awesome to think about the chase cards you have a chance of pulling in this ex box, but that chance is usually quite slim. If I have a chase card I’m after and I don’t have packs to rip off-hand, I usually check out TCGPlayer for the best price and sort myself out that way. Considering booster boxes for any set are going near or over $200 right now, you’d be suprised at how much money you’ll save over opening booster packs. Here’s the top ten Pokémon card you can pull right now from mega Evolution, Destined Rivals and Journey Together, their values and where to buy them:
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.
The third anniversary of Goddess of Victory: Nikke arrives in November, and today it launched its biggest in-game event yet that includes the culmination of the main “Rapture Queen” storyline and the largest-scale battles the game has seen.
If you don’t know about Goddess of Victory: Nikke, it’s a free-to-play third-person idle shooter from Korean developer Shift Up that’s available on Android, iOS, and PC. Downloaded more than 45 million times since its launch in November 2022, it has a roster of more than 160 “Nikke,” android soldiers who you take into battle in an effort to reclaim the overworld from a vicious race of aliens called Raptures who forced humanity to flee underground.
That conflict comes to a head in this new story event, which will see players face off in a final battle against the evil Rapture Queen. But that’s just scratching the surface of what’s coming in the anniversary update. The other big addition is the new Surface Beta mode, which features large-scale simulation-style battles where you assemble Nikke squads, fight Raptures, collect resources, and capture strongholds.
And, of course, it wouldn’t be a major update without new recruitable characters. New SSR characters Nayuta and Liberalio will be recruitable through the normal gacha system, while SSR Chime will be a free anniversary event character. Nayuta and Liberalio will take center stage in the new story content, with Nayuta rallying her Pioneer Squad against the Rapture Queen, who Liberalio reveres as a mother figure.
The anniversary event adds a new gacha costume for Red Hood and pass costumes for Crown and Siren. Plus, it’s bringing back a re-run of the powerful Pilgrim characters, letting you choose one of Modernia, Dorothy, or Red Hood as your exclusive event pull. And there will be limited-time challenges like new boss fights, a new Union Raid, Solo Raid, and multiple minigames and events.
With the third anniversary fast approaching, we chatted with game director Yoo HyungSuk. He’s a 15-year veteran of the Korean gaming industry who started his career as a combat planner on MMORPGs. His previous work also includes being the director/planning director for games like Overhit and Lost Ark. He joined Shift Up in 2020, when he was named game director of Goddess of Victory: Nikke. We talked to him about the game’s successful three-year run, how the dev team approached the new anniversary content, their plans for the future, and more.
According to your livestream, the new anniversary story content leads to what is a “final battle.” Could you explain why such a storyline is being launched at this point?
Yoo HyungSuk: Since launch, Nikke has had a considerable number of stories that are spread in all directions. We realized the need to slowly gather the stories that have branched out over the past three years into a single storyline, and the third anniversary is the starting point of this plan.
Nayuta, the featured character for the third anniversary update, is unique compared to previous Nikke characters. Can you talk about the concept behind the development of this character and the different abilities they have?
Yoo HyungSuk: All members of the Pioneer squad are based on classic JRPG parties. Snow White is the heavily armored knight and tanker. Scarlet is the agile swordswoman and DPS. Rapunzel is the priest who heals. That’s how it works.
Nayuta is the fourth member, so she was designated as the monk who supports. We didn’t want her to be stronger than the other three members in combat, so we developed her to focus on utility, which led to the abilities she has now. Her main ability is using her clones to learn massive amounts of information. As a former D.E.E.P. member, she’s also familiar with over-technology.
You’re also introducing a new gameplay mode called Surface Beta to launch alongside the third anniversary. Can you tell us more about it?
Yoo HyungSuk: As its name suggests, the Surface Beta content allows players to explore the biggest world in Nikke. To make the experience more immersive, we decided to adopt a simulation-style battle system instead of the existing shooting battle format. We incorporated fun elements across the expansive field, such as uncovering hidden areas and solving puzzles. Mainly, we want players to experience the battles against Lord-class Raptures. As Raptures have basic gimmick patterns based on the surface, it is important to choose the squads’ locations wisely. We will also introduce even stronger bosses in the future, so stay tuned for more!
Your dev team has consistently created new minigames throughout Nikke’s three-year run. What factors are usually considered when deciding what type of minigame to develop?
Yoo HyungSuk: In major events like this anniversary, minigames are not mini. Given how important this update is, we put more effort into the game mode, with this one featuring a never-before-seen genre with unique visuals and an impressive scale. It’s a management simulation-style game where you restore Eden, which was destroyed for a mysterious reason.
Just the fact that we’re here celebrating the three-year anniversary shows how successful the game has been and how it’s maintained a connection with the community. What do you think are the reasons for that success?
Yoo HyungSuk: We think our Commanders enjoy unique content and stories that are different from other games. In this age of content overload, providing gameplay, visuals, and stories similar to other titles would be nothing short of boring.
Fans of our game have a deep understanding of our content and stories. Since we have to keep delivering excellent content and narratives without disappointing them, we really try to emphasize to the whole development team that they should truly love the game and then it’s not just work. We will continue keeping this in mind and work harder to make our game better, so please stay tuned.
Since Nikke first launched, what have been the biggest difficulties you’ve run into and how did you overcome them?
Yoo HyungSuk: In the past three years, our biggest problem has been figuring out how to adapt to this fast-changing era and deciding what content and stories we should deliver to bring players for maximum fun. This issue has persisted for three years and will continue into the future. We are game developers, and fun is the core value of any game, so it’s only right that we face this challenge and keep bringing more fun and new content to our players. So it’s both a joyful and difficult journey.
That’s an interesting perspective. Do you think needing to adapt to that change has helped keep the dev team engaged? I imagine it can sometimes be difficult working on the same game for years even after release, dealing with complacency or burnout. But do you think having those consistent challenges to overcome helps with that?
Yoo HyungSuk: Yes, when we set endless goals it’s indeed possible to encounter problems like job burnout. Like boxers, we need to constantly compete, prove our ability, and have strong mental resilience.
This is why, from the very beginning, we’ve emphasized to the development team that, rather than aiming for zero mistakes, what matters more is learning from the mistakes and growing. After adopting this mindset, we noticed that continuously setting goals actually helps improve the team’s focus.
You’ve been able to collaborate with some big franchises, from Evangelion to Stellar Blade to Nier: Automata to the recent Resident Evil. What’s the process in deciding who to collaborate with?
Yoo HyungSuk: Collaborations are decided through various discussions, but recently, we’ve focused on finding IPs that players who like Nikke will enjoy, even if they’re not familiar with it. We designed the Resident Evil minigame with this perspective in mind, and we hope players are having fun with it.
Nikke has also shown up at some surprising real-life events, like the San Diego Padres baseball game and on the Hudson River in New York. Will we see Nikke at other real-world events in the future?
Yoo HyungSuk: Of course! Bringing multifaceted enjoyment that goes beyond the game to our Commanders makes us happy. In particular, seeing Rapi throw the first pitch at Petco Park in San Diego was especially an honor for us. We’ll continue to do our best, so please keep watching us.
Speaking of the future, what does Shift Up have planned for Goddess of Victory: Nikke in 2026?
Yoo HyungSuk: In 2026, we will continue to work hard to give you fun experiences, both in-game and beyond. We’re preparing various events and updates to surprise you, and we’re ready to bring more special surprises for the 3.5 and fourth anniversaries. I’m already excited now. In 2026, we also plan to improve the quality of our operations to provide a more stable experience. Hope you all enjoy the game.
Since the third anniversary’s story is centered around the “final battle” theme, could you give us a hint about what comes next?
Yoo HyungSuk: We hope in 2026 our story could move on to the next stage. We plan to gather the countless stories we’ve told so far, converge them into one culminating point, and then move forward.
Nikke has built up quite a following of passionate fans around the world in its three years. As we celebrate the anniversary, is there anything you want to say to the players who’ve been on this journey with you?
Yoo HyungSuk: This year, we participated in the LA Anime Expo with Cosmograph and had the opportunity to talk to American players in person. Many of them expressed their gratitude, and some even shed tears of excitement upon meeting us. This left a lasting memory in my heart.
For those of us who spend all day in the office, this opportunity to meet players in person is extremely invaluable. Being able to personally feel the love from fans is truly blissful. Although developing the game and providing live service is sometimes hard and exhausting, the support from players pushes us to overcome difficulties and pick ourselves back up over and over again, and come up with more exciting and fun events.
Goddess of Victory: Nikke is available to download for free on the game’s official website, or on the App Store or Google Play. You can also join the game’s community on Discord, Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube.
That sparked concern for The Lord of the Rings MMO. Now, one former Amazon Games developer hit by the cuts has indicated the game has indeed fallen by the wayside.
“This morning I was part of the layoffs at Amazon Games, alongside my incredibly talented peers on New World and our fledgling Lord of the Rings game (y’all would have loved it),” the developer said in a now-deleted post on LinkedIn.
“It’s always tough to see such a strong team go through something like this — I’ve been lucky to work with some of the most skilled, creative, and kind developers I’ve ever met here.”
The line “y’all would have loved it,” does suggest The Lord of the Rings is now dead. Neither Amazon nor Lord of the rings rights holder Embracer have responded to IGN’s request for comment.
Although The Lord of the Rings was announced in 2023, in August last year, Amazon Games boss Christoph Hartmann told IGN it was still early days. “We’re still trying to find the hook, find that idea of what it is because we don’t just want to go and do the same thing over,” Hartmann said at the time.
“While it’s tempting sometimes with an existing IP, that’s not the point of doing it. You’ve got to find a fresh twist, and we’re still, I think, in that period where we really want to find out what could be the hook, what could be the thing which is different to all the other games out there. So it’s a little bit early.”
In 2023, Embracer said it needed to be “exploiting Lord of the Rings in a very significant fashion” by turning it into “one of the biggest gaming franchises in the world.” Embracer bought the rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit in August 2022 and announced plans to explore opportunities to create new games, movies, and more based on the famous intellectual property soon after.
This isn’t the first time Amazon has canceled a Lord of the Rings MMO. In 2021, it halted a Lord of the Rings MMORPG that was first announced in 2019 amid a contract dispute with Tencent.
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.
Resident Evil Requiem is set to release for PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, and PC on February 27. It puts you in the shoes of Grace Ashcroft, an FBI intelligence analyst who, unlike most Resident Evil protagonists, is not used to fighting horrific enemies. It will also let you switch between first- and third-person perspectives at any time.
RE Requiem is available to preorder now (see it at Best Buy). It’s coming out in a number of editions, with some neat extras to go along with it, so read on for a breakdown of what comes in each one.
Four weapon skins including S&S M232 Weapon Skin: Apocalypse
Two charms including Charm: Mr. Raccoon
Audio Pack: Raccoon City Classic
Files: Letters from 1998
Switch 2 Pro Controller – Resident Evil Requiem Edition
Switch 2 Pro Controller Resident Evil Requiem Edition
Here’s an unusual one for Nintendo. You can get an official Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller that’s etched with Resident Evil Requiem imagery. It costs $99.99 and will arrive February 27, the same day as the new game.
Switch owners who have missed out on the last two mainline Resident Evil releases can pick up a three-pack for Switch 2. The Resident Evil Generation Pack comes with Resident Evil 7 and all its DLC, Resident Evil Village and all its DLC, and Resident Evil Requiem. It comes in a tasteful box to house all the games.
Resident Evil Requiem amiibo Announced
They’re not available for preorder yet, but Capcom has announced it will release a Grace Ashcroft amiibo in summer 2026.
Resident Evil Requiem Preorder Bonus
Preorder the game, and you’ll get the following in-game item:
Grace’s Costume: Apocalypse
What Is Resident Evil Requiem?
The game kicks off when a body is discovered in an abandoned hotel. The person seems to have died from a strange, unidentified disease. You, as FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft, are sent to investigate the mysterious death, which just so happens to have occurred at the same hotel where your mom died eight years ago.
As you face your traumatic past, you also uncover a connection between this new body and the events of Raccoon City — where your mom was a reporter, who escaped from the carnage.
As for the gameplay, you can swap at any time between first-person and third-person perspectives. There seems to be another murderous character chasing you through the game, as our game critic discovered during a Resident Evil Requiem hands-on preview. We’ll have more info as Capcom trickles it out ahead of the game’s release in February 2026.
More Preorder Guides
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN’s board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.
Nintendo has brought Animal Crossing: New Horizons back into the big time with a Switch 2 Edition and a free update to the base game.
Both launch January 15, 2026, with preorders coming soon, Nintendo said.
Here’s the official blurb:
With enhanced resolution, mouse controls using the Joy-Con 2 controller, expanded online play, and more features exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2, players can get even more out of the island life in Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition!
Plus, a free update is coming to Animal Crossing: New Horizons for players on both Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch to enjoy. The free update includes a new resort hotel, additional amiibo functionality, collaboration items, updates to online play, and more.
We can’t wait for you to see everything new on the island January 15, 2026!
Nintendo Switch 2 players who already have Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo Switch can upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition by purchasing the upgrade pack.
Most fans had accepted that Nintendo had left Animal Crossing: New Horizons behind, despite it being the second best-selling game on Switch with an enormous 48.19 million units sold. Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched in March 2020 and benefited from play-at-home gaming fueled by lockdowns, but Nintendo failed to capitalize on its popularity with significant DLC throughout the last five years. IGN’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons review returned a 9/10. We said: “Animal Crossing: New Horizons is an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game that’s full of surprises.”
Developing…
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.
The Pokémon Trading Card Game shows no signs of slowing down in 2025. Whether you’re a competitive player, a casual collector, or someone who’s just dropped way too much money on framed booster art, this year’s TCG lineup is going all in with new mechanics, nostalgic reprints, and plenty of chances to chase that cardboard high.
The Elite Trainer Box is the marquee product for each set, and Phantasmal Flames is no different. Packed with nine booster packs, a 1 full-art foil promo card featuring Charcadet, themed sleeves, dice, and all the accessories needed for play.
What makes this set even more exciting is its size , about 90 cards before secret rares, which makes it the smallest English set in nearly a decade. For collectors like me, that usually means a much more manageable chase, while still packing in plenty of heavy hitters for players.
The product lineup looks pretty stacked too. We’ll be getting the usual booster packs and booster box (36 packs), a 9-pack Elite Trainer Box featuring a shiny new Charcadet promo, and an Ultra-Premium Collection built around Mega Charizard X ex.
On top of that, two theme decks for Mega Gengar ex and Mega Diancie ex are arriving a few weeks early on October 24, which is a fun way to get a taste of the set before launch. If you’re like me and love cracking packs, the booster box is the way to go, but the UPC is already looking like the big collector piece this time around.
What ties it all together is the Japanese set Inferno X, which hit shelves there in late September. That set had only 80 cards, and once you add in the Mega Gengar and Mega Diancie decks, you basically get the full Phantasmal Flames lineup.
We’ve already seen some killer reveals, including the Mega Charizard X ex secret rare previewed at Worlds, so I’m fully expecting that to be the chase card when this launches. Between the smaller set size, Charizard hype, and some solid gameplay cards, I think this one’s going to fly off shelves and I’m definitely locking in my preorder.
Announced at Japan’s Championship tournament, the two new sets featuring Mega Lucario ex and Mega Gardevoir ex mark the popular trading card game stepping away from its Scarlet and Violet era.
Finding sealed products like these at a fair price is already a challenge. Some stores are holding MSRP, others are inflating prices, and secondary marketplaces have their own dynamics to keep in mind, too.
But the gist is: collectors who must have the ETB, Best Buy and Walmart are worth constant refreshing. If reliability matters more, TCGplayer is the most straightforward (though slighty more costly) option.
While we can maybe expect products from this set to be joining Pokémon TCG deals further down the line, huge initial demand will definitely see certain cards become price juggernauts among upcoming crashers and climbers.
It’s already shaping up to be a huge year, so here’s everything from the rest of the Pokémon TCG releases in 2025. And yes, IGN will be tracking all the buy links, both here and on socials at @IGNDeals.
Pokémon TCG 2025 Holiday Calendar – Released Aug. 22, 2025
The Pokémon Company started releasing annual holiday calendars back in 2022, inspired by the Pokémon Countdown Calendar from 2008.
These products are surprisingly good value in the current TCG market, as well as for casual fans of the series in other forms. You can see the listing here at Amazon or scroll on for more details.
The 2025 Pokémon Holiday Calendar released on August 22 and initially retailed for $49.99 at Target before quicklly selling out. It’s now available at Walmart for a pricier $64.99 or at Amazon for $69.
Black Bolt and White Flare – Released Jul. 18, 2025
If you haven’t secured your boosters for Black Bolt and White Flare sealed products, feel free to try your luck at launch at your local brick and mortar or online, or even at Amazon right now.
Alternatively, TCGPlayer pricing for presale sealed product is crashing, so I reckon we’re seeing the usual price crash post-launch coming earlier.
What do I think of the set? I think it’s great and possibly the best opportunity to pull Illustration Rares in the Scarlet and Violet era, it’s ending on a high note.
Personally I’m not a fan of stuffing the set with Pokéball and Masterball rares, but in terms of quality and presentation they look cool. It would be grand to see Mega Evolution double down on the dual format and loads of Illustration Rares, but this is an encouraging sneek peek into what’s next for Pokémon TCG.
Black Bolt and White Flare focus on the 156 Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region. Each Unova Pokémon will appear as either an illustration rare or a special illustration rare card, with different versions available in Black Bolt and White Flare products.
July 18, 2025: Scarlet & Violet Black Bolt/White Flare ETBs (9 boosters, promo, accessories); Binder Collection (5 boosters, Zekrom/Reshiram album); Unova Poster Collection (6 boosters, Snivy/Tepig/Oshawott promos, poster); Unova Mini Tin (2 boosters, art/sticker card).
August 22, 2025: Booster Bundle (6 Black Bolt/White Flare boosters).
Destined Rivals – Released May. 30, 2025
Things really kicked off on May 30with Destined Rivals. This set brings back Trainer’s Pokémon, reintroduces Team Rocket for another round of villainous fun, and includes some of the best card art we’ve seen in ages.
Destined Rivals top chase card prices are also finally stabilizing, making it a great time to snap some up. Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex SIR has been going for anything over $450 since release, but is starting to settle on a more respectable $370.
A few weeks ago the Destined Rivals singles market was bouncing all over the place. Some cards were doubling in price overnight and it was tough to tell what was hype and what would hold. Now prices feel a lot more stable.
Some have dipped. Some Destined Rivals bangers are just cruising right at market. It feels like we’re finally seeing what these cards are actually worth.
Above are the ten most expensive cards in the set right now. A couple of them are legit strong in decks. A few are pure collector bait. Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex was the hottest card in the set for a while and it’s still holding close to market. The artwork is what does it for me.
Mewtwo looks like it’s about to explode, floating in this dim lab setting with everything glowing around it. The ability makes it tough to use unless you’re running a full Rocket build, but once it’s active, Erasure Ball gives you some serious power. Definitely still a top-tier pull even with the market calming down.
What Cards Are Hot Right Now?
Scarlet and Violet 151 card prices continue to shift, with Charizard ex, Blastoise ex, and Venusaur ex SIRs climbing steadily thanks to standout artwork, competitive playability, and high collector demand. Charizard has jumped to $210, Blastoise is up 28% to $84.99, and Venusaur is up 27% to $69.99. Zapdos ex and Alakazam ex are also on the rise, with Alakazam seeing the biggest gain of 35% to $44.98.
On the other hand, prices for Kanto starter Illustration Rares like Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle have dipped as more product floods the market. Charmander is down 14% to $44.44, Bulbasaur is down 18% to $32.20, and middle evolutions like Charmeleon and Wartortle are following the same trend. While the final evolutions remain the most sought-after, now is a good time to pick up the earlier stages at a more reasonable price.
Journey Together – Released Mar. 28 2025
It’s about time we got a set like this. Bringing back nostalgic Trainer’s Pokémon cards from the Gym Heroes era. N’s Zoroark ex and Lillie’s Clefairy ex end the chaos of endless secret arts for a more curated, collectible experience.
With just 16 Pokémon ex, 11 illustration rares, and three hyper rare gold cards, it’s easier to track what’s worth pulling without feeling like you need a PhD in pack odds.
Fancy snagging the Enhanced Booster Display Box with its bonus N’s Reshiram illustration rare or pull Iono’s Bellibolt ex? This set screams nostalgia with a new coat of paint.
Rare Cards and Collector’s Highlights
If you’re into collecting, this set hits the sweet spot. It’s got 16 Pokémon ex, six unique illustrations rares, and just three hyper rare gold cards, which means you won’t have to mortgage your house chasing every rarity. And the artwork? Illustrating rares like N’s Zoroark ex will look incredible in your binder.
Pokémon Center’s Enhanced Booster Display Box is the one to grab for preorder exclusives. It comes with a bonus N’s Reshiram illustration rare card—a little extra flex for your collection.
What Makes Scarlet & Violet—Journey Together Special?
The Scarlet & Violet—Journey Together expansion is a nod to fans who’ve been in it for a long time. Remember Gym Heroes?
This set revives the much-loved Trainer’s Pokémon cards, spotlighting the bond between iconic Trainers and their Pokémon.
Cards like N’s Zoroark ex, Hop’s Zacian ex, and Iono’s Bellibolt ex aren’t just cool to look at; they call back to the late ’90s and early ’00s Pokémania. We’re all for that here.
What’s even better? This expansion ditches the overload of secret rares that made recent sets feel overwhelming.
Instead, Journey Together keeps things tight, making tracking what you want to pull easier. Whether it’s an illustration rare, a special art card, or one of those hyper-rare gold beauties, you can finally open packs without feeling like you need a flowchart to figure out what’s in the set.
Prismatic Evolutions – Released Jan. 17 2025
Prismatic Evolutions, kicked off 2025, and it’s all about Eevee and its many evolutions. This set is doing things differently, which is probably why stock sells out as soon as it comes in.
This is another 151 situation, but there’s plenty of stock refeshes coming throughout 2025. You won’t find these cards in the usual booster packs.
Instead, they’ll be released in boxed sets throughout the year, each packed full of exclusive cards celebrating Eevee and friends. With over 175 cards, including unique designs and new game mechanics, Prismatic Evolutions is shaping to be a hit with collectors and competitive players alike.
Rare Cards and Collector’s Highlights
For collectors, Prismatic Evolutions isn’t short on treasures. Each Eevee evolution has its special illustration and hyper-rare gold Pokémon ex card, making them must-haves for anyone building a showcase-worthy collection.
The set includes 32 illustration rares featuring detailed artwork for Pokémon ex and Supporter cards, so plenty of eye candy is here. With so many unique finishes and designs, it’s bound to make a few waves among fans.
Between the fresh artwork, inventive mechanics, and the undeniable charm of Eevee and friends, Prismatic Evolutions is set to be one of the year’s standout sets. Collectors and players alike will find something to love here, from stunning illustration rares to powerful new game cards that can make a real difference in play.
What Makes Prismatic Evolutions Special?
This set brings some new gameplay tricks and visually striking designs. The big attraction is the debut of Stellar Tera Pokémon ex cards, which showcase Eevee and each of its evolutions with Terastal-inspired art.
These aren’t just nice to look at—they come with moves that need multiple energy types to activate, encouraging players to build balanced, flexible decks. And for the first time, Eevee’s ex card can evolve into other ex forms, giving trainers even more options to play with.
Collectors will appreciate some cool new reverse holo designs featuring Poké Ball and Master Ball patterns that pop on any card. And if you’re into rare cards, six ACE SPEC Trainer cards are in the set, limited to one per deck.
Each one packs a serious punch in gameplay—like the MAX Rod ACE SPEC card, which lets players retrieve up to five Pokémon or Energy cards from their discard pile. On top of that, Prismatic Evolutions features a mix of ultra-rare illustration cards, gold-edged rares, and special art that takes these cards to another level.
Adapted from the Japanese sets Supercharged Breaker and Paradise Dragona, this expansion combines the raw power of electric Pokémon with the majestic strength of Dragon-types like Alolan Exeggutor ex and Latias ex.
With over 250 cards, including new ACE SPEC cards and Stellar Tera ex Pokémon, Surging Sparks has exciting new additions that will shake up the competitive scene and include some epic chase cards for collectors.
Beyond the headlining Pikachu ex, Surging Sparks offers a diverse range of powerful cards, including nine regular ex Tera Pokémon, 23 illustration rares, and six golden secret rares, making it a must-have for any serious Pokémon TCG fan.
Stellar Crown: September 13 2024
Stellar Crown is set to launch on September 13, 2024, as the seventh main expansion in the Scarlet & Violet series. This highly anticipated set introduces the Legendary Pokémon Terapagos and a new wave of Stellar-type Tera Pokémon. With over 170 cards, including over a dozen new Pokémon ex and a variety of Trainer and ACE SPEC cards, Stellar Crown is packed with powerful new mechanics and stunning artwork.
Fans can look forward to the first English appearances of Illustration Rare cards for classics like Squirtle and Bulbasaur, alongside chase cards like Special Illustration Rare versions of Hydrapple ex, Galvantual ex, and Terapagos ex. This set also introduces innovative strategies with cards like Briar, Sparkling Crystal, and the ACE SPEC Stadium card Great Tree, which could revolutionize Tera-focused decks.
Shrouded Fable August 2, 2024
Shrouded Fable brings Pokémon from the Mochi Mayhem mission to the TCG. This set features woodcut-style illustration rares and introduces new ex-cards for Pecharunt and The Loyal Three. With unique cards and showcase collections, Shrouded Fable promises to be a visually stunning and strategically rich set.
Stay tuned for more exciting Pokémon TCG releases throughout 2024. With each set bringing unique themes and mechanics, there’s something for every fan to enjoy. While waiting, why not check out today’s best Pokémon TCG deals? That’s right, we’re that awesome!
Paldean Fates Set (January 26th – February 23rd)
Paldean Fates released in three waves, offering a unique approach with no individual booster packs. Instead, products like the Elite Trainer Box and Premium Collections provided a variety of boosters and exclusive cards. The set’s focus on Shiny and Baby, Shiny Pokémon with vibrant foil treatments, made it a hit among collectors and players alike.
Combined Powers Premium Collection (Late February 2024)
This collection brought back exclusive cards from the 2023 Pokémon TCG Classic set, offering a more affordable way to acquire these Legendary Pokémon. With foil variants and multiple booster packs, it was a must-have for collectors and competitive players.
Mabosstiff ex Box (Late February 2024)
This box features the Dark-type Pokémon Mabosstiff ex and its Basic form, Maschiff. It provides powerful cards with efficient energy costs. Including four booster packs, it’s a practical addition for players looking to strengthen their Dark decks.
Houndoom and Melmetal ex-Battle Decks (February 23)
These ex-Battle Decks were perfect for intermediate players. They offered ready-to-play decks focused on specific Pokémon types. The balanced design and included accessories made them great for refining strategies and exploring new deck combinations.
Paldea Adventure Chest (March 1st, 2024)
Though aimed at younger fans, the Paldea Adventure Chest included valuable promo cards and fun accessories. The high price might be a barrier for some, but the unique contents and attractive packaging made it a delightful addition to any collection.
2023 World Championship Decks (March 1)
These decks offered a glimpse into the strategies of world champions, providing excellent value with powerful cards and themed accessories. While not tournament-legal, they were ideal for casual play and honing advanced tactics.
Ninetales and Zapdos Deluxe ex Battle Decks (March 22)
Arriving on March 22nd, the Deluxe ex Battle Decks feature Ninetales ex and Zapdos ex. These decks are designed for experienced players and include a Pokémon coin, themed playmat, damage counters, condition markers, a strategy sheet, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card.
Temporal Forces (March 22)
Temporal Forces, releasing on March 22nd, is the next main set following Paradox Rift. It includes booster packs, boxes, and two Elite Trainer Boxes, each with its exclusive foil promo card and themed accessories. This set continues exploring time-based mechanics, offering exciting new cards and gameplay possibilities.
The Iono Premium Tournament Collection, launching on April 5th, celebrates the popular Supporter Iono with themed accessories, booster packs, and four Iono cards, including a full art variant. This collection is ideal for fans looking to enhance their decks with powerful support cards and stylish accessories.
Grafaiai ex Box (April 5)
Releasing alongside the Iono Premium Tournament Collection, the Grafaiai ex Box includes:
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.
Capcom is throwing the full force of Resident Evil Requiem at the Nintendo Switch 2 with a number of exclusive announcements for the console.
First up is the Resident Evil Requiem-themed Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, which Nintendo will release alongside the game on February 27, 2026. It’s the first Switch 2 game to get its own Pro Controller.
Next is the Resident Evil Generation Pack, due out for Nintendo Switch 2, which contains:
Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition
Resident Evil Village Gold Edition
And finally, the first ever Resident Evil amiibo is on its way in the form of Grace Ashcroft, the game’s playable character. It’s due out summer 2026. Of course, given the speculation around Leon also being a playable character in Resident Evil Requiem, fans are wondering if a Leon amiibo is also in the works.
Resident Evil Requiem arrives for Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S on February 27, 2026.
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.
Battlefield 6 Season 1 is here, and players have already turned their attention to one major issue: Blackwell Fields.
The California sun-soaked fields of EA and Battlefield Studios’ first new post-launch map are home to an army of oil pumpjacks, smoky hills, and an orange tint that blankets every scrap of metal and radio tower. It also happens to be what some believe is “hands down the worst map in the game” if not “the worst map in BF history.”
This week’s Season 1 launch was meant to be the first in a long line of exciting moments for Battlefield players. Instead, it’s kicked off seasonal updates on a sour note, as fans flock to criticize Blackwell Fields as a wasteland that suffers from a lack of cover for infantry and vehicles alike.
“I can’t count the amount of times I spawn on this map and instantly have direct vision of the enemies capturing points,” one dissatisfied Battlefield 6 player said. “You get shot at from every angle on this map, there’s never a break. People can just spawn and start shooting you straight away.”
“My playstyle is engineer class and I blow up armored vehicles, but I cant even get into cover in this map without getting shot from ALL sides,” another popular post explained. “The massive open areas makes it a sniper haven and every other class is just trashed.”
Despite its relatively large battles, Battlefield 6’s Conquest mode seems to suffer the most when it comes to Blackwell Fields, as players report facing enemy fire from as far away as enemy HQ spawn points. Pilots for air vehicles, specifically, report having a hard time on the new Season 1 map. Despite being considered one of the larger maps Battlefield 6 has to offer, opponents with the right hardware can still lock onto some jets before they’ve even taken off.
“This is fantastic,” one Reddit user jokes. “I was hoping for more maps where Helis are useless.”
“No no, they are perfect nice garage helicopters,” another user teases. “You keep them nice and clean in the hangar.
These Blackwell Fields balance issues only add fuel to the fire that is the conversation surrounding map sizes in Battlefield 6, but many have expressed dissatisfaction with the map regardless of game mode. Even smaller objective-based game modes in downsized versions of Blackwell Fields still feature those orange visuals, leading to even more chaotic moments as bullets fly through dense environments obscured by smoke.
“I played a round of breakthrough which was decent and one of conquest which was a disaster,” one Steam user commented. “The visibility is already so bad in this game no matter what settings you use, the red/orange tint that this map have it’s a disaster.”
Although the stray comment praising Blackwell Fields and its cinematic feel can be found if you look hard enough, it seems most players online would trade atmosphere if it meant BF Studios would fix what they feel are one-sided battles and suffocating gun fights. Of course, it’s only been one day since Season 1 launched for Battlefield 6, so opinions could shift after they spend more time with the new map.
It’s unclear if Blackwell Fields will receive any changes, but EA and BF Studios have proven to be responsive when it comes to fan feedback so far. Even if Blackwell Fields continues to be a sore spot for the community, Season 1 will at least deliver a new, less orange map in the form of Eastwood come November 18.
As the team works to iron out the kinks in Battlefield 6 Season 1, they’ll also continue to deliver updates for Battlefield REDSEC and its battle royale mode. The standalone experience launched yesterday and is facing its own issues, as players have taken to the Steam reviews section to call for changes to its battle pass and queue options.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
