Co-Op Climbing Game Peak Takes Steam by Storm, Reaches Summit of Top Sellers Chart

Peak, a co-op climbing game from the team behind Another Crab’s Treasure, is taking Steam by storm, selling 1 million copies in just six days.

According to Steam’s official top-selling games chart, which sorts games by revenue on Valve’s platform, Peak is ahead of the likes of Dune: Awakening, Stellar Blade, and Elden Ring Nightreign, albeit at a significantly lower price.

Peak hit an impressive… peak concurrent player figure of 102,799 yesterday, June 23, which was enough to make it one of the most-played games on Steam over the weekend.

“Why did this stupid jam game sell more copies than Another Crab’s Treasure?” posited a facetious post by developer Aggo Crab on Bluesky. “I’m gonna crash out.” A follow up tweet, however, thanked players with a heart emoji.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, then, Aggro Crab team spent the weekend working on a patch for the newly released game, including a better lobby, a reminder to sprint when almost out of stamina, as well as addressing a crash on AMD hardware.

“It was the stupid grass,” the team revealed after it rolled out the fix. “We got rid of it. Turns out touching grass is BAD.”

Peak is a co-op climbing game where “the slightest mistake can spell your doom.” Either solo or as a group of lost nature scouts, your only hope of rescue from a mysterious island is to scale the mountain at its center.

We had a good time with Aggro Crab’s prior game, Another Crab’s Treasure, awarding it 8/10 in our review, writing: “Another Crab’s Treasure throws out dark themes and gratuitous violence in favor of talking cartoon crabs, and I love it.”

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Don’t Expect Zelda, Animal Crossing or Other Nintendo Franchises to Pop Up in Mario Kart World, Producer Suggests — ‘It Would Have Seemed Incongruous’

Nintendo looks set to keep Mario Kart World’s focus firmly on the Mushroom Kingdom — so don’t expect the return of cameos from Zelda, Splatoon or Animal Crossing.

Whereas Mario Kart 8 welcomed Link, Zelda, Isabelle and the Inklings to its character roster, the even longer cast list found in Mario Kart World lacks any faces from outside the Mario universe. Even the ability to race as your Mii, a staple since Mario Kart Wii, is also gone.

Now, Nintendo has addressed its U-turn on characters from beyond the Mushroom Kingdom’s borders, and noted that it was a deliberate choice to keep Mario Kart World’s, er, world, from feeling “incongruous”.

“As developers, it would have seemed incongruous to us to add characters from other games to this universe,” Mario Kart World producer Kosuke Yabuki told Ouest-France. “And it didn’t seem necessary to us, given everything we could already do with Mario.”

When asked specifically whether Yabuki had considered adding characters from another of one of his Nintendo projects, Arms, the producer replied: “Absolutely not!”

“We inevitably wonder how the players will perceive this casting,” Yabuki concluded. “But there are so many characters and so many costumes that every player is sure to find what they are looking for.”

While the lack of characters from other Nintendo games might seem like a backstep for the franchise, it’s perhaps not a surprise to see Mario Kart World take this route considering its firm foundation as an open-world rendition of the Mushroom Kingdom.

From Peach’s Castle to Bowser’s Fortress, Mario Kart World’s open map is designed to make you feel like you’re on a roadtrip through Mario’s backyard. Explaining why Samus or Tom Nook was suddenly there in this scenario becomes more difficult.

Likewise with tracks focused on non-Mario areas. Mario Kart 8 offered areas themed around Hyrule, and courses that paid tribute to F-Zero and Excitebike. It’s hard to see how something similar could work in Mario Kart World.

And then there’s the wider focus for Nintendo — which through its Super Nintendo Land theme park and Super Mario Bros. Movie is creating a more discrete identity for its beloved and lucrative Mario characters to stand apart from other franchises.

Take, for instance, the example of the company’s movie efforts, with an animated Mario sequel in development that’s not expected to relate in any way to its live-action film plans to adapt The Legend of Zelda.

Nintendo fans hoping for a big Switch 2 crossover title still have the hope of a new Super Smash Bros. — though creator Masahiro Sakurai is currently busy building a new Kirby game instead.

Check out our Mario Kart World guide and learn how to unlock every hidden Mario Kart World character, plus how Kamek Unlocks work – you’ll need them to unlock NPC Drivers. We’ve also got a guide to all the Mario Kart World food scattered across the open world and where to find it, which will help you get all the Mario Kart World outfits and costumes permanently.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 2 Details, Including Release Date, Leaked by PlayStation

Whoops — Sony just leaked Monster Hunter Wilds‘ Title Update 2 via the official PlayStation website.

The changes have been rolled back now, naturally, but for a brief while the Monster Hunter Wilds page on the PlayStation Store revealed the update is set to release on June 30.

As well as a firm release date, Sony’s website also confirmed we’ll be getting more events, layered weapons, the Leviathan Arch-Tempered Uth Duna, and two “fan-favorite” monsters — one is definitely Lagiacrus, the underwater leviathan, with the other widely speculated to be Seregios, based on datamine sources.

Oh, and this cosmetic armor set has also been discovered, too:

Capcom had told us to expect the “latest news” on the company’s upcoming games, as well as interviews with the developers, at its showcase later this week, so that’s likely when this information will be officially unveiled. The Capcom Spotlight livestream is set for 3pm PT/ 11pm UK time on Thursday, June 25.

The latest in Capcom’s long-running monster-fighting series brought in some big numbers with its launch, selling 8 million copies in just three days. That’s enough to make it the fastest-selling Capcom game of all time, well above the 5 million copies 2018’s Monster Hunter World shipped in 2018 and the 4 million Monster Hunter Rise shipped in 2021.

We gave Monster Hunters Wilds an 8 in our review, writing: “Monster Hunter Wilds continues to smooth off the rougher corners of the series in smart ways, making for some extremely fun fights but also lacking any real challenge.”

To help get your Monster Hunter Wilds adventure started, take a look at what Monster Hunter Wilds doesn’t tell you, and a guide to all 14 weapon types in the game. We’ve also got a detailed MH Wilds walkthrough in progress, a MH Wilds multiplayer guide to explain how to play with friends, and if you’ve played one of the open betas, here’s how to transfer your MH Wilds Beta character over.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Reveals Nickelodeon Collaboration That Adds SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Guest Characters

Earlier this month, Sega confirmed Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds guest characters such as Hatsune Miku, Ichiban Kasuga (Yakuza), Joker (Persona 5), and even Steve, Alex, and Creeper from Minecraft. But the guest characters do not stop there. Sega has now announced a Nickelodeon collaboration that brings SpongeBob SquarePants to the track — and teased Avatar and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters down the line.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a kart racer packed with Sega characters and as such celebrates the company’s history. In addition, big-name guest characters are helping to flesh out the roster of racers. As part of that, those who buy the Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Digital Deluxe Edition get the Season Pass, which includes the Nickelodeon content as well as the recently announced Minecraft characters, vehicles, and tracks, characters from the Netflix series, Sonic Prime, and two more yet-to-be-announced collaborations.

The trailer below shows off SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star racing the Patty Wagon, a vehicle shaped like a Krabby Patty from the SpongeBob SquarePants series, across the Bikini Bottom track (Bikini Bottom is the main setting in the SpongeBob SquarePants series).

Sega has said CrossWorlds will feature a huge roster of over playable characters, if you include DLC. Characters you’d expect to see, such as Sonic, Dr. Eggman, Knuckles, Shadow, and Tails are present and correct, but now you can add the likes of SpongeBob SquarePants into the mix.

CrossWorlds is of course going up against Switch 2 exclusive kart game Mario Kart World, which has so far resisted adding guest characters from outside the Nintendo pantheon. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is set for release on both the Switch and the Switch 2, so it looks like we’ll be set for some old-fashioned Mario vs. Sonic kart racing rivalry when Sega’s effort launches in September.

IGN recently went hands-on with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and came away impressed. “It’s a vibe,” we said, “and one that I’ve enjoyed and will look forward to drifting through.”

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 Best Deals Today: Street Fighter 6, Monster Hunter Wilds, and More

We’ve rounded up the best deals for Sunday, June 22, below, so don’t miss out on these limited-time offers.

Monster Hunter Wilds for $55.99

Monster Hunter Wilds released earlier this year and sold through 10 million copies in just a matter of weeks. Wilds brought many new features to the series for the first time, including dynamic weather, a connected hub, and more. A Capcom Spotlight livestream event is set for Thursday, June 26, so it’s likely that we will receive new information on the next major update coming to the game.

Donkey Kong Bananza Now Available to Pre-Order

This week’s Donkey Kong Bananza Direct was absolutely bananas, and if you weren’t interested in the game before, you probably are now. Bananza is set to be DK’s biggest adventure yet, and this time, he’s joined by a young Pauline. The two are tasked with heading to the very core of the planet, where wishes are supposedly granted. If you are looking for the next big game on Nintendo Switch 2, this right here is sure to be it. Donkey Kong Bananza is the best-selling game on Amazon at the moment, so be sure to lock in your copy to get it day one.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance for $24.99

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is back at its all-time low price this weekend! SMT V: Vengeance is an enhanced version of the former Nintendo Switch exclusive SMT V, launched in 2019. The biggest feature available in this upgraded re-release is the all-new Canon of Vengeance route, which is essentially 40 hours of new story content.

Street Fighter 6 for $20

Although it released in 2023, Street Fighter 6 is still one of the most fun fighting games available in the genre today. Year 2 DLC just wrapped up, bringing guest characters into Street Fighter for the first time in the form of Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui. For $20, you can jump into the game just ahead of Year 3 DLC, and there has really never been a better time to do so.

Save Over 50% Off This LEGO Animal Crossing K.K.’s Concert in The Plaza Set

LEGO sets nowadays do not come cheap, especially for those with a larger number of pieces. A few years ago, Nintendo teamed up with LEGO for Super Mario, and that has grown to include both The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing. This weekend, you can save over $45 off the LEGO Animal Crossing K.K.’s Concert Set, which is perfect for fans of all ages.

Super Mario Party Jamboree for $44.99

With the recent reveal of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games, it’s no question that you are going to want to save anywhere you can. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Super Mario Party Jamboree is set to cost $79.99, but you can upgrade from a Nintendo Switch copy for $20. This weekend, save your cash and pick up a copy of Super Mario Party Jamboree from Woot for only $44.99.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach Out Next Week

After almost six years, the sequel to Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding is finally set to arrive this upcoming week. Following the events of the first game, Sam Porter Bridges is now tasked with venturing outside the United States, with both Mexico and Australia set as destinations. If you’re like me and incredibly excited for this game, you can even purchase the deluxe edition to play two days early on Tuesday, June 24.

The Messenger for $19.99

The Messenger released in 2018, and it’s still a beloved indie game from Sea of Stars developer Sabotage Studio. Physical copies were out of print for quite some time, but a somewhat recent reprint has put them back in stock. This weekend, you can score a PS5 copy of The Messenger for just $19.99! In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “When you’re fully geared up and The Messenger is hitting you with brand new stages and challenges that you haven’t seen before, The Messenger is an amazing, must-play experience. Taken as a whole, it’s brought down only by fetch quests that make The Messenger last several hours longer than it feels like it should.”

Crucial T500 1TB Gen4 NVMe M.2 Internal Gaming SSD for $75.19

Most of us can always use a new SSD, and this deal from Crucial is quite good. Normally priced at $144, you can score this Crucial T500 1TB Gen4 NVMe SSD for $75.19 this weekend at Amazon. You can use this SSD in a laptop, desktop, or even a PlayStation 5 to expand your storage for games, media, and more.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii for $37.99

The latest Like a Dragon game stars everyone’s favorite ex-yakuza, Goro Majima, on an adventure to sail the seas as a pirate. When Majima wakes up unable to remember anything about himself, he embarks on a quest to regain his memories, and of course, in true Like a Dragon fashion, things get crazy. This is the lowest we’ve seen this game so far, so be sure to pick up a copy while you can.

Pre-Order the Limited Edition Death Stranding 2 DualSense

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is out this week, and a limited edition DualSense controller is set to launch alongside it. This controller features the Drawbridge logo, in addition to other logos and typography featured inside the game. If you’re needing a new controller or just wanting to pick up this one, you can head over to PlayStation Direct while supplies last.

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

A Magic: The Gathering Beginner’s Guide for Newcomers

I’ve said it a ton over the last few weeks, but interest in Magic: The Gathering is at what feels like an all-time high. With the recently released Final Fantasy Universes Beyond crossover set, new players that may have never picked up a card are now inching ever so slowly towards one of the most addicting and time-consuming hobbies around. If you’re one of these people, or someone looking to dip your toes into the wonderful world of hundred-dollar cardboard, IGN has you covered with our Magic: The Gathering beginner’s guide.

Where to Start Playing in Person

For newcomers, the best place to start playing in person is with what we call “kitchen table” Magic. No formats, no banlist, no meta, just good old fashioned vibes. Find a starter kit you like, grab a friend, sleeve them up, and jump in. These starter decks are great ways to learn the rules. I’d also highly recommend picking up MTG Foundations, as this set is specifically designed with brand new players in mind.

Now that you’ve learned the rules, found the colors you like, and learned a strategy that suits you, you probably want to move up to playing at a local game store (LGS) in your area. Your mileage will vary, as some stores’ player bases favor certain formats over others. But for the most part, many LGSs will run the Standard format as their primary Friday Night Magic (FNM) event. To find an LGS near you, use the Wizards Event Locator to enter your address and distance you want to check.

MTG Formats

Every store is different, and not everybody enjoys playing the same formats all the time. Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the most popular formats:

  • Standard: This is the most entry-level 60-card, best-of-three format in Magic. You can use cards from the last two years, and cards will rotate out every Fall.
  • Limited: Limited formats are 40-card events where you don’t show up with your own preconstructed decks. The two options are Booster Draft, where pods of eight players will open booster packs and pick a card one by one, passing their pack to the next player until three packs have been drafted. Sealed is where you get six booster packs, open them, and build your deck from this pool.
  • Pioneer: Pioneer is the next step up in terms of power level from Standard. This format is non-rotating, and only cards from Return to Ravnica to current sets are legal. No supplementary sets are allowed, like Commander decks or sets like Modern Horizons.
  • Modern: Easily the most popular format among competitive players, Modern allows you to use cards from Mirrodin onward, save for Commander deck cards. Direct-to-Modern sets like Modern Horizons are legal, and are big contributors to the format’s current meta.
  • Legacy: Every Magic set is legal in Legacy, including Commander decks. This means it has some of the most powerful decks in the game, the most expensive, and is the most difficult to learn. If you’re starting out, you likely will not touch Legacy any time soon, if ever.
  • Pauper: One of my personal favorite formats, Pauper is essentially Legacy Lite. Every set is fair game, but you can only use common rarity cards. Many of Legacy’s strongest cards are common, like Brainstorm and Ponder, so Pauper is a great format to learn when you’re curious about these interactions.
  • Commander: Commander is the format most new and casual players are familiar with. Commander is a format where up to four players battle it out with 100-card decks, where each deck is built around their Commander (a Legendary creature of their choice). You can only build your deck using your Commander’s colors.

TCGPlayer Is a Great Place to Buy Cards

All Constructed formats have a list of banned cards to help balance out the meta and remove insane combos from their respective formats.

For the best place to pick up singles to round out your decks or find sealed product, I recommend Card Kingdom and TCGPlayer. These are the two biggest and most-trusted TCG vendors in the world.

Where to Start Playing Magic Online

MTG: Online

Magic: The Gathering Online has been around for years, and is a pretty good translation of in-person play to this online client. You can play every format available in paper, buy, sell, and trade cards with other players, and it’s the best way to grind out games to practice or learn different strategies.

MTG: Arena

MTG: Arena is the most recent online Magic client, launching in 2019. Taking visual cues from games like Hearthstone, Arena is my preferred way to play the Standard and Pioneer formats – Modern, Legacy, and other older non-rotating formats aren’t present on Arena. You can still do booster draft and sealed, however. Arena also has a handful of its own bespoke, digital-only formats. Aside from Standard, Pioneer, and Limited, here’s what’s exclusive to Arena:

  • Alchemy: This is essentially standard. It has the same rotation schedule and relatively the same card pool. However, Alchemy versions of preexisting cards have digital-only mechanics that wouldn’t be possible in paper, like Conjuring cards into your deck.
  • Historic: This is a non-rotating format, similar to Pioneer, that leans way harder into the client’s digital only mechanics. Conjure, Seek, and giving cards perpetual buffs or debuffs are the main draw.
  • Historic Brawl: Brawl is a less popular Standard variant of Commander, and Historic Brawl is exactly what you’d expect: Digital-only cards are available to build your Brawl deck with.

Where To Go From Here

There you have it! Everything you need to know to start playing Magic: The Gathering both in-person and online. Whether you’re the next best Pro Tour grinder or run the Commander tables at your LGS, there are countless ways to play and enjoy the most popular trading card game in the world. There are countless sealed products to buy and build your collection, and new sets are released every few months. For hardcore collectors, we’ve even helped track some of the most valuable cards to chase in the Final Fantasy Through the Ages collection. And if you’re looking for great gifts for that special Planeswalker in your life or interested in some of the best MTG accessories and supplies, check we’ve got a guide breaking down dozens of my personal recommendations.

Magic: The Gathering Accessories and Supplies

Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.

The Best Deals Today: Donkey Kong Bananza, LEGO Animal Crossing, Super Mario Party Jamboree, and More

We’ve rounded up the best deals for Saturday, June 21, below, so don’t miss out on these limited-time offers.

Donkey Kong Bananza Now Available to Pre-Order

This week’s Donkey Kong Bananza Direct was absolutely bananas, and if you weren’t interested in the game before, you probably are now. Bananza is set to be DK’s biggest adventure yet, and this time, he’s joined by a young Pauline. The two are tasked with heading to the very core of the planet, where wishes are supposedly granted. If you are looking for the next big game on Nintendo Switch 2, this right here is sure to be it. Donkey Kong Bananza is the best-selling game on Amazon at the moment, so be sure to lock in your copy to get it day one.

The Legend of Zelda Collector’s Chess Set

Chess is more popular than ever, especially with the rise of digital games. However, nothing beats a quality physical chess set that you can play at home. This Zelda-themed chess set features pieces sculpted after Link, Zelda, Ganon, and more, with a total of 32 different characters and enemies. If you’re a fan of The Legend of Zelda, this is an excellent way to add some functional decor to your home.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance for $24.99

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is back at its all-time low price this weekend! SMT V: Vengeance is an enhanced version of the former Nintendo Switch exclusive SMT V, launched in 2019. The biggest feature available in this upgraded re-release is the all-new Canon of Vengeance route, which is essentially 40 hours of new story content.

Save Over 50% Off This LEGO Animal Crossing K.K.’s Concert in The Plaza Set

LEGO sets nowadays do not come cheap, especially for those with a larger number of pieces. A few years ago, Nintendo teamed up with LEGO for Super Mario, and that has grown to include both The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing. This weekend, you can save over $45 off the LEGO Animal Crossing K.K.’s Concert Set, which is perfect for fans of all ages.

Super Mario Party Jamboree for $44.99

With the recent reveal of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games, it’s no question that you are going to want to save anywhere you can. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Super Mario Party Jamboree is set to cost $79.99, but you can upgrade from a Nintendo Switch copy for $20. This weekend, save your cash and pick up a copy of Super Mario Party Jamboree from Woot for only $44.99.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach Out Next Week

After almost six years, the sequel to Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding is finally set to arrive this upcoming week. Following the events of the first game, Sam Porter Bridges is now tasked with venturing outside the United States, with both Mexico and Australia set as destinations. If you’re like me and incredibly excited for this game, you can even purchase the deluxe edition to play two days early on Tuesday, June 24.

Crucial T500 1TB Gen4 NVMe M.2 Internal Gaming SSD for $75.19

Most of us can always use a new SSD, and this deal from Crucial is quite good. Normally priced at $144, you can score this Crucial T500 1TB Gen4 NVMe SSD for $75.19 this weekend at Amazon. You can use this SSD in a laptop, desktop, or even a PlayStation 5 to expand your storage for games, media, and more.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii for $37.99

The latest Like a Dragon game stars everyone’s favorite ex-yakuza, Goro Majima, on an adventure to sail the seas as a pirate. When Majima wakes up unable to remember anything about himself, he embarks on a quest to regain his memories, and of course, in true Like a Dragon fashion, things get crazy. This is the lowest we’ve seen this game so far, so be sure to pick up a copy while you can.

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

Splitgate 2 Dev 1047 Games Hit by Layoffs Amid Turbulent Launch, Co-Founders Say They Won’t Take Salaries ‘As We Lock in to Deliver the Next Phase of the Project’

Splitgate 2 developer 1047 Games has confirmed an undisclosed number of layoffs, with the co-founders of the studio opting not to take salaries as they bid to turn things around.

The free-to-play ‘Halo with portals’ shooter launched under a cloud after co-founder and director Ian Proulx took to the Summer Game Fest stage wearing a hat that read ‘Make FPS Great Again.’ During his speech, Proulx called out Call of Duty in what was considered a marketing gaffe.

When Splitgate 2 launched, it did so with a battle royale mode and a heavily criticized $145 microtransaction bundle. Splitgate 2 saw a peak concurrent player count of 25,785 on Steam, well below Splitgate’s 67,724 peak concurrent player count. Steam user reviews remain on ‘mixed.’

Steam stats do not paint the whole picture, of course, given Splitgate 2 launched across consoles as well as PC. Indeed, 1047 Games has said Splitgate 2 has had over 2.5 million players. But clearly, things have not gone as well as the studio had hoped. In an interview with IGN shortly after launch, Proulx said he was “surprised” by the reaction, admitting “we didn’t expect this to be nearly as controversial as it was and we didn’t intend for it to be.”

Now, 1047 Games has suffered a round of layoffs, which it characterized as “a small group” of staff in a post on LinkedIn. Also in the post came confirmation that co-founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian have opted not to take salaries, as the studio aims to improve the game.

Here’s the statement in full:

Today we parted ways with a small group of valued 1047 Games team members. We’re still perfecting the Splitgate 2 gameplay experience in response to community feedback, and we are redirecting resources to build the best game for our players. We are sad to see our teammates go, and we are actively working to help them secure new opportunities. Further, our co-founders Ian Proulx and Nicholas Bagamian have opted not to take salaries as we lock in to deliver the next phase of the project. Thank you to those who’ve built alongside us — we are sad to say goodbye and would not be here without you.

To everyone who’s playing Splitgate 2, we’re continuing to work hard to deliver more things we know you’ll love. We are committed to building this game for the long haul.

While 1047 did not specify how many were let go, or who exactly, a number of key staff have announced their departures across social media platforms. Meanwhile, Splitgate 2 had a 24-hour peak concurrent player count of 10,059 on Steam, with 4,437 players on Valve’s platform at the time of this article’s publication.

Splitgate 2 secured a 7/10 in IGN’s review. We said: “Splitgate 2 is a decent successor to the original that expands on it, but never really surpasses it.”

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Grow a Garden Summer Update Propels Roblox Game to Astonishing Concurrent Player Record, Dwarfing Even Fortnite — Here Are All the Details

Grow a Garden has released its Summer update 1.11.0, propelling the Roblox game to comfortably the highest recorded concurrent player count in video game history. The patch notes are below.

The microtransaction-fueled free-to-play farming simulator had already shot past Fortnite’s concurrent peak of 15.3 million players, achieved during the Marvel-themed season finally back during Covid-era 2020, with an incredible 16.4 million concurrent players. At the time of this article’s publication, with players logging in for the Summer update, Grow a Garden was at an astonishing 21.3 million concurrents.

Grow a Garden Summer update official details:

Summer’s here! Introducing our biggest update so far with all new seeds, pets, gear and the limited time Summer Harvest event to celebrate the coming of summer.

Explore the all new Summer Season and join forces with other gardeners to participate in the Summer Harvest event. This update brings brand new seeds, pets, craftable items, all new weather, features, and so much more in this Grow A Garden update! 😎🌴🌞

In Grow a Garden you do exactly that: grow a garden. Each new player starts off with a plot of land and 20 Sheckles, the in-game currency, to buy simple seeds for vegetables like carrots. Your garden even continues to grow while you’re offline.

The 16-year-old who created Grow a Garden in just a few days remains creatively involved in what it’s become but is no longer the only name attached. Roblox experience management company DoBig Studios and popular developer Janzen Madsen (a.k.a. Jandel) and his network of creators at Splitting Point are now also involved.

Grow a Garden’s success is down to tight update strategies and events as reliable draws for Roblox players, and this Summer update is a perfect example. Other recent examples include bringing in a DJ for entertainment and organizing a mass dance party.

Check out IGN’s feature, Roblox’s Grow a Garden Towers Above Even the Biggest Steam Games — but You Probably Have No Idea What It Is, to find out more.

Grow a Garden Summer update 1.11.0 patch notes:

  • Summer Update & Summer Harvest:
  • The summer harvest event happens at the start of every hour. Gather your friends and submit as many summer fruits as possible to the cart! The more summer plants you submit in the 10 minute time frame, the higher tier of random rewards you can unlock – 1000 points minimum are required. There are all kinds of rewards including old event items. Don’t miss out…
  • The summer update brings a refreshed seed shop with lots of brand new seeds, new pets, new gear, and lots more!
  • Plants:
  • Feijoa
  • Loquat
  • Prickly Pear
  • Bell Pepper
  • Kiwi
  • Pineapple
  • Banana
  • Avocado
  • Green Apple
  • Cauliflower
  • Elephant Ears
  • Rosy Delight
  • Parasol Flower
  • Pear
  • Cantaloupe
  • Wild Carrot
  • Pets:
  • Mimic Octopus
  • Macaw
  • Orangutan
  • Flamingo
  • Crab
  • 8+ More
  • New Items:
  • Summer Seed Pack, 6 possible new seeds inside!
  • Reclaimer, destroy a plant and get the seed back!
  • Tanning Mirror, Help attract the sundried mutation during the Heat Wave event
  • Paradise Egg, 5 possible new pets inside!
  • Rare Summer Egg, 5 possible new pets inside!
  • Common Summer Egg, 3 possible new pets inside!
  • Events:
  • Heat Wave: when it’s hot crops have a chance to get the ‘sundried’ mutation
  • Gale: a rare and powerful gust of wind, chance to give the ‘windstruck’ mutation
  • Windy: blowing air, chance to give the ‘windstruck’ mutation
  • Tornado: multiple tornados at once, chance to give the ‘Twisted’ mutation
  • Windstruck, applied by the gale and windy events, 2x multi
  • Twisted, applied by the Tornado event, 5x multi
  • Sundried, applied by the Heat Wave event, 85x multi
  • Verdant, applied by the Scarlet Macaw, 4x multi
  • Paradisal, sundried + verdant , 18x multi

Cosmetics:

  • 20+ Summer Cosmetics!
  • Fixes, Changes, & QOL:
  • Crafting has been added permanently
  • Sam has gone on holiday…
  • Lightning rod moved to crafting
  • Made lots of performance optimisations & improvements
  • & lots more!

We’ve been covering Grow a Garden and creating guides to explain features such as how gear works, a weather and mutation guide, and the different seeds that are available to purchase. You’ll also find information on updates such as the Lunar Glow Event and recent Pet Egg update that took place last month, and more over in our Grow a Garden guide.

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.

Limited Edition IGN Artist Series Hellwalker Prints from Dave Rapoza Now Available

IGN Store has partnered with Bethesda Softworks and world-renowned artist Dave Rapoza to create Hellwalkers – the latest piece in IGN’s exclusive museum-quality IGN Artist Series.

Available only on IGN Store, Hellwalkers – IGN Artist Series 004 vividly captures the menace and power of the legendary Doomslayer, as made possible by the equally legendary artist Dave Repoza, a lifelong Doom fan himself.

IGN Store has 400 premium weight art prints ($70) and 100 premium acrylic art prints ($275) – both measuring a bold 18 x 24 inches. These pieces are brutal, iconic, and highly-collectible.

Each print is individually numbered and signed by Dave Rapoza and the acrylic print is truly fine art, backed on gator board and featuring a Certificate of Authenticity (laser-etched on the Doomslayer’s Shield Saw).

Id software has proven for more than 30 years that Doom truly is eternal. Since its world-shaping debut in 1993 to the epic, weighty, powerful play style of The Dark Ages, the Doom franchise’s Doomslayer has stood at the forefront of gaming as an immortal icon. This IGN Artist Series is a must-own for any serious Doom fan, and will not be reprinted once it is gone. The piece is destined to become a collector’s item, and is a perfect edition to any Doom fan’s wall.

Dave Rapoza is a self-taught artist who grew up in Carver, MA. For nearly 20 years his stunning artwork has been turning heads. Rapoza’s artwork has graced Marvel Comics covers, Magic: the Gathering, Paizo Publishing projects and a huge range of others. He has also contributed art to Diablo IV, League of Legends and the Witcher 3, among many other games.

“My first experience with Doom was playing the original in my neighbor’s kitchen on their ancient computer—it made a big impression on me, especially the music and definitely helped spark my love for games,” Repoza said. “Whenever I take on something like this, I try to tap into what made me a fan in the first place and boil that down into a single image. It’s a fun challenge, and I’m proud of how this one turned out. Hope you enjoy it!

The IGN Artist Series is IGN’s love letter to the pop culture icons we all love to watch, play, and discuss. Available for under a day, IGN Artist Series 001, 002, and 003 was produced in partnership with Bethesda and Amazon Prime Video and featured Fallout’s The Ghoul, Maximus, and Lucy MacLean, from artist Kevin Tong.