Warhorse Studios’ medieval Europe action RPG sequel launched on February 4 across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, and soon shot to the upper echelons of Steam’s most-played games list.
On Valve’s platform, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 hit a peak of 159,351 concurrents, a number that will surely grow as it heads into its first weekend on sale. For context, the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance hit a peak Steam concurrent player count of 96,069 seven years ago.
It’s worth noting that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s actual peak concurrent player count will be bigger, given the game launched on console as well as PC. However, neither Sony nor Microsoft make player numbers public.
In a tweet, Warhorse called Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 “a triumph,” suggesting it’s done the business for the Czech video game developer and its owner, Embracer subsidiary Plaion.
The question now is how big can Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 get? It’s currently the top-selling game on Steam by revenue, globally, ahead of the likes of Counter-Strike 2, Civilization 7, and Monster Hunter: Wilds, which suggests it will have legs for some time.
IGN’s Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review returned a 9/10. We said: “Armed with excellent melee combat and an exceptional story, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one part sequel and one part coronation, bringing a lot of the original’s ideas to fruition.”
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
MultiVersus will shut down when Season 5 ends in May, but the sweeping changes to combat speed that were introduced in a new update have fans enjoying its gameplay now more than ever — and even sparked a #SaveMultiVersus trend on social media.
The community for the Warner Bros. platform fighting game woke up ready to dive into its fifth and final season when it launched yesterday, February 4, at 9am PT. Developer Player First Games had spelled out plans to shutter the project last week, teasing that the update would include DC’s Aquaman and Looney Toons’ Lola Bunny as its last playable characters. What was poised to be a somber sendoff for MultiVersus actually brought on extensive movement changes across the board, resulting in a much faster-paced experience overall. It’s a fundamental adjustment that players have begged Player First to implement for years, and it arrives just as things are coming to an end.
Players first took notice that combat in Multiversus had been sped up after Player First published a Season 5 Combat Changes Preview video on X/Twitter. For those who have played the free-to-play Warner Bros. fighting game in the past, the differences are impossible to ignore, as characters can be seen chaining together combos and moving across the screen faster than ever before. It’s a substantial shift away from the floaty gameplay fans criticized during the MultiVersus beta test in 2022, and it’s even faster than what was seen when it relaunched in May of last year.
Season 5 update patch notes reveal that the increase in combat speed comes as a result of a reduction to hitpause “across most attacks in the game.” It means stringing together combos will be faster than you remember regardless of who your main is, with a handful of specific characters receiving additional adjustments to their speed, too. Morty, LeBron, Iron Giant, Bugs Bunny, Black Adam, and many more feel especially quick thanks to changes that allow them to fast fall when using certain aerial attacks. Garnet, meanwhile, now has stronger ringout potential on the ground and weaker ringout potential in the air to help level out her impact as an already fast character.
MultiVersus Season 5 turns the nearly one-year-old fighting game into something almost completely different, and those diving in already are finding far more to enjoy than just two new characters. The problem is that this… is it. Just as Player First finds its footing with an update that delivers long-awaited gameplay changes, MultiVersus will completely shut down come May 30. Its demise will bring the end of seasonal content drops as well as its removal from digital storefronts as Warner Bros. Games guts online play from the experience entirely, leaving only offline modes for fans to experiment with.
Now, fans are left feeling shocked and powerless as MultiVersus becomes the experience they’ve always dreamed of just in time for it to completely shut down. X user @PJiggles_ commented on the changes, calling MultiVersus “the most interesting bad game in existence,” referring to its beta rollout, 2024 relaunch, and sudden combat speed increase. Professional Super Smash Bros. player and content creator Jason Zimmerman (a.k.a. Mew2King) replied to a Player First post to ask why movement speed was increased now and not earlier.
…but man, if this was how the relaunch started off we could’ve really had something.
“I know everybody’s been playing the blame game when there likely isn’t a single individual or even group who deserves the entirety of the blame,” one Reddit user said, “but man, if this was how the relaunch started off we could’ve really had something. (Apex Legends) is probably one of the worst monetization schemes out there but it lasted so long because it nailed the fundamentals at the start.”
It’s painful, especially as players gather not only to mourn the game’s demise but to celebrate such a drastic leap in quality. Reddit user Desperate_Method4032 said the Season 5 update fixed “every issue I had with the game,” explaining that things like touched-up shield animations helped turn MultiVersus into an experience that looks and feels far more polished. Although the gameplay shakeup follows confirmation of shutdown plans, they said the “potential” has them hoping Warner Bros. could reverse course.
“I’m not naïve,” Desperate_Method4032 said. “Just a fan with tons of love for the characters showcased in this game. But is it so wrong to have just LITTLE bit of hope that the game will make a comeback? There’s just far too much potential to let things end like this. Not when the game finally feels like it found its footing.”
Sooooo
You announced the game was shutting down but then fixed the thing that made players quit
Unfortunately, while some are expecting the worst and hoping for the best, Player First and Warner Bros. show no sign of backing down from their plan to cease service this summer. MultiVersus game director Tony Huynh took to X earlier this week to share a few closing thoughts while addressing long-unanswered player questions and concerns. Warner Bros. also disabled real-money transactions as of January 31, leaving players unable to purchase content without using previously earned in-game currency. The Season 5 premium battle pass has been made free for all players as one final gift.
MultiVersus will go dark, for good this time, at 9 am PT on May 30. While Warner Bros. has already initiated its shutdown plans, players are finding some joy by creating and sharing memes. It’s a bittersweet moment for the fighting game community as they relish a game that finally lives up to their expectations just before it meets its end.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).
As you’d expect, EA is eyeing the Nintendo Switch 2 as a platform for its games. In a recent financial call, CEO Andrew Wilson was asked directly about Nintendo’s next-gen console, and he replied to suggest the company has plans to release many of its games there.
Wilson singled out EA’s money-spinning sports franchises, Madden and FC, as potentially finding “real energy” on Nintendo Switch 2, and also pointed to The Sims as a game that could do well on the console.
“Anytime a new console comes into the marketplace that’s of a benefit to us, it gives us the ability to access and acquire new players,” Wilson said. “Typically, we’ve had franchises perform very well on Nintendo platforms. Certainly our expectation is that products like FC and Madden and others might find real energy on the platform as they have done in the past.
“When you think about something like The Sims and the My Sims cozy bundle, which performed well ahead of our expectations, 50% of all players were new to EA. That represents a great opportunity for us.
“So again, nothing in our models at this juncture, but our expectation is that anytime a great new console comes in the marketplace that gives us access to new players and new communities, that we have the IP that will benefit from that.”
While it comes as little surprise to hear the likes of Madden and FC will be released on Nintendo Switch 2, fans will be wondering what version of those games they can expect on the console. Historically, EA has released what it calls “legacy” versions of FIFA on Nintendo Switch, but in recent years it has aimed for feature parity for the rebranded FC franchise. Given the Switch 2 will be a more powerful console than its predecessor, perhaps FC 26, say, will be closer to the FC 26 on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
The decision followed EA’s announcement that Dragon Age: The Veilguard had underperformed on its expectations for the long-awaited action RPG. EA said Dragon Age “engaged” 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter, which was down nearly 50% from the company’s projections.
According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, BioWare staff believe it was a miracle Dragon Age: The Veilguard released a complete game “after EA forced live-service into it, then reversed course.”
Now, speaking in an investor-focused financial call, Wilson suggested its role-playing games need to have “shared-world features and deeper engagement alongside high-quality narratives.”
“In order to break out beyond the core audience, games need to directly connect to the evolving demands of players who increasingly seek shared-world features and deeper engagement alongside high-quality narratives in this beloved category,” Wilson said in prepared remarks.
“Dragon Age had a high-quality launch and was well-reviewed by critics and those who played. However, it did not resonate with a broad enough audience in this highly competitive market.”
Reading between the lines, Wilson is suggesting that if Dragon Age: The Veilguard had “shared-world features” and “deeper engagement,” it might have sold more copies. But it’s hard to understand that position when you consider EA backed BioWare’s major reset of Dragon Age. As IGN has reported, this reboot saw Dragon Age shift from the skeleton of a multiplayer game with repeatable quests, a tech base, and the outline of a story, to a full-blown single-player RPG.
Fans are already saying EA has learnt the wrong lessons from Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and are pointing to the enormous success of single-player only RPGs that have been released recently, including Larian’s all-conquering Baldur’s Gate 3. Either way, it seems Dragon Age is now dead, at least for the foreseeable future. But what does this all mean for Mass Effect 5?
“Historically, blockbuster storytelling has been the primary way our industry bought beloved IP to players,” Canfield said. “The game’s financial performance highlights the evolving industry landscape and reinforces the importance of our actions to reallocate resources towards our most significant and highest potential opportunities.”
It’s worth noting that single-player only games make up a tiny portion of EA’s overall revenue. The bulk of the company’s cash comes from live service (74% in the last 12 months). Ultimate Team is doing the heavy lifting here, but there are live service contributions from everything from Apex Legends to The Sims. The upcoming Skate is a live service, and the next Battlefield will inevitably be treated as such, too.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
If you’re searching for your next new game to play, Humble Choice February is now live, and this is the perfect bundle to discover something new! This month, Immortals of Aveum headlines the bundle, with seven other games like Total War: Pharoah Dynasties, Fabledom, and more included. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars to grab these games individually, you can get all eight games for just $11.99 at Humble Bundle for this month only.
Humble Choice Games for February 2025
Immortals of Aveum
Trepang2
Total War: Pharoah Dynasties
Fabledom
Griftlands
Tales & Tactics
Naheulbeuk’s Dungeon Master
My Little Universe
Each month, Humble Choice curates a selection of games for members to redeem. These games are sent as Steam codes, which are yours to keep forever. You can even send them to a friend if you already have the game or want to gift one! For February, Immortals of Aveum is well worth the price of this package alone, receiving an 8/10 in our review:
“Immortals of Aveum is an impressively confident first-person shooter that successfully trades muzzles and magazines for mages and magic. Its fast-paced, spellcasting combat is both satisfying to master and spectacular to look at, and it features a lengthy and hearty campaign packed with secrets to keep us going well after the story has wrapped. As someone who desperately hopes that unapologetically single-player shooters will live forever, these Immortals have done a great job of making sure they’re definitely not dead yet.”
In addition to these games, you can also score up to 20% off select games on the Humble Store. The longer that you have an active subscription, the more rewards you can unlock. 5% of each Humble Choice purchase also supports a charity that rotates monthly, with February’s supporting United Negro College Fund, an organization that works to increase the total annual number of African American college graduates. Don’t miss out on this month’s Humble Choice selection!
The next Battlefield game is expected to launch during EA’s fiscal year 2026, the company said today.
Reporting its financial results for the third quarter of its current fiscal year ending March 2025, EA said the new Battlefield has an “expected fiscal year 2026 release.”
That means it’ll launch at some point between April 2025 and March 2026.
The brief glimpse at pre-alpha Battlefield gameplay came as part of a video revealing what EA calls Battlefield Labs, and an accompanying call to arms for playtesters.
“EA unveiled Battlefield Labs, a new initiative allowing player-driven testing and innovation ahead of the franchise’s expected fiscal year 2026 release,” EA said in its financial report.
Meanwhile, EA revealed Battlefield Studios, the umbrella branding for the four studios it has working on the new Battlefield. These are the series’ main Stockholm, Sweden-based developer, DICE, Dead Space remake and Star Wars: Squadrons developer Motive (which is also working on an Iron Man game), U.S. studio Ripple Effect (formerly known as DICE LA), and UK studio Criterion, whose work on Need For Speed has now come to an end.
DICE in Sweden is building the multiplayer for the new Battlefield. Motive is working on single-player missions and multiplayer maps. Ripple Effect is working on bringing in new players to the Battlefield franchise. And Criterion is working on the single-player campaign.
EA said its collective Battlefield Studios teams are now entering a “critical” phase of the development cycle, and want player feedback on what to prioritize, improve, and refine before release. To that end, Battlefield Labs will see EA test almost everything but not everything players see will be complete. Participants will have to agree to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before getting in.
“Even in pre-alpha, we are proud of where the game is at,” EA said. “We tirelessly playtest, but your feedback will supercharge our development as we strive to hit that perfect note between form, function, and feel.
“This is an unprecedented moment for Battlefield. We will start by testing the pillars of play, like core combat and destruction. Then transition to balance and feedback for our weapons, vehicles and gadgets, ultimately leading to where all these pieces come together in our maps, modes, and squad play.
“And yes, we will be testing Conquest and Breakthrough, the heart and soul of our all-out warfare experience, but BF Labs will also be a place to explore new ideas and fine-tune and improve Battlefield pillars like our class system (Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon) to create deeper more strategic play.”
It’s worth remembering that while EA is devoting four entire studios to Battlefield, last year it shut down Ridgeline Games, a Seattle-based developer that was working on a new supposedly standalone single-player Battlefield game with more of a story focus, and laid off all its staff.
In September, EA revealed fresh details on its untitled Battlefield game alongside its first concept art. IGN also confirmed that Battlefield will return to a modern setting after stints in World War I, World War II, and the near future. The concept art suggested ship-to-ship and helicopter combat will be part of the new game, and that it will feature natural disasters like wildfires.
At the time, Vince Zampella, Head of Respawn & Group GM for EA Studios Organization, referenced Battlefield 3 and 4 in an interview with IGN. “I mean, if you look back to the peak or the pinnacle of Battlefield, it’s that Battlefield 3… Battlefield 4 era where everything was modern,” he said.
“And I think we have to get back to the core of what Battlefield is and do that amazingly well, and then we’ll see where it goes from there. But I think for me, it’s that peak of Battlefield-ness is in that Battlefield 3 and 4 days. So I think it’s nostalgic for players, for me, for the teams even. Those are kind of the heyday… although I would say 1942 also.”
The return to the modern setting represents a course correction for the series after Battlefield 2042, which eventually found its footing but was otherwise widely panned for features like Specialists — characters that made it seem as if Battlefield was trying to be a hero shooter. Its ambitious 128-player maps also proved unpopular with fans who preferred a more focused experience. Battlefield 2042 eventually went back to supporting 64 players per map, and the next Battlefield plans to stick to that approach. Specialists are also out this time around.
The pressure on the next Battlefield is on after 2042’s missteps. EA CEO Andrew Wilson has called it one of the “most ambitious projects in [EA’s] history,” and based on the sheer number of studios involved, it’s a significant investment. The Battlefield Studios tagline is, “We’re all in on Battlefield.”
“Yeah, it’s definitely betting bigger on Battlefield,” Zampella told IGN in the interview from 2024. “It’s going in and expanding what Battlefield is. We have to have the core. The core Battlefield players know what they want. They’ve been with us forever, they’ve been amazing supporters. We need to earn their trust back and get them back on our side. And then it’s expanding out and getting more players into the universe and seeing what we can do, so when you want a different experience, you don’t have to leave Battlefield. You can experience more things within the Battlefield universe. So we’re expanding the offerings that we’re giving.”
EA has yet to announce launch platforms or a final title for the new Battlefield.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Anime Vanguards update 3.5 is here with four new units, multiplayer functionality for boss rush, a starting questline, and a collection of bug and quality-of-life adjustments for Roblox players.
Developer Kitawari unveiled everything in its Fate Boss Event patch notes, pulling back the curtain with even more changes following the arrival of update 3.0 late last month. Topping the list of new content are four units – Sokora, Saber, Lilia, and Isdead – which can be found across different in-game challenges. There’s also a Saber boss event, which comes with its own rewards, including two Secret units, trait rerolls, gold and gems, and more that you’ll have to log in to see for yourself.
The Boss Rush overhaul includes multiplayer functionality for Roblox players looking to take on challenging tasks with friends, as well as normal and elite difficulty modes, tournament support, and boss event cycle changes. The Anime Vanguards Sand Village map has also gotten a full-on facelift that gives it a new design and enhanced visuals, and Worldlines have been reset, with additional resets coming every .5 update. Another new feature is one Kitawari says it added to address fan feedback: a starting player questline.
“We’ve acknowledged how overwhelming the early game may be for our new players,” Kitawari said. “To help with this, all new players will be greeted with a uniquely created questline which will guide them through the various elements of the game, and reward them with a Mythic Vogita Super upon quest end to start their journey in Anime Vanguards! We intend to create a great experience for all, and will continue looking into the various ways we can improve the gameplay fornew as well asreturning players alike in future updates.”
Anime Vanguards update 3.5 brings plenty to keep players fighting off waves of enemies, but it’s only Kitawari’s latest content delivery. Last month, the team rolled out update 3.0, which focused on more winter-themed goodies to enjoy but also introduced a brand-new lobby and the Portals game mode. These changes and more are here to bolster the Roblox experience around the one-year anniversary of its original launch in January 2024.
There’s currently no word regarding when Anime Vanguards update 4.0 will arrive, but at this rate, players may only have to wait a few weeks to learn more. For everything else on Kitawari’s anime tower defense game, you can see all active codes here. Finally, you can see the full update 3.5 patch notes, below.
Anime Vanguards Update 3.5 Patch Notes
Fate Boss Event
Features
– NEW! 4 NEW UNITS!
This update is coming out with 4 new units! These units will be found in:
New Boss Rush
· Sokora, Sokora (Angra Mainyu)
New Secret Evolution
· Saber (Alternate), Saber (Black Tyrant)
New Mythic Banner Unit
· Lilia, Lilia And Berserker
New Worldlines Floor 50 Reward
· Isdead, Isdead (Romantic)
– NEW! Saber (Alternate) Boss Event
Dark Sokora and the formidable Tyrant Saber (Alternate) have appeared! Dark Sokora plans to fuse with the malevolent Angra Mainyu; do you have what it takes to stop them?
Boss Rush Rewards Include:
2 New Secret Units
Trait Rerolls
Gold & Gems
… and more!
How to Obtain Saber (Alternate)
You can obtain Saber (Alternate) by placing a Saber (King Of Knights) unit next to the A.W.E Boss that remains stationary at enemy spawn. The A.W.E Boss will spawn at Wave 15, and Wave 25, staying for 5 waves each time.
Upon Unit Placement or Boss Spawn, all Saber (King Of Knights) units within range will become “corrupted” and transform into Saber (A.W.E.), with the interaction having a small chance of dropping the Saber (Alternate) unit, up to a maximum of 3 tries per match (up to 6 while using the Saber Servant Mechanic).
Servants Mechanic
Bring forth a fabled figure of choice to assist you in battle – each Servant offers unique mechanics, so be sure to read their ability descriptions with care, some may be better suited for your team than others.
– Unlocking Servants
The powerful Berserker Servant is available for free, while the others must be purchased using the servant’s corresponding unit’s evolution item. Once acquired, they are permanently available for use in battle. Choose carefully, or acquire them all and unleash their power!
– Command Seal Activation
You can Activate or Empower your chosen Servant’s mechanic up to 3 times by pressing the red Command Seal button near the inventory. Use them wisely to turn the tide of battle!
– NEW! Boss Rush Overhaul
We’ve made several changes to make playing boss rushes much more fun and meaningful! These include:
Multiplayer Functionality
You’re now able to play Boss Rush with your friends, or alternatively use Public Matchmaking to join other players from across the world!
Normal & Elite Difficulty
We have split Boss Rushes into two separate difficulties, “Normal” which is a CO-OP gamemode that does not have access to tournaments, as well as an “Elite” Solo gamemode for those of you looking for a challenge, and to gain access to the Elite Tournament.
Elite Tournament
You’re now able to participate in the Boss Rush Tournaments which will reset alongside the boss rush cycle. Aim to clear the Event in the least time possible, and compete against other players in your local bracket!
Be careful when the bosses spawn–the waves automatically and immediately skip whenever the boss is alive!
Boss Event Cycle Changes
Along with boss events cycling, your boss event currency of that cycleand boss event stock will now also reset! We will most likely include evolution items and other important items to the legacy shop, making your legacy tokens more valuable and immune to cycle resets.
– NEW! Public Matchmaking
You’re now able to find matches with players to play your favorite game modes regardless of what server they are on through our brand new Public Lobbies system!
To join others, simply press the “Public Lobbies” button within the “fractures” UI and select any of the player hosted matches there.
To host your own match, press the “Create Match” button instead, and then press the “Find Match” button within the stage you have selected.
– NEW! Worldlines Reset
All players have been reset to Floor 1, and Soburo is no longer obtainable. However, all the corresponding floor rewards have now returned, with Isdead replacing Soburo as the new Floor 50 reward.
As previously announced in the Discord server, Worldlines will reset every X.5 update, with the next reset planned for Update 4.5.
– NEW! Sand Village Remake
The sand village remake has finally arrived, featuring entirely brand new designs and enhanced visuals! As one of the last remaining original maps from release, this overhaul finally brings it up to the standard of our latest maps. We hope you enjoy exploring the new and improved Sand Village map as much as we do!
– NEW! Starting Player Questline
We’ve acknowledged how overwhelming the early game may be for our new players. To help with this, all new players will be greeted with a uniquely created questline which will guide them through the various elements of the game, and reward them with a Mythic Vogita Super upon quest end to start their journey in Anime Vanguards!
We intend to create a great experience for all, and will continue looking into the various ways we can improve the gameplay for new as well as returning players alike in future updates.
Changes & QoL
Added a visual timer when a unit gets stunned
Added Visual Indicators for Enemy Spawn & Friendly Base/End Of Path during the voting phase
Worldlines Leaderboard incorrectly had the same rewards as tournaments, this has now been fixed to match the other global leaderboards
An In-Game Elemental Reactions table has been added, making figuring out what each reaction does easier than ever! Furthermore, it comes with a “Show Only Elements In-Match” setting, which when on, will only show the reactions that can happen between your units and the enemies
You can now delete multiple portals at once
We’ve heard your requests! Sukuno now applies bleed up until upgrade 9, which is then replaced by burn (this is unrelated to the plans stated in Sub Announcements on our server)
Added Amount Sliders for purchasing items or summoning units
Increased game start time from 30 to 60 seconds. This helps players who take a longer time to load in, need more time to strategize and change their lineup, or just want to look around the map!
Added a “NEW” flair to recently obtained units, which goes away after interacting with them, in order to make newly-obtained units easier to spot
Added “NEW!” text next to world markers in areas where new major content has been added
Slightly revamped the Unit Traits Index UI, to easier tell what each trait does at a glance.
Unit circle indicators now change to purple when a unit is maxed.
The opening animation for windows is now smoother.
Added Sasori viewmodel to the Pass icon
Added background frames to all stat previews when hovering over units
… and more!
Bug Fixes
· Fixed Valentine (AU) clones costing Yen to place
· Fixed Rogita 4 (Super) also taking money for his clone, effectively doubling his placement cost
Emmie & Emmie (Ice Witch) no longer freeze friendly summons
Fixed Sosora missing a cosmetic on both the Shiny and Non-Shiny variants.
Fixed Padoru familiar buffs stacking
Fixed being able to buy a mount more than once in shop
Fixed being able to apply the same potion effect despite already having one active. It wouldn’t stack the effect further, but would still remove all effects after the first one ends
Fixed having ability auto-use enabled after a match ended spamming you with notifications
Fixed Soburo’s cosmetic idle animation not looping
Fixed +0% buffs being displayed, e.g. when Haruka Rin buffs a unit after her already being maxed
Fixed Panda mount being very small in viewport
Fixed an issue where mobile players were unable to change inputs in sandbox mode!
… and many more!
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is set to release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on April 24. It’s a turn-based RPG, but it also incorporates real-time mechanics sort of like the Mario RPG series. But the tone is way more serious, weird, and artsy. It looks great. It’s coming out in standard and deluxe editions, and they’re all available for preorder now (see it at Amazon). Let’s dive in to see what comes in each.
The deluxe edition comes with the base game, plus the following extras:
The “Flowers” Collection – Six outfits and hairstyles inspired by the Flowers of Lumière, along with six additional “Gommage” outfit variations. One for each playable character.
“Clair” – A custom outfit for Maelle
“Obscur” – A custom outfit for Gustave
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Will Be on Xbox Game Pass
The standard edition of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be available on day one for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers. Above, you’ll find the best current deal on a three-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
If you have Xbox Game Pass, but you want the extras that come in the digital deluxe edition, you can buy the deluxe edition upgrade on the Xbox Store with the link above. It does exactly what it sounds like: turns your standard edition into a deluxe edition.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Preorder Bonus
Unfortunately, there are no preorder bonuses available at this time. If that changes, we’ll drop them here.
What Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?
Clair Obscur is a turn-based RPG developed by the French studio Sandfall Interactive that uses real-time elements during battles. It’s set in a dark fantasy world in which, once a year, a powerful being called the Paintress wakes and paints a number on her monolith. When she does, everyone of that age vanishes from the earth. As the game kicks off, the Paintress is going to wake soon and paint the number 33. You plays as Expedition 33, a group of 33-year-olds who plan to kill the Paintress.
The combat sounds like a real selling point for the game. It’s turn-based, but you do a lot of other things besides choosing attacks for your expeditioners. You can dodge, parry, and counter incoming attacks. You can chain combos together by pressing buttons in a rhythm, and you can use a free-aim system to target enemy weak points. It looks pretty cool. Check out our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 preview for more info.
Other Preorder Guides
Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.
The Last of Us Season 2 on HBO will feature content that was cut from the original The Last of Us Part 2 video game, showrunner and Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann has said.
These included three different early versions of scrapped levels, including Jackson Party, The Hunt, and Seattle Sewers. The first two of these are much more calm, with Ellie attending a party in the first and tracking a bleeding boar in the second, but the final one presents plenty of the intense horror fans of the game and show are familiar with as she’s stalked by monsters in the tunnels underneath Seattle.
Whatever cut content has made its way into the show will seemingly put fans on edge, however. “[It’s] pretty brutal, but I’m very excited for people to see it,” Druckmann said. He also teased that a “pretty prominent” character only talked about in the game will make an appearance, “similar to what we did with Frank in Season 1.”
Fans likely don’t have too long to wait before each mystery is answered, as Episode 1 of Season 2 is set to premiere in April, but there’s a chance some things will remain unclear for much longer. This is because HBO plans to extend The Last of Us Part 2 beyond a single season, unlike the critically acclaimed Season 1 which covered the entirety of the original game.
Destiny 2’s next Episode, Heresy, is just around the corner. The “final epilogue entry” for the Light and Darkness Saga will have some unvoiced lines of dialogue though, due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
In the recent This Week In Destiny update, Bungie said its teams have taken care to deliver the narrative and story content, but warned that certain voice lines will be silent due to the ongoing Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists strike.
Subtitles will be enabled by default so players don’t miss any story, and Bungie outlined a number of accessibility and visibility options for said subtitles. Heresy activities that have missing voice acting will display a warning before launch.
The SAG-AFTRA strike started last July after the union confirmed it had failed to reach an agreement with video companies following a series of negotiations. SAG-AFTRA cited a lack of agreement over regulating generative artificial intelligence (or GenAI) in projects.
The extent of Destiny 2: Heresy’s lack of voice-acting is unclear, though some fans have noted that it appears Sloane will be one of the silent characters. There’s no note on whether these voice lines could be added in a future update, if the studio and publisher reach a deal with the striking actors.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
