Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Performance Patch Makes Drastic Changes to Enemies and Story, and Players Aren’t Happy

Last month, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers developer Leenzee Games promised fans that a number of performance and optimization issues plaguing the game since launch would be patched out promptly. Now, patch 1.5 does seem to address many of these issues, but with a strange cost: it also makes sweeping changes to many of the game’s enemies, dialogue, and story that have fans even more unhappy.

If you look at the patch notes for 1.5, they initially seem pretty inocuous. There’s some bug fixes, and a lot of good improvements such as a sped-up healing animation and the ability to dodge cancel out of the recovery animation. There’s also an “optimization” in there that the patch notes say is in preparation to allow players to respawn closer to bosses they’ve died to, which will be another welcome change when it lands.

But tucked in the lengthy patch notes are a couple oddities:

Added dialogs for some NPCs to complete some plots. We will further optimize the exhaustion animations in the future to improve the plot performance.

Fixed the faction bug in Chapter 4, adjusted the level design, and increased the performance effect of BVB.

Added some ‘Wuchang’ voice to complete the story, and added some NPC dialogues.

So what’s all that about? As documented on Twitter/X by Lance McDonald, the update has made significant changes to certain NPCs, bosses, and enemies to make it so they canonically do not die.

Prior to the patch, you were able to target and kill certain human NPCs you encountered throughout the game. These characters were passive, uninteractable otherwise, and didn’t attack you, but you murdering them affected your character’s “madness” mechanic in a way that made for legitimately interesting gameplay. Now, that’s no longer true — the NPCs are untargetable and unkillable, effectively removing the ability to choose to interact with the madness mechanic in that specific way.

Additionally, this change also significantly impacts the game’s fourth chapter, which was previously quite chaotic and difficult to manage due to a number of human enemies trying to attack you. Now, a large portion of those enemies aren’t hostile at all, turning what was once a very challenging chapter into a bit of a cakewalk.

On top of this, multiple challenging bosses no longer “die” when you defeat them. Instead, they simply stand there, “exhausted,” or run away to live happily ever after, or claim the intense battle that just took place was all just a “trial.”

While the first two issues impact gameplay directly, the boss changes are being roundly criticized by players for how they impact the game’s story. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers heavily focuses on themes of death, and being able to accept the death of a loved one or a period in one’s life. Many of the enemies in Fallen Feathers are actively trying to thwart death, or prolong something that will inevitably come to a close. So in several of these cases, them not dying at all completely flies in the face of the game’s message of accepting death’s inevitability.

As of yet, developer Leenzee Games has not explained why these changes were made, or made any statement at all beyond the patch notes (IGN has reached out for comment). However, many players are correctly pointing out that the characters impacted by the changes seem to have something in common: they’re all humans who are affiliated with the Ming Dynasty in some way.

Fallen Feathers is historical fiction, and takes place in 1600s China at the end of the Ming Dynasty, the last dynasty ruled by the Han Chinese before the Qing took over. Though the story of the game originally used the ending of the Ming Dynasty to effectively frame its message about death and moving on, now, none of the Ming characters die or move on, rendering the premise ineffectual. As a result, a number of negative Steam reviews and posts on various social platforms are accusing Leenzee of self-censoring, allegedly due to feedback from a segment of largely Chinese players upset about the game’s treatment of the Ming characters.

“Improving game performance is welcoming,” reads one “not recommended” Steam review from August 13, by someone with 58 hours in the game. “But this must be the first time I’ve heard of story plot change post release. As far as I am aware. Plot change made the story completely different, and even make some of the characters motivation pointless. I don’t know what kind of pressure Leenzee got to go as far as changing the games plot. I’ve read that it was criticized by some gamers for not being historically accurate. But the story is ficiton is it not? I have decided to stop playing for now, and hope Leenzee undo the plot changes. Or at least make it possible to rollback to patch 1.4.”

Interestingly, the r/wuchanggame subreddit seems to be almost completely devoid of criticism of the patch, but users of other subreddits are claiming that the moderators of that subreddit have been deleting any posts that are critical of these changes.

IGN reviewed the release version of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers at launch and gave it an 8/10, calling it “yet another great soulslike to add to the ever-increasing pile, featuring excellent combat, wonderful level design, an incredible skill tree, and fearsome bosses.” So if you can find a way to play on the pre-patch version, it seems like that’s the way to go for now.

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.

Best Xbox Game Pass Deals and Bundles Right Now (August 2025)

With so many great games coming down the pipeline, now’s a great time to hop on the Xbox Game Pass bandwagon. If some titles joining the catalog this year have caught your eye and you’re itching to join in on the fun, you can choose between one or three month Game Pass Ultimate membership options at Amazon. Unfortunately, there aren’t any discount deals available at the moment, but we’ll update this when a new one drops.

You can learn more about options for signing up, what’s coming soon to Game Pass this month, and the big releases still to come below.

Navigate to:

Best Xbox Game Pass Deals

While there aren’t any deals available at the moment, we’ve included where you can buy a one month Game Pass Ultimate membership above at Amazon. This will set you back $19.99. Amazon also has a three month Game Pass Ultimate membership option available for $59.99, if you want to stock up on a few months to get you started.

What’s Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass?

Game Pass has a nice rotation of new titles to play every month. If you’re curious about what’s in store for August, we’ve got you covered. The Xbox Game Pass August Wave 1 lineup is:

It’s important to note that the Game Pass Standard tier (available for $14.99/month) does not give users access to day one releases – that’s exclusive to the Game Pass Ultimate tier. If you’re looking to play big Xbox exclusives and other new games on the day they release, you’ll need to be subscribed to Game Pass Ultimate.

What Games Are Leaving Xbox Game Pass?

Unfortunately with new games joining the catalog it means a few must take their leave. Below, we’ve listed the games that’ll be leaving Xbox Game Pass on August 15.

  • Anthem (Console and PC)
  • Farming Simulator 22 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Persona 3 Reload (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Biggest Games Releasing on Xbox Game Pass

Xbox’s Summer Showcase this year had plenty of exciting new games to show off, from The Outer Worlds 2 to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Clockwork Revolution, and Ninja Gaiden 4. But which of the many games revealed during the showcase will appear as day-one releases on Game Pass? Thankfully, quite a few! Including all of the previously mentioned titles.

The latest big release on the platform is Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. In our review, IGN’s Mitchell Saltzman said, “Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is yet another great soulslike to add to the ever-increasing pile, featuring excellent combat, wonderful level design, an incredible skill tree, and fearsome bosses. Just watch out for some steep difficulty dips and spikes, and a reliance on cheap-feeling “gotcha!” ambushes.”

If you’re looking for even more savings on all things Xbox, have a look at our roundup of the best Xbox deals. There, we’ve highlighted all of the latest and greatest discounts on the platform, from incredible game deals to fantastic offers on high-quality headphones. Or, if you’d rather see what’s going on with other platforms, check out our roundups of the best PlayStation deals, the best Nintendo Switch deals, and our overall roundup of the best video game deals.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.

Star Wars Jedi Hero Cal Kestis Set to Appear in New Episodes of Animated Series

Cal Kestis, the hero of EA’s Star Wars Jedi video games, will appear in a spin-off TV series — marking his first voiced appearance in another medium.

The redheaded Jedi will play a role in new episodes of Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy set to debut on streaming service Disney+ next month. A non-canon spin-off set in a “What If?”-style remixed Star Wars universe, Rebuild the Galaxy previously introduced the world to Darth Jar-Jar. Who knows what this second round of episodes will see Kestis (or an alternate universe version of him) get up to.

As in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Kestis will once again be voiced by Cameron Monaghan, in the actor’s first voice role as Kestis outside of a video game. News of Monaghan’s return, as well as Kestis’ appearance on a poster for the series, come amid fan speculation the Jedi may eventually turn up in live-action form — something Monaghan himself has said he is open to.

While Monaghan has said he would “absolutely” want to portray Kestis in live-action, the actor has also said the project would “have to be right” for the character. “By that I mean, it has to continue the story or the character in some way,” Monagahan said in March 2024.

“I don’t want him to just kind of show up to stand around and be there. I want him to mean something and for there to be a significance for the character itself. So, it would have to make sense. But in the right context then, yeah, absolutely.”

Kestis’ appearance in Rebuild the Galaxy marks the latest appearance of his popular character outside of Respawn’s Jedi series, alongside other elements from the games. Kestis already has a spin-off novel, Jedi: Battle Scars, and popped up in Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, a smartphone game also published by EA.

Over time, various elements from the Star Wars: Jedi series have popped up elsewhere. A droid of the same model as Kestis’ loyal companion BD-1 is featured in Episode 5 of The Book of Boba Fett (you can also buy the droid as a LEGO set), while Season 1 of Ahsoka saw the titular Jedi use psychometry. This rare force ability allows Jedi to detect echoes of the past by interacting with objects or locations, and was taken by some as an indication that Ashoka had encountered Kestis at some point in her past.

Is this just Disney having fun with its vast cast of Star Wars characters, a reminder there’s still a third Star Wars: Jedi game from Respawn on the way, or a tease that fans can expect yet more from Kestis (and Monaghan) in future? Time will tell.

For now, Rebuild the Galaxy launches via Disney+ on September 19.

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

OFF Review

What I’d consider the best parts of horror in games aren’t jump scares or gruesome monsters chasing you, rather an eerie atmosphere or a lingering feeling of dread – knowing something is a little off. I’ve long heralded the 2008 cult-classic OFF, an RPG Maker (2003) game from developer Mortis Ghost, for how it wields its lo-fi art style to evoke that powerful sense of dread and reveal things that are truly horrifying. As a small-scale game that only had an English version via fan translation in 2011, this official remaster in 2025 is important for preserving an influential retro-style RPG, especially as it is largely faithful to the original. In some respects, it hasn’t aged quite as gracefully as I’d hoped (partially due to the hindsight of having played so many amazing games it inspired in the years since), but OFF’s blend of goofiness embedded in a deeply unsettling story has stood the test of time.

OFF is one of those games where its limitations are part of its strengths. Color and the absence of it are used to shift the vibe of the overworld in chilling ways as you progress. The hand-drawn sketch-like character designs give a deranged look to enemies that complements their desolate, off-kilter world. And the low-tech pixel art has a way of being a powerful tool for creating a foreboding atmosphere, letting your imagination tease out an underlying psychological horror. These are some of OFF’s defining features, and also remain effective as you unravel its disturbing truths.

You control The Batter, a guy rocking a baseball uniform and armed with a bat who is ready to hit some dingers, and you’re on a mission to “purify” a dystopian world of evil ghosts. Without much explanation, a nightmarish cat called The Judge speaks to you in a philosopher’s tone to ponder how your decisions will be accounted for. Aside from one specific moment, there aren’t choices to make, but it’s interesting context for a story that reveals itself through the actions you have to take. I, as the player, felt increasingly uneasy about where things were going – but to The Batter, it’s just another plate appearance. That contrast is still quite effective, and OFF makes this distinction clear in its breaking of the fourth wall from the very start.

It’s a fairly short game, taking about seven-to-eight hours to finish and defeat the secret bosses, including a few new ones. The world is made up of five zones, some of which represent industrial production where workers are ground to the bone by authoritarian figures. Liquid plastic makes up its seas, meat and metal are harvested ad nauseum, and the sugar mines bring about the worst parts of its society. A few dialogue sequences use obscure sketches like they’re out of an old textbook and items you inspect in the environment feed into its cryptic worldbuilding. More often, however, it’s the unconventional way characters talk to you and accept their meager existences, which grows more disturbing as you see the consequences of your mission.

Exploration is met with basic puzzles that often require you to pay closer attention to the clues embedded in the environment, playing into slightly bizarre changes in the world – door codes hidden in seemingly nonsensical texts, numbers scribbled on the wall guiding you in switch-hitting puzzles, or navigating sets of rooms that break conventional logic. I wouldn’t call these things particularly engaging, but it’s the surrealist subtext tucked within them that adds to its uncanny nature.

A mix of random battles and NPCs patrolling the overworld make up encounters, and this is one aspect of OFF that hasn’t really held up: its primitive turn-based combat system. The Batter and the floating circles called Add-Ons, which are very nondescript party members you gather throughout the story, each have a basic attack and special attacks with turns running on an ATB-style system. While The Batter is the heavy hitter, Add-Ons provide more of a support role. Other than prioritizing certain targets and accounting for a few elemental affinities, there isn’t much depth or strategic nuance to combat, which becomes a tired exercise outside of a few challenging secret bosses. OFF isn’t really about its combat as it’s more of a vehicle for everything else it does, but it’s a shortcoming nonetheless.

You don’t have to love OFF, but you damn well better respect it.

OFF doesn’t necessarily tell a complex story with tons of layers to peel away, nor is it a straightforward one where everything is spelled out for you. It doesn’t try to be too clever, yet leaves room for interpretation where all roads lead to a… well, really sad story. For all its accomplishments as a uniquely disturbing experience, something beyond that still sticks with me – it’s a strange kind of emotional resonance because of how blunt and unapologetic it is, increasingly off-putting especially with what it ultimately asks you to do. And with each bizarre twist along the way is a unique artistic vision that makes for a memorable experience.

There are a few things that have changed in this remaster, one of the biggest being the soundtrack, which is somewhat polarizing to those familiar with the original such as myself. In light of not being able to bring the original composer back on board, this version of OFF features new songs that try to capture the unsettling, industrial, and discordant sound it once had. It largely succeeds, even if I do miss the specific low-tech flavor of the original. In a full circle moment for both parties, Toby Fox (of Undertale and Deltarune fame) contributed to a few tracks, lending his sound in small ways, which was nice to hear. This isn’t a soundtrack you’re going to bob your head to or throw onto a playlist to evoke memories of a whimsical experience, but it’s an important part of OFF’s identity. It’s one that complements the ghastly barks of its characters and faint ambient sounds that feed into its discomforting vibe.

I appreciate OFF as a relic of the old gaming forums where it gained traction and tumblr blogs that harnessed dedicated fandoms, and as a product of a certain era of the internet I look back on quite fondly. Discovering the original felt like unearthing a gem you wouldn’t find anywhere else, shaping my taste in horror and helping identify what it is that activates that part of my brain, alongside other RPG Maker hits like Yume Nikki. Evidently, it resonated with others, having paved the way for games like Omori and being a stated inspiration for all-timer Undertale. Replaying OFF was like dusting off the blueprints of some of my favorite games, fascinating to revisit and one you have to put some respect on in spite of the ways it aged.

Coming hot off of Deltarune’s latest chapters and having been deeply moved by the series so far here in 2025, I have a certain fondness for its progenitors and I can’t help but see how OFF’s influence persists to this day. Indie games that delve into morality, break the fourth-wall, and subvert expectations have grown and evolved in the years since, meaning OFF doesn’t come across quite as deep as it once did in retrospect. But it is foundational material for the indie RPG scene, and this is a good excuse to play it all these years later regardless of your history.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Battle System First Impressions

This week is the Pokémon World Championships in Anaheim, and with it, the first playable demo of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. I had the chance to play two different ten-minute segments of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and though I’m still left with a lot of questions, I did play just enough to develop some first impressions about the mechanic I’m the most curious about: its battle system.

But first, a quick aside, to answer a big question many of you no doubt have: I played the Pokémon Legends: Z-A demo on a Nintendo Switch 2, and it ran well and looked moderately better than the new Switch 2 versions of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet. Of course, this is just a demo, and thus I didn’t get to experiment with draw distance or put it to the test with dozens of wild Pokémon on screen.

Back to the demo: one portion of my play session was set in the early-game of only the fourth main mission: Battling in the Z-A Royale. Here, I entered a Battle Zone marked by a red area on the map, where I needed to earn enough ticket points in trainer battles to get a Challenger’s Ticket, which is needed to take part in a Promotion Match. Winning that Promotion Match for the Z-A Royale would upgrade my rank from Z to Y.

If a trainer attacks you when you aren’t looking, that means the opponent’s Pokémon gets that free first attack on your Pokémon, which is also a guaranteed critical hit. 

We already knew about this core gameplay loop, which I assume we’ll be taking part in repeatedly until we reach Rank A and earn the vague prize of a single wish. It’s an entertaining enough system, where, at night, you roam the streets of a predetermined area to face other starry-eyed trainers. In expected Pokémon fashion, as soon as a trainer sees you, the battle is on–but in Legends: Z-A, if a trainer attacks you when you aren’t looking, that means the opponent’s Pokémon gets that free first attack on your Pokémon, which is also a guaranteed critical hit.

Personally, I find this to be an incredibly rude tactic that goes against the friendly competitive spirit of Pokémon, but of course, I took advantage of it myself when one of my stylish teammates, Lida, suggested I try it out. The tight corners of city streets mean it’s easy to get surprised, but it also offers opportunities for you to crouch and sneak in close to a target yourself.

Battle begins seamlessly, just like in Legends: Arceus, but Legends: Z-A does away with Legends: Arceus’ slightly modified version of the core turn-based battle mechanics we’re all most familiar with. Instead, Z-A is full real-time action. At least, that’s how it presents itself.

To attack, you essentially use Z-Targeting by holding the ZL button and then pressing the face buttons to instruct your Pokémon which move to use. This is the same whether you’re in battle, initiating a battle, or instructing your Pokémon to attack an obstacle–like some rocks I saw at the beginning of the mission that none of my Pokémon were strong enough to break.

As expected, each Pokémon can know four moves at a time, and those are the moves you have access to on the four face buttons. Surprisingly, the moves don’t seem to have PP (Power Points), meaning that they can be used an unlimited number of times, with consideration to their cooldown, a new mechanic for Pokémon commonly used for skill-based action games. Different moves have different cooldown times, but the moves I had access to this early in the game all had relatively short cooldowns (around six or seven seconds) and short “casting” times as well that aren’t communicated in any menus.

Regardless of these limitations, I was pretty much always able to attack with another move as soon as my Pokémon was done attacking with the first. The moves will “fill up” with color as the cool-down counts down, indicating when you can attack with it again, but I do wish that feedback was more clearly communicated. I ended up just using almost all of the moves available in rotation pretty mindlessly. You can’t instruct your Pokémon to dodge or perform any other maneuvers besides those four attacks, though Pokémon can miss attacks if the opponent is too far from the attack’s range.

Battle actions appear on the right side of the screen, informing you of things like attacks performed, debuffs, and critical hits. The feedback for missing attacks, however, seemed to be nonexistent, so I can see learning when the best time to attack could be a bit difficult.

In trainer battles, you can’t be damaged or take the hit for your Pokémon (I tried. Mareep still fainted.) But you can get hurt in battles against wild Pokémon and the more dangerous Rogue Mega-Evolved Pokémon, the other core gameplay plot device in Legends: Z-A. (And you still can’t take a hit for your Pokémon, at least it seemed to be that way.)

The second part of the demo pit me against a Rogue Mega-Evolved Absol after following the dog-like Zygarde 10% forme to it as part of another early-game mission, this time, the ninth. Somehow, the small-ish Zygarde carries you up to the roof where the Absol is, but apparently your character closes their eyes while this happens as the screen fades out and suddenly you’re on the roof.

Anyway, this early in the game, you don’t have the ability to Mega Evolve a Pokémon on your own, so the mysterious AZ lends you a Mega Ring, a Lucario, and the Lucarionite Mega Stone so you can face the Rogue Mega Absol without getting your butt categorically handed to you.

In this battle, you must dodge to avoid the opponent’s attacks, as Absol is coming for you–not just your Pokémon. I found it a bit cumbersome to balance attacking and avoiding enemy attacks, as you can attack only while you’re locked onto a target with ZL, but you can’t dash or dodge while targeting. I’m sure this is something I’d develop better muscle memory for as I play more, but it felt odd to have my actions restricted like that.

There’s also a secondary goal to pay attention to when up against Rogue Mega-Evolved Pokémon: you must collect Mega Power orbs to build up enough energy to Mega Evolve your Pokémon, and keep collecting them so your Pokémon doesn’t de-Mega Evolve. Attacking the Rogue Mega-Evolved Pokémon forces the Mega Power orbs out of them, which you then must pick up yourself. It’s a pretty clever way to force you to put yourself in danger and use the dodge mechanics.

Legends: Z-A didn’t feel like a full action game to me, but kind of more like an MMO, with its casting times, cooldowns, and behind-the-scenes math happening.

This fight was much more interesting than the trainer battles, as is expected considering all the extra things I needed to worry about besides pressing the attack buttons. Another thing I noticed is that, although you can’t tell your Pokémon to dodge, they will default to returning to your side when you’re not locked on to an opponent. So if you start avoiding the enemy’s AOE (area of effect) attacks, your Pokémon will too, as long as you give them enough time to retreat.

Overall, Legends: Z-A didn’t feel like a full action game to me, but kind of more like an MMO, with its casting times, cooldowns, and behind-the-scenes math happening. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I do hope Legends: Z-A gets challenging enough to make me more intentionally dish out commands and think about switching Pokémon at just the right moment. I can see the potential, but with just twenty minutes of experiencing the early game, it’s much too soon to tell if this real-time battle system will scratch the strategy-itch Pokémon games usually do for me.

Some last-minute housekeeping, as I did briefly explore the menus: Pokémon have the common six-stat spread, no abilities (just like in Legends: Arceus), but do have Natures that affect their stats (unlike in Legends: Arceus). I also found a shop that sells Mints to change these Natures while I played through the ninth story mission.

Like I said before, I have a lot of questions and I’m very keen to play more Pokémon Legends: Z-A, but for now, we’ll have to wait until it’s out on October 16 to know more.

Casey DeFreitas is a deputy editor of guides at IGN and has been catching Pokémon since Red and Blue. Catch her on socials @ShinyCaseyD.

Waaagh! Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Modder Pushes Definitive Edition to Its Limit by Seeing How Many Ork Boyz It Takes to Crash the Game

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition is out now, and of course modders are already pushing it to its limits. But the way they’re doing it is a lot of fun — and is perhaps the closest we’ll get to seeing a Waaagh! visualized on-screen.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is Relic Entertainment’s much-loved real-time strategy game set in Games Workshop’s grim dark sci-fi universe. It launched in 2004 and proved to be an entry point into the Warhammer 40,000 universe for a generation of PC gamers, while also pleasing existing fans with its authentic representation of the setting.

Now, over 20 years later, Dawn of War returns in Definitive Edition form, and some of the modders who have spent years tinkering with the original are excitedly moving over to this new version to see what it’s capable of.

Much of this early testing is being done by people involved with Dawn of War’s wonderful Unification Mod, which lets users seamlessly combine almost all community-created races. Within hours of Definitive Edition’s release this week, modders started seeing how many Ork Boyz they could spawn in-game before it crashes, because, well… what else would Ork Boyz do?

One member of the Unification Discord, Gunnisson, led the charge by summoning Ork Boyz as soon as they got their hands on the Definitive Edition:

Then, a progress update at nearly 1,000 Boyz spawned:

Over 3,000, and according to Gunnisson: “They’re pathing through each other exceptionally well.”

The Ork count kept on increasing, to the point where, after more than 10,000 Orks, Dawn of War hit single-digit frames per second and became unplayable. But it still ran! “I mean, 10,000+ models on screen, I call that a win for performance and stability,” Gunnisson said.

Gunnisson was eventually able to make 47,504 Ork Boyz “before the game died.” It took over seven hours, they said, while publishing the screenshot below: “At the end it was still chugging along at 10 seconds-per-frame.”

“Performance is fantastic,” Gunnisson added. “It took a lot of corpses to start impacting.” Then: “I’m hyped to try some big matches.”

This is a herculean effort, and for Warhammer 40,000 fans is about as close as we’ll get to a good old Waaagh! For the uninitiated, this is the name given to the wonderful moment when enough Orks gain enough collective momentum to launch devastating system-wide invasions. The Orks don’t really understand what’s going on or why it’s going on — they’re just happy they’re in a massive scrap — but for anyone on the receiving end, it’s bad news indeed.

In a post on Steam to mark the release of the Definitive Edition, Relic thanked modders for helping to test the game ahead of launch.

“We want to say a huge thank you to our community modders who we have been working with for many months,” Relic said. “They’ve put in a lot of work both in helping us to support legacy mods, and in readying their own mods for the Definitive Edition.”

It’s exciting to imagine what modders will be able to do with the Definitive Edition in the coming years as they get to grips with the game. As Gunnisson suggested, massive battles involving tens of thousands of units may now be possible, if the game can stand up to it. Perhaps then we’ll get truly lore accurate body counts.

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.

Diablo 4 Fans Think Blizzard Has Leaked the Arrival of One of the Most Requested Classes Since the Game Launched

Diablo 4 fans believe Blizzard has leaked the action RPG’s next class via an internal build name.

Wowhead reported that the Paladin class, perhaps the most-requested by fans since Diablo 4’s June 2023 release, is coming soon, potentially even as part of Season 11. That’s because the word Paladin was found in the name of a build uploaded to Blizzard’s servers (2.5.Xpaladin67961).

The Paladin is one of the most popular classes from Diablo 2, so its arrival in Diablo 4, should it happen, would be celebrated by the game’s community. Now, this may be nothing (and Diablo 4 fans are already joking that the Paladin will be added as a Mercenary rather than a new class), but a new class is expected from Diablo 4’s second expansion, and the Paladin would certainly be a crowd-pleaser.

As Blizzard confirmed earlier this year, Diablo 4’s next expansion was pushed out of 2025 and into 2026. The game’s first expansion, Vessel of Hatred, added the Spiritborn class. A Diablo 4 roadmap image teased a new ranking system, leaderboards, and more alongside the expansion for 2026.

Diablo 4 hit the headlines last week after development chief Rod Fergusson announced his exit from Blizzard. “After five years of driving the Diablo franchise forward with four big launches, it’s time for me to step away from Blizzard/Microsoft, sword in hand, and see what’s next,” Fergusson wrote. “The teams are set up for success, with an exciting slate of releases ahead. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built together and looking forward to what comes next for Diablo, and for me.”

Then, this week, Blizzard’s Story and Franchise Development team (SFD) voted in favor of unionization with the Communications Workers of America. “After more than a decade working at Blizzard, I’ve seen all the highs and lows,” said organizing committee member and principal editor Bucky Fisk. “For years, Blizzard has been a place where people could build their careers and stay for decades, but that stability’s been fading. With a union, we’re able to preserve what makes this place special, secure real transparency in how decisions are made, and make sure policies are applied fairly to everyone.”

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.

McDonald’s Announces Pokémon Crackdown After Scalpers Scoop Up Card Stock, Waste Food

McDonald’s has announced fresh restrictions aimed at combating scalpers, as it launches the next wave of its enormously popular Pokémon promotion in Japan.

Last weekend, the fast food chain was swamped by scalpers who bought up dozens of Happy Meals just for the exclusive Pokémon cards within them. Photos and videos posted to social media by outraged fans highlighted arguments among patrons over the scalping, and showed examples of huge food wastage, with the Happy Meals dumped by the side of the road or left in the restaurant uneaten.

The incident meant McDonald’s ran out of its cards within hours of its three-day promotion going live, forcing the burger brand to apologise to Pokémon fans left empty-handed. And now, McDonald’s has gone further — with new rules regarding the availability of Pokémon merchandise in Happy Meals applied from today.

“We deeply apologize to our customers who regularly use McDonald’s restaurants, as well as to our store staff and many others for any inconvenience caused by the Happy Set Pokémon Card Campaign,” McDonald’s wrote in a new statement released this morning.

“We will continue to release the Pokémon Happy Meals, which include five different toys, as scheduled from Friday, August 15. However, in light of the current situation, we will be implementing the following purchase restrictions for three days until Sunday, August 17th.”

These restrictions include a maximum purchase of three Happy Meals per group (this was previously higher, and per person). “If you order four or more,” McDonald’s now says, “we will refuse your purchase and cancel the order.”

“Furthermore, during this period, there may be restrictions on use at some stores and during certain hours,” the chain continued. “We will not allow purchases from customers who do not follow the above rules and etiquette.”

The biggest difference with the coming weekend’s promotion, however, is that it no longer features Pokémon cards at all — just Pokémon toys.

On scalping specifically, McDonald’s said it “does not tolerate the purchase of Happy Meals for the purpose of resale, or the abandonment or disposal of food,” in a direct response to the activities of some customers last weekend. However, it’s unclear how the chain can and will be able to enforce this. Still, what’s obvious is the brand has taken note of the social media outrage — and the disappointment among young Pokémon fans and families at not being able to get cards.

“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to customers who look forward to dining with their children, grandchildren, or friends due to these purchase restrictions,” McDonald’s concluded. “We will continue to review and improve these sales methods and measures, listening to the opinions of our customers and store staff.”

In other Pokémon news, last week The Pokémon Company replaced the art for its Lugia and Ho-Oh cards which had fallen foul to claims they included fan designs.

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

The Best Murder Mystery Tabletop Games for a Killer Good Time

When it comes to planning out a game night, you can never go wrong with a murder mystery game. Even in a world where virtual party games exist online, nothing quite beats having a physical board game for game night. Mystery board games are fun for everyone involved, giving guests a thrilling whodunit throughout the night to keep people engaged and on their toes. What’s more, there are numerous types of board games within this genre to choose from, whether you want a classic game of Clue to play with the whole family, or something more involved to play with friends like One Night Ultimate Werewolf.

TL;DR: These are the Best Murder Mystery Games

In this board game shopping guide, we’ve collected some of our favorite murder mystery games that are well worth picking up for your next game night. Although selected with adults in mind, each one offers a unique experience and can be played with a wide range of players so you can find one that best fits your crew and vibe! Which ones have you played?

Additional contributions by Hannah Houlihan

Clue

One of the most well known board games in general, Clue is a classic murder mystery game that can be played with up to 6 players. Each player is a suspect as you gather information to try and unravel the mystery behind who killed Mr. Boddy of Tudor Mansion, along with pinpointing where he was killed and with what weapon. A classic detective game for the whole fam and one of the best family board games you can buy.

There are a lot of different versions of this game available in 2025, including an Advent calendar version you play all month long.

One Night Ultimate Werewolf

Werewolf is a beloved game that’s great for big groups, but One Night Ultimate Werewolf takes it in a thrilling, fast-paced direction with no moderator, no elimination, and no downtime. Play a quick round with up to 10 people and solve the mystery of who’s the Werewolf over the course of one night.

If you’re looking for more party games like this, you can check out our guide to the best board games for large groups.

Mysterium

This game takes solving a murder mystery to a new level, as one player takes on the role of a restless ghost who assists the rest of the players, who take on the role of psychics, to help figure out who their killer is. It can be played with up to 7 players and will take you just over 40 minutes to play through. It’s the perfect mix of mystery and horror board game.

Exit: The Game – Dead Man on The Orient Express

Exit: The Game brings the Escape Room setup into your own home. With this story, you’ll need to step into your Agatha Christie shoes to solve the case before the train reaches its destination. It can only be played once, though, as you’ll need to dig into the case materials in the box to write down notes, fold, and cut different materials.

If you’re interested in this type of game, we’ve researched a variety of other escape room board games you may also like.

Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective – The Thames Murders & Other Cases

In a similar vein of classic detectives and stories, the Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective – The Thames Murders & Other Cases game is another way to step into those shoes to solve a case. This one in particular features 10 detailed mysteries in total to solve around Victorian London, so you can keep the murder mystery game nights going for a while or play completely solo. The Sherlock Holmes board game series are a bit more challenging than a classic whodunit – best for ages 12+ – but many adults find it hard too!

If you find yourself really enjoying the theme of this game, we recommend you also check out our guide to the Sherlock Holmes books in order. Arthur Conan Doyles original stories are what started it all.

Hunt a Killer – Death at The Dive Bar

For true crime fans, this game is one to add to your collection. Hunt a Killer – Death at the Dive Bar is an immersive puzzle game that can be played with 1 or more players and involves you solving the death of a local bar owner named Nick Webster. It’ll take you about 45-60 minutes to work through as well.

As a brand, Hunt a Killer has a ton of different options to choose from. So if you don’t like this particular mystery, you can check out the website for everything currently available.

University Games Murder Mystery Party Case Files: Underwood Cellars

For those who want an even more in-depth murder mystery to solve, the Underwood Cellars Murder Mystery Party Case Files will take you about 2 hours or longer to get through. While playing, you’ll need to figure out what happened to famed Napa winemaker Cary Underwood, whose body was recently found after disappearing 20 years ago.

Deception: Murder in Hong Kong

Unlike a few of the games listed above, Deception: Murder in Hong Kong will only take you a quick 20 minutes. Similar to Werewolf, this is a game where you and a group of people try to narrow down who commited the murder. Players take on the role of Murderer, Accomplice, Forensic Scientist, Witness, and Investigators, with each having an interesting part to play in the mystery.

13 Dead End Drive

This game is another classic murder mystery board game for everyone to enjoy, especially since it’s a bit like a board game version of Knives Out. In this game, Aunt Agatha has passed away, and without any surviving relatives, she’s left her vast fortune up for grabs. Only one will inherit it… will it be you? Play with up to four players and set traps to get rid of the competition.

MicroMacro: Crime City

Not only is this game filled with 16 different cases to solve, but solving them has an interesting Where’s Waldo element as well. You’ll need a keen eye to track everything down, but a magnifying glass is included with the box so you can get in close to investigate every detail. You can play with up to four people and it’ll take you between 15-45 minutes to complete.

Rear Window

Based on Hitchcock’s famous thriller movie of the same name, this riffs on Mysterium’s structure. One player is the director, who draws a random selection of people to live in four apartments and some associated characteristics for them. They then have to use a limited selection of images to try and communicate to the other players, without words, who it is that lives in which apartment. Except this game has a colossal potential twist: sometimes, but not always, there’s also a murder to solve. In this instance the game is no longer a cosy cooperative affair as the director can win if the murder stays secret, while the other players gain a team victory if they can work it out. It’s an intriguing twist that makes every game a tightrope worthy of the master of suspense himself.

Cryptic Killers: Murder of a Millionaire

Cryptic Killers is an enormously popular series of murder mystery cases that you can either solve solo or cooperatively. Murder of a Millionaire was the first in the franchise, leveraging a cunning range of visual and text clues, alongside frustrating red herrings, to present you with the case of Chloe, a lottery winner found dead in the park. You’ll need to solve logic puzzles as well as interweave vital details from the reams of included props to work out which of the game’s suspects has an alibi, and which are guilty. As well as being a great mystery, the pack contents encourage you into the lives of its characters, creating a compelling narrative alongside a fun case to solve.

Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game

Detective sells itself on some bold claims. Firstly, that it’s a highly realistic simulacrum of real police work, casting you in the shoes of genuine modern-day detectives presented with reams of evidence from its online case files. Second, that it’s a long-term campaign in which information in early cases can often become relevant again in much later ones, creating an engrossing, branching narrative to enjoy. While only actual police detectives can comment on the first claim it certainly mixes murder mystery and board game mechanics to present you with complex cases to work through, and it delivers handsomely on its second claim, drawing you in to a story worthy of top drawer TV drama.

Matt Thrower is a contributing freelancer for IGN, specializing in tabletop games. He’s also been published in The Guardian, Dicebreaker and Senet Magazine as well as being the author and co-author of several books on board games. You can reach him on BlueSky at @mattthr.bsky.social.

The Biggest Magic: The Gathering Crashers and Climbers This Week – August 13

The Magic: The Gathering release calendar puts us squarely in Edge of Eternities territory now (until Spider-Man next month…), and our new Lobster Overlord, Ragost, is still seeing a lot of love.

While last week was all centered around the custacean king, another card has usurped him with a rocketing market value. Here’s what we have this week, courtesy of data from TCGPlayer.

Loads of Energy

If you saw this coming, you might want to buy a lottery ticket, because Energy Chamber has seen a significant price jump despite being a card that debuted 21 years ago.

It was available for a few cents, but foil versions have climbed up to almost $12. It remains to be seen if that’ll hold, but the increased value is due to its ability to generate counters in the upkeep step. That’s an ideal inclusion for the new Counter Intelligence precon, or the Final Fantasy Counter Blitz precon.

Next up, Ragost, Deft Gastronaut is sticking around, now at around $15. Its market value, however, is low. Expect to see it drop as more printings arrive.

He’s causing a bit of a stir in Commander now, too, with Legion Extruder seeing a steep increase in value up to around $10. For context, that’s a 600% increase in market value for a two-cost card that deals damage when entering and can sacrifice other artifacts to create Golem tokens.

Also on the rise is Simulacrum Synthesizer, which is up to over $40 after a drop in recent weeks. A three-cost Artifact that turns other artifacts into artifact creature tokens, it’s a powerful card that’s also seen a buff from ol’ Ragost.

Finally, Astrid Peth has seen a comeback since debuting in the Universes Beyond: Doctor Who set.

She creates Food tokens, while also exploring when you sacrifice them, potentially keeping the land flowing or powering up Astrid.

Planetfall

A few Edge of Eternities cards are starting to drop off, with Adagia, Windswept Bastion losing 77% of its value according to TCGPlayer.

Famished Worldsire is still up for almost $20, but its market value has dropped to around $8 for the extended art version.

Thrumming Hivepool is trending downward significantly, too, now with market value of around $6, while the Showcase version of The Dominion Bracelet is now $7 and change down from close to $45 in recent weeks.

Finally, the Singularity Foil remains the priciest Edge of Eternities card, but the standard version of Sothera, the Supervoid is down to a market value of under $10.

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He’s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife’s dismay.