Category: IGN

Double Fine is poised to release a brand new game called Keeper in October, but what comes after that? According to development chief Tim Schafer, he’s working on multiple projects at the Microsoft-owned studio, none of which are sequels.

Keeper is an atmospheric puzzle adventure in which a long-forgotten lighthouse is awakened and goes on a journey. It’s led by Double Fine’s Lee Petty, which means Tim Schafer is hands-off and free to work on other things.

What are those other things? Speaking to IGN at gamescom 2025, Schafer of course wouldn’t divulge Double Fine’s upcoming games, but did say the studio has multiple projects in the works and they’re all original IP.

“I’m working on other stuff,” he confirmed. “The studio is doing multiple projects right now and they’re all original IPs, because we did Psychonauts 2 and that will hold us for sequels for a while.”

So, that rules out Psychonauts 3 or — and this was always an unlikely one — Brütal Legend 2, at least in the short to mid-term. As game developers are fond of saying, never say never, but Schafer’s rather definitive comment gives us an idea of what to expect from Double Fine in the coming years — and that is the unexpected.

Psychonauts 2 was Double Fine’s first release following Microsoft’s acquisition of the company in 2019. Schafer has spoken before about how Double Fine had to cut boss fights from the game due to budget concerns, but the Microsoft buyout meant it had the resources to add them back in. Schafer described Keeper as smaller-scale compared to Psychonauts 2, but with an impressive level of quality.

Psychonauts 2 eventually came out in 2021. Now, four years later, Double Fine is about to release its next game. Keeper comes out October 17, 2025, on PC and Xbox Series X and S.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images.

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.

Stardew Valley developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone has revealed he doesn’t ask for any compensation when his fan-favorite farm sim collabs with other franchises, saying he only does them because “[he] was a fan of the other games, or because [he] genuinely thought players would like it.”

The statement comes as fans prepare for a crossover event between Stardew Valley and Infinity Nikki, which goes live on September 1. Although we still don’t really understand what this will involve, exactly, there are already some surprisingly mixed reactions coming from the community, with some players upset about the timing, suggesting it’s an all-too-convenient distraction from the recent controversy around leakers.

“There have been a few collaborations between Stardew Valley and other games over the years,” Barone posted on X/Twitter yesterday. “To be clear, I never receive any money from these collabs. I’ve only done them because I was a fan of the other games, or because I genuinely thought the players would like it.”

Interestingly, Infinity Nikki responded directly to Barone from its official X/Twitter account.

“We really appreciate you sharing your feelings on this. Any unintended stress was the last thing we wanted. It was our way of saying thanks — a free love letter to Stardew Valley from our team and for the community,” the message said.

“Working on it felt like we were all tending a little farm together. The care and detail you pour into your world is exactly why we want to make cozy games too. We’re still learning from you every day.”

To be fair, it feels as though the fallout from the Stardew Valley collab is just a matter of bad timing here. The Infinity Nikki community has been unhappy ever since update 1.5 added some controversial changes to the game, such as retconning Infinity Nikki’s story, and ramping up the money and time investments required to collect full outfits.

It’s not that Barone does this all that often, either. Stardew Valley has only ever worked with a handful of other games, such as Balatro and Terraria.

Back in May, Barone admitted that he “didn’t want to just be the Stardew Valley guy,” explaining that was why he’s currently working on Haunted Chocolatier. We shouldn’t expect a release date anytime soon, though — there’s “still a lot to be done,” Barone recently admitted, particularly as he feels it’s “got to be better” than Stardew Valley.

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.

DICE has outlined what it’s learned — and what it’s changing — following the open beta test for Battlefield 6.

With “tens of thousands connecting on Discord to play together, over 600,000 hours streamed, and over 30 million hours watched,” the Battlefield team said it would “like to take a moment to look back at the recent Open Beta to share our key learnings and in-game changes we’re making based on your feedback and in-game data,” including tweaks to weapons, movement, maps, modes, player counts, and playlist options.

Perhaps one of the biggest complaints from players was around movement mechanics, particularly the speed of movement, and moving out of a slide into a jump. DICE says it’s now “adjusting” this “to create a more balanced and traditional Battlefield experience.”

“Momentum, especially horizontal speed, carried from a slide into a jump has been reduced,” the team wrote. “There is now a greater penalty for consecutive jumps, which lowers jump height when jumps are spammed. Firing while jumping or sliding will result in increased inaccuracy. These changes are designed to make sliding and jumping more situational, so they are no longer ideal options for engaging in gunfights, and will contribute to a gameplay pace that rewards skillful movement without becoming too fast or unpredictable.

“Parachute physics have also been re-tuned, with reduced initial acceleration when opening the parachute for more controlled aerial movement.”

The team was also keen for you to know that it heard your “strong feedback” about larger-scale maps, and says that while the Open Beta intentionally featured smaller, more fast-paced maps, “larger-scale maps are already part of our package, delivering action-packed gameplay and memorable, unique moments for every player.” As Battlefield Labs continues — that’s the closed test available to select players who sign an NDA — it’ll introduce two new multiplayer maps: one set in Mirak Valley, the other a remake of the fan-favorite from Battlefield 3, Operation Firestorm. These two maps “include the full complement of vehicles, like Liberation Peak, along with a more vast combat space.” Details about Mirak, you may remember, leaked earlier this week.

And of course, the studio is looking at feedback on modes, too. DICE recently made changes to Rush mode after a negative response from fans, noting “the conversation we observed wasn’t just about player count, but also about how maps play, and the tactical experience they offer.”

For those who aren’t aware, Rush was initially known as Gold Rush in Bad Company, where matches typically ranged from 12v12 to 16v16 players.

“We’ve experimented with larger player counts over the years, such as 64- and even 128-player versions. While these matches created intense, fast-paced moments, they also led to issues: Overwhelming defenses, stalled frontlines, and too many games ending in the first sector,” DICE explained. “Rush is especially sensitive to higher player counts due to its tactical and strategic requirements; when a player tries to arm the M-COM while more than 20 opponents are defending, the intended gameplay becomes less tangible. Based on feedback throughout recent titles, we’re lowering the default player count for Rush to improve the flow of combat and restore the tactical, methodical experience that defines the mode.”

Those who enjoy a “large-scale” Rush, however, will still be able to “experiment” with different player counts via the Portal from launch. “Finding the right balance is an ongoing process as everyone gets familiar with map size, lanes, and combat spaces,” the team added. “For now, we’ve found that 8v8 provides a solid starting point for small-scale, fast-paced modes like Team Death Match, Squad Death Match, Domination, and KOTH.”

“With the insights gathered during the Open Beta play sessions, we will be introducing in-game adjustments in upcoming Battlefield Labs events. Stay tuned for progress updates and future opportunities to get involved,” the team concluded. “Lastly, thanks again for joining the Battlefield 6 Open Beta. Your feedback and participation made it an incredible experience.”

We’re having a great time with what we’ve played so far, writing in our Battlefield 6 review-in-progress: “We are still in the beta period, but I’m already having an absolute blast with Battlefield 6’s multiplayer. The action is sublime, with a cinematic quality to the constantly raining debris that is enhanced by how legitimately effective it is to take strategic advantage of that destruction.

“Right now, even in beta form, Battlefield 6 might be the most fun shooter I’ve played this year.”

Don’t forget that from now until October 7 — Battlefield 6’s launch day — EA has a “wave of content” planned for Battlefield 2042, including a free new pass “celebrating the legacy of Battlefield,” new hardware, and a reimagining of the fan favorite Iwo Jima map. As you progress through the ‘Road to Battlefield 6’ pass, you can expect 50 “exclusive cross-rewards,” including 20 for Battlefield 6 that will be ready for you on launch day.

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.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater contains a secret mode developed by PlatinumGames, the studio behind the likes of Bayonetta and Nier: Automata.

Warning! Spoilers for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and the original Metal Gear Solid 3 follow:

Fans of the original Metal Gear Solid 3, which Konami has remade for this Delta version, may be aware of Snake’s Nightmare. Dubbed Guy Savage by fans, it’s a time-limited third-person hack and slash sequence in which ‘Guy Savage’ cuts his way through a demon-filled hellscape, triggered by saving while Snake is in prison and then reloading.

Guy Savage was in the original Metal Gear Solid 3 on PlayStation 2, but was removed for most of the versions that followed. Now, Guy Savage is back as ‘Guy Savage Delta,’ courtesy of PlatinumGames. Even better, you’re able to unlock the secret mode to replay it via the main menu screen once you’ve beaten the game (or you can trigger it the old-fashioned way).

For as long as Call of Duty campaigns have existed, so has the option to play them at whichever difficulty suits you best. Whether recruit, normal, hardened, or veteran, long-term COD players know their level. But this year’s entry, Black Ops 7, won’t let you pick.

Black Ops 7 has a campaign that can be played solo or in co-op for up to four players. As part of that, the difficulty scales based on how many are playing, and cannot be adjusted in the settings.

“For the difficulty, it’s baked in,” associate creative director Miles Leslie told IGN in a recent interview. “We’ve built it for solo or four-player squads as well. You cannot pick a difficulty like past games. We’ve baked it in because you have to approach a co-op campaign differently, and we wanted to make sure the missions felt right for solo players — we’re not forgetting about you, we love you — but also because it is a social experience we want to make sure it’s fun, but the right amount of challenging for two, three, and four players as well.”

So, no more veteran-level runs for single-player fans in this year’s Call of Duty. Are you someone who enjoys testing yourself with the toughest challenges COD campaigns have to offer? Are you disappointed by the fact that Black Ops 7 won’t have this option at launch?

For now, you can check out my full preview of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. For more from the devs, check out their thoughts on Call of Duty being called “lazy,” the proliferation of “goofy skins,” and how generative AI is being used in Black Ops.

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.

Eight years after its initial launch, first-person extraction shooter Escape from Tarkov has a version 1.0 release date: November 15, 2025. That’s over eight years after Escape from Tarkov first entered beta, and 13 years after initial development began.

Developer Battlestate Games announced the release date alongside patch notes for update 0.16.9.0, which serves as an “interim milestone” that brings a significant number of improvements and changes. Meanwhile, the development team is focusing on optimizing the final version of the game.

The main highlight, Battlestate Games said, is synchronization between EFT: Arena and EFT PvE Zone. Its “key feature” is a one-way sync: progress in EFT: Arena will sync with PvE Zone, but progress in PvE Zone will not sync with EFT: Arena.

“This one-way synchronization includes the addition of the trader Ref, the ability to transfer currency, synchronization of Tactical Clothing sets and Battle Pass rewards, along with several other innovations,” Battlestate Games said. “Additionally, improvements have been made to enemy AI systems and in-game audio.

Escape from Tarkov update 0.16.9.0 patch notes:

Changes:

PvE mode synchronization

Added synchronization between Escape from Tarkov: Arena and Escape from Tarkov PvE mode.

The main feature of this synchronization is that it only works one-way (excluding regular tasks), meaning the progress in EFT: Arena syncs with PvE mode, but not the other way around.

Trader Ref

• Added Ref to PvE mode with his related tasks and trade offers;
• Arena’s task lines in PvP & PvE modes now contain a special label indicating the game mode;
• These tasks can be completed simultaneously in both modes.

Item transfer

• Added the ability to transfer currency (Roubles, GP coins, Lega Medals) and loot crates to PvE mode;
• Items and currency from PvE mode cannot be transferred to EFT: Arena;
• Item transfer game mode selection option is available at Ref’s services tab;
• Item transfer between Arena and PvP mode remain unchanged;
• Item transfer limits are separated between the two EFT game modes, not affecting each other.

Tactical clothing

• Obtaining clothing in EFT: Arena unlocks it in both PvP and PvE mode;
• Obtaining clothing in PvP mode unlocks it only in EFT: Arena;
• Obtaining clothing in PvE mode does not unlock it in PvP mode and EFT: Arena.

BattlePass

• Earning rewards in BattlePass now also unlocks them in PvE mode;
• The already earned BattlePass rewards, including trade offers and clothing, are also unlocked in PvE mode.

In-game tasks

• After completing tasks in EFT: Arena, you receive rewards into your in-game stash and can transfer them to either PvP or PvE mode.

Trader standing

• Trader standing increase from EFT: Arena transfers into both PvE and PvP mode:
• Completing tasks in PvE mode gives trader standing only in PvE mode;
• Completing tasks in PvP mode gives trader standing both in PvP mode and EFT: Arena.
• Note: Trader standing in EFT: Arena and PvE mode may differ due to PvE trader standing not transferring to EFT: Arena.

Character experience, skills, and weapon mastery

• Experience, skills and mastery leveled in EFT: Arena transfers it to both PvE and PvP mode:
  • Gaining experience in PvE mode does not transfer it elsewhere;
  • Gaining experience in PvP mode also transfers it to EFT: Arena.
• Note: Experience, skills and mastery in EFT: Arena and PvE mode may differ due to PvE experience not transferring to EFT: Arena.

Character wipes

• In the event of a character wipe (global, personal, or Prestige) in PvP or EFT: Arena, only PvP and EFT: Arena progress will be reset:
  • Progress in tasks related to PvE mode and EFT: Arena will not be reset.
• If you perform a character wipe in PvE mode, your progress will be reset only in PvE mode:
  • Progress in tasks related to PvP mode and EFT: Arena will not be reset;
  • Progress in tasks related to PvE mode and EFT: Arena will be reset.

AI:

• Readjusted the general AI detection system;
• Readjusted the AI detection system through smoke;
• Improved the AI enemy detection system;
• Improved the AI looting patterns;
• Improved the AI grenade launcher aiming system;
• Improved the AI detection system when the AI is hiding in vegetation;
• Several Boss behavior fixes;
• Fixed the situations when an AI would drop their NVG to the player;
• Fixed the specific situations when the cultists would stop shooting the player;
• Fixed the issue with AI PMCs not patrolling the territory on Factory;
• Fixed the several situations when Rogues would fire the stationary AGS-17 outside their detection sector;
• Fixed the situations when bots were spawning in front of players;
• Fixed the situations when a bot group would summon an ally next to the player.

Audio:

• Fixed the incorrect volume of certain sounds;
• Removed the M67 grenade fuze ignite sound;
• Fixed several issues with sound occlusion on Streets of Tarkov and Customs;
• Added noise cancelling and microphone sensitivity options for voice chat;
• Fixed the issues with short clicks and sound artifacts when using VoIP;
• Fixed the issue with players still hearing VoIP after disabling it in the settings;
• Added the ability to quick-swap microphones to use in VoIP;
• Now, if the user encounters a microphone error, they can enable/disable voice chat to receive incoming voice streams;
• Added the ability to adjust VoIP volume.

QoL:

• Changed the surgical kit auto-use priority to legs.

Balancing changes

• New balancing changes to the Hardcore Wipe mechanics:
• Returned access to the Flea Market at level 35 with the ability to place one Found in Raid item at a time;
• Reverted the trader prices to the values before the Hardcore Wipe;
• Reverted the Scav cooldown to the values before the Hardcore Wipe;
• Returned the missing trade offers at Therapist Loyalty Level 4;
• Returned the ability to insure items at Prapor and Therapist, and disabled insurance at Fence.

Fixes:

• Fixed numerous visual issues, incorrect culling, object ballistics, decals, and lighting across all locations;
• Fixed the ability to use gestures while jumping to gain an advantage;
• Fixed the character behavior when attempting to equip a grenade while using the bipod;
• Fixed the in-raid compass interaction;
• Fixed the incorrect Glock 18C recoil when shooting in small bursts;
• Fixed the ability to add incompatible attachments on an equipped weapon;
• Fixed the issue with max level skills not leveling correctly after using a stimulant;
• Fixed several visual issues with Hideout zones;
• Fixed the Ammo used and Overall accuracy statistics during local PvE raids;
• Fixed the RShG-2 explosion visuals in thermal optics;
• Fixed the ability to equip regular and helmet-mounted headsets at the same time;
• Fixed the cause of Error 228 when auto-sorting stash in certain cases.

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

You no longer have to pay an egregious sum of money to play games at a consistently solid framerate in glorious 4K resolution. Walmart is currently offering the iBuypower Element Pro gaming PC equipped with an AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT GPU for just $1499 with free delivery. This was the best “high-end” gaming PC deal during Prime Day – better than anything I found on Amazon – and it’s still the best deal I’ve seen so far at this price point. The Radeon RX 9070 XT is an outstanding graphics card that can run the latest games (like Battlefield 6) in 4K.

iBuypower Element Pro Radeon RX 9070 XT Gaming PC $1499

Bungie CEO Pete Parsons is departing the company after 23 years and nearly 10 as CEO. He is succeeded by Justin Truman, currently chief development officer and fellow Bungie veteran.

In a blog post on the official Bungie website, Parsons wrote:

When I was asked to lead Bungie in 2015, my goal was to grow us into a studio capable of creating and sustaining iconic, generation-spanning entertainment. We’ve been through so much together: we launched a bold new chapter for Destiny, built an enviable, independent live ops organization capable of creating and publishing its own games, and joined the incredible family at Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Today marks the right time for a new beginning. The future of Bungie will be in the hands of a new generation of leaders, and I am thrilled to announce that Justin Truman will be stepping into leadership as Bungie’s new Studio Head.

Parsons has overseen Bungie during many turbulent years, first taking over as CEO in 2016 from Harold Ryan and overseeing its break from Activision in 2019. He was at the helm throughout many of the events catalogued in our 2021 expose of Bungie’s internal work culture. Though those we spoke to reported that Bungie had been toxic and hostile toward women in particular prior to Parsons taking charge, they also told IGN that he was frequently slow or reluctant to take action when issues were reported, or even seemed clueless as to how to reign in problem employees. Parsons apologized at the time, saying, “Our actions or, in some cases, inactions, caused these people pain. I apologize personally and on behalf of everyone at Bungie who I know feel a deep sense of empathy and sadness reading through these accounts.”

Just months after our report, Bungie was acquired by Sony for $3.7 billion, ending the studio’s flirtation with independence. As the acquistion settled in, concerns began to arise about Bungie’s future. Destiny 2 was struggling, and upcoming game Marathon was still years away. In 2023, Bungie laid off roughly 100 individuals and delayed Destiny 2’s The Final Shape DLC, with Parsons taking responsibility for the layoffs. Developers told IGN at the time that the atmosphere at Bungie was “soul-crushing” as fears grew of a total Sony takeover of the company. In 2024, this was followed up with even more layoffs, impacting 220 people this time, despite The Final Shape’s success. 155 people were also integrated from Bungie into Sony at this time. Troubles continued to rock the studio through 2024 and into 2025, with Marathon seeing a delay out of September of this year to an unknown future date.

It’s in this environment – Destiny 2 struggling, Marathon delayed, a smaller staff, and Sony looming, that Parsons departs the company. He leaves it to Justin Truman, who began at Bungie as a developer 15 years ago working on Destiny 1 and who has since worked his way up to chief development officer and now studio head.

When we’re at our best – we create those worlds alongside you, our player community, and build something that matters. Something that’s worth your time, your passion, and your investment in us. Something that I’ve learned, hopefully, overdelivers.

I’ve also been part of these efforts at Bungie when we’ve maybe not been at our best. When we’ve stumbled and realized through listening to our community that we had missed the mark. I know I’ve personally learned a lot over the years, as have all of us here, from those conversations.

I am committed to supporting and working alongside every member of the team here as we continue pouring our hearts and souls into these worlds. Worlds that we love, and that we hope have been worth your time and your passion. Because ultimately those worlds only exist, and thrive, with you in them.

We are hard at work right now doing that – both with Marathon and Destiny. We’re currently heads down, but we’ll have more to show you in both of these worlds later this year.

Per Bungie’s social media post, Parsons is retiring and will seemingly not remain at the studio.

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.

If you’re a fan of Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere books, there’s certainly no shortage of written content available. And in recent years, that same universe has started to trickle over into the world of tabletop games. One such experience is a collaboration with Brotherwise Games called Mistborn: The Deckbuilding Game, which is currently discounted on Amazon.

The Mistborn board game pulls from Era 1 of the Mistborn book series. These were some of the first Brandon Sanderson books I ever read and are, in my opinion, the best entrypoint into The Cosmere as a whole. If you’re a fan of both the books and deckbuilding games, I definitely recommend checking out this crossover board game.

Mistborn: The Deckbuilding Game Is on Sale at Amazon

The recent trends across Shrouded Fable and Stellar Crown illustrate a diverging market. Many Stellar Crown Illustration Rares such as Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Terapagos ex SIR are seeing sharp pullbacks, while a few under-the-radar Shrouded Fable Dark-type ex and Tool cards are appreciating steadily.

The contrast is clear. Flashy artwork loses momentum quickly, while cards with competitive or functional utility tend to hold or grow in value.

TL;DR: Crashers and Climbers This Week

One of the most notable climbers this week is Stellar Crown’s Basic Darkness Energy in Hyper Rare form, which has risen from $34.15 in February to $39.98. That is a roughly 17% increase. At the same time, Shrouded Fable has not delivered any dramatic price surges, but subtle demand for tools and draw effects is clearly supporting modest value increases.

On the flip side, the Stellar Crown Illustration Rare staples are tumbling fast. Squirtle 148/142 has dropped from $73.63 in February to around $50 today, which is close to a 32% decline. Market price on TCGPlayer remains in the mid-50s, and the trend suggests collector demand is cooling quickly.

Pokémon Card Crashers