Ever since Sony’s PC and PlayStation 5 co-op shooter Helldivers 2 came out earlier this year, fans have suggested it would be perfect for a Star Wars crossover. Now, one mod team has gone ahead and built just that.
Prolific mod content creator Toasted tasked his mod team with creating a Star Wars Clone Wars mod pack for Helldivers 2, and has published the results in video form with the help of @SWBFUpdates, @StayBombastic, and @OzzyOVLD.
The mod pack, built by modders Kboy and @irastris, swaps out Hellidvers for playable Clone Troopers from the 501st Legion, including Captain Rex, Commander Cody, and Sergeant Hunter, with Automaton enemies redesigned as Separatist Droids. There are B1-series battle droids, B2-series super battle droids, Droidekas, and more. Even the extraction shuttle is made to look like a Low Altitude Assault Transport.
Toasted has said the mod pack is currently unavailable because the mods do not work consistently across all planets and difficulties, “so we want to iron out the kinks before dropping them.” However, in the meantime, Toasted will release the 501st legion and other mods individually on Nexus Mods.
The Star Wars Clone Wars mod offers a glimpse at what a Star Wars-themed Helldivers 2-type game would look like to play, but also the potential within Helldivers 2 itself for eye-catching crossovers. While Sony and developer Arrowhead may do well to wrangle an official Star Wars mod in partnership with Disney, there are other crossovers fans have called for once they inevitably start to come out following Helldivers 2’s explosive success.
For example, fans have suggested Helldivers 2 would be perfect for a Warhammer 40,000 crossover, and it’s easy to imagine the Helldivers as Imperial Guard fighting against the Necrons and the Tyranids across the galaxy. Arrowhead boss Johan Pilestedt has said Arrowhead has no interest in going down the Fortnite route with collaborations that make little sense within the universe it’s created. “If we ever make crossovers that break the Fantasy – I’m probably dead,” Pilestedt has said.
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 developer of Marvel Rivals has apologized for having a clause in its content creator contract that blocked streamers from criticizing the game.
Marvel Rivals, a Marvel-themed take on team-based hero shooter Overwatch, was recently made available to some content creators as part of a closed alpha test. Amid positive feedback, it emerged that the contract that creators had to sign to gain access to the game included a number of clauses that prevented any disparaging comments.
As streamer and retired professional Overwatch player Brandon Larned, aka Seagull, revealed on X / Twitter, the non-disparagement clause in the contract prevented creators from posting negative reviews, or even comparing it to competitors, such as Blizzard’s Overwatch.
Reaction to this clause was overwhelmingly negative, with developer NetEase coming under fire for its attempt to block even constructive criticism of the game. Now, NetEase has issued an apology for what it called “any unpleasant experiences or doubts caused by the miscommunication of these terms”, and announced plans to revise the contract.
“We sincerely apologize for the confusion, suspicion, and frustration caused by these excessively restrictive terms and thank you for sharing with us.
“The Content Creator Program is a small-scale project that aims to aid in the production of incredible content by supporting Creators through giving them more resources,” NetEase said in its statement. “We actively encourage Creators to share their honest thoughts, suggestions, and criticisms as they play. All feedback, positive and negative, ultimately helps us craft the best experience for ourselves and the players.
“We sincerely apologize for the confusion, suspicion, and frustration caused by these excessively restrictive terms and thank you for sharing with us. We cherish and appreciate every suggestion given by our players and always respect your feedback. We are currently working with Creators who have expressed these concerns and are revising the current version to be less restrictive and more Creator-friendly. Thank you for bearing with us while we make these adjustments.
“We hope you are enjoying the game so far and we are always open to hearing your sincere thoughts and ideas on how we can improve the game.”
Marvel Rivals is a 6v6 team-based free-to-play shooter headed to PC that stars iconic heroes and villains from the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more. This multiversal adventure features an initial roster comprised of Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Groot, Hulk, Iron Man, Loki, Luna Snow, Magik, Magneto, Mantis, Namor, Peni Parker, Rocket Raccoon, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Storm, Star-Lord, and The Punisher. A release date is yet to be announced.
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.
Square Enix has announced a significant company reboot amid tumbling profits.
Reporting its financial performance for the financial year ending March 31, 2024, sales in the Digital Entertainment segment, which includes video games, rose by 2.6% but profit fell by 15.8%. This despite the sale of Final Fantasy 16, Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, Foamstars, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Specifically on HD games, the subcategory Square Enix uses to encompass all the above games, the company saw a significant operating loss of ¥8.1 billion (approximately $51.9 million).
Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth both launched as PlayStation 5 exclusives, and while Square Enix has announced a sales figure for Final Fantasy 16, it has yet to do so for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the second game in the company’s trilogy of Final Fantasy 7 remakes. In its financial report, all Square Enix would say is it has suffered from an “incomplete journey to better profitability in HD game development”, and that it had “launched many titles but some failed to live up to profit expectations, especially outsourced titles and some AAA titles.” It seems likely Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, at least, is included in that.
In response to the tumbling profits, Square Enix announced what it calls “Square Enix Reboots, and Awakens”, a three-year plan for rebooting for long-term growth. This involves a rethink across all parts of the business, but the highlight is a “shift to a multiplatform strategy.” Square Enix said it will “aggressively pursue a multiplatform strategy that includes Nintendo platforms, PlayStation, Xbox, and PCs.” Note the wording here of “Nintendo platforms”, with Nintendo set to announce its Switch successor console before April 2025.
As part of this multiplatform push, Square Enix said it will “build an environment where more customers can enjoy our titles in regards to major franchises and AAA titles including catalog titles.” The suggestion in all this is mainline Final Fantasy games will ditch PlayStation exclusivity going forward, although Square Enix has yet to announce specifics beyond Final Fantasy 16’s upcoming launch on PC.
There’s also a shift from quantity to quality, Square Enix said, and a bid to deliver “ensured fun.” Square Enix has been accused of pumping out too many Final Fantasy games in too short a timeframe, so perhaps this means the release of major Final Fantasy games will be spaced out a bit more.
Looking ahead, Dawntrail, the expansion for ongoing MMO Final Fantasy 14, launches in late June. Square Enix also has Kingdom Hearts 4, the third game in the Final Fantasy remake trilogy, and Dragon Quest 12 in the works.
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 Nintendo Switch is one of the most popular consoles of all time, with over 140M units sold to date. With an extensive library of exclusive titles available, you can spend hundreds of hours exploring the library without ever getting bored. With so many games to play, a Nintendo Switch is a must-own console if you wish to play some of the most popular games each year. 2024 is set to bring a remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, a remaster of Luigi’s Mansion 2, and many more upcoming Switch games we’ve yet to discover.
Like all hardware, the Nintendo Switch tends to go on sale at specific points throughout the year. If you are interested in picking up Nintendo’s portable system, you can snag a Switch on sale if you buy at the right time. We’ve compiled together the best times to buy a Nintendo Switch below, complete with every sale you might see a deal at.
Best Times to Buy a Nintendo Switch
Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Like most video game consoles, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the best times of the year to buy a Nintendo Switch. Each year, Nintendo has released the same console bundle for Black Friday: a Red/Blue Nintendo Switch with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundled in for free. While this deal is priced at $299 every year, it is possible Nintendo will discount it further as the Switch approaches the end of its lifetime.
We’ve also seen Black Friday deals on Nintendo Switch Lite, where a free game and discount are bundled together. It is anyone’s guess as to what Nintendo will have to offer for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024, but we would count on the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle returning for another go around.
2024 will likely see some of the best Switch deals ever considering the Switch 2 will be releasing sometime in 2025.
Holiday Weekends
Another great time to pick up a Nintendo Switch is one of the major holiday weekends in the United States. This includes Memorial Day Weekend, Independence Day, President’s Day, and Labor Day. More often than not, retailers like Walmart and Best Buy will host exclusive three day sales, which sometimes can include deals on Nintendo Switch hardware. These discounts usually are locked behind memberships like Walmart + and My Best Buy Plus/Total, so do keep this in mind if you are aiming for the best deals.
Amazon Prime Day
Prime Day is always one of the most popular sales events of the year, and naturally, you can usually find a good Nintendo Switch deal here. In addition to hardware, dozens of games and Switch accessories are always on sale. This makes Prime Day one of the best times to buy a Nintendo Switch, as you can save money on both the console and accessories alongside it.
Prime Day 2, which takes place in October, also acts as the beginning of the Black Friday deals season. This event usually takes place sometime in October based on past years. So, any major Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals are likely to be available during this sales event as well.
Clearance Sales
Recently, retailers like Woot have listed Nintendo Switch models for prices we’ve rarely seen before, sometimes up to $75 off. These deals happen spontaneously, mostly when the retailer is clearing inventory out. To catch these deals as they happen, we recommend following the IGN Deals account to get notified immediately.
It’s also worth mentioning that these same retailers offer open-box and refurbished units at an even lower price, so if you are okay with open-box purchases, consider this as an option. These consoles are certified, which means the retailer has tested and verified the condition of the console. Often, the “Excellent” refurbished consoles are simply open box, with not a scratch on the system itself.
Nintendo Switch 2 is Coming Soon
Nintendo Switch is officially seven years old as of March 2024, with its eighth year in the market officially underway. Since console generations tend to last around seven to eight years at the very most, we do expect Nintendo to release a Switch successor sometime within the next nine months. According to recent reports, Nintendo Switch 2 is likely to feature magnetic Joy-Con, a 1080p screen, and more.
Since a release date is on the horizon, the price of Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch OLED are all likely to drop significantly as we head closer to Switch 2. If you are comfortable waiting to purchase a Switch, you can likely score the console at an all-time low towards winter 2024.
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium. His favorite series include Xeno and Final Fantasy.
Happy Mother’s Day! This Sunday, all kinds of exclusive deals are now available at retailers you might not be aware of! We’ve compiled the best deals in games, tech, and more to make your Sunday as relaxing as possible. The best deals for Sunday, May 12, include Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Octopath Traveler II, Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania Edition, Dead Space, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition, and more.
Save Up to 60% Off Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the latest title in the long-running RPG series. Kiryu Kazama returns following the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, uniting with Ichiban Kasuga in a wild adventure you won’t forget anytime soon. While you should absolutely try to play through the series in order, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth can be played and enjoyed standalone.
Octopath Traveler II for $24.99
Octopath Traveler II was one of the standout RPGs of 2023. Featuring eight different characters, this HD-2D release depicts an expansive story told from the perspectives of these characters. Each traveler has unique abilities, making for a new and exciting experience with each story. This is one RPG you do not want to miss, especially for this price. You can get a free PS5 upgrade, too.
Pick Up the Dead Space Remake for $24.99
Dead Space launched last January, and this is a great time to pick up the game if you haven’t already. This remake features an impressive use of technology and a completely modernized combat system. Special attention has been put on the audio, with 3D Audio technology utilized for an immersive experience. You can expect loads of thrills and horror as you look to escape the stranded ship. The USG Ishimura has never looked better or been scarier.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor for $27.99
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is available at Best Buy for just $27.99, which is one of the lower prices we’ve seen in quite some time. Set after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Cal Kestis has become a powerful Jedi, traveling through the galaxy to maintain peace. With new force abilities, lightsabers, and melee combat options, Survivor is an excellent sequel and a title any Star Wars fan should try out.
Save 75% Off JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R is an excellent fighting game that spans the entire JoJo series. Over 50 characters are playable, with DLC including Rudol Von Stroheim, Leone Abbacchio, Yuya Fungami, and more. If you’re a fan of the anime series or manga, All Star Battle R is an excellent title you’ll have loads of fun with, especially for just a few dollars.
Save Big on Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania Edition
If you’re a roguelite fan and haven’t checked out Dead Cells yet, do not pass up this deal. This package includes Dead Cells and the first four original DLCs in addition to the Return to Castlevania DLC. The RTC DLC includes familiar Castlevania characters like Richter and Alucard and features 14 new weapons, 3 boss fights, 20 costumes, and 51 music tracks.
UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II [Sys:Celes] for $39.99
UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II [Sys:Celes] is the long-awaited sequel to UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH, featuring new characters, abilities, and more! UNI2 has 24 different playable characters to choose from, with each depicted in the gorgeous pixel art style. If you’re a beginner, you can even elect to choose simple inputs to slash away and make combos a piece of cake!
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition for $20
Walmart has The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition for $20 right now. This title is the expanded and ultimate version of the massive RPG, with improved visuals, load times, and textures for Xbox Series X. The game even includes items inspired by the hit Netflix series, so you can experience the ultimate version of this beloved title.
Tekken 8 for $49.99
Tekken 8 is the latest major fighting game to be released for the current generation of consoles. Over 32 characters are already playable, far surpassing titles like Street Fighter 6 or Mortal Kombat 1. The online modes far surpass their predecessors, with good netcode and many different ways to play. In our 9/10 review, we stated Tekken 8 is ” an amazing new entry in the long-running series.”
Nintendo Switch OLED for $314.99
Woot currently has the White Joy-Con Nintendo Switch OLED Model for $314.99. If you’ve yet to pick up a Switch console, the OLED Model is the one you should aim to buy. With a gorgeous OLED screen, games on Switch pop and look vibrant. Additionally, the new reworked kickstand makes this device much easier to play in tabletop mode.
CRKD Nitro Deck with Carry Case for $59.99
The CRKD Nitro Deck is the ultimate Nintendo Switch accessory. This bundle includes both the CRKD Nitro Deck and a Carry Case for just $59.99, with six colorways available! You simply slide the console into the Nitro Deck, which then offers an ergonomic grip and feel around the system. By far, the best feature of this accessory is the Hall Effect Thumbsticks, which guarantee zero stick drift. This is easily one of the best Nintendo Switch accessories you can buy.
Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt has taken to X/Twitter to seemingly share a first look at the cape design that was inspired by the review bombing on Steam following the PSN account linking fiasco.
The image, which you can see below, is only a small tease of what’s to come as we only get a look at the bottom right of the cape. However, that hasn’t stopped fans from getting very excited.
@MadeByKoobi was one of the many who can’t wait for this cape, and they shared the always-wonderful Jurassic Park meme of Dr. Ian Malcolm saying, ‘You did it. You crazy son of a bitch, you did it.”
The capes from both the community and Arrowhead are inspired by the horrifying red line of negative reviews that appeared on Steam following the announcement of this planned requirement, and it appears it will soon live forever in Helldivers 2 as a funny reminder of the rough patch for the game that has otherwise been a big hit all around.
Helldivers 2 received over 14,000 negative reviews today due to an update that will require PSN accounts next week.
Speaking of that rough patch, it also led to Helldivers 2 being pulled from 177 countries due to the PSN linking requirement, which obviously caused a huge headache for everyone inside and out of the studio.
Thankfully, Sony changed course and all is right in Helldivers 2 for the time being. Well, besides the constant threat of enemies at every turn doing their best to stop us from spreading democracy.
“Helldivers fans — we’ve heard your feedback on the Helldivers 2 account linking update. The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and for current players beginning May 30, will not be moving forward,” PlayStation wrote on its official account.
“We’re still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we’ll keep you updated on future plans.”
It’s Saturday, and plenty of deals are now available at retailers you might not be aware of! Today, we’ve compiled the best deals in games, tech, and more! The best deals for Saturday, May 11, include Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania Edition, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition, and more.
Save Up to 60% Off Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the latest title in the long-running RPG series. Kiryu Kazama returns following the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, uniting with Ichiban Kasuga in a wild adventure you won’t forget anytime soon. While you should absolutely try to play through the series in order, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth can be played and enjoyed standalone.
Save 75% Off JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R is an excellent fighting game that spans the entire JoJo series. Over 50 characters are playable, with DLC including Rudol Von Stroheim, Leone Abbacchio, Yuya Fungami, and more. If you’re a fan of the anime series or manga, All Star Battle R is an excellent title you’ll have loads of fun with, especially for just a few dollars.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor for $27.99
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is available at Best Buy for just $27.99, which is one of the lower prices we’ve seen in quite some time. Set after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Cal Kestis has become a powerful Jedi, traveling through the galaxy to maintain peace. With new force abilities, lightsabers, and melee combat options, Survivor is an excellent sequel and a title any Star Wars fan should try out.
Save Big on Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania Edition
If you’re a roguelite fan and haven’t checked out Dead Cells yet, do not pass up this deal. This package includes Dead Cells and the first four original DLCs in addition to the Return to Castlevania DLC. The RTC DLC includes familiar Castlevania characters like Richter and Alucard and features 14 new weapons, 3 boss fights, 20 costumes, and 51 music tracks.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition for $20
Walmart has The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition for $20 right now. This title is the expanded and ultimate version of the massive RPG, with improved visuals, load times, and textures for Xbox Series X. The game even includes items inspired by the hit Netflix series, so you can experience the ultimate version of this beloved title.
Tekken 8 for $49.99
Tekken 8 is the latest major fighting game to be released for the current generation of consoles. Over 32 characters are already playable, far surpassing titles like Street Fighter 6 or Mortal Kombat 1. The online modes far surpass their predecessors, with good netcode and many different ways to play. In our 9/10 review, we stated Tekken 8 is ” an amazing new entry in the long-running series.”
Nintendo Switch OLED for $314.99
Woot currently has the White Joy-Con Nintendo Switch OLED Model for $314.99. If you’ve yet to pick up a Switch console, the OLED Model is the one you should aim to buy. With a gorgeous OLED screen, games on Switch pop and look vibrant. Additionally, the new reworked kickstand makes this device much easier to play in tabletop mode.
Though Ubisoft is not the first company to shut down servers for an online-only game, the recent closure of The Crew’s online servers has inspired one individual to push for legal and government intervention to address the ever-growing industry trend. It’s a trend that has sparked even debate in the industry after Microsoft announced the closure of Arkane Studios, the developer behind Redfall. This decision has led to the cancellation of future updates and planned DLC for this online-only game.
Although Redfall’s servers are still operational, its long-term support remains uncertain, as it remains to be seen how long Microsoft will keep the servers up and whether or not it will provide an offline mode once it finally sunsets its support for Redfall.
Aside from the obvious fact that it means that players who spent money on this game feel cheated, there are plenty of stakes for the hundreds of people who poured their creative energy into bringing it to market in the first place. Shutting down and delisting a game becomes more than a surface-level decision; it’s stripping away the creative work of the thousands, possibly millions, of people who played or developed it.
Enter Stop Killing Games.
An initiative created by YouTuber Ross Scott, Stop Killing Games aims to hold publishers accountable by ending the common practice of making games designed to be “completely unplayable” after support ends, particularly MMOs and other online-only games. The initiative itself is a new branch in an even bigger fight to preserve video games for future generations.
Scott’s strategy is simple: file public complaints. Lots of them. After Ubisoft shut down the servers for The Crew, Scott encouraged those upset and angry to file a complaint with France’s Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) since Ubisoft is headquartered in France.
“Due to the game’s size and France’s strong consumer protection laws, this represents one of the best opportunities to hold a publisher accountable for this action,” Scott wrote on the official website for Stop Killing Games. “If we are successful in bringing charges against Ubisoft, this can have a ripple effect on the videogames industry to prevent publishers from destroying more games.”
If you REALLY think about… if The Crew franchise continues to have vehicle transfer it’s THE biggest cop out to shut the games down
“oh well we’re shutting this one down but your cars did and will import to the next games so who cares right?” pic.twitter.com/ckojJW8kGt
The Crew is shutting down next year and since it’s online-only, it will be dead for good. Looks like I was off by 2 years. It’s still one of the largest open world driving games made. What a great business model throwing all that effort into the trash.https://t.co/FzPrN9mM2t
In a statement sent to IGN, a Ubisoft spokesperson told IGN it had “no further comment” regarding The Crew’s shutdown. The spokesperson reiterated that although the news could disappoint players, “it was necessary” for Ubisoft, citing server infrastructure and “licensing constraints.”
The painful limits of online games
Scott’s efforts are an attempt to address a trend that has been going on for years now, but in recent years has only become more acute
Newzoo Senior Market Analyst Michael Wagner says that in the past, it was common for games to lose online support after a certain period, usually when the “player bases move on to other titles.” Still, extra features would keep the game playable, like a single-player campaign, local multiplayer, and the option to set up private servers. However, in recent years, the idea of online games being completely unplayable has become “a fairly new phenomenon,” Wagner explains.
According to Wagner, publishers shut down games because of dwindling player bases and the need for more profitability of upkeep when newer entries are released in existing franchises, with examples including Battlefield and Call of Duty. Wagner explains how older games could threaten the newer games’ ability to turn a profit. “Players may continue with older iterations but may not spend within the game the new game. Removing functionality, in theory, means increased revenues for the new title.”
Liam Deane, principal analyst at Omdia, shares similar sentiments, noting “almost all online-only games have a finite lifespan.” While there are a few rare exceptions, most notably Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft, Deane reiterates Wagner’s comments on player bases dwindling after a few years as a main reason for publishers shutting down servers.
“Almost all online-only games have a finite lifespan.”
“Until the mid-2000s or so online games typically allowed players to host private servers,” Deane explained. “But these days, the publisher usually shoulders the cost of maintaining the game servers. At some point, this is a cost which they are going to want to stop paying once a game’s player base drops below a certain level.”
With an increase in live service games and in-game purchases becoming a big source of revenue, the worrying trend of online-only games will continue for the foreseeable future. Deane explains that “across the entire industry,” 54% of revenue comes from microtransactions or in-game purchases, according to his research. The proportion is “obviously even higher” for live service games, where it’s common to have a surplus of microtransactions or in-game items purchasable for players.
When the player base dries up, so does the revenue, and with it, the chances of a game’s survival.
Nevertheless, the games industry is industry placing more and more emphasis on multiplayer games, particularly live service titles, such as Fortnite, Palworld, and Helldivers 2. These projects not only rely on a player base consistently coming back to play the game, but also on players being online to access this content. When they shut down, they take their communities with them. Friday the 13th, which will have its servers permanently turned off on December 31, 2024, is just one game suffering this fate.
Scott explains that while licensing agreements can prevent companies from selling additional companies of a game once the license expires, it does “not prevent existing buyers from continuing to use the game they have already paid for.”
Yet, the ownership of some games remains a gray area, especially in the United States, where legal precedent has significantly stripped consumers of their rights. The most significant legal case impacting this is ProCD, Inc. v. Zeidenbger, which reworked U.S. Contract Law, allowing the courts to defer to End User License Agreements. Essentially, the case meant that these agreements allow publishers to be absolved of any accountability and obligation owed to consumers who purchased a product and assert authority over when their online-only games become unplayable once support ends.
“If you bought a game, if you made a game, if you love a game, technology shouldn’t get in the way.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has led the fight for ownership rights in the since 1990, with the agency mainly focusing on advocating for creators, technologists, and technology users’ digital rights. As Cory Doctorow, EFF Special Advisor, emphasizes, “If you bought a game, if you made a game, if you love a game, technology shouldn’t get in the way of that game’s ongoing existence. Instead, technology should preserve that game for players who love it today, for the people who are proud of making it, for players who come later, and for games makers of the future.”
However, the challenge is wider than the United States. In countries like Canada and the UK, there is little precedent preventing companies from revoking a purchase post-sale. In contrast, the EU and Australia need help getting a governmental examination of the issue. One common global challenge is lobbying groups’ influence, particularly in the gaming industry, which may work to maintain the status quo of an uneven balance of power between game companies and consumers.
A domino effect
Nevertheless, despite the varying degrees of laws influencing consumer rights worldwide, Scott explains that this proposed domino effect of filing complaints to the DGCCRF would still have a worldwide impact. For example, in 2014, when the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission sued Valve for not providing customers an option to refund games on Steam, the company had no choice but to modify its policy to allow refunds on Steam in Australia and other countries like the United States.
Ultimately, Scott and Doctorow encourage individuals to advocate for the change they want. They encourage fans to file complaints and force governments to examine the company’s behavior and practices. In the meantime, Scott’s initiative is gaining momentum in raising awareness and urging players to defend their rights and challenge this frustrating trend dictated by publishers.
“I think by taking the customer’s money, that creates an obligation for publishers to give customers a reasonable expectation to run the game in some fashion,” Scott says, “even after support ends.”
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
iFixit might be a familiar brand name for you from all of the helpful teardown videos of various electronics that they host on YouTube. Well, they also sell an awesome toolkit that helps you do the same. Amazon is offering the iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit for electronics, smartphones, gaming consoles, PCs and laptops, tablets, and more for only $59.96. It normally retails for $75 and we haven’t seen a price drop for this kit in over a year. In fact, it wasn’t even discounted on Black Friday. This is one of the very best tool kits you can buy for disassembling and repairing your electronics — including your Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck — without spending hundreds of dollars on a commercial kit.
Save 20% Off the iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit
The iFixit Pro Tech Tookit contains pretty much every tool you’ll never need to get inside your electronics. They include a 64 precision bit set that includes flathead, screwdriver, hex, torx, and star bits as well as plenty of other bits you’ve probably never seen or heard of. You also get the screwdriver handle, flex extension, tweezers, opening tools, and more, all packed in a hard shell magnetic case. iFixit also includes a generous lifetime warranty: they’ll replace any of the pieces that break, even if you caused it.
I’ve owned this toolkit for a few years and it has served me very well. I’ve changed the shells on my Joy-Con controllers, swapped the SSD in my ASUS ROG Ally, rebuilt my gaming PC quite a number of times, replaced the heatsink on my GPU, modified my keyboard, opened up my fishing reels for maintenance, and more with the help of this toolkit. Aside from the plastic spudger and opening picks (they supply quite a few), everything still looks and works as new. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another.
Family game fixtures have become more and more popular over recent years, in part as a way to reclaim some fun time with family members away from the tyranny of screens. And it’s a great option: everyone has to get involved, it’s a workout for your brain, and often a tense thrill-ride to the finish if you pick the right titles. But in the ever-expanding board game scene, that can be a problem, as not all games are as fun for your pre-teen kids as they are for their grandparents as well as the generation in between.
If you want the best board games for adults, or the best board games for kids, we’ve got you covered with separate lists. Our picks here are sure to please whatever the age and skill level of the participants, as they offer a mix of strategy and luck that keeps everyone on their toes and in with a chance.
Don’t have time to scroll? These are our picks. Read on for details about each one.
My City
Legacy games, where your actions in one game carry over into the next, have been a hot item in tabletop over the last decade or so, but most of them are too complex and involved for family play. Not so My City from one of board gaming’s most prolific and acclaimed designers, Reiner Knizia. It’s a simple, zen-like tile-laying game where you’re trying to fit buildings of different shapes together onto a virgin wilderness, grouping things together to score points. But after each game, you’ll add new rules and stickers to your map, so that each individual player’s board becomes unique. This gives it a thrillingly addictive edge as you wait to unlock each tranche of new content, and means it’ll come back to the table time and time again as you work through the campaign.
Scout
Japan has a burgeoning board game scene of its own, translations from which are only slowly making their way into the west. This card game is perhaps its most engaging export yet, winning a nomination for the prestigious Spiel des Jahres award. At heart it’s a Rummy-type affair that’s easy to pick up, where you have to lay sequences of cards from your hand to get rid of them, but it has two novel catches. Firstly, if you can’t beat the sequence currently on the table, you have to pick up a card from it instead, Second, you can’t rearrange your initial hand, only insert picked-up cards where you want them. This gives each hand a fascinating long-term strategic aspect, an astonishing achievement for a fifteen-minute game that’s already highly addictive.
Heat: Pedal to the Metal
Heat was, ironically enough, one of 2022’s hottest titles, an easy to pick up racing game that still delivered a thrilling dash to the chequered flag. The core of the game is very straightforward: the higher gear you’re in, the more movement cards you can play, but all the corners on the track have a maximum gear value. Exceed it, and you’re at risk of spinning off and losing ground. This creates a tense game of push your luck and hand management, where you’re shepherding cards to maximise your movement without downshifting until the very last minute, then angling to pick up speed again down the straights. And don’t forget the value of slipstreaming behind the leader for a last-minute overtake. With a variety of tracks and fun plastic toy car pieces, it’s certain to keep you racing into the small hours.
Takenoko
Takenoko is a game about taking care of a very hungry panda. Players spend their turns watering plots of land to grow bamboo that the panda will then eat. There are lots of ways to score points, such as placing land tiles in a certain patterns and feeding the panda specific colors of bamboo.Because there is more than one way to score points, the game does not shoehorn players into one strategy. With colors that pop and towers of bamboo that reach far above the table, Takenoko is just as fun to look at as it is to play.
Cascadia
There are few games with quite the wide appeal of Cascadia. For starters, it’s got a wholesome theme of exploring the ecology of the Pacific Northwest. The mechanics are very simple, involving you picking one of four pairs of animal token and terrain hex to add to your growing map. The aim is to satisfy a random range of scoring cards by getting animals into particular patterns, and they range in difficulty from an easy family version to challenging gamer-level objectives. There’s even a fun solo campaign where you’re tasked with crossing off a range of variants and objectives. If there ever was a game for absolutely everyone, this is it.
The best way to describe King of Tokyo is “Yahtzee meets Godzilla.” In this monster mash-up, players control one of a stable of greatest-hits monsters straight out of science fiction past. The goal is to take control of Tokyo while fending off the other monsters. Attacks and special abilities are carried out through dice rolls which lends a bit of suspense to the giant-sized boxing matches. Of course, controlling Tokyo makes you a target, and no monster can stay in the city for too long without taking lots of damage. It’s up to you to recognize when to retreat and when to press the attack, but beware: other monsters are out there and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Kingdomino
Released in 2017, Kingdomino is the most recent game on this list. It also won the coveted Spiel des Jahres, the German board game of the year, cementing its place as a go-to family game for years to come. Players take turns claiming tiles to add to their kingdom, but it’s not as simple as picking a tile and moving on. The tile you choose directly affects the turn order for the next turn, so you must be careful when making your decision lest you leave a valuable tile on the table for your opponents. Your tableau is limited to a five-by-five grid, which adds a spatial awareness element to the game as well. Because of its short play time and how easy it is to learn the rules, Kingdomino is an ideal choice for your next family game night.
Tiny Towns
In Tiny Towns, players are mayors of newly developing villages and are tasked with planning and building the town’s cottages, taverns, factories and more. On a turn, the active player chooses one of the available resources, then all players take one cube of the matching resource and place it in their town. Those cubes stay there, taking up precious space, until you can match the pattern on one of the building cards. Then, you place the building in your town and gain its effect, usually in the form of end-game points based on the building’s scoring conditions. Because everyone at the table takes a resource on every turn, there’s little to no down time in Tiny Towns. Keeping players engaged while forcing them to meticulously plan their buildings makes this family game a brain burner in the best possible way.
Azul
A game that is as beautiful as it is enjoyable, Azul is a contest of planning and opportunity. You’re a mason in 15th or 16th century Portugal, and King Manuel I has asked you to decorate his palace with strikingly colored tiles reminiscent of Spain’s Alhambra. On a turn, you choose all tiles of a single color from one of the available groups of four, and the rest get sent to a common area that can be pilfered later. You must insert your chosen tiles into rows on your player board, and when you complete a row you’ll add one tile to your palace wall. Points are scored for meeting various pattern requirements, like covering all tiles of one color on your wall, or completing an entire row or column. Filling up your display is satisfying in a way that few tile-laying games can boast, and the play time is generally short enough that multiple plays in a night are not uncommon. It’s not hard to see why Azul won Germany’s game of the year award in 2018.
Trick-taking games like Whist are well-known, but The Crew takes the concept to a new level by using it in a cooperative card game. You’ll work together over a long series of missions that require you to win tricks that meet certain objectives. One player might have to win a trick with a blue 5 in it, while another must not win any of the first 5 tricks. The catch is that you can only ever tell your fellow players about one card in your hand: the rest must be kept secret. This straightforward concept hides a surprising amount of tactical depth as you try to trump and throw-away cards to ensure the right players win the right tricks.
Downforce
In 2017, Restoration Games reproduced Wolfgang Kramer’s 1996 classic Top Race as Downforce. It’s a racing game where the winner isn’t necessarily the one whose car comes in first place. Players’ hands are filled with cards that depict various combinations of colors and numbers, and playing a card moves the corresponding cars forward that number of spaces. Throughout the race, you can bet on which cars you think will do the best, netting you a sweet bonus to your score. The game is over in about half an hour, and provides a surprisingly satisfying mix of luck and strategy, a tough balancing act for many family games. It also has custom rules for younger players.
The Isle of Cats
Who doesn’t love an adorable cat? The evil Lord Vesh, that’s who, and it’s up to you to fit as many sinuous felines on your boat as you can before sailing them away from him to safety. This is really an excuse for this great game of polyomino arrangement, with the gorgeous artwork for the sinuous felines filling the shapes. You must pack your boat as best you can, trying to cover rats, fill holds and satisfy a random assortment of scoring conditions. As a bonus, the box includes two games modes: a family one and a rather more complex and challenging full game that sees you have to buy and deploy traps and tricks to lure the cats before stashing them safely on your ship.
The Quacks of Quedlinburg
You’d never imagine that concocting phoney potions in medieval Germany would be this much fun. Each game has a different set of effects on a range of ingredients that you can add to your snake oil, and it’s down to you to sniff out the likely combos and get brewing. But there’s a catch: you do so by adding your ingredients to a bag and drawing them blindly, gradually pushing up the tally of dangerous cherry bombs. Pull one too many and your whole batch will be ruined for the round. This combination of weighted push your luck and light strategy is an absolute winner for families, bringing you both tension and tactics as you compete to drum up the best draughts.
Upcoming Family Games
Wiggles 3D, publisher of the excellent (and now sadly out of print) cooperative symbol-matching game 5-Minute Dungeon, has created a successor in the brilliant-sounding One Hit Heroes. Like its predecessor, it’s a simple conceit: each of you is a hero down to their last hit point while battling a boss monster. It’s up to you to try and keep them alive against the odds and triumph! To succeed, you’ll need a balance of attack and defence, rushing down your opponent’s health while deploying the right combos to deflect its attacks and keep your heroes alive. With some novel campaign elements across the supplied scenarios, this sounds like another cooperative family-grade winner.
At the opposite end of the feel-good spectrum, but no less fun, is Vicious Gardens which plays up the contrast between its peaceful pastime theme and its brutal gameplay, alongside some delightful nonsense characters and produce for your growing garden. Your goal is to collect sets of cards across different categories, then cultivate and harvest them, using your specialist helpers, for points. Or you could use those specialists to, y’know, go and trample all over your opponent’s plots instead. Nice or nasty, the choice is yours in the race to become the top gardener.
When Is The Best Time to Buy Board Games in 2024?
If you love board games, it can unfortunately be a rather expensive hobby. With Black Friday 2023 starting soon, you should still wait for Friday, November 17 to make any big purchases. The Amazon Black Friday sale is starting a week early and has historically been one of the best times to buy board games at a discount. After Black Friday ends, you’ll likely still be able to find board game deals on Cyber Monday and beyond.
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.
