Embracer Group has reportedly canceled a new Deus Ex game that was two years in development and laid off some staff at Eidos Montreal.
According to Bloomberg, the unannounced third mainline entry in the Deus Ex series was supposed to enter production later this year. However, developer Eidos Montreal will reportedly focus on an original franchise instead.
Eidos Montreal released a statement on Twitter, addressing layoffs but not the reported Deus Ex game cancellation. “The global economic context, the challenges of our industry, and the comprehensive restucturing annonced by Embracer have finally impacted our studio,” said the studio. “The difficult decision has been made to let go 97 people from development teams, administration, and support services.”
When reached by IGN, an Embracer spokesperson told us, “Embracer announced a comprehensive restructuring program for FY 23/24, running until end of March 2024. This process will be managed locally on operative group level with focus on informing affected employees first, and on group level we will not comment on specific studios.”
Embracer Group has been aggressively shutting down its studios ever since its rumored 2 billion dollar deal with the Saudi-backed Savvy Games Group reportedly fell apart.
Some studios that Embracer Group has shut down so far are Saints Row developer Volition and Timesplitters developer Free Radical Design. Elex developer Piranha Bytes is also currently going through a difficult time with rumors circulating about a potential closure and having trouble finding a partner for its next project.
Embracer Group acquired Eidos Montreal from Square Enix back in 2022, along with the rights to franchises like Tomb Raider and Deus Ex. The company also said that it envisioned “great potential” for the new IP, including remakes, sequels, and remasters. There have been rumors regarding a new Deus Ex game for a while now, but voice actor Elias Toufexis said that he hasn’t been contacted yet about reprising his role as protagonist Adam Jensen.
The most recent entry in the Deus Ex franchise was 2016’s Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. In IGN’s Deus Ex: Mankind Divided review, we said, “Layered, intelligent, and impeccably designed, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided’s gameplay rewards curiosity and creativity.”
George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He’s been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.
When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey
Gears of War co-creator Cliff Bleszinski is confident Microsoft and developer The Coalition would benefit from his ideas, saying they would bring him in to consult on the next entry “if they were smart”.
Bleszinski posted a statement on X/Twitter to suggest Microsoft isn’t interested in collaborating with him on more Gears of War games despite his assertion “it would be gold”.
“I’ve down to consult, give my two cents. Crickets,” Bleszinski said. “I understand that Gears will always be an enormous part of my legacy. I appreciate and respect that. That said, Microsoft or The Coalition haven’t hit me up. Okay. It is what it is.
If they were smart they’d enlist me for my input.
“If they were smart, they’d enlist me for my input because, just from a PR standpoint alone it would be gold. But nothing. Ah well. It is what it is. So be it. Last few years I’ve moved on. Boss Key didn’t work out. Fine. S**t happens.”
Boss Key Productions was the studio Bleszinski founded after leaving Epic Games (which owned Gears of War initially) in 2012. It only lasted from 2014 to 2018, however, with neither of its games able to gain much traction.
Commenting on the success of Palworld, commonly dubbed Pokémon with guns, Bleszinski also insisted he’d had a similar idea years ago. “Palworld’s success kinda validates my pitch that was turned down at Epic many years ago: medieval Pokémon with baby dragons instead,” he said in another post.
Gears of War’s latest mainline release was 2019’s Gears 5, although turn-based tactics spin-off Gears Tactics launched a year later in 2020. Work on another game is almost certainly underway, though Microsoft is yet to say anything official.
Bleszinski said in October 2023 he believes the franchise needs a God of War style reboot to make the next entry more appealing to gamers, and again made clear he was happy to consult on what that would be.
Rocksteady Studios has been forced to pull Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League offline just one hour into its Deluxe Edition’s early access launch due to a bug that automatically completed players’ games.
Though the Batman Arkham universe live service game doesn’t launch proper until February 2, those who paid an extra $30 for the Deluxe Edition were granted three days of early access. This means it now should be available in New Zealand, but as reported by VGC, the game is currently offline and will be for “several hours”.
Rocksteady issued a statement on X/Twitter addressing the issue, though didn’t indicate if the game would still be offline as of its launch in the U.S. or other regions. The developer didn’t say if it would issue refunds for customers who paid the extra $30 either.
“We’re aware that a number of players are currently experiencing an issue whereby upon logging into the game for the first time, they have full story completion,” the statement said. “To resolve this issue, we will be performing maintenance on the game servers.
“During this time the game will be unavailable. We expect this to take several hours and will update once we have more information. We apologise for the inconvenience.”
Those looking forward to Suicide Squad have responded with frustration to the game being taken offline, adding more fuel to the fire of what’s already been a rocky reception. “That’s pretty poor that they did not catch this in quality assurance. Sucks for the people that paid extra to play it early,” ethan_mac said on Reddit. “Absolutely does not help with the image that the game has,” added Mr_Rafi.
Rocksteady has faced an uphill challenge bringing its fans on-side following the announcement of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and the revelations about its live service elements, with many hoping for a return to the developer’s roots with a Batman Arkham-style game in the future.
The PC community will also likely grow frustrated at the quiet addition of digital rights management (DRM), which has long been a controversial subject as players claim it negatively impacts performance. As reported by PC Gamer, Rocksteady added Denuvo to Suicide Squad’s Steam page just a week ahead of launch.
Official previews for Suicide Squad were also largely critical, with IGN’s own saying: “Once the fun story bits end, you’re left with a much less inspired combat system, and an open world that’s filled with tedious tasks.”
Stardew Valley creator Eric ‘Concerned Ape’ Barone has confirmed that the long-awaited 1.6 update will launch in 2024, and that it will likely be coming to PC ahead of console and mobile versions of the game.
“1.6 ended up being a little larger in scope than originally planned,” said Barone in a post on Twitter / X. “I’m done adding major new content to it now, though, and it’s in a bug-fixing and polishing phase until it’s ready for release. Thx for your patience. It’ll be fun to see everyone play it!”
In a subsequent post, the developer told one curious fan that they would be able to experience most of the new 1.6 content without having to start a fresh game, but also advised that a new file would allow fans to see everything in its proper context. “It’ll be fine to play on an old save, but I’d probably recommend a new save just to experience everything in context, otherwise you’ll unlock a bunch of stuff right away when you load up your old save,” posted the developer.
Barone also revealed that the update will likely land on PC first, before making its way to console and mobile platforms at a later date. In the same post, the developer emphasised that he was striving to avoid a big delay between platform releases, which had proved to be “a nightmare in the past”.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
Tekken 8 is already down to just £47.16 in the UK (see here), over £22 off its RRP of £69.99 and a tremendous saving for what is a spectacular new entry for fighting series. Similar to the Suicide Squad deal we’ve discussed, all you need to do is use code PAYDAY20 to save on the game.
This deal can be found at trusted UK retailer The Game Collection via their eBay storefront. We’ll leave some handy links to the deal just below as well so you can easily find your chosen platform for the deal. But, just as a reminder, this promo code will expire after January 31 — so you’ve not got long left to take advantage of it.
We gave Tekken 8 a mighty 9/10 in our review, stating: “Tekken 8 is an incredible evolution for the series, with tons of single player content, an excellent suite of training tools, a great online experience, and exciting new mechanics that make Tekken more dynamic than ever.”
There’s definitely still a benefit to buying physical games, especially when there are deals like this to be found only days before release on new AAA titles. As we’ve mentioned Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is also down to just £43.96 right now as well with JANJOY20, which is over £26 off the RRP.
JANPAY20 is one of the best promo codes we’ve had at eBay since the Black Friday sales, so it’s well worth taking advantage of while you can. Other deals available right now include Tekken 8 for £47.16 on PS5 and Xbox, alongside the Steam Deck 512GB for just £374.95.
For instant updates on the latest and greatest gaming, tech, and everyday item deals, make sure to follow @IGNUKDeals on Twitter/X. Additionally, we’re on the lookout for more PlayStation Portal stock in case you missed out last year.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
There’s definitely still a benefit to buying physical games, especially when there are deals like this to be found only days before release on new AAA titles like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (or other new titles like Tekken 8). Suicide Squad is down to just £43.96 from trusted seller The Game Collection via eBay right now, which is over £26 off the RRP.
This is a tremendous discount, especially since the game isn’t out until February 2. All you need to do is use code JANPAY20 to secure the deal, and we’ll leave some handy links just below so you can find the game on your correct console nice and quickly.
The Deluxe Edition is also available for those interested, it costs £65.86 with code JANPAY20, down from its £99.99 RRP. Note, you’ll need to be logged into your eBay account in order to utilize the promo code, so make sure to do that before trying to make any purchases.
Moreover, this promo code will expire on Janurary 31, so you don’t have long to secure this incredible offer on Suicide Squad, or any other amazing games that are on sale via The Game Collection (just remember to use code JANPAY20)!
We see amazing deals like this all the time from handy eBay codes, so consider following @IGNUKDeals on Twitter/X for immediate updates on the next best deals in gaming, tech, and everyday items. We’re also keeping an eye out for more PlayStation Portal stock if you weren’t able to secure one last year.
JANPAY20 is one of the best promo codes we’ve had at eBay since the Black Friday sales, so it’s well worth taking advantage of while you can. Other deals available right now include Tekken 8 for £47.16 on PS5 and Xbox, alongside the Steam Deck 512GB for just £374.95.
Players opting for the Deluxe Edition can enjoy early access to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, starting from January 30 at midnight in their local time, providing a 3-day head start before the official release. As we’ve mentioned, the deluxe version of the game (physical copy) can be preordered for £65.86 using code JANPAY20, down from it’s £99.99 RRP and saving you over £34 in total.
Suicide Squad Release Date?
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is set to launch worldwide on February 2 at midnight across all regions. Players with the Standard Edition can access the game if their timezone is set to midnight on February 2.
Can I Pre-Load Suicide Squad?
Gamers have the option to pre-load Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League starting January 28 at midnight for Deluxe Edition owners and January 31 at midnight for Standard Edition owners.
Which Gaming Platforms Support Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League?
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will be accessible on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
Gameplay of a canceled Call of Duty codenamed NX1 has leaked online, revealing an effort to release a futuristic game in the franchise from former Guitar Hero developer Neversoft.
Over the weekend, a Twitter / X account called @mangafigurines published two minutes of previously unreleased gameplay for what was reportedly called Call of Duty: Future Warfare, showcasing an explosive moon mission in low gravity conditions.
The tweet, which has over 5.5 million views, saw a reply from Brian Bright, who was multiplayer lead on the game at Neversoft. Bright confirmed the footage is from NX1, and explained its origin. It turns out that after the acrimonious exit of Infinity Ward co-founders Jason West and Vince Zampella and their formation of Titanfall and Apex Legend developer Respawn Entertainment in 2010, Neversoft ditched the Guitar Hero franchise it had inherited from Harmonix to make a futuristic Call of Duty game of their own.
“This mission was on the moon, some experiments with low g and was really about the team learning the engine,” Bright explained. “We were making GH games on our THPS [Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater] engine prior.”
Bright added that NX1 would have taken the place of Infinity Ward’s Ghosts, which launched in 2013 as a PlayStation 4 and Xbox One launch title. Neversoft had completed two or three campaign missions and some multiplayer work before NX1’s cancellation.
@mangafigurines followed up with another video of NX1, this one 10 minutes long.
Speaking of multiplayer, footage of NX1 MP also leaked courtesy of a Twitter / X account called @catgurlfriend. Again, Bright confirmed the legitimacy of the footage in a reply, saying the map on show is called Sandstorm, and the mode is Escort.
“We didn’t have much of an art team on MP at the time, so the level designers used mainly MW2 assets,” Bright explained. “This map allowed for Escort mode gameplay, where teams would push a large UGV through the map’s checkpoints. The UGV had a trophy system on it.”
There’s an early map list, too, which shows maps called Bin Laden’s Compound, Apartment, and Genk, as well as a number of legacy maps. “This map list was from early on in mp dev on NX1,” Bright said. “Most of these are test maps, we had four or so maps that were fleshed out in the standard modes and two we played Escort modes in. They are not on this list.”
Based on the weekend’s revelations, it seems Call of Duty could have gone in a different direction at the start of the last generation if Neversoft had successfully released its own mainline game in the franchise and Infinity Ward’s Ghosts was canceled or pushed back a year. Ghosts, it’s worth remembering, kicked off Call of Duty’s ill-fated foray into futuristic warfare, which continued with Advanced Warfare and then Infinite Warfare. Infinite Warfare, whose announcement trailer became the second most-disliked ever on YouTube, did so badly that Activision ditched any whiff of spacefaring and instead pushed the tagline ‘boots on the ground’ for 2017’s Call of Duty: WWII, which laid the groundwork for the hugely successful soft reboot Modern Warfare in 2019. Neversoft was eventually absorbed by Infinity Ward in 2014 to form a “super studio”, the Neversoft name, alongside NX1, consigned to the annals of video game history.
The weekend’s Call of Duty leaks don’t end with NX1. A Twitter / X account called Yuno posted footage of the canceled War mode for Treyarch’s Black Ops 4. War mode debuted in WWII as a multiplayer variant that was less about your k/d ratio and more about your ability to help the team progress across different phases of action.
From the looks of things, there was at least a plan for a War mode for 2018’s Black Ops 4, but, like its campaign, it was scrapped before release.
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 weekend is finally here, and plenty of deals have arrived alongside it. From video games to new computer peripherals, there is no shortage of deals you don’t want to miss out on. The best deals for Sunday, January 28, include an LG 32″ gaming monitor, Meta Quest 2, Arcade1Up Cabinets, Splatoon 3, HORI Split Pad Compact, Armored Core 6, and more.
LG 32″ Ultra-Gear QHD 165Hz Gaming Monitor for $187
This LG Monitor has a steep discount you won’t want to miss out on. Originally priced at $349.99, you can pick this QHD 165Hz monitor up for just $187 from Walmart right now. At 32″, this is a big screen with all kinds of features to ensure you get the best playing experience possible. This monitor has SRGB 95% color gamut with HDR10 support, AMD FreeSync Premium, and a 1ms response time.
Meta Quest 2 for $229
If you haven’t yet purchased a VR headset, this deal on the Quest 2 is one of the lowest prices we’ve seen for the headset. The Meta Quest 2 is an excellent VR headset that works great standalone or hooked up to a PC. You’ll be able to access your entire Steam library with Steam Link, either wired or wirelessly. The screen provides an 1832 x 1920 resolution per eye, with up to a 90Hz refresh rate.
HORI Split Pad Compact for $34.99
The HORI Split Pad Compact is one of the best ergonomic controllers you can buy for the Nintendo Switch. Attaching like standard Joy-Con, the Split Pad Compact slides onto each side of your Switch and immediately widens the console. This makes longer handheld play sessions much more comfortable and bearable over time, especially if you have larger hands. The Pac-Man model features all sorts of fun details to personalize your system.
Armored Core 6 for $45
Armored Core 6 is one of the most popular titles of 2023, offering massive mech fights and destructive action. It’s a great entry point to the series if you haven’t had the chance to check it out previously, and series veterans should be more than satisfied with its combat offerings. While this deal is only available for PlayStation 4, you can get a free upgrade for the PS5 version of the game.
Save $150 Off Arcade1Up Cabinets
Right now, you can save $150 off two sweet Arcade1Up cabinets. The first option is the Street Fighter II Deluxe cabinet, which features 14 different games to play. You can also choose the Mortal Kombat II Deluxe cabinet, where you’ll be able to play the first three Mortal Kombat games and more. These arcade cabinets go great with any collection or room, adding a unique and retro touch.
Save $44 Off This Xbox Elite Series 2 Core Wireless Controller
This deal from Walmart on the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller is one you can’t miss. Widely regarded as one of the best controllers on the market, the Elite Series 2 has so many great features you can use to your advantage. This includes modifying the tension of the thumbsticks, creating custom button profiles, and so much more. The Core version of the Elite Series 2 controller allows for a cheaper price point with less premium outer materials and textures. Additionally, you won’t get the paddles or charging dock in the box, so you’ll need to buy those separately if you’d like them.
Splatoon 3 for $41
One of the most popular multiplayer titles you can find on Switch, Splatoon 3 is packed with all sorts of exciting modes you can spend dozens of hours in. The title improves a vast amount of features from Splatoon 2, while also bringing in some fresh new ideas too. You can find new classes, new weapons, and new maps immediately when hopping in. With the Side Order expansion set to release next month, now is the perfect time to hop in and get familiar with the world of Splatoon.
Save 52% Off the Razer Huntsman V2 Keyboard
The Razer Huntsman V2 keyboard is $130 off at Amazon for a limited time. This analog keyboard features analog optical switches with actuation at the speed of light, which you can adjust to fit your playstyle. Additionally, the keycaps are doubleshot PBT, making for a much more durable set of caps that won’t deteriorate over time. If you’re in the market for a new keyboard, this is a great option at a price we might not see again for a while.
Lowest Price Yet for Persona 5 Tactica
Amazon has Persona 5 Tactica listed for $29.99, which is an even better deal than Black Friday and the lowest we’ve seen the title yet. This action-packed adventure takes the Phantom Thieves into a new adventure with tactical combat. If you enjoyed Persona 5 Royal or Persona 5 Strikers, P5 Tactica should be a game on your radar. Erina, a character new to the series, is a great addition to an already amazing cast of characters.
Save $21 Off Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Arguably one of the best platformers available on Nintendo Switch, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a must play for the platform. Created by Retro Studios, there are six different worlds you can traverse through as you fight against Lord Fredrik and his army of Snowmads. You can play with a friend and choose between Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Cranky Kong, and even Funky Kong!
Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition for $29.99
The Nintendo Switch version of Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition is available right now on Amazon for just $29.99. There is easily over 100 hours of content in this package, with plenty of mayhem to be had with friends. The game itself runs quite well on the Switch, with only occasional FPS drops in high-volume areas. If you haven’t yet played Borderlands 3, this is the perfect time to do so.
PS5 Slim Spider-Man 2 or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 for $499
If you haven’t yet picked up a PlayStation 5, Amazon still has two PlayStation 5 Slim bundles available. This includes both a PS5 Slim with the disc drive and one AAA title. You’ll get either Spider-Man 2 or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 for free with either of these bundles. This deal has been around for quite some time, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see this discount removed as we head into February next week.
Get 33% Off The Pathless
The Pathless is a newer title developed by Giant Squid, best known for their titles ABZU and upcoming project Sword of the Sea. The title is published by Annapurna Interactive and focuses on a character called The Hunter as they travel to an island to free it from darkeness. With an open world at your fingertips, The Pathless offers a fun traversal system and dozens of exciting moments in combat.
Back in 2011, FromSoftware released a spiritual successor to its 2009 cult classic, Demon’s Souls. This new game, titled Dark Souls, was a tough sell: a punishing, hardcore RPG where players attempt to survive a haunting fantasy hellscape teeming with gruesome monsters that could eviscerate them in seconds. At the time, it was hard to imagine the team’s crushing new creation would become one of gaming’s most revered modern franchises.
However, Dark Souls’ ruthlessly satisfying combat, brutal yet compelling boss encounters, and story-rich world transformed it into a global phenomenon, inspiring an entire genre of challenging RPGs that’s still thriving over a decade later. With FromSoftware’s work on the Dark Souls franchise now wrapped up, we’ve decided to break down every game and expansion in the trilogy, as well as offer new players a recommended starting point.
For newcomers, picking a place to dive into the franchise is tricky. Some will suggest starting with the original Dark Souls, as it marked the beginning of the franchise and gives you a broad overview of what the series offers.
While Dark Souls 1 is a great place to start, from a gameplay standpoint, we’d recommend diving into Dark Souls 3 first. Although you can expect a steep learning curve at points, Dark Souls 3 is the simplest of the trilogy to pick up and play, with a more linear world to traverse and a series of early-game encounters that help you learn the ropes. It’s also the newest of the three Dark Souls games and, by extension, the smoothest to play.
That being said, if the lore of Dark Souls appeals to you, you’re probably best jumping into the original game first. Dark Souls has a rich world and a deep story that you’ll uncover over time, and while each game largely stands on its own, some aspects of the lore are best experienced chronologically.
Every Dark Souls Game in Release Order
These blurbs contain mild spoilers for each game, including characters, settings, and story beats.
1. Dark Souls (2011)
Hitting shelves in 2011, FromSoftware followed up its work on Demon’s Souls by releasing a spiritual successor titled Dark Souls. The game took place in the dour realm of Lordran, with players assuming the role of a hollowed warrior known as the Chosen Undead. Awakening in the desolate halls of the Undead Asylum, they’re given a quest: link the First Flame and continue the Age of Fire, preventing Lordran from plunging into darkness.
Escaping the Asylum, the Chosen Undead undertakes an adventure across the realm, battling through the onslaught of monstrosities and corrupted gods that call the haunting locale home. Players had to study their surroundings and create precise character builds in order to navigate its hopeless, punishing world. It demanded a lot from its audience, offering them challenging battles that felt genuinely rewarding to learn and master.
Whether it’s enduring the perilous descent to the poisoned depths of Blighttown or overcoming the towering Ornstein and agile Smough, Dark Souls’ seminal moments and approach to difficult but satisfying gameplay made it an instant classic.
2. Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss (2011)
Shortly after the release of the base game, FromSoftware released the first and only major expansion for the original Dark Souls: Artorias of the Abyss. Taking place during the events of the main campaign, it sees the Chosen Undead venture through a portal that sends them back in time. Arriving in the land of Oolacile, they must face an ancient and powerful new threat.
Alongside several bosses, including arguably the game’s toughest challenge, Manus, Father of the Abyss, Dark Souls: Artortias of the Abyss added a new area to explore and some powerful end-game gear, while also building significantly on the series’ lore.
3. Dark Souls 2 (2014)
Three years later, FromSoftware released the second entry in the Dark Souls trilogy, with Dark Souls 2 picking up the story thousands of years later. This time around, a new hollowed warrior known as the Bearer of the Curse takes center stage, journeying to the kingdom of Drangleic to dispel the undead curse afflicting them.
Their quest puts them on the trail of the long-missing King Vendrick, kick starting an adventure to track down Drangleic’s former liege. Dark Souls 2 built off the original Dark Souls’ foundation in a number of ways, implementing changes to the respawn mechanic so enemies no longer return if you’ve killed them multiple times, fully overhauling the humanity system, and making fast travel available from the very beginning of the game.
4. Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Sunken King (2014)
The first of a three-part DLC slate for Dark Souls 2 known as The Lost Crowns, Crown of the Sunken King follows the Bearer of the Curse as they descend deep below Drangleic. There, they search for the titular Crown of the Sunken King.
The expansion provides an all-new labyrinthine underground area to explore, delivering a gauntlet of poison-inflicting enemies, hidden traps, environmental puzzles, and a handful of tough new bosses.
5. Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Old Iron King (2014)
The second entry in the Lost Crowns expansion trilogy, Crown of the Old Iron King sees the Bearer of the Curse explore a new area known as Brume Tower. Much like the last expansion, the protagonist’s goal is to track down an ancient crown, this time belonging to the titular Old Iron King.
To find the artifact, they’ll have to make their way past the tower’s defenses, battling a range of powerful fire-wielding foes while navigating precarious pathways and going toe-to-toe with another wave of hyper-challenging bosses.
6. Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Ivory King (2014)
The third and final entry in The Lost Crowns expansion trilogy, Crown of the Ivory King sends players to the icy kingdom of Eleum Loyce. There, they’re tasked with tracking down the final missing crown: the Crown of the Ivory King.
Exploring the ruins amidst a blizzard, players must fend off a range of frozen threats, contending with rival phantoms, hazardous environments, and, of course, a handful of challenging new bosses.
7. Dark Souls 3 (2016)
After the release of Bloodborne, FromSoftware returned to the Dark Souls franchise for its final entry: Dark Souls 3. Our story begins as, once again, the First Flame begins to fade, causing a hollowed undead by the title of Ashen One to rise and begin a quest to relink the flame.
To accomplish their mission, they must return the powerful Lords of Cinder to their thrones, launching the Ashen One on a perilous journey across the kingdom of Lothric. Acting as a finale to the series, Dark Souls 3 was the biggest Dark Souls game yet, with grander, more intense boss battles; some of the franchise’s most visually and technically ambitious levels; and faster, more aggressive combat.
8. Dark Souls 3: Ashes of Ariandel (2016)
The first of two major expansions for Dark Souls 3, Ashes of Ariandel sees the player travel to the Painted World of Ariandel on a quest to fulfill a prophecy. There, they find a frost-covered world filled with danger.
Ashes of Ariandel unleashes a range of new threats on the player, as they explore fallen ruins while finding new gear, battling fierce endgame enemies, and tackling one of Dark Souls 3’s hardest boss fights yet with Sister Friede and Father Ariandel.
9. Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City (2017)
The second and final expansion for Dark Souls 3,The Ringed City brings the Dark Souls series to a close. Exploring a distorted world of fallen kingdoms known as the Dreg Heap, players embark on an adventure through this haunting graveyard, setting up a climactic showdown against a corrupted foe.
The Ringed City delivered one final area for Dark Souls veterans to test their mettle, pitting them against brutal, high-level enemies who offered powerful endgame gear and delivered some of the trilogy’s most challenging boss encounters.
What’s Next for Dark Souls?
As it currently stands, Dark Souls as a franchise is officially complete. Series creator Hidetaka Miyazaki has reiterated that FromSoftware is done with the series multiple times, although told us in an interview back in 2016 that its conclusion “doesn’t necessarily mean [we’re] not going to work on a Dark Souls-like game.”
We saw Miyazaki’s words come to fruition six years later, with FromSoftware releasing a spiritual successor to the series, Elden Ring, in 2022. Last year, we learned that Elden Ring will be receiving a major expansion in the near future, with FromSoftware announcing that an add-on titled The Shadow of the Erdtree is in development.
Callum Williams is a freelance media writer with years of experience as a game critic, news reporter, guides writer and features writer.
Setting up a base is one of the very first things you’ll do when you’re getting started in Palworld. You’ll be building up your base throughout the game, so getting your location and layout right will save you plenty of headaches in the long run – here’s what we wish we knew starting out!
Choose A Flat, Unobstructed Area
After placing your Palbox down, you’ll see a large blue circle surrounding it – this is the buildable area for your base. You want this area to be as free as possible of any hills, cliffs, water, or other obstructions. You’ll need a lot of space for the structures and buildings you’ll eventually want to construct, some of which can be pretty large.
As Pals wander around your base diligently working, they have an unfortunate tendency to get stuck and become unable to move, eventually becoming hungry, tired, and unwell. The clearer your base is, the less likely this is to happen!
Include Harvestable Resources Nearby
If you have harvestable resources, like wood, ore, Paldium, and stone, within your base radius, the Pals that you have working at your base can gather them as they work. You’ll need plenty of resources in order to progress, so it’s a good idea to start passively accumulating them as soon as possible.
Build a Vixy Ranch
Ranches are unlocked at level 5 in the Palworld Technology tree. You can assign any Pal with the farming skill to the Ranch, and they’ll drop items specific to their species – Chikipi drops eggs, and Mozzarina drops milk, but the most immediately useful pal to use is Vixy. Vixy drops Pal Spheres and Arrows when assigned to the Ranch, both of which are incredibly useful for catching Pals – you’ll find yourself needing hundreds of them before long.
Place Feed Boxes and Chests Near Workstations
Pals with the Transporting proficiency will carry dropped or harvested resources to nearby chests for you. To save them wasting time traipsing across the map, place chests near any workstations that output materials. You should also make sure every workstation is reasonably close to a Feed Box so that Pals can take a lunch break without walking too far.
Upgrade to Stone as Soon as Possible
At some point, your base will begin to be targeted by raids, in which groups of Pals or other enemies spawn in and attempt to damage your Pals and structures. If your base is made of flammable materials, there’s a chance Pals with explosive or fire-based attacks could set it alight. Fire spreads incredibly quickly, so you’re likely to lose anything attached to the burning structure.
The stone structure set is unlocked at Level 18!
Jen Rothery is a Senior Editor on the IGN Guides team, primarily covering live service games. In Palworld, she spends most of her time baking cakes.
