The team behind the reimagining of the original Lara Croft adventure, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, have opened up on how they’re approaching the 1996 game’s difficulty and instakills, acknowledging it will have to be adjusted for “modern player tastes.”
Speaking at a press event and captured by GamesRadar+, Crystal Dynamics’ game director Will Kerslake said: “part of reimagining a game right is adjusting that game evolving for modern player tastes.”
He also hinted at what kind of gameplay we can expect to see, insisting “it is core to the Tomb Raider experience that there are puzzles in combat and traversal and death-defying action.” However, Kerslake stressed that the things we remember from the original game will remain, adding: “you’ll see big rolling balls, and you know, the things that you expect in a Tomb Raider game are going to be there in spades.”
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is due out at some point in 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam. Alix Wilton Regan will now play Lara Croft in both Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and 2027’s Tomb Raider: Catalyst, with Camilla Luddington, who portrayed Lara Croft in the Survivor Trilogy, issuing a heartfelt goodbye to the character this week.
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.
The Commodore 64 Ultimate is the most astonishing retro product I have ever reviewed. I was expecting it to be a straightforward, modern take on the all-time best-selling personal computer. I imagined it would be a newer version of the C64 Mini or C64 “Maxi,” with a selection of games and software built in and accessible through a bespoke menu system. Seriously, I would have been totally fine with a modern C64 that hooks to modern 4K displays and televisions and let me experience the C64 ecosystem on the big screen. And it does that, extremely well.
But it also does so much more, more than I could have ever imagined it would. Better still, it does all those things amazingly well. From the spot-on design of the packaging down to the perfection of the keyboard in every way, the Commodore 64 Ultimate is the kind of modern take on retro hardware that all future endeavors in the space should aspire to. They won’t. But they should.
What’s In the Box
The Commodore 64 Ultimate packaging looks the part of its predecessor, although dimensionally they differ. The original C64 box is a little taller and a little less wide, but otherwise the modern take evokes the exact same feeling as the original right from the packaging. It’s an excellent combination of both old and new, listing the modern capabilities of the device while using old-school images of people using the original on CRT displays.
The Commodore 64 Ultimate is what all future retro endeavors in should aspire to.
Right on the copy printed on the box, the Commodore 64 Ultimate positions itself as an antidote to the modern computing experience, which I’m completely into. As someone who’s been using the Internet since before Netscape was even a thing, I often think back wistfully to how much simpler it was when a computer was a tool you used to create things, not a device that serves you ads. The tagline on the back says “Classic Form. Ultimate Function. Distraction Free.”
For those of you who weren’t born before 1980, the original Commodore 64 was not only the most successful 8-bit computer of the 1980s, it’s the best-selling personal computer of all time. So many Gen-Xers grew up with a Commodore 64 as their first home computer, and if they didn’t have one (like me), they knew someone who did. It debuted at $595 in 1982, but within a year, competition had cut the price in half. In the 1984 Sears Holiday Wishbook catalog it’s listed at $229.99, while the Coleco Adam just a few pages later is $700.
The C64 was affordable, well supported, handled business and productivity applications while also having a huge library of games. You could load software from 5.25″ floppies, cassette tapes, or cartridges. It was versatile, compact, extremely affordable and available everywhere. It also had a custom sound chip that let the C64 sing, literally, giving it a huge edge. The C64 produced an iconic sound modern chiptune artists like 8-bit Weapon still use.
Inside the box is the Commodore 64 Ultimate itself, which is actually available in three different versions. There’s the classic beige, a fully transparent and LED-lit model, and a special edition gold translucent version only available for those who backed the device early on. I’m going to get into the design later, but as soon as I opened the box I was struck by just how perfect this is in terms of replicating the look of the original.
There’s also not one, but two, small, double-sided sheets of Commodore-branded vinyl stickers. The stickers are great. They’re high-quality, not garbage paper ones like I would have expected, and it’s just another delightful part of the experience. There are a few for the logo, one for the classic “READY” prompt, a tiny tape drive and floppy drive sticker, and more. It’s great. I’m going to stick these things everywhere (except for the C64 Ultimate itself, of course).
There’s a transparent plastic AC adapter with different interchangeable plug styles for your region, and a generous 2.5 meter HDMI cable in a Commodore branded bag. The cable itself is not branded, however, which is maybe the only thing I can point to with the C64 Ultimate and say “I wish this were different.” The cable itself supports Ethernet over HDMI, for reasons I don’t understand, as well as 4K resolution.
Underneath it all, nestled in a protective cocoon of bubble wrap, is probably my favorite addition to the C64 Ultimate box: an honest-to-goodness spiral-bound instruction manual just like the original. And it’s an ACTUAL instruction manual, too. It’s not just a 4-page quick start guide translated into 16 different languages to pad it out. This is an almost 250-page tome of goodness we just don’t see anymore. It’s more than just a passing resemblance between the new and the old. Yes, there’s a quick start guide, but beyond that, the manual teaches you how to use the Commodore 64 Ultimate in the same way the original manual taught you to use the C64. There’s a section on BASIC, the computer programming language so many oldheads like me first learned, as well as Advanced BASIC.
The C64 Ultimate comes with an honest-to-goodness spiral-bound instruction manual.
This is probably my favorite thing about the C64 Ultimate: the fact it’s a modern version of the old hardware on which I love writing BASIC programs. If you’re not familiar with the language, its primary purpose was to make computer programming easier for beginners. In fact, the name BASIC is an acronym for “Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code.” No one uses it anymore, not for anything serious. Ask anyone now and they’ll tell you to start with Python.
Well I’m here to say those people are wrong, and BASIC is the perfect place to start. One of the greatest things about having a hardware-indentical version of the original Commodore 64 is all those old magazines and books with page upon page of BASIC code will still work exactly as they were intended. You’ve probably seen engagement-farming social media accounts talking about how “back in the day” people would copy programs from magazines, by hand, into their computers line by line. Can confirm, we really did. And with the C64 Ultimate we can use those same programs, or just copy and paste them and load them in via USB. I think that’s cheating but I’m also not above it.
I haven’t delved deeply into the world of programming the C64 Ultimate, at least not yet, so I can’t speak authoritatively on whether or not there’s some string of code somewhere that won’t work on the Ultimate. Knowing what little I know about FPGA, I don’t think that will ever be a problem I’ll come across. The beauty of FPGA versus software emulation is the hardware works exactly like the original. Sure, someone out there writing in assembly might find some peculiarity with the system that wasn’t present in the original, but for me? Hell nah, let’s get some BASIC code going baby!
Back in the day people would copy programs from magazines, by hand.
The fact you’re taught BASIC in the manual, and then taught advanced BASIC, as well as sprite and sound manipulation, makes the manual even more of a valuable resource. This is exactly the kind of thing I love, and exactly the way computers used to be. You didn’t just buy a computer to passively entertain yourself, you bought one to do rudimentary spreadsheets, play some games, and create your own experiences. I love it. The best thing about learning any computer language is the fundamentals are all pretty much the same. Once you understand if-then statements, or “for” loops in BASIC, you’ll understand them in JavaScript, or C#, or pretty much any other language.
Peripherals, Modern and Classic
What was maybe the most surprising revelation to me about the Commodore 64 Ultimate was its support for the original Commodore peripherals. Things like the cassette deck and iconic 1501 floppy disc drive will work with the C64. I don’t have the cassette deck, unfortunately, and while I have the floppy drive I don’t actually have any floppies with which to test it. The big batch of floppies I picked up earlier this year were all unreadable, so sadly I can’t speak to that, at least until I luck my way into another cache, one that hopefully works.
What I can say is the C64 Ultimate will work with a classic CRT monitor, and that just makes me all kinds of delighted. Is it more convenient to use it on a modern display? Yes, a thousand percent. Is it more fun? Not even close. Thankfully I have several CRT monitors compatible with the Commodore, including an original Commodore CM-141 monitor I drove two hours into the wilderness of Maine’s coast to acquire. Weirdly, the default settings were in PAL and so I had to go in to change them, but once I did, I was absolutely delighted by the CRT-goodness. I don’t have the correct cable to use the CM-141, but I do have one that let me hook it to an old Magnavox monitor that has a setting to output in a faux phosphor-green. Can’t complain about that!
I wish more retro-revival hardware had the option for analog video. I’m sure the people who want such a thing make up a very tiny percentage of the population, but for something as specialized as the Commodore 64 Ultimate, it is a perfect fit. The modern Commodore company sells the proper cables on its website, so I’m probably going to buy some just so I can plink away at my next BASIC program in front of the warm glow of a humming, 13″ color CRT TV.
Another odd peripheral I have is a Commodore 1670 modem, though the Commodore 64 Ultimate lacks the User Port from the original where it hooks up. Instead, the Ultimate has modern connectivity like Wi-Fi and an Ethernet jack. It’s probably for the best anyway – I’ve messed around with slow, retro modems on old hardware before and it’s fun, but 1200 baud makes even BBSes slow to use. And besides, if I do want that old-school experience, there’s modem emulation built into the system anyway.
While having Wi-Fi rules, at first I couldn’t get the Wi-Fi to work. I entered in my Wi-Fi password and waited for a while, tried it again, rebooted and tried one more time and it never showed the “Link Up” message on the Wi-Fi configuration page. It wasn’t until after I hooked it to a wired connection that it decided to come to life, after which I was able to disconnect from the Ethernet cable and have it maintain its wireless connection. Not sure if that was just a coincidence or a weird bug, but it gave me a brief jolt of disappointment.
I’m also sadly lacking in C64 game cartridges, which is a bummer since the Commodore 64 Ultimate can play those, natively, through the expansion port in the back of the computer. But since it can run those carts, it can easily run ROM files, ones that you of course own legally or are provided from reputable, legal sources.
Spot-On Design
The Commodore 64 Ultimate is indistinguishable from the original at first glance. Everything about it looks and feels exactly the same as the original. The beige case and brown keyboard is fantastically reproduced from the original, for better or for worse. It’s not until you take a closer look do you start to notice the differences, with the modern ports, a transparent window on the side and a much smaller port for the AC adapter.
The Commodore 64 logo badge on the top? Perfect. The red LED power light? Flawless. The keyboard? OK, like I said before, absolute perfection – for better or for worse. Let me explain myself.
Typing on the Commodore 64 Ultimate gives you the exact same tactile feel of the original. The key travel is perfect, the “clunk” of the switches, even the subtle texture of the plastic feels exactly like the original. It’s just fantastic. I think my love of modern mechanical keyboards can be directly traced back to this era of computing, and the feel is wonderful.
Keeping with the original in every possible way, however, is going to require you to unlearn some of the modern keyboard placements you’ve been using since things settled down to a standard layout. This isn’t a fault with the design, it’s unfortunately a byproduct of keeping things so perfectly retro. I find myself struggling with some of the key placement, like where the double-quotes are (they’re over the 2-key, by the way).
If the C64 is the computer you grew up on, your muscle memory might come back to you easily. But otherwise, there’s a little more hunting-and-pecking here than I’ve done in years. It’s not a fault of the design at all, and it can’t be avoided, but it’s just something that you’ll definitely experience when you shift from the modern keyboard layout burned into your brain. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
One major, positive design change is the power supply. The original C64 power supply was a brick almost literally, and pretty much every original C64 power supply is waiting to someday blast the original hardware with an overvoltage that will run it. The new one is cased in transparent plastic and doesn’t take up half your desk like the original monster.
It plugs in right next to the multifunction button, a rocker-style switch that turns the Commodore 64 Ultimate on and off and lets you switch to the special configuration menu. It took a little more effort than I was expecting, and it’s just a touch too small for my large hands. Turning off the Commodore 64 Ultimate requires you to push down and hold for 4 seconds, and I don’t like that. More than once, I thought I’d activated the button, but was instead standing there like an idiot with the button 90% pressed for 10 seconds. Given the change of configuration of slots and peripherals, I would have liked a two-position switch for power and a momentary switch to go between C64 and configuration modes.
Software
In keeping with the retro-modernity of the Commodore 64 Ultimate, there’s a USB stick in the shape of a cassette tape, complete with cassette case, included in each box. You plug it into a very modern USB port in the back and then access it via the configuration menu in a very old school, hierarchical file system type of way.
The software on the drive is generous, to say the least. There is so much here, it’s overwhelming. Rather than go through every single included piece of software (which I wouldn’t mind doing, honestly), I’m going to touch on some of the more notable programs.
But before I do that, I’m going to shout out a feature they didn’t need to include, but they did anyway: when you start up a program from the file browser, the Commodore 64 Ultimate starts whirring and clicking, with the occasional buzz for good measure. It’s making the sounds you would expect from a program loading from a floppy disc and it’s absolutely wonderful. When I was a kid using computers, I loved the feedback of those mechanical drives. I always felt like I was listening to the computer “think.” This little feature adds so much to the experience, in a way I didn’t expect at all.
Back to the software, there are dozens of demos on the USB drive, and not the ones we’re all used to. The demo scene, while still around, is a pale reflection of its former self. Basically, programmers and hackers would flex their skills by creating demonstrations of their programming prowess. They would push machines to do things that didn’t seem possible with custom animations and music, and you can see some of them here. One of the most notable and well-known demos is Bad Apple, presented here as Bad Apple 64. The Commodore 64 Christmas Demo is also on the USB, which is delightful. I’m nothing if not full of holiday cheer.
There’s also a huge selection of games on the USB, but maybe my favorite addition here is GEOS, a graphical user interface designed specifically for the Commodore 64. While I don’t see myself switching from macOS to GEOS any time soon, it’s so cool to see this rudimentary GUI running on original hardware. Unfortunately I can’t locate my compatible Commodore 64 mouse, but there are still dedicated hobbyists out there making them in our modern times, and Commodore sells compatible devices on its own site.
It’s so cool to see a rudimentary GUI running on original hardware.
I’m a little surprised you can’t use a modern USB mouse, which would have been much easier for the end-user. I don’t think it would have taken anything away from the experience, either. In fact I’d argue it would enhance it, given most people own at least one USB mouse but very few people own compatible Commodore mice. I dug through the various menus and didn’t find any options, but if there’s a way, please let me know.
I’m mildly obsessed with different GUIs, and will take any opportunity to try them out, so I’ll probably scour eBay for a mouse, especially because it also has a whole suite of GEOS software. If I really wanted to (and I do), I have the option to hook up a Commodore printer and print off my own beautiful GEOSPaint creations, or I can use the Virtual Printer and save generated files to the USB as .pngs. From there I can just open it on a modern computer and print it from there. And friends, best believe I’m going to be doing that once I get a compatible mouse.
Sucker Punch co-founder Brian Fleming is stepping down n the new year after three decades at the studio behind Ghost of Tsushima, Sly Cooper, and Infamous.
According to a post from Sony, on January 1, Jason Connell and Adrian Bentley will step into Fleming’s former role as co-studio heads, with Nate Fox continuing his role as co-creative director alongside Connell and Adrian also serving as technical director.
Our deepest thanks and gratitude to Sucker Punch Productions Co-Founder Brian Fleming, who is handing over the leadership reins as the studio begins a new chapter. Starting Jan 1, longtime creative and technical leaders Jason Connell and Adrian Bentley will step into new roles… pic.twitter.com/RvPzJfWHGl
Fleming first founded the studio in 1997 alongside Bruce Oberg, Darrell Plank, Tom and Cathy Saxton, and Chris Zimmerman following a stint at Microsoft. The group went on to start the Sly Cooper franchise, which Sony published. The two companies continued their publishing relationship into the Infamous series in 2009, and after the sequel Infamous 2 in 2011, Sony acquired Sucker Punch. Under Sony, the studio created Ghost of Tsushima in 2020, and most recently followed up with a sequel, Ghost of Yōtei, this past October. With Fleming’s departure, only Oberg and Zimmerman of the co-founders remain with the studio.
Connell and Bentley are long-time Sucker Punch veterans. Connell joined the studio in 2010 as a lighting artist and worked his way up to lighting director and eventually creative and art director, and recently co-creative director on the Ghost franchise. Bentley came to Sucker Punch as a programmer in 2004 fresh out of DigiPen Institute of Technology, and has worked there his entire career, moving up to become an engine programmer and later technical director.
Fleming hands off Sucker Punch in what seems from the outside to be a pretty positive state. The studio’s had multiple successful games both critically and commercially, with Ghost of Yōtei recently reviewing well (including our own 8/10 score) and selling 3.3 million copies as of November 2. An added New Game Plus mode just released a few weeks ago. It’s unclear what Sucker Punch will work on next under Connell and Bentley, or if the Ghost franchise will continue or something new is on the horizon for the studio.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
This morning, the news broke that Larian Studios, developer of Baldur’s Gate 3 and the upcoming, just-announced Divinity, is apparently using generative AI behind the scenes for things like concept art and placeholder text. The backlash has been swift and loud from the gaming community, and now Larian founder and game director Swen Vincke is responding to clarify his remarks, affirming that Larian is “neither releasing a game with any AI components, nor are we looking at trimming down teams to replace them with AI,” and that AI is “something we are constantly discussing internally through the lens of making everyone’s working day better, not worse.”
The original news comes from a Bloomberg interview with Vincke. In it, Vincke admits that Larian is “pushing hard” [Bloomberg’s phrasing] on generative AI, even though it hasn’t led to big gains in efficiency. Specifically, the studio is using the technology to “explore ideas, flesh out PowerPoint presentations, develop concept art and write placeholder text.” [Bloomberg’s phrasing].
Vincke reassures that there won’t be any AI-generated content in the final version of Divinity. “Everything is human actors; we’re writing everything ourselves.” But it sounds like this approach isn’t going over smoothly with everyone. Bloomberg’s piece acknowledges that some internally at Larian have pushed back, though Vincke says, “I think at this point everyone at the company is more or less OK with the way we’re using it.”
This news hasn’t gone over super well with the community, though. On Bluesky, Larian is being lambasted by a number of individuals across the game development community, including some former Larian employees. “consider my feedback: i loved working at @larianstudios.com until AI,” writes Selena Tobin, an environment artist and former Larian employees. “reconsider and change your direction, like, yesterday. show your employees some respect. they are world-class & do not need AI assistance to come up with amazing ideas.”
The Divinity and Baldur’s Gate 3 communities have a somewhat more divided reaction, with some defending its use for concepting, though there’s still a significant amount of backlash. A few commenters have pointed out that games such as The Alters suffered from significant fan anger over discovered generative AI use, but are willing to forgive Larian for the same offense.
In response to this backlash, Vincke has issued IGN a lengthy follow-up response, which we’ve published here in full:
We’ve been continuously increasing our pool of concept artists , writers and story-tellers, are actively putting together writer rooms, casting and recording performances from actors and hiring translators.
Since concept art is being called out explicitly – we have 23 concept artists and have job openings for more. These artists are creating concept art day in day out for ideation and production use.
Everything we do is incremental and aimed at having people spend more time creating.
Any ML tool used well is additive to a creative team or individual’s workflow, not a replacement for their skill or craft.
We are researching and understanding the cutting edge of ML as a toolset for creatives to use and see how it can make their day-to-day lives easier, which will let us make better games.
We are neither releasing a game with any AI components, nor are we looking at trimming down teams to replace them with AI.
While I understand it’s a subject that invokes a lot of emotion, it’s something we are constantly discussing internally through the lens of making everyone’s working day better, not worse.
The past few years have felt like an embarrassment of riches when it comes to RPGs, and so expectations were high going into 2025. Thankfully, the last 12 months certainly lived up to such a bar. While that’s good for gamers, it made things more than a little tough when whittling down our list of the best role-playing games of the year, especially because we had a wide variety of RPG styles that satisfied different tastes.
Avowed gave us some of that Obsidian magic in a fantasy world that was tighter and more focused than many of its contemporaries, resulting in a game that didn’t feel as overwhelming as typical open-world RPGs. Deltarune’s new chapters elevated the ongoing Undertale-adjacent saga to new heights with increasingly clever gameplay twists and sharper narrative chops. And if you had 100-plus hours to spare, Octopath Traveler 0 offered a stunning conclusion for an unforgettable journey to cap off the year.
The definition of RPG is fairly free-flowing these days, so you’ll see games with elements of the genre in our other award categories. But we made careful considerations for games with RPG mechanics at the forefront of their gameplay, along with deep stories, for this particular list. However, there can only be five games and one winner, so the IGN team voted and deliberated on which games would make up this year’s list. We believe the genre is in good hands with the games we picked, and the game we’ve chosen as the Best RPGs of 2025 is something very special.
Runner-Up – Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter
The Trails series, part of the larger Legend of Heroes franchise, has been gaining more and more traction over recent years. But it’s tricky to recommend as it now numbers 13 entries, all of which are part of a continuous timeline. Remake Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter helps rememdy that problem, as it went right back to the beginning to create one of strongest and sharpest games in the series – and now, it’s the easiest one to recommend.
Trails revolves around a deeply developed world with captivating geopolitical drama at its heart. 1st Chapter does such a good job of painting that broad picture, which is seen in detail through the eyes of its two leads, Estelle and Joshua. As budding Bracers (a peacekeeping guild) whose father is a legend in the guild, they’re perfect conduits to provide a pretty intimate understanding of the world’s various regions and how they feed into the larger story. The turn-based battles feature a fantastic blend of action combat and the series’ unique positioning system, which creates a gameplay flow that ushers you through this expanded version of this classic RPG. The true magic of Trails lies in the multifaceted stories from multiple perspectives, but it all starts here in Trails in the Sky, and this remake is a terrific representation of that.
Runner-Up – Dragon Quest 1&2 HD-2D Remake
Square Enix has done excellent work in revitalizing the Dragon Quest games of yore, and Dragon Quest 1&2 HD-2D Remake is the best example yet. The high-definition pixel art makeover is more than just a sensible way to pretty-up these classics, it also lets them stay true to the spirit of their original look without the weird pixel smoothing effect of past remasters. These Remakes also retain the turn-based combat system and characters without sacrificing the distinct spirit of the original games from all those years ago (frustrating difficulty spikes and all), but even then, quality of life improvements make sure they’re still enjoyable in a modern sense. Combined with the DQ3 HD-2D remake, these games complete the “Erdrick trilogy” of Dragon Quest games, and you can see how the series pioneered the genre, especially with the second entry’s emphasis on characters and storytelling. This package is one of the best examples of modernized nostalgia – faithful to the originals and approachable in today’s gaming landscape. And it’s some of the best role-playing we experienced this year.
Runner-Up – The Outer Worlds 2
When it comes to RPGs and letting players dictate how they interact with the world, Obsidian is one of the best studios to do it. The Outer Worlds 2 improves on the first game in almost every way, from punchier gunplay to much deeper role-playing systems. The options you have to build your character and make pivotal choices have a larger impact on what you can do in combat, but also create specific avenues for how quests play out. We keep pointing to the Flaws system, which was present in the original, but has been expanded in unpredictable, creative ways by giving you some serious pros/cons to consider based on your playing habits. However, the much more expansive areas, smarter level design, and dynamic combat encounters make sure the actual gameplay experience is a significant leap over the first game. And you can’t have an RPG of this style without choice and consequence at the heart of the story, and Obsidian reminds us with The Outer Worlds 2 that it still has the chops, even in a post-Fallout: New Vegas era.
Runner-Up – Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an investment that pays back multiple times over in its 120-hour runtime. It’s a commitment – a slow-burn game you have to want to live in. But it’s also an action-packed cinematic adventure that proves to have an emotional range that the original didn’t. You might be just “some guy” as Henry, yet that role often lets you see the world for what it is, whether you’re doing seemingly mundane activities or the pivotal story quests where your choices matter. What this game does better than most, though, is first-person melee combat, a tough thing that even the mighty Elder Scrolls franchise has struggled with for so long. It is intricate, skill-based, and stays engaging even as you get deeper into the furthest corners the campaign. Although developer Warhorse Studios arguably tries to bite off more than it can chew at times, you’ll find the quality writing and great combat leads you to a satisfying conclusion. This sequel might pick off where the first ended, but jumping into Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 regardless of your experience will open you up to a rare RPG that deserves its flowers, 2025 or otherwise.
Winner – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Suprise, surprise – the Best RPG of 2025 is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and for good reason. The folks at development team Sandfall Interactive drew direct inspiration from Japanese RPGs like Final Fantasy 10 and Persona 5 (their words, not ours), and made the kind of game they wanted to play. We know there’s still a huge appetite for good turn-based RPGs, and Clair Obscur is further proof of that, but it’s the mechanics built into the combat system that makes it stand out. The active timing inputs keep you engaged in each fight, and recognizing attack patterns so that you may parry and inflict damage on an enemy turn is some of the most satisfying stuff we’ve experienced in a turn-based system. Each party member plays uniquely and has their own unique gameplay gimmick, as to represent a Job or Class, but there’s then the Picto/Lumina system that lets you stack on perks and wild buffs – at some point it feels like you’re breaking the game. However, the toughest challenges ensure the game pushes back on you to really test your mastery and understanding of its more intricate mechanics. It’s one of the best combat systems we’ve seen in a good long while, and it keeps that momentum throughout its story and optional content.
But Expedition 33 wouldn’t be a true homage to JRPGs without a melodramatic and heartwrenching story. While it immediately hits you with the theme of time wiping away swathes of people – friends and loved ones disintegrating before your eyes – it grows into a meditation on grief and how it changes people, seen through the eyes of fully formed characters who change alongside each other. Whether or not you want intricate systems, fun combat, or deep stories from your RPGs, Clair Obscur delivered all of that in a way that won the hearts of us here at IGN.
For more of our end-of-the-year celebrations, be sure to check out our list of awards and nominees, which is being updated daily in the lead-up to our official Best Game of 2025 announcement.
Michael is the tech reviews editor at IGN, but regularly contributes to games coverage with reviews, features, and news.
Nintendo recorded more than 30 minutes of extra conversations featuring Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’s chatty companion characters that don’t currently appear in the game.
The voice lines have now been datamined and uploaded to YouTube (thanks, VGC) where fans can listen in to long stretches of cut Metroid Prime 4 banter, recorded for the Galactic Federation troops Samus encounters.
Specifically, these conversations would have played out at Base Camp, between much-maligned mechanic Miles MacKenzie, and later NPCs such as the robot VUE-995, Private Armstrong, Sergeant Duke and Corporal Tokabi.
Listening in to the conversations, these are all non-essential chats that add to each character’s backstory and personality. Most are designed to be humorous, such as the chats between hulking mech VUE-995 and Private Armstrong talking about working out, getting a tattoo-like custom paint scheme, and Armstrong’s love of dogs. Armstrong even discusses her pet pooch back home, named Bowser.
Speaking with Sergeant Duke, VUE-995 is told he needs greasing up, as the other troops are complaining that he’s squeaking. As a group, the team also discusses eating jerky. (There are no voice lines featuring Samus, for obvious reasons.)
It remains to be seen whether this dialogue is ever used for anything, or made available in-game via a future update. (Perhaps it’s being saved for the launch of a New Game Plus mode?) Alternatively, the fact the dialogue has been cut could be a sign that Nintendo knew its cheery marines might come across as an odd fit in Metroid Prime — a series known for its themes of isolation, with a famously silent protagonist and little to no other dialogue.
“It doesn’t take psychic powers to see the ideal vision Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was aiming for,” IGN wrote in our Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review. “It tries to mix the excellent Prime formula with a character-focused story and a large hub world to explore. It doesn’t quite reach that ambitious goal, with an outdated open desert area that mostly feels like padding and a cast of characters that provide both a handful of memorable moments and too much chatter at times.”
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
For the Animal Crossing fans looking for new dialogue or major overhauls to what exists in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you may not want to hold your breath for the 3.0 Update or the Nintendo Switch 2 version. The announcement for anything new for the five-year-old game was already a delightful surprise (especially after Nintendo previously said they were done with major updates years ago), but there don’t seem to be many secrets or surprises beyond what was shown in the reveal trailer. IGN was invited by Nintendo to get a hands-off look at what’s coming to ACNH on January 15, 2026, and the roughly 25-minute demo confirmed certain ACNH fan factions’ excitement and disappointment: namely, this one is for the decorators. That being said, as someone who does love decorating in Animal Crossing, this update is an exciting reason for me to play more regularly again.
The Switch 2 version’s three main features aren’t all that interesting, though the speed and graphical updates are pleasing. In the demo, I saw and had it confirmed that the Switch 2 exclusive Megaphone tool is limited to calling residents who can actually hear. So, it won’t impact anyone inside a building, which makes it less useful for tracking down a particular character. Then, the final major benefit to playing on Switch 2 is being able to play with up to 12 people total in multiplayer, though that hinges on everyone in the session playing on a Switch 2. I feel lucky I know even three people still playing, leaving this update as the least impactful.
The hotel is by far the biggest change out of everything. It was explained that, like other facilities in ACNH, the hotel is something you’ll unlock. Since it’s tied to the pier, it cannot be moved and getting it is not optional. I didn’t see what’s involved in building the hotel, but once it’s there, it’ll receive season-appropriate decor like other facilities. Inside is the welcoming site of Kapp’n’s family. The main activity you’ll do in the hotel is decorating rooms similar to the Happy Home Paradise DLC, with the key difference being that you have a list of room themes to choose from (such as Ranch Room, Skyscraper Room, and plenty more) and are free to do what you will with it… or skip using a theme entirely and freestyle the design.
If you use a theme, you’re provided a selection of items that match. Though unlike HHP, you’re not required to use any specific items even if you do opt to use a theme. Then, when you’re done, you’ll receive a reward of the new hotel currency, tickets, once per day. You can keep decorating the eight guest rooms, but you won’t receive any extra currency. Tickets can then be spent at the hotel gift shop that has hotel-related items along with new furniture, most of which I did not get to see. The other way to earn tickets is by crafting requested items for Kapp’n. The new bulk crafting feature wasn’t shown in my demo either.
Tourists who stay in the hotel can roam your island in the customizable outfits displayed in the hotel, which helps to clearly identify them. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much interaction with tourists in my demo. The one conversation with a tourist didn’t make it clear whether or not they can be invited to stay on the island, though it was mentioned in the demo that if the visitor is convinced, they could potentially become a resident.
The four new characters coming to ACNH with 3.0 (two from Splatoon, two from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom) weren’t present in the demo, though the items that get added to ACNH after scanning one of their respective series amiibo were. It was clarified that to get one of the new Splatoon or Legends of Zelda characters and the associated special items, all you need to do is scan any one amiibo from their respective franchise, rather than any specific amiibo. The items looked great peppered around the item, and it seems most of the items are interactive.
For those looking for even more decorating, Slumber Islands await. We unfortunately again didn’t see much of the special Slumber Island space beyond what was shown in the reveal trailer. This feature requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. With that, you’ll get access to three island save spots and can create a small, medium, or large island, with the large size being close to being the size of the normal island. The Animal Crossing community has come up with some amazing island designs over the years, and the Slumber Islands feature is primed to encourage even more of that. Whatever you’ve collected will be available on the Slumber Islands, and anything you do or use in the dreams won’t impact your main island. It was confirmed during the demo that there won’t be any new additional custom design save slots, though, so players will need to get creative with what’s already available if custom designs are a key part of their island design process.
Our demo didn’t show Resetti’s new suite of cleanup services, all the new items coming with the hotel, or how much it costs to upgrade storage. There wasn’t a chance to ask the developers questions either, so it’s still unclear whether we should expect any other ACNH updates beyond this. I’m eager to see the patch notes whenever Nintendo releases them to see if there are any secret small quality of life updates or item updates for holidays (will we get a 2026 balloon arch for the New Year’s event?), but, as I mentioned earlier, I’m skeptical we’ll see any major changes other than what’s been announced. Even still, I’m enjoying having a reason to return to my island and get it cleaned up for future tourists.
Miranda Sanchez is the executive editor of guides at IGN and a member of Unlocked. She’s a big fan of stationery, reading, and bouncing between forever games. You can sometimes find her on Bluesky.
Valve has outlined what’s new in Dota 2 patch 7.40 and provided a rundown of its latest hero, Largo.
“Dota is an ensemble cast, but keen observers looking through the collection of rogues, wizards, druids, and knights (not to mention two characters named ‘ranger’) may have noticed the absence of that most maligned of hero classes: the bard. At least, up until now,” Valve teased, before introducing Largo himself.
Largo is the shamanic head of the bardmonk order, and unlike bards that “sing about current events and chord changes,” he “tailors every song to his exact circumstances, raising his allies’ spirits or, if necessary, their foot speed as they run toward battle (or away). As a frog, his prehensile tongue has, shall we say, all kinds of tricks.”
One such trick is his Catchy Lick, in which he targets someone, licks them, pulls them back a short distance, and applies a basic dispel. If they’re an ally, he pulls them out of harm’s way, and if they’re an enemy, his tongue deals damage. By dispelling an effect from a target, Largo gets a brief health regen, too. He can also fire froglings that stomp the ground every second, dealing damage and ministuns, and minimize ally mana costs with his Croak of Genius skill.
His ultimate skill is Amphibian Rhapsody. To be honest, with a name as incredible as that, I don’t even care what it does, but for those wondering, it’s essentially a mini-rhythm game.
“Largo gets ready to groove,” Valve explains. “He is disarmed and his ability bar switches to three song abilities, each with different effects. Songs are only effective if strummed on the beat.
“Every time he strums successfully, he gains a stack of Groovin’. Each stack gives him bonus armor and reduces the mana cost of every song, but he loses a stack if he misses a beat. Stacks linger for a short duration when Largo’s song ends.”
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.
The Resident Evil Requiem from The Game Awards finally confirmed that Leon S. Kennedy will return as the game’s second playable protagonist. Although he has aged a bit since we last saw him, Japanese fans have been taking to social media to praise Leon’s suave, older look.
Slated for a multiplatform release on February 27, 2026, Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth mainline title in Capcom’s survival horror series. It will introduce new main character Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst who is investigating a series of mysterious deaths that seem to be linked to Victor Gideon, a former Umbrella Corp. researcher. While it seems that Grace’s parts of the game will play more like typical survival horror, the new trailer, below, gave fans a peek at Leon’s more action-orientated zombie-battling gameplay, complete with chainsaw. “Grace’s gameplay style is based on Resident Evil 2, whereas Leon’s is based on Resident Evil 4,” director Akifumi Nakanishi revealed in a recent interview with Denfaminicogamer.
Although Leon has always had his fans, the D.S.O agent’s middle-aged incarnation is getting much praise from Japanese speaking users on X. He’s already being affectionately called ikeoji (literally, “hot uncle” — a cool and attractive older guy). “Leon’s gradually becoming a hot uncle” one user mused. Sharing some screenshots, another user chimed in with “Leon’s aging in a cool way.” Another user summed up: “Resident Evil 9’s Leon is too hot. He’s 49 in this (as of 2026)? He’s so suave.”
Fans are also getting inspired to draw Leon’s new look. “Leon in Resi 9’s new trailer is too damn fine,” said one user, posting the following fan art. “He’s aging in such a wonderful way, while retaining his coolness. I’m really looking forward to meeting this Leon,” enthused another user. “He’s turning into a hot older guy, like Keanu Reeves!” said one commenter.
Other eagle-eyed trailer viewers have noticed that Leon seems to have some kind of rash on his neck, prompting concerns that he has been infected. While many seem to be enjoying middle-aged Leon’s looks, others are worried as to whether he should still be fighting off mutants at his age, with one person saying: “I love Leon, but they should let him rest.” In the previously mentioned Denfaminicogamer interview, Resident Evil Requiem’s director revealed that Leon has a “major secret” that will have significant implications (but he’s keeping quiet on what exactly that is).
Legendary Japanese game developer Hideki Kamiya also weighed in on Leon’s new appearance and how some of Capcom’s beloved characters are getting long in the tooth. “Uncle Leon, at the very least, I would like for you to live happily in your old age,” Kamiya commented, sharing a timelapse of Leon’s aging face. In response, another user wrote that, although they were fine with game characters getting older, they hoped that Resident Evil and Devil May Cry characters could receive the happy ending they deserve. Replying to this, Kamiya mused: “Even if Dante became happy, won’t he always be poor?”
Resident Evil Requiem’s devs have already revealed that switching between playing as Grace and Leon will be like “jumping into a cold bath after a hot sauna,” such is the contrast between the tense survival horror sneaking and Leon’s no-holds-barred action. According to director Akifumi Nakanishi, there will be an almost equal split between newcomer Grace and fan favorite Leon. “Although he’s a character who carries a lot on his shoulders, we took a lot of care in refining him into an ‘ikeoji’,” Nakanishi concluded. “The reactions to the trailer on that front have made us happy (laughs).”
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios has released the Cold Snap update alongside lengthy patch notes for version 1.7.0 of the extraction shooter.
As announced, the headline gameplay change here is the Cold Snap map condition, but there’s also the start of the Flickering Flames event. Players also have the Expedition Departure Window, the new free Raider Deck ‘Goalie’ coming on December 26, and new quests and items. We’ve got a full rundown of all the new content in the Cold Snap update as well as the gameplay changes.
But the focus here is on the just-released 1.7.0 patch. Highlights include Skill Tree Reset functionality, the addition of an option to toggle Aim Down Sights, Raider Tool customization, the Wallet now shows your Cred soft cap, the Aphelion blueprint drop moved from the Matriarch to Stella Montis, and various festive items “to get you into the holiday spirit.” It’s also worth noting an improved Stella Montis spawn distance to address the issue of players spawning too close to each other.
The patch notes, below, detail various balance changes alongside explanations from Embark Studios. And there are various fixes. Strap yourself in — this is a long one.
Arc Raiders Cold Snap update 1.7.0 Patch Notes:
Balance Changes
Weapons:
Bettina
Dev note: These changes aim to make the Bettina a bit less reliant on bringing a secondary weapon. The weapon should now be a bit more competent in PVP, without tipping the scales too much. Data shows that this weapon is still the highest performing PVE weapon at its rarity (Not counting the Hullcracker). The durability should also feel more in line with our other assault rifles.
Durability Burn Rate has been reduced from ~0.43% to ~0.17% per shot
In practice, it used to take about 12 full magazines to fully deplete durability, but now it takes 26 (also accounting for the increased magazine size).
Base Magazine Size has been increased from 20 to 22
Base Reload Time has been reduced from 5 to 4.5
Rattler
Dev note: Even though the Rattler isn’t intended to compete with the Stitcher or Kettle at close ranges, it is receiving a minor buff to bring its PVP TTK at lower levels a bit closer to the Stitcher and Kettle. The weapon should remain in its intended role as a more deliberate weapon where players are expected to dip in and out of cover, fire in controlled bursts, and manage their reloads.
Base Magazine Size has been increased from 10 to 12
ARC:
Shredder
Reduced the amount of knockback applied by weapons. Increased movement speed and turning responsiveness.
Increased health of the Shredder’s head to prevent cases where its head could be shot off, leading to unintended behavior.
Improved Shredder navigation to reduce getting stuck on corners, narrow spaces, and short obstacles.
Increased the speed at which the Shredder enters combat when taking damage and when in close proximity to players.
Increased the number of parts on the Shredder that can be individually destroyed.
Content and Bug Fixes
Achievements
Achievements are now enabled in the Epic store.
Animation
Fixed an issue where picking up a Field Crate with a Trigger ’Nade attached could cause the character to slide or move without input.
Fixed an issue where combining Snap Hook with ziplines or ladders could store momentum and propel the player long distances.
Fixed an issue where the running animation could appear incorrect after a small drop when over-encumbered.
Fixed interaction animations: interactions now end correctly when performing a dodge roll; interacting while holding items or deployables no longer causes arm twisting; updated crouch repair to use the correct animation.
Added physical based secondary movement to character skins and equipment.
ARC
Fixed an issue where deployables attached to enemies could cause them to launch or clip out of bounds when shot.
Missiles no longer reverse course after passing a target and can correctly track targets at different elevations.
Sentinel
Fixed a bug where the Sentinel laser did not reach the targeted player over greater distances.
Surveyor
Disabled vaulting onto ARC Surveyors to prevent unintended launches when they are moving.
Fixed an issue where Bombardier projectiles could shoot through the Matriarch shield from the outside.
Audio
Fixed an issue where Gas, Stun, and Impulse Mines did not play their trigger sound or switch their light to yellow when triggered by being shot.
Increased the number of simultaneous footstep sounds and increased their priority.
Fixed an issue where footsteps in metal stairs became very quiet when walking slowly.
Improved directional sound for ARC enemies.
Added sounds for sending and receiving text chat messages in the main menu.
Removed the unsettling “mom?” from Speranza cantina ambient sound.
Tweaked the loudness of announcements in various Main Menu screens.
Number of small audio bugfixes and polish.
Maps
Fixed an issue with spawning logic which could cause players who were reconnecting at the start of a session to spawn next to other players who had just joined.
Various collision, geometry, VFX and texture fixes that address gaps in terrain which made players fall through the map or walk inside geometry, stuck spots, camera clipping through walls, see-through geometry, floating objects, texture overlaps, etc.
Fixed an issue with the slope of the Raider Hatch that was too steep for downed raiders to crawl on top of it.
Security Lockers are now dynamically spawned across all maps instead of being statically placed.
Fixed Raider Caches not spawning during Prospecting Probes in some cases.
Fixed lootable containers and Supply Drops spawning inside terrain on The Dam and Blue Gate, ensuring they are accessible.
Fixed an issue where doors could appear closed for some players despite being open.
Electromagnetic Storm: Lightning strikes sometimes leave behind a valuable item.
Increased the number of possible Great Mullein spawn locations across all maps.
Dam Battlegrounds
Moved the Matriarch’s spawn point in Dam Battlegrounds to an area that better plays to her strengths.
Spaceport
Adjusted the locked room protection area in Container Storage on Spaceport to not affect players outside the room.
Blue Gate
Locked Gate map condition has been added.
Adjusted map bounds near a ledge in Blue Gate to improve navigation and reduce abrupt out-of-bounds stops.
Improved tree LODs in Blue Gate to reduce overly dark visuals at distance.
Fixed the issue where loot would spawn outside the Locked Room in the Village.
Added props and visual cues to the final camp in the quest ‘A First Foothold’ to make objective locations easier to find.
Stella Montis
Increased some item and blueprint spawn rates in Stella Montis.
Some breachable containers on Stella Montis no longer drop Rubber Ducks when using the A Little Extra skill (sorry).
Adjusted window glass clarity in Stella Montis to improve visibility.
Miscellaneous
General crash fixes (including AMD crashes).
Added Skill Tree Reset functionality in exchange for Coins, 2,000 Coins per skill point.
Wallet now shows your Cred soft cap (800).
Dev note: We decided to implement a cap so that players won’t be able to fully unlock new Raider Decks by accumulating Cred and added more items to Shani’s store to purchase using Cred. We believe that the Raider Decks offer a rewarding experience to enjoy while players engage with the game, and a large Cred wallet undermines this goal. We will not be removing Cred that has been accumulated before the introduction of the soft cap.
Added Raider Tool customization.
Fixed a bug that caused players to spawn on servers without their gear and in default customization resulting in losing loadout items.
For ranks up to Daredevil I, leaderboards now have a 3x promotion zone for the top 5 players. New objectives have been added.
Fixed an issue where the tutorial door breach could be canceled, preventing the cutscene from playing and blocking progression.
Fixed an issue where players could continue breaching doors while downed.
Fixed an issue where accepting a Discord invite without having your account linked could fail to place you into the inviter’s party.
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused textures and meshes to flicker between higher and lower quality states.
Depth of field amount is now scaled correctly depending on your resolution scale.
Fixed an issue where returning to the game after alt-tabbing could prevent movement and ability inputs while camera controls still worked.
Improved input handling when the game window regains focus to avoid unexpected input mode switches.
Skill Tree
Effortless Roll skill now provides greater stamina cost reduction.
The Calming Stroll skill now applies while moving in ADS.
Movement
Fixed a traversal issue that blocked jumping/climbing in certain areas while crouched.
Fixed an issue where climbing ladders over open gaps could cause automatic detachment.
A slight stamina cost has been added for entering a slide.
Acceleration has been reduced when doing a dodge roll from a slide.
UI
Added an option to toggle Aim Down Sights.
Added a new ‘Cinematic’ graphics setting to enhance visuals for high end PCs.
Fixed an issue where returning to the game after alt-tabbing could prevent movement and ability inputs while camera controls still worked.
Improved input handling when the game window regains focus to avoid unexpected input mode switches.
Codex
Improved accuracy of tracking damage dealt in player stats.
Field-crafted items now properly count toward Player Stats in the Codex.
Fixed missing sound in Codex Records.
Added a Codex section to rewatch previously seen videos.
Console
Updated PlayStation 5 controller button prompts with improved icons for Options and Share.
Fixed a crash when using Show Profile from the Player Info on Xbox.
Customization
You can now rotate your character in the customization screen. Also fixed an issue where the first equip could trigger an unintended unequip.
Added notifications in Character Customization to highlight recently unlocked items.
Fixed an issue where equipment customization items bought from the Loadout screen were not equipped after pressing Equip on the purchase screen.
End of round
Further reduced the frequency of the end of round feedback survey pop up.
Added an optional Round Feedback button on the final end-of-round screen to open a short post-match survey.
Expedition Project
Added a show/hide tooltip hint to the Raider Projects screens (Expedition and Seasonal).
Added ‘Expeditions Completed’ to Player Stats.
Added resource tracking for Expedition stages: Raider Projects now display required amounts and progress, with the tracker updating during rounds.
Added reward display to Raider Projects, showing the rewards for each goal and at Expedition completion.
Fixed an input conflict in Raider Projects where tracking a resource in Expeditions could also open the About Expeditions window; the on-screen prompt is now hidden while adding to Load Caravan.
Inventory
Fixed an issue where closing the right-click menu in the inventory could reset focus to a different slot when using a gamepad.
Fixed flickering in the inventory tooltip.
Opening the inventory during a breach now cancels the interaction to prevent a brief animation glitch.
Adjusted the inventory screen layout to prevent tooltips from appearing immediately upon opening.
Fixed an issue where the weapon slot right-click menu in the inventory would not appear after navigating from an empty attachment slot with a controller.
In-game
Fixed an issue where the climb prompt would not appear on a rooftop ladder in Blue Gate.
Resolved an issue where certain interaction icons could fail to appear during gameplay.
Fixed “revived” events not being counted.
Fixed an issue where the zipline interaction prompt could remain on a previously used zipline, preventing interaction with a new one; prompts now clear when out of range.
Quick equip item wheel now has a stable layout and no longer collapses items towards the top when there are empty slots in the inventory.
Updated in-game text across multiple languages based on localization review and player survey feedback.
Added a cancel prompt when preparing to throw grenades and other throwable items.
Fixed in-game input hints to match your current key bindings and show clear hold/toggle labels. Clarified binoculars hints when using aim toggle and updated hints for SnapHook and integrated binoculars to support aiming.
Tutorial hints now stay on screen briefly after you perform the suggested action to improve readability and avoid abrupt dismissals.
Fixed an issue where input hints could remain on screen after being downed.
HUD markers that are closer to the player now appear on top for improved legibility.
Fixed issue where items sometimes displayed the wrong icon.
Fixed issue where user hints were sometimes shown when spectating.
Strongroom racks and power stations now display a distinct color when full of carryables to indicate that it has been completed. Example: Ancient Fort Strongroom.
Fixed an issue where reconnecting to a match could leave your character in a broken state with incorrect HUD elements and a misplaced camera.
Slightly delayed the initial loot screen opening and the transition from opening to searching during interactions.
Main Menu
Added a Live Events carousel to the main menu and enabled click/hover interactions on the Raider Project overview.
Fixed an issue where the Weapon Upgrades tab would sometimes change location.
Resolved an issue where a Raider could pop in and out of the home screen background.
Installed workstations no longer appear in the workstation install view.
You can now navigate from on-screen notifications to the relevant screens, including jumping directly to learned recipes.
The Upgrade Weapon Tab now accurately displays the magazine size increase.
Fixed an issue where the map screen could become unresponsive when a live event was active.
When inspecting items, rotating will now hide UI only showing the item being inspected.
Free Raider Deck content now displays as “Free” instead of “0”.
Added a carousel to the Main Menu featuring Quests and a Raider Deck shortcut, with improved gamepad navigation within the widget.
Fixed an issue where the Scrappy screen allowed navigating to the quick navigation list when using a gamepad.
Quests
Made pickups on the ground show icons if they are part of quests or tracked, added quest icons to quest interactions and improved quest interaction style.
Fixed an issue where the notification could remain after accepting and claiming quests.
Accepting and completing quests is now shown as loading while awaiting a server response.
Fixed an issue where rapidly skipping through quest videos after completing the first Supply Depot quest could soft‑lock the UI, leaving the screen without a way to advance.
Updated interaction text for a quest objective to improve clarity.
Updated the names and descriptions of the Moisture Probe and EC Meter quest items in Unexpected Initiative.
Improved ping information for quest objectives, with clearer markers for Filtration System and Magnetic Decryptor interactions.
Adjusted colors of quest and tracking icons in in-game interaction hints for better clarity.
Settings
Added a new slider that allows players to tweak motion blur intensity.
Updated tooltips for effects and overall quality levels in the video settings with clearer descriptions.
Added labels that show whether an input action is ‘Hold’ or ‘Toggle’, displayed in parentheses.
Fixed an issue where the flash effect ignored the Invert Colors setting; the option is now available.
Fixed a crash in settings when rapidly adjusting sliders.
Now players will be guided to Windows settings for microphone permissions if needed.
Fixed a crash that could occur when opening the video settings.
Fixed an issue where some Options category screens continued responding to inputs after exiting.
Store
Players will no longer see error messages when canceling purchases in the store.
Newly added store products now show a new indication for improved discoverability.
Social
Fixed an issue where Discord friends could appear with an incorrect status after switching to Invisible and back to Online; their presence now refreshes correctly when they come back online.
Added a Party Join icon to the social interface for clearer party invitations and joins.
Fixed an issue where the Social right-click (context) menu could remain visible in the Home tab after rapidly opening and closing it with a gamepad; it now closes correctly and no longer stacks.
Tooltips
Fixed incorrect item tooltips of ARC stun duration.
Tooltips now reposition to remain fully visible at all resolutions.
Fixed tooltips showing ‘Blueprint already learned’ on completed goal rewards; tooltips now display correct reward information and only show ‘Blueprint learned’ for actual blueprints.
Trials
Trials objectives now clearly indicate when they offer bonus conditions, such as by Map Conditions.
Fixed an issue where the Trial rank icon could be missing on the Player Stats screen after starting the game.
Added a Trials popup that explains how ranking works and clarifies that the final rank is worldwide.
VOIP
Added Microphone Test functionality.
Added better automatic checks for problems with VOIP input & output devices.
Using the mouse thumb button for push-to-talk no longer triggers ‘Back’ in menus.
Fixed an issue where the voice chat status icon could incorrectly appear muted for party members at match start until someone spoke.
HUD no longer shows VOIP icons when voice chat is disabled; your own party VOIP icon now appears as disabled.
Utility
Increased loot value in Epic key card rooms to better reflect their rarity.
Expanded blueprint spawn locations to improve availability in areas that were underrepresented.
Moved the Aphelion blueprint drop from the Matriarch to Stella Montis.
Fixed a bug where players would sometimes become unable to perform any actions if they interacted with carriable objects while experiencing bad network conditions or were downed while holding a carriable object and then revived.
Fixed an issue where Deadline could deal damage through walls.
Fixed an issue where deployables attached to enemies or buildable structures could cause sudden launches or let enemies pass through the environment when shot.
Keys will no longer be removed from the safe pocket when using the Unload backpack.
Fixed an issue where cheater-compensation rewards could grant an integrated augment item.
Fixed bug where Flame Spray dealt too much damage to some ARC.
Fixed an issue where sticky throwables (Trigger ‘Nade, Snap Blast Grenade, Lure Grenade) disappeared when thrown at trees.
Fixed a bug with incorrectly calculated deployment range for deployable items.
Fixed an issue where mines could not be triggered through damage before they were armed.
Playing an instrument now applies the ‘Vibing Status’ effect to nearby players.
Fix for Rubber Ducks not being able to be placed into the Trinket slot on an Augment.
Setting integrated binoculars and integrated shield charger weight to be 0.
Weapons
Tuned the amount of force applied to lighter ARC when using melee attacks.
Fixed an issue where stowed weapons would not appear on the first spawn.
Fixed an exploit allowing players to reload energy weapons without consuming ammo.
Aiming-down-sights now resumes if it was interrupted while the aim button is still held (e.g., after reloading or a stun).
Fixed an exploit that allowed shotguns to bypass the intended fire cooldown.
Quests
Fixed a bug in the ‘Greasing Her Palms’ quest that let players accidentally trigger an objective.
Made the quest item ESR Analyzer easier to find in Buried City.
Improved clarity of clues for the ‘Marked for Death’ quest.
Fixed an issue where quest videos could trigger multiple times.
Added interactions to find spare keys to several quests related to locked rooms.
Added unique quest items to the ‘Unexpected Initiative’ quest.
Fixed an issue where squad sharing incorrectly completed objectives that spawned quest specific items.
Known Issues
Players with AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT will see a driver warning popup at startup despite being on the latest version that fixes a GPU crash that occurred when loading into The Blue Gate.
If you have more items than fit in your stash, the value of the items that don’t fit is not included in the final departure screen, but is included when calculating your rewards.
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.
