Category: IGN

We already knew EA planned to revive the college football video game series. And today, the company has unveiled the first official teaser trailer, with confirmation that a full reveal will arrive in a few months.

EA released a teaser trailer acknowledging the anticipation of fans who have been waiting over 10 years for a new simulation college football game. While no proper gameplay was revealed, EA did say the upcoming sports game will be called College Football 25, with confirmation that a full reveal will arrive in May ahead of its summer 2024 release window.

There have been talks of EA reviving the college football video game series since 2021. After the Supreme Court ruled that same year that college athletes could profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL), EA announced it would add real-world college football players into the game. EA also confirmed in the years leading up to the release that fan-favorite modes Road to Glory and Dynasty will return to the next college football video game.

The road to the next College Football game was bumpy for EA. After it announced its plans to feature NCAA players, a lawsuit was filed last June by the BrandR Group, an agency specializing in licensing deals for student-athletes. On3 reported last year that if a player opted-in to have their likeness used in College Football 25, the payout would have been $500 per player, which the agency argued in the lawsuit was far below market value. In December, EA announced it had settled the lawsuit and planned to release the next college football video game this summer.

College Football 25 will be the first college football video game released since 2013, when EA canceled the series after it failed to resecure the NCAA license. A class-action lawsuit brought forth by former college athletes sued EA for the unauthorized use of their likeness. The lawsuit was settled in 2016 for $60 million.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Online shopping has become the preferred method for many looking to purchase new consoles as inventory is generally more available, and you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home. Some retailers even offer the option to purchase online and pick up your items in store, allowing you to secure your purchase and pick it up when you’re ready. If you’re looking for the best places to purchase Xbox consoles online, we’ve got you covered with a full breakdown below, including pricing on current Xbox consoles, the best time to buy an Xbox Series X or Series S, information on Xbox Game Pass, as well as where to trade in your exisiting Xbox consoles and games.

Where to Buy Xbox Consoles Online

If you’re looking to buy a new Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, or Xbox One, here’s where you can purchase them online in 2024. You can also check out the latest Xbox deals for potential discounts.

Xbox Series X

Microsoft’s flagship console, Xbox Series X, retails for an MSRP of $499.99 and features 1TB of storage and true 4K gaming.

Xbox Series S

Xbox Series S is the less-powerful, all-digital variant of Microsoft’s current console lineup that starts at an MSRP of $299.99. The base model features 512GB of storage and 1440p resolution gaming in a 60% smaller package. You can also get the Carbon Black Series S console, which starts at an MSRP of $349.99 and comes with 1TB of storage space.

Xbox One

Xbox One is Microsoft’s previous generation console that released in 2013. While it’s not currently being manufactured, you can still find refurbished models online at some retailers. There are three standard models available: the original Xbox One, a slimmer redesign called Xbox One S, and the more powerful Xbox One X. It’s worth noting that Xbox Series X|S are backwards compatible with Xbox One games, so your money may be better spent on the current generaton consoles.

Latest Xbox Deals

How Much Does a New Xbox Cost?

Xbox has a variety of different consoles at different price points to satisfy the needs of any gamer. The flagship console, Xbox Series X, retails for $499.99 but can also be financed via Xbox All Access at select retailers for $36.99/mo for 24 months which also includes 2 years of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It’s worth noting that you’ll need to qualify for a line of credit with Citizen’s Pay Line if you opt for Xbox All Access.

Xbox Series S, the smaller, all-digital console, retails for $299.99 for the 512GB model or $349.99 for the 1TB model. Additionally, both can be financed via Xbox All Access starting at $26.99/mo for 24 months.

While Xbox One consoles aren’t currently in production any longer after being quietly discontinued in 2020 to focus on production of Xbox Series X|S, you can find them pre-owned or refurbished at resellers such as GameStop and Amazon, as well as through third-party marketplaces such as eBay, Craigslist, and more.

Additionally, you can often find bundles throughout the year that include either an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, sometimes with a unique color or design, as well as an included game, trial of Xbox Game Pass, or in-game content.

Xbox Game Pass Pricing

Xbox Game Pass pricing was recently updated in September 2023 with the discontinuation of Xbox Live Gold, and now features a streamlined tier list depending on whether you play exclusively on Xbox consoles, PC, or both.

Xbox Game Pass Core

Xbox Game Pass Core is $9.99/month and includes online multiplayer for Xbox consoles, a catalog of 25 games to play, and exclusive member discounts and deals. This plan effectively replaced what was previously known as Xbox Live Gold. To see what games are available through this plan, make sure to check out our IGN Playlist of Xbox Game Pass Core games.

Xbox Game Pass Console

Xbox Game Pass Console is $10.99/month and includes access to the entire Xbox Game Pass catalog for Xbox Consoles, including day one Xbox first-party titles. It also includes exclusive member discounts and deals. However, this plan does not include online multiplayer for Xbox, but is a great option if you prefer single player games and want to enjoy the hundreds of games available on Xbox Game Pass.

Xbox Game Pass PC

Xbox Game Pass PC is $9.99/month and includes access to hundred of games to play on PC including day one Xbox first-party titles, an EA Play membership, and exclusive member discounts and deals. This is a great option if you only play on PC and want access to the Xbox Game Pass catalog of supported games. To see what games are available through this plan at the moment, check out our IGN Playlist of Xbox Game Pass PC games.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is $16.99/month and combines both Xbox Game Pass Console and Xbox Game Pass PC to provide access to the entire Xbox Game Pass catalog of games on whichever platform you choose, as well as online gaming for Xbox. You’ll be able to play Xbox first-party titles day one, as well as stream hundreds of games over the cloud to compatible devices. Additionally, you’ll be able to play EA titles with an included EA Play membership, and access member-exclusive deals, discounts, and perks. To see the games available to you on this membership, check out our IGN Playlist of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate games.

Best Time to Buy an Xbox

Generally, the best time to buy an Xbox console is during major yearly shopping events such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the various Amazon Prime Day sales. Often times, you can scoop up the console at a discount, or purchase limited-time bundles that include additional games, Xbox Game Pass trials, accessories, or in-game content.

How to Trade in Your Old Xbox

If you’re looking to trade in your old Xbox consoles, you can do so at select retailers in-store and online. Often, the most widely available retailers are GameStop and Best Buy. However, you can also trade your used devices online at retailers such as Amazon and Microsoft.

Some retailers will offer you cash for your used goods, while others may provide you with a gift card that can be used in-store and online. This is a great way to offload your old gaming gear and get some money that you can put towards a newer console and games.

While trading devices in at retailers will often net you the lowest amount for your used consoles, there are also online marketplaces such as eBay, Craigslist, and OfferUp that may fetch higher prices, but you’ll often be responsible for packing and shipping costs, or be required to meet someone in person for the transaction, the latter of which poses its own risks.

Where to Trade in Xbox Games

Similar to Xbox console trade ins, you can also trade your existing games in at specific retailers. The most widely available retailer accepting used video games is GameStop, but they are notorious for giving you pennies on the dollar for your pre-owned titles. However, if you’re looking for an easy way to offload some of your library for cash or in-store credit, this is a convenient option. You can always look up the expected trade-in value on GameStop’s website before heading into a store, so you know exactly how much you’ll receive. Additionally, you can trade in your used games online through Amazon in exchange for an Amazon gift card.

Matthew Adler is a Commerce, Features, Guides, News, Previews, and Reviews writer for IGN. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

We’ve had a lot of fun with promo codes over the last few months. And now Currys are getting back in on the action PlayStation with their promo code PS15. This promo code means that you can get some free money on the PlayStation store by grabbing a gift card at a discounted price.

If you’ve been sitting on your hands waiting for some new games, now is your chance to make move.

The best deal from this offer is definitely on the £90 PlayStation Gift Card, now down to just £76.50 with code PS15 (see here). That’s a saving of £13.50 in total, quick maths, and perfectly sets you up for some cheap as chips gaming over the next few years.

So as you’ve saved on your credit for your PlayStation account, and deals you decide to jump on are immediately enhanced. Here’s a few of our favourites in the sale for you to sink your teeth into as well.

If you want some other great deals at the moment, then you might as well stay on Currys’ website. You can pre-order yourself a physical copy of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for PS5 for just £55.99 by using another handy code – ‘rebirth20.’

If you happen to be short of the console in the first place, then the new PS5 Slim has recently had £60 knocked off its price in the UK, representing the first significant savings on the model since its release. And if you want some extra storage for all the new games you’ll be buying with your cheap gift cards, then grab yourself a fanxiang S770 1TB M.2 PS5 SSD (With Heatsink) for a very tidy £61 when you use code take20. Codes all over the place!

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

It has been five long years since Team Cherry announced Hollow Knight: Silksong on February 14, 2019, with a launch then planned for PC, Mac, Linux, and Nintendo Switch. And still, it remains one of the most-anticipated video games around.

Not only is Hollow Knight: Silksong the third most-wishlisted game on Steam, behind only Hades 2 and Manor Lords, but it is one of the most-wanted Game Pass games following Microsoft’s deal with Team Cherry to bring it to its subscription service day-one. It’s also coming to the PlayStation Store, with a PlayStation 5 launch planned.

In June 2022, Microsoft included Hollow Knight: Silksong in its Xbox-Bethesda Showcase, and announced that everything shown would be playable in the next 12 months. Xbox then seemingly confirmed that the long-awaited follow-up would indeed be out within a year.

Then, in May last year, Team Cherry announced that Hollow Knight: Silksong had been delayed past the first half of 2023 and that more details would come as the game neared its release date. At the time, Team Cherry’s marketing and publishing lead Matthew Griffin said: “We had planned to release in the first half of 2023, but development is still continuing. We’re excited by how the game is shaping up, and it’s gotten quite big, so we want to take the time to make the game as good as we can.”

As you’d expect, Hollow Knight fans are desperate for news from Team Cherry. While the five-year anniversary of Silksong’s announcement has come and gone without fanfare, the developer has indicated it’s still hard at work on the game.

As Nintendo Life notes, Hollow Knight: Silksong joins Metroid Prime 4 in the ‘five years since announcement club’, although in Metroid Prime 4’s case it was five years since Nintendo announced it had restarted development on the Switch exclusive.

As the sequel to 2017’s critically acclaimed Hollow Knight, fans have been looking forward patiently for Silksong. In IGN’s Hollow Knight review, we said: “The world of Hallownest is compelling and rich, full of story that’s left for you to discover on your own, and built with branching paths that offer an absurd amount of choice in how you go about discovering it. With such a high density of secrets to find and fun, challenging enemies to face, it’s worth spending every moment you can in Hollow Knight.”

Perhaps Hollow Knight: Silksong will pop up at the next Nintendo Direct?

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.

Hot on the heels of a backlash against Diablo 4 portal reskins that cost the same as Palworld comes a new microtransaction horror: a horse bundle that costs more than Diablo 4 itself.

This week, Blizzard released the new Vitreous Scourge mount, which can only be bought as part of a $64.99 bundle that throws in 7,000 Platinum. For context, Diablo 4 itself currently costs $41.99, and there is no way to buy the Vitreous Scourge mount outside this bundle.

Here’s what you get from the Vitreous Scourge pack, per Blizzard:

Charge in atop crystal and bone

Manifest crystalline might and traverse Sanctuary with the Vitreous Scourge. The Vitreous Scourge pack includes Crystal and Bone bundle containing the Crystal-clad mount, Crystal and Bone Cage mount armor, two mount trophies, and 7,000 Platinum.

Crystal and Bone: A great many maladies plague the unfortunate inhabitants of Sanctuary. One is a spreading corruption that crystalizes both flesh and bone.

7,000 Platinum can be exchanged to customize your in-game experience with purchasable cosmetic items from the Shop, used to unlock access to the premium Battle Pass, and Battle Pass Tier Skips.

Are you playing Helldivers 2 and wondering if the developers will ever add a player versus player mode? Don’t hold your breath — the boss of developer Arrowhead Game Studios has said it’s never going to happen.

Responding to a user on Twitter/X, Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt said the developer will “never” add PvP to Helldivers 2 in order to reduce “toxic elements” from the community.

“Hey; We’ll ‘never’ add a PvP-mode,” Pilestedt said. “This is to reduce toxic elements from the community.

“We want an environment that’s supportive, fun and where we all are fighting on the same side!”

Helldivers 2 is a co-op third-person shooter in which players squad up to take on alien bugs and automatons across big maps packed with over-the-top action, explosions, and a generous number of epic moments.

While there is no PvP mode, players are as much a danger to each other as they are to the enemy. Helldivers 2 is a game with friendly fire, which means a stray bullet from a squadmate can be disastrous. Turrets, too, can kill your friends, or even you, if you happen to get in their way. And devastating orbital strikes can be a menace to your friends as well as enemy outposts.

One of the cool things about Helldivers 2 is that players have established an ‘unspoken’ co-op etiquette, which is useful for a game in which voice comms are rarely used when playing with randoms. From what I can tell, griefing is an unusual occurrence in Helldivers 2, but it does happen. I’ve seen some players report they’ve encountered players who’ve engaged in a spot of teamkilling. Some are even orbital-striking the entire group as soon as they spawn onto the map, only to do it again seemingly just for a laugh. And teamkilling during an extraction, or kicking a teammate during extraction after a 40-minute mission does sometimes occur.

Pilestedt also responded to a user who accused Arrowhead of being “scared” to add PvP to Helldivers 2, denying that was the case. “Not scared,” Pilestedt said. “Just we don’t want the toxicity that naturally comes with it. There are plenty, actually most, games that provide PvP.

“We make games for people that just want to have a challenging time with friends but in a PvE setting.”

Pilestedt then pointed players who want a PvP experience to extraction shooter Escape from Tarkov: “If you want PvP I recommend @tarkov,” Pilestedt said.

According to Pilestedt, Helldivers 2 has already sold one million copies across PlayStation 5 and PC, smashing all expectations in the process. And despite various matchmaking issues, Helldivers 2 shows no sign of slowing down. Check out IGN’s Helldivers 2 tips and tricks for getting started if you’re jumping in.

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.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth preorders are currently down to just £55.99 in the UK right now. This is a tremendous deal, and guaranteed to arrive on launch day February 29. All you need to do is use code REBIRTH20 at checkout when preordering at Currys. This is the best Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth preorder deal in the UK right now, but, the only caveat is that this deal has sold out a few times before, so there could be a limited time frame to take advantage.

It was also announced at the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth State of Play, that a demo is now available to download via the PlayStation Store. It will let fans play as Cloud and Sephiroth in a sequence from the early part of the game among other content. This is a great opportunity to try the game out before you commit to purchasing via the deal we mentioned above.

In our final hands-on preview of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, we said: “This second game in the reimagined trilogy is like an extension that flows out of its predecessor rather than another radical rethink. But Rebirth is layered with several new ideas that, at least across the duration of a recent three-hour playable demonstration, suggests Cloud and co’s upcoming journey will feel like a genuine sequel rather than a full-priced expansion.”

There’s also a new relationship system, called Bonds of Friendship, that has been added to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. As explained in the system’s tutorial, “the strength of these bonds can alter portions of the story.” One of those story moments is the Gold Saucer date, and you’ll be able to see how your potential partner feels about you via a variety of emoji-like faces.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

The developer of Palworld has commented on the debate around the declining number of people playing the game since launch, calling the discourse “lazy”.

Taking to Twitter/X, Pocketpair community manager Bucky, who has become the voice of Palworld’s development team in the West, reflected on the game’s first month since going on sale in early access form across PC and Xbox Series X and S.

“In May of 2023, I was convinced that Palworld could break the 50,000 player mark,” Bucky said. “Anything above that seemed unobtainable though, and I certainly never expected it to reach into the millions.

“It has taken years to get to this point, and Palworld only really begins from here. Everyone is working hard to fix the issues and prepare new content and Pals. Some of you may have had your fun over the last three weeks and found yourself putting the game down. That is fine.”

Palworld’s astonishing launch saw 12 million sales on Steam alone and a peak concurrent player count of 2,101,867, the second-highest of all-time on Valve’s platform. Over on Xbox, Palworld is the biggest third-party launch on Game Pass ever with over seven million players and a daily player peak of just shy of three million. While the concurrent player count on Steam has fallen steadily since the peak, it’s worth pointing out Palworld is currently the third most-played game on Steam behind only Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2. It remains hugely popular.

Still, that hasn’t stopped some from proclaiming the Palworld party is over, and it’s this sentiment that Pocketpair appears keen to counter.

“This emerging ‘Palworld has lost X% of its player base’ discourse is lazy, but it’s probably also a good time to step in and reassure those of you capable of reading past a headline that it is fine to take breaks from games,” Bucky said.

“You don’t need to feel bad about that. Palworld, like many games before it, isn’t in a position to pump out massive amounts of new content on a weekly basis. New content will come, and it’s going to be awesome, but these things take a little bit of time.

“There are so many amazing games out there to play; you don’t need to feel guilty about hopping from game to game.

“If you are still playing Palworld, we love you. If you’re no longer playing Palworld, we still love you, and we hope you’ll come back for round two when you’re ready.

“Play lots of games, try different genres, and frequently flick through indie libraries to find hidden gems.”

Last month, Pocketpair said Palworld would get PvP, raid bosses, and new islands in future updates, but it has targeted critical issues first. Crossplay between Steam and Xbox is also in the works (presumably this will up the co-op player count on Xbox at the same time), as well as improvements to the building system.

Clearly, the success of Palworld has taken Pocketpair — and the video game industry — by surprise, so much so that the developer has issued a recruitment drive, saying it’s “overwhelmingly short of people”.

While Palworld is one of the biggest game launches ever, it’s also one of the most controversial. Pocketpair has said its staff have received death threats amid Pokémon “rip-off” claims, which it has denied. Soon after launch, Nintendo moved quickly to remove an eye-catching Pokémon mod, then The Pokemon Company issued a statement, saying: “We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to Pokémon.” IGN asked lawyers whether Nintendo could successfully sue.

If you’re playing, be sure to check out IGN’s interactive Palworld map.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The Nintendo Switch is one of the few consoles where extra storage is borderline essential if you’re planning on playing multiple Switch games. Nintendo only provides 32GB for regular models and 64GB for OLED models, which is barely any storage. Without more, you’re lucky to have three or four titles installed at once. Luckily, Nintendo allows Switch users to quickly slot in an SD card to gain access to loads of more storage.

TL;DR – These are the Best SD Cards for Nintendo Switch

1. SanDisk 512GB Extreme (Best Overall)
2. Samsung EVO Select 512GB (Budget Option)
3. SanDisk 1TB Ultra A1 (Highest Capacity)
4. SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO (Fastest Option)
5. SanDisk 1TB – The Legend of Zelda (Best Design)

Installing an SD card into the Nintendo Switch is incredibly easy, with no removal of any casing required. You simply access the port and slot in the microSD card. Below, we’ve compiled five SD card options for your Nintendo Switch system. You’ll need to determine what features are most important to you to decide on the best SD card for your situation.

1. SanDisk 512GB Extreme microSDXC Card

Best SD Card for Nintendo Switch

The SanDisk 512GB Extreme A2 microSDXC Card is our pick for the best overall Nintendo Switch SD card. At 512GB of storage, you should have no issues installing any games you’d like on your Switch without consistently deleting titles to free up space. You can expect to install dozens of games before you’re even close to approaching the storage capacity.

The SanDisk Extreme A2 also has great transfer speeds of up to 190MB/s. You can download games and immediately dump the files onto the SD card without delay. Overall, you can’t beat the quality and features the A2 Extreme has for the price. At $39.99, there’s no better SD card on the market for your Nintendo Switch system.

2. Samsung EVO Select A2 512GB microSDXC Card

Best Budget SD Card for Nintendo Switch

This Samsung EVO Select A2 SD card is a perfect choice if you’re looking for something on a budget. Although the write speeds aren’t as strong as other options, the A2 rating allows for much faster optimizing for the card. By using Cache functionality, your files can be read in a much more timely manner than other cards.

Naturally, some features aren’t available on a budget card like this. The biggest culprit here is the lower transfer speeds overall, which isn’t too big of a deal unless you’re downloading a lot of titles. At under $30, you can’t go wrong with this SD card for your Nintendo Switch.

3. SanDisk 1TB Ultra A1 microSDXC Card

Best High Capacity SD Card for Nintendo Switch

With 1TB of storage, the SanDisk Ultra A1 SD card is an excellent choice for the Nintendo Switch. The SanDisk Ultra A1 has transfer speeds of up to 150MB/s, which is well above the range needed for fast downloads on the console. It’s likely that you won’t even come close to running out of storage, with room for well over 75 titles to be installed at once.

Most games on Nintendo Switch are well below 15GB, so this SD card should more than suit your needs. The biggest games range from anywhere between 30GB and 60GB, but there are less than ten that fall under that umbrella. Any extra space on this SD card is perfect for taking as many screenshots and video captures as you’d like!

4. SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO microSDXC Card

Best High Speed SD Card for Nintendo Switch

If you’re looking for the best high speed SD card for your Switch, look no further than this SanDisk Extreme PRO SD card. This card uses SanDisk QuickFlow Technology to quickly optimize files and give you the best performance possible. When it comes to launching or downloading games, this feature can come in extremely handy for load times.

With 256GB, you shouldn’t run into any issues installing a healthy library of games to your system. Although the Switch does not have 4K support of any kind, this SD card is made for quick transfer of 4K content. So, your 1080p screenshots and videos will quickly transfer over to a laptop or PC with the blink of an eye.

5. SanDisk 1TB microSDXC Card – The Legend of Zelda

Best SD Card Design for Nintendo Switch

This Zelda SD card has arguably best design you can find for a compatible Switch SD card. At 1TB of storage, you should have no issues with running out of space for new games. Although the speeds are a bit lower than other options on this list, this is the only SD card officially licensed by Nintendo we feature here.

This card is made with the Nintendo Switch in mind, so you can expect a quality product overall. The design featured is the iconic triforce symbol from The Legend of Zelda series, which is a perfect way to showcase your love of the Nintendo franchise. Overall, there are better options, but this is a good choice if you prefer to snag a unique design.

Nintendo Switch SD Card FAQs

Do you need an SD card for the Switch?

For the Nintendo Switch, a microSD card is an essential Switch accessory. Without it, you’ll only have enough space to install a few games on the system. An SD card will allow you to install dozens of titles on Switch without any worry of deleting games to free up storage.

Generally, Nintendo tends to keep its games on the smaller side, but there is a sizeable amount of third party titles available that are well over 32GB. This is the onboard storage for standard Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite models, so you won’t even be able to install that game without an SD card.

How much storage do you actually need?

Most likely any SD card with 256GB of storage or higher will be more than enough for your Nintendo Switch. Some of the largest Nintendo titles, like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Xenoblade Chronicles 3, only weigh in at 16GB and 14GB, respectively. If you plan to primarily play Nintendo-developed titles, you should be more than fine with a 256GB SD card.

However, if you would like to play big third party releases on the platform, like Mortal Kombat 1, you should aim for an SD Card with over 512GB of storage. The latest NBA 2K game takes up over 60GB on Switch, which adds up quickly if you don’t have a substantial SD card. Overall, the size of SD card best for you depends on the games you play, but it is essential for any Nintendo Switch owner to have one slotted into their system.