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Hideo Kojima Reveals First Trailer for Xbox Game Studios Title OD

Hideo Kojima has revealed the first trailer for OD, his upcoming Xbox Game Studios project, during this morning’s Kojima Productions: Beyond the Strand livestream.

As previously announced, the mysterious game will star Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Sophia Lillis, Hunters’ Udo Kier and Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer — and today’s trailer showcased Lillis’ character in a spooky house, lighting candles before meeting a malevolent figure.

On stage, Kojima explained that the game was subtitled as OD: Knock — and indeed, a creepy knocking sound can be heard throughout the trailer. The subtitle appears to differentiate Kojima’s video game from the OD project being worked on by filmmaker Jordan Peele. “There is a different kind of fear Jordan [Peele] will do. Mine is the ‘knock’, is the fear,” Kojima said today. “I really am afraid of big knock sounds.”

The trailer begins with Lillis’ character using a red card to open a locked red door. Partially redacted text hints at OD’s story taking place 10 years after a horrifying event, where something cursed has once again… done something.

On the red card lies the following text : “Light the fires to celebrate their [redacted].” In first-person, Lillis’ character then enters the room. It’s gloomy, with rain spattering the windows. But, sure enough, there is a chest with an arrangement of candles — fires — waiting to be lit.

After lighting more of the candles — a couple of which are shaped like creepy Death Stranding babies — we get our first proper shot of Lillis’ character, as she shakes in fear. Behind her, we hear a door open, and a figure approach, as a noise like a Geiger counter increases. The trailer ends with figure grabbing Lillis by the head.

As previously announced, OD is being developed using Unreal Engine, and it sounds like Xbox is assisting with Kojima Productions’ work using the technology.

“Development is well underway,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said of OD today. “Kojima is innovating in gameplay, story and player engagement. We’re collaborating closely, and we very excited for what’s next.”

“What an amazing I’d say maybe teaser, or a glimpse,” Spencer continued. “When I first saw it I saw something new, something slightly sinister, but also something that was extremely Kojima-san. OD is bold, it’s unique, and it’s unmistakably from this studio, which is just incredible. We’re deeply supporting the production, it’s our technical work on Unreal that we’re doing with the team, both with the kind of flashy what you’re seeing on the screen, but also a lot of behind the scenes work. We have one goal in mind, which is to bring Kojima-san’s vision to life for all players, everywhere, and we can’t wait for players to experience it when it is ready.”

Other details on the game remain under wraps, other than this important warning about the game’s level of horror: “It’s really scary, and you’ll probably do in your pants,” Kojima said.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Kojima Productions Beyond the Strand Livestream: Everything Announced (Updating Live)

Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions are celebrating the studio’s 10th anniversary with a big Beyond the Strand livestream that promises to “offer a glimpse into future projects” in development at the studio behind the first two Death Stranding titles.

We’ll be covering this event live and updating this article with all the big news and reveals!

Celebrating 10 Years of Kojima Productions

Beyond the Strand began with a look back at Kojima Productions, including a timeline of the studio, which you can see below;

December 12, 2016: Kojima Productions Established

2016: Official Mascot “Ludens” Revealed

2016: New Office Established in Shinagawa

2016: Death Stranding Revealed

2019: Death Stranding Special Stage at Tokyo Game Show 2019

2019: Launch of Death Stranding

2020: Fellowship Award at the BAFTA Games Awards

2021: Launch of Death Stranding Director’s Cut

2022: Partnership with Xbox Game Studios

2022: New Office Completed

2022: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Announced

2023: Praying For a Safe Production With Microsoft at Kanada Myojin

2023: OD Announced

2024: Physint Announced

2025: Launch of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Kojima Productions Partnering With Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group On a Credit Card

Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions are collaborating with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group on a brand-new credit card that is aiming to be released in the second half of 2026. This card will also have a smart phone app and digital card to make payments and will let users accumulate points and exchange them for merch and goods. The team is working on what themed goods and merch can be used alongside game characters and themes for the card itself.

Developing…

Palworld Devs Announce Farming Sim Spin-Off, Palworld: Palfarm

Palworld is getting its first-ever official spin-off game from developer Pocketpair, and it’s looking just a little bit cozier than the original game. It’s called Palworld: Palfarm, and as the name implies, you and your gaggle of Pals will be farming, crafting, and living a life on the land together on an adventure that looks far more Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley than Palworld.

Pocketpair announced the game today with a brand new trailer, and a Steam page. These reveal that Palfarm will be a slice-of-life farming and crafting sim set on the Palpagos Islands where familiar Pals will join you to build a dream farm. Alongside growing plants, you can cook with Pals, shop at their stores, give them gifts, and- no, no you can’t eat them. Of course not. Not this time. They’re farming buddies. Not food.

Well, most of them. Some Pals will apparently come raid your farm, and you’ll have to fight them off. And then maybe when they die, they might drop stuff that looks like food. Okay, maybe you can kind of eat Pals in Palfarm too. Don’t think about it too hard.

While Palfarm does seem to be more focused on the cuddlier aspects of life with Pals, including allowing the player to pet Pals and even get married to other humans (with Pals matchmaking and officiating), it’s not without its edges. The trailer includes a look at a black market where you can, yes, get a gun. What would you do with a gun in a cozy game like this? Don’t think about it too hard!!

Notably, the trailer showed off a number of Pals that can join you to help on the farm, including what seems to be one unannounced new Pal, Sekhmet, that’s working with Anubis as a blacksmith. The Steam page also makes it clear that multiplayer will be an option.

Palfarm doesn’t have a release date just yet, and so far only appears to be in development for PC via Steam, though given Palworld’s trajectory it’s possible other platforms are in the cards for later on. Palworld itself is currently still in early access, but Pocketpair has said it’s planning a small update in December, and is working toward a big 1.0 launch sometime next year.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Multiplayer Reveal Highlights Include Futuristic Tech, 18 Maps, and Travis Scott

Activision and Treyarch have published a Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 multiplayer reveal trailer and deep dive blog post that shows players everything they need to know ahead of its upcoming beta test.

The developers behind Call of Duty 2025 offered a multiplayer breakdown in a new post published on the series’ website today. It comes with information about every last map, weapon, and mode fans can expect in Black Ops 7, both during the beta and at launch, while showing off a sneak peek at what it all looks like in motion with today’s trailer. You can see the Black Ops 7 multiplayer reveal trailer, with Travis Scott and Playboi Carti’s FE!N providing the musical backdrop, below.

Today’s Black Ops 7 multiplayer reveal trailer hits the highlights for those who have about two and a half minutes to spare. While players can be seen darting around corners, sliding and shooting at enemies, and even wall-jumping to reach high-up areas, the footage serves as a reminder that this year’s Call of Duty lets players take advantage of near-future technology. These can be seen in futuristic tools like the Echo Unit hologram decoy as well as Scorestreaks, such as the D.A.W.G. quadruped robot and the remote-controlled Rhino soldier.

Classic Call of Duty Scorestreaks like the RC-XD, UAV, Care Package, and more are back, too, with players now able to unlock Overclock upgrades that can improve their usefulness in unique ways. The UAV, for example, has Overclock options that equip it with a flare for missile defense and lower its score cost, while the Rhino gains access to an improved radar and extended runtime.

Treyarch, of course, still has more up its sleeve, but today’s Black Ops 7 multiplayer reveal really pulls back the curtain on what players can expect when beta early access begins October 2 and at launch. While the beta will only allow access to a limited selection of the content available when Black Ops 7’s November release date arrives, we at least know which of the 18 launch maps players can try out in a few weeks.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Maps, Modes, and More

Black Ops 7 will launch with 16 Core 6v6 maps. Six from that lineup will be included in the beta, with three returning from 2012’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. You can see the full list of Core maps, as well as the two 20v20 Skirmish maps, below.

Core 6v6 Maps

  • Blackheart (Beta)
  • Cortex (Beta)
  • Exposure (Beta)
  • Imprint (Beta)
  • The Forge (Beta)
  • Toshin (Beta)
  • Colossus
  • Den
  • Flagship
  • Homestead
  • Paranoia
  • Retrieval
  • Scar
  • Express (Returning from Black Ops 2)
  • Hijacked (Returning from Black Ops 2)
  • Raid (Returning from Black Ops 2)

Skirmish Maps

  • Mission: Edge
  • Mission: Tide

As per usual, a new Call of Duty means fan-favorite modes have been refreshed, with new modes for players to look forward to, too. Multiplayer mainstays like Team Deathmatch, Domination, Kill Confirmed, and Hardpoint will be available to play during the beta, with Free-For-All, Gunfight, Kill Order, Control, and Search and Destroy following at launch. There are also Face Off versions of many of these modes, giving players an option to experience classic modes while tuning down the chaos thanks to disabled Scorestreaks.

The main new mode given the spotlight today is Overload. Also available during the beta, the multiplayer option will see players tasked with bringing an Overload Device to control zones. It flips respawns on as teams guard their device carrier, suggesting teamwork will be an important element in order to achieve victory.

Black Ops 7 sticks with tradition by offering new and returning modes, but there are even more gameplay-focused changes for longtime fans to learn, too. The three-Perk system, for example, is getting a facelift with a tweak called Hybrid Combat Specialties.

These are activated when pairing Perks from different categories, allowing players to flex their creative muscles by mixing and matching different Perks for unique upgrades. Some examples laid out by Treyarch include the red-and-blue Scout Specialty, which keeps players’ position temporarily concealed after a bullet elimination, as well as the blue-and-green Operative Specialty, which charges Field Upgrades with stealth kills. Treyarch’s Black Ops 7 multiplayer reveal breakdown also includes a first look at a feature that allows friends to share weapon builds with each other with Build Codes, while also granting the ability to access Gunsmith within the Firing Range in Multiplayer itself.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has a release date of November 14, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X | S. Those hoping to for a closer look at how Treyarch has updated its formula for this year’s Call of Duty can pre-order to play the early access beta from October 2 – 5, with the open beta following for all from October 5 – 8.

For more, you can read up on how Activision plans to tackle cheaters when Black Ops 7 launches in a few months. You can also see how skins unlocked in past entries can carry over to this year’s entry.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Star Wars: Battle of Hoth Board Game Review

It’s difficult to say what’s more exciting, a new game with a fresh setting and approach, or one built upon the gleaming DNA of a predecessor. Star Wars: Battle of Hoth certainly owes much of its appeal to Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, but it also bears an obligation to the classic World War II board game Memoir ’44. Publisher Days of Wonder has effectively taken that 20-year-old design and used it as a retrofitted vehicle to facilitate the most iconic Star Wars land battle on film. The results of this experiment are a lithe and approachable board game focused on dramatic action and brisk play.

Pitching this as Memoir ’44 reskinned to Star Wars is accurate. Original designer Richard Borg returns, enlisting the help of Adrien Martinot to adapt the hex-and-miniatures wargame to this beloved sci-fi series. This uses the same back-and-forth system where players take turns playing cards and then activating units. The framework is simple to grasp and it’s effective in establishing constraints, limiting which troops you can maneuver and attack with each turn. This models the chaos and uncertainty of control and command during conflict, but it also forces tough tactical decisions. All in all, it’s a smart system that elicits drama with minimal overhead.

Each player has their own dedicated faction deck. On your turn, you play a single card from your hand which denotes one section of the board. The map is divided into thirds, including the left flank, center, and right flank. In addition to indicating one of these areas, it also lists a certain number of units in that area you can activate. Activated units move and then activate by chucking small pools of dice. It’s exceedingly straightforward and intuitive. What’s delightful is in how it restricts you at inopportune times, such as not allowing you to act on the right flank when your infantry squads are getting pounded and need support. Furthermore, you don’t know what cards your opponent is holding, mimicking a fog of war element, so it’s difficult to gauge where the counterattack and aggression will come from next turn.

This is a scenario-driven game with a hefty 17 total missions. Victory is decided by whoever hits a certain victory point threshold first, with the bulk often coming from destroying opposing units. One quirk of this system is that units do not lose combat effectiveness as they degrade, and a victory point is not scored until they’re entirely vanquished. This abstraction may annoy those seeking realism, but it’s an effective device for stoking drama.

Some of the most interesting moments in the game are when you’re forced to decide whether it’s worth it to play a less efficient card but one which allows you to activate that Snowspeeder squad as it’s hanging on by a thread. If you wait another round or for a more potent option, it may be too late and your unit could be gone. This works both ways, as you will often want to target portions of the battlefield that are weak, especially if you believe your foe will retreat one of their softened units and seek cover. Timing is important.

All in all, it’s a smart system that elicits drama with minimal overhead.

The dice system is smooth. You chuck a certain amount based on your unit and the range to the target. Generally, attackers hit harder the closer they are to the enemy. When rolling, you’re looking for either the symbol of the unit type you are attacking – such as infantry and vehicle – or a universal hit which affects all units. Damage is tracked by removing miniatures, allowing for quick upkeep and only a modicum of maintenance that is mostly frontloaded during setup.

Asymmetry between the factions only just crosses the threshold of meaning. Empire infantry has an extra health, showing their increased numbers in the assault on Hoth. Snowspeeders move fast but they only hit hard if they’re close. Probe droids are difficult to hit but fragile. AT-ATs are menacing, laying down a substantial three die attack up to three hexes away, and also requiring a special confirmation roll when receiving damage to destroy them. This highlights one of the games’ both positive and weak traits in that it’s extraordinarily swingy.

While there is a certain level of decision making, randomness has a large effect on the game’s outcome. The cards you draw and rolls you make are very important. There are precious few ways to mitigate the die rolls, such as seeking cover for defensive bonuses, so much of the experience is determined by the fickleness of luck. This aspect is even more prominent than in Memoir ’44 and its other spinoffs, as the battlefield here is shrunken. While this is a positive in that you are in the action immediately, it’s also a concern in that it limits your ability to maneuver and outposition your foe. Instead, it seems like you’re side-to-side, ready to unload your cannons immediately.

It’s obvious this experience was carefully crafted with intention. The smaller board and limited unit variation allows for a very quick experience with a suggested age range of 8+. Battle of Hoth absolutely is a hit with the younger crowd, and it will succeed at introducing those younglings into the genre of wargaming. This doesn’t mean it’s a failure for those wanting something more robust.

As has become trendy lately, this game includes what feels like a few small expansions. Each side has three leaders that may optionally be included in any scenario. You choose one of your three leader options, such as Han Solo or Vader, and then shuffle their trio of special cards into your activation deck. These add some neat effects and desired variance.

While the scenarios are somewhat diverse, they often feel as though they’re just modified setups of a standard pitched battle. Occasionally you have to control certain positions or focus on different areas of the board, leading to few surprises. However, there is an expanded option which adds a substantial amount of richness to the experience. Included in this base game are two full-blown campaigns which feature branching scenarios based on which side wins, as well as incremental upgrades that influence future sessions. There is also an abbreviated narrative which follows along with the prescribed Hoth storyline. As a method of play, this is actually a pretty neat framework that adds some oomph while not detracting from any of the core systems.

As has become trendy lately, this game includes what feels like a few small expansions.

This penchant for including expanded content is an approach that can be directly correlated to similar behavior found in crowdfunded titles. Tossing in expansion content immediately to add perceived value is a common philosophy now, and we are seeing it occur in direct-to-retail games with increasing frequency. This works particularly well here, as it enhances the game’s replayability and fills out the experience for long-term engagement.

It’s important to note that this is primarily a two-player experience with one person fielding the Rebels and another the Imperials. As it says on the box, it can go up to four players, but this mode of play is unsatisfying and best ignored. It accomplishes this by splitting each side and dividing it between two players. There’s simply not enough there for a meaningful tactical game to emerge, and it ends up feeling more staid and sluggish than the standard duel format. I could see this serving the purpose of teaching a small group of inexperienced gamers, such as young children, but that use-case is limited.

While designer Richard Borg has used the core system of Memoir ’44 across numerous titles from various publishers, there’s an interesting aspect to Days of Wonder taking this classic game and reshaping it with the Star Wars property. It’s a signal of this game transitioning to a younger pop culture focused audience. The infatuation with World War II is primarily found in older generations, with Star Wars existing as a more universal influence. The popularity of this setting is the biggest weight behind the design, and it’s a cultural nod towards something more omnipresent and attractive.

Star Wars: Battle of Hoth is ultimately, exactly what I expected. It’s a solid design built upon a sturdy pre-existing foundation. Care and attention to detail is evident, as the setting comes alive despite the game’s simplicity and high level of abstraction. This will certainly garner a large number of fans, and they should be excited to see that this is listed as the first in the Galactic Battles series. This indicates there will be more titles coming. There are plenty of options such as the battle of Endor, the skirmish on Naboo, and even perhaps heading to space with the large-scale assault on the Death Star II.

Where to Buy

The 10 Best-Selling Presold Spider-Man MTG Cards Right Now

Folks, it’s here! Marvel’s Spider-Man set for Magic: The Gathering made its prerelease debut last week, and with preorders starting to arrive, we’re starting to see what players are most excited about with the new web-slinging set.

The lovely folks at TCGPlayer have provided some Spectacular data on the most popular cards players are buying ahead of the full release this Friday, September 26. Here’s what to look out for when you’re opening your packs this week.

10 – Cosmic Spider-Man

Five color Spidey? Count us in. This Cosmic variant of the wallcrawler is not only a bowl of keyword soup in his own right (he has Flying, First Strike, Trample, Lifelink, and Haste), but he passes those abilities to all of the other Spiders you have when you head into combat.

9 – Carnage, Crimson Chaos

I’m determined to build a deck around Venom and Carnage, and this only makes that desire stronger. Carnage, Crimson Chaos can bounce a card from your graveyard to your side of the field and prime it for an attack, and the idea of using it to bring Agent Venom back is an appealing one.

8 – Hobgoblin, Mantled Marauder

Hobgoblin, Mantled Marauder grows in power when you discard a card, and he’s super affordable as he’s only an Uncommon rarity. Beyond that, though, the artwork here is awesome. Snap it up for under 30 cents.

7 – Scarlet Spider, Ben Reilly

Another Spidey, Ben Reilly can cost as little as two mana with the web-slinging mechanic, which is very nice for a 4/3 with trample. He also has +1 counters for the mana value of whichever card you returned to websling him in.

6 – Peter Parker’s Camera

Copying abilities? Yes, please, especially since Peter Parker’s Camera costs just a single mana to get onto the field. Set it up early, and get that payoff when things kick off – almost like the man himself setting up the camera.

5 – Spider-Punk

Perhaps predictably, Spider-Punk gives your Spiders riot, and has riot, but also has some fun secondary abilities. For one, spells and abilities can’t be countered, but the other means damage can’t be prevented. That’s chaos in cardboard, and we’re here for it. A riot, indeed.

4 – The Soul Stone

Look, The Soul Stone might be the priciest card in the set when all is said and done, but it’s a very fun card to play with. It’s an indestructible artifact that requires you to exile a character to see cards return from your graveyard each turn.

3 – Multiversal Passage

As TCGPlayer points out, this could be a solid pickup for Standard since Multiversal Passage can be any basic land type, and can enter untapped if you’re happy to pay some life.

2 – Electro, Assaulting Battery

Another mono Red option, Electro, Assaulting Battery could be ideal for spellslinger decks since it stores red mana, then adds red mana as you play instants and sorceries. Being able to deal a big hit of damage when he dies is fun, too.

1 – Spectacular Spider-Man (Borderless)

Finally, this Spectacular Spider-Man has an awesome borderless style that won’t break the bank, and you can use it as a Heroic Intervention for a single mana, plus it has Flash. “Have no fear, Spidey is here!” indeed.

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He’s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife’s dismay.

Borderlands 4 ‘Cricket Jumping’ Lets Players Skip Huge Chunks of the Map — Gearbox Dev Says ‘I’ve Got My Eye on This’

Borderlands 4 players have discovered a way to skip huge chunks of the map in a technique dubbed “cricket jumping” — but a developer at Gearbox has warned action may have to be taken to patch it out of the game if it starts causing issues.

As demonstrated by streamer Bahroo, Borderlands 4 players can propel themselves across the map by using a glitch at The Prospects’ Ripper Drill site. To do this, you stand on the top of the drill, line yourself up in the direction you want to travel, with your back towards the direction you want to travel, tab out of the game, then fire. Your character hurtles through the air, which, in combination with Borderlands 4’s glide ability, lets you pass over significant areas of the map.

As noted in a social media post, cricket jumping will play a crucial role in Borderlands 4 speedrunning. But will it last? Creative Director Graeme Timmins responded on social media to say “I’ve got my eye on this.”

But it sounds like cricket jumping is here to stay, at least for now.

“My only worry is streaming issues or if this introduces instability,” Timmins continued. “Not out to ruin people’s fun, but can’t have it cause tech issues. For now tho, not going to do anything until proven issues arise.”

Timmins went on to address a complaint from one Borderlands 4 player at the lack of updates for the console version of the game compared to the PC version, which has seen two post-launch patches.

“Console testing and certification is more involved than pushing out PC builds,” Timmins explained. “It just takes longer with 1st parties making sure we’re sending out good quality patches. It’s coming and we’re doing everything we can to make it happen quickly.”

Borderlands 4 console players are keen for a patch to address some glaring technical problems. Last week, the tech experts at Digital Foundry confirmed a gradual worsening of framerate with continuous playtime, even on PlayStation 5 Pro and Xbox Series X.

As revealed in a new video published to YouTube, Digital Foundry found performance starts dipping after around 30 minutes to an hour, which it called “too intrusive on the overall experience, too regular an interruption.” Even after a completely fresh boot, the game is still prone to framerate drops.

Gearbox development chief Randy Pitchford has acknowledged the problem on social media, promising incoming improvements. As a workaround, Pitchford suggested console players quit Borderlands 4 and restart. Digital Foundry’s Tom Morgan confirmed this does restore performance, but criticized the situation, saying “resetting the game every hour should really not be an expected solution for players.”

The PC version, meanwhile, is still on a mixed Steam review rating, with most of the negative comments revolving around PC performance. Digital Foundry has said its initial analysis of Borderlands 4 on PC shows significant stutter problems, and have advised against running the game on its ‘Badass’ graphics setting, which suggests there are indeed problems with the Unreal Engine 5 title.

Gearbox has said addressing PC performance is a “top priority” for the studio. In the meantime, the studio pointed to a Borderlands 4 Nvidia Optimization guide on Steam, advising players how to optimize their graphics settings for “better performance and framerates” on PC with the Nvidia app, although users report mixed results.

Gearbox has also issued a piece of advice to PC gamers that to me reads like an effort to prevent players from making knee-jerk reactions to the game’s performance as soon as they’ve changed their settings: “Please note that any time you change any of your graphics settings, your shaders will need to recompile. Please keep playing for at least 15 minutes to see how your PC’s performance has changed.”

If you are delving into Borderlands 4, don’t go without updated hourly SHiFT codes list. We’ve also got a huge interactive map ready to go and a badass Borderlands 4 planner tool courtesy of our buds at Maxroll. Plus check out our expert players’ choices for which character to choose (no one agreed).

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

Stardew Valley Creator Eric ‘Concerned Ape’ Barone Confirms Update 1.7 Is Coming, But He Doesn’t ‘Want Too Much Hype At This Point’

Stardew Valley creator Eric ‘Concerned Ape’ Barone has warned fans that it will “be a while” before the highly anticipated Stardew Valley 1.7 update is ready.

Barone confirmed we’d get a Stardew Valley 1.7 update last month at the Stardew Valley concert, although at the time, he stressed there was “no release date, no estimate, but it’s happening.”

Now, however, Barone is working to contain the excitement, responding to fans asking for “maybe a sneak peak [sic]” to say “more will come, I just don’t want too much hype at this point.”

Last time, PC players were able to jump into the free 1.6 update several months before those on console and mobile, but for 1.7, Barone says he will “do my best to minimize the delay between [releasing on PC and other platforms] so as not to have the same problem as last update” and keep Haunted Chocolatier on track, too.

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

We enjoyed our time with the farm simulator when we reviewed it way back in 2016, awarding it 8.8 “Great” in our original Stardew Valley review. When we revisited the game in 2024, however, we hailed it a 10/10 “masterpiece,” writing: “Stardew Valley is not only the best farming game I’ve played, it is one of my favorite games of all time. That myself and others keep returning to this eight-year old gem each time it gets even the smallest update speaks to how it’s truly a masterpiece in the genre it both reinvigorated and has come to define.”

It’s not too late to get stuck in before Update 1.7. Our Stardew Valley Beginner’s Guide is fully updated for the 1.6 update, which added new crops, new fish, and plenty more – including the Raccoon Family Quests that unlock a new shop and valuable rewards. For veteran farmers who have maxed out all their skills, our Mastery Points guide can advise on next steps, and if you’re headed to Ginger Island, here’s where to find all Golden Walnuts.

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.

Wait, Does Henry Cavill’s Highlander Leg Injury Social Media Post Hide… 3 Separate Warhammer 40,000 Amazon TV Show Easter Eggs?

Henry Cavill’s seemingly innocuous picture showing his leg injury sustained while training for the Highlander reboot has sent Warhammer 40,000 fans into a frenzy after speculation the former Superman actor’s social media post contains three(!) separate nods to his upcoming — and super secret — Amazon project.

Henry Cavill’s Warhammer 40,000 Cinematic Universe, the result of a deal struck between Games Workshop and Amazon for Prime Video movies and TV shows based on the famous grimdark setting, is shrouded in mystery. While it’s hugely exciting for fans, especially given Cavill’s well-documented love of Warhammer 40,000, we do not know which character he is set to play, or even which story the initial project will tell. We don’t even know which era of Warhammer, specifically, we can expect to see in live action form.

Cavill has chosen his words carefully whenever he’s asked about Warhammer 40,000 in interviews. In June, Cavill touched on the “complexity” and “trickiness” of adapting the Warhammer 40,000 IP. But, he insisted, he was loving the challenge.

Bringing Warhammer to life “is a dream come true,” Cavill said, “but it’s different from what I’ve done before, in the sense I haven’t had my hand on the tiller of things before. It’s wonderful doing that. It is a tricky IP, and a very complex IP, and that’s what I love about it. The challenges that come with putting this on the page in a way that is doing justice to that complexity, that trickiness, and that nuance, is a challenge I’m enjoying enormously.”

But could Cavill’s social media post hint at what to expect from his Warhammer 40,000 Cinematic Universe? Some fans think so.

The most obvious tease here is in the second picture, which shows books for the Horus Heresy tabletop game strewn about on Cavill’s table. For the uninitiated, the Horus Heresy is the Space Marine civil war that took place 10,000 years before the current Warhammer 40,000 setting. It is the foundation of 40K’s grimdark universe, and reveals how the carrion Emperor ended up on the Golden Throne.

If this photo is indeed a tease for an adaptation of the Horus Heresy, it would be a significant undertaking for Amazon. The galaxy-spanning war was epic in scale, involved planet-cracking battles, enormous super soldiers, and all sorts of mind-bending space magic. Delivering the Horus Heresy as a TV show, while exciting, would be a hugely expensive proposition if done at the scale suggested by the Black Library books. We’re talking The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power production values here, perhaps even greater.

But the Horus Heresy isn’t the only tease in Cavill’s photo. Squint at the first picture, the one with Cavill’s rugged face and his dog, and you’ll see in the background, just above his head, the Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan box set sat on a shelf.

This is the current setting for Warhammer 40,000, which revolves around the Ultramarines chapter of Space Marines defending the Imperium against the terrifying Tyranid threat. It also just happens to be the premise of the hugely successful Space Marine 2, which launched to massive sales this time last year.

Could this be a fun Cavill tease for his Amazon show? Perhaps it is set to adapt The First Tyrannic War, during which the Imperium makes first contact with the Tyranid race and all hell breaks loose?

But there’s more! Cavill posted his pics alongside a poem, Invictus by William Ernest Henley. Invictus, you say? Well, he’s only one of the most famous Ultramarines there ever was, and a hero in the war against the… Tyranids.

Indeed, Saul Invictus (now deceased in the official timeline) was the Captain of the Ultramarines Space Marine Chapter’s elite 1st Company. He was killed defending his chapter homeworld of Macragge by the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Behemoth during the First Tyrannic War.

Let’s go over that last part of the poem:

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.

Is Cavill set to play Captain Invictus in an adaptation of the First Tyrannic War? Some Warhammer 40,000 fans think so, simply due to the poem lining up with the Leviathan box set.

Of course, all the Warhammer bits and bobs in Cavill’s pictures may just be innocent window dressing and mean absolutely nothing. And it’s worth noting one character who’s often mentioned by fans as a great fit for Cavill — Eisenhorn, from Black Library author Dan Abnett’s saga of the same name — is not teased here. At least, not that we can see. An adaptation of Abnett’s much-loved Eisenhorn series would perhaps be a more realistic proposition for Amazon, not least because its main characters (Gregor Eisenhorn and Gideon Ravenor) are human inquisitors, not hulking Space Marines, and their story is more grounded.

In July, Games Workshop said in a financial report that fans shouldn’t expect any significant news on the Amazon work any time soon — and that it would be “several years” before anything comes of it.

“On 10 December 2024 we announced the conclusions of our negotiations with Amazon for the adaptation of Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 universe into films and television series, together with associated merchandising rights,” Games Workshop said.

“The project continues in line with our contractual agreement with Amazon. This same contract prohibits us from sharing any specific details or commercial terms.

“We have great partners who continue to display their commitment to present Warhammer authentically and at the scope and scale befitting our fantastical setting. This is a long-term partnership with Amazon and there won’t be any significant news in the short term — these things take several years to bring to market.”

So we’re left with scraps to mull over, such as recent comments from Dan Abnett about NDAs and upcoming books.

In the meantime, Games Workshop pointed to the well-received Warhammer 40,000 episode on Amazon Prime’s animation show Secret Level, which it described as “a taster of Warhammer IP in digital form on the small screen.”

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.

Here’s The Most Expensive Pokémon Cards You Can Find In 2025 Boosters Right Now

It’s all well and good to grab ridiculously expensive Pokémon TCG cards regardless of the climate, and I’m absolutely writhing in jealousy at those who can.

But imagine going back in time and pulling one of those epic chase cards straight off the shelf? Of course, you could today if you hate your bank account that much, but what about the most expensive Pokémon cards in packs right now?

I’m talking about Pokémon TCG bangers that you can pull in a booster pack today, and there are loads. We’re focusing on Black Bolt / White Flare, Destined Rivals, Prismatic Evolutions, Twilight Masquerade, and Surging Sparks for today, so let’s have a deeper look at the mad bangers you could pull from an in-print Pokémon TCG booster pack.

Just to note, the chances of pulling these cards are extremely slim, so if you plan on spending massive amounts of money on Booster Bundles, Booster Boxes, and ETBs, bear in mind that the actual value of the card itself is usually cheaper than ripping packs. Unless you’re mega lucky, of course.

12: Team Rocket’s Moltres ex – 229/182

How can anyone not love this card? It’s got action, stunning detail, and eye-popping color that perfectly captures the Team Rocket vibe of Destined Rivals. It’s a beast in battle too, with Flame Screen dealing 110 damage while also reducing damage from the opposing Pokémon by 50.

Evil Incineration lets trainers discard a Team Rocket Energy to immediately discard the opposing Active Pokémon and all attached cards. Play it right and it could turn battles on their heads, especially since it’s a Basic Pokémon, meaning it can be set up right away on a trainer’s Bench without evolution mechanics getting in the way.

11: Lillie’s Clefairy ex – 184/159

Whilst Lillie’s Clefairy ex SIR is considered the main chase card of Journey Together, it’s quite affordable now. Due to the overhype surrounding this set and scalpers not being able to get the same astronomical amounts for it, this card soon crashed to around the $150 mark. But, it’s still a gorgeous card and a no brainer decision for your binder.

10: Latias ex – 239/191

Sharing a dual artwork with Latios Illustration Rare, Latais ex is holding its value of nearly $200 and is an absolute stunner playing on a sunset background with Latios.

Its ability allows you to switch out basic Pokémon to hit swiftly with Eon blade, which does 200 damage and stops it from attacking next turn. All trainers need to do is survive the next turn and switch out with another Pokémon for free. Rinse and repeat, love to see it.

9: Roaring Moon ex – 162/131

Roaring Moon ex SIR has held its value out of the gate since Prismatic Evolutions dropped, which is frankly amazing. The linework in this card is ridiculously intricate, giving it that cave painting vibe that goes well with ancient Pokémon found deep in Area Zero, Paldea.

It’s a cool moment too, seeing Roaring Moon seemingly escaping some sort of cosmic calamity. The more you look at it the better it gets.

8: Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex – 230/182

This was one of my main chase cards from Destined Rivals, just look at it. Not only have we got mental amounts of nostalgia for Pokémon Gold and Silver OGs, but it reminds me so much of the first ever episode of Pokémon when Ho-Oh was revealed for the first time (which was before Pokémon Gold and Silver released). It’s a stunning illustration that means so much to plenty of trainers, and I half expected the $215 market value before release.

7: Cynthia’s Garchomp ex – 232/182

I’m calling Destined Rivals as the best Scarlet and Violet set for it sheer amount of detailed and expresive artwork, and Cynthia’s Garchomp ex SIR is a fantastic example of this.

With calls to the Pokémon League in the early anime (See the fire lamps at the top of the stadium) and big screen behind trainers on platforms, Garchomp can be seen lunging forward and breaking ground as it goes. Amazing card and well worth the money.

6: Pikachu ex – 238/191

Pikachu ex SIR is partially to blame for the Pokémon TCG boom that kicked off at the end of October 2024 and is still going today. After peaking at $485 at the end of 2024, it’s finally stabalized at a much for reasonable $295 at the time of writing.

It’s a good time to snap it up, if you’ve got the cash, but the amount of nostalgia and detailed yet soft artwork on this card will make it climb back up as we move away from the Scarlet and Violet era over the years to come.

5: Greninja ex – 214/167

Greninja ex SIR is my favorite in this article as I have it graded in a 10 and I’m being completely bias. Joking aside (I’m not) but this is one of the best artworks outside of Prismatic Evolutions in the Scarlet and Violet era.

Twilight Masquerade was a slept on set in my opinion, but the chances of pulling this are stacked. If you have the money upfront, i’d put it into this card instead of trying to rip packs. But I also obviously hate having fun, so the choice is yours.

4: Zekrom ex and Reshiram ex – 172/086 / 173/086

The new Black White Rare versions of Zekrom ex and Reshiram ex combine the strong movesets of their Special Illustration Rare counterparts with a prestige look worthy of their legendary status. Zekrom ex uses Slash for [CC] as an easy setup, while Voltage Burst for [LLC] scales with your opponent’s Prize cards, offsetting its 30 recoil thanks to 230 HP and synergy with Flaaffy or Miraidon ex.

Reshiram ex mirrors this on the Fire side, with Slash for [2] into Blaze Burst at [1RR], hitting 130 plus 50 per Prize card taken while discarding just one Energy. Both serve as late-game swing attackers that slot neatly into Lightning or Fire builds.

What sets them apart is the new Black White Rare treatment. The monochrome foil gives a trophy-like finish that makes them true chase pulls, striking a balance between collector prestige and competitive play. They’re the rare kind of cards you can sleeve up to win games or showcase as centerpiece collectibles.

3: Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex – 231/182

What a beast of a card! Mewtwo ex SIR captured that Mewtwo’s Revenge energy so hard, immense amounts of nostalgia in this card for me. It looks like everyone agrees considering it’s currently around $450. Destined Rivals cards are up and down day after day, so no doubt we’ll see this settle at a cheaper pricepoint before it crossed the vintage checkpoint in years to come.

2: Victini – 171/086 / 172/086

Victini as a Black White Rare feels special because it combines flashy collector appeal with real deck potential. At just 80 HP it’s fragile, but V-Force hits for 120 damage with only [RR] if you keep your Bench full, making it a sneaky closer in fast Fire builds that flood the field early.

The monochrome foil treatment looks incredible and gives Victini a prestige feel that stands out, while still being a card you’ll want to try competitively just for the thrill of pulling off big trades with such a tiny attacker. The alternate 172/086 version from the White Flare half of the set is essentially the same card, with a similar price value as well.

1: Umbreon ex – 161/131

Even after Destined Rivals and Black Bolt/White Flare, it’s still the undisputed champ of rare cards. We always knew it was going to be insanely priced, and we needed a cheaper Umbreon chase card after Umbreon VMAX (Moonbreon).

Granted, it’s still a mental market price, and sitting around $1,000 still right now. But it won’t get cheaper solely because it’s Umbreon and almost anything linked to this dark type Eeveelution holds its value, trust me on this.

If you’re brave enough to drop $1,000 on Prismatic Eeveelutions boosters, or even this card standalone, I salute your efforts, and your bank account.

Honorable Mentions: Even More Eeveelutions

The money in Prismatic Evolution chase cards is insane, and it always will be, which is why the rest of the Eeveelutions need a dedicated section to themselves! These could’ve dominated the whole article, otherwise.

For starters, Glaceon ex SIR is a stunner, but I always prefer seeing Pokémon cards with a bit of movement and action in them. I have to say though, the ornate ice patterns and overall terastalisation of Glaceon is dipicted so well. It’s also one of the less eye-wateringly expensive Eeveelution cards from Prismatic Evolutions at the minute.

Keeping up the trend is one of my favorites, Jolteon ex SIR from Prismatic Evolutions. There’s been some banger Jolteon Cards in the past, for me that would be Jolteon from the Brilliant Stars Trainer Gallery and the Jolteon V Sword and Shield Promo Card, but this one has unlimited energy. Just look at how expressive this card is, perfectly showcasing Jolteons speed and agility with one of the coolest backgrounds i’ve seen in a Pokémon card.

The cell shading mixed with comic book artstyle of Vaporeon ex SIR from Prismatic Evolutions is a stunner. Just look at how light is captured in every drop of water and crystal. Plus I think this is one of the cutest depictions of this water-type Eeveelution we’ve had for some time. Absolute banger of a card and would do a flip terribly if I pulled this beast.

Another beautiful pastel artwork with Espeon ex SIR. On top of Espeon being a fan favorite, it’s easy to see why this card is now over $300. I’ve never seen that many shades of purple in such a small space before, such a stunning piece of art, imagine pulling this, getting a 10 then getting it in your slabbed collection? Stuff of dreams.

I love me a good woodblock print, and Leafeon ex SIR gives me massive tradition Japanese art vibes. The bold colours, thick lines and the overall beauty of this makes it worth the price tag.Verdant storm for a grass and colourless energy can be devestating too, 60 x damage for every energy attached to all of your opponents Pokémon. Lethal!

It’s such a shame Fairy typing didn’t come back for Sylveon ex SIR, because I can’t think of a more Fairy type Pokémon card ever. It’s another stunner with a cute stance and a pastel color pallete that just makes it. There’s that much pink it just works, a fantastic card and its easy to see why it’s over $400, especially as it’s one of the most popular Eeveelutions.

Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of “Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior”. Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.