Xbox has locked in its second wave of Game Pass games coming to the subscription service in the back-half of April 2025. It’s an interesting mix of virtual worlds, from big names to indie darlings, and even a notable new role-playing game.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a big highlight here, as a brand-new role-playing game and the debut effort from studio Sandfall Interactive. The RPG sees a team of Expeditioners on their last legs, sailing to the ends of the world to stop the Paintress, who erases anyone as old as the number she writes on the horizon. It’s available day-one on Game Pass Ultimate and PC on April 24.
Towerborne‘s Game Preview also heads to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC on April 29, bringing some action gameplay to the lineup for Game Pass in April. A few heavy hitters of years past are also on the way, including Grand Theft Auto V‘s return to Game Pass today, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 arriving on May 1, and horror-fishing gem Dredge surfacing on May 6.
For some deeper cuts, keep an eye on Tempopo, a cute puzzle game about rescuing musical flowers across different sky islands. It’s from the team behind the narrative moving sim Unpacking, which drew quite a bit of attention for its clever use of literally unpacking boxes to tell an effective, emotional story. Tempopo goes to Game Pass for Cloud, Console, and PC on the day of its launch, April 17.
Also, if you missed the speedrunning shooter hit Neon White, its heading to Game Pass Standard for consoles on April 16. Picture the movement and technique of a speedy shooter infused with a heavy dash of Toonami style, and you’ve got Neon White. Fans of time trials should make time for it.
Check out a full list of everything coming to Game Pass in the back half of April, stretching into May 2025, below.
Xbox Game Pass April 2025 Wave 2 Lineup
Grand Theft Auto V (Cloud, Console, and PC) – April 15 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Neon White (Console) – April 16 Now on Game Pass Standard
Dredge (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – May 6 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Some games are also leaving the Xbox Game pass service, too. This batch of games will be departing the Pass on April 30, so make sure to either roll credits or otherwise hit a good stopping point before the end of the month rolls around. Here’s what’s leaving Xbox Game Pass on April 30:
Have a Nice Death (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Kona II Brume (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Sniper Elite 5 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
The Last Case of Benedict Fox (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Dune: Awakening, the upcoming open world survival MMO inspired by Frank Herbert’s beloved sci-fi novels and Denis Villeneuve’s films, has been delayed to June 10, 2025.
Funcom shared the news while also confirming that those who wish to get a head start will be able to jump into the game on June 5 if they purchase either the Deluxe Edition or Ultimate Edition.
As for why the game was delayed, Funcom said, following feedback from its ongoing Persistent Closed Beta, the decision was made so the team has “a bit more time to cook.” This will also let them implement some of the changes they’ve discovered and that have been requested during this beta phase.
Furthermore, Funcom said the delay will allow for a “large-scale beta weekend next month where even more of you will get the opportunity to play the game and share your feedback.”
While this may be disappointing for some who want to jump into Dune: Awakening as soon as possible, Funcom is hosting a combat livestream later today at 12pm ET/9am PT, which will reveal more about PvP and PvE mechanics, archetypes, and skills.
We here at IGN are excited about Dune: Awakening, as we said in our hands-on preview that, “It’s easy to be sceptical about an MMO survival game set in the Duniverse, but after a few bouts of dehydration and sunstroke, the day I spent in Arrakis convinced me that Dune: Awakening is one to watch.”
With so many Spring Sales popping up, now is a great time to stock up on games at a much lower price than usual. If you’ve been looking to sink your teeth into a massive medieval action RPG, this is one deal you definitely don’t want to miss: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X) has received its first discount at Amazon and Walmart. It’s down to $59.99, $10 off its list price of $69.99. Head to the links below to pick it up for your collection while the deal is still live.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 for $59.99
If you’re still on the fence about this one, it’s worth having a read through our glowing 9/10 Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review. Reviewer Leana Hafer said, “Armed with excellent melee combat and an exceptional story, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one part sequel and one part coronation, bringing a lot of the original’s ideas to fruition.”
This isn’t the only game deal that’s crossed our path recently. At the moment Best Buy has a Spring Sale going on that’s filled with some excellent discounts on games, including offers on Silent Hill 2, Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Edition, Star Wars Outlaws, and more. If you’re building out your library of games, this is a sale worth checking out to save big on some popular options.
For a more in-depth look at the best game deals available right now, it’s worth checking our roundups of PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch deals. In each of these we’ve gathered up the best discounts on games, hardware, and accessories so you can save on a variety of items for your preferred platform. Our overall roundup of the best video game deals includes some great PC gaming deals alongside the console-specific offers, too.
More Games on Sale Right Now
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
It’s not often that I get to write about Pokémon TCG deals and smart light bulbs in the same guide, but here we are. Amazon’s finally offering decent prices on Journey Together sealed product, which is the closest thing we’ve had to a “normal” launch since Stellar Crown. Meanwhile, the IGN Store just opened preorders on a legitimately good-looking Kazuma Kiryu statue, Humble dropped a train simulator bundle for $15 that somehow has $283 worth of content, and Lepro’s doing their AI lighting thing again, except now it’s even cheaper. I didn’t expect to be tempted by half this stuff. Yet here I am.
Today’s Best Deals: Pokémon TCG, Like a Dragon Kiryu Statue, Lepro Smart Lights, and More
The best part? Most of this is first-party stock. These aren’t third-party resellers or warehouse dumps. The Pokémon deals come straight from Amazon, the statue is from the IGN Store, and Lepro’s discounts are backed by coupons and Prime shipping. Even the Humble bundle supports CALM, so you can simulate locomotives and feel slightly better about your backlog at the same time.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together Elite Trainer Box
This is the first time I’ve seen the ETB for a reasonable price without having to buy it from someone’s backseat eBay hustle. Nine booster packs, full-art N’s Zorua promo, card sleeves, energy, dice, the works. I’ve seen this box selling for $90+ since launch, so $70.31 from Amazon is genuinely solid. Lillie’s Clefairy ex is still floating around $180 and N’s Zoroark ex has dropped to $13, which tells me the hype has deflated and we’re in “buy because it’s fun” territory again. I like it here.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together Booster Bundle
This is the low-frills version for people who just want to open packs without pretending they’re going to organize their collection. Six Journey Together boosters and none of the ETB fluff. Honestly, this is how I like to test a set when prices cool off. You still have a shot at cards like Salamence ex SIR, which tanked from $250 to around $106, or a sub-$20 N’s Reshiram. Even if you pull nothing, at least you didn’t overpay trying to win the cardboard lottery.
Like a Dragon – Kazuma Kiryu Statue
I’m not usually a statue guy, but this one’s sharp. Kiryu looks like he walked straight out of Yakuza 0 mid-heat-action combo, and the 11.4-inch sculpt from Kotobukiya actually does him justice. It ships in October, which gives me time to clear desk space and justify the price. It’s not cheap, but I’ve seen statues this size with way less detail go for more. I think if you’re a Like a Dragon fan, this is an easy preorder.
Pokémon TCG – Scarlet & Violet: Journey Together – Sleeved Booster
I threw one of these in my cart last week just to hit the free shipping minimum. One pack, random art, decent discount. There’s no reason to expect anything big, but the price is finally low enough that I don’t feel bad if I just pull a Furret. And if you happen to land something like Articuno’s Illustration Rare (now $18.69) or Wailord (around $14.55), it’s a nice win from a $10 impulse buy.
Train Sim world 5 Route Remix Bundle
I don’t know how many people wake up wanting ten train simulator add-ons, but if you’re one of them, today is your day. For $15, you get Train Sim World 5’s Starter Pack plus nine routes and loco add-ons. Antelope Valley, Cajon Pass, Thameslink, Santa Fe F7—the whole diesel buffet. It’s Steam keys, it supports CALM, and the value is so off the rails (pun fully intended) that I bought it just to mess around with the Railpool BR193 Vectron. Don’t judge me.
Lepro O1 AI Floor Lamp
This is one of those “tech that doesn’t make sense until you try it” products. It’s a smart LED floor lamp with AI-generated lighting modes, music sync, voice control, app scheduling, and a vibe for every mood. It’s absurdly bright at 2300 lumens, and it looks clean in any corner setup. The AI stuff isn’t just fluff either. Say “I want relaxing light” and it’ll give you ten preset scenes. I think it’s great if you want one light to do everything without fiddling with settings for half an hour.
Lepro B2 AI Smart Light Bulbs
These are the same AI bulbs as the ones in the floor lamp, but in classic 75W-equivalent LED form. They’re bright, colorful, and weirdly helpful if you’re too tired to fine-tune your lighting manually. The music sync is fun, the AI scenes work well, and the voice commands actually feel smart instead of gimmicky. I bought a set of these last month and haven’t touched the wall switch since. At $8 per bulb, it’s kind of a no-brainer.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Surging Sparks
I picked up Surging Sparks because six booster packs under $50 is lower than what Amazon has been charging recently (It’s still above MSRP though) Honestly, I wanted something new to crack open. It’s part of the latest Scarlet & Violet expansion, so if you’re trying to keep up with current sets or just enjoy the chaos of pulling a good card, this one’s a smart grab.
Pokémon TCG: Iono’s Bellibolt ex Premium Collection
This one’s for the collectors who care as much about presentation as they do the pulls. Iono’s Bellibolt ex Premium Collection comes with six packs, a full-art promo, and a display sheet that’s more elaborate than it needs to be — in a good way. It’s also a cool way to snag Journey Together packs with a fantastic promo card.
Mass Effect Merchandise
I think anyone who’s replayed Mass Effect more than once knows exactly why these statues are tempting. I pre-ordered Jack immediately because, well, it felt necessary. The line includes Shepard, Tali, Legion, and others, and they look good enough that I’ve already made space for them on the shelf. If you’re still quoting Garrus unironically, these are for you.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Paldean Fates: Booster Bundle
Paldean Fates is priced a double MSRP, but it’s also very hard to come by in 2025. I grabbed it because the baby shiny sub-set is awesome, but if you just want to grab the single cards from this set, it might actually save you money.
Fellow Traveller Publisher Bundle
This bundle has some of the better narrative indies from the last few years. I paid the $12, added the games to my backlog like I always do, and immediately booted up The Pale Beyond. It’s a strong lineup if you like character-driven games and don’t mind occasionally being emotionally wrecked by minimalist storytelling.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box
I think of this one as the all-in-one box for when you want cards and a bunch of gear you probably won’t use but still want around. Nine booster packs, a promo, sleeves, dice, and enough extras to make you feel like you’re doing more than just opening packs. It’s a solid option if you like having a little structure with your chaos.
Pokémon TCG: Terapagos ex Ultra-Premium Collection
I hesitated on this one, then immediately remembered it includes 18 booster packs and a playmat. It’s definitely a big spend, but if you’ve been waiting for a premium bundle that actually justifies the price, this checks out. I picked it up more for the experience than the individual cards, and that’s the right way to approach it.
Pokémon TCG: Shining Fates Collection Pikachu V Box
I grabbed Shining Fates Pikachu V mostly because I never actually opened it when it first dropped, and now seemed like a good excuse. Four booster packs, a Pikachu promo, and the oversized card that ends up somewhere near your desk — standard stuff, but still a nice throwback if you missed it the first time around.
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.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one of the biggest RPGs out there. While there are many iconic items and locations in the game, perhaps none comes close to the Dragonborn Helmet worn by your character. For a limited time at IGN Store, you can pre-order this brand new Dragonborn Helmet Replica from Fanattik. If you’re a huge fan of Skyrim or just looking for a new item for your gaming collection, the Dragonborn Helmet is the perfect choice!
Pre-Order The Elder Scrolls V: Skryrim Dragonborn Helmet Today at IGN Store
Fanattikis no stranger to the worlds of collectibles and replicas, with many items available at IGN Store. This Dragonborn Helmet Replica is a limited edition product, with only 5,000 units available worldwide. With The Elder Scrolls as big as it is, it’s likely that this item will sell out quickly. For many Skyrim fans, this Dragonborn Helmet should be quite familiar, as it is used by the protagonist of the game.
Thanks to the hand-painted work, there are a ton of details all over the helmet, so you can expect even details like rust to appear on this premium product. There’s a built-in stand included in the box, so you won’t have to worry about finding a way to display the helmet.
Currently, this Skyrim Dragonborn Helmet Replica is set to ship out in September 2025. Don’t miss your chance to take home this limited edition collector’s item!
About IGN Store
IGN Store sells high-quality merch, collectibles, and shirts for everything you’re into. It’s a shop built with fans in mind: for all the geek culture and fandom you love most. Whether you’re into comics, movies, anime, games, retro gaming or just want some cute plushies (who doesn’t?), this store is for you!
Astro Bot fans have all heard the story of the creation of the sponge power-up, but did you know developer Team Asobi also prototyped even wackier powers, like a coffee grinder and a roulette wheel?
We didn’t, until IGN attended GDC 2025, where Team Asobi studio director Nicolas Doucet gave a talk simply titled, “The Making of ‘ASTRO BOT'”. In his talk, Doucet went in-depth on the process of creating the PlayStation mascot platformer, including showing off a number of early prototype images and cut content.
Doucet began his talk by talking about the initial pitch for Astro Bot, which was written in May 2021, just a few months after Team Asobi began prototyping it. According to him, there were 23 different revisions of the pitch before it was shown to top management. Their pitch was apparently initially given as an adorable comic strip showing off the main pillars and activities of the game. Clearly, it was a success.
Next, Doucet explained how the team generated ideas. The answer, unshockingly, is a lot of brainstorming, but what Team Asobi did was form small groups of 5-6 people that mix individuals from different disciplines together. Everyone wrote or drew ideas on individual sticky notes, leading to this absolutely incredible brainstorming board image:
Not every idea made it to the next phase, prototyping, Doucet said. In fact, only around 10% of their brainstorms actually got made. But that was still a lot of prototyping. Doucet went on to talk about the importance of prototyping all sorts of things, explaining that everyone on the team was encouraged to prototype ideas they had. This included departments outside of game design, such as an example where audio designers made a theater inside Astro Bot to prototype haptic controller vibrations that corresponded to different sound effects, such as the different ways a door can open and close.
Prototyping was so important to the Astro Bot team, Doucet said, that a few programmers on the team were reserved to prototype things that had nothing to do with platforming. That’s where Astro Bot’s sponge mechanic came from – they prototyped a sponge that squeezed dry using the adaptive trigger, it was fun, and it became a part of the game.
Doucet shared the above image, which included a number of such prototypes that were made, but never turned into Astro Bot mechanics, alongside those that did. You can see the balloon and sponge, which were used, alongside prototypes of what looks like a tennis game, a little walking wind-up toy, a roulette wheel, a coffee grinder, and several more.
Later in the talk, Doucet also discussed how levels were selected and designed around certain mechanics. The goal, he said, was for every level to have unique gameplay of some kind and never feel too similar to another level. While that doesn’t mean that Astro Bot could never use the same power-up on more than one level, Doucet said that the expression of it had to be different enough each time to make the level feel unique. For instance, he showed some images of a cut level themed around bird flights that was cut due to reusing Astro Bot’s monkey power-up in ways that were a bit too similar to the level Go-Go Archipelago, as well as another level in Astro’s Playroom that had a similar power.
“In the end, it was decided that the overlap was not healthy enough to create variety, and we just cut this level entirely,” he said. “We’ll never know if that level would have been popular. But in hindsight, I think it’s a good thing that we got to spend that time elsewhere.”
Finally Doucet closed the talk by talking about the game’s final scene, and yes, this is Spoilers if you haven’t finished Astro Bot yet. Read on at your own risk.
In the final scene of Astro Bot, the player reassembles a broken Astro Bot using limbs and assistance from the other gathered bots. According to Doucet, originally the player was just handed a completely dismembered Astro. No head, no limbs, just the torso. But Doucet said that this made some people “really upset”, so they went with the slightly more intact version we see in the existing game.
Doucet’s talk included a number of other interesting nuggets and tidbits about the development of Astro Bot. We’ve spoken to him in the past multiple times about the development of Astro Bot, a game that we gave a 9/10 in our review, calling it “A fantastically inventive platformer in its own right, Astro Bot is particularly special for anyone with a place in their heart for PlayStation.”
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.
After a small leak last week, EA has confirmed the title of its next Star Wars game, as well as who’s making it. It’s called Star Wars: Zero Company, and it’s being developed by Bit Reactor with support from Lucasfilm Games and Respawn.
We don’t know much more about Zero Company, except that it be a “single-player turn-based tactics game”. We won’t have to wait long for more information, though, as EA says it will be giving a first look at the game on April 19 at Star Wars Celebration in Japan.
Developer Bit Reactor is a newly-formed strategy game studio made up of veterans from games like XCOM, Civilization, Gears of War, and Elder Scrolls Online. The studio was founded in 2022, and we’ve known for a while now that it was working on a Star Wars game with Respawn, but this is the first time we’ve received any real details about the project.
More about Star Wars: Zero Company will be revealed at a live panel on Saturday, April 19 at 4:30pm local time in Japan…which is unfortunately 12:30am PT and 3:30am ET over here in the U.S., so set your alarms accordingly.
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.
As spotted in the recent Nintendo Treehouse Live stream by YouTuber Zeltik, the Zelda Notes app—a mobile companion app exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2 versions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom—has a Daily Bonus feature. When the user opens this up, they can roll for a number of in-game bonuses, including helpful meal effects, health and stamina recovery, and one labeled Equipment Repairs.
Both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom use durability meters, where weapons, shields, and other items will break after enough uses. It’s been a controversial mechanic, so having a workaround for keeping your favorite Flameblade intact certainly has its appeal.
For those worried about this completely changing the game though, there is at least one notable limitation: chance. The Daily Bonus uses a roulette wheel to randomly select which bonus the player gets, so it’s not guaranteed to always hand you an Equipment Repair. The bonus is also daily, with a built-in timer you’ll have to wait on until your next spin. While this may be extremely effective in a pinch, it’s unlikely to become a massive game-changer.
The Zelda Notes app looks to have many other interesting features alongside some free Equipment Repairs. Both Zelda games are also getting their own form of achievements through the mobile companion program, and special audio memories will add new lore and background to different parts of Hyrule.
These additional upgrades certainly seem like they’ll enhance the open-world Zelda experience, alongside the performance improvements, especially for people who really disliked breaking their favorite weapons.
What a year for Nintendo to finally release the Switch 2. While the hardware itself looks to be what anyone could have hoped for in a Switch successor — a more powerful version of the console millions of owners already love — the economic uncertainty gripping the world has made the Switch 2 a much more complicated prospect.
And that’s before we even consider the trade war the United States is currently engaged with China in. The $450 USD console price point and $80 USD sticker on Mario Kart World has made the Switch 2 something of a flashpoint amid the rising cost of games and gaming hardware, both here in the US and abroad.
To get a better idea of how the world is reacting to the Switch 2, I spoke with editors from IGN brands across the world to get a sense of the Switch 2’s impending release.
How the Rest of the World Feels About the Switch 2
After consulting with editors from IGN sites abroad, including those based in Europe, South America, and Asia, the reception to the Switch 2 has been, well, mixed. The hardware improvements like 120hz refresh rate, HDR, and 4K output are praised, but missing features like not having an OLED screen are seen as serious drawbacks.
“As far as reception goes, IGN Italia’s readers are predominantly dissatisfied with the Nintendo Switch 2,” says IGN Italy editor-in-chief, Alessandro Digioia. “Among hundreds of comments across news articles and social media, the main concerns revolve around the price point, the lack of an OLED screen, the absence of a trophy/achievement system, and a modest launch line-up. While some third-party announcements were welcomed, many readers expected more from Nintendo’s first-party titles.”
IGN Portugal’s Pedro Pestana shared similar sentiments from their readers – sentiments they agreed with: “Personally, I’m not that impressed with Switch 2, as it is basically a souped up Switch 1 – better in every sense, but without the novelty factor of the original. That being said, I reckon it’s gonna come down to the games, and Mario Kart World looked damn nice.”
Other regions are seemingly more receptive to the Switch 2’s hardware improvements. IGN Benelux’s Nick Nijiland says the site has been getting mostly positive feedback, despite the price of the console. “We have seen in our region that the console has been received very well. People complain about the price, but at the same time the console sold out within hours. We put up a post on our website stating that we would let our readers know through our Discord server when pre-orders went live and our Discord got so many new members that day, it was insane.”
IGN Turkey’s Ersin Kilic also shared positive views from the region’s readers. “When I look at the comments, it is seen as positive that Nintendo corrected the points criticized on [the first] Switch. Although the console is stylish and uses LCD, the fact that the screen is much better was received positively.” However, Kilic says “the most criticized point was that Hall Effect was not used in Joy-Con 2,” which some gamers hoped could minimize the risk of Joy-Con drift.
IGN China’s Kamui Ye gave both sides of reader reactions to the Switch 2. “The reveal event has been met with widespread disappointment due to its lackluster launch title lineup and perplexing regional pricing strategies,” they explained. Furthermore, Ye says the launch lineup that didn’t include a new Mario, Legend of Zelda, or Animal Crossing was another negative.
“However, optimism persists among core fans regarding Nintendo’s long-term plans,” Ye adds. Along with the belief of a better software lineup down the line, any of the horsepower and battery concerns for the Switch 2 “appear secondary to loyalists prioritizing backward compatibility, hardware refinements like magnetic Joy-Cons, and Nintendo’s legacy of iterative software support.”
“Ultimately, the brand’s entrenched fanbase seems willing to tolerate short-term missteps, betting on Nintendo’s historical ability to refine its platforms through compelling games over time,” Ye says.
Hardware Price and Tariff Fears
The Switch 2 is expected to launch at a $450 USD price point in the United States when it is made available to pre-order some time in the future. The reason pre-orders have yet to happen in the United States and Canada, despite the rest of the world already registering their purchases with retailers, is of course due to an ongoing tariff situation from President Trump. It’s a state of affairs that’s seemingly making Nintendo reconsider how to roll out the console properly in time for its June 5 release date.
Naturally, IGN editors from Europe aren’t particularly impacted by the tariffs in their regions, where pre-orders are already up and running.
“In Germany, nobody is really worrying about the tariff situation regarding the Switch 2,” says IGN Germany’s Antonia Dressler. However, the actual retail price of the Switch 2 is a separate matter.
“There are a lot of complaints about the pricing of the console… and [readers are making] direct comparisons with the pricing of the PS5 [which] is seen as the better console,” explains Dressler. Despite the complaints, though, pre-orders do seem to be coming in for the region.
The pricing of the Switch 2 firmly places it in direct competition with consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X in many regions, making the choice of which console to get even harder for global buyers. “At the moment, Nintendo’s official website is taking pre-orders and the price is R12,499,” says IGN Africa’s Zaid Kriel. “It is not crazy pricing, but it’s now in the same bracket as the PS5 and Xbox Series X. It’s no longer a cheaper alternative, and that could be a problem, especially with the increase in game prices Nintendo has introduced.”
“The pricing problem pretty much overshadowed everything going on around the Switch 2 reveal, good or bad,” IGN France editor-in-chief, Erwan Lafleuriel, says. “The debate is raging mainly about prices, but I believe because it was kind of easy to overshadow a reveal lacking in many other aspects. Part of that is… we already knew most of what was revealed from the leaks. And there is no impressive ‘one more thing’ to add. Even in terms of games, it’s good, but it feels like something is missing.”
Other regions outside of the United States, however, are contending with the fallout of the tariffs. IGN Brazil’s Matheus de Lucca says, “The current tariff war initiated by the United States makes the scenario even worse for Brazil, since the Real is a weak currency compared to the dollar and an increase in the price of the Switch 2 in the United States will most likely have a huge impact on the whole of Latin America. The scenario of uncertainty and a possible increase in the price of the console could make the Switch 2 accessible to only a very small group of players in the Brazilian market.”
There is also the unique situation in Japan where Nintendo is launching a region-locked version of the hardware at a lower pricepoint to protect its domestic market “I think Nintendo knew they couldn’t go over 50,000 yen in Japan – the weak yen means the relative pricing scale is very different here,” says IGN Japan’s executive producer, Daniel Robson. “But presumably they also realised that if the console was much cheaper here than anywhere else, people would try to import it or buy all the stock when they visit Japan. Hence the region lock – our cheaper Switch only plays Japanese games and supports only Japanese accounts. I’m sure this is a direct result of the global trade situation.”
Robson also says that, “The price is still high, and will be tough for many families here, but it’s far more competitively priced than the 77,000 yen PS5. Not to mention that Japan is firmly a Nintendo country – the house of Mario dominates the console Top 10 week in, week out, so I doubt families here will be able to go without a Switch 2. That said, as a parent, I’m secretly relieved that my daughter hasn’t asked for a Switch 2, as the price puts it comfortably over the bounds of a birthday present.”
Software Price Remains the Biggest Pain Point
Despite the issues of hardware costs and tariffs, the biggest bugbear affecting the general feeling regarding the Switch 2 announcement has been the price of software. Some of that pain is to be expected: Nintendo games have always been expensive and held their price, and it’s only natural that Nintendo would join the trend of increasing game prices. But it seems the company may have jumped the gun by pricing Mario Kart World at $80 USD. While Nintendo says pricing will be determined on a game-by-game basis, with other Switch 2 launch window games priced at $70 USD or as low as $10 USD, the move has prompted fears that the gates are now fully open for even more expensive software.
“Game pricing is by far the biggest issue raised, not only by our readers but by the Italian gaming community at large,” says IGN Italy’s Digioia. “Many feel that Nintendo’s new pricing structure is unjustifiable, especially in light of recent increases that came with the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S era (when AAA titles moved from €70 to €80). Now, Nintendo is pricing some first-party games at €90, which has caused considerable concern – particularly given the company’s historically conservative approach to discounts. The €9.99 price for Switch 2 Welcome Tour sparked additional backlash, and even the paid upgrade paths for existing Switch games are widely seen as another way to extract money from loyal customers.”
“People are pissed,” IGN Germany’s Dressler says plainly. “Especially with the 90 Euro for Mario Kart World, that is a record for a video game in Germany; not even titles like Assassin’s Creed cost as much (talking about the base version). It also seems ridiculous that the tutorial game will cost anything — Nintendo just looks absurdly greedy right now.”
Take a look in any Switch 2 comment thread on IGN.com and you’ll find similar sentiments; the high price of games is unwelcome, especially in a time of increased living costs. A more unusual perspective can be found in mainland China, however, where there are no current plans for an official release. As a result, Switch 2 shoppers there may have to look to the gray market, with stock coming from Japan and Hong Kong – places where prices for games look to be a bit cheaper.
“Regarding pricing, game prices in Hong Kong and Japanese editions are relatively lower compared to Western markets. Observations from social media comments under our content show most players find the official price acceptable,” IGN China’s Ye says. “While the console itself has seen some price hikes, users generally consider it more cost-effective than handheld PCs like Steam Deck, especially with backward compatibility support. Based on our data, Chinese mainland Nintendo Switch 1 players appear largely receptive to the official Nintendo Switch 2 price increase.”
Right now it seems sensible to bet that the Switch 2 will be a success – it’s a safe, recognizable upgrade to one of the most popular and beloved consoles of all time. But what kind of a success story Nintendo has on its hands remains to be seen. The threat of an era of $80 games during a time of economic hardship has clearly put a substantial amount of prospective buyers into a negative headspace. Plus there are still many unknowns surrounding the console, especially in the United States where tariffs stand to negatively impact the North American launch. Then there’s the question of how international politics may result in potential stock shortages and impact the system’s launch around the globe.
For all those unknowns, what is clear from chatting with IGN’s global staff is that Nintendo has whipped up excitement around the world. It’s just excitement with a few more caveats than you’d expect from Nintendo.
I rarely need an excuse to grab more Pokémon cards, but every so often, something especially good comes along. Right now, a few premium boxes are actually worth it. Not because they’re stacked with guaranteed hits (they’re not), but because the sets inside are finally seeing a drop in single-card prices.
That opens two solid options: rip the packs and hope for something great, or skip the gamble and grab your chase cards while they’re cheaper. Either way, it’s one of those rare moments where buying in doesn’t feel like lighting your wallet on fire. With decent promos, good pack variety, and a few worthwhile extras, these boxes are the ones to watch.
Pokémon TCG: Iono’s Bellibolt ex Premium Collection
Yes, it’s one of the pricier premium collections out there. And yes, you get a Bellibolt ex promo, which is about as subtle as a battery-powered frog can get. But the real draw here is the 2 x Journey Together, Surging Sparks, Obsidian Flames, Twilight Masquerade and Paradox Rift packs.
Single prices from Journey Together are already coming down, which is great if you’ve been waiting to scoop up stuff like Perrin or Pecharunt ex without giving your credit card a stress headache. You also get an acrylic standee display and photo stickers, which is either a cute bonus or something you’ll shove in a drawer forever. I’m choosing to see it as décor. Don’t ruin this for me.
Single Card Options
Pokémon TCG: Infernape V Box
This is probably the easiest yes on the list. It’s cheap, it’s on sale, and it includes packs from Fusion Strike and Lost Origin. That’s a decent combo if you like old sets with some high highs and very, very low lows.
If you’re thinking of chasing Gengar VMAX or Giratina V, just know those prices are finally starting to cool off. So you can skip the suspense and buy singles now, or you can open these and pretend you’re immune to regret. Either way, the Infernape and Empoleon promos make nice binder filler, and the oversized card will make a great bookmark for someone who doesn’t read.
Single Card Options
Pokémon TCG: Ogerpon ex Premium Collection
This one’s for anyone who actually plays the game or just likes pretending they might. You get six Twilight Masquerade packs, a Teal Mask Ogerpon ex promo, and sleeves that don’t suck. Twilight Masquerade’s singles are already starting to slide in price, including cards like Carmine, Bloodmoon Ursaluna, and Dragapult ex.
So if there’s a card you’ve been eyeing, now’s the time to grab it without going through a box’s worth of filler. Still, if you do want to roll the dice, this is probably the best pack selection of the bunch. Plus, the magnetic card protector almost tricks me into thinking I own something valuable. Almost.
Single Card Options
Pokemon TCG: Stacking Tin (Q1 2025)
Is it weird that this is the one I’m most tempted by? You get three booster packs from three solid sets: Stellar Crown, Surging Sparks, and Temporal Forces. That gives you a shot at everything from Pikachu ex to Hydreigon ex to Iron Crown ex. Or nothing.
That’s also on the table. But with single prices dropping in all three of those sets, this is a decent way to gamble without spending too much. You also get two sheets of stickers, which is exactly the kind of freebie that tricks me into thinking I made a responsible decision.
Single Card Options
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.
