The weekend is officially here, and we’ve rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for April 20 below:
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition for $49.99
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition brings the long-requested Wii U game to Nintendo Switch with numerous quality-of-life updates and features. There’s also even an added epilogue story chapter with a new ending for the game, which likely will directly lead into the future of the series. With a soundtrack by Hiroyuki Sawano and a massive world to explore, Xenoblade Chronicles X is a game you can easily spend hundreds of hours in.
Razer Huntsman V2 TKL for $74.99
Best Buy has the Razer Huntsman V2 TKL Mechanical Keyboard for just $74.99 today. This keyboard features clicky optical switches that feel much lighter than most other mechanical switches out there, as you can get up to true 8000Hz polling rate for lower input latency. The Huntsman V2 TKL features doubleshot PBT caps, which are more durable and sturdy to ensure longer life. Another key offering of this keyboard is the detachable USB-C cable, so you won’t need to worry about wrapping your cable around when moving.
Persona 5 + Persona 5 Royal: Official Design Works for $57.31
If you’re a fan of Persona 5, this is the ultimate item for you. This Official Design Works contains 544 pages of artwork across both Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal. You’ll find character illustrations, promotional art, rough concepts, detailed creator commentary, and even an interview with Shigenori Soejima.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 for $30
You can score Capcom’s massive RPG for just $30 this weekend at Amazon. We gave the game an 8/10 in our review, stating, “It is a retelling and reimplementation of all of those wonderful ideas from the 2012 cult-classic, including an awesome dynamic world and some of the best combat in the genre that integrates a subtle but amazingly complex physics system.”
Resident Evil 3 for $19.93
You can save $10 off the PS5 version of Resident Evil 3 this weekend at Amazon. In our 9/10 review, we wrote, “Resident Evil 3 is a wonderful continuation of Capcom’s latest remake efforts. Although its just-okay multiplayer mode falls short of the bar set by its magnificent single-player campaign, the latter does such a good job at balancing 2020 gameplay and a classic Resident Evil tone that I recommend it without reservations.”
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii for $49.99
The latest Like a Dragon game stars everyone’s favorite ex-yakuza, Goro Majima, on an adventure to sail the seas as a pirate. When Majima wakes up unable to remember anything about himself, he embarks on a quest to regain his memories, and of course, in true Like a Dragon fashion, things get crazy. This is the lowest we’ve seen this game so far, so be sure to pick up a copy while you can.
Star Wars Outlaws Limited Edition for $29.12
Finally, Star Wars Outlaws for Xbox Series X is on sale for $29.12 at Amazon. We gave the game a 7/10 in our review, writing, “Star Wars Outlaws is a fun intergalactic heist adventure with great exploration, but it’s hindered by simple stealth, repetitive combat, and a few too many bugs at launch.”
This article contains spoilers for the Until Dawn movie.
I’ve been racking my brain over the conundrum that is adapting Until Dawn. Supermassive Games’ deconstruction of horror cinema through choice-based butterfly effect mechanics is essentially a 10-hour playable movie—a damn fine one written by indie horror staples Larry Fessenden and Graham Reznick—so a film adaptation couldn’t just be the same thing. But a film that isn’t indebted to the game and its “choose your own adventure” method doesn’t feel appropriate either. Sony’s desire to release an Until Dawn adaptation seemed misguided upon announcement, and after viewing the film, it’s still a headscratcher.
That’s because David F. Sandberg’s Until Dawn movie betrays the core hook of Supermassive’s Until Dawn.
Writers Gary Dauberman and Blair Butler chose to adapt Until Dawn as its title reads. In this case, “Until Dawn” translates into a time-loop-like horror scenario where five young adults find themselves hunted by various baddies, and they only escape if they can survive … until dawn. Should anyone die, they’ll wake once a gigantic hourglass fixed to an ominous, skull-adorned mount drops its last grain of sand. Die enough times, and you become a wendigo lost to Dr. Alan J. Hill’s delirious experiment. The core impetus of a missing sibling is still there—Ella Rubin’s protagonist, Clover, is hunting for her missing sister—but otherwise, you’re not on Blackwood Mountain aka Mount Washington (er…yet), and certainly not similarly punished for choices that alter narrative paths.
That’s… not Until Dawn.
Death Shouldn’t Be An Afterthought
In the game, death matters. It matters so much, in fact, that killing a single character sends ripple effects felt throughout the remaining storylines. There’s no regeneration or second chances. Like, famously. That’s the point of Until Dawn. The stakes are so astronomically high, the slightest nervous twitch of your controller during a “stay still” Quicktime event could doom multiple characters. Dauberman and Butler fail to translate the nerve-wracking experience of playing Until Dawn, landing on quite the opposite concept.
If anything, Until Dawn is a beginner’s attempt at Cabin in the Woods. Glore Valley is drenched by a thunderstorm, except for a perfect circle of sunshine over the welcome center location, like some all-powerful horror movie god is controlling the rain—once again resembling Cabin in the Woods in terms of the “influencing environment” effect. The all-seeing overlord (Dr. Hill), the meta nature of characters joking about horror movie rules, and the different creatures unleashed each rewind? Despite countless plot configurations, the game’s powerful storytelling is far superior to this random assortment of scary scenes tied to an hourglass clock. The game pulls players deeper into a web of intrigue, where the movie’s Mad Libs nature drags viewers through a jumbled rotation of clowns-and-kooks randomness.
Points are awarded for at least using wendigos. In the game, Fessenden’s “Stranger” character reveals that a 1952 mining cave-in led to cannibalism, and said cannibals turned into wendigos that now haunt Blackwood. Here, Clover and her friends start turning into wendigos due to Dr. Hill’s experiments on Glore Valley from his sanatorium hideout (resembling his dingy in-game office). It’s not a one-for-one translation, nor does it need to be, but the wendigos are overshadowed by a slasher villain vaguely costumed after Josh’s psycho getup. There are also witches, porcelain doll-looking masks, creepypasta demons, and water that makes your entire body explode Scanners-style if you drink it. It’s a hodgepodge of dangers that have nothing to do with Fessenden and Reznick’s straightforward creature-centric game, outside of a few Easter eggs.
The most obvious connection is Peter Stormare as Dr. Hill, Josh Washington’s (Rami Malek) hallucinated psychiatrist who runs players through rigorous psychological tests that influence future in-game details. However, even Dr. Hill features stark differences in the film vs. the original game. In the movie, he’s seen as a gas station attendant, but it’s not long before he’s outed as former game character Dr. Hill—who’s in control of experiments on Glore Valley. It’s here where we have the only direct reference to the game’s most well-known character, Josh Washington. After Clover discovers Hill’s “office,” we see her patient profile alongside Josh’s.
There’s some exposition about Hill’s experiments as we watch prisoners cannibalize bodies and then turn into wendigos to highlight that connection to the game, but the reveal is followed by Clover defeating Dr. Hill pretty easily.
Except she doesn’t. Probably.
As the film ends, we return to the dirty sanitarium office where Dr. Hill explodes after ingesting some ‘splodey water, and on surveillance monitors, we see Blackwood’s lodge. We then hear Dr. Hill speak, suggesting he was Clover’s hallucination, much like Josh’s in the game. But, that’s right before the credits because I guess Sandberg’s movie is an offshoot prequel that, for some reason, has nothing to do with the actual events of the Until Dawn game? If there is a sequel, presumably it’ll be about Josh’s case of vengeance paid unto the Blackwood group except based on the film’s rules … somehow.
Cheap Easter Eggs Aren’t Enough
It’s just all so generic. Turning Dr. Hill into the baddie removes intrigue and becomes a cheap cop-out, torn from the game but improperly refitted. Then the stinger of Blackwood hits, which again is confusing because in interviews, Sandberg insists his film takes place after the game’s timeline—but Blackwood’s reveal suggests it’s not a sequel, but a prequel. Inconsequentiality plagues Sandberg’s film in a way that makes you wonder why it’s even tied to Until Dawn (*cough* intellectual property reasons *cough*), which only causes Blackwood’s tease to be even more spoonfed and underwhelming. For so long, Until Dawn (the movie) bears no resemblance to Until Dawn (the game)—why pivot back toward the game at the last minute?
The reason is simple: to appease us fans. There are choice moments that attempt to help us relive the game, but they’re crammed in like afterthoughts. Ji-young Yoo’s spiritualist character Megan has everyone hold hands in silence, mimicking the game’s quiet “hold your breath” Quicktime events. There’s a shot bathed in red lighting where a wendigo is right by a frightened Clover, and that’s a direct reference to the “Don’t Move” instructions. But the game’s cinematic nature doesn’t yield many other level-based opportunities to recreate, nor does the film try. The adaptation’s biggest issue is it never fully comprehends how best to honor Supermassive’s inspiration while telling a fresh horror tale.
What else might you recognize? The wendigo audio files are plucked from the game, reusing the same noises. There’s also Abe’s first death of being chopped in half, which could be respect paid to Josh’s fake death in the game, or maybe that’s just a lucky coincidence. Are the werewolf sketches in the witch’s cabin a possible reference to The Quarry? Is the radio in the basement the same radio in the game where characters find out they must survive until dawn? Chances are yes, but these Easter eggs feel forced.
Look, I’m all for a “spiritual successor.” But to do so, there has to be some resemblance to the thing you are named after. While I don’t think Until Dawn is a terrible movie, it’s a bad Until Dawn movie. It’s a far cry from the urgency and invasive dread that Supermassive so easily conjures, speaking to what makes the playable horror movie such a blast to complete (over and over).
As is, the Until Dawn movie doesn’t make much sense in context. The events of Glore Valley are a grab bag of ideas from other horror movies that would be nothing but a clip show without Dr. Hill’s inclusion. But even with Stormare’s reprised role, it’s only Until Dawn at face value, nothing deeper. I get the interpretation of the gang’s choices forcing them to keep restarting, but it’s still too far off-base to consider this adaptation anything more than unfaithful. In the end, Until Dawn is a missed opportunity to bring Supermassive’s smash-hit game to life.
When Bethesda finally revealed Oblivion Remastered earlier this week, I could hardly believe my eyes. Somehow 2006’s trip to Tamriel, known for its weird, potato-faced characters and smeary stretches of low-res verdant grasslands, is now the best-looking Elder Scrolls game ever made. A long history of HD overhauls has conditioned me to expect underwhelming results from remasters – Mass Effect Legendary Edition and Dark Souls Remastered are barely indistinguishable from their Xbox 360 parents, for instance – and so to see the Imperial City that I explored nearly 20 years ago rendered in Unreal Engine 5 with ray tracing was momentarily unbelievable. Not only that, but the game has been enhanced with upgrades to combat, RPG systems, and a multitude of other details. All that considered, I wondered if Bethesda and the project’s developer, Virtuos, had got the title wrong. Surely this is Oblivion Remake, not remastered?
It turns out I wasn’t alone in that thinking. Numerous fans have declared it a remake, and even Bruce Nesmith, the senior game designer on the original Oblivion project, has said “I’m not sure [the word] remaster actually does it justice.” But while I doubted Bethesda and Virtuos’ remaster claim at first, after playing several hours it’s actually pretty clear – Oblivion Remastered may look like a remake but it plays like a remaster.
There are plenty of reasons why Oblivion looks like a remake and they can be easily summed up: Virtuos has done a huge amount of work, with “every single asset redesigned from scratch.” In terms of what you physically see on screen, it is all brand new. Every tree, every sword, every crumbling castle. This means Oblivion lives up to modern graphical expectations. Not only is it beautifully textured, it also has gorgeous lighting and a whole new physics system that ensures every arrow and weapon strike affects the world realistically. And while all who you meet in the game are recognisably the same folks you crossed paths with back in 2006, every single NPC model is a brand new creation. It’s a hugely impressive overhaul that rejects the idea of making something that “looks like you remember” and instead aims for something that’s great by 2025 standards. It’s the best a Bethesda Game Studios RPG has ever looked, and if I had seen it before the remaster rumours began I’d probably have believed that it was The Elder Scrolls 6.
It’s not just visuals, though. Combat has been overhauled, and so swinging a longsword no longer feels like fencing with a balloon. The third person camera is now actually functional thanks to the addition of a reticule. Every menu, from the quest journal to dialogue to the lockpicking and persuasion minigames, have all had refreshed interfaces. The original, horrific levelling system has been replaced with a much more logical hybrid of Oblivion and Skyrim’s approaches. And finally you can sprint. With so many visual and gameplay upgrades, surely we are firmly in remake territory?
If I had seen Oblivion Remastered before the rumours began I’d probably have believed that it was The Elder Scrolls 6.
The big issue here is not so much one of technology, game changes, or project scope, but semantics. There are no industry-defined parameters for remakes and remasters, and publishers recklessly throw the terms around. Rockstar’s “Definitive Edition” remasters of the Grand Theft Auto trilogy are unmistakably blocky PlayStation 2-era games with upscaled textures and modern lighting effects. But the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, also branded a remaster, sports all-new graphical assets and looks like a game from the modern era. Things are even muddier when we get to remakes: Bluepoint’s Shadow of the Colossus and Demon’s Souls both rebuild their respective games from the ground up, but are faithful, 1:1 recreations of the original experiences. Resident Evil 2, meanwhile, sticks more-or-less to the original blueprint in terms of structure, but completely redesigns the way you interact with the survival horror icon. And then we have Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth, which radically overhaul the design, script, and even story beats of the original games. All five of these examples are considered remakes, but there’s very little shared philosophy between them.
At one point in time, the general consensus seemed to be that if the game had been rebuilt from scratch in a modern engine, it was considered a remake. Remasters, meanwhile, were more limited upgrades performed within the scope of the game’s original technology. Such a definition is clearly becoming fast outdated, though. Today, it seems more fitting to say that a remaster is a graphical overhaul that preserves the design of the original game (bar a few quality of life gameplay upgrades), while a remake redesigns a game from scratch. Such a definition would “downgrade” Demon’s Souls and the upcoming Metal Gear Solid: Delta to remasters, and ensure the remake term only applies to games that genuinely feel like new takes on old ideas.
So if we accept these proposed definitions, is this new version of Oblivion a remake or a remaster? As anyone who’s played even just an hour of it can plainly see, Oblivion Remastered absolutely has the correct name. Yes, those new assets and Unreal Engine 5 ray tracing effects make it look brand new, but beneath that glowing skin is a collection of 20-year-old bones, organs, and muscles, all roughly stapled and taped together in that unmistakably Bethesda way. As the studio explained, “We looked at every part and carefully upgraded it. But most of all, we never wanted to change the core. It’s still a game from a previous era and should feel like one.”
The hallmarks of that previous era are everywhere. It’s in the loading screens that hide behind almost every single door. It’s in the baffling persuasion minigame that still, despite the interface upgrade, barely makes sense and feels utterly disconnected to your conversations. It’s in the design of the cities, which have the simplistic design of theatre stage sets rather than the complex, knotty arrangements of authentic population centres. It’s in the NPCs, who wander like awkward automatons and talk with all the grace of an AI trained on a “how to be society” manual. It’s in the combat, which even after a significant upgrade still feels detached and unwieldy. And it’s in the long list of bugs and glitches that still remain, reverently preserved in the name of upkeeping the original’s quirky charm.
The granular details of Oblivion are clearly grey and long in the tooth.
Just a couple of months ago we were treated to Obsidian’s Avowed, which offered a vision of the future for some of The Elder Scrolls’ key building blocks. Its kinetic combat is practically space-age compared to Oblivion Remastered’s, while its approach to rewarding exploration makes the rolling hills and grotty caves of Cyrodiil feel very much a relic of yesteryear. Such modern systems help put Oblivion Remastered into context. That’s not to say that this revised classic has nothing to offer in 2025 – far from it. The magic of its world still sparkles brightly, its Rohan-like open fields filled with dozens of mysteries and oddities. Much of its ambition remains intact even two generations later, such as the dynamic goblin wars that wage between its NPC clans, or the narratively-satisfying questing structure that remains head-and-shoulders above Skyrim’s many “visit a draugr-filled dungeon” missions. Many of its old-school ideas around player freedom feel refreshing in an age where we now reject the hand-holding nature of games from the 2010s. But the granular details of Oblivion are clearly grey and long in the tooth. There’s no finesse in its dialogue, nor elegance in the way its systems interconnect. And the level design, be it cave, castle, or the cursed lands of Oblivion itself, feels positively ancient. A remake’s job would be to update all those ideas, but this project is all about reliving the old. As such: Oblivion Remastered.
Video games have historically leant on terminology from other mediums. In the world of movies, remakes are brand new productions with fresh casts, crews, scripts, and sets. Remasters are existing films that are enhanced as far as possible to match modern picture quality standards. But an old film is still an old film; the 4K restorations of Jaws and The Godfather look incredible, but they are clearly products of the 1970s. You can see it in the direction, the delivery, the effects work. It’s in the texture of the film grain. Oblivion is like those blu-ray restorations of classic films. It pushes visual quality as far as it possibly can, which thanks to the more malleable medium of video games means recreating the project’s “exterior” in a brand new engine. But beneath that shell, Oblivion is unmistakably a product of the 2000s. Alex Murphy, executive producer at Virtuos, had the perfect analogy during the reveal stream: “We think of the Oblivion game engine as the brain and Unreal 5 as the body. The brain drives all the world logic and gameplay and the body brings to life the experience that players have loved for almost 20 years.”
Oblivion Remastered is exactly what it says it is, and that shouldn’t be seen as downplaying its achievements. Instead of insisting that it’s a remake, we should actually be using it as the quality bar by which we judge remasters from other titan-scale AAA companies. This is what Mass Effect Legendary Edition should have been, rather than a cleaned-up re-release. This is what Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy should have been rather than an incredibly cynical-feeling cash grab. Because there’s nothing cynical about Oblivion Remastered. It looks like a remake crafted by passionate hands but plays like a remaster preserved by loving fans, and that’s exactly how it should be.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a new RPG and debut title from the French studio, Sandfall Interactive. With a blend of immersive storytelling and challenging gameplay, there’s nothing else quite like it. Maxroll has been hard at work on helpful guides for Expedition 33. There are guides to help you get started, teach you game mechanics, find valuable loot, and hone your builds. Maxroll’s Codex has weapons, skills, Pictos, and Lumina to help you prepare for the challenges you will face on the continent. If you’re the theorycrafty type, you can use Maxroll’s Expedition 33 Planner to make your own build, then share it on their Community Builds Section.
Getting Started
Get started in the world of Expedition 33 with character guides, beginner resources, and Pictos guides from Maxroll. If you’re looking for a step-by-step companion guide to keep up as you play, check out IGN’s Expedition 33 Walkthrough.
Beginner’s Guide
Maxroll’s comprehensive Beginner’s Guide for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 introduces the game’s core mechanics like exploring the world, doing battle against Nevrons, each of the playable characters and their unique mechanics, plus introduces the game’s progression systems like weapons, attributes, Pictos and Luminas. Also check out IGN’s 10 Things Expedition 33 Doesn’t Tell You for a shorter guide of some easily-missed things you should know.
Combat Guide
Learn more about defeating dangerous Nevrons with IGN’s Combat Guide. This is a beginner’s guide with some tips and tricks, including advice for how to use Lune and Maelle.
Weapons, Attributes and Upgrades
Weapons are a core part of building your team in Expedition 33. Each weapon (and character skill) deals different types of elemental damage, some of which are more effective than others against different Nevrons. Each character has a variety of different weapons that have increased attribute scaling as you level them, plus unlock special bonuses at levels 4, 10, and 20. Read more about Weapons, Attributes and Upgrades.
Pictos and Luminas
Pictos are equippable items that give stats and a variety of unique effects. Each character can equip 3 Pictos, but you can use the Lumina system to gain even more special effects. If you’re struggling on an encounter, consider changing up your Pictos to gain more defenses, add damage or buff your team with things like Shell or Powerful. Learn more about Pictos and the Lumina system, a core progression feature in Expedition 33.
Early Game Pictos Guides
The Pictos system provides a lot of room to customize your party and build each character the way that you want, but there are a few Pictos which stand out as especially powerful during the early game. Keep an eye out for Dead Energy II and Critical Burn, complete side-content for the “lone wolf” style Last Stand Pictos and use Recovery to turn one character into a super-tank!
Characters
Learn about each playable character in Expedition 33, their unique mechanics, and skills with Maxroll’s Character Skill Guides.
Maxroll also has a few more guides suitable for the midgame and endgame. These go into detail on how to unlock areas of the map, defeat certain enemies more easily, or which Pictos are the best.
How to Unlock all of Esquie’s Traversal Abilities
Esquie can break through obstacles, swim, fly, and even dive under the ocean. Learn how to unlock all of Esquie’s Abilities as you progress through the game.
Enemy Strengths and Weaknesses
Learn about the Strengths and Weaknesses for the enemies you encounter across the Continent. Abuse enemy weaknesses to deal 50% more damage, and avoid using elements they absorb, as those heal the enemy instead of damaging them!
Zone Progression
If you’re feeling lost after completing the game’s story, Maxroll has you covered with a Zone Progression Guide, which gives some recommendations on when to complete different optional zones. IGN also has a list of Expedition 33 side quests with their rewards, so you can determine which ones are worth completing.
Best Pictos
Learn the Best Pictos to equip in both the early game and the endgame. Maxroll’s guide details Pictos that provide generic power along with those that have more niche uses, empowering new build archetypes.
Codex
Maxroll’s Expedition 33 Codex has information on all of the different Weapons, Pictos, Luminas, and Skills available in the game. You can even adjust the level at the top to see how Weapons/Pictos scale.
Here are the features to keep in mind when using Maxroll’s Expedition 33 Planner.
Select your characters and set up the active party. If you want to create different teams (with unique setups for each character) you can also do so here. At the top select an optional tag like “Story” or “Post-Story.” You use this section to navigate between each of the characters on your team to change their setups.
Pick your weapon, then adjust the level. As you do the power and scaling change but attributes are not currently factored in.
– Select the 6 skills you’re using on the character.
NOTE: Gradient Skills are excluded here but you can learn more about them in the Codex!
Pick your Pictos, you can use each Pictos once across your entire team. Select the correct level to display the stats added by each.
Add Luminas here, the point count is displayed at the top.
Allocate attributes, maybe use something your weapon scales off of?
Your stats are displayed here, based on Pictos, Attributes, and base weapon damage.
Add some notes, tell people about your skill rotation or where you found some of the cool stuff you’re using.
Set your build to public to share it with the community.
Tomorrow Comes
That’s it for Maxroll’s new guides for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Why not head over to the build planner and start theorycrafting?
Written by IGN Staff with contributions from Tenkiei and Snail.
Players woke up to find that Virtuos’ massive re-release received an unexpected update earlier today. With no patch notes or clear answer as to what the update addressed, most proceeded with their play sessions as normal. Others, however, quickly found that the first Oblivion Remastered update was causing more problems than it fixed
Yoooo why would @virtuosgames push an update to Oblivion Remastered that removes all upscaling right before the games first weekend?!!?
“Can’t change the upscaling methods anymore,” one Reddit user pointed out. “It’s set to ‘off’ and while the arrows are clickable nothing happens. So I closed the game, disabled fluid motion in the NVidia app (was testing something before the patch came) and started the game again. Loading times for my save are long again and still can’t change upscaling settings lol.
“Now I am stuck with 40-60 fps in high settings with a 5800X3D and a 5080. Nice patch :D”
While some players haven’t noticed much of a change in performance, others are reporting new struggles related to low framerates. Many have also noted that upscaling settings have been completely closed off, leaving fans with major visual issues ahead of Oblivion Remastered’s first weekend in players’ hands.
Bethesda finally attempted to address concerns with a post published on its official support page. As for what today’s Oblivion Remastered update was meant to fix, the post explains the patch simply included “a few backend tweaks and nothing directly impacting game play.” Unfortunately, it seems those who own Oblivion Remastered through the Microsoft Store are the ones running into problems with their upscaling and anti-aliasing options.
“Any graphic settings adjusted prior to the Microsoft Store hotfix are still enabled and function normally,” Bethesda clarified. “However, you will temporarily be unable to adjust those settings due to the issue with the settings UI. The team is taking a look and working out a resolution, we will share more info as soon as we can.”
For now, there’s no telling when exactly a resolution for what was originally supposed to be an under-the-radar hotfix will arrive. In the meantime, it appears players on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S consoles can continue playing with no issue.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).
Marvel Rivals developer NetEase Games has laid out its plans to take some of the pressure off of Strategists players just days after fans launched a community-wide Support strike.
Much of Marvel Rivals Season 2 has gone over swimmingly. New characters, maps, and modes helped the hero shooter push forward as the team promises quicker seasons and even more playable heroes, but its balance changes have introduced entirely new issues. Strategists – a character class that largely functions as Marvel Rivals’ Support pool – aren’t having much fun as Vanguards and Duelists have taken power.
The decreased viability of the Support class has been the topic of discussion in the Marvel Rivals community since Season 2 launched earlier this month. With other roles given more power on the battlefield, many Strategist players have reported not only an abundance of punishing matches but toxic ones, too, as teammates hop into text and voice chats to place the blame on them. It all reached a boiling point this past week when hundreds of players began taking to social media to declare they would stay away from the healer spot until NetEase explained how it might make the experience more enjoyable for all.
“We just want basic respect.”
“We’re not asking to be glorified or seen as the ‘hardest’ role – because I don’t think we are,” one Reddit user commented. “We just want basic respect. It’s tiring to be called brain dead or worthless when your stats are solid and you’re playing your role the way it’s meant to be played.”
I Need Healing
Whether the strike has been successful or if players are simply choosing to stray from a challenging class, NetEase says it wants to take action. In a Dev Talk post published to its website today, NetEase addressed the concerns revolving around the Strategist class. Its approach to relieve some of the pressure is two-pronged and involves buffing the Support role while also making its Competitive mode more rewarding.
The team says Strategist “threat levels” will be elevated in an upcoming patch. This means potentially buffing heroes like Invisible Woman or Jeff the Land Shark while hitting Vanguards like Captain America and Groot with nerfs to their survivability, while Spider-Man’s Amazing Combo ability will get decreased damage range. Details on exactly which characters will receive changes have yet to be revealed.
“Since this is a mid-season balance adjustment, we aim to be cautious, keeping changes minimal to enhance the experience of certain heroes without drastically altering the overall meta,” NetEase explained. “As we move into S2.5, with Ultron’s arrival and new Team-Up Ability adjustments, we’ll consider broader, more comprehensive balance changes.”
Meanwhile, Competitive is a Marvel Rivals offering that has seen slightly altered stats since the launch of Season 2. Duelists, in particular, have had an advantage when it comes to performance ratings, while Vanguard and Strategists have been at a slight disadvantage. As a result, NetEase plans to adjust performance rating calculations “to ensure fairness across all heroes.”
“Balancing the game and rank adjustments is a challenging endeavor, and we can’t guarantee perfection 100% of the time,” the Dev Talk adds. “However, we remain humble and attentive, striving to address issues promptly and enhance your experience. Stay tuned for official patch announcements for more updates. Thank you for your support and patience!”
Marvel Rivals Season 2 introduced Emma Frost as its newest playable Vanguard hero, with Season 2.5 set to include Ultron in the near future. While we wait to see if the upcoming balance changes please those participating in the Support strike, you can read up on a recent Marvel tease that could see a collection of swimsuit skins joining the game.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).
Even if you enjoyed NieR: Automata and its predecessor, NieR: Replicant, you could be forgiven for not knowing that game actually got a sequel, and a pretty good one too. Unfortunately, that sequel, mobile game NieR: Re[in]carnation, hasn’t been available for almost a year after being taken offline in April of 2024.
But fortunately, a Square Enix website is dropping some pretty wild in-universe hints that this might be about to change.
As pointed out to us on BlueSky by journalist Willa Rowe, an official NieR website that’s currently publishing a NieR special movel to commemorate the series 15th anniversary is teasing something NieR: Re[in]carnation-related via cryptic in-text hints and webpage source code. As a part of today’s update to the novel, the just-published chapter 4 ends with some strange text that reads as follows:
[WARNING] : Recovery protocol initialized…[ERROR] : Redirecting to backup node: < https://www.jp.square-enix.com/nierreincarnation/ >[INFO] : Analysis comments added to the source code. [FATAL] : Process forcibly halted.
What does THAT mean? Who knows? But wait, there’s more. If you hit “View Source” on that page, there are even more weird teases in the code comments, as hinted at above. They read, in order:
TODO: Optimize rendering efficiency. Contradictions in “Her” emotions may interfere with signal clarity. Ensure transission remains undistorted.
FIXME: Visibility settings enabled for crashed observer system. He is watching…Adjust access permissions before deployment. His name is…………
HACK: Log discrepancy detected. Records indicate previous modification attempts due to excessive interference from The Cage. Cross-check against original transmission before proceeding.
Okay, there’s a lot here, some of which is inscrutable and some of which makes sense. “The Cage”, for instance, is the main location where most of NieR: Re[in]carnation takes place. And “Her” is a key character (yes, that’s Her name) in Re[in]carnation as well. Between that and the hyperlink, it’s pretty obvious what all this is referencing, but what exactly will become of it remains anyone’s guess.
The two final chapters of the novel are scheduled to publish on May 2, a week from today, and it’s possible it may also pull back the curtain on whatever’s happening here. Fans are speculating that it may be leading up to some sort of port or re-release of NieR: Re[in]carnation, which has been completely unplayable anywhere since it went offline last year. They’re also pointing out that the chapters of the special novel, which are currently only available in Japanese (but which fans are translating), have some pretty significant tie-ins to all three other NieR games.
If you’re unfamiliar with Re[in]carnation, I highly recommend keeping an eye on this, especially if the end result is another opportunity to play it. Re[in]carnation is a good game in its own right that many slept on due to its being a mobile gacha game, but critically, it’s also the direct sequel to NieR: Automata, and effectively is NieR 3, for those who have been waiting for it. Who knows? Maybe a new Re[in]carnation release could include some new content that ties the ongoing stream of loose NieR-related threads together at last.
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.
Bethesda Game Studios and Virtuos’ The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered includes the original’s infamous Dupe Item Glitch – and fans are loving it all over again 20 years later.
Since the mega-hit remaster launched for PC and consoles earlier this week, Elder Scrolls veterans have been beside themselves as they revisit iconic locations and characters from Bethesda’s classic fantasy RPG. It’s a total visual overhaul that remains so faithful to the original 2006 experience that Virtuos even thought to include some of its more memorable bugs and even a few handy glitches.
In Oblivion Remastered, players have found they’re still able to use a version of the original’s Dupe Item Glitch, just the same as they did nearly 20 years ago. It allows the user to duplicate nearly any item in the game, and it only involves navigating through a few menus and a barrel or storage crate. That means unlimited arrows, ingredients, and even infinite money if you’re willing to be patient and haul everything to a merchant after you’re done. You can see our explanation of how to do the Dupe Item Glitch here.
There’s been some debate about a few other Dupe Item Glitch exploits that seem to have been fixed, but the consensus is generally that Virtuos’ move to keep such a niche bug in some capacity is amazing. Now, in 2025, both returning and new Elder Scrolls fans can see Cyrodiil just as it was in 2006, with many important wrinkles and bumps left intact, and the reaction is impossible to deny.
To those upset that Oblivion Scroll Duping got Removed I have great news! DUPES ARE BACK BABY!!! pic.twitter.com/Y21CowLJqq
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).
I’ve found the best cards from Journey Together and Paldean Fates on TCG Player for less than the cost of these booster bundles. If you’re collecting Pokémon cards for the actual cards (not just the thrill of cracking packs), TCG Player is your best friend. I’ve been watching both Journey Together and Paldean Fates, and the single prices are falling fast. Meanwhile, sealed bundles are creeping up. You can still grab them if you want the experience, but if you’re hunting chase cards, buying singles is the smarter route.
TL;DR: Deals For Today
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet—Journey Together Booster Bundle
This six-pack bundle of Scarlet and Violet: Journey Together is holding steady at 50.99, but most of the real value in the set is now on TCG Player, where chase cards are trending down. If you’re looking for specific pulls, going the single route will save you money. There’s still some standout cards here. Lillie’s Clefairy ex is the most expensive in the set right now, and for good reason. It’s competitively viable and features Lillie, who always bumps card prices on name recognition alone.
N’s Zoroark ex (Special Illustration Rare) continues a clever story thread from N’s Zorua and is a binder-ready display card. Salamence ex showcases Tsuyoshi Nagano’s first Pokémon art, which alone is worth a look. There’s also Hop’s Zacian ex, a handful of golden Iono and Bellibolt ex cards, and some surprisingly nice takes on Wailord and Articuno. It’s a great set, but if you know what you’re after, singles are the smarter path.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Paldean Fates: Booster Bundle
Paldean Fates brings back shiny Pokémon in a big way, including the return of the fan-favorite Baby Shinies. The booster bundle runs a little higher at 66.97, and honestly, that’s more than what you’d pay for most of the good cards inside if you went straight to TCG Player.
There are a few exceptions. Bubble Mew still holds its value even after a major drop, and is the one card where sealed might still make sense if you enjoy the gamble. But most of the shinies, including some really clean alternate arts, are affordable enough to collect without diving into packs. I’ve put together a catalog of the best-value cards if you want to go that route.
Expedition 33 T-Shirt
Expedition 33 just dropped and IGN Store already has one of the better pieces of game merch I’ve seen in a while. This tee uses the game’s cover art in a clean design that doesn’t scream licensed product, which I appreciate. It’s made to order in sizes up to 3XL. It’s 100 percent ringspun cotton and feels like a shirt you’ll actually want to wear more than once.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Steam)
Expedition 33 just launched and it’s one of the more original turn-based RPGs I’ve seen in a long time. The concept is bizarre in the best way. Once a year, a mysterious figure paints a number. Everyone of that age dies. This year, it’s 33. You’re part of the group sent to stop her. The world blends Belle Époque France with surreal fantasy, and the combat mixes turn-based mechanics with real-time dodging and targeting. It’s visually gorgeous, built in Unreal Engine 5, and there’s already a good amount of buzz behind it. Standard edition is 39.99, Deluxe is 47.99.
Create, Paint & Animate Bundle
This is one of the better Humble art bundles I’ve seen in a while. You get a 12-month license for Clip Studio Paint Pro, which is already worth the entry price, along with a massive pack of digital tools including brushes, comic panel assets, 3D models, and Moho Debut for animation. If you’ve been meaning to get back into digital art or just want to try new software without spending hundreds up front, this is a great way to start. Plus, proceeds support No Kid Hungry.
Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth Earbuds
If you’ve been thinking about finally getting serious noise cancellation in your life, Bose QuietComfort earbuds are down to 149 right now, a solid 30 bucks off. These are great for travel, commuting, or just finding some quiet during work hours. Battery life is 8.5 hours on a single charge, with an extra boost from the case. IPX4 water resistance makes them solid for workouts too. I like the responsive touch controls and the ability to fine-tune the EQ with the app. They also do a surprisingly good job switching between devices with multipoint Bluetooth.
Soundcore by Anker Space A40
For budget earbuds with real noise canceling, I think Soundcore’s Space A40 are unbeatable at this price. They’re 44.99 right now, down from 79.99, and come packed with features you usually only get on higher-end models. They offer 50 hours of total playtime, a compact and comfortable fit, hi-res wireless audio with LDAC, and adaptive ANC that adjusts depending on your surroundings. They’re solid for everyday listening and more than good enough to double as travel earbuds too.
GameStop Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-orders
GameStop will be one of the only major retailers still offering preorders for the new Switch 2 this morning. The $499.99 bundle includes the console and Mario Kart World, which looks like it’s built to show off whatever upgrades Nintendo has under the hood. Preorders go live at 8 a.m. PST, and considering other retailers sold out overnight, I’m not expecting these to last long. There’s also the solo Nintendo Switch 2 console, launch games and tons of accessories to add to your basket too. Here’s my top picks:
Pokémon TCG Charizard ex Super Premium Collection
I like this bundle because it gives you something to actually hold onto, not just a few random booster packs. It includes three promo foil cards (Charizard ex, Charmander, and Charmeleon) a detailed Charizard figure, and 10 booster packs. That’s solid value, and it’s all bundled in a way that makes sense for collectors or players.
At under $50, it’s hard to argue with the appeal. The Charizard line has always been popular, and the cards in this set are exclusive promos that won’t be around forever. I think this is an easy pickup if you’re looking to build your collection or just want something that looks great out of the box.
Monster Blu Ray 4K Sale
Streaming is convenient until your favorite movie vanishes from your watchlist without warning. That’s why I still keep a stash of 4K discs, and Amazon’s latest deal makes it easy to bulk up the collection. Right now, you can pick any three eligible titles for $33, which is a pretty great deal considering a single 4K Blu-ray usually runs around $20 or more.
I think this is the kind of sale that slips under the radar because there’s no flashy banner or countdown timer. But when you start scrolling and see stuff like Inception, The Dark Knight, 1917, and E.T., it kind of speaks for itself. If you’re into collecting or just want some reliable movie night options that don’t rely on a Wi-Fi signal, this is worth jumping on.
WD_Black 2TB C50 Xbox Series X|S Storage Expansion Card
Storage space on Xbox runs out fast, especially if you’re hopping between big AAA titles. I think the WD_Black 2TB C50 is one of the better expansion options out there, and right now it’s down to $179.99 on Amazon, which is $50 off the usual price.
It’s officially licensed, plug-and-play, and gives you the same performance as internal storage thanks to Xbox’s Velocity Architecture. I’ve used one for a while, and honestly, it’s the difference between deleting something you’ll want to play later or just moving on with your day.
Beats Fit Pro
If you’ve been looking for earbuds that actually stay in your ears while you move, the Beats Fit Pro still nails it. They’re down to $169 at Amazon right now, which isn’t the steepest discount ever, but considering how rarely Apple gear goes on sale, I’ll take it.
I’ve used these for running, working, and dodging people on Zoom calls. They’ve got solid noise canceling, great sound, and yes, they work just as well on Android as they do on iPhones. I think they’re still one of the few earbuds that don’t require a small fortune or daily resets.
LEGO Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Mos Espa Podrace Diorama
This LEGO Star Wars Podrace Diorama is one of those builds that feels designed for fans who grew up on Phantom Menace and now pretend they’re “collectors.” It’s on sale for $65 right now, down from the usual $80.
I think it works well as a display piece without screaming “toy.” You get Anakin’s and Sebulba’s podracers in brick form, plus a detailed canyon scene. If you’re trying to justify another LEGO set, just call it a stress-relief project and move on.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
This is currently the best price for Oblivion on PC bar subscribing to Game Pass. I’ve played the original Oblivion enough times to know exactly where it shows its age, which is why I’m glad this remaster exists. The updated visuals and improved UI give the game a second life without losing what made it great in the first place. You still get the full experience, including expansions like Shivering Isles and Knights of the Nine, plus all the classic side content.
If you missed it the first time around or just want to revisit Cyrodiil without modding your setup into oblivion (pun intended), this is the version to get. I think forty bucks is a fair ask for one of the most influential open-world RPGs of its time, especially with all the extras baked in.
Pokémon TCG 151 Single Card Crashes
I’ve been tracking the Pokémon 151 singles for a while, and a few prices have finally started to slide into that sweet spot between “collectible” and “still reasonable.” Blastoise ex (Illustration Rare) is sitting around $66, and Venusaur ex is close behind at $60. Even Charizard ex, in Secret Rare form, has dipped to around $39, which is surprising considering how popular it is.
If you’re trying to complete the set or build out Gen 1-themed pages, now’s a good time to grab singles like Charmander, Bulbasaur, or Squirtle for under $40. Most of these aren’t meta-competitive, but they’re stunning in a binder and full of nostalgia. I think this wave of price dips won’t last long once more collectors start closing out their sets.
CUKTECH 15 Ultra Power Bank
I’ve gone through enough power banks to know when one’s actually designed with some thought behind it. This one pushes up to 140W with USB-C PD3.1, which means it can charge a MacBook or gaming handheld fast enough to matter. The smart display is a nice touch too. It shows real-time stats, not just another blinking light.
The 20,000mAh capacity is plenty for multiple phone charges or a full laptop cycle, and the recharge time is quick if you’ve got the right charger. I’d say it’s ideal if you travel with more than one device and hate juggling low battery warnings.
Cleer ARC 3 Open Ear Headphones
I like the open-ear design because it avoids the usual trade-off between situational awareness and good audio. These stay just outside your ears, but the sound quality still holds up thanks to Dolby Atmos and Snapdragon Sound support. And the fit’s more comfortable than most earbuds I’ve worn, especially for longer sessions.
The battery life is solid with up to fifty hours total from the case, and it includes features like auto volume adjustment and UV sterilization. It’s built for someone who actually uses their earbuds all day, not just in short bursts. If that’s you, I think you’ll appreciate the attention to detail here.
Pokémon TCG 151 Booster Bundle
I really want this listing to disappear into the tall grass. It’s six booster packs. That’s it. For $66.65. The MSRP was closer to $30, which makes this a laughable markup for what’s essentially a fancy six-pack with no promo cards.
I love Pokémon 151. It’s packed with great Kanto art, and yeah there’s some killer hits in there. But paying twice retail for the chance at a Charizard? That’s a pass. I think if you’re going to spend over $60, you should at least know what you’re getting.
I dug up some single card options that are actually worth the money. You can grab Alakazam ex for around $10, a clean Zapdos holo for under $5, and even that Blastoise art rare for $66 or less if you don’t mind a little light play.
Godzilla is one of the biggest names in entertainment, with over 70 years of history since Ishiro Honda’s 1954 film. Over the years, there have been numerous interpretations of the legendary beast, from World War II-inspired movies to clashes with other beasts in the Monsterverse. There’s a lot to love about every film, especially if you’re a fan of action. Starting today, you can purchase three of the most recent Godzilla movies in 4K for only $33. Now is the time to add three films involving the legendary beast to your Blu-ray collection.
This sale is part of Amazon’s larger three for $33 4K movie promotion that just started. There are quite a few other great films in there if you’d prefer to shop the full sale yourself.
3 Godzilla 4K Blu-rays for $33
Starting today, you can purchase three of the most recent Godzilla movies in 4K for only $33. Now is the time to add three films involving the legendary beast to your Blu-ray collection.
This sale is part of Amazon’s larger three for $33 4K movie promotion that just started. There are quite a few other great films in there if you’d prefer to shop the full sale yourself.
49″ Odyssey QD-OLED G9
think this might be the best gaming monitor deal I’ve seen all year. The QD-OLED G9 just dropped to $1,049.99, which is $700 off its original price. That’s not a typo. This is Samsung’s top-of-the-line 49-inch ultrawide, and right now it’s a steal.
The Dual QHD resolution makes games look absurdly sharp, and the 240Hz refresh rate with 0.03ms response time means it’s as fast as it is pretty. Add G-Sync and FreeSync support, and you’ve got yourself a monitor that won’t blink even when you’re about to lose a ranked match.
I want this on my desk just so I can stop squinting at my minimap like an old man with bad Wi-Fi. It wraps around your field of view and makes even spreadsheets feel dramati
57″ Odyssey Neo G9 Curved Gaming Monitor
If the QD-OLED isn’t wild enough for you, this 57-inch Neo G9 is here to take your eyeballs hostage. It’s the world’s first Dual UHD monitor, and it costs $1,799.99 right now instead of its usual $2,299.99. Plus, there’s an extra $50 credit applied at checkout.
Mini-LED tech, 240Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and enough real estate to run an airport. I want this so badly I’m thinking of measuring my apartment just to see if it’ll fit.
The HDR 1000 support and insane brightness make everything pop, and Samsung even threw in CoreSync lighting to make sure your desk feels like a spaceship.
Samsung T9 4TB Portable SSD
I think this is the drive to get if you’ve got a ton of large files and zero patience. The T9 4TB model is down to $299.99, and it’s fast. I’m talking 2,000MB/s fast. You can load, edit, and transfer without watching a loading bar crawl across your screen.
It’s built to survive up to a 9.8-foot drop, which, yes, I find oddly specific. But hey, it means it’ll probably survive your daily backpack abuse. If you’re a video editor or just someone who hoards game installs like they’re rare Pokémon, this is a solid pickup.
Samsung T5 4TB Portable SSD
This one’s all about durability and capacity. The T5 EVO gives you 4TB of space in a compact shell, and it’s priced the same as the T9. It doesn’t hit the same crazy speeds, but it’s still great for moving big files and not worrying about losing them to the floor gods.
I want this for backup storage or even game library overflow. It’s a solid pick if you don’t need bleeding-edge speeds but still want to keep everything in one pocket-sized vault. Buyers can also snag a free Sonic the Hedgehog branded 256GB MicroSD card + adaptor with this deal too.
Journey Together Booster Bundle
Amazon’s been a bit shady with this one. While the overpriced Elite Trainer Box is sitting at a wild $99.49, this six-pack bundle is actually close to MSRP and ships directly from Amazon. It’s quietly hidden under separate listings, which feels intentional given how quickly the ETB sold out when it dipped below $40 last week.
Journey Together Sleeved Booster
One Journey Together pack, one total mystery. If you just want to open something without overthinking it, this gets the job done. It’s also about as low-stakes as Pokémon TCG gets unless you’re picking up cards off the sidewalk.
Journey Together Elite Trainer Box
Yes, this is the same box that was selling for around $40 days ago. It’s now being offered at the highest price yet, and not even by resellers — this inflated price is from Amazon itself. You get nine booster packs, a promo, sleeves, and extras, but you’d be paying more than double what it’s worth. I’d pass unless it drops again.
Terapagos ex Ultra-Premium Collection
I want to say this isn’t excessive, but you’re getting 18 Stellar Crown booster packs, three promo cards, a playmat, a deck box, and a magnetic card display. Excessive, but in a good way. It’s basically a portable shrine to Terapagos, and somehow still manages to feel worth it if you’re deep in the hobby.
Pokémon TCG Stacking Tin
Three booster packs and two sticker sheets in a tin that stacks. That’s the whole pitch. I think it’s a fun pickup if you’re buying for a younger fan or just want your cards stored in a tiny themed cylinder for some reason.
Paldean Fates Booster Bundle
Six packs focused on shiny Pokémon, which will either be a collector’s dream or a gamble depending on your luck. In my opinion, the price feels high unless you’re chasing specific cards, but that hasn’t stopped anyone before.
Iono’s Bellibolt ex Premium Collection
Six packs and two foil promos, plus acrylic standees and a sticker sheet, because Iono’s entire personality is now available in merchandise form. I think this one’s a solid pick if you like your collections playable, displayable, and mildly ridiculous.
Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box
This box comes with nine Shrouded Fable booster packs, a Pecharunt promo, sleeves, dice, and more organizational tools than your average office desk. It’s one of the more practical bundles, assuming your definition of practical includes themed card sleeves.
Poké Ball, Premier Ball, Moon Ball Tin Bundle.
Each bundle comes with three Poké Ball tins and nine booster packs total, plus stickers in case the Poké Balls weren’t festive enough. You’re paying for variety and presentation here, which is half the fun anyway.
Poké Ball, Great Ball and Ultra Ball Tin Bundle.
Same again but includes a Pokéball, Great Ball and Ultra Ball. This is the OG choice and look brilliant mixed in a graded card display. All Pokémon TCG should come in a Pokéball in my opinion!
Surging Sparks Booster Bundle
If you don’t need sleeves or dice and just want to crack open six fresh packs from Surging Sparks, this one does the job. In my opinion, it’s the most straightforward way to feed the shiny card habit without the extra clutter.
Paradox Clash Tin
You get five packs and one of two promo cards, chosen by fate or some algorithm pretending to be fate. A decent middle ground for players who want something compact with a bit of flair and a good chance at useful pulls.
Azure Legends Tin
This tin is a lucky dip between Kyogre, Xerneas, and Dialga, which makes it great if you enjoy a little chaos with your collecting. Five packs and a foil promo make it pretty reasonable for the price, especially if you’re not picky.
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.
EA’s highly anticipated Skate revival will require an “always on” internet connection.
In an updated FAQ on the official blog, developer Full Circle gave a “simple answer: No,” adding: “The game and city are designed to be a living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox that is always online and always evolving. You’ll see bigger things evolve, like changes to the city over time, as well as smaller things, like live events and other in-game activities.”
An “always on” requirement means games cannot be played offline, even if you avoid multiplayer modes or prefer to play alone. However, in this case, Full Circle prefers Skate to be connected to the internet “to deliver on [its] vision of a skateboarding world, the game will always require a live connection.”
“That is probably not much of a surprise if you’ve been in our playtest,” the developer added.
That’s because in September 2024, the team began its Always-On Playtest. The new phase “tests the game in a permanent live environment, with servers running around the clock.”
Skate’s early access launch is set for 2025, although there’s still no confirmed date at this time. It was announced during EA Play way back in 2020, but at the time was stated as “very early” in development. Since then, Full Circle has kept the community up to date with closed community playtests of early builds and, last month, added microtransactions.
You can spend real-world money on a virtual currency called San Van Bucks, which in turn is used to buy cosmetic items. It sounds like Full Circle wants to test Skate’s microtransaction purchase system, as it told players it wanted them to have a “positive experience when purchasing items from the Skate store.”
“We know that using real money during a playtest is a little unusual, but we think it’s the best way to properly assess and adjust the system before launch,” the team added in today’s blog update. “If you see prices or other things changing over time, please understand that this is normal. And of course, you will receive the amount you spent during playtesting in San Van Bucks (SVB) when we reset for Early Access launch.”
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
