Category: IGN

Bungie is finally ready to show us more of its upcoming PvP extraction shooter, Marathon, with an all-new gameplay livestream slated for this Saturday, April 12 (or 13, depending where you are in the world).

Last week, the Destiny developer dropped a mysterious tweet that included a bizarre 15-second video that immediately set fans sleuthing as part of an “extensive alternative reality game.”

Players realized that within the ASCII art was “a snippet of footage from the initial trailer,” and if they looked closely, they “notice[d] it’s the runner sprinting down a hall from the trailer.”

Another added: “WHEN WILL HE RETURN ERROR ERROR ERROR HAS OCCURRED THE ENEMY RETURNED SYSTEM WARNING: PROTOCOL BREACH EVACUATE THE BASE IMMEDIATELY ALL UNITS REPORT TO STATION INITIATE EMERGENCY PROTOCOL 7 DATA LOSS IMMINENT GOOD LUCK, COMMANDER.”

“Thousands of community members across the world worked together to unlock the gameplay reveal date for Bungie’s upcoming extraction shooter Marathon,” Bungie said in a statement, before revealing this weekend’s livestream is set for 10 am PDT (San Francisco) / 1 pm EDT (New York) / 6 pm BST (London) / 7 pm CEST (Berlin/Paris) / 9 pm GST (Dubai) pr Sunday, April 13 at 2 am JST (Tokyo) / 3 am AEST (Sydney) / 5 pm NZST (Auckland).

Marathon was revealed in May 2023 as a reboot of the classic Bungie franchise, but with all its themes of “mysteries, eeriness, and psychological creepiness.” Set on the mysterious planet of Tau Ceti IV, Marathon will see players inhabit the bodies of Runners, cybernetic mercenaries who have been designed to survive the planet’s harsh environments. While exploring the lost colony that once inhabited the surface, players will search for valuable loot, including new weapons and gear.

Since the initial reveal, however, we’ve seen very little else. We did get a development update video in October that shed light on Marathon’s mechanics, but the studio stressed how early in development the game was.

Since then, however, and the abrupt cancelation of live-service shooter Concord, Sony is rethinking its focus on live-service games. In November 2023, Sony president Hiroki Totoki revealed the company was committed to launching just six of the 12 live service games it was working on by March 2026, with the shift signaling the cancelation of the The Last of Us multiplayer game.

Bungie itself is not without controversy, too. It laid off 220 staff — that’s 17% of its entire workforce — in July 2024, less than a year after 100 other layoffs at Bungie. Just a few weeks later, we learned former Marathon director Chris Barrett was allegedly fired after an internal misconduct investigation at Bungie. Barrett subsequently sued Sony Interactive Entertainment and Bungie for more than $200 million.

To watch the Marathon reveal live, head on over to the official Marathon Twitch channel on April 12.

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.

The weekend is officially here, and we’ve rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for April 6 below:

Save on LEGO Super Mario

New video game hardware announcements can become somewhat predictable. With each new generation of consoles you can expect to see near-certain staples like better graphics, faster load times, and new takes on beloved, plumber-and-turtle-oriented franchises.

Even Nintendo, which has done this consistently across several generations, from the N64 analog controller, tiny GameCube discs, wacky Wii motion controls and Virtual Console, the Wii U tablet screen, and the Switch’s built-in portability, has delivered these improvements with the Switch 2.

But being Nintendo, the company again unveiled a few genuine shockers during the Switch 2 Direct.

It’s 2025 and we finally get online play.

When I was four years old in 1983, my babysitter used to roll footballs at me like Donkey Kong rolling barrels at Mario. I would jump over them, making a Donkey Kong sound effect in the air, then grab a toy hammer and smash them like Mario. That’s how long I’ve been a Nintendo fan. So I say this from a place of long-suffering experience: it’s going to be impossible to talk about this awesome reveal without revealing a little loving bitterness.

Nintendo, as we all know, does not really play online well. Satellaview and Metroid Prime: Hunters aside, Nintendo has barely scraped the surface of what’s possible with a unified multiplayer platform like those created by Sony and Xbox. It’s never as easy to find and talk with friends on a Nintendo platform. Even the Switch required a separate app for voice chat.

Shockingly, change appears to be here now. During the Direct, Nintendo unveiled GameChat, and it looks… really neat?! It’s a four-player chat that supports noise suppression, video cameras for showing friends’ faces, and screen sharing across consoles, allowing you to keep an eye on up to four different displays inside a single screen. We know from the new Switch 2 accessibility features page that GameChat also supports text-to-voice and voice-to-text, allowing players to communicate multiple ways.

Now we haven’t seen what, if any, unified matchmaking interface might tie into this just yet. But it’s already a big step, and I’m hoping it means the last nail in the coffin for the abominable friend code forever.

Miyazaki is bringing new blood exclusively to Nintendo

When I saw the first frames of this trailer, I thought I was seeing Bloodborne 2. The ambiance, the character design, and the environments all screamed the FROM Software house style. Thanks to Eric Van Allen at IGN, I now know that I was watching footage from The Duskbloods, a multiplayer PvPvE game designed by the softly-smiling monarch of video game masochism, Hidetaka Miyazaki.

I do not know where this man found time to direct a Nintendo-exclusive game. I’m starting to think that he may never leave his office nor sleep, much like one of his own confused, hollowed characters wasting away in the high tower of some gothic prison. But I’m grateful. FROM doesn’t really miss anymore, so I’m anticipating a tasty treat.

A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one

Speaking of people who need a vacation, apparently Super Smash Bros. director Masuhiro Sakurai has moved on from Smash to a new Kirby game? Did not see that coming. Get that man a nap!

The original Kirby’s Air Ride was, to put it bluntly, a pleasant-looking but aggressively unfun Kirby racer for GameCube. But Sakurai has made no secret of his deep affinity for Nintendo’s round, pink elder god, and it’s practically a certainty that a Sakurai-helmed take on the franchise will be a far more refined and enjoyable experience.

Control issues

It was almost a throwaway moment, but the Pro Controller 2 sounds genuinely Pro this time around when Nintendo announced the Pro Controller 2 has an audio jack now, which is another feature that’s welcome about a decade later. More importantly, they’ve added two mappable extra buttons. I LOVE customizable buttons, so this tiny surprise actually tickled me pink.

No Mario?!

This one genuinely shocked me. Near as I can tell, a lot of Nintendo’s Mario makers have been locked up in a secret bunker for years working on his next 3D adventure, which I assumed would be the big summer game for Switch. I was very wrong. Turns out the Odyssey team is the force behind Donkey Kong Bananza, the captivating new 3D platformer with a focus on destructible environments. Nintendo is once again playing against expectations as it so often does, trusting hardcore fans to flock to Donkey Kong’s biggest game in generations and saving Mario for another day.

Switch will also launch with extensive third party support and Mario Kart World. While World looks like a system-seller, I figured it would be timed as a Christmas-window family game. Nintendo usually leans on Mario, Zelda, or both to sell to their biggest fans during a console’s first year. But Nintendo is looking at Mario Kart 8’s record sales with confidence, betting their most popular party game, alongside Bananza, will help move enough Switch 2 units to make launch a success.

Forza Horizon x Nintendo was not on my bingo card

Open-world Mario Kart is here, whether it be for good or for ill. I’m betting on good, as the zany physics, weird vehicles, and combat mechanics of Mario Kart should lend themselves well to navigating between and across tracks battling friends and sewing chaos. The short look we got seems to indicate a continuous world a la Bowser’s Fury, but much larger and supporting myriad drivers.

It’s very expensive

The Switch 2 costs too much. I get that everything is expensive right now, as tariffs go up, the yen goes down, and American inflation reignites. But $449.99 USD is a hefty price by any standard, and Switch 2 is the most expensive launch in Nintendo’s 40-plus US sales history. In fact, Switch 2 costs $150 dollars more than its predecessor’s launch price, and is $100 dollars more than the next-most-expensive Wii U. Successful Nintendo consoles and handhelds have often relied on lower prices as a differentiator, but Switch 2 will be looking to succeed without a price advantage.

Jared Petty is a former IGN editor who likes writing about how wonderful and silly video games are. You can find him at Bluesky as pettycommajared.

Moza’s R3 PC Wheel and Pedals bundle is a competitively priced and compelling pit stop for any newcomer looking to dip a leaden foot into simming. Also, it’s an ideal, ready-to-race package that will rev the engines of anybody who dreams less of shaving PBs on a track and more about shredding POS cars in Wreckfest 2.

That’s pretty much what I decided to throw my Moza R3 at. I took a lovely, metal-twisting holiday away from my usual MO of testing Direct Drive wheels with hypercars and perfect lines. Was that an unorthodox test bed? Kinda. But I maintain that the Wreckfest series is a low-barrier gateway racer that can create serious rally addicts eventually.

Better than that, though, it’s just big gobs of fun with physics a-go-go and punchy force feedback aplenty.

While the 3.9Nm thrumming in this wheelbase doesn’t exactly redline with its peak power, it’s still a solid and stylish DD unit that hums along like a finely tuned machine. Unlike its clunkier, noisier gear-and-belt-driven rivals at the entry level, the R3 is whisper-quiet and ridiculously compact in comparison. Better yet, the bundle is extremely mod-friendly, so upgrading your ride down the road is a cinch—no need to swap out the whole chassis.

Moza R3 – Design and Features

The Moza R3 Racing Wheel and Pedals bundle is a full-throttle, plug-and-play racing system. Inside the box, you’ll find Moza’s new 3.9 Nm R3 wheelbase, a 280mm PC-compatible steering wheel, a set of SR-P Lite pedals, and a separate table clamp is also included. Believe you me, you’re going to need that last bit of kit once the FFB gets going. Nothing jerry-rigged or half-arsed is going to hold this sucker down when the cars start cartwheeling.

Said clamp is made entirely of steel and is rigid as hell—quite sturdier than the plastic alternatives, and it has a generous 50mm of clamp space. Via the chaos of Wreckfest 2, I certainly gave that rigidity a run for its money. Thanks to a beefy desk and a straightforward system of four mount holes to secure the R3 wheelbase, this setup holds up well under the stresses of force feedback.

Weighing in at just 2.29 kilos and measuring a compact 120mm high, 135mm wide, and only 93mm long (excluding the steering shaft), the R3 is a pocket rocket of a wheelbase. Its boxy, industrial design gives it a serious motorsport aesthetic—far more race-ready-looking than some of the older, plastic clamshells that are out there competing.

Heading below the equator, we have the R3’s pedal set, which is only an accelerator and a brake. If you’re searching for a clutch experience—and that’d make perfect sense for OG muscle cars in Wreckfest 2—you can make an extra pit lane purchase of a third pedal. Prices seem to be reasonable for that, and I know from experience that Moza’s ecosystem is all about easy installation.

Beyond that, these metal pedals feel a heck of a lot more robust than some of the plastic-heavy alternatives on the market. Resistance comes from springs rather than a load cell, so while they’re not championship-grade, they should be more than enough for entry-level sim racers. There’s also a surprising degree of adjustability, with pedal pads that can be repositioned higher or lower, and the entire pedal units can be moved left or right.

Moza R3 x Wreckfest 2: Performance

With 3.9 Nm of peak torque, the R3 isn’t exactly a torque monster, but it’s right in the slipstream of other entry-level contenders with similar price pricepoints. It’s also perfect for some low-stakes, throw-around fun in a physics-heavy (yet nonetheless arcade-y) title like Wreckfest 2.

I’m not going to lie to you, though; I did need to do some tinkering to make Wreckfest 2 speak correctly with the R3, at least initially. However, thanks to the ever-changing landscape of Early Access, a few hotfixes meant I no longer had to constantly rebind/reverse my pedals in Moza’s (usually quite capable) Pit House software. Everything works pretty much as it should now, and, obviously, support will only get better as yet more fixes roll out.

I feel like we’ve earned a reprieve today from the news chaos of tariffs and Nintendo Switch 2 pricing, so here’s something fun (?) for your Friday: IGN played Mario Kart World at a Nintendo event in New York this week, and confirmed that yes, the new Cow character can in fact eat burgers and steak (and many others things as well).

If you’re wondering what on earth we could possibly be talking about, allow me to point you to the recent announcement of Mario Kart World, which included the introduction of the Moo Moo Meadows Cow as a playable racer. The Internet, of course, is thrilled about this, already coming up with dozens of memes and fanart of the adorable Cow that, until recently, was nothing more prominent than a fun background character in a single Mario Kart track.

However, as news of Cow spread throughout the land, fans began pointing out a potential, erm, problem, with another element of the Mario Kart World reveal. In the Nintendo Direct 2 trailer from Wednesday, Mario eats a burger. Burgers are (typically) made of beef. Would Cow, whose people are ostensibly a source of beef, consume beef herself? Fans really wanted to know.

Well at the Nintendo preview event, we found out. You see, the food items we saw in the trailer are obtainable in Mario Kart World at Yoshi’s diner locations scattered across courses. They function like a drive-thru, allowing racers to drive up and grab a bag of take-out just like they would an item box. There are a lot of different food items that can be inside, including burgers, steak kebabs, pizza, and donuts.

And yes, Cow can eat them all.

Yes, Cow CAN eat steak in Mario Kart World. pic.twitter.com/qN5PZ9IIM4

— IGN (@IGN) April 4, 2025

During our session we also saw Cow eat a number of other items, including the burger. We’re still a little hazy on what these items are actually doing for Cow — other racers change costumes when consuming them, but Cow doesn’t seem to experience any effects. Could she be eating beef just because she enjoys it? Is there a secret power-up she gets from burger consumption that we just don’t know about yet because Nintendo hasn’t revealed it? Or perhaps are these veggie burgers and Beyond meat kebabs?

IGN reached out to Nintendo to try and clear all this up, but we haven’t heard back yet. I’m sure it’s because they’re busy at their New York event, and not because this is an unhinged question to ask their PR about. Yeah, that’s probably it.

Anyway go check out our preview of Mario Kart World, the video version of which features an appearance by our friend Cow.

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.

FragPunk is a 5v5 tactical hero shooter featuring 13 unique playable characters, known as Lancers. Each Lancer is equipped with at least three otherworldly Abilities, so whether you want to slide around the map with an electric guitar modified into a shotgun, teleport your entire team to quickly rotate to another site, or heal your allies after a narrowly won gunfight, there’s a Lancer for you.

FragPunk’s hero roster is mostly well-balanced at the moment, allowing all Lancers to thrive in optimal situations or when handled by players who recognize a character’s weaknesses and leverage their strengths. But that doesn’t mean all Lancers are created equal. While some may flourish on Attack or Defense, or when combined with specific team compositions or Shard Cards, others stand above the rest and provide consistent value no matter the circumstances.

Determining the best characters in the current meta is especially important in FragPunk because many of the game’s Lancers must be unlocked using Gold, FragPunk Coins, or Lancer Trophies. So before you spend your hard-earned Gold on the worst character in the game, this FragPunk tier list will break down every Lancer and place them in a tier from S to B based on their ease of use, versatility, and consistency of value:

FragPunk Tier List

S-Tier Characters: Nitro, Hollowpoint, Pathojen, Spider, Kismet

A-Tier Characters: Serket, Broker, Zephyr, Sonar, Corona

B-Tier Characters: Jaguar, Axon, Chum

S-Tier: Nitro

Nitro is a Lancer limited only by your imagination, and her lack of mobility options. Nitro’s Chug Chug deploys a remotely-controlled combat drone that can dish out 20 damage per projectile, but the drone’s greatest strength is its ability to gain intel while Nitro hides in relative safety. Nitro’s The Wall ability enables you to create unique and unexpected sightlines, climb onto otherwise inaccessible areas, block incoming damage, and force enemies to reveal their location as they spray to destroy these surprisingly sturdy shields.

Nitro’s Mr. Pewpew sentry turrets can monitor most doorways and entry points, and they can also be used as a sneaky offensive tool. Use them to guard flanks, or when you know an enemy is expecting your advance, toss a turret in line of sight of your foe. This will force them to either accept the incoming damage from the turret, or they’ll turn to destroy it, opening up a brief window for you to peek and gun them down.

S-Tier: Hollowpoint

Hollowpoint is a gifted sniper that provides players with a supercharged railgun that can one-shot enemies to the body in medium-range duels, or one-tap enemies to the head from just about anywhere. Hollowpoint’s Meteora railgun is also a great recon tool because aiming down sights detects enemies in the field of view, even if they’re an invisible Zephyr. The value of Hollowpoint’s Meteora simply cannot be overstated because it essentially acts as a second primary weapon, and as a free sniper rifle that disregards the Shard Clash rule that prevents you from selecting a weapon type after two deaths using them.

Hollowpoint’s Smoke Screen is among the best vision control abilities in FragPunk because it’s forward-moving, goes through walls, pings all enemies hit by the screen, and can be stopped at will to block off sightlines. Lastly, her Paparazzi trap is especially useful because it attaches to enemies and exposes them until they remove it by holding their interact key for a brief time.

S-Tier: Pathojen

Since this tier list is focused on highlighting the Lancers that provide consistent value regardless of your team composition, weapon, or Shard Cards, Pathojen’s AOE healing field all but automatically places her in S-Tier because it’s the only healing ability in FragPunk. While many Shard Cards can grant healing, increase your team’s Max HP, or reduce incoming damage, Pathojen’s Emotional Rescue ability bypasses the RNG Gods and ensures your team can restore their HP no matter what.

On top of that, her Shroom Wall is a respectable defensive tool that grants cover, creates blockades in narrow chokepoints, and completely blocks off doorways. Finally, Pathojen’s Killer Queen ability forges a triggered or manually activated trap. Killer Queen is perfect for slowing enemy advances, it can be used offensively by tossing it toward unsuspecting enemies, and don’t forget to place one on planted Converters to ensure enemies can’t defuse for free.

S-Tier: Spider

Spider may be the most controversial S-Tier pick on this list because his strongest ability, Teleporter, relies heavily on team coordination to extract maximum value. But because the Teleporter facilitates creative plays, safe disengages and full team site rotations, Spider’s potential is simply too high for a lower ranking. Meanwhile, Spider’s Spirited Away trap is a demoralizing ability that teleports enemies to the spot where the skill was initially cast. Catching an enemy with Spirited Away almost guarantees an easy charged knife kill or one-tap, but be sure to communicate with your team when teleporting more than a single target because you’ll likely require the follow-up.

Spider Trap is also an excellent defensive gadget that nearly covers an affected enemy’s entire screen for roughly three seconds while slowing them. Hide Spider Traps near choke points leading to your teleporters to prevent enemies from camping your TP.

S-Tier: Kismet

Kismet is an elite offensive Lancer in large part because of her Walk on the Wild Side ability that makes her invisible and invulnerable for a brief period. Walk on the Wild Side is the only movement ability in FragPunk that provides both invisibility and invulnerability, but you won’t be able to see enemies for its duration. Still, it allows you to sneakily cross wide-open sightlines or long corridors, before getting to cover. Walk on the Wild Side can also be used as a get-out-of-jail-free card, when cornered or low on HP.

Hello, Goodbye provides a short-range scan that penetrates walls, and though you may be unimpressed by this ability’s range initially, its effectiveness increases as you familiarize yourself with maps and common enemy angles. Kismet’s final ability, Misery Angel, is a complimentary one that can damage enemies regardless of intervening barricades. Misery Angel is a surprisingly lethal threat that deals close to 100 damage and has a large blast radius.

A-Tier: Serket

Serket is an all-around offensive threat that provides intel, can teleport, has a forward moving smoke, and an AOE crowd control tool. Serket’s movement ability, Station to Station, casts a controllable beacon that you can teleport to for a limited time, or cancel to remain in the cast location. When controlling the beacon, any enemies in your line of sight will appear as sandstorms. On paper, this ability may seem broken, but the beacon has a low health pool and can quickly be destroyed. So while the area Serket can cover will decrease as you climb the ranks, even spotting a single enemy’s location is incredibly advantageous.

Serket’s Gold Dust Woman releases a dust tornado that moves forward and slows enemies caught in it. The tornado can also be manually stopped to temporarily block a sightline. Serket is also equipped with a projectile that pulls enemies toward the center. When caught, it’s very difficult for enemies to escape the pull, but landing it consistently has a bit of a learning curve. Outside of throwing it toward enemies you know are pushing through a corridor, Dilemma can also be used to pull enemies from behind cover before quickly lining up a shot. Though Serket may be a few steps behind her S-Tier castmates, she’s just one beacon HP or speed buff away from joining the elite Lancers.

A-Tier: Broker

Like Serket, Broker is another Lancer on the cusp of reaching the S-Tier ranking because of his excellent area denial, smoke, and explosive abilities. Broker’s Goddard’s Vengeance ability allows him to wield a rocket launcher that instantly kills enemies hit directly. While hitting a target dead-on may become more inconsistent in high-rank lobbies, it’s almost guaranteed to inflict a staggering amount of damage and the rocket can also be used to swiftly dismantle a defensive setup. So even if you don’t get your one before being eliminated, Goddard’s Vengeance will ensure one of your enemies leaves the gunfight battered and bruised.

Broker’s Smokestack Lightning is inarguably one of the most versatile smokes in FragPunk because it’s thrown and casts smokes along the flight trajectory, even after bouncing off walls. Though Smokestack Lightning is an insanely useful ability that can be used to cover or obscure just about any area of the map, the prevalence of recon abilities can quickly detect your push. Broker’s final ability, Cherry Bomb, is great for denying space, and though the bombs are easily destroyed and avoided, the info gained when enemies fire at or run through the bombs makes it worthwhile.

A-Tier: Zephyr

Were it not for the pervasiveness of traps and recon abilities in FragPunk, Zephyr and her stealthy kit would undoubtedly be S-Tier. Zephyr is an elusive Lancer whose Midnight Rambler ability grants temporary invisibility, at the cost of becoming unable to fire weapons without decloaking. Her second ability, Fade Away, casts a large zone that allows Zephyr to remain invisible indefinitely, so long as she doesn’t exit the zone or shoot her firearm. These two abilities used in concert can be incredibly lethal on sites, but her loud footsteps and traps remain a constant liability.

Thankfully, Zephyr has a built-in escape strategy in the form of her Get Back teleport beacon. Place a beacon before going for a stealthy backstab or aggressing on a site, and if your invisibility is running out, teleport back to quickly disengage.

A-Tier: Sonar

Sonar’s character design is deeply rooted in gathering information for you and your squad, but we’ve bumped her down to A-Tier because of her lack of mobility and reliance on team follow-up. Sonar’s Echolocation deploys a sensor that scans for moving enemies every few seconds. Though Echolocation is an undoubtedly powerful recon ability, it can be gamed by walking between the sensor’s scans. Nevertheless, at a minimum, Echolocation will slow enemy pushes and make their movements easier to predict.

Sonar’s Sonic Surge is another recon tool that launches a charged-up sonic wave that exposes all enemies hit and knocks them back. Because Sonic Surge can travel through walls, it’s amazing at gathering intel on enemy setups. Finally, Sound of Silence dampens your footsteps and the steps of surrounding teammates for a very brief period. The shortness of this ability’s timer makes it near useless in solo queue, but when on a coordinated squad, the silent pushes can be fight winning.

A-Tier: Corona

Corona’s kit is arguably one of the most harmonious in FragPunk because all of his abilities are meant to be used in concert. Corona’s Fast Lane is a quick dash that allows you to swiftly reposition between cover, but it’ll often be deployed just after casting Hothead. Hothead transforms Corona into a flash that briefly blinds all enemies looking at this Lancer. Corona players will time their Hothead flash, dash into line of sight, and blind all nearby enemies.

While this combo can be round winning, it tragically leaves Corona in no man’s land unless he has team follow-up. Corona’s last ability is Ashes to Ashes which creates a spell field that damages enemies, and grants Corona damage reduction and increased movement speed while in the zone. Though Corona sits in the A-Tier, he’s one of the best 1v1 duelers in FragPunk, making him a major asset in overtime matches.

B-Tier: Jaguar

Despite receiving a buff in a recent balance patch, Jaguar remains a B-Tier Lancer simply because there are Lancers that outmatch each of his abilities. Jaguar’s Live Wire trap deals an impressive amount of damage but not enough to secure kills, and it doesn’t reveal enemies unless you also use his I Can See for Miles skill. I Can See for Miles detects the number of enemies directly ahead, enemies on critical HP, or opponents affected by Live Wire or Electric Avenue.

Electric Avenue summons a cage around enemies scanned by the cast ability, but again, you’ll only be able to see the enemy inside if you use I Can See for Miles. Electric Avenue also lacks agency because it’ll automatically surround the nearest enemy in range. This isn’t always advantageous as teams can strategically bait your push before entering or exiting the cage.

B-Tier: Axon

Axon is one of the most aggressive Lancers in FragPunk, but like Zephyr, his kit is heavily reliant on the enemy team being distracted or lacking recon traps. Axon’s Electric Guitar deals a hefty, yet inconsistent amount of damage, but you’ll need to get into close-range engagements for it to be effective. Sticky Fingers are Axon’s grenades which can stick to targets or bounce off the environment, making them decent when you know an enemy’s precise location, but they rarely get value otherwise.

Axon’s final ability, Super Freak, is unquestionably the most niche in FragPunk because it makes him immune to flashes. While many believe Super Freak becomes near useless when facing off against a squad with no blinds, that isn’t necessarily the case. Super Freak can still get value if you throw flashes and quickly swing toward your enemy to blind them without getting flashed yourself. Despite Axon being one of the more fun and high-octane Lancers in the cast, a skilled marksman like Hollowpoint will decimate him on maps with long sightlines, so stick to running him on maps with tight flank routes.

B-Tier: Chum

To be clear, Chum is still a perfectly viable pick in B-Tier, but his reliance on his bestie Chomper places him at the bottom of the list because Chomper can be destroyed relatively quickly. Chomper is a deployable friend who can patrol a given area, enter Explosive Mode to chase down enemies, or enter Smoke Mode to release a controllable stream of smoke.

Chomper enters Explosive Mode when fed Chum’s Explosive Bait trap, and enters Smoke Mode when fed Smoke Bait. Smoke Bait can also be thrown to create a smoke cloud when the projectile hits the ground. Smoke Mode Chomper can be rather effective, but you’ll become vulnerable while controlling him, so be sure to get coverage from your teammates. Lastly, Chum’s lack of mobility options make him one of the easiest Lancers to isolate unless you keep Chomper by your side and limit your playmaking.

For more FragPunk guides, check out our explainer of FragPunk’s ranked mode, plus How to Get Ultimate Material, and How to Slide in FragPunk!

FromSoftware unveiled a new exclusive for Nintendo’s new console during this week’s Switch 2 Direct. The Duskbloods had an ominous trailer, showing lots of action, horrors, and magic. In a new interview, we’re now learning much more about FromSoft’s plans for this multiplayer experience.

Nintendo posted a three-part interview series with The Duskbloods director Hidetaka Miyazaki, going over what The Duskbloods is, and how it’s different from other FromSoftware games.

Despite the multiplayer PvPvE focus, Miyazaki has assured fans that FromSoftware will keep making single-player focused games. But with The Duskbloods, the studio is experimenting, with everything from general game type to having a cute hub keeper.

Here are some of the major takeaways we’ve learned about The Duskbloods from this new set of interviews.

The meaning of ‘The Duskbloods’

While the name, aesthetic, and constant mention of blood might bring to mind another FromSoftware title, Miyazaki said The Duskbloods refers to the Bloodsworn themselves. These Bloodsworn—the characters players control—are people who have achieved superhuman abilities through special blood, similar to vampires.

“We tried to extract the sort of romantic aspects we found interesting from concepts such as vampires and ‘blood’ and reinterpreted them as the Bloodsworn,” Miyazaki said.

The Duskblood is a collective term for these characters, who all partake in a bid for First Blood, which flows during an event known as the “Twilight of Humanity.”

There’s no set time or place for The Duskbloods

Because the Twilight of Humanity takes place across different times and locales, there is no “fixed era or location” to pin down when or where The Duskbloods takes place.

“There are more traditional Gothic- or Victorian-style maps as well as those depicting the closing years of the early modern period, like the one glimpsed in the trailer with the train running through it,” Miyazaki said.

You can choose between different characters

In a manner that sounds similar to the upcoming Elden Ring Nightreign, players can choose from “over a dozen” characters in The Duskbloods. Each character can also be customized, and you’ll swap between those options in a main hub area.

While characters will each have their own abilities, it sounds like some skills are universal. The Bloodsworn fighters are essentially superhuman, so they can sprint, super jump, and double jump. Additionally, every character is equipped with “some means of attacking from a distance,” which Miyazaki said he feels is one of The Duskblood’s “unique aspects” when compared with previous FromSoftware games.

Progression doesn’t rely solely on victory

A key component of The Duskbloods is the PvPvE set-up. Online matches support up to eight players, vying for a win. Miyazaki said online matches are “generally” last player standing, but there are “certain cases where victory conditions differ.” He gave the example of players being tasked with teaming up to take down a powerful boss, or “other special circumstances.”

“Regardless of whether it’s PvP or PvE, the idea is to provide players with an experience that allows them to learn and hone their skills as they play,” Miyazaki said. “We’ve therefore designed the PvE boss encounters to present a tough challenge and a sense of accomplishment upon defeating them.”

Obtaining “Victory Points,” which ultimately decide the outcome of a match, can happen in a few different ways. Direct combat is one, but engaging in more “opportunistic behavior” is also an option. And Miyazaki noted that when players return to the hub after a match, they receive a reward whether they won or lost.

Events can shake up the match

There will be world events through the event system, which has the potential to shake up a match. This can range from special enemy spawns to additional objectives, all with bonus rewards offered.

Miyazaki drew attention to a portion of The Duskbloods trailer, where a giant stone face loomed in the sky. “This is one example of the events that can occur in a match,” Miyazaki said. “In this case, the appearance of this stone face affects the environment and changes match rewards, which can have an immediate impact on player motivations and objectives.”

Players will have personal objectives and roles, too

While First Blood is something worth chasing, Miyazaki said there will also be “personal objectives” to provide separate rewards for players.

It’s unclear whether these fully tie into another system Miyazaki also mentioned, called “roles.” While online, roles offer players unique circumstances and opportunities to interact with each other. He outlined a few examples, like the “Destined Rival,” which tasks a player with finding and defeating another player. Doing this will count as a personal goal, separate from the overall victory conditions.

Roles can be assigned to characters through customization, so players can roleplay a bit and, as Miyazaki said, add to the “drama” of these engagements.

Lore will be delived through customization

FromSoftware is no stranger to putting some deep lore in its games. And there will, of course, be lore in The Duskbloods.

“One thing I love doing in any game I direct is leaving fragments of lore and worldbuilding details, allowing the player the fun of using their imagination to make connections,” Miyazaki said. “The Duskbloods is no exception to this.”

However, for The Duskbloods, Miyazaki said the team is going about it a little differently from previous games. Fragments are found in character customization items, the “blood history and fate.” Customizing characters, analyzing and altering their blood history and fate, will reveal more information about the world and its story.

“Focusing these elements on the concept of ‘blood’ or ‘blood history and fate’ allowed for a deeper exploration of customization and is another reason we placed the Bloodsworn as the protagonists,” Miyazaki said.

FromSoftware is certainly painting an interesting picture, but we’ll have to wait a little bit to see the image fully realized, as The Duskbloods is currently planned to be a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive sometime in 2026.

For now, you can check out more info about the Switch 2 by reading over our first-hands on with Nintendo’s newest console, or read up on the sudden delay of Switch 2 pre-orders here.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Nintendo has taken the unprecedented decision to delay Switch 2 pre-orders in the U.S., blaming the impact of Trump’s tariffs and “evolving market conditions.”

Pre-orders were set to go live in the U.S. on April 9. Nintendo did not share an updated kick-off date, but did promise that the June 5, 2025 release date of the Switch 2 itself remains intact.

Nintendo issued IGN the following statement:

Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will not start April 9, 2025 in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions. Nintendo will update timing at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged.

Nintendo announced the Switch 2 at $449.99, with a Mario Kart World bundle priced $499.99. Mario Kart World itself is priced $79.99.

Nintendo Switch 2 comes with the following:

• Nintendo Switch 2 console
• Joy-Con 2 controllers (L+R)
• Joy-Con 2 Grip
• Joy-Con 2 Straps
• Nintendo Switch 2 Dock
• Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable
• Nintendo Switch 2 AC Adapter
• USB-C Charging Cable

Nintendo’s statement issued today raises the prospect that it could hike the price of the Switch 2 and its games further amid what is already an angry backlash to its next-gen pricing strategy.

Speaking in a video on their YouTube channel, former Nintendo of America PR managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang criticized Nintendo for the way it revealed the $449.99 price of the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price of Mario Kart World following this week’s Nintendo Direct.

“I don’t want to blow things out of proportion, but this does feel like a true crisis moment for Nintendo,” Ellis said.

U.S. markets tumbled today after China hit back against Donald Trump’s raft of tariffs. China, which faces a 54% import tax, has retaliated with an additional 34% tax on U.S. goods from next week.

Moments before the U.S. markets opened, Trump said “China played it wrong, they panicked,” and insisted his policies would “never change.”

The world is now left facing economic uncertainty, with some mainstream news media declaring the era of cheap goods now over for the American consumer. Some economists are predicting higher tariffs will automatically pass through to inflation and higher prices.

For more, check out everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, and what the experts have to say about the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World’s $80 price tag.

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

FromSoftware has shared some more info about its recently announced Switch 2 exclusive, The Duskbloods. The partnership with Nintendo seemed to affect not just the style of game FromSoft is making, but even the design of the keeper of The Duskbloods’ hub area into something different — something… cute.

The trailer shown during the Switch 2 Direct this week closed on a shot of a winged rat character, with glowing glyphs drawn all over it, looking at the camera. Curious fans might have wondered what this rat’s deal was. As it turns out, this is our new hub companion.

“That character shares a similar role with the fire keepers from the Dark Souls series. They remain in the hub area, providing the player with advice and guidance,” director Hidetaka Miyazaki said in an interview with Nintendo.

“I suppose you could say we tried doing something a little Nintendo-esque in the spirit of the partnership.”

When asked what Miyazaki means by that, he added: “We tried something cute for a change. Although I will say this character is actually an elderly gentleman (laughter).”

FromSoftware’s shrine keepers have been central figures for player’s journeys through their worlds. Familiar faces like Melina, the Maiden in Black, the Doll, and others are characters you return to over and over on your trip, often offering power to help you move forward.

With a PvPvE game like The Duskbloods, though, it remains to be seen what kind of advice and guidance the winged rat will offer. Miyazaki said the team at FromSoft has tried its hands at introducing “a lot of new and interesting ideas,” so expect the unexpected when it hits Nintendo Switch 2 sometime in 2026.

We’ve got plenty more on The Duskbloods, including Bloodborne fan reaction, and Miyazaki’s comments on whether FromSoft plans to leave single-player behind.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for more Switch 2 news, check out our first hands-on with Nintendo’s newest console, its big launch title Mario Kart World, and the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

The expensive price tag on its new games is one of the drawbacks of the Nintendo Switch 2, of which preorders have already been going live early (Amazon included(. Luckily, ShopTo is taking the sting off for UK customers by allowing you to get Donkey Kong Bananza for only £63.50.

While this is still more than the £58.99 RRP for digital copies, it’s the best price possible right now for those who want to actually own their games, and hold them in their hands like a newborn bab. This handy bargain comes as the result of using ShopTo’s “SPRING” coupon code, which allows you and other future Nintendo Switch 2 players to knock 5% off various games, consoles, gift cards, and more across your order on the website.