Nintendo and The Pokémon Company’s patent infringement lawsuit in Japan against Pocketpair’s open-world survival game Palworld is ongoing. In the latest development, Nintendo has reworded one of the patents in the case, but what led up to this bizarre move?
Palworld is an open-world survival game that skyrocketed in popularity upon its Steam and Xbox early access launch back on January 19, 2024. It sold 8 million copies in just six days and racked up over 25 million players in one month.
The game world is inhabited by creatures called Pals, which you can capture and use (read: exploit) to carry out various tasks. The visual appearance of the Pals and the method of capturing them by throwing a ball (Pal Sphere), quickly drew comparisons to Pokémon, with the game even getting nicknamed “Pokémon with guns” for its darker, black humor-infused take on the creature collecting genre. With Palworld’s meteoric rise in popularity, it wasn’t long before Nintendo rival Sony got together with Pocketpair to form Palworld Entertainment in June 2024, a new business venture aimed at expanding the IP.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company showed signs of keeping an eye on Palworld (for example, this official statement from The Pokémon Company back in January 2024). But it wasn’t until September 2024 that they officially announced they were filing a lawsuit in Japan against Pocketpair for infringement of patent rights.
The case involves three patents granted by the Japan Patent Office (JPO): two related to monster capture and release, and one related to riding characters. All three patents were filed in 2024, after Palworld came out. However, they are actually derived from earlier Nintendo patents dating from 2021. In other words, it seems that once Palworld came on the scene, Nintendo filed divisional patents that were geared to fight specifically against Palworld’s alleged infringement of the original patents.
Since then, Pocketpair has made changes to Palworld’s disputed mechanics. The November 2024 patch removed the ability to summon Pals by throwing Pokéball-like Pal Spheres (now Pals just materialize next to you when summoned). In May, another Palworld update changed how you can glide in the game — instead of directly grabbing onto Glider Pals, now you just simply use Pal-buffed Glider equipment.
It’s worth noting that these changes by Pocketpair are not an admission of guilt. Rather, as Japanese patent attorney Kiyoshi Kurihara pointed out on Yahoo Japan news last month, Pocketpair is following the standard three-pronged defense against patent lawsuits, which is to “deny infringement, argue that the patents are invalid, and avoid infringement through design changes.” He also noted that Nintendo does not have the upper hand, as there seems to be a fierce back-and-forth with Nintendo pushing for patent infringement and Pocketpair pushing for patent invalidity.
In short, Nintendo’s ride mechanic patent (which got a sudden rewrite recently) covers a system for mounting and maneuvering pre-selected “boardable characters” (tōjō kyarakuta). Commenting on X, Japanese lawyer Ryo Arashida pointed out that it could be argued that the way Palworld’s Glider Pals worked prior to the May update infringed part of the patent’s specifications, namely those about the player grabbing onto and hanging from the boardable character, and their subsequent control of that movement.
Prior to the May Palworld update, you could use an actual Glider Pal to glide (by grabbing onto its feet). However, post-update, players have to use a piece of equipment — a Glider — to glide, rather than actually using the Pals themselves. Instead, Pals now act as passive buffs on your gliding.
Ironically, as Arashida noted, Nintendo’s major argument to get the patent granted in the first place was that a “boardable character” was specifically a character and not a tool, like a parachute. “For this reason, claiming in the lawsuit that a ‘Glider’ (which is a tool) is a ‘boardable character’ would create a contradiction.”
This month, Nintendo reworded the ride-switching mechanic patent. Rewording a patent mid-case is legal as long as it doesn’t introduce any new concepts or technical matter. However, as pointed out by IP consultant Florian Mueller at GamesFray, this only tends to happen if the litigant (in this case, Nintendo) feels the patent is “at a fairly high risk of being deemed invalid in its original form.” Nintendo’s rewriting of the patent makes it more verbose. Mueller focused on the addition of “even when” (-attemo in Japanese) to the wording, noting that “even” is rarely used in patents because it’s “too emphatic and subjective.”
Although it’s not clear exactly what Nintendo’s motivations are behind this sudden rewording, it’s possible that it is using this as a last-ditch tactic to make it harder for the patent claim to be dismissed as invalid.
The case continues. Meanwhile, Pocketpair continues to update Palworld with new features, such as the recently released Terraria crossover.
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion, the promising looking beat ‘em-up from the developer of the well-received Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, announced two new playable characters as well as some big names for its voice cast during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2025.
First up, we have The Silver Surfer, which is an appropriately timed character announcement given the release of MCU movie The Fantastic Four: First Steps. “Imbued with the Power Cosmic, the Surfer can stun any adversary,” publisher Dotemu and developer Tribute Games said. “Easily gliding in the skies or close to the ground, insectoid invaders can’t escape Galactus’ former herald.”
The second reveal is perhaps more of a surprise as a playable character: Beta Ray Bill. “A fan-favorite recognized by the mighty Thor as a proven ally, and wielder of his own devastating hammer known as Stormbreaker,” Dotemu said. “Half-cyborg, half Korbinite, Bill’s strength can squash any bug battalion standing in his way.”
The Silver Surfer and Beta Ray Bill join Captain America, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Storm, Phyla-Vell, Venom, Nova, She-Hulk, and Rocket Raccoon on the playable roster of characters. The game launches with 15 playable characters, which means four are still to be announced.
As for the voice cast, Matt Mercer from Critical Role is set to play Nova and Annihilus.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion voice cast (so far):
Brian Bloom (Captain America, Silver Surfer)
Steve Blum (Venom, Beta Ray Bill)
Trevor Devall (Rocket Raccoon)
Cal Dodd (Wolverine)
Josh Keaton (Spider-Man)
Matt Mercer (Nova, Annihilus)
Aileen Mythen (Phyla-Vell)
Elysia Rotaru (She-Hulk)
Alison Sealy-Smith (Storm)
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is due out later this year on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5 and Xbox. Here’s the official blurb:
In Marvel Cosmic Invasion, the immortal Super Villain Annihilus has launched an unprecedented attack across the galaxy, threatening all life as we know it. Super Heroes both Earth-born and cosmic must now join forces in a star-spanning adventure against the deadly Annihilation Wave. Brawl through the streets of New York City all the way to the depths of the Negative Zone to foil Annihilus’ vow to spread death across the cosmos in classically inspired side-scrolling combat.
Choose and control your own team of two characters while tagging between them mid-fight with the innovative Cosmic Swap system, capitalizing on distinct superpowers and special attacks to create unique team-ups and dish out devastating damage. Unlock stellar powerups and rewards while experimenting with different duos and bash through a fantastic collection of locales and nemeses from the Marvel universe. Marvel Cosmic Invasion’s action includes a range of accessibility features, empowering the whole family to be Super Heroes (or villains), and supports four-player drop-in/drop-out local and online co-op with crossplay.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
The cast of The Fantastic Four: First Steps recently gathered to try out Marvel Rivals for the first time, and the actors’ reaction to Invisible Woman’s skimpy Malice skin has the internet in tears.
Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm), and Joseph Quinn (Human Torch) recently gathered to play NetEase Games’ popular hero shooter with YouTuber Loserfruit. The resulting video is quite funny, showing the new Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) family as they fumble through a few matches as their in-game counterparts.
Meet the family! ✨Marvel Studios The Fantastic Four: First Steps cast’s genuine reactions as they try out Marvel Rivals! 😄 pic.twitter.com/sq8lwMh7pp
It’s goofy and occasionally hard to watch as Pascal flails his stretchy arms at enemies, but the highlight is no doubt the Fantastic Four cast’s reaction to Invisible Woman’s infamous Marvel Rivals Malice skin. Fans of the game had already taken the time to see everything the shockingly revealing outfit had to offer when it made its debut with Season 1 in January. On the eve of the new Fantastic Four movie’s premiere, though, the cast is only just seeing it for the first time.
Kirby is the first to joke about the skin: “Thank you. This is my favorite bit of her as well,” she says of the video game version of her Fantastic Four character. “This is my favorite bit. Guys, watch out, like I said, for the sequel. You better watch it.”
The Fantastic Four: First Steps, of course, has yet to receive the green light for a proper MCU sequel, though we do know at least some of its major characters will make an appearance in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Invisible Woman’s evil black-and-red Malice skin probably won’t make it into the MCU, but the slack-jawed Pascal still shared some of his thoughts.
“Here we go,” Pascal said. “Costume designer, take notes.”
Loserfruit’s video also includes the Fantastic Four cast’s reaction to other Marvel Rivals cosmetics, including Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman’s The Life Fantastic wedding skins. Of course, it’s how all four actors reacted to the Malice skin that has started to achieve viral status. You can see the group’s reaction at 4:40 in Loserfruit’s video and then see how it’s spread to the internet below.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps officially lands in theaters tomorrow, July 25, and will introduce the first new live-action take on Marvel’s First Family in a decade. Meanwhile, a crossover featuring movie tie-in skins will arrive in Marvel Rivals starting tomorrow.
Screenshot via I Play Marvel Rivals with the Fantastic Four Cast by Loserfruit.
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).
In a surprising turn of events, Indiegogo, one of the largest global crowdfunding platforms second only to Kickstarter, has been acquired by board game crowdfunding site Gamefound.
In a joint announcement, Gamefound revealed it will be integrating its technology to enhance the Indiegogo platform, offering creators and backers more powerful tools than ever before. These include over 20 payment options, a full-featured mobile app, built-in marketing tools, and more robust pledge management. Indiegogo will also adopt Gamefound’s flat 5% fee structure, putting more money in creators’ pockets.
“It’s time for crowdfunding to be a forward-facing industry again,” said Julie dePontbriand, CEO of Indiegogo in the official release. “Gamefound’s technology is unrivaled, and we’re thrilled to bring it to Indiegogo’s diverse community. Together, we’re making crowdfunding more innovative, creator-friendly, and exciting than ever before.”
The two sites will continue operating independently for now, with Gamefound remaining focused on tabletop games and Indiegogo continuing to promote tech, film, and other creative projects. In the near future, Gamefound campaigns will also be discoverable through Indiegogo, opening the door to a much broader audience.
Indiegogo is one of the original crowdfunding pioneers, having launched over 17 years ago. In that time, it has amassed 38 million members and raised more than $3 billion for projects across the globe. By combining Indiegogo’s global reach with Gamefound’s cutting-edge infrastructure, the partnership might finally give Kickstarter a run for its money.
What does this mean for the board game industry?
Overall, this acquisition is a massive win for the board game industry. Gamefound will soon be cross-promoting its tabletop campaigns through Indiegogo, allowing creators to get in front of millions of new customers.
With fewer fees and more native tools to help promote projects, creators may finally start shifting away from Kickstarter for new campaigns. Since Gamefound doesn’t have a paid promotion feature like Kickstarter Boost, it levels the playing field for smaller creators, too.
Matthew Adler has written for IGN since 2019 covering all things gaming, tech, tabletop games, and more. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.
Invincible VS will feature Battle Beast as a playable character.
Confirmation comes direct from Invincible creator Robert Kirkman’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, where a new trailer, below, showing Battle Beast in action was revealed.
Invincible VS is the upcoming 3v3 tag fighting game set in the Invincible universe. It’s developed by Skybound Entertainment’s first in-house game studio, Quarter Up. Already confirmed Invincible VS characters include Mark Grayson (Invincible), Atom Eve, Thula, Bulletproof, and Rex Splode. Check out IGN’s Invincible VS preview from June for more.
Here’s the official blurb on Battle Beast:
Battle Beast enters the arena with all the rage, strength and brutality fans know and love. His insatiable bloodlust has led him across the arena, using massive attack range and Super Armor to overpower opponents. Though slower in speed, his sheer power makes him a dominant “anchor” fighter capable of turning the tide of battle.
Warning! Spoilers for Invincible Season 3 follow:
In the Season 3 of Invincible, Battle Beast survives a brutal battle against a Viltrumite in space after a prison break. In the season finale he is found frozen and adrift by a ship from the Coalition of Planets and revived, setting the stage for his potential involvement in the Viltrumite War. He wants “more!”
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
As someone who has loved dragons for longer than I can remember, including rocking dragon button-up shirts in high school as my “style” and theming my son’s bedroom around the scaled creatures, I was happy as a wyrm and his hoard when Wizards revealed they were releasing Dragon Delves: Adventure Anthology for Dungeons & Dragons. This collection puts front and center one of the namesakes of the TTRPG, featuring 10 adventures, while also highlighting the legacy of the creatures in this long-running franchise. After peeling back the pages and seeing what it has to offer, I find this book to be a fine addition to my shelf, but I wish it went further to really give these mythical creatures the celebration they deserve.
Dragon Delves is a collection of 10 short adventures, each one focused around chromatic (Green, Red, Blue, White, Black) or Metallic (Gold, Silver, Brass, Bronze, Copper) dragons that can be dropped into your existing campaigns or played back-to-back in a campaign that takes players from novice level 1 heroes up to level 12. It would have been nice if the designers offered some manner or tips, or recommendations for GMs to adjust the included quests for higher levels, but worst case, you could always just choose higher level enemies of a similar style, young dragons instead of wyrmlings, for example, to raise the challenge. There is a good variety of quests in this anthology, from solving mysteries behind corruption, sentient bags of holding, or uncovering forgotten verses of a song, but all of them will, at some point, have you and your party cross paths with a dragon.
All but one really hit for me. The one that didn’t is the Gold Dragon’s adventure, “Baker’s Doesn’t,” which involves a golden dragon named Briochebane that bakes bread, and has the party dealing with animated candy creations and visiting places like Candied Apple Orchards and Taffy Factories. Outlandish and silly in TTRPGs isn’t an automatic turn-off for me. Hell, in my own homebrew campaign, the party encountered an island of sentient vegetables and took a cauliflower puppy back with them. But in the scheme of Dragon Delves, this quest just doesn’t feel like it belongs among quests like “Death at Sunset” or “Shivering Death”. That said, its whimsical nature could be perfect for a little jaunt in the Feywild or to add a bit of levity to your campaign after an emotionally-packed couple of sessions.
This book’s real strength is how easy it makes it to drop the adventures into a campaign. Each of the 10 stories has been designed to last only one or two sessions, with the first page of each one providing simple and clear directions on where these can be dropped in, the level of characters it is for, the general plot points, how to prepare, and what state blocks you will need.
This book’s real strength is how easy it makes it to drop the adventures into a campaign.
For example, the Silver Dragon’s “The Will of Orcus” adventure states, “It can take place anywhere there are mountains and settlements,” and is for level 4 characters. All of those important bits of information you need can be gleaned from just a quick glance. As a GM, the faster I can get the info, the better, and I think the layout and design are wonderfully done here in Dragon Delves (and honestly, all of the updated 2025 5th edition books).
One thing of note, while this anthology contains the details of the adventures, it does not have any stat blocks for the creatures, so whoever is running these will also need the Monster Manual (see it at Amazon) – either 5th Edition book will suffice. The fact that this book doesn’t contain any unique stat blocks is a bit of a bummer. I would have loved to have blocks for each of the 10 dragons that are the focus of each one, which would give them something slightly unique or tweaked from their stock counterparts in the Monster Manual. Also, where are my updated gem dragons at, Wizards?!
In addition to the quests, this book also showcases how the visuals and designs of each dragon have evolved over the course of Dungeons & Dragons’ nearly five-decade-long lifespan. I appreciate the two-page spread of artwork, but when I heard that this book would also showcase the history of the dragon types, I expected more. I would have loved to see blurbs from Wizards’ designers on how, if any, the approach and gameplay design of the various types have shifted or changed over the years. How has Wizards approached its stat blocks, or despite “dragons” being in the franchise’s name, why is the team as reserved in showcasing or highlighting them? Much of this art I could obtain simply by searching Google; give me the information or material that has been hoarded away in the Wizards’ vaults.
Whether they are spewing acid, lightning, or breathing the more traditional fire, dragons have been, and always will be, really, really cool. There is a reason that these scaled creatures have become so closely ingrained and intertwined with the fantasy genre. Dragon Delves: Adventure Anthology gives players some relatively quick outings to enjoy and drop into their story whenever parties have a hankering for some dragon goodness. That said, this book never reached the heights of excitement I had imagined when I first heard about it. The fact that it relies solely on the basic stat blocks from the Monster Manual and there aren’t any fun adventures for higher-level parties is a bit disappointing. The fact that Tiamat, arguably the most recognizable dragon in Dungeons & Dragons, is absent is also a strange omission.
Dragon Devles comes off more as a great introductory package for dragons, and for newer or younger players just learning how to play D&D, it’s a fun collection of quick stories. But for more experienced players, or those hoping for setups for big confrontations with some ancient dragons, you may want to look elsewhere. Personally, I was hoping for and expecting more, but hopefully this anthology just marks the beginning of more dragon-centric books and campaigns to come.
Scott White is a freelance contributor to IGN, assisting with tabletop games and guide coverage. Follow him on X/Twitter or Bluesky.
The official Battlefield 6 official reveal trailer has debuted in a cacophony of explosions, but wrapped up without providing the game’s release date. Instead, today’s look simply ended with word of a further reveal next week — this time of the game’s multiplayer modes — on July 31.
Still, for Battlefield fans, today’s big reveal provided some welcome reassurance that series staples such as large-scale destruction and vehicle-based combat featuring planes, trucks and tanks would once again return. We also got to see at least three helicopters crash in under three minutes.
Instead, today’s trailer was focused on Battlefield 6’s campaign. Picking up on yesterday’s tease of a new global mercenary group, Pax Armata, which has threatened the world and targeted NATO, this fresh trailer saw the US fighting back amid attacks on its own soil.
“For the Pax Armata mercenaries who are watching now, I have a message,” the US president states, after nervously stepping up to the White House podium. “It’s over.”
After a lengthy development and an array of development studios working on the project, it was intriguing to see Battlefield 6’s first proper trailer begin with a nervous-sounding US leader behind the microphone. For him, as with EA itself, this is something of a big moment.
Quick shots of warfare across an array of countries follow, including explosions around New York’s Brooklyn Bridge, dozens of soldiers leaving a mountainous airbase, fighter jets flying over snow-capped peaks, and tanks rolling out across a desert.
Fans of Battlefield’s big destructive setpieces get to see a huge dam being exploded, Brooklyn Bridge being exploded, and a skyscraper being exploded.
There’s also a few quick shots of a character that looks to be played by Daredevil and Doctor Who actor Tony Curran. He looks grizzled, angry, and holds a knife. I think he’s a bad guy?
In recent months, footage of Battlefield 6 from various closed playtests has started leaking online, showing the game’s modern setting, various firefights, destructible environments, quality of life improvements, and the start of a battle royale match. Presumably we’ll get to see more of all this next week — and maybe even official confirmation of that release date.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
The Nintendo Switch 2 and Pokémon Legends Z-A bundle is still live at Best Buy for $499.99, and it’s a smart pickup if you’re planning to get both anyway. You save $20 off the digital copy of the game, and with Switch 2 stock being all over the place, locking one in now isn’t a bad move.
On the Pokemon TCG side, both the Black Bolt and White Flare Elite Trainer Boxes have dipped below Amazon pricing on TCGPlayer, now sitting at $91.50 and $90.98, respectively. That’s some of the best pricing we’ve seen outside of limited restocks, and probably your best shot at avoiding inflated third-party listings (although it’s still way over MSRP).
TL;DR: Deals For Today
Elsewhere in today’s deals, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is $799.99 at Best Buy, which is $500 off its usual price and a great buy for an unlocked flagship. ROG Ally is also down to $499.99 with the Z1 Extreme chip and 512GB storage, which makes it one of the better portable gaming options if you want full Windows access. Soundcore P20i earbuds are just $19.98, the Anker 332 Power Strip is $15.99, and the upgraded 100W Anker Nano Charging Station is $35.99. All three are practical, everyday gear at their lowest prices in weeks.
Switch 2 + Pokémon Legends: Z-A Bundle
Launching the same time as Pokémon Legends: Z-A, this bundle knocks a cool $20 off the digital price tag of the game (digital code included). We’re not at the custom limited edition console point of the Switch 2’s life cycle yet, but this is a smart way to secure the system and save some money whilst doing it. Just preorder quickly – I’m amazed Best Buy still has it live.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Switch 2)
This $69.99 version of Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the Switch 1 game with the Switch 2 upgrade included. From what we’ve seen so far, we’re talking 4K resolutions running at a buttery smooth 60 frames per second. Real-time battles, a fully explorable Lumiose City, and nighttime Z-A Royale events all benefit from the sharper visuals and faster load times. If you’re already going in on a Switch 2, this is the version to get. It looks like the most technically ambitious Pokémon game yet, and Switch 2 seems to be the only way to experience it at its best.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Switch 1)
If you’re not ready to upgrade to a Nintendo Switch 2 yet, the Switch 1 version still has an upgrade path so you have options down the line. Legends Z-A switches things up with real-time battles, an urban setting in Lumiose City, and the full return of Mega Evolutions, including 27 new forms like Mega Dragonite. The starter picks are a nice throwback, but what really caught my attention is the Z-A Royale system and Alpha Pokémon lurking across the city at night. Add in deep trainer customization and the Switch 2 upgrade option, and it’s clear the developers are trying to evolve more than just the Pokémon this time. If it plays as good as it sounds, this could be the next real shift for the series.
Black Bolt Elite Trainer Box
The fluxuations on this Elite Trainer Box has been crazy this week, but TCG Player finally has listings cheaper than Amazon starting at $91.50, around $20 cheaper than the big box giant. This is likely the cheapest you’ll find it outside of a flash sale and pot luck restocks.
Pokemon TCG White Flare Elite Trainer Box
It’s the same situation with the White Flare Elite Trainer Box, slightly cheaper than Black Bolt and around $13 worth of savings based on Amazon pricing. Again, it’s a good time to buy.
The Most Expensive Black Bolt White Flare Cards
We’re seeing some of the highest valued cards in the Scarlet and Violet era in Black Bolt White Flare. The major chase cards here are the Victini, Reshiram and Zekrom ex color rares, and there’s two variants for Victini ex. Madness.
Destined Rivals Elite Trainer Box
Down to $90.98, marking nearly $25 off its market value, this is almost the best price we’ve seen for the Destined Rivals Elite Trainer Box (it pretty much is right now in all honesty). It’s above MSRP, but good luck finding a better price during Pokémania 2025.
Prismatic Evolutions Booster Bundle
Amazon is currently $10 cheaper than TCG Player with Prismatic Evolutions Booster Bundles, but it’s still way over MSRP. Like all other sealed TCG products at the moment though, they’re hard to find for shelf price.
Not only is Amazon over a dollar cheaper, you’re saving on postage too compared to TCG Player. To break this down, you’re getting four Journey Together boosters, a 30-card deck and one of four stamped promos.
Pokémon TCG Stock Update
Amazon is finally getting into the groove with Pokémon TCG Elite Trainer Box stock and pricing, and some are the closest to MSRP the big box retailer has been for weeks. Not only is the Black Bolt ETB vastly undercutting the secondary market, Paradox Rift ETB is even cheaper (and an overlooked set in my opinion, stock up now).
There’s other great deals on ex boxes too, which are also near MSRP and around the same or just under listings on TCG Player. The sealed market is becoming more competitive, so it’s more important than ever to give eBay a quick check before hitting buy.
Nintendo Switch 2 Stock Updates
In a shocking move, Target is selling both Nintendo Switch 2 SKUs without preorders, waiting lists or raffles, so snap them up quickly. As predicted, Nintendo Switch 2’s launch window is seeing stock shortages in the US. If you didn’t preorder at launch, you’ve probably been waiting for stock drops since launch.
Amazon currently has its invitation system in place for both the standard console SKU and the Mario Kart world bundle, so it’s always worth getting on the waiting list whilst you wait. If successful, your purchase link will be live for 72 hours.
Samsung – Galaxy S24 Ultra 256GB
I don’t upgrade phones often, so seeing the S24 Ultra drop to $799.99 from $1,299.99 caught my eye. You’re getting a 200 megapixel camera, a sharp 6.8 inch OLED display, and enough power to handle anything. It works with nearly every carrier and still includes a built-in stylus, which is rare and actually useful.
ROG Ally AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme 512GB
At $499.99, this is the lowest I’ve seen the ROG Ally go with the Z1 Extreme chip and 512GB of storage. It runs Windows, so I can launch anything I already own on Steam or Game Pass without workarounds. The 120Hz screen is sharp and responsive, and I like that I can dock it or plug in a mouse and keyboard without needing extra gear.
Soundcore Wireless Earbuds
At $19.98, these are about as cheap as I’ve seen for wireless earbuds that aren’t complete junk. You get 10 hours on single a charge, decent sound with actual bass, and the app gives you EQ control if you want to tweak things. Call quality is fine with two mics, and they’re small enough to carry around without thinking about it. For under twenty bucks, they do what they’re supposed to without falling apart.
Anker 332 USB C Power Strip Surge Protector
For $15.99, this is cheaper than most basic surge protectors and does way more. You get six outlets, USB-C charging with 20W power delivery, and a compact design that actually fits in tighter spots. It’s not going to blow you away, but it’s soound for a desk or nightstand setup, and the surge protection is better than the usual bargain bin stuff. At this price, I’d grab one just to stop moving my charger between rooms.
Anker Nano Charging Station
At $35.99, this is one of the few charging stations that can handle a laptop and still have room for everything else. Two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and three AC outlets is more than enough for a desk setup, and the 100W output means it actually charges a MacBook Pro properly. It keeps cables out of the way and cuts down on the need for multiple bricks. It’s compact, works well, and replaces at least two chargers and a power strip in one go.
Portable Neck Fan With LED Display
At $17.99, this neck fan is cheaper than a cumbersome handheld fan and way more useful. It’s lightweight, quiet, and actually hands-free, which makes it easy to wear while working, traveling, or just trying to survive another summer heatwave. The LED display is a nice bonus since you don’t have to guess how much battery life is left, and the bladeless design means no hair tangles. Five speed settings and up to 15 hours of runtime for under twenty bucks? That’s a win.
Fourth Wing (Wing and Claw Collection) (The Empyrean, 1)
If you’re collecting The Empyrean series, this new edition of Fourth Wing is worth a look. It’s down to $23.09 right now, and the updated hardcover comes with stenciled edges to match Iron Flame and Onyx Storm, which should appeal to anyone trying to keep their shelf setup clean and consistent. This is a limited first print run for the U.S. and Canada, so it’s a good chance to own a unique version of your future favorite book series for a steal.
Iron Flame (Standard Edition) (The Empyrean, 2)
If you’re already deep into Fourth Wing, grabbing Iron Flame for $13.92 is a no-brainer, especially with the list price pushing $30. The narration from Rebecca Soler adds a solid layer to the story, and this sequel dives straight into the brutality and politics of Basgiath without slowing down. Things are darker, the stakes are higher, and Violet’s got even more to lose. It’s long, intense, and exactly what fans of the first book are probably hoping for.
Anker Laptop Power Bank, 25,000mAh
The 25,000mAh capacity on this bad boy is enough to charge a laptop and a few other devices on the go, with the triple 100W USB-C ports make it way more versatile than your average power bank. The built-in cables are a smart touch, especially for travel or work setups where digging for the right cord gets old fast.
The Dark Knight Trilogy – Amazon Exclusive
At $129.99, this trilogy set is definitely on the premium end, but it’s one of the few collections that actually justifies the price. You’re getting all three Dark Knight films in 4K with HDR, plus Blu-rays and digital copies, all packed in exclusive Steelbook cases that are made for collectors. Nolan’s trilogy still holds up as some of the best superhero filmmaking, and if you’re going to own it this is the version to get.
Funko Pop! Plus: The Lord of The Rings – Frodo Baggins
At $14.99, this Frodo Pop is a nice pickup if you’re into Lord of the Rings or building out a Funko display. It’s the glow-in-the-dark version, and Funkos usually hold up well over time on a shelf or desk (especially boxed). For the price, it’s a low-effort way to round out a collection or grab a gift that doesn’t feel like a cop out.
BOOKOO Jump Starter 2000A
For under $35, this jump starter is a solid backup to keep in the car, especially with how often batteries can die without warning. It’s rated for larger engines, works in extreme temperatures, and includes extras like USB ports, a flashlight, and a hard case for storage. Most jump starters at this price don’t offer that kind of flexibility or power.
TAMASHII NATIONS – X-Men – Cyclops (GAMERVERSE)
Cyclops GAMERVERSE S.H.Figuarts figure from Tamashii Nations is now up for preorder at Amazon for $100, and it’s packed with the kind of articulation and premium detail the line is known for. You’ll get three interchangeable optic blast effects, from a subtle glow to full-blown superblast, plus multiple visors, facial expressions, and hand options to fully recreate your favorite poses. It even includes a special mount for background displays.
Small Soldiers 4K UHD Steelbook + Digital
Joe Dante’s Small Soldiers is back with a bang in this new 4K UHD Steelbook edition, now just $25.99 (down from $30.99) on Amazon. Combining the mischief of Gremlins with the firepower of G.I. Joe, this cult classic delivers practical effects chaos and ‘90s nostalgia in equal measure. Featuring Gregory Smith, Kirsten Dunst, and the late Phil Hartman in his final film role, the Steelbook includes a crisp remaster and digital copy.
Firefly fans, this is the definitive edition you’ve been waiting for. The 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook of Serenity is now available for $29.96 (down from $34.99) and includes 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and digital formats and a massive lineup of bonus content. Directed by Joss Whedon and starring Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, and Summer Glau.
Compressed Air Duster: 100000RPM
RELIDOL Compressed Air Duster is a powerful, eco-friendly cleaning tool that’s up to 44% off today at just $27.99 (regularly $49.99). With a blazing-fast 100,000RPM motor and three adjustable airflow modes, it clears dust, crumbs, and debris from keyboards, PC towers, car interiors, and more in seconds. The built-in LED light helps you spot hidden grime, while the rechargeable 7500mAh battery offers up to 40 minutes of cordless runtime.
The Legend of Zelda Hardcover Book Sale
Nearly every The Legend of Zelda hardcover book you need for your collection is available in this sale with some cracking discounts. It includes my favorite one, Hyrule Historia, that fills in more than a few gaps in the LoZ lore, although the timeline has already been slightly retconned. It also includes full and expanded official guides for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
KRK Kreate Powered Studio Monitors
I can personally guarantee a set of powered studio monitors will sound better than almost any sound system with or without a subwoofer. The new line of KRK Kreate studio monitors aren’t just for recording music (Although they’d do an amazing job), they’re a versatile sound option for content creation, editing, gaming, watching TV and movies and more. Buyers can even teather to them via Bluetooth for no fuss connections.
I’ve been using the 8-inch speaker models for a couple of weeks now, and they destroy my soundbar and subwoofer combo that costs nearly double the price. There’s precision adjustments knobs on the back, which I keep mostly in neutral with volume up by half for a crisp flat sound with the right amount of bass. Although that can be cranked up when needed.
I use an audio splitter so my Krate 8s can handle my Nano QuadCortex guitar amp moddler, my TV audio and gaming PC audio for the best experience. For me, going from a 3-inch to 8-inch speaker option is night and day. The clarity difference and range is top-tier, not to mention the jack, XLR and aux outputs available on each monitor that fits in perfectly in everyone’s setup. You’re getting top-of-the-range brand quality without the “gaming” brand tax, it’s a win-win.
Apple AirPods Pro 2
AirPods Pro 2 are one of those earbuds I appreciate for their mix of sound quality and thoughtful features. At $199, they offer a strong balance of value and performance. The active noise cancellation blocks out a lot of background noise while adaptive audio automatically adjusts based on your surroundings. You get four sizes of silicone tips for a customizable fit, and once those are set they stay comfortable even through longer listening sessions. The personalized spatial audio and hearing aid features add extra depth, giving them more flexibility than just a standard pair of wireless earbuds.
INIU Portable Charger 10000mAh 45W
Ideal for carrying around when you’ve forgotten to put your phone on charge overnight, 45W is more than enough power to charge anything on the go, from phones to the Nintendo Switch 2. Who can argue for $12?
Donkey Kong Bananza
If you own a Switch 2 and not Donkey Kong Bananza, there’s something a-miss. We’ve given it a rare 10/10, and it’s officially Nintendo’s latest handheld’s first killer app and system seller. It’s from the same team behind Super Mario Odyssey and takes full advantage of the power packed into Nintendo Switch 2. Get it, play it, then thank me later.
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.
WWE 2K25 only released on Nintendo Switch 2 yesterday, July 23, but fans have already noticed that community creations — and the image uploader to import them — are missing from its Switch 2 version.
“If you are playing on the Switch 2 you won’t be able to upload or view custom images from other platforms,” 2K explains in the game’s FAQ. Later on, addressing a different question, the publisher added: “Nintendo Switch 2 players will not see Image Uploader-based Community Creations from any platform or be able to upload their own.”
This means the community’s popular user-created content, like custom arenas and CAWs (Create-A-Wrestler), will not be available on Switch 2, but are still accessible on PC, PS5, Xbox Series, and even last-gen systems PS4 and Xbox One.
“Ended up going to Nintendo support to get a refund,” said one player. “Have the game on PS5, only double dipped for a portable universe mode with custom creations.” The same player later confirmed Nintendo did issue a refund, adding: “didn’t take too long.”
“Wait.. so custom images are forbidden by Nintendo?” asked another astonished player. “I really wish Nintendo would tell us their target audience. Why does Nintendo have to be like YouTube? You have parental controls for a reason, stop hindering grown adults’ fun by protecting kids. Yall ain’t their parents. The parents are.”
“A couple of microtransaction-fueled missteps aside,” we thought WWE 2K25 was ‘Great’, awarding it 8/10. In IGN’s WWE 2K25 review, we said the game “looks fantastic, still feels good to play, and is full of welcome updates both big and small.”
I keep coming back to the same question with Killing Floor 3: where’s the rest of it? I comfortably spent the last week teaming up against waves of mutant clone zombies, and mindlessly hacking and slashing through these Zeds was a lot of fun. But more than once, my teammates and I – many of whom enjoyed Killing Floor 2, myself included – found ourselves asking one another, “Is this the final release, or is it just Early Access?” Whether you like to play online or if you just prefer to go it alone, Killing Floor 3’s singular Survival mode is generally a good time, but it’s also a much simpler, more tightly-woven shoot-em-up compared to its predecessors. The weapons and classes it does include are at least a blast to use, and its enemies are perfectly balanced; they’re dangerous when you let them swarm you, but boy do they die good. But all this fast-paced action loses its luster once you’ve seen everything it has to offer, which doesn’t take long.
Killing Floor 3’s moment-to-moment action follows the same formula as the first two games, just streamlined for a snappier, more live service-oriented delivery. That includes quicker movement that feels great immediately, letting you dash from side-to-side, mantle up surfaces, and powerslide from sprint to crouch. You’ll still be slashing and blasting your way through waves of enemies, setting up defenses and earning currency to spend on upgraded weapons, armor, ammo, grenades, self-heal refills, and so on between each assault. There’s no linear campaign to break up that chaos, and a relatively limited selection of options at launch: just six playable classes called Perks, 30 weapons (plus the knife), 13 enemy varieties, eight maps, and three total bosses. That does make this a good entry point for anyone just trying to get into the series compared to the infamously bloated Killing Floor 2, but a tougher sell to series veterans who have come to expect a higher level of complexity and tactical depth.
Thankfully, its lone Survival mode stays fun thanks to the off-the-wall combat system. The mode itself is pretty self-explanatory: the only goal is to survive five increasingly deadly waves of Zed and then fight one of the bosses at the end, like the Zerg-like Queen Crawler or the rhinoceros-horned Impaler. According to one of my teammates, who managed to get into a full group with over five players (we only managed to play together in smaller groups of three due to time constraints), these bosses will spawn in clusters as the team fills up – this is meant to keep everything balanced, in theory. You can get pretty creative with how you take them out as Killing Floor 3 hands you an arsenal full of deadly armaments, even down to the basic starting weapons for each class. That could be the Engineer’s versatile Krait submachine gun, the Ninja’s Kiba and Shuriken combo, or even just the knife that every class gets, which is delightfully overpowered.
There are always a few other tactical considerations at play too, adding layers of variety to the carnage. For example, timing your special ability – like the Ninja’s shocking Hebi-Ken, or the Medic’s area-denying and team-healing Sanctum – so that you use it on more powerful opponents like the Scrake or the Siren, or landing enough headshots at the right moment to activate Zed Time, aka sparkling slow-mo, to make wave after wave of these satisfying-to-kill enemies pass by pretty quickly. Class interplay in multiplayer, while still pretty simplistic on paper, can also get interesting when it works well. For instance, the Sharpshooter can turn a group of foes into ice sculptures with her Cryo Grenade, so the Ninja can quickly get in and shatter them with his sword.
The eight maps are decently unique in layout and aesthetic design.
Killing Floor 3’s 13 monster types are way more believable-looking and just plain fun to fight, leaving behind puddles of gore and lasting destruction to the environment, and also responding to your attacks in ways that look and feel more realistic thanks to the new and improved physics system. They die quickly enough to make you feel powerful, but the real challenge is in making sure you manage your resources – ammo, health, grenades, trade tools, and your class’s special ability – while providing enough of a fight to keep them from overwhelming you in numbers. Acid-spewing Bloats and sonic boom-launching Sirens show up way more often in Killing Floor 3 than I recall them showing up in Killing Floor 2, as do most of the other sub-boss type enemies – including the series-classic Scrakes, which now don cybernetic augmentations, heavy armor, and a fearsome combination of chainsaws and grappling hooks. Just be prepared for a lot of realistic-looking blood effects. More Zed blood flows across your screen in any given frame than water in a typical Final Fantasy X cutscene.
The eight maps you’ll fight them on are also decently unique in layout and aesthetic design, but there’s nothing particularly different about each to set them apart. The main differences are in tactical advantages, like Convoy’s generous placement of turrets or the height brought by R&D Lab’s different floors, where you can use zip lines to quickly get away from enemies in the main atrium but mantling over the guardrails will drop you to your death. Radar Station is my personal favorite, since I like its spooky central Washington backdrop, complete with mist-cloaked forests under a full moon.
Aside from Normal difficulty, there are two harder difficulty variants to further test your reflexes across each map, as well as your tactical understanding of class, weapon, and monster mechanics. Plus, there’s a pretty cool Weekly Mutation option in the world map menu that throws you into a match with randomized modifiers that work in favor of the Zed swarm. My party and I haven’t managed to beat one of these tougher matches yet, so it’s safe to say they provide a good challenge. I don’t doubt that putting more time into Killing Floor 3, leveling up my characters a bit more, and getting even better with the mechanics will feel rewarding when I’m finally able to beat a boss on the Hell On Earth difficulty.
The six classes are distinct enough that playing each one feels like a meaningfully different experience. You’ve got the versatile small arms-wielding Commando, pyrotechnics-obsessed Firebug, crowd-controlling Sharpshooter, close-quarters combat-focused Ninja, utility and heavy-weapons-savvy Engineer, and a Medic who wields SMGs that shoot healing darts. These classes are pretty standard fare on the surface, and it’s nice that you can mix and match weapons between them, but they all feel unique thanks to meaningful skill progression, as well as their special abilities and unique grenades. Each one also starts with a different trade tools; for instance, the Engineer has the Multi-Tool, which can conveniently activate points of interest around the map, like automated turret installations, armor lockers, and zip line routes. Meanwhile, the Medic starts with a Syringe Bag, which allows players to load up on an extra self-heal syringe mid-battle instead of waiting to buy them at the end of a wave.
Class customization feels deeper, but it comes at the expense of weapon progression.
Developer Tripwire Interactive took the between-match skill-based progression from previous entries and made it way more accessible by having it come into play earlier on – it now starts when you hit level two with a class instead of level five, a la Killing Floor 2, and then rapidly increases in complexity by unlocking new options every two levels instead of every five, up to what appears to be a level cap of 30. Since leveling up is so quick between sessions, it can feel overwhelming (in a good way) to head back to the hub area after a long series of back-to-back attempts to select a ton of new skills for a given character class.
But that’s all fine, because skills provide modest bumps in tactical performance in various areas, each one pushing your character in the direction of a specific playstyle but never doing so much as to completely redefine a class’s appearance or role. For example, the Ninja is a clear predecessor to Killing Floor 2’s Berserker, wielding melee weapons like the Kiba, Shurikens, and the dual-Katanas while exploiting enemy movements with shock traps. I’ve decked out my Ninja to heal himself by landing parries while increasing the damage of his heavy attacks, which incentivises me to stick to his starting Kiba longer, rather than invest in his Bow or Tanto weapons at the Trader between waves.
My Sharpshooter is the exact opposite, with skill progression that positions her as a stationary combatant by, for instance, giving her boosts to damage while crouching in place or freezing foes with her Cryo Grenade. This makes her tactically advantageous no matter which weapon she’s using, just as long as I keep her far away from the action. This is a great amount of meaningful choice, letting me decide how I want to engage with the carnage ahead of time, without getting lost in the skill menu. My only issue here is a weird bug that caused my UI to completely lock up whenever I hovered above a skill choice for too long, forcing me to completely reboot my game.
Class customization feels deeper than before, but it comes at the expense of Killing Floor 3’s weapon progression system. My main gripe is that the tier system feels completely backwards. First off, there is both persistent progression and mid-match progression to consider. Persistent progression takes place in the hub area, where you use the Armory system to set up custom loadouts for each main weapon and sidearm for each class, which exist in addition to fully decked-out default weapon loadouts that are immediately accessible mid-match – assuming you earn enough currency in a given match to afford those upgrades.
Those predetermined weapons scale from grey to purple, but the tier system only seems to make sense when you consider default loadouts. The basic weapons you start with can be permanently upgraded in the Armory to extremely powerful levels, and it only takes a match or two to earn enough crafting resources to do so. The higher-tier weapons do offer a boost against the default loadouts for lower-tier weapons, but my teammates and I kept finding that our upgraded starter weapons consistently outperformed the expensive purple-tier gear we had to save up for. It creates this weird economy where you’re better off ignoring half the weapon selection entirely – since, with enough (easily obtainable) crafting materials you can craft every mod for every weapon from the very start – giving you the option to create an OP and relatively inexpensive grey weapon for any class, grab it near the beginning of any session, and stick to just that. This can make each match’s mid-game progression feel dull, since the expensive stuff you’re meant to be working toward feels like a downgrade at that point.
At least the weapons across each of the four tiers all feel good to use, regardless of raw damage output, adding to each class’s style and strategy when wielded with the right skill boosts and player tactics. That could be the Engineer’s deadly Ifrit plasma cannon or the Firebug’s explosive Dragonbreath shotgun, which is a total blast against bigger foes like the jetpack-wearing Husk or the aforementioned Impaler boss.
The hub genuinely feels like you are a part of Killing Floor 3’s world.
I love that the well-designed Stronghold hub area gives you a place to relax between matches and during Killing Floor 3’s brief but helpful tutorial. This is the central spot to mess around with class and weapon modifications, try different weapons in the shooting range, play with cosmetics, dig into the Season Pass, and pick your next mission. Standing at the mission terminal and plotting a course from the world map genuinely feels like you’re part of Killing Floor 3’s world.
Similar to Killing Floor 2’s Objective Mode, which is absent in the third outing, there are some basic side missions to complete for extra story flavor bits that are built directly into the Survival mode. Those missions have objectives like “scan all the cargo crates at a location on X map,” or “kill 10 of X enemy type,” or “run 2,000 feet,” – you probably get the gist by this point. These reward crafting supplies, Battle Pass points, and experience points that later become useful when unlocking crafted weapon mods, Battle Pass rewards, and class skills in the hub. It’s worth noting that you can also get more crafting supplies by taking out random pieces of equipment, like surveillance cameras and vending machines, which is a small but fun touch.
The missions are all easy to complete in large batches during routine gameplay, but they don’t do much more than add lore flavor and loot. In fact, Killing Floor 3’s story is entirely forgettable. If not for its rather hefty Codex explaining all the important details about these characters, weapons, enemy types, background stories, and so forth, I probably wouldn’t even consciously realize there’s any semblance of a narrative at all. But I already knew what I was getting myself into, and sometimes, as in the case with a series that’s this irreverent, action-packed, and unapologetically gory, less is more.
The hub is also where you’ll encounter the usual live-service stuff that comes with modern multiplayer shooters. Here, you can set up cross-platform multiplayer, which is a welcome inclusion that works well. And then there’s the microtransactions store. It seems to have a small revolving selection of cosmetics for now, kinda like what Diablo 4’s cosmetic store looked like during that game’s launch. I only looked at it once or twice before moving on, so it’s safe to call it an afterthought and not essential to gameplay.
Speaking of live-service checklists, I barely touched the Season Pass or messed with the limited cosmetic customization of my characters – you can only change headgear and armor skins, nothing else. Just expect to spend the equivalent of $4.99 for 500 in-game store points for aesthetics that don’t really matter or differentiate your character too much. Are these microtransactions burdensome? Probably not. Marginally annoying? Definitely.
