Category: IGN

Civilization 7 developer Firaxis has outlined the game’s crucial update 1.1.1, which hits at a time when the recently released strategy game has fewer players on Steam than Civilization 6 and even the 15-year-old Civilization 5.

On Valve’s platform, Civilization 7 has a 24-hour concurrent peak player count of 16,921, which isn’t enough to get into Steam’s top 100 most-played games. Civilization 5, released in 2010, had a 24-hour peak of 17,423. Clearly, most Civ fans are sticking with 2016’s Civilization 6, however, which had a 24-hour peak of 40,676 players.

In a post on Steam, Firaxis listed some of the “additions and refinements” coming with Update 1.1.1, including:

• Quick Move Functionality
• New Natural Wonder Mount Everest
• Additional UI Updates & Polish
• Settlement & Commander Renaming
• And more!

In a more in-depth video, lead designer Ed Beach ran through the changes while pointing to the patch notes in full, which are imminent.

Civilization 7 update 1.1.1 patch notes:

Quick Move is now an optional setting you can toggle on in the game’s menu. It makes it so units move to their destination immediately so you can play through the game faster.

Another big update is the new start position option related to map generation. The new default for single-player games is Standard, which feels more like Civ 6, where the continents are more varied and less predictable. For multiplayer games, the Balanced setting is retained to put players on a level playing field on more consistent maps.

Settlements and commanders can now be renamed. (Historical accuracy be damned!) You can now restart the game with the click of a button to get that perfect first settlement. Just like in Civ 6 it recreates the map with new seeds but with your same leader and civ selections.

As for UI improvements, the city and town panel will stay open when you buy things, there’s a new notification that appears when one of your cities is under attack, there are new indicators for crises, and improved resource tool tips. There are significant pacing changes, too.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria is a new civ going live alongside Nepal and new leader Simón Bolívar today, March 25, as part of the paid Crossroads of the World Collection.

Civilization 7 has proved a controversial game among series veterans for some of its new mechanics, and clearly it’s struggled on Steam (the console makers do not make player numbers public). Civ 7 has a ‘mixed’ user review rating on Valve’s platform, and received a 7/10 from IGN’s review.

In a recent interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged that Civilization 7 had received some negative reviews from press and players, but insisted that the “legacy Civ audience” will come around the more they play, and called Civilization 7’s early performance “very encouraging.” Oh, and if you’re wondering, there’s hope for Gandhi yet.

Looking for tips to help you take over the world? Check out our guide to completing every Civ 7 victory, our run down of the biggest Civ 7 changes for Civ 6 players, and the 14 crucial Civ 7 mistakes to avoid. We’ve also got explanations on all the Civ 7 map types and difficulty settings so you know what you’re getting into.

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.

On paper, Steel Hunters is a serious left turn for World of Tanks developer Wargaming. But just because the developer’s next project is rooted in a sci-fi, futuristic setting with larger-than-life mechs doesn’t mean they’re not tapping into their 27 years of multiplayer expertise for this mech hero shooter.

I spent about 45 minutes racing other mechs to an extraction point in Steel Hunters’ battle royale-lite extraction mode, trying out half of its seven-character launch roster. Although I hit a few snags as I got myself used to controlling a building-size robot shaped like a spider, I could see Wargaming’s multiplayer pedigree on full display.

Aside from a short tutorial, which introduced me to Steel Hunters’ movement and controls, I spent all of my time in one mode. This extraction-based mode was kind of like a scaled-down battle royale: a few squads of two are dropped onto a map and sent toward points of interest, picking up helpful stuff along the way. Each mech is fully loaded out with weapons and abilities, so instead of guns or armor like in Fortnite, you’ll pick up various upgrades for your mech’s stats, healing items, and experience points.

While you can find some loot in the wild, most of the upgrades and loot you’ll find in-match come from downing nearby NPC drones. These weaker enemies are scattered all over each map and put up just enough of a fight that they’re a pain to deal with if another squad is attacking you as well.

Different points of interest pop up during the match, giving you and your non-AI opponents something to race toward against each other, creating random chokepoints around helpful supply drops. Eventually, an extraction point gets marked on the map, beckoning all remaining squads towards the final objective. Once you get there, you’ll need to defend the extraction point (or attack it if someone beats you there) for a little while before the match ends.

This was always the best part of the matches I played, as players descended on the chokepoint trying to outflank each other using their mechs’ various toolkits to their advantage. Maybe the agile Fenris uses their speed to flank an unsuspecting duo as they try to maintain control over the extraction point while the self-healing Razorside draws cover, ducking behind cover to patch themself up. Or maybe the sniper, Heartbreaker, might post up behind the defensive, map-controlling Weaver as they set up defensive barriers to protect their glass cannon teammate.

I played all four of those mechs in different matches, favoring Heartbreaker and Weaver the most. Weaver has this extremely satisfying Gatling gun that just melts enemy health and shields and their movement felt the best. Aiming down sights with Heartbreaker reveals weak points in every enemy, delivering extra reward for patient, precise play.

If there was any problem with the demo I played, it was the in-between stuff. While it was fun to pick off weaker enemies, grab their loot, and find other players, the maps all felt a little too big up until the end. I’m certain some of this came from the fact that I was playing against AI-controlled bots in an early build of the game, but that inconsistent pace felt at odds with the relatively quick match times.

To give the team at Wargaming the benefit of the doubt, the studio is a well-oiled multiplayer machine at this point. Just because Steel Hunters trades historical context for futuristic fiction doesn’t mean the studio’s throwing the baby out with the bath water. It’s clear that Wargaming has been through a few multiplayer game launches in the past based on its launch plans.

Starting out with a manageable scale for its upcoming early access launch on April 2nd, Steel Hunters is going to launch with 7 playable characters, one mode, and only a few maps to start out—and no monetization. This calculated approach to launch, with the promise of new content every 5-6 weeks, shows this team’s pedigree and tact when it comes to multiplayer games. This approach gives me a lot of faith in Wargaming’s ability to listen to its player base and take feedback as it moves toward an eventual 1.0 release. Wargaming even teased the first new character coming to Steel Hunters post-launch, reiterating its commitment to three-month seasons.

If you’re hoping to hop into Steel Hunters, you won’t have to wait long, as it launches into early access on April 2nd.

There is enormous pressure on Assassin’s Creed Shadows to do well for Ubisoft globally after a number of delays and the sales failure of last year’s Star Wars Outlaws. Indeed, Ubisoft suffered a number of high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations in the run up to Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ release.

Things have got so bad at Ubisoft that its founding Guillemot family is reportedly exploring talks with Chinese mega-corp Tencent and other investors on a buyout deal that would let it preserve control of the company’s intellectual property.

So, the video game world is watching Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ early performance closely for signs of its success — or failure. So far, Ubisoft has yet to announce a sales figure, but has said Assassin’s Creed Shadows hit 2 million players just two days after launch, surpassing the launches of both Origins and Odyssey.

There’s also a lot of attention on Shadows’ Steam concurrents, which are being compared to those of other triple-A single-player games that recently released, as well as previous Assassin’s Creed games on Valve’s platform.

Shadows became the most-played Assassin’s Creed game ever on Steam over the weekend with 64,825 peak concurrent players, although it’s worth noting that it was the first game in the series to launch day-one there. BioWare’s single-player RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard saw a peak of 89,418 players on Valve’s platform.

It’s hard to make a call on whether Shadows is below, meeting, or exceeding Ubisoft’s expectations without knowing what those expectations were. But a source from within Ubisoft, who revealed an internal email reviewed by IGN, has helped us better understand the game’s first weekend performance.

Here’s what we’ve found out: Shadows delivered the second-highest day-one sales revenue in the franchise’s history, behind only 2020’s Valhalla, which launched across the last and current generation of consoles and benefited from stay-at-home gaming fueled by the pandemic.

Shadows also marked Ubisoft’s best ever day-one launch on the PlayStation Store, suggesting particular success on PS5.

But what about PC, given Shadows launched on Steam as well as Ubisoft’s own digital store? According to Ubisoft’s internal communication, 27% of Shadows’ total “activations” were on PC. Ubisoft is telling employees that Steam “played a major role” in Shadows’ performance on PC, without revealing exact sell-through numbers. It says early results “are a strong validation of our decision to return to the platform.”

Generally, Ubisoft is talking up player engagement, which is at “record levels,” and “feedback across moderated, verified platforms — those less affected by review bombing — remains incredibly positive.” Shadows was also the most-wishlisted Ubisoft game of all time, and it’s doing better than any other Assassin’s Creed game on Twitch, even Valhalla.

It’s here that Ubisoft’s internal communication provides context on comparisons between Shadows’ launch and other games in the franchise. What’s clear is that Shadows is not doing as well as Valhalla did at launch, but Ubisoft is saying it’s not fair to compare the two, because Valhalla benefitted from the “perfect storm” of pandemic-fueled stay-at-home gaming and the launch of the Xbox Series X and S and PlayStation 5 in 2020.

“Valhalla launched under extraordinary conditions — in the middle of a global pandemic, with widespread lockdowns and brand-new console hardware,” the internal communication reads. “It was a perfect storm we may never see again. That’s why it’s more meaningful to compare Shadows to entries like Origins, Odyssey, and Mirage — games released in more typical cycles. And in that frame, Shadows is already setting a new bar as illustrated above.”

Ubisoft also pointed out that Shadows released in March. Historically, Assassin’s Creed games launch just ahead of the U.S. Thanksgiving window, which typically boosts sales. Meanwhile, Ubisoft ditched the early access period it normally charges extra for with its games. It’s also worth noting that Ubisoft’s own subscription offering is now available directly on Xbox, which affects sales on Microsoft’s console and muddies sales comparisons.

Money talks, of course, and irrespective of player numbers and engagement, it will be revenue brought in by Assassin’s Creed Shadows that determines the fate of not just the game, but Ubisoft itself. We may not get a clear picture of that until Ubisoft’s next financial report in the coming months.

Adventuring across feudal Japan? Check out our comprehensive Assassin’s Creed Shadows guide, including our Assassin’s Creed Shadows walkthrough, our detailed Assassin’s Creed Shadows Interactive Map, and our guide to all the crucial things Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t tell you.

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.

Few places hold as much shared history for Helldivers 2 players as Malevelon Creek. Around this time last year, it was the site of a massive Automaton incursion, with divers fighting through a hail of scrap and laser-fire. Now, it seems like we might be heading back to the Creek.

In its most recent update, Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Studios announced in-game that players had failed the most recent Major Order. The Automaton Incineration Corps, armed with powerful flame weaponry, made significant gains.

“The enemy remains at large,” the notification read. “Reports indicate the enemy’s strategic goal is to seize old industrial assets in the Severin Sector, where the Automatons first emerged.”

#Helldivers2 | #Helldivers2GalacticWar

Major Order | Failure

It seems that the automatons are seeking to reclaim “old industrial assets” in the Severin Sector, the battlefield where some of the bloodiest fights on the automaton front took place, including Malevelon Creek,… pic.twitter.com/6eqnDitM5p

— Helldivers NOW (@Helldivers_NOW) March 24, 2025

The Severin Sector is home to several planets, chiefly Malevelon Creek, where players took the planet back in a last-ditch effort against the Automatons in April 2024. It was a stunning experience for anyone who dropped into it, as players fought to re-take the Creek after initially losing it.

The phrase “Robot Vietnam” was tossed around, thanks to Malevelon Creek’s dense jungle environment. It became so notable that Arrowhead released a cape commemorating the fight to reclaim the planet.

Now, with the prospect of Automatons returning the sector to take territory, potentially armed with flame weaponry, Helldivers are gearing up for a scrap.

“A part of me is in fear as I was there but another part of me WANTS to go back,” one Reddit user wrote, in response to a post about the Major Order update. “… a part of me never left,” another responded.

Some expressed terror at returning, while others are ready to hold out again. “I fought hard for that planet once, and I’m prepared to do so a second time,” one user responded.

The Major Order failure has raised another point of concern for Helldivers 2 players, though. As one post outlined, some Major Orders can feel frustrating to accomplish, organize around, or not feel incentivized. As responders note, the active player base can also vary, which can make quantity-driven Orders difficult if they’re not based around the current average.

One player puts it succinctly: “Stop giving us kill quantity MOs when the player base can vary by up to 70k over the course of a single week.” Further replies suggest percentage-based scaling.

Failure can make for interesting storytelling, as proven by the initial fight at Malevelon Creek. Heading into what feels like a major moment for Helldivers 2 though, it’ll be interesting to see how Arrowhead handles it all. Alongside teasing a return to one of its most infamous battle sites, the team has also sent a black hole directly towards Super Earth. There’s no shortage of threats for the Helldivers these days.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Pokémon TCG’s next big release, Destined Rivals, is almost here, and I’m already prepping my shelf space and emotionally budgeting like I won’t blow it all on an Elite Trainer Box I absolutely do not need. This set brings back Trainer’s Pokémon, reintroduces Team Rocket for another round of villainous fun, and includes some of the best card art we’ve seen in ages. If you’re into flashy collectibles or just enjoy the feeling of cardboard power coursing through your veins, this one’s for you.

The Pokémon Center website has already gone through some mysterious “maintenance” and has since put up preorders. If that route doesn’t pan out (shockingly), expect listings to go live any moment now at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and more. That means refreshing like it’s Black Friday for battle decks. Here’s everything you need to know to lock in your preorder this week.

Pokémon TCG: Destined Rivals US Preorders

Destined Rivals UK Preorders

When Does Destined Rivals Officially Launch?

The full release is scheduled for May 30, 2025. That’s when all the sealed products will ship and hit shelves, assuming there’s any left. Between May 17 and 25, select stores will host pre-release events featuring Build & Battle boxes and early access tournaments. You should check with your local league store now if you want in. And by “check,” I mean probably bribe them with snacks.

What Products Will Be Launching For This Set?

I want to say I’ll just buy one item and be done. I also want to say I’ll go to the gym three times a week. We’re all lying to ourselves, and that’s fine.

Here’s what will be available when Destined Rivals launches:

• Booster Packs
• Booster Boxes (36 packs)
• Elite Trainer Box
• Pokémon Center Exclusive Elite Trainer Box
• Booster Bundle (6 packs)
• Triple-pack blisters
• Build & Battle Box
• Build & Battle Stadium

It’s also likely we’ll see special collection boxes with alternate art promos, especially featuring characters like Cynthia, Misty, Ethan, or Marnie. You don’t need them, but you will absolutely convince yourself you do.

Cards That Should Be In Destined Rivals

Here’s the full expected card list by Japanese set origin.

Heat Wave Arena

• Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex
• Cynthia’s Garchomp ex
• Cynthia’s Roserade
• Misty’s Psyduck, Staryu, Starmie, Magikarp, Gyarados, Lapras
• Ethan’s Cyndaquil, Quilava, Typhlosion
• Ethan’s Slugma, Magcargo
• Hydrapple line
• Yanmega ex
• Zeraora, Electivire ex, Rotom, Manectric
• Steven’s Metang (alt print)
• Arven’s Mabostiff ex
• Marnie’s Impidimp (alt print)
• Applin, Dipplin
• Ogerpon (Teal Mask, Hearthflame Mask, Wellspring Mask, Cornerstone Mask variants)
• Cynthia’s Milotic, Feebas
• Buizel, Floatzel, Dondozo ex
• Dwebble, Crustle
• Shaymin
• Ponyta, Rapidash
• Arven’s Toedscool, Toedscruel
• Arven’s Maschiff, Skwovet, Greedent
• Mudbray, Mudsdale
• Electabuzz
• Ethan’s Pinsir, Ethan’s Pichu
• Trainer Cards: Judge, Ethan’s Adventure, Cynthia’s Power Weight, Sacred Ash, MC’s Hype Up, Spikemuth Gym

The Glory of Team Rocket

• Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex
• Team Rocket’s Spidops
• Team Rocket’s Meowth, Persian ex
• Team Rocket’s Porygon, Porygon2, Porygon-Z
• Team Rocket’s Tarountula
• Trainer Cards: Team Rocket’s Giovanni, Archer, Ariana, Receiver
• Special Energy: Team Rocket Energy

Steven’s Starter Deck

• Steven’s Metagross ex
• Steven’s Skarmory, Beldum, Metang
• Steven’s Carbink
• Steven’s Claydol, Baltoy
• Trainer Card: Granite Cave

Marnie’s Starter Deck

• Marnie’s Grimmsnarl ex
• Marnie’s Impidimp, Morgrem, Liepard, Scrafty
• Marnie’s Purrloin, Scraggy
• Trainer Cards: Energy Recycler (reprint), Spikemuth Gym

The Cards I’ve Got My Eye On

There’s a good chance I’ll end up with multiple binders full of these, but a few cards have already secured a permanent place in my mental wishlist.

• Cynthia’s Garchomp ex is a power move in every sense. Big damage, hand draw, and the smug energy of someone who always gets her turn one setup. This is peak Champion energy and I want three.
• Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex is what happens when utility and sparkle collide. The ability accelerates Fire Energy like it’s no big deal, and Shining Feather heals your whole team while smacking for 160. It’s absurd, and I’m obsessed.
• Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex is pure drama. It refuses to attack unless you’ve built an entire Rocket-themed deck around it, but when it does, it throws energy around like a caffeinated Gengar. It’s also incredibly extra, which I respect.
• Misty’s Psyduck is here to make you laugh and then probably lose a game in the most lovable way possible. It has an ability that lets you discard it to the top of your deck, for… reasons. I don’t care. It’s perfect.
• Marnie’s Grimmsnarl ex brings the villain vibes with an aggressive Dark-type build that thrives on energy acceleration and being just annoying enough to work. It’s a disruption deck’s dream, and I plan to run it like it’s 2020 all over again.

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.

When Pocketpair’s monster capturing survival adventure Palworld launched, many people compared it to Pokemon, specificallycalling it “Pokemon with guns.” It’s not Pocketpair’s favorite comparison, according to communications director John ‘Bucky’ Buckley, but the thought of collecting a following of adorable monsters has nonetheless prompted a number of people to ask if Palworld would ever make it to Pokemon’s platform of choice, the Nintendo Switch.

Unfortunately, according to Buckley, that’s not in the cards, largely due to technical reasons. “If we could make the game work on the Switch, we would, but Palworld is a beefy game.”

I spoke to Buckley at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco last week following his talk, ‘Community Management Summit: A Palworld Roller Coaster: Surviving the Drop.’ During our chat, I also asked Buckley about the possibility of a Nintendo Switch 2 release. He said that Pocketpair is interested, but hasn’t gotten a chance to see if a port is even possible yet.

“We haven’t seen those specs yet,” he said. “Like everyone else, we’re waiting. I’m walking around GDC hoping someone will tell me them, but everyone I’ve spoken to says they haven’t even seen them.

“If it’s beefy enough, it’s 100% worth considering. We did a lot of optimization for Steam Deck, which we were really happy with. Still work to do, but we’re really happy with how it turned out. So we would like to get it on more handhelds if possible.”

Pocketpair remains entangled in a lawsuit from Nintendo over alleged patent infringement against Pokemon’s ball-throwing mechanics, leading some to speculate that to be the actual reason Palworld hadn’t made it to Switch.

But the lawsuit isn’t really what’s stopping the studio from releasing games on Nintendo’s platforms, as we saw back in January. Buckley addressed the lawsuit very briefly in his GDC talk, saying that it caught the team by surprise, and that the team had done numerous legal checks in the lead-up to release in order to prevent that exact thing. “Pretty much everyone at Pocketpair is a huge fan [of Pokemon],” Buckley said in the talk, “so it was a very depressing day, everyone heads down and walking in the rain.”

The question is, would Nintendo allow a game it’s taken such issue with on its next-gen console?

We’ll be posting our full interview with Buckley at GDC later this week, so keep checking back for more about Palworld. In the meantime, it’s a great time to revisit Palworld if you’ve stepped away, as the game just got cross-platform play in a new update last week.

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.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is now available at its lowest price so far. Woot is offering the game for $32.99 for PS5, a significant drop from its regular price of $69.99. For those who have been waiting to pick it up, this is a great opportunity to do so at a significant discount, and potentially one of the best deals of the year.

The modder who released a playable recreation of the Grand Theft Auto 6 map in Grand Theft Auto 5 has ceased all work on the project after being hit by a takedown from Rockstar owner Take–Two.

‘Dark Space’ had created a free-to-download playable GTA 5 map based on leaked coordinate data and official trailer shots of GTA 6, and uploaded gameplay footage to his YouTube channel. His videos and his mod hit the headlines in January as information-starved GTA fans flocked to experience a fan-made approximation of what they can expect to play officially when GTA 6 launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S this fall.

Then, last week, Dark Space received the dreaded strike notification from YouTube after Take-Two issued a copyright removal request. If a YouTube channel receives multiple copyright strikes, it runs the risk of being terminated.

In response, Dark Space removed all download links to his mod, despite the fact he has yet to be asked to do so by Take-Two, and published a response video on his channel calling out the company for its actions and suggesting it was the result of the mod’s take on GTA 6’s map being “probably a little too accurate.”

Dark Space was more philosophical in a follow-up interview with IGN. “I expected this would happen based on their past takedowns,” the modder said. “I went into this project knowing it was a possibility, and the fact that it happened does not surprise me.”

Dark Space said he believes Take-Two went after his mod because it was based on an online GTA 6 community mapping project that uses leaked coordinate points to “perfectly” map out the upcoming virtual space, and as a result might have ruined the surprise for players and the internet at large.

“That’s probably the biggest red flag, although most of the work in my map was based on the trailer shots,” Dark Space added.

“I think my map could have ruined the surprise of their map, which I get. If you spent years building out this amazing game world just to have some YouTuber spoil the experience of the map’s shape, size, and vibe… I’d want it removed too.”

The upshot is Dark Space’s GTA 6 mod project is no more. And that’s not just for YouTube videos of it, that’s for the entire thing. “Well they clearly do not want this project to exist,” Dark Space said. “So it’s not just under threat, it’s eliminated. There’s no point putting more time into something that goes directly against what they’re willing to allow.

“I’m just going to keep making videos that people hopefully like. I probably won’t do anything else modding GTA 5 in relation to GTA 6, since it seems dangerous.”

There are now concerns that the GTA 6 community mapping project could be next in Take-Two’s sights. IGN has contacted the group for comment.

Take-Two has a history of taking down fan projects, most recently the YouTube channel belonging to the makers of the ‘GTA Vice City Nextgen Edition,’ which ports the world, cutscenes, and missions from 2002’s Vice City into 2008’s GTA 4.

One former Rockstar developer has defended the company’s actions here, saying both Take-Two and Rockstar are protecting their business interests.

“Take2/R* are a commercial company,” former Rockstar Games technical director Obbe Vermeij tweeted. “They will take down mods that interfere with their business interests.

“The VC NextGen Edition mod for GTA4 directly competes with the Definitive Edition. The Liberty City preservation project (GTA4 in GTA5 engine) would interfere with a possible GTA4 remaster. (No idea whether they’re working on that. I think they should.)

“There’s no point getting angry about it. This is what companies are supposed to do. The best we can hope for is that they allow mods that don’t interfere with their business. Such as DCA3 (GTA3 for Dreamcast). Afaik they have recently been decent about letting these projects continue.”

While you wait for GTA 6 to come out, check out IGN’s coverage of an ex-Rockstar dev who says the studio probably won’t be able to decide whether GTA 6 is delayed until May 2025, Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick’s response to concern about the fate of GTA Online once GTA 6 comes out, and the expert opinion on whether the PS5 Pro will run GTA 6 at 60 frames per second.

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.

Bam Margera was not featured on the recent list of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 skaters returning to the roster for the upcoming Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, but it’s now being reported that Margera will, in fact, be a part of the final game.

The news comes via skateboarding media veteran Roger Bagley during a members-only livestream of The Nine Club skateboarding podcast (via Video Games Chronicle).

According to Bagley the game was “already done” when Tony Hawk contacted Activision to ask that Margera be added to the game. Hawk was apparently told it could not be done, but Bagley says the skateboarding legend would not take no for an answer.

IGN has contacted Activision for comment.

Margera, a former professional skateboarder and star of the Jackass film and TV series, has endured a long and public history of alcohol and substance problems, including several stints in rehab. Margera, who was fired from Jackass Forever, was also the subject of a restraining order granted to Jackass director Jeff Tremaine after threats were allegedly sent to Tremaine and his family.

Hawk and Margera recently shared a video of themselves skateboarding together, fueling initial speculation that Margera may be coming back to the game.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, which was announced earlier this month, will be available on July 11, 2025 for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. It’s being developed by Iron Galaxy. The project has fought its way back from being scrapped in the wake of Activision’s merger of previous series developer Vicarious Visions with Blizzard.

Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.

Konami’s upcoming Silent Hill f has been refused classification in Australia, meaning the game would not be able to be sold within Australia at this time. However, Silent Hill f’s RC rating has been assigned by an automated rating tool and not via actual Australian Classification Board members so, based on precedent, it’s unlikely this is the end of the story.

Konami does not distribute its own games locally in Australia, but IGN has contacted its third-party distribution partner for comment.

The specific reason for Silent Hill f’s RC rating has not been supplied at this time. Since the introduction of an adults-only category for games in Australia (R18+) in January 2013, games that have been refused classification in Australia are only typically flagged for sexual activity with a person who appears to a child under 18, visual depictions of sexual violence, or tying incentives and rewards to drug use. 2008’s Silent Hill: Homecoming was initially refused classification in Australia in the lead up to its release due to a high impact torture scene but that was several years prior to the introduction of the R18+ rating, which now accommodates high impact levels of violence. Silent Hill: Homecoming was later released in Australia with altered camera angles for the problem scene, rated MA15+.

What we already know, however, is that Silent Hill f’s RC rating in Australia has actually been assigned by an online tool maintained by the International Age Rating Coalition – which is a classification system designed for mobile and digitally delivered games. The IARC classification tool is an online questionnaire where applicants simply answer a series of questions about a game’s content. The IARC tool will subsequently assign an automated rating from each territory based on the classification standards from each participating country. In Australia’s case, the IARC tool then sends the decision to be published automatically on Australia’s National Classification Database.

In Australia, the tool can only be used for digitally-distributed games (it was adopted in 2014 due to the fact that, while the Australian Classification Board was rating an average of 755 games per year, over 40,000 games were being released annually on the iOS app store alone at that time). There have been a number of instances where automated IARC ratings have demonstrated a tendency to trend higher than human ratings from the Classification Board. For example, in 2019 Kingdom Come: Deliverance and We Happy Few were widely reported to have suddenly been banned in Australia when they had not.

The IARC tool is free to use, which particularly benefits small publishers and developers. Importantly, all physical releases are still required to be rated by the Classification Board itself so, if Silent Hill f is planning to have a physical release in Australia, a submission to the Classification Board was always going to be mandatory, anyhow. The Classification Board itself can override any classification given by the IARC tool if it disagrees with it.

In Australia, game publishers can either have staff members who are accredited classifiers or authorised assessors. Accredited classifiers are in-house staff who complete training from the Classification Board and can classify games themselves, and their decision will take effect as an official Classification Board decision. Authorised assessors are staff or contractors who have similar training, but their classification decision is limited to a recommendation made to the Australian Classification Board, which must then decide whether to apply it or not.

For now, it’s too early to say whether Silent Hill f’s RC rating in Australia will be upheld after further actions or not. It is, however, the first Silent Hill game to get an 18+ rating certification in Japan.

Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.