Category: IGN

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.

inZOI has sold 1 million copies in a week, developer and publisher Krafton has announced. That’s the fastest sales milestone ever for a game published by the South Korean megacorp.

Krafton’s The Sims competitor launched on PC via Steam in Early Access form on March 28 and quickly hit the headlines after players discovered they could run over and kill children. Krafton responded to say it had patched out what it called an “unintended bug.”

Despite this hiccup, inZOI has a ‘very positive’ user review rating on Steam, and saw a peak of 175,000 concurrent viewers on Twitch, ranking third in the Games category. It rose to number one on Steam’s Global Top Sellers List (by sales revenue) just 40 minutes after release.

Meanwhile, Canvas, inZOI’s in-game user-generated content (UGC) sharing platform, saw over 1.2 million “participants” on launch day, and over 470,000 pieces of content uploaded.

IGN’s inZOI Early Access review returned a 6/10. We said: “inZOI is a visually striking life simulator with plenty of ambition, but not enough depth as of its Early Access launch.”

Clearly, inZOI is doing the business for Krafton, which highlighted its work promoting the game ahead of launch and its communication with the community as helping to build trust and momentum for release. The inZOI global showcase and demo build “particularly attracted high interest,” Krafton added.

CEO CH Kim commented: “We are grateful and excited to present inZOI to players around the world through Early Access. We will continue to actively communicate with players and foster inZOI as Krafton’s long-term franchise IP.”

As for what’s next, Krafton said future updates will introduce new content, including mod support and new cities, with all updates and DLC provided for free until full release.

In a recent note to players, Krafton said it will “quickly” apply fixes for reported issues through hotfixes during April amid complaints from some players about the state of the game. The scale of inZOI’s global community is “a next-level experience for us,” Krafton said, before admitting it’s “going through some trial and error in finding the optimal means of communication.”

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.

Remember Marathon? It’s Destiny developer Bungie’s next game, and it looks like we’re about to finally see more of it.

Marathon is a PvP-focused extraction shooter set on the mysterious planet of Tau Ceti IV. Players inhabit the bodies of Runners, cybernetic mercenaries who have been designed to survive the planet’s harsh environments, exploring the lost colony that once inhabited Tau Ceti’s surface.

It has been some time since we saw or heard of Marathon. In October, Bungie released a lengthy development update video that shed light on Marathon’s mechanics, but stressed how early in development the game was. Player character models were, at that point, still “coming together,” while enemy models were still in an “early state.”

Now, though, half a year later, it looks like Bungie is finally ready to reveal what it’s been working on. A tweet from the official Marathon account, below, revealed a typically cryptic image and accompanying garbled signal noise. As fans have noticed, there’s ASCII art of footage from the debut Marathon trailer. Given this is Bungie we’re talking about, a developer known for its mysterious teasers, hidden clues, and Easter eggs, there’s probably much more here to discover, and fans are already working to find out what it all means.

Either way, it very much looks like it’s finally happening for Marathon after what has been a troubled development.

pic.twitter.com/6NBgIdRVK2

— Marathon (@MarathonTheGame) April 4, 2025

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.” But Bungie itself has suffered several controversies in recent years, headlined by the laying off of 220 staff members, meaning 17% of its workforce, in July 2024: a move even industry peers criticized.

This came less than a year after 100 other layoffs at Bungie, at which point staff told IGN the atmosphere was “soul crushing” at the studio.

Further controversy came when a report released weeks after the 220 job losses alleging former Marathon director Chris Barrett was fired after an internal misconduct investigation at Bungie. Barrett subsequently sued Sony Interactive Entertainment and Bungie for more than $200 million.

This all comes as Sony rethinks its focus on live-service games. Sony president Hiroki Totoki said in November 2023 the company was committed to launching just six of the 12 live service games it was working on by March 2026, in a shift in strategy that saw The Last of Us multiplayer game cancelled.

While Arrowhead’s Helldivers 2 was a breakout hit, becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game of all time with 12 million copies sold in just 12 weeks, Sony’s other live service games were either canceled or suffered disastrous launches.

Indeed, Sony’s Concord is one of the biggest video game disasters in PlayStation history, lasting just a couple of weeks before it was brought offline amid eye-wateringly low player numbers. Sony later decided to kill the game entirely and shut its developer.

And earlier this year, Sony reportedly canceled two unannounced live service games, one a God of War title in development at Bluepoint, the other in the works at Days Gone developer Bend.

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.

With Mario Kart World cruising its way onto store shelves at $80, Nintendo fans who were otherwise stoked about the promise of the Nintendo Switch 2 have spent the last 24 hours balking at the prospect of doling out that many coins, even for a game they feel is a must-have.

We wrote earlier today about why Mario Kart World, as well as the Nintendo Switch 2 itself and many of its accessories, are so dang expensive. But knowing the “why” of it doesn’t really ease the pain on the wallet. What’s more, we learned just this morning that a number of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Kirby and the Forgotten Land, will also be $80. And with the AAA game price increase from $60 to $70 still firmly within recent memory, fans are now worried that more and more games, Nintendo or otherwise, are going to start getting more and more and more expensive.

So what does the future hold? Are $80 games the new Nintendo normal?

As usual, rather than speculate ourselves, we went and found some expert analysts to tell us what they think is going to happen.

A New Nintendo Normal

NYU Stern professor and author of SuperJoost Playlist, Joost van Dreunen, believes Nintendo is using Mario Kart World as a “test case for premium pricing,” and will evaluate consumer response before applying this more broadly. Spoilers: the response hasn’t been great so far! But sentiment is not the same as sales, and Nintendo will likely measure success by how well Mario Kart World actually sells.

“If the $80 price point succeeds, Nintendo will likely extend it selectively to their most valuable franchises rather than making it standard across their first-party lineup. Franchises that could potentially justify the premium pricing include:

• The Legend of Zelda – the next mainline entry following Tears of the Kingdom could command $80 given the series’ prestige and the expansive scope these games typically offer.
• New 3D Mario adventures – for major releases in the vein of Super Mario Odyssey, Nintendo could position these as premium products.
• Super Smash Bros. – the next installment of this franchise would be a strong candidate for premium pricing due to its extensive roster and competitive staying power.

“Games that likely wouldn’t justify the premium price include smaller-scale entries, remasters, and series with more niche appeal. Nintendo will probably maintain a tiered pricing strategy, with their tent-pole franchises at $80, mid-tier releases at $60-70, and smaller titles at traditional price points.”

Rhys Elliott, games analyst at Alinea Analytics, had a similar take, pointing to the top 10 best-selling Nintendo Switch games as a guide for what we might see get an $80 price tag in the future. “I could see Nintendo pricing mainline Pokémon games, mainline Zelda games, and the inevitably imminent 3D Mario and Animal Crossing games at $80 physical (but $70 digital still).”

And James McWhirter, analyst at Omdia, added a suggested hypothetical Splatoon 4 to the list of possibilities, along with another thought on future monetization:

“For titles that do not adopt the $80 base price, Nintendo could lean in more heavily in alternative forms of monetisation, including those it has so far refrained from using, such as tying paid early access to higher value editions of its games.”

Grand Theft, Grand Price?

That covers Nintendo, but what about other games? Earlier this year, we covered a flurry of speculation on one specifically: Grand Theft Auto 6. At the time, we were responding to rumors and discussion that Take-Two might price the sequel to the over 200 million selling blockbuster at $80, $90, or even $100. Analysts suggested that the high end of this was rather unlikely, but what about now? Will Grand Theft Auto 6 cost $80… or even more?

Tiago Reis, market analyst at Newzoo, certainly thinks so. “For sure. Big hits that are highly anticipated (e.g., GTA 6, new CODs) can get away with it due to franchise recognition. Most people are not going to stop buying these games because they are $10 more expensive. If consumers are willing to wait, they can get it at a discount a couple of months after release. But by then, these companies have already extracted max value/price from the people who are less price sensitive.”

Reis’ colleague Lauren Universe, client services manager at Newzoo, added: “Frankly, I expect base GTA to be at least $80, with multiple options of various increased prices (like Civ 7) that include expansions, DLCs, and ‘early access.’”

Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games, agreed, and even expanded on who might be interested in raising prices beyond just Take-Two. “I do believe there is a chance that companies like Microsoft or Sony could feel encouraged to raise their prices now. Would you be shocked if Take-Two now thought to themselves: ‘If Nintendo can charge $80 for a Mario Kart game, we can do the same for GTA 6 – a title thousands of people have been working on for 12 years?”

Nuno Domingues Marques, also a market analyst at Newzoo, similarly brought up Sony and Microsoft as possible candidates for price hikes. “I am unsure if Sony/Xbox will wait for their next generation to make the push or if they will adjust post-Switch launch, but certainly, it seems like the way forward. Third-party publishers will jump on it as soon as they feel it is justified, which is likely ASAP. Not all exclusive games will cost $80, in my opinion though. Games like Ratchet & Clank or other smaller niche experiences are likely to keep lower price points.”

But Elliott pushed back a bit on the idea that Mario Kart World could have opened a higher pricing floodgate. He pointed out that at least in the UK and Europe (U.S. price discrepancies are still unconfirmed), Nintendo is charging more for the physical edition of Mario Kart World than digital in an effort to push more consumers toward the digital edition. But he suspects that because the other two console platforms are far more digitally-oriented than Nintendo (something he discussed in more detail in our other piece on the Switch 2 pricing), this would be a tougher sell for other publishers.

“While I believe Take Two could charge over $70 for GTA 6, I maintain that it is a bad idea for three reasons. [One,] the real cash cow is GTA Online and its recurring revenues, so limiting the total addressable audience at launch wouldn’t be smart. There’s also a cost-of-living crisis happening globally and GTA appeals to everyone – rich and less fortunate.

“[Two,] Rockstar needs to move players from GTA 5, and a higher floor for the switching cost would limit the GTA 5-to-GTA 6 player acquisition. Players not budging from GTA 5 is probably one of GTA 6’s biggest threats, one GTA hasn’t really faced before. After all, live services are mostly zero-sum in today’s oversaturated attention economy. GTA 6 isn’t just competing against competitors’ games, it’s competing with TikTok, Netflix, and even its predecessor.

“[Three,] Rockstar can easily charge $100 or more for an edition of GTA 6 with a week of early access, maybe with a shark card thrown in. Players with disposable income will pay for it. This is the best of both worlds for Take-Two. This is pretty much the norm for AAA games these days.”

Elliott concluded that even with all that in mind, GTA 6 nonetheless stands a better chance than any other game at withstanding a price hike with its consumer base intact. So ultimately, the question of GTA 6’s pricing remains an impossible one to answer up to the point where Take-Two finally announces it.

Living in Interesting Times

I’ll end on a hopeful note, though, which I got from both Mat Piscatella, analyst at Circana, and a couple of analysts at Newzoo. These folks told me that while we’re likely to keep seeing games get more expensive (and, as Piscatella points out, have already been for a while via Collector’s Editions and similar), we may also see them get cheaper in certain ways.

“Other Nintendo games will certainly follow suit,” said Brett Hunt, market analyst at Newzoo. “It could, however, open the door for Nintendo to have an adjusted discounting strategy for the Switch 2.”

Marques agreed. “Maybe we will see a bigger window of pricing as well, as seen from the Donkey Kong game. Creation of space for multiple different-sized games; games that cost $49.99, $59.99, etc., having distinct content depth and breadth expectations. I agree that maybe a new discounting strategy is coming from Nintendo.”

And as Piscatella put it, Nintendo may not be the only company that sees the need to break with $70 convention in more than just one way. “We certainly could see other publishers try and establish even higher base prices for some of their new games. But we could also see more significant price promotion and discounting as well.

“With all of the uncertainty in the market, we’re at a point where both publishers and consumers will have to figure out where things go next. These are, after all, interesting times.”

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.

LEGO and Minecraft fit together perfectly. The popular game is all about using your imagination to build just about anything out of digital blocks, and LEGO is the ideal medium to bring that into the real world. There are already a ton of LEGO Minecraft sets out there and more are on the way. Now that A Minecraft Movie is in theaters, Amazon is offering some pretty steep discounts on older sets that are actually really cool.

Although there were some newer Minecraft Movie LEGO sets released earlier this year, none of those have gone on sale. If you’re a fan of the game itself and not just interested because of the new movie, however, the sets that are on sale are worth a look.

The Best Minecraft LEGO Sets on Sale at Amazon Today

I’m sorry to everyone who was in earshot of me when the Mario Kart World trailer dropped at yesterday’s Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. Because when I saw this, I screamed:

YOU CAN PLAY AS THE FREAKING COW?!?!!!!! MARIO KART WORLD?!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/6uIZ4A0MVF

— ☆オードリーAudrey☆ (@aitaikimochi) April 2, 2025

Yes, if you somehow haven’t heard/didn’t notice, Mario Kart World has gone absolutely nuts on what characters are allowed to drive motor vehicles this time around. While Super Smash Bros. has taken the path of adding characters from every Nintendo-adjacent franchise imaginable to its roster, Mario Kart has gone the other way by digging deep into Mario lore and adding every single goofy little guy you’ve ever seen to the line-up of kart racers. Right down to one of the cows populating Moo Moo Meadows in Mario Kart 8.

THEY REALLY ARE ADDING ANYBODY LMAO https://t.co/UcvrIXxg57 pic.twitter.com/JJdofUopVe

— No Context Super Mario (@SuperMarioOOC85) April 2, 2025

The Moo Moo, or just Cow as they’re referred to in the official roster, is getting special attention online from the community. Already, people are drawing up fanart to celebrate this cute, goofy, seemingly random edition to a line-up that, up til now, has largely included the Mario series’ most famous and beloved characters.

They’re also, predictably, making all sorts of of memes:

Mario Kart players seeing that Cow racing pic.twitter.com/7eAN22LWPd

— SwagKirb (@Swag_K1RBY) April 2, 2025

wanted to let everyone know that this was my first thought upon seeing the moo moo meadows cow in mario kart pic.twitter.com/CCWZA0nqfL

— ticky fraggle ! (@tickyworm) April 2, 2025

The helpful lakitu when the moo moo meadow cow falls off the track in mario kart world pic.twitter.com/7gBgLg5P1u

— Regice (@reg1ce) April 2, 2025

The addition of Cow has also led to some… interesting speculation. For instance, in one shot in the trailer, Mario consumes a burger. Will Cow also consume a burger at some point in the game? What does this mean, philosophically, for Cow?

What’s more, does this mean we’ll get to see Cow wearing a variety of costumes like the other characters? Can we race as Cow in Moo Moo Meadows? How do all the other cows feel about this? How did a Cow get a driver’s license anyway?

We just went hands-on with Mario Kart World at a special Nintendo event, and yes, we did play as Cow. Cow was one of our favorite playable characters, and we’re excited to find out more about some of the other unlockable weird little guys we’ve seen on the courses, and potential funky costumes we might eventually see Cow donning. Hopefully Cow doesn’t have to eat a burger first.

We’ve got everything you need to know about Mario Kart World and the Nintendo Switch 2 here at IGN, from tons of new details about both, to why the hardware and games are so dang expensive.

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.