Palworld developer Pocketpair has released another patch for the all-conquering ‘Pokémon with guns’ survival game, this time bringing the Steam version up to v0.1.4.1.

The patch for the Steam version of the game, out now, makes a number of major fixes, improves some base-related issues, and further tackles cheating and exploits.

Of note, the patch fixes an issue from the previous update that affected save data, which remained in a broken state. Now, save data should load properly. Elsewhere, there’s a fix for an issue that caused some weapons equipped by other players to disappear when a player used a grenade in multiplayer, and there’s a fix for an issue that caused capture probability to not increase despite the game suggesting it had.

And, as always, there’s a funny change in the patch notes: a fix for an issue where if a Pal that was manually assigned to a breeding farm went to sleep, it would not wake up forever. Bleak!

The Xbox patch, v0.1.1.4, will be released soon, Pocketpair added. There is a disparity between the Xbox and Steam versions of Palworld, not least in the Xbox version’s lack of dedicated servers, which limits the number of players who can play together. Microsoft has said it will work directly with Pocketpair to assist in supplying the resources necessary to keep the momentum of the monster survival game going strong, including providing support to enable dedicated servers.

Palworld is a smash hit, crossing over an eye-watering 19 million players across all platforms since going on sale January 19. It’s the most-played game on Steam, and the biggest third-party launch in Game Pass history with over seven million players and a daily player peak of just shy of three million. On Steam alone, Palworld has sold 12 million copies.

But Palworld is also one of the most controversial video game releases in recent memory. Developer Pocketpair has said its staff have received death threats amid Pokémon “rip-off” claims, which it has denied. Soon after launch, Nintendo moved quickly to remove an eye-catching Pokémon mod, then The Pokemon Company issued a statement, saying: “We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to Pokémon.” IGN asked lawyers whether Nintendo could successfully sue.

If you’re playing, be sure to check out IGN’s interactive Palworld map.

Here are the Palworld Steam update v0.1.4.1 patch notes in full:

▼Major Fixes

・Fixed an issue where the game would always crash and save data would be corrupted when the total number of Pals captured by the guild reached approximately 7000.

・In the previous patch, save data that had already been in this state (for servers, the server’s world data) remained in a broken state that made it impossible to load, but after applying this patch it will be resolved and will load properly.

・Fixed an issue where some weapons equipped by other players would disappear when a player used a grenade in multiplayer.

・Fixed an issue where, although the displayed capture probability increased when the capture power was strengthened with Lifmunk Effigies, the capture probability did not actually increase at all due to an internal processing bug.

▼Base related

・Fixed an issue where if a Pal that was manually assigned to a breeding farm went to sleep, it would not wake up forever.

・Fixed an issue where no wood would drop when Pal at the base felled a tree.

▼Others

・Implemented countermeasures against some cheats and exploits.

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.

Developed as a PlayStation 5 exclusive by South Korea-based studio Shift Up, Stellar Blade emphasises fast-paced action and boasts a post-apocalyptic setting. Both its flashy combat and stunning visuals scream next-gen, yet at the same time, Stellar Blade is not shy to hide the past it was inspired by. IGN Japan had the chance to sit down with the developers and talk through their inspirations.

As Eve, players perform flashy combos while quickly reacting to enemy attacks by parrying and dodging at the right time to create openings for counters. Developer Kim Hyung-tae told IGN that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Bayonetta were some of the action games his team was inspired by.

Visually speaking, Stellar Blade’s world shares vibes with many science fiction works that have a post-apocalyptic setting, albeit with a strong Asian touch. Many of the game’s main characters have Asian appearances, and Xion – a city built by the last survivors on Earth – appears to be heavily inspired by modern Asian cityscapes.

“As for Stellar Blade’s world-building, we designed it by mixing cultural elements from Hong Kong, Japan, China and Korea,” Kim said.

“That being said, Xion isn’t only inhabited by Asian people, and we didn’t intend to make it look like a specific country or culture. The most important thing about Xion is that it is a city built for the world’s last survivors. Of course, I have enjoyed many different cultures and art myself, so I can’t deny that I was inspired by other science fiction works with a similar dystopian setting.”

As some of the main inspirations on Stellar Blade’s world, Kim mentions cyberpunk manga series Battle Angel Alita and the 1982 science fiction film Blade Runner.

However, Stellar Blade’s biggest source of inspiration might be Nier Automata. The combination of Yoko Taro’s stylish action and dystopian world-building feels close to Stellar Blade. On top of that, both games have a badass anime-inspired female protagonist.

“Nier: Automata left a huge impression on me,” said Kim. “It made me realize that a game like this could be made, and allowed me to rediscover the kind of game that I want to make.”

Stellar Blade launches on PS5 on April 26.

Esra Krabbe is an editor at IGN Japan.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth preorders are currently down to just £56.65 in the UK right now. This is a tremendous deal, and guaranteed to arrive on launch day February 29. All you need to do is use promo code LOVE10 (see here) to secure the game at a discount.

This is the best Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth preorder deal in the UK right now, making it the perfect time to secure your copy and ensure you’re among the first to explore the expanded universe. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to save big and embark on an unforgettable adventure. But, the only caveat is that this LOVE10 code will expire after February 8, so there’s a limited time frame on this one.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth promises to bring back the nostalgia while adding layers of depth to the story and gameplay that we’ve been dreaming of since the original. The game is the highly anticipated second installment in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, taking the iconic story into its next chapter.

The anticipation surrounding the release of the game is palpable, with fans eagerly discussing how good they expect the game to be. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a curious newcomer, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is shaping up to be an unforgettable journey through one of gaming’s most cherished universes.

In our final hands-on preview of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, we said: “This second game in the reimagined trilogy is like an extension that flows out of its predecessor rather than another radical rethink. But Rebirth is layered with several new ideas that, at least across the duration of a recent three-hour playable demonstration, suggests Cloud and co’s upcoming journey will feel like a genuine sequel rather than a full-priced expansion.”

There’s also a new relationship system, called Bonds of Friendship, that has been added to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. As explained in the system’s tutorial, “the strength of these bonds can alter portions of the story.” One of those story moments is the Gold Saucer date, and you’ll be able to see how your potential partner feels about you via a variety of emoji-like faces.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

The biggest fighting game tournament in the world is returning to Las Vegas. EVO 2024 will take place from July 19-21st in a new venue: the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. EVO 2024 will be the biggest EVO ever, featuring several new additions and eight games gracing the main stage. All told, four games will be making their debut as a main title. We learned a ton about what EVO will look like in 2024 from the EVO Announcement Show on Twitch. In short, it’s going to be much, much bigger than last year’s event.

EVO 2023 was a great show, and we documented the journey of IGN’s own Mitchell Saltzman as he competed at the event. but this year will see several improvements to the EVO format. First up, there will now be a dedicated registration area to keep lines shorter. In addition, the EVO show floor will be open all three days. That means three days of artist alley, publisher booths, the EVO Arcade, and more.

Speaking of the EVO Arcade, EVO 2024 will be the largest in EVO history with a bigger BYOC (Bring Your Own Controller) area. This year, there will also be an all-new art gallery with works from the history of the FGC on display and a brand new stage for EVO showcases on Friday featuring interviews, exhibitions, and more. The popular cosplay contest will also return, and perhaps most importantly, you’ll no longer need separate tickets for the Finals on Sunday. Since the show floor will be open all three days, you can go back and forth from the Finals to the show floor as much as you like.

I don’t think anyone is going to be surprised to learn that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth feels incredibly similar to Final Fantasy 7 Remake. This second game in the reimagined trilogy is like an extension that flows out of its predecessor rather than another radical rethink. But Rebirth is layered with several new ideas that, at least across the duration of a recent three-hour playable demonstration, suggests Cloud and co’s upcoming journey will feel like a genuine sequel rather than a full-priced expansion.

During the hands-on demo I was able to play through the first two chapters of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The opening section recreates the Nibelheim Incident flashback from the original game; an important slice of Sephiroth’s backstory that reveals the main reason for his villany. This scenario plays out more or less identically to what you remember of Remake – a linear trek through a simple environment, elevated by exceptional combat and character work. I liked this structure in Remake and I still like it in Rebirth.

It is in chapter two, though, that Rebirth begins to show how things have changed. Freed from the restrictive streets and corridors of Midgar, your party is set loose in a large open world of rolling grasslands and towering trees. The demo did not make it clear if the continent is made up of large segmented zones or if it is a genuine, seamless open world, but what I can say is that the sizable region in this demo chapter feels much more expansive and authentically natural than the areas seen in last year’s Final Fantasy 16.

These zones initially feel somewhat empty but that is soon changed after discovering and activating a scattering of ‘remnawave towers’. Following open world tradition, these towers plot a variety of activities on your map that can be undertaken as distractions from the main storyline. I unfortunately didn’t have enough time to fully dig into these side tasks, but they include hunt-style battles and item salvaging. I’m left with the impression that these mini quests won’t be Rebirth’s most compelling feature, but hopefully they will be an improvement upon both Remake and FF16’s monotonous side stories. At the very least the side content does promise worthwhile rewards: for instance, scanning and defeating monsters in the world will upgrade the returning combat simulator, which in turn will unlock new summon materia – the magical orbs that manifest god-like allies in battle.

The grasslands area that extends around and beyond the small town of Kalm is not structured identically to the world of the original Final Fantasy 7, but it nonetheless feels authentic to that game. Lush forests harbour the Chocobo Farm, which is once again managed by Bill, Billy, and Chloe. Push onwards and the verdant grass gives way to gloomier swamplands that are terrorised by the monstrous Midgardsormr – the renamed but still-infamous Midgar Zolom snake. As in Remake, all of this covers a significantly larger and more detailed area than the same region of the original game, turning what were once minutes of play into hours.

Simply getting around these zones feels more freeing and smooth thanks to the improved movement that allows Cloud to easily hop up over small and mid-sized obstacles, and a basic climbing mechanic that sees him clamber from one yellow handhold to another. It’s not exactly Uncharted, but this added element of ‘outdoorsiness’ provides an enjoyable sense of adventure. Add in the expected Chocobos for fast, feathered trips, and you’ve got a strong basis for wider exploration.

Of course, those wide open zones are home to more than just trees and flowers. There’s plenty of enemies roaming the world and Remake’s exceptional combat returns. This time around you have the full freedom to arrange your party how you wish, choosing a trio from your recruited pals. You can put together three different parties and switch between them on the fly while exploring, allowing you to have pre-arranged setups for different scenarios. Spotted a large beast in need of a battering? Get your melee-focussed Cloud-Tifa-Red XIII party ready and dive in. Are flying monsters lurking in the skies ahead? Just cycle to your ranged Cloud-Barret-Aerith team and you’re good to go.

Red XIII is now a fully-playable companion, acting as an agile attacker who can build up combos of claw swipes. He also has a Vengeance gauge, which builds with every successful block and can eventually be triggered to boost his attack power and dodge speed. But a new character isn’t the only added layer to the combat – alongside the character combo synergy abilities which return in an enhanced form from Remake’s Intermission DLC, there’s now a whole skill tree system that allows you to build out a character’s strengths beyond just their Materia choices. Remake felt like a sweet spot for Final Fantasy combat and character crafting, so it remains to be seen if Rebirth has perhaps overloaded it with too many extras, but right now I like what I’ve sampled and am excited to learn its tactical depth and breadth.

While shocking stabbings, amazing airships, and weird weapons is what the original Final Fantasy 7 is best remembered for, one of my favourite things about the PS1 classic is its variety of goofy minigames. Remake established the new trilogy’s dedication to that eclectic variety of gameplay types with things like the motorbike chase and Honey Bee Inn dance number, and I’m pleased to see Rebirth has a whole new slate of weird oddities to entertain us. A collectable card game called Queen’s Blood, in which you lay cards in a trio of lanes in an attempt to claim the highest score, hopes to steal the hearts of Triple Triad fans. Out in the fields, you must outwit Chocobos in a humorous stealth sequence that has you weaving between patches of long grass and throwing rocks as distractions. And once you’ve snuck up on and caught a chocobo, you can of course indulge in a bit of chocobo time trial racing.

None of these activities are pinnacles of gameplay design, but that’s not the point; the weird diversions from the standard explore-fight-upgrade loop was what made the original Final Fantasy 7 so flavorful, and I’m pleased Square Enix recognises that. Not all of the new experiments land, though; I’m hoping the one where you push a slow, heavy vacuum around to suck up toxic mako fumes is a one-and-done.

While it’s great to see things return, this trilogy is also defined by what it changes. By and large, this demo was relatively restrained in regards to alterations to the original story beats. Chapter one is a faithful recreation of the climb up Mt. Nibel, aside from it now being the home of the Materia Keeper battle. You’re also in direct control of Sephiroth, too, who has a suitably devastating moveset with a very cool parry system. Dedicated fans will also find delight in tidbits of dialogue that appear to closer unite these events with that of Crisis Core – at one point Sephiroph says to Cloud, “Perhaps you’d like to say a few words to your sword, first?”, which is fun for those who recognise its significance.

It’s in chapter two that I found a bigger story shift, as Shinra soldiers parachuted into Kalm in hunt of Avalanche, forcing the gang to flee out into the grasslands. This adds much more tension to what was previously a very low-key period of the original game, with Cloud having to creep along elevated platforms to avoid capture. Sadly there’s no use of genuine stealth mechanics here – there’s no way to be caught or mess up, so the tension is simply narrative rather than systemic. But as far as the story goes, it’s nonetheless a fun new minor wrinkle in a tale many of us know incredibly well.

With this substantial hands-on, Square continues to show the confidence it established in the first game of the Final Fantasy 7 remake project. Its most notable addition for Rebirth, the open world, is a welcome extra, but the full quality of its activities remains to be seen. Regardless of their success, though, I feel that once again the combat, characters, and overall story will be the main, uncontestable hook, and there’s no signs of them having diminished. And so Rebirth promises to continue in style this worthwhile reinvention of one of history’s landmark RPGs.

Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Features Editor.