Category: Video Games

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Is Up for Preorder, Out December 4

We can finally confirm that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is set to release for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 on December 4. This time Samus is dispatched to Planet Viewros, where she discovers some interesting psychic abilities in addition to her standard ones. She also goes up against Sylux, another bounty hunter who isn’t happy with the Galactic Federation, or Samus. The game is now available to preorder in physical and digital editions (see it at Amazon). You can also preorder some awesome looking amiibo to go along with it. Let’s dive in.

Preorder Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Switch 2

Switch

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is available to preorder on the original Switch and in an enhanced version on Switch 2. It’s available in physical or digital format, and if you buy on Switch but get a Switch 2 later, you can purchase an upgrade pack, just like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

Preorder Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Amiibo

Launching alongside the game are a trio of ridiculously awesome looking Metroid Prime 4: Beyond amiibo. There’s Samus solo, aiming her blaster arm. There’s Samus on the extremely cool Vi-O-La motorcycle you get to ride in the game. And there’s the villainous Sylux. Nintendo hasn’t announced what in-game functionality scanning the amiibo will offer, but they’re sure to do something.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Switch 2 Upgrade Pack

Let’s say you buy the game for the original Switch, and then you get a Switch 2 later. In that case, you can purchase the upgrade pack for $9.99 on the Nintendo eShop. This turns a standard Switch version (even a physical copy) into the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game.

The benefits of the upgrade include enhanced resolution, frame rate, and load times, plus the ability to aim by using a Joy-Con 2 controller as a mouse. Here’s Nintendo’s official description of the specifics of the upgrade:

“Two display modes let you choose how to experience the adventure. Enjoy more detail in Quality Mode, which runs at 60 frames per second in 4k while docked and in 1080p while in handheld, or prioritize super-smooth action with a higher frame rate in Performance Mode, which runs at 120 frames per second in 1080p while docked and 720p in while in handheld. Both choices are HDR compatible.”

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Preorder Bonus?

At the time of this writing, there are no preorder bonuses for buying the game. If that changes, I’ll update this section.

What Is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond?

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a long-in-the-works sequel to the 2007 Wii game Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. It’s had something of a troubled development cycle; after being announced at E3 2017, Nintendo announced in 2019 that development was being restarted. But here it is, six years later, finally coming out.

This game puts you in the boots of the bounty hunter Samus and sends you to planet Viewros. There, you’re equipped with a very cool-looking motorcycle called Vi-O-La that lets you zip around large areas quickly. You can jump off ramps and fight aliens while riding, skidding into them as a form of attack.

As with previous Metroid Prime games, exploration plays a big role. You can scan the alien flora and fauna to find out more about them. You also gain psychic abilities. If you buy the Switch 2 version, you get improved graphics and load times. You can also use the Joy-Con 2 controller as a mouse for aiming, which may offer more precision than the sticks.

You can find out more in our Metroid Prime 4: Beyond hands-on preview.

Other Preorder Guides

Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN’s board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.

Fata Deum is here to “revive” the god sim genre, and especially the holy ghost of Black & White

This news story about Fata Deum is written in homage of a random early access Steam reviewer who remarks that if you’ve never played a god sim before, they’re kind of like idle sims. My word, the casually ferocious and embittered atheist poetry of that. Consider my fedora tipped, milords and ladies. I’m off to read the Screwtape Letters again.

Fata Deum isn’t just any born-again idle sim. It pays overt homage to Lionhead’s Black & White, with higgledy-piggledy 3D island maps and a familiar hand cursor, used to carry believers to safety or lob them into the sea. There are some significant differences, however.

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Borderlands 4 Goes Down Well With Critics As Gearbox Acknowledges FOV Issue

But will it make it to the Switch 2 version?

As everyone and their donkey knows by now, Gearbox’s latest FPS extravaganza, Borderlands 4, is shooting its way onto Switch 2 on 3rd October, a few weeks after other platforms, and judging by the game’s reception on the old aggregator sites, we are in for quite the treat.

Indeed, this writer has been playing the game already on PS5, and it’s a cracker thus far. However, the field-of-vision (or FOV if you know all the official lingo) is a bit of an issue, and plenty of folk have been taking to forums and comment sections to complain about it. It’s just too close, it feels a tad claustrophobic.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Tumble, Build and Discover Together in Lego Voyagers, Out Today

Tumble, Build and Discover Together in Lego Voyagers, Out Today

  • Karla Guerra Jimenez, Release Marketing Coordinator, Annapurna Interactive

What happens when a couple of Legobricks decide to chase their dreams of exploring space? You’ll find the answer in Lego Voyagers, the next brick-based adventure from the talented team at Light Brick Studio.

Light Brick has always been inspired by the Lego brick and the limitless ways it connects us – through storytelling, creativity, and the simple joy of building. Their debut title, Lego Builder’s Journey, invited players to create with bricks. With Lego Voyagers, they’re taking things one step further: this time, you don’t just build with the bricks, you become one.

Two Bricks are Better than One

In Lego Voyagers, you’ll tumble, jump and snap together as you explore a playful universe – and because bricks are always stronger when connected, the entire experience has been designed as a cooperative adventure. Whether online or side by side in couch co-op, you and a friend will solve challenging puzzles together, combining diverse thinking and the magic of teamwork to progress.

Because Lego Voyagers is fully cooperative, the team strived to make it as easy as possible to share. That’s why the game includes a Friend’s Pass – allowing you to invite a friend for free. For Light Brick, it’s a simple extension of their belief that play is best experienced together.

A Living, Buildable Universe

The world of Lego Voyagers is built from the same selection of Lego bricks you’d find in real life (1,694,756 to be exact – the devs counted) – meaning every structure you see could, in theory, be recreated with actual physical Lego bricks. This brick-built universe encourages curiosity and creativity with every tumble and snap. There’s rarely just one solution to a puzzle, instead players are encouraged to think outside of the box, experiment with different approaches, and discover surprising new outcomes. Rather than finding one straight answer, it’s more about enjoying the kind of open-ended play that the world of the Lego brand naturally inspires.

Storytelling Without Words

One of the most unique aspects of Lego Voyagers is how it communicates. The game tells its story entirely without dialogue (human dialogue, that is). Instead, the story relies heavily on visual cues, evocative music and environmental storytelling to guide players. In Lego Voyagers, Light Brick makes a point of visually establishing ideas before they’re needed, so that when players encounter a puzzle or narrative beat, it feels familiar and fair. This careful layering keeps the experience understandable without words while still leaving plenty of room for interpretation.

Composer Henrik Lindstrand – who also scored the critically acclaimed Lego Builder’s Journey – returns once again with a handcrafted soundtrack. This time, he expands his instruments to include his childhood Casio keyboard, giving the music a nostalgic coming-of-age feel. In Lego Voyagers, Lindstand works with recurring themes or leitmotifs that follow the characters and events, giving players a sense of familiarity and helps them connect emotionally with the story.

Lego Voyagers invites players to reflect, experiment, and form their own understanding of the story. The game asks open questions about friendship, connection, and how we navigate challenges together. Light Brick hopes these comments spark conversations long after the controller is set down. What does it mean to stay connected? How do we support each other when the path ahead isn’t always clear? The team doesn’t want to dictate the answers – and the game encourages players to find their own.

Looking Ahead

Lego Voyagers is playful, heartfelt, and true to the Lego brand. It’s a game about friendship, creativity and most of all – connection – built on a brand that has been inspiring players for generations. Lego Voyagers is out now! We can’t wait for players on the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One to set out on this journey together. Grab a friend, bring your curiosity and see what happens when a couple of bricks reach for the stars.


LEGO® Voyagers

LEGO® Voyagers

Annapurna Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

Get it now

From the makers of LEGO® Builder’s Journey comes a new 2-player co-op adventure about friendship and play. When two friends make it their mission to rescue an abandoned spaceship, they embark on a journey beyond their wildest dreams, ultimately learning the value of being connected.

● Experience what it feels like to be a LEGO brick. Tumble, jump, snap together, and build your way through rich brick worlds.
● Unravel a poetic, non verbal narrative, set in beautiful brick built environments, supported by an atmospheric soundtrack.
● Cooperatively solve the game’s many challenges and discover how two bricks are better than one. Play locally on the same screen, or online.
● Invite a friend to join your adventure for free with the Friend’s Pass. As long as one of you owns LEGO Voyagers, you can both play the full co-op experience together.

LEGO Voyagers asks open questions about building friendships, sharing dreams, and giving space.

It reminds us that while playing and being creative is for all shapes and sizes, it’s always better when you share it with a friend.

The post Tumble, Build and Discover Together in Lego Voyagers, Out Today appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Rockstar Says GTA 6 ‘Will Be The Largest Game Launch in History’

Rockstar has some particularly grand hopes for Grand Theft Auto 6, with the developer referring to its upcoming project as “the largest game launch in history.”

The company’s claim — which few are likely to argue with — was published as part of a job advertisment viewable via Rockstar’s website. In it, the developer says it is seeking a lead software engineer to ensure everything goes smoothly when GTA 6 finally arrives next year.

Rockstar’s lucky candidate will work with “some of the most talented people in the industry”, the company said, to help develop the data platform behind the upcoming behemoth.

“With the continued growth of Grand Theft Auto Online and the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6, the successful candidate will lead both the evolution and operation of the data platform supporting what will be the largest game launch in history,” Rockstar wrote, “ensuring it scales to deliver an exceptional experience for millions of players worldwide.”

At the time of writing, the most recent version of the job ad (first spotted on social media by TheGTABase) no longer includes this paragraph, though IGN was able to view an older, archived version of the page to verify it was previously present.

It’s unclear whether Rockstar is referring to GTA 6 as being the largest game launch in terms of how lucrative it will be, or how many players are likely to be flocking into the game during its first few days. Analyst firm Ampere previously estimated that GTA 6’s likely impact on the gaming industry will be worth $2.7 billion.

Currently set to launch in just eight months’ time, GTA 6 will mark the first new entry in Rockstar’s best-selling series in over a decade. There’s plenty of pent up demand for a fresh Grand Theft Auto, then, since GTA 5 originally launched back for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2013.

A recent trailer showed off much more of GTA 6, including its dual protagonists Jason and Lucia, and finally set a May 26, 2026 release date. Still, though, there’s much about the game that’s being kept under wraps.

So far, Rockstar has not shared any details of GTA 6’s version of GTA Online, which presumably this job applicant will be working on if they are leading development of its data platform. Whether the new version of GTA Online launches day and date with the main GTA 6 campaign remains to be seen, however — and that’s if there are no further delays to the project overall.

Whenever GTA 6 does arrive, it’s fair to say that no other game developer will want to launch their project anywhere near Rockstar’s release. Indeed, earlier this month, Ghost of Yotei director Nate Fox said his team at Sucker Punch celebrated GTA 6’s previous delay out of this year, giving their game a clear run at the holidays. “We’re all still hungover, multi-month hangover,” Fox said. “That was a great day.”

Could GTA 6’s launch slip again? Strauss Zelnick, boss of Rockstar parent company Take-Two, previously told IGN that “historically when we set a specific date, generally speaking, we’ve been very good about reaching it.” Here’s hoping Rockstar fills that job fast.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Despite fakery concerns, Stop Destroying Videogames campaign claim “around 97%” of their signatures are valid so far

There’s a fresh update from the organisers of the Stop Destroying Videogames citizens’ initiative, that being the petition asking EU lawmakers to look into the issue of publishers rendering online games unplayable when servers are switched off. Despite some concerns on their part a few months ago, the group claim that while the signatures they amassed are still being verified, “early reports from several countries” suggest “around 97%” of these are valid.

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Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment for Switch 2 Is Up for Preorder

The latest September Nintendo Direct had some very exciting announcements, from a release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond to Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 getting a bundle release for Switch. Zelda fans were even treated to a new trailer and release date for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, and the good news is it’s now available to preorder for Switch 2.

It can be found at various retailers, which we’ve included below, for $69.99 and is set to be released in a couple of months on November 6 (see it here at Amazon). If you’re itching to add it to your library, now is your chance at the links below.

Preorder Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

Physical

Digital (eShop)

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Preorder Bonus

At the moment there aren’t any official preorder bonuses for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. However, players will gain access to extra in-game items through any The Legend of Zelda series amiibo. Using save data from Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity or The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom can also net you some additional weapons while you play, such as a High Guard’s Claymore via the former or a High Guard’s Sword from the latter.

What Is Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment?

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is the third game in the Hyrule Warriors series and is centered on the Imprisoning War that’s mentioned in Tears of the Kingdom. You’ll play as Princess Zelda (who has traveled back in time) alongside King Rauru, Queen Sonia, and more to fight against a variety of enemies.

In addition to your character’s abilities and weaponry, you can also use Zonai Devices in battle and even a Sync Strike mechanic, which allows you to pair up with an ally to unleash a massive attack on the battlefield together.

The game also allows for two-player split screen local co-op, if you have someone ready to play next to you, or it can be played through GameShare, which allows for you and another person to play on a Switch or Switch 2 even if they don’t own the game.

Other Preorder Guides

If you’re looking to stock up your video game library, there’s plenty more up for preorder at the moment. Alongside previously mentioned announcements like Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2, you can see what else is available to preorder from the world of Nintendo and beyond below.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Amiibo Are Now Up for Preorder

It’s actually happened! After months of worrying speculation, we finally got a release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond during the recent Nintendo Direct. It’s confirmed for December 4, 2025 (phew!), and already up for preorder at Amazon.

But if you tuned into the Nintendo Direct, you may have noticed a couple of extra key details. Firstly, Samus on a bike (huh?), and secondly, Samus on a bike as an amiibo that you can buy (no way!).

Yes, it’s true, and a press release post-Nintendo Direct also confirmed this “technologically advanced bike” is named the Vi-O-La.

The Samus & Vi-O-La amiibo costs $39.99 and is available to preorder now from Walmart, but it’s not the only amiibo figure Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is getting, either.

The standalone Samus amiibo costs $29.99, alongside the “enigmatic bounty hunter” Sylux, which is also $29.99.

Both Samus amiibo will arrive on November 6, before Prime 4 hits shelves, while the Sylux amiibo will arrive on release day for December 4. We’re yet to know exactly how the new amiibo will work with the new game, with details about functionality within Metroid Prime 4: Beyond expected to be announced at a later date.

In case you missed it, Kirby Air Riders is also getting two amiibo alongside its upcoming release this year as well, and both are also up for preorder right now.

Of course, amiibo aren’t the only thing fans have to look forward to right now. Nintendo recently gave us a fresh look at Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, where Samus can be seen tearing across a vast open area on a motorbike-style vehicle, a striking change of pace for the series.

It’s the long-awaited follow-up to 2007’s Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on Wii, and its road to release has been anything but simple. Development originally started at Bandai Namco Studios before Nintendo handed the project back to Retro Studios, the team behind the original trilogy, after two years.

For a long time, things went quiet, but the game was formally re-announced in 2024 and has since been confirmed as a cross-gen release for both Switch and Switch 2.

Other Preorder Guides

Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN’s resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.

I have been dreaming of labour in Easy Delivery Co

…And so the thick snow feels like a sweet variant of obscuration: an invitation to go make my own footprints. The signs are blanketed to invisibility or missing entirely, though I wouldn’t know the difference in weather this insistent. But: Easy Delivery Co.‘s map is very good. And by very good, I mean it tells me slightly less than what I want to know at all times.

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Review: Strange Antiquities (Switch) – A Wicked Good Occult Puzzler & Sequel

Little antique shop of horrors.

In 2022’s Strange Horticulture, you ran a little shop of horrors, dealing plants with an occult edge to the inhabitants of a mysterious dark town. Now, Bad Viking and Iceberg Interactive’s follow-up, Strange Antiquities, takes us back to Undermere. Again, something strange is afoot. Again, you hear residents’ problems and offer up solutions from your range. Again, there’s a cat you can pat (!) who gets startled by the shop bell.

But this time, instead of being plant-based, the solutions are antique-based. If you enjoyed the first instalment for its puzzles and sinister aura, be sure to reach for this treasure, because it’s just as fun. (Either way, the first game is worth playing.)

Read the full article on nintendolife.com