Switch 2 has been a huge deal since it launched, and at last night’s Japan Game Awards, the console was recognised for its monumental achievements so far.
Nintendo’s latest hardware took home the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the 2025 ceremony. It’s a long and somewhat confusing title, but the basic gist is that it’s an award given to an individual, production team, organisation or project that has notably contributed to the games industry in recent years.
How a Traditional Blacksmith Created Ninja Gaiden 4’s Swords in Real Life
Tom LeeCreative Director, Team Ninja
When we set out to launch Ninja Gaiden 4, we asked ourselves: what if the blades of legend weren’t confined to the game? What if Ryu Hayabusa’s iconic Dragon Sword and new protagonist Yakumo’s Takeminakata — weapons rooted in centuries of lore — could be forged in the real world? That question brought us to Kyoto, Japan, where ancient swordsmithing traditions met the next chapter of Ninja Gaiden.
In association with master swordsmith Yuya Nakanishi and the Masahiro Tantoujou Sword Forge, we set out to create real-life versions of the Dragon Sword and the Takeminakata. These aren’t just props — they’re living, breathing testaments to craft, power, and story.
The Stories of the Swords
The Dragon Sword has always been more than steel. In-game, it’s the ancestral blade passed down through the Dragon Lineage for generations.,
Combined with the Eye of the Dragon, a sacred jewel granted to Ryu by his childhood friend Kureha, the blade now displays its full power, transforming into the “True Dragon Sword.” With this legendary blade in hand, Ryu has purged the encroaching forces of evil and saved the world time and time again.
Yakumo’s Takeminakata has also been passed down through generations of the Raven Clan, who have actively collected cursed blades to utilize with Bloodbind Ninjutsu. Yakumo uses Bloodbind Ninjutsu to share the life force of blood with Takeminakata and the accursed armaments to maximize their destructive potential.
The Creation Process
Creating these blades in real life took months. Hundreds of hours. And no compromises. Each artisan at Masahiro Tantoujou Sword Forge approached their part of the process with the same dedication Ryu and Yakumo bring to battle — patience, discipline, and unwavering focus.
The result? Two swords that don’t just mirror their in-game counterparts — they embody them. When you see the Dragon Sword’s gleam or the Takeminakata’s raven feather-imbued blade, you’re not just looking at steel. You’re looking at the legacy of the Dragon Clan and the Raven clan, and the Master Ninjas that define Ninja Gaiden 4.
This collaboration is more than a celebration of a game. It’s where story meets steel, and where fantasy becomes something you can hold in your hands. Because in Ninja Gaiden 4, legends aren’t imagined — they’re forged.
Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch
Experience a return to the intense, high-octane action of NINJA GAIDEN with the Deluxe Edition! The Deluxe Edition includes:
• NINJA GAIDEN 4 base game
• Future Gameplay Content “The Two Masters”*
• Traditional Dark Blue and Legendary Black Falcon Ryu Skins
• Blade of the Archfiend Ryu Weapon Skin
• Divine Chimera and Raven Master Yakumo Skins
• Divine Chimera Yakumo Weapon Set
• 50,000 Bonus NinjaCoin
• Additional In-Game Items such as Life Elixirs, Incense of Rebirth, Kongou Iron Brew, and more!
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
RETURN OF THE LEGEND
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
EPIC HACK AND SLASH COMBAT, EVOLVED
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
AN ANCIENT ENEMY RETURNS
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
*For release date when announced, see https://www.xbox.com/games/ninja-gaiden-4.
Pre-order now to receive the Dark Dragon Descendant Yakumo Skin at launch
The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.
Return of the Legend
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.
Epic Hack and Slash Combat, Evolved
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.
An Ancient Enemy Returns
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.
Super limited, top-down track terror? Check. European concept car from the future paying homage to its past? Yep. Timeless off-roader that took both the sport and utility mad seriously in SUV? That part. This month’s free update from the Polyphony fam has a vehicular something for everyone, and adds two more models: ’25 Mazda Spirit Racing Roadster 12R, Opel Corsa GSW Vision Gran Turismo, ’74 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40V, as well as the ’23 Hyundai Elantra N, and ’20 Toyota RAV4 Adventure.
Five new events will be added to World Circuits and you can take your virtual lens to South America, Bolivia specifically, with different scenes from the country having been added to Scapes.
Update 1.63 for Gran Turismo 7 is available as of today, Tuesday, September 23 at 10:00pm PDT / September 24 at 6:00am BST / 2:00pm JST.
New Cars**
Hyundai Elantra N ’23
(Can be purchased from Brand Central / Used Cars)
Hyundai’s Elantra N is a circuit-ready thrill machine born from the brand’s racing DNA. Debuting with the 7th-gen Elantra in 2020, it packs a 2.0L turbo engine pushing 276 BHP and 40 kgfm torque, sprinting 0–62 mph in just 5.3 seconds. Available in 6-speed manual or 8-speed DCT, it features N Grin Shift, N Power Shift, and N Track Sense Shift for racetrack precision. Electronically controlled dampers, ELSD, and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires deliver sharp cornering and stability. Inside, bucket seats, a custom wheel, and N Sound Equalizer elevate the drive. A TCR touring variant proves its motorsport chops—this isn’t just a daily driver, it’s a track-honed beast.
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Mazda Spirit Racing Roadster 12R ’25
(Can be purchased from Brand Central / Used Cars)
Only 200 made, the Mazda Spirit Racing Roadster 12R is a factory-built track weapon born from Mazda’s motorsport initiative. Debuting at the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon, it’s based on the ND Roadster but packed with race-grade parts: a hand-assembled engine with custom internals, Bilstein dampers, Brembo brakes, forged Rays wheels, Recaro seats, and a Fujitsubo exhaust. Developed by a team of Mazda employees who raced in the Super Endurance Series, this roadster reflects deep racing know-how. With performance tuned to the edge of endurance limits, it’s the ultimate expression of Mazda’s works team spirit—raw, rare, and ready to rip.
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Opel Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo
(Can be purchased from Brand Central)
Opel’s Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo is a bold, all-electric concept celebrating 60 years of innovation. With dual motors delivering 788 BHP and 800 Nm torque, it rockets from 0–62 mph in 2.0 seconds and tops out at 198.8 mph. Its sleek, muscular design features the next-gen Opel Vizor and Compass lighting signature, while active aero elements boost high-speed handling. Inside, a stripped-down cockpit offers a focused racing experience with HUD, six-point harness, and electrochromic safety alerts. As a ‘phygital’ show car playable in Gran Turismo 7, it blends Opel’s motorsport legacy with futuristic tech—an electrified glimpse into the GSE brand’s high-performance future.
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Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40V ’74
(*Can be purchased from Legend Cars)
The ’74 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40V is a compact off-roader that defined the “go anywhere and come back alive” philosophy. Introduced in 1960, the third-gen model stayed in production for 25 years and became a global icon. Its short wheelbase made it ideal for rugged terrain, while part-time 4WD and a 2-speed transfer case delivered serious capability. Originally powered by a 3.9L gas engine, a 3L diesel was added in 1974. Its legacy lives on through the FJ Cruiser and GAZOO Racing’s reproduction of model 40 parts. Beloved for its reliability and versatility, the FJ40V remains a timeless symbol of adventure.
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Toyota RAV4 Adventure ’20
(*Can be purchased from Brand Central)
The 2020 Toyota RAV4 Adventure is a rugged crossover that lives up to its name. Built on Toyota’s TNGA platform, it blends off-road capability with urban comfort. A 2.0L Dynamic Force Engine paired with Direct Shift-CVT delivers smooth acceleration and fuel efficiency. Its standout feature: Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD with a disconnect system for better economy. Rugged styling includes a custom grille, skid-plate bumper, and 19-inch tires. Safety comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense, featuring pre-collision alerts, Lane Tracing Assist, and adaptive cruise control. Inside, smartphone integration and a Panoramic View Monitor enhance everyday driving. It’s the perfect SUV for those who crave adventure—on or off the road.
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World Circuits (New Events)
The following new events have been added to ‘World Circuits’:
Sunday Cup
Sardegna – Road Track – C Reverse
Japanese FR Challenge 450
Suzuka Circuit
Race of Turbo Sportscars
Watkins Glen Long Course
Vision Gran Turismo Trophy
Nürburgring GP
World Touring Car 700
Alsace – Village
Scapes
‘Bolivia’ has been added as a featured Curation in Scapes.
*Internet connection required for update. **Credits (paid or via game progression) required to purchase vehicles.
Sony has announced Franchise Rewards, a new program that grants players the ability to buy physical PlayStation merchandise — if you unlock specific in-game trophies by a certain date.
The scheme kicks off with Ghost Rewards, unlocked by earning specific trophies in Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima before December 31, 2025.
If you’ve unlocked the “Mono no Aware” Gold trophy, you’ll be granted the ability to pay $30/€33 for a commemorative T-shirt. Unlock the “Living Legend” Platinum trophy and you can additionally choose to pay $25/€28 for an commemorative pin. You’ll also then need to pay shipping on top, with standard delivery priced at around $13 within the U.S. (or expedited delivery at around $25).
The initial fan response to the scheme has been mixed, with many pointing to its announcement as a lackluster replacement for Sony’s recently-retired PlayStation Stars loyalty program.
“We went from getting points from buying games to buy more games for free, to getting points that give us the honor of giving them more money,” noted PlayStation fan thickwonga413. “Thanks guys.”
“We lost PlayStation Stars for this?” concurred WaveHood1. “Bruh. Give the PS Store cards back.”
Others have compared the offer to Bungie’s long-held practice of offering exclusive Destiny merchandise to players who have completed a certain number of tasks in-game each year. “Play to pay,” SilentElite99 observed. “The Destiny method.”
For those interested, you’ll need to head to ghostrewards.playstation.com in the U.S. (or ghostrewards.eu.playstation.com in Europe) to unlock and purchase the items before December 31, 2025. It’s unclear why there is a time limit, but there we are.
PlayStation will continue its scheme with the next set of Franchise Rewards, for the upcoming Ghost of Yotei, later this year. More details on that will be announced in the future.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Borderlands 4 is rife with overpowered builds that use what developer Gearbox has described as “unintended interactions” to cause massive damage, even to the game’s toughest bosses on the hardest difficulties. The most infamous of these is ‘the knife,’ which Gearbox has said it’s aware of but won’t nerf just yet. Now, there’s another new best boss melting build to add to the list.
YouTuber NickTew, who had led the charge online with his knife build discovery, set out to “nerf proof” their Vex in light of Gearbox’s comments about potentially stamping out knife builds. In doing so, he found a way to cause so much damage from a single clip of a gun’s magazine that Borderlands 4 spat out a “total existence failure” message in the boss health bar — something I had no idea even existed in the game.
In a new video, NickTew had to slow down the gameplay just to be able to show this ‘total existence failure’ message in action, so quickly did the boss’ health disappear.
The interaction requires you have a gun with the Torgue Licensed Sticky Magazine and the Taser alt-fire mode. A Torgue Sticky mag enables the weapon to fire sticky projectiles called “gyrojets” that attach to enemies and explode for massive damage upon reloading or switching modes. In this case, switching to Taser.
NickTew demonstrates how you can load an enemy up with gyrojets via an SMG due to its fast rate of fire and big magazine, then right before reloading, switch to the underbarrel taser, causing the gyrojets to explode and cause much more damage than they would if reloading normally. As NickTew put it, with this build you’re able to “snap the boss out of existence.” This works on every character, and it does not involve using the knife.
The only issue here is an SMG with this specific combination (Torgue Sticky and alt-fire) is a relatively rare find, so you’ll need to do a spot of farming to nab one. Or perhaps you have one anyway, sitting in your inventory just waiting to cause havoc.
NickTew isn’t entirely sure why this combination causes so much damage. Is it a bug, or are there calculations going on under the hood that spark this huge uptick? It certainly feels like one of Borderlands 4’s “unintended interactions,” so it’s probably not long for this world.
This week, Gearbox indicated that in the short-term it plans to buff underperforming gear and skills rather than nerf overpowered builds. That means instakill builds like this one are safe for now. Confirmation came from Borderlands 4 creative director Graeme Timmins, who took to social media to acknowledge the debate about what he called “builds that use unintended interactions and/or the knife.”
Here’s the statement:
“We’ve seen the discourse about builds that use unintended interactions and/or the knife. We’re not going to act on those immediately, instead, we’re looking at our first round of buffs. Those will get addressed but we’re going to start with underperforming gear/skills first.”
There’s no timeframe for Borderlands 4’s next patch, but we know some more of what the studio is working on. PC performance improvements are a “top priority,” the studio has said. A Field of View (FOV) slider is on the way to the console versions, too.
Borderlands 4 console players are also keen for a patch to address some glaring technical problems. Last week, the tech experts at Digital Foundry confirmed a gradual worsening of framerate with continuous playtime, even on PlayStation 5 Pro and Xbox Series X. As revealed in a new video published to YouTube, Digital Foundry found performance starts dipping after around 30 minutes to an hour, which it called “too intrusive on the overall experience, too regular an interruption.” Even after a completely fresh boot, the game is still prone to framerate drops.
Gearbox development chief Randy Pitchford has acknowledged the problem on social media, promising incoming improvements. As a workaround, Pitchford suggested console players quit Borderlands 4 and restart. Digital Foundry’s Tom Morgan confirmed this does restore performance, but criticized the situation, saying “resetting the game every hour should really not be an expected solution for players.”
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
It appears to be a Palworld version of Stardew Valley, with players alternating between tending crops, mining the caves, battling wildlife, and bonding with the local NPCs. As in vanilla Palworld, you can capture Pals with different abilities and set them to work on tasks like sowing and watering. Here’s a trailer.
If you cast your mind back to the early days of the Switch eShop, before the storefront was swamped by slop and rip-offs, you might recall Battle Chef Brigade — a weird fusion of cooking sim and action RPG all wrapped up in a sweet anime-inspired art style. It was a lovely little game from developer Trinket Studios, and what do you know, the team is back with something that looks equally intriguing.
Battle Suit Aces is a sci-fi RPG that mixes the bold visuals of old-school mech anime with some particularly deep-looking card combat. It boasts the same visual style as its predecessor and another interesting mash-up of gameplay styles
Team Cherry’s post-launch support of massive indie hit Hollow Knight: Silksong continues, with Patch 2 now live.
As the developer had signalled, Silksong’s second major patch (1.0.28650) focuses on a few critical issues still remaining, while also cleaning up some bugs around specific tools. The patch notes, per Team Cherry’s website, are below.
All fixes will apply retroactively, Team Cherry added, so players who’ve hit a significant bug that prevents progress should now be able to proceed.
Further fixes are currently being worked on for a third patch, the developer continued, with some additional focus around improving controller support on PC platforms. “Expect this one to come a little later, as we’re aiming to cover as many remaining issues as possible,” Team Cherry said.
Meanwhile, Team Cherry said for upcoming patches, beyond regular fixes, “our first priority remains to improve Silksong’s Simplified Chinese translation.”
This is in response to high-profile criticism of Silksong’s Simplified Chinese translation, which had led to Chinese players leaving negative Steam reviews. “The current Silksong [Chinese] translation reads like a Wuxia novel instead of conveying the game’s tone,” said one player. “This isn’t about effort, but about taste and direction, and speaking from experience likely can’t be fixed without replacing the translator.” Another said: “can you imagine as a Chinese, I need to play the game by switching in English to understand [the] translation.”
“Native Chinese speaker here. The translation uses awkwardly archaic wording that makes a lot of the content unintelligible,” added someone else. “I’m talking about word salad type of situation. On top of the anachronistic pretentiousness, it’s downright gibberish at times.”
“A new script, by a well-regarded team, is already well underway,” Team Cherry confirmed. “We’re expecting this new translation to be delivered in 3-4 weeks, with implementation to follow immediately after.
“In the meantime, for Simplified Chinese players, we’ve recently been informed that a talented group of Hollow Knight fans has already produced their own full-translation mod for Silksong! We’ve heard good things about the mod, and players may want to consider shifting over to it.”
Hollow Knight: Silksong Version 1.0.28650 patch notes:
Added Dithering effect option in Advanced video settings (PC only). Reduces colour banding but can slightly soften the appearance of foreground assets. Defaults to ‘Off’.
Updated Herald’s Wish achievement description to clarify that players must both complete the wish and finish the game.
Fixed Savage Beastfly in Far Fields sometimes remaining below the lava.
Fixed rare cases of Shrine Guardian Seth getting out of bounds during battle.
Fixed rare case of Second Sentinel knocking the player out of bounds during battle.
Added catch to prevent Lugoli sometimes flying off screen and not returning during battle.
Further reduced chance of Silk Snippers getting stuck out of bounds in Chapel of the Reaper battle.
Fixed various instances of dying to bosses while killing them causing death sequences to play messily or out of sync.
Fixed Shaman Binding into a bottom transition causing a softlock.
Cocoon positions in some locations updated to prevent it spawning in inaccessible areas.
Fixed Liquid Lacquer courier delivery not being accessible in Steel Soul mode.
Fixed some NPCs not correctly playing cursed hint dialogues in certain instances.
Fixed Pondcatcher Reed not being able to fly away after singing.
Fixed Verdania memory orbs sometimes replaying layered screen-edge burst effects.
Fixed the break counter not working for certain multihitter tools eg Conchcutter.
Fixed Volt Filament damage multiplier not applying for certain Silk Skills.
Fixed Cogflies and Wisps inappropriately targeting Skullwings.
Fixed Cogflies incorrectly resetting their HP to full on scene change.
Fixed Curveclaw always breaking on the first hit after being deflected.
Fixed Plasmium Phial and Flea Brew sometimes not restoring as intended at benches.
Various other smaller tweaks and fixes.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Dear Hideo Kojima, you’d better give us a proper update on your new Metal Gear-style action-espionage game-movie wotsit Physint soon, because for every hour that passes, I think of another unbearable title pun.
I’m not very Physinterested in Physint right now, a game defined by what it Physisn’t. Perhaps I’d be more Physinto it if Kojima Productions would share a proper outline and explore the Physintricacies. But this is Hideo Kojima, a man of *grunts, strains* Sphysint-like enigma. Still, at least we now know that Don Lee from Train To Busan is in the stealthy film-o-game, together with Charlee Fraser from Furiosa and Minami Hamabe from Godzilla Minus One.
