Category: Video Games

Blizzard Reveals Radical Overhaul of Overwatch 2, Including Return of Loot Boxes, Perks, and Third-Person Mode

Overwatch 2 is undergoing some radical changes heading into 2025. While the roadmap ahead includes much of what you’d expect to see in terms of new content, the core gameplay itself will see a seismic shift, including the additions of hero perks.

We’re now nearly nine years out from the debut of Overwatch in 2016, and two-and-a-half from the launch of Overwatch 2. Season 15, kicking off on February 18, is set to completely alter the way Overwatch is played with the inclusion of perks.

Game director Aaron Keller and several Blizzard team members announced a swathe of changes and updates planned for Overwatch 2 in the coming months. From new collaborations and heroes to an entirely new way to play, it certainly seems like Overwatch 2 is set for a significant overhaul in the coming year.

The changes come amid significant pressure on Blizzard to spark renewed interest in and enthusiasm for Overwatch 2 as it faces tough competition from the likes of NetEase’s hugely popular rival hero shooter Marvel Rivals.

Overwatch 2 is adding hero perks

Each hero will now have two perks, minor and major, to select at newly ascribed levels throughout the match. At level two, a minor perk can upgrade a base aspect of the hero in some way; Orisa’s primary fire refunding Heat with critical hits, for example. But a major perk can essentially rework the hero mid-match, like replacing Orisa’s Javelin Spin with her Barrier or making her Energy Javelin chargeable, increasing its speed, Knockback, and letting it pierce through enemies.

These levels are doled out over the course of a match, eventually unlocking “gameplay-shifting” alterations, as Overwatch 2 lead gameplay designer Alec Dawson described it. These are also either-or choices, so opting for one perk means ditching the other. It’s reminiscent of the talent options in another Blizzard game, Heroes of the Storm.

Stadium is a new round-based mode, with third-person

Adding perks alone is a notable change, but Season 16 (currently planned for April) teases a second major addition to the Overwatch 2 ecosystem in Stadium mode. Keller calls it the “biggest game mode” the team has made since Overwatch launched, and it’s got some radical ideas.

Stadium is a 5v5, best-of-7 round-based competitive mode where players accrue and spend currency between bouts to improve their heroes. Modifications can boost attributes like survivability or damage, while traits can unlock some big hero-shifting alterations, like Reaper flying in his Wraith Form. Perks are not in Stadium, but that doesn’t seem to mean that those additions will not make it in, in some way and at some point.

Alongside the added modification options and rounds, Stadium also introduces a third-person mode, to “see more of the battlefield and your modifications in action,” as Keller put it. Players will have the option to swap between either a first or third-person camera. Stadium will launch with a core roster of 14 heroes to start, with more heroes arriving, as well as additional maps and modes, as time goes on.

GOATs are coming to Overwatch Classic

Blizzard is continuing to experiment with several other play modes, including 6v6 and Overwatch Classic. On the former front, more events are on the way, and Blizzard is planning to launch a 6v6 competitive open queue, with a maximum of two tanks per team.

Those hoping for more tanks will want to head to Overwatch Classic, arriving midway through Season 16, which will revive the “GOATs Meta” days of Overwatch 1. The three-tank, three-support era of Overwatch will return in another iteration of the throwback mode, reminding us all of that game-shifting strategy.

The development team is also planning on more seasonal events including April Fools’, Summer Games, and Dr. Junkenstein’s Halloween event.

Freja arrives in Season 16 – and Aqua follows

The next hero heading to Overwatch 2, Freja, is set for Season 16. She’s a crossbow-wielding bounty hunter from Denmark who can fill an enemy full of explosive bolts and bola them if they try to run.

Alongside Freja’s reveal and some gameplay, we also got a brief look at concept art for Blizzard’s next hero, Aqua. Boasting an ornate staff and bending some water, he’s definitely got a look. We’ll learn more about Aqua later this year.

Loot boxes are back

Yes, the infamous loot box is coming back to Overwatch. After disappearing amid the transition into battle passes and other options for cosmetics, Blizzard is adding loot boxes back. IGN has confirmed that loot boxes will not be paid for, and only available through free means, such as the free track of the battle pass and weekly rewards. One notable change is you’ll see the odds in a loot box, and what you’re likely to get from it, before opening.

“We’re keeping it fun while being transparent about what’s inside, and the rate of various drops from opening each box,” senior systems designer Gavin Winter said.

Hero bans, map voting, and more are coming to competitive play

A host of competitive updates are on the way for Overwatch 2. Season 15 will reset competitive ranks, but new rewards, like Galactic weapon skins and special weapon charms, should provide incentive to grind back up. Hero portraits will also get rank icons again.

Most notably, hero bans are coming to competitive Overwatch 2 in Season 16. A commonplace option for many competitive games, this could be an interesting method for shaking up play. Further on, after hero bans are implemented, Blizzard also plans to add map voting as well.

Cosmetics galore

A gigantic amount of cosmetics were shown throughout today’s stream, spotlighting numerous new looks for the heroes of Overwatch 2. Zenyatta is the next Mythic skin, inspired by the dragon Pixiu. He arrives in Season 15, alongside many other skins for characters like Doomfist, Venture, Tracer, Junker Queen, and more. A Widowmaker Mythic weapon skin is also on the way, for midway through Season 15.

Further out, several more cosmetic options will arrive, including a magical girl-inspired “Dokiwatch” Mythic skin for Juno and a Mythic weapon skin for Mercy. Reaper is also due for a Mythic weapon skin, and D.Va will be getting a Mythic skin later on too.

On top of all that, Overwatch 2 is certainly no stranger to collaborations, and the team is planning more of them. K-pop fans will probably be happy to hear that LE SSERAFIM is partnering with Blizzard for a second collaboration, with brand-new in-game skins and cosmetics this March.

The competitive landscape grows

Overwatch’s competitive side is also expanding, with a new stage added in China and more live events, which the team says will double the amount of gameplay and broadcasts. Face.it leagues are getting integrated into the competitive ecosystem, and a new tournament system for promotion and relegation is on the way. Teams are also getting in-game items for fans to rep, with proceeds going directly towards the organizations.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Guide: Best Mario Sports Games Of All Time

Every Mario sports game, ranked.

Nintendo’s mascot has never been shy of a spin-off, and while his karting exploits — not to mention his world-renowned penchant for a party — tend to grab all the attention and the biggest sales, Mario and co. have a long, rich history of starring in Nintendo sports games, too.

But what’s the best Mario sports game? We’ve compiled this ranked list of every Mario sports game covering everything from the premier league to the lowly feeder divisions, from the courtside seats to the nosebleeds!

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

How Monster Energy Supercross 25 Was Rebuilt From the Ground Up with You in Mind

How Monster Energy Supercross 25 Was Rebuilt From the Ground Up with You in Mind

  • Sebastiano Stefanetto, Game Director, Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game

Summary

  • Learn how Milestone has rebuilt the Monster Energy Supercross franchise in the last two years by leveraging key contributions from the community.
  • Simulation is the word, with a new physics system that allows full air control and a true riding experience in the dirt. And for the first time, the current season will be available on day one.
  • Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game will launch on Xbox Series X|S on April 10, 2025, with early access from April 7.

Two years after the last chapter, Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game is about to be released for Xbox Series X|S on April 10, 2025, with early access starting on April 7. As Game Director of this franchise, it is both an honor and a challenge as this new installment marks a complete rebuild of the series from the ground up.

This was made possible thanks to the valuable input from expert community members, whom we kept an open dialogue with throughout development to identify areas for improvement. Listening to their feedback was fundamental to crafting a gameplay experience that would truly meet the desires of our players, and importantly, the decision to adopt a biannual development plan also allowed us to step up the game technically with the adoption of Unreal Engine 5.

The Most Accurate Supercross Tracks Yet

Before diving into the gameplay facets, let me point out one of the biggest changes in terms of content, as Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game will feature for the first time in the history of the franchise the current season with 2025 riders, tracks and liveries available on day one. This has never been done before due to the structure of Supercross. In fact, each track only exists for the few days of the event and then is gone forever.

Monster Energy Supercross 25 - The Official Video Game Screenshot

To make this happen, we had to adopt a different technique; while in the past we used photogrammetry technology, this time we were able to access the blueprints of the 2025 tracks in advance to recreate them in the game engine without the need for additional photo reference. This is a new and different method that allows you to discover the tracks even before the real events take place — and real riders can also train with the game ahead of the championship final!

Building with the Community

As we mentioned earlier, we have collaborated with some of the most important Supercross creators asking them to test the game at various development stages. Listening to their opinions we have learned and tweaked many elements such as the riders’ animations, which are now more fluid and realistic than ever. Another crucial feature that the community helped us with is bike handling. Thanks to them, we have implemented a new bike balance system that will allow newcomers to enjoy the adrenaline of Supercross and veterans to perform better.

Most importantly, the community helped us rebuild the riding physics from scratch. On the ground, you’ll find many changes: the steering angle, traction and tire-to-ground contact have all been reworked to create a more immersive experience. The in-air physics, on the other hand, has been completely revolutionized. A renewed stick control system will give you full control of the in-air motion, which is something we never did in the past and will now allow you to decide how to manage both the rider and bike’s weight after the jump. With the new physics, performing whips and scrubs will be much more rewarding and those who will be mastering these movements will get an even greater advantage.

Upgrading to Unreal Engine 5

From a technical standpoint, Unreal Engine 5 allowed us to create features that we once thought impossible thanks to Chaos, its physics engine. For the first time, the track will be alive, just as the community wanted, with a new system that will challenge you lap after lap. In a real Supercross race, the track is indeed modified by the passing of the riders, creating ruts on the ground. One of the pilots’ many talents is to interpret these ruts to find the best trajectory. The new ruts system simulates track evolution so that you will have to find the best path for each lap.

With Unreal Engine 5 we were also able to implement for the first time a Neural AI system which will completely change the way rivals will behave during a race. In fact, the Neural AI is trained exactly like a real rider: we make them test the tracks hundreds and hundreds of times to learn how to approach corners and jumps.

While working on this new feature we faced two of the biggest challenges of the project: first, we had to teach the AI how to handle the new ruts system. We achieved it by training what we call “agents”, namely the AI-controlled riders on the same track at different stages of ground degradation so that they could learn how to handle the various situations that a Supercross rider can encounter during a race. Secondly, we had to train the AI how to handle the air sections. Thanks to these technical achievements the AI can now race on user-generated tracks and we can’t wait to see our community enjoy this impressive milestone.

The new AI is also an important element of the fresh career mode we have developed. Here you’ll become an integral part of the Supercross universe, thanks to a dynamic system full of challenges and tests to become the most successful rider. I can’t say too much here, so stay tuned to learn what we have in store for you.

Thank you for your time and attention. Before I go I would like to reveal to the Xbox Wire readers a small surprise — at the top of this post you can see for the first time the official key art of the game, depicting some of the main protagonists of the 2025 season. Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game will launch on Xbox Series X|S on April 10, 2025, with early access starting from April 7. See you on the race track!

The post How Monster Energy Supercross 25 Was Rebuilt From the Ground Up with You in Mind appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Best Video Game Deals Today (February 2025)

No matter which platform you prefer, there’s an excellent variety of video game deals to check out right now. Especially with Presidents’ Day sales kicking off, you can enjoy nice savings on some big releases, including IGN’s 2024 Game of the Year Metaphor: ReFantazio. There’s plenty more to enjoy outside of Presidents’ Day sales, too.

Whether you’re gaming on PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, or PC, we’ve rounded up the best offers to help you get more for your money. And while not a deal, we’ve also included where you can preorder Elden Ring Nightreign, in case you’re itching to return to The Lands Between. Best Buy’s also offering a free $10 gift card with your purchase. What can be better than that?

Preorder Elden Ring Nightreign

FromSoftware isn’t done with Elden Ring yet. Elden Ring Nightreign is now available to preorder, and as a nice little treat Best Buy’s also offering a free $10 gift card with your purchase. By preordering any version of the game you’ll also get the “It’s Raining” gesture, which you can show off with your co-op buddies on your adventure in The Lands Between.

Best Buy’s Presidents’ Day Sale – Gaming Deals

Presidents’ Day sales have kicked off, and Best Buy’s offering an excellent selection of gaming deals. Whether you’re looking to buy physical games or want to save on accessories, there’s quite a bit to look through. You can even score a discount on the Lenovo Legion Go gaming handheld, which is definitely worth taking advantage of.

Best PC Game Deals

There are plenty of excellent deals for PC players to enjoy right now, including a nice little discount on a preorder of Monster Hunter Wilds at Fanatical. Metaphor: ReFantazio is also discounted right now and you can even build your own Capcom bundle over at Fanatical. You can check out even more of our favorite PC game deals below.

More PC Game Deals:

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Nintendo Switch Game Sale at Woot

Woot’s offering discounts on quite a few Nintendo Switch titles. From The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom to Donkey Kong Country Returns HD to Super Mario RPG, you can stock up on some great games at lower prices. Alongside the games previously mentioned, we’ve included even more below so you can expand your Switch library even further.

More Switch Video Game Deals

Lenovo Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 RTX 4080 Super Gaming PC

Do you prefer to play on a dedicated PC tower? Navigating the options online can be quite the ordeal. Desk space, portability, and price point are often factors in the decision. However, there are some great PC deals that pop up every now and again that are worth jumping on. With Presidents’ Day sales kicking off right now as well, you can score some especially nice discounts on gaming desktops. One of our favorite deals at the moment is on this Lenovo Legion Tower 7i Gen 8 RTX 4080 Super Gaming PC. To see even more PC deals, check out our roundup of the best gaming PC deals.

More PC Deals:

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

Civilization 7 Mod Makers Are Already Tinkering With Its UI, Map Size, and More

Civilization 7 is out and developer Firaxis is already working to address its ‘mixed’ user review rating on Steam. But modders are also on the case, adding what they can to expand and iterate on the base experience.

Hosted on the Civ Fanatics site, mods are already starting to pop up for Civilization 7. Many build on the base game or put extra modifiers on world effects. More Natural Wonders, for example, does exactly what it says, doubling the amount of Natural Wonders that spawn on each map size. Or, for those who don’t want to meet the requirements to unlock certain civilizations, the Unlock all Civs mod undoes that particular constraint. While not exactly in the spirit of balance, the mods are nice tools to have if you’re looking to tinker with the game.

The most popular mod, judging by downloads, is Sukritact’s Simple UI Adjustments, which makes “[quality of life] and aesthetic adjustments to the game’s UI.” The mod lets Diplomacy be initiated through the city banner, adjusts Plot Yield icons to be smaller on unimproved or unworked tiles, and adjusts the tooltips as well.

The official Patch 1.01 for Civilization 7 has already begun to address some of these issues, taking aim at the user interface, AI, map variety, and other community complaints. It’s the first in a “series of upcoming patches” from Firaxis, intent on addressing feedback from Civilization 7’s advanced access period.

Yet modders are still honing in on everything from AI to fonts and lenses, and even the pause menu. While early quality-of-life updates are prominent, some mods are looking to future possibilites, like one that adds massive map sizes. It’s still early days, but considering Civ’s long history of eager mod support, it’s likely we’ll see more and more outside adjustments pop up alongside Firaxis’ own efforts to fine-tune Civilization 7.

In a recent interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged the negative reviews, but said the “legacy Civ audience” will come around.

“We think that as people play the game longer, the sentiment improves because with every launch of a new Civ, the team pushes the envelope a little bit and our legacy Civ audience is a little bit nervous about what they initially see and then they realize, wow, this is actually really incredible, and they dive in,” Zelnick said.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Hunt: Showdown developers Crytek lay off around 60 people after shelving Crysis 4

Hunt: Showdown and Crysis developers Crytek are dismissing an estimated 15 percent of their workforce – around 60 people out of 400 – in the face of “the complex, unfavourable market dynamics that have hit our industry these past several years”. This comes after they paused development of mechsuit FPS sequel Crysis 4 last year, with staff shifting over to Hunt Showdown’s live service reboot Hunt: Showdown 1896. Crytek now say they need to cut back in order to remain “financially sustainable”.

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Elden Ring Nightreign: Here’s What Comes in Each Edition

Elden Ring Nightreign is set to release for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on May 30. A new standalone game set in the world of Elden Ring, Nightreign lets you team up with two other players to slice your way through an oppressive fantasy world. It’s kind of like a faster-paced remix of the original game. It’s available for preorder in a number of editions (see it at Best Buy, where you get a free $10 gift card with purchase), so read on for the details about what comes in each one.

Elden Ring Nightreign – Standard Edition

PS5

Xbox Series X|S

PC

The standard edition of the game sells for $39.99. It comes with the game itself, plus the preorder bonus (see below).

Elden Ring Nightreign – Deluxe Edition

PS5

Xbox Series X|S

PC

For an extra $15, you get the game, the preorder bonus, and the following digital extras:

  • Additional DLC – additional playable characters and bosses (available post launch)
  • Digital artbook
  • Digital mini soundtrack

Elden Ring Nightreign – Collector’s Edition

From the store listing, here’s what comes in the Bandai Namco Store-exclusive collector’s edition of the game:

  • Additional DLC – Additional DLC that will be available after the release of the main game
  • Statue of Wylder – A perfect replica of the nomadic warrior, Wylder, a lone swordman in pursuit of the Night Lord. Crafted by Pure Arts. Size : 25cm
  • SteelBook – Premium metal case with a full-color illustration of Wylder. The perfect protection and display for your game disc
  • Nightfarer Cards – A set of eight high-quality tarot cards featuring detailed illustrations of the Nightfarers. These glossy, full color cards are the perfect way to predict your future in Limveld
  • Exclusive Hardcover Artbook – An exclusive 40-page artbook tracing the development of ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN through previously unseen concept art, sketches, and full color illustrations. Size: 24 x 21 cm Language: English
  • Digital Soundtrack Download Code – The unforgettable original soundtrack is included in this Collector’s Edition. Return to Limveld again and again with fully orchestrated tracks from ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN.
  • Collector’s Box – A beautiful case to store or display your statue and artbook.

Elden Ring Nightreign Preorder Bonus

Preorder any version of the game, and you’ll receive the following digital extra:

  • “It’s Raining” Gesture

Additionally, if you preorder any edition at Best Buy, you’ll receive a free $10 gift card when the game releases.

Elden Ring Nightreign Helmet of Wylder

If you want a physical Helmet of Wylder statue to go with the game, you can pick one up at exclusively the Bandai Namco Store for $189.99.

What Is Elden Ring Nightreign?

Elden Ring Nightreign is a standalone game, which means you don’t need the original Elden Ring to play it. It’s a co-op adventure that the game’s director Junya Ishizaki describe as a “condensed RPG experience.” It lets you build your character as you explore the world and fight tough enemies and bosses, all in shorter, tighter gameplay sessions.

In each run, you and two friends are dropped into the game world as level one characters, but the locations of the enemies and castles is randomized. That means you can’t simply memorize where everything is like you can in the original game. It sounds like a pretty cool new twist on the established template. For more info, check out our hands-on preview, plus our impressions of the network test build.

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Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.

Sharkmob launch public playtest for Exoborne, their open world shoot-O-mecha-looter

Sharkmob have punched the green light, cracked open the hangar doors and launched a public playtest for their windblown open world extraction shooter Exoborne, which I would gingerly summarise as Anthem meets Just Cause with a touch of PUBG. From today till 17th February at 1pm GMT, 2pm CET, or 5am PST, you’ll be able to get your fill of mech-o-looting via Steam. Here’s a trailer’s worth of wiggly whooshes, big bangs and exowotsits to celebrate. Mmm, exowotsits. They used to be 25p a bag in the 1990s.

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The Legendary Jeff Minter Returns With A New Psychedelic Arcade Reimagining

Big Brother is watching…

You really don’t need us to tell you that a new Jeff Minter game is coming. You know a Jeff Minter game when you see a Jeff Minter game. That said, yes, a new Jeff Minter game is coming.

I, Robot is a new psychedelic reimagining of the 1984 arcade classic of the same name, with Llamasoft and Atari partnering up once again after their previous efforts on Akka Arrh and Tempest 4000. Due for launch in Spring 2025, it’ll be gracing the Nintendo Switch as a digital download (though given Atari’s strong history with physical releases, we can probably expect a boxed version later down the line – make sure your wishes are heard!).

Read the full article on nintendolife.com