Category: Video Games

New Monster Hunter Wilds trailer reveals Iceshard Cliffs and the monsters within

Hunters! 2025 is here, and the time to hunt in Monster Hunter Wilds is fast approaching. We are excited to share the latest trailer, as well as additional information on the second open beta test (OBT2). 

First, let’s unpack all the reveals from the latest trailer.


New Monster Hunter Wilds trailer reveals Iceshard Cliffs and the monsters within

Meet a wandering Wudwud at the newly revealed locale: the Iceshard Cliffs

The hunter and the Expedition Team arrive at a new locale, the Iceshard Cliffs. As the story unfolds, you’ll venture into this icy landscape and encounter a variety of monsters that reside in it. The Iceshard Cliffs is a locale where snowy blizzards blow.

The Iceshard Cliffs is a locale where snowy blizzards blow.

Icy fog drifts in the air, forming a unique area where you can see collapsed debris and something fluttering in the freezing winds overhead.

Hunters exploring during a blizzard. Beat the cold and stay in top condition by warming up with a hot drink.

The Iceshard Cliffs are home to endemic life that have adapted to its harsh conditions for survival.

An ordinary Wudwud who has wandered far from home

Rove

Rove, the quirky Wudwud you will meet in the Iceshard Cliffs.

Monsters inhabiting the Iceshard Cliffs

Hirabami – Leviathan

A species of leviathan that inhabits the Iceshard Cliffs. It has sharp claws on its tail and uses a wind-catching membrane on its neck that allows it to float.

In our latest trailer, a mysterious large monster is seen attacking a group of Hirabami.

Nerscylla – Temnoceran

Nerscylla, a Temnoceran, makes its comeback to the Monster Hunter series. It defeats its prey with a single blow from its distinctive horn.

It appears that Nerscylla is trying to restrain and prey on Gypceros…

During the final scene of the trailer, the ominous Gore Magala launches a surprise attack on Fabius and members of the Expedition Team. 

What kind of threat will the fearsome Gore Magala pose in Monster Hunter Wilds? Face off with fan-favorite monster in the full game and find out for yourself!

Unfold the story of Arkveld, the White Wraith

In the latest trailer, more of the mysterious nature of the flagship monster, Arkveld, is revealed. Uncover its true nature and the motives behind its actions as you make your way through the rich and compelling story of Monster Hunter Wilds. 

What is the true nature of Arkveld, which skillfully attacks with its unique chain-like appendages extending from its wings?

A battle between Arkveld and Rey Dau, the apex predator of the Windward Plains.

The flagship monster Arkveld appears in the second open beta test (OBT2) 

The second open beta test will be held during the following two sessions below. 

Date and time (Pacific Time)
Thursday, February 6th 2025 7:00pm – Sunday, February 9th, 2025 6:59 pm
Thursday, February 13th, 2025 7:00 pm – Sunday, February 16th, 2025 6:59 pm

Pre-load for the second Open Beta Test begins on February 5, 2025 (Wednesday) at 7:00pm.

Both sessions will feature identical content, so we hope you join the hunt when you can!

OBT2 includes the same content as the OBT held last November: Character Creation, Story Trial, and a Doshagma Hunt. 

After slaying Doshaguma, hunters can continue to enjoy other hunts that await you in the Windward Plains.

In OBT2, hunters can face off against Gypceros: a poisonous Bird Wyvern that is well-known in the series for its intelligent and unique behavior. We hope you enjoy taking on this returning monster in OBT2!

OBT2 marks your first chance to take on Arkveld, the flagship monster of Monster Hunter Wilds. Arkveld appears in a more difficult advanced quest specially tweaked for OBT2. We encourage skilled and confident hunters to take on this difficult challenge.

The Training Area is now available in OBT2, and can be accessed from the base camp. Hone your skills with various weapons as you get ready for the hunts ahead. 

Keep in mind that OBT2 does not reflect the full slate of adjustments and tweaks to weapon actions and balancing, that will be featured in the full release of the game.

In OBT2, hunters can create a Private Lobby that cannot be found through searching, perfect for when you hunt with a specific small group. In addition, Online Single Player mode is also available, allowing you to play solo without joining a lobby. While in this mode, you can also temporarily play multiplayer by using an SOS Flare.

Whether you were unable to join the first OBT, or are looking to take on the additional monsters added, we hope you enjoy OBT2! 

OBT2 is available to all players with a PS5 and a PlayStation Network account, regardless of whether you have a subscription to PlayStation Plus. 

All who play OBT2 will receive a Felyne pendant to decorate your weapon or Seikret, as well as a Bonus Item pack in the full game. If you’ve already played the first Open Beta Test, you’re already set to receive these rewards at launch. 

For PlayStation 5 Pro players, be aware that while OBT2 is playable on PS5 Pro, it is not officially supported with PS5 Pro Enhanced features. The full version of Monster Hunter Wilds will support PS5 Pro via a day 1 patch. 

Carry over your created characters from both Open Beta Tests to the full version of Monster Hunter Wilds! Note however that some character edit recipe values will have slight differences in the full version.

Monster Hunter Wilds is nearly here! Thank you to all our hunters for your support. We can’t wait to see you in the Forbidden Lands when the game launches on February 28.

Pre-loading the game

If you’ve pre-ordered Monster Hunter Wilds at PlayStation Store, you’ll be able to pre-load the game 48 hours ahead of release, ensuring you can spend less time downloading and more time hunting!

Immortals of Aveum Leads Humble Choice for February 2025

If you’re searching for your next new game to play, Humble Choice February is now live, and this is the perfect bundle to discover something new! This month, Immortals of Aveum headlines the bundle, with seven other games like Total War: Pharoah Dynasties, Fabledom, and more included. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars to grab these games individually, you can get all eight games for just $11.99 at Humble Bundle for this month only.

Humble Choice Games for February 2025

  • Immortals of Aveum
  • Trepang2
  • Total War: Pharoah Dynasties
  • Fabledom
  • Griftlands
  • Tales & Tactics
  • Naheulbeuk’s Dungeon Master
  • My Little Universe

Each month, Humble Choice curates a selection of games for members to redeem. These games are sent as Steam codes, which are yours to keep forever. You can even send them to a friend if you already have the game or want to gift one! For February, Immortals of Aveum is well worth the price of this package alone, receiving an 8/10 in our review:

“Immortals of Aveum is an impressively confident first-person shooter that successfully trades muzzles and magazines for mages and magic. Its fast-paced, spellcasting combat is both satisfying to master and spectacular to look at, and it features a lengthy and hearty campaign packed with secrets to keep us going well after the story has wrapped. As someone who desperately hopes that unapologetically single-player shooters will live forever, these Immortals have done a great job of making sure they’re definitely not dead yet.”

In addition to these games, you can also score up to 20% off select games on the Humble Store. The longer that you have an active subscription, the more rewards you can unlock. 5% of each Humble Choice purchase also supports a charity that rotates monthly, with February’s supporting United Negro College Fund, an organization that works to increase the total annual number of African American college graduates. Don’t miss out on this month’s Humble Choice selection!

EA Says Next Battlefield Is ‘Expected’ Fiscal Year 2026

The next Battlefield game is expected to launch during EA’s fiscal year 2026, the company said today.

Reporting its financial results for the third quarter of its current fiscal year ending March 2025, EA said the new Battlefield has an “expected fiscal year 2026 release.”

That means it’ll launch at some point between April 2025 and March 2026.

This week, EA released a first official look at the new Battlefield game as part of an announcement around player testing and its development set-up.

The brief glimpse at pre-alpha Battlefield gameplay came as part of a video revealing what EA calls Battlefield Labs, and an accompanying call to arms for playtesters.

“EA unveiled Battlefield Labs, a new initiative allowing player-driven testing and innovation ahead of the franchise’s expected fiscal year 2026 release,” EA said in its financial report.

Meanwhile, EA revealed Battlefield Studios, the umbrella branding for the four studios it has working on the new Battlefield. These are the series’ main Stockholm, Sweden-based developer, DICE, Dead Space remake and Star Wars: Squadrons developer Motive (which is also working on an Iron Man game), U.S. studio Ripple Effect (formerly known as DICE LA), and UK studio Criterion, whose work on Need For Speed has now come to an end.

DICE in Sweden is building the multiplayer for the new Battlefield. Motive is working on single-player missions and multiplayer maps. Ripple Effect is working on bringing in new players to the Battlefield franchise. And Criterion is working on the single-player campaign.

EA said its collective Battlefield Studios teams are now entering a “critical” phase of the development cycle, and want player feedback on what to prioritize, improve, and refine before release. To that end, Battlefield Labs will see EA test almost everything but not everything players see will be complete. Participants will have to agree to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before getting in.

“Even in pre-alpha, we are proud of where the game is at,” EA said. “We tirelessly playtest, but your feedback will supercharge our development as we strive to hit that perfect note between form, function, and feel.

“This is an unprecedented moment for Battlefield. We will start by testing the pillars of play, like core combat and destruction. Then transition to balance and feedback for our weapons, vehicles and gadgets, ultimately leading to where all these pieces come together in our maps, modes, and squad play.

“And yes, we will be testing Conquest and Breakthrough, the heart and soul of our all-out warfare experience, but BF Labs will also be a place to explore new ideas and fine-tune and improve Battlefield pillars like our class system (Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon) to create deeper more strategic play.”

It’s worth remembering that while EA is devoting four entire studios to Battlefield, last year it shut down Ridgeline Games, a Seattle-based developer that was working on a new supposedly standalone single-player Battlefield game with more of a story focus, and laid off all its staff.

In September, EA revealed fresh details on its untitled Battlefield game alongside its first concept art. IGN also confirmed that Battlefield will return to a modern setting after stints in World War I, World War II, and the near future. The concept art suggested ship-to-ship and helicopter combat will be part of the new game, and that it will feature natural disasters like wildfires.

At the time, Vince Zampella, Head of Respawn & Group GM for EA Studios Organization, referenced Battlefield 3 and 4 in an interview with IGN. “I mean, if you look back to the peak or the pinnacle of Battlefield, it’s that Battlefield 3… Battlefield 4 era where everything was modern,” he said.

“And I think we have to get back to the core of what Battlefield is and do that amazingly well, and then we’ll see where it goes from there. But I think for me, it’s that peak of Battlefield-ness is in that Battlefield 3 and 4 days. So I think it’s nostalgic for players, for me, for the teams even. Those are kind of the heyday… although I would say 1942 also.”

The return to the modern setting represents a course correction for the series after Battlefield 2042, which eventually found its footing but was otherwise widely panned for features like Specialists — characters that made it seem as if Battlefield was trying to be a hero shooter. Its ambitious 128-player maps also proved unpopular with fans who preferred a more focused experience. Battlefield 2042 eventually went back to supporting 64 players per map, and the next Battlefield plans to stick to that approach. Specialists are also out this time around.

The pressure on the next Battlefield is on after 2042’s missteps. EA CEO Andrew Wilson has called it one of the “most ambitious projects in [EA’s] history,” and based on the sheer number of studios involved, it’s a significant investment. The Battlefield Studios tagline is, “We’re all in on Battlefield.”

“Yeah, it’s definitely betting bigger on Battlefield,” Zampella told IGN in the interview from 2024. “It’s going in and expanding what Battlefield is. We have to have the core. The core Battlefield players know what they want. They’ve been with us forever, they’ve been amazing supporters. We need to earn their trust back and get them back on our side. And then it’s expanding out and getting more players into the universe and seeing what we can do, so when you want a different experience, you don’t have to leave Battlefield. You can experience more things within the Battlefield universe. So we’re expanding the offerings that we’re giving.”

EA has yet to announce launch platforms or a final title for the new Battlefield.

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.

Anime Vangaurds Update 3.5 Adds Starting Questline and Boss Rush Multiplayer Support

Anime Vanguards update 3.5 is here with four new units, multiplayer functionality for boss rush, a starting questline, and a collection of bug and quality-of-life adjustments for Roblox players.

Developer Kitawari unveiled everything in its Fate Boss Event patch notes, pulling back the curtain with even more changes following the arrival of update 3.0 late last month. Topping the list of new content are four units – Sokora, Saber, Lilia, and Isdead – which can be found across different in-game challenges. There’s also a Saber boss event, which comes with its own rewards, including two Secret units, trait rerolls, gold and gems, and more that you’ll have to log in to see for yourself.

The Boss Rush overhaul includes multiplayer functionality for Roblox players looking to take on challenging tasks with friends, as well as normal and elite difficulty modes, tournament support, and boss event cycle changes. The Anime Vanguards Sand Village map has also gotten a full-on facelift that gives it a new design and enhanced visuals, and Worldlines have been reset, with additional resets coming every .5 update. Another new feature is one Kitawari says it added to address fan feedback: a starting player questline.

“We’ve acknowledged how overwhelming the early game may be for our new players,” Kitawari said. “To help with this, all new players will be greeted with a uniquely created questline which will guide them through the various elements of the game, and reward them with a Mythic Vogita Super upon quest end to start their journey in Anime Vanguards! We intend to create a great experience for all, and will continue looking into the various ways we can improve the gameplay for new as well as returning players alike in future updates.”

Anime Vanguards update 3.5 brings plenty to keep players fighting off waves of enemies, but it’s only Kitawari’s latest content delivery. Last month, the team rolled out update 3.0, which focused on more winter-themed goodies to enjoy but also introduced a brand-new lobby and the Portals game mode. These changes and more are here to bolster the Roblox experience around the one-year anniversary of its original launch in January 2024.

There’s currently no word regarding when Anime Vanguards update 4.0 will arrive, but at this rate, players may only have to wait a few weeks to learn more. For everything else on Kitawari’s anime tower defense game, you can see all active codes here. Finally, you can see the full update 3.5 patch notes, below.

Anime Vanguards Update 3.5 Patch Notes

Fate Boss Event

Features

– NEW! 4 NEW UNITS!

This update is coming out with 4 new units! These units will be found in:

  • New Boss Rush

· Sokora, Sokora (Angra Mainyu)

  • New Secret Evolution

· Saber (Alternate), Saber (Black Tyrant)

  • New Mythic Banner Unit

· Lilia, Lilia And Berserker

  • New Worldlines Floor 50 Reward

· Isdead, Isdead (Romantic)

– NEW! Saber (Alternate) Boss Event

Dark Sokora and the formidable Tyrant Saber (Alternate) have appeared! Dark Sokora plans to fuse with the malevolent Angra Mainyu; do you have what it takes to stop them?

Boss Rush Rewards Include:

  • 2 New Secret Units
  • Trait Rerolls
  • Gold & Gems
  • … and more!

How to Obtain Saber (Alternate)

You can obtain Saber (Alternate) by placing a Saber (King Of Knights) unit next to the A.W.E Boss that remains stationary at enemy spawn. The A.W.E Boss will spawn at Wave 15, and Wave 25, staying for 5 waves each time.

Upon Unit Placement or Boss Spawn, all Saber (King Of Knights) units within range will become “corrupted” and transform into Saber (A.W.E.), with the interaction having a small chance of dropping the Saber (Alternate) unit, up to a maximum of 3 tries per match (up to 6 while using the Saber Servant Mechanic).

Servants Mechanic

Bring forth a fabled figure of choice to assist you in battle – each Servant offers unique mechanics, so be sure to read their ability descriptions with care, some may be better suited for your team than others.

– Unlocking Servants

The powerful Berserker Servant is available for free, while the others must be purchased using the servant’s corresponding unit’s evolution item. Once acquired, they are permanently available for use in battle. Choose carefully, or acquire them all and unleash their power!

– Command Seal Activation

You can Activate or Empower your chosen Servant’s mechanic up to 3 times by pressing the red Command Seal button near the inventory. Use them wisely to turn the tide of battle!

– NEW! Boss Rush Overhaul

We’ve made several changes to make playing boss rushes much more fun and meaningful! These include:

  • Multiplayer Functionality

You’re now able to play Boss Rush with your friends, or alternatively use Public Matchmaking to join other players from across the world!

  • Normal & Elite Difficulty

We have split Boss Rushes into two separate difficulties, “Normal” which is a CO-OP gamemode that does not have access to tournaments, as well as an “Elite” Solo gamemode for those of you looking for a challenge, and to gain access to the Elite Tournament.

  • Elite Tournament

You’re now able to participate in the Boss Rush Tournaments which will reset alongside the boss rush cycle. Aim to clear the Event in the least time possible, and compete against other players in your local bracket!

Be careful when the bosses spawn–the waves automatically and immediately skip whenever the boss is alive!

  • Boss Event Cycle Changes

Along with boss events cycling, your boss event currency of that cycle and boss event stock will now also reset! We will most likely include evolution items and other important items to the legacy shop, making your legacy tokens more valuable and immune to cycle resets.

– NEW! Public Matchmaking

You’re now able to find matches with players to play your favorite game modes regardless of what server they are on through our brand new Public Lobbies system!

To join others, simply press the “Public Lobbies” button within the “fractures” UI and select any of the player hosted matches there.

To host your own match, press the “Create Match” button instead, and then press the “Find Match” button within the stage you have selected.

– NEW! Worldlines Reset

All players have been reset to Floor 1, and Soburo is no longer obtainable.
However, all the corresponding floor rewards have now returned, with Isdead replacing Soburo as the new Floor 50 reward.

As previously announced in the Discord server, Worldlines will reset every X.5 update, with the next reset planned for Update 4.5.

– NEW! Sand Village Remake

The sand village remake has finally arrived, featuring entirely brand new designs and enhanced visuals! As one of the last remaining original maps from release, this overhaul finally brings it up to the standard of our latest maps. We hope you enjoy exploring the new and improved Sand Village map as much as we do!

– NEW! Starting Player Questline

We’ve acknowledged how overwhelming the early game may be for our new players. To help with this, all new players will be greeted with a uniquely created questline which will guide them through the various elements of the game, and reward them with a Mythic Vogita Super upon quest end to start their journey in Anime Vanguards!

We intend to create a great experience for all, and will continue looking into the various ways we can improve the gameplay for new as well as returning players alike in future updates.

Changes & QoL

  • Added a visual timer when a unit gets stunned
  • Added Visual Indicators for Enemy Spawn & Friendly Base/End Of Path during the voting phase
  • Worldlines Leaderboard incorrectly had the same rewards as tournaments, this has now been fixed to match the other global leaderboards
  • An In-Game Elemental Reactions table has been added, making figuring out what each reaction does easier than ever! Furthermore, it comes with a “Show Only Elements In-Match” setting, which when on, will only show the reactions that can happen between your units and the enemies
  • You can now delete multiple portals at once
  • We’ve heard your requests! Sukuno now applies bleed up until upgrade 9, which is then replaced by burn (this is unrelated to the plans stated in Sub Announcements on our server)
  • Added Amount Sliders for purchasing items or summoning units
  • Increased game start time from 30 to 60 seconds. This helps players who take a longer time to load in, need more time to strategize and change their lineup, or just want to look around the map!
  • Added a “NEW” flair to recently obtained units, which goes away after interacting with them, in order to make newly-obtained units easier to spot
  • Added “NEW!” text next to world markers in areas where new major content has been added
  • Slightly revamped the Unit Traits Index UI, to easier tell what each trait does at a glance.
  • Unit circle indicators now change to purple when a unit is maxed.
  • The opening animation for windows is now smoother.
  • Added Sasori viewmodel to the Pass icon
  • Added background frames to all stat previews when hovering over units

… and more!

Bug Fixes

· Fixed Valentine (AU) clones costing Yen to place

· Fixed Rogita 4 (Super) also taking money for his clone, effectively doubling his placement cost

  • Emmie & Emmie (Ice Witch) no longer freeze friendly summons
  • Fixed Sosora missing a cosmetic on both the Shiny and Non-Shiny variants.
  • Fixed Padoru familiar buffs stacking
  • Fixed being able to buy a mount more than once in shop
  • Fixed being able to apply the same potion effect despite already having one active. It wouldn’t stack the effect further, but would still remove all effects after the first one ends
  • Fixed having ability auto-use enabled after a match ended spamming you with notifications
  • Fixed Soburo’s cosmetic idle animation not looping
  • Fixed +0% buffs being displayed, e.g. when Haruka Rin buffs a unit after her already being maxed
  • Fixed Panda mount being very small in viewport
  • Fixed an issue where mobile players were unable to change inputs in sandbox mode!

… and many more!

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Here’s What Comes in Each Edition

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is set to release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on April 24. It’s a turn-based RPG, but it also incorporates real-time mechanics sort of like the Mario RPG series. But the tone is way more serious, weird, and artsy. It looks great. It’s coming out in standard and deluxe editions, and they’re all available for preorder now (see it at Amazon). Let’s dive in to see what comes in each.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Standard Edition

PS5

Xbox Series X|S

PC

If all you want is the base game, grab the standard edition. It doesn’t come with any extras, but it has the game and that’s all you really need.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Digital Deluxe Edition

The deluxe edition comes with the base game, plus the following extras:

  • The “Flowers” Collection – Six outfits and hairstyles inspired by the Flowers of Lumière, along with six additional “Gommage” outfit variations. One for each playable character.
  • “Clair” – A custom outfit for Maelle
  • “Obscur” – A custom outfit for Gustave

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Will Be on Xbox Game Pass

The standard edition of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be available on day one for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers. Above, you’ll find the best current deal on a three-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

How Does the Deluxe Edition Upgrade Work?

If you have Xbox Game Pass, but you want the extras that come in the digital deluxe edition, you can buy the deluxe edition upgrade on the Xbox Store with the link above. It does exactly what it sounds like: turns your standard edition into a deluxe edition.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Preorder Bonus

Unfortunately, there are no preorder bonuses available at this time. If that changes, we’ll drop them here.

What Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?

Clair Obscur is a turn-based RPG developed by the French studio Sandfall Interactive that uses real-time elements during battles. It’s set in a dark fantasy world in which, once a year, a powerful being called the Paintress wakes and paints a number on her monolith. When she does, everyone of that age vanishes from the earth. As the game kicks off, the Paintress is going to wake soon and paint the number 33. You plays as Expedition 33, a group of 33-year-olds who plan to kill the Paintress.

The combat sounds like a real selling point for the game. It’s turn-based, but you do a lot of other things besides choosing attacks for your expeditioners. You can dodge, parry, and counter incoming attacks. You can chain combos together by pressing buttons in a rhythm, and you can use a free-aim system to target enemy weak points. It looks pretty cool. Check out our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 preview for more info.

Other Preorder Guides

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

PGA TOUR 2K25: First Look – Find Out More About the New Demo

PGA TOUR 2K25: First Look – Find Out More About the New Demo

  • Brian Petzke, Digital Content Manager, 2K

PGA Tour 2K25 Demo Hero Image

2K Games and HB Studios invite you to get your hands on PGA TOUR 2K25: First Look, the free demo for the newest in the PGA TOUR 2K series. This is your first chance to experience some of the major improvements ahead of the February 21 launch date for the Deluxe and Legendary Editions (offering 7 days of early access ahead of the Standard version release date, February 28).

You can go download and play now – and rest assured that any progression made in the PGA TOUR 2K25: First Look demo will carry over into the full game (requires 2K Account and full game purchase on same platform).

The new demo will give you a taste of how PGA TOUR 2K25 captures the course experience like never before with stunning upgraded visuals, a new swing mechanic called EvoSwing, improved MyPlayer Progression Systems, and an all-new equipment progression system.

What to Expect in PGA TOUR 2K25: First Look

PGA Tour 2K25 Demo Screenshot

PGA TOUR 2K25: First Look is just a slice—no pun intended—of what you can expect in the full game. It features:

  • MyPlayer: Progression has been overhauled with a new Attributes System, improved Skill Trees, and all-new Equipment Progression. Experiment with different builds and create up to 3 MyPlayers in the demo.
  • The Back 9 at TPC Scottsdale: Enjoy one of the most recognizable courses on the PGA TOUR, home to the WM Phoenix Open. This popular course is a great first impression of PGA TOUR 2K25’s new visual fidelity.
  • Perfect Swing: Any player will tell you that there’s no better feeling than consistently hitting the fairways and greens like a champion. PGA TOUR 2K25 adds this new difficulty setting to give you the feeling of hitting that Perfect Swing with every swing. Switch your difficulty to Perfect Swing in the settings to reduce how much external factors, like wind direction and lie affect your ball trajectory.
  • EvoSwing: Swing mechanics have evolved! EvoSwing nails the feel of swinging a golf club in a way that no other title has. Whether your go-to is Swing Stick or 3-Click: a new era of golf has arrived!
PGA Tour 2K25 Demo Screenshot

In this demo, you’ll  be able to try out PGA TOUR 2K25’s MyPlayer creator, and check out improved graphics and gameplay systems. You’ll have to wait for the full game to get your hands on the MyCareer, multiplayer, and Course Designer modes. That said, being able to create your perfect golfer and then take them for a swing is the perfect entry point into PGA TOUR 2K25.

To help you create your ideal digital golfer in MyPlayer, base head models have been increased, a larger variety of skin tones has been added, the number and style of different hair options—including facial hair—has increased, and you can now customize height and body type.

PGA TOUR 2K25 has also added other improvements to MyPlayer that are more than just skin-deep. For each MyPlayer, you will choose an archetype. Each archetype has its own set of starting attributes that are reflective of a specific playstyle. As you play and progress, you will gain experience and Virtual Currency (VC) to upgrade your base attributes and associated skills.

Can’t decide on a particular archetype? You don’t have to! In PGA TOUR 2K25, you can have multiple MyPlayers all suited to a different style of play. You can create up to 3 MyPlayer builds in the First Look demo – experiment with different archetypes and progression paths and never feel locked into your first pick!

PGA Tour 2K25 Demo Screenshot

PGA TOUR 2K25 also introduces Equipment Progression, which you’ll get a glimpse of in First Look. Along with your MyPlayer, the equipment you choose to bring with you into each round also gains experience. This XP gives you the ability to upgrade equipment in-tune with your specific archetype, playstyle, and MyPlayer attributes. Any MyPlayers you create—and any experience you earn—will carry over into the full game!

To aid you in leveling your MyPlayer and equipment, PGA TOUR 2K25 includes an all-new Quest system. Head to “Quests & Profile” from the main menu to view available quests, or cycle over to the “Quests” tab from the pause menu. In the demo, you’ll get an introduction to Quests during training. In the full game, you will have quests and challenges that can be completed to earn different rewards on a daily, weekly, or seasonal basis.

PGA Tour 2K25 Demo Screenshot

Once you’ve played the PGA TOUR 2K25: First Look demo and decide to upgrade to the full game, the transition is quite seamless—as long as you log in with the same 2K Account and purchase on the same platform on which you played the demo. Upon booting the full game for the first time, PGA TOUR 2K25 will import any MyPlayers created in the First Look, along with any experience gained and rewards earned. You can then edit them further, or simply continue your journey into MyCareer or multiplayer—which includes cross-platform play and really fun, competitive Ranked Tours.

The PGA TOUR 2K25: First Look demo is available to play right now on Xbox Series X|S.

The post PGA TOUR 2K25: First Look – Find Out More About the New Demo appeared first on Xbox Wire.

New MLB The Show 25 gameplay and modes revealed

We at San Diego Studio are thrilled to give you your first look at MLB The Show 25, launching March 18. As we celebrate 20 years of The Show, we’re deepening fan-favorite modes like Road To The Show and introducing an all-new mode in Diamond Dynasty called Diamond Quest. And, of course, gameplay remains our top priority, just like every year.


New MLB The Show 25 gameplay and modes revealed

Road To The Show

  • Begin your Road To The Show journey by playing two to three games in High School, and play three to four College games in The Amateur Years.
  • Build the Road To The Show ballplayer you want, the way you want to. Utilize a revamped attribute progression system for more control over your player’s development, including crafting Perks to your liking.
  • Hear authentic High School and College audio – hear the clank of metal bats and the rattle of chain link fences.
  • RTTS/Player Lock will feature a variety of all-new Impact Plays and Quick Time Events for all positions and baserunners. 

Franchise

  • This year, in the Franchise mode, choices matter, consequences are real, and time is precious as a revitalized Free Agency system adds risk/reward elements, strategy, and excitement to the pursuit of the top free agents each offseason. 

Expanded Diamond Dynasty and more

  • Sets and Seasons will not be returning in MLB The Show 25. 
  • Diamond Dynasty in MLB The Show 25 offers two new places to play: Diamond Quest, a risk-and-reward board game-like mode, and a highly competitive multiplayer mode in Weekend Classic featuring some of the best rewards. 
  • Speaking of rewards, fans can earn top rewards in their favorite modes at various points in the year, and new Team Affinity Programs will be the go-to place for fans to unlock items and players unique to their favorite MLB team.

Gameplay Improvements and Expansion with ShowTech

  • Hundreds of new animations for extreme realism across the whole game, including all-new Rob HR’s, Hot Shot catches, on-the-run catches and tags, and much much more.
  • G.O.A.T. difficulty new this year will give you the ultimate challenge.
  • All-New ambush hitting for a more realistic “plan of attack” at the plate.
  • New Reaction Time System on defense.  

Storylines presents The Negro Leagues Season 3

  • Celebrate baseball’s rich history with Storylines – play as famous and forgotten legends of the Negro Leagues while learning all about their incredible journeys. 
  • Storylines Season 3 will once again be narrated by Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick with a whole new roster of “some of the greatest players you’ve likely never heard of.” 

The Gameplay Trailer is packed with exciting new features, updates to fan-favorite modes, and the debut of three new Legends. If you missed anything, don’t worry—we’ve got plenty more to share. 

Get ready for an all-new Feature Deep Dive video series, hosted by Robert Flores from MLB Network, where we’ll break down everything coming to MLB The Show 25. It all starts next Tuesday, February 11th, with our first episode, diving into gameplay changes—including a closer look at Ambush Hitting. But that’s just the beginning. 

Feature Premieres are back each Thursday, giving you even more insights straight from the San Diego Studio development team. Tune in on Twitch and YouTube for deeper breakdowns of new modes, updates, and everything else coming to MLB The Show 25.

Pre-orders for all editions (Standard Edition and Digital Deluxe Edition) are open now on theshow.com/purchase, platform stores, and participating retailers. For those pre-ordering Digital Deluxe Editions, Early Access begins March 14, 2025.

For all the physical card collectors out there, we’re excited to offer something special. Keep an eye out for this year’s limited-edition Topps Now 1 of 3 Cover Athlete cards. Each physical MLB The Show 25 Standard Edition purchase (physical editions only) that displays the Topps sticker (see above) on the front of the cover will include 1 of 3 exclusive physical MLB The Show 25 Topps trading cards, while supplies last*. Trading cards also include special /299, /99, /49, /25, /10, /5, /1 parallels and chase cards variants. Which card do you think you’ll get?

*These physical Topps trading cards are only available at participating retailers, and only included in physical versions with Topps trading card stickers on the outside packaging.

Sign Up for The Scouting Report

For all the fans, make sure to sign up for the MLB The Show Scouting Report to stay updated on all the latest features, updates, and legends coming to MLB The Show 25, while unlocking amazing rewards along the way. Starting in April 2025, subscribers will receive a unique exclusive pack every month through December 2025*, packed with incredible in-game rewards. Plus, the Golden Ticket Sweepstakes will return, with winners selected every month for amazing prizes like Packs, Stubs, clothing, autographed items from Elly De La Cruz, Gunnar Henderson, and Paul Skenes, along with even more surprises we can’t wait to reveal. Don’t miss out—sign up today on theshow.com

While you’re there, don’t forget to also set up your MLB The Show account and prepare for Opening Day. MLB The Show 25 allows you to easily move from platform to platform and keep access to your entire inventory of cards**. Head over to https://account.theshow.com/ and create your MLB The Show Account. After creating your MLB The Show account, login with your platform account and link it to your MLB The Show account, and you are all set.

For all the latest information on MLB The Show, be sure to head over to TheShow.com, sign up for The Scouting Report, and follow our X, Facebook, and Instagram accounts. 

MLB The Show 25 launches on March 18.

*Internet connection required.

** Cross-platform progression requires an internet connection, and for each platform, you play on: 1) a copy of the MLB The Show 25 game compatible with your console (other platform versions sold separately); and 2) platform network account linked to your MLB The Show account.

The Last of Us Season 2 Will Feature ‘Pretty Brutal’ Content Cut From the Game

The Last of Us Season 2 on HBO will feature content that was cut from the original The Last of Us Part 2 video game, showrunner and Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann has said.

Druckmann told Entertainment Weekly that “pretty brutal” content will be revived through the show, including some of the Lost Levels that were somewhat restored in the PlayStation 5 remaster of The Last of Us Part 2.

These included three different early versions of scrapped levels, including Jackson Party, The Hunt, and Seattle Sewers. The first two of these are much more calm, with Ellie attending a party in the first and tracking a bleeding boar in the second, but the final one presents plenty of the intense horror fans of the game and show are familiar with as she’s stalked by monsters in the tunnels underneath Seattle.

Whatever cut content has made its way into the show will seemingly put fans on edge, however. “[It’s] pretty brutal, but I’m very excited for people to see it,” Druckmann said. He also teased that a “pretty prominent” character only talked about in the game will make an appearance, “similar to what we did with Frank in Season 1.”

Season 2 is set to add many new characters, of course, including Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Danny Ramirez as Manny, Tati Gabrielle as Mel, and many more, but one question mark remains as Catherine O’Hara has also joined in a mystery role.

Fans likely don’t have too long to wait before each mystery is answered, as Episode 1 of Season 2 is set to premiere in April, but there’s a chance some things will remain unclear for much longer. This is because HBO plans to extend The Last of Us Part 2 beyond a single season, unlike the critically acclaimed Season 1 which covered the entirety of the original game.

Fellow showrunner Craig Mazin has said previously that Part 2 features a lot more story to cover, so while Season 3 isn’t greenlit as of yet, they’ve built Season 2 with a “natural breakpoint” after just seven episodes.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Ware ye this Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 crash bug that cost me hours of progress

Warhorse’s medieval muck-o-rama Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 launches today. It’s an engrossing RPG, despite developer co-founder Dan Vávra’s tendency to throw his weight behind alt-right harassment campaigns. Also, a relatively bug-free one.

In the course of my 51 hours as reviewer, I’ve encountered only a smattering of more significant technical issues. Firstly, some heavy slowdown while roaming Trosky Castle, the centerpiece of the opening Bohemian Paradise region, which I resolved by quitting and reloading. Secondly, a mildly terrifying moment in a dugout when a wounded soldier I was supposed to be treating struck a T-pose, as though afflicted by lightning early onset arthritis. And thirdly a repeated crash bug which I feel warrants its own article given that, together with Deliverance 2’s eccentric saving system, it cost me several hours of progress.

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