Monster Hunter Wilds has been racking up the skulls, attracting well over a million simultaneous Steam players this weekend despite a mixed player reaction, with particular scorn reserved for its technical performance.
Now begins the process of patching the behemoth to address some player-reported problems with certain quests. Patching is sort of like slaughtering a Monster in reverse: sewing on horns and tails rather than chopping them off, re-embowelling the shackled form of the creature so that it can gallop across the plains, monstrous and free.
Xenoblade Chronicles X! Sorry We’re Closed! Gal Guardians!
Another month is here, and this one is called March. Hooray! Aside from the fact that we’re due a whole bunch of new games this month, it’s also worth noting that we’re now less than a month away from the highly-anticipated Switch 2 Direct showcase. Mmm, tasty.
But back to the games. There are some real big-hitters launching this month, and who better to highlight the upcoming releases than our very own video producing extraordinaire Alex? In the above video, he runs through every title you’ll need to keep an eye on over the coming weeks, but just in case you’re not in a position to watch right now (yes, you – get back to work), then we’ve compiled a handy list for you to peruse at your leisure down below.
You know your video game has made it when it gets a Thomas the Tank engine mod. Skyrim, Resident Evil 2, Fallout 4, Elden Ring… the list of blockbuster games blessed with the terrifying sight and sound of Thomas is legend. Now, add Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 to the list.
It’s the latest work of Tom, aka Warhammer Workshop, the modder behind Space Marine 2’s excellent Astartes Overhaul. He’s added Thomas the Tank engine to the Ballistic Engine PvE mission, which is a perfect fit given it features an Imperial train station in which the Space Marines must escort a fusion battery that comes under attack from waves of Tyranids.
Space Marine 2’s Thomas the Tank Engine mod is a work-in-progress, and still needs the audio effects fans have grown to love, but it’s available to download from the Space Marine 2 Modding Hub Discord now if you fancy giving it a shot.
Check out how it looks in-game in the clip below:
Tom created some very Warhammer 40,000 flavor text to go along with the release of this mod, which fans of the franchise will enjoy:
Many of you are aware of the tribulations that have beset our sacred modding efforts.
In the face of these trials, I — reckless and desperate — made certain unwise vows to the dark and unknowable Saber Gods.
For a time, I faltered, my obligations left unmet, my soul teetering on the brink of damnation.
But no longer.
Through toil and sacrifice, through the wailing of machine spirits and the lamentations of my own sanity,
I have done what must be done.
THOMAS. HAS. COME.
A daemon-engine of unspeakable horror, an abomination of iron and heresy, a thing that should not be, and yet — here it is.
The warp has opened, and it has delivered unto us something far worse than any Black Crusade.
🔥🚂 THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE IS READY FOR WAR. 🚂🔥
His whistle drowns out the cries of the fallen.
His smile is an unblinking omen of annihilation.
The Emperor weeps. The Omnissiah recoils.
And yet, it is we who must bear witness.
Steel yourselves, warriors. Once you see him, you can never unsee him.
This train has no brakes.
Speaking to IGN (as a human from this reality), Tom said he’s also got a few other fun mods in the works, hinting at “a certain green ogre and a particularly mischievous goose.”
“As far as Thomas goes, while Saber obviously loves Warhammer, I think they were also excited to see some of the more meme-worthy mods — the kind of thing that’s fun to share around the office,” Tom added.
“There may or may not have been an unofficial understanding that modding tools wouldn’t be released until Thomas made his grand arrival.”
Saber has had an up and down relationship with Space Marine 2 modders ever since the game’s massive launch last year, but official tools are set to be released to the community further down the line, and the developer has shown a willingness to work with modders and enable them in-game in certain situations.
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.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 developers Saber Interactive are pushing back on player calls to add an even-harder difficulty mode, following the introduction of an Absolute difficulty setting this spring via game update.
Apparently, some of you muscleheads have been finding Absolute “a bit easy”, or at least, not enough of a shake-up from the preceding Lethal difficulty. Saber are open to suggestions, here, but game director Dmitriy Grigorenko also reckons that “we are almost at our limit in terms of how we can make the game harder without making it unfair and not fun”.
Steam, the most popular digital game distributor for PC players, has once again broken its own concurrent user record, breaching 40 million players for the first time.
Over the weekend — which just so happened to coincide with Monster Hunter Wilds‘ launch on Friday, February 28 — Steam logged 40,270,997 simultaneous players, breaking its previous record of 39.9 million players set in February 2025.
In fact, according to SteamDB, Steam’s concurrent record, seen by some as a way of measuring the success of Valve’s digital platform, has been broken almost every single month since May 2024, with the concurrent peak rising from 35.5 million users to 40.2 million in a little more than six months.
And while that number includes idle players — that is, players with Steam open but not necessarily using it — the number of users actively in a game has hit a new record, too, jumping from 12.5 million to 12.8 million.
Steam saw a surge in player peaks across most of 2024, breaking its record twice in March and then again in July. This new peak is likely due to the release of Monster Hunter Wilds, which saw a 24-hour concurrent use peak of 1.38 million players, although 1.7 million also people logged onto Counter-Strike 2, too, with PUBG, Dota 2, and Marve Rivals also clocking up impressive 24-hour user peaks of 819,541, 657,780, and 268,283, respectively.
IGN’s Monster Hunter Wilds review returned an 8/10. We said: “Monster Hunter Wilds continues to smooth off the rougher corners of the series in smart ways, making for some extremely fun fights but also lacking any real challenge.”
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
Lubricate your brain with some pure Omega-3 oils, a new puzzle game from the makers of Opus Magnum and Eliza has been announced. Kaizen: A Factory Story will be an “open-ended puzzle automation game from the original Zachtronics team, set in 1980s Japan” in which you’ll build toy robots, computers, TVs, and… katsu curry? Well, why not. Although the studio behind this engineer ’em up is technically new, the main designers – Zach Barth and Matthew Seiji Burns – are the same folks who brought you Exapunks, TIS-100, and Shenzhen I/O. This, my friends, is very good news.
The weekend is officially here, and we’ve rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Sunday, March 2, below:
Nintendo Switch OLED for $269.99
Woot has new Nintendo Switch OLED models available this weekend for just $269.99. While Nintendo Switch 2 is on the horizon, this is a great discount on the premier Nintendo Switch model. Since these units are Singapore Models, Woot has opened them up solely to replace the power adapter with the official USA one. You’ll still have the Woot warranty, and the console itself is completely untouched.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for $37.99
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is $37.99 at Woot right now. The massive adventure across the planet to track Sephiroth was one of the biggest games of 2024, and it’s absolutely a must-play game. A 40+ hour main story awaits, with over 35 side quests available after you clear the story.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for $24.99
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is one of the best games in the long-running RPG series. Kiryu Kazama returns following the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, uniting with Ichiban Kasuga in a wild adventure you won’t forget anytime soon. While you should absolutely try to play through the series in order, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth can be played and enjoyed standalone.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance for $24.99
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is back at its all-time low price this weekend! Vengeance is an enhanced version of the former Nintendo Switch exclusive SMT V, launched in 2019. The biggest feature available in this upgraded re-release is the all new Canon of Vengeance route, which is essentially 40 hours of new story content. At $24.99, this is a steal for what many considered one of the best RPGs of 2024.
Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man
Magic The Gathering announced new sets yesterday based on Marvel’s Spider-Man, and you can already secure your bundles now at Amazon. A few of these sets have very limited stock left, so be sure to pre-order which bundles you’d like before they are all sold out!
Pre-Order Elden Ring: Nightreign at Best Buy, Get $10 Gift Card
Elden Ring Nightreign, a new multiplayer game from FromSoftware, is set to release for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on May 30. You can explore the world and take on bosses with two other friends, making for a unique experience that’s sure to stay engaging. Best Buy has opened pre-orders for Elden Ring Nightreign, and you can score a free $10 Best Buy gift card with any pre-order for a limited time.
Sea of Stars for $24.99
Sea of Stars is an RPG that pays tribute to many of the genre’s biggest hits, such as Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy VI. Today, you can score a Nintendo Switch copy of the game for just $24.99. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “Sea of Stars is an excellent tribute RPG that channels the best parts of its ‘90s-era forebears. It’s not wholly original, but there are enough twists in its story to keep it interesting after the combat loses its luster.”
Rise of the Ronin for $39.97
Rise of the Ronin is one of the biggest 2024 PlayStation 5 exclusives to release, with the gamecoming from Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo. Set in 1863 Japan, you play as the Ronin and take down those coming from the West. This action epic offers well over 70 hours of content, with an excellent dive into a history somewhat unexplored in modern gaming.
MySims Cozy Bundle for $27.77
You can also score the Nintendo Switch physical copy of MySims Cozy Bundle for $27.77 this weekend. This collection packs in both MySims and MySims Kingdom, offering two unique and charming games to experience.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for $44.99
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD just released for Nintendo Switch in January, and you can already save over $15 off at Woot. If you enjoyed Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Returns HD is another excellent entry you are sure to have fun with. There are many different worlds to traverse through, with a variety of collectibles and items to discover.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection for $39.99
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection has hit a new all-time low at Woot, priced at just $39.99. The first six Final Fantasy games paved the way for the series as we see it today. Many fans still regard both Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy VI as some of the best that Final Fantasy has to offer, with gripping narratives and engaging gameplay. This package includes all six Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, which feature updated graphics, soundtracks, font, and more.
Goodbye February, hello March! And an even bigger hello to eShop Selects.
We’re one month closer to the Switch 2’s big bonanza, but hey, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves yet. We’ve still got a fresh and full eShop on the Switch to go through.
Hello reader who is also a reader, and welcome back to Booked For The Week – our regular Sunday chat with a selection of cool industry folks about books! “Nic, you selfless paragon. You champion of the people. You prince among men. I can’t believe you put your favourite column on pause for several weeks to let me finish my book!”. Please. I’m sure you would have done the same, were you also a dashing genius with a moustache powerful enough to crack the pyramids.
Along with some Switch “performance improvements”.
Following the release of WARRIORS: Abyss in February, Koei Tecmo has announced a “March update” adding another character to the game and much more.
One other highlight is “performance improvements” for the Nintendo Switch version of the game and apart from this are bug fixes and various other adjustments. Here’s the full rundown via the Koei Tecmo social media account:
