Hoo-eee! The sequel to the rootinest-tootinest gassiest-guzzlingiest racecar rasslin’ game is launching into early access in March this year. Wreckfest 2 is the follow-up to smashing racer Wreckfest, which came out in 2018 but which I only discovered last year while listing our best racing games. My friends, it got on the list. Developers Bugbear say they have “overhauled its physics engine to deliver the most intense crashes, deeper component damage, and absolute vehicular mayhem.” We can see a little bit of that in a new trailer below, which also gives us an exact early access release date.
The decision followed EA’s announcement that Dragon Age: The Veilguard had underperformed on its expectations for the long-awaited action RPG. EA said Dragon Age “engaged” 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter, which was down nearly 50% from the company’s projections.
According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, BioWare staff believe it was a miracle Dragon Age: The Veilguard released a complete game “after EA forced live-service into it, then reversed course.”
Now, speaking in an investor-focused financial call, Wilson suggested its role-playing games need to have “shared-world features and deeper engagement alongside high-quality narratives.”
“In order to break out beyond the core audience, games need to directly connect to the evolving demands of players who increasingly seek shared-world features and deeper engagement alongside high-quality narratives in this beloved category,” Wilson said in prepared remarks.
“Dragon Age had a high-quality launch and was well-reviewed by critics and those who played. However, it did not resonate with a broad enough audience in this highly competitive market.”
Reading between the lines, Wilson is suggesting that if Dragon Age: The Veilguard had “shared-world features” and “deeper engagement,” it might have sold more copies. But it’s hard to understand that position when you consider EA backed BioWare’s major reset of Dragon Age. As IGN has reported, this reboot saw Dragon Age shift from the skeleton of a multiplayer game with repeatable quests, a tech base, and the outline of a story, to a full-blown single-player RPG.
Fans are already saying EA has learnt the wrong lessons from Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and are pointing to the enormous success of single-player only RPGs that have been released recently, including Larian’s all-conquering Baldur’s Gate 3. Either way, it seems Dragon Age is now dead, at least for the foreseeable future. But what does this all mean for Mass Effect 5?
“Historically, blockbuster storytelling has been the primary way our industry bought beloved IP to players,” Canfield said. “The game’s financial performance highlights the evolving industry landscape and reinforces the importance of our actions to reallocate resources towards our most significant and highest potential opportunities.”
It’s worth noting that single-player only games make up a tiny portion of EA’s overall revenue. The bulk of the company’s cash comes from live service (74% in the last 12 months). Ultimate Team is doing the heavy lifting here, but there are live service contributions from everything from Apex Legends to The Sims. The upcoming Skate is a live service, and the next Battlefield will inevitably be treated as such, too.
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.
I don’t end up covering as many classic point and click adventures as I’d like on RPS. That’s a real shame, because every time I play a good one, I’m reminded how much magic the genre still has. Developer Blyts (Kelvin And The Infamous Machine) was kind enough to send me over a key for Slender Threads, which is out this Friday. My opinion as a complete non-expert on the genre? Yep, this one’s absolutely worth a look.
Nintendo has released its first update for the battle royale Switch Online racer F-Zero 99. This bumps the game up to Version 1.5.6 and comes with a whole host of fixes and improvements. Here’s the full rundown, courtesy of Nintendo’s support page:
Latest update: Ver. 1.5.6 (Released February 4, 2025)
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.
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!
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!
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.
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 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 fornew as well asreturning 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 cycleand 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).
