Category: Video Games

These Are The Most Valuable Magic: The Gathering Cards from Aetherdrift

Aetherdrift might not have been the most popular Magic: The Gathering set of 2025 so far, but there’s no denying that Wizards of the Coast poured plenty of creative fuel into the engine of the long-running card game.

As a result, there are still some great cards to chase, from The Aetherspark to Ketramose, The New Dawn, and we’ve rounded up all of them below. Looking for more chase cards? We’ve got you covered for Innistrad Remastered and Tarkir: Dragonstorm.

TL;DR: 10 Most Valuable Chase Cards From Aetherdrift

Aetherdrift has dozens of borderless, Fracture Foil, First-Place Foil, and Showcase editions of main set cards, but these are the 10 most valuable.

From a competitive standpoint, not many of these see much play, although Ketramose, the New Dawn is the face of a hot new Modern combo deck.

And for you Commander players, this is a great chance to nab the elusive Radiant Lotus Fracture Foil or the Aetherspark First-Place Foil.

10. Brightglass Gearhulk (Borderless First-Place Foil)

The original Kaladesh mono-colored Gearhulks were Standard powerhouses, and these new two-color bad boys are powerful in their own right. Brightglass Gearhulk is the best of the five, and is currently sitting at a market value of $50.88.

9. Mimeoplasm, Revered One (Showcase Fracture Foil)

I love this as a fun graveyard strategy in Commander, and of course that art is something to behold. It’s market value is $56.38.

8. March of the World Ooze (Showcase Fracture Foil)

This is a pretty neat, if a bit high-cost, anti-control card that can turn your little mana dorks or tokens into beefy 6/6 creatures. Market value is $61.86.

7. Mu Yanling, Pathfinder (Showcase Fracture Foil)

Another one with gorgeous art, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this slotted into a blue artifact-focused Commander deck like Urza, High Lord Artificer. It’s currently at a market value of $69.50, but available much lower.

6. Cursecloth Wrappings (Showcase Fracture Foil)

This is right at home in any Zombie deck. Personally, it’s going into my Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver Commander deck. It also has some of the coolest art of any of these cards. Grab it for much lower than its $76.01 market value.

5. Ketramose, the New Dawn (Borderless First-Place Foil)

The First-Place Foil is awesome (better than its regular printing art, in my opinion), and this is one of the most played chase cards from the set. It’s currently at $98.54 market value, but can go as low as $75.

4. The Aetherspark (First-Place Foil)

The Aetherspark is one of the most mechanically-unique cards I’ve ever seen. It’s both an Equipment and Planeswalker, with some powerful Loyalty abilites to boot. It’s currently sitting at a market value of $89, but you can get it cheaper than that.

3. Chandra, Spark Hunter (Showcase Fracture Foil)

This version of iconic Planewalker Chandra Nalaar has great synergy with Vehicles and other artifacts, and is currently sitting at a market value of $130. However, you can find it much cheaper.

2. Loot, the Pathfinder (Showcase Fracture Foil)

Loot is undeniably adorable, but you’d be hard-pressed to see this showing in many decks due to its mana cost and slow set up. Still, you can grab it for much lower than its market value.

1. Radiant Lotus (Showcase Fracture Foil)

This might be one of the prettiest Magic cards I’ve ever seen. It’s currently sitting at a staggering $219.60 market price, but some vendors have it for less if buying singles is more your bag than gambling on cracking packs.

Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.

Mario Paint Comes to Nintendo Switch Online, And You Don’t Need a Switch 2 To Use The Mouse Functionality

Mario Paint is the latest Nintendo game to be added to the Nintendo Switch Online library.

A SNES classic, Mario Paint encourages all forms of creativity, including art, music, and animation, and — up until now, anyway — was entirely unplayable for anyone who didn’t have the game and the console system from the first time around.

Interestingly, the 1992 OG release permitted players to plug in a mouse controller, which could be why Nintendo has chosen to resurrect the long-lost classic; one of Nintendo Switch 2‘s most hyped features was its new mouse controls, making this a natural, and exciting, game to add to the NSO library.

Nintendo says that Nintendo Switch players who’ve yet to upgrade to the new system can also get involved if they have an OG Switch and “a compatible USB mouse (sold separately).”

Nintendo Switch Online is a subscription-based online gaming service for the Nintendo Switch gaming platform. Memberships include online functionality, allowing you to compete or cooperate with friends, as well as a collection of classic Nintendo games spanning four decades, including titles from the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and, most recently, the new GameCube library. A free seven-day trial is also available.

The GameCube library currently includes The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and Soulcalibur 2. Further titles thought to be joining the service include Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, and more. Most recently, Super Mario Strikers was added to the library of GameCube classics.

Nintendo Switch 2 is off to a strong start, with 3.5 million consoles sold, but an analysis on the console’s launch week sales paints a mixed picture of how well games not made by Nintendo are now selling.

“The Nintendo Switch 2 is a vital upgrade over the original Switch if that’s the only way you’ve been able to play games for the last eight years,” we wrote in IGN’s Nintendo Switch 2 review, awarding it 7/10, “but improvements that are mostly playing catch-up and a big price jump make this sequel system about as exciting as a long-overdue phone upgrade in the larger scheme of things.”

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Update 1.0.7 is Here — Check Out the Patch Notes

Ubisoft’s next big patch for Assassin’s Creed Shadows is available today, July 29, 2025, and the publisher has now given a detailed rundown of everything included.

As previously announced, Title Update 1.0.7 adds New Game Plus mode, which will unlock as soon as you hit the credits after completing the game’s story. From here, you have a couple of options: either to restart the game from scratch, or pick up the action from when Naoe first arrives at the game’s hideout. Either way, your hard-earned gear, skills, allies and hideout progression will carry over.

Whether you’re playing New Game Plus or not, there’s a level cap increase from 60 to 80, and a boost in the Knowledge Rank cap from 8 to 10, allowing you to counter the game’s higher-level enemies with the ability to unlock more skills. You can also now upgrade gear at your Forge to level 4, too.

Sweat your way through Shadows’ story a second time via New Game Plus and you’ll unlock a gold katana and long katana for Naoe and Yasuke, respectively, and also snag the last of the following three new achievements/trophies, which this update also adds:

  • Enjoy the Ride: Reach Level 80
  • Stars Unseen: Reach Knowledge Rank 10
  • Worth its Wait: Complete the story on New Game Plus

Finally, Ubisoft has rebalanced some of the game’s money and resources. Players will likely be happy to see a boosted amount of Mon now given from selling items, while purchased items cost less. You’ll also get more resources from dismantling items and from end of season chests.

Ubisoft is set to continue updating Shadows for the forseeable future, with a further patch due in early September that will add the ability to fast-forward the time of day and better unfog the world map when synchronising viewpoints. Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ first major expansion, Claws of Awaji, then arrives on September 16 as the game’s first paid add-on — though it will be free for anyone who originally pre-ordered the game.

Find today’s full patch notes below:

NEW GAME+

  • Upon completing the main story on any difficulty, start a new game while keeping all collected skills, gear, Allies and hideout progression from your first playthrough.

KNOWLEDGE RANK & LEVEL CAP INCREASE

  • We’ve raised the level cap from 60 to 80, meaning tougher foes with enhanced tactics and awareness – demanding sharper reflexes and smarter strategies.
  • To meet this rising threat, we’ve also expanded the Knowledge Rank system to 9 & 10 allowing players to unlock and develop a broader array of skills, passives, and combat techniques to become even more masterful.
  • The Forge can now be upgraded to level 4, allowing players to upgrade all weapons and gear to level 80 to have the edge on the rising threats that await.

ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Removed a performance warning on MacBook Air when using M4 following improved support.
  • Fixed an error in Photo Mode where the “Show UI” prompt was visible in preview mode, affecting players taking screenshots with their native systems.
  • Individual items will now have their dedicated page within the store.
  • Katsuhime no longer vanishes from the hideout after the previous 1.0.5 fix for the breakup bug.

BALANCING

  • Adjusted the number of Mon received from trading. Purchasing items costs less, whereas selling items gives more.
  • Increased the number of resources gained from dismantling items.
  • Slightly increased the amount of crafting materials needed to upgrade items.
  • Rebalanced the end of season chest rewards and increased the quantity of crafting materials and Hideout resources given.
  • The Radial Effect upgrade in Yasuke’s Teppo tree had its base damage increased from 25% to 50%, and its damage is now also further increased by other Armor Buster upgrades.
  • Allies now gain more health and damage as the player levels up.
  • Ronin enemies now have 4 Health Segments, up from 3.

LIST OF BUG FIXES

General

  • Cultural discoveries near Katano Castle now appear correctly in the codex after being observed.
  • Corrected Naoe’s Kata dialogue in Wakasa.
  • Added a ‘Mark all as Read’ option for the Codex menu.
  • Added a Level Selector for Knowledge Path.
  • Fixed the ‘Limitless’ trophy occasionally not unlocking after obtaining a legendary piece of gear of each type.

Gameplay

  • Addressed an issue where players potentially got stuck outside the Animus wall during the Revenge mission in Tsuruga Castle. Get back here!
  • Fixed a bug where players could get stuck inside a room in Saika Castle.
  • Corrected a bug where players could get stuck whilst exiting the Miyataki Warehouse.
  • Fixed a bug where players could get stuck inside rocks in the Obama Hillside area.
  • Addressed an issue with Naoe’s Robes of the Enraged.
  • Genzaburo’s Teppo Master is back from lunch and is now present at Kaya Shrine.
  • Fixed an error with some cross-progression achievements caused if a playthrough was partly on MacOS.

Skills & Upgrades

  • Fixed an issue where the “Hidden Hand” cooldown reduction upgrades were not applied.
  • Fixed an issue where the “Extended Perception” Shinobi Upgrade didn’t grant the extra tools damage.
  • Corrected an issue where the “Nightcrawler” Assassin passive didn’t grant damage at night.
  • Corrected an issue where the “Endless Barrage” Tanto Upgrade was instead granting the effect of the “Contemplation” Tanto Upgrade, and vice versa.
  • Fixed an issue where the “Invigorating Kill” Tanto Upgrade only worked with the stabbing part of the move and not the throw.
  • Addressed an issue where the “Teppo’s Might” Teppo Upgrade only worked with the automatic follow-up shot and not the Teppo melee swing.
  • Corrected an issue where perks that increased adrenaline gained on deflect, parry and dodge had little to no effect.
  • Fixed an issue where damage assassinations gave less adrenaline than successful assassinations.
  • Fixed an issue where the “Ability damage” knowledge tree node had no effect beyond 1st level.
  • Corrected an issue where the “Posture damage” knowledge tree node had no effect beyond 1st level.
  • Solved an issue where the “Vulnerable damage” knowledge tree node had no effect beyond 1st level.
  • Fixed an issue where afflictions had lower durations on civilians than on enemies.
  • Fixed an issue where damage reduction perks weren’t applied against some enemy projectiles.
  • Addressed an issue where the “Wave of Wasps” Teppo was awarded with a random perk, instead of its legendary perk.
  • Addressed an issue where equipping the “Gown of the Spirit” Naoe Light Armor prevented all tools from applying any buildup.

Visuals & Graphics

  • Addressed various environmental issues with floating trees and rocks. Tree huggers rejoice!
  • Fixed an issue where the glowing eyes on the Mountain Demon Kanabo appeared out of place when the weapon was holstered.
  • Corrected an issue where the Ikko Ikki banner within the Hideout did not match its preview.
  • Fixed an issue causing the game to crash when previewing hideout cosmetic stations on a building with the Dragon Skin applied to it.

UI

  • The database entry for Sen No Rikyu now displays the correct image.
  • Corrected an issue where setting HUD visibility to “Disable”, then switching to “ON” would cause some of the HUD modules to not work.
  • Fixed a text-only issue where “Armor Avoidance” Long Katana Upgrade stated it granted 100% armor piercing, when it only granted 50%.
  • Corrected a text-only issue where “Marksman’s Touch” Teppo Upgrade stated it granted 100% armor piercing, when it only granted 50%.
  • Fixed a text-only issue where “Widespread” Tools Upgrade stated it increased the Smoke Bomb radius to 10 meters, when it only increased it to 5 meters.
  • Addressed a text-only issue where “Absolute Shockwave” Kanabo Upgrade showed 167% instead of 67%.
  • Corrected an issue where the “Improved Ground Assassinate” icon was larger than intended.
  • Reworded the “Improved Sense” Assassin Upgrade to showcase the lingering effect duration in seconds.
  • Reworded the “Temporal Mastery” Bow Upgrade to showcase the slow time duration in seconds.

Localization

  • Corrected the German localization in Rescue the Special Guest.
  • Fixed an error where unnecessary characters appeared in the German translation of the “+50% damage on next hit after a kill” engraving.
  • Addressed a typo in the “Kirishitan” codex entry for Cristão.

SPOILERS WARNING!

Quests

  • Fighting for the Cause: Fixed an issue where Kimura Kei could not be killed because the third attack sequence would not begin. Why won’t you die already?!
  • Butterfly Collector: Adjusted the positioning of the Paper Merchant.
  • Against The Koga-ryu: Fixed an issue where players could not complete the quest because Katsuhime was missing. Can’t a girl take a break?
  • A Promise: Addressed an issue where the servant did not respond to interactions. Rude.
  • Temple Stories: Fixed an issue where players could not continue due to being unable to interact with Joken Hokkyo.
  • Addressed an issue where killing all Genzaburo soldiers before meeting Koshiro prevented his quest progression.
  • Lost Honor: Fixed an issue where players couldn’t progress in the quest because Ise Sadatame was stuck in place.
  • Homecoming: Fixed an issue where players could not complete the quest after killing the target in version 1.0.6.

PLATFORM-SPECIFIC FIXES

PC

  • “Critical Hit!” achievement now unlocks correctly.
  • Corrected the mistranslation of “manual” for the Chinese localization for HUD settings.
  • Fixed a typo in the “Collector” achievement for the German localization on Steam and Ubisoft Connect.

Mac OS

  • Engravings are now correctly awarded when looting a legendary weapon.

Ubisoft recently announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows has now hit 5 million players — and it sounds like a version of the game for Nintendo Switch 2 is on the way, too.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Nintendo Announces New Donkey Kong Maximus Cup Event For Tetris 99

Unlock a new theme next month.

DK is back in his latest outing Donkey Kong Bananza, and apart from new merch and promotions in mobile games like Super Mario Run, he’s also getting his very own Tetris 99 event.

Yes, Nintendo’s Switch Online-focused battle-royale Tetris game will be hosting a special event between 1st – 4th August, 2025. In this limited-time Maximus Cup, you’ll be able to unlock a theme including special art, music and Tetrimino designs once you’ve accumulated 100 event points.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Nintendo Switch 2 System Update 20.3.0 Is Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes

It’s available on Switch as well.

Nintendo has been rolling out regular firmware updates since the Switch 2 launched in June, and now before the end July, it’s released another one.

According to the official patch notes on Nintendo’s support page, this is another stability update. It’s available for the original Switch as well and bumps the firmware up to 20.3.0. Here’s the full rundown, courtesy of Nintendo:

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Everything You Need to Know About Board Game Arena

Getting a group of friends together to learn and play a board game can be a daunting task. Not only does it require everyone in-person, but between setting up, learning the rules, and actually playing through the game it can end up taking multiple hours. Thankfully, there’s an online solution that solves many of these issues.

Board Game Arena might be one of the best-kept secrets, despite having more than 10 million registered players. Still, the flexibility to play many of the most popular games today whenever you desire makes it a must for board game enthusiasts. With a massive catalog spanning every genre, it’s got plenty to offer for both casual and hardcore players alike. Check out our full breakdown below to learn more about Board Game Arena, some of the included games, pricing, and what devices are supported.

What Is Board Game Arena?

Board Game Arena is a website that allows you to play more than 1,000 popular board games—completely free. What’s the catch? Surprisingly, there isn’t one. It really is as good as it sounds. A metaphorical board game buffet just waiting to be devoured.

The browser-based website is pretty lightweight, allowing it to run seamlessly across desktop and mobile devices. You can play games in real-time with players from across the world or set up a turn-based match that lets players take turns when it’s convenient for them. While this significantly increases the time it takes to complete a game, it’s a flexible option that’s perfect for those with a busy schedule who can’t dedicate the time it takes to sit down and play longer games.

How it works

Most games include a step-by-step guided tutorial, which is the perfect way to learn a new game that doesn’t require combing through a massive rulebook. Many also have links to educational videos if you prefer to learn by watching.

The best part about Board Game Arena is that the entire experience is automated. That means no more worrying about the rules or players potentially cheating. Each game features a simple interface that clearly indicates which moves you can make at any given moment. This also helps games move along at a brisk pace, as there’s no setup, teardown, or fiddling with components.

Players can create digital tables and indicate the number of opponents they are looking for before starting a match. Generally, finding players is quick, with tables often filled in a matter of seconds. Some games even include expansion content, which you can decide to enable when setting up your table.

Each game features a built-in text chat option to interact with your friends or opponents. And, if you want to host a virtual game night and get the full experience, optional voice and video chat are also available.

Because many board games require a lot of time and commitment, Board Game Arena leverages a reputation system for all players. Anyone who takes too long to make a move or leaves a game before it’s finished receives a penalty. This allows you to quickly identify potential problem players and avoid matching with them to ensure a positive play experience.

For players looking to test their ability, Board Game Arena also offers ranked matches and tournaments for every game. This is a great way to face off against some of the best players in the world and improve your skill.

How Much Does Board Game Arena Cost?

Board Game Arena is available in two tiers: free and Premium. The free tier only requires that you create a free account in order to access the catalog of games. However, you’ll quickly find that many of the most popular games have the “Premium” badge on them, which means you can’t start a table unless you have a paid subscription. If you’re patient, though, you can wait for another premium member to set up a table and join for free.

But, to experience the best of Board Game Arena without any restrictions, you’ll want to sign up for a Premium account. Like most game subscription services, you can pay monthly or yearly, with the latter being a bit cheaper in comparison. Board Game Arena’s is priced at $5 per month or $42 per year (which works out to about $3.50 a month). For less than the price of a new board game you can experience more than 1,000—with more added every week.

What Games Does Board Game Arena Include?

Board Game Arena features some of the most popular board games available today, including: engine-building games like Wingspan, Splendor, and Res Arcana; family games like Azul, Ticket to Ride, and Harmonies; cooperative games like Pandemic, Sky Team, and The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-Taking Game, and many, many more. The best part—new games are added weekly, so there’s always something to look forward to and play.

For more experienced players, there are plenty of longer, more strategic games that typically need a well-versed group to play including Terraforming Mars, Ark Nova, and Terra Mystica. While these games can take hours in-person, the instant setup and automated turn structure helps them move much faster than their real-world counterparts, making this the ideal way to play many of these heavier games.

Although most games require two or more players to enjoy, Board Game Arena has a vast catalog of solo games for players who prefer that format. Many modern games also include a solo variant, allowing you to play against an automa and learn the strategy without the pressure of additional players.

Even if you only have a few minutes to spare, Board Game Arena also features dozens of quick board games that can be played on your phone to give you your fix. The beauty of its massive catalog is that you can choose the perfect game based on how much time you have available.

Board Game Arena – Available Platforms

Since Board Game Arena is browser-based, it’s available on just about any modern device that can access an internet browser. While you can play games on mobile, I find that some games’ visual aspects don’t scale well for the smaller screen. Your best bet is to play on PC, Mac, or even a tablet as each of these can fit more visuals and information on the screen.

Matthew Adler has written for IGN since 2019 covering all things gaming, tech, tabletop games, and more. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

Major Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Games Are Already on Sale at Woot

It’s no secret that while Nintendo Switch 2 has some excellent games already available, many of these are quite expensive. While the console just launched in early June, Woot has an ongoing sale where you can save a few dollars off some of the biggest Switch 2 games out now. This includes Mario Kart World and the Nintendo Switch 2 Editions of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Save on Mario Kart World and Zelda Switch 2 Editions

First, Mario Kart World is on sale for $71.99. As the first new Mario Kart experience in over a decade, World has a ton of new courses and mechanics to discover. For the first time ever, Mario Kart enters an open world, with each track interconnected on one landmass. The trick system has seen a massive overhaul, with support for wall riding, and the new Knockout Tour mode is an excellent battle royale-style way to play Mario Kart.

Moreover, the Switch 2 Editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are both on sale, and these games are simply masterpieces. The Nintendo Switch 2 Editions only improve on that, offering enhanced resolutions and framerates that elevate the experience. You can even use the new Zelda Notes functionality through the Nintendo Switch app to hear voice recordings and tips to assist you on your journey through Hyrule.

Beyond these three games, there are dozens of first party Nintendo Switch games like Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, Super Mario Party Jamboree, and more on sale. This is really an excellent time to expand your collection without breaking the bank.

Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundles Are Getting Restocks

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

Age Verification in the UK and Xbox’s Ongoing Commitment to Player Safety

Age Verification in the UK and Xbox’s Ongoing Commitment to Player Safety

  • Kim KunesVice President of Gaming Trust & Safety, Xbox

Xbox Logo Hero

At Xbox, we’re committed to providing players with a safe and secure experience on our platform. Since launching our first ever gaming console that could connect players online in 2005, we’ve continued to invest in state-of-the-art tools and technologies to protect the Xbox community. Over more than two decades of experience, we’ve developed a multifaceted safety, privacy, and security approach that features built-in safety measures, respects player privacy, and empowers players, parents, and caregivers to have control over their gaming experiences.

We frequently iterate on these safety measures in collaboration with our community, publishing partners, and industry regulators to ensure we’re providing our players with the safest possible experience. Beginning today, as part of our compliance program for the UK Online Safety Act and our ongoing investments in tools and technologies that help ensure age-appropriate experiences, players who indicate their account age as 18 and over, based in the UK, and signing into an Xbox experience with a Microsoft account will begin seeing notifications encouraging them to verify their age. This one-time process for players in the UK ensures we can continue to provide all players on our platform with age-appropriate experiences.

Starting early next year, age verification will be required for these players in the UK to retain full access to social features on Xbox, such as voice or text communication and game invites. Players who don’t verify their age between now and early 2026 can continue to play and enjoy Xbox. However, starting early next year, their use of social features on Xbox will become limited to friends only until they complete the age verification process. Whether a player verifies their age will not affect any previous purchases, entitlements, gameplay history, achievements, or the ability to play and purchase games, however we encourage players to verify their age via this one-time process now to avoid uninterrupted use of social features on Xbox in the future.

QR code for age verification process in the UK

Adults in the UK can begin the age verification process now on their mobile device by scanning the QR code to then left, or by clicking this link: https://aka.ms/XboxUKAgeVerification

Players who prefer to verify via web can begin the process by signing into their Microsoft account at https://aka.ms/XboxUKAgeVerification.

There are several easy and secure methods for age verification that players can choose from, including proof of government-issued ID, age estimation, mobile provider check, and credit card check. The information players provide during the age verification process is protected with industry-standard encryption and is not stored or used for any other purpose. Additional information about the age verification process, including step-by-step instructions, the options players have for verifying their age, and how player data is kept private and secure, is available at aka.ms/XboxUKAgeSupport.

The Future of Safety at Xbox Globally

As this age verification process rolls out across the UK, we’ll continue to evaluate how we can keep players around the world safe and learn from the UK process. We expect to roll out age verification processes to more regions in the future. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to player safety, so these methods may look different across regions and experiences. We’ll work with local communities, publishing partners and regulators to determine the right approach that both respects player privacy and doesn’t take away from the Xbox gameplay experience. We’ll continue to communicate the changes we’re making to our practices and the data we collect so we can better protect players on our platform.

Additional Resources

We encourage parents and caregivers of children or teens who use an Xbox console to set up child or teen accounts, which do not require age verification and allow them to manage gaming activities like screentime, spending limits, privacy and content settings, and more using the Xbox Family Settings app. You can learn more at www.xbox.com/en-US/family-hub or check out the Xbox Gaming Safety Toolkit to read more about how caregivers can support safer gaming.

For more information on Microsoft privacy, safety, and responsible gaming, please see the below list of resources:

The post Age Verification in the UK and Xbox’s Ongoing Commitment to Player Safety appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Best Digital Board Game Adaptations You Can Play Online From Anywhere

Whether it’s the difficulty of gathering your game group together consistently, you prefer playing solo, or you’re just looking for new players to test your strategies against, physical board games and tabletop experiences may not be enough. Luckily, some fantastic games have been adapted into digital formats that allow for gaming wherever your gaming group may be and for tense matches whenever you want. It really is an exciting time to be a fan of tabletop games.

This guide will point you in the direction of digital adaptations that will scratch that itch you have to play some board games, but also serve as learning resources to introduce new titles into your game night rotation.

Featured in this article

Just a note: This list won’t include digital adaptations for TCGs such as Magic: The Gathering or Virtual Tabletop platforms for TTRPGs; it focuses solely on board games.

Root

Root from Leder Games disguises rich asymmetric area control under the facade of cute and cuddly woodland critters. Anywhere from one to four players struggle against one another, attempting to take control of areas and complete unique faction-specific goals to earn Victory Points. Whoever reaches 30 points first wins.

This digital adaptation successfully captures the visual style of Kyle Ferrin’s art and benefits from different aspects being automated. Root offers both Local and Online play in addition to some wonderful tutorials, which are especially helpful and a great resource in learning all of the factions. Speaking of factions, developer Direwolf Digital (expect to see that more on the list) continues to release expansions, unlocking new maps and playable factions.

Dune: Imperium

With the physical version winning SXSW’s Board Game of the Year in 2022 and the digital adaptation recently winning BoardGameGeeks’ 2024 Golden Geek award for Best Board Game App, Dune: Imperium is an easy recommendation. This mixture of a worker placement and deck-building title set in the Dune universe is a modern classic that offers a fun time for board game hobbyists while not being overly complicated to get into for newcomers. Players take turns placing their spies around Dune, improving their standing with different groups, and waging war in an effort to earn enough points to trigger the end game.

What’s really neat about this digital version is that not only does it feature a good tutorial, solo play against computers, and online play (ranked, events, and casual options), but you can also test your skills with special Challenge games with unique rules. Regardless of how you play it, anyone even remotely interested in board games should try Dune: Imperium – or its sort of 2nd Edition, Dune: Imperium – Uprising – at least once. Check out our Dune: Imperium board game review for more details about the game itself.

Spirit Island

You are a powerful spirit, and your island and its inhabitants, the Dahan (who are also your worshippers), are in danger from foreign invaders who are laying claim to portions of your home. It’s up to you and your fellow spirits to deal with this problem. Spirit Island is a cooperative deck-building and area control game, where you and your friends will have to use your spirits’ special abilities and build out a power deck to force these colonists off your island.

This digital implementation streamlines the process, offloading all of the upkeep between turns like spawning more colonists and moving them around, making this feel like an overall much faster game. Despite being a cooperative title, this game can be challenging, but luckily, the various spirits are ranked in terms of complexity, so even board game beginners can have a good time. Adding in the expansions will provide you with even more spirits to choose from, more customization choices for your island, with Horizons of Spirit Island designed as the ideal jumping-in point for those learning Spirit Island.

Machi Koro with Everyone

What’s even better than getting one digital board game? Getting two! Machi Koro with Everyone is a digital bundle that provides players with both the first and second versions of this delightful and charming game. In Machi Koro, players spend coins to buy new properties for their small cities and roll dice to try to earn money, with the end goal of being the first person to build three special buildings.

This adaptation features colorful art and cute customizable avatars. It is an excellent board game for families to enjoy, thanks to its local play functionality and short game time of approximately 20 minutes. When you’re ready, though, you can go online and test your skills against other players around the world. Machi Koro with Everyone is the easiest game to learn on this list, and arguably one of the most charming.

Scythe: Digital Edition

Set in an alternate version of the 1920s Europe where giant mechs exist and help with farming (and war), Scythe is an engine-building / worker placement game where players manage not only gathering resources but also waging war on one another. This digital adaptation of the game captures all of the tense moments and rich strategy that players have fallen in love with in the physical board game, but speeds things up thanks to the automation of various systems that only a digital game can provide.

As a nifty added bonus, Sythe Digital allows you to customize the paint scheme of your units. If you’re looking to play against your friends instead of just the computer or random folks online, Scythe: Digital Edition features crossplay, allowing you to play with others regardless of the platform.

Gloomhaven

It could be argued that one of the games that has defined this new era of tabletop was 2017’s behemoth of a game, Gloomhaven. This sprawling campaign title featuring 95 unique scenarios, branching storylines, a ton of characters, and intricate card-based combat has left it’s mark on the scene, but one thing that has always held it back somewhat are the space it takes up and the large amount of time investment it takes to get to the end. Thankfully, Gloomhaven has a digital version that allows you to play online with your friends, instead of trying to organize 50 in-person game nights with friends, regardless of what platform someone may own the game on. If you find yourself a master Gloomhaven player already, then you can take on the 100 special Guildmaster missions or build your own levels with the game’s built-in level editor, and share with the community.

Our love for Gloomhaven here at IGN is well established, being featured on a number of our various board game buyer’s guides including “The Best RPG Board Games Worth Playing”, “The Best Campaign Board Games”, “11 Board Games Like Dungeons & Dragons Worth Playing”, and now you can add one more to the list. The game really is just that good, and this is the easiest way to play, including its Jaws of the Lion expansion. And there is no better way to get ready for the upcoming digital version of its follow-up, Frosthaven!

Dominion

The progenitor of the deck-building genre of board games, Dominion is the perfect game to bust out when you have a little time to kill. In Dominion, players take turns buying cards from a shared pool of available options, determined by the expansions and sets they have, creating unique scenarios. What makes this game beloved is how different card effects and triggers play off of one another, requiring you to plan out not only what cards you will purchase, but also the order in which to play them from your hand.

This digital version continues to see strong support, with many of the physical game’s expansions seeing release in this format as well, and with the option to play not only against computer opponents of various difficulties, you can also play online against friends and random players around the world, regardless of the platform.

The fact that the base game, which can provide hours of fun on its own, is completely free, when paired with just how many expansions you can also get for this digital game, make it an easy inclusion on the list, and we have also featured Dominion on some of our other lists too, including the best deck-building games.

Werewolf / Mafia

How well can you tell when your friends are lying, and how well can you hide when you are? Werewolf / Mafia is the purest form of social deduction and deception out there, and while it balances the lines of whether it’s a social experience or a game, there are still a ton of options available to folks who want to play this online with their friends. Many of these can be played right from the internet browser on your smart device or computer (https://wolfy.net/ , Mafia The Game, https://mafia.gg/, and One Night Ultimate Werewolf are some free examples), others like Town of Salem and its sequel, which have higher production values and more “stuff” to them, can be found on Steam or the various app stores.

Werewolf is a blast to play at parties, and thanks to these online options, you can play with your friends whenever you want! There is also a really interesting history behind the game that you can check out on No Pun Included YouTube channel.

Wingspan

Birds. Birds everywhere! Wingspan is one of those games that has seemingly been able to break into the mainstream consumer environment (and we think it’s pretty great, too). If your family or game group is one of those who adores collecting these feathered friends, this digital version of Wingspan is a must-have. Wingspan is an engine-building game in which you attract different types of birds to roost on your board, lay eggs, and earn points. Thanks to this release, you will be able to play all the Wingspan you can handle, including against your friends, regardless of where they buy it.

If you don’t have a bunch of time all at once to sit down and play a complete game of Wingspan, this digital version also lets you play over the course of numerous days in the form of its asynchronous play. This also allows you to have multiple games going on all at once!

Board Game Arena

With over 1,000 games, more than half of which are available to play even with a free account, Board Game Arena is an amazing option when you and your far-off friends want to enjoy a night of game playing. Playable straight from your phone, tablet, or computer’s browser, BGA lets players connect with other players around the world, take part in tournaments, play either in real time or asynchronously over the span of a week or longer, and even create a friends list so it’s easy to connect with loved ones.

Classic and beloved titles like Catan, Ticket To Ride, River of Gold, and Wingspan are all available, in addition to some brand-new games that aren’t even out yet. A vast majority of the games on BGA (917 currently) come with in-depth step-by-step tutorials to help you learn the game, too. This is a handy tool for individuals who want to make sure they like a game before spending a bunch of money on the physical product.

If you want access to the entire catalog that Board Game Arena offers, you will have to pay to get a Premium account, but at only $5 a month or $36 a year, the price is well worth it just for the additional games you get alone. However, free players can still play those games, they just can’t make a table of those games, meaning they are still able to join other premium players’ tables without having to drop a dime.

Out of all the games on this list, Board Game Arena is by far the best value for your buck. The service runs on your normal internet browser, so anyone with a smartphone can join and play, though we recommend playing it on your computer or tablet instead.

For the very opposite of the idea behind this list, check out our picks for the best board games based on video games.

Scott White is a freelance contributor to IGN, assisting with tabletop games and guide coverage. Follow him on X/Twitter or Bluesky.