Some brand new amiibo are joining Nintendo’s collection. Right now, you can preorder two-packs of Callie and Marie and Pearl and Marina from Splatoon. These cost $30 each and will officially be released on September 5, so you don’t have too long of a wait for them. Like many amiibo, though, stock likely won’t stick around for long. So, if you really want to add these models to your amiibo collection, now’s your time to place an order.
New Splatoon Amiibo Available to Preorder, Out September 5
If you’re curious to see what’s going on for other platforms, we’ve got roundups of the best Xbox deals today and the best PlayStation deals today that are worth checking out. In these, you can find a wide variety of offers on everything from games to storage to headsets, but if you want an overall look at the best deals of the moment, check out our breakdown of the best video game deals today. This piece highlights the latest and greatest deals for each platform, including PC, so you can get a good look at the discounts that have stood out the most to us.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.
Welcome to the Escalation of Freedom, Helldivers. We’ve taken the time to gather feedback from our players on the front lines, and we’re bringing greater variety to our content. From missions and objectives to enemies and planets, we’re delivering lots of new content for both our veteran players and brand-new Helldivers on the battlefield. Get ready for our biggest update yet!
Our community continues to show us how strong we all are when united against the mindless Automatons and the scourge of the Terminid. As we stand here, on the eve of the Escalation of Freedom, we reflect on the 6 months since launch. We could never have predicted how far this game would go and how many Citizens would answer Super Earth’s call to arms!
We’ve watched our forces expertly handle every conflict and challenge we’ve thrown their way, from flying enemies to the Terminid Control System, to saving the children of Super Citizen Anne’s Hospital. Now for this major update, it’s time for us to give back something big to the community and welcome in even more players to the Helldivers universe.
Helldivers, this is escalating quickly.
Go on a Super Helldive
Go up against the new supersized bot fortresses.
Something that continues to amaze us is our players’ insatiable desire for more bugs, more bots, more liberation, and more destruction. We thought nine levels of Helldiving difficulties would be enough, but in the Escalation of Freedom we’re turning it up to 10… Combat Rating 10 that is.
CR 10: Super Helldive is our most challenging, most relentless dive difficulty level yet, and we hope that this is going to give players the intensity they’re looking for on the battlefield. And with a great challenge comes greater rewards.
The larva retrieval mission has the Helldivers babysitting a bug.
But a new difficulty level isn’t the only thing the community wanted. We’ve also heard your desire for mission variation, which is why we’re bringing you new mission objectives and bigger enemy outposts for both bots and bugs that offer brand new Super Sample rewards. These outposts will be heavily fortified, and require players to coordinate and strategize in order to take them out.
And if you’re new to Helldivers 2, you don’t have to worry about missing out on all the fun until you unlock Super Helldive, because many of our new mission objectives will be playable on other difficulty levels.
New Enemies & Dangerous Swamps
The Impaler returns!
Escalation of Freedom is unleashing some new threats to our liberty that will take some serious strategizing from the Helldivers to take down.
Back by popular demand: the Impaler! This big guy from the original Helldivers creates some new challenges. No longer can you run from the bugs when the Impaler is around–big, imposing, and destructive, it demands to be dealt with.
Also new among the Terminid ranks is the Spore Charger. As if the regular old Charger wasn’t scary enough, the Spore Charger is shrouded in fog to obscure its location until it’s right up on you, Helldiver.
The new Spore Charger in the fog.
Lastly, the Terminid Alpha Commander, which is a supercharged Brood Commander that’s bigger, meaner, and doesn’t hesitate to call in other bugs for backup.
You thought the regular old Brood Commander was bad? Think again.
Don’t think we forgot about the Automatons. Their ranks are growing, too, with the addition of the formidable Rocket Tank, as well as some other bot surprises we’ll be throwing your way.
The Automaton uprising continues.
Explore the swamps but not as you know them, with rolling fog and the untamed flora, the blackened trees obscure the light and the air itself feels haunted. Keep your flashlight handy, as visibility is limited and light is key. The enemy could be hiding anywhere amongst the undergrowth.
Get spooked, Helldivers.
Under the Hood
The last addition I want to highlight about the Escalation of Freedom update is that we’re making changes to mitigate the problem of grief kicking in Helldivers 2. While it’s our hope that players engage with the game in good faith and sportsmanship, we do recognize that some players are using the team kicking to grief others.
To help improve this we have implemented a system where if a player is kicked, they will spawn into a new session as the host with all of the team’s loot from their previous session. All items can now be picked up by the player before extraction. The squad doing the kicking will see a message in the chat widget that a player has been kicked, yet their loot remains unchanged.
With these changes, all players have the opportunity to leave with all loot collected on mission, with no one Helldiver losing out. We’re committed to making changes that will improve the player experience and encourage healthy, cooperative gameplay.
Along with this, we’re also releasing other quality of life upgrades with Escalation of Freedom, including major fixes to the social menu to make diving with your friends easier.
Overall, we think this escalation is going to be packed full of awesome additions, long-awaited improvements, and a ton of surprises to discover! Helldivers 2: Escalation of Freedom is launching on August 6!
Ahead of the 2024 Pokémon World Championships this August, we’ve got an exclusive first look at the special plush, deck boxes, and more that will only be available at Worlds. Each year, the Pokémon World Championships are held in a different city, and with it comes a Pokémon Center pop-up with exclusive merch themed after it. This year, the Pokémon World Championships are taking place at the Hawai’i Convention Center in Honolulu, so of course, the product line is tropical, colorful, and beachy.
“This year’s unique items and motifs draw from the vibrant marine life and lush flora of Hawai’i, embodying the spirit and beauty of the islands,” explained Cindy Ruppenthal, senior director of Pokémon Center and e-commerce at The Pokémon Company International. “The pop-up store’s design as well as the Worlds product line reminds fans to make the most of this amazing location—whether they’re lounging on the beach in Waikiki, hiking the Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail, or catching waves on the North Shore.”
Check out a large selection of what will be available at the 2024 Pokémon World Championships in the slideshow above.
Ruppenthal expects a strong demand for the Hawaiian-themed Pokémon ukulele, which appears to be the most exclusive and unique item in the lineup. The ukulele’s MSRP is $59.99 USD. Ruppenthal also expects there to be a demand for other location-inspired products due to the Hawaiian theme, such as the Pokémon Aloha shirt.
Previously, The Pokémon Company International revealed a sneak peek of the Worlds-exclusive Pikachu plush in snorkeling gear and custom Pokémon Aloha shirt in a partnership with Reyn Spooner, a local Hawaiian company known for making top-quality Aloha wear since 1956. Ruppenthal said that makes the collaboration very special.
Everything revealed here will only be available August 14-18 at the Pokémon World Championships Pokémon Center pop up. Even if you have an event badge, you won’t be able to just walk-in—you must make a reservation to visit the 2024 Worlds Pokémon Center Store.
Casey DeFreitas is a deputy editor of guides at IGN. Catch her at the 2024 Pokémon World Championships, or on Twitter @ShinyCaseyD.
The Ubisoft development team working on Assassin’s Creed Shadows has posted a public message to Japanese fans on X/Twitter, which explains the project’s stance on historical authenticity and also apologises for promotional materials that “have caused concern” among the community.
The four-page message, posted in both English and Japanese, explains that Assassin’s Creed Shadows is not intended to be a factual representation of history. Instead, it is described as “a compelling, historical fiction set in Feudal Japan”, and the developers hope that it will “spark curiosity” in players who will then hopefully research the historical period the game is inspired by.
Ubisoft emphasises that Shadows has been made in collaboration with external consultants and historians, but recognises that it has made a mistake. “Despite these sustained efforts, we acknowledge that some elements in our promotional materials have caused concern within the Japanese community. For this, we sincerely apologize.”
While the post offers very limited detail about what Ubisoft is apologising for, it’s likely that the “promotional materials” in question is a piece of concept art that features the flag of a Japanese historical re-enactment group. The flag, which is a modern-day creation and not historical, was used without permission from the Sekigahara Teppo-tai group. While Ubisoft has since apologised for using the flag’s design, it will still be printed in the physical art book featured in the collector’s edition of Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
The new message from the team notes that the game “will keep evolving until launch.”
“Based on the constructive criticism we have received, we will continue our efforts until we put this game into your hands – and beyond,” it explains.
In addition to the apology regarding the marketing materials, the message also discusses Yasuke, one of Shadows’ two protagonists: “While Yasuke is depicted as a samurai in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, we acknowledge that this is a matter of debate and discussion. We have woven this carefully into our narrative and with our other lead character, the Japanese shinobi Naoe, who is equally important in the game, our dual protagonists provide players with different gameplay styles.”
While Yasuke has often been presented as a samurai in popular media, both in Japan and beyond, his depiction in Shadows has given rise to debate regarding the historical truth. Due to limited historical evidence, there is no conclusive proof as to if Yasuke was a samurai, a ‘retainer’, or another role entirely. The argument has lived side by side with criticism over Ubisoft’s decision to feature a Black man as a lead protagonist in a Japan-set Assassin’s Creed game – a backlash that Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot alluded to while condemning “malicious and personal online attacks.”
The message notes that the Assassin’s Creed series has always taken “creative license and incorporated fantasy elements” into its historically-inspired settings. “The representation of Yasuke in our game is an illustration of this. His unique and mysterious life made him an ideal candidate to tell an Assassin’s Creed story with the setting of Feudal Japan as a backdrop.”
Since the series began, all Assassin’s Creed games have featured a disclaimer before the main menu: “Inspired by historical events and characters, this work of fiction was designed, developed, and produced by a multicultural trem of various beliefs, sexual orientations and gender identities.”
Ubisoft’s message to its Japanese community concludes by asking that fans continue to share feedback and thoughts “respectfully”.
I’ve not played Counter- Strike 2 in yonks, but I know a big update when I see one. That’s right: Valve have added some new crates just outside of counter-terrorist spawn, near bombsite A. This means that players can now use these boxes to hop from CT up to catwalk with little fuss, where previously you’d need to use your teammates’ heads as a springboard. What does this mean as a layperson who sort of plays the game sometimes? More than you might think!
After a brief delay, the latest UK charts are in and while all of the familiar faces remain at the top, Prime Day sales have shaken things up elsewhere.
Preorder the the Nintendo Switch Lite Hyrule Edition Console
Announced alongside The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom during June’s Nintendo Direct, the Nintendo Switch Lite: Hyrule Edition handheld console is officially up for preorder. Best Buy is offering preorders for $209.99 with orders shipping out on September 26. That’s $10 more than a stock Switch Lite, but that’s more than justified by the fact that this edition includes a 12 month Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.
Score a Nintendo Switch Lite with Animal Crossing for $159
Walmart still has this excellent deal available, which is worth taking advantage of if you’ve been hoping to get your hands on a Switch console. Right now, you can grab a Nintendo Switch Lite (Timmy & Tommy’s Aloha Edition) bundle with Animal Crossing for 20% off, marking it down to $159.
More Nintendo Switch Game Deals
There are quite a few different Switch games on sale at the moment that are worth picking up for your collection. Some of our favorites right now are Super Mario Maker 2 for $39.99, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for $44.95, Super Mario RPG for $38.95, and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, which is 50% off to just $24.99. You can see even more of our favorite Switch game deals below.
The best Switch SD card should be fast, reliable, and as future-proof as possible. That last one is important, especially with the Switch successor on the horizon. Therefore, you’re going to want to opt for the latest in SD card tech, which is a micro SDXC UHS-I U3 A2 V30 memory card. That’s a lot of random letters, so to save you a bit of time we’ve left our top suggestions and deals just above and below for your convenience (like this excellent deal on a Lexar 1TB PLAY microSDXC Memory Card for $73.99). To see even more SD card deals, make sure to check out our roundup of the best SD card deals.
More Switch Micro SD Card Deals
Best Nintendo Switch Accessory Deals
Whether you’re looking for a new controller or a little bag to carry your Switch in, there are quite a few different deals on Nintendo Switch accessories that are worth checking out right now as well. Here, we’ve listed just a few of our favorite discounts at a variety of retailers that are worth picking up right now.
When Should You Buy a Nintendo Switch?
The short answer is that you should buy a Nintendo Switch whenever there’s any kind of sale, regardless of the time of year. Amazon will likely offer the same console bundles on any other sale as it will on Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day, so there’s no real reason to wait if you’re in need of a Nintendo Switch.
That being said, there are sometimes some unique bundles and promotions during Black Friday that you won’t find any other time of the year. They usually includes additional games (like the infamous Mario Kart 8 bundle) or Switch accessories for free, but quantities tend to be limited. As always, do your research into the seller before you make a purchase and keep in mind that the Nintendo Switch 2 is coming out next year.
With how expensive gaming is getting in 2024, we’re trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We’ve got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as PlayStation and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand-new offers. If you’re trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.
A glance at comedy medieval medic sim Stretcher Men might have you believe it is a co-op game about co-ordination and teamwork. Not so! It’s a singleplayer game in which you control not one but both carriers of a stretcher. You have to ferry a sick man over the hilly countryside, past muddy lake banks and over snowy mountains, all without dropping him on the ground. I can only imagine it controls a bit like Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons, but with added ragdoll jollity. We’ll know next week, when it releases on Steam.
One of the most memorable moments of Metro Exodus comes from a standoff with a giant catfish, who you have to avoid for a while (along with the cultists who worship it) before going “fishing” using an entire human corpse as bait. I didn’t expect to see any rival catfish appearing in games after that, but now that I think about it – why not? They’re a naturally freaky animal, perfect video game antagonists. And the developers of upcoming Japanese folklore ’em up Otoshi No Shima seem to understand this, having created a monstrous creature with a gaping mouth that follows the player at every turn. Come see.
