The race continues.
This week’s UK boxed charts are in and it has once again been a tight competition at the top of the pack.
Despite picking up the silver medal in its debut chart appearance, Super Mario Bros. Wonder has managed to jump ahead of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 this time around and lands in first place. As word continues to spread, we can see the Flower Kingdom’s latest sticking around in the charts for a while.
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When was the last time you played a good 3D character platformer? For me, it was probably Psychonauts 2. But before that? Outside of Mario? I’m not sure I’d be able to tell you. For whatever reason, the 3D character platformer has become an increasingly rare breed, it would seem, which makes them even more heartening to see when they do occasionally poke their head above the parapet and leap onto our screens. Song Of Nunu: A League Of Legends Story is one of them, channelling the joyous, boundless enthusiasm of its late 90s and early 00s predecessors to create a simple, but straightforward adventure that you could just as easily enjoy alone as an adult, or with a child in tow. It did not, alas, quite make me cry as developers Tequila Works intended (that honour still belongs to Rime and Rime alone out of their back catalogue), but there’s much to admire here while having your heartstrings lightly plucked at the same time. And you don’t need to know a jot about League Of Legends to enjoy it.
Sending Switch successor rumours into overdrive (again).
Switch successor rumours have got louder in recent months and now some new Nintendo filings have been discovered.
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It’s been six years since the Nintendo Switch launched in 2017, and after a long and successful reign, you may be wondering what new piece of hardware will be next. We’ve seen updates to the current switch with the OLED and Lite models, though we’re still in the dark on what Nintendo’s next-gen offering could be.
After becoming the 3rd best-selling console in history this year, it’s fair to say that Nintendo might want to keep things close to its chest. Yet, even with all the secrecy surrounding the possibility of a new Nintendo Switch, we’ve collected all the details we could find about the mystery follow-up ahead of its eventual official announcement and release.
While Nintendo hasn’t yet announced any official follow-up to their incredibly successful Nintendo Switch console, there are some rumors swirling about how close we might be to a potential product reveal.
Recent court documents as part of the Activision Blizzard acquisition revealed that Nintendo briefed Activision on Switch 2 in late 2022. While a good chunk of the email exchange was redacted, it did mention the “NG Switch.” Activision’s Brad Smith confirmed a 10-year deal to bring Call of Duty to the Switch earlier this year, announcing the game will be available “the same day as Xbox, with full feature and content parity”.
Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, confirmed in an interview with Nikkei, and translated by VGC, that Nintendo will support the current-gen Switch until at least March 2025. This sentiment is also backed up by previous comments Furukawa made regarding the future of the Nintendo Switch in a financial briefing Q&A in 2022. In this interview, he committed to focusing on “building long-term relationships with our consumers (through Nintendo Accounts),” he went on to reiterate “, While continuing to release new Nintendo Switch software for consumers to enjoy, we aim to maintain relationships across hardware generations through services that utilize Nintendo Accounts and by providing opportunities for them to experience our IP through other non-gaming channels.”
During Gamescom 2023, Eurogamer reported that the Nintendo Switch 2 was being demoed at the show, showing off a “souped up” version of one of the Nintendo Switch’s most beloved games, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. While a potential demo device doesn’t directly mean a consumer product will be on the market soon, it does indicate Nintendo may be looking forward to what’s next and likely wants game developers to get ready for what the future can offer.
Even with all the juicy gossip, it’s best not to hold your breath on what’s coming from the Japanese tech titan’s next console until there is an official announcement; fingers crossed we’ll get that confirmation soon.
There are plenty of Nintendo Switch models to consider while shopping right now, with pricing shifting dramatically depending on the version you’re looking to invest in. Looking forward to a potential Switch 2, inflation and internal specs, amongst other variables, will likely play a part in what we’ll pay for a new console at launch.
It’s hard to know what the pricing of this mystery device will be, but we’ve listed the RRP of the current range of Nintendo Switch models as a reference:
With the range of Nintendo Switch consoles currently on the market, you may be left wondering if you’ll have the same number of choices to pick between when the next iteration rolls around.
The latest Nintendo Switch OLED model features a remarkable screen, and it feels like the future of the console, it being the most recent edition to Nintendo’s lineup. However, according to a VGC report, the next-gen Nintendo Switch may potentially feature an LCD screen instead.
The current array of Nintendo Switch models are numerous and were released over the console’s multi-year lifespan, so it’s reasonable to believe there may be several versions of a potential Nintendo Switch follow-up, too.
There isn’t a lot of information on how Nintendo’s next-gen console will look, though there are plenty of features in the current-gen Nintendo Switch we’d love to see return for a follow-up console.
VGC reported that development kits for the potential new console are already with partner studios, with sources citing some returning features. According to VGC’s report, the new Nintendo Switch could keep the portability of its predecessor and feature a cartridge slot for physical games.
In May 2023, a patent was filed with the United States Patent Office and published in September, which suggests a potential revamped Joy-Con controller that would hopefully help with the notorious Joy-Con drift issue associated with the Nintendo Switch.
The patent details a magnetic field for controls rather than the plastic circuit boards seen in the current generation console. However, it’s worth mentioning that patents don’t necessarily translate directly to future products, so there’s no guarantee on whether the Nintendo Switch 2 will feature updated Joy-Cons, and we’ll have to wait for official word from Nintendo on that front.
Trainers beware, you’re in for a scare.
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they’ve been chewing over. Today, Ethan chateaus himself in the creepiest place in the Pokémon world…
Ah, Lavender Town — the place where the journeys of old Pokémon end and the nightmares of young trainers are born. This gothic locale from the original Game Boy titles has transcended its franchise into an iconic piece of pop culture in its own right, and it’s not hard to see why. Between its downbeat aesthetic, its surprisingly forward exploration of mortality, and its plethora of associated internet legends, Lavender Town absolutely deserves its reputation as one of the most memorably spooky places in gaming.
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It’s been notoriously difficult to get your hands on a PS5 since its launch in late 2020 between industry-wide chip shortages and scalpers reselling consoles for nearly $2,000, but the supply has finally caught up to demand for the most part, and now it’s far more common to see the consoles in stock in-store and online at most retailers.
If you’re looking for the best places to purchase PS5 consoles online in 2023, we’ve got you covered with a full breakdown below, including pricing on current PS5 consoles, the best time to buy a PS5, information on PlayStation Plus plans, as well as where to trade in your exisiting PlayStation consoles and games.
If you’re looking to buy a new PlayStation 5 this year, here’s where you can purchase them online in 2023. You can also check out our guide to PS5 deals for potential discounts.
The PlayStation 5 is Sony’s latest and greatest and features true 4K visuals with support for ray tracing, an ultrafast 825GB SSD, and the all-new DualSense controller that immerses you in your games through haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
The PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is identical to the standard PS5 in every way, save for the fact that it does not have a UHD Blu-Ray drive affixed to the side and retails for an MSRP of $399.99. As the name implies, this console requires all of your games to be purchased digitally from the PlayStation Store, as it does not accept any physical media.
There are currently two editions of the PlayStation 5: the standard PlayStation 5 console and the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console. The standard PlayStation 5 (which plays both physical and digital games) retails for an MSRP of $499.99, while the digital-only PS5 Digital Edition retails for an MSRP of $399.99. There is also going to be a PS5 Slim released in November that will cost between $449.99 and $499.99 depending on if you add the Blu-Ray drive.
There are also a number of limited-edition PS5 bundles throughout the year that feature a unique color or design, and sometimes include a download code for a game in the box, as well.
PlayStation Plus is Sony’s online membership that allows you to play online with your friends, upload your save data to the cloud, as well as granting you access to a handful of free games each month. Last year, Sony added two additional tiers to PlayStation Plus: PlayStation Plus Extra and PlayStation Plus Premium. These additional tiers provide access to a library of games akin to Xbox Game Pass, with the latter giving you access to classic PlayStation Games and more recent first-party PlayStation titles.
Sony recently raised the prices of all three PlayStation Plus tiers, but announced that PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers will also gain access to a library of movies available to stream through the Sony Pictures Core app.
Here’s what each tier of PlayStation Plus will get you:
PlayStation Plus Essential is effectively what the standard PlayStation Plus experience has been for the past decade or so. This basic plan costs $9.99/month or $79.99/year and allows you to play multiplayer games online with your friends, upload your save data to the cloud, and get exclusive discounts and pricing on games and add-on content. Additionally, you’ll receive a few games each month that can be added to your library and accessed as long as you have an active subscription.
PlayStation Plus Extra costs $14.99/month or $134.99/year and includes everything in the PlayStation Plus Essential tier, while also adding a game catalog featuring hundreds of games that you can download and play, as well as access to a curated collection Ubisoft+ Classics that includes titles from popular Ubisoft franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and more.
PlayStation Plus Premium costs $17.99/month or $159.99/year and includes everything in the PlayStation Plus Extra tier, while also adding access to the Classics catalog – a number of games from PS1, PS2, and PS3 that you can play on your PS5 console. Additionally, you’ll be able to play game trials for specific PS5 games, as well as stream many games from the cloud to your console, PC, and mobile device.
Generally, the best time to buy a PS5 console is during major yearly shopping events such as Black Friday and the various Amazon Prime Day sales. Although PlayStation consoles rarely go on sale, you can often scoop up limited-time bundles that include additional an additional game or two, and more.
If you’re looking to trade in your old PlayStation consoles, you can do so at select retailers in-store and online. Often, the most widely available retailers are GameStop and Best Buy. However, you can also trade your used devices online at retailers such as Amazon and Microsoft.
Some retailers will offer you cash for your used goods, while others may provide you with a gift card that can be used in-store and online. This is a great way to offload your old gaming gear and get some money that you can put towards a newer console and games.
While trading devices in at retailers will often net you the lowest amount for your used consoles, there are also online marketplaces such as eBay, Craigslist, and OfferUp that may fetch higher prices, but you’ll often be responsible for packing and shipping costs, or be required to meet someone in person for the transaction, the latter of which poses its own risks.
Similar to PlayStation console trade ins, you can also trade your existing games in at specific retailers. The most widely available retailer accepting used video games is GameStop, but they are notorious for giving you pennies on the dollar for your pre-owned titles. However, if you’re looking for an easy way to offload some of your library for cash or in-store credit, this is a convenient option. You can always look up the expected trade-in value on GameStop’s website before heading into a store, so you know exactly how much you’ll receive. Additionally, you can trade in your used games online through Amazon in exchange for an Amazon gift card.
Matthew Adler is a Commerce, Features, Guides, News, Previews, and Reviews writer for IGN. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.
DQX Offline localisation rumours resurfaced this week.
Dragon Quest has already been in the headlines this week after new trailer uploads for Dragon Quest X Offline appeared on YouTube, and now, Square Enix producer and director Yosuke Saito appears to be teasing something.
According to a translation of a social media post (via Eurogamer), he’s recently had a “fun recording session” at work, and apparently more will be revealed once it’s all been finalised and approved. What’s really got fans excited is a photo attached to this post showing off a script.
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What could it be for?
Capcom shared its latest earning results earlier this week, and as part of this, it’s also published a Q&A revealing its intentions to release an unannounced title early next year.
As highlighted by fans of the Japanese company, this game will arrive before the end of its current fiscal year, which is set to end in March 2024. This game will apparently help the Japanese company reach its end-of-year sales targets, but there’s no information beyond this. One likely candidate could be a new Monster Hunter game. There’s also speculation about it being for other key Capcom franchises such as the Resident Evil series.
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“The rest is history”.
Time Extension recently got the chance to speak to Coleco exec Bert Reiner about the history of the American toy and console maker. According to his account, there was a time when Nintendo almost ended up buying and marketing the 1982 video game system ‘ColecoVision’ for Japan but negotiations fell through.
The former Coleco vice president of product development claims Nintendo wanted to do its own deal and eventually, it got to the point where its company president Hiroshi Yamauchi said Nintendo would develop its own console. This exchange was followed by the launch of the Famicom in 1983.
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I’m not sure any of my Lego constructions would hold up to anything more aggressive than an accidental bump or the over-excited nose of a dog, let alone wave after wave of ghastly monsters. Soon I’ll be able to put that hypothesis to the test, as the next game from the creators of shopkeeping-sim-turned-dungeon-diver Moonlighter looks to throw endless horrors at your custom-made grand design.
