Category: IGN

Bungie’s Marathon is out now, which means players can finally see how its microtransactions actually work and, crucially, how much everything costs.

The $40 extraction shooter is monetized in a number of ways, including via a premium battle pass and direct microtransactions for cosmetic items, such as playable character skins. As Bungie had signalled before Marathon went live, gameplay-affecting items are not available to buy, only cosmetics.

Still, some players have responded negatively to Marathon’s monetization, criticizing the price of the skins and the digital sales tactics Bungie has in place.

Straight off the bat, on launch day, Marathon has $15 cosmetic packs (they cost 1,500 Lux, Marathon’s premium virtual currency). These packs include a runner skin, a weapon skin, a cosmetic trinket of some type, and a player banner and profile pic. Runner skins are sold separately for around $12’s worth of Lux.

This alone has irked some who believe that Marathon, as a $40 game, should not be monetized in a similar fashion to free-to-play shooters like Fortnite or Apex Legends. Others, however, are unsurprised by these cosmetic packs, and have pointed out that they’re more expensive in other premium games, such as the more expensive mainline Call of Duty games.

But what has caused more of a stink is the denominations of Lux available in the store. A runner skin costs 1,120 Lux, but of course you can’t buy 1,120 Lux exactly from the store. Instead, you have to spend $10 to get 1,100 Lux (just 20 Lux shy of what you need), and then another $5 to get 500 Lux on top, which in total dollar terms matches the same price as the $15 bundle.

This is a common tactic in video games that not only forces you to spend more money than you want to get a particular item, leaving you with virtual currency spare that may encourage you to buy some more so you can buy another item. Call of Duty does this. FIFA does this. And now Marathon does this.

“I’m tired of these Bungie scummy tactics,” one fan said. “Even if I love the game, this store and season pass in 2026 is a shame.”

“Dude I look at the shop to find that if you spend 10 you’ll get 1,100 coins or LUX but these people set every character price to 1,120, so you’ll have to spend another five dollars,” said another player. “I hate this type of greed. I love the game but this is shallow.”

“Yea that’s dumb af,” said another. “And after spending $15 you’ll have 1,600 Lux so might as well get the entire bundle for 1,500. (Is what Bungie probably wants you to do) at that point why even sell the skin separately.”

Within the debate are a significant number of people who believe Marathon isn’t doing anything particularly outlandish here when it comes to monetization. They point to the fact that only cosmetics are for sale and that no-one is forced to buy anything extra to compete out on the battlefield as evidence that Bungie is doing things well enough for its new shooter. Others say that anyone who played Destiny 2, Bungie’s previous release, will find nothing here surprising.

And it doesn’t look like Marathon’s monetization has impacted the sentiment around the game at launch, either. At the time of this article’s publication, Marathon had a ‘very positive’ user review rating on Steam.

It’s also worth noting that Marathon Reward Passes do not expire, so you can buy a previous season’s Reward Passes if you miss out. You unlock rewards in your Rewards Passes using Silk, which is earned by playing the game. You can also earn cosmetics via the Codex, with others available for purchase.

We’ve got plenty more on Marathon, including one Bungie developer’s commitment to “fontslop,” and Bungie’s words of reassurance on Marathon’s difficulty curve. Check out IGN’s Marathon review so far to find out what we think.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The Pokémon Company has issued an official objection after the White House used Pokopia for a meme, pushing back against the Trump administration’s repeated use of its intellectual property on social media.

On March 5, the official White House X / Twitter account shared a “Make America Great Again” meme that looks like the recently released spinoff, Pokémon Pokopia. While unconfirmed, it appears that the meme is an AI-generated graphic in the style of Pokopia, which released on the Nintendo Switch 2 this week. The text, “Make America Great Again,” is similar to the Pokopia font. Familiar Pokémon can be seen in the background. At the time of this article’s publication, the White House’s tweet had been viewed 18.6 million times.

MAGA 🇺🇸⚡️ pic.twitter.com/8QRVP23zGu

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 5, 2026

The Pokémon Company issued a statement in which it stressed that it did not grant the White House permission to use its IP for social content.

“We are aware of recent social content that includes imagery associated with our brand,” a company spokesperson told The New York Times. “We were not involved in its creation or distribution, and no permission was granted for the use of our intellectual property. Our mission is to bring the world together, and that mission is not affiliated with any political viewpoint or agenda.”

In September last year, The Pokémon Company formally responded to the use of Pokémon TV hero Ash Ketchum and the series’ theme tune by the Department of Homeland Security, as part of a video showing people being arrested and handcuffed by law enforcement agents.

“We are aware of a recent video posted by the Department of Homeland Security that includes imagery and language associated with our brand,” The Pokémon Company International said in a statement shared with IGN at the time. “Our company was not involved in the creation or distribution of this content, and permission was not granted for the use of our intellectual property.”

Many fans have suggested The Pokémon Company should defend its intellectual property by launching legal action. However, the corporation’s former legal chief told IGN last year that he “wouldn’t touch this.”

Don McGowan, Pokémon’s veteran ex-legal chief, told IGN in September that he believed any such action was highly unlikely. “I don’t see them doing anything about this for a few reasons,” McGowan, now principal at Extreme Grownup Services, said. “First, think of how little you see [The Pokémon Company International]’s name in the press. They are INSANELY publicity-shy and prefer to let the brand be the brand.

“Second, many of their execs in the USA are on green cards. Even if I was still at the company I wouldn’t touch this, and I’m the most trigger-happy CLO [Chief Legal Officer] I’ve ever met. This will blow over in a couple of days and they’ll be happy to let it.”

As pointed out by The New York Times, Trump administration spokesperson Abigail Jackson has previously commented on their social media strategy, which shows no sign of backing off the use of entertainment company’s IP.

“Through engaging posts and banger memes, we are successfully communicating the president’s extremely popular agenda,” Jackson said. “There’s a reason so many people try to copy our style — our message resonates.”

Indeed, The Pokémon Company isn’t the only gaming firm that has seen its IP used by the Trump administration in political memes. In October, Microsoft remained silent after Donald Trump released an AI image of the U.S. president as Master Chief and the Department of Homeland Security used Halo to promote ICE on social media.

Finishing this fight. pic.twitter.com/6Ezq9NUqMq

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) October 27, 2025

The Trump administration has form when it comes to using AI images to promote the President. In May last year, Trump sparked a backlash from some Catholics after posting an AI-generated image of himself as the Pope. The picture, which was shared by official White House social media accounts, was released as Catholics mourned the death of Pope Francis and prepared to choose the next pontiff.

The White House has also released AI images of Trump as Superman and as a Star Wars Jedi. And when the Department of Homeland Security used South Park to promote ICE, South Park trolled Trump in response, saying: “wait, so we ARE relevant?”

And earlier this week, the White House posted a video on social media that mixed footage from its bombing operations in Iran with Call of Duty gameplay. IGN has asked Activision for comment, but it has yet to respond.

Phot by Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

What a day! We’re still bustling through Resident Evil Requiem, Pokopia’s out today, and on top of that, Slay the Spire 2 is out in early access. And in the shadows of these giant releases, Slay the Spire 2 is doing particularly well. As I type this, it’s reached 177k concurrent players on Steam, and that number is still actively rising. That’s a new record for a roguelike on the platform, just weeks after Mewgenics smashed the previous record.

As reported by Eurogamer back in February, previously, Hades 2 held the crown for the highest concurrent player count on Steam for a roguelike at 112k players. The weekend of its launch, Mewgenics managed to surpass it, reaching 115k concurrent players.

Slay the Spire 2 is currently the fourth most-played game on Steam right now, behind Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and Arc Raiders, and just ahead of Rust. It’s even doing better (at the moment) than Resident Evil: Requiem, which at the time of this piece had around 115k concurrents (though its peak is at 344k, considerably higher). I’m almost tempted to sit here refreshing the page just to see if it can get past 200k before I publish.

That’s a fantastic debut for this long-awaited sequel to the popular deckbuilder roguelike Slay the Spire which we called ‘Amazing’ at the time, and awarded a 9/10, saying: “Slay the Spire takes some of the best parts of deckbuilding games, roguelikes, and dungeon crawlers, and mixes them into a wholly new and extremely satisfying package.” Slay the Spire 2 is currently only available on PC for its early access period, but it seems likely to get console versions once it’s fully released.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Hot off the zombified heels of Resident Evil Requiem, a brand-new Capcom Spotlight is on its way today, promising updates on Street Fighter 6, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, Pragmata, and much more.

We’ll be gathering all the biggest moments and reveals right here as they happen, so be sure to keep checking back to see what exciting things Capcom has planned for the future! Oh, and be sure to let us know below what you are most excited for!

How to Watch the Capcom Spotlight March 2026

This newest Capcom Spotlight will debut today, March 5, at 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 10pm UK time. It is scheduled to run for roughly 30 minutes and will be available with subtitles for 13 languages.

If you’d like to watch the show with us, we’ll be hosting the Capcom Spotlight here on IGN.com and on the following platforms;

• IGN.com
• IGN’s YouTube
• Steam
• Facebook
• Twitter / X
• Twitch
• IGN mobile apps
• Eurogamer
• VG247
• GamesIndsutry.biz
• Rock Paper Shotgun

What to Expect From the Capcom Spotlight March 2026

Capcom has given us a pretty good idea as to what we can expect from this upcoming Capcom Spotlight, as it promised updates for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, Pragmata, Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fights Edition, Mega Man Starforce Legacy Collection, and Megaman Dual Override.

However, there is a good chance there are some surprises in store, and we could even get a glimpse at the future of Resident Evil Requiem since it just launched and has already surpassed 5 million copies.

For more, check out what Capcom announced during its last Spotlight in June 2025!

Developing…

Pokémon TCG is still red hot as we cross into the official 30th anniversary celebrations for the next 12 months. But there’s one card in particular that’s burning a hole in trainers’ pockets right now, and it’s driving a reignited interest in Phantasmal Flames.

Released on November 14, 2025, Phantasmal Flames is the second expansion under the Mega Evolution banner. Out of all 130 cards in the set, no other is hotter right now than the elusive Mega Charizard X ex 125/094 SIR (Special Illustration Rare).

The rare card has seen a 20% spike in market value on TCGplayer over the past three months, with prices going as high as $2000 for a graded PSA 10 card on eBay in the US.

A new video game deal has joined the party that is Woot’s ‘Video Games For All!’ sale, and it’s one we called “an excellent comeback” in our review. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for Nintendo Switch 2 is currently discounted as part of the Amazon-owned online retailer’s latest sale event, marked down to $54.99 (see it here).

Overall, this is a 21% discount from its original list price of $69.99, which means you’ll get to save $15 on it. If you have a Switch 2 and have been waiting to get your hands on the latest Metroid game, now is a great time to pick it up.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for $55

Pokémon Pokopia is out today (hooray!), and if you somehow don’t have enough to do in that game already, there’s a limited-time event on the way later this month that will give you even more little tasks, items, and Pokémon pals, as it’s bringing Hoppip, Skiploom, and Jumpluff to the game. It starts next week, but if you don’t mind a little manipulation, you can just play it right now.

Per an official announcement, beginning March 9 at 1pm PT through March 24 at 12:59pm PT, you’ll be able to encounter Hoppip in Pokémon Pokopia, as well as collect a new “cotton spore” material. Cotton spores can be exchanged for picnic-themed furniture items, which you can then use to build habitats that will attract Hoppip’s evolutions, Skiploom and Jumpluff. The official announcement warns that you won’t be able to encounter these Pokémon outside the event, so you’ll want to make sure to play during these dates if you want them in your game.

What’s more, you’ll also need at least one rebuilt Pokémon Center in order to encounter Hoppip and friends. Rebuilding a Pokémon Center is an endeavor that can take a few hours of gameplay minimum, so you’ll want to get a jump-luff on that to make sure you don’t miss out.

But you don’t have to wait until March 9 to get started. If you open up your Switch 2 system clock and set it to a date and time within the event range, and you already have the finished Pokémon Center, Hoppip will just be chilling in your game right next to it. I managed to get Hoppip to appear in my game, and it sent me out to the Dream Islands to collect Cotton Spores for furniture. Be mindful that doing this can potentially muck with things in other realtime games, like Disney Dreamlight Valley and Animal Crossing, so it may be best to set it back to normal once you’re done and before opening any of those games.

In addition to the Hoppip event, those who purchased Pokopia early can get an in-game Ditto rug for free using the Mystery Gift function in the menu. The Ditto Rug is available until January 31 of next year so you’re not likely to miss out even if you wait to buy the game. And, as a heads up, you can get the Ditto Rug in-game without using this function too. This just gives you a free one much earlier than you’d otherwise encounter it.

Pokopia is amazing, and I said as much in my 9/10 review: It’s “an enjoyable building and town simulator that capitalizes on the charming personalities of its monsters in a way that appeals to both the creative and collector alike.” Wondering which Pokémon you’ll be able to live alongside? Check out our list of all the Pokémon in Pokopia, and take a look at our Things to Do First in Pokopia guide to make the most of your first few days. To help you get started, we’ve also got a list of 17 things that Pokopia doesn’t tell you, plus How to Raise the Environment Level and How to Raise Pokémon Comfort Level.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

We’re dumping the clutch on our March IGN First “cover story” effective immediately with Forza Horizon 6! As such, feel free to slide into the passenger seat and enjoy nine minutes of exclusive gameplay from the next instalment of Forza Horizon: the reigning heavyweight champ of open-world racing series.

This never-before-seen gameplay features a Saleen S7, an American turn-of-the-century cult supercar, being taken on a brisk journey through a portion of Forza Horizon 6’s Japan-based map. Moving from the south, you’ll be able to observe segments of rural, rolling countryside and a section of Tokyo itself before reaching the base of the mountains. We’ll have much more exclusive coverage of Forza Horizon 6 all throughout March as part of IGN First!

Forza Horizon 6 takes the acclaimed driving delights of the series and finally sets them loose on the distinctive roads of Japan. With more cars than ever on day one, a progression system inspired by the original 2012 Forza Horizon, and long-awaited tweaks to customisation, Forza Horizon 6 appears it’ll be barrelling into our homes with its foot flat to the floor. After you’ve checked out the exclusive gameplay above, check out the first developer gameplay overview, as well as our initial interview with the Playground team following the game’s announcement.

Forza Horizon 6 is coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC via the Microsoft Store and Steam on May 19, 2026, though it will be available with Early Access for Premium Edition players starting four days earlier (on May 15). It’s also coming to PlayStation 5 later this year.

Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.

If you’ve seen anything of the upcoming survival horror game Hellraiser: Revival, then you’ll know it isn’t for the faint of heart. Full of bloody violence, gruesome gore, and BDSM-themed sex and nudity, it’s a true translation of the pain and pleasure film series, which, despite all of these extremities, has managed to secure an ESRB rating.

Chief creative officer at Saber Interactive, Tim Willits, shared the news in a recent interview with IGN. “I can say that we have our ESRB rating, which was great, and we had to take nothing out for that,” he confirmed.

The fact that nothing had to be cut may come as a surprise to some. Of course, different ratings boards around the world weigh different aspects of mature games more than others. In the U.S. and Canada, the territories covered by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) are traditionally stricter when it comes to sexual content, something that Hellraiser: Revival certainly doesn’t shy away from — its opening scene is an extended sequence of sadomasochism involving hooks and other sharp objects. So, it’s somewhat impressive that the game has passed through with nothing needing to be taken out.

As for other regions around the world, that’s still very much work in progress for Saber. European ratings boards such as PEGI and the USK view graphic violence in a different way than America does, but are more liberal when it comes to the sexual side of things. Similarly, the Australian Classification Board is far stricter on games involving drug use, so it remains to be seen if just one version of Hellraiser: Revival will be able to be released globally, or if altered versions exist depending on where you live.

It’s something that Saber is exploring currently and feels confident about. “We’re working with all the other ratings groups now, and I think that we’re going to do really well,” said Willits. “It’s all context. It all fits with the IP. It is an artwork, and it is a mature game for mature audiences. We’ve stayed within those lines, and we’ve been very successful at moving the game through all rating boards.”

Willits and the team are not shying from the graphic side of the game either. “It’s an active goal for the team. Yes. You can actually say that,” Willits explained. “Because if you are familiar with the franchise, if you’re familiar with what Clive [Barker, Hellraiser creator] has done, it definitely pushes. And when we announced that we were making this, lots of people online were like, ‘They better do it right, they better not make some ‘whooshy’ game that’s all censored.’ So we’ve tried to embrace it as much as we can. I really hope that players, they’re kind of like, ‘What’s around the next corner? What crazy stuff am I going to see next? Where is this going to go? Oh my God, I can’t believe they did that.’ That’s the kind of emotions that we want to get out of people.”

Last year, we heard from Willits that Saber intended to push its M Rating as far as it could with the upcoming video game adaptation. In that interview with IGN, he said: “We are going to go as far as we possibly can, as far as the people that make rules will let us go.” Well, it looks like that’s exactly what the team has done, securing an ESRB rating long before we even know the game’s release date.

Having played a good chunk of Hellraiser: Revival at gamescom 2025, I can indeed confirm first-hand that the limits for what’s allowed in a video game are being stretched by this blood-soaked pain and pleasure fest, where internal organs more often than not end up becoming external ones. You can read my full Hellraiser: Revival preview here, where I called it “Resident Evil for sickos.” I stand by it, even following some of the gory sights I’ve seen in Capcom’s latest, Resident Evil: Requiem.

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.