ARC Raiders Reinvents Itself As a PvPvE Battler

Back in 2022, ARC Raiders revealed itself as a co-op shooter with stylishly post-apocalyptic guerillas fighting robotic attackers that rained from the sky onto their ruined world. We haven’t heard much since. Now, developer Embark Studios is back, telling us that two years of development have refined its free to play co-op shooter into a PvPvE extraction shooter instead. It’s still a game where teams of scavengers hit the surface world hunting for the things their underground colonies need amid robotic occupation… but now they’re competing with any other scavengers that get in their way.

Also new: ARC Raiders will release in 2025 with a $40 price tag.

“Years back we announced [ARC Raiders] as a co-op only game,” said executive producer Aleksander Grondal. “But since, through extensive playtesting and internal evaluation, we evolved it into a PvPvE action survival shooter, an evolution that for us surfaced the best version of what this game could become.”

That seemed clear from the way the developers spoke about it, and from internal playtest videos that I saw during a live event. Machines were an omnipresent threat to a roving trio of raiders. Some could be taken out by quick coordinated attacks, like flocks of smaller drones, or were best avoided, like heavier fliers armed with rockets. Others were larger, more vicious multi-limbed crawlers that groaned out mechanical roars and which we only saw attacked via ambush tactics. Other teams of scavengers were the truly surprising threat—either glimpsed briefly in the distance, encountered in an interior where both parties were surprised, or spotted as an ambush at an extraction point.

Listen to the world around you in moments of silence.

“This is a game that lives on tension,” said chief creative officer Stefan Strandberg, “where you have to be on your toes. Listen to the world around you in moments of silence.” Strandberg’s statement really hit home with what I saw of ARC Raiders, which was very distinctly lacking in heavy background music, instead favoring environmental noises like wind, trees, water, footsteps, and the noises of characters cracking open boxes with tools.

There was space for all that noise, too, and fights between both players and machines are intended to be spaced out. “The game needs to have the room to build tension properly,” said Grondal, “and that means the pacing between interactions of other players and the AI needs to have enough space for you to feel that.”

The enemies previewed had very distinct sounds to them as well: Fliers had a precise quadcopter buzzing and signal beeping, while rolling explosive bombs had a rotary whine and four-legged hunting walkers had a grinding groan and whir. If the ARC Raiders delivers on this promise, it’s definitely the kind of experience where veterans will recognize and hunt enemies based on the sounds of individual weapons and the weight of footsteps.

It will at least make ARC Raiders stand out when compared to many other modern multiplayer shooters, which are often going louder, faster, and more in sync with a musical score. Strandberg and Grondal were clear that Embark wants ARC Raiders to be a slower and more decisive game – one with consequential choices in how you play and what your setup was beyond the precise details of your gun mods. (Though, I have to say, there was definitely a big page full of gun mods.)

Strandberg in particular said that the studio’s goal was to make it a “rich sandbox of gadgets and tools beyond your military shooter” while still being “grounded” and “tactile.” That seemed at least partially evident in how characters jogged around the world and did heavy vaults over obstacles while laden with equipment. It was also clear in the gadgets they used in footage: One clip showed a player with a kind of grappling gun that pulled them to the upper window of a building, while another showed a player hooking to some kind of stationary zipline.

In another fight a player first deployed a smoke grenade to put cover between himself and an ARC machine walker, then placed a land mine nearby before continuing to run… only to throw a “lure grenade” to the mine’s location once a little further away. The robots are clearly tough, though—only after repeating the trick a second time did it go down, and that was all the grenades the player seemed to have.

The players of the brief gameplay demo escaped their jaunt to the surface via a subway stop—after some tense cat-and-mouse gunplay with another team camping the extraction site. Their “time on surface” clocks read 11 minutes, 39 seconds as the loot screen rolled. They didn’t yet know exactly how many people would be in a match, but they did say that crossplay was intended and that ongoing matches currently backfilled new teams as older ones extracted.

ARC Raiders should release with a “robust” live service experience, including regular free updates post-launch.

Grondal said that ARC Raiders should release with a “robust” live service experience, including regular free updates post-launch.

As to how the team felt about the switch from a focus on co-op to the PvP element being front and center? “We kept the good parts, and that was 100% the right decision,” said Grondal, “and the game is so much better for it.”

Save 20% Off the Xbox Elite Series 2 Pro-Grade Controller With Component Pack

Walmart is offering a 20% discount on the professional-grade Xbox Series X Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller. Right now you can grab it for only $142.33 shipped (normally $180). This is the original Black model that includes the component pack. The newer Elite Series 2 Core controllers in White, Blue, and Red do not include the component pack and they normally retail for $140. The component pack retails for $59.99.

Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 for $142.33

Includes component pack

The Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller features better build quality and lots more customizability than the stock controller that comes with the Xbox Series X console. Some of the pro gaming features include adjustable-tension thumbsticks, wrap-around rubberized grip, and shorter hair trigger locks. The component pack, which is bundled with this controller, includes an extra sets of paddles, thumbsticks, D-pad, and case.

Check out the best Xbox deals today for more discounts on Xbox accessories.

Get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for 40% Off, Stock Up Now and Avoid the Price Hike (Extended)

Woot! (which is owned by Amazon) is offering the best deal on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Right now you can get a 3 month code for only $36.49. Microsoft recently raised the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to $19.99 per month, so now you’re saving 40% off a 3 month membership. Note that you can purchase multiple codes and apply them to your account, up to a maximum of 36 months. This deal was supposed to expire last week, but Woot! has extended the deadline to August 23.

Note: There is a coupon code “VIDEOGAMES” that takes $3 off one order. If you purchase multiple gift cards, this code will only work on a single gift card.

3 Months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $33.49

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gives you access to a library of hundreds of Xbox games, including day one releases. You can play them for the entirety of your membership without any restrictions. You do lose access to them once your membership is over, but if you ever decide to renew, all your past achievements and progress will be saved. You’ll also have access to Xbox Game Pass for PC. Although there aren’t nearly as many games as there are on Xbox, there are still plenty of AAA titles to keep you sated. Other perks include exclusive membership discounts, the ability to play your games across multiple devices with cloud gaming, free access to EA Play membership, as well as bonus in-game content and rewards. It is an exceptionally good – almost essential – membership for Xbox gamers. New release games are not cheap, and being able to play them without buying them will save you a lot of money and easily recoup the cost of the membership.

Looking for more Xbox deals? Check out all of the best Xbox deals today.

Takaya Imamura Interview: Original F-Zero Designer Was ‘Really Surprised’ by the Series Revival

When F-Zero rose from the dead in 2023’s September Nintendo Direct, no one was more surprised than the man who designed Captain Falcon over three decades ago.

Ex-Nintendo designer Takaya Imamura was with the company for over 30 years, with credits on all-time classics like The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, Star Fox 64, and F-Zero. But when F-Zero 99 launched on Nintendo Switch last year, it was the first entry in the franchise without Imamura’s input, and the creator admits he wouldn’t have thought of the 99-player online direction for the series.

“The first thing I thought was really that if I’d still been at Nintendo, I don’t think I’d have been able to take this approach to it.,” Imamura says. “So I was really surprised that they made such an original take on the IP on the game itself and arranged it in such a fun way.”

Imamura may not be at Nintendo anymore, but he still holds his two main creations – F-Zero and Star Fox – very close to his heart. In fact, Imamura has already found his way back to video game development, as he’s working on a new project with an art style that’s very reminiscent of his pair of Nintendo darlings. OMEGA 6: The Triangle Stars uses the same retro future art style that Imamura built his career on, and it’s the first game he’s worked on since leaving Nintendo three years ago.

“I think it’s the first time I’ve drawn pixel art since Star Fox on Super Nintendo, which has been a while,” he says with a smile.

Imamura’s OMEGA 6 began with a 2022 manga published in France that’s now being adapted into an adventure game due out on PC and Nintendo Switch in 2025. It’s set around a journey to locate a new home planet for the human race, and Imamura says he put his all into the original comic before beginning work on the video game.

While Imamura himself tinkers on a new IP, he also comments on the state of the games and entertainment industry, noting how difficult it is for a new idea to take off.

“I think Nintendo’s real peak was when [Shigeru] Miyamoto-san was in a really central position and they were creating lots of new IP. But at the moment – and this is not just related to Nintendo – but at the moment, in the games market and in general in the entertainment world, it’s really tough to bring a new IP to market and have it be successful.”

Read on for IGN’s full interview with Imamura-san (through an interpreter), where we discuss where F-Zero goes from here, his new project OMEGA 6, why Star Fox 64 is still the most special game he’s worked on, and the keys to Nintendo’s success in the future.

IGN: When you spoke with IGN in 2021 right after you left Nintendo, you said F-Zero wasn’t gone for good, but a grand new idea was needed to bring it back. Last year, Nintendo revealed and released F-Zero 99, the first F-Zero game released that you weren’t involved with. What were the emotions when you saw F-Zero finally return from the outside?

Takaya Imamura: First off, I was really surprised. The first thing I thought was really that if I’d still been at Nintendo, I don’t think I’d have been able to take this approach to it. So I was really surprised that they made such an original take on the IP on the game itself and arranged it in such a fun way.

IGN: Why don’t you think that you would’ve been able to take that direction?

Imamura: I think it was mainly because when I saw it, I thought, “Well, that’s just like Nintendo to take this direction.” And for me, F-Zero, I’ve been working on it so long that I’ve got this… My vision of it is not as flexible as whoever took the reins on [F-Zero] 99 and was able to basically think outside the box and recreate what it was.

IGN: So now that Nintendo has acknowledged F-Zero again in this way, where do you think this series can go from here?

Imamura: If you’re asking me, in my imagination, I’m seeing something scaled up akin to F-Zero GX. But given Nintendo’s got the reins at the moment, I think they as a company will probably take it in the direction for a wider range of players, including casual gamers as well. So it’s an IP that can really capture a wide range of players.

IGN: I think that we’re in agreement that GX is the pinnacle of the F-Zero series, but basically every F-Zero game is fantastic and the sales numbers didn’t always reflect their quality. And that led to a near twenty-year hiatus. I’m wondering, as the series progressed, did you and the team ever feel like you needed a big sales hit to keep the series alive? Or as a creative were you never really focused on that side of things?

Imamura: Of course, the most important thing of any product is that it sells. So that was the first thing on our mind. We can’t just focus on game fans. We couldn’t, I couldn’t when I was at Nintendo. But F-Zero and Star Fox tend to be supported by more core gamers than casual, and Nintendo obviously needs to be able to approach a wider range of players. So yes, of course, the first thing on my mind was to have something that sells. But these games seemed to have better support with a more core gamer audience.

IGN: So you just mentioned Star Fox, and last time we spoke with you, you called Star Fox 64, “the game of your life.” And I think a lot of fans agree that is the highlight of that series. I’m wondering if you can share why Star Fox 64 is so special to you beyond the fact that you put so much care and hard work into it.

Imamura: I think it’s difficult to express exactly why I feel that, but I think it’s probably mainly because out of all the games I’ve worked on, it’s the one where my vision has been most reflected in the final product. I was able to put most, if not all, of the ideas I had into the game. So it’s the game that I’ve made that has the most of me in it. I’m a huge film and game fan myself. And I think probably Star Fox 64 has the most elements of that, homage to other creative works, film, games, et cetera.

[Star Fox 64] is the game that I’ve made that has the most of me in it.

IGN: We’ve talked about F-Zero and Star Fox, and now you’re working on OMEGA 6, and it only takes a glance to see the similarities in your character design with those two Nintendo series we’ve touched on. OMEGA 6: The Triangle Stars uses your iconic retro future art style that F-Zero and Star Fox share. Can you just tell me very simply to readers who may not know, what is OMEGA 6?

Imamura: I don’t know if it’s the elevator pitch, but in a single phrase, the best way to describe it would be that it’s the video game spin-off product of me really wanting to become a manga artist, a mangaka, and creating a comic, putting my all into this comic and then spinning off into a game.

IGN: I find that really interesting because you left Nintendo to try something new, and you’ve been teaching, you wrote this manga, but through it all, it’s led you back to video game development. And I’m wondering when you left Nintendo, if you planned to eventually work on another game again and how that all came to be.

Imamura: Well, I had actually been thinking about game development. It was on my mind after I’d left, but I wasn’t thinking about something quite as large as OMEGA 6 has become. It was more a compact, smaller experience at first, but then we started adding things, and before I knew it, here we are.

IGN: What excites you the most about OMEGA 6? And what do you want to tell fans of your previous works about it to get them excited as well?

Imamura: Well, one of the things would be that I basically drew every single pixel in the game. So the first thing would be that I want the fans to look at the pixel art and enjoy it basically. I think it’s the first time I’ve drawn pixel art since Star Fox on Super Nintendo, which has been a while.

IGN: So speaking of that, the Super Nintendo was a long time ago, and you saw Nintendo through many highs and many lows. And right now, Nintendo’s riding what you could call an all-time high, at least financially speaking. In your opinion, what about Nintendo’s leadership and direction keeps the company relevant both across the generations that you were there for and into the future?

Imamura: Obviously, it’s just my opinion, but I think Nintendo’s real peak was when Miyamoto-san was in a really central position and they were creating lots of new IP. But at the moment – and this is not just related to Nintendo – but at the moment, in the games market and in general in the entertainment world, it’s really tough to bring a new IP to market and have it be successful. So I think what Nintendo will need to do is to work on new IP and also the existing IP, become something like Disney in terms of having all these IPs that they can create products from.

IGN: I want to make sure we touch on Zelda because you were the art director on Majora’s Mask, which is one of the most visually interesting games in the series. And the story is different and mature as well about sadness and regret. What it was like working on a Zelda game that’s still so distinct from the rest of the franchise?

Imamura: That’s quite a well-known episode in that the president of the Nintendo at the time, [Hiroshi] Yamauchi, the order came down from him to make a new Zelda in one year. And so it came down to two points. One of them was that we had the previous Zelda and we wanted to differentiate it from that. And the other one was how do we create a new world, something that is very new, that is distinctively different from previous Zeldas in such a short time? And that was basically what we came up with. We took a different path visually and conceptually. My job on the art side was to make it different from Ocarina of Time – as clearly different as possible. And that’s why we ended up with the world that that game is set in.

I think Nintendo’s real peak was when Miyamoto-san was in a really central position and they were creating lots of new IP.

IGN: I’ve always been very fascinated by the design of Majora’s Mask itself, the item. When I was a kid, I used to just stare at the cover art of it on the Nintendo 64 box. What were your inspirations for the design of the very creepy mask?

Imamura: So in Osaka, there’s a museum that collects lots of different artifacts and clothing from different ethnic groups. And I often go there for inspiration for different designs and stuff. And for the mask in particular, that was one place where I absorbed a lot of design ideas from.

IGN: My final question here is, as the person who created Tingle, every time a new Zelda is revealed, are you hoping that Tingle shows up in some capacity?

Imamura: [Laughs] I haven’t seen him in recent games, but I think there is a character similar to Tingle in Tears of the Kingdom.

IGN: Thank you so much, Imamura-san. I appreciate the time, and best of luck with OMEGA 6 and at gamescom.

Imamura: Thank you for your time as well.

Parts of this interview were edited for clarity.

Logan Plant is IGN’s Database Manager, Playlist Editor, and Super Ninfriendo on Nintendo Voice Chat. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Blogroll image credit: Takaya Imamura (https://twitter.com/ima_1966/status/1351786503815397376/photo/1)

Backyard Sports Revival Officially Announced by Playground Productions

Sports game fans, rejoice! Backyard Sports, the iconic video game series known for making kid-friendly sports games, is back.

In a press release, Playground Productions, the company currently holding the rights to the Backyard Sports IP, confirmed it was reviving the series, noting that the franchise is “slated to return in the coming months.” Playground Productions also provided the first teaser trailer for Backyard Sports, featuring memorable characters like Pablo Sanchez and Stephanie Morgan.

You can check out the first trailer below.

Beyond the confirmation of new Backyard Sports video games, Playground Productions said the series’ return will expand its reach to multiple verticals beyond video games, such as film, TV, and merchandise. Playground Productions explained that the revival of Backyard Sports will use “cutting-edge technology and esteemed character IP” to aim to create stories and experiences that will resonate with those who grew up with the series along with the current generation of youth.

“We’re incredibly excited to reintroduce Backyard Sports to a new generation of players,” Playground Productions CEO Chris Waters wrote in the press release. “We’re taking great care to preserve the look and feel that made the original games so special while updating them with modern features and gameplay that today’s audience expects. I can’t wait for fans to see what we’re building on the Playground.”

The Backyard Sports series began in 1997 with the release of Backyard Baseball. The franchise would eventually include games in other sports, such as basketball, football, hockey, and even skateboarding. Since 2015, however, the series has been dormant.

While fans of the series have long awaited a new entry for nearly 10 years, chatter saw a spike when NFL star and former Eagles center Jason Kelce revealed on his podcast last January that he was interested in trying to make a new Backyard Baseball and Backyard Football game.

A Playground Productions spokesperson confirmed to IGN that Kelce is “isn’t directly involved in this relaunch,” but acknowledged that Kelce represents an “audience of people that, to this day, fondly remember Backyard Sports as a staple game with iconic characters beloved by many.”

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

New Tomb Raider Statue Celebrates Lara Croft’s Modern Adventures

Dark Horse and Crystal Dynamics are joining forces for another impressive Tomb Raider collectible. Fresh off revealing the Tomb Raider: Lara Croft (Classic Era) PVC Statue, Dark Horse is back with a new piece inspired by the Tomb Raider reboot games.

Check out the slideshow gallery below for an exclusive first look at the Tomb Raider: Lara Croft PVC Statue:

Whereas the first statue was based on the original Tomb Raider games, this new piece takes its cues from the modern reboot series. It depicts Lara bravely making her way through ancient jungle ruins. The statue includes an interchangeable right hand piece, allowing collectors to display her holding either a pistol or a climbing axe.

The Tomb Raider: Lara Croft PVC Statue was sculpted by BigShot Toyworks, with prototyping and paint by Gentle Giant. The statue measures 9.2 inches high and 6.3 inches deep, with a base width of 9.4 inches.

This statue is priced at $89.99 and is slated for release between February and April 2025. You can preorder one through the IGN Store, on the Dark Horse Direct website or through various other retailers.

The Tomb Raider: Lara Croft (Classic Era) PVC Statue is also still available to preorder on the IGN Store.

A number of Tomb Raider projects are in development right now, including a new game, a Netflix anime series and a live-action series on Prime Video penned by Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Black Myth: Wukong Has Massive Launch, Overtakes Cyberpunk 2077 to Become Most-Played Single-Player Game Ever on Steam

Black Myth: Wukong has enjoyed an enormous launch on Steam, where it has overtaken Cyberpunk 2077 to become the most-played single-player game ever on Valve’s platform.

The action RPG, developed by Chinese studio Game Science, launched in the early hours of this morning and quickly shot to the top of Steam’s most-played games list with an incredible 1,443,570 peak concurrent players. That figure will surely grow as the working week heads into the weekend and more people buy the game.

Less than 24 hours after launch, Black Myth: Wukong has already seen the fourth-highest concurrent figure ever on Steam, and is only behind PUBG (3,257,248), Palworld (2,101,867), and Valve’s own Counter-Strike 2 (1,818,773). It is ahead of big hitters such as Dota 2, Elden Ring, and Baldur’s Gate 3. Already the game has nearly 30,000 user reviews on Steam, with a ‘very positive’ user review rating.

Black Myth: Wukong’s launch will be even bigger than Steam suggests. It also released on PlayStation 5 (Sony Interactive Entertainment does not make PlayStation player numbers publicly available), Tencent’s Chinese game portal WeGame, and the Epic Games Store. An Xbox Series X and S version is due out later (find out why here).

IGN’s Black Myth: Wukong review returned an 8/10. We said: “Despite some frustrating technical issues, Black Myth: Wukong is a great action game with fantastic combat, exciting bosses, tantalizing secrets, and a beautiful world.”

If you’re jumping into Black Myth: Wukong, be sure to check out our feature, 13 things Black Myth: Wukong doesn’t Tell You.

This week, IGN verified an email sent from the Black Myth: Wukong marketing team that told content creators who were granted a Steam key that they must not include “feminist propaganda” or use what are called “trigger words” such as COVID-19 in their coverage.

Game Science has yet to respond to IGN’s previous report compiling numerous sexist comments made by the studio’s founders and other developers spanning the last decade.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Pokémon World Championships Boots Competitor From Semifinals Over Seemingly Lewd Gesture, Sparking Controversy

Pokémon World Championships competitor Ian Robb had seemingly defeated opponent Fernando Cifuentes in the quarterfinals of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, advancing to the penultimate round of the Pokémon’s most prestigious competitive event. But when the next round began, Cifuentes was in Robb’s place, sparking confusion among observers and throwing the bracket into chaos.

As it turned out, Robb had been issued a loss over what The Pokémon Company International Global Esports and Events Director Chris Brown called an “unsporting conduct penalty” in a follow-up interview with IGN.

“It was an unsporting conduct penalty,” Brown said. “We applied it to the match that had just occurred and the standard penalty for that’s a match loss.”

The unsporting conduct Brown was referring to was a motion that Robb performed after claiming victory that many took to be an offensive gesture. The result was that Robb was removed from the tournament, though he was allowed to keep his prize money for placing in the final eight. Quarterfinalists receive $15,000 while the winner receives $50,000.

The decision was criticized by some fans for altering the tournament, though others came forward to defend The Pokémon Company’s judgment.

“When I first heard about it I assumed Pokemon was being soft, but after seeing the clip I think they made the right call. He should know better. It can’t be emphasized enough how much Pokemon is geared towards children. I fully understand them wanting to discourage gestures like that,” one fan wrote on Reddit.

Robb, for his part, has been mostly silent, though he did post his support for Cifuentes on X/Twitter. “I’m cheering for him today. After meeting him and his dad I could tell how much making cut at worlds meant. He’s a deserving champion.”

Ultimately, Cifuentes won the tournament, defeating runner-up Seinosuke Shiokawa in the Masters division.

Asked for more detail on how the rules are enforced in such situations, Brown said it’s a “little tricky” in Pokémon due to the way the tournament is structured. “Generally the match is not considered to be over until you’ve actually signed your match slip…And so that’s sort of that key moment. There’s other kind of moments, and this is really fine detail and sort of the rules and policies, but in the [Swiss-system tournament] for example, when the information is actually put in the computer could be a factor, because then we have to pair the next round. Single elim is a little different. But ultimately we looked at it as that penalty basically was assessed for the match that was in progress.”

Pokémon World Tournament wrapped up on Sunday, crowning its overall winners while revealing info where the next tournament will take place. The Pokémon Company also shared the release date for Pokémon TCG Pocket and other info. You can find everything announced at the Pokémon World Championships right here.

Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

Pokémon World Championship Boots Competitor From Semifinals Over Seemingly Lewd Gesture, Sparking Controversy

Pokémon World Championship competitor Ian Robb had seemingly defeated opponent Fernando Cifuentes in the quarterfinals of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, advancing to the penultimate round of the Pokémon’s most prestigious competitive event. But when the next round began, Cifuentes was in Robb’s place, sparking confusion among observers and throwing the bracket into chaos.

As it turned out, Robb had been issued a loss over what The Pokémon Company International Global Esports and Events Director Chris Brown called an “unsporting conduct penalty” in a follow-up interview with IGN.

“It was an unsporting conduct penalty,” Brown said. “We applied it to the match that had just occurred and the standard penalty for that’s a match loss.”

The unsporting conduct Brown was referring to was a motion that Robb performed after claiming victory that many took to be an offensive gesture. The result was that Robb was removed from the tournament, though he was allowed to keep his prize money for placing in the final eight. Quarterfinalists receive $15,000 while the winner receives $50,000.

The decision was criticized by some fans for altering the tournament, though others came forward to defend The Pokémon Company’s judgment.

“When I first heard about it I assumed Pokemon was being soft, but after seeing the clip I think they made the right call. He should know better. It can’t be emphasized enough how much Pokemon is geared towards children. I fully understand them wanting to discourage gestures like that,” one fan wrote on Reddit.

Robb, for his part, has been mostly silent, though he did post his support for Cifuentes on X/Twitter. “I’m cheering for him today. After meeting him and his dad I could tell how much making cut at worlds meant. He’s a deserving champion.”

Ultimately, Cifuentes won the tournament, defeating runner-up Seinosuke Shiokawa in the Masters division.

Asked for more detail on how the rules are enforced in such situations, Brown said it’s a “little tricky” in Pokémon due to the way the tournament is structured. “Generally the match is not considered to be over until you’ve actually signed your match slip…And so that’s sort of that key moment. There’s other kind of moments, and this is really fine detail and sort of the rules and policies, but in the [Swiss-system tournament] for example, when the information is actually put in the computer could be a factor, because then we have to pair the next round. Single limb is a little different. But ultimately we looked at it as that penalty basically was assessed for the match that was in progress.”

Pokémon World Tournament wrapped up on Sunday, crowning its overall winners while revealing info where the next tournament will take place. The Pokémon Company also shared the release date for Pokémon TCG Pocket and other info. You can find everything announced at the Pokémon World Championships right here.

Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

Nintendo Museum Direct Reveals Giant Wiimotes and Other Treasures Along With Prices and Opening Date

Nintendo held a Direct today, but it wasn’t a traditional presentation filled with new game announcements and release dates. Instead, the company turned to its history by giving us our first look at the completed Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, Japan, which is now scheduled to open on October 2, 2024.

The presentation was hosted by none other than Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto, who walked through the main exhibits and activities museum attendees can expect at the new facility. Read on to learn everything announced at today’s Nintendo Museum Direct, including the existence of enormous Wii Remotes!

Miyamoto Introduces the Museum

The presentation began with Miyamoto sharing the history of the museum site, revealing that the Nintendo museum is built on the same grounds as Nintendo’s original playing card factory, which was then used for quality checks during the Famicom (NES) era. The entrance to the museum greets visitors with a Mario-themed plaza, complete with warp pipes, a question block, and more Super Mario Bros. items.

You Can Play Nintendo Games With Enormous Controllers

The highlight of the presentation was seeing the enormous recreations of Nintendo controllers visitors will be able to use to play a selection of classic Nintendo games from the NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, and Wii eras. While we got an extended demo of Miyamoto playing Super Mario Bros. alongside a museum staff member, the star of the show was undoubtedly watching two museum staff members working together to play Wii Sports Resort using a giant Wii Remote’s motion controls. Just look at it!!

Attractions that Pull from Nintendo’s Toymaking Days

The Direct only showed off three of the eight interactive experiences, but the official Nintendo Museum website details the rest. This is the full list of unique play experiences the Nintendo Museum will offer on the first floor:

  • Shigureden SP
    • Explore Hyakunin Isshu poems using smart devices and the giant screen on the floor.
  • Zapper & Scope SP
    • Experience shooting using the Zapper and Super Scope in the world of Mario that spreads out on the giant screen in front of you.
  • Ultra Machine SP
    • A batting-cage experience inside a room. Hit the balls pitched by the Ultra Machine.
  • Ultra Hand SP
    • Use the Ultra Hand to grab the balls rolling down the lanes, and drop them into the pipes.
  • Love Tester SP
    • Two people join hands and work together on tests that measure their Love Level.
  • Game & Watch SP
    • Play Game & Watch games using your own shadow.
  • Nintendo Classics
    • Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo 64. Choose from over 80 games to play.
  • Big Controller
    • Controllers from past hardware generations made giant. Two people must work together to take on challenges in games released back in the day.

Visitors Can’t See Every Attraction with a Single Ticket

One odd wrinkle about the Nintendo Museum is that visitors can’t experience all eight exhibits with a single ticket. As detailed on the official website, digital coins are required to experience the interactive exhibits, and each visitor is only granted 10 coins upon entry. You can’t purchase additional coins once you run out, so as of now it seems you’ll need multiple visits to the Nintendo Museum to get your hands on everything it has to offer. We’ve reached out to Nintendo for comment and clarification on this.

A Rotunda of Nintendo Products

The second floor has a gallery of products created and published by Nintendo from NES to now. This includes games and consoles in Nintendo’s catalog, complete with different iterations of hardware and game boxes to account for differences across Japan, North America, Europe, and other regions. Each section of the exhibit is marked with a big (but not quite as huge) replica of each Nintendo controller and handheld.

There are also exhibits for products played by moving your body, the evolution of the Question Block, the evolution of graphics in games like Mario and Zelda, and an exhibit of products Nintendo made before it entered the video game business, like a copy machine and even a baby stroller.

Make Your Own Hanafuda Cards

The Nintendo Museum harkens all the way back to the beginning of the company with an interactive experience where visitors can design their own Hanafuda cards. This hour-long experience does cost extra, but participants will get to take home the four cards they made. There is also a Play Room where visitors can learn to play one of the most popular versions of Hanafuda.

Along with a museum restaurant and shop Miyamoto teased at the very end of the presentation, that’s what Nintendo fans can expect if they make the long trek to the Nintendo museum in Kyoto. Tickets will cost 3,300 yen (~$23 USD) for adults, with cheaper price ranges for children. Right now, the museum is holding a lottery drawing for the chance to purchase tickets for dates beginning with the museum’s grand opening on October 2, which you can enter here.

What did you think of today’s Nintendo Museum Direct? Did it make you want to take a trip to Japan to see it for yourself? Let us know in the comments. And, be sure to check out the first details on the Donkey Kong theme park expansion at Universal Studios Japan, the next big entertainment endeavor from Nintendo.

Logan Plant is IGN’s Database Manager, Playlist Editor, and Super Ninfriendo on Nintendo Voice Chat. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.