Sega Says Its Crazy Taxi Reboot Is a Triple-A Game

Sega has called its Crazy Taxi reboot a triple-A game.

In December, during The Game Awards 2023, Sega announced new games in the Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, and Crazy Taxi franchises were in development alongside the teaser trailer, below. The video shows brief gameplay clips of each of the games set to return.

We haven’t heard much about the initiative since, but in an article published by the Japan Times, one Sega executive referenced the Crazy Taxi reboot specifically and called it a triple-A game.

Takaya Segawa, who runs Sega’s support studio in Sapporo, said: “We’re responsible for titles such as Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis and Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage! in cooperation with the bases in Tokyo and overseas. We are also participating in the development of triple-A titles, including Crazy Taxi.

“At present, we don’t have any titles developed independently by the studio, but we intend to do so in the future.”

Crazy Taxi is a driving game series that first appeared in arcades in 1999 before ports on consoles such as the Dreamcast saw it enjoy popularity in the home. You play a taxi driver who speeds through the city to deliver passengers to their destinations, performing stunts to earn points along the way.

The Crazy Taxi reboot is one of the first games coming out as part of Sega’s bid to revive its legacy franchises, although the company has yet to announce a release window or in which form the games will launch. But with Segawa calling Crazy Taxi a triple-A game, perhaps fans can expect something more significant than a modest return for one of its most-beloved arcade games.

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.

Helldivers 2 Devs Temporarily Cap Concurrent Players to Around 450,000 to Help With Server Stability

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Game Studios has temporarily capped concurrent players to 450,000 to help with server stability as it works to “get the ceiling raised” and fix other issues related to its immensely successful launch.

Arrowhead took to Helldivers 2’s Discord to share the news, saying it is “working around the clock” to solve the problems players are running into.

“Hello divers! Earlier tonight we had server related issues with a concurrent player spike,” Arrowhead wrote. “This lead to some mission payouts failing, some players being kicked to their ships, or being logged out.

“Our team is working around the clock to solve these issues. While we’ve been able to mitigte some of the causes, we are still struggling to keep up with the scaling that is needed to accommodate all our Helldivers.

“Therefore, we’ve had to cap our concurrent players to around 450,000 to further improve server stability. We will continue to work with our partners to get the ceiling raised.

“If you have progression-related issues, please restart the game in order for things to sync back up. Thank you for your continued patience!”

As we reported yesterday, the team is doing all it can to help players dive back in “for Freedom” in Helldivers 2. The problem is there are so many who want to take on the evil bug and bot forces. While we wrote that Helldivers 2’s Steam concurrent player record had passed that of Starfield, PUBG: Test Server, Counter-Strike, and Destiny, it has since reached 405,514 and knocked down Monster Hunter: World, Kathy Rain, Hitman 2, and Grand Theft Auto V. Yes, Helldivers 2 has taken down GTA.

While we don’t know the numbers on PlayStation 5, it has become the top game in the U.S. ahead of the likes of juggernauts Fortnite and Call of Duty.

In our Helldivers 2 review, we said its “combat feels fantastic, its missions stay fresh and interesting, and its smart progression system doesn’t nickel and dime you.”

As you wait for the server stability issues to be resolved, we encourage you to check out our extensive and ever-growing Helldivers 2 wiki, how the devs will alleviate rewards issues with weekend bonuses, and our look at why Helldivers 2 is just so awesome.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Daily Deals: Resident Evil 4, Super Mario Odyssey, Xenoblade Chronicles 3

The weekend is coming to a close, and so many great deals will leave with it! The biggest deals we found this weekend involved all kinds of sales and discounts for Nintendo Switch titles. Below, we’ve compiled the best deals available for Sunday, February 18. Take advantage of these offers before it’s too late!

Resident Evil 4 for $29.99

2023’s Resident Evil 4 is one of the best remakes out there on current generation consoles. Following Leon S. Kennedy, you travel to a remote village in Europe with a mission to locate the President’s missing daughter. This Resident Evil title is the perfect blend of action and horror. Right now, Amazon has the title half off for all consoles, which matches the all-time low.

Super Mario Odyssey for $39.99

Super Mario Odyssey is still one of the best games available on Nintendo Switch. From the stunning Kingdoms to the numerous new gameplay elements, this is a title any Switch owner should have in their collection. Odyssey is best known for its Capture mechanic, which allows Mario to use Cappy and take over different enemies and objects in the environment. This title doesn’t go on sale too often, so pick up a physical copy at a discount this weekend!

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 for $39.99

If you haven’t played Xenoblade Chronicles 3, you’re missing out. Following Noah and Mio, you’ll travel through Aionios – a world frozen in time. The third mainline entry in the Xenoblade series added the ability to switch between characters while in combat, which opened all kinds of doors for gameplay styles. At $39.99, this is a steal with hundreds of hours worth of content awaiting you.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 for $34.99

Great news for stealth action fans: Woot has Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 for $34.99, which is the lowest price we’ve seen yet. This is a great package with the first three Metal Gear Solid games, in addition to Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. If you’ve yet to play through the Metal Gear series, the Master Collection is how to do so on modern platforms.

Save $20 Off Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is still one of the most overlooked Nintendo Switch titles. Forgotten Land marks the first full 3D game in the entire series, with a massive amount of new gameplay mechanics and offerings compared to its 2D counterparts. If you’ve yet to play Kirby and the Forgotten Land, pick the title up for a discount this weekend!

Save on Fire Emblem Engage

If you’ve yet to check out the latest Fire Emblem title, Best Buy has an ongoing sale that will save you up to $30 on Fire Emblem Engage. Featuring characters from the entire series, Engage was released last year as the seventeenth mainline title in the Fire Emblem series. With a solid discount like this, now is a great time to check out the game.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage for $29.99

Amazon currently has Assassin’s Creed Mirage available for just $29.99. Ubisoft looked to take the series back to its roots for this release with a classic setting and refreshed gameplay mechanics. You can expect an action title with plenty of stealth abilities to sneak around its map. If you’re an Assassin’s Creed fan who has felt burnt out with recent entries, Mirage is a refreshing change of pace. We gave the game an 8/10 in our review, stating the game is “a successful first step in returning to the stealthy style that launched this series.”

Splatoon 3 for $39.99

One of the most popular multiplayer titles you can find on Switch, Splatoon 3 is packed with all sorts of exciting modes you can spend dozens of hours in. The title improves a vast amount of features from Splatoon 2, while also bringing in some fresh new ideas too. You can find new classes, new weapons, and new maps immediately when hopping in. With the Side Order expansion set to release next month, now is the perfect time to hop in and get familiar with the world of Splatoon.

$20 Off The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an essential Nintendo Switch game. Featuring a revolutionary open world, hundreds of hours await for you to explore each area across the map. By regaining control of the four legendary Divine Beasts, you might be able to stop Calamity Ganon and save both the Kingdom of Hyrule and Princess Zelda. If you’re a new Nintendo Switch owner, pick this up while you can for a discount.

Save $30 Off the JBL Clip 3

The JBL Clip 3 is currently on sale for $39.99, which is a discount of $30. JBL Bluetooth speakers are known for their excellent sound quality, and this is no exception. With the portability of the Clip 3, you can attach it to a backpack, cooler, or bag with ease. Bring this with you on your next vacation or day trip for up to ten hours of listening without a charge.

Link’s Awakening for $39.99

Any Nintendo Switch owner should check out The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. This remake of the classic Game Boy title features a beautiful overworld filled with puzzles and dungeons to explore. To find the Wind Fish, you’ll need all the help you can get. At $40, this is a fantastic price we don’t see too often for one of Nintendo’s biggest IP. My Best Buy Plus members can even save an additional $10!

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe for $39.99

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is the latest Kirby game to hit the Switch, bringing updated graphics and new features to the Wii game. Widely considered as a great entry in the series, you’re getting a great deal with almost $19 of savings on a Nintendo title just about one year old. You can play with up to four friends and tackle each mission together. The fun doesn’t stop after the campaign, though! After you clear the main story, you can play as many subgames as you’d like in the Merry Magoland amusement park.

Save $20 Off Fate/Samurai Remnant

Fate/Samurai Remnant is a release that went under the radar for many last year. The title is a collaboration between Type-Moon, Omega Force, and Koei Tecmo. If you’re a fan of Fate, you’ll notice plenty of familiar characters throughout the game, including Musashi, Gilgamesh, and plenty more! This is a fantastic action RPG experience that’s especially worth picking up at $40.

The Best Disney Games on PS5 in 2024

The House of Mouse has churned out excellent games for PlayStation in recent years, whether they’re programmed exclusively for the PS5 or PS4 titles that can be played on the PS5 as well. Whichever version you have, you can experience the same magic playing fun Disney games as you can get from watching any Disney movie or show.

Now that Disney owns Marvel, Star Wars, and various other franchises, more games than ever seemingly fall under the ‘Disney’ umbrella. Below we’ve outlined five of the best Disney (or Disney adjacent) titles you can play on your PS5 right now. You can also check out our list of the best PS5 games overall.

Disney Dreamlight Valley

Disney Dreamlight Valley is the perfect life sim game for Disney Adults who love Animal Crossing, can’t get enough of Stardew Valley, and wish to interact with their favorite Disney characters outside of the theme parks. You play as a custom avatar that works to bring the titular land back to its former glory after it’s plagued by the Forgetting, a supernatural event that caused some of the Disney characters living in Dreamlight Valley to lose their memories and others to flee to their homeworlds as a result of the Night Thorns.

Although rebuilding Dreamlight Valley and constructing homes for the people who left it takes a lot of hard work and resources to forage for, you get to befriend every Disney character you meet, even the villains. The game provides a pretty chill experience right that you can share with the whole family sitting on your living room couch.

Read our review of Disney Dreamlight Valley.

Kingdom Hearts 3

Although it was released on the PS4 in 2019, Kingdom Hearts 3 pairs remarkably well with the PS5 thanks to Square Enix making its graphics more enhanced than its predecessors. The game follows Sora on yet another adventure with Donald and Goofy to regain his Power of Waking after failing his Mark of Mastery exam in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance; Riku and King Mickey searching for Aqua, Terra, and Ventus; and Kairi and Lea (formerly Axel of Organization XIII) training to become Keyblade wielders themselves — all in preparation for the final battle against Master Xehanort.

In addition to new gameplay mechanics such as Attraction Flow and Athletic Flow, Kingdom Hearts 3 has worlds inspired by Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Big Hero 6, Tangled, and Frozen (complete with the obligatory “Let It Go” cutscene). It also has the Re:Mind expansion, adding more meat to the main game’s story and offering you the chance to test your mettle against the data versions of Organization XIII members and the mysterious Yozora. If you’re up for the challenge, that is.

Overall, it’s an excellent installment in the Kingdom Hearts franchise and worth playing while we wait for Kingdom Hearts 4.

Read our review of Kingdom Hearts 3.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

A Grammy Award winner for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is considered to be the the best Star Wars games ever made. The story is set five years after the events of Fallen Order, with Jedi Knight Cal Kestis as he fights the Galactic Empire while searching for a place to hide from them.

You can customize Cal to look however you envision him to be, wield a Lightsaber similar to Kylo Ren’s with a new stance, and experience top-notch level design packed with more NPCs than you’ve seen in the previous game — or games outside of Star Wars, for that matter. Jedi: Survivor will make you feel immersed in the world of Star Wars with a kickass soundtrack to boot.

Read our review of Star Wars: Jedi Survivor.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Sony may have a tight grip on Spider-Man despite Disney owning every Marvel superhero, but we’re still giving Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 from Insomniac Games a spot on this list. The PS5-exclusive title centers on Peter Parker and Miles Morales struggling to balance their personal lives with their superhero duties as new threats loom over New York City, including Kraven the Hunter, whose supernatural powers turn the city into a hunting ground for superheroes, and the Venom symbiote which, as in Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man 3, turns Parker into a bully and threatens to destroy his relationships.

The game picks up where Spider-Man: Miles Morales left off, and employs multiple elements from its predecessors, plus extra features such as new web-based gadgets and Spidey suits tailored to each Spider-Men and their play styles, including the Venom suit for Peter. It got so popular, it sold 2.5 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release and received a promotion on Wheaties cereal. It’s no surprise it’s our pick for the best Spider-Man game ever made.

Read our review of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Disney Speedstorm

If you want a racing game where you can race against nearly every Disney character in existence, Disney Speedstorm from Gameloft Barcelona has you covered. The free-to-play PS5 game plays the same as Mario Kart, only the racetracks are themed after the worlds of each racer’s films and franchises, such as Mickey and Friends, Mulan, Monsters Inc. Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, and Pirates of the Caribbean; and minor characters serve as Crew Members to their respective racers to boost their stats (i.e. Orange Bird plays Crew Member to Figment).

Disney Speedstorm has all the makings of a good crossover racing game save for the gacha-esque microtransactions — something other racing titles like Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing and Mario Kart 8 didn’t have to resort to. Who wouldn’t want to race against Mickey Mouse as Mulan, Sulley, Jack Sparrow, or even Elsa?

Read our review of Disney Speedstorm.

Looking for more Disney? Check out our list of the best Disney games on Nintendo Switch.

Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer for IGN. She has contributed her work to various publications, including Digital Trends, TheGamer, Twinfinite, Mega Visions, and The Escapist. To paraphrase Calvin Harris, she wears her love for Sonic the Hedgehog on her sleeve like a big deal. Follow her on Twitter @SonicPrincess15.

Helldivers 2 Devs Respond to Server Issues As It Passes All-Time Steam Concurrents of Destiny 2 and Starfield

Helldivers 2 is off to a great start as it has already passed the all-time Steam concurrents of games like Destiny 2 and Starfield alongside being a PlayStation console exclusive. However, developer Arrowhead Game Studios has said those massive amounts of players are causing server capacity issues it is working “without delay” to fix.

While we don’t know the player numbers on PlayStation 5, SteamDB has revealed that Helldivers 2 has reached an all-time concurrent max of 333,827, which puts it 28th all-time ahead of Starfield, PUBG: Test Server, Counter-Strike, Destiny 2, and Naraka: Bladepoint. As of this writing, it is sitting at 219,670 concurrent players.

Arrowhead took to X/Twitter to address those fans who are experiencing issues diving in “for Freedom.” Rest assured, the team is doing all it can to fix any issues plaguing the game so all players can take out some bugs, bots, and more without worry.

“Despite our best efforts to increase server capacity to accommodate all of you who want to dive for Freedom, we are experiencing capacity issues,” Arrowhead wrote. “We are once more working without delay to improve the issue and we hope to have a fix in place as soon as possible. Thank you.”

We here at IGN certainly get the appeal of this “rare modern multiplayer game the does almost everything right.” In our Helldivers 2 review, we said its “combat feels fantastic, its missions stay fresh and interesting, and its smart progression system doesn’t nickel and dime you.”

We will keep you updated on the status of the servers, and until then you can check out our extensive and ever-growing Helldivers 2 wiki, how the devs will alleviate rewards issues with weekend bonuses, and our look at why Helldivers 2 is just so awesome.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Daily Deals: GoPro HERO11 Black, Fire Emblem Engage, Assassin’s Creed Mirage

It’s finally the weekend, and Saturday has brought some new and exciting deals to explore for the weekend! Starting off, Best Buy has huge savings on the GoPro HERO11 Black Camera and Nintendo Switch titles, while Amazon has a sweet discount on the latest Assassin’s Creed title. Below, we’ve compiled the best deals available for Saturday, February 17. Take advantage of these offers before it’s too late!

Huge Savings on GoPro HERO11 Black Creator Edition

The GoPro HERO11 Black is one of the best action cameras on the market. It’s fit for absolutely any task, with no obstacles in your way to capture any type of footage you’d like. Filming video at 5.3K, you can expect a level of quality you won’t be able to achieve on other action cameras or any type of smartphone. At $399.99, this is an incredible deal that gets you the HERO11 Black and plenty of mods to attach to your camera.

Save on Fire Emblem Engage

If you’ve yet to check out the latest Fire Emblem title, Best Buy has an ongoing sale that will save you up to $30 on Fire Emblem Engage. Featuring characters from the entire series, Engage was released last year as the seventeenth mainline title in the Fire Emblem series. With a solid discount like this, now is a great time to check out the game.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage for $29.99

Amazon currently has Assassin’s Creed Mirage available for just $29.99. Ubisoft looked to take the series back to its roots for this release with a classic setting and refreshed gameplay mechanics. You can expect an action title with plenty of stealth abilities to sneak around its map. If you’re an Assassin’s Creed fan who has felt burnt out with recent entries, Mirage is a refreshing change of pace. We gave the game an 8/10 in our review, stating the game is “a successful first step in returning to the stealthy style that launched this series.”

Splatoon 3 for $39.99

One of the most popular multiplayer titles you can find on Switch, Splatoon 3 is packed with all sorts of exciting modes you can spend dozens of hours in. The title improves a vast amount of features from Splatoon 2, while also bringing in some fresh new ideas too. You can find new classes, new weapons, and new maps immediately when hopping in. With the Side Order expansion set to release next month, now is the perfect time to hop in and get familiar with the world of Splatoon.

$20 Off The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an essential Nintendo Switch game. Featuring a revolutionary open world, hundreds of hours await for you to explore each area across the map. By regaining control of the four legendary Divine Beasts, you might be able to stop Calamity Ganon and save both the Kingdom of Hyrule and Princess Zelda. If you’re a new Nintendo Switch owner, pick this up while you can for a discount.

Save $30 Off the JBL Clip 3

The JBL Clip 3 is currently on sale for $39.99, which is a discount of $30. JBL Bluetooth speakers are known for their excellent sound quality, and this is no exception. With the portability of the Clip 3, you can attach it to a backpack, cooler, or bag with ease. Bring this with you on your next vacation or day trip for up to ten hours of listening without a charge.

Link’s Awakening for $39.99

Any Nintendo Switch owner should check out The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. This remake of the classic Game Boy title features a beautiful overworld filled with puzzles and dungeons to explore. To find the Wind Fish, you’ll need all the help you can get. At $40, this is a fantastic price we don’t see too often for one of Nintendo’s biggest IP. My Best Buy Plus members can even save an additional $10!

Save $20 Off Fate/Samurai Remnant

Fate/Samurai Remnant is a release that went under the radar for many last year. The title is a collaboration between Type-Moon, Omega Force, and Koei Tecmo. If you’re a fan of Fate, you’ll notice plenty of familiar characters throughout the game, including Musashi, Gilgamesh, and plenty more! This is a fantastic action RPG experience that’s especially worth picking up at $40.

When the PlayStation 6 Might Be Released

Sony believes the PlayStation 5 is now in the “latter half of its life cycle.”

That’s according to Sony’s senior vice president Naomi Matsuoka, who made the comments following the company’s revision of how many PS5s it expects to sell during the current financial year (down from 25 million to 21 million) as well as Sony’s most recent earnings report and a weaker than expected holiday 2023 quarter. So obviously the question now is: When can we expect the PlayStation 6?

Before diving into that question, I feel like I should first ask what is going on with this console generation? Never mind what’s happening over on the Xbox side of things, and that Nintendo is now so firmly marching to the beat of its own drum that it no longer aligns with either Sony or Microsoft when it comes to console launches. But where has the time gone?

2023 felt like the first truly normal year for this current game generation, with PlayStation 5s readily available after two years of severe shortages and scalping. The worldwide pandemic wreaking havoc on the global supply chain gave both PlayStation 5s and Xbox Series X|S a false start for sure. Nevertheless, it seemed that as far as product launches go, 2023 was the first year in the rest of our Gen 9 lives, and there was a tsunami of great games to go along with it. Fast-forward a couple of months and now suddenly we’re effectively halfway through Gen 9? Time didn’t just fly, it jumped through hyperspace.

“With that logic, we believe Sony is looking to extend PS5’s life cycle, with PS6 most likely to launch in 2028.”

We’re now four years into the PlayStation 5 and there’s a strong precedent which indicates the PlayStation 6 will be targeting a 2027 launch. Why? Because that’s about as much time as it took for the previous three generations of consoles. The PlayStation 2 was released in 2000 and was followed six years later by the PlayStation 3. The PS3 was released in 2006 and was followed seven years later by the PlayStation 4. The PS4 was released in 2013 and was followed, you guessed it, seven years later by the PlayStation 5.

If it walks like seven years and quacks like seven years, chances are new PlayStations are released every seven or so years.

How much stock can we take in this trend though? Could this be the generation to eschew this historical precedent? Well, unfortunately, without having a first-hand look at PlayStation’s internal release schedule, patterns and historical precedent are what we’re left with.

“We are expecting the PS5 Pro to be released in late 2024 — a year later than the equivalent PS4 Pro in its lifecycle,” Omdia senior analyst George Jijiashvili tells IGN. “With that logic, we believe Sony is looking to extend PS5’s life cycle, with PS6 most likely to launch in 2028.”

However, Jijiashvili acknowledges that depending on demand, which Sony themselves admit is weakening, “Sony may decide to pull the PS6 launch forward.”

One note he adds is that “the console cycle as we know it has become increasingly blurred; PS4 is still punching above its weight due to its healthy active installed base.” Furthermore, even if the PS6 launches in 2027, Jijiashvili expects the PS5 to continue to have “several years left in it post-PS6 launch,” indicating the trend of releasing major games like God of War and Horizon Forbidden West across two generations of consoles (which was accelerated by the PS4 to PS5 handoff) will likely continue.

“I do have PlayStation 6 in my forecast for 2027. But that’s just because this has been the established cadence,” NPD’s Mat Piscatella tells IGN over email. “Could it be later? Sure. Could it be sooner? Yep. But, since I have no better information to go on, and because the track record has been established, 2027 is where I have it.”

That we’re halfway through the PS5’s life cycle wouldn’t be too alarming if it weren’t for the second Sony statement that there will be no first-party content released in the financial year 2024. Meaning the likely sequels to Ghost of Tsushima, Horizon Forbidden West, or games like Wolverine will not be seen until next year after March 2025 (The fiscal year is typically from March to March). If we’re still thinking of 2027 as a potential release year for the PS6, that leaves just three years left of dedicated PS5 support before moving to the next console.

And so, finally, where does that leave us? Well, Immortality director Sam Barlow hit the nail on the head when he tweeted, “Lol, I just got one. In terms of the games it feels like this generation hasn’t really got started yet??”

My gut tells me that we’re in a bit of uncharted territory right now. Console makers certainly weren’t planning around a global pandemic, but beyond that it’s been a weird generation so far with lots of great games coming to both PS5 and PS4. The Switch has now thrived across two console generations, and Xbox is planning on expanding beyond the borders of its own hardware, albeit not as dramatically as some previously expected.

Normally we’d begin hearing talks of the next-generation about two years before the official launch, but Xbox’s Sarah Bond kickstarted those talks early in the company’s Update on the Business podcast. And Sony has also vaguely touched on it with Matsuoka’s comments about entering the latter half of the PS5’s life cycle.

If you haven’t hopped onto this generation of consoles yet and purchased a PS5, well, if you want my two cents, 2027 isn’t as far away as you think.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN’s Senior Features Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Nintendo Switch 2 Reportedly Delayed to the ‘Early Months of 2025’

While many have been expecting and hoping for the Nintendo Switch 2 to arrive later this year, new reports suggest the much-anticipated console has been delayed until the “early months of 2025.”

As reported by Bloomberg, VGC, and Eurogamer, sources claim Nintendo has been telling game publishers that the Switch 2 was originally planned to be released at the end of 2024 but is now expected to slip to “March 2025 at the earliest.”

If this proves to be true, it will be an interesting year for the original Switch which recently passed 139.36 million units sold. As it stands on the first-party front, we only know of such heavy hitters as Princess Peach: Showtime on March 22 and Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD and the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake later this year.

If those last two games are anything to go by, it could be a big year for remakes and remasters as Nintendo prepares new entries of its beloved franchises for the Switch 2. Many, including myself, will surely be hoping for the HD versions of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess to finally jump from Wii U to Switch.

“Nintendo is likely looking at a pretty dry pipeline this year,” Tokyo-based analyst Serkan Toto told Bloomberg. “The company will still try to keep the blockbusters for the next console, so 2024 might see more remakes of old Nintendo hits. In any case, 2024 will be a lot tougher for Nintendo without a new device.”

Hopefully, Nintendo’s 2024 release schedule will come a little more into focus with the rumored February Direct. Nintendo has a history of dropping Directs in February, so there is a good chance one will arrive soon or in March.

Anything can happen with Nintendo, and plans change all the time, so it’s important to remember that nothing is set in stone.

For more, check out our review of the recently released Mario vs. Donkey Kong, what else we can expect from Nintendo in 2024 and if we think there is a future for amiibo on Switch 2.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Helldivers 2 Review

The first time my squad fought a Bile Titan was a disaster. We dropped into a hot zone full of Termanids, Helldivers 2’s alien bugs, and lost all of our extra lives before we even found the thing. We were running for the hills when we ran right into it instead: an absolutely massive, hulking bug that dripped (and spit) acid, easily towering over anything we’d seen so far. It took everything we had – bullets, airstrikes, orbital cannons, grenades, and more than a little luck – but we somehow managed to fell the beast and get the entire squad back onto our evac ship just as our position was about to be overrun. “I can’t believe we survived that,” one of my friends said. “Me neither,” I said. “Wanna go again?” Reader, we played for several more hours.

That’s the Helldivers 2 experience in a nutshell. It’s hilarious, smartly designed, and intense whether you’re playing solo, with a squad of other random Helldivers, or serving up a nice hot cup of Liber-tea across the galaxy with your buddies – though like most games of its type, Helldivers 2 is much, much better with friends. With varied missions, a huge catalog of weapons, emotes, armor, and abilities to unlock, and long-term campaigns against the bugs and Automatons (think Terminators) to fight in the name of Managed Democracy, Helldivers 2 has enough laughs, close shaves, and pure, unabashed fun to keep you busy for a long, long time. I’ve put more than 40 hours in since release, and I’m still enjoying traveling to exciting new places, meeting exotic life forms, and killing them for the glory of Super Earth.

Helldivers 2 doesn’t waste time getting you into the action. After a gut-busting opening piece of mandatory propaganda (refusal to pay attention is treason) which explains that Super Earth is under attack from the robotic Automatons and the “legally-distinct-but-still-totally-the-bugs-from-Starship-Troopers” Terminids (which are also definitely not Warhammer 40K’s Tyranids!), you’re dropped into Helldiver basic training. Your instructor tells you that he isn’t easily impressed… before letting you know how impressed he is by the fact that you’re not backing down.

After mercilessly gassing you up during one of the funniest tutorials I’ve ever played and telling you how invincible you are – while conveniently avoiding the fact that the average Helldiver has a lifespan of about, oh, I don’t know, 30 seconds – you earn your cape and are given command of your own Super Destroyer space ship (I named mine the Elected Representative of Family Values) and sent to the front lines with your buddies. Once you’re out in the Galactic War, you’re free to head to either the Automaton or Terminid front to bring Liberty and Managed Democracy to their occupied planets. Each world has multiple missions with multiple objectives, which range from destroying Termanid eggs to activating your local, nuclear-armed ICBM. Just a regular, glorious day at the office for your average Helldiver.

No two missions ever play out the same way.

What’s nice is that every mission feels different, even if you’ve completed these same objectives before. That’s largely because maps are distinct and unique, even on the same planet, because of the way the terrain changes – one map might have a lot of water and hills, while another might be heavily forested or covered in snow. On top of that, each mission usually has a couple of optional objectives to complete, like blowing up outposts, loading a piece of artillery that you can use later, or terminating a treasonous broadcast. Combine that with bugs bursting up from underground to attack you without notice and robot dropships delivering reinforcements to the front lines at what always seems to be the worst possible time, and no two missions ever play out the same way.

You don’t start with a big selection of gear for your Helldiver (a couple of primary weapon options, a sidearm, and a grenade) but shooting is satisfyingly weighty, especially with the DualSense controller’s haptics. Plus, Helldivers 2 forces you to coordinate to succeed as a group – or play smart if you’re alone. You’re racing against the clock; if your mission timer hits zero, you won’t be able to call in more Stratagems – special abilities like orbital strikes, airstrikes from bombers, or additional weapons like the extremely powerful railgun and equipment like a mortar turret – and your squad has a limited number of Reinforcements (AKA extra lives), so you have to pick your priorities, manage your resources, and choose where to spend your time. It’s always challenging.

What makes Helldivers 2 cool, though, are the little touches that make sure you’re always thinking about how to manage those resources while hordes of bugs and robots throw themselves at your squad. Reloading, for instance, discards any remaining rounds you have in a clip; bullets don’t just teleport back into your inventory. Being accurate while aiming means you’ll need to go prone, crouch, or stand still. If your leg takes damage, you won’t be able to sprint, and if your arm is injured, you’ll be less accurate when firing your weapon. If you want to call down reinforcements, special weapons, or a resupply, you’ve got to rapid-fire a series of directional inputs on the d-pad, which can be a little challenging when you’re running from a horde of bugs hellbent on tearing your Helldiver limb from limb.

These abilities all have cooldown timers, forcing you to be careful about picking when to deploy them and how you coordinate with your teammates. If you die, you’ll want to go retrieve any equipment you’ve dropped because the ability to call that thing in might still be waiting for you on cooldown. It’s a risk, yeah, but there’s a big difference between having your Guard Dog “Rover” – a laser drone that orbits your Helldiver and takes out any enemies that get close – and not.

Helldivers 2 is generous with its rewards between missions.

Helldivers 2 is also generous with the rewards that you can buy on your Super Destroyer between missions. Don’t have a cool weapon? You’ll probably find something fun to use temporarily during a mission, and then be able to afford a better gun of your own after a few rounds. One of my favorites is the Anti-Material Rifle, an anti-armor behemoth that lets you take on huge, bile-spewing bugs without ever getting close to them – and that’s handy because they can kill you in a single volley of acid if you do. And then there’s the Railgun, every Helldivers’ best friend. You simply point it at a problem, and the problem becomes a puddle at your feet.

In addition to weapons that are scattered throughout the level, there are sometimes special events that give a specific Stratagem to every Helldiver for a limited time, whether you have it unlocked or not. You don’t get to keep any weapons you find on the map once the mission ends, but finding them in missions or using them during those special events allows you to try them out before you permanently unlock them with the in-game currency you get from completing objectives, which is a nice touch.

Speaking of unlocking stuff, Helldivers 2 has a ton of goodies for you to earn. Yes, there’s a paid battle pass with lots of weapons and armor, but there’s also a free one with even more stuff than the paid one, and you can also unlock gear the old-fashioned way by simply completing missions. So while there are microtransactions, sure, thus far I’ve never felt like I was missing out on anything important by not going near them.

The free battle pass alone gives you almost enough Super Credits (Helldivers 2’s paid currency) to upgrade to the paid version, and you can find more during missions if you explore enough (though, unfortunately, unlike the other resources you can find in chests, Super Credits only seem to go to the one person who picks them up). The rest of the free battle pass is nothing to sneeze at, either. In addition to just having more stuff than the paid pass, it also sports what might be Helldivers 2’s best weapon: the Breaker, a fully automatic shotgun that shreds Termanids and Automatons alike. That’s not to say the premium battle pass doesn’t have cool exclusives – I love the Explosive Liberator, a high-powered version of the basic Liberator assault rifle – but you don’t need them to succeed. I’m deep into Helldivers 2’s progressions system at this point, and I still look forward to unlocking new stuff, which is pretty rare in the microtransaction-riddled modern world.

A lot of the unlocks can make a huge difference in how you play.

It should also be noted that the battle passes only offer weapons, armor, emotes, capes, cosmetic emblems, and Boosters (permanent upgrades that affect your entire squad when equipped). All of the in-game Stratagems can only be purchased with the in-game currency you earn by completing mission objectives. After you meet the minimum level required to purchase them, buying a Stratagem once will make it yours forever. The same goes for any ship upgrades you acquire for collecting samples scattered throughout missions.

Better still, a lot of these unlocks can make a huge difference in how you play. One of the first things I earned was the ability to call in a stationary turret that automatically blasts away. I found out the hard way that friendly fire is a thing and it can kill you if you stand in front of it, which makes for some really funny moments, but it’s a legitimate game-changer when you have to hold off a swarm of bugs or defend your extraction zone. I’ve since upgraded to the Mortar Sentry, which I never leave the Elected Representative of Family Values without.

Helldivers 2’s progression system remains impressive even at higher levels. You can unlock every Stratagem currently available at level 20, which took me somewhere around 30 hours to hit. Progression definitely slowed down as I got closer to that point, but levels still feel like they’re coming when I want them to, especially when I play at higher difficulties. Now I possess the almighty Railgun, and all enemies of Super Earth tremble before me.

If there’s a downside to this, it’s that there’s so much stuff to unlock that it’s tough to decide which things to get first. Should you save up for an airstrike, the Anti-Material Rifle, or a portable supply pack? Some, like the Eagle Airstrike or Mortar Sentry, are noticeably better than others – but again, none of those options are battle pass items so it’s not like it’s trying to trick you into spending money for something you don’t know if you’ll want. You get these just by playing. That might sound like faint praise, but in an era where so many games are trying to nickel and dime us for absolutely everything, the fact that Helldivers 2 doesn’t force you to deal with its battle pass to make your experience better feels awesome.

There’s a ton of enemy variety, from acid bugs to chainsaw robots.

And you’ll need every Stratagem and ounce of teamwork you can muster to defeat the foes of Super Earth, as there’s a ton of enemy variety in Helldivers 2. Sure, there’s your standard-issue small bugs, but there are also bigger guys that spit acid at you, armored bugs that will charge you, bugs that can go invisible or leap great distances, the aforementioned Bile Titan – and that’s just the bugs. I haven’t even gotten to the robots with chainsaws for hands, or the heavily armored, flamethrower-sporting Hulks, or their honest-to-god battle tanks that will chase you as you run around their “totally-not-Space-Vietnam” themed planets. All that’s missing is Ride of the Valkyries and Fortunate Son.

Every encounter kept me on my toes, partly because every mission comes with a modifier that increases the prevalence of certain enemy types. Helldivers 2 forces you to plan a strategy, adapt to what happens in the moment, coordinate with your teammates, and think on the fly once things inevitably go wrong. And it’s as satisfying to pull off an improbable, come-from-behind victory as it is to “accidentally” blow up your friend with an airstrike.

If Helldivers 2 has any caveat, it’s that it kind of has to be played with friends to get the best possible experience. Yes, you can play alone, but none of the difficulty levels scale to your total player count, so you’ll only really have a chance in maybe the bottom third or so of the nine difficulty modes by yourself, which will slow your progression. And, as always, the quality of playing with random people in any online game is kind of a toss-up. When played with friends, though, Helldivers 2 sings.

That said, it has also had some performance issues around its launch, with iffy matchmaking at best, post-match rewards that don’t always go through, Helldivers randomly disconnecting from games, and friends being hard to join up with. In a couple games, my framerate resembled a PowerPoint presentation. My Helldiver even stopped running once; he just started levitating across the map. Funny? Absolutely, but not a good way to fight the foes of Super Earth. Thankfully these problems have gotten rarer as developer Arrowhead has upped server capacity and released patches, so I haven’t encountered as many issues recently, but they haven’t been 100% sorted out yet either.

The special thing about Helldivers 2, though, is just how much fun it is regardless. The greatest compliment I can give a game is when I want to keep playing it after I finish a review, and I know that I’m going to be playing Helldivers 2 for a long time. I love the way it delivers little pieces of lore through dialogue and funny propaganda videos broadcast on your Super Destroyer: did you know that the bugs were being farmed as fuel before they managed to escape, which is why they’re attacking Super Earth? Or that the Automatons were previously enslaved? I mean, for the love of God, members of the Super Earth military literally wear capes! Leaving a bad review of military hardware is treason! We might be the baddies!

So, yeah, you’re fascists, but it’s all so intentionally over the top that it’s impossible not to smile. Helldivers 2 has my regular squad and I shouting things like “Looks like those robots could use some freedom” and “How about a nice cup of Liber-tea?!” while we’re playing. I can’t stop laughing whenever my Helldiver’s limb is damaged and they scream “Sweet Liberty! My ARM!”, or an airstrike turns them into nothing but a bloody torso wearing a cape, or when they start laughing maniacally when I empty an entire machinegun clip in one go. I love that death means you get a new Helldiver with a new voice, and you lose any waypoints you’ve set on the map. There are so many little touches in Helldivers 2 that make it special, and you’ll notice and appreciate them constantly.

Bandai Namco Reveals it Canceled at Least Five In-Development Games

Bandai Namco has recently revealed that it has canceled five games that were currently in development, along with changing its development structure.

In a recent earnings report, Bandai Namco stated that it has revamped its criteria for evaluating the quality of its games internally and that has lead to the cancelation of five games that were in development, per IGN’s own translation. Bandai explained that is now has stricter rules on which games get to proceed in development, as games have become more expensive and costly to make.

Bandai Namco also said that it is still working on Elden Ring DLC and is planning more games for the Dragon Ball series. On a post-earnings call, Bandai Namco explained that the company’s disappointing financial results to underperforming games. One of them is most likely Blue Protocol, an MMORPG that Bandai partnered with Amazon Games as its publishers. It was released in Japan last year, but still hasn’t made its debut in other territories.

On a brighter note, Bandai Namco revealed that Tekken 8 sold over 2 million copies, and expects the game to contine selling until the next fiscal year.

Bandai Namco currently has other projects in store for 2024, including Little Nightmares 3 and Sand Land. The Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 8020 and Dragon Ball: Sparkling! Zero don’t have release dates just yet.

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He’s been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.

When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey