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A Division 2 Fix Accidentally Made Updates Impossible

The Division 2 development team has notified players that a recent update has caused an error that is now preventing the team from updating the game at all.

The Division 2 development team took to Twitter to explain the unfortunate situation, saying it was caused when they were trying to deal with a localization issue. While they were fixing that particular problem, another one popped up that “brought down the build generation system for The Division 2.” This, in turn, broke the whole updating system.

“Dear Agents, last week, we shared news that the season would be delayed due to a localization issue,” The Division 2 development team wrote. “This past Saturday, in the process of creating the update which would resolve the issue, we encountered an error that brought down the build generation system for The Division 2. As a result, we cannot update the game until this system has been rebuilt.”

In the past, when a season was delayed, the team had been able to extend activities from the previous season. However, they are unable to do this as they can, once again, make no updates to the game until “the build generation system is restored.”

“We are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible,” the team wrote. “We have made good progress over the last 96 hours and have been able to restore critical aspects of the system and will share the timeline for resolution when available. We deeply appreciate your understanding and patience and will share our in-game compensation plan details soon.”

The Division 2 was getting ready to begin Season 11: Reign of Fire on February 7, and hopefully it won’t be too long to wait for its actual launch. The team promised another update will arrive tomorrow, February 10, so stay tuned The Division 2’s Twitter account and IGN for the latest updates.

For more, check out the latest details on the free-to-play The Division Heartland and why Ubisoft changed its mind and began planning more content for The Division 2 in 2021.

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.

Team Fortress 2 Is Getting Its First Major Update in Years

After years of smaller updates, Team Fortress 2 is set to get a major update this summer that will add items, maps, taunts, Steam Workshop Creators’ content, and much more.

The Team Fortress 2 team shared the update in a blog, and addressed it mainly to Steam Workshop Creators.

“Steam Workshop Creators, can we have your attention please,” The blog reads. “The following message is so urgent, so time-sensitive, we made the executive decision to skip TikTok and Twitter entirely and break the glass on the most bleeding-edge communication technology available. Welcome to the future. Welcome… to a ‘blog-post.'”

After the funny intro, it went on to confirm that, while “the last few Team Fortress summer events have only been item updates,” there are much bigger plans in store for this year.

“We’re planning on shipping a full-on update-sized update — with items, maps, taunts, unusual effects, war paints and who knows what else?! Which means we need Steam Workshop content! YOUR Steam Workshop content,” The TF2 team said.

For those interested, be sure to get your submissions into the Steam Workshop by May 1 so they can be “considered for this as-yet-unnamed, un-themed, but still very exciting summer-situated (but not summer-themed) (unless you wanted to develop summer-themed stuff) update.”

As previously mentioned, Team Fortress 2 has been getting small updates over the past few years, and it got a bigger Jungle Inferno update in 2017 that added a new official map, five community maps, new taunts, war paint, contracts, and more.

The smaller updates have been important, however, as Team Fortress 2 was dealing with a botting problem that rendered the game actually unplayable in 2022.

Team Fortress 2 was first released in 2007 and, in our review, we said, “With its powerful artistic style and blazingly quick, yet accessible gameplay, it’s enough to melt the icy cynicism imprisoning the hearts of even the most jaded among us.”

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.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – Meet 8 of Cal’s Enemies | IGN First

A good action game lives and dies by the strength of its combat, true, but combat mechanics are just one part of the equation. Equally important are the enemies that put those combat mechanics to the test. And so one of the things that I was most curious about during my visit to Respawn was the enemy design of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Fortunately, I had Design Director Jason de Heras and Production Director Kasumi Shishido to walk me through a handful of new enemy types that are determined to stand in the way of Cal Kestis.

Droids

Early on the team at Respawn knew that they wanted to incorporate more droids into the fold as far as enemies go. And true enough, there are tons of droids to fight against in Jedi Survivor, from the weak fodder-like “Roger, Roger” B1 Battle Droids, to the formidable Droideka’s (also known as those cool roller droids from the prequel movies). According to Shishido, Droids give the team much more freedom when it comes to what they can do and what types of weapons they’re able to use. Let’s individually check a handful of these droids and talk about what went into their design.

B1 Droids

The B1 Droids cover the role of the “fodder” enemy archetype on the planet Koboh. They’re as weak as can be, falling to just a single saber slash or reflected blaster shot, but they’re usually found in large groups and can still be a dangerous threat thanks to their range and their tendency for hitting Cal while they’re off screen. Most notably though, their banter is hilarious. Respawn has really upped their game in Jedi Survivor when it comes to amusing enemy conversations, so while it may be tempting to just wipe them out with a single force push, exercise some restraint for a few moments to let the dialogue play out and you’ll be rewarded with a good laugh.

B2 Droids

The B2 Droids are the bruisers of the droid family. They take a fair amount of hits to bring down and can pack a heavy melee punch, while also being armed with both a blaster and a missile launcher to deal damage from afar. They’re certainly no pushover, but fall in this really nice spot where once you learn to time parries on their melee attacks, reflect their blaster shots, and always be on the lookout to force pull their missiles, they become much less of a threat.

BX Droids

BX Droids are among the more agile droids and will surely put your melee combat skills to the test, as they will regularly parry your attacks and execute multi-hitting spin techniques, while also leaping around the battlefield and being an elusive target. These droids have canonically been shown to use Vibro Swords and go up against Jedi, which according to the team, really gave them a perfect mid-level enemy that can go toe-to-toe against Cal without feeling too fragile.

Droideka

You may know them more colloquially as “destroyer droids” or “those rolling droids from the prequels,” but they’re actually called Droidekas. I didn’t get a chance to face off against these in my own playtime, but from what I was told by design director Jason de Heras, fans should expect them to behave as you’d expect from the movies and shows. “They’ve got the bubble shield. That’s classic to the IP, so you know, we have to use that. We have to find a way to make that into the design. So they’ve got the bubble shield, they roll, and they actually incorporate that into their melee, so you can’t just stun-lock it forever,” he said.

IG-100 Magna Guard

The IG-100 Magna Guards are highly formidable enemies that anyone who’s a big fan of the Clone Wars series should immediately recognize. These are General Grievous’s elite bodyguards, and as such, they are highly skilled melee warriors that can give a Jedi a run for their money. De Heras describes the Magna Guards as a “superior elite” type of enemy that can be offensive, defensive, counter you, and attack in weird rhythms to try and throw your own counters off.

Shield Trooper

The Shield Trooper was born from a simple need: The team wanted a Scout Trooper that survived a little bit longer. But as with just about every enemy in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, there are several ways to bring them down. You could hack away at their shield with your lightsaber and eventually knock it away, but that would make you vulnerable to the other enemies surrounding you. You could try to maneuver around it and slash its back, but they’re generally pretty good at tracking you and you’d have to find some way to distract them. The ideal way to deal with them, though, is to hold down your force pull to yank their shield away, and then Captain America it right back at them. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is full of moments like this where you can use your force abilities in ways that make sense to gain an advantage in combat, without explicitly being told to do so.

DT Sentry Droid

The impetus for the DT Sentry Droid was that the team needed a big brute enemy. And so Respawn turned to Star Wars Rebels and found this guy. One of the things that was really appealing about the DT Sentry Droid as an enemy was that they could have different loadouts, and so there are three variations of this enemy that you’ll do battle with. One might have a staff and a missile, another might have a hammer, and another might come equipped with a blaster. Shishido said that fans of Rebels and The Bad Batch should understand how menacing these droids are, and that the first moment you encounter them will be a real “oh shit” kind of moment. De Heras also added that these are one of the few droids where you could hack off one of its limbs and it’d still come at you, with its combat capabilities impacted by the loss of a limb.

KX Security Droid Enforcer

The KX Security Droid enforcer appeared in Fallen Order, famously, as that droid that likes to grab and choke slam you. This particular variant, however, will not be doing any choke slams as they now come equipped with a stun baton – the weapon of the Scout Troopers. The story behind that is that these droids were used as the trainers of Scout Troopers, and thus are basically three times as dangerous as a scout trooper would be. De Heras said that they wanted to make the KX Droid in Survivor a brawler type of enemy that could block and counter, and that they had thought about making it a hybrid style of enemy that could also grab you, but that mixing archetypes like that often muddies that design.

This is but a small sample size of the enemies that players can expect to encounter over the course of their journey in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. There are still all sorts of hostile wildlife that you’ll encounter on the various planets, plus imperialists and other human factions like the Bedlam Raiders found on Koboh. It’s also just a small part of our continuing coverage of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, so keep on checking IGN all throughout the month of February for more.

Mitchell Saltzman is an editorial producer at IGN. You can find him on twitter @JurassicRabbit

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Has the Largest File Size of Any First Party Nintendo Switch Game

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has the largest file size of any first party Nintendo Switch game, even coming in larger than its predecessor Breath of the Wild.

As spotted by Reddit user Bob (below) and confirmed on the Nintendo eShop, the base file size of Tears of the Kingdom comes in at 18.2 GB.

While this is still a small number in comparison to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series games, which can often use upwards of 100 GB of storage, it’s enough to put Tears of the Kingdom atop the list of first party Switch games.

Breath of the Wild was once the largest first party Switch game by a long shot at 14.4 GB, though other Nintendo first party titles have since brushed shoulders with it such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3 at 14.38 GB and Fire Emblem Engage at 12.68 GB.

The larger file size certainly indicates that Tears of the Kingdom will be a bigger game than Breath of the Wild and other first party Switch titles, evidenced further by Nintendo giving it a $69.99 price tag.

The company is beginning to share more on the highly anticipated sequel as we inch closer to its May 12 release date, with a new trailer revealing that a classic Ocarina of Time enemy may be making a return. Nintendo also revealed Tears of the Kingdom’s collector’s edition and a new Amiibo launching alongside the game at its February 8 Nintendo Direct.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Pikmin 4 Is Up for Preorder

Pikmin 4 is set to release exclusively for Nintendo Switch on July 21, 2023. The latest entry in this series about tiny plant-like aliens exploring a strange planet introduces several new elements, including Ice Pikmin and a roly-poly dog named Oatchi. Pikmin 4 is now available for preorder (see it at Best Buy).

Preorder Pikmin 4

No special, deluxe, or collectors editions have been announced for Pikmin 4, so the standard edition is your only option.

Pikmin 4 Trailer

What is Pikmin 4?

Pikmin is a series of real-time strategy games that date back to 2001, when the original title appeared on the Nintendo GameCube. This fourth entry has been a long time coming, with Shigeru Miyamoto saying back in 2015 that it was “very close to completion.” Seven years later, it’s finally set to release in July.

This installment introduces a new Ice Pikmin that can free enemies and the environment to help your alien flora navigate the strange planet they find themselves on. The plants aren’t alone this time around, either, as they get help from a rotund dog called Oatchi, who can smash through barriers and carry Pikmin on its back while swimming across ponds and puddles.

Overall, it looks like good fun for fans of the series or anyone interested in picking up a colorful, cartoonish strategy game.

Other Preorder Guides

Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed or on Mastodon @chrislreed.

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Seemingly Includes a Classic Ocarina of Time Enemy

While the latest trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gave fans plenty of new things to get excited about, it also appeared to show a classic enemy from the N64’s Ocarina of Time.

The infamous ReDead monster can be seen nestled between a Lizalfos and what appears to be a giant Bokoblin in a gameplay trailer shared during February 8’s Nintendo Direct.

The trailer only showed the ReDead for a couple of seconds, but those familiar with previous Zelda games will understand how it fits into a darker version of Hyrule.

While they’ve also appeared in Majora’s Mask and The Wind Waker, ReDeads are arguably most known from Ocarina of Time, where they haunt Castle Town’s ruined market place following the time jump.

Appearing as zombie-like creatures with spooky wooden masks, ReDeads would release a terrifying scream that paralyses Link before they skulk over and attack.

While ReDeads’ appearance have changed a little over the years to suit each game’s art style, their attacking behaviour has remained the same, meaning Tears of the Kingdom players will likely have to come face to face with one of the Zelda series’ scariest enemies once again.

The ReDead is just one of several surprises features in the new trailer for Tears of the Kingdom, but IGN has you covered with a list of the more interesting inclusions here. Nintendo shared plenty more itself about the Breath of the Wild sequel, of course, including its $70 price tag, its collector’s edition, and new Amiibo.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Trailer’s Biggest Surprises

It’s been four months since we last saw The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but with less than a hundred days to go until we get the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nintendo couldn’t help but give us another look at the game.

Despite two new trailers within months, we’re still not any closer to learning more about what is happening in Hyrule during the events of Tears of the Kingdom. We do, however, get a better glimpse of some of the new gameplay mechanics we’re sure to see when we dive back in.

Here are the biggest surprises we saw in the new Tears of the Kingdom trailer.

Vehicular Fun

Do you remember how weeks after Breath of the Wild released players began sharing videos of themselves creating homebrewed airplanes and cars made from barrels and baskets? It seems like Nintendo thought those were pretty good ideas and decided to integrate vehicles directly into the sequel, Tears of the Kingdom.

The ancient Master Cycle Zero was obviously added to Breath of the Wild as part of the Champions’ Ballad expansion, but the trailer highlights many more new vehicles players can ride, including some kind of hovercraft, a land rover, and a hot air balloon.

However, these vehicles might not just be items you come across fully built in the world. At the 1-minute 39-second mark, you can see Link pull out what looks like a wheel from a swamp. Moments later, he’s riding a vehicle that uses that exact same wheel. Furthermore, the hovercraft looks to be held together by some kind of green glue substance, which might be a crafting item found in the world. One thing’s for sure, the DIY ethos from the first game is returning and with even more toys to play around with, it’s exciting to imagine what else players can create in Nintendo’s sandbox.

Darker World, Darker Story?

The trailer for Tears of the Kingdom has all been quite grim, and now we know that the Kingdom of Hyrule is in an especially bad place right now. There’s a menacing red moon hovering in the sky, the Bokoblins have free rein over the land, and everything is shrouded in dark, miserable gloom.

The darker tone follows a not-rare trend of Nintendo following up one of their Zelda games with a darker sequel. Think Majora’s Mask versus Ocarina of Time, or Twilight Princess after Wind Waker. The main imagery of the game so far — Link’s corrupted arm and the mummified Ganon — all paint a much darker sequel

There’s Gotta Be Two Worlds

I’ve seen Link jump from some sky plateau enough times that I’m fully convinced we’re going to get two worlds to explore, a sky world and a land world just like Skyward Sword. There’s just no way Link is shooting off into the sky, especially now that he can build himself a hover plane, just for a one-off dungeon.

Having dual worlds, especially one layered on top of each other, could effectively double the size of Hyrule, assuming that the base map stays the same (although Tears of the Kingdom’s version of Hyrule certainly has differences compared to Breath of the Wild).

There is reason to believe this might not be the case, however. The various areas shown so far appear to be broken in some ways, and the final scene of the new trailer shows some kind of terrible fracture happening across Hyrule, which could hint at cavernous areas underground (A third area? In this economy?). So whether Hyrule is intact during the events of Tears of the Kingdom remains to be seen.

Everything’s Bigger in Hyrule

The primary takeaway from the new Tears of the Kingdom trailer for me is “more.” There’s just more of everything players loved from Breath of the Wild in Tears of the Kingdom based on the two trailers we’ve received so far. From more kinds of enemies (from flying lizards that carry Bokoblins to fire-breathing dragons to what I’m pretty sure was a ReDead), more tools like heat-seeking arrows and some kind of bomb-thrower, and more ground (sky?) to cover thanks to the new hovercraft and hot air balloon technology.

While we’ll have to wait until May to see what Tears of the Kingdom truly has in store, the driving ethos behind the sequel appears to be give players more of what they want, and that’s exactly what the trailer promised.

Where to Preorder The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Link Amiibo

If you haven’t already seen, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is now available to preorder at its new price of $69.99 from various retailers. You can see our full preorder guide for all the details, alongside news on the Collector’s Edition preorders. But, some of us may just be after the new Link – Tears of the Kingdom amiibo. If you are, you’re in luck, as we’ve got all the current preorder details for the brand-new amiibo figure in one easy-to-access article.

Preorder Link – Tears of the Kingdom Amiibo Right Now

The new amiibo featuring Link in his new Tears of the Kingdom look will grant access to materials, weapons, and a special fabric for Link’s paraglider when scanned. It will cost $15.99, and releases the same day as the new game on May 12. It is currently only available to preorder from Best Buy, but we’ll update this article when we get any more news, or you can follow @IGNDeals on Twitter for instant updates.

  • Preorder at Best Buy – $15.99
  • Preorder in the UK – Register Your Interest
  • Preorder at Amazon – Not Live
  • Preorder at GameStop – Not Live
  • Preorder at Target – Not Live
  • Preorder at Walmart – Not Live

Other Zelda Amiibo Will Also Work in Tears of the Kingdom

Scanning other amiibo from The Legend of Zelda series will unlock different designs for your glider, including one that looks like Majora’s Mask. According to Nintendo, other amiibo can help you receive helpful materials, weapons or a paraglider fabric based on the amiibo you scanned. Unforutently, the only one that’s widely available still is the Zelda and Loftwig amiibo, so I’ve left a quick link to that just below as well.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is launching on May 12, 2023 for $69.99. This confirms the rumored $10 price increase from previous Nintendo Switch first-party titles. Nintendo also showed off a look at Tears of the Kingdom’s Collector’s Edition alongside the brand new amiibo figure.

The Collector’s Edition will retail for $129.99 and include a physical version of the game, an artbook, a Steelbook case, a steel poster, and four pin badges. An amiibo featuring Link in his new Tears of the Kingdom look will grant access to materials, weapons, and a special fabric for Link’s paraglider when scanned. Scanning other amiibo from The Legend of Zelda series will unlock different designs for your glider, including one that looks like Majora’s Mask.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

UK Daily Deals: Tears of the Kingdom Preorders From Just £49 in the UK (Save £10)

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was shown off again at Nintendo’s most recent Direct live stream, and featured a few minutes of new gameplay footage. The game is officially up for preorder in the UK, and will now cost £59.99 (and $69.99 in the US, unfortunately for them).

But, if you’re savvy enough you can definitely save some money on your preorder in the UK. Affordable gaming retailer Hit (previously Base), has still got it preorders for Tears of the Kingdom down at £48.85. Other retailers such as Amazon, GAME, and Argos have the game available to preorder as well, but now at the new price of £59.99. You can also now register your interest for the Collector’s Edition and Link -Tears of the Kingdom amiibo from Nintendo, but keep an eye on @IGNUKDeals as we’ll tweet when these are available to preorder as well.

Where to Preorder The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom in the UK

The best Tears of the Kingdom (or Breath of the Wild 2 as many of us called it for years) preorder deal in the UK is still at Hit for £48.95. In case you’re wondering, Hit is a 100% legit retailer and used to be called Base. We’ve linked out to them before and had no complaints! I’ll leave all the relevant links down below for Tears of the Kingdom preorders.

Where to Preorder Tears of the Kingdom Collector’s Edition and Amiibo

You can register your interest in The Legend of Zelda Collector’s Edition (£119.99), or the Link – Tears of the Kingdom amiibo (£12.99) from Nintendo right now in the UK. Otherwise, follow and set notifications of for @IGNUKDeals on Twitter as we’ll tweet when the preorders go live.

Best Hogwarts Legacy Preorder Deals in the UK

These deals from Green Man Gaming are incredible, and definitely worth considering if you’re getting Hogwarts Legacy on PC or Xbox. This is especially good for those who use Steam, and even better if you’ve got a Steam Deck, as Hogwarts Legacy is confirmed to be Verified at launch.

For just £42.49 you can preorder the game and be ready to play on February 10 (or go for the Deluxe Edition for £50.99 and play on February 7 instead). See our full 9/10 review for the game here.

Save 20% With Code HOGWARTS20 at Currys

Amazing Password Manager Deal from Keeper (AD)

With Keeper, you can store all of your passwords, credit card info, and other sensitive data in one secure, encrypted digital vault. Plus, they use top-notch encryption technology to keep your stuff safe and have added bonus features like password generation, password sharing, and two-factor authentication.

Metroid Prime Remastered Is Now on Nintendo Switch

ICYMI, After years of rumors, Metroid Prime Remastered is real. If that wasn’t exciting enough, Nintendo is releasing the game today on the Nintendo Switch eShop. Physical copies of the game will also be available on February 22.

Best Gaming Deals for PS5, Xbox, and PC Right Now

Get the Switch Joycons for £59.99, Switch Pro Controller for £49.99, Bayonetta 3 for £29.99 on Switch, and Returnal on PS5 for £29.99.

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Awesome PS5 1TB SSD for £85.51 (Great Deal)

Pick up the perfect PS5 1TB SSD for just £85.51 right now, or upgrade even further and drop £185 on a 2TB SSD instead (that works out at £92.50 per TB).

Best Random Deals I Love Right Now

These are the best deals that I want to highlight, but can’t necessarily fit anywhere else.

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Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

A Strong Nintendo Direct Also Showed Why the End is in Sight for the Switch

Is the Nintendo Switch too old? Can Nintendo’s wildly successful handheld, now in its sixth year, maintain its momentum amid concerns about horsepower and a potentially barren release schedule in the second half of 2023? Is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom really worth $70?

These were some of the questions being asked heading into the first Nintendo Direct of 2023 — a show that Nintendo typically uses to set the agenda for the rest of the year. There was excitement among Nintendo fans, but wariness as well. Coming off a year marred by releases with notable technical problems, and with the long-rumored Switch Pro failing to materialize, the calls for a next-gen Switch have become difficult to ignore.

In the end, Nintendo fans didn’t get their Switch 2, or even much in the way of new information on The Legend of the Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. They did, however, get to see several prominent rumors come to fruition, including the long-awaited arrival of Game Boy and GBA games on Switch. The heavily-rumored Baten Kaitos collection also made the cut, and Advance Wars got a release date at last. Even Mario Kart 8 got a little love with a new character and track.

In a sign of the Nintendo Switch’s increasingly advanced age, many of the announcements were more about looking back than looking forward. Retro Studios’ Metroid Prime remaster — rumored since seemingly the dawn of the Switch — was a big part of the Direct, even receiving a shadow drop after the show was over. It’s a release that’s been loudly requested by fans over the years, not the least because Metroid Prime is so hard to get these days. Is the remaster enough to fill the gap between now and whenever the next Switch is released? It’ll have to be.

Nintendo fans know it could be much worse

Of course, Nintendo fans know that it can always be worse. Much worse. The Wii U saw fewer than 20 games released at retail in 2016. The GameCube fared little better, but both consoles effectively withered on the vine in their final years as third-party developers fled to other platforms and new releases were pushed to next-generation successors.

The Nintendo Switch feels strikingly robust by comparison, handily surpassing the PS4 to become the third highest selling platform in history. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, for all of their technical problems, still managed to move some 18 million units combined last year. With a mix of sequels, indie releases, and remasters, Nintendo has maintained a steady drumbeat of new releases on the platform. Add in the occasional tentpole release, and the Switch has managed to remain relevant — even essential — despite being multiple generations behind in tech.

That sense was heightened by the anticipation for today’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailer. Ever since its brief reveal in 2019, the long-awaited sequel to Breath of the Wild has stood on the horizon like a glittering treasure for Switch owners. Its predecessor has grown in esteem to the point that many fans regard it as the best game in the series, if not the best game ever made. Tears of the Kingdom has come to symbolize the hope and anticipation that has defined so much of the Switch’s run, which has fueled endless speculation around the next Nintendo Direct, the next Smash Bros. reveal, the next remaster, the next sequel.

Nintendo was content to let that speculation go on a little longer with today’s trailer, teasing Zelda fans with around two minutes of new footage. It wasn’t much, but it was seemingly enough to overcome some of the discontent over its $70 price point, which feels especially high on an older system like the Nintendo Switch. It hardly seems possible that Tears of the Kingdom will live up to its sky high expectations fueled by years of waiting, but Nintendo has made a habit of matching and exceeding the hype with Zelda.

A murky future for the Switch

After Tears of the Kingdom, though, Nintendo faces plenty of questions. Most of the anticipated sequels are out now; the well of remasters is almost dry. With so few future titles highlighted during the Direct, it’s hard to know what the rest of 2023 holds for Nintendo Switch. Even now, there’s a growing consensus among fans and observers that it’s time for Nintendo to move on from the Switch.

That won’t be easy for Nintendo. The Switch has been easily the most successful Nintendo platform in two 25 years, surpassing even the highs of the Wii. It has seen the company enjoy a creative and cultural renaissance that will be difficult — if not impossible — to replicate. A new Switch will garner plenty of excitement, but it’s hard to imagine another moment like Animal Crossing: New Horizon.

Nintendo fulfilled many long-held rumors and dreams with the first Direct of 2023. After today, there won’t be many left. More than ever, the end is in sight.

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