Category: IGN

Star Wars Outlaws is out later this month, and Ubisoft has revealed the road map for those who buy the season pass.

Sabacc, pirates, and exclusive day 1 mission await in the Star Wars Outlaws Season Pass. Learn more about the upcoming content here: https://t.co/inRuMpk0qi pic.twitter.com/qupuyrfX9d

— Star Wars Outlaws (@StarWarsOutlaws) August 5, 2024

In a blog post, Ubisoft confirmed that the Star Wars Outlaws season pass will include content divided into three release windows. On launch day, season pass owners will gain access to a character pack and the previously confirmed Jabba’s Gambit exclusive mission. Star Wars Outlaws’ season pass previously received controversy earlier this year when Ubisoft revealed that it was locking the Jabba above’s Gambit mission behind the Season Pass. However, Ubisoft insisted that Jabba the Hutt will be available to all players, not just season pass holders.

More interestingly, Ubisoft confirmed that two DLC story expansions will be released in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025, respectively. The first story pack subtitled Wild Card, will see Outlaw’s protagonist Kay “hired to infiltrate a high-stakes Sabacc tournament.” This story DLC pack will also see Kay cross paths with Star Wars character Lando Calrissian.

The second story, DLC, subtitled A Pirate’s Fortune, will have Kay running into an experienced pirate named Hondo Ohnaka, who Ubisoft described as someone “looking to settle old scores with a ruthless gang of pirates.”

In our final hands-on preview with Star Wars Outlaws, my colleague Ryan McCaffrey wrote: “Open-world games tend to be jacks-of-all-trades, masters-of-none, and while I’m not sure Outlaws will master any of its gameplay components, it nonetheless not only does them all very well, but it does so with a convincing Star Wars sheen.”

Star Wars Outlaws is out on August 27 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. For more, check out our IGN First coverage from last June, which includes 10 minutes of exclusive gameplay and our piece on how Ubisoft created a brand new canon world for Star Wars: Outlaws.

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

Nintendo has revealed a five minute deep dive into The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom in the Traversing Hyrule trailer.

Available below, the trailer highlights key locations of the Zelda-led game such as Hyrule Castle and the surrounding Castle Town, and even reveals the different regions of the world: Gerudo Desert, Jabul Waters, Eldin Volcano, and Faron Wetlands.

Players can travel around the world quickly using fast travel points called Waypoints, though as standard these are only available once the player reaches each location naturally. Horses are also available to ride around Hyrule and can be called upon at any time once the player unlocks the carrot echo (meaning the ability to summon a carrot; what a game).

Mechanics from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and sequel Tears of the Kingdom have made the jump to Echoes of Wisdom too. Players can mix and match ingredients, for example, but instead of doing this through cooking they create smoothies which can have different effects. Dressing up Zelda in different items of clothing also comes with unique benefits.

The abilities of Zelda’s companion Tri were also shown off, namely Bind and Reverse Bind. The former lets Zelda force objects to follow her movements, and was used in the trailer to move a large boulder from her path, while the latter does the opposite! Players can force Zelda to mimic the movement of an object, for example to fly using a bird’s path.

Echoes of Wisdom was revealed on June 18, 2024 with a release date just a few months later: September 26. It features brand new gameplay styles using Zelda’s skillset and promises huge levels of variance between playthroughs.

Fans quickly began working out when and where in the Zelda timeline it takes place, but fan theories reached new heights when Echoes of Wisdom’s ESRB rating revealed Link as a playable character after all.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Elden Ring players have discovered a risk free way of instantly defeating one of Shadow of the Erdtree’s main bosses, Rellana, the Twin Moon Knight.

The exploit works without ever setting foot in her arena, by travelling to the Scadu Altus area before visiting the legacy dungeon Castle Ensis. Spotted by X/Twitter user Ziostorm, players can defeat Rellana by simply casting long range spells while standing in contact with the boss chamber’s rear fog gate.

“Turns out, you can cheese Rellana by going to the rear fog wall by Highroad Cross and using Flame of the Fell God,” they wrote, referring to an Incantation which shoots a ball of fire. “It will travel into her arena and explode.”

Turns out, you can cheese Rellana by going to the rear fog wall by Highroad Cross and using Flame of the Fell God. It will travel into her arena and explode.
–
But definitely fight her legit first, she’s one of the best bosses in Elden Ring DLC. pic.twitter.com/TvI7FzLfjd

— Ziostorm (@Ziostorm1) August 1, 2024

Though perhaps not the way FromSoftware intended Shadow of the Erdtree to be played, players can access Scadu Atlus and thus the exploit by making use of spirit springs, explained in a video from YouTuber LaserBolt.

Using a spell over and over will eventually see Rellana’s health bar hit zero, upon which the fog gates will fade to nothing. Players will earn 240,000 runes, a Remembrance to trade with Finger Reader Enia at the Roundtable Hold, and perhaps a slight feeling of guilt.

Those looking to take on Rellana face to face can read IGN’s Elden Ring guide, which features extensive boss fight walkthroughs, build guides, interactive maps, and more.

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer

Like a Dragon fans have grown excited after series publisher Sega filed a trademark for something called Yakuza Wars.

The trademark was filed in Japan on July 26, 2024 but only made public today, August 5, as spotted by X/Twitter user Wario64. Like a Dragon developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is revealing its next game sometime between September 26 and September 29 at Tokyo Game Show, with many fans now believing Yakuza Wars to be it.

The trademark reveals nothing beyond the name though, not even if Yakuza Wars is a video game property.

Yakuza Wars trademark filed by SEGA https://t.co/2r8S3lSKNE pic.twitter.com/0VD4pVh4Ry

— Wario64 (@Wario64) August 5, 2024

Fans have still run away with the prospect, of course, with Bestgamer on Reddit even discussing its potential as a collaboration between the Like a Dragon series and another Sega franchise Sakura Wars.

“If it is, that would be totally mind blowing,” they said. Sakura Wars combines role-playing and dating simulator gameplay in a steam punk version of early 20th century Japan where demons are invading, obviously.

Others theorised Yakuza Wars sounds like a mobile or real time strategy game title, the latter of which RGG Studio has explored before through the Majima Construction minigame in Yakuza Kiwami 2.

The next Like a Dragon game really could be anything though. RGG Studio has already said fans will be “surprised” by the reveal, and confirmed it won’t be Yakuza Kiwami 3, a remake of the third game following on from Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2.

Like a Dragon has many other offshoots too, so a reveal of the ninth (technically 10th thanks to prequel Yakuza 0) mainline game isn’t the only option.

RGG Studio has previously referred to spin-off Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name as the “first” Gaiden game, for example, and it could even remake PlayStation Portable and Japanese-only games Kurohyō: Ryū ga Gotoku Shinshō for modern platforms like it did with Like a Dragon: Ishin in 2023.

Full spin-off Judgement is waiting in the wings too, as this still action heavy but more murder mystery, detective focused series hasn’t seen a new entry since Lost Judgement in 2021.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

The weekend is finally here, and new deals have popped up. Today, while the PSVR 2 deal remains, the majority of Sony’s back to school deals have ended. However, plenty of new deals have popped up for Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PS5. The best deals for Sunday, August 4, include Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, PSVR2, Persona 5 Tactica, Final Fantasy XVI, and more.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for $44.99

For the first time since launch, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for Nintendo Switch is available on sale. This classic RPG is perfect for anyone, even if you’ve never played an RPG before. The Thousand-Year Door features a loveable cast of characters, a fun combat system, and, overall, a refreshing take on the classic Mario formula.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance for $39.99

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is back down to its all-time low price! SMT V: Vengeance is an enhanced version of the former Nintendo Switch exclusive SMT V, launched in 2019. The biggest feature available in this upgraded re-release is the all new Canon of Vengeance route, which is essentially 40 hours of new story content. At $39.99, this is a steal for what will likely end up being one of the most popular RPGs of the year.

PSVR2 for $349.99

You can score a new PlayStation VR2 headset for a record-low $349.99 right now at Amazon. This VR headset has all sorts of high-end features, including a 110-degree FOV, 4K HDR visuals, eye tracking, and more. Plus, the PC Adapter is set to release in just a few days, which will allow you to play Steam VR titles through the PSVR2 headset. While it’s certainly a tough buy if you play exclusively on PS5, the PSVR2 can make for an excellent PC headset, especially at this price.

Save Big on Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the latest title in the long-running RPG series, and you can score the massive title for an all-time low right now at Woot. Kiryu Kazama returns following the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, uniting with Ichiban Kasuga in a wild adventure you won’t forget anytime soon. Save up to 71% today and pick up one of the biggest RPGs of 2024.

Final Fantasy XVI for $29.99

Final Fantasy XVI for PlayStation 5 has hit a new all time low at Amazon at $29.99. As one of the biggest titles of 2023, FFXVI brings a wide variety of new systems and elements to the world of Final Fantasy. You play as Clive Rosfield on a mission to track down the one who killed your brother as a child. You can expect larger-than-life setpieces, mesmerizing boss battles, and a memorable soundtrack from Masayoshi Soken.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD for $44.99

Launched at the very end of June, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a massive upgrade from the original 3DS title. Developers of Skyward Sword HD, Tantalus, have provided key new HD upgrades, including hundreds of new textures, animations, and more. If you’re looking for another spooky experience on Nintendo Switch, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is the perfect game this Summer!

Persona 5 Tactica for $19.99

Amazon has Persona 5 Tactica listed for $19.99, matching the all-time low for this title. This action-packed adventure takes the Phantom Thieves into a new adventure with tactical combat. If you enjoyed Persona 5 Royal or Persona 5 Strikers, P5 Tactica should be a game on your radar. Erina, a character new to the series, is a great addition to an already amazing cast of characters.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for $49.99

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is also on sale, priced now at $49.99. This matches the previous low, which occurred during the Days of Play sale earlier this year. Spider-Man 2 features both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as playable characters, with a whole new area of New York to explore. You can swing through the city with new suit abilities like Web Wings and take down criminals all around. You’ll need to be prepared, as both Kraven the Hunter and the symbiote Venom are prepared to take you down and rule over NYC.

God of War Ragnarok for $39.99

Years later, God of War Ragnarok is still one of the best PS5 games you can pick up. This action game acts as the sequel to 2018’s God of War, following Kratos and Atreus as Fimbulwinter looms. If you’ve yet to play this game, this is a great time to pick up Ragnarok at a discount and see why so many players love this series. $39.99 is a fantastic price, and you’re not likely to see anything lower outside of major holiday sales toward the end of the year.

Demon Slayer -Kimetsu No Yaiba- Sweep the Board! for $29.99

Sweep the Board! is the latest game from Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba-, focusing on a fun, party-like title that is extremely similar to Mario Party. You play as Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and the rest of the Demon Slayer cast as they traverse through multiple party boards and complete minigames against each other.

The weekend is finally here, and new deals have popped up. This time, most of the major deals are for PlayStation 5, as Sony is currently hosting its Back to School sale. Today is your last chance to score on these deals before they’re gone. The best deals for Saturday, August 3, include PSVR2, PS5 Slim, Persona 5 Tactica, Returnal, Demon’s Souls, and more.

PSVR2 for $349.99

You can score a new PlayStation VR2 headset for a record-low $349.99 right now at Amazon. This VR headset has all sorts of high-end features, including a 110-degree FOV, 4K HDR visuals, eye tracking, and more. Plus, the PC Adapter is set to release in just a few days, which will allow you to play Steam VR titles through the PSVR2 headset. While it’s certainly a tough buy if you play exclusively on PS5, the PSVR2 can make for an excellent PC headset, especially at this price.

Save $50 Off a PS5 Slim Console

Alongside deals on games and PSVR2, you can also save on a PlayStation 5 Slim! Both the Disc and Digital versions are available on sale for $50 off, which is likely the best deal you can grab outside of the Holiday season. If you’ve been thinking about picking up a PS5 for College Football 25 or the upcoming Astro Bot, now is an amazing time to save $50 and grab a new system.

Demon’s Souls for $29.99

Demon’s Souls has returned to an all-time low with the PlayStation Back to School sale. For $29.99, you can expirence this Bluepoint Games remake of one of FromSoftware’s most memorable titles. Since this title is only on PlayStation 5, you won’t be able to play Demon’s Souls on PC or other platforms. Slay the demons and explore the world of Boletaria like never before.

Persona 5 Tactica for $19.99

Amazon has Persona 5 Tactica listed for $19.99, matching the all-time low for this title. This action-packed adventure takes the Phantom Thieves into a new adventure with tactical combat. If you enjoyed Persona 5 Royal or Persona 5 Strikers, P5 Tactica should be a game on your radar. Erina, a character new to the series, is a great addition to an already amazing cast of characters.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for $49.99

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is also on sale, priced now at $49.99. This matches the previous low, which occurred during the Days of Play sale earlier this year. Spider-Man 2 features both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as playable characters, with a whole new area of New York to explore. You can swing through the city with new suit abilities like Web Wings and take down criminals all around. You’ll need to be prepared, as both Kraven the Hunter and the symbiote Venom are prepared to take you down and rule over NYC.

Save 57% Off Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was one of the first major PlayStation 5 titles, releasing in June 2021. This title featured Rivet for the first time, another Lombax who exists in the universe. Together, Rivet and Ratchet must work to take down Doctor Nefarious and save the galaxy once again. With the classic action gameplay and new features, Rift Apart is an excellent platform you should play if you are a fan of the genre.

God of War Ragnarok for $39.99

Years later, God of War Ragnarok is still one of the best PS5 games you can pick up. This action game acts as the sequel to 2018’s God of War, following Kratos and Atreus as Fimbulwinter looms. If you’ve yet to play this game, this is a great time to pick up Ragnarok at a discount and see why so many players love this series. $39.99 is a fantastic price, and you’re not likely to see anything lower outside of major holiday sales toward the end of the year.

Returnal for $29.99

Returnal is also on sale this weekend as part of Sony’s Back to School sale. This challenging shooter features a procedural world that changes at every death. To date, this is still one the most tactical games you can buy on PS5, with dozens of hours of action awaiting. At $29.99, it’s not likely that we’ll see this title go much lower, if at all.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition on Sale for $39.99

Amazon has Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition listed for $39.99, which is one of the lowest prices we’ve seen. This is an amazing deal since you’re essentially getting both Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Spider-Man Remastered for under $20 each. Both rarely go on sale for that low, so this is your best option to pick up these games.

Xbox has announced that it is delaying Avowed from later in 2024 to February 18, 2025, to “give players’ backlogs some breathing room.”

Xbox shared the news on X/Twitter alongside a graphic showing all of its currently announced first party Xbox games.

“So many games coming! As such, we’re moving Avowed to Feb 18, 2025, to give players’ backlogs some breathing room,” Xbox wrote. “Stay tuned for more from our games across Activision, Blizzard, Bethesda & Xbox Game Studios at gamescom, including our Aug 23 livestream for a look at Avowed.”

So many games coming! As such, we’re moving Avowed to Feb 18, 2025 to give players’ backlogs some breathing room.

Stay tuned for more from our games across Activision, Blizzard, Bethesda & Xbox Game Studios at gamescom, including our Aug 23 livestream for a look at Avowed:… pic.twitter.com/3RnyVwlHRa

— Xbox (@Xbox) August 2, 2024

The current release schedule for all of these games is as follows;

• World of Warcraft: The War Within – August 26, 2024
• Age of Mythology: Retold – September 4, 2024
• Ara: History Untold – September 24, 2024
• Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred – October 8, 2024
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – October 25, 2024
• Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – November 19, 2024
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – 2024 TBA
• Starfield: Shattered Space – 2024 TBA
• TowerBorne – 2024 TBA
• Avowed – February 18, 2025
• South of Midnight – 2025
• Doom: The Dark Ages – 2025
• Fable – 2025
• And More…

Avowed was originally planned to be released in Fall 2024. In June, a blog post accidentally revealed a new date of November 12, 2024, but it was quickly deleted as it appeared to not be set in stone.

Avowed got a new story trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase in June, and a 30-minute gameplay deep dive followed shortly after. The lengthy gameplay showed both first and third-person gameplay in the world of Eora and showcased some of the magical tools players will access to in the RPG.

With Avowed out of the way for now, you can check out what other games to focus on in our look The Biggest Games of August 2024 and beyond. Additionally, you can also check out the rest of Xbox’s gamescom plans right here.

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

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

If you were called on to guess the best-selling tabletop games on Amazon, you’d probably opt for a household name like Monopoly, or one of its exhausting catalog of identikit variants. Much of the time – sales numbers vary day by day, of course – you’d not only be wrong, but likely astonished to learn that Monopoly, Scrabble and a host of other well-worn names are regularly outsold by a humble series of murder mystery games called Cryptic Killers.

“Our bestselling game, Murder of a Millionaire, has consistently been above Monopoly’s classic board game for quite some time,” says Andrew Hobbs, co-inventor of the series. “We’re super proud to be up there amongst the big guys.” It also made IGN’s list of best murder mystery games.