In the latest dev diary for DarkSwitch, the development team at Cyber Temple walks viewers through the process of creating this vertical city builder's atmospheric visual style.
Recently airing to the world, Acclaim announced bold new titles, fresh partnerships, and a slate of games as part of their inaugural Play Acclaim showcase.
Announced during today's Nintendo Direct broadcast, ProbablyMonsters revealed that their action roguelike Storm Lancers is now available for the Nintendo Switch.
This week featured some bordered lands. Four of them, in fact. A real turn up for the books, that one. Here's hoping the five people on Earth who aren't singing songs of silk appreciate a good knob gag, or several bad ones made in quick succession by a rectangular robot. I should de-sark myself. It's Friday. There's no place for sentences that mean the opposite.
The 2KTV episodes have marked their return in NBA 2K26, and we already have our first two quiz sets to solve.
While the episodes are entertaining and informative, you can get extra rewards. Every episode has several questions that will appear as quizzes inside the game. You'll have to pick the correct option to get the available rewards. Typically, you can get plenty of VC with this method, which is the premium currency inside the game.
NBA 2K26 2KTV episode 1 answers
The first episode has 17 questions; answering them correctly will land you a handy amount of VC on day one of early access.
Welcome to Season _ of NBA 2KTV
12
The MyCAREER Story in NBA 2K26 is called
Out of Bounds
In NBA 2K26, you and up to 50 people can earn rewards in _.
Crews
Which WNBA Player Starts NBA 2K26 with the highest overall rating?
Napheesa Collier
In NBA 2K26, which attribute category will you specialize in the most?
Any
WNBA Player Card can now join your lineup in which mode?
MyTEAM
Which MyTEAM mode features a 4-point line?
Clutch-Time
Which MyTEAM mode has its own building in The City
Triple Threat Park
In NBA 2K26, the Max Height for a MyPLAYER is now 7'4″
True
What is the MyCAREER Reward for reaching level 40 in Season 1?
+1 Cap Breaker
What position will you make your first MyPLAYER Build?
Any
Which badge increases your ability to intercept opposing passes?
Interceptor
Which badge extends your three-point shooting range
Limitless Range
In every season of NBA 2K26, there are _ levels of prizes to earn
40
What hashtag do you need to use when submitting plays to 2KTV?
#2KTVWOW
Who is the cover athlete for the NBA 2K26 Superstar Edition?
Carmelo Anthony
Which team won the NBA 2K26 Summer League Championship?
Charlotte Hornets
NBA 2K26 2KTV episode 2 answers
Here are the answers to the questions on the second episode.
5
France
2
True
90
Left Trigger
Clutch Gene
Wild Gems
12
Single Player
20%
How to watch 2KTV episodes in NBA 2K26
Checking out the weekly episodes is pretty easy, and you can do so from the game. You'll find a 2KTV tab at the bottom of your home screen. Open it to run the latest episode. Once there are more episodes, you'll be able to check out the ones you might miss to view the content and attempt the quizzes.
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Joe Wusashi may have the name of an accountant, but in Shinobi: Art of Vengeance he proves once again why he's gaming's grunting ninja legend. With razor-sharp controls, stylish combat, and Lizard Cube's signature 2D artistry, this is a slick and satisfying revival — even if the story is thin as a shoji screen.
Nintendo has announced the return of its quirky life-sim series with Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, coming to Nintendo Switch in Spring 2026. The reveal trailer gave fans a glimpse of Mii-filled chaos, hilarious interactions, and the series' trademark unpredictability. A Floating Island of Miis At the heart of Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is […]
Nintendo has unveiled the next chapter in its beloved strategy RPG franchise with Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, set to launch in 2026 for the Nintendo Switch 2. The reveal came with a cinematic and gameplay-packed debut trailer, giving fans their first look at the series' next epic conflict. The Heroic Games Begin Fortune's Weave introduces […]
Nintendo has revealed the next whimsical entry in the Yoshi series: Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, arriving on Nintendo Switch 2 in Spring 2026. A new trailer introduced players to a charming but puzzling storybook world where Yoshi and his friends will leap into the unknown. A Talking Book Falls from the Sky The adventure […]
Today's Nintendo Direct wasn't all announcements for new titles. In traditional Nintendo fashion, we were provided a few updates on upcoming releases like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. The highly anticipated sequel had some new mechanics and functionality dropped on us during the Direct. Let's take a look. Hyrule Warriors itself is a spin-off Zelda […]
Sega dropped a trio of big announcements during today's Nintendo Direct, highlighting what's next for the Nintendo Switch 2. Fans can look forward to a free demo of Persona 3 Reload, pre-orders for Two Point Museum, and a Winter release window for Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage on Switch 2. Step Into the Dark […]
Amid layoffs from their publishing division, Dreamhaven and FuzzyBot announced today on the Nintendo Direct that their action-RPG/farming sim Lynked: Banner of the Spark would be releasing on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Lynked: Banner of the Spark has been out for a while on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Originally released […]
During today's Nintendo Direct, Digital Eclipse and Atari announced that Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection will officially launch digitally on October 30, 2025, bringing together a massive lineup of classic Mortal Kombat titles. Pre-orders for the digital edition open on September 15 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam, […]
Capcom came out swinging during today's Nintendo Direct, delivering three major announcements that span survival horror, monster raising, and a fan-favorite RPG revival. From the haunted halls of the Wrenwood Hotel to the skies of a divided kingdom and even the far reaches of Wave World, 2026 is shaping up to be a huge year […]
Koei Tecmo and Omega Force are set to make next year a landmark moment for their legendary tactical action series. Dynasty Warriors: Origins is officially charging onto Nintendo Switch 2 on January 22, 2026, alongside a large-scale DLC expansion that will launch across all platforms the same day, including PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and […]
All those that dive into Rockstar Games' GTA Online this week can net themselves Double GTA$ and RP on Dispatch Work, Wildlife Photography, and Vespucci Job (Remix).
The seas are about to get bigger and bolder with the release of Koei Tecmo and Bandai Namco's One Piece Pirate Warriors 4 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Get over here! Revealed during today's Nintendo Direct, Digital Eclipse and Atari announced that the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection will enter the Earthrealm for both PC and consoles digitally October 30.
Gamers Heroes recently joined the development team at Manticore Games to see how chaos reigns throughout Out of Time's 3D multiplayer roguelike action - learn more with our preview.
The Block Blast! wizards at Hungry Studio have partnered with Govee to bring their signature gaming experience designs to creative spaces via the new Curtain Lights Pro.
Announced during the Nintendo Direct earlier today, Australian solo developer James Bendon and KRAFTON's survival life sum Dinkum will make its way to the Nintendo Switch November 5.
Mario's celebrating 40 years, a new Pokémon game is on the horizon, Donkey Kong's getting some DLC for his latest outing, and oh my goodness, does Resident Evil 9 look spectacular
Smile and say AIEEEEE, horror fans! Tecmo and Team Ninja are bringing a "remake" of PS2 survival horror Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly to PC via Steam in early 2026. Why am I brandishing a glyph-covered Canon EOS 90D at you, while singing the Ghostbusters theme? Allow me to explain: Fatal Frame's signature touch is that you defeat spooks using a magic camera. Naturally, this also means that you have to look steadily and calmly at said spooks while they shimmer and sway towards you. Catch some of that nonsense in the remake's announcement trailer.
Balatro's free 1.1 update won't release in 2025 as originally planned, developer Localthunk has announced. There's no new release date, but they say the update'll arrive when they've been able to complete it, while continuing to work at a healthy pace.
This update was first announced by publishers Playstack in August last year, with Localthunk subsequently revealing in a chat with Bloomberg that it'll feature, among other stuff, some new jokers and a revamp of the Matador card. The latter dishes out a cash boost whenever you play a hand that triggers a boss blind's ability.
For a week or so now, we've heard rumblings that Valve are preventing the creators of games with "mature themes" from releasing their games in Steam early access. At least two developers have disclosed that they're affected - Dammitbird, creators of raunchy fantasy RPG Heavy Hearts (do not click unless you are happy to look at a werewolf's penis), and Blue Fairy Media, creators of The Restoration of Aphrodisia (do not click unless you are happy to read about lewd transformations).
Dammitbird have screencapped and shared a message from Steam's submissions team, via Ana Valens on Bluesky. It reads: "Your app has failed our review because we're unable to support the Early Access model of development for a game with mature themes. Please resubmit when your app is ready to launch without Early Access."
It's been a rough first day at the office for Borderlands 4, which has launched amid spyware denials and widespread user reports of dodgy PC performance. That being crashing, stuttering, the usual Unreal Engine 5 trouble at the mill. Framerate-related grumbling in particular has prompted a Steam post from Gearbox, presenting a setting-by-setting guide to optimisation on GeForce graphics cards that their pals at Nvidia put together.
First off, oi, that's my job. Second, I say "prompted", but the sheer number of GPUs it covers – separately for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K resolutions – has produced settings tables so rich in cells that it's far more likely a sweating intern has spent the entire past week cranking these out. No disrespect, obviously. Solidarity to benchmarkers. But, are these guides reliable?
Supergiant Games have finally done The Thing, following some patch teases that'd left things in a bit of an 'either go or get off the pot' situation. Hades 2's full release is nigh, with version 1.0 set to drop later this month.
I'm pleased, because the sequel to the horniest ancient Greek roguelike of all time was already very good in early access form. I'm also terrified, because it's not like September hasn't already had enough games to fight for my attention, between Silksong and Borderlands 4. I mean, I've not gotten around to playing either of those yet, because basketball, but hey.
There were two big announcements for Pokemon Legends: Z-A during the September 2025 Nintendo Direct, with one being paid Mega Dimensions DLC and the other being Mega Evolutions for Chesnaught, Delphox, and Greninja. The former are the evolved forms of the three starters we can choose from, as we select Chespin, Fennekin, or Froakie as the game begins. The latter will involve story content, Mega Raichu options, and Holo-X and Holo-Y cosmetic items that will be immediately available when the game debuts.
First, here's the Pokemon Legends: Z-A trailer that focused on the new Mega Evolutions for Chesnaught, Delphox, and Greninja. Nintendo noted we don't just get the Mega Stones for the three right away. We need to earn them. That means having a Nintendo Switch Online membership. By going through Ranked Battles, you can get those.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPTqA10lt-c
We also got to see two different Mega Evolutions for Raichu in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, as they will be part of the Mega Dimension paid DLC. A separate trailer showcased the two possible forms for the character.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExUYVdlA6eI
Pokemon Legends: Z-A will be available for the Switch and Switch 2 on October 16, 2025, and Mega Dimension paid DLC will also appear.
The official social media account for Genshin Impact revealed Nefer will be one of the next new Nod-Krai characters to appear after the Luna I update, and we can expect to see her in 6.1. We don't know if she will be a four-star or five-star yet.
Nefer is one of the Genshin Impact Nod-Krai characters first teased back in July 2025. Her art appeared alongside people like Alice and Varka. The latest reveals confirm she is a Dendro Moon Wheel character. She's the "Secret Beneath the Sands" and owns a shop known as the Curatorium of Secrets that functions in a somewhat similar way to the Adventurers' Guild. One description detailing her suggests she also uses a cat named Ashru to carry messages for her. Her Constellation is called Ludus Latrunculorum.
Here's the social media post describing her and her shop. It also shows larger art of the character.
Three Nod-Krai characters appeared in this initial 6.0 Luna I update. The first was the five-star Dendro character Lauma, and the four-star Aino and five-star Flins showed up too.
Genshin Impact is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices, and Nefer will be one of the next new characters. The PS4 version is no longer available to download in the PlayStation Store, but will be available to play until 2026.
Nintendo shared a shadowdrop during the September 2025 Direct, and it is Donkey Kong Bananza expansion DLC called DK Island and Emerald Rush. It involves a trip to DK's home, filled with familiar faces, and an Emerald Rush mode that sees us taking on Void Kong challenges. The base game costs $69.99, so adding the $19.99 expansion brings to total price for the full experience up to $89.98.
The official announcement confirmed some of the things we can expect. If you head to DK Island after beating the game, callbacks to previous titles appear. You can go to DK's Treehouse or King K. Rool's Gangplank Galleon ship. Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong both showed up in the footage and on the official site. Cranky Kong and Rambi will show up there too, following his earlier cameos.
As for Emerald Rush, that means taking a job with a reformed Void Kong after the events of the game. He'll send DK and Pauline to collect Emerald Ore in side-missions and during Emerald Rush events. This will also be a means of getting outfits and statues.
Here's the full trailer for the Donkey Kong Bananza DK Island and Emerald Rush DLC expansion trailer that shows what to expect from the new locations and activities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44xycnG2mKo
Donkey Kong Bananza is available for the Switch 2, and the DK Island and Emerald Rush DLC expansion is immediately available. The
HoYoVerse shared details about the 3.6 Honkai: Star Rail update, which is known as "Called Back to Earth in Evernight" and confirmed the release date for it, the March 7th Evernight alt, and the Dan Heng Permansor Terrae alt. It will appear on September 24, 2025. We'll also all get the new version of Dan Heng for free by logging in between October 15, 2025 and the end of version 4.0.
First, this will continue the Amphoreus and Chrysos Heir storyline in Honkai: Star Rail. A new Trailblaze Mission will appear. In addition to Cyrene playing a part, as she did in 3.5, Evernight will bring up Era Nova in Honkai: Star Rail and Dan Heng will come back with new capabilities of his own.
We know the schedule for the new and returning character banners too. When 3.6 starts, Evernight will appear alongside The Herta. That's also when the Light Cone banners To Evernight's Stars and Into the Unreachable Veil will show up. The second part of the update, starting on October 15, 2025, will bring with it Dan Heng Permansor Terrae and Anaxa. Their Though Worlds Apart and Life Should Be Cast to Flames Lightcones will be there too.
Here's the full Honkai: Star Rail "Called Back to Evernight" 3.6 trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2B_woXdf_E
And the full 3.6 Honkai: Star Rail Special Program stream can be viewed below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpRDn1lgLlg
3.6 Honkai: Star Rail "Called Back to Earth in Evernight" will appear on the PS5, PC, and mobile devices on September 24, 2025, and Dan Heng Permansor Terrae will be free between October 10, 2025 and the end of 4.0. After that, we'll see Cyrene in 3.6.
During the Japanese September 2025 Nintendo Direct, Persona 3 Reload came up, and Atlus confirmed a demo for the JRPH is now live for the Switch 2. It is available worldwide. Anyone can find it on the eShop.
This is actually something we've seen before for other platforms. Back in April 2025, Atlus released this free trial for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.
It is actually a snippet from the beginning of the game. We can start our adventure and get introduced to SEES, Tartarus, and the world of Personas. This means samples of both the day-to-day school life at Gekkoukan High School, as well as the turn-based battles when we head into the dungeon during the Midnight Hour. You can save during it, and that file can be used in the full version of the game when it debuts on October 23, 2025.
Here's the official Japanese announcement and trailer for the Persona 3 Reload Switch 2 release and trial.
Persona 3 Reload will come to the Switch 2 on October 23, 2025, and the demo is available worldwide now. The game is already on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the same trial is available on those platforms too.
Square Enix shared the pre-order bonuses for the Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Switch 2 version and depending on which option you choose, you could get the original FFVII or a Magic: The Gathering themed Final Fantasy MTG Play Booster pack of cards. This came up after the release date reveal during the September 2025 Nintendo Direct. The Xbox Series X version does also have a copy of the original game as an incentive, but no cards as an option.
The digital listing for the Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade with FFVII is live on the eShop now, and it costs $39.99. It is labeled as a "limited early purchase edition." That is the only way to also get the original port, and the bundle also offers the Carbuncle, Chocobo Chick, and Cactaur summon materia, the Mako Crystal, Seraphic Earrings, and Superstar Belt accessories, Cactsar weapon for Yuffie, and Corneo Armlet, Midgar Bangle, and Shinra Bangle Armor. This version is available until January 31, 2026, but people do need to wait until January 22, 2026 to play the FFVII original game. (If someone goes with the Xbox Series X version, they get access to FFVII right away.)
As for the FFVII Remake Final Fantasy MTG Play Booster card offer, that will be doled out when someone picks up their physical copy. The pack will feature 15 cards from that expansion. Note that the Japanese Square Enix eStore listing did note this is a game keycard cartridge that doesn't feature the full game on it.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will come to the Switch 2 and Xbox Series X on January 22, 2026, with pre-order options and bonuses tied to them starting to appear now. The game is already on the PS4, PS5, and PC.
During the September 2025 Nintendo Direct in Japan, Capcom confirmed Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection will appear and make seven games available again. It then shared this will be a worldwide release after that. While it first showed up in that showcase, the compilation will be available on the Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. It will launch sometime in 2026. An official site is now open.
Here's the full list of every game that will appear in this collection:
Mega Man Star Force Dragon
Mega Man Star Force Leo
Mega Man Star Force Pegasus
Mega Man Star Force 2 Zerker x Ninja
Mega Man Star Force 2 Zerker x Saurian
Mega Man Star Force 3 Black Ace
Mega Man Star Force 3 Red Joker
While this seems like a lot, it is important to remember that these are different versions of the same game with different Giga Cards and Guardians bosses in Dragon, Leo, and Pegasus as an example.
Earlier in 2025, Capcom shared new merchandise based on these games in a Cap Kuji in Japan.
Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection will bring seven games in the series to the Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2026. There was also an anime based on this line.
A major Nintendo Direct was held ahead of the Tokyo Game Show in September 2025, and it featured reveals of numerous games. While most of the games were revealed globally, a few of them exclusively appeared in the Japanese and English streams.
Here is the full list of titles revealed globally in the September 2025 Nintendo Direct. Note that these games are sorted based on their appearances in the Japanese Direct.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie - Theaters - April 2026 in Japan
Super Mario Galaxy 1+2 - October 2, 2025 (physical storybook coming on the same day, with amiibos following suit on April 2, 2026)
Mario Tennis Fever - February 12, 2026
Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Spring 2026
Speaking Flower - Merchandise - Spring 2026
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book - Spring 2026
Popucom - Winter 2025
Dinkum - November 6, 2025
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream - Spring 2026
Hades II - September 26, 2025
One Piece Pirate Warriors 4 - Fall 2025
Overcooked 2 - Winter 2025
Stardew Valley - Fall 2025
Human Fall Flat - Spring 2026
Kirby Air Riders - amiibos coming on November 20, 2025
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment - November 6, 2025
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined - February 5, 2026
Virtual Boy Nintendo Classics - February 17, 2026
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake - Early 2026
Suika Game Planet - Winter 2025
Power Wash Simulator 2 - Fall 2025
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade - January 22, 2026
Monster Hunter Stories 3 - March 13, 2026
Metroid Prime 4 Beyond - December 4, 2025
Donkey Kong Bananza - New demo and DLC out now
Pokemon Pokopia - 2026
Pokemon Legends Z-A - New DLC pack Mega Dimension to add Mega Raichu X & Y
Dynasty Warriors Origins - January 22, 2026
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake - October 30, 2025
Little Nightmares III - October 10, 2025
Two Point Museum - October 29, 2025
Persona 3 Reload - October 23, 2025
Super Danganronpa 2x2 - 2026
Resident Evil Requiem - February 27, 2026
Resident Evil Village - February 27, 2026
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - February 27, 2026
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave - 2026
Here are the Switch and Switch 2 games that exclusively appeared in the Japanese September 2025 Nintendo Direct:
Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection - 2026
Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree - September 18, 2025
Hyke: Northern Light(s) - September 19, 2025
Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & The White Guardian - September 26, 2025
Just Dance 2026 Edition - October 14, 2025
Once Upon A Katamari - October 23, 2025
Tales of Xillia Remastered - October 30, 2025
Disney Miraness Fitness - December 11, 2025
Obakeidoro 2 - October 9, 2025
Tamagotchi Plaza - Switch 2 Edition free update available now
ShapeHero Factory - September 18, 2025
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter - September 19, 2025
Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles - September 30, 2025
Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero - November 13, 2025
Momotaro Dentetsu 2 - November 13, 2025
Yakuza Kiwami - November 13, 2025
Yakuza Kiwami 2 - November 13, 2025
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road - November 14, 2025
Octopath Traveler 0 - December 4, 2025
Meanwhile, the following titles appeared only in the English Nintendo Direct:
Storm Lancers - Available now
Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection - Digitally on October 30, 2025; physically on December 12, 2025
Lynked: Banner of the Spark - Available now
Disgaea 7 Complete - October 10, 2025
EA Sports FC 26 - September 26, 2025
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage - Winter 2025
Nintendo announced during the September 2025 Direct that Virtual Boy games would join the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscription tier for people with both the original console and Switch 2. It will require a plastic or cardboard accessory dock to play. That will roll out on February 17, 2025.
The accessory dock is designed to look exactly like a Virtual Boy, and someone will pull the front open to insert either a Switch or Switch 2 to have it act as a dock. They can then play the titles in stereoscopic 3D. The cardboard option will be smaller and look more similar to the Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit. People with a subscription will be able to buy that peripheral.
Nintendo announced 14 games will be part of this Virtual Boy library. The Direct stream showed Galactic Pinball, Mario's Tennis and Teleroboxer being played.
This is the full list of expected games that will all eventually be available in the Virtual Boy Classics app.
3D Tetris
Galactic Pinball
Golf
Innsmouth no Yakata
Jack Bros
Mario Clash
Mario's Tennis
Red Alarm
Space Invaders Virtual Collection
Teleroboxer
V-Tetris
Vertical Force
Virtual Bowling
Virtual Boy Wario Land
There is no sign of Waterworld in the list.
Here is the full September 2025 Nintendo Direct showcase:
https://www.youtube.com/live/tWIEv_aksvo
Virtual Boy games will become part of the Switch and Switch 2 Nintendo Switch Online Expansion pack subscription starting on February 17, 2025, and they'll require a plastic or cardboard dock accessory to play.
Nintendo announced a new Fire Emblem game called Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave for the Switch 2, and it seems to be tied to Three Houses since Sothis appeared at the end of the reveal. It will debut in 2026, though the September 2025 Nintendo Direct didn't state an exact release date for the new entry in the series.
This new Fire Emblem game seems to be set in Almyra, which we first learned about in Three Houses and was the home of characters like Claude and Cyril. Neither of them appear, though Sothis did at the end. It seems the new character is a young man named Cai, who wishes to compete in the "Heroic Games" to save his father's life. We see him as a rider using a spear in battle. Other named characters who show up as possible allies in battles are Theodora, Dietrich, and Leda. The Divine Sovereign promises to grant people who win "whatever they desire."
The full September 2025 Nintendo Direct can be seen below, and the new Fire Emblem Switch 2 game appeared at the end.
https://www.youtube.com/live/tWIEv_aksvo
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave will come to the Switch 2 in 2026, and the original Fire Emblem: Three Houses game is available on the Switch now.
During the September 2025 Nintendo Direct, Spike Chunsoft announced a Danganronpa 2 x 2 remake for the Switch and Switch 2. That will include a new scenario, which will result in different people dying in different order and a new storyline. It will launch on both systems sometime in 2026.
The base game of Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is largely the same in this remake. We'll still find the group of Hope's Peak Academy Ultimate Students on Jabberwock Island for a school trip gone awry. Monokuma shows up to start a killing game. This means investigating murders and finding killers in class trials. However, the new scenario that comes up will completely change the course of the game. It will result in unexpected deaths and pacing from the original game.
Here is the full September 2025 Nintendo Direct:
https://www.youtube.com/live/tWIEv_aksvo
Following its original debut on the PSP in 2012, we've seen the second Danganronpa game show up on multiple platforms. First, there was the Vita release. But then, it eventually also showed up on the PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices.
Danganronpa 2 x 2 will come to the Switch and Switch 2 in 2026.
Marvel Rivals' newest hero, the Vanguard/tank hero Angela, is an absolute blast to play.
She has infinite flight capabilities, a spear, dual axes, and an ultimate that tethers foes and slows them down for a follow-up assault. She's the most fun I've had in the game in a long time, and she's the latest reason why this game is a nightmare to play.
Image via NetEase Games
For support players, it's a never-ending assault on the backline with numerous dive characters, and Angela is just the latest in a long line of pains in the ass to play against. With her flight capabilities, she's also able to use her spear to grab and push players for a short distance. Good luck dealing with that while also fending off Spider-Man, Iron Fist, Magik, Venom, or Black Panther.
The giant, muscular Asgardian angel is the third Vanguard/tank that has been added since Rivals launched last December. When Daredevil comes to the game next month, he'll be the fifth Duelist added since launch. There have been two Strategists/healers (Invisible Woman and Ultron) added since launch. This needs to change.
I'm a Vanguard main, so I was having a blast playing Angela, diving the backline and wreaking havoc on squishy characters. I switched off after several games and played a Strategist, as one does since everyone else auto-locks Duelists in most matches, and it felt like torture. As Luna Snow, I immediately was getting dived by Magik, Spider-Man, and Angela, as my oblivious frontline was off dying elsewhere.
And so I switched to Ultron, a healer who can also fly. But guess what? Angela's infinite flight capabilities makes her a nightmare for him, too. As Ultron, you can use your movement ability to move laterally and get a minor speed boost, but it does not matter as Angela is relentless.
When season four ends, Rivals will have 22 Duelists, 11 Vanguards, and a paltry nine Strategists. This has to change soon, because the game is a balancing nightmare as it is. The roster itself needs to find more balance ASAP, because the hero variety for healers is kind of pathetic at this point.
Screenshot by Destructoid
I think the next two or three heroes need to be Strategists to even begin to try to right the ship. Will NetEase do that? I doubt it, especially since the vast majority of datamined heroes are, you guessed it, Duelists.
With rumors of Gambit and Rogue joining the game in season five, leaks say the latter will be a healer of some kind, so it's a start. But we need more, and quickly, lest we get some sort of Strategist strike, because playing that role right now is a tough ask for anyone.
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The Call of Duty community's outcry against outlandish and silly operator skins has been heard loud and clear, according to Activision.
The publisher has announced changes to the operator skins coming as part of Black Ops 7's $100 Vault Edition in response to player outcry about the skins and how they looked, for a variety of reasons. The new skins can be seen below.
Image via Activision
"As part of our commitment to the authentic look and feel of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and after receiving community feedback specifically related to the Black Ops 7 Vault Edition offering, we've decided to implement some visual changes to three of the four Vault Edition Operators in the Operator Collection and deliver a bonus Operator Skin for T.E.D.D.," Activision said in a new blog post today.
Karma has had her "holographic plates and visor" adjusted, Harper's "armor has been streamlined and recolored," and T.E.D.D.'s "face has been decomposed to match his original look from Black Ops 2" while the original Vault Edition skin will also be additionally included. Reaper EWR-3's Mind and Metal skin has been untouched. The previous appearances for all four skins can be seen below.
Frankly, though? I do not care. As aggravating as it can be to die to Nicki Minaj or Beavis or Silent Bob, I just hope BO7 is fun to play. I appreciate how Activision is responding to feedback for BO7, but if the game isn't enjoyable, then the skins don't matter.
I would like if, after a high kill game in BO7, I'm not immediately matched up against OpTic and FaZe tryout members. I would like for the game to run well on PC, and I would like fun post-launch content along with timely bug fixes. Skins? Leave 'em. While it's nice that these $100-exclusive skins are being tweaked thanks to player outcry, I have hopes for more.
My love of CoD has fallen off greatly over the past few years. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend an event last month to play BO7 with other press and content creators. I'm grateful for the opportunity either way, but I wish I knew how BO7 felt so I could form a better opinion or offer feedback.
Screenshot by Destructoid
We'll know more about BO7 when Call of Duty Next broadcasts on Sept. 20, followed by the game's beta test on Oct. 2. For now, I'm feeling hopeful and positive that Activision's feedback response will carry over to some of the more important facets of the game.
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When Hollow Knight originally dropped on the Switch, I bought it immediately as I had heard good things. I played it for a few hours, struggled to find anything around the map, got killed multiple times, found the lack of objective agonizing, and ended up having a horrible time.
I don't remember when I picked it up again, but I know why. I had gone down a YouTube rabbit hole (I didn't spoil myself, don't worry), learning about mechanics, game design, and the incredible feeling of discovery in the game. Curious, I dove back in better equipped and determined to find the diamond in the rough, and I learned the difficulty and that purposeful feeling of being lost was the point. Now, Hollow Knight is one of my favorite games of all time.
It lives up to the hype
Image via Team Cherry
The wait for Hollow Knight: Silksong has been agonizing. It was originally planned as DLC, and it shows, because this is a game clearly designed for people who have beaten the original. Silksong is tough, and occasionally it delights in trolling you. Yet it respects your time better than the original Hollow Knight, and works harder to give the player purpose and the tools to survive.
For the newcomers, Hollow Knight: Silksong is a metroidvania and a sequel to Hollow Knight. Both entries in the series feature punishing difficulty with fast action and challenging 2D platforming. But they offer intricate mixtures of powers and mechanics so you can fight back in your own style. All coupled with an oppressively dark world littered with enemies, intriguing lore, and a simplistic but somber art style that accentuates the beautiful things, from flies to fountains and beyond. Crucially, both games are about getting lost.
Image via Team Cherry
Make no mistake, Team Cherry's second outing is just as bewildering as its first. But it's clear they have honed some of the difficult elements of Hollow Knight and produced a sequel more provocatively challenging, but ultimately more satisfying. Compared to the original, Silksong makes it easier to map the world, it lays out a much clearer objective, and Hornet feels like she's driving the story.
Where the Knight was passive, Hornet is active, both in narrative when talking to the amazing NPCS like Sherma, and mechanics. Silksong has an urgency to it, and it helps that Hornet feels incredible to control after the first couple of powers are unlocked. Hornet is much more nimble than the Knight, making you feel like a deadly dancer as you chain attacks and dashes while lacerating your foes with dozens of Needle strikes.
A song of slice and ire
Image via Team Cherry
You move through Pharloom very fast, and every time Hornet gets another tool to aid that movement, the game feels even smoother. The world of Hollow Knight: Silksong can feel overwhelming at times, but that size is also one of its greatest assets, almost begging you to sprint across the map and uncover secrets. On several occasions, I have either broken into a hidden room or been literally kidnapped and ended up in areas I had no idea existed. What I thought was the boundary of the map was just a teaser.
Combining exhilarating movement with the snappy combat creates a flow state that's hard to snap out of. This rare sort of satisfying gameplay is the result of a painstaking attention to both agency and feedback, and ensuring that both are perfected. Nowhere is this more evident than in the delicate dance of boss fights, where these brutish enemies smash you into pieces with their rhythmic combinations, only for you to come back swinging moments later.
Image via Team Cherry
Well, however long it takes you to run back to that arena. While I love the bosses in Silksong, dying to a boss can feel gut-wrenching, thanks to the occasional ridiculous trek back from bench to the boss, the loss of shell shards, and the loss of rosaries. If you reach the location where you died, you can retrieve some of your Silk and your rosaries, but it's the loss of Shell Shards that can be the worst element, as they're needed for many projectiles and tools.
Silksong has some amazing combinations of equipment, with great tools like the pin projectiles, which you can augment with things like poison to attack from a distance. Plus, some crests completely change the way Hornet controls. Whether changing the direction of her downward attack, changing other elements, the crests offer a really fun way to make sure each player is strategizing in their very own way. I recommend unlocking as many tools and crests as you can, and playing around with combinations until you're happy.
Threads the difficulty needle perfectly
Image via Team Cherry
Some of the bosses in Silksong are among the best boss fights in recent memory, perhaps ever. If you enjoy the dance of fights like Metroid Dread's gruelling Ravenbeak, Silksong has that in spades, with over 40 different bosses waiting to challenge your abilities and test your resolve. Occasionally, bosses spawn one too many other enemies, and fights can feel unfair or possibly random. But, again, it's up to you to find a solution or an attack style that works.
One slight letdown is when it comes to powers, Silksong plays it safe. While this title is the zenith of world-building and immediate gameplay, there's nothing here quite as revolutionary (at the time) as Axiom Verge's many weapons, or Ori & The Will of the Wisps' Bash mechanic, which let you slingshot through enemies. Or even the Shadow of the Simurgh from Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. In fact, the screenshot mechanic from The Lost Crown's map also would have been amazing here. This isn't to say Silksong doesn't do impressive, or even quite similar, things with abilities and combat; I just don't think I ever had a moment that felt entirely new to the Metroidvania genre. Very, very good? Yes. New? Not quite.
Image via Team Cherry
Over all of this are breathtaking visuals and music. Silksong has the same simplistic but cleverly complex art as Hollow Knight taken even further. Enemies occasionally look like simple doodles, but it's the way lighting and effects flitter across the screen that gives these things life. Running across the stage shows parallax scrolling, imbuing these dank caves a depth despite the crudeness of their detail.
Silksong jumps off the screen, and the beautiful visuals work in tandem with smart lighting and particle effects, and phenomenal sound design, to create a living and breathing world more enrapturing than many AAA games working to make photo-realistic copies of real-world locations. This is also supported by another stellar score from Christopher Larkin, who gives this entry's soundtrack a different energy and a renewed sense of excitement and drive that matches Hornet herself.
Image via Team Cherry
Over around 40 hours of gameplay, Silksong delivers a Metroidvania that towers over the original, and stands tall among genre classics like Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. It delivers on all of the promises of its predecessor, but makes smart choices to deliver a leaner and meaner game that dares you to get better.
Moment-to-moment gameplay just feels phenomenal, and over every minute of this grand adventure, thrill-seekers will feel rewarded for their continued perseverance with well-hidden secrets and an incredible story that similarly begs to be discovered instead of simply being told. The only things holding it back are occasionally grueling runs back to bosses, a painful economy, and a slight lack of truly original mechanics.
Borderlands 4, available on PC and consoles, features a co-op system that allows players to choose between highly fun and enriching experiences.
Not only can you invite up to three of your friends to play together, but you can also take advantage of crossplay (to bypass any platform restrictions). Let's look at setting up a lobby with your buddies to explore the world together.
How to invite your friends to Borderlands 4?
Crossplay lets you play Borderlands 4 with your friends on the same or different platforms. This guide will mostly be about playing with your buddies on Steam, but the extra step to invite someone from the console isn't very elaborate. It requires a few additional steps, which I have discussed later.
To play with your friends, you must add them on Steam (or your PlayStation/Xbox account if you're on console).
When you're inside a game, pause the game (also works from the main menu).
You'll view all your online friends on the top-right part of your screen.
You can click on a name and invite them to join your lobby.
Once they have joined, you'll have to select the mode. The mode can be chosen only by the person hosting the session.
As of writing, the campaign is the only option for you and your buddies. More options will unlock later during the weekend, allowing you to explore content outside the campaign.
Screenshot by Destructoid
If you're willing to play with your buddies across different platforms, the extra step is to turn on crossplay.
How to enable crossplay in Borderlands 4?
Crossplay comes in two types.
Personal: This basic crossplay enables players on other platforms to join your session.
Party: This helps to highlight a party member who has their crossplay turned off.
Both settings remain enabled by default, but you can tweak them from Session Settings. If you're playing with people on the same platform, you can turn on crossplay if you want (no harm in keeping it on as well).
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Borderlands 4 is now out in the wild on PC and console, and gamers everywhere are clocking in for duty on Kairos to hunt vaults, shoot, loot, and help out the locals on a planet that's been imprisoned by a devious enemy named the Timekeeper.
Screenshot via Gearbox
BL4 is an absolute blast to play, especially with friends. I think that the new movement tech, including sliding, dashing, gliding, and double-jumping, pairs up with a billion different guns and character builds to create some truly fun gaming moments.
The main issue, though, is that a lot of gamers on PC haven't been able to get the game to run properly for them, or run at all. Performance issues plagued yesterday's PC launch, but the game is now out on console, too.
I struggled with getting the game to run properly in the pre-release build for the review period, but I was finally able to get it to play at a somewhat stable 60 FPS on the lowest settings. My rig is admittedly a bit older, but even players with above-recommended specs are reporting a myriad of issues, and many others are experiencing crashing issues and other bugs, so I'm curious what the temperature is among the players.
And so I turn to you, dear reader, to ask what your thoughts are on Borderlands 4 thus far. It's only day one, so things will likely change with updates and stability patches, but how are you feeling about it right now? Let us know in the poll and comments below.
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Your weekly toil is over, friends, and you are to be rewarded with 48 hours of rest and respite. In between resting and respiting, you'll also have plenty of time to game, so let's hear what you're gonna be playing this time around.
As for me, I'll be hopping onto a lot of stuff this weekend, not least because I am an addict who cannot take his eyes off the screen. That is, if I get enough sleep tonight, which I never seem to do. And today I am especially tired, having only slept a few hours last night for no good reason, which usually tends to prevent me from sleeping.
In between the sleeping and the (potential) gym session in the morning, I'll be looking into completing my amazing run with Duklja in Crusader Kings 3, where I caused the collapse of the Eastern Roman Empire and slowly but surely picked up the pieces it left behind and glued them together into one massive Balkan Imperium. Other than that, there's World of Tanks with the 2.0 update still going strong, as well as a secret little game you'll hear more of soon. Well, more like two secret games.
Just look at the size of that thing! Screenshot by Destructoid
The rest of the crew is keeping busy this time around as well, with even our editor Luci straying from the beaten path of chess and into tennis, both of which are staple Eastern European arts. He'll be swinging his racket in TopSpin 2K25, in between moving pieces on a board, because old habits die hard.
Our writing trio, Scott Duwe, Madison Benson, and Arka Sarkar, are all going to be playing Borderlands 4 if they can get the game to run on their machines, which so many people are failing to do (read my feature on broken AAA launches, while we're on the topic).
Scott will also sprinkle some Marvel Rivals into the mix, just for variation, and so will Kacee Fay, unless she's sinking time into Sims 4, which she aims to be her main gaming pleasure.
Hadley Vincent is sticking to their horror roots and looking back in time to when the genre was still serviceable, opting to spend their weekend exploring the dark corners of Raccoon City inthe original Resident Evil trilogy. They will also get some Apex Legends action going, as we are all addicted to some live-service title and cannot just be playing the good stuff all the time.
Randy Pitchford's new title is gonna take up a lot of the crew's time this weekend. Image via 2K
These past few days have been tumultuous for everyone across the globe, with unwelcome events unraveling left and right, so make sure you take these upcoming two days and get some well-deserved rest in and avoid the grim real world for a while.
I know I will, but it is you who matters the most, dear reader, so do not go gentle into that good weekend without letting us know whatcha gonna be playin'.
Stay safe and have a great weekend, Destructoid.
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This year so far has been filled to the brim with amazing games, coming from both independent studios and massive AAA powerhouses. However, the latter group continues to rack up quite the reputation for launching in semi-finished states, often with huge performance issues.
So, the question is: when will AAA titles, which often cost around $80 for base versions, stop releasing with horrible performance, failing to properly run even on the best hardware on the market?
First, an overview
Many of these games are awesome, but completely ruined by performance issues. Image via Obsidian Entertainment
205 offered us a slew of AAA titles, with more to come as we near the end of the year. Blockbuster games tend to aim for a Fall release window, but I wager we've seen more than enough to draw a conclusion on performance.
Released in February, Avowed was the first major offender in this regard. Over the past half-year or so, the game has managed to rack up about 76% positive reviews on Steam, with both positive and negative comments reflecting on the game's underlying performance issues. One player saidAvowed featured "constant graphics and performance issues," while another wrote that "the performance is unfortunately a bit rough."
While I found it generally fun, I can't say I didn't run into constant issues like crashing, choppy gameplay, and lag, all of which could only be compensated (barely) by ramping up very unpleasant settings, or relying on upscaling, which itself ruins the image. This will become a common theme in this article, as most of these AAA games rely on Unreal Engine 5, a notoriously demanding and upscaling-reliant engine that's proving a true challenge for even the best PCs out there.
Worse cases were Monster Hunter Wilds and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, the former still sitting on "Mixed" on Steam, with "Mostly Negative" recent reviews. Capcom's reputation for putting out technically horrific games is not new, but Wilds truly remains its worst release yet in terms of performance.
Monster Hunter Wilds, despite its great gameplay, is rendered unplayable due to technical problems. Image via Capcom
Though it uses its own proprietary engine, the company failed to properly optimize the title, with players having to rely heavily on using upscaling technologies, which, when paired with lowered settings, turn the game into a mudfest. Stuff is blurry, textures look horrible, and what should have been a visually stunning cinematic experience turns into a mushy PowerPoint presentation—which in many cases remains true to this day, months after release.
The other title, Wuchang, is also an Unreal Engine 5 title, which stressed my own RX 9070 XT to the utmost. Maxing out settings on a $700 GPU barely gave me 60 fps, and even when it did, it led to choppy gameplay. Lowering graphical settings helped improve average numbers, but barely solved any of the stuttering issues I had encountered. On lower-end hardware, which the majority of players have according to Steam's surveys, things get even worse.
The game is also "Mixed" on Steam, despite the devs' constant effort to improve performance, which even went as far as forcing players to use upscaling, therefore blurring out their game without them even having a say in it. Other improvements were included over time, though, but the Unreal Engine 5 platform is simply too taxing for most systems out there, and no amount of optimization can change that.
Borderlands 4's devs knew upfront there'd be issues, and warned players who have less than the minimum requirements not to even try running it. Image via 2K
Last but not least is the most recent drop of this year—Borderlands 4. Though Gearbox advised players who had lower-end hardware to avoid trying to run the game, Borderlands 4 is proving a true headache for even the most capable builds.
"None of my friends can get the game to start past main menu," said one negative review. "Terrible optimization. Another Unreal Engine 5 casualty," chimed in another. What's more, the improvement in overall graphical fidelity is rather marginal over Borderlands 3, while none of the games mentioned here are all-too-great-looking, to be completely frank.
There was also the Oblivion remaster, which ran so horribly I cannot even begin to describe it, even on high-end systems, while carrying all the recognizable AI upscaling flaws, from nauseating ghosting to blurry visuals.
The only thing causing this strain on machines is the lack of optimization, proper system implementation, and a faulty engine that cares more about "looks" than performance, and even then doesn't deliver on the eyecandy.
Not every AAA game is the same
Konami did well with MGS Delta: Snake Eater, despite using Unreal Engine 5. Image via Konami
Some AAA launches did fare well, though. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, also built on Unreal Engine 5, has had great reviews and few complaints about the performance. Its heavy reliance on upscaling technologies, especially on consoles, is probably the saving grace, though I can't fault Konami for optimizing its game.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, even if not a proper AAA, is an Unreal Engine 5 title that runs beautifully on most machines—but also one blurred to all hell with in-built upscaling methods ruining the vibes, but not always. Hell is Us, also more double A than triple, generally ran fine for me, with minor hitches here and there—without any forced upscaling.
Hell is Us and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stand out among UE5 games with their performance and looks, but they aren't what you'd consider AAA. Image via Nacon
We are yet to see how The Outer Worlds 2 will perform, a game also created on the Unreal Engine 5, as well as Silent Hill f, though what I saw in my preview of the former does warrant some concern. Forced ray tracing via UE5's Lumen technology is bound to have detrimental effects on lower-end hardware.
We'll have to wait for the full release to judge, however, but the very fact that it's using UE5 is enough to make me worry, as I anticipate every game on the engine to run poorly. Even when they do work well, it's usually at the cost of visual fidelity, blur, upscaling, and AI artifacts that cannot be ignored.
So, when does it stop?
Even if we put the blame on Unreal Engine 5, someone had to have made that program to allow devs to use it in game development. Whoever is ignoring basic optimization and performance in favor of anything else is the one responsible, and in AAA corporate environments, the bureaucratic hierarchy doesn't allow us to pinpoint who truly is at fault.
Whether it's developer incompetence or men in suits making the wrong calls and not allowing designers to finish their work on time and properly, matters little. The latter seems to be the more likely, as we see examples above of small studios and AA-sized projects making tremendous strides even when using the bogeyman engine, so if small teams can do it, so can the big ones.
The AAA industry needs to step up its game and stop the unbroken chain of less-than-stellar launches with little to justify them. Meanwhile, the consumers need to reevaluate which games they buy and stop spending money on games they cannot play or run, which, as it turns out, are numerous.
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Eridium is one of the many resources in Borderlands 4, but its immediate use isn't exactly clear. At first, you won't have a spot to use this resource, but this only hides its importance and role in the late and endgame.
How to use Eridium in Borderlands 4?
If you have played older Borderlands games, including the third installment, you'll know what Eridium is. While you can earn it as soon as you get the hang of the main campaign, the resource is required for certain endgame content.
Screenshot via Gearbox
Moxxi's Encore Machines: These machines allow you to reset a boss to take down, hoping to get new rewards. The content becomes available only after you complete the primary campaign. You'll need a lot of Cash and Eridium to reset the machines. This was where I spent most of my Eridium last time around, and I expect the trend to continue.
Firmware Transfer: Completing the main campaign allows you to unlock Zane's machines across towns. You can use one of them to transfer firmware. If you have two great endgame guns but can use only one, you can spend Eridium to carry over the effect of one onto the other. While the base weapon will be destroyed, you can get two special effects into one, activating both (or more) simultaneously.
Eridium is also required if you're not entirely satisfied with your build for the endgame. You unlock the Specialization skill tree, which is a separate system. Unlike the usual skills, Specialization points allow you to bypass the normal skill tree and unlock more passives.
If you're ever unhappy with your class specialization, you can always use Eridium to respec all your skills and move towards a new one.
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Borderlands 4 has a host of Banks of Kairos available across different regions, and you can make some hefty profits from them.
Your inventory has limited space, so you can only carry a handful of items. The Bank is your account storage where you can store items you don't immediately need in your Backpack. You can then visit a Bank to transfer these items accordingly. But first, let's find out where you can access them.
The first Bank of Kairos in Borderlands 4 is located in The Howl region. You'll have to clear a fair amount of content to access it. Thankfully, missing the Bank of Kairos in The Howl is impossible, as the location is tied to the primary campaign.
You'll unlock the Down and Outbound as part of the primary quests. As you keep completing its tasks, you'll come across the Launchpad town in The Howl. There, you'll notice a building with radar dishes on top. Go inside, and you'll locate a door to access the Bank of Kairos in this region.
Screenshot by Destructoid
If you're confused, travel to the location in the screenshot above. It's hard to miss. You can also use your HUD for a bank locker icon to guide you to the Banks of Kairos.
Not all regions have a bank available, so you should keep this in mind before taking on your next mission.
All Bank of Kairos locations in Borderlands 4
Screenshot and remix by Destructoid
There are a total of four Banks found within Kairos, and they are all found at named town locations across the map in three of the four different main biomes.
The Fadefields
1. The Howl - The Launchpad
Carcadia Burn
2. Ruined Sumplands - Carcadia
Terminus Range
3. The Low Leys - Belton's Bore
4. Heart of the Mountain - Bones of Sanctuary
How to withdraw and deposit from Bank of Kairos in Borderlands 4
Keep the V button pressed till the transfer is complete.
You can deposit an item into your Bank anytime, but withdrawing it is far more limited. You can only withdraw after accessing the Bank. Interestingly, all the items you sent across different builds will be available. This includes weapons you might have found with one character, but want to use with another Vault Hunter.
You can also increase your Bank inventory space with the help of SDU upgrades. This will allow you to transfer and store more items at any time.
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Massive changes are ahead in Ultimate Team, as EA Sports has now put the speculations to rest ahead of FC 26's official launch.
The latest patch notes contain all significant changes to the popular mode and its contents. This includes tweaks to rewards, seasons, tournaments, and much more.
All FC 26 Ultimate Team Launch Update announcements
Ultimate Team officially launches on Sept. 17 with the launch of the Web App, followed by the Companion App. However, you can play starting on Sept. 19, when early access for Ultimate Edition owners goes live.
Here's what you can expect for the first week if you have early access.
Team of the Week 1 and 2
Evolutions
World Tour and Squad Foundations releases
Flashback SBC
Showdown SBCs
Opportunities to earn Season Points
The first official promo begins on Sept. 26 with the launch of Cornerstones, a new promo making its debut this year. In simpler terms, early access players won't have any promo cards to get from the pack (barring TOTW).
There will be changes to the general power curve regarding rewards and sustainability of lower-rated items.
Rare Golds, Icons, and Heroes will mark the benchmark for top squads. The overall upgrades provided to certain cards, like Showdown, will be nerfed from +2 to +1.
Promos will remain weekly, but the boosts will be more lateral on average. There will be exceptions to this rule, like Black Friday, TOTY, and TOTS. Boosts to promo cards between periods will be much more measured than last year.
The same tuning and power curve will apply to all rewards from different modes.
Boosts provided by Chemistry modifiers have been nerfed to a 3/6/9-point boost system compared to the older 4/8/12 system.
Pace-heavy modifiers will be more of a choice as boosting your speed will have heavy trade-offs.
Seasons
Seasons will continue like in FC 25, but with some changes. Every season will center around historic International tournaments, and we will journey across different eras. Season 1 will focus on the English side of 1966, when they went on to win the FIFA World Cup.
Players will be able to earn special cards from divisions in the UK. Some cards will be available via the Season Pass (both Standard and Premium), along with World Tour: Silver Superstars.
Silver Superstars
We will be able to get Silver-level Icons and Heroes who are remembered for their performances in specific tournaments. You can obtain them from season-long objectives, Live Events, and more. These cards will have adjusted stats, but they should still be fun.
Game modes and reward changes
To manage the power curve and accommodate the environment of Live Events, rewards across all modes will be changed. For example, the rewards for getting Rank 1 in Champions have been significantly nerfed. You can expect this trend across rewards from every mode.
85,000 Coins
2x current Campaign Guarantee (Untradeable)
3x 83+ TOTW Player Pack
3x 88+ Rare Gold Player Pack
10x 84+ Rare Gold Players Pack
10x 83+ Rare Gold Players Pack
10x 84+ Rare Gold Players Pack (Untradeable)
Similarly, Advanced SBCs will be easier to complete and will drop gradually across the cycle. They will now be separate from the Foundation SBCs and available in Challenges.
Evolutions
Evolutions will be focused more on boosting the stats of bottom and middle-tier items to keep the power curve in check. You'll be able to take cards through many evolutions to take them to the next level, but the process will be slow.
Evolutions will aim to help increase your club depth, which will be helpful in modes like Gauntlet. Certain Evolutions can also be repeated, and a cooldown will be applied once you complete the previous run. As announced, you'll be able to retain the core designs of cards after you evolve them if the upgrades are minor.
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Tackling story quests is essential if you want to keep up with what's going on around the island in Fortnite. Some of the most important missions you need to complete are the Egg-cellent Observations story quests.
Most story quest series come with a few tricky missions that challenge you to tackle feats you likely haven't done before. This is one of them, so if you're struggling to get it done, here's how to complete all part two Egg-cellent Observationsstory quests in Fortnite.
There are six quests you need to get done for the Egg-cellent Observations story quest series. All of the missions you need to tackle to fully finish part two are as follows.
Destroy Swarmer Nests to thin out the swarm in Fortnite
Your first mission is to destroy three Swarmer Nests to help thin out the swarm. Swarmer Nests are commonly found around all bug-infested zones, including POIs like The Hive and Ranger's Ruin.
These nests are large grey obstructions covered in oozing purple glowing spots, making them fairly easy to locate from afar. Fire at them using any weapon you like until you break them. Repeat this process on two other Swarmer Nests to finish this task.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Break open Hive Stashes to find traces of the swarm energy signature in Fortnite
Next, you need to find and break open five Hive Stashes to find traces of the swarm energy signature. Hive Stashes are the large, orange, glowing loot sacks you can find around bug-infested zones.
Venture to any area that has bugs patrolling around, like The Hive, Ranger's Ruin, and Demon's Domain. Once you're at any of these spots, look for a bright orange glow to find the stashes you're seeking. Fire at one until it explodes, then repeat this process four more times.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Tune sensors near The Hive to find demonic energy sources in Fortnite
Your next mission is to head to The Hive to tune sensors to find demonic energy sources. The Hive is a main POI that can be found near the northwest end of the island. Once you're at this location, you need to tune three sensors, all of which are marked with a white diamond icon, to progress.
The sensor locations are scattered around this area, making up a slight triangle shape. You'll come across all three naturally if you just loop around the area hunting for the icons. Each one is also located close to some OXR equipment, making them fairly easy to distinguish from the bug-infested landscape.
Collect Tainted Eggs at The Hive in Fortnite
Next, you need to collect two Tainted Eggs from around The Hive. You're already in the right area, so look for the white diamond icons again to find and pick up these items. Both eggs are hidden in small caves in this region, one near the very far north end of the POI, and one close to the right end of The Hive name marker on the map.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Bring the Tainted Eggs to Hope in Fortnite
For your next task, bring the Tainted Eggs to Hope. She's one of the many NPCs you can find hanging out around the island, and she sticks to one particular area, making her fairly easy to locate. You can find Hope in the basement at Supernova Academy.
Defeat a Bug Queen to confirm Hope's theory in Fortnite
The final step in this quest series is to take down a Bug Queen. To slay the Queen, start by heading to The Hive, Ranger's Ruin, or Demon's Domain, since she only pops up around these three key POIs. Once you're at any of these spots, work on eliminating bugs, nests, and stashes to deplete the health bar for the area.
Screenshot by Destructoid
After the first health bar has been drained, a second one will appear, telling you to "Slay the Queen!" Fire at her with everything you've got, and keep attacking her until you manage to drain her entire health bar. Once you do, you'll officially be done with the Egg-cellent Observations story quest series.
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Pokémon Pokopia was the strangest announcement to come out of this month's Nintendo Direct, and that says a lot, as there were definitely a bunch of strange reveals. You play as a Ditto in a weird human form and enter what appears to be an open world that you can shape to your leisure to create your ideal Pokémon island.
At first glance, it appeared to be a Pokémon-like Minecraft game, characterized by its blocky visuals. Still, the more the trailer played, the more I realized this is more akin to Pokémons take on Animal Crossing, with a small dollop of Mystery Dungeon thrown in for good measure.
Pokémon Pokopia is a life simulation game that offers Trainers the opportunity to create their version of a Pokémon paradise. While playing, according to the game's PR we just got in emails, you explore and learn moves from befriended Pokémon to construct unique environments that attract a variety of Pokémon. Collect materials, build furniture, grow vegetables, and design homes for Pokémon. And develop a town that features a day-night cycle synchronized with real-world time, changing weather conditions, and in-game locations with distinct characteristics.
Sound familiar?
Even in the short amounts of gameplay we saw, I got flashbacks to New Horizons town building, such as removing terrain, placing down flowers and items, and we even saw a glimpse of a crafting table that the Ditto works from to make things. But with a distinct theme of housing and designs that remind me of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon.
Why do I say that? Look no further than the house.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ez1j60ZvdY
The house that was thrown onto the ground screamed 'Mystery Dungeon' to me with its design, and as the world was crafted, I could see elements of classic Pokémon games mixed in with Mystery Dungeon-like set pieces. You being able to talk and understand the Pokémon while taking on tasks they need all strikes me like something I would take off a Mystery Dungeon noticeboard. And while it is not set in that world, I can't help but draw inspiration from some of the early designs we have seen so far.
So if you are telling me I get to make my own Pokémon Mystery Dungeon town in the style of Animal Crossing? Then you can sign me up day one when the game launches sometime next year. All we need now is to see a release date and more gameplay details.
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I'm so sick of expansion packs in The Sims 4, and yet, here comes another one—even though I'm still trying to figure out how Fairies actually work. We only got Enchanted by Nature on July 10, but it's already time for another pack, Adventure Awaits, arriving Oct. 2.
This back-to-back expansion release isn't new, but the minimal break in between has brought a larger issue to light. The Sims 4 has quietly abandoned all variety in its DLC model, so we're now stuck in a cycle of bloated expansions and overpriced kits with nothing in between.
Screenshot by Destructoid
I actually think Adventure Awaits has the potential to be one of the best expansion packs we've ever gotten based on all the new features and items unveiled so far, but at this point, I'm so burnt out on expansions that my excitement just isn't where I'd want it to be. Expansions can be great, but when they're all we're getting, and they keep coming this fast, the whole thing starts to feel exhausting.
The root of this issue is the lack of game packs and stuff packs to break it up. The most recent pack we got that wasn't an expansion was the Crystal Creations stuff pack, which launched over a year and a half ago on Feb. 29, 2024. And game packs are in an even worse state, as the last one we got was Werewolves on June 16, 2022, a whole three years ago.
All we've gotten since is expansion pack after expansion pack, with way too many kits scattered in between. Kits are too small and overpriced to be satisfying, and expansion packs are too big to be this frequent, which is exactly why we desperately need the medium-sized game and stuff packs to balance things out.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Game and stuff packs can hone in on specific themes, delivering deep, focused features that we wouldn't otherwise see, such as Crystal Creations' robust jewelry-making system and Dream Home Decorator's interior decorator career. They're much more focused, accessible, and approachable than expansion packs—they're a lot cheaper and don't overwhelm players with too many new systems at once.
Expansion packs are welcome additions, but they've been overdone lately. We got Businesses & Hobbies on March 6, 2025, Enchanted by Nature on July 10, 2025, and now, Adventure Awaits incoming on Oct. 2, 2025. There are many rich systems in all of the recent expansion packs that I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of, despite playing The Sims 4 for more hours than I care to admit.
It's also frustrating since the lack of game and stuff packs has never been addressed. Whether they've been officially phased out for good and replaced by kits or if they've just been on a lengthy hiatus is unclear. Some transparency on this topic would be greatly appreciated, as we're currently in limbo where it seems like they've been quietly and unofficially discontinued, but players are still eagerly asking for more.
Screenshot by Destructoid
The only other content we're getting right now is Kits, which are half the price of stuff packs, and don't come anywhere close to adding as much depth and content. Stuff packs came with an array of gameplay, CAS, and Build/Buy items, while kits hone in on just one small feature, usually CAS or Build/Buy. They can't fill the gaping hole left by the lack of real packs.
I don't hate expansion packs, and I'm really looking forward to exploring Gibbi Point in Adventure Awaits, but I don't like that they're all we get now. Game and stuff packs used to break up the release cycle with smaller, more focused ideas that gave us a break between the bigger drops. The solution to expansion pack fatigue isn't more content, it's smarter, more varied content—and a release schedule that actually gives us room to breathe and fully enjoy each release.
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With another Nintendo Direct behind us, the Japanese gaming giant is slowly ensuring its portable console will become a true competitor to the PlayStation 5. AAA hits, indie phenomena, and a massive library of exclusive games are now making me want to own a Switch, for the first time ever.
The Sept. 12 Nintendo Direct had a lot to show us. A ton of new, proprietary games across Nintendo's vast library of franchises are coming to the Switch 2. As the old saying goes, there's a little something for everyone there, including casual and more hardcore players (but mostly the first ones, as Switch 2 games tend to be).
However, the Switch 2 is slowly but surely diverging from its recognizable role as the casual haven, where the chill, relaxed player goes to manage their own little hamlet, catch some Pokémon, or manage a little Pokémon hamlet (like in the upcoming Pokémon Pokopia).
Hades 2 is coming to the Switch 2. Image via Supergiant Games
On Sept. 25, though, the Switch 2 is getting Hades 2, a massive indie game which has been in early access for a while now. Alongside its full 1.0 release, it'll also be made available to those who prefer to kick back and game in their hands, but won't be for owners of a Steam Deck for reasons unknown. Additionally, the Switch 2 is going to get an unusual trio of games which have neither sunshine nor rainbows—Resident Evil 7, Village, and Requiem, on Feb. 27 next year.
Becoming the new home for huge AAA titles, some of which are going to be exclusive to the Switch 2 (like Miyazaki and FromSoftware's The Duskbloods) is making Nintendo's console all the more enticing to me. Casual vibes are completely off the table, with the Switch 2 now looking to directly compete with other home consoles on the market, most notably the PlayStation 5, whose exclusives remain a major selling point, PC ports notwithstanding.
FromSoftware's The Duskbloods is going to be a Switch 2 exclusive, and likely the first of many third-party partnerships. Image via FromSoftware
If Nintendo continues down this path, utilizing upscaling technologies to make big games playable on a small device, we could be looking at the first real competitor to the PS-Xbox console dichotomy in a long while. Though the first Switch is one of the best-selling consoles of all time, and certainly of recent memory, its games simply weren't of the same caliber to be considered true competition, but rather a niche spectrum made for Nintendo fans.
Now, though, the Switch 2 is a proper console, giving eager buyers more than enough reasons to hop in, not only for the Nintendo outputs, but also third-party AAA exclusives and blockbusters, in every genre, and any franchise.
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Season four's first new hero, Angela, is a Vanguard. She uses a special god-like fluid named Ichor to create her weapons on the fly, including a spear, axes, and even a shield to defend her team.
New Duelist hero: Daredevil
The Man Without Fear is coming in season 4.5 in October and will be a Duelist.
Hero buffs and nerfs
Screenshot by Destructoid
Specific info is coming soon, but here's who's being buffed and nerfed for season four.
Buffs
Vanguards
Peni Parker
Spider-Drone New Effect: Now slows hit enemies by 8 percent for 2s, each hit stacks the effect and resets the slow period, stacking up to 40 percent.
Reduce Spider-Drone release interval during Ultimate Ability from 0.7s to 0.5s.
Thor
Increase Movement Speed during Ultimate Ability from 600 to 700.
After Ultimate Ability lands, Stun surrounding enemies for 1s.
Doctor Strange
Reduce Maelstrom of Madness cooldown from 8s to 6s.
Duelists
Magik
Remove Team-Up Anchor bonus 15% Damage boost.
Reduce charge time required for Magik Slash maximum damage from 1.8 s to 1.2s.
Magik Slash New Effect: Projectile now pierces enemies and reduces Stepping Discs cooldown by 1s per enemy pierced.
Increase Soulsword damage from 65 to 75.
Increase Eldritch Whirl damage from 45 to 50.
Increase Demon's Rage damage per hit from 18 to 20.
Increase Melee Normal Attack Damage from 30 to 40.
During Darkchild (Ultimate Ability), increase Eldritch Whirl single-hit damage from 35 to 45 and Umbral Incursion damage from 135 to 140.
Scarlet Witch
Can now be healed by teammates during Mystic Projection.
Increase Reality Erasure damage from 800 to 9999.
New Effect: Now pulls in nearby enemies (within 15m radius) during cast charge. Max pull speed up to 2.4m/s.
Blade
Increase Ancestral Sword damage per single slash from 22 to 24.
Moon Knight
Moon Blade now holds up to 2 charges, each taking 6s to recharge.
Winter Soldier
Trooper's Fist New Effect: Second strike now applies a 1s debuff to enemies hit, preventing them from using mobility abilities.
Strategists
Invisible Woman
Increase Slow effect to enemies passing through Guardian Shield from 30 percent to 35 percent.
Increase Invisible Boundary (Ultimate Ability) healing per second from 165 to 180.
New Effect: Slows enemies within range by 20 percent.
Ultron
Ultimate Ability New Effect: Deals 125 percent damage to Bonus Health.
Jeff the Land Shark
It's Jeff! (Ultimate Ability) now leaves an 8m radius Healing Pool at the point of activation that heals allies within range by 100/s. Healing Pool lasts for 8s.
Mantis
Movement Boost from Nature's Favor now decays to 0 over 2s after being hit, instead of instantly disappearing.
Nerfs
Vanguards
Doctor Strange
Reduce base health from 600 to 575.
Emma Frost
Increase Diamond Form cooldown from 15s to 18s.
Reduce Telepathic Pulse energy gained when hitting shields from 10/s to 5/s.
Captain America
Duelists
Squirrel Girl
Reduce Burst Acorn damage from 110 to 100.
Increase the hit damage of Squirrel Blockade from 35 to 50.
Increase Mammal Bond cooldown from 10s to 15s.
Black Panther
Reduce Bonus Health gained when striking Vibranium Marked enemies with Spirit Rend from 30 to 25.
Reduce base health from 300 to 275.
Psylocke
Strategists
Luna Snow
Reduce Fate of Both Worlds (Ultimate Ability) duration from 12s to 10s.
Loki
Reduce illusion's damage and healing ratio from 100 percent to 80 percent.
Reduce God of Mischief (Ultimate Ability) shapeshift period from 15s to 12s. If using an active duration ability (E.g. Luna Snow's Ultimate Ability), reduce shapeshift residual period after the ability ends from 5s to 3s.
New team-up: Divine Armory
Angela is the anchor of this new team-up with her brother, Thor. Thor will gain the ability to throw a thunder spear that will return Thorforce upon hitting enemies, and he can also travel to the spear after throwing it.
Divine Armory (Angela - Thor)
As the Team-Up Anchor, Angela gains 100 Health.
Thor gains the new Thunderstrike Pike ability from his Team-Up with Angela.
Team-up changes
Image by Destructoid
Removed
Dimensional Shortcut (Magik and Black Panther)
Changed
Arcane Order (Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange, adds Magik)
Gamma Charge (Namor and Hulk, adds Black Panther)
New Convergence map - Heart of Heaven
The new map will be available on Sept. 25.
Placement Matches coming soon
Ranked mode will be getting Placement Matches at some point in the future, just not right during season four.
Arcade Mode hub
A new hub for returning Arcade modes like Clone Rumble, Giant-Size Brain Blast, and new modes Free Fight and Conquest will now be permanently available from the Arcade Hub in the menus.
Summer Special Vol. 2
Screenshot by Destructoid
Starting on Sept. 18, new summer skins are coming as part of this event, featuring swimsuit outfits for heroes like Punisher, Invisible Woman, Mantis, Human Torch, and The Thing.
New Accessories
Screenshot by Destructoid
Magneto, Scarlet Witch, Cloak & Dagger, and Luna Snow will get their own unique accessories to adorn themselves with, starting on Sept. 25.
Aura Farming slow walk coming to PC
Yeah, you'll be able to "slow walk" and "aura farm" on PC as part of the new update. Enjoy!
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Ready to shoot and loot until you can't any longer? Borderlands 4 has arrived, and it's brought some hefty visuals with it.
Gearbox's latest FPS has some demanding settings when it comes to PC performance, so it may take some tweaking to get the game looking and running properly, especially if you have a somewhat older build like I do. I struggled early on until I figured out the right settings for my PC.
Thankfully, I now have the game running at a stable framerate, albeit with some sacrifice to visual quality. But trust me, you want BL4 to run smoothly as you are running, gliding, grappling, and driving around the new, awesome location of Kairos.
Here are my tips for the best PC graphics settings to use in Borderlands 4.
First, I would suggest using the Auto-Detect Graphics Preset to Run Auto-Detect within the game's Advanced Visuals options to see what the game recommends for your PC. From there, it's time to tweak settings up or down to get the best performance while also retaining fidelity.
If you're having difficulties running Borderlands 4 at a smooth framerate, try out these settings:
General
Graphics Preset: Low
Resolution Scaling
Upscaling Method: GPU-dependent
Use DLSS for Nvidia GPUs or FSR for AMD GPUs.
Upscaling Quality: Balanced or Performance
This was the single most important setting for me. Once I lowered it, I saw an immediate boost in general FPS and stability. Balanced will retain some visual fidelity while also helping with performance, but if you continue to struggle with frames, lower this to Performance or Ultra Performance at the cost of making the game a bit uglier. I do think it's worth it when it comes to keeping your FPS stable.
Spatial Upscaling Quality: Disabled
Scene Capture Quality: Full Resolution
Frame Generation: Off
Nvidia Reflex Low Latency: Boost
Environment
HLOD Loading Range: Near
Geometry Quality: Low
Texture Quality: Medium
Anisotropic Filtering Quality: x1
Foliage Density: Very Low
Volumetric Fog: Low
Shadow Quality: Low
Directional Shadow Quality: Low
Volumetric Cloud Shadows: Disabled
Lighting Quality: Low
Reflections Quality: Low
Shading Quality: Low
Post-Processing
Post-Processing Quality: Low
Motion Blur Amount: 0.0
Motion Blur Quality: Off
Borderlands 4 system requirements
Image via 2K
Before picking up BL4, make sure that your system meets the requirements below. The more VRAM and RAM you have, the better it will be for you in the end.
Additional Notes: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system. Requires 8 CPU Cores for processor. Requires 8 GB VRAM for graphics. SSD storage required
Additional Notes: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system. SSD storage required
Borderlands 4 Nvidia optimization guide
Due to BL4's varying performance at launch, Nvidia and Gearbox came together to release a full-fledged optimization guide for several different graphics cards and resolutions. Check out the full list of info on the Gearbox website.
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The real final boss in most PC games, Compiling Shaders, has joined the fight in Borderlands 4.
This annoying message that pops up seemingly everywhere in modern PC gaming these days is plaguing some players in the new looter shooter. Here's what we know so far about it and what can be done to mitigate the issue.
Borderlands 4 Compiling Shaders, explained
Screenshot via Gearbox
"Compiling Shaders" is an unfortunate trend in the past few years when it comes to PC gaming. Due to the increasing complexity of gaming visuals, shaders are compiled constantly and take a bit longer than they may have in the past with graphics that are not as intensive for the PC.
Normally, shaders are compiled when a game loads. In the case of Borderlands 4, it happens when you first open the game, but it also sometimes happens when fast-traveling between areas of Kairos.
Traditionally, shader compilation should be a one-time operation, but with BL4, it appears to be happening more often than it should. This may be due to a change in graphics settings.
"Please note that any time you change any of your graphics settings, your shaders will need to recompile," Gearbox said. "Please keep playing for at least 15 minutes to see how your PC's performance has changed."
This and the general overall PC performance of the title could be why the "compiling shaders" happens so often in BL4,, which many are struggling with regardless of the quality of their builds. But because of the constant shader compilation, it appears that having a strong CPU is very important to run BL4.
For reference, here are the game's minimum and recommended specifications:
Additional Notes: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system. Requires 8 CPU Cores for processor. Requires 8 GB VRAM for graphics. SSD storage required
Additional Notes: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system. SSD storage required
For the time being, "compiling shaders" may be an issue with your CPU, or the game's optimization itself, but keep in mind changing any settings may make it happen often as well. Stay tuned to Gearbox communications to see if there is an update in the works. Otherwise, grab a snack while your game compiles and composes itself.
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Today was the big one, folks! Nintendo held a huge Direct, with nearly a whole hour of information on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch games. Additionally, this marked the first full (not Partner or Mini) Direct since the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, so expectations were sky-high.
Thankfully, Nintendo delivered, with a blockbuster broadcast absolutely bursting with exciting news for the months ahead. If you want to know everything about this latest Direct, you can find all the biggest announcements below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWIEv_aksvo
You can watch the entire presentation above or view the major announcements below separately.
We're finally getting a sequel to The Super Mario Bros.Movie, but it's not quite what fans thought. Nintendo unveiled a brief teaser trailer and revealed the title for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, so we can expect Mario's next adventure to be sending all of the stars into space.
Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2
https://youtu.be/tTYux25TW8Q?si=llFe3rI_ZfYRP4yM
Speaking of Galaxy, it's finally time to replay two of Mario's best adventures, as Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 are blasting onto Nintendo Switch. The titles release on Oct. 2, 2026, alongside two new Amiibo.
Mario Tennis Fever
https://youtu.be/myC8ZlDiulo?si=jWynEh-X7eIhkVM-
Use top spins, slices, and lobs in familiar Mario Tennis, but Fever introduces new mechanics like slides and the exciting Fever Rackets. Items like the Ice Racket and the Mini Mushroom racket look set to shake up the formula, building further on the great bones of Mario Tennis Aces. Plus, explore the Adventure mode and teach Baby Mario and his friends how to play tennis. Mario Tennis Fever is set to release on Feb. 12, 2026.
Super Mario Bros Wonder - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup In Bellabel Park
https://youtu.be/hQNAdzmlauc?si=HRb0tbpdKHjd542i
The best 2D platformer on Nintendo Switch (you heard me) returns, with Switch 2 enhancements and some whole new modes. The Bellabel Park seems to add some exciting new multiplayer modes, focused on using the Switch 2 Mouse Controls, and competitive gameplay. Nintendo is also promising additional content, but we'll have to wait to learn more in the future. This expansion is currently set for spring 2026. In fact, Nintendo also announced a Talking Flower toy for 2026 to coincide with the release.
Yoshi & The Mysterious Book
https://youtu.be/YluJneE1bMo?si=DqccSvR4EAkbJxdU
Nintendo has announced the first Yoshi game since Crafted World, and this one looks absolutely gorgeous. Yoshi & The Mysterious Book is a 2D platformer that seems to be taking a few lessons from Super Mario Wonder, and it's set for release in spring 2026.
Tomodachi Life - Living The Dream
https://youtu.be/0Fghz93zCdY?si=IRIabb7tRjyQ9pHv
The weird Nintendo sim-like title is back, with the creepy voices and all. Create your own kooky digital life, explore the new island setting, and enjoy messing around to your heart's content, as Tomodachi Life hits Nintendo Switch in Spring 2026.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
https://youtu.be/Z4Adz7SlvT4?si=oCiKWCOW3oSdUhDC
Cloud's great adventure returns, with the first entry in the Remake Trilogy hitting Nintendo Switch 2. Explore Midgar and plot to take down Sephiroth when Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade hits Nintendo Switch 2 on Jan. 22, 2026.
Hades 2
https://youtu.be/jEE4rBEzKM4?si=jTKBzyn_-7q7K9Tk
Supergiant Games' sequel to its mammoth indie success Hades, unsurprisingly called Hades 2, finally leaves early access and is unleashed on Nintendo Switch 2 soon. Advancing the quickfire roguelike gameplay of the original, with more action and more gods, play as the Princess of the Underworld when Hades 2 launches Sept. 25, with the physical hitting in December.
New Kirby Air Riders Amiibo
https://youtu.be/SJWif3ijbVI?si=AxNYL9Ohz-Ss0r
If you're already excited about Kirby Air Riders, well then, great news, there are two new Amiibo on the way with some unique features tied to the upcoming game. Available Nov. 20, these two figures based on Kirby and Waddle Dee, allow you to swap riders, and a second Kirby Air Riders Direct is on the way. According to Nintendo, stay tuned for more Kirby Air Riders Amiibo details in the future.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
https://youtu.be/DCPm1ndruFc?si=sL5WojoE1ijk9vkv
The third Hyrule Warriors title is nearly here, and this one looks better than ever, with a stable framerate to boot. Players take charge of Zelda and friends during the titular Imprisoning War, and can tackle Ganondorf with playable Koroks, powerful Zonai devices, and much more. Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment releases on Nov. 6.
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined
https://youtu.be/vzPYFvHzx6Q?si=MRKhqHw4QUBoDb1g
Well, here's a surprise. Not content with just three Dragon Quest remakes on the platform, Square Enix has unveiled Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, a new take on the RPG classic. Sporting a chibi style, almost reminiscent of the Dragon Quest movie, this entry seems to not only honor the original, but to be adding a new spin to keep long-time fans happy. This title launches on Feb. 5, 2026.
Virtual Boy comes to NSO
https://youtu.be/Oc8qckEoKxk?si=pt01w4CCMC_IpKSA
Yup, another wild surprise. In a classic Nintendo move, Virtual Boy is officially heading to both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, with a peripheral to match. This new version genuinely uses stereoscopic 3D thanks to the new dedicated Virtual Boy accessory, or alternatively a cheaper cardboard model, which is much like the Labo 3D headset. Launches Feb. 17, 2026.
Nintendo Switch 2 updates
https://youtu.be/8ac2-LRIAeU?si=Qy4IYZjVyit9Ra15
Several Nintendo Switch titles are getting Nintendo Switch 2 upgrades, including: One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4, Overcooked 2,Human Fall Flat, and Stardew Valley. Stardew seems to be getting the biggest updates, with Mouse Controls, four-player split-screen co-op, and even four-player multiplayer with gameshare.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
https://youtu.be/kJNCNswbdG0?si=XArhRIksoZ_WKK8F
Samus with a motorbike? Sure, why not? Our latest look at Metroid Prime 4: Beyond gives players a peek at Samus riding what appears to be a really cool bike, and if we weren't already sold on this grand sci-fi shooter adventure, this has won us over. We also finally got a release date, as Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and three new Metroid amiibo, all launch on Dec. 5.
Donkey Kong Bananza: DK Island & Emerald Rush
https://youtu.be/44xycnG2mKo?si=wSF6DmiQOD8tahOn
It's time to return to Banaza already, with a huge DLC pulling from DK's adventures back on the N64 and beyond. Work for Void Kong and set sail for DK Island, on a mission to earn as many Emeralds as possible. This new mode gives you unique perks and skills every time you smash Fossils or Banandium Gems, in an almost rogue-like new spin on things. Even better, it's available later today.
Pokémon Pokopia
https://youtu.be/6_bYri9p1Uk?si=1Xwlo_739C9scNUC
In what feels like a fever dream announcement, Pokémon and Minecraft vibes unite in this cosy new spin on the Pokémon franchise. Set to release in 2026, use Pokémon's abilities to create your very own island paradise.
Pokémon Legends Z-A
https://youtu.be/PPTqA10lt-c?si=wMmzP0LYASlQX-p5
In today's latest look at Pokémon Legends, we got a whole heap of new Pokémon announced for the title, with Mega Chesnaught, Mega Delphox, and Mega Greninja, but that's not all..
Pokémon Legends Z-A Mega Dimension
https://youtu.be/ExUYVdlA6eI?si=bPOzwP-pHseICQ8A
DLC is on the way for Pokémon Legends Z-A, called the Mega Dimension, and the brief teaser gave folks a look at Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y.
Resident Evil Requiem
https://youtu.be/6a8gK0YdUpY?si=Kafa1YD_JzLYZhRT
Capcom's latest entry in the long-running zombie-hunting franchise is set to infect Nintendo Switch 2, bringing some classic horror to the platform. Coming Feb. 27, 2026. Along with this news, Resident Evil 7 and 8 are also launching on Nintendo Switch 2 on the same day.
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave
https://youtu.be/j6eNaiftiWE?si=J2pOfzKKG6cqyPOZ
The final moment of the Direct was a fun one, as Nintendo unveiled Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, seemingly a Direct sequel to Fire Emblem: Three Houses. We didn't get too much information, but it looks set to continue the classic RPG gameplay and the drama of the original smash Nintendo Switch hit.
Square Enix has officially announced that Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will arrive on Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox on PC via Xbox Play Anywhere on January 22, 2026. This expanded edition of the award-winning remake will not only reach new platforms, but it will also add a brand-new feature designed to […]
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly, originally released for the PlayStation 2 in 2003, is receiving a remake. The survival horror game follows twin sisters Mio and Mayu as they use the camera obscura to escape a ghost-filled village, forced to re-enact a blood ritual and fight hostile ghosts. Let's see what's involved in Fatal Frame […]
Announced during today's Nintendo Direct, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is receiving a fresh coat of paint and a brand-new scenario that, according to their website, is just as robust as the original scenario. Let's take a look at what's coming with this bizarre remaster/addition titled Danganronpa 2×2. Originally released in Japan for the PlayStation Portable […]
During today's Nintendo Direct, we were shown a trailer for Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, a 3D "reimagining" of the PlayStation 1 original brought over to Nintendo 3DS. Reimagined looks like a complete 3D remake of the original Dragon Quest VII with updated character designs, and a LOT of overhauls. Let's take a look at what's […]
Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection is an impressive collection in terms of presentation, bonus content, and emulation. The only issue is that the games included are not especially fun at their core. If you have nostalgia for Bubsy the Bobcat or an interest in game preservation, this is a strong collection, but otherwise, you probably […]
Today's Nintendo Direct featured all kinds of announcements and reveals, from <a href="https://gameinformer.com/nintendo-direct/2025/09/12/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-hits-theaters-in-april"><em>The Super Mario…
