The star that burns twice as bright burns half as long. And oh boy, the Sega Dreamcast burned brightly. Sega’s final entry into the console market may have been a sales disaster eclipsed by the all-consuming might of the PlayStation 2, but its small library contains an astonishingly high ratio of classic titles. x6y3m

Many of those were fighting games. Sega’s NAOMI board was effectively Dreamcast tech in arcade cabinets, enabling perfect home ports. Capcom’s push to bring its classic fighters onto modern hardware has already seen collections featuring Dreamcast classics like Marvel vs Capcom 2 and Street Fighter III: Third Strike. Now, with Capcom Fighting Collection 2, practically every notable Capcom Dreamcast/NAOMI game has returned from the dead.

For fighting game enthusiasts, the marquee title here is Capcom vs. SNK 2: Millionaire Fighting 2001, a bewilderingly comprehensive showdown between the two companies’ characters with a ludicrous amount of mechanical options.

But the rest of the package is no slouch. The unjustly forgotten Power Stone games are back for the first time in decades, the first Capcom vs SNK is here, as is ultra-rare Rival Schools sequel Project Justice. Rounding out the pack are the bizarre curio of Plasma Sword, an arguably unnecessary Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper, and the faintly depressing Capcom Fighting Evolution.

Each is presented in the manner we’ve come to expect from the previous Capcom retro collections: you get a multitude of display and gameplay options for each title, a museum and soundtrack gallery showing off some surprisingly comprehensive development art, and impeccable rollback netcode. Sadly, despite trying, I was unable to find another online player during the review period, but after hours battling other people in last year’s Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection (which runs on the same tech), I’m assuming it’s flawless.

I played each of these games extensively on their original release, so I was expecting few surprises. Even so, there were a few things here I didn’t expect. For example, when I imported Capcom vs SNK 2 for Dreamcast my copy of Capcom vs SNK immediately began gathering dust. On revisiting the two games, it’s clear the sequel is an objectively better fighting game, but the original has better backgrounds, better music, and a more cohesive aesthetic.

Similarly, in conversations about the Power Stone franchise, it’s the sequel that unfairly gobbles up the attention. Sure, Power Stone 2 expands the player count to four and has more dynamic stages, but I had more fun with the original. There’s a purity of focus to Power Stone with its arena-based one-on-one fighting and even so many years later there’s not much else out there like it.

The Capcom vs SNK and Power Stone games in this collection alone make it a must-purchase for fighting fans, but the retro gamer in me is stunned that Plasma Sword and Project Justice have been dredged up from the Capcom back catalogue. Neither of these are landmark titles, though each is brimming with a specifically late 90s/early 00s bravado and creativity that feels like cracking open a time capsule.

You’ve probably sensed by now that I’ve had an amazing time with this collection. However, if the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection was an easy five-star release, this is a minor step down. Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper is a great game, but the arcade original was already released in the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary collection and the two aren’t hugely different. Capcom Fighting Evolution also still feels like what it is: a low-budget asset flip thrown together at the last minute. In addition, these are the arcade versions of these games so don’t include any extra content added for the home releases.

But those are small flies in a generous jar of very high-quality ointment. The Capcom Fighting Collection 2 made me smile from ear to ear, and I’ll be playing it online for months to come. Here’s hoping we get a Capcom Fighting Collection 3 featuring the Street Fighter EX titles and the likes of Rival Schools and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. After all, if Plasma Sword can make a comeback, anything can!

A glance at the news or, heck, even out of your window, will show that humanity is at each other’s throats. Rarely have people been more divided, whether that be politically, economically, or – with firm clampdowns on border travel – geographically. But perhaps there’s a ray of light in the darkness: a path we might walk to stand as one together once more…

After all, if bitter fighting game rivals Capcom and SNK could forces for the Capcom vs SNK games, maybe there’s hope for us yet!

These titles – Capcom vs. SNK and Capcom vs SNK 2 – are the jewels in the crown of the impending Capcom Fighting Collection 2, a killer retro package that also includes both Power Stone games, Rival Schools sequel Project Justice, Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper, and the ugly duckling Capcom Fighting Evolution.

I was lucky enough to be sent a preview copy by Capcom, and this collection has been bringing some serious light into my life over the last week. Anyone who’s dipped into the other recent Capcom fighting game compilations – the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, Capcom Fighting Collection 1, or the truly amazing Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection will know what to expect: beautifully emulated versions of the some of the best fighting games ever made, online play (with rollback netcode), training modes, museum features, and a wealth of small quality-of-life improvements. You get the sense that the developers love these games as much as you do.

In my experience so far, and with the game still set to receive further improvements before launch, this collection isn’t going to let the side down. I am and always will be a Sega Dreamcast cultist, and as all but one of these games appeared on that doomed system, this is like catnip to me. So, let’s dig into a few to get a taste of what’s coming.

Capcom vs SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 Pro 6tv2z

Though a huge deal on its 2000 release for bringing together two sets of beloved characters, the release of its sequel just a year later in 2001 left this in the dust. Capcom vs SNK 2 is inarguably the superior game, though this is no slouch. On returning to it after so long, I loved the slick presentation, killer soundtrack, and impressive backgrounds. Capcom vs SNK 2 will inevitably be more popular in online play, but I hope this garners a mini-community of its own on launch.

Power Stone 2 6c3i1v

Power Stone as a franchise has been unjustly ignored by Capcom. The first two titles in the series were released in arcades and on Dreamcast, and after that only ever made it onto a 2006 PlayStation Portable port. Of the two games Power Stone 2 is undeniably superior, going from two to four player brawling and with dynamic environments.

I’ve been playing this in local multiplayer with my baffled yet entertained girlfriend (sadly during the preview period, I haven’t had an online match). Most of the games in this collection are targeted at hardcore fighting game fans, but Power Stone 2 has genuine mainstream appeal and might finally get the wide audience it deserves for the first time.

Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein 6k1u2f

Despite owning this on Dreamcast, I never put much time into this odd duck in Capcom’s fighting library. It’s essentially “Capcom does Star Wars” and is the sequel to PSOne title Star Gladiator. I like that it’s included here as it’s a curious little title, but I doubt many 2025 gamers will be sinking hours into mastering it. But hey, who can complain at obscure titles like this being summoned from their graves and pressed back into service?

As practically every title in Capcom’s fighting game back catalogue has now been included in their recent retro ports, the chances of a Capcom Fighting Game Collection 3 seem slim. Perhaps the Street Fighter EX titles could return, along with Star Gladiator, Rival Schools: United by Fate, and Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, but few in the FGC community are hankering to replay them in the same way they are the Capcom vs SNK titles.

But if this is the final entry, it looks like Capcom is going out with a bang. Further improvements and tweaks are promised between now and its May 16, 2025 launch, but as it plays right now, this is going to be yet another retro dream for fighting game fans.

A preview copy of the game was provided by Capcom.

In perhaps the best news all year, swathes of gamers have reacted after Elon Musk rage-quit a livestream of the video game Path of Exile 2 in which he was ruthlessly cyberbullied. 

In case you missed it, the billionaire was delivered a welcome helping of just desserts over the weekend, when he launched a livestream of the game on X while onboard his private jet. What began as an attempt to show off the WiFi capabilities of Starlink’s in-flight connection soon descended into a trolling session, as Musk bore the brunt of trolls observing his gameplay on the highest level of difficulty. 

Elon Musk will be testing Starlink streaming again late tonight by playing Path of Exile. pic.twitter.com/KSKDZWpvpK

— SMX (@iam_smx) February 5, 2025

Since hell hath no fury like a gamer scorned, the avalanche of trolls began with one who logged on to the livestream to ask if Musk could “please jerk off mr trump so he dies of a heart attack.” I would advise that to check out *that* AI video if they’re into that sort of thing (at the risk of burning their retinas), but I respect their playground taunt nonetheless. The Daily Beast reports that the trolling only got worse from there. 

Apparently, Musk stared stoney-faced at his screen for the next hour as an influx of s swarmed the livestream bearing names like “ELON_IS_A_PEEDOPHILE” and “ELON_MUSK_IS_PATHETIC”. They reportedly sent chat messages ranging from the extreme (“YOU HAVE NO FRIENDS AND YOU WILL DIE ALONE”) to the downright personal (“YOU WILL ALWAYS FEEL INSECURE AND IT WILL NEVER GO AWAY”). 

What an ego-trip… Elon Musk has been livestreaming himself playing overpowered Path Of Exile 2 character, proudly and seriously pretending that he got there _himself_, and actual POE veterans are laughing their asses off watching and dissecting that charade. Why Elon, why? pic.twitter.com/kAIKYoaEGq

— Alex Alarga (@AlexAlarga) January 9, 2025

While some streamers attempted to help out Musk by teaching him how to mute the chat (you’d think, as the owner of X, he’d be across that), much of the channel was simply a landing page for legions of people who are rightfully ticked off by the billionaire. After co-leading a government department responsible for attacking critical services and more recently attempting to buy his way into a Supreme Court seat, it’s understandable that folks were letting loose. 

Elon Musk wanted to show on live broadcast that he can play Path of Exile 2 well The billionaire lost on the first boss and turned off the stream in shame. pic.twitter.com/KpVB0IN0xA

— EdworldPH (@Edworldph) April 8, 2025

The sentiment online wasn’t any gentler. After getting wind of both the trolls who targeted Musk, and his lack of skills, s flocked to social media to share their (mostly excited) reactions. “[Path of Exile] veterans are laughing their a** off watching and dissecting that charade,” one wrote on X, with another adding that “the billionaire lost on the first boss and turned off the stream in shame.” Elsewhere, s revelled in the fact that “a multi-billionaire [got] bullied on Path of Exile 2,” or sarcastically quipped that “the love in the [chat] is big, but we can do better.” 

in case u have a bad day, here’s a multi-billionaire getting bullied on Path of Exile 2 @elonmusk #Tesla (part one) pic.twitter.com/egLJrVCJos

— HolyErrors (@HolyErrors) April 8, 2025

Elon Musk streamed from his jet while playing Path of Exile.

The love in the comments is big, but we can do better pic.twitter.com/dITauKfBnz

— Professor X (@theDobermaneth) April 8, 2025

“Even the best tech can’t carry you through hardcore mode,” a fifth wrote. Much of the online commentary took aim at the fact that, while he once claimed to be one of the world’s best Path of Exile players, Musk itted to participating in the practice of boosting. For those unaware, that means he paid real (and actually skilled) people to play the game for him, on his , in an effort to boost his stats and make him look far more accomplished than he is. 

Elon Musk in Path of Exile 2: "You have no real friends and will die alone"…

I guess one of the lessons is not to use Starlink for gaming, whether you've paid someone to grind your character or not… pic.twitter.com/6ObNt3wBrA

— Nima (@DrStrangetwit) April 8, 2025

The irony wasn’t lost on gamers that Musk was ruthlessly cyberbullied for his lack of skills on a game he’d paid to be good at, and they responded in tow. “I guess one of the lessons is not to use Starlink for gaming, whether you’ve paid someone to grind your character or not,” one surmised. What all of it amounts to is a level of irony even Larry David couldn’t muster, and I, personally, am loving every minute.

Last week, Nintendo pulled the curtain away from the Switch 2, confirming the release date, launch line-up, hardware specs and revealing a whole bunch of exciting games. They also announced the price: the base Switch 2 would be $449.99, there’s a Mario Kart World bundle at $499.99, and Mario Kart World itself retails at $79.99.

That’s a touch more expensive than most had predicted, and there were immediate calls to lower the cost by about $50. But, even as the cries that it was too expensive were reaching fever pitch, Donald Trump was about to toss a blue shell towards everyone’s carefully laid plans. The tariffs were worse than anyone imagined, with the ludicrous twist that Trump had even targeted innocent penguins.

But it seems nobody at Nintendo was laughing, and emergency meetings no doubt immediately commenced as their business plan went up in smoke. The domestic pre-order scheme was immediately postponed, and American gamers are nervously awaiting further news. So, what’s the damage going to be?

The post-tariff Switch 2 price 374w72

As Trump’s second term began, Nintendo appeared to have made a smart decision by moving Switch production facilities from China to Vietnam. Trump’s economic focus has long been on China, so theoretically, there was a chance that assembling the console in Vietnam would result in lower import costs to the United States.

Then came the bombshell that Trump was not only including Vietnam on his tariffs list, but that this was set at an eye-watering 46%, making it one of the hardest-hit countries in the world. As such, any profit that Nintendo had forecast they’d make on the domestic release of the console would effectively be wiped out. The company has since confirmed that the announced $450 price tag didn’t for any tariffs, making a price increase all but certain:

Nintendo says US tariffs weren't factored into the $450 price tag of the Switch 2

“The [tariff] news is fresh, and like many companies right now, we are actively assessing what the impact may be"

(via @washingtonpost) pic.twitter.com/Wtix2rrjfn

— Culture Crave (@CultureCrave) April 7, 2025

So, what price are we looking at, and how optimistic do you feel? If Nintendo is feeling generous, they’ll absorb some of the Trump tariffs themselves, which could mean a $499 or $549 base Switch.

More realistically, given that Nintendo is a fiercely profit-driven corporation, they’ll simply almost all of that tariff onto the consumer, meaning you’re looking at a $699 or even $749 Switch 2. Add a few games to that, and you’re probably looking at the best part of $1,000 for the console, Mario Kart World, and a second set of Joy-Con 2s.

Ordinarily, that price point would be suicidal for a game console launch (just ask the PlayStation 3), but we don’t live in ordinary times. Fortunately, there may be a slim olive branch of hope for gamers. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has vowed that in exchange for removing or lowering this tariff, his country will buy more American goods and is begging Trump for a delay to negotiate a new deal.

That ongoing negotiation is likely why Nintendo has, so far, not announced when domestic pre-orders will reopen. Even so, if you are planning to pre-order, expect there to be a price increase of some kind, with the best-case scenario a further $50 “Trump tax”.

Nintendo has announced that pre-orders for its highly anticipated Switch 2 console in the United States will be delayed. The reason for this delay is the new tariffs introduced by the Trump istration. This delay is effective immediately and only affects the U.S. market; pre-orders in other regions are still on track.

The official launch date of June 5, 2025, remains unchanged, per IGN. The decision comes due to tariffs imposed on several countries, including Vietnam and Cambodia, which are important manufacturing sites for the Switch 2. These tariffs are quite high, at 46% and 49%, respectively, creating uncertainty about how much the console will cost and how it will be distributed in the U.S.

The Switch 2 is expected to have a hefty price of $449.99 in the U.S., which has already sparked a lot of discussion and criticism online. With the added tariffs, there are worries about how much more consumers might have to pay. There’s speculation that these increased costs could mean an even higher price for the console in the U.S., worsening the negative feelings people already have about its expensive initial cost.

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders have been paused 234z3

Nintendo stated, “Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will not start April 9, 2025 in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions. Nintendo will update timing at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged.”

The price of games, which is between $70 and $80, is adding to these concerns. Aside from pricing issues, the delay also suggests there might be problems with supply chains. Higher production costs from the tariffs could lead to fewer consoles available for the U.S. market at launch, resulting in less availability and longer wait times for eager buyers.

This potential shortage is a major concern for both Nintendo and consumers in the U.S. This situation highlights the wide-reaching effects of Trump’s recent trade policies. While the gaming industry may not seem like a major player in global trade, it still is impacted. The Switch 2 delay clearly shows how these trade actions can have consequences across various industries, affecting both big and small companies.

The uncertainty regarding future trade relations creates risks and challenges for businesses that rely on global supply chains. The delay isn’t just a minor issue for Nintendo—it poses several hurdles. The negative consumer response to the high price could worsen if further price hikes occur due to tariffs, impacting sales predictions and possibly delaying the profit return for the new console.

Nintendo has just unveiled Mario Kart World, the barnstorming new instalment of the greatest kart racing franchise of all time. All your Nintendo favorites are back behind the wheel, with drivers ranging from mainstays like Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser right the way down to D-listers like Cataquack. Biddybud, Pokey, and Peepa.

But there’s one name not on this list, and fans are dismayed. While Donkey Kong is back in action, his beloved best friend is missing in action. Yup, Diddy Kong, who’s featured in the Donkey Kong Country series, Smash Bros., and multiple Mario Karts is apparently not ing the roster. Nor, it appears, will he be appearing in the Donkey Kong: Bananza.

Now, I’m sure many of you may have already twigged why Nintendo might have put Diddy Kong on the back burner for a while. After all, the real-world headlines are still dominated by the heroic and cheery ape’s hip-hop namesake of the same name, and not for good reasons.

Diddy (the rapper, not the Kong) is currently detained at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting trial for trafficking and racketeering, after horrific allegations of historic abuse and violent behavior finally came to light. Diddy’s trial is set to begin on May 5, and will likely still be dominating headlines a month later, when the game hits shelves.

As this is a family-friendly online game, you can imagine the potential drama if a parent overhears their 8-year-old participating in the Switch 2’s GameChat feature and yelling “Diddy just hit me from behind with a red shell!”.

All of this is extremely unfair to Diddy (the Kong, not the rapper), whose sole crime is sharing the same name as hip-hop’s greatest monster. In fact, the ape even has a better claim to the name Diddy, as he debuted in 1994’s Donkey Kong Country while the rapper didn’t assume the stage name until 2001. And, as such, Diddy (Kong) fans are in uproar:

Nnitendo's PR team when they have to kill Diddy Kong pic.twitter.com/glEJtt8cL8

— Transfem Klonoa of the Wind (@TransfemKlonoa) April 3, 2025

they gotta change his name bro

— lao (@lao140) April 4, 2025

I unironically think they are making him dissapear from public eye because of the unfortunate name

— Mayo neighs (@Venomase1) April 3, 2025

There’s even a #FreeDiddy hashtag that’s been trending ever since the suspicions rose that the baseball cap-wearing simian scamp has been sidelined. While I personally am ive of Diddy (THE KONG), there’s no way I’m going to use that hashtag on my own timeline.

For now, I can understand why Nintendo has sent Diddy Kong to a nice banana farm upstate where he can be at peace. Maybe one day he will return: why not give him a couple of cute ape kids and rebrand him as “Daddy Kong?”. But, for now, he’s way too toxic, so don’t expect to see Diddy hosting any wild banana-fuelled parties in Nintendo games anytime soon.

Video game fans don’t exactly have a reputation as the calmest group of individuals on the planet. Today they’ve got a particularly fierce bee in their bonnet as BAFTA has officially named the most influential game of all time, decided after a global public poll.

There are a lot of potential candidates. DOOM comes to mind for popularizing the now-ubiquitous first-person shooter genre, Grand Theft Auto III brought the crime caper megafranchise into 3D for the first time, PUBG ushered in a wave of battle royales, and heck, what about the ur-games of yore like Pong, Space Invaders, and Pac-Man?

Well, the winner was none of the above. Judging by some of the baffled responses, it’s a game that many modern gamers didn’t even know existed. Top of the charts in what they it is a “surprise number one” is Yu Suzuki’s 1999 Dreamcast cult classic Shenmue.

The Most Influential Video Game Of All Time is… Shenmue

Yu Suzuki's tale of revenge topped our global poll What's your favourite memory of the Shenmue series?

View the full Top 21 list nowhttps://t.co/AVUTJePeEg#BAFTAGamesAwards pic.twitter.com/C3VQwqAmMt

— BAFTA Games (@BAFTAGames) April 2, 2025

BAFTA’s rationale is that the game is in many ways “the original blueprint” for a “living, breathing” virtual world. They have a point, Shenmue painstakingly recreates Yokosuka’s Dobuita Street and the surrounding neighborhoods, delivering a simulated world packed with civilians doing their own thing and presenting an absurdly granular level of detail for the time. Want to peek inside a random drawer? You can!

Sadly, relatively few did want to look inside random drawers. What was, at the time, the most expensive game ever made failed to make any money for Sega, though ittedly being a Dreamcast exclusive reportedly meant every console owner would have had to buy two copies for it to break even.

For Shenmue fans, this is a red letter day, with their fave triumphing over the high-profile likes of Super Mario Bros, Half-Life, Ocarina of Time, and Minecraft. For those bewildered by this creaky curiosity, not so much:

BAFTA have Shenmue as most influential video game ever. So influential I’ve never heard of it.

— Ser Ron of the Blackwater (@Ronald0) April 3, 2025

And other widespread confusion, possibly from younger gamers who have no idea what a “Shenmue” is.

I'm sorry, Shenmue??? What about Persona?? What about Yakuza?? What on earth is this #1 game LOL https://t.co/E9ZpXaGnud

— Junch (@junchgaming) April 3, 2025

Growing up in the 80's through early 2000's, I was a huge Nintendo nerd and played hundreds of games for NES, SNES, and N64, and I dabbled in Genesis, PlayStation, and arcade games as well. I'm embarrassed to it that I have no idea who this character is!

— SaneMJfan (@sanemjfan) April 3, 2025

But I’m with the many cheering fans celebrating this franchise getting a moment in the sun. Last time I visited Japan, I got the train out to Yokosuka and walked around the real-life Dobuita Street, which will be eerily familiar to anyone who’s ever played the game and cements how successfully Yu Suzuki nailed a sense of time and place better than almost any other ’90s developer.

If you’re curious about Shenmue, it’s readily available on most modern platforms, including Steam, PlayStation and Xbox, coming in a retro bundle with its sequel Shenmue II. Don’t go into it expecting a white-knuckle ride, but if you vibe with its chill atmosphere, relaxed pace, and unique gameplay you’ll be a fan for life. And if you need to know where the sailors hang out, drop me a line.

At long last, Nintendo fans finally have something to look forward to again. Yesterday saw the popular game company announce the much anticipated Switch 2 along with a roster of games that are bound to entice gamers from all walks of life. There’s plenty to be excited about when it comes to this new console, but here are some of the things that made us feel positively giddy.

10. The screen size 6g3p69

While some say it doesn’t look too different from the original, the Switch 2 will be a huge upgrade in of both physical size as well as storage capacity. The new screen boasts an additional 1.7 inches in screen size going from 6.2 inches, to 7.9 inches on the Switch 2. Oh and it s 1080p and 120fps meaning the games on the new console are going to look pretty sharp too.

9. Cyberpunk 2077 6x732c

Sure the game is over four years old now, but the release was kind of botched by all the bugs and whatnot, nowadays it’s a polished and beloved game. The game’s release on the Switch 2 offers the perfect excuse for old players to delve back into the world of Cyberpunk while new players can experience it for the first time.

8. Deltarune Chapters 1-4 6p2s5s

Everybody loves this indie RPG series from the creator of Undertale. Including this in the roster of titles available upon release shows that the new console will continue to have a variety of games from big-budget AAA to smaller indie titles — this is exactly why the original Switch was so popular.

7. Elden Ring Tarnished Edition 44d4i

Speaking of big-budget AAA games, one of the most critically acclaimed games of the last few years will also be available on the Switch 2. The Tarnished Edition includes the base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion as well as new armor, weapons, and customization options.

6. The built-in GameChat feature 63324o

Previous Nintendo consoles have not been great for in-game ways of communicating. Don’t get me wrong, I loved PictoChat but to be able to speak to other players in online games would have been fun too. Well Nintendo are finally making that dream a reality with this brand new (to Nintendo) feature.

5. Split Fiction 4u5p19

There’s no doubt about it, Split Fiction became an instant classic upon its release earlier this year. So it makes sense to release it on the Switch 2 while it’s still fresh in people’s minds — the Switch has always been the kind of console you play with friends anyway so a co-op action adventure game is perfect for the console.

4. New James Bond game 2o123s

It’s been a while since we had a good James Bond game, but I’m still holding out hope that something will come along that brings bad the vibes GoldenEye brought to the Nintendo 64 back in the day. Could this new Bond game finally be the one to do it?

3. GameCube games 6n436l

It’s one of the most underrated Nintendo consoles but it had some of the best games. Wind Waker, Luigi’s Mansion, Pikmin, these are just a few of the many great games that were released on the GameCube, and now they’ll be available to play once more on the new console.

2. Mario Kart World 1ti72

We’d almost lost hope that we’d ever see another Mario Kart game ever again, Mario Kart 8 released in 2014, that’s over ten years, almost as long as the wait between GTA V and GTA VI. But the wait is almost over as Mario Kart World will be a launch title on the Switch 2.

1. The release date 585p8

The most exciting news is the release date and that’s because we don’t have long to wait at all. Nintendo announced that the Switch 2 will launch on June 5th, a little over two months from today. The fact that we’re so close to a new Nintendo console release is by far the most exciting news I’ve heard all year!

Nintendo is about to pull the veil away from the biggest release in gaming in years. The Switch 2 is poised to follow the world-conquering success of the Switch, with today’s hour-long Nintendo Direct broadcast at 9 am EDT / 6 am PDT likely to confirm the price, release date, and (hopefully) give us a peek at the launch line-up.

The Switch 2 is guaranteed to sell out on launch, meaning anyone who wants one right away is going to have to pre-order, which may begin immediately after the broadcast ends. Analysts predict a base price of $449 (with some talk of a $499 package bundled with the new Mario Kart) and a June launch.

So, what happens when the pre-orders go live, and how can you beat the rush to find one? As you’d expect, all the major electronics retailers will open pre-orders in which you’ll reserve a console and then be charged when it’s dispatched. Large quantities of Switch 2s will be allocated to major online retailers like Amazon, and ordinarily, they’d be a safe bet.

However, in this instance, I sound a note of caution about ordering online. The 2020 launch of the PlayStation 5 saw many consoles stolen during transit, with unfortunate gamers tearing open their packages to find cans of cat food or rocks in place of their new console. The Switch 2 box will be smaller, the hype will be enormous, and the stock limited, so the chances of theft in transit will be much higher.

I’m not saying it’s objectively unsafe to order online, but it’s certainly risky. To avoid this, I’m choosing to pre-order from a physical retailer and collect in person on launch day. As disreputable and generally depressing a company as GameStop is these days, if you pre-order in person and collect on launch day, they will fulfill that order. A peek at social media reveals some fans will be even be waiting outside their local game stores this afternoon so they can snag a pre-order the minute they go live.

Another plan that’ll be familiar to veterans of high-profile console launches is to pre-order from more general retailers like Macy’s, Walmart, or Target, or to check out chain toy stores, which often have small video game sections inside. These retailers aren’t the obvious choice for gamers and receive less stock, but the fact that they fly under people’s radars as places to get a new console can mean you strike paydirt.

But make no mistake, there will be way more people who want Switch 2s than there will be Switch 2s to buy, so if you snag a confirmed pre-order, consider yourself lucky. Just to explore all options and, if at all possible, get the console handed to you in person rather than have it delivered.

Ubisoft’s long-running Assassin’s Creed game franchise is about a determined and heroic group of assassin heroes fighting the sinister Templars. This shadowy organization seeks to control humanity, with their present-day activity seeing them using a tech company to bend people’s minds to their sinister will.

As such, it’s perhaps no surprise that the franchise just parkoured up a wall, slipped in through an open window, silently crawled across a beam, waited for the perfect moment, and sprang from the shadows to plunge a hidden blade deep into Elon Musk. Figuratively speaking.

The assassination took place on X, where Elon Musk and Mark Kern (aka Grummz) were engaged in a duel for the title of gaming’s most pathetic man. Musk has been exposed for paying people to play games for him and then claiming their achievements for his own, while Kern spends his life concocting elaborate woke conspiracy theories about video games. He is 57 years old.

Kern’s current target is the excellent new Assassin’s Creed Shadows, for which popular streamer Hasan posted a very tongue-in-cheek promotion. Grummz entered the fray by claiming this proves Ubisoft are ing “terrorist-platforming streamers”, with Musk chiming in to say “Hasan is a fraud”. Then, with a sudden flash of steel, the Assassin’s Creed social media poster struck!

Is that what the guy playing your Path of Exile 2 told you?

— Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) March 25, 2025

Perhaps bravely, Kern attempted to fight back, only for Assassin’s Creed to coldly dispatch him by referencing his missing-in-action game Em-8er, which was announced in 2016 and still hasn’t been released:

Our game is out.

— Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) March 25, 2025

Pausing only to dip an eagle’s feather in the mess, Assassin’s Creed vanished into the shadows, leaving a crushing ratio in their wake. The reaction seems to be a combination of disbelief, joy, and awe, combined with many people saying that the demolition of two of gaming’s most hated figures has made them purchase Shadows.

Ubisoft needs to give the Assassin's Creed social media guy a raise.
Double killing Elon Musk and Grummz on a brand is crazy pic.twitter.com/f3qrAJ2yXB

— Mischief (@MischiefsYT) March 25, 2025

Assassin's Creed Shadows sales after having ratioed to death Elon Musk on his own platform and Grummz. https://t.co/lGQzA55v57 pic.twitter.com/xsRyQ1rr0f

— Big Flower (@BigFlowerTime) March 25, 2025

I love this beef, because I actually understand it and I'm playing Assassin's Creed Shadows right now and I think it's dope. Musk and these man-boys are such losers. https://t.co/bXGntYaDpZ

— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) March 26, 2025

If they buy the game as a result of this takedown, they’ll have a great time. Shadows is the best the franchise has been in a decade, featuring some truly stunning visuals and killer ninja/samurai-based action.

After all this, you might be curious why Musk and Kern even had Shadows in their sights in the first place. The shocking answer? There’s a black samurai in it. Why would that make these two men angry? You do the math. What else is there left to say but “requiescat in pace.”

I’m not proud of the fact that I’ve beaten all 13 mainline Assassin’s Creed games (and all their DLCs). At their best, Ubisoft’s flagship series delivers tense stealth-action exploration while teaching you historical trivia. At their worst, they’re a hamster wheel of repetitive tasks, pointless busywork, and incomprehensible sci-fi nonsense.

As the credits rolled on the interminable Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, I vowed that this would be the last time I’d get suckered by the franchise. Last year, I was gifted a copy of the refreshingly concise Mirage, which made me recall the many things I’d once enjoyed about this series. Now, with Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it’s clear Ubisoft has given the series a serious style transfusion.

Since the early days of Assassin’s Creed, fans demanded a game set in feudal Japan. After all, with hooded, stealth-focused, assassin heroes, doesn’t a game where you just play as a straight-up actual ninja make logical sense? And yet, possibly because this setting was low-hanging fruit, Ubisoft waited… and waited.

Having now sunk a ridiculous number of hours into Shadows, I’m glad they waited. This is the best the franchise has been in at least a decade, leaving the stodgy Valhalla in the dust and improving on the great bits of Origins and Odyssey. At least on paper, not much has changed: you have a list of targets to stab, an open world to explore, and characters and bases to upgrade. But there’s a streamlined sleekness to this iteration, feeling like everything from character control to combat to the design of the world has been tuned up.

Let’s take lead character Naoe as an example. She moves much faster than previous assassins, can lie prone (a feature I’ve been craving for years), has a nifty grappling hook, and a fine line in flips and rolls. Controlling previous assassins occasionally felt like driving a station wagon: you point them in the right direction, hold down the parkour button, and hope for the best. But Naoe is more like a sports car, capable of quick, precise maneuvers and sudden exhilarating bursts of acceleration.

That’s counterbalanced by secondary lead Yasuke, whose design philosophy appears to be based around him being the biggest guy in all of Japan. He’s a true powerhouse in battle, can charge right through the scenery, but is frankly bordering on comedic when he tries to sneak. If Yasuke were the only lead in Shadows it wouldn’t feel like an Assassin’s Creed game, but his presence is like being able to swap between Naoe’s sports car and an armored Humvee.

The overall narrative is also vastly improved. The best Assassin’s Creed games have all been revenge stories, which may be repetitive but at least gave the characters clear motivations. In the (somewhat cutscene-heavy) introduction, when the game introduces you to Naoe’s peaceful village and her kind and ive middle-aged father, most people will be able to see precisely where the story is going.

Though the overall arc might be familiar, it’s at least well-executed. Care has clearly been taken to improve the cutscene direction, which is a huge improvement over Valhalla‘s parade of static dialogue and talking heads. The story also smartly zeroes in on Naoe and Yasuke’s social status at this period: Naoe bristling under an implacable patriarchy and Yasuke finding himself thrust into a high-status role after years as a slave.

Given the samurai-packed setting, it’s perhaps inevitable there’s a lot of Kurosawa influence on show, though there’s also a neat leaning towards more pop-inflected fare like 1971’s Lady Snowblood. This dovetails into a loose Tarantino feel when the action cranks up, with the best bits accompanied by a killer needle drop. Samurai movie purists will probably be demanding their shamisens and hyōshigi, but if watching ninjas battle samurai while a 60s-sounding psych rock track blares out is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

All that’s buoyed up by some truly incredible graphics. Ubisoft’s evolution of the Anvil engine is a sight to behold, particularly when running on 4K on a beefy PC or PS5 Pro. For once, ray-tracing doesn’t feel like a resource-hungry marketing gimmick, with the game so consistently pretty that I’m really putting the photo mode through its paces. Appropriately given the title, it also feels like there’s an aesthetic shift towards high-contrast visuals, where daytime feels sunkissed and night is an inky blackness that (unlike practically every other game) actually feels dark.

And the weather! Not since Metal Gear Solid 2 has rain felt so wet and oppressive. When a proper storm kicks up, the game excels, particularly if you’re playing with surround sound/headphones and can hear every drop splatter on the roof above your head and the wind whip through the trees.

As an aside, I’ve also been playing the game on my Steam Deck, knocking out a few side quests or exploring a waypoint during my daily commute. Frankly, Shadows has no business running this well on the Deck and, while it’s severely visually cut back and only ever lands in the rough territory of 30FPS, it’s very much playable.

Focused design, a firm directorial style, and those killer graphics combine into a polished package. This franchise has had a reputation for visual bugs and glitches at launch, but I suspect the last-minute delay from Nov. 2024 to Mar. 2025 gave the developers time to iron out any rough edges.

And, finally, it’s deeply satisfying to see this game succeed, as its victory is infuriating the worst people on the internet. From the moment the first trailer launched, there’s been a constant social media screeching from – let’s not mince words – racists annoyed that there’s a black samurai in the game.

That dovetailed into a full-on hate campaign spearheaded by the most pathetic people imaginable, all of whom have been slavering over the prospect of Shadows‘ failure and frantically trying to generate puffed-up ‘controversies’. All indications are that Shadows is not just a critical hit but a sales success too. That crunching noise you can faintly hear? That’s the sweet sound of racists grinding their teeth in frustration.

All of which means Shadows has me firmly back aboard the Assassin’s Creed franchise for the foreseeable future. All indications are that this will kick off a new trilogy of games based around the same incredible graphics tech, and I’ll be shoving a wristblade into unfortunate mooks’ necks in all of them.

Buckle up, weebs, Texas is coming for your waifus. Sen. Pete Flores’ Senate Bill 20 (SB 20) went before the Texas Senate last week, with them unanimously approving a new law that will make the possession of any material depicting a minor in an “obscene” way a felony offense.

The bill’s stated aim is to crack down on AI image generators being used to create illegal material involving children. That’s a laudable goal and is something that should be criminalized. However, the scope of the bill isn’t limited to AI-generated images, as it also covers “cartoons or animation,” promising that:

“An offense under this new section is considered a state jail felony, or a third-degree felony if a person has been previously convicted, or a second-degree felony if a person has been previously convicted two or more times”

The bill covers a huge scope of existing media and gives judges and politicians the power to decide what’s considered “obscene,” saying it’s “[material or a performance that] taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, and scientific value.” This has left many fans of massive video game franchises, anime, and manga realizing with a chill that continuing to own their collection could put them behind bars.

What would this cover? 332h58

For example, video games set in high schools that feature dating mechanics — like the wildly popular Persona series — arguably fall under this umbrella. You could also apply this to iconic anime series like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Dandadan, Dragon Ball, Kill la Kill, and Hunter x Hunter.

It’s ittedly unlikely that cops will pursue individuals for owning a copy of Persona 5 Royal on Switch, but if this bill becomes law video game companies may decide to avoid any legal liability by restricting sales of certain products, individual comic book shops might cease carrying manga, and that streaming services like Crunchyroll could geo-restrict content in Texas.

Do they have a point? 3z2p3o

Now, there is a (pretty good) argument that the depiction of minors in anime and manga is often extremely gross, to say nothing of the insanely creepy “waifu” worship culture that’s become so common online it’s an unpleasant background noise. Maybe that stuff should be cracked down on! That said, there’s a litany of historical examples that laws banning media on subjective grounds are generally used as a political cudgel to beat people the state doesn’t like.

So, perhaps you’ve been protesting something in Texas and politicians decide to make an example of you. They raid your house, seize your copy of Persona 5 and your End of Evangelion Blu-ray, and suddenly you’re facing felony charges of obscenity involving minors. With that on your charge sheet expect many people who’d otherwise defend you to vanish, and even after whatever sentence you receive is spent you’d likely still end up on an offenders’ .

That’s perhaps the worst-case scenario, but with the government cracking down hard on self-expression and violently enforcing conformity we should be wary about giving them more weapons against citizens. Fortunately for Texans, Senate Bill 20 isn’t law yet and still needs to be ed by the Texas House of Representatives. But, let’s face it, unanimous from the Senate means it stands a good chance of making it onto the law books.