Nintendo switch, multi-platform Game News, Guides & Updates

☁ Nintendo switch, multi-platform News

316 articles

The Switch 2’s $50 price increase is happening next week

This is a friendly reminder that the Nintendo Switch 2 will jump in price by $50 starting on September 1st. That’s next Tuesday! The company gave plenty of notice, but the time has finally come. The base 256GB model that ships without a game will go from $449.99 to $499.99. Nintendo recently announced two bundles &8230;

🎮 price increase

TheNews11 days ago

🍄 Nintendo Switch, Multi-platform

Elden Ring On Switch 2 Is A Compromise, But It’s A Surprisingly Good One

Elden Ring was in rough shape on Switch 2(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/elden-rings-switch-2-performance-isnt-that-great-reports-say/1100-6534171/) when people first tried it out last year, leading publisher Bandai Namco to significantly delay its launch plans(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/elden-rings-switch-2-performance-isnt-that-great-reports-say/1100-6534171/). It's now 2026, and ahead of its new release date of August 28, has that extra time in the development oven helped smooth out Elden Ring on the Nintendo hybrid console? Yes--but only to a certain point. Senior video producer Jake Dekker has spent over a week with the game, playing it in both docked and handheld modes. The key takeaway is that Elden Ring runs at a consistent frame rate, but not the highest one. "While there are certainly frame rate drops, it never hits the lows that we saw in some of that preview footage," Dekker explained. It runs a lot better. That being said, the frame rate is still far from perfect. I've done most of my playing docked, but I've also done some handheld, and you definitely notice those frame rate drops here and there. I don't think it's so bad that it's distracting or unplayable. But for those who played Elden Ring on PC, Xbox Series X, or PlayStation 5, you're definitely going to notice the frame rate. It's not hitting that smooth 60 frames per second that we saw in those versions. And to be honest, that is a little disappointing." https://youtu.be/Z73iKl-hlNA Bandai Namco hasn't officially confirmed the resolution and frame rate targets for Elden Ring on Switch 2 yet, but so far it looks like the game mostly hits a consistent 30fps in docked mode. While 60fps would make some of the tougher boss fights a little easier to handle--considering just how important timing is in them--having the game run at a cinematic frame rate doesn't make it unplayable. If you don't mind seeing a smaller number of frames per second, you'll still be in for a good time, as the Tarnished Edition on Switch 2 includes both Elden Ring and its critically acclaimed Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. That's a chunky amount of content for $80, and this version of the game throws in new skins for your steed Torrent, unique in-game armor sets and skins, and two new classes: the Heavy Knight and the Idus Knight. But if you've already played a lot of Elden Ring in the last couple of years, your mileage may vary on the value proposition--plus, you can stick to a version of the game that offers more technical options for enjoying its visuals on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. And if the 30fps frame rate is a dealbreaker for you? From Software's The Duskbloods should satisfy that craving for a 60fps souls-like experience when it eventually launches for Switch 2, as early gameplay looks promising(https://youtu.be/PK2m1pr27q0). https://youtu.be/PK2m1pr27q0

🎮 Elden Ring🎮 Elden Ring On Switch 2

GameSpotNews11 days ago

🍄 Nintendo Switch, Multi-platform

Elden Ring On Switch 2 – The Worst Way To Play The Best Game | New Gameplay Today

!Game Informer News(https://gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/06/04/51cc860d/eldenringswitch2.jpg.webp) Firstly, I admit my headline is hyperbolic. Best and worst are subjective and neither word is fully applicable when it comes to Elden Ring on Switch 2. The wordier, more accurate headline that would not inspire the precious clicks that we need to survive in this media ~~hellscape~~ landscape is, “Elden Ring is Okay on Switch 2, so if you can play it somewhere else I would recommend that, but if this is your only option and you haven’t already played it somewhere else, then this version will get the job done.” VIDEO I played about two hours of Elden Ring on Switch 2 in docked mode. Moving through the tutorial in the caves feels pretty good. It does not hit 60 FPS, unfortunately, but it is consistent, which is important. Leaving the caves and entering the open world is where the game stumbles, but not dangerously so. Swinging the camera around quickly in the open world is uncomfortable and jumping on your horse, Torrent, is where I felt the game struggle the most. But it’s not a disaster. And to be fair, wildly swinging the camera around in the open world is not how anyone plays Elden Ring. Jumping into the little pockets of combat strewn across the open world was more than manageable, as you are focusing the camera on your enemy, not the insane looking castle in the distance. !Game Informer News(https://gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/08/21/650fa7ce/screenshot-00001.jpg.webp) When I encountered monsters like the lovely fella seen above, the game also did not struggle as I feared it would. Playing Elden Ring on Switch 2 made me think of Resident Evil 2 on Nintendo 64, which was personally my first experience with the franchise. The N64 version of that game had some improvements compared to its PlayStation counterpart, but its cutscenes and backgrounds were highly compressed to fit on a cartridge instead of a disc. It is generally considered the inferior version of the game, but is a perfectly reasonable way to play the game and when I was young, it was my only option. If you’re in that boat, maybe a young or new player who only has a Switch 2 and no other available platforms, and you’re excited to play what some have called the best game ever made (again… subjective), then Elden Ring on Switch 2 will get the job done. I believe you will get the Elden Ring experience here, but with some asterisks. This is not a Switch 1 port of a PlayStation 5 game where the framerate is merely a suggestion and everything looks out of focus. Elden Ring on Switch 2 is a much better port than say, The Outer Worlds on Switch 1. However, if you’re like me and you put hundreds of hours into the game on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, or a solid PC, then you will see those asterisks the moment you load the game on Switch 2. You have a point of comparison and you won’t be able to get all those beautiful additional frames those platforms afforded you. You can read Game Informer’s review of Elden Ring(https://gameinformer.com/review/elden-ring/absolutely-astonishing-adventure) by following the link.

🎮 Elden Ring

GameNews11 days ago

🍄 Nintendo Switch, Multi-platform

The Biggest Gaming Stories That Happened Since GTA 5 Came Out 13 Years Ago

The long, long wait for GTA 6 is coming to an end, as the game's November 19 release date approaches. Yes, there have been many leaks(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-6-leaks-a-timeline-of-the-events-so-far/), but the genuine article arrives soon. It's been 13 years since GTA 5 launched in September 2013, and a lot has happened in the world of video games since then. When GTA 5 came out, Fortnite was not a thing. The live-service boom (and subsequent crash) hadn't happened yet. E3 was still a thriving, can't-miss annual summer event. Nintendo had just launched the ill-fated Wii U. In this post, we're running through some of the most notable gaming events and stories since GTA 5 launched more than a decade ago. To be sure, this is not an exhaustive list, and it does not touch on the many real-world, non-gaming high-profile events that have transpired. This list is all about big gaming stories, of which there have been many. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-12.58.47-PM.png?w=636) GTA 6 approaches. A Comical Number Of Skyrim Ports The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim released all the way back in 2011 for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC--nearly two years before GTA 5 launched. Since then, we haven't gotten a new mainline The Elder Scrolls game either, but we have gotten a ridiculous number of Skyrim ports across a bunch of different systems. Those include Skyrim for Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and various VR platforms. There's even, sort of, a port of Skyrim available for Amazon Alexa-enabled devices. Dubbed Skyrim Very Special Edition(https://www.amazon.com/Bethesda-Game-Studios-Special-Edition/dp/B07D6STSX8), it lets you explore Skyrim like it's an old-school text-adventure, so you can even keep playing as the Dragonborn while you make dinner. -- Gabe Gurwin Three Watch Dogs Games Shortly after the launch of GTA 5, Ubisoft released the original Watch Dogs, an open-world action game that offered similar freedom to Grand Theft Auto but with a particular focus on hacking infrastructure and weaponizing Chicago's electrical grid. It was followed by a far superior sequel set in San Francisco, Watch Dogs 2, a few years later, and the London-set Watch Dogs Legion in 2020. While the games--particularly Watch Dogs 2--certainly scratched a GTA-like itch, it's been radio silence on the series for several years. We're crossing our fingers for a true sequel to Watch Dogs 2 at some point. -- Gabe Gurwin Halo Is On PlayStation It would have been almost impossible to believe back in 2013, but a whole lot has changed over the last 13 years: Halo is now on PlayStation. During the Xbox 360 era, Microsoft was still sticking to a traditional exclusives-focused release strategy, with multiple Halo games releasing solely on Xbox 360. Even the real-time-strategy game Halo Wars initially released solely on Xbox 360, not coming to PC until 2016. But times have changed, and Microsoft opted to simultaneously launch Halo: Campaign Evolved on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and, yes, PlayStation 5. It remains to be seen if this will continue for future Halo games, as new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma seems interested in returning to exclusives(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-must-have-exclusive-content-ceo-says/), but it sure is weird to see a Halo game on Sony's system. -- Gabe Gurwin !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-1.03.04-PM.png?w=636) Halo is now on PlayStation. GTA 5 Came To All These Other Platforms Grand Theft Auto 5 was initially only available on Xbox 360 and PS3, with Rockstar following in its predecessors' footsteps by not launching day-and-date with PC. But the game did eventually come to PC, mod support and all, in 2015, and also released on Xbox One and PS4. But the wait for the next GTA has gone on so long that it also released for Xbox Series X|S and PS5, along with the separate GTA Online component. Up to this point, it hasn't come to Nintendo Switch or Switch 2, but it wouldn't be particularly shocking for that to happen in the future, as Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy is available on Switch. -- Gabe Gurwin 15+ Call of Duty Games The Call of Duty series is annualized, and there have been a lot of Call of Duty games released since GTA 5 came out in September 2013. In the time since Rockstar released GTA 5, Activision has released 13 mainline Call of Duty games, with a 14th, Modern Warfare 4, arriving in late October. In addition to all of those games, Activision launched the mobile game Call of Duty: Mobile in 2019, the battle royale game Call of Duty: Warzone in 2020, and then another mobile game, Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, in 2024 (that game shut down in 2026). Also during the time since GTA 5 came out, the Call of Duty franchise changed hands, with Microsoft taking ownership of the franchise through its purchase of Activision Blizzard. -- Eddie Makuch !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-1.06.10-PM.png?w=636) COD: Warzone launched in 2020. EA Gets A New CEO GTA 5 and EA executive Andrew Wilson are connected by way of GTA 5 releasing and Wilson being promoted to CEO in the same month. Shortly after GTA 5 launched on September 17, 2013, Wilson was named CEO, replacing John Riccitiello on September 20. Both GTA 5 and Wilson did well for themselves in the decade-plus that followed, with GTA 5 selling exceptionally well and Wilson presiding over a run from about $25/share to $200+, increasing EA's market cap by billions upon billions. This culminated in Wilson and his team agreeing to sell the company to a group of investors led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund in August 2026 for $55 billion. -- Eddie Makuch The Death Of E3 Not long after E3 2013 wrapped up in June that year, The Figueroa Hotel, located near the Los Angeles Convention Center where E3 was hosted, was adorned by impressive and gargantuan GTA 5 artwork. While GTA 5 and GTA Online would persist and thrive in the decade-plus that followed, E3 would not. Once a private trade show for industry professionals and media, E3 opened to the public in 2017, but it wouldn't last. After COVID led to the cancellation of the 2020 show, organizers held a virtual show in 2021. The 2022 event was canceled entirely, and though organizers promised a "reinvigorated showcase" for 2023, that didn't happen either--E3 was canceled permanently(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-is-permanently-canceled/1100-6519882/). Rockstar was known to make announcements at E3, as the company unveiled a brand-new PS3-exclusive spy game called Agent(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/rockstar-details-agent/1100-6211142/) at E3 2009. -- Eddie Makuch COVID And Its Impact On Gaming The COVID-19 pandemic, which took hold in early 2020, had a massive impact on the world, of course, including the video game industry. Due to stay-at-home orders and general social distancing policies, people spent more time--and money--on things they could do at home. Naturally, home gym and fitness equipment sales soared, but so did spending on entertainment like video games. Sales of games and consoles skyrocketed, Twitch set unprecedented viewership records(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/twitch-sets-new-viewership-records-5-billion-hours/1100-6479222/), and naturally, the surging spending on games made dollar-signs appear in executive and investor's eyes. Coupled with historically low costs to borrow money, this led to a situation where companies ramped up hiring and investors funded new studios, thinking the momentum might be sustainable. Painfully, it was not. Experts are now looking back and saying executives and investors mistook a bubble for a baseline. Subsequently, the past few post-COVID years have been some of the most tumultuous in recent times, with thousands of layoffs, numerous studio closures, countless game cancellations, and investment funding slowing down significantly. The pandemic may be behind us, but its impacts are still being felt today. -- Eddie Makuch What's more, the surging spending on games made dollar-signs appear in executive and investor's eyes. Coupled with historically low costs to borrow money, this led to a situation where companies ramped up hiring and investors funded new studios, thinking the momentum might be sustainable. Painfully, it was not. Experts are now looking back and saying executives and investors mistook a bubble for a baseline. Subsequently, the past few post-COVID years have been some of the most tumultuous in recent times, with thousands of layoffs, numerous studio closures, countless game cancellations, and investment funding slowing down significantly. The pandemic may be behind us, but its impacts are still being felt today. -- Eddie Makuch Destiny came and went GTA 5 has been a hell of a success story for Rockstar Games, earning the studio critical acclaim. But GTA Online? That online portion of the game hit the mark for critical and commercial success, emerging as a giant in the live-service game space. Few games can compare to it, but for a brief time, Bungie's Destiny presented some stiff competition in a market where player attention spans are everything. It might have gotten off to a slow start, but a year later, Destiny was firing on all cylinders with the release of its Taken King expansion. That momentum would begin to stall over the next few years, but once Bungie found its groove with Destiny 2's seasonal model, every Tuesday was a reason to sit down and enjoy everything that the weekly reset had to offer. For a few years, things were good: new content rolled out at a steady clip, new game modes made the wait for the next expansion flow by fast, and that gratifying grind for new loot was always welcome. That magic couldn't last forever, and following the release of The Final Shape in 2024, Destiny's days were numbered(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-2-is-getting-last-content-update-soon-as-bungie-moves-onto-its-next-big-game/1100-6540084/). The Edge of Fate saga saw two more compact expansions(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-2-is-ending-just-as-its-story-started-to-get-good/) released, but by mid-2026, Bungie was ready to move on to new projects and its extraction-shooter Marathon--with mass layoffs(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungie-confirms-layoffs-most-of-destiny-team-let-go/) being an unfortunate side effect. Destiny's lifespan was short in the grand scheme of things, but ask anyone who played, those few years of gallivanting across planets and saving existence from would-be gods was downright magical(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/dont-mourn-destiny-2-be-grateful-that-it-existed/). – Darryn Bonthuys Saints Row fizzled out Has there ever been a true GTA-killer? At one point, Saints Row was being positioned as the Bovril to GTA's Marmite, and it's not hard to see why. GTA adopted a more serious tone and became increasingly grounded in reality, whereas Saints Row operated like a Looney Tunes sandbox that embraced absurdity. Saints Row 2 got the ball rolling on that idea, but by the time that Saints Row 4 hit the scene, the shark had been jumped, flipped off, and killed with a rocket launcher. Volition's Saints Row reboot in 2022 was seen as an attempt to bring the franchise back to reality, but that's probably why it didn't take off with fans. With one foot planted in the realm of realism and another testing the waters of silliness, Saints Row ultimately felt like a game that didn't know what it wanted to be. The launch was middling(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/saints-row-launch-didnt-go-to-plan-embracer-ceo-still-confident-it-will-turn-profit/1100-6507733/), the game was buggy as hell(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/saints-row-november-patch-will-have-over-200-bug-fixes-and-upgrades/1100-6508200/) during its first few weeks, and the whole experience felt like an open-world game designed by a committee, devoid of any real identity. Not long after, Volition Studios was shut down(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/saints-row-studio-volition-shut-down-just-after-30-year-anniversary/1100-6517393/), and for now, it looks like the Saints Row franchise is dead(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/saints-row-director-believes-the-franchise-is-dead/1100-6538334/). – Darryn Bonthuys !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-1.04.22-PM.png?w=636) A scene from 2022's Saints Row. The Entire Phil Spencer Era Of Xbox After joining Microsoft as an intern back in 1988, Phil Spencer was promoted to head of Xbox in 2014, kicking off his 12-year stint as one of the most notable figures in video games(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/phil-spencer-is-exactly-who-you-think-he-is/1100-6468846/). In a situation eerily similar to current Xbox head, Asha Sharma(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-ceo-we-will-deliver-great-games/1100-6538499/), Spencer came in during an extremely volatile time for Xbox. Following the disastrous reveal of the Xbox One, Spencer was brought in to revitalize the brand and restore player trust, and did so by prioritizing backwards compatibility, fostering relationships with third-party studios, and creating Xbox Game Pass(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-one-getting-netflix-like-subscription-service/1100-6448284/). Spencer was quickly embraced by the Xbox community, who championed him as a true gamer who understood what players wanted. But while his various initiatives and spending sprees(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/after-criticism-of-lack-of-xbox-one-games-microsof/1100-6459602/) might have endeared him to fans initially, his reputation soured over time due to his mismanagement of the various studios Xbox acquired and the rapidly increasing prices of both Game Pass and Xbox hardware. Spencer officially retired as Microsoft Gaming CEO earlier this year, leaving behind an extremely unstable company and a legacy tainted by layoffs(https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/a-year-by-year-breakdown-of-phil-spencers-mixed-legacy-as-xbox-boss/2900-7553/14), price hikes, and an overall weakening of the Xbox brand. And somehow, all of this happened in the span of time between GTA 5 and GTA 6. -- Jessica Cogswell The Nintendo Switch's Entire Existence A year before Grand Theft Auto 5 hit shelves, Nintendo unveiled a new (oddly named) console: the Wii U. Despite the success of its predecessor, the Wii, the Wii U was met with confusion and mixed reactions, both of which led to it becoming Nintendo's lowest-selling home console of all time (if we aren't counting the Virtual Boy). Following this commercial failure, Nintendo quickly went back to the drawing board. Five years later, Nintendo released its next console: the Nintendo Switch. In combining its talent for creating fantastic handheld systems and the public's desire for a home console with a little something for everyone, Nintendo struck gold. The Switch is now the second-best-selling console of all time, with nearly 156.6 million units sold--less than 4 million units shy of the PlayStation 2. In 2025, Nintendo released the successor to the console, the Nintendo Switch 2, which has already hit nearly 23.7 million units sold--a whopping 10 million more units than the Wii U sold across its five-year life span. In addition to these consoles being tremendously successful themselves, they've also helped usher in a new golden era for Nintendo games. Titles like The Legend of the Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Donkey Kong: Bananza, and Super Mario Odyssey have effectively reshaped their respective series; less active franchises, like Metroid, Luigi's Mansion, Pokemon Snap, Kirby, and Animal Crossing, have been reinvigorated with critically acclaimed new entries; and the release of definitive versions of Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart have made the Switch the ultimate destination for all things Nintendo. Combine all this with the addition of Nintendo Online's catalog of games, and it truly feels as though the Switch is Nintendo's pièce de résistance. -- Jessica Cogswell Consoles Got A Lot More Expensive Although video games have technically never been cheaper(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-are-video-game-consoles-so-expensive-these-days-and-games-historically-cheap/), console prices have risen astronomically in the time since GTA 5's release. These price hikes have been especially bad in recent years, as tariffs and the ongoing components crisis--linked largely to the rise of AI data centers(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-chip-shortage-is-coming-for-your-games/1100-6538293/)--have made the cost of making consoles a lot more expensive. As a result, consumers are now paying more for five-year-old consoles than they would have if they purchased them day one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiYNNGR4uLo The Xbox Series X, originally sold for $500 when it launched in November 2020, now rests at $800--and it's already rumored that the console will see a price hike again in 2027(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-may-have-another-price-hike-up-its-sleeve-in-2027/). The PlayStation 5 Digital Edition has risen from $400 to $600, while the version with a disc drive has jumped from $500 to $650. Even Nintendo has increased its console prices, with both the Switch 2 and Switch OLED seeing $50 price increases. And don't even get me started on how unreasonable it would be to build a PC these days. -- Jessica Cogswell

🎮 GTA🎮 Fortnite

GameSpotNews11 days ago

🍄 Nintendo Switch, Multi-platform

New Mario Kart World Switch 2 Bundle Coming In September, And It’s $50 More Expensive Than The Original

Ahead of the Switch 2's price hike in September, Nintendo has announced two new Switch 2 bundles for the US. The Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle ($550) launches in late September, while the Switch 2 + Nintendo Switch Sports bundle ($530) arrives alongside the game on October 22. People may recall that Nintendo offered a Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle when the console launched in June 2025. It was priced at $500 back then, but was subsequently discontinued. Comparisons to the new bundle are not entirely 1:1, however, as the original 2025 bundle did not include a Switch Online membership. Due to various economic pressures, Nintendo is raising the price of the Switch 2 by $50 on September 1(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-nintendo-switch-2-is-officially-getting-a-price-hike-in-september/1100-6539854/), bringing it up to $500. That new price is factored in to the new bundle price, which is why it's $550. The new Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle comes with a Switch 2, a code for the digital version of Mario Kart World, and a 3-month Nintendo Switch Online individual membership. Nintendo says the $550 price point represents a savings of $38 compared to buying each item individually, but that's not the whole story. Currently, the Switch 2 costs $450 and Mario Kart World is $80, so that works out to $530 together. You can get three months of Switch Online for $8 on Amazon(https://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Switch-Online-3-Month-Individual-Membership/dp/B07FV61ZC9?th=1), for a grand total of $538, so you can save money (about $12 before tax) by purchasing everything now as opposed to waiting for this new bundle to release. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-9.10.10-AM-1.png?w=636) The new Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle. The Nintendo Switch 2 + Nintendo Switch Sports Resort bundle, meanwhile, includes a Switch 2 system, a code for a digital copy of Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, and a 3-month Nintendo Switch Online individual membership. Purchasing these items separately would cost you $28 more, Nintendo said. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-9.10.22-AM.png?w=636) Say hello to the new Switch 2 bundle with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is the newest entry in the series, featuring 12 sports at launch, including wacky new ones like thumb wrestling.

🎮 Mario🎮 New Mario Kart World Switch 2 Bundle

GameSpotNews12 days ago

🍄 Nintendo Switch, Multi-platform

GuliKit’s Switch 2 TV dock gives me one feature I’ve missed when traveling

Nintendo didn’t design its Switch dock with travel in mind. Genki’s Covert Dock is a much smaller alternative my family has been using to connect our Switch to hotel TVs for years, but I’ve come to realize I much prefer having a stand for the console when using it this way. So when it came &8230;

TheNews12 days ago

🍄 Nintendo Switch, Multi-platform

The Duskbloods Playtest Was Even More Popular Than Elden Ring Nightreign’s

It sounds like fans were eager to learn everything they could about From Software's The Duskbloods(https://www.gamespot.com/games/the-duskbloods/), as one of the game's producers has revealed the Switch 2 exclusive saw higher playtest sign-ups compared to Elden Ring Nightreign(https://www.gamespot.com/games/elden-ring-nightreign/). Speaking during a livestream hosted by Japanese gaming publication Famitsu(https://youtube.com/live/GkjnUilN2Sw?si=2lLZv4xbwDty5rdg&t=4555) (and translated by GamesRadar+(https://www.gamesradar.com/games/action/the-duskbloods-closed-network-test-had-more-applicants-than-elden-ring-nightreign-despite-being-a-switch-2-exclusive-fromsoftware-lead-reveals/)), From Software producer Yasuhiro Kitao stated the number of applications for The Duskbloods playtest eclipsed that of the developer's previous multiplayer experiment. "We were really surprised," Kitao said. Given that Elden Ring Nightreign's playtest was available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S (the full game was also available on PC and last-gen consoles) the fact that The Duskbloods received more interest on Switch 2 sounds like it should be impossible. The Switch 2 is also a relatively new console, having only been available for around a year, meaning its user base is much smaller compared to that of the other two consoles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK2m1pr27q0 While it is surprising on the surface, perhaps there is some logic to be deciphered here. Elden Ring Nightreign went on to sell more than 5 million copies(https://x.com/ELDENRING/status/1948382858109698175?s=20), with its DLC alone selling 2 million copies in under a week(https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/elden-ring-nightreigns-first-major-dlc-has-sold-over-2-million-copies-in-under-a-week-as-it-manages-to-reignite-that-soul-crushing-spark-i-had-the-first-time-i-played/). The game's popularity and success proved From Software could make a wildly fun, multiplayer-focused souls-like, perhaps generating more interest for The Duskbloods. It also probably helped that there was almost no information known about The Duskbloods prior to the closed network test, encouraging players who wanted to learn more to sign up. While players knew it was multiplayer in nature, the exact structure of The Duskbloods, its playable classes, and its mechanics were all a mystery. The Duskbloods being helmed by legendary From Software director Hidetaka Miyazaki(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/hidetaka-miyazaki-on-the-duskbloods-maybe-pvpve-wasnt-the-best-way-to-refer-to-it/) also doesn't hurt. Such a large number of playtest applications bodes well for The Duskbloods, even if the network test got off to a rough start(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-duskbloods-first-network-test-shut-down-upcoming-schedule-now-in-flux/) with server and connectivity issues that saw From Software cancel its first session. The test also served as the world's first introduction to Zork(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/step-aside-gta-6-leaks-we-have-to-talk-about-zork/), one of the game's playable characters that has already become a bit of a meme. GameSpot's Jake Dekker came away impressed during his hands-on The Duskbloods preview(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ive-never-played-anything-like-the-duskbloods-and-i-cannot-wait-to-play-more/), saying he'd "never played anything like it" and "couldn't wait to play more." The Duskbloods is still slated to release sometime this year but does not currently have a release date.

🎮 Elden Ring

GameSpotNews13 days ago

🍄 Nintendo Switch, Multi-platform

Why A Nintendo Direct Is Likely To Happen Next Month

There's something about September when it comes to Nintendo Direct events(https://www.nintendo.com/us/nintendo-direct/archive/?srsltid=AfmBOopBS-IVkVikFncE5dNFdtkoxuVCGxUsSXhGQM7ofqt1Z-LXnpOi). The company behind Mario, Link, and Donkey Kong has held special livestreams during that month in nine out of the past 10 years. The only exception is 2024, but even then, there was a Nintendo Direct on August 27 (an Indie World Showcase alongside Partner Showcase). With that sort of history, a Nintendo Direct seems very likely to occur next month. For starters, there are two big elephants in the room: release dates for The Duskbloods(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ive-never-played-anything-like-the-duskbloods-and-i-cannot-wait-to-play-more/) and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-finally-reveals-the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-remake-for-2026/). Both are slated to come out this year, so it's about time for more specifics on these hotly anticipated titles. In addition, Nintendo also likes to pull back the curtain on the following year's lineup during September Direct events. For instance, last year's presentation saw the company reveal Mario Tennis Fever(https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/nintendo-direct-september-2025-all-the-biggest-announcements/2900-7026/6), Yoshi and the Mysterious Book(https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/yoshi-and-the-mysterious-book-is-about-curiosity-not-conquest/1900-6418493/), and Pokemon Pokopia(https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pokemon-pokopia-review-the-pokemon-anniversary-gift-i-didnt-know-i-wanted/1900-6418465/). These are all Switch 2 exclusives that arrived in the first half of 2026. Before that, in the September 2023 Direct, Nintendo unveiled Princess Peach: Showtime(https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/princess-peach-showtime-review-drama-teacher/1900-6418198/) (which launched in March 2024) and the remaster of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door(https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/paper-mario-the-thousand-year-door-review-step-inside-the-plumber-rpgs-back/1900-6418230/) (which arrived in May 2024). Here is a breakdown of dates for Nintendo Directs in September over the past decade: - September 12, 2025 - September 14, 2023 - September 13, 2022 - September 23, 2021 - September 17, 2020 (Mini Partner Showcase) - September 4, 2019 - September 13, 2018 - September 13, 2017 - September 1, 2016 Early 2027 still seems fairly open for Switch 2, meaning Nintendo needs to fill out the calendar. Xenoblade Genesis(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xenoblade-fans-are-eating-good-with-a-new-game-genesis-announced-for-2027/) could possibly be on the way during that timeframe, or maybe we'll be surprised with Pokemon Winds and Waves(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemon-winds-and-waves-release-date-gameplay-and-everything-we-know-so-far/1100-6538522/). As noted above, it's more than possible that totally new games are revealed, too. Nothing is official yet, obviously, but looking at the past paints a clearer path for when Nintendo Directs happen. With that, it's safe to assume a new Direct is coming sooner than later. And there is plenty to talk about for Switch 2 this holiday season and into next year. The Legend Of Zelda Movie–Here’s What We Know So Far !4603715-zeldamovie.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1179/11799911/4603715-zeldamovie.jpg?w=636) !4603727-screenshot2025-11-17at10.15.17 am.png(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1179/11799911/4603727-screenshot2025-11-17at10.15.17 am.png?w=635) !4603725-screenshot2025-11-17at10.15.12 am.png(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1179/11799911/4603725-screenshot2025-11-17at10.15.12 am.png?w=627) !4533039-zelda.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1179/11799911/4533039-zelda.jpg?w=636) !2558029-zelda003.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1197/11970954/2558029-zelda003.jpg?w=636) !4442369-screenshot2025-02-11at11.00.31am.png(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1179/11799911/4442369-screenshot2025-02-11at11.00.31am.png?w=636) !3180646-nintendoswitchtlozbreathofthewildpresentation2017scrn16pngjpgcopy.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/536/5360430/3180646-nintendoswitchtlozbreathofthewildpresentation2017scrn16pngjpgcopy.jpg?w=636) View Images(https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/the-legend-of-zelda-movie-release-date-trailer-story/2900-6252/)

🎮 Mario🎮 Why A Nintendo Direct

GameSpotNews13 days ago