Month: June 2025

Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa has publicly apologized for the ongoing shortages of the highly anticipated Switch 2 console. Despite the overwhelming demand, Nintendo is struggling to keep up with the sales of their latest gaming platform.

The Switch 2 has set impressive records, becoming the fastest-selling video game console in the United States within just a week of its launch, and its associated game, Mario Kart World, has consistently dominated sales rankings. Shortages of game consoles have become a common challenge in the industry, as recent launches of platforms like the PS5 and Xbox Series X also faced difficulties in meeting customer demand.

Similar to those launches, the Switch 2 has been susceptible to resellers, with Yahoo Japan issuing warnings about inflated prices from scalpers. Nintendo is now directly confronting the limited availability of the Switch 2 and acknowledging its impact on fans.

During a recent shareholder meeting, Furukawa revealed that the response to the initial lottery for Switch 2 sales far surpassed expectations, with over two million applicants vying for the opportunity to purchase the console. Since the launch, Nintendo has conducted additional lottery sales, but they continue to apologize for their inability to meet the initial demand.

The console has already sold over a million units in Japan in less than a month. Alongside the success of the Switch 2, Mario Kart World is also achieving remarkable sales, having sold one million physical copies in Japan.

Looking ahead, Nintendo plans to expand its offerings with major game releases, including the 3D platformer Donkey Kong Bananza next month, as well as upcoming titles featuring beloved franchises like Metroid and Kirby. Exciting third-party games like Borderlands 4 will also make their debut on the Switch 2, giving fans hope for increased availability soon.

Capcom has recently unveiled exciting details about Sagat, the iconic Muay Thai master set to join Street Fighter 6 as the next DLC character. Since its launch in June 2023, Street Fighter 6 has been enriching its roster by introducing both returning favorites and unique newcomers.

The latest addition was Elena, a Capoeira fighter, released earlier this month. As Street Fighter 6 gears up for its third wave of downloadable content, fans of the franchise will instantly recognize Sagat.

He first made his mark as the final boss in the original Street Fighter game back in 1987 and has since been a beloved playable character in all subsequent versions. Characterized by his towering stature and formidable Muay Thai techniques, Sagat has toggled between being a villain and an anti-hero, always striving to be acknowledged as the strongest martial artist.

Although he was missing from the initial roster of Street Fighter 6, his return is highly anticipated. Capcom has officially confirmed Sagat’s release date as August 5, 2025.

This was shared in a recent press announcement, which revealed that players would be able to visit Sagat in Thailand to learn his powerful moves within the game’s World Tour mode. A new trailer showcases Sagat’s impressive feats, including a dramatic scene where he plants a large tree before smashing it with his trademark Tiger Uppercut.

In preparation for Sagat’s arrival, Street Fighter 6 will offer a special Sagat Arrives Fighting Pass starting July 4, featuring Sagat-themed content including new colors for Ryu and Ken. Moreover, August 5 will also see the launch of the Outfit 4 update, introducing alternate swimwear costumes for a variety of characters.

Looking ahead, the Year 3 DLC will feature other characters such as Crimson Viper, Alex, and Ingrid, each scheduled for release in the upcoming seasons. For now, players are encouraged to gear up for intense battles with the return of Sagat, who is set to shake the arena once again.

Street Fighter 6 allows players to experience an evolved combat system with various control types to suit different skill levels, and engaging features like Real Time Commentary to enhance the competitive gameplay experience. Additionally, the game offers an immersive single-player mode called World Tour and a vibrant Battle Hub for social interactions and competition among players, making it a comprehensive package for both veterans and newcomers of the series.

Bohemia Interactive has exciting news for fans of DayZ: the announcement of an upcoming expansion titled DayZ: Badlands, scheduled for release in 2026. This expansion will introduce players to a brand-new region, offering fresh challenges that are sure to engage both new and longtime players alike. DayZ originally began as a mod for Arma 2 and has since undergone significant development since its inception in 2012. The game officially launched for PC in 2018, with subsequent releases for last-gen consoles.

Known as one of the premier survival games of its kind, DayZ is set in the fictional post-Soviet republic of Chernarus, which draws inspiration from the Czech Republic. The game uniquely combines the harshness of survival mechanics with a zombie apocalypse backdrop, captivating players worldwide. Continued support from Bohemia Interactive has ensured that DayZ remains fresh with major content expansions. The DayZ: Badlands expansion will introduce the Nasdara Province, spanning 267 km² of arid, desert terrain.

This new landscape marks a significant departure from the earlier Frostline expansion, as players will navigate a harsh environment where thirst poses a deadly threat and droughts are common. In addition to new environmental challenges, players can expect more weapons and fresh infected variants. Early concept images hint at abandoned oil fields, sprawling towns, and expansive desert hills, painting a vivid picture of the new region. Although an official release date has yet to be announced, speculation suggests that Badlands could arrive in the first half of 2026, following a similar timeline to the Frostline expansion.

With the latter having recently propelled DayZ to over 73,000 active users on Steam, the anticipation for Badlands may signal a revival for the survival game, making it an excellent time for players to revisit the experience.

EA Sports is set to unveil exciting new features in Madden NFL 26’s “Superstar” single-player mode, responding to fan requests and enhancing player interactions with their NFL star. The iconic football franchise has experienced significant changes in recent years as EA Sports aims to improve both in-game mechanics and overall user experience. Following the introduction of “BOOM Tech,” which revamped in-game physics and animations, along with a refreshed Franchise Mode last year, Madden NFL 26 is now prioritizing Superstar Mode.

Superstar Mode has been a beloved aspect of the Madden NFL series for almost 20 years, allowing players to experience the journey of an NFL career. Players start as rookie backups, gradually rising through the ranks to become top athletes in the league. With the recent launch of College Football 25, gamers can even transfer their college athletes into Madden NFL 26’s Superstar mode.

This year, EA Sports is making substantial changes to this mode. Reported changes include three standout features: Career Chapters, Spheres of Influence, and Game Day Beats. Career Chapters will segment a player’s career into distinct eras, emphasizing key milestones.

The Sphere of Influence focuses on developing relationships with teammates and coaches, fostering an “Inner Circle” connection. Lastly, Game Day Beats introduces unique challenges and modifiers that alter the dynamics of each match. These enhancements aim to enrich the storytelling aspect of Superstar Mode as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Players will be able to form deeper bonds with teammates and staff, while Game Day Beats promises a fresh twist on weekly games, making early career experiences more engaging. Madden NFL 26 is set to be released on August 14, holding even more surprises for fans beyond Superstar Mode changes. EA Sports has hinted at new features like “QB DNA” and “Coach DNA,” and improvements to the weather system, promising a more dynamic gameplay experience.

The Plucky Squire has recently received an exciting update that introduces two new game modes: Challenge Mode and Iron Squire Mode. These additions amp up the game’s difficulty significantly, making it a thrilling option for players seeking a more rigorous challenge. This update follows the game’s successful launch in September 2024, where it was widely praised and gained a strong reputation as one of the top indie titles of the year. In this latest update, players can explore Challenge Mode, which presents an array of new features.

This includes fresh enemies such as the Rock Golem and unique metamagic versions of familiar foes like Barfer Bug and Goblin, as well as tougher variants of existing enemies. The mini-games have also been revamped with increased difficulty and new layouts, aside from a few exceptions. The Challenge Mode not only enhances gameplay with these new elements but also introduces additional achievements aimed at players who complete it. For those thrill-seekers wanting even more intensity, Iron Squire Mode is the new frontier, characterized by its permadeath feature.

In this mode, players face irreversible consequences as their save is deleted upon dying, redirecting them to newly implemented “game over” screens. Moreover, quality-of-life updates have streamlined the experience, allowing players to skip dialogue by holding down the X button or space bar, rather than pressing it repeatedly. The introduction of these higher-difficulty modes is designed to engage both newcomers and veterans of The Plucky Squire, making it a compelling period for its community. It remains to be seen how these updates will impact player retention and overall engagement moving forward.

Riot Games has made a significant announcement regarding its popular titles, Valorant and League of Legends, as they embrace gambling sponsorships. This decision comes after extensive discussions within the company and reflects worries about the long-term sustainability of the esports scenes for both games.

The global esports market was valued at $2 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $5.5 billion by 2029. Despite these promising figures, some industry leaders believe that esports is a challenging business prone to financial loss.

The aftermath of the pandemic has heightened these concerns, leading to a decrease in sponsorship in the market and leaving many esports teams in a precarious position. After five successful years, Valorant has become a cornerstone of both competitive gaming and content creation.

In an effort to improve sustainability, Riot has decided to permit betting sponsorships with specific conditions for its top-tier teams. John Needham, Riot’s President of Publishing & Esports, emphasized the importance of topics like “sustainability,” “revenue,” and “financial health” in his announcement about these new sponsorship opportunities.

The decision to allow gambling sponsorships acknowledges the existing betting culture around esports, which will persist regardless of company involvement. This initiative opens sponsorship opportunities for teams in North America, South America, and the EMEA region while establishing strict regulations to maintain the integrity of esports events.

To earn approval, potential partners must adhere to Riot’s guidelines, utilize data from an official partner, and fulfill integrity program requirements to prevent issues like underage gambling and match-fixing. Riot has also pledged that all official esports streams will remain free of gambling sponsors and has no immediate plans to broaden this sponsorship category to Asia and Australia.

Professional teams have long requested such opportunities, and although the company’s decision may have been driven by sustainability concerns, they aim to execute this shift responsibly.

World of Warcraft is set to introduce a valuable new feature in Patch 11.2, specifically a tooltip on the world map that indicates which story variant is active in each Delve. This enhancement will significantly improve the player experience by making it easier to complete challenging achievements and steer clear of Delve stories that may not resonate with individual players. Delves are a fresh type of instance introduced in World of Warcraft: The War Within, allowing characters of any specialization or role to engage solo or in groups.

Each Delve presents various story variants that modify enemies, objectives, mechanics, and pathways. These variants rotate daily, adding an element of surprise and replayability. With the implementation of this map tooltip in Patch 11.2, players will no longer have to physically visit a Delve’s entrance to discover its active storyline.

Simply hovering over the Delve on the map will reveal the current variant, streamlining the process for those seeking specific narratives. This functionality serves two primary purposes. First, it aids players in achieving the Delve Loremaster: The War Within accolade, which necessitates the completion of every Delve storyline—a prerequisite for the Glory of the Delver achievement that rewards the sought-after Ivory Golianthus mount.

Second, it enables players to select Delve story variants that align with their preferences, whether they are looking for easier challenges or engaging narratives. Importantly, Delves are expected to remain a permanent feature in future expansions, enhancing the long-term value of this update. While Patch 11.2 does not yet have a specific release date, following the usual eight-week release pattern after the recent Patch 11.1.7 could place its arrival around August 12.

Additionally, Patch 11.2 will include new visual options to help manage the visual effects produced by other players during intense battles, further refining the gameplay experience. Gamers will have control over how much visual clutter they encounter, enhancing their overall enjoyment in raids and group content. As the story unfolds, players will embark on an adventure through subterranean realms, uncovering mysteries and challenges posed by the Harbinger of the Void in the depths of the Nerubian empire.