Marathon is attempting to broaden its playerbase with new offerings, such as a PVE-only mode. Depending on who you ask, Marathon has struck a chord with a dedicated playerbase, but may not have the wide appeal. It seems Bungie is acutely aware of the fact that it may need to expand its audience to make it more approachable and is planning on doing so.

In a massive new blog post, Bungie laid out its plans for the future of Marathon. Among the many details in it, arguably the biggest takeaway content-wise is the introduction of a brand-new PVE mode being introduced in Season 2. It's an experimental mode that won't have player-on-player combat to instead emphasize working together to complete objectives, fight UESC bots, and make progress in a less chaotic and hostile environment. Additionally, there will be a mode that focuses on "PVE, but with a light touch of PVP," though details are scarce on what exactly that means.

For those fearing this means PVP will take a backseat from Marathon, that's not the case. Bungie teased that it is developing a purely PVP-focused mode as part of plans for more experimental modes in Marathon. Bungie noted its goal is to create a game that allows for nail-biting tension and sweaty gameplay, but also one that allows you to take a step back and chill. The aim is to ensure there is a pace of play for whatever mood you're in, rather than constant high-stakes, tense gameplay with big time commitments.

Bungie is also planning to update and improve Marathon's onboarding experience for new players, as well as deepen the overall experience for the diehard fans:

The following is the general roadmap for the future of Marathon throughout 2026:

While there is a passionate group of Marathon players, some would-be fans were interested in experiencing the game for Bungie's tight gunplay, but didn't click with the main extraction-based modes. It seems like this is a direct response to those people and hopefully, it will lure them in and expand the playerbase.

Sony claimed in a recent earnings report that despite a positive reception from players, Marathon's underperformance contributed to a massive $765 million impairment loss following Bungie being acquired. It appears this is part of Bungie doing what it can to pump Marathon's numbers up. Bungie has plans to support Marathon for several years, but obviously, Sony isn't afraid of shutting down studios as seen most recently with the closure of Bluepoint Games.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Nintendo has been getting amazing brick treatment over the last few years, and one of the biggest and most impressive sets has been the 2-in-1 The Legend of Zelda Great Deku Tree. It originally came out in September of 2024, but sadly it looks like it's already scheduled to be retired soon. This set joins a wide breadth of other LEGO kits about to be sunsetted on LEGO's Last Chance to Buy page, but there should still be plenty of time to pick one up from Amazon or directly through LEGO before it's too late. This is one of just two LEGO Legend of Zelda sets, with the Ocarina of Time - The Final Battle set dropping earlier this year.

Many third-party LEGO blogs are saying this and the other sets are to be retired this July, so there's still a little bit of time to pick one up, though I can't imagine this will see a discount anywhere any time soon. If you're able to get one, you're in for quite a treat. IGN's Kevin Wong built this set when it came out. The 2,500-piece set is a fun modular build where you can choose between the Great Deku Tree iterations from Ocarina of Time or Breath of the Wild, with Kevin saying the latter is the better build in terms of detail and color.

This set also includes many new and exclusive bricks only found in this set, like the Link and Zelda minifigures, the Sheika Slate brick, an ocarina, and a handful of Korok masks. I'd personally build this into the Ocarina of Time configuration, as it's one of my favorite games of all time, but the inside of the tree offers plenty of Easter eggs from the game's first dungeon, like a swinging Skulltula and two Deku baba plants.

If you already have the Great Deku Tree kit, the latest Legend of Zelda LEGO set is still in stock and features the iconic final battle from the N64 classic. It's also a great companion piece if your Deku Tree is in the Ocarina of Time configuration.

Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.

One of the biggest debates surrounding the Switch 2 has been whether the console has a strong enough library of games to warrant the upgrade. As Xbox and Playstation have moved toward multi-platform releases (and even a potential PC-console hybrid), Nintendo has remained firm in producing games exclusive to their own hardware.

Now, almost a year into the console’s life cycle, the top three best-selling physical games on Amazon are all Nintendo exclusives. Are Switch 2 owners just at the ready to buy any game that releases on the console? Or are these games particularly big hits for the gaming giant? I have a suspicion it’s a mix of both.

Amazon’s approach to product categories is… interesting, to say the least. If you go straight to the video game bestsellers list, you’ll find a mix of Roblox gift cards, controllers, and even the Switch 2 itself. These are the top actual video games on that list, which are technically ranked at #5, #6, and #18 at the time of writing.

Up top we have the most recently announced Switch 2-exclusive, which certainly has some hype behind it. The Star Fox 64 remake will feature a significant graphical overhaul, including new character designs, while keeping the same level design as the original game. It will also include some funky Switch 2 camera integrations.

The one game on this list that isn’t a Switch 2-exclusive also happens to be the game that you can buy and play right now. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream released earlier this year, with IGN’s review calling it "a deeply funny and equally personal civilization simulator."

While Nintendo opted not to offer any online features for sharing, the game has turned into a social media darling, with everyone and their grandma seemingly sharing screenshots of what their eclectic crews of Miis are getting up to.

Yet another preorder, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book will be the first Yoshi game to release since Yoshi's Crafted World in 2019. Leanne Butkovic’s preview of the game for IGN notes that the gameplay may be designed for the younger generation of gamers, but that hasn’t stopped it from climbing the charts.

It's worth highlighting that more and more developers are reporting that the overwhelming majority of game purchases are digital. The Nintendo eShop doesn’t rank its best-selling list, but it currently features Pokémon Pokopia, the FireRed and LeafGreen remakes, and the Switch 2’s accompanying launch title, Mario Kart World.

Unlike the original Switch, the Switch 2 has also been getting non-Nintendo AAA releases like Resident Evil: Requiem and Pragmata at launch. Upcoming exclusives include a new Fromsoftware game, The Duskbloods, while questions remain about major Nintendo mascots like Mario and Zelda.

How does the Switch 2 library stack up at this stage? Well, I think that’s for you to decide.

One of the biggest Nintendo announcements of late is that the Switch 2 will be increasing in price this September. When that price hike takes effect, every current-generation console will officially be more expensive in 2026 than it was at launch, an unfortunate trend tied to memory shortages and tariffs. The price increase followed reports of pressure from investors, and may also be related to the relatively soft Switch 2 sales over the holidays.

Aside from accompanying the announcement with an apology, Nintendo announced a new "choose your own game" Switch 2 bundle that will be available this summer. The company recognizes that the console's appeal depends on its library of games, with Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa expressing that "the most important thing in the gaming console business is to provide engaging gameplay that offers value beyond the price."

Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.