The update, numbered 1.7.0, introduces Drill Rally and Boomerang Rally to the game. Drill Rally will take racers from the eastern part of the map, starting at Wario Shipyard, all the way up to the north-western end, with several biomes hit along the way, including snow, desert, and forest, culminating in two parts of the volcano region, with the final part being Bowser’s Castle.

Boomerang Rally, on the other hand, starts at Salty Salty Speedway in the southeast and heads north before eventually hitting the middle of the in-game world and turning southwest. The Knockout Tour course culminates in a series of races in the game’s desert region, wrapping up the race at Whistlestop Summit.

To get access to these new courses, players will need to have cleared at least one Knockout Tour Rally. Nintendo has also confirmed that additional Rallies are planned for release.

Players who enjoy the Photo Mode in Mario Kart World can now look forward to placing stickers on their favorite scenes. These must be collected by completing various challenges throughout the game, and bring in a new way to showcase your achievements.

Mario Kart World was released back in June 2025 as one of the launch titles for the Nintendo Switch 2. For more details, take a look at our review, where we gave it a score of 9 out of 10 thanks to its interconnected open world, beautiful visuals, and excellent gameplay. We even went as far as calling it the first must-play game on the Switch 2.

At the time, Mario Kart World had turned quite a few heads when Nintendo announced its $80 price tag. Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida said that the price tag was okay because the racing title offers players plenty of content. Bringing up expensive Deluxe Editions and other releases for typical AAA games, Yoshida said, “Some people see the benefit, so they spend that $100… so it’s up to you if you see the value or not.”

Since its release, Nintendo has continued supporting Mario Kart World with plenty of free updates, introducing quality-of-life improvements, balance changes, changes to race layouts, and even a new game mode.

Mario Kart World has also done incredibly well for Nintendo, with the company revealing in its latest financial report that it had sold 14.03 million copies as of the end of December 2025. Since these figures only account for the first seven months of the game’s release, sales have likely gotten even higher at this point. It is also worth noting that Mario Kart World was available through a Nintendo Switch 2 bundle as well.

It has gone on to become one of the two games that can seemingly get away with an $80 price tag this generation, alongside Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto 6.

Professor at NYU Stern School of Business and industry researcher Joost van Dreunen reiterated his previous thoughts on the matter, saying that the new price tag is “reserved for only a select few titles and franchises”.

“Gaming is increasingly becoming a luxury category,” van Dreunen explained. “Its economics have historically centered around a winner-takes-most model, and GTA 6 raises the bar again. Publishers who can clear it will pull further ahead, and those who cannot will have to compete on distribution instead, finding new channels, bundles, and pricing models to reach players the blockbusters don’t.”

Analysts had spoken about this shortly after pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto 6 went live earlier this month. Among them was Kantan Games CEO Dr. Serkan Toto, who mentioned the fact that Take-Two Interactive had gone with higher price tags before.

“Why should it not become the trailblazer for the industry again? Jumping from $70 to $80 is a 14.3% price increase, which is quite a lot. It will very much depend on the game, but I can easily see some marquee titles going for this price, perhaps even this year, too.”

Alinea Analytics’ Rhys Elliot mentioned that publishers who aim for the $80 price tag without a game that is comparable in terms of cultural and commercial significance to Grand Theft Auto 6 or Mario Kart World are in for a rude awakening. He also noted that even Grand Theft Auto 6 doesn’t quite have the pricing power to go beyond the $80 ceiling.

“I think a lot of publishers are about to learn that the hard way,” said Elliot. “GTA 6 has more pricing power than any game on earth, and it still didn’t go above $80. If the biggest release in the industry’s history looked at the ceiling and chose not to break it, that should tell everyone else the ceiling is real, and they’ll smack their head on it. The danger is that publishers read ‘GTA is $80′ as a green light and push their own run-of-the-mill or new-IP games to $80, when the lesson is the opposite: even GTA didn’t think it could go higher.”

In the meantime, rumors have indicated that pre-orders for the PS5 version of Grand Theft Auto 6 have been far outperforming the Xbox Series X/S version. The former is said to be beating the latter by a ratio of six to one. Despite this lead that the PS5 might have, Microsoft has clarified that Xbox has been seeing “record orders”.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated for release on November 19th. For more, check out our thoughts on why a new trailer is likely dropping soon.

While half of the top 10 list in the US were new releases for the month, the other half was made up of older games, like Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, MLB: The Show 26, Crimson Desert, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and Mario Kart World.

When taking the whole year into account, Resident Evil Requiem continues to take the top spot for game sales in the US. It is followed by Crimson Desert in second place and MLB: The Show 26 in third place. Despite being a relatively new release, 007 First Light has managed to do incredibly well by taking the fourth spot for the entire year so far, followed by Forza Horizon 6 in fifth. LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is the only new release to have broken through the top 10 sales for the year, coming in at 7th place.

007 First Light ended up getting quite a few accolades for its performance in May 2026, being the best-selling PlayStation game for the month, as well as the highest “full game dollar sales” of any James Bond game in history.

All in all, Piscatella has reported that total video game spending in the US for May 2026 hit $4.2 billion, which marks a 3 percent increase over May 2025. By the time the month was over, the year-to-date spending was 4 percent higher than last year, coming in at $23 billion.

Interestingly, Piscatella has noted that consoles served as the primary platform for game spending in May 2026 in the US, with total spending having gone up by 25 percent compared to last year. When taking year-to-date figures, console content spending is 13 percent higher. PC and subscriptions haven’t fallen behind either, coming in at 15 percent and 11 percent year-on-year increases, respectively.

Piscatella has also revealed details about console hardware sales in the US for May 2026, noting that both PlayStation and Xbox haven’t been doing too well. While it was the first May faced by PlayStation since 2000, Piscatella has confirmed that May 2026 was the worst May for Xbox since Microsoft launched the division. While there are likely many reasons for console sales falling in this regard, Piscatella also brought up the fact that price hikes have led to consoles simply getting too expensive. Xbox, for example, saw a 22 percent increase in average hardware price since 2025. PlayStation, on the other hand, saw an increase of 33 percent year-on-year.

“Xbox is currently tracking a distant third in hardware sales among the major manufacturers. But they are getting more revenue from each unit sold, enough to make dollar sales grow in May despite the unit drop,” said Piscatella. “If that fits the definition of ‘working’ or not, I don’t know.”

May 2026 U.S. Projected Top 10 Best-Selling Games Ranked on Physical & Full Game Digital Dollar Sales (Excludes Mobile and Digital Add-On Content)

— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2026-06-26T13:00:03.576Z

YTD 2026 U.S. Projected Top 10 Best-Selling Games Ranked on Physical & Full Game Digital Dollar Sales (Excludes Mobile and Digital Add-On Content)

— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2026-06-26T13:00:03.577Z

Content – Console drove content spending growth in May. Total spending on console content increased by 25% compared to a year ago and is now 13% higher year-to-date. PC content (+15% versus a year ago) and subscription spending (+11%) also grew in May.

— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2026-06-26T13:00:03.585Z

Content – 007 First Light was May’s leader in full game dollar sales, debuting as the 4th best-seller of 2026 year-to-date. It also led all titles in full game dollar sales on PlayStation platforms in the month.

— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2026-06-26T13:00:03.586Z

Following up Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is Capcom’s Pragmata at the number 2 spot. Third place is taken up by Crimson Desert, followed by MLB: The Show 26 in fourth place. Rounding up the top 5 is the indie pirate-themed survival crafting game Windrose. The only other new releases in the top 10 listing are Saros at ninth place, and the PS5 release of Bethesda’s sci-fi RPG Starfield.

When it comes to the entire year so far, the period from January 4th to May 2nd has seen Resident Evil Requiem taking up the top spot in terms of sales in the US. Interestingly, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream was the only recent release to make its way into the rankings at ninth place. The rest of the list is taken up by titles you’d expect, like Crimson Desert in second place, MLB The Show 26 in third place, Pokémon Pokopia in fourth place, and WWE 2K26 in fifth place.

April saw hardware sales rise, with spending going up by 34 percent year-on-year. Interestingly, much of this spending is attributed to the Nintendo Switch 2, since the original Switch, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5 have all seen year-on-year spending declines of 69 percent, 43 percent, and 30 percent, respectively.

This has made the Nintendo Switch 2 the best-selling hardware platform in terms of both number of units sold, as well as dollars of revenue generated for both the month of April itself, as well as the entire year so far. The PS5 is in second place.

Interestingly, when taking US lifetime sales into account, the PS5 is tracking 2 percent ahead of the PS4 in the same 66-month time frame. Similarly, the Nintendo Switch 2 has already taken a lead over the original Switch in the pace of its hardware sales, overtaking the 2017 console by 11 percent for the same 11-month period since their respective launches.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream topping sales charts shouldn’t really come as a surprise since the title has been a hit across social media platforms thanks to its absurdist comedy and emphasis on player freedom. The title was released on the Nintendo Switch on April 16th, and since then, has seen quite a bit of critical and commercial acclaim. Leading up to its release, Nintendo had also released a free demo for it, giving players a taste of its core gameplay that largely revolves around managing a quiet island town and its crazy denizens.

The other new title to have topped the charts this month—Pragmata—was released on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2 on April 17th, and since then, has been praised for its unique combat gameplay that melds shooting, dodging, and puzzle solving.

April 2026 U.S. Projected Top 10 Best-Selling Games Ranked on Physical & Full Game Digital Dollar Sales (Excludes Mobile and Digital Add-On Content)

— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2026-05-20T13:00:19.106Z

YTD 2026 U.S. Projected Top 10 Best-Selling Games Ranked on Physical & Full Game Digital Dollar Sales (Excludes Mobile and Digital Add-On Content)

— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2026-05-20T13:00:19.107Z

Hardware – April hardware spending increased by 34% when compared to a year ago, to $261M. Spending on Nintendo Switch 2 hardware offset declines seen across Switch (-69% versus April 2025), Xbox Series (-43%) and PlayStation 5 (-30%).

— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2026-05-20T13:00:19.108Z

It is worth noting that the bundle will be available before the Nintendo Switch 2’s price hikes come into effect on September 1st, where its MRP will go up to $499.99. Keeping that in mind, the Nintendo Switch 2: Choose Your Game Bundle will only be available for a limited period of time. Any such bundle that Nintendo decides to release after September 1st will likely take the console’s new price tag into account.

For more details about the choice of the three titles offered for the bundle, check out our reviews of Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Pokémon Pokopia.

The price hike for the Nintendo Switch 2 was announced earlier this month, with its previous price tag of $449.99/$629.99 CAD/€469.99 across the US, Canada, and Europe going up to $499.99/$679.99 CAD/€499.99.

During its recent earnings call, Nintendo confirmed that it has sold almost 20 million units of the Switch 2 as of March 31st, 2026, with the last three months of the period accounting for 2.49 million units. On the software side of things, Nintendo has revealed that 10.78 million units have been sold, and Pokémon Pokopia alone has sold 4 million copies since its release.

The company has also projected that sales of Nintendo Switch 2 hardware will go down in the coming year. “For Nintendo Switch 2, sales were more concentrated in the launch year in comparison to previous hardware systems. Reflecting strong launch-year sales and price revisions, we expect FY27 sales units to decline year-on-year,” said the company. “Even so, we believe this represents a solid level of adoption for Nintendo Switch 2 in its second year after launch.”

More recently, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa had offered an apology to customers for the price hike, noting that the company has had to deal with higher manufacturing costs due to market conditions.

“We sincerely apologize to our customers for the considerable inconvenience and trouble this will cause,” he said. “While we wanted to prioritize a wide adoption, it was challenging to bear the rising costs over a long period. The [new] pricing does not fully account for all cost increases.”

He also spoke about the decision to forecast lower sales of Switch 2 hardware for the coming year, noting that its first-year sales were unprecedented thanks to Nintendo’s work at ensuring strong supply chains.

“Due to efforts to strengthen our supply chain […] the 1st year sales reached an unprecedented level,” he explained. “The demand in the 2nd year is firm, and we believe that the adoption of Switch 2 is progressing smoothly.”

This new incarnation of Bob-omb Blast will revolve around bursting opponents’ balloons by using only the Bob-omb item to get points. The player with the most points at the end of the time limit is the winner. Interestingly, the original incarnation of the game mode was played up until a certain point requirement was met. The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe version, on the other hand, brought in refinements like encouraging more action in the last minute of a match by giving players more items.

Along with the game mode itself, the update also brought in other improvements, like giving the Bullet Bill power-up more range in lateral movement. Some items also got nerfed, like the Boomerang, which saw a reduction in range as well as in the number of consecutive throws that the game was allowed.

Mario Kart World is available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2, and has sold over 14 million copies so far. Take a look at our review for more details. And check out all the information about this latest update below.

Mario Kart World version 1.6.0 patch notes:

General

• Added Bob-omb Blast as a Battle mode.
  • You can have up to 10 Bob-ombs on hand at a time.
  • The distance Bob-ombs can be thrown depends on how long you hold the L Button.
• Adjusted the performance of Bullet Bill.
  • Increased their range of lateral movement.
  • It is now easier to follow a shortcut route immediately after using Bullet Bill.
  • Increased Bullet Bill’s speed on parts of the Bowser’s Castle, Starview Peak, and Rainbow Road courses.
• Adjusted the performance of the boomerang.
  • Reduced the boomerang’s range.
  • Reduced the number of consecutive throws allowed.
• Adjusted the probability of items that can be obtained from item boxes during races.
• Adjusted the invincibility time after spinning or crashing during a race so that it varies depending on the character and vehicle.
  • The heavier the weight, the longer the invincibility time.
• Made it so that you won’t get crushed by things, such as Thwomps, while spinning or crashing.
• It is now possible to be hit by lightning and Spiny Shells immediately after being crushed by things, such as Thwomps.
• Made it so that things like Bob-ombs and Bananas don’t bounce on top of the vines of Ivy Piranha Plants.
• When playing Single Player or 1p during Online Play and Wireless Play, up to two warnings will be displayed when items like Red Shells or Spiny Shells come from behind.
• Shortened the time until the roulette stops to determine the course in Online Play and Wireless Play.

Fixed Issues

• Fixed an issue where the starting position would sometimes be incorrect.
• Fixed an issue where cows and other creatures that appeared through Kamek’s magic would fall through the ground.
• Fixed an issue where the display of Wiggler that appeared through Kamek’s magic would sometimes be incorrect.
• Fixed an issue where Thwomps or Rocky Wrench would appear in Airship Fortress or in the cannons in the race leading to Airship Fortress.
• Fixed an issue where the character would sometimes disappear from view when looking in the rearview mirror after using a Mega Mushroom.
• Fixed an issue where you could not return to a point before the Ivy Piranha Plant when using Rewind after transforming into a Bullet Bill.
• Fixed an issue where the item slot would not display correctly after using Boo and returning to Free Roam.
• Fixed an issue in Knockout Tour where players who passed through a checkpoint after the first-place player had already reached the goal would not be eliminated, even if their rank was outside the predetermined cutoff.
• Fixed an issue in Time Trials where the display of stacked tires would sometimes appear incorrectly.
• Fixed an issue in Free Roam where a fleeing Nabbit would fall through the ground.
• Fixed an issue in Events where scores were not displayed on the results screen during practice.
• Fixed an issue where the screen display would sometimes become distorted after selecting Change Character in Free Roam in Online Play.
• Fixed an issue in Knockout Tour and Online Play where rankings would sometimes be incorrect after passing through checkpoints.
• Fixed an issue where the selected event would disappear when a communication error occurred after selecting Online Play.
• Fixed an issue in Online Play and Wireless Play where rivals using Bullet Bill sometimes appeared not to be transformed.
• Fixed an issue where the final results were not displayed after spectating in Knockout Tour in Online Play or Wireless Play.
• Fixed an issue in Knockout Tour where the player being spectated would not change after that player was eliminated.
• Fixed an issue where the gliding distance could be excessively long during the race from Airship Fortress to Dry Bones Burnout.
• Fixed an issue where using the Feather while jumping in Shy Guy Bazaar during races from Airship Fortress or Wario Stadium to Shy Guy Bazaar could cause you to go off course.
• Fixed an issue where doing a wall ride in Shy Guy Bazaar during races from Airship Fortress or Wario Stadium to Shy Guy Bazaar could cause you to go off course.
• Fixed an issue in Bowser’s Castle where players could crash while driving over lava with a Dash Mushroom.
• Fixed an issue in Salty Salty Speedway where players would sometimes fall through the ground after being hit by lightning and shrinking.
• Fixed an issue when in a battle on DK Pass where you would sometimes not be returned to the course after using a Feather and ending up outside the course.
• Fixed an issue where using a Mega Mushroom near the fence in Dino Dino Jungle could cause you to be returned to the course.
• Fixed an issue in Koopa Beach where some buoys were buried in the ground.
• Fixed an issue in Mario Circuit where using a Mega Mushroom could cause the player to get stuck on a fence.
• Fixed an issue in Mario Circuit where players could sometimes be returned to the course when riding on a wall of blocks.
• Fixed an issue where players would sometimes be returned to the course when driving along the wall near the starting point of Faraway Oasis.
• Fixed an issue where Bloopers sometimes appeared dark in replays of Rainbow Road.
• Fixed an issue in Rainbow Road where Spike Balls that appeared through Kamek’s magic would sometimes move erratically.
• Fixed an issue where using the Feather to take a shortcut on Rainbow Road could sometimes cause incorrect final rankings.
• Fixed an issue where you would sometimes recover too far ahead if you fell off the course while gliding on Rainbow Road.
  • Time Trials ghosts that have encountered this issue may be removed from View Rankings without notice.
• Fixed an issue in the race from Wario Shipyard to Starview Peak where players could sometimes fall off the course while taking a shortcut.
• Fixed an issue where using a Mega Mushroom near the fence in Wario Stadium could cause the player to fall off the course.
• Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

Other notable sales milestones for first-party titles include Donkey Kong Bananza selling 4.25 million units; Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition at 3.89 million (12.3 million with the Switch 1 version included); and Kirby Air Riders at 1.76 million.

What’s shocking is that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond isn’t even listed. Granted, it launched in early December, and it very well could have done well on the original Switch. Nevertheless, considering how long ago it was announced and the rebooted development – not to mention this is the illustrious Metroid Prime franchise we’re talking about – it’s somewhat disappointing.

Nevertheless, with 17.37 million Switch 2 consoles sold in less than seven months, Nintendo is clearly just getting started with its first-party rollout. The next big release is Mario Tennis Fever, which is available on February 12th. There’s also Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, out in April for the original Switch, but which could receive higher-resolution support on the Switch 2.

With that being said, there’s always a lesson or two to be learned from adversity, and it’s always good to take a look at where things went wrong and how they can be improved. To that end, we’ve put together a list of events in the gaming world that garnered quite a response from the gaming community, and not in a good way. Let’s dive right in!

1. GTA 6 Delayed To November 2026

We’re sure you saw this one coming and thought it best to get it out of the way early. It’s always a bummer when a highly anticipated title faces a delay, and that becomes a lot worse to bear when that title has been a very long time in the making.

While we’re not going to hold a grudge against Rockstar for this one, as we suspect that the delay is only going to make the final game even better, it still rankles to know that there’s still such a long way to go before we get to dive into what we’re sure is a banger from the studio.

2. Microsoft’s Xbox Hardware Price Hikes

The Xbox hasn’t had a great run in the last few years, and Microsoft certainly didn’t help its case when it hiked the prices on Xbox consoles and a few games in May of last year. While we’re not going to get into the politics that are rumored to be behind the decision, it certainly wasn’t great news for Xbox fans in the market for a new console, with the flagship Series X’s prices going up by around 22% – a significant increase on a console whose popularity has been gradually eroding away.

However, Microsoft might not be entirely to blame for the situation; it was a choice that still didn’t sit well with many, never mind the fact that the PlayStation also saw its prices increase as a response.

3. Price Hikes On PlayStation Hardware In Some Regions

In Europe, the UK, and Australia, Sony hiked prices on the PS5 Digital Edition by around 10%, the reason given being economic turmoil around the world. It’s probably not as bad as the hike on Xbox consoles but is still quite an increase on an already pricey machine despite the excellence it brings to the table.
We’re just glad that the PS5 Pro remained unscathed through it all, and Sony probably deserves a bit of praise for managing to keep things under control for the most part.

4. Game Pass Price Increase

It wasn’t just consoles that saw unpopular price hikes, with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate becoming dearer by quite a significant margin, prompting backlash from existing and potential subscribers. Despite Microsoft issuing a statement saying that such occurrences were “never fun for anybody”, it didn’t help with stopping a string of cancellations as frustrated gamers decided to speak up against the price hikes with their wallets.

We’re just glad we didn’t have to deal with the consequences of the decision, as things certainly got nasty.

5. Sony’s PS Plus Pricing Hike

Sony’s PS Plus wasn’t safe from global economic conditions either, and the service saw price hikes in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Once again, Sony must be commended for restricting the fallout of turbulence in global supply chains, but the price hikes were still quite unpopular among gamers.

It’s interesting to see how Sony managed to keep things in control in comparison with Microsoft, but the price hikes did raise concerns about the value of gaming on consoles versus the same costs on a PC. That’s an interesting facet of this equation that does merit close observation over the next couple of years, and the Steam Machine’s debut might be quite a twist in this tale.

6. AI In Video Games

Generative AI made things quite complicated for a few studios in 2025, with many players and critics calling out its use in video games as a step in the wrong direction. A great example would be ARC Raiders, where lines of NPC dialogue being handled by AI received quite a bit of backlash and review bombing on what was an otherwise solid game. And we suppose there’s no need to mention the controversy surrounding The Alters, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and Fortnite.

7. Call of Duty Black Ops 7

While disappointment with the annual Call of Duty franchise has become something of a recurring tradition, it wasn’t really surprising to see Black Ops 7 fall as flatly as it did. The story, gameplay, and overall presentation failed to gain the momentum needed to stop the franchise’s slump, and the game has been among our worst shooters of 2025 thanks to the likes of ARC Raiders.

Some might be holding out hope that the franchise can turn things around with subsequent instalments though, but that’s looking pretty unlikely now.

8. Mario Kart World’s Hefty Price Tag

Mario Kart World was certainly incredible, and a great title to show off what the Switch 2 could do. But its pricing left a bitter taste in the mouth of those who bought it, and perhaps even put off some players who might have otherwise chosen to dive in.

While an $80 price tag on an excellent game might be palatable to people who want quality, it did raise concerns about a new pricing standard that could isolate quite a few gamers whose budgets might not allow them to pick up great games consistently.

9. Industry Wide Layoffs

There’s a long list of studios that have been shut down, and teams that have faced layoffs over a variety of factors. Studios like Monolith, whose Nemesis System is now probably locked away in a vault somewhere, are great examples of talented teams who were unfortunately let go thanks to a variety of factors.

2025 also saw layoffs across Electronic Arts, Supermassive Games, People Can Fly, Amazon Games, and several others, with thousands of developers ultimately losing their jobs. Here’s hoping that all of the talented folks who were affected it managed to land on their feet.

10. MindsEye

Boy, was this one an annoyance. We went into MindsEye expecting great things from Build A Rocket Boy but were left with a bitter taste in our mouth after its lifeless world, lackluster story, and uninspired combat. This was a game that should have been so much more, and was perhaps the most egregious fail that 2025 brought to the gaming world.

The studio’s response to the criticism aimed at their debut title was also quite lacking, showcasing a poor attitude that did it no favors, and perhaps can act as a lesson to other studios whose offerings fail to get off the ground at the outset.

11. Monster Hunter Wilds PC

This one’s another instance of a disappointing end to a very long wait. With Worlds being as good as it was, Wilds should have been a sequel that took the popular franchise from the developer to new heights. And while the game did manage to put up a good show on consoles, its PC performance left players quite irate with the studio thanks to its poor optimization.

Frame rate issues, poor VRAM optimization, crashes, stutters, and so many more problems ruined what should have been an incredible time hunting monsters in visually stunning environments. This one’s a classic example of a game that should have been more popular right off the bat but was let down thanks to its problems. We’re happy it managed to get back on track though, somewhat.

12. Where Winds Meet’s UI Issues

If you’ve been with us for a while, you already know that Where Winds Meet has been quite a surprise for all of us who got to play it. However, its UI is one area that could certainly use some polish. In fact, we’d go so far as to say that it’s so confusing it runs the risk of making its players miss important parts of its gameplay loop, and needs to do better and communicate all of the myriad systems it contains.

This isn’t a game-breaking problem but it does need to be addressed nonetheless considering the amazing quality of everything else on offer in the experience.

13. Valorant’s Text Verification

Valorant might be among the best esports shooters out there, but that might have worked against the game in this particular instance. With Riot Games aiming to minimize cheating within the game and requiring users to use multi-factor-authentication to be able to play the game, it was obvious that there was going to be a bit of backlash.

With accounts being tied to specific mobile numbers and stringent checks against shady practices, players with multiple accounts who actually played the game without resorting to malpractices were forced to adhere to the new rules. Although necessary, it could still be seen as uncomfortable. We’re all human, after all.

14. Lacking Features At Launch

Several titles released with content that wasn’t available at launch, causing dissatisfaction among players thanks to how crucial they were to their overall enjoyment of the game in question. Borderlands 4’s excellent visuals might have tempted many of its players to take a break and grab some awesome shots of its world, but the lack of a Photo Mode at launch made that an area of frustration.

Ghost of Yotei should have had a New Game+ mode from the very start but that wasn’t the case. Its distinct lack of enemies out in its open world after you finished its story should have been a reason to have the option to get right back into the action but at least it’s there now for those who want it. Several other titles had notable omissions that had us scratching our heads at why they weren’t in the game in the first place.

15. Cancelled Projects

Sony pulled the plug on Bend Studio and Bluepoint Studio’s live-service projects in its pivot towards more profitable (and probably safer) ventures, while Microsoft also cancelled Everwild and Perfect Dark, both of which seemed like solid additions to their respective lineups of titles.

It’s always disappointing to see games with potential be denied the chance to show what they have but it is what it is.

And that’s a wrap on some of 2025’s failures that had gamers shaking their heads at dismal decisions and poor execution of great ideas. Here’s to hoping that 2026 manages to make lists like these a lot shorter!

Mario Kart World

The best Mario Kart in the series? Your mileage (pun fully intended) may vary, but it is by far the most feature-packed. Free Roam in an open world with P-Switch challenges and cosmetics to gather; new moves like hopping and wall-riding for a higher skill ceiling; brand new tracks that seamlessly link together; and new modes are just some of the things long-time fans can look forward to, and it all works well.

Kirby Air Riders

21 playable characters and 22 machines, each with unique abilities and stats respectively; brand new tracks and remasters from the first game; the return of Top Ride and City Trial, with the latter turned into a faux battle royale mode of sorts; boss fights; and a full-fledged story mode. But even if you want to hop on for a simple race or two, it’s pure unfiltered fun – just like the original.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A

While there’s plenty of criticism to be had for its visuals, Game Freak’s latest mainline Pokémon title manages to capture that same monster-collecting magic. Lumiose City is full of unique sights, sounds and Pokémon to collect, and new elements like the Z-A Royale and Rogue Mega-Evolved Pokémon, alongside simple delights like traversing the rooftops, make it stand out.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Catacomb-like levels, progressively unlocking new abilities and backtracking to uncover new areas, that expectation of something incredible around every corner – even after all these years, Retro Studios still knows how to capture that feeling. The new additions in Beyond, like Vi-O-La, also seamlessly slot in, and wouldn’t you know it, even the NPC companions, despite concerns pre-launch, aren’t terrible. More importantly, experiencing it with such fidelity, complete with mouse controls, elevates it to a new whole level.

Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2

Technically not a native Switch 2 release, experiencing two of the greatest platformers of all time in 4K is hard to resist. The new Storybook Chapters offer a bit of new content, but really, it’s all about scouring the galaxies once more, reliving the wonder of each planet and the discoveries they hold.

Donkey Kong Bananza

It almost seemed impossible that Jumpman’s worst nightmare would get his own starring role once more, but Bananza delivers on that and then some. Excellent platforming and bombastic visuals were a given – this is from the Super Mario Odyssey team after all – but the destruction elements work so well in tandem, resulting in a 3D platformer that’s more than worthy to stand side by side with Mario’s greatest adventures.

Hades 2

Supergiant follows up one of the best rogue-likes in years with – surprise, surprise – an incredible sequel. Between the sheer amount of stuff to do, whether you’re venturing into the Underworld or ascending into Olympus, the challenging and unique boss fights, or the sheer depth that each new weapon offers, Hades 2 feels like a massive step forward in every single way.

Split Fiction

Hazelight’s latest is one of the best co-op experiences of the year (and many before it), and feels tailor-made for Switch 2. Even if it’s not the most fully-featured port, being able to GameShare with local players or engage in cross-play, alongside the Friend’s Pass (which means not having to buy an extra copy), is still great.

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road

You wouldn’t believe this took more than nine years and multiple delays to release, but that seems to be a theme for 2025. Regardless, Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road isn’t the most realistic adaptation of football so much as the best adaptation of the anime, complete with MAPPA’s cutscenes and over 5,400 recruitable characters. It’s truly unlike anything else out there and a blast once you get into it.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Team Cherry’s long-awaited sequel is infuriating, frustrating, and challenging, but it’s also mesmerizing, addictive, and oh-so-good to control. The gameplay loop remains as finely crafted as ever, enhanced all the more with Hornet’s movement abilities, and the sheer attention to detail in areas, from their art to their secrets, will keep you coming back long after. It’s a tough bug to love, but Silksong is a stellar game.

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

The prospect of Cyberpunk 2077 running on the original Switch was laughable years ago, and yet, here we are more than five years later, experiencing it on the Switch 2 in all its glory. From the excellent base game to the stellar Phantom Liberty, this is still one of the best RPG experiences, and the addition of touch screen gestures for the UI and gyro aiming makes it feel that much better on the Switch 2. Also, shipping the entire package on an actual cart instead of a Game-Key Card? Chef’s kiss.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

Truth be told, the new features – like the phone maps and QR codes for sharing Zonai machines – weren’t the most game-changing for Nintendo’s masterpiece. Nevertheless, it’s still a masterpiece, and being able to play it in 1440p/60 FPS with improved fidelity and faster loading is what we’ve always wanted. For that reason alone, it’s worth picking up.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land: Switch 2 Edition + Star Crossed World

For those who didn’t get their fill from Air Riders, the Switch 2 version of Kirby’s acclaimed 2022 adventure is well worth diving into. Star Crossed World offers a brand new storyline with new sections in old stages alongside new abilities, Mouthful modes and enemies to tussle with as you investigate a mysterious meteor. And of course, it’s a significant upgrade over the original’s already gorgeous visuals.

Cronos: The New Dawn

Bloober Team made a big impact with last year’s Silent Hill 2 remake, but its newest title channelled an altogether different survival horror vibe. A post-apocalyptic future with mutating monstrosities, time-traveling, a more enigmatic pace and protagonist, and more kept Cronos from feeling like a Dead Space rip-off. Even in handheld mode on the Switch 2, it’s a tense, terrifying ordeal.

Star Wars Outlaws

Ignored at launch, Massive Entertainment’s Star Wars scoundrel had a quiet but notable redemption this year, aided by its Switch 2 port. How the development team (in collaboration with Red Lynx) managed to deliver such great performance and ray tracing while retaining image quality, even with DLSS, is fascinating to behold. The fact that the game itself still looks so gorgeous while playing better than ever also doesn’t hurt.

And the Best Switch 2 title of 2025 goes to…

Donkey Kong Bananza

Did you really expect anything else, especially when a Donkey Kong game lets you rip chunks out of the environment to toss at enemies or surf on them with utter abandon? Bananza is more than just the Mario Odyssey formula, but with more destruction and a different protagonist. It’s a masterclass in pacing, deftly balancing the collect-a-thon aspects and real-time destruction with superb level design. Donkey Kong controls like a dream; the new Bananza Powers are as ridiculous as they are fun; and there isn’t an ounce of filler or unnecessary padding. For that reason, and many more that we could spend all day listing, it’s our pick for the best Switch 2 game of 2025.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered

Cyrodiil may not be the largest world in The Elder Scrolls series to date, but it still holds its own, especially in Virtuos’s remaster. The side quests were already acclaimed for their variety and quirkiness – from sleeping in an inn on a boat and waking up to find it hijacked to the missing painter. But it’s a joy to explore the world and take in your surroundings, made even better with locations like The Shivering Isles.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Say what you will about Assassin’s Creed Shadows – and everyone’s had their fair share to say this year – the scale is simply phenomenal. You’ll scour the remains of Harima with its many corpses, witness gorgeous castles like Azuchi, bask in the almost hypnotic Omi Lake, and so much more. A lot of effort has gone into accurately capturing their details – the only disappointment is that there won’t be a Tourism Mode like previous titles.

Atomfall

Rebellion’s take on a post-nuclear disaster world, inspired by the actual English countryside, is one that I still find endearing, despite other flaws. The free-form nature of exploration, as you can go almost anywhere, be it the abandoned laboratories of BARD or different settlements, including the highly strung Wyndham Village. Whether it’s locating clues to venture into hidden bunkers or discovering mutant plants, the world feels dense and lived-in.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Did anyone expect that Metroid Prime 4 would go, ahem, beyond with its scale when it was announced all those years ago? Viewros isn’t just a cacophony of jungles with ravenous beasts or facilities in volcanic caverns. It’s also a vast series of deserts, navigated by the sleek new bike, Vi-O-La, which allows for some light shoot ’em up action to break up the exploration and scanning.

Monster Hunter Wilds

As annoying as its performance, end-game, and other woes have been, I will admit: There’s something about the Forbidden Lands in Monster Hunter Wilds. Maybe it’s the weather and other conditions shifting in real-time, causing other monsters and resources to appear, or their design, whether it’s the spiralling elevations of Oilwell Basin or the sheer openness of the Windward Plains. Even if you’re mostly dashing through on your mount, stopping and observing nature as a whole yields some impressive discoveries.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Coming off of one of the longest side-scrollers ever (not including the DLC), it’s unsurprising that Silksong should be just as massive. Each location has a unique hook, enemies, bosses, and surprises, from the prison break without equipment to the mechanically beautiful intricacies of the Clockwork Core. But the fact that Team Cherry could pack so much in that’s also completely missable – including an entire third Act – is simply bonkers.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Featuring the entirety of Honolulu from Infinite Wealth is already an insane flex when it comes to the sheer size of Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. But what’s a high seas adventure without an ocean and multiple islands to traverse, complete with treasure hunting, crew recruitment and naval combat? For what’s essentially a non-mainline entry, the sheer scale and coverage are pretty insane, but still manageable enough to clear in under 50 hours.

Clair Obscur

To say that Sandfall Interactive’s environments are a tour de force in aesthetic beauty and fidelity would be an understatement. Fields of giant swords, massive landscapes of battles past, the stadium full of Nevron dancers – it’s an endless stream of incredible levels, some feeling compact while others are absolutely massive. And that’s not even accounting for the secret spots where some of the most devious challenges await.

Ghost of Yōtei

Ezo is a fascinating region in Sucker Punch’s long-awaited follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima. With no bearings or directions, it’s vastly larger than your map indicates. Even as the flame-charred remains of Ishikari Plains, the frozen wilds of Tokachi Range, and the battered Oshima Coast become familiar, it never loses its incredible sense of discovery. From the peak of Mount Yōtei to the reaches of Saito’s fortress, its massive size is matched by its sheer range of activities.

Where Winds Meet

We’ve already covered just how massive the Jianzhu can be, promising over 100 hours of solo content alone, but it bears repeating, especially for a free-to-play experience. There are over 20 regions, each uniquely crafted to offer a distinct atmosphere and numerous points of interest. Then there’s Kaifeng City, which packs in thousands of NPCs and various activities, almost feeling like it could have been the sole location in a smaller game. Even with horses and practically soaring through the skies, the Jianzhu is simply awe-inspiring.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Taking it as a challenge to dwarf the original, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 just packs in so much more throughout. That includes the landscape, which provides a wider range of gorgeous sights, such as Kuttenberg, the biggest city yet with traders, armorers, combat arenas, and various associated quests. But even those who wish to embrace the great outdoors will encounter more than their fair share of adventure.

The Outer Worlds 2

The fact that you can spend over a dozen hours on the starting planet should give you enough hints about the overall size of The Outer Worlds 2. From there on, you’ll venture to the lush greenlands of Eden, the desert reaches of Dorado, the icy of the Cloister and more, including the ACS Undisputed Claim, which is a massive trading hotspot. Even if many of these climates will seem familiar, they’re packed with unexpected discoveries (and threats).

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

Compared to its predecessor, Death Stranding 2 mostly unfolds across two locations. One look at Mexico, the first, and you’re just absolutely dwarfed by the sheer size and scale, but then you reach Australia, and it’s even bigger. Perhaps even more impressive – besides all the requests, facilities, and whatnot – is how varied the flora and fauna are throughout. Even the mountain ranges are significantly more complex than anything from the first game. The fact that you can explore and surmount these in different ways makes them all the more endearing.

Mario Kart World

No, this isn’t Forza Horizon levels of quality, but the “world” of Mario Kart World is pretty cool. Navigating the freeways between races, taking advantage of hops and wall rides while avoiding traffic, can be fun. The drifting, power-ups and utter madness of each race are still the appeal, but if you’re looking to unwind, maybe unlock new outfits or complete with P Switch challenges, free roam is a near-boundless playground.

Borderlands 4

It’s funny to look back and see just how Gearbox undersold the sheer openness of Kairos. Aside from a few instance boss fight locations, you can seamlessly travel from the Fadefields to Carcadia Burn and Terminus Range without any loading screens. The sheer variety of activities, from enemy camps and towers to capture to Drill Sites, Order Bunkers and Auger Mines, is also impressive. For me, it’s the verticality, which excellently leverages the new traversal mechanics, that really shines.