Fortnite Goes 32-Bit to Reveal New Gaming Legend Season With Legally Distinct Mario Kart, Mortal Kombat Parodies, Plus Actual Sonic the Hedgehog

Fortnite has shown off its character roster for Overdrive, the battle royale's upcoming season themed around legendary video games.

Players will have already seen numerous franchises confirmed to be getting crossovers, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Crash Bandicoot, Kingdom Hearts, Persona, Tetris, Pac-Man, Mega Man and 99 Nights in the Forest. Indeed, teases for many of these popped up briefly in the game's latest live event this past weekend (more on that later).

Today, Fortnite maker Epic Games has highlighted the skins set to be available in the Overdrive battle pass, which feature a string of legally distinct video game parodies (plus the actual Sonic the Hedgehog, sort of).

There's been plenty of discussion over the weekend among fans that the actual video game collaborations seem to have mainly been left out of the next Fortnite battle pass, to be sold separately via the game's shop. On the one hand, this is nothing unusual — Fortnite typically only features one or two licensed characters in its battle pass lineup. On the other, fans had been operating under the impression that the lineup would likely feature more of the famous faces used to tease the season so far.

Instead, today's admittedly excellent 32-bit trailer features Fortnite hero Jonesy scooping up a series of original characters from various video game realities. There's a Link look-alike named Bastion, a Mario Kart racer named K1TTYW1NS, a blocky Minecraft-like character named Wrixel, and a Lara Croft-esque soldier named Grace Crowne.

Rounding out the pass are Mortal Kombat-esque fighter Mali and Call of Duty-style soldier Phantom. These will be joined by a Sega-sanctioned Sonic the Hedgehog, as well as a new skin for Fortnite's ultimate Big Bad, Geno.

A fun note here on Sonic the Hedgehog, for Sonic lore fans. The version of the character in Fortnite has been confirmed to be not the actual Sonic the Hedgehog, so don't worry about him shooting guns or dancing the Griddy. An official Fortnite and Sonic crossover comic not only confirms that Geno is working Dr. Robotnik, but that the version of Sonic (and Knuckles, and Shadow) playable in Fortnite will be a more humanoid-sized android imbued with the actual Sonic and crew's bio-data.

Why is all this happening? It's a good question. Well, in last weekend's live event, bad guy Geno and the heroic Seven fought for control of reality — resulting in it essentially being rebooted with video game cheat codes. For Fortnite lore fans, the story drop actually clarified some questions about how Fortnite's reality loop operates (the conceit of its battle royale is basically a programmed layer on top of the "real world"). Conveniently, it also saw the game "hacked" with various retro gaming franchises, and the Zero Point macguffin replaced with a giant video game cartridge. (Physical media lives!)

To play with Robo-Sonic and crew yourself, Fortnite: Overdrive kicks off later this week on August 20, meaning you have just a couple of days left to level up your existing battle pass and collect any remaining Sprites a whole new generation rolls around.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

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Halo, Forza and World of Warcraft In-Game Rewards Coming to McDonald's, Celebrating Xbox 25th Anniversary

McDonald's is partnering with Xbox to offer in-game rewards for the console brand's six most recognizable gaming franchises, including Halo, Fallout, Forza and World of Warcraft.

Whether you play Candy Crush Saga or Overwatch, McDonald's is offering digital items to customers in the UK and Ireland as part of a new set of Side Missions, which will feature menu items inspired the foods and flavors of Xbox gaming.

Thankfully there's no red hot cooking rings of death here. Instead, you'll be able to unlock delicious additions such as the Sugar Bomb Bundle for Fallout 76, or World of Warcraft's fan-favorite Red Hot Portable Bakery.

"Gaming is all about imagination and the worlds we love to get lost in," said Tim Kenward, SVP, chief marketing officer for McDonald's UK and Ireland. "What excites me about this partnership is that we're bringing parts of these iconic gaming worlds to life, giving fans the chance to experience food they have only ever seen on screen. As a huge Fallout fan, I'm most excited for the Blamco Cheesy Potato Bites."

Keep an eye on the McDonald's app for more details on the promotion's rollout, as well as daily deals to make your next trip taste even sweeter. The full list of rewards for each game lies below:

• Halo: Campaign Evolved — Master Chief Armour
• Forza Horizon 6 — Car Voucher
• Fallout 76 — Sugar Bomb Bundle
• Candy Crush Saga — Booster Bundle
• World of Warcraft — Red Hot Portable Bakery
• Overwatch — Kiriko Donut Break Emote

"Halo: Campaign Evolved speaks to the series' timelessness and adds a decent set of new missions, but it's a mostly a lean retread that's more of a test run for its future with Unreal Engine," IGN wrote in our Halo: Campaign Evolved review, scoring the game with a 7/10.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

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Halloween: The Game Will Actually Be Available in New Zealand After All

In the wake of Halloween: The Game being refused classification in Australia last week, and the subsequent confirmation that the game would not be available in Australia and New Zealand as a result, IGN reached out to IllFonic to clarify why the New Zealand release was affected. For example, Hotline Miami 2 is a game that was refused classification in Australia (and has remained so, unlike most high-profile RC cases, where developers typically make small changes to skirt the country’s classification guidelines). However, while Hotline Miami 2 is not available on storefronts in Australia, it is still very much available digitally in New Zealand. So the news of Halloween: The Game needing to be unavailable in New Zealand didn’t quite add up.

We’re yet to receive a response from IllFonic, but the studio has since announced that Halloween: The Game will be available in New Zealand after all, albeit in digital format only.

“We are extremely thrilled to announce that after receiving additional guidance from the OFLC, Office of Film and Literature Classification in New Zealand, Halloween: The Game will be available for sale digitally in the territory,” the studio published in a statement on social media.

“When we partnered with physical distributors (as we do not handle) to sell packaged goods in Australia and New Zealand, we learned that the ACB [the Australian Classification Board] rating (used for physical) took precedence of the IARC rating (used for digital). When ACB [sic] refused us a rating, it meant the removal of both physical and digital versions in those territories.”

Classification decisions made by the Australian Classification Board (ACB) itself do override automated decisions applied by the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) global rating tool (which spits out PEGI, ESRB, ACB, etc. ratings from a single, free online questionnaire). However, ‘refused classification’ (RC) determinations made by the Australian Classification Board are not automatically mirrored in NZ.

New Zealand’s classification system regarding video games is somewhat idiosyncratic. While the NZ classification system does, in fact, utilise some Australian and UK classification decisions as a shortcut to make its own classifications, this is applicable to unrestricted content. Content that has been specifically age-restricted in Australia or the UK, refused classification in Australia, or banned in the UK must otherwise be formally classified by NZ’s Office of Film and Literature Classification. In NZ, games are actually expressly exempt from labelling requirements and are not required to be submitted for local classification unless likely to be awarded an age-restricted rating – or have already been given an age-restricted rating (or RC/banned) in Australia or the UK. So, to be available on physical formats in NZ, Halloween: The Game was always going to need to be submitted to the NZ OFLC, because games with restricted content must be classified by the OFLC and carry a NZ label in order to be sold. No rating for Halloween: The Game appears in the NZ Register of Classification Decisions, making a physical release in NZ currently impossible, even if it had been successfully classified in Australia.

However, NZ’s Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 only really covers physical formats, which means games sold digitally don’t necessarily always have NZ classifications displayed.

As for Halloween: The Game’s RC status in Australia, which IllFonic’s claims it has made “every effort” to work past, IGN has specifically asked the developer if there is a reason the game can’t be altered to suit the classification guidelines. As the Australian Classification Board explained, “Halloween: The Game contains illicit drug use that is linked to an incentive or reward, in that use of the drug provides a gameplay advantage to the player.” While games can feature drug use in Australia, they can’t offer gameplay rewards or incentives. If they do, the Classification Board is obligated to give the game a ‘Refused Classification’ determination.

As we noted to IllFonic, developers typically skirt this one particular guideline in Australia with semantics. For instance, in 2013 State of Decay developer Undead Labs simply renamed the drugs in the game to vitamins in Australia to hurdle this whole issue. If the RC determination is indeed related to smoking marijuana as a perk to highlight the location of Michael Myers on the map, we’ve asked IllFonic for clarification on whether it’s been considered that this could just be referred to and regarded as tobacco in Australia.

Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.

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The Best Deals Today: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for Switch 2, Nioh 3, Project Hail Mary, and More

A new weekend has arrived, and today, you can save on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Resident Evil Requiem, Project Hail Mary, Civilization VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, select LEGO sets, AirPods Pro 3, and more. Check out our top picks for Sunday, August 16, below.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth with MTG Card for $34.99

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for Nintendo Switch 2 is on sale today for $34.99 at Amazon. This physical version of the game includes an exclusive Zack Fair Magic: The Gathering - Final Fantasy card, which is perfect for fans and collectors alike. If you've yet to experience this massive RPG, take a chance and pick up a copy this weekend at a discount. It's pretty great exploring beyond Midgar on the Switch 2, just saying.

Resident Evil Requiem for $53.99

Target has Resident Evil Requiem on sale this weekend for $53.99. If you've yet to play the latest RE game, this is a great time to do so. Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy join forces to defeat a sinister new threat in a game that combines tense horror with brutal action combat. DLC is planned to be released in the future, so you can catch up now before the next story is out.

Project Hail Mary 4K Blu-ray for $24.95

Project Hail Mary was one of my favorite movies of the year, and today, you can take home the 4K Blu-ray for $24.95 at Amazon. Normally priced at $37.99, this is a very solid discount on a fun movie that looks absolutely gorgeous on any display, especially OLED. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Project Hail Mary is a rollicking sci-fi blockbuster celebrating how much we can accomplish when we work together… and how much meet-cute mileage you can get out of watching Ryan Gosling befriend a rock alien for two and a half hours."

Nioh 3 for $39.99

Nioh 3 released in early February, and you can save $30 off a PS5 copy today at Best Buy. In our 9/10 review, we wrote, "Nioh 3 delivers best-in-class combat that revitalizes the established formula with a fantastic split between Samurai and Ninja styles, as well as a triumphant move to an open-world structure."

Save on Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is the ultimate version of the first chapter in the Final Fantasy VII remake series, following Cloud Strife and the party from the very beginning through the escape from Midgar. You can score Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade for $29.99 on the Nintendo Switch 2. If you want to prepare for Final Fantasy VII Revelation next year, this is where to start your journey.

Civilization VII for $19.99

Amazon has Civilization VII on sale for $19.99 this weekend, saving you $20 off a physical copy. In our 7/10 review, we wrote, "Civilization 7's improved warfare and added bits of narrative flair give me reasons to keep clicking one more turn late into the night, but the desire to streamline and simplify this legendary 4X series feels like it has also gone a bit too far, particularly when it comes to the interface."

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Blu-ray Back in Stock

Crunchyroll has the Crunchyroll Store-exclusive Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Blu-ray back in stock after disappearing for some time recently. In case you missed it, Crunchyroll is delisting hundreds of Blu-rays from its site as it plans to transition its store to be exclusive for members only. If you have not picked up Cyberpunk: Edgerunners or any of the (remaining) Aniplex Blu-rays, I would do so as fast as possible, as there is no guarantee these will be in print for much longer.

AirPods Pro 3 for $189

AirPods Pro 3 are a fantastic upgrade over the 2nd generation, bringing a built-in heart rate sensor, redesigned eartips for better noise cancellation, and improved sound quality. Right now, you can score a pair for only $189 at Amazon. I've had a pair since launch and have been incredibly happy with them, especially coming from the original AirPods Pro.

Back to the Future LEGO Set for $159.99

Back to the Future is one of the best sci-fi films ever, and the iconic DeLorean time machine is a huge part of the film's legacy today. If you're a fan of the BTTF trilogy, look no further than this LEGO Icons Time Machine set, featuring the DeLorean with parts for each movie, minifigures for Doc Brown and Marty McFly, and accessories like the hoverboard. You can save $40 this weekend on this set, which saves you 20% off MSRP.

Save 50% Off Rosalina's Storybook

As part of the Super Mario 40th Anniversary, Nintendo released a physical version of Rosalina's storybook. You can save 50% off this collectible at Amazon this weekend, as copies are available for only $12.49.

Pre-Order Spider-Man: Brand New Day on 4K Blu-ray

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the most popular movie of the Summer, with the film on track to easily become the highest grossing of the year so far. Pre-orders for the physical copies, including Steelbooks, have already gone live at retailers like Walmart, so now is the time to lock in your copy before they are sold out.

Fate Return to Avalon: Takashi Takeuchi Art Works for $40.42

Takashi Takeuchi has one of the most recongnizable art styles for good reason. The legendary artist pioneered Type-Moon's art for franchises like Fate and Tsukihime. Right now, you can pick up this fantastic hardcover collection of Takeuchi's Fate artwork for $40.42 at Amazon. Almost 300 pages are included, featuring art from games, promotional material, limited events, and much more. It's perfect for any Fate fan.

Lego Batman Forever Set for $74.99

The classic Batmobile from Batman Forever is here in Lego form, with a Lego DC Batman minifugure starring the suit used in the move. This weekend, you can save 25% off this 909-piece set, which is a great addition to any comic book fan's collection. The cockpit on the Batmobile opens up to reveal seats and a detailed interior, and you can easily put this vehicle on any shelf or table.

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

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Simu Liu Says Sleeping Dogs Movie Has 'a REAL Path Forward' Amid Dealmaking With Square Enix

Marvel star Simu Liu has offered a positive update on his long-in-development Sleeping Dogs movie adaptation, saying the film has "a REAL path forward" as discussions with game publisher Square Enix continue.

The Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings actor offered a treat to patient fans when asked about the project's status on X/Twitter. It's been some time since we heard where Sleeping Dogs was at, but don't worry, Liu said it is still very much in the works.

"Okay, here it is," he replied to a fan asking for an update. "We’re moving along really well, we have a director, and a production company, and a REAL path forward."

okay, here it is. we’re moving along really well, we have a director, and a production company, and a REAL path forward.

we’re just in the dealmaking process with the game studio rn (which is a total fan moment for me bc i love SquareEnix). your support is fuelling us all! https://t.co/1ufLYZab0E

— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) August 16, 2026

Liu quickly stepped in to announce he had taken the reins to develop a movie based on Square Enix and United Front Games' Grand Theft Auto-inspired crime drama after Donnie Yen confirmed his take had been canned in early 2025. Although the nature of his involvement was initially kept a mystery, IGN reported that a Sleeping Dogs movie was, in fact, in development, with Liu set to produce and star as a live-action version of main character Wei Shen.

The star's new update also mentions a director, which was confirmed to be Nobody 2 and Killers filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto late last year. Video game adaptation veteran studio Story Kitchen is also in the mix, and in October 2025, Liu announced that the Sleeping Dogs script draft was completed.

Although things are moving slowly, they are absolutely still moving. Liu and the rest of the Sleeping Dogs team now need to work with Square Enix if they want to get the ball rolling toward an eventual release.

"We’re just in the dealmaking process with the game studio [right now] (which is a total fan moment for me [because] I love Square Enix)," he added. "Your support is fueling us all!"

"Set in a vibrant, contemporary, neon-infused neo-noir Hong Kong," an official description on the Story Kitchen website says. "WEI SHEN is an undercover cop torn between his duty as an officer of the law and, separately, his loyalty to a family of violent Triads that he’s trying to infiltrate, many of whom he grew up with on the streets."

The Sleeping Dogs movie currently has no firm release date or window. Liu has plenty to keep him busy in the meantime, as he's set to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Avengers: Doomsday this December. He's also still pushing to make Shang-Chi 2 happen. Until we learn more, you can read IGN's review of the 2012 game to find out why we thought it deserved an 8.5/10.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

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'I Want to Set the Record Straight: That Is Not Happening' — Kingdom Hearts 4 Devs Say KH4 '100%' Will Not Be Delayed Past Late 2027 Launch | D23 2026

Kingdom Hearts 4 co-director Tai Yasue and series creator Tetsuya Nomura have assured fans that it is a "100% thing" the game will not be delayed past its late 2027 launch window.

While the team behind the new Kingdom Hearts game stopped short of sharing a final release date during its big D23 2026 presence, they feel pretty confident the current schedule will stick. Yasue, Nomura, and director of product development at Disney and Pixar games Nana Gadd doubled down on Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts 4 launch plans during a panel at this year's show.

"One last thing I wanted to share: We announced the game is going to be coming in late 2027," Nomura said. "I saw online that some people were saying the release date might still get pushed back. I want to set the record straight: That is not happening. I do hope that people do look forward to the game coming in 2027. A lot of the marketing for the game has only just started, and so I do hope that people also look forward to hearing more news as well."

"There's many things underway, many plans we have underway," he continued. "Now that we are approaching the 25th anniversary, we're thinking about what the 30th anniversary [looks like]."

"I can confidently say and promise that it will launch in 2027," Yasue said. "Schedule-wise, the development is very smooth. It's not like an 80%, 90% – it's a 100% thing. We'll be there in 2027 for sure."

The more skeptical fans believe they have some justification for their delay fears. Mainline entries in the series have suffered infamously long breaks between entries, with the break between Kingdom Hearts 2 and 3 being 13 years. We're now going on eight years since the last game's launch in 2019, but it sounds like the developers at Square Enix are confident the wait won't be too much longer.

Another reason fans are worried about a delay relates to the recent conversation surrounding physical game discs. Sony announced in July that it will no longer support physical releases for new PlayStation games that launch after January 2028. Should Kingdom Hearts 4 be delayed past that date, it would make it the first mainline entry in the series without a physical release, at least on PlayStation 5.

Kingdom Hearts 4 was formally announced in 2022 and will launch for PC, Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X | S in late 2027. While we wait to see what other Disney worlds and, hopefully, Final Fantasy characters the team have planned for the fourth games, you can read about the the extended gameplay trailer shown during the panel. You can also catch up on everything announced during the D23 panel right here.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

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Kingdom Hearts 4 Gets Extended Gameplay Trailer Featuring Playable Mickey, Donald, and Goofy | D23 2026

Disney and Square Enix showed up for the Deep Dive into Kingdom Hearts panel at D23 2026 to show off an extended gameplay trailer for Kingdom Hearts 4 that features a first look at a playable King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy.

No one expected Sora to show up in the world of Pixar's Coco, Keyblade in hand, when the legendary crossover franchise made a surprise appearance during yesterday's Disney Entertainment Showcase. That only made Mickey, Donald, and Goofy showing up as playable characters in today's new four-minute trailer even more of a shock.

Gameplay for Goofy and Donald seems to mostly fall in line with what we've come to expect from Sora. Outside of one segment that saw the two Disney icons sledding through the Underworld, they can can be seen using abilities and teaming up to fight off Heartless enemies.

King Mickey, meanwhile, has received some special attention. The first clip shows him walking around from a third-person point of view before switching to origami-like visuals featuring 2D and 3D gameplay. It looks heavily inspired by Nintendo's Paper Mario, though how long all of these sections will be remain to be seen.

Another surprise saved for today's lengthier look at the game is Riku, who shows up in the video's final moments. You can see the full extended Kingdom Hearts 4 gameplay trailer below. While we wait for updates, be sure to check out everything announced from the panel here.

Developing…

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

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