New Pokémon Pinball Machine Lets You Catch, Battle, and Complete a Pokédex

Stern Pinball Inc. has teamed up with The Pokémon Company to create the first Pokémon-themed pinball machine ever. While Pokémon has appeared in pinball form on the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance in the past, this is the first attempt at an arcade-ready machine. But this isn’t a throwback; Pokémon Pinball by Stern has tons of crazy high-tech bells and whistles, like the ability to collect Pokémon while playing the machine and save your progress on a Pokédex on your phone, several interactive toys like an animatronic Pikachu, and an HD screen with tons of anime footage. While Stern has only just announced Pokémon, it’s out really soon (in the coming months). We travelled to Stern’s factory to check it out. And after playing a bunch of games we can confirm: It’s awesome.

In Good Company

The Pokémon Company worked with Stern extremely closely on making sure Pokémon was represented perfectly; we heard a lot about that partnership during our visit to Stern’s factory, and it’s obvious from playing the Pokémon machine that Stern really gets Pokémon. Lead Programmer Tanio Klyce explained, “A lot of work went into marrying the necessary pinball design with Pokémon,” and it is clear that they used the license to make a game about battling, catching, and living in the world of Pokémon.

The art package is focused on Kanto Region Pokémon – the first 151 Gen 1 Pokémon introduced in Pokémon Red and Blue – and you start the game with Gen 1 starters available for battles, which we will get to in a bit. The toys and art are clearly a result of careful collaboration. Klyce says, “We didn’t draw anything, we essentially composited [The Pokémon Company’s] stuff … They are very particular. Line weights, colors, relative scales of characters went under tremendous scrutiny.” While that may sound intense, it actually ended up lending the project a sense of legitimacy, according to longtime Stern pinball designer and one of Pokémon’s co-leads, George Gomez.

Beyond the art on the cabinet, there’s plenty more Pokémon crammed into this machine. The monitor in the back glass works in anime clips from Seasons 10-25. For example, if you hit the right ramp a few times you can start a Pikachu vs. Raichu mode in which battle scenes from the anime are shown on screen while you play a multiball mode. The speakers blast the Pokémon theme song, and Meowth’s taunts from the anime are piped in – the voice actor for Giovani even recorded custom shoutouts for certain modes (deeper in the game there are Regional Rivals and even Gym Battles and an ultimate Master Battle against Giovanni. We didn’t get to those… yet!).

Catch ‘Em (Pinb)All

While Gen 1 and Kanto region is the focus of the side art, backglass, and playfield art, Klyce adds, “We have Pokémon in the game from all the Generations … At launch we have 182 that you can discover and catch.” He also says “more are coming” which is a nod at the online nature of Stern Machines these days: Updates can be pushed in the background to add content or limited time events, which, of course, is a perfect match for Pokémon. Here’s how this could work: As you approach a Stern pinball machine, you can log in with a QR code on the Stern Insider Connected app on your phone. Once you do this, you can track your scores, unlock Achievements, and, in Pokémon, add to your Pokédex.

As you discover new Pokémon, a special Pokedex section of the Insider Connected app will get filled out. Stern may then push an update adding to the Pokémon available in the machine and thus expand the Pokédex. It’s not going to be easy! Catching Pokémon is kinda hard in pinball: First, you can basically hit any target or shot to fill a meter – the pop bumpers are “tall grass” that fills the catch meter fast. After this, a random Pokémon will appear. These are based on the biome you are in, which you play in order: Forest, Lake, Mountain, Desert (in the Forest, we ran into a Kakuna, a Bewear, and a Venomoth). At this point you have to shoot a lit purple flashing shot to reveal the Pokémon in the Pokédex. Then you have to shoot the Pokéball toy to capture the Pokémon. This not only adds the Pokémon to your ‘dex, but also unlocks a Battle…

Battle Ready

Despite Ash’s favorite catch phrase, you don’t choose your starters. When start a game, you have a team of four: Squirtle, Pikachu, Charmander, and Bulbasaur. Once you start a Battle by shooting the scoop on the right, you must aim for shots that are lit up to guide you through the battle, with each lamp sending you up a ramp or around a loop or at a target. The first Pokémon automatically deployed in battle is Bulbasaur, and purple shots for poison attacks and green shots for grass attacks are lit up. If you dawdle, the adversary will attack you. In one battle vs. Scyther, we weren’t making good progress with Bulbasaur’s plant attacks, but after a few shots, we lit a shot in a scoop on playfield that let us switch to Charmander and then properly torched Scyther. It was actually kind of sad! The score went way up. Limiting your squad may seem odd, but it’s also super effective: Successfully nailing shots in pinball is a lot harder than selecting your next move in turn-based combat. It’s kind of like playing on a Game Boy while also juggling it! But it does feel like Pokémon, and catching, collecting, and battling Pokémon just feels totally cool and new when done with pinball flippers.

Version Differences

While they don’t come in Red, Blue, and Yellow versions, there are diffent versions of Pokémon available: The Premium and Limited Edition (LE) versions ship with an animatronic Pikachu toy that wobbles about, an interactive Pokéball toy that snatches the pinball and hides it from view, and a magnet that flings the pinball around under the Meowth Balloon toy. These versions also have metal ramps and a more complicated left whirlpool ramp. The LE version (a limited run of 750 machines) has additional lighting, colored “armor” (the metal lining and legs on the cabinet), and its own custom art scheme. The Pro version is stripped down a bit with a non-interactive Pikachu and Pokéball toy and no magnet, but it closely resembles the other models outwardly and also features the pretty cool Meowth Balloon that swoops across the playfield for an easy target (and easy multiball). Other Stern machines have much more striking differences across their models; the most we noticed about the Pro was that the lack of the metal parts and lighting made it look a bit cheaper – which it is.

We can’t wait to play more Pokémon from Stern – the idea of filling out a Pokédex in a whole new way across multiple machines, arcades, bars, and game rooms is super cool and like nothing that’s been done before. And while the innovation is clear in features like the Pokédex, battles, and DLC potential, the basic layout of Pokémon feels approachable and classic like Attack from Mars (central bash shot) or Monster Bash (obvious shots tied to characters). That makes sense because Pokemon Pinball is the product of both one of Stern’s newest designers, Jack Danger, and George Gomez, who worked on classics like The Lord of the Rings and the aforementioned Monster Bash. The shots were easy to hit and flow felt good, but we drained a lot – there’s nothing kiddie about the gameplay on this machine, despite its appearance. And that’s what both Pokémon and pinball have in common: Anyone can play, but few can become a master. We should hear more about Pokémon Pinball from Stern in the coming weeks; the MSRP of the Pro model is set at $6,999, with the Premium at $9,699 and the LE at $12,999 and all models are available for pre-order now.

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Yes, You Can Use the Virtual Boy Accessory to Play Smash Bros., Mario Odyssey and Zelda: Breath of the Wild in VR

Nintendo's upcoming Virtual Boy accessory can be used to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Super Mario Odyssey, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it's been reported.

VGC has tested the new Virtual Boy headset (and its cheaper cardboard alternative) with the four games, which previously received VR modes to become compatible with Nintendo Labo VR following its launch back in 2019.

As VGC reports, the new Virtual Boy accessory works in an identical manner to Nintendo Labo VR, essentially acting as a shell with a pair of lenses for your Switch screen. (And yes, you can remove those red Virtual Boy lenses.)

Viewing the four classic Switch games in their VR modes, players are treated to a VR effect, and can look around naturally by moving their head — which is tracked by the console's motion sensors.

Does Nintendo intend for you to use your new Virtual Boy accessory this way? It's debatable. On the one hand, using the actual Virtual Boy accessory for this is a little difficult, since it is designed to sit on a flat surface, removing your ability to look around easily. On the other, VGC notes that Breath of the Wild's Switch 2 upgrade retains its VR mode option, so perhaps this was the plan all along.

Nintendo will officially launch its Virtual Boy Nintendo Classics collection next week on February 17, which you'll need a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription on either Switch or Switch 2 to access. You'll also need a Virtual Boy ($99.99) or cardboard Virtual Boy ($24.99) accessory, sold via the My Nintendo Store.

As of next week, the Virtual Boy library will arrive with the following games:

• Galactic Pinball
• Teleroboxer
• RED ALARM
• Virtual Boy Wario Land
• 3-D Tetris
• Golf
• The Mansion of Innsmouth

Over time, Nintendo will then slowly launch more, including two games that previously never saw the light of day.

• Mario Clash
• Mario's Tennis
• Jack Bros.
• Space Invaders Virtual Collection
• Virtual Bowling
• Vertical Force
• V-Tetris
• Zero Racers (previously unreleased)
• D-Hopper (previously unreleased)

"Would I recommend the average Nintendo fan drops $100 or even $25 to play these games? No, probably not," IGN wrote after going face-on with the Virtual Boy accessories recently. "There are only seven of them to play at launch, and they are more enjoyable from a historical perspective than an entertainment one. You could buy seven superior indie games for 100 bucks that come in more than just one color. But if you love exploring wacky bygones from past eras and want a really cool accessory to display in your game room, you’ll probably really like the new Virtual Boy like I did."

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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Hideo Kojima and Vince Zampella Discussed 'an FPS Version of Metal Gear' After Metal Gear Solid 4

Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima and Vince Zampella, co-creator of the Call of Duty, Infinity Ward, and Respawn Entertainment, apparently discussed an "FPS version of Metal Gear" sometime after Metal Gear Solid 4 came out.

This comes from Kojima himself, speaking via pre-recorded video at the DICE Summit 2026 in Las Vegas in a tribute to Zampella, who passed away in December at the age of 55. As a part of the conference's keynotes, industry luminaries including Kojima, Phil Spencer, Geoff Keighley, Todd Howard, Laura Miele, and others spoke at length about Zampella's contributions to the industry as well as their personal relationships with him.

Kojima appeared several times in the video to speak about Zampella. In one of his segments, he said, "I've kept this quiet for a long time but after Metal Gear Solid 4 came out, we actually talked about making an FPS version of Metal Gear."

Kojima continued, saying that he and Zampella spoke about it, but the game never happened. Zampella went on to found Respawn, but even though they didn't make a Metal Gear together, Kojima says Zampella gave him a lot of advice and support when he left Konami. Kojima even apparently incorporated some aspects of what he saw at Respawn into his own studio, Kojima Productions.

Zampella's sudden passing rattled much of the industry, as he was beloved by many throughout his lengthy career across multiple studios and projects. In addition to co-creating Call of Duty and the studio behind it, Infinity Ward, Zampella also founded Respawn Entertainment, which created hits such as Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. His final gaming contribution was as director of the recently-released Battlefield 6.

Earlier, we covered other remarks from Zampella's peers made at DICE, including comments from Keighley, Spencer, and more. As Kojima concluded, "I hope people will look to Vince as a model and aim high."

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Image credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

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It Took Seven Hours, but a Streamer Grape-Pressed Almost Every Single NPC in Hitman's Winery Level at Once

On his RTGame channel in 2021, YouTuber and streamer Daniel Condren made headlines by dragging countless NPCs from a Hitman level into a walk-in freezer, in an attempt to simultaneously kill every single NPC in one map. He didn't quite succeed. Now, he's made another go at it, using the gigantic grape press in the winery that is Hitman 3's final map. And this time, it went better.

You can watch it take place in a 40-minute edit of the stream. Well, actually the edit seems to be of two streams – in the first, he drags the NPCs one-by-one to smash them after knocking each one out with a baseball bat. That takes over 15 hours, according to the timer at the top of the stream. Then, the video cuts to what looks to be another stream, started at 5 hours and 49 minutes in, after he had dragged each body to the area just in front of the press, ready to be crushed by Condren's cruel hitman.

For over an hour after that, he hauls each body beneath the press, framerate tanking every time the pile of bodies enters the camera's view. A few game crashes later, and at about 7 hours and 13 minutes (again, according to the timer at the top of the screen), he's done it. Elated and sounding a little like a cartoon despot, he hits the grape presser's start button and smashes... most, but not all, of the NPCs. A second run of the press takes care of the last few. He then finds another body elsewhere in the winery that he'd either missed or that had been glitchily hucked there.

So Condren didn't quite meet his mad goal of simultaneously making wine out of all of the level's NPCs like some deranged, murderous Lucille Ball, but he got close enough for blues. He certainly seems pleased at the end when he adds, “And a shout-out to the population of Mendoza, Argentina. We love you guys. And you make a great beverage.”

Wes is a freelance writer (Freelance Wes, they call him) who has covered technology, gaming, and entertainment steadily since 2020 at Gizmodo, Tom's Hardware, Hardcore Gamer, and most recently, The Verge. Inside of him there are two wolves: one that thinks it wouldn't be so bad to start collecting game consoles again, and the other who also thinks this, but more strongly.

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Luna Abyss Preview: A Grimdark Bullet-Hell FPS That Ramps Up in Challenge

There are quite a few modern first-person shooters taking notes from the bullet hell arcade games from yesteryear. Games like BPM or Deadzone Rogue throw walls of projectiles and fodder enemies at you, and demand you thread yourself through them like a gun-toting needle to return fire without getting obliterated. Luna Abyss joins these ranks but certainly stirs the formula up a bit. When we took a look at the first level of gloomy sci-fi shooter a couple of years ago, we saw just enough to get intrigued by the potential quivering in the crimson glow between all of its shadows. Now that we’ve gotten our hands on a bit more, being introduced to a new weapon, movement mechanics, and a killer boss fight, I can safely say that the optimism was justified.

Warm-Up Round

I was dropped right back into Sorrow’s Canyon, a prison colony with the most accurate name in the universe. The grimy metal halls, scaffoldings, and makeshift walkways made out of piping mixed with occasional stone floors and weird organic growths all give a sort of Chronicles of Riddick, grim dark gothic energy. Giger-esque, without all of the phallic stuff. It certainly doesn't matter what anyone was actually doing in a place like this before our hero, Fawkes, wakes up in an open coffin, finds a nifty gun, and starts shooting them all, because most of the things that move around down here that aren’t you are mindless husks who want to destroy you.

The almost sardonically chummy tone in which the sudden guiding voice in Fawkes’ ear, Aylin, takes with her charge does help add a bit of texture to what comes off as a pretty standard “everything here sucks and is bad” aesthetic. Most people, likely including her, would rather not be trapped here, but she is dangerously close to sounding like she’s having something that resembles fun, and that does make me want to know what this world is hiding, at the very least. It sits in contrast with the only other non-enemy character you meet in the demo, The Waif, who gives guidance in solemn riddles like a depressed Tom Bombadil.

Then I played the new additional mission from further into the game and...yeah, Luna Abyss might be cooking with gas.

Gliding from room to room, strafing gracefully through enemy fire and returning with blasts of your own is a breezy process, thanks to the aim function that auto locks to the enemy closest to your crosshairs, letting you focus more on the moving than the aiming. I liked this at first, taking the mental load off of trying to line up shots while gliding from cover to cover helps you focus on defense. But as the encounters progressed, the challenge didn’t really follow suit. Skull-faced drones chased me around the room while floating eyeballs fired from floating perches, but things didn’t get anywhere near too hairy to deal with in the canyon.

The Water Begins to Simmer

I found a second weapon, a shotgun that specialized in shutting down gleaming blue shields, and some nuance and complexity started to reveal itself. Some enemies now were cloaked in these barriers, which had to be shattered by the shotgun before doing damage to them directly. Now I was sliding from cover to cover, switching back and forth between weapons to make certain enemies vulnerable while trying not to overstay my welcome in any one spot for too long. That auto lock feature began to make more sense, but still, I found getting to the end of the Canyon to be a pretty tame experience. I know this was the extent of the original demo, and I can see walking away from this feeling tepid about what the future could hold for this goth-person shooter.

Then I played the new additional mission from further into the game and yeah, Luna Abyss might be cooking with gas.

Full Boil

The Scourge Crater is a snowy, craggy mountain face with floating platforms and a heaping helping of sunlight and sky. There are a lot of floating bits of rock and far away platforms that put Fawkes’ new double jump and air dash to great use. Theres no real indication to what has happened to Fawkes between the Canyon and now to give them these powers, likw the ability to execute low health enemies to regain health, but I don’t necessarily require exposition every time theres an opportunity to do something badass.

It doesn't take long to find a new weapon, a long ranged rifle that does big damage, but overheats in just a handful of shots (unlike your standard gun or shotgun that you can squeak many more rounds out of before havin g to cool it down). New enemies come with it, like some floating bundles of death that explode when touched, or a larger, scarier eyeball creature with its one big single-shot laser. This new weapon comes with a new color of shield to dispatch, too.

When we get off to the races, moving from little island to little island, staying fast on the trigger for the new enemies that pop up at a brisk pace, and staying on top of what the necessary weapon to take them down with was the faster-paced slobberknocker I was looking for. It’s not quite Doom-levels of expressive combat – every enemy there has a best weapon to kill them with but not necessarily a “correct” weapon, leaving room to flex however you see fit. But the limited offensive options are balanced with the sometimes overwhelming need for defensive finesse. At its best, every plan has a window of time where it will be most effective before you have to regroup and try something else, like dipping behind a pillar of rock to wait out a big beam, knowing that a handful of bomb drones are well on their way to clear you out of cover with a bang.

Traveling through this stage between combat introduced some environmental movement tricks as well, like boost gates that launch you when you dash through them, or weird flovating balloons that you can possess, jumping inside them to get a view from their perspective before erupting out of them to continue the climb. There's a cool, if not a little garish, moment a little over midway through the wintry crater where you can actually possess a Goliath, some sort of giant minigun wielding monstrosity that can mow down a small battalion of enemies with ease. Though this level kept things pretty simple, I like the potential of Luna Abyss using possession in conjunction with air dashing and double jumps for some good platforming puzzles – or even in combat scenarios.

Eye of the Beholder

The rowdiest and most difficult combat in the entire demo was against the level-ending boss, a big eyeball monster in the style of a Dungeons and Dragons Beholder by way of Dark City. It stayed in the center, relentlessly firing walls of bullets (and occasionally lasers) making it tough to find the space to take advantage of how exposed it was. Phases where it is invulnerable and you need to deal with how to fix that change the pace up well, at first its juvst breaking the connection between power points in the walls that are blasting it with an impenetrable shield, but eventually it’s surviving waves of enemies and long stanzas of incoming fire, etc. At its busiest, it almost felt a bit like Housemarque’s excellent Returnal, but in a smaller arena. I can only hope Luna Abyss’s combat can crescendo like this for all of its boss fights.

With some patience for its soft-touch opening minutes, I found myself very on board with the Luna Abyss’s brand of crowded screen shoot-em up. It’s thick with moody vibes, which can be more than just a good backdrop for the action. And don’t let that auto targeting aim get you complacent, because when the more blustery bad guys turn up the heat, you won’t have aiming as an excuse as to why surviving the onslaught takes you multiple respawns. If the gunplay and platforming can evolve further, as it did between these two demo levels, then I can’t wait to stare into the Abyss when it opens wide sometime this year.

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Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight: Everything Announced

Blizzard Entertainment tied a bow on its Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight after showing off how the Warlock class will take over Diablo 4, Diablo Immortal, and even Diablo 2: Resurrected in 2026.

The 40-minute presentation came to a close after giving fans a sneak peek at a dungeon’s worth of updates across its three Diablo pillars. Highlights include the reveal that the Warlock is coming to Diablo 4 and Immortal in April and June, respectively, and it’s out for Diablo 2: Resurrected with The Reign of the Warlock DLC right now. While new content definitely stole the show, the Blizzard team still made sure to offer deep dives into some of the quality-of-life updates players have been expecting, too.

Whether you’re looking to learn more about the Lord of Hatred expansion or revisit a beloved early 2000s action RPG, we’ve gathered all of the highlights from today’s show. You can see everything announced at the Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight below.

The Warlock Class Is Coming to Diablo 4, Diablo Immortal, and Diablo 2: Resurrected

Players expected the Warlock to come to Diablo 4, but they didn't expect this. In addition to Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred, the Warlock is coming to Diablo Immortal and, yes, even Diablo 2: Resurrected. It's an unexpected update that brings the class to all three of today's games, with the full spotlight detailing how each offers different playstyles for different kinds of action RPG fans.

Blizzard Is Summoning the Reign of the Warlock for Diablo 2: Resurrected

Introducing the Warlock and enough arcane updates to make any demon nervous.

Play Diablo II: Resurrected- Reign of the Warlock today and see how knowledge bites back.

Learn More: 🔗 https://t.co/TE0fdcCK4V pic.twitter.com/6TpWaHehs7

— Diablo (@Diablo) February 11, 2026

Blizzard’s 2021 reimagining might be a mostly faithful remake of a classic game, but that doesn’t mean it can’t add to it. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the franchise, Diablo 2: Resurrected is getting a new expansion called Reign of the Warlock – and it’s out today for PC (including Steam), PlayStation, and Xbox for $24.99.

The content adds the demon-summoning Warlock as an all-new class not present in the original experience. It allows players to summon, bind, and devour demons, shaking up the Diablo 2 formula for the first time in 25 years.

Blizzard Talks Terror Zones in Diablo 2

With Reign of the Warlock comes a few tweaks to Terror Zones. Specifically, players can now be stalked by hunters called Heralds of Terror when playing on Hell difficulty. Terrorized bosses beaten on the same difficulty mode also now unveil statues, with players encouraged to combine five of them to access new endgame bosses called the Colossal Ancients.

Quality-of-Life Adjustments Add Loot Filers, Advanced Stash Tabs, and More to Diablo 2: Resurrected

The new quality of life changes in Reign of the Warlock give you sharper tools for even the darkest of journeys. pic.twitter.com/yOWzcZ9my6

— Diablo (@Diablo) February 11, 2026

Now, time for what most fans expected when they heard Diablo 2: Resurrected would be featured at the Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight: quality-of-life changes. Blizzard now allows players to create, share, and check out community loot filters, all without the use of mods. The update also comes with the ability to stack stash items alongside the addition of dedicated tabs for materials, gems, and runes. Finally, The Chronicle is an item tracker for players who like their Diablo experience to be nice and organized.

A First Look at the Warlock in Diablo Immortal

This June, Blizzard is bringing the Warlock to Diablo Immortal. This version of the summoning class utilizes demon skull, a sacrificial blade, and a beast known as the Soulgorger. The Warlock will get her own origin quest explaining her backstory at an unspecified point in the future.

Lut Gholein Joins the Warlock in Diablo Immortal

That previously teased location coming to Diablo Immortal is none other than Lut Gholein. Players will find the iconic location has been split between its Common Ward and High Ward districts, with Blizzard explaining that it pulled inspiration from real-world Moroccan cities when bringing it back to life.

The Return of the Demon Queen Andariel

Diablo Immortal's next "big bad" is the Maidan of Anguish, Andariel. She's sporting a new look, too, with associate art director Emil Salim describing her as "domineering, equal parts regal, and sadistic," adding that "she's driven by nothing less than a desire for dark godhood."

Diablo Immortal Roadmap Sets Fire to 2026

The Diablo Immortal team has big plans for 2026. A roadmap shared during the 30th Anniversary Spotlight showed off just a few of the updates players can expect in the coming months, with some examples including a new battleground event and updates to classic zones. Expect a new subzone, along with new monsters and bounties, every quarter, too.

Yes, the Second Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred Class is the Warlock

If the leaks and rumors weren’t enough to give it away, the Warlock is officially confirmed to join the Paladin when Lord of Hatred launches for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox April 28. Blizzard plans to share more about the new Diablo 4 class during a developer update that’s set to take place March 5.

Lord of Hatred Is More Than Just a Class Expansion

The Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight gave fans a first look at how Lord of Hatred expands on Diablo 4 with Skovos and its many mountains and temples. Today’s presentation focuses on Temis, the location’s capital city and an area that holds more information about the Askari, the Prime Evils, and the origins of Santuary.

Skill Trees and the Talisman System

Forge a brand new path through Sanctuary with the all-new skill tree system coming to Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred 🌳 pic.twitter.com/UBMf4gX5wl

— Diablo (@Diablo) February 11, 2026

Major changes are coming to Diablo 4, regardless of whether you choose to pick up Lord of Hatred. Referring to a running joke that has seen players calling the game’s skill trees “skill twigs,” associate game director Zaven Haroutunian unveiled a closer look at the skill tree rework launching with the expansion this April.

The Blizzard team says it’s about giving players “meaningful choices and options” from the get-go, calling it a “major disruption to the current class system.” One example shown during the presentation highlights the Sorcerer’s Hydra skill, which players can fine-tune to increase attack speed, launch explosions, and even use frost projectiles.

The Talisman, meanwhile, is a new itemization system with Lord of Hatred that brings back charms and sets. Footage of the foundational update teases more ways for players to customize their builds to their playstyle.

“They’re going to freak out…”

Game director Brent Gibson closed out the Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight with a tease of what’s to come. In a tongue-in-cheek moment just before the event reached its conclusion, Gibson says, “Oh, my god. They’re going to freak out at BlizzCon when we announce—.” There’s no telling what exactly Diablo fans have to look forward to, but it at least sounds like Blizzard has plans to pull back the curtain when BlizzCon takes place September 12 - 13.

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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The Secretlab Presidents Day Sale Is Your Chance to Score a Great Deal on the Ultimate Gaming Chair

The Secretlab Presidents Sale has officially commenced and with it are a couple of different promotions that are running concurrently (some are stackable). For starters, you can save up to $139 off across Secretlab's lineup of Titan Evo gaming chairs and Magnus gaming desks, including themed editions from One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, Star Wars, Demon Slayer, and more. Secretlab's highest-end gaming chair, the Titan Evo Nanogen, has also ben discounted.

In addition to these instant discounts, you can get extra tiered savings by hitting a certain order amount for each category. These should be stackable with the instant discounts, although some themes are excluded.

• Extra $40 off Chair orders of $850+ with code "SLEV-MINCPRES26"
• Extra $50 off Desk orders of $1,489+ with code: "SLEV-MINDPRES26"
• $100 off all orders of $1,999+ with code: "SLEV-MINSWPRES26"

Finally, Secretlab's Genshin Impact themed gaming chairs gets some love of its own. The Ninguang and and Xiao inspired gaming chairs are on sale as well, to coincide with the Lantern Rite event that's going on right now in-game.

Save $50 off Secretlab Titan Evo gaming chairs

The Titan Evo is Secretlab's most iconic and best selling chair. Over 70 different styles are currently on sale, with prices ranging from $529 to $634 after a $50 off instant discount across the entire lineup. It's available in small, medium, and large sizes, which is great for smaller people because most gaming chairs sold here in the United States are huge. Discounted upholstery optioins include Neo Hybrid leatherette and SoftWeave Plus fabric.

Signature features include a solid steel frame with aluminum wheelbase, firm and supportive cold-cure foam upholstery, adjustable four-way lumbar system, full length backrest with 165 degrees of recline, full metal 4D armrests with magnetically attached PU cushions, and a memory foam headrest pillow. Check out our own glowing Titan Evo review.

Genshin Impact themed chairs see their first discount ever

Genshin Impact's annual Lantern Rite in-game event is going on right now, coinciding with the actual Chinese New Year, which lands on February 17. In celebration of the event, Secretlab has discounted two Genshin themed chairs inspired by Liyue characters: Xiao, an anemo adeptus, and Ningguang, the geo-wielding Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing (she's basically a royal). This is the first time a Genshin chair has gone on sale, so if you're a Hoyoverse superfan, don't miss it.

Secretlab's flagship Titan Evo Nanogen is also on sale

The Titan Evo Nanogen Edition is Secretlab's highest end chair and is rarely discounted. It normally sells for $799 at Secretlab direct, but both the white and black colors have been discounted by $50 during the Presidents Day Sale. If your budget can accomodate it, this is the best gaming chair. In our recent Titan Evo Nanogen Edition review, Chris Coke wrote that "the Secretlab Titan Evo Nanogen Edition deserves every bit of the overwhelming praise I’ve given... The Titan Evo Nanogen Edition is class-leading, and is hands-down the most comfortable gaming chair I’ve ever used."

Sadly, Titan Evo Pokemon Edition preorders aren't discounted

Secretlab's recently announced lineup of Pokémon gaming chairs is, not surprisingly, still listed at full price. Even so, these chairs are so cool that they're worth a mention. These chairs showcase one of three iconic Pokémon - Gengar, Pikachu, and Eevee - with ostentatious use of color, patterns, and figures. My personal favorite is the Eevee edition, with its detailed embossing of Eevee's myriad evolutions; it also seems to be the top seller, since it's already on its third wave of preorders.

Unusual for a collab, Secretlab opted to go with its Softweave Plus fabric instead of leatherette, and I for one am happy with that decision. Fabric ages more gracefully, feels softer, and doesn't stick to your sweaty skin on hot days.

Save $30 off the Titan Evo recliner add-on (it's worth it)

Also on sale for the first time, Secretlab's new recliner add-on is $30 off for Christmas. This is a nice upgrade for anyone who already owns the Titan Evo chair. In our recliner add-on review, Chris Coke wrote that "while both comfort and value are subjective things, the recliner is able to take the Titan Evo and transform it from one of the best racing style gaming chairs to standing head and shoulders above the competition at its price point."

Secretlab Magnus deals are also on sale, including Genshin

Not only are the Magnus and Magnus Pro discounted for Presidents Day, you also get the desk mat topper (your choice of style) free of charge. The Magnus is a traditional fixed-frame gaming desk while the Magnus Pro ups the ante with practical electric sit-stand functionality. Both desks feature a metal desktop surface, solid steel frame, and clever cable management, but the Magnus Pro has some unique features including a power cable that runs internally inside one of the telescoping legs and an in-line control panel. Check out our Magnus Pr0 review review for hands-on impressions.

Secretlab has the best "racing-style" gaming chairs

It's no secret that we love our Secretlab gaming chairs. Three of the eight chairs in our best gaming chair roundup are Secretlab models. Of all the gaming chairs we covered in our "Budget to Best" roundup video earlier this year, my colleague Akeem Lawanson considered the Secretlab Titan Evo to be the most comfortable. No good chair comes cheap and Secretlab chairs definitely cost a premium, but we think the craftsmanship, materials, and customizability are worth it.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

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