It's that time again! You might have noticed that MindsEye, the new game from former Rockstar North studio head and GTA producer Lezlie Benzies and his studio Build a Rocket Boy, is out in the world and available to buy, while we don't yet have a review.
If there’s one thing beyond doubt after more than 35 hours with Dune: Awakening, it’s that Funcom has done its homework in crafting the most authentic take on the Dune-iverse imaginable. As a longtime fan of Frank Herbert’s iconic sci-fi setting, that’s an incredible thing to experience more often than not, and my time on Arrakis has been filled with moments of genuine shock. It’s very clever how the harsh environments and empty space are repeatedly used as progression checks, turning what seem like they should be weaknesses into strengths. Other times, that stubborn adherence to established lore results in annoying or just plain boring irritations, like how you’re all but forced to adopt a nomadic lifestyle in a genre where putting down roots and building up your base is one of the fundamentals. There have also been plenty of technical issues and bugs in the days immediately following launch, plus combat hasn’t landed with me much so far (though I’m admittedly still early in crafting my combat build), but on balance my friends and I are having an absolutely awesome time nerding out.
If you’ve ever played a survival game (and have seen a Dune movie) before, you’ll know most of what you need to feel at home among the giant sand worms: you gather materials from the world, build your own ugly-as-heck home, and upgrade your equipment to gain access to more dangerous areas with rarer materials. Like plenty of survival games, including Funcom’s own Conan Exiles or last year’s Once Human, all of this is happening on a server full of similarly sunburnt players in a perpetually online world, where cooperation and limited instances of PvP are both a distinct possibility, and which account for most of its best moments.
Where this game sets itself apart, though, is by just how much it adheres to its legendary setting, and that has a major impact on just about everything you do. For example, intelligent use is made of Arrakis’ harsh environment, which is weaponized against you quite literally every second you stay within its atmosphere. Standing directly in sunlight unprotected will bake you alive in a matter of seconds, sandstorms blow on a regular basis and will kill you if you aren’t able to get to shelter first, and most notably, there’s the issue of those pesky enormous man-eating worms which gobble you up if you dare tread upon their domain for too long. By leaning into the unforgiving world as much as it does, Awakening puts you in a constant battle against the planet itself. So instead of casually trotting around collecting resources at your leisure and settling your own little piece of the world, you’re frantically ducking behind rocks to avoid the sun’s harsh rays and drink what little water you have left, and playing a never-ending game of “the floor is lava” as you rush from one place to another with a shai-hulud hot on your heels.
All of these hazards give you obstacles to overcome. For example, early on you’re unable to leave the tutorial area thanks to a massive gap of empty space where sun exposure or, more likely, a massive worm would certainly kill you if you attempt to go on foot, so you have to craft your first vehicle in order to safely cross it. Later on, you start to encounter places that are too hot or irradiated to explore without proper equipment. There are plenty of examples just like this, where the unique nature of the setting is turned into an interesting mechanic. Similarly, you’re constantly starved for water, which is used both as a crafting material and a resource to keep yourself alive, and usually Awakening is a better, more interesting survival game for it.
But there are other times where this fanatical adherence to Dune conventions can be quite obnoxious, like how you’re encouraged (and in some cases required) to move your base of operations from place to place as you unlock access to higher-level regions. Pulling up stakes means you either have to abandon all you’ve built up to that point or tediously relocate as much of your equipment as you can, piece by piece. Then there’s stuff like the fact that guns are often useless, since many enemies make use of the all-important Holtzman shields that completely protect from ranged attacks. This creates a weird situation where you’re juggling back and forth between guns and melee weapons depending on which enemy is currently running towards you, oftentimes having to choose between addressing the swordsman barreling down on you or the guy a few feet behind him with a chaingun, which can create a really oppressive rhythm to combat. I honestly kinda respect how much Dune: Awakening sticks to its guns by making its guns ineffective to keep with Dune lore, even as it sometimes comes at the expense of me having a good time. Even when this stuff annoys the hell out of me, I can’t help but respect it.
That’s just part of the reason that, like almost every single one of its peers, Dune: Awakening has pretty awful combat. I knew going into a survival MMO that would be the case, but it’s still a particularly bitter pill that never gets any easier to swallow. I’m still quite early in unlocking all the options for battle and seeing some of the more interesting weapons and builds available, but so far gunplay is sloppy, melee combat is repetitive and janky as heck, and I’ve mostly just been trying to get through it as quickly as possible. It’s such a low point in a game I’m otherwise enjoying.
Thankfully, the combat miss is more than made up for by the absolutely stellar survival mechanics, which are some of the most thoughtful and polished I’ve seen in a while. There’s a constant stream of new technologies to research, equipment to craft, and material to hunt for with almost no filler or grind along the way. Every time I’ve collected the right materials to craft the latest shiny thing I want, I’ve immediately had another enticing item to chase, and with unique schematics dropping left and right, I’m always making interesting decisions on whether to spend my rarest materials on a cool item with a special effect versus taking the more conservative route and just crafting common items to save those resources for a rainy day. (It's bound to rain on Arrakis one of these days.)
It’s especially impressive that they accomplished this loop so well in a desert world where there are no other locations aside from hot sand, and almost no plants or wildlife available to harvest. A major hallmark of survival games is punching trees, and there are no trees on Arrakis – instead you’re making tools to pull water from morning dew collecting in the world at night and by pulling it from the air, which is just really smart and a welcome change of pace that embraces the weird and barren setting, even if it is still essentially the same thing.
When I played the beta for Dune: Awakening, I ran into tons of bugs and hoped the delay of its launch would improve things a bit. That certainly seems to be the case, as I’ve had a significantly more stable experience so far, but even as improved as it is, it’s still fairly troubled in the technical department. I’ve had disconnects, seen entire mountains disappear and reappear before my eyes, and even had a few hours where all sand worms just up and deleted themselves from existence, making everyone on the server swarm to the resources normally protected by their constant threat. It’s not been the smoothest launch by any stretch – but also far from the worst.
After more than 35 hours I still feel like I’m fairly early into my Dune: Awakening adventure, and still have new zones to visit, haven’t gotten very far into the main story, and have only had a few encounters with PvP. There’s a ton for me to do, so look for an update sometime this week as I work my way through to the endgame.
Beginning its life as a Shin Megami Tensei spin-off, the Persona series has quickly launched into something entirely of its own and become one of the biggest names in modern RPGs. From multiple major sequels and remakes to anime adaptations and even stage plays, Persona is a multimedia sensation, and its popularity doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
With the official announcement of Persona 4 Revival, new players are probably wondering where’s the best place to start. Below, we’ll give you a full rundown of every game and spin-off, including the best entry point for newcomers and both the chronological and release order of the series.
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In total, there are currently twenty Persona games. Several of these are expanded versions of the mainline entries in the series, whether that’s in the form of re-releases featuring new story content or remakes. While we won’t include direct ports or remasters, we’ll make sure to note every alternate version of each game when listing them below.
If you're looking for the perfect place to start, you can’t really go wrong jumping into Persona 3 Reload, Persona 4 Golden or Persona 5 Royal. They’re the latest versions of the third, fourth and fifth mainline entries in the series, and, aside from Persona 3 Reload missing Nintendo Switch, they’re all available on PC and every major console.
For those concerned about skipping the story by jumping into later entries in the series, you won’t miss anything by going straight to Persona 3, 4, or 5. Each game tells an entirely new story with original characters that’s largely disconnected from its predecessors, so they’re great launching points for those coming in fresh. To narrow your choices down, I'd recommend taking a look at some gameplay videos and some of the social links across each of the games to see what "stands out" to you.
These blurbs contain mild spoilers for each game, including characters, settings, and story beats.
The first game in the series, Revelations: Persona was Atlus’ reaction to the positive reception of Shin Megami Tensei: If…, which was another Shin Megami Tensei spin-off centered around high-schoolers battling demons. Capitalizing on how much players enjoyed the central concept, Revelations: Persona offered a full dungeon-crawling RPG centered around a group of high schoolers battling a supernatural uprising throughout the town of Mikage-cho.
Along the way, they use the powers of their awakened Personas to take down shadows and explore dungeons filled with random encounters, leveling up their party and growing stronger over the course of the game. Revelations: Persona was the foundation of the franchise as we know it today, introducing elements like wielding Personas in combat, the Velvet Room and a teenage cast of heroes.
The second entry in the Persona series, Persona 2: Innocent Sin launched in 1999. The game follows a new set of high-school students led by protagonist Tatsuya Suou, who set out on a mission to take down a mysterious villain known as Joker and the cult of the Masked Circle.
Centring around an evil plot where malicious rumors spreading around the town of Sumaru come to life, Persona 2 once again focuses on exploring dungeons, wielding Personas, fighting shadows and leveling up your party. Unlike other entries in the series, it received a direct sequel just a year later, with Persona 2: Eternal Punishment acting as a continuation of the game's story.
Read our review of Persona 2: Innocent Sin.
Following up the events of Innocent Sin, Eternal Punishment promoted side character, Maya Amano, to the protagonist role. Sent to write an article about a new rumor regarding a phenomenon known as the Joker Curse, the game quickly sees Maya and her allies rally against a returning foe.
Acting as a direct continuation of Innocent Sin's story, it centers on the same style of turn-based, dungeon-crawling gameplay, as players build their party and wield their Personas to battle shadows.
Read our review of Persona 2: Eternal Punishment.
The third mainline entry in the franchise, Persona 3 was a major evolution of the Persona formula. Opting to focus on its high-school premise, Persona 3 introduced a daily calendar, with one half of the game tasking players with attending school, developing friendships and studying, while the other sent them to fight shadows in the supernatural realm of Tartarus.
The story focuses on high school student Makoto Yuki, who finds he's able to experience a mysterious space of time known as the Dark Hour, where regular people are trapped in coffins and a demonic tower sprouts from his school. Teaming with his classmates, he explores the tower, uncovering a sinister plot that threatens the entire world. Persona 3 is considered a landmark entry for the series, introducing social links, day-to-day activities and many other mechanics that have since become synonymous with the franchise.
Read our review of Persona 3 Reload.
A rhythm-based dancing spin-off of Persona 3 that takes place during the main campaign, Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight sees Elizabeth challenge the S.E.E.S team to a dance-off in the Velvet Room. The events of the game are set during a dream but are completely canon to the story, and follow the team performing various dance routines to iconic Persona 3 tracks.
The fourth mainline entry in the Persona series, Persona 4 takes place in the rural town of Inaba. Players assume the role of Yu Narukami: a high schooler from the city who moves to the country to live with his uncle and cousin for a year. After arriving, a string of violent murders begin to take place in the town, as Yu and his friends quickly discover they’re somehow linked to a mysterious otherworldly realm they can access by stepping through TV monitors.
Delving into this mysterious new world, Yu and his friends face supernatural forces as they learn more about the murders, using their powers to try and stop them. Building off the mechanics of Persona 3, Persona 4 once again utilizes the calendar system, as players build social links and attend school while also exploring vast dungeons and defeating enemies with their Personas.
Read our review of Persona 4 Golden.
Technically taking place during the Persona 3 and Persona 4 storylines simultaneously, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is a crossover between both games. During the typhoon segment of Persona 3 and the Culture Festival segment of Persona 4, the S.E.E.S team and the Investigation Squad are trapped inside a warped version of Yasogami High School.
The time-bending event sees both teams come together to investigate the strange occurrence and escape back to their respective spots on the timeline. Along the way, players explore a labyrinth filled with new enemies and uncover an original story, with the spin-off acting as a callback to the series’ more traditional dungeon-crawler roots.
Read our review of Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth.
A continuation of both Persona 3 and 4’s narratives and the franchise’s first major spin-off, Persona 4 Arena sees Yu Narukami return to Inaba and stumble into a new adventure, as he returns to the TV world for a mysterious fighting tournament. Forced to battle against his allies and a group known as the Shadow Operatives, which is comprised of Persona 3's Mitsuru, Akihiko and Aigis, Arena offers a full fighting game boasting a roster of iconic Persona characters.
Read our review of Persona 4 Arena.
A year following the release of Persona 4 Arena, the spin-off received a sequel titled Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. Taking place directly after the events of the first game, the Persona 4 squad teams up with the Shadow Operatives to return to the TV World and battle against the mysterious forces running the fighting tournament. Ultimax was ultimately an upgrade for the first game, bringing in an expanded roster including returning characters like Yukari, Junpei, Ken and Koromaru.
Read our review of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax.
The fourth and arguably most unexpected spin-off of Persona 4, Persona 4: Dancing All Night is a rhythm-based dancing game where the Investigation Squad performs routines to iconic Persona tracks. It offers a completely canon continuation of the storyline, following Yu and the team as they’re sucked into an alternate dimension known as the Midnight Stage.
Read our review of Persona 4: Dancing All Night.
The fifth mainline entry in the series, Persona 5 hit shelves in Japan in 2016 before launching worldwide in 2017. Taking players to Tokyo, it casts them as a new protagonist known as Joker, who finds himself on probation after being framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Attending the local high school, Joker and his friends discover a supernatural alternate dimension, which allows them to infiltrate mystical palaces and change the hearts of evil-doers around the city.
Before long, the group becomes notorious on the streets of Tokyo, going under the alias of the Phantom Thieves. The game builds heavily off the formula established by Persona 3 and 4, including massive story-focused levels that unfold over a month, the return of the negotiation system and a new dungeon system known as Mementos. Persona 5 launched the franchise into the stratosphere, quickly becoming Atlus' best-selling game of all time and cultivating a huge fan base.
Read our review of Persona 5 Royal.
A sequel to Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, New Cinema Labyrinth once again depicts a crossover between various Persona characters. After the Phantom Thieves find themselves trapped in a movie theater, they ally with Persona 3's S.E.E.S team and Persona 4's Investigation Squad to find an escape, traveling into the movies on the screen in an attempt to fix their endings.
Much like the original game, Persona Q2 simultaneously takes place during the Persona 3, 4 and 5 storylines, with the adventure pulling each group out of their respective timeline. There, they explore dungeons from a first-person perspective and fight turn-based battles against various enemies.
Taking place during the events of Persona 5, Persona 5 Tactica is a strategy-focused spin-off that’s similar in style to the XCOM franchise. The story follows the Phantom Thieves mysteriously traveling to an alternate realm known as the Kingdoms. Unable to escape, Joker and Morgana are forced to abandon the rest of the Phantom Thieves after they're brainwashed by the realm's monstrous ruler, Tyrant Marie, forcing the pair to begin an adventure to save their allies and return home.
Along the way, they team up with the local resistance, helping them fight against Tyrant Marie's forces. The game revolves around a tactical grid-based combat system, as players direct three units across the battlefield and take out enemies.
Read our review of Persona 5 Tactica.
Atlus’ third rhythm-based dancing spin-off, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight sees Caroline and Justine bring the Phantom Thieves to the Velvet Room and challenge them to a dance off. There, the group perform dance routines to several of Persona 5's catchiest tracks.
A spin-off set four months after the events of Persona 5, Strikers sees the Phantom Thieves reunite for a summer vacation. However, the team find themselves sucked into the Metaverse after using an app known as EMMA. Escaping with the help of a new ally, the team don their Phantom Thieves gear once more and set out to discover the truth behind EMMA, the Metaverse, and what it means for the people of Tokyo.
Persona 5 Strikers is a crossover with the long-running Dynasty Warriors franchise, introducing real-time combat to the series. Battles center around the Phantom Thieves taking on large hordes of enemies, which they can deal with through combos or by calling on Personas.
Read our review of Persona 5 Strikers.
After the massive success of Metaphor (it picked up quite a few awards), Sega announced their desire to keep investing in Atlus, and the Persona IP in particular, in a developers' Q&A session.
The next Persona project is the free-to-play mobile game Persona 5: The Phantom X, which is getting a global release on June 26. The Phantom X is described by Atlus as "an original story set in the world of Persona 5 [in which] new characters rise from the shadows and don the masks of the Phantom Thieves."
Persona 4 Revival was announced at a recent Xbox Showcase, a new remake of the game that originally released on PS2 in 2008 before being remastered as Persona 4 Golden in 2012. The new teaser doesn't reveal much but does show off some detailed environments and Yu Narukami himself.
Otherwise, Persona 6 is (theorized to be) the anticipated next release in the RPG series, though Atlus has yet to officially confirm the game is in development.
Callum Williams is a freelance media writer with years of experience as a game critic, news reporter, guides writer and features writer.
Magic: The Gathering keeps churning out set after set, and 2025 is no different. From mainline sets like Aetherdrift and Tarkir: Dragonstorm, to remasters like Innistrad, and Universes Beyond Final Fantasy, it’s a stacked year—and that’s just the first half.
With so much to look forward to, the company has still planned a whole host of Secret Lair card drops throughout the year, and it’s getting pretty tricky to stay on top of everything coming as a result.
Final Fantasy is also getting its very own Secret Lair release on June 9. These drops will go on sale as part of our Summer Superdrop on June 9, 2025, at 9 a.m. PT (June 10 at 1 a.m. JST), exclusively at MagicSecretLair.
The set is divided into a trio of five-card drops. The first, Game Over, includes big spells reimagined into Final Fantasy versions, like Merciless Poisoning, based on Toxic Deluge.
Grimoire includes a series of character-specific magic, like Noctis’ Death Magic and Vivi’s Thunder Magic, while the Weapons set includes the likes of Cloud’s Buster Sword and Clive’s Invictus Blade.
With each Secret Lair drop being particularly limited in its availability, your best bet is naturally to look on the secondhand market.
While some can be found at Amazon and other generalist stores, these don’t have the same level of quality assurance as specialist retailers like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom, Magic Madhouse, and others.
So what's been popular in 2025? As things stand, the most notable heavy-hitters from this year so far include Deadpool, Spongebob, and our furry friends. Here's where you can still buy the sets at market price.
There’s also a good chance you may need to buy cards individually, rather than in predetermined Secret Lair sets, so consider picking them up piecemeal if the opportunity presents itself.
If you’re lucky enough to have a local game store that’s offering a large collection of Magic: The Gathering singles, it’s worth taking a look—you might end up finding a Secret Lair card lurking in a binder or loose in a box somewhere (perish the thought!).
We’ve got the full list below for every Secret Lair drop already released in 2025, alongside the best places to buy each set, or even the individual cards. Let’s dig in.
Animar and Friends - February 3
This five-card set includes art from Jack Teagle for Mulldrifter, All Will Be One, Benevolent Hydra, Forgotten Ancient and Animar, Soul of Elements.
Artist Series: Jesper Ejsing - February 10
This Secret Lair drop includes four cards with artwork from Danish illustrator Jesper Ejsing, including Sun Titan, Deflecting Swat, Llanowar Elves and Breeches, Eager Pillager.
Lorwyn Lightboxes - February 10
Still available from Wizards at the time of writing, Lorwyn Lightboxes are stylised versions of Ancient Ampitheater, Auntie’s Hovel, Gilt-Leaf Palace, Secluded Glen and Wanderwine Hub.
City Styles 2: Dressed to Kill - February 10
Giving an urban theme to Karmic Guide, Ninja of the Deep Hours, Captain Sisay, Selvala, Explorer Returned and Veyran, Voice of Duality, this Secret Lair is long gone.
Arcade Racers - February 10
With gorgeous pixel art, arcade theming, these versions of Big Score, Final Fortune, Heat Shimmer, Roiling Vortex, and Wheel of Misfortune are eye-catching and still in stock.
Aether Drifters - February 10
Aping the design of Hot Wheels packaging, these Aether Drifters include reversible cards for six vehicles including Mechtitan Core and Smuggler’s Copter.
Featuring: Mitsuhiro Arita - February 10
This collection offers four Magic The Gathering cards from longtime Pokemon illustrator Mitsuhiro Arita. Murktide Regent, Lightning Bolt, Shorikai Genesis Machine and Light-Paws, Emperor’s Voice look incredible.
Cats vs Dogs - March 17
This double drop pits canines against felines. Both include Escape to the Wilds, Titanic Ultimatum, Rip Apart, Arcane Signet and Basilisk Collar, but with art to signify your chosen species.
Spongebob: Squarepants - March 24
With Spongebob and pals taking cardboard forms, collectors can grab 7 individual pieces, including Plankton, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, and, of course, Patrick Star and Spongebob SquarePants himself as part of the Legends of Bikini Bottom set.
There’s also a Lands bundle for the Nickelodeon favorite, and a meme-focused set of spells, too.
Twisted Toons - March 24
A little Spongebob-adjacent, these full-art, Toon-inspired cards give us Cuphead vibes.
Tragic Romance - March 24
Following a ‘Romantasy’ theme, these cards include Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon, Master of Cruelties, Angel of Despair and Kaalia of the Vast.
They Grow Up So Fast - March 24
This Dragon-centric drop has five cards, each with two versions of Dragonlords like Atarka and Dromoka. Both versions are the same card, but with a young and mature version of each dragon.
Pick’em and Stick’em - March 24
This intriguing set is still in stock, and offers cards and accompanying stickers for players to customise them with. Clever Impersonator, Hedron Crab, Pitiless Plunderer, a Treasure Token and Thalia, Heretic Cathar are included.
Garden Buds - March 24
Billed as the last remnants of an Ashaya, Soul of the Wild Commander deck that was lost to time, these seed-style cards include Harrow, Elvish Reclaimer, World Shaper and Horn of Greed with art from Jordan Crane.
Oishi! Tokens - March 26
Inspired by Japanese food packaging, this set includes four Food Tokens, and is sold out.
Secret Lair x Marvel’s Deadpool - April 1
The Merc with a Mouth’s Secret Lair has sold out, but it’s well worth a look if you can find it on the secondhand market. Fourth Wall-breaking versions of Deadly Rollick, Saw in Half, Blasphemous Act and Vandalblast are here, as well as Deadpool, Trading Card.
Adventures of the Little Witch - April 22
This adorable set has Secret Rendezvous, Serenity, Esika’s Chariot and Realms Uncharted, all with Heikala’s inimitable artwork and use of color.
VROOOOOMMMMMM - April 28
Toru Terada lends his incredible art to Lava Dart, Monastery Swiftspear, Soul-Scar Mage, Underworld Breach, and Mishra’s Bauble. Still available, too.
Everything Is On Fire - April 28
This set is all about bringing the heat, with spicy new art for Chain Lightning, Dragon’s Rage Channeller, Lava Spike, Rift Bolt and Skewer the Critics.
Featuring: Jay Howell - April 28
Jay Howell’s Secret Lab set includes cartoonish versions of Marchesa, the Black Rose, Uncivil Unrest, Treasonous Ogre, Priest of Forgotten Gods and Agent of Treachery, all from the guy who designed the cast of Bob’s Burgers.
Secret Lair X KEXP: Where the Music Matters - April 28
This set of Land cards includes two of each basic land type for a total of 10 in the set, and is inspired by the independent radio station KEXP.
Secret Lair X KEXP: You Are Not Alone - April 28
Another KEXP collab, this one has a series of colorful card varients that lean into a “group-hug” deck theme. Cultural Exchange, Folio of Fancies, Concordant Crossroads, Rites of Flourishing and Font of Mythos are included.
Everyone’s Invited! - May 12
This double rainbow foil Secret Lair drop is still available (for $200, we might add) and includes Shapeshifters, Dryads, Elementals, Faeries, Slivers, Cats and more. Ten foil cards, four foil tokens, one foil display card and 90 reprints.
Slay the Day - May 19
The latest set at the time of writing includes Marwyn, the Nurturer as well as Liesa, Shroud of Dusk, Oloro, Ageless Ascetic, and Slythis, Harvest’s Hand.
Secret Lair is a limited-time drop of cards that are usually offered as bundles for a day or two at the most before they sell out.
They’ve had some wild theming in the past, but with Magic: The Gathering channelling its inner Fortnite, the crossovers are becoming more and more frequent (in fact, Fortnite has had its own Secret Lair set because, of course, it has).
The cards have new artwork, but are based on existing cards in terms of gameplay functionality, so you can expect to use them in competitive play, so long as the original card is still in the standard rotation.
As of the debut of Final Fantasy’s Universes Beyond set, that list of Standard rotation sets runs until Brother’s War.
Lloyd Coombes is Gaming Editor @ Daily Star. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay. He's also a tech, gaming, and fitness freelancer seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar, Tom’s Guide, IGN, and more.
The June 2025 Xbox Games Showcase has come to a close after two hours of announcements for games like The Outer Worlds 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Final Fantasy, and more.
It was yet another jam-packed show under Microsoft’s belt that included highlights such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, more Final Fantasy on Xbox, Persona 4 Revival, Grounded 2, and much, much more. Although we didn’t see things like Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls 6 or what’s next for 343 Industries and the Halo franchise, today’s presentation still managed to fill 2025 and 2026 with exciting projects that still need a bit more time in the oven.
If you weren’t able to tune in or missed portions of the show, we’ve got good news: IGN has collected everything announced at the June 2025 Xbox Games Showcase in this story. You can read up on all of the biggest announcements and surprises below.
Microsoft's one-last-thing reveal for the Xbox Game Showcase 2025 was Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, another numbered entry in its popular alternate history Call of Duty storyline. A cinematic reveal trailer for Black Ops 7 mostly focused on callbacks to previous entries, but we'll have to wait to see how else it will change the game when it eventually launches.
Square Enix fans on Xbox have waited years to play some of the biggest Final Fantasy games on Xbox Series X | S, and for some, that wait ends today. Final Fantasy 16 is out now for Xbox Series X | S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud, with Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade set to arrive this winter.
Invincible is getting a bloody 3v3 fighting game for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles. In what Xbox called a "World F***ing Premiere," we got to see some gameplay for Invincible VS with playable characters that include Mark and Atom Eve.
Atlus finally announced Persona 4 Revival, a new version of its classic RPG coming to PC and consoles at an unspecified point in the future. Although this is far from a surprise, an early look at its gameplay gave players some details to cling to while we wait for a release date.
Animo gave Xbox fans a change of pace when it showed off a lush world filled with strange animals at the Xbox Games Showcase today. Its in development at Pawprint Studio and is set to launch for Xbox and PC in 2026.
Thunderful and Wishfully are back with Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf. We got a first look at its colorful, spacey graphics with a trailer today.
Talking cats, storybook visuals, and creative FPS gameplay were just a few of the highlights shown when the There Are No Ghosts at the Grand trailer premiered during the Xbox Games Showcase today. Expect to learn more as its launch for PC and Xbox in 2026 draws near.
Aphelion revealed how Don’t Nod will take its storytelling skills to a new universe with a gameplay trailer shown off during today’s presentation.
Highly anticipated InXile Entertainment project Clockwork Revolution finally reappeared at the Xbox Games Showcase to give players a much closer look at its twisted metropolis, Avalon. It’s still got no release date, but the footage should give players plenty to comb over while they wait.
Silent Hill 2 remake developer Bloober Team made a surprise appearance at the Xbox Games Showcase to show off gameplay for Cronos: The New Dawn. This Dead Space-looking horror game is set to come to PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S this fall.
Obsidian is shrinking gamers once again, confirming that Grounded 2 is real and set to launch in Game Preview next month. An early look at how it shakes up that Honey, I Shrunk the Kids gameplay was revealed with a trailer today.
Longtime Pokémon developer Game Freak made a surprise appearance at the Xbox Games Showcase to reveal Beast of Reincarnation, an ambitious action game coming to PC, PlayStation, and Xbox in 2026. An early look at this change of pace for the studio was revealed in the form of a trailer today.
Double Fine's Next Game Is an Otherworldly Game With a Walking Lighthouse Called the Keeper
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will deliver a new Machine Games story when its DLC, The Order of Giants, launches later this year. We got a first look at how it will expand Indiana Jones' story with a first-look trailer today.
Team Ninja appeared at the Xbox Game Showcase 2025 with a fall release date for Ninja Gaiden 4. Expect to finally continue Ryu Hayabusa's journey when it comes to PC and consoles later this year.
Team Meat is bringing its bloody mascot to a new realm when Super Meat Boy 3D launches in 2026. You can learn more about its official reveal here.
Microsoft finally pulled back the curtain on its Xbox-infused mobile gaming device, the ROG Xbox Ally X. Details on everything the device can do remain to be seen, but today's reveal trailer did include a first look at how it will take PC and Xbox gaming on the go later this year.
Check out the #XboxShowcase Trailer for Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, a new installment in the third-person action adventure narrative-driven game set 15 years before the original games. #IGNLive #IGNSummerOfGaming pic.twitter.com/kkz81ZtA21
— IGN (@IGN) June 8, 2025
A new story from the A Plague Tale universe is in development. Asobo Studio says its latest story, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, is set to come to PC and consoles sometime next year.
Squanch Games is coming back with a full-on sequel to its popular comedy shooter. We got an early look at how High on Life 2 will turn up the chaos with a pre-rendered trailer today.
While Microsoft has promised to deliver a deep dive into Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds 2 after the Xbox Games Showcase, today’s presentation kicked off with more gameplay as well as the news that the project is officially set to launch October 29, 2025. We’ll learn more about what’s in store after today’s main presentation comes to a close.
Developing…
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).
The cast of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stopped by IGN Live to not only discuss the beloved new game from Sandfall Interactive, but also to exclusively premiere an over 10-minute look at the game's making-of documentary.
The exclusive clip, which you can see below, begins by putting the focus on the developers of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on the day before launch. It then takes viewers behind the scenes of motion capture performances, including how that emotional opening scene between Gustave and Sophie came to life and another fun moment between Monoco and Verso.
While the documentary is still a work in progress and the full video may change, we were able to chat with Jennifer English (Maelle), Ben Starr (Verso), Shala Nyx (Sciel), Kirsty Rider (Lune), Rich Keeble (Monoco), and Maxence Cazorla (Esquie) about their work on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
"We were all really excited," English said of the time before the game launched. "We weren’t as stressed as the developers were, but I was dead nervous about it because we put all our love and heart into it and hope it pays off - and thankfully it did."
"You can do whatever you do in the studio, but then it stops being yours," Starr added. "You don’t know what it’s going to become. There are so many circumstances that go into the release of a game, and I felt, personally, there was a huge amount of pressure. It’s a game I wanted to be good for the team because they had put so much work into it, and because we didn’t just come into it, we were an additional part of it."
English then went on to discuss what it was like recording for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and video games in general, and it was a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain.
"I get so lonely in the booth," English joked. "You have to pretend. It’s very rare in video games that you get a playmate. I think it’s happened once or twice that I’ve had another actor in the room, so it’s a real honor when people think you were together recording. Video game acting is the Olympics of acting. If you can do good acting in video games - there is some bad acting, but not in this game – you can do anything."
Nyx then shared how many people have reached out to her about how her character, Sciel, has helped them with struggles in their own lives.
"It’s so cinematic," Nyx said. "It’s just so wonderful to be the voice and body of a character that is so rich and has so much emotional depth. I’ve had so many people reach out to me about how my character has helped them with their depression and helped them with their mental health. It’s so ephemeral and every moment is so rich and that’s a testament to the writing."
Lastly, Starr spoke on the emotional impact of the game and why we care so much about these pixels that became characters that mean a lot to us.
The reason you cry is because there is so much joy to be lost," Starr said. "You can’t have something that’s just morose all the time. If these people who are so vibrantly brought to life by these actors, if we lose them, then you lose everything."
For more, check out our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review and how the game sold 3.3 million copies in just 33 days.
Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.
You might have seen an RPG with a swashbuckling theme before, but guaranteed you haven't seen one that looks like Joker Studio's Sea of Remnants. Think of a haunted toy box belonging to a deranged puppeteer, and then add a bit of glam rock for good measure. It's the perfect vibe for the story of a sailor with no memories setting out to find a cursed location, and the adventure will arrive on PC and mobile in 2026.
"Our creative journey began with a spark of pure feeling—an emotional image that guided everything: 'If a puppet’s mind is soaked in water, memories slip away into the ocean, yet they still choose to return and sail again.' This early inspiration was both a playful nod to the Chinese saying “ 脑子进水” ('brain soaked with water') and a philosophical reflection seen in some of our favorite films," Joker Studios told us.
"When it came time to build the actual framework, we drew on a wide range of influences—from JRPGs and CRPGs to open-world titles and even niche indie games that share a spirit of boundless exploration. At every step, we focused on how to let players experience these feelings themselves, not just watch them."
When you dive into Sea of Remnants you'll be focused on exploring the pirate city Orbtopia, talking to the rich cast of NPCs and - you're a sailor after all - taking to the briny waves to find islands, treasures, and hidden ruins. You can raid the ships you meet on the sea or take on huge monsters, all while a dynamic weather system rages overhead. When you're not doing that you'll be focused on upgrading your vessel, learning new skills, or even kicking back with some fishing, cooking, and mahjong.
"You’ll challenge sea monsters, explore local cultures, and sense the deeper mystery of how memory and forgetting begin to intertwine between the ocean and Orbtopia, the pirate haven. Alongside your companions, you’ll begin a journey that’s equal parts unrestrained and romantic, charting a course as unique as each sailor who steps aboard," says Joker Studio.
Joker Studio previously released Identity V, a survival horror game created in partnership with Dead by Daylight's Behavior Interactive. Since its release in 2018, Identity V has collaborated with Edward Scissorhands, Sherlock Holmes, Personae and Deathnote. Just like Sea of Remnants it has a distinctive visual style - think Coraline but creepier. The game made a bigger impact in Asia than the US, but it still has a dedicated fandom.
"At their core, the two games exist in entirely separate worlds and storylines. That said, as a nod to fans and our shared studio DNA, you might find a few subtle Easter eggs or world-building hints here and there. But rest assured, any connections are handled with great care and won’t overshadow the unique stories of each game."
IGN Live 2025 is packed with exclusive reveals, thousands of giveaways, 170 gaming stations, and tons of fun, the event is shaping up to be a huge celebration of everything fans of games, TV, movies, comics, and collectibles love, and here's how to watch the event.
Rachel Weber is the Senior Editorial Director of Games at IGN and an elder millennial. She's been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, and French Bulldogs. Those extra wrinkles on her face are thanks to going time blind and staying up too late finishing every sidequest in RPGs like Fallout and Witcher 3.
Silent Hill creature designer and illustrator Masahiro Ito is clapping back at Madonna fans after a comment he made about one of her music v...
