Nineteen employees have been laid off from Star Trek: Bridge Crew and Tom Clancy studio Ubisoft Red Storm, IGN has learned.
Ubisoft confirmed the layoffs to IGN in a statement as follows:
Today, Ubisoft made the decision to eliminate 19 roles at Red Storm Entertainment. This step is part of our ongoing, targeted restructuring and global cost-saving efforts, and reflects the needs on the studio’s projects. While this was not an easy decision, it was a necessary one given our operational priorities. We remain committed to supporting those affected with comprehensive severance packages, extended health-care benefits, and career transition assistance. We deeply appreciate their hard work and the impact they’ve had on Ubisoft.
Ubisoft PR also confirmed that no other Ubisoft locations were impacted by today's layoffs. However, the company did not respond to IGN's request for information on how many employees remain at Red Storm or the status of the company's current projects.
Ubisoft Red Storm was originally Red Storm Entertainment, founded by author Tom Clancy specifically to make games based on his novels, including Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six. The studio was acquired by Ubisoft in 2000, going on to create hits such as the Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon series and assisting on other popular Tom Clancy games such as The Division. In more recent years, it has taken a backseat role as more of a VR and support studio beginning with Werewolves Within in 2016. and continuing more recently with Star Trek: Bridge Crew and Assassin's Creed Nexus VR.
Red Storm also worked on a canceled Splinter Cell VR game, and the also-canceled The Division Heartland. Most recently, Red Storm assisted on XDefiant, which just shut down completely last month after an announcement last year. At the time, Ubisoft shut down the San Francisco and Osaka studios behind the game, with some layoffs occuring at Red Storm as well. It is unclear what project Red Storm is currently working on.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
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If I say the name “Hideo Kojima” what comes to mind? Is it his latest creation, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (a game we rather enjoyed) or would be it be one of his earlier creations? I would be willing to bet a large portion of folks would immediately think of Metal Gear Solid and the gravely tones of David Hayter.
Thanks to Prime Day, the Nintendo Switch version (which will also run on the Switch 2) of the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 is the lowest it has ever been at only $16.99 – that's a whopping 58% discount.
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 (Switch)
This collection contains a bunch of tactical stealth goodness from the original Metal Gear Solid that first called the PlayStation home, and its PS2 follow-ups, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, in addition to plenty of other goodies.
These three games alone are packed with memorable gaming moments, such as the emotional conflict between Boss and Snake in MGS3, to the back-of-the-box Codex number in MGS, that it’s hard to count just how many there are. Even if you are only familiar with Kojima from his newer games, for this sale price, even if you are only slightly interested or intrigued, you can’t go wrong trying this series out. If you are a longtime fan, you already know how good these games are.
Just ask yourself, is having these games with you on the go worth the price of less than it costs to go see a movie and get some popcorn? Heck, even if you already own it on another platform, for 16 bucks, why not get another copy?
As a note only Metal Gear (MSX), Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Metal Gear (NES), and Snake’s Revenge are on the cartridge, with the other games requiring a download.
More Prime Day Deals
Prime Day is one of the best times to buy pretty much anything. Even Best Buy's joined the fun with tons of Switch game discounts. Here are some other deals to check out.
Scott White is a freelance contributor to IGN, assisting with tabletop games and guide coverage. Follow him onX/TwitterorBluesky.
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As the name implies, select "Used: Like New"-condition Amazon items are getting 30% discounts at checkout. The discount is applied at the last step of the checkout process, making it so Black Myth: Wukong goes from its currently listed $53.88 price to $37.72.
Black Myth: Wukong for PS5 on Sale at Amazon
These "Like New" items are never usually anything to be worried about in terms of condition. While the products are said to have been used, they usually don't come with any damage to the game itself, with only minor wear and tear to the packaging.
What's more, the particular PS5 version of Black Myth: Wukong on sale is the Deluxe Edition: including a voucher code to grant you the Bronzecloud Staff, Folk Opera Mask, Folk Opera Almsgiving Armor, Folk Opera Leather Bracers, Folk Opera Buskins, Wind Chimes, and Digital Soundtrack. This is one of the best Prime Day deals on a PS5 game we've seen yet.
At other retailers like Walmart and Best Buy, the same version of Black Myth: Wukong is still selling for $58.90 and $64.99, respectively. So, this Amazon deal is an unmissable steal while stocks last, if playing the Journey to the West-inspired action-RPG has been burning a big hole in your backlog.
There are plenty of other best Prime Day deals you won't want to miss on the first day of Amazon's big four-day-long sale, but some like this Black Myth: Wukong bargain seem like they'll only stick around until current stock allocations run out.
More Prime Day Deals
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As Pokémon TCG collectors race to secure the hottest new cards from Prismatic Evolutions, Journey Together, Destined Rivals, and the upcoming Black Bolt and White Flare sets, the often overlooked Paradox Rift expansion is quietly taking a back seat. That cooling attention is having ripple effects, especially for high-rarity cards. While Special Illustration Rare (SIR) ex cards are seeing a notable drop in value, several Illustration Rares are climbing fast, in part due to shifting collector interest and low inventory levels in my opinion.
I think this shift echoes the rise of Groudon IR from earlier this year, where unexpected demand met low availability. Now other Illustration Rare cards are following suit, gaining ground while their flashier SIR counterparts take a dip. Here's a look at the top climbers and crashers from Paradox Rift that collectors and players should keep an eye on as we move from the Scarlet and Violet era and toward Mega Evolution.
Pokémon Card Crashers
Altaria ex is down 25% and now sits at $37.13. It’s got some defensive tools and a bit of healing, but I just don’t see it showing up in many decks. Collectors seem to be moving on from it too, which helps explain the drop. Gholdengo ex has fallen 21% to $23.77. I actually really like the discard mechanic on this one, but it’s being overshadowed by newer SIRs that are getting more attention.
Steelix has dropped 19% to $25.20. It’s a nostalgic pick for sure, but Earthquake hitting your own bench hurts, and the retreat cost makes it clunky to play. Roaring Moon ex is down 16% to $46.98. It still hits hard, but the buzz around it has definitely cooled. Garchomp ex has also taken a hit, falling 19% to $26.64. It’s still useful for energy acceleration and sniping, but with so many new cards dropping, it’s getting left behind.
Pokémon Card Climbers
Groudon is up 13% and now going for $75.99. It hits hard, charges fast, and looks awesome. No surprise it’s still trending up. Morpeko is the biggest climber, up 43% to $31.99. Its ability is pretty niche, but the art is fun and people seem to love it right now.
Plusle has jumped 32% to $29.50. It’s good in damage-stacking builds and pairs perfectly with Minun, which is also on the rise. Minun is up 16% to $22.98. Its Buddy Pulse ability adds some nice pressure, and people clearly want the pair together. Iron Valiant ex is up 9% to $20.36. It’s great for decks that focus on spread damage and is the only ex SIR from this set that’s currently climbing.
Last Weeks Crashers and Climbers
I’ve been closely tracking the Pokémon TCG market, and right now we’re seeing a clear split between two major sets. Surging Sparks is going through a sharp correction, with top cards like Pikachu ex - 247/191, Hydreigon ex - 240/191, and Milotic ex - 237/191 dropping 51%, 34%, and 26% respectively. Even chase cards like Pikachu ex - 238/191 and Latias ex - 239/191 are down over 20%. But this isn’t a crash, it’s a natural correction driven by rising supply.
Japanese Pokémon TCG booster boxes have far better odds at pulling chase cards, have far less bulk and are often half the price of English booster boxes. This also mean said chase cards are worth significantly less, but Japanese cards are far easier to get perfect grades in given they're always busting out of booster packs in perfect condition. Want a Pokémon card collection on a budget? Go for Japanese cards.
The Most Expensive Pokémon Cards In Packs Right Now
While it’s easy to envy those with deep pockets grabbing the priciest Pokémon TCG cards, there’s something way more exciting about pulling a massive hit straight from a booster pack, especially with sets like Destined Rivals, Prismatic Evolutions, Twilight Masquerade, and Surging Sparks still in print. Right now, cards like Umbreon ex - 161/131 are leading the market at over $1,000, followed by heavy hitters like Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex - 231/182, Greninja ex - 214/167, and Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex - 230/182, all pushing $300+. The iconic Pikachu ex - 238/191 has cooled to around $295 after peaking last year, making it a solid buy.
More fan-favorite chase cards include Cynthia’s Garchomp ex, Roaring Moon ex, Latias ex, and Team Rocket’s Moltres ex, all hovering between $195–$260. And then there’s the Eeveelution invasion. Prismatic Evolutions is packed with top-tier art like Sylveon ex, Espeon ex, Leafeon ex, Vaporeon ex, Jolteon ex, and Glaceon ex, all sitting comfortably above $230. Each card is absolutley stunning, pumped with nostalgia and some competitive utility to boot (Although I'd suggest getting the standard ex cards for you deck). The odds of pulling them are slim, Prismatic Evolution is notoriously unforgiving with pull rates. Buying singles might be the smarter move if you're after specific cards, but I also don't like having fun.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
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The Birdman is back, and he’s once again 540° Christ Airing his way into my house and into my heart, like some kind of majestic, Motörhead-fueled, messiah of manuals, methods, and madonnas. As the follow-up 2020’s absolutely delightful remake of the first two Pro Skater games, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 may lack the outright initial novelty of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 – and it definitely colours outside the lines a bit more while bringing these classics back to life – but it’s also impossible for me to deny how infectiously fun it is being transported back to 2001 for some authentically old school, arcade skating action. “The pleasure is to play,” barks Lemmy Kilmister in the iconic speed metal masterpiece Ace of Spades, which was the high-energy opener for the original THPS3 more than two decades ago and returns to do the same job in THPS3+4.
You’re damn right it is, Lemmy.
Five years ago developer Vicarious Visions achieved the improbable with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2. Despite the stench of Robomodo’s disastrous Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 still lingering in the air like a swampy pair of SB Dunks, Vicarious Visions produced one of the most pitch-perfect and essential remakes of the modern era – one that would go on to record the highest first month of sales for any game in the long-running Tony Hawk’s series. For its valiant efforts, Vicarious Visions was promptly… shut down, and Hawk himself confirmed plans to produce Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 were subsequently kickflipped to the kerb. Fortunately, this decision was reversed and the project landed at Iron Galaxy.
Despite having a different developer at the helm, THPS3+4 remains mostly in sync with the look and structure of THPS 1+2. That is, the graphics are similarly crisp and colourful, and the performance is robust and reliable. The skate roster is a mix of returning pros from the original games, the new additions from THPS1+2, and some fresh faces debuting in the series (including Chloe Covell, Yuto Horigome, Rayssa Leal, and Zion Wright amongst others). Yes, Bam Margera is here, too. He may be absent from the intro sizzle but you’ll be able to find him in the unlockable secrets.
Despite having a different developer at the helm, THPS3+4 remains mostly in sync with the look and structure of THPS 1+2.
Both games in the package are again represented as two separate strings of levels but, beyond that, everything is unified. Moves and tricks are common across both games (including things like, say, spine transfers – which were only originally introduced in THPS4.) On top of that, the stat points you collect playing one game will improve your skater in the other, and any currency you gather goes to one central kitty to spend on kit for your custom skater (or secret skaters, fancy effects, or special visual filters). Basically, if you’ve played THPS 1+2 you’ll know what to expect. But even if you haven’t, I anticipate you’ll catch on quickly to the neat and tidy, two-for-one philosophy at work.
Kick, Push, Kick, Push, Coast
The magic of THPS3+4 lives in its levels and, despite a couple of apparent absences, the marvelously remade maps are the stars of the show. As was the case with THPS1+2, it’s just so charming to be carving and combo-ing my way through such familiar geometry, only with a slick and modern overhaul. From feeling the heat of the molten metal in Foundry to ascending the levels of Alcatraz, unlocking and arriving in each returning map has been a huge highlight. Airport is still an impeccable string of skate lines. Cruise Ship is still a wonderfully moreish challenge to score crazy combos without cannonballing into the Caribbean. It’s great stuff.
As was the case with THPS1+2, it’s just so charming to be carving and combo-ing my way through such familiar geometry, only with a slick and modern overhaul.
Kona still suffers from parts of its real world-inspired layout being a bit of a plain space for the zany, arcade skating of a Tony Hawk’s game – and London’s shift to night seems to make it a little more boring to look at – but there aren’t really any complete duds here aside from THPS4’s Zoo, which has been turned into a tournament level. The Zoo is now abandoned, so it’s now lifeless and lonely (and the night setting is once again dull on the eyes).
While there’s no sign of THPS4’s Chicago or Carnival maps, there are three brand-new ones Iron Galaxy has added to the THPS4 campaign. I’m not sure how I feel about it in purist terms, although Waterpark and Pinball are both seriously excellent levels. An abandoned waterpark full of empty pools and crusty old waterslides is such a perfect environment for a Pro Skater game it’s almost hard to believe it didn’t already exist, and Pinball is seriously eye-catching – from the chrome sheen of the shiny metal ball to the gigantic Tony Hawk looming over the machine itself.
Level goals are mostly drawn from the original games – Iron Galaxy hasn’t arbitrarily moved the hidden tapes somewhere else – but there are a few new or amended ones throughout. These generally work (for instance, the incredibly easy ‘Trash the Museum’ on Cruise Ship has been replaced with a far more satisfyingly complex trick gauntlet you need to complete in order to produce the same slapstick result) but there are a couple of misses (switching out London’s Stompy the Elephant for a weird bloke in his undies is an odd pivot).
Most of the liberties have been taken in THPS4’s levels, where there’s been some significant pruning. Essentially, THPS4’s levels have all been streamlined to function under the classic two-minute timer, so this means you won’t be freely skating around speaking with fellow pro skaters and receiving verbal goals from them as you encounter each one. Those conversations are gone, and so too are a bunch of goals. I will note that some that I thought were missing appeared as one of the five extra ‘Pro Goals’ that become available after getting every initial goal in all parks. For instance, the parade floats that are parked teasingly out of reach in College do start moving down the street once Pro Goals are unlocked, but you won't be, say, startling an elephant or hardflipping over Kenny the Koala at Zoo this time around. It’s neat that we eventually get C-O-M-B-O goals for THPS3 levels that never previously had them, but there’s give and take. Either way, the THPS4 campaign generally only feels like a remake in brief bursts; most of the time it’s really a reimagining. You can change the timer to be up to 60 minutes as a new gameplay mod (joining the list of cheats returning from THPS 1 + 2) but, while it reduces friction, it doesn’t really make it any more like classic THPS4.
On the topic of goals, however, elsewhere there’s been some well-considered evolution to the park editor, which now features a ‘create-a-goal’ function. This is a huge plus. Now user levels don’t have to exclusively be places for you to cruise around until you get bored and decide to move on; they can be a whole new pillar of your THPS 3 + 4 playtime, tackling new challenges and collecting S-K-A-T-E letters, C-O-M-B-O lines, and hitting smashables in fresh maps every time you boot up. I think this has massive promise. You can also add turbo boost pads, friendly and aggressive NPCs, and death pits (that will kick skaters back to a spawn point), so it’s a great evolution of the park creator tools in THPS 1 + 2.
Not the Same
While I’m certain the reimagining of THPS4’s campaign mode will be a bona fide bugbear for some purists, personally I’m far more disappointed in the total about-face on display when it comes to THPS 3 + 4’s soundtrack. It’s actually a genuinely baffling situation.
Unfortunately, THPS 3 + 4 is a different story altogether.
Whether it’s a coincidence or otherwise, THPS 3 + 4 has also arrived with 59 songs in total – but the balance is all wrong. Yes, it’s certainly true that both THPS3 and THPS4 had significantly larger soundtracks than the original pair of games (20 for THPS3, and 35 for THPS4). And yes, hypothetically re-securing every single song probably wouldn’t have left much scope to augment the soundtrack with new music released since the heyday of the original Pro Skater games. Therefore, I would’ve been content to concede that a fair compromise would have been half-and-half – or at least a similar mix to THPS 1 + 2. Say, 20-or-so classic songs, and the remainder new.
We didn’t get close to that. Bafflingly, we got just six out of 20 from THPS3, and a mere four out of 35 from THPS4. That’s 10 total; less than 20% of the originals’ songs, and less than half the number of returning songs THPS 1 + 2 has. In actual fact, there are bands that weren’t even asked, and are as surprised as their fans to be absent from the THPS 3 + 4 soundtrack.
Apologists may badger me about using Spotify instead but, despite the presence of Bodyjar, it’s simply not the same as having the music baked into the game where it belongs. That is, I count myself lucky that Bodyjar’s Not the Same made the cut; depending on the day of the week you ask me it’s near enough my favourite song of all time. But my fellow old fans may not be as fortunate. After all, even the title track for THPS4 was brushed aside.
Simply put, this is a fumble for any remake, but it’s a particularly disappointing one for a pair of games in which the music is a key pillar of what makes them special and memorable. Don’t get me wrong, there are some genuinely great new tracks on THPS 3 + 4 that have instantly worked their way from the game to my daily playlists. Dog Years by Urethane, hollywood sucks// by KennyHoopla, Boys in the Better Land by Fontaines D.C., Roller by The Saint Cecilia, and Better Off by Common Perry are all total bangers and I wasn’t previously familiar with a single one of them. Rescuing Lupe Fiasco’s skateboarding anthem Kick, Push from being forever marooned in 2006’s Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam was also a commendable decision. However, I just cannot ignore the casual indifference shown to the original soundtracks.
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One of the co-founders of Subnautica 2 studio, Unknown Worlds, has released a statement about last week's "shock" decision to replace the leadership team, saying the decision to oust them "stings."
In a heartfelt post, Charlie Cleveland revealed on Reddit that while he and his colleagues believed Subnautica 2 was "ready for early release," "that decision is in Krafton's hands." A recent statement from the publisher, however, intimated a release was not imminent as an update about the release schedule, including an "Early Access timeline," would be "coming soon."
Though not an explicit comment, the discrepency perhaps shows a disconnect between Krafton and the studio's original management.
Krafton's statement also addressed other community concerns, such as the potential introduction of microtransactions, writing: "Nothing has changed with how the game is structured. It will remain a single-player first experience, with optional co-operative multiplayer. No subscriptions. No loot boxes. No battle pass. No microtransactions."
Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds in October 2021 and at the time, said the Sabnautica studio would continue to operate as an independent outfit. Last week, however, former Striking Distance CEO, Steve Papoutsis, joined Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds as CEO. The shock announcement confirmed that the previous leadership team — Ted Gill, Charlie Cleveland, and Max McGuire — were replaced "effective immediately."
Cleveland didn't explain what led to the team being removed, nor commented on Papoutsis' appointment as CEO.
"[Y]ou can see why for Max, Ted, myself, the Unknown Worlds team, and for our community, the events of this week have been quite a shock," Cleveland wrote on Reddit. "We know that the game is ready for early access release and we know you’re ready to play it. And while we thought this was going to be our decision to make, at least for now, that decision is in Krafton’s hands. And after all these years, to find that I’m no longer able to work at the company I started stings.
"I want you to know that whatever happens to the founders, to the team and to the game, our priority is, and has always been, to make the best damned game we can for the best community in the world. With your Gorge plushies and your hand-drawn fish fan-art, and yes, your hard-earned dollars, you’ve supported us in every way, in every season, cold and warm, since Half-Life modding was even a thing."
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her atBlueSky.
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Fan-favorite Baldur's Gate 3 character Karlach is almost universally beloved for a number of reasons — chief among them, her cheery, sweet, and playful personality. But according to her voice actor Samantha Béart, that upbeat exterior belies something far, far darker, shaped by time spent in the bowels of Hell itself.
In an interview with The Gamer, Béart spoke about their time playing Karlach, including the recording process and some very specific plot points. Béart specifically goes in deep on one of Karlach's late-game monologues, delivered after a character who has essentially ruined Karlach's entire life and future is finally dealt with.
Warning!Spoilers for Baldur's Gate 3 lie ahead. Read on at your own risk.
Those who have played Baldur's Gate 3 and seen Karlach's story through know where this is going. Karlach is a tiefling who, prior to the events of the game, has spent a decade in Hell thanks to a fellow named Gortash, who sold her to an archdevil and replaced her heart with what amounts to a bomb that will eventually, inevitably kill her sooner rather than later.
That time in hell will really mess with a person, Béart says. So while most of the player's interactions with Karlach are jovial, that's Karlach making a choice to become someone better — it's not who she's always been.
“For me, [Karlach's story is] a redemption arc,” Béart said. “I think she was a piece of work in hell. She would have had to be [...] It was life in prison. That's where I was in my head with that, because otherwise, it's quite hard to relate it to something realistic. You just think about how people behave in those very small communities. Essentially, I think you can completely change to survive.”
When the player finally slays Gortash, Béart as Karlach delivers an incredible monologue unleashing all the pent-up rage, sorrow, and fear that Karlach has felt from spending all that time in Hell and facing her own inevitable demise. It's a really fantastic scene, and according to Béart, that monologue is at the center of who Karlach is:
“That's the core of her. That's the bit of her she's been hiding until she can't anymore,” Béart explained. “It's a piece I auditioned with, so I always knew it was coming. When it did happen, all the gates were off. All the ugliness can come out. It was a very satisfying and cathartic experience to film."
Béart added that this side of Karlach is absolutely something they discussed with Larian during recording, so even during Karlach's most upbeat moments, that undercurrent of pain still exists, which is perhaps why Béart's performance throughout is so effective.
In fact, it's in no small part thanks to performances like Béart's that we gave Baldur's Gate 3 a 10/10. "With crunchy, tactical RPG combat, a memorable story with complex characters, highly polished cinematic presentation, and a world that always rewards exploration and creativity, Baldur's Gate 3 is the new high-water mark for CRPGs," we wrote. Sadly, Larian recently said goodbye to active development on the game with its final major patch in April, as the studio moves onto new projects.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
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