Games

Your Friday roundup of the best App Store deals on iOS games and apps is now ready to roll. We are also tracking a series of new all-time lows on Apple gear this morning, including Apple’s 24GB M4 Pro Mac mini, the new 11-inch iPad (A16), and its most affordable 13-inch Space Black M4 iPad Pro. Those offers also join the best price ever on the 13-inch 16GB M4 MacBook Air and even more in our curated Apple hub. As for the apps, all of the highlights await below.

As confirmed back during the Game Awards 2024, the long running series is returning to its roots, The Old Country. 2K Games and developer Hangar 13 have unleashed a new gameplay while also confirming this summer’s official release date. Check it all out below. 

Update: Death Stranding 2: On The Beach pre-orders are now live at Amazon.

Some six years after the release of the original Death Stranding, we are now just over a month out from the worldwide debut of the next Kojima epic, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. And with Kojima’s close partnership with the PlayStation team, it was only a matter time before the official Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Limited Edition DualSense controller was revealed. 

Today might be your last chance to secure a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order folks. Switch 2 pre-orders came and went awfully quick at the tail end of last month. While we did catch a quick re-stock at Walmart that more than a few 9to5Toys readers were able to take advantage of the following weekend, console pre-orders in the U.S. (and basically everywhere else) have been long gone since then. Most major retailers, including Walmart, have now updated their Switch 2 console listings to ready for launch day – this appears to be the next chance we’ll have to score one at retail, but there is still a chance to land a pre-order, is not a big chance, but there is still hope as Nintendo’s invites will go out starting tomorrow. 

Now under one month before the official release date, Nintendo has officially reveled all of the new user icons it is introducing for Switch 2. As part of today’s update in the official new Nintendo Today! app on iOS and Android. 

Just after officially delaying the new most highly-anticipated title in gaming, Rockstar has finally unleashed the second Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer. Simply entitled Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 2, you can watch the new GTA VI footage down below. 

Microsoft has taken to the official Xbox Wire to announce that Gears of War: Reloaded is landing on Xbox, Steam and PlayStation 5 this summer. Reloaded, as the name suggests is a complete remaster of the original Gears game from nearly 20 year ago now, and Xbox is ready to launch it across all platforms (other than Switch 1/2) as well as Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. 

The Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 is going up for pre-order today at Amazon for Star Wars Day 2025. During a special presentation in Japan, Ubisoft revealed the game’s new A Pirate’s Fortune expansion pack for all platforms while also confirming the game is coming to Switch 2 later this fall. 

Switch 2 pre-orders never went live on Amazon in the U.S. – some outlets suggested they likely will, others were much less optimistic. While Amazon stopped carrying most first-party Switch games previously, it would still somehow have stock popping up during major sales, but, while there is still an official Nintendo storefront on Amazon, just about everything on there is sold by third-party sellers at this point. In Canada however, for our friends north of the border, this isn’t entirely the case as pre-order listings for Switch 2 did go live there (to some degree) and invites to purchase one are still being sent out. 

It looks there’s a Chrono Trigger remake in the works folks. In a recent interview at Comicon in Naples, the legendary game designer and writer Yuji Horii accidentally let it slip that the equally as beloved and iconic SNES-era RPG was going back to the drawing board for what sounds like some sort of modern remake. 

Don’t forget that some Switch 1 games are getting FREE Switch 2 upgrades. Outside of how difficult it was for some folks to secure a Switch 2 pre-order, most of the not-so positive talk surrounding the next-generation of Switch 2 gaming has been about the price. Nintendo is charging $10 to $20 for upgrade packs on Switch 2 Edition Switch 1 games like Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart World carries a $79.99 list price, and that Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour system demo game thing that should be FREE is $10. But there are some Switch 1 games that are getting FREE SWitch 2 upgrades. Let’s dig in. 

Rockstar has now officially delayed the release of Grand Theft Auto VI until May 2026. In an official announcement on the Rockstar Games site this morning, and after just about all indications pointed to the biggest game on the pending release schedule (or maybe ever) landing this year, Rockstar has confirmed GTA VI will not see store shelves until next year. 

That PS5 Slim Astro Bot bundle might be your last to score a proper deal on a console this year. Switch 2 pre-orders launched at a higher price than last generation with potential price hikes inbound after launch. Xbox just announced an $80 price jump on all console hardware in the U.S., and Sony has already increased the price of its consoles internationally. The sweeping Trump tariffs are starting to seriously take hold on just about everything to some degree, and especially in the gaming world…That PS5 Slim Astro Bot bundle at $110 off is starting to look seriously enticing. 

Microsoft has now confirmed it is raising the price of all Xbox Series X|S consoles alongside $80 list prices on physical games. In an official announcement made this morning, Microsoft Xbox brand announced sweeping price hikes across its latest-generation gaming hardware alongside first-party peripherals like controllers and headsets as well as some of its upcoming games. 

After a short and sweet leak yesterday, Sony quickly confirmed Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford’s accidental tweet stating the new release date for Borderlands 4, and scheduled in today’s next State of Play showcase. Borderlands 4 is confirmed for release on all major consoles, Switch 2 included, but today Sony will be hosting a gameplay deep dive on the highly-anticipated title ahead of its September launch. 

This afternoon’s roundup of the best Android game and app deals is now ready to roll down below. Joining the Google Play store deals, we also have $230 off the most affordable Galaxy S25 Ultra as well as the rare $150 deal price on Pixel Watch 2, these discounts on Pebblebee Universal Clip and Card item trackers, and a solid discount on Amazon’s Echo Show 5 smart display. As for the apps, direct your attention to the highlights, including ARIDA: Backland’s Awakening, Nanuleu, The Past Within, and Bright Memory: Infinite, and everything else below. 

The Nintendo Star Wars Day sale is now live. It was only a matter of time before Nintendo kicked off its now annual May the 4th sale on Switch games courtesy of the eShop and everything is now ready to roll with a sizable selection of just about every Star Wars title on the platform now marked down for the biggest day in the galaxy. 

Update: We are now tracking the first chances to save on the new DOOM: The Dark Ages at Newegg using code DARKSAVE at checkout – these deals are only for the Xbox/Windows versions:

• DOOM: The Dark Ages  $60 (Reg. $70)
• DOOM: The Dark Ages Premium Edition $90 (Reg. $100)

Just days away from this year’s May the 4th festivities from a galaxy far, far away, Amazon has now dropped Star Wars Outlaws down to a new all-time low again at $23.59 shipped. This title carries a $70 list price and while fetching between $40 and almost $70 as of late, we are now tracking a new all-time low just after Ubisoft announced the new DLC expansion and its release date for Switch 2 this September. Much like last go around, the best price we can find for PS5 gamers is the $34.99 deal at Best Buy as part of its Ubisoft sale. Check out the new Star Wars Outlaws: A Pirate’s Fortune DLC trailer right here ahead of its launch on May 15, 2025. 

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders have now likely come and gone for good, and that leaves us to think about the games we will be playing come June 5 for launch and beyond. And even if you didn’t get a chance to secure a console, all signs point to there being another run of units ready for launch day before the rest of the 2025 Switch 2 titles start to release. We have already detailed and updated our growing list of Switch 2 launch games and launch window titles, but let’s look at some of the other titles still expected to be landing on the next-generation of Nintendo hardware. 

On top of getting the official release date, pre-order date, price, and some hands-on time to actually play the console, Nintendo and its partners have now detailed the Switch 2 launch games. Not only do we know just about exactly what major first-party Nintendo games will be launching on day one for Switch 2, but as part of yesterday’s Direct festivities, it also showed off a host of its own games as well as some ports and major third-party releases coming to Switch 2 in 2025. Down below we have begun to collect all of the Switch 2 launch games and all of the major titles that are scheduled to hit the system throughout the rest of the year for your reference. 

PlayStation has now officially announced the next State of Play and this time it’s going to be all about the new Borderlands 4. Right after theGearbox CEO Randy Pitchford “leaked” a new sooner release for the game and all but confirmed there was an upcoming spring State of Play inbound, Sony has now taken to PlayStation Blog to make it official. 

Update 5/2: After Walmart’s Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch 2 Mario Kart World listings disappeared, they are now back and officially marked as coming back in-stock for launch day on June 5:

• Nintendo Switch 2 Console
• Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle

As I’m sure you know by now, Nintendo finally kicked off pre-orders for Switch 2 in the U.S. and Canada last week – they sold out almost immediately. Some folks were lucky and some folks weren’t on April 24, but just as our sources confirmed, there was a short but very sweet Switch 2 pre-order re-stock at Walmart this past weekend and some folks confirmed to have actually scored one over 48 hours after the internet reported they were entirely sold out. While we may or may not see another pre-order re-stock before launch, there is some light at the end of the warp pipe. 

This morning’s App Store deals are now ready to roll alongside a particular notable influx of deals on Apple hardware. Joining discounts on AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, Apple’s most affordable new iPad A16 just hit its best Amazon price ever at $320, we are now tracking all-time lows on the M4 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM at $849 ($150 off), the best prices to date on the M3 iPad Air lineup, and return lows on Apple Watch Series 10 from $299 ($100 off). As for the apps, highlights include Neffelheim, Terra Mystica, Botanicula, CHUCHEL, and more. Head below for a closer look. 

After Nintendo confirmed that it would not be raising prices on Switch 2 the way it did on the accessories, we also got confirmation that it would be holding strong on Switch 2 exclusive games and the Switch 2 Edition releases as well. Donkey Kong Bananza, Mario Kart World, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Editions, as well as Kirby and The Forgotten Land and Super Mario Party Jamboree Switch 2 Editions, both with the already announced expansion packs, are all going to be big ticket items that are going up for pre-order tonight alongside the console. 

Update 4/26: Walmart is now showing Nintendo Switch 2 and the Mario Kart World bundle pre-orders in-stock:

Walmart – Nintendo Switch 2 preorder 

• Nintendo Switch 2 Console
• Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle

Did Switch 2 pre-orders sell out? Yes, and quick too, but there might still be hope. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and GameStop all sold out shortly after going live yesterday, as just about everyone expected. It seems as though plenty of folks were able to land one, but not everyone was so lucky. That leaves some of us waiting, wondering, and hoping that someone, somewhere might still have some stock on the way, and it appears as though some of the retailers that might not have been on the top of your list might still be readying some pre-sale options for Switch 2. 

The official listing for the new wireless Nintendo GameCube controller is now live on the Nintendo site and we now know when it will go up for sale. Nintendo announced its new Switch Online GameCube library for Switch 2 as part of its Direct presentation at the top of the month and, along with it, the new modern take on the GameCube Controller we know will be available for purchase starting next month. 

This afternoon’s roundup of the best Android game and app deals is now ready to go alongside all of yesterday’s Final Fantasy price drops. Hopefully you had a chance to secure yourself a Switch 2 earlier today (there’s still more stock coming by the looks of it if you didn’t), but you’ll also want to at least scope out the deals we have today on Google’s latest 45mm Pixel Watch 3 and these  FREE 2x storage upgrades on Galaxy S25/Ultra. As for the apps, highlights include Heroes of Steel, Romancing SaGa 3, Star Traders: Frontiers, and more. Head below for a closer look. 

Let’s take a look at the official Switch accessory pre-orders. Securing an actual Switch 2 console has been a frustrating process for some and an exciting one for others, whether you got one or not really, and while the big three – Walmart, Target, and Best Buy – are currently out of stock on the console, we might very well see additional units go live throughout the day and the coming weeks, not to mention some of the hold out retailers like Sam’s Club and Newegg that already have listings up that haven’t gone in stock yet. All of that said, if you did get lucky and secure one, or know you will at some point, the Switch Edition/Exclusive games are still in-stock right now and so are the official Switch accessories like the Switch 2 Pro Controller. 

Switch 2 pre-orders went live late last night at Walmart, Target, and Best Buy – it’s GameStop’s turn this morning. While it was about as frustrating as everyone was imaging last night for some folks, it does appear as though plenty of us actually did secure one – it was hit or miss here at the 9to5 offices. But if you weren’t one of the lucky ones, GameStop is scheduled to have Switch 2 pre-orders live this morning at 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET online. 

Update 4/24: Switch 2 pre-orders are scheduled go live again this morning at GameStop.

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are now live at Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and more. Nintendo hosted its long-awaited Switch 2 Direct on April 2, 2025 after officially unveiling the new Switch 2 console back in January, and, after pre-orders were initially delayed, they are finally set to go live at (just about) all major retailers in the U.S any minute, and it might be a good idea to go get in the queue folks, just in case.

Nintendo hosted its latest Direct showcase today – it was (mostly) good times all around, with a closer look at the big Switch 2 launch title, Mario Kart World. But after all of the sweet wall riding, drive-thru costume pickups, Mega Mushrooms, and gigantic P-Switches, there’s still no pre-order date and I couldn’t help buy be fixated on the fact that the new Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle is actually a limited-run offer. 

What time do Switch 2 pre-orders start in Canada? Walmart Canada has now confirmed exactly what time Switch 2 pre-orders will begin. We have already reported on exactly when pre-orders will begin at Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and GameStop here in the U.S., but we also want to make sure our friends up north are ready to go as well. Nintendo officially delayed pre-orders in Canada to fall in-line with those in the U.S. and that is indeed what has happened as they will begin early morning on April 24 north of the border as well. 

We are now under 12 hours out from the launch of Switch 2 pre-orders and it’s going to be a total free-for-all in quite potentially the worst way possible. Will there even be close to enough Switch 2 units to go around tonight? Probably not. Will everyone who actually goes to pre-order one at midnight tonight actually get one? Almost certainly not. But while everyone is refreshing like ravenous dog at Best Buy, Target, and Walmart, there are some other sources of Switch 2 pre-orders to consider if you don’t have any luck later tonight. 

Update: According to an official Best buy listing, we can now confirm the price of the Kirby and The Forgotten Land Switch 2 Edition upgrade packs – it is listed at $19.99 to upgrade from the base Switch 1 version to the Switch 2 Edition with the expansion packs. Most folks believe this will also be the case for Super Mario Party Jamboree Switch 2 Edition

Update: Nintendo has now officially confirmed (via IGN) the upgrade pack price for the Switch Edition versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is $9.99 – they are still FREE for Switch Online  + Expansion members

How much will Switch 2 Edition games cost? How much will it cost to upgrade to the Switch 2 Edition version of the Switch games you already own? Nintendo has released some official details that give us a very good idea of the prices we will be getting here. We have been seeing gamers asking a lot about all of this, so let’s dive into the details. 

Update: Pre-orders for the upcoming Ghost of Yōtei are now live at Best Buy for $69.99 – the $250 Collector’s Edition is live at PS Direct. 

Back in September 2024 Sony hosted a PlayStation State of Play showcase and the new Ghost of Yōtei completely stole the show. It was honestly hard for just about to care about any other mention in the show and the game has gone mostly dark since then, but Sony just took to the official PlayStation Blog to officially announce the 2025 release date. 

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are going live tonight at just about all major retailers across the U.S. and Canada. Nintendo has announced that pre-orders will begin on April 24 – they will actually start late tonight on April 23 if you’re on the west coast (more details below on this) – and at the same price it initially announced in early April. Despite the delays and market uncertainty in the wake of global tariffs, Nintendo has held firm on the June 5 releases date as well as the price both of the standard Switch 2 console and the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle, and pre-orders will go live in well under 24 hours now. 

After nearly two full years of rumors, Bethesda has finally now confirmed the existence of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered and today is the day it will finally give us an official look at it. That is providing you don’t count the seemingly official images that were uncovered on the developer’s site last week, but either way Bethesda is set to host what appears to be a livestream or to at least launch some sort of trailer/showcase for the game this morning and you can check it out below. 

This morning’s collection of iOS game and app deals is now ready and waiting below. While much of the gaming world is entirely focused on the Switch 2 pre-orders about to go live this week, not to mention the official reveal of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, there are some notable App Store deals today including MEGA MAN X. Just be sure to also scope out the price drops we spotted on Apple’s M4 MacBook Air lineup, the new 11-inch iPad (A16), and these Apple Watch band discovery box deals (buy one get two FREE). Head below for all of today’s best iOS game and app deals. 

Now just 24 hours away from go time, we now know what time Switch 2 pre-orders will go live at Best Buy. Up until now, only Target, Walmart, and GameStop had officially confirmed exactly what time pre-orders would begin for Switch 2 on April 24 this week, leaving Best Buy as the last major hold out to confirm the go time. 

I guess it won’t come as much surprise to anyone who has been following our coverage and the near endless number of rumors and leaks over the last few months, but Bethesda has now officially confirmed The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered release. 

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is coming to Nintendo Switch 2, according to a recently spotted PEGI rating. We already have a good idea of the games that will be launching for Switch 2 starting right from day 1 on June 5 through to holiday 2025 and even beyond – FromSoftware’s Switch 2 exclusive The Duskbloods has been slated for a 2026 launch. On top of a slew of all new Switch 2 exclusive titles from Nintendo, the Switch 2 Edition enhanced titles, and a collection of third-party ports, after Ubisoft confirmed the release date for its latest AAA Start Wars release last week it looks as though the latest entry in the long-running and beloved Assassin’s Creed series will be following along shortly. 

Let’s take a look at all of the new Mario Kart World characters now that Nintendo has fully revealed its new flagship Switch 2 game. The Mario Kart series has been one of the most popular Nintendo releases for years and the new Mario Kart World is going to get off to a serious Boost Start if the Switch 2 bundle sells out as fast as it seems like it’s going too. This year Nintendo is not only taking its mascot racer open-world, but it is also introducing some new Drive-Thru costume mechanics, a host of new courses, new items to throw at your friends, and a sizable expansion to the roster of racers. 

Update 4/21: Confirmed Switch 2 pre-order start times as of today:

• Best Buy April 24 at 12 a.m. ET online
• Target April 24 at 12 a.m. ET online
• Walmart April 24 at 12 a.m. ET online 
• GameStop April 24 at 11 a.m. ET online (and when local in-store opens)

Nintendo has officially announced the new April 24 pre-order date for its highly sought-after next-generation console, but what time will Switch 2 pre-orders begin that day? It’s hard to imagine there actually being enough consoles to go around next week, but only time will tell and being ready to pull the trigger in a timely fashion is likely going to be very important.

Let’s-a-go! Nintendo has now officially announced that Switch 2 pre-orders will begin next week in the U.S. No more leaks, no rumors, no maybes, this is it…the real thing (again). And on top of that, pricing will remain exactly the same as was initially announced. 

Nintendo has now finally announced the official new pre-order date for Switch 2 in the U.S. – they go live in one week’s time! The other great news, Nintendo is not raising the price on either the base console at $449.99 or the Mario Kart World bundle at $499.99 – whoo! It has also announced that it is holding firm on the pricing for Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza at $79.99 and $69.99, while also making some “pricing adjustments” on the official Switch 2 accessories – pricing is unfortunately going up on these folks. You can see the actual numbers below.