IGN

There is renewed excitement about the much-discussed Final Fantasy 9 remake after Square Enix launched an official Final Fantasy 9 25th Anniversary website.

The website, which is in Japanese, notes the release date of Final Fantasy 9 (July 7, 2000) and points out the game celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

“We are preparing various projects, including merchandise and collaborations to commemorate the 25th anniversary, so please look forward to it!” the website continues.

That rather innocuous statement, as well as the existence of the anniversary website itself, was enough to spark speculation that Square Enix may finally reveal the Final Fantasy 9 remake fans so desperately want.

And the timing of the website’s launch is not lost on fans who point out Nintendo is set to hold a Switch 2-focused Direct this week, on April 2. Could Square Enix finally announce Final Fantasy 9 remake for Switch 2 at the Direct? Some fans are hoping so.

Of course, this may all be nothing. The website itself mentioned merchandise and collaborations, but “various projects” has certainly set tongues wagging.

Last year, Final Fantasy 14 producer Naoki ‘Yoshi-P’ Yoshida talked a bit about what a Final Fantasy 9 remake might look like, warning it may not all fit in one game.

“Of course, I do know there are requests for Final Fantasy 9 to be made, but when you think about Final Fantasy 9, it’s a game with huge volume,” Yoshi-P said. “When you think about all of that volume, I wonder if it’s possible to remake that as a single title. It’s a difficult one. It is a tough question.”

Yoshi-P seemed to suggest a potential Final Fantasy 9 remake could go the direction of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which is in the middle of a planned trilogy.

Earlier in 2024, Yoshi-P announced Final Fantasy 9-themed extras for the Collector’s Edition and Digital Collector’s Edition of Final Fantasy 14 expansion Dawntrail, including Final Fantasy 9’s Ark summon as a Final Fantasy 14 mount and a wind-up Princess Garnet minion (Garnet, aka Dagger, is one of the main characters of Final Fantasy 9). If you pre-ordered Dawntrail, you got a wind-up Zidane minion. Zidane is the protagonist of Final Fantasy 9.

Speaking on-stage during PAX East alongside the announcement of these extras, Yoshi-P teased: “You may have noticed a lot of Final Fantasy 9 references here, but the reason is a secret.” He then zipped his mouth shut.

Final Fantasy 9 remake rumors have swirled around Square Enix ever since the unannounced game emerged as part of a 2021 Nvidia leak of upcoming titles. The list, confirmed legit by Nvidia but potentially outdated, includes a number of Square Enix games the company has either announced or released since, such as the Chrono Cross remaster, Kingdom Hearts 4, and of course the Final Fantasy 7 remake for PC. However, Final Fantasy 9 remake and Final Fantasy Tactics, both of which are on the leaked list of games, have yet to materialize. Just a few months before the Nvidia leak, in June 2021, a Final Fantasy 9 animated series was reported to be in development, although we haven’t heard anything about it in the years since.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

YouTuber Jacksepticeye has revealed he spent a year working on a Soma animated show only for it to fall apart, leaving him “quite upset.”

In a new video titled ‘A Bad Month,’ Jacksepticeye, real name Seán William McLoughlin, not only revealed the existence of the Soma animated show, but that it had been canceled.

Soma, a survival horror science fiction video game from Amnesia developer Frictional Games, launched back in 2015 and was met with critical acclaim. Jacksepticeye streamed the game extensively at the time it came out, and often mentions it as one of his favorites.

Monster Hunter Wilds’ phenomenal success shows no sign of slowing down. It’s just breezed past the 10 million sold mark, setting a new record for developer and publisher Capcom.

That’s a first month sales record for Capcom — no game in the company’s history has sold more after a month on sale. Wilds was already the fastest-selling game in Capcom history after selling 8 million copies in just three days.

In a note to press, Capcom explained why it believes Monster Hunter Wilds has proven so successful, even blowing Monster Hunter World out the water. It pointed to the introduction of crossplay and the day-one launch across console and PC (World launched on PC half a year after console) as key factors in Wilds’ appeal.

“The title provides an environment where a wider range of players can enjoy the game together with the introduction of crossplay, a first for the series, and a simultaneous release on Playstation 5 system, Xbox Series X|S, and PC,” Capcom explained.

“Additionally, the introduction of the new Focus Mode mechanic and the implementation of seamless movement between settlements and ecosystems have provided an even more immersive gaming experience, while the fusion of numerous new elements with Monster Hunter’s appeal has generated significant excitement, all of which led to the company first-month sales record of over 10 million units sold.”

As detailed last week, Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1 launches April 4. It adds a fan-favorite monster as well as the Grand Hub, a new in-game settlement where players can gather and communicate with each other. Title Update 2, which Capcom teased adds Lagiacrus, is set for the summer. Check out IGN’s roundup of everything announced during the Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1 showcase for even more detail and information.

The Monster Hunter series had already ‘broken’ the west with the 2018 launch of World, which remains Capcom’ best-selling game ever with 21.3 million sold. But it seems likely that, over time, Wilds will surpass even that figure.

To help get your Monster Hunter Wilds adventure started, take a look at what Monster Hunter Wilds doesn’t tell you, and a guide to all 14 weapon types in the game. We’ve also got a detailed MH Wilds walkthrough in progress, a MH Wilds multiplayer guide to explain how to play with friends, and if you’ve played one of the open betas, here’s how to transfer your MH Wilds Beta character over.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

It’s been on for nearly a week, but it’s almost over. That’s right, Amazon’s Spring Sale 2025 is will tragically end on March 31. That’s the bad news. The good news is that it’s still live now. All sorts of stuff is on sale, but I thought it would be neat to look at the bestsellers among IGN readers in the sale thus far. Below, you’ll find the most popular deals that are still available in the sale. Without further ado, let’s get to it.

12 Things to Buy Before the Amazon Spring Sale Ends

A whole lot of categories of items are represented in the list above. We’re talking graphic novels, board games, LEGO sets, Apple products, and a whole lot more. Apple’s AirPods 2 are down to their all-time low price. The board game Cascadia has been a huge seller, and it’s avaliable for a terrific price. Check out our Cascadia review for details about what makes it so worthwhile.

Venturing into tech products, you can save on a PlayStation Portal carrying case, one of the best SSDs for PS5, and on a microSD card (you can never have enough of these chiclet-sized wonders, imo). You can even save money on a Jurassic Park-themed version of the Game of Life. I mean, what more could you need?

Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.

Looking to score some killer discounts on top-tier games and gear? This week’s deals slash prices on some truly legendary titles across Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5. Let’s dive into the best of the bunch before they disappear.

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I’m lighting a 30th birthday cake for Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures, a SNES treasure that belongs in your museum. Developed by Factor 5 and published by JVC/LucasArts, this SNES gem took the tried-and-true Super Star Wars formula and applied it to Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Temple of Doom, and The Last Crusade. With tight controls, detailed sprite work, and a John Williams-fueled chiptune soundtrack, this was a must-have for 16-bit adventurers.

Back in the day, it was pretty amazing stuff to become Indy as he punched, whipped, and jumped his way through jungles, temples, mines, and deserts—all while avoiding Nazis, cultists, and booby traps. The level variety was impressive, with bonus segments including mine cart chases, boulder dashes, and even some Mode7 dogfighting in a biplane.

The weekend is officially here, and we’ve rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Sunday, March 30, below:

Super Mario RPG for $19.99

Before the Switch 2 takes over, a recent March Nintendo Direct showed off some exciting new game announcements. This included a teaser trailer for the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake. If you’ve been patiently waiting to pick this one up for your game library, especially after the release of the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, today’s your lucky day.

The Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X versions are live now to preorder for $59.99. While we don’t have an exact release date for it yet, the teaser trailer and sale pages both note that it’ll arrive sometime in 2025. On Amazon, the checkout page says the item will be released on Dec 31, 2025. See below to secure your copy today.

Preorder Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake

Ever since Nintendo officially revealed the Switch 2, all eyes have been on the upcoming April Direct. That’s when we’ll presumably get an official Switch 2 release date, price, and confirmed line-up of games. So the last thing I was expecting was for Nintendo to drop another Direct the week before then, packed with big names like Pokémon Legends Z-A and Metroid Prime 4. But maybe given Nintendo’s commitments to backward compatibility, I shouldn’t be too surprised.

Prior to this week’s Nintendo Direct, Nintendo was careful to temper expectations by declaring “There will be no updates about Nintendo Switch 2 during the presentation.” While that’s technically true – Switch 2 wasn’t mentioned apart from a reminder about the upcoming Direct and the new Virtual Game Card sharing system – it’s not a huge leap to say that everything we saw this week will be playable on the Switch 2, even if, officially, these games are coming to the original Switch.

It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved – those sticking with the OG Switch still have plenty to be excited about as the console enters its eighth year, and anyone upgrading to Switch 2 can do so safe in the knowledge it will have an extensive back catalogue of games right from the get-go.

Nintendo’s commitment to backward compatibility is contributing to what I think will be one of the smoothest transitions we’ve ever seen between console generations. Of course, most are excited to see what the Switch 2 can do and what new games are incoming, but by playing it safe with the hardware, Nintendo has all bases covered. Based on the most recent Nintendo Direct, you wouldn’t think Nintendo is trying to sell as many Switch 2 pre-orders in the run-up to launch and convince people to upgrade. And that inclusive approach should be applauded. Nintendo is essentially saying everyone is welcome, whether you’re looking to buy a Switch 2 at launch, upgrade further down the line, or are content to keep the Switch you already own.

That’s why there was no risk in showcasing the multitude of Switch games less than a week before a dedicated Switch 2 Direct drops, even when just beneath the surface of the Direct Nintendo was putting down even more groundwork for the coming succession. I’m talking about the Virtual Game Card system, which is an update that allows Switch owners to link two consoles together and share digital games. It’s a useful feature, especially with digital games sales on the rise, and it’s similar to the family sharing system Steam has. But why announce it at the very end of the Switch life cycle when the Switch 2 is literally weeks or months away? Presumably to make the transition to Switch 2 even smoother.

Some have pointed out that the fine print for the Virtual Game Card indicates the existence of a “Switch 2 Edition” for certain games. Whether that means there are exclusive enhancements to Switch 2 Edition games that make them unshareable with the older Switch, exclusive re-releases that will only work on Switch 2, or something else entirely, is still a mystery. But in the same way Nintendo said “Certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported or fully compatible with Switch 2” when it was announced, this fine print likely covers Nintendo’s bases in the case of there being any unshareable games.

Whatever that fine print means, it feels like Nintendo is treating the road to Switch 2 almost like a procession, a bit like the way Apple moves from one iPhone to the next. You don’t have to upgrade but there are definitely benefits if you do, and you can bring whatever games you had before along for the ride.

Matt Kim is IGN’s Senior Features Editor.

Listen up. Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is winding down, but the retailer is still offering a nice bonus promotion within its sale event. In addition to the ‘Get 3 for the Price of 2’ promotion for select books and Blu-rays, you can also take advantage of the same ‘3 for 2′ deal on a large selection of vinyl (and CDs) at Amazon. This deal includes everything from classic records like The Beatles’ Abbey Road, Fleetwood Mac’s Greatest Hits, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, to the popular Wicked movie soundtrack (“Oh ahhhhh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhhh!”), hip hop gems including Outkast’s Stankonia, and many more. I’ve broken it out by popular picks most people will enjoy, and also by my personal favorites which is quite a random but fun roundup of albums I love.

Whatever genres you’re into, if you’re a music lover and/or record collector who loves the smooth sound of vinyl, this is a great time to add something new to your collection.

Here Are My Favorite Vinyls From Amazon’s Spring Sale Promotion

How to Claim this 3 for 2 Promo:

1. Add 3 items from the products below to your Cart using the Add to Cart button or select See Options for specific product variations.
2. When you’re done shopping, select Go to Cart.
3. The offer will automatically be applied at checkout, if eligible.

Browse all Vinyls Included in Sale Below:

The big Amazon Spring Sale is still underway, and will be until Monday, March 31. There’s lots of deals for board games, action figures, and even nerf guns. But most notably, (at least for this writer), LEGO sets are on sale, which is very uncommon, even during big-deal events like this one.

Here are some the best LEGO deals from Amazon’s Spring sale.

Amazon Spring Sale: LEGO Deals

LEGO retires old sets at same time that it debuts new ones, which pretty much guarantees that they can sell their inventory at full retail price. Add to this the recent price increases across LEGO’s products, and your wallet is definitely getting a workout.

The standout of this deal roundup is the LEGO Mighty Bowser, which we reviewed at the time of its release. We consider it to be one of the best LEGO sets ever designed, in the time since we began reviewing them six years ago.

Also worth noting is the Back to the Future Delorean Time Machine, which allows you to build all three versions from the three respective films. Also don’t miss out on the Optimus Prime, which actually transforms from vehicle to Autobot and back again.

Kevin Wong is a contributing freelancer for IGN, specializing in LEGO. He’s also been published in Complex, Engadget, Gamespot, Kotaku, and more. Follow him on Twitter at @kevinjameswong.