Julius

Oh dear, @S.C.G, seems there's already an update on the plans for a physical release on PS5: there are none (currently), per the game's Twitter/X account. Can't say I'm surprised, but this still sucks. Then again, outside of the reasons I mentioned before, I kind of get it from a PR perspective – can you imagine how it would look and the headlines it would generate to have a physical copy of the next Halo game on PS5? It would be a total brand meltdown and physical embodiment of admitting defeat.

Yeah, I think that's fair enough. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see one. The reason I struggle to see it happening is simply because Hellblade II didn't when it launched on Series X|S last year, and none of the other games to come over from them so far have had a physical version release on PS5 either – I think Microsoft are pushing harder for digital than they are even Game Pass at this point, I can see them viewing it as unnecessary overhead whereas doing away with a physical release here means a potentially faster turnaround from announcement to launch. That being said, physical PS5 pre-orders are up in Spain for Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, so perhaps it will get one? Wonder if it's going to be like Nintendo and their music – a studio needs to be pushing for it to get out there, like Monolith Soft does for Xenoblade, as an example? I think Xbox doing what they should have all along here - available on Game Pass and piecemeal on Xbox, full price on PlayStation and other storefronts - is the smart move, as it still leaves Game Pass as an enticing prospect and good value proposition, but if you want what should be an exclusive game on the other big box? Pay up! I think it'll do gangbusters on PS5, The Crew Motorfest is the closest thing we've got to a Horizon game on PlayStation at the moment and Forza is in a whole other league – it's an audience which isn't being served on the platform, what with GT7 being a more hardcore racing sim. Wasn't that crazy $1 per month or whatever it was deal for Game Pass Ultimate still running around then, too? Even if not, I think with a much larger install base just being later on in the gen (and obviously compared to Series X|S), I'm thinking this makes Xbox more cash in a week on PS5 than it managed to in the 3½ years it has been [console] exclusive to Xbox. Yeah, fair again I think! A game which is 3½ years old being sold at that sort of price is kind of nuts, but it seems of the quality, critical reception and appeal which warrants it. Xbox seem to at least know the value of the thing, I think £40 for Standard for example would be underselling the game, especially seeing as it's getting updates to this day. What maybe doesn't sit quite right with me is the Premium Edition in this case? The game already released 3½ years ago, I feel like early access is about getting it ahead of initial release, not so much a staggered one like we've seen here still, it'll make money, and because I've been a bit wiser with my spending on games so far this year, I'd be happy to drop another £30 to get the game a few days earlier, and on a Friday, no less! Might even book the day off for it, if not the Monday

Physical copies have gone up for pre-order in Spain for the PS5 release (standard, premium). No word yet, remember, on whether this is getting a physical PS5 release, either. Tom Warren is reiterating that this will also be launching in April on PS5 alongside Forza Horizon 5, though obviously we're still waiting for any confirmation of this – currently it's still listed as a "Spring 2025" release. Between those and DOOM: The Dark Ages in May...remember what I've always said about Xbox and curation? Need I say more?

Releases on PS5 on April 29th, early access on the 25th for those getting the Premium Edition: Already up on the PS Store for pre-order: £54.99 for Standard, £69.99 for Deluxe, and £84.99 for Premium. The game will have trophy support: And finally, PS5 and PS5 Pro modes confirmed: No word yet on a physical release. Not expecting one, to be honest. Anyways, I can't wait! Struggling to not see myself picking up the Premium Edition Now give us an update on Indy, you fools!

A lot more images and details courtesy of the official site, including some some lovely art (very much in line with the art we got for X/Y!) with a birds-eye view of Lumiose: Looks like the colour of the roofs will be a clear way to tell which part of the city you're in, and the tile colours match up with the colours of the different "balls" in the old Lumiose map: I also spy some shops with clothes, time to get our customisation game back on Judging from the blue roof colour and enclosed courtyard, it seems like Hotel Z is located just NNE from Lumiose Tower, if you refer to the map above. Looks like there's also a metro system for getting around the city (well, assuming it's functional, which I imagine it would be), but maybe that's just where you arrive into the city from? Speaking of transport, looking at the map again, while there is some art of Skiddo - no Gogoats? Perhaps the Gogoat Shuttle went out of business? We got a shot or two of the taxis at least! And now for the character art...which as always looks much better than the in-game models I won't go into everything - they've got character bios, there's some stuff on catching Pokémon, Mega Evolution, etc. - but just wanted to highlight AZ's bio because it made me chuckle... Just the idea of a hotel owner being like "no, really! I'm 3000 years old!" got a laugh out of me Excited to see how this turns out, in any case!

Let's Mega Evolve like it's 2013

Battle system is genuinely pretty similar to what I thought an ideal top-down 2D game would have, so that's exciting

Late 2025, no date... (which means it's almost certainly November) Today's new trailers/footage: Kind of crazy that they went with two Gen II starters – and that we're seemingly going to get Mega Meganium?! Textures look rough but hey, at least it runs better in this first bit of gameplay than Legends: Arceus did. Rival being determined by MC gender kind of sucks

Guess I'll finally be starting with Totodile

Always a win when new languages are made available in Pokémon games Latin American Spanish coming to Champions, Z-A, and a number of future products. They've got a new Pokémon office in Mexico, too!

Just announced in today's Pokémon Presents! Overseen and planned for by Game Freak, developed by Pokémon Works. Connects with Pokémon Home, but also sounds like you will be able to get Pokémon in-game.

That terrifying opening with Darkrai in Pokémon Sleep was freaking hilarious

Well, today's the day folks! Happy Pokémon Day, and here's hoping for a nice surprise or two later! I might need to treat myself to a Pokémon pick-up or two to commemorate the occasion It's also floating around that the Presents might be 19 minutes long? Seems like a decent length to me. Last year's was super short from what I remember, so hey, if it's longer than that I'll take it! Next year's better be 30 minutes for the 30th, though, because otherwise -- what are we even doing?

Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Sonic Colors: Ultimate and TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection are the Essentials games for March. Wild to see Veilguard already hitting the service, end of October release to PS+ Essential in March...got to be one of the fastest turnarounds on a third-party AAA release getting onto the service, surely? Can't tell if that's because PS paid the big bucks or if it's a case of the sales numbers dropping and EA wanting to cash in, or maybe it's a weird counter to Avowed on Xbox?

Sure, but like you go on to say, I think the fact they've got any Mega Evos at all *should* hopefully rule them out as being the starter Pokémon. Fully expect them to turn up elsewhere in the game, mind you. Well, at least Charmander... But hell, Mega Evo Z would be dumb as all hell which makes it a very obvious thing for GF to do. I could actually see an alternative Mega Evo/whatever they're doing about regional forms be the way they justify Torchic being the Fire-type starter. So what you're saying is that Gen IV will continue to get shafted...what else is new? Hey, we've agreed on 2 of the 3 at least! I do like the InteLupin idea, the only thing that gives me pause is that I feel like the line is just too similar visually to the Froakie line, and at which point I would honestly just prefer they give us the Froakie line instead (I know I'm right don't @ me). I honestly have a feeling they're going to ignore our absolutely understandable justifications for our picks and throw Torchic in there. The French rooster is just way too iconic for them to ignore, I feel like. Anyways, I know you weren't the biggest fan of Legends: Arceus, Glen – is there anything in particular you'd like to see them do differently this time which could help win you over? I feel like the game is going to be starkly different in a number of ways given the urban setting vs open world terrain we had in Arceus, so it seems like there'd be a lot of opportunities to change things up and really differentiate the two.