The Super Mario Galaxy Movie isn't exactly getting stellar reviews, and while franchise creator Shigeru Miyamoto finds the film's poor critical reception "truly baffling," he's committed to bringing the film's lore into the game franchise upon which it is based. Specifically, Miyamoto has confirmed that Peach's family origins--which are revealed in the film--are considered canon in the Mario universe, games included.

Ed. note: The following article contains major spoilers for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie confirms a decades-old fan theory regarding Princess Peach's family. In the first film, we learn that she stumbled into the Mushroom Kingdom after wandering into a Warp Pipe as a young child. The Mushroom Kingdom's inhabitants raised Peach, and eventually made her their princess. But she's not the only blonde-haired, blue-eyed royal in the galaxy, and as many players have suspected for years, Peach is actually the older sister of Princess Rosalina.

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Circana's latest monthly sales report revealed that not only was spending on software up year-over-year, but spending on hardware grew as well.

Sales of gaming hardware in the US during March 2026 rose by 69% compared to March 2025, reaching $500 million. Circana said the Switch 2 "drove the overall gain" for March 2026, with spending on PlayStation 5 increasing by 3% compared to March 2025. The report had no data about Xbox.

The Switch 2 was the best-selling console platform in the US for units sold and dollars for March 2026 and the year so far, with the PS5 coming in second for March 2026 and year-to-date.

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The big Xbox Game Pass announcement this week was a price cut for the subscription and a major shakeup that sees new Call of Duty games no longer coming to the service at launch.

Curiously, Microsoft's blog post announcing the changes did not say all of Xbox's other first-party games will launch on day one into Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. The blog post said only that Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers will get "major day-one releases."

Given that language, many are wondering if other games beyond new Call of Duty releases could be stripped out of Game Pass for day-one launches, or "windowed," to use an industry term. That remains to be seen, but it's a possibility that analyst Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis believes could happen.

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A sequel to the 2008 MMORPG Aion will release globally later this year, 17 years after the original.

Aion 2 will see a global release via Steam, developer NCSoft announced, with servers for North America, South America, Japan, and Europe. The news comes after Aion 2's launch in South Korea and Taiwan last November to less-than-stellar reviews, with the game's microtransactions being a major point of criticism. While the game is technically free-to-play, it does feature optional subscriptions and pay-to-win mechanics. NCSoft apologized for the game's monetization shortly after launch and vowed to make changes.

What changes NCSoft may make to Aion 2 for its global release are still unclear, though the developer stated in its announcement that more news would be coming in May and it looked forward to answering questions from the game's community.

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From Charles Barkley to the Justice League, Godzilla has let loose his atomic flames in many comic books over the years. But for his next crossover, the King of the Monsters is headed to Moebius for a showdown with none other than Sonic the Hedgehog. GameSpot can exclusively reveal the first look at Sonic the Hedgehog X Godzilla, a new five-issue mini-series pitting Sega's speedster against the apex titan. The images below also tease the arrival of the ultimate lifeform, Shadow the Hedgehog, who'll appear from the second issue onwards.

Sonic x Godzilla #1

$5

Preorder at a comic book store near you

"When the King of the Monsters and other iconic kaiju mysteriously arrive in the Blue Blur's world, the brilliant and evil Dr. Eggman will try to harness the power of the kaiju for his own nefarious goals. Only Sonic and his amazing allies--including Amy, Tails, Knuckles, and Shadow--will be able to stand in the villain's way and try to send the giant monsters back to their own world," the official synopsis for the series reads.

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Prolific and veteran gaming voice actor Troy Baker has teased that fans have not "seen the last of Joel," the popular character from Naughty Dog's The Last of Us series, and a character who is dead.

Baker said in an interview with Eurogamer, "I definitely know we've not seen the last of Joel, whether that be Naughty Dog or somebody else."

Baker did not elaborate on this intriguing comment, but some are taking it to mean Joel could show up in a future game or other project in the future.

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A new report claims that one of the ideas Microsoft is considering for Xbox Game Pass is a new "pick-your-own" plan that would allow players to create their own specific version of Game Pass featuring content and services they are interested in. At the same time, Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma teased that further integration of Discord could be on the way for Game Pass.

Windows Central reported that the long-term goal for Microsoft is to make Game Pass "more flexible," and that lines up with what Sharma previously said. In a memo to staff, Sharma said her long term goal was to "evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system." In her memo, she said this will take time, as Microsoft conducts tests to find out what works best.

How a potential "pick-your-own" plan might work in practice, including limitations and prices, remains to be seen. And there is no guarantee that such a program would ever be released. It could be something Microsoft is only experimenting with, or intentionally leaking to gauge interest.

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Several photos of the set of A24's Elden Ring movie have been leaked, including images that hint at exactly which characters from the game will appear in the film (via Shortlist). Writer and director Alex Garland is currently filming a portion of the movie at the Greenwich Naval College in South London.

The set is reportedly covered in mist from dry ice or fog machines, and several greenscreens can be seen in the external shots of the college--likely intended to leave room for animators and CGI artists to add the massive Erdtree to various shots in post-production. In one exterior shot showing set dressers preparing for filming, a box can be seen labeled "Leyndell Streets." Leyndell is the game's capital city, and is situated at the roots of the Erdtree, so it seems that the Greenwich Naval College serves as the set for Leyndell.

A second container, labeled "Stormveil," can be seen in the photos. It appears to be holding an assortment of handmade brooms. In-game, Stormveil Castle is home to a major boss fight with Godrick the Grafted, a Demigod and distant relative of Queen Marika who, after fleeing Leyndell, takes up the taboo "art" of grafting, attaching body parts of other people to himself to increase his power. With Stormveil appearing to be confirmed as a location audiences will see in the film, it's certainly possible they'll get to see Stormveil Castle's grisly inhabitant in action, too. But Godrick's an optional boss in Elden Ring, so it's also possible the film may reference him without devoting an entire scene to him.

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The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is now the No. 1 movie globally after surpassing a giant movie from China. Nintendo's animated movie has now grossed $752 million globally, which puts it ahead of the previous No. 1 movie, Pegasus 3 ($641 million).

The Chinese movie was released in February in China, and if you've never heard of it, that makes sense. It's made 99.8% of its money from the Chinese market, with only $1.37 million from the US.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, meanwhile, has made money in most major markets globally, including $358.7 million from North America alone. Some of the movie's top international markets include Mexico ($49.6 million), the United Kingdom ($38 million), Germany ($30 million), Spain ($17.4 million), and France ($12.7 million).

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IO Interactive has shared new details on its upcoming James Bond game 007 First Light, including a new mode that looks inspired by one of Hitman's best post-launch ideas. Called Tac-Sim, players will get to take on missions with various parameters, each one designed to test their 00 agents with increasingly challenging objectives. The mode sounds similar to Hitman's Escalation Contracts and Freelancer, and for added incentive, it includes an online leaderboard to see how you stack up against your fellow agents.

Completing a Tac-Sim will also reward players with experience points that can be spent on gadget upgrades, outfits, and new weapons. To keep things interesting, "Game Changer" modifiers will task players with completing certain sub-objectives, like finding secret notes, taking on powerful enemies, and not firing any rounds. IO Interactive says that it plans to expand on Tac-Sim over time, creating new post-launch content for the game.

Hitman's extra modes helped add hours of replayability to all three games in the World of Assassination trilogy, while Freelancer mode introduced roguelike elements to the experience that reinvigorated Hitman 3 at the time. It's not unsurprising to see these ideas resurface in 007 First Light, as it shares an open-ended approach to its mission structure that looks like it was directly inspired by Hitman.

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Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has reacted to the critical reception to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, saying the negative opinions of the movie from critics were "truly baffling."

As translated by Nintendo Patents Watch, Miyamoto told NDW that critics were "even harsher" on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie than they were for 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie. He laughed and said he found this to be "rather odd."

"We stepped in from another medium and did our best to help energize the film industry. And yet the very people who are supposed to champion the film industry are the ones being so negative; it's truly baffling," he said.

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If you are diving into Pokemon Champions - the brand new battling bonanza on Switch - you will absolutely need to get to grips with Mega Stones. Introduced in Pokemon X & Y, and brought back recently in Pokemon Legends Z-A, these fancy rocks are the key to Mega Evolution and are utterly essential in the current Champions meta. So, here’s everything you need to know.

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• What are Mega Stones in Pokemon Champions?

What are Mega Stones in Pokemon Champions?

Mega Stones are held items in the Pokemon video games that allow specific Pokemon to Mega Evolve. This temporary transformation physically alters the Pokemon’s appearance, and changes things such as stats, typing, and their ability.

Several Mega Stones were first introduced in Pokemon X & Y back on the 3DS, before the titles Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire added more. While Mega Stones were in Pokemon Sun & Moon, the mechanic didn’t return until Pokemon Legends Z-A for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Pokemon Legends Z-A introduced multiple new Mega Stones, and the Pokemon Legends Z-A: Mega Dimension DLC added even more.

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Pragmata is a game chock-full of secrets. From exclusive rewards for completing Red Zones to alternate paths you can take across each and every sector, you only get a taste of the complete game if you follow the main story's path. Of course, regardless of how much time you put into your first playthrough, the story eventually comes to an end. While you might think that's the end of your adventure with Hugh and Diana, there are a couple of additional ways to continue playing. One of these ways is through Unknown Signal--an extension of your save file in Pragmata.

Unknown Signal acts as a type of secret ending in Pragmata, but there are some things you need to know before you take it on.

What is the Unknown Signal feature in Pragmata?

To unlock Unknown Signal, you need to have beaten the Pragmata main story at least once. After seeing the credits roll, you'll get a couple of in-game messages at the main menu that explain the next steps you can take with the game. One of the new features you have access to is New Game Plus, which restarts the main story but allows you to keep all of your upgrades and gear. The enemies will be much tougher in this version of the story, giving you a new challenge to overcome.

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Nintendo might have to prepare itself for a lawsuit that could have far-reaching implications for companies aiming to secure a tariff refund from the United States government.

According to new court documents (via Aftermath), two Nintendo customers have filed a proposed class action complaint in the United States District Court's Western District of Washington, with the aim of forcing Nintendo to pass a portion of their tariff refunds back to them. Following the US trade court's ruling that US President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" global tariffs were illegal, thousands of companies found themselves eligible to receive a refund from the US government.

Several companies like FedEx and UPS are already planning to pass these refunds back to their customers, but what about Nintendo? The gaming giant has said nothing so far, but the brewing lawsuit from plaintiffs Gregory Hoffert and Prashant Sharan could soon change that. In a formal complaint written by their lawyers, Hoffert and Sharan allege that Nintendo could receive a "windfall" if they apply for a tariff refund.

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YouTube star Markiplier's video game movie, Iron Lung, was a smash hit at the box office, bringing in more than $50 million on a relatively minuscule budget. But when is it coming to home video? It's been out of theaters for some time already, prompting fans to wonder about the long wait.

Markiplier, whose real name is Mark Fischbach, said in a newly released video (via Bloody-Disgusting) that the digital release of Iron Lung has been "taking so long" because he's been at work trying to make a deal "so that other people can benefit from it."

From the start, Markiplier said he viewed Iron Lung as a sidequest and not something he was doing for money. When the film became a success at the box office, he promised to distribute the profits to the crew, and now he's hoping to make the film's digital release something other people benefit from instead of himself first and foremost.

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Rambo: Five-Film Collector's Edition (4K Blu-ray)

$99 | Releases May 26 exclusively on Amazon

Preorder at Amazon

Decades after he first wandered into the wrong town, Rambo remains a cinema icon with evergreen movies. If you're a fan of the battle-scarred character and want to grab those films on Blu-ray, check out this preorder for Rambo: The Complete Collection. This Amazon-exclusive bundle of all five movies in 4K launches on May 26. Priced at $100, the collection showcases Rambo's adventures in the best quality and includes digital streaming codes for each movie.

Rambo: Five-Film Collector's Edition 4K Blu-ray Set (Amazon Exclusive)

$99 | Releases May 26

Preorder at Amazon

The first three films now support Dolby Vision, HDR10, and a custom-tuned Dolby Atmos soundtrack unique to this collection. The entire set comes in a collector's edition box featuring iconic shots of Rambo and several memorable quotes. Special features haven't been listed in detail, but distributor Lionsgate says the bonus disc includes deleted scenes, exclusive featurettes, trailers, and more from all the Rambo movies. It's unclear how many of these features have been lifted from previous DVD and Blu-ray releases, but the franchise has included several informative and entertaining behind-the-scenes documentaries over the decades.

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Animal Crossing New Horizons Hori Collection

See at Play-Asia

Animal Crossing New Horizons came out in March 2020, leaving an increasingly painful six-year gap for those of us who can't get enough of being financially abused by Tom Nook. Just when it seemed that Nintendo was good and fine with letting the game fade into a memory, the company unexpectedly dropped a 3.0 update chock-full of new features, which was very smart timing for the game's release on Switch 2.

While it's not the new game Animal Crossing fans are hoping for, it's a great reason to pick up your Switch again (or replay the whole game on Switch 2). If the new content has you deep in the throes of nostalgia, you might be thrilled to learn that Hori also has a a brand-new line of New Horizons accessories coming, including Switch 2 controllers, carrying pouches, and the cutest game card holders you've ever seen.

While these items are specifically for the Japanese market, you can preorder them now via Play-Asia. The collection will be released on June 30, with pricing starting at $10. Read on for some of our favorite picks.

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May 4 is still a few weeks away, but thanks to a new deal at Amazon on some of its Star Wars Lego sets, you can start celebrating the greatest sci-fi film ever made right now. If you've been waiting for a deal on some of these, you can save up to 26% off some core classics like the Millennium Falcon, the TIE Bomber, and R2-D2. Some of these prices are record lows, so it's a great time to fill in those holes in your collection.

We'll highlight a few of our picks, beginning with the beloved R2-D2, an icon that no Star Wars Lego collector should be without. Measuring 9 inches high, 6 inches wide, and 4 inches deep, R2 has a movable head that can be rotated 360 degrees, an attachable periscope and tools, and a detachable third leg. The set also comes with a 25th anniversary minifigure of Darth Malek from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. This set is ideal for builders 10 years of age and up.

Everyone knows the iconic TIE Fighter, but true Star Wars ship fans also love the TIE Bomber, which made its first appearance in The Empire Strikes Back. Measuring 15.04 inches long, 10.32 inches wide, and 2.78 inches high, the bomber has a cockpit that opens so you can insert a minifigure and a warhead bay that holds four droppable torpedos, as well as a handy little cart to transport them with. You also get three minifigures with weapons, including Darth Vader, Vice Admiral Sloane, and a TIE Bomber Pilot, as well as everyone's favorite walking battery, the Gonk droid. Builders nine years old and up can take this one on.

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March 2026 was a pretty great month for new releases, and according to new data by Circana, games like Crimson Desert, MLB The Show 26, and Pokemon Pokopia contributed to a bumper sales period.

Circana's Senior Director, Mat Piscatella, revealed that video game spending in the US reached $5.3 billion in March 2026, a 12% increase when compared to March 2025. New releases such as Crimson Desert, MLB The Show 26, and Pokemon Pokopia were some of the biggest winners, and video game hardware spending grew by 69% to $500 million when compared to a year ago. The Switch 2 remains the second fastest-selling hardware platform in the US, since Circana began tracking in 1995.

"Nintendo Switch 2 drove the overall gain, while PlayStation 5 spending increased by 3% compared to March 2025," Piscatella wrote. "Nintendo Switch 2 was the best-selling hardware platform across units and dollars for both March and the 2026 year-to-date, with PS5 ranking second across both measures and time periods."

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Nintendo was a trailblazer of the platformer genre, but violence has always been baked into its formula. One of the very first things you do, in the very first Super Mario Bros. game, is stomp on a Goomba. Yoshi games have typically skewed to the younger side of Nintendo's target audience, but they're often still recognizable as traditional, if gentle, platformers. Yoshi's next game, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, is so gentle it has eliminated combat almost entirely. You can't die. You mostly don't eliminate enemies. But in its place, Nintendo has found an inventive new hook focused on creative play.

The eponymous Mysterious Book here is Mister Encyclopedia, aka Mr. E, a talking compendium of all the various flora and fauna that inhabit this land. His pages have gone blank, and he asks for the Yoshis' help restoring them. That framing makes your job squarely about research and observation, which in turn makes the proceedings mostly peaceful and playful.

To aid in the research, Yoshi's 2D moveset is even more generous than usual. You can still grab things with your tongue, but it's multidirectional. You can aim eggs using the right stick. You can flutter-jump seemingly endlessly, which keeps you at a steady height but can't keep reaching perpetually higher. And you can use a tail-swipe move to have a creature ride on your back, or switch between them. You're always Yoshi, but which rider is with you can have different effects. With this suite of moves in tow, you can open up the book and peer into its pages, using Mr. E's magnifying glass monocle to identify which creature habitat you want to examine. Then your chosen Yoshi will jump into the book and start poking around.

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