Nintendo is discontinuing the sale of Switch Game Vouchers, a program that allowed Nintendo Switch Online members to get a discount on first-party Switch games by purchasing two game vouchers for $100. While existing vouchers will remain valid, no new vouchers will be sold after January 30, 2026.

With precious few discounts available for first-party Switch games, Nintendo's game vouchers allowed players to save a little cash by purchasing two vouchers for $100, saving $10 per game as long as both were $60 titles. While the program had a few caveats, including a one-year expiry and the requirement of an active Nintendo Switch Online membership, it offered a reliable discount on first-party games.

If you want to take advantage of this discount one last time, game vouchers will still be sold until January 30, and will stay valid for one year after the date of purchase. You can also check the expiry date on any unused vouchers through the Nintendo Switch Online section of your Nintendo account.

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In October 2025, rumors suggested that Larian Studios' hit RPG Baldur's Gate 3 could be getting a port for Nintendo's Switch 2. Unfortunately, that report has turned out to be inaccurate as Larian has confirmed that its wildly popular D&D will not be coming to Nintendo's console.

During a recent AMA session on Reddit, Baldur's Gate 3 director Swen Vincke acknowledged that the company wanted to work on a Switch 2 port, but it was denied.

"We would have loved to [bring Baldur's Gate 3 to Switch 2], but [it] wasn't our decision to make," wrote Vincke. That likely means the port was either shot down by Nintendo or by Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast, which controls the rights for all things Dungeons & Dragons-related.

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Lego Ideas: Disney Pixar Luxo Jr. (613 Pieces)

$63 (was $70)

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Pixar fans can save 10% on Lego's 613-piece model of Luxo Jr. and the Pixar Ball. Normally $70, Lego Ideas: Disney Pixar Luxo Jr. is on sale for $63. Lego's recreation of the iconic Pixar mascot launched last June and has rarely budged from its MSRP. The current discount is the best we've seen for the set, but it's not marked as an official deal. Over the past few weeks, Luxo Jr.'s price on Amazon has sometimes changed multiple times in a single day, so we wouldn't be surprised if the the price has changed again by the time you read this story.

Lego Ideas: Disney Pixar Luxo Jr. (613 Pieces) $63 (was $70)

The 613-piece replica of Luxo Jr. measures 5.5 x 4 x 11 inches--though Luxo Jr.'s height varies based on how you pose it. Luxo Jr. can stand next to the buildable Pixar Ball or balance on top of it by making a couple of simple adjustments.

Lego designed Luxo Jr. as a fully articulated model capable of being displayed in poses from the iconic Pixar production logo and short film starring the semi-anthropomorphic lamp. The light bulb doesn't actually work, but Lego did a good job of making it look realistic.

As a Lego model, Luxo Jr. is quite different than the vast majority of Disney Pixar building sets. Designed for experienced builders and collectors, the model has an interesting build process thanks to its multi-hinged arm, modifiable base, and the many Easter Eggs Lego worked into the authentic recreation.

There are dozens of references to Pixar movies hidden throughout the Luxo Jr. and Pixar Ball builds. For instance, the Pizza Planet truck from the first Toy Story movie is included inside the light bulb. The lamp's base has a miniature build referencing Marlin & Dory from Finding Nemo as well as clever allusions to Inside Out, Cars, Coco, WALL-E, A Bug's Life--and possibly others that we missed.

The instruction booklet calls out the Finding Nemo character builds as well as the mini-builds found in the Pixar Ball. The interior of the colorful ball features multiple characters from five different Pixar movies:

• Toy Story - Woody & Buzz
• Up - Carl & Russell
• Monsters, Inc. - Mike & Sully
• The Incredibles family
• Ratatouille - Linguini & Remy

As mentioned, one of the display modes is Luxo Jr. "deflating" the toy ball, just like in the production logo's animation sequence. Once you remove two of the rounded plates from the ball, Luxo Jr. can connect to the top. It's a quick and easy modification. The Pixar Ball has its own buildable stand, so the model still feels stable with Luxo Jr. on the ball.

See at Amazon Lego Ideas: Disney Pixar Luxo Jr. (21357)

Luxo Jr. was the star of Pixar's first short film in 1986. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short, but most Pixar fans were introduced to the character when it hopped across the screen to complete the Pixar logo at the beginning of Toy Story in 1995. The short film originally only played at film festivals and conventions, but it eventually played in theaters worldwide before screenings of Toy Story 2 in 1999.

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1408 Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray)

$40 | Amazon Exclusive | Releases January 13

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Another Stephen King adaptation lands on 4K Blu-ray for the first time this week. 1408, the 2007 psychological horror movie starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson, releases January 13 exclusively at Amazon for $40. 1408 Limited Edition Steelbook is a three-disc set with theatrical and extended cuts of the hit film. The collectible steelbook case and slipcover have awesome original artwork; it's honestly one of the best-designed 4K Blu-ray editions of a Stephen King movie you can buy today.

Based on a 1999 short story by Stephen King, 1408 follows Mike Enslin, a grief-stricken author who investigates and writes places that are allegedly haunted. His latest investigation brings him to room 1408 at the NYC hotel The Dolphin. 1408 was a pretty big hit at the box office and features terrific performances by Cusack and Jackson.

1408 Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray) $40 | Amazon Exclusive | Releases January 13

The Amazon-exclusive Limited Edition Steelbook is a three-disc set with two 4K Blu-rays and one 1080p Blu-ray. Fans can watch the original theatrical edition on 4K as well as the Director's Cut on 4K and 1080p. The Director's Cut (112m) is approximately eight minutes longer than the theatrical release (104m).

The upscaled 4K Blu-ray editions support Dolby Vision and HDR10. Audio formats include Dolby Atmos and Dolby TrueHD 5.1/7.1 surround sound.

The two Director's Cut discs have the special features from previous Blu-ray editions, including the three alternate endings. The theatrical 4K Blu-ray disc also has a brand-new featurette titled Don't Enter 1408.

The exclusive steelbook case features new artwork by graphic designer Gary Pullin (Ghoulish Gary). The front of the case is a rendering of the door to the eponymous hotel room, while the back features protagonist Mike Enslin's daughter Katie with manuscript pages floating around her and the name of the hotel (The Dolphin). The interior artwork recreates the memorable scene inside the torn apart hotel room where Mike sinks to his knees and reaches out toward Katie. The slipcover features a stylized and modified version of the original promotional image featuring Cusack and Jackson. The new artwork looks fantastic, and it'd be great to see more limited-edition steelbooks opt for a more creative design like Lionsgate has here.

1408 Amazon Exclusive Edition Features:

• Exclusive steelbook case
• Exclusive slipcover
• 2 Cuts / 3 Discs
  • Theatrical (4K)
  • Director's (4K & 1080p)
• Upscaled 4K (2160p)
• HDR: Dolby Vision / HDR10
• Audio: Dolby Atmos / Dolby TrueHD 5.1/7.1

Special Features:

• Don't Enter 1408 featurette (New)
• Audio commentary with director Mikael Håfström and writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski
• Alternate endings
• Deleted scenes with optional commentary
• The Secrets of 1408 (22 minutes)
  • Behind-the-scenes look at the making of 1408. Split into four parts.
• Inside Room 1408 featurette
• John Cusack on 1408 featurette
• Theatrical trailer

See at Amazon 1408 Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray) - Amazon Exclusive Edition

Stephen King Adaptations on 4K Blu-ray

All movies and shows fans can buy and preorder today.

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Lego Icons: Lord of the Rings - Balrog Book Nook (1,201 Pieces)

$117 (was $130)

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Lord of the Rings fans can save on Lego's Balrog Book Nook for the first time at Amazon. Released last June, the 1,201-piece Lord of the Rings building set is on sale for $117 (was $130). While it's only a 10% discount, deals on Lord of the Rings Lego models are exceedingly rare. The LOTR Book Nook can wedge between your various collectible editions of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit to add a fun flourish to your Tolkien shelf. Or you can open the Book Nook and display the buildable Balrog figure alongside your other Lego sets.

Lego Icons: Lord of the Rings - Balrog Book Nook (1,201 Pieces) $117 (was $130)

Lego picked a rather fitting scene from The Lord of the Rings for the brick-built Book Nook. The 1,201 piece model is based on Gandalf the Grey's battle with Durin's Bane in the movie adaptation of The Fellowship of the Ring.

Once fully built, the frame resembles the stone pillars and archways of the First and Second Halls in the Mines of Moria. The buildable stand for the Gandalf the Grey minifigure represents the narrowest point on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm.

With the Book Nook closed, as shown above, the model is 5.5 x 6.5 x 9 inches and captures the moment Gandalf confidently blocks the Balrog's path and exclaims, "You shall not pass!" The memorable line of dialogue is quoted on the Book Nook's front plaque. Lego Gandalf wields his signature staff in one hand and Glamdring (his sword) in the other.

The buildable Balrog figure is essentially an articulated action figure, because you can pose his wings, arms, hands, legs, and fingers. Balrog comes with a whip accessory, and flame elements attach to his back. Lego used flexible sheets of translucent plastic to make the wings. It's only been included with one other Lego set: the 269-piece Fell Beast, which was a purchase bonus Lego Insiders when the massive Barad-dûr building set launched in 2024.

You can disconnect the bridge from each side to open the Book Nook. This alternate display mode showcases the Balrog's imposing presence with its wings fully unfurled. Flame elements decorate the left and right archways, which is a reference to the Balrog of Moria's ability to start a fire by flapping its wings.

With the Book Nook fully unfolded, the wider model is 17.5 x 6.5 x 9 inches. Since neither the Balrog figure or Gandalf minifigure need to be connected to the frame, you can display them without the Lego Book Nook, too.

See at Amazon Lego Icons: The Lord of the Rings - Balrog Book Nook (10367)

The Movies of Middle-earth

Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and more on 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD

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Pokemon Detective Pikachu Steelbook Edition (4K Blu-ray)

$20.49 (was $33)

See at Amazon See at Gruv ($28) See at Walmart ($31)

Pokemon fans can catch a great deal on Detective Pikachu's Limited Edition Steelbook at Amazon. Normally $33, the collectible 4K Blu-ray edition is on sale for only $20.49. The discount probably won't stick around for too long, and it's worth noting this edition has sold out multiple times since its release last April. The 2025 Steelbook Edition is also in stock at Gruv ($28) and Walmart ($31), but Amazon is the only retailer offering the substantial discount.

Detective Pikachu originally released on Blu-ray back in 2019. At the time, Best Buy had an exclusive edition with a steelbook case. Outside of overpriced listings on eBay and other marketplaces, the original steelbook is long gone. The 2025 Steelbook Edition's design is based on one of the Pikachu posters used to promote the theatrical release.

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The increasing demand for AI among tech companies is one of the reasons why the global shortage of memory chips remains an ongoing issue. And while it's expected to adversely affect the production of smartphones, Samsung Electronics co-CEO T M Roh has warned that TVs and home appliances may also be hit by shortages and increased prices.

"As this situation is unprecedented, no company is immune to its impact," said Roh via Reuters. According to the report, Roh noted that TVs and home appliances will also feel the pinch from the shortages and he didn't rule out price hikes to compensate for them. Samsung is the biggest manufacturer of TVs in the world, and Roh said it the impact of the RAM shortages will be "inevitable."

The rise in consumer-electronic prices would also throw a large wrench in Microsoft's ongoing "This Is an Xbox" strategy, as smart TVs, including those made by Samsung, are among the growing list of platforms capable of playing Game Pass titles.

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Various map events in Arc Raiders provide unique challenges for players to tackle, including those with built-in requirements for accessing some extra good items. One of these is the Locked Gate event on Blue Gate, which tasks the lobby with finding four codes to unlock a massive gate housing underground tunnels full of loot. Like Spaceport's Hidden Bunker event, this one will take some exploration and time to unlock, so let's dive into how it all works.

Table of Contents [hide]

• How to open the locked gate on Blue Gate

How to open the locked gate on Blue Gate

To open the locked gate during the Locked Gate event, players in the lobby must find four security codes in four specific places on the Blue Gate map. There is one security code in each of the following POIs:

• Ancient Fort
• Pilgrim's Peak
• Raider's Refuge
• Reinforced Reception

You need to find the security codes at these locations.

Once you arrive at one of these POIs, loot every container there until you or another player finds that location's code, then move to the next POI. Do your best to work together with other players in the lobby to prevent unnecessary overlap--meaning that if you see someone else, always ask if they've found one of the codes, or offer to split up and find codes at different POIs to keep things moving efficiently.

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Arc Raiders is all about looting and shooting your way through a map and hoping to make it back home safely to Speranza. Every moment counts, and every container in the game could end up having that item that makes all the stress of the run worth it. So, it makes sense you may be disappointed to come across a Security Breach locker you can't open. Anything at all could be in there just waiting for you to take it home, right? Well, you might need to put in some time to make it happen, but here's how you can get to opening Security Breach lockers in Arc Raiders.

How to open Security Breach lockers in Arc Raiders

Before you'll be able to open any Security Breach lockers you stumble across, you'll first need to buy the aptly-named Security Breach skill from the skill tree. You can access the skill tree by selecting Raider > Skill Tree while in Speranza.

The Security Breach skill is in the Survival path of the skill tree.

The Security Breach skill is the final node in the Survival (red) path on the right of the skill tree. To unlock this skill, you'll need to place at least 36 points into the Survival path, which is a hefty investment. We'll get into whether it's worth it or not a bit further down.

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Electronic Arts' $55 billion deal to sell itself to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners, and the private equity firm Silver Lake still has to receive regulatory approval before it's finalized. However, some Sims fans and creators have been concerned about how Saudi Arabi's potential control over the company will affect the inclusive nature of the experience. To alleviate those concerns, the developers behind The Sims franchise wants players to know their core values haven't been changed by this deal.

"The values of The Sims are unchanged," reads the statement on the franchise's official page. "Our Sims team's creative control, guided by our values of inclusivity, choice, creativity, community, and play, has not changed. These values inspire the decisions we make each and every day as we plan for today, tomorrow, and the future."

Given Saudi Arabi's history of human rights abuses, the worried reactions from The Sims community appear to be understandable. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Elizabeth Warren have both raised their concerns about "foreign influence" on EA if the deal goes through. Subsequently, EA has asserted that it will retain creative control of the company following the sale.

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Sometimes, I feel like writing the same article four times could be considered a bit of a meme. But then I remember that this is a pretty phenomenal achievement for any streamer, let alone an AI VTuber. First Neuro-sama beat the Twitch Hype Train world record ... then it happened again. And again. This time around, her "sister" Evil Neuro, who has her own distinctive voice, model, and attitude, led the calls to beat the Hype Train record for a fourth time. In the process, she also helped her creator Vedal987 become the third-most-subscribed Twitch channel of all time.

After becoming the third most-subscribed channel, Vedal joined Evil on stream to ask his community to "Give it a rest." He added, "In all seriousness chat, you have given me and the twins more than we need, so it's okay." Evil wasn't happy with this though, retorting, "No Vedal! Please can we raise the timer, just a little bit? Don't you think it's a bit cruel to just cut it off here?" Evil was referring to the timer that's currently running for Neuro's third birthday subathon, where each subscription gifted to the channel adds time to a countdown clock that determines when the stream will end. It has been running since December 19, 2025, and has around 22 hours left at the time of writing.

Regardless, shortly afterwards the Hype Train did come to an end at level 72--although not a fourth world record, it's still a hugely impressive achievement, and leaves Vedal's Twitch channel with more than 328,900 subscribers. It's hard to nail down an exact figure, since that number continues to rise as the community attempts to extend the subathon. What that does mean, however, is that Vedal, Neuro, and Evil have overtaken streamer Jasontheween and fellow VTuber Ironmouse's positions as the third and fourth most-subscribed channels on Twitch. The only two channels that have ever beaten that achievement are Evelone2004, with 459,924 subscribers, and KaiCenat with 1,112,947 subscribers.

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During Fortnite Chapter 6, most every cosmetic you could unlock from a pass or for free was earned simply by gaining XP in any mode. But Epic has returned to the old ways in Chapter 7, with unlockable cosmetics that require completing specific quests. Case in point is the Born in Chaos mini pass for Fortnite's new South Park crossover, which comes with a series of quests that you'll need to complete in order to unlock the otherwise-free cosmetics.

That means that if you want to get those Terrance and Phillip doll pickaxes, you'll actually need to pay attention to these quests. Some of them you'll certainly complete by accident if you play Fortnite regularly, but others will require a bit of conscious effort. And we'll make it just a smidge easier by handling the thinking part for you--which is to say that we'll explain each quest in detail below.

All of these quests must be completed in Battle Royale or Zero Build, and they provide pass progress only. The quests themselves don't offer XP directly, but there are three level skips you can unlock as you progress the event pass, and you can already earn one of them (worth 80,000 XP) by completing five quests. Completing four quests from a batch will award a Memberberry--collecting six Memberberries awards the Imaginationland Airship glider.

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The publisher behind strategy games Endless Legend 2, Terra Invicta, and Against the Storm has officially banned the use of AI-generated assets in all its products. Hooded Horse has had a significant presence in the strategy game space over the last few years, thanks to hits like Manor Lords. Now, when many publishers and developers are evaluating (or touting) their relationship to generative AI, Hooded Horse is rebuking its use for art generation.

Hooded Horse CEO Tim Bender discussed the ban in an interview with Kotaku, emphasizing that restrictions on AI art are part of every contract Hooded Horse signs. He said, "It is now written into our contracts if we’re publishing the game, 'no f**king AI assets.'" He also expressed personal exasperation with how GenAI has made his job harder. He said, "If I sound frustrated, it’s because, like, honestly, all this thing has done is made our lives more difficult."

This frustration comes from the fact that GenAI usage can be difficult to catch. Even if the intention is to use a generated asset only as a placeholder, those assets can easily make their way to the final product. "We’ve gotten to the point where we also talk to developers and we recommend they don’t use any gen AI anywhere in the process," Bender elaborated.

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You will be able to play Divinity with your friends and family. Developer Larian Studios has confirmed co-op will be included for the RPG when it comes out, whenever that may be.

During a Reddit AMA, Larian technical director Bert van Semmertier gave the thumbs-up to co-op in Divinity, stating that the feature "will be available for release." What's intriguing, however, was how the developer discussed how many people might be able to team up in the game.

"The amount of players playing together will be depending on the final party size," van Semmertier responded. "But since modding is planned for this project as well, player[s] will be essentially free to extend this. There is no hard limit to the amount of co-op players."

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Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment seem to be feeling pretty good about the development of Tom Clancy's The Division 3. Julian Gerighty, who oversees the franchise as executive producer, says the game is "shaping up to be a monster."

In an interview at the New Game+ Showcase (via VGC), Gerighty opened up just a bit about the next major installment in the online action-RPG series. "The Division 3 is in production, right? This is not a secret; it's been announced," Gerighty said. "It’s shaping up to be a monster."

In 2023, Ubisoft officially announced that The Division 3 was in development, so of course Gerighty is correct that it's not a confidential matter at this point. "Within these walls at Massive, we are working extremely hard on something that I think will have as big an impact as Division 1 was," Gerighty added.

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Epic Games may have opened a can of worms by fully enabling developers in Fortnite Creative to implement in-game purchases into their experiences.

Developer tools for in-game transactions were available in Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) in a preview state since November, letting creators charge V-Bucks for digital items in their unpublished Fortnite Creative modes and games, or "islands." Epic Games has just flipped the switch, allowing for these islands to be published.

The implementation of these developer tools for monetization in Fortnite Creative has raised complaints and worries, with players comparing this development to Roblox's revenue model. Concerns about pay-to-win practices and predatory microtransactions have emerged in Fortnite communities since Epic Games first announced its plans to implement this approach.

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Fortnite and Roblox have been named in a new lawsuit filed in San Francisco by a Louisiana mother who's alleging her child may have experienced structural brain changes due to prolonged exposure to online games.

Descheca Jackson claims in the lawsuit brought to the US District Court for the Northern District of California on December 30 that her child, a minor only identified by the initials "MA," has developed symptoms consistent with internet gaming disorder (IGD) since playing video games at a young age. This includes behavioral challenges such as her loss of impulse control, withdrawal symptoms, irritability, anxiety, and difficulty disengaging from gameplay. The lawsuit also alleges that MA suffered addiction, social isolation, depression, loss of friends and relationships, and damage to her grades, leading to "an academic dismissal from school."

According to a February 2025 study reported on by About Lawsuits, IGD is described as a pattern in which gaming negatively impacts a person's daily activities, including school, work, relationships, and family life. The symptoms tend to include nonstop gaming, irritability when access to games is restricted, and continued use despite its negative consequences. The research suggests IGD affects one in 10 adolescent boys, with Minecraft and Roblox often the culprits of the disorder.

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Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke, as well as creative directors, recently participated in an AMA on Reddit to set expectations for the studio’s upcoming Divinity game, particularly about its stance on generative AI--a hot-button topic in the industry right now. Responding to a fan question about the role of generative AI in game development, Vincke was rather blunt: "There is not going to be any GenAI art in Divinity."

His comments arrive amid wider debate over how and whether AI should be used in creative processes, especially as some high-profile games have faced backlash for such use. One notable example is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the acclaimed RPG that had two Indie Game Awards (including Game of the Year and Debut Game) rescinded when it was revealed the title had included AI-generated assets during development, violating strict no-AI rules--even though those assets were patched out later.

In the AMA, Vincke acknowledged that previous discussions about experimenting with AI tools for concept-art had been confusing. To make its intentions clear, the studio has elected to avoid generative AI entirely in concept-art creation for Divinity. As Vincke put it, there should be no doubt about where the art came from.

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Ahead of the release of Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave later this year, Nintendo has added Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance to the Switch 2's library of GameCube classics. Regarded as one of the best entries in the entire franchise, Path of Radiance will be available for all Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers.

First released in 2005, Path of Radiance earned critical acclaim for its dark storyline, mature themes, and for being the first 3D Fire Emblem game. Set on the fictional continent of Tellius, the game follows the mercenary Ike and his companions as they set out to rescue a princess and save the kingdom of Crimea from the invading nation of Daein.

Like previous Fire Emblem games, Path of Radiance is a turn-based tactical RPG that features permadeath: Any character who falls in battle is permanently lost for the rest of the game. A sequel--Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn--was released for the Nintendo Wii in 2007.

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The extraction shooter Arc Raiders has proven to be one of the top hits of 2025, which has in turn attracted some unscrupulous players who aren't above cheating to win. After the rule-abiding Arc Raiders players became vocal about their displeasure, Embark Studios has announced that new anti-cheat measures are on their way to the game.

"We've seen the discussion around the topic of cheaters in Arc Raiders," reads the message shared on Arc Raiders' Discord server via PC Gamer. "Please know that we are taking this issue very seriously and are listening to, and acting on your feedback. Over the next few weeks, we are implementing significant changes to our rulesets and deploying new detection mechanisms to identify and remove cheaters. This includes updating our Anti-Cheat systems for improved detection and bans, as well as applying client-side fixes specifically addressing the 'out of map glitch.' Furthermore, we are introducing tools for streamers to help mitigate stream sniping."

A firm timetable for the anti-cheat measures wasn't disclosed. However, Embark Studios CEO Patrick Söderlund recently revealed that Arc Raiders has quietly introduced "aggression-based matchmaking." Söderlund went on to clarify that matchmaking is still skill-based, but it will also match players "based on how likely you are to engage in fights with fellow players."

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