Pokémon Ascended Heroes Launches, with One Card Fetching Over $1,000
Pre-release Pokémon card prices are skyrocketing. Fortnite is set to shake things up after a well-known streamer voiced his frustrations. Plus, we might see an OLED PlayStation Portal launch later this year, and I’m curious to see how it will be priced in today’s economy. Here’s your daily dose of gaming news, rumors, and culture. Reece “Kiwi Talkz” Reilly predicts that this will be a “coasting” year for Nintendo, which feels accurate, especially with the Switch 2 already out. We’re all waiting for that new 3D Mario game.
The Mega Gengar ex SIR and Mega Charizard Y ex from Ascended Heroes have been officially revealed!
The set faced an unexpected hiccup this week with significant delays, but that hasn’t stopped some cards from fetching outrageous prices on resale sites. The new Mega Gengar ex is already listed for $1,300 on eBay. While it’s unwise to pay that much right now, you know someone will. Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex is also commanding high prices, with at least one sale hitting $900. Remember when Pokémon trading cards were just about having fun?
A bunch of new Dragon Ball content was unveiled for the series’ anniversary last weekend. Alongside new DLC and anime, there was a tease for a brand-new game titled Dragon Ball Project: Age 1000. Many fans speculate it could be Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, but whatever it is, the main character is already making waves. He’s been dubbed “John Dragon Ball” for his power-stealing abilities and his generic design, leading many to believe he might secretly be the strongest fighter in the galaxy.
Design director Ted Timmins, known for his work on Call of Duty: Warzone, recently addressed fan burnout regarding Fortnite’s repetitive content, sparked by a video from Twitch streamer SypherPK. He acknowledged the community’s desire for fresh content, stating, “There was always a risk that by simplifying the game, focusing on Battle Royale, and taking a ‘back to basics’ approach for Season 1, it may start to feel a little *too* similar to past chapters.” He reassured players that a fun update is coming in February, with rumors of Self-Revives and Shockwaves making a comeback, followed by a full Season 2 update in March. Stability fixes are also a priority.
Larian Studios CEO has been under fire for his comments on AI and recently shared his thoughts on game reviews, suggesting critics should have Metacritic scores like games do (he later deleted that part). He expressed a need to choose his words more carefully, stating, “I genuinely was trying to make a constructive argument but phrased it poorly. My point wasn’t that I have an issue with criticism. My point was that it doesn’t need to be hurtful. Constructive criticism really has a higher impact.”
Epic Games’ CEO took another jab at Valve’s storefront this week, claiming it uses monopoly power to pressure game developers. He stated, “A store can charge a fee for selling a product. What the court found is: after you’ve bought a game, the store can’t force all in-game commerce between you and the developer to go through them with 30 percent junk fees. It’s like a car dealership demanding 30 percent of gas purchases.”
Rumors suggest that a new model of the $200 PS5 accessory could be on the way later this year, according to online leaker KeplerL2. This aligns with Sony’s recent strategy of maximizing revenue from its most dedicated fans, but as long as it’s not priced at $300, I can’t say I won’t be interested.
