Kirby and the Forgotten Land seems to be the best-selling Kirby game, ever.

As reported by VGC, Nintendo's Fiscal Year Ending March 2023 Six Months Earnings Release, revealed that Kirby and the Forgotten Land has sold a further 2.61 million in this past quarter. This seemingly means that the recently released Kirby game has racked up an impressive 5.27 million copies sold since launch.

This beats out the franchise’s previous record holder – Kirby’s Dream Land for the original Game Boy is thought to have sold 5.13 million copies.

If this historic figure is correct, then Kirby and the Forgotten Land has comfortably bested it.

Although that’s not a huge surprise – Nintendo has previously claimed that the game sold 4 million copies in its first fifteen weeks.

Not to mention, critics went mad for Kirby’s latest adventure.

IGN’s review of Kirby and the Forgotten Land gave it 8/10 and said: “Kirby and the Forgotten Land successfully warps the series’ already fun mix of ability-based combat, platforming, and secret hunting into the third dimension. The post-apocalyptic setting may not be as thematically interesting as Planet Popstar, but it is still lovely and vibrant, with cleverly designed levels that make consistently smart use of Kirby’s abilities. Despite the change in perspective, Forgotten Land maintains most of what I love about classic Kirby games – and if the future means more 3D adventures for our hungry pink hero, I’d be more than happy to swallow them up.”

Kirby and the Forgotten Land reportedly enjoyed the biggest Japanese launch in the history of the series, selling 380,000 copies in its first week alone.

The game is currently sitting at 85 on Metacritic.

The game takes Kirby into uncharted waters as a full 3D platformer, but developer Shinya Kumazaki said that won’t necessarily be the standard going forward.

“Nintendo is on the same page as us, and this is something we talk about often. We hope to go beyond what is currently imaginable and challenge ourselves to create new and innovative Kirby games.”

Want to read more about Kirby and the Forgotten Land? Check out our beginner’s guide to Kirby’s latest adventure as well as what to expect from the future of the Kirby franchise.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land seems to be the best-selling Kirby game, ever.

As reported by VGC, Nintendo's Fiscal Year Ending March 2023 Six Months Earnings Release, revealed that Kirby and the Forgotten Land has sold a further 2.61 million in this past quarter. This seemingly means that the recently released Kirby game has racked up an impressive 5.27 million copies sold since launch.

This beats out the franchise’s previous record holder – Kirby’s Dream Land for the original Game Boy is thought to have sold 5.13 million copies.

If this historic figure is correct, then Kirby and the Forgotten Land has comfortably bested it.

Although that’s not a huge surprise – Nintendo has previously claimed that the game sold 4 million copies in its first fifteen weeks.

Not to mention, critics went mad for Kirby’s latest adventure.

IGN’s review of Kirby and the Forgotten Land gave it 8/10 and said: “Kirby and the Forgotten Land successfully warps the series’ already fun mix of ability-based combat, platforming, and secret hunting into the third dimension. The post-apocalyptic setting may not be as thematically interesting as Planet Popstar, but it is still lovely and vibrant, with cleverly designed levels that make consistently smart use of Kirby’s abilities. Despite the change in perspective, Forgotten Land maintains most of what I love about classic Kirby games – and if the future means more 3D adventures for our hungry pink hero, I’d be more than happy to swallow them up.”

Kirby and the Forgotten Land reportedly enjoyed the biggest Japanese launch in the history of the series, selling 380,000 copies in its first week alone.

The game is currently sitting at 85 on Metacritic.

The game takes Kirby into uncharted waters as a full 3D platformer, but developer Shinya Kumazaki said that won’t necessarily be the standard going forward.

“Nintendo is on the same page as us, and this is something we talk about often. We hope to go beyond what is currently imaginable and challenge ourselves to create new and innovative Kirby games.”

Want to read more about Kirby and the Forgotten Land? Check out our beginner’s guide to Kirby’s latest adventure as well as what to expect from the future of the Kirby franchise.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has become Japan's best-selling game ever, having sold 10.45 million copies since its release two years ago.

According to Game Data Library, a site that claims to be the 'largest collection of Japanese game sales data on the internet,' New Horizons has surpassed several Pokémon titles to claim the top spot on Japan's best-selling games list. Pokémon Red/Blue/Green is now in second place with 10.23m sales, followed by Pokémon Gold/Silver with 7.17m.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has become Japan's all time best selling game. pic.twitter.com/yonNxSkBkd

— Game Data Library (@GameDataLibrary) November 8, 2022

New Horizons was released in March 2020 and achieved astounding sales right out of the gate. The rapid success of the game is further highlighted by its sales in Japan, where it has climbed the ranks to reach first place on the best-selling games chart in just over two years. Three of the other entries in the Top 5 were released over 20 years ago.

The list also reveals that Splatoon 3 has made it into the Top 20 with just over five million copies sold, two months on from its release. The third-person shooter had an absurdly big launch in Japan, selling 3.45 million copies in just three days, outpacing huge Nintendo Switch titles like New Horizons and Pokémon Sword and Shield within the same time frame.

Released on the doorstep of a global pandemic, New Horizons provided a much need escape for many, with IGN calling it "an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game that's full of surprises." Nintendo later expanded the game with the Happy Home Paradise DLC, which IGN labelled a "must-have for base game owners."

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has become Japan's best-selling game ever, having sold 10.45 million copies since its release two years ago.

According to Game Data Library, a site that claims to be the 'largest collection of Japanese game sales data on the internet,' New Horizons has surpassed several Pokémon titles to claim the top spot on Japan's best-selling games list. Pokémon Red/Blue/Green is now in second place with 10.23m sales, followed by Pokémon Gold/Silver with 7.17m.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has become Japan's all time best selling game. pic.twitter.com/yonNxSkBkd

— Game Data Library (@GameDataLibrary) November 8, 2022

New Horizons was released in March 2020 and achieved astounding sales right out of the gate. The rapid success of the game is further highlighted by its sales in Japan, where it has climbed the ranks to reach first place on the best-selling games chart in just over two years. Three of the other entries in the Top 5 were released over 20 years ago.

The list also reveals that Splatoon 3 has made it into the Top 20 with just over five million copies sold, two months on from its release. The third-person shooter had an absurdly big launch in Japan, selling 3.45 million copies in just three days, outpacing huge Nintendo Switch titles like New Horizons and Pokémon Sword and Shield within the same time frame.

Released on the doorstep of a global pandemic, New Horizons provided a much need escape for many, with IGN calling it "an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game that's full of surprises." Nintendo later expanded the game with the Happy Home Paradise DLC, which IGN labelled a "must-have for base game owners."

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Following the end of its partnership with EA, FIFA has announced that it is working on a portfolio of Web3 games ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. So far, there are four games in development that will utilize blockchain technology.

AI League is a 4-on-4 casual game played between AI-controlled characters and players will act as coaches and offer input at tactical moments. Players can also collect and trade characters between teams.

Uplandme utilizes virtual properties and allows players to travel to a replica FIFA World Cup Lusail Stadium and Village and shop for items to customize their home.

Matchday is a game based on social prediction through the use of cards. Here, players can collect and own Matchday player cards that have the names, images, and likenesses of professional players.

The last one, Phygti, is an app that generates digital rewards. It seems to be an initiative that allows players to capture and eternalize their favorite FIFA World Cup pictures and video moments.

“This is a hugely exciting group of partnerships that we’ve entered into as we embrace a new, digitally-native football fan and engage with them in the spaces that we know they are already active within,” says FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai.

He continues, “As we continue to build our gaming strategy long into future, it’s certain that web 3.0 will have an important role to play, and this marks the start of our journey.”

These are FIFA’s first gaming initiatives since it split from EA back in May. FIFA is planning on releasing new soccer and non-simulation games starting in Q3 2022.

Although blockchain games have been widely scrutinized in the industry, some companies are embracing it, such as Square Enix. The company recently announced Symbiogenesis, an art NFT project, that disappointed fans who thought it was a rumored Parasite Eve revival.

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He's been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.

When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey

Following the end of its partnership with EA, FIFA has announced that it is working on a portfolio of Web3 games ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. So far, there are four games in development that will utilize blockchain technology.

AI League is a 4-on-4 casual game played between AI-controlled characters and players will act as coaches and offer input at tactical moments. Players can also collect and trade characters between teams.

Uplandme utilizes virtual properties and allows players to travel to a replica FIFA World Cup Lusail Stadium and Village and shop for items to customize their home.

Matchday is a game based on social prediction through the use of cards. Here, players can collect and own Matchday player cards that have the names, images, and likenesses of professional players.

The last one, Phygti, is an app that generates digital rewards. It seems to be an initiative that allows players to capture and eternalize their favorite FIFA World Cup pictures and video moments.

“This is a hugely exciting group of partnerships that we’ve entered into as we embrace a new, digitally-native football fan and engage with them in the spaces that we know they are already active within,” says FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai.

He continues, “As we continue to build our gaming strategy long into future, it’s certain that web 3.0 will have an important role to play, and this marks the start of our journey.”

These are FIFA’s first gaming initiatives since it split from EA back in May. FIFA is planning on releasing new soccer and non-simulation games starting in Q3 2022.

Although blockchain games have been widely scrutinized in the industry, some companies are embracing it, such as Square Enix. The company recently announced Symbiogenesis, an art NFT project, that disappointed fans who thought it was a rumored Parasite Eve revival.

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He's been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.

When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey

A 2D pixel art Metroidvania based on Dark Souls III was seemingly rejected by Bandai Namco.

According to artist Thomas Feichtmeir (via Twitter), the side-scrolling Dark Souls 3 game was pitched to the company around 6 years ago… but, as we said, it was rejected.

“A Dark Souls 3 - 2D pixel art Metroidvania was pitched to Bandai Namco [around] 6 years ago,” he said. “This is now finally out of NDA, so enjoy the visuals created back then.”

A Dark Souls 3 - 2D pixelart metroidvania was pitched to Bandai Namco ~6 years ago.
This is now finally out of NDA, so enjoy the visuals created back then. pic.twitter.com/Dt5BDasWbU

— Thomas Feichtmeir (@cyangmou) November 8, 2022

A 2D pixel artist, Feichtmeir has worked on a number of Metroidvanias that were inspired by the darker tone of the Dark Souls series, including Blasphemous.

Although the above screenshot is all we’ve seen so far, it does look pretty impressive with its depiction of the Dark Souls 3 boss, the Dancer of the Boreal Valley.

“The art here was created in a style which would have been doable in the average budget estimations of Metroidvania back then,” added Feichtmeir.

Dark Souls 3 was made by FromSoftware, who may not have been involved in the Metroidvania. Since Bandai Namco holds the rights to the property, the game was pitched directly to the company.

Why was it pitched in the first place? Well, it’s all because of the rise of 2D games.

“Back at the time it just became evident that Metroidvanias hit a nerve and would get big,” explained Feichtmeir. “Many of the Metroidvania games which got pitched or seemed interesting anyways had a Dark Souls inspiration, so the idea made a lot of sense.”

It’s true that many Metroidvanias at the time had been clearly inspired by the Dark Souls series, with the likes of Death's Gambit, Dead Cells, and many others following in its footsteps.

Obviously, a direct adaptation is something else entirely… but given the immensely positive response to the artist’s tweet, it looks as though Dark Souls III could have made the perfect Metroidvania.

Want to read more about Dark Souls? Find out why Dark Souls on PC was switched offline and why its features have since been restored.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

A 2D pixel art Metroidvania based on Dark Souls III was seemingly rejected by Bandai Namco.

According to artist Thomas Feichtmeir (via Twitter), the side-scrolling Dark Souls 3 game was pitched to the company around 6 years ago… but, as we said, it was rejected.

“A Dark Souls 3 - 2D pixel art Metroidvania was pitched to Bandai Namco [around] 6 years ago,” he said. “This is now finally out of NDA, so enjoy the visuals created back then.”

A Dark Souls 3 - 2D pixelart metroidvania was pitched to Bandai Namco ~6 years ago.
This is now finally out of NDA, so enjoy the visuals created back then. pic.twitter.com/Dt5BDasWbU

— Thomas Feichtmeir (@cyangmou) November 8, 2022

A 2D pixel artist, Feichtmeir has worked on a number of Metroidvanias that were inspired by the darker tone of the Dark Souls series, including Blasphemous.

Although the above screenshot is all we’ve seen so far, it does look pretty impressive with its depiction of the Dark Souls 3 boss, the Dancer of the Boreal Valley.

“The art here was created in a style which would have been doable in the average budget estimations of Metroidvania back then,” added Feichtmeir.

Dark Souls 3 was made by FromSoftware, who may not have been involved in the Metroidvania. Since Bandai Namco holds the rights to the property, the game was pitched directly to the company.

Why was it pitched in the first place? Well, it’s all because of the rise of 2D games.

“Back at the time it just became evident that Metroidvanias hit a nerve and would get big,” explained Feichtmeir. “Many of the Metroidvania games which got pitched or seemed interesting anyways had a Dark Souls inspiration, so the idea made a lot of sense.”

It’s true that many Metroidvanias at the time had been clearly inspired by the Dark Souls series, with the likes of Death's Gambit, Dead Cells, and many others following in its footsteps.

Obviously, a direct adaptation is something else entirely… but given the immensely positive response to the artist’s tweet, it looks as though Dark Souls III could have made the perfect Metroidvania.

Want to read more about Dark Souls? Find out why Dark Souls on PC was switched offline and why its features have since been restored.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

FromSoftware has restored online features for the PC version of Dark Souls Remastered after the servers were taken offline earlier this year due to hacking concerns.

Online features for Dark Souls: Remastered, Dark Souls 2, and Dark Souls 3 on PC were taken down in January this year after a “serious exploit” was discovered that allowed hackers to take control of player computers.

Over the following months Bandai Namco and FromSoftware worked to remove the exploit, and in August the Servers for Dark Souls 3 were successfully brought back online. Multiplayer services for Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin followed in October.

However, in the same Twitter thread FromSoftware revealed that, whilst Dark Souls: Remastered would eventually be brought back online, the original PC release - Dark Souls: Prepare to Die - would never have its online services restored.

“We have determined that we will not be able to support online services for the PC version of Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition that was released in 2012, due to an aging system,” tweeted the official Dark Souls account. “We apologize for the long wait and ask for your understanding in this matter.”

Now, a little under ten months since the servers went dark, FromSoftware took to the swirling maelstrom of chaos that is Twitter once more to reveal that it has finally restored the online features for Dark Souls: Remastered.

Online features for the PC version of #DarkSouls: Remastered have been reactivated.

Thank you once again for your patience, understanding, and support. pic.twitter.com/IZ8lsfx3Tx

— Dark Souls (@DarkSoulsGame) November 9, 2022

FromSoftware's Japanese language player support account elaborated further, stating in a tweet translated via Google, “The PC version of 'DARK SOULS REMASTERED' has completed its security vulnerability investigation and countermeasures, so the game server has been restored and online services have resumed.”

So, rejoice Souls fans, but also remember to pour one out on the bonfire for the PC version of Dark Souls: Prepare To Die, whose online servers were the playground for many a masochistic gamer.

For more Dark Souls and soulslike news be sure to keep it here with IGN.

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer

FromSoftware has restored online features for the PC version of Dark Souls Remastered after the servers were taken offline earlier this year due to hacking concerns.

Online features for Dark Souls: Remastered, Dark Souls 2, and Dark Souls 3 on PC were taken down in January this year after a “serious exploit” was discovered that allowed hackers to take control of player computers.

Over the following months Bandai Namco and FromSoftware worked to remove the exploit, and in August the Servers for Dark Souls 3 were successfully brought back online. Multiplayer services for Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin followed in October.

However, in the same Twitter thread FromSoftware revealed that, whilst Dark Souls: Remastered would eventually be brought back online, the original PC release - Dark Souls: Prepare to Die - would never have its online services restored.

“We have determined that we will not be able to support online services for the PC version of Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition that was released in 2012, due to an aging system,” tweeted the official Dark Souls account. “We apologize for the long wait and ask for your understanding in this matter.”

Now, a little under ten months since the servers went dark, FromSoftware took to the swirling maelstrom of chaos that is Twitter once more to reveal that it has finally restored the online features for Dark Souls: Remastered.

Online features for the PC version of #DarkSouls: Remastered have been reactivated.

Thank you once again for your patience, understanding, and support. pic.twitter.com/IZ8lsfx3Tx

— Dark Souls (@DarkSoulsGame) November 9, 2022

FromSoftware's Japanese language player support account elaborated further, stating in a tweet translated via Google, “The PC version of 'DARK SOULS REMASTERED' has completed its security vulnerability investigation and countermeasures, so the game server has been restored and online services have resumed.”

So, rejoice Souls fans, but also remember to pour one out on the bonfire for the PC version of Dark Souls: Prepare To Die, whose online servers were the playground for many a masochistic gamer.

For more Dark Souls and soulslike news be sure to keep it here with IGN.

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer