Whether you like it or not, Fortnite continues to flourish. In a recent blog post from Epic, the company reveals that Aug. 2018 was its biggest month ever in terms of total players.

Beginning in October, we’re opening up inclusive competition, where everybody can play and compete. To make that possible we’ve had to harden and scale our systems and infrastructure. For example, August was Fortnite’s biggest month yet, with 78.3 million of you showing up to play. This exposed weak points and allowed us to make targeted improvements to critical systems, such as stats and servers.

I know I dropped in on a few games and added to that total. How many of you are still kicking around in the game?

Remember when Reggie Fils-Aime said that Canada was crazy for Pokemon? Well, the latest anecdotal sales info would seem to back that up.

With Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee Switch bundles going up for preorder yesterday, it seems Canadians went preorder crazy. The bundles are now completely sold out on both Amazon and EB Games, with Amazon selling out of their allotment in just 10 minutes! Preorders are yet to open via Best Buy, and reports from in-store at EB Games show that walk-in preorders are almost at their limit as well.

Oh boy, here we go again! On February 24, 2018, Panasonic and Nintendo Co., Ltd. filed for two patent applications in the United States for devices that help the user either relax or wake up These devices are both related to lighting in some way. Could this be the rebirth, or continuation of Nintendo's quality of life projects?

Nintendo eShop (Switch)

Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle (CAPCOM) - €19.99/£15.99
This comprehensive collection includes seven classic games, each with various multiplayer options, online capabilities and detailed galleries!

Undertale (8-4) - €14.99/£11.99
Fall into the underworld and explore a hilarious and heartwarming world full of dangerous monsters. Date a skeleton, dance with a robot, cook with a fishwoman...or destroy everyone where they stand. The future is yours to determine!

Dark Souls: Remastered - Network Test (BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment) - Free
Re-experience the critically acclaimed, genre-defining game that started it all. Beautifully remastered, return to Lordran in stunning detail. DARK SOULS: REMASTERED includes the main game plus the Artorias of the Abyss DLC.

Legendary Fishing (Ubisoft) - €29.99/£24.99
Experience the thrill of catching over 20 different types of fish, from King Salmon to Largemouth Bass, in this legendary fishing experience. Includes unlockable gear, missions, multiple destinations, and hours of fun solo or with friends and family.

Scribblenauts Mega Pack (WB Games) - €29.99/£24.99
Two classic games with ALL-NEW content to explore! Scribblenauts Unlimited - Journey into Maxwell and Lily's world as you use the power of your imagination to solve exciting puzzles in endless ways. Discover the story of Maxwell's 41 siblings and create unique objects of your own to share online with your friends!

Omvorm (4MB Interactive) - €7.79/£6.99
Welcome to Omvorm! The first puzzle game from indie studio 4MB Interactive and our debut on Nintendo Switch! Omvorm is a fast paced shape shifting puzzle game that requires quick reactions and calmness under pressure.  

Siegecraft Commander (Level 77) - €19.99/£17.99
Play through the Knight campaign as you battle against the tribal Lizardmen or enjoy the groundbreaking PvP combat system that will deliver fast-paced real-time strategy action or tactical turn-based gameplay.

Little Dragons Cafe (Rising Star Games) - €49.99/£44.99
From Yasuhiro Wada, the creator of Harvest Moon, comes a new experience packed with delicious dishes, places to explore, magical characters and… a dragon's egg?! It's an exciting mix of ingredients that makes Little Dragons Café the tastiest game in town!

Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae (ZENITH BLUE) - €11.99/£10.79
High school girls + Japanese swords! Enter the arena, take on a swarm of enemies and leave none standing in this action-fuelled indie game.

A Case of Distrust (Serenity Forge) - €14.99/£13.49
A Case of Distrust is a narrative mystery from 1924 San Francisco. Play as private investigator Phyllis Cadence Malone in this historical 2D adventure game. Explore underground speakeasies, smoke-filled billiard halls, classic barber shops, and more.

ACA NEOGEO CYBER-LIP (HAMSTER) - €6.99/£6.29
“CYBER-LIP” is an action game released in 1990 by SNK. The state-of-the-art scientific army computer CYBER-LIP has suddenly gone rogue! Use a variety of items and weapons to stop the slaughter of all humanity! In two-player mode, two people can work together to take out the target.

Hover (Plug In Digital) - €24.99/£22.49
Experience the thrills of a fast-paced single and multiplayer Parkour game. Join the Rebellion and deride the security forces of an anti-leisure tyranny. Rise up to the many challenges of a futuristic Open World. Assemble your team, enhance your gear and perform incredible tricks and combos.

Life Goes On (GAMEPOCH) - €10.99/£9.99
Life Goes On is a comically-morbid platformer where you guide heroic knights to their demise and use the dead bodies to solve puzzles. Wanting to live forever, a mighty king sends his army of knights to find the Cup of Life.

MagiCat (Toge Productions) - €4.99/£4.49
MagiCat takes players on a quest to retrieve a stolen artifact and explore the astounding magical worlds of the MagiCat universe. Using  the powers of dashing, high jump, and fireball, along with items that can be unlocked as the story progresses, players must help MagiCat regain the world’s lost relic.

Reigns: Kings & Queens (Devolver Digital) - €7.99/£7.19
Reigns: Kings & Queens includes both award-winning games Reigns and Reign: Her Majesty. Sit on the throne as a benevolent (or malevolent) monarch of the modern age and swipe your royal decrees to the left or right to impose your will upon the kingdom.

Retimed (Stray Fawn) - €13.80/£12.39
Challenge friends and family to awesome and fast paced arena battles. Choose between chaotic team matches and intense free-for-all fights. Dash and dodge bullet clusters in nerve wrecking slow motion moments. Use different surroundings to outplay your opponents and enjoy the colourful world of Retimed!

Risk of Rain (Hopoo Games) - €9.99/£8.99
Risk of Rain is an action platformer with roguelike elements. With permanent death as a primary feature, players will have to play their best to get as far as possible.

SEGA AGES Sonic The Hedgehog (SEGA) - €6.99/£5.99
Sonic The Hedgehog includes Mega Play, previously only available in the Sonic the Hedgehog arcade game. Familiar stages will feel new again as you race against time to the finish line. It's a thrilling challenge for seasoned Sonic fans!

SEGA AGES Thunder Force IV (SEGA) - €6.99/£5.99
The fourth instalment in the Thunder Force series from legendary game developer Technosoft. Battle against the Vios forces and fly as RYNEX in this side-scrolling shoot ‘em up that enthralled the world with its innovative ideas, beautiful pixel graphics, and a rocking soundtrack.

THE Card: Poker, Texas hold 'em, Blackjack and Page One (D3 Publisher) - €4.99/£4.49
This game includes Poker, Texas hold 'em, Blackjack, and Page One. Compete with users across the country over the coins earned in a game.

The Gardens Between (The Voxel Agents) - €19.99/£17.99
The Gardens Between is a single-player adventure-puzzle game about time, memory and friendship. Best friends Arina and Frendt fall into a series of vibrant, dreamlike island gardens peppered with everyday objects from their childhood.

Velocity 2X (Curve Digital) - €19.99/£14.99 (€15.99/£11.99 until September 27)
Velocity 2X blends two unique styles of fast-paced, frenetic gameplay into one incredible fun and challenging SF experience.

Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk (NIS America, available September 21) - €49.99/£44.99
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk Demo (NIS America, available September 21) - Free
In this dungeon RPG, you play as the Tractatus de Monstrum, a living book owned by the conniving Dusk Witch Dronya, and confront the dangers lurking beneath the quiet town of Refrain.

Arcade Archives EXCITEBIKE (HAMSTER, available September 21) - €6.99/£6.29
“EXCITEBIKE” is a motorcycle racing game released by Nintendo in 1984. In addition to solo qualifying races, there are final races where you face off against motocross riders. Each course has its own variety of obstacles. Use all your techniques to avoid the obstacles as you aim for first place.

Broken Sword 5 - the Serpent's Curse (Revolution, available September 21) - €29.99/£24.99
Paris in the spring. Shots ring out from a gallery. A robbery... a murder... and the beginning of another epic Broken Sword adventure. From multi-award winning Revolution comes the latest mystery in this much loved adventure-puzzle series.

My Brother Rabbit (Artifex Mundi, available September 21) - €14.99/£13.49
My Brother Rabbit is a beautifully drawn adventure set in a surreal world that mixes reality with a child’s imagination. A young girl faces a terrible reality when she falls ill. The little girl and her brother use the power of imagination to escape the hostile outside world.

Detention Demo (Coconut Games) - Free
Detention is a unique atmospheric horror game heavily influenced by Taiwanese/East Asian culture, religious elements and mythology.


Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online: Individual Membership - 30 Days (Nintendo) - €3.99/£3.49
Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online: Individual Membership - 90 Days (Nintendo) - €7.99/£6.99
Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online: Individual Membership - 365 Days (Nintendo) - €19.99/£17.99
Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online: Family Membership - 365 Days (Nintendo) - €34.99/£31.49
Nintendo Switch Online membership service description: In addition to online play, Nintendo Switch Online includes Save Data Cloud backup for compatible games, a growing library of classic NES games with newly added online play, a smartphone app for voice chat and other features for supported games, and exclusive special offers.

Nintendo Entertainment System  - Nintendo Switch Online (Nintendo) - Free for Switch Online members
Members of the Nintendo Switch Online paid membership service get ongoing access to a growing library of easy to pick-up-and-play Nintendo Entertainment System titles, newly enhanced with online play.


Downloadable Content

Pic-a-Pix Deluxe - Small Puzzles 9 (Lightwood Games) - €1.99/£1.99
An additional pack of 45 new puzzles in smaller sizes. (10 10x10 puzzles and 35 15x15 puzzles)

Pic-a-Pix Deluxe - Large Puzzles 9 (Lightwood Games) - €1.99/£1.99
An additional pack of 30 new puzzles in larger sizes. (15 15x20 puzzles and 15 20x20 puzzles)

Pic-a-Pix Deluxe - Mixed Puzzles 9 (Lightwood Games) - €1.99/£1.99
An additional pack of 30 new puzzles across all sizes. (5 10x10 puzzles, 6 15x15 puzzles, 9 15x20 puzzles and 10 20x20 puzzles)

SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions - Murasaki Reflexions Course & 7 Outfit Set (Marvelous Europe) - €9.99/£8.99
Murasaki Reflexions Course & 7-Outfit Set for SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions.

This downloadable content contains the following 17 items:

・Additional Character "Murasaki"
・Hairstyle "Murasaki's Hair"

・Outfits
Survival Shirt, Hebijo Uniform (Leggings), Hebijo Uniform (Rt. Badge), Hebijo Uniform (Short), Hebijo Uniform, Nurse, Murasaki's Outfit, Murasaki's Swimsuit, Cheerleader, Peach Beach Pajamas

・Accessories
Bebeby Mask, Battle Axe, Bebeby, Nurse Cap, Sun Visor

SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions - Murasaki Outfit Set 1 (Marvelous Europe) - Free
Murasaki Outfit Set 1 for SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions.

This downloadable content contains the following 7 items:

・Outfits
Survival Shirt, Hebijo Uniform (Leggings), Hebijo Uniform (Rt. Badge), Hebijo Uniform (Short), Hebijo Uniform, Nurse

・Accessory
Nurse Cap

SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions - Murasaki Outfit Set 2 (Marvelous Europe) - €3.99/£3.59
Murasaki Outfit Set 2 for SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions.

This downloadable content contains the following 5 items:

・Outfits
Murasaki's Outfit, Murasaki's Swimsuit, Cheerleader, Peach Beach Pajamas

・Accessory
Sun Visor

SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions - Hairstyle Set (Marvelous Europe) - €2.99/£2.69
Hairstyle Set for SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions.

This downloadable content contains the following 5 items:

・Hairstyles
Double Buns, Parted Bangs, Top Knot, Cropped Bangs, Loose Perm

SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions - New Diorama Pose Set 2 (Marvelous Europe) - €2.49/£2.29
New Diorama Pose Set 2 for SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions.

This downloadable content contains the following 3 poses available in Diorama mode:

・Diorama Poses
Getting Up, Stretch, Klutz

SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions - Murasaki Reflexions Course (Marvelous Europe) - Free
Murasaki Reflexions Course for SENRAN KAGURA Reflexions.

This downloadable content contains the following items:
・Additional Character "Murasaki"
・Hairstyle "Murasaki's Hair"

SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy : Thief Arthur (NIS America) - €4.99/£4.49
This content adds Thief Arthur from Million Arthur: Arcana Blood. Download the v1.10 patch to unlock her as a playable character.

WorldNeverland - Elnea Kingdom: Challenge Dungeon "Hellfire Lair" (althi) - €6.99/£6.29
This is a special dungeon that you can challenge through the Elnea Castle Warp Gates that's dangerous and full of Demons.

You can obtain more experience here than in a regular dungeon, as well as acquire powerful skills with special effects and precious items like Mountain Corps Dragoon Mail.

Both children and adults can challenge, and you can explore it with your family or characters who are good friends.

Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk - Meel's Manania Pact (NIS America, available September 21) - €1.49/£1.39
Unlock a unique request from Meel, the Keeper of Wunderkammer, and complete it to receive a one-of-a-kind item—the Manania Pact!

Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk - Meel's Best Shield (NIS America, available September 21) - €0.49/£0.40
Unlock a unique request from Meel, the Keeper of Wunderkammer, and complete it to receive a one-of-a-kind item—the Wunder Shield!

Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk - Meel's Best Bell (NIS America, available September 21) - €0.49/£0.40
Unlock a unique request from Meel, the Keeper of Wunderkammer, and complete it to receive a one-of-a-kind item—the Wunder Bell!

Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk - Meel's Best Earrings (NIS America, available September 21) - €0.49/£0.40
Unlock a unique request from Meel, the Keeper of Wunderkammer, and complete it to receive a one-of-a-kind item—the Wunder Earrings!

Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk - Meel's Strategy Guide Pact (NIS America, available September 21) - €1.49/£1.39
Unlock a unique request from Meel, the Keeper of Wunderkammer, and complete it to receive a one-of-a-kind item—the Strategy Guide Pact!

WARRIORS OROCHI 4: Pre-purchase Bonus (KOEI TECMO EUROPE, available September 21) - Free (until October 18)
Bonus Mount "Pegasus"
Bonus Mount "Unicorn"
Bonus Cosutme for "Wang Yi"
Bonus Costume for "Xingcai"
Bonus Costume for "Takatora Todo"

WARRIORS OROCHI 4: Early Purchase Bonus (KOEI TECMO EUROPE, available September 21) - Free (until October 16)
Bonus Costumes for "Xu Shu", "Mitsunari Ishida", and "Da Ji"
Bonus Cosutme for "Wang Yuanji"
Bonus Cosutme for "Lady Hayakawa"
Bonus Cosutme for "Guo Jia"
Bonus Cosutme for "Yoshitsugu Otani"

WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - Challenge Modes (KOEI TECMO EUROPE, available September 21) - €4.99/£4.49
DLC included in the Warriors Orochi Deluxe Edition bundle.


Pre-orders

Snake vs Snake (Casual Games) - €3.99/£3.99 (€2.79/£2.79 until September 26)
Pre-Order until 26/09/2018, 14:59 local time

Game description: Snake vs Snake is a fast paced snake game with an insane battle mode with power-ups and much more. Inspired by old classical Snake but with a much faster arcade pace and multiplayer support.

The Swindle (Curve Digital) - €14.99/£14.99 (€11.99/£11.99 until October 11)
Pre-Order until 11/10/2018, 14:59 CEST

Game description: London, 1849. Scotland Yard will soon activate its breakthrough surveillance technology, 'The Devil's Basilisk'. Its surveillance capabilities will be total, and your career as a master thief will be over. Steal it, before that can happen.

Tricky Towers (Weird Beard) - €14.99/£13.49 (€11.99/£10.79 until October 10)
Pre-Order until 10/10/2018, 23:59 local time

Game description: With your brilliant robe and magic powers, it’s time to build some Tricky Towers! Stack your bricks in this land of fable, whose marvellous tower will be the most stable? Cast magic to support your construction, and fend off dark spells to avoid destruction. Battle your friends and rise to fame, in this frantic physics party game.

Ultimate Chicken Horse (4341571 Canada) - €14.99/£13.49 (€13.49/£12.14 until September 24)
Pre-Order until 25/09/2018, 14:59 CEST

Game description: Ultimate Chicken Horse is a party platformer where you and your friends build the level as you play, placing deadly traps before trying to reach the end of the level. If you can make it but your friends can't, you score points!

Dark Souls: Remastered (BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment) - €39.99/£34.99
Pre-Order until 18/10/2018, 23:59 local time

Game description: Re-experience the critically acclaimed, genre-defining game that started it all. Beautifully remastered, return to Lordran in stunning detail. DARK SOULS: REMASTERED includes the main game plus the Artorias of the Abyss DLC.

Nickelodeon Kart Racers (Game Mill) - €39.99/£29.99
Pre-Order until 23/10/2018, 14:59 local time

Game description: Racers to the starting line...it's GO SLIME! Hit the road with racers from some of your favorite Nickelodeon series in a variety of Slime-filled tracks in the ultimate race to win cups and upgrades for your Kart!

Rapala Fishing Pro Series (Game Mill) - €34.99/£29.99
Pre-Order until 16/10/2018, 14:59 CEST

Game description: Welcome to Rapala Fishing Pro Series! Compete in world-class tournaments and daily challenges all to improve your skills by earning bonus money to climb the ranks and become a professional angler for the #1 fishing brand in the world.

Alwa's Awakening (Elden Pixels) - €9.99/£6.99
Pre-Order until 27/09/2018, 14:59 local time

Game description: Use your magic staff and progress through a large interconnected world where you'll solve puzzles, fight enemies and defeat bosses in order to help free the land of Alwa. Explore and uncover the secrets by using your platforming skills in this challenging and charming 8-bit adventure game.

Animated Jigsaws: Japanese Women (RAINYFROG) - €8.99/£7.99
Pre-Order until 04/10/2018, 14:59 CEST

Game description: Complete moving jigsaw puzzles alone or team up with friends and finish them together!

Paw Patrol: On a Roll! (Outright Games) - €39.99/£34.99
Pre-Order until 26/10/2018, 00:59 CEST

Game description: The PAW Patrol is ready to save the day in Adventure Bay on 16 exciting rescue missions, but they can only do it with your help! Get ready for fun puzzle-platforming action that is PAWfect for kids of all ages with all the pups of the PAW Patrol!

Rise and Shine (Adult Swim Games) - €14.99/£13.49
Pre-Order until 27/09/2018, 14:59 local time

Game description: Rise & Shine is a high lethality puzzle game with a bullet-hell twist. Pop your enemies' heads with next-level strategy and cunning. Pull off the perfect boss fight with careful planning and execution. And guide your advanced projectiles to open new areas.

LEGO Harry Potter Collection (WB Games, pre-ordering starts September 21) - €39.99/£34.99
Pre-Order until 30/10/11/2018, 14:59 local time in Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Pre-Order until 31/10 /2018, 14:59 local time in ANZ, France, Benelux
Pre-Order until 02/11/2018, 14:59 local time in all other countries

Game description: The LEGO Harry Potter Collection brings LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 and LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 remastered! This compilation unites the creative process of LEGO and the expansive world of Harry Potter, with an exciting journey full of spell-casting, potion-making, puzzle-solving, lessons, duelling and much more for players of all ages to enjoy.

WARRIORS OROCHI 4 (KOEI TECMO EUROPE) - €69.99/£54.99
Pre-Order until 18/10/2018, 23:59 local time

This includes WARRIORS OROCHI 4: Pre-purchase Bonus (until 18/10/2018 23:59) and WARRIORS OROCHI 4: Early Purchase Bonus (until 16/11/2018 23:59)

Game description:
・A dream collaboration starring heroes from DYNASTY WARRIORS and SAMURAI WARRIORS!
・A roster of 170 playable characters! Five new characters - Zeus, Athena, Ares, Perseus, and Odin join the battle!
・Introducing "Magic" to the series, you can now experience even more thrilling and intense Musou Action!
・An online multiplayer mode is included for the first time ever in the series!

WARRIORS OROCHI 4 Deluxe Edition (KOEI TECMO EUROPE) - €99.99/£79.99
Pre-Order until 18/10/2018, 23:59 local time

This includes WARRIORS OROCHI 4: Pre-purchase Bonus (until 18/10/2018 23:59) and WARRIORS OROCHI 4: Early Purchase Bonus (until 16/11/2018 23:59).

This also includes WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - Challenge Modes, WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - Deluxe Edition Bonus Pack, WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - Special Costumes Pack 1, WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - Special Mounts Pack 1, WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - Special Costumes Pack 2, WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - Special Mounts Pack 2, WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - Sacred Treasures Pack 1, WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - Scenario Pack 1, WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - BGM Pack 1, WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - Sacred Treasures Pack 2, WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - Scenario Pack 2, WARRIORS OROCHI 4 - BGM Pack 2.

Game description:
・A dream collaboration starring heroes from DYNASTY WARRIORS and SAMURAI WARRIORS!
・A roster of 170 playable characters! Five new characters - Zeus, Athena, Ares, Perseus, and Odin join the battle!
・Introducing "Magic" to the series, you can now experience even more thrilling and intense Musou Action!
・An online multiplayer mode is included for the first time ever in the series!


Nintendo eShop (3DS)

Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition (Mojang) - €29.99/£19.99
Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures. Explore randomly‐generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles.


Add-on Content

Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition - Cartoon Texture Pack (Mojang) - €2.99/£2.39
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition - Fantasy Texture Pack (Mojang) - €2.99/£2.39
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition - Campfire Tales Skin Pack (Mojang) - €1.99/£1.59
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition - City Folk Skin Pack (Mojang) - €1.99/£1.59
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition - Town Folk Skin Pack (Mojang) - €1.99/£1.59
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition - Star Wars Classic Skin Pack (Mojang) - €2.99/£2.39
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition - Star Wars Rebels Skin Pack (Mojang) - €2.99/£2.39
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition - Natural Skin Pack (Mojang) - €2.99/£2.39
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition - Villains Skin Pack (Mojang) - €1.99/£1.59
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition - Star Wars Prequel Skin Pack (Mojang) - €2.99/£2.39
Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition - Stranger Things Skin Pack (Mojang) - €2.99/£2.39

Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch
Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country – Start your Xenoblade Chronicles 2 journey at the beginning. Guide a group of legendary warriors through the tragic history that doomed a kingdom. Defend yourself from Malos and his forces using all the fury of a refined battle system that allows you to fight as both the artificial lifeforms known as Blades and their masters, the Drivers. The Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country game will be available on Sept. 21.

Valkyria Chronicles 4 – Commander Claude Wallace and his childhood friends set out to fight for freedom in a desperate war, but bone-chilling blizzards, waves of imperial soldiers and the godlike powers of the Valkyria stand between them and victory. The strategy-RPG Valkyria Chronicles 4 is available on Sept. 25.

The Gardens Between – Best friends Arina and Frendt fall into a series of vibrant, dreamlike island gardens peppered with everyday objects from their childhood. Lost in a mysterious realm where cause and effect are malleable, the friends find that time flows in all directions. Manipulate time to solve puzzles and reach the apex of each isle.

FINAL FANTASY XV POCKET EDITION HD – Explore the world of FINAL FANTASY XV with a cast of cute and cool characters. After years of fighting, the nations of Lucis and Niflheim at last agree to an armistice. As a symbol of this promised peace, Noctis, crown prince of Lucis, is to wed the Lady Lunafreya of Tenebrae. The prince sets forth for his wedding on the eve of the signing ceremony, sent off by his father, King Regis. Unbeknownst to Noctis, however, the journey ahead is fraught with perils...

Cities: Skylines – Nintendo Switch Edition – Cities: Skylines is a modern take on a classic city builder, with original gameplay to realize the thrill and hardships of creating and maintaining a real city. Boasting fully realized transport and economy systems, Cities: Skylines is designed to suit any play style. And on the Nintendo Switch system, it can now be played anytime, anywhere.

Nintendo eShop sales:

Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals.

Activities

Nintendo Switch Online: More Games. More Features. More Fun. – Introducing a new online service from Nintendo! With a Nintendo Switch Online membership, you’ll get access to online play in compatible games, a growing catalog of classic NES titles with newly added online play and cloud backup for your save data in compatible games. Plus, you can receive special offers and enhance your online experience with features available through the smartphone app. Level up with a Nintendo Switch Online membership*!

Get In-Game Extras When You Buy Xenoblade Chronicles 2 by Sept. 30 – We’re celebrating the launch of Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country with free in-game items for My Nintendo members who purchase the Xenoblade Chronicles 2 game. You’ll get these helpful in-game items for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 via download code: 15 Legendary Core Crystals, three Char-Grilled Grumbirds, three Crispy Blendshakes and three Clicky Clacks. To qualify, purchase the digital version of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 or register your physical game with My Nintendo by 11:59 p.m. PT on Sept. 30. For more information, visit the My Nintendo website.

It’s Party Time! Earn Double Gold Points with Digital Pre-Purchase of Super Mario Party – Receive a bonus of 300 My Nintendo Gold Points** when you pre-purchase the digital version of the Super Mario Party game from Nintendo eShop or Nintendo.com (where available). The offer ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Oct. 4. Bonus points will be issued on the game’s launch day, are earned based on the original list price of the game on Nintendo eShop and will vary by country and currency.

Also new this week:
A Case of Distrust (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
A Gummy’s Life (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 25
ACA NEOGEO AGGRESSORS OF DARK KOMBAT (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
Arcade Archives RYGAR (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
Broken Age (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
Broken Sword 5 – The Serpent’s Curse (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 21
Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
Debris Infinity (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 21
Detention – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
Gaokao.Love.100Days (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 24
Hover (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
Legendary Fishing (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
Light Fingers (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
MagiCat (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
My Brother Rabbit (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 21
Oh My Godheads: Party Edition (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 25
Reigns: Kings & Queens (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
Retimed (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
Snake vs Snake (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 26
South Park: The Stick of Truth (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 25
Speed Brawl (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
Spider Solitaire F (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
THE Card: Poker, Texas hold ’em, Blackjack and Page One (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
Think of the Children (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 25
This is the Police 2 (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 25
Ultimate Chicken Horse (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available Sept. 25
Velocity 2X (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)

PlatinumGames’ Hideki Kamiya and Atsushi Inaba were on-hand for a stage event at the Bitsummit Roadshow: Tokyo earlier today, and they shared an update on Bayonetta 3. You can get all the details below.

- the game is “on course”
- everybody in the development team is “in sync”
- development is proceeding smoothly.

“It’s nice to be able to tell you that everything is going very, very well. We’re all very excited about what we’re doing on that game.”

The pair also shared a small tidbit on the development of the original Bayonetta. While Kamiya had the idea of having guns that you both shot at and hit enemies with, the idea of kicking with guns came from an animator on the team. Kamiya went to the animator with his original idea, and when the animator heard the idea of about hitting with guns, he suggested they should add the kicking element as well.

As we detailed yesterday, the Switch Online service allows you to take your Nintendo Account to another Switch, log in with your info, and access your eShop games. Nintendo says you can only play these games in one location at a time, but there's actually an easy workaround for that. Simply load up the game you want on your primary Switch and start playing, then disconnect the wifi on your Switch. Then head over to the secondary Switch, log in, and you're good to go! As long as you don't reconnect to wifi on the primary Switch, you can play the same game in two places.

The first time you use your Nintendo Account to connect to the Nintendo Switch eShop, the Nintendo Switch console you use will be activated as the primary console for your Nintendo Account. After you have designated your Nintendo Account's primary console you can still link that account to other Nintendo Switch consoles, but these consoles will not be activated as primary consoles.

When using the primary console, any user on that device can play downloadable content you have purchased. You are also not required to connect online prior to using downloadable content on your primary console (an Internet connection is required to use online features or games which require a subscription service).

If you deactivate your primary console, the next time you use your Nintendo Account to connect to Nintendo eShop on a Nintendo Switch console, that console will become your Nintendo Account's primary console.

To verify whether a console is the primary console for your Nintendo Account, check the "Primary Console Status" in your Nintendo eShop Account Information.

Key Points:

Primary Console:

You can have one primary console at a time for your Nintendo Account.
The first Nintendo Switch console you use to connect to Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch will become your primary console.
While using the primary console, any user account on the console can play the downloadable content you have purchased.
While using the primary console, you do not need to have an active Internet connection while playing downloadable software.
An Internet connection is still required to use online features or games which require a subscription service.
You can change which Nintendo Switch console is your primary console but you must first deactivate the current primary console.

Non-Primary Console:

A Nintendo Account can be linked to Nintendo Switch consoles that are not designated as the primary console, however, some functionality differs from when a Nintendo Account is used on a primary console.
While using a non-primary console, you can still use the Nintendo Account to access the Nintendo eShop, purchase and download software, and under certain conditions, play your downloadable software.
While using a non-primary console, you must have an active Internet connection to play downloadable content.
If you lose your Internet connection while playing downloadable content on a non-primary console, your game will pause after a certain amount of time; however, once you connect online again, you will be able to resume from the point you left off.
While using a non-primary console, downloadable content can only be started by the user that purchased the content.
When using downloadable software on a non-primary console, your game will pause if your Nintendo Account is used to access downloadable software on any other Nintendo Switch console.

How It Works:

Activating your primary console:

Link a Nintendo Account to your Nintendo Switch console.
Access the Nintendo eShop and select your Nintendo Account.
If the Nintendo Account does not already have an active console, this console will become the primary console for your Nintendo Account.
Making a different console the primary console:

Access the Nintendo eShop on your primary console and deactivate the console for your Nintendo Account from the user menu.
If you do not have access to the original console, you can also deactivate a primary console off-device once per year.
Off-device deactivations can be done by visiting accounts.nintendo.com, selecting "Shop Menu", and then "Deactivate Primary Console".
On the second Nintendo Switch console, use the same Nintendo Account to access the Nintendo Switch eShop. This is now the activated console for your account.

I'm not sure if there are limitations with this. Seems like there might be some games where this isn't allowed, but that might be a game-by-game basis.

Not mentioned in the patch notes are a Joy-Con update, but nothing for the Pro Controller. We're sure even more details on this update will be coming throughout the night, but here's what we have so far. Thanks to Kolma for the heads up!

Industry-wide figures

Total: $796 million (up 26 percent from $634 million in August 2017)
Hardware: $214 million (up 28 percent from $168 million)
PC and console software: $330 (up 16 percent from $285 million)
Accessories: $251 million (up 39 percent from $181 million)

- hardware spending in August 2018 grew 28 percent when compared to a year ago
- Switch and the NES Classic Edition posted year-on-year gains
- the month was effectively a tie in terms of dollars sales between the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch
- the difference in sales was less than 3 percent
- Hardware spending remains at its highest level achieved since 2011
- Nintendo hardware sales are at their strongest point year-to-date since 2011
- Switch Neon Red/Blue Joy Con 32GB is the year's best-selling hardware item in both unit and dollar sales

2018 compared to 2017 in terms of year-to-date dollar sales

Total: $7.539 billion (up 17 percent from $6.428 billion in 2017 year to date)
Hardware: $2.117 billion (up 22 percent from $1.740 billion)
PC and console software: $3.139 billion (up 6 percent from $2.972 billion)
Accessories: $2.284 billion (up 33 percent from $1.716 billion)

Top 20 software

1. Madden NFL 19**
2. Monster Hunter: World
3. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege
4. Grand Theft Auto V
5. Mario Kart 8*
6. Naruto To Boruto: Shinobi Striker
7. God of War
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
9. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*
10. Super Mario Odyssey*
11. Minecraft
12. Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy
13. Far Cry 5
14. Monster Hunter: Generations Ultimate
15. Call of Duty: WWII
16. Mario Tennis Aces*
17. Overwatch**
18. Lego The Incredibles
19. We Happy Few*
20. The Crew 2

Top 10 best-selling games of 2018 so far

1. Far Cry 5
2. God of War
3. Monster Hunter: World
4. Madden NFL 19**
5. Grand Theft Auto V
6. Call of Duty: WWII
7. Dragon Ball: Fighterz
8. Mario Kart 8
9. NBA 2K18
10. Super Mario Odyssey

Top 10 best-selling games of the last 12 months

1. Call of Duty: WWII
2. NBA 2K18
3. Destiny 2**
4. Super Mario Odyssey*
5. Far Cry 5
6. Star Wars: Battlefront II**
7. Madden NFL 18**
8. Assassin’s Creed: Origins
9. God of War
10. FIFA 18**

Switch top 10

1. Mario Kart 8
2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
3. Super Mario Odyssey
4. Monster Hunter: Generations Ultiamte
5. Mario Tennis Aces
6. Octopath Traveler
7. Splatoon 2
8. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
9. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
10. Minecraft

3DS top 10

1. Pokemon Ultra Sun
2. WarioWare: Gold
3. Pokemon: Ultra Moon
4. Mario Kart 7
5. Super Smash Bros.
6. Super Mario 3D Land
7. Minecraft
8. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
9. Super Mario Maker
10. Mario Party: The Top 100