Category: Uncategorized

August is here, and while Nintendo Switch 2 owners are still blitzing through Donkey Kong: Bananza, the latest Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase gave us a better look at third-party titles coming in 2025 and beyond.

Without DK, August is a tad quieter, but still features a Nintendo first-party exclusive in Drag x Drive, the first Madden game on a Nintendo system in years, and the return of Kirby.

Here are our picks, as well as a little peek into September’s earliest releases. Haven’t picked up a console yet? The Pokémon Legends Z-A bundle is available now, or the console is in stock at Target with Mario Kart World.

Switch 2 Games in August 2025 – At a Glance

EA Sports Madden NFL 26 – August 11

Madden NFL 26

0

Another year, another Madden, but this time it’s a little different. EA famously skipped the original Switch with its long-running football franchise, but it isn’t making the same mistake with Switch 2.

At the Nintendo Partner Showcase we finally saw gameplay, and Madden is looking really impressive on Switch 2.

Drag x Drive – August 14

Drag x Drive

0

Nintendo’s third first-party exclusive in as many months after Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong: Bananza, Drag x Drive doesn’t have an established franchise or mascot to help it win over fans, but it does have a budget price point.

Could it be Nintendo’s answer to Rocket League? That remains to be seen, but the mouse controls should help it feel fresh.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar – August 27

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar

0

There’s no new Animal Crossing for Switch 2 yet, but could Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar fill that void for now?

Marvelous Inc.’s latest colorful, cozy adventure has players growing crops, raising animals, selling produce, and building up the town bazaar.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star Crossed World – August 28

Kirby and the Forgotten Land Switch 2 Edition

0

Reviewer Tom Marks gave Kirby and the Forgotten Land 8/10 in the IGN review, but the little pink ball is back already with a Switch 2 version that adds the new Star Crossed World expansion.

This new version adds a fresh campaign and location, and improves the graphics and frame rate across the board. Expect new meme-worthy Moutful Modes, too.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance – August 29

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

0

Closing out the month, Shinobi makes its return with Art of Vengeance, a hand-drawn side-scrolling action platformer from the studio behind Streets of Rage 4.

Not only does the game look incredible, but it plays just as well, and should be a 2D treat for fans of the genre.

What’s Next for Switch 2?

September is likely to be another big month, with Star Wars Outlaws making its Switch 2 debut and Daemon x Machina sequel Titanic Scion arriving on September 4 and 5, respectively.

The Partner Showcase also confirmed we can look forward to Bloober’s Cronos: The New Dawn on September 5.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A preorders are open, too, meaning you can book your ticket to Lumiose City when the game arrives in October.

We’re still waiting for a Metroid Prime 4: Beyond release date, too. It’s still slated for 2025, and looks as though it’ll push the new console to its limits.

Last Month’s Biggest Switch 2 Games

As we mentioned earlier, Donkey Kong Bananza was the clear highlight for Switch 2 owners in July, with the game feeling like a worthy successor to Super Mario Odyssey.

Donkey Kong Bananza

13

Release Date: July 17, 2025.

While we were a little more lukewarm on Super Mario Party’s Switch 2 upgrades and the Pac-Man adventure Shadow Labyrinth, Wild Hearts S brings the Monster Hunter style of gameplay to Switch 2. Tom Marks gave the original version 8/10 back in 2023, and if you’ve ever wanted to construct a comically large hammer to slap down an approaching monster, then you’re in luck.

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He’s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife’s dismay.

August is here, and while Nintendo Switch 2 owners are still blitzing through Donkey Kong: Bananza, the latest Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase gave us a better look at third-party titles coming in 2025 and beyond.

Without DK, August is a tad quieter, but still features a Nintendo first-party exclusive in Drag x Drive, the first Madden game on a Nintendo system in years, and the return of Kirby.

Here are our picks, as well as a little peek into September’s earliest releases. Haven’t picked up a console yet? The Pokémon Legends Z-A bundle is available now, or the console is in stock at Target with Mario Kart World.

Switch 2 Games in August 2025 – At a Glance

EA Sports Madden NFL 26 – August 11

Madden NFL 26

0

Another year, another Madden, but this time it’s a little different. EA famously skipped the original Switch with its long-running football franchise, but it isn’t making the same mistake with Switch 2.

At the Nintendo Partner Showcase we finally saw gameplay, and Madden is looking really impressive on Switch 2.

Drag x Drive – August 14

Drag x Drive

0

Nintendo’s third first-party exclusive in as many months after Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong: Bananza, Drag x Drive doesn’t have an established franchise or mascot to help it win over fans, but it does have a budget price point.

Could it be Nintendo’s answer to Rocket League? That remains to be seen, but the mouse controls should help it feel fresh.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar – August 27

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar

0

There’s no new Animal Crossing for Switch 2 yet, but could Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar fill that void for now?

Marvelous Inc.’s latest colorful, cozy adventure has players growing crops, raising animals, selling produce, and building up the town bazaar.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star Crossed World – August 28

Kirby and the Forgotten Land Switch 2 Edition

0

Reviewer Tom Marks gave Kirby and the Forgotten Land 8/10 in the IGN review, but the little pink ball is back already with a Switch 2 version that adds the new Star Crossed World expansion.

This new version adds a fresh campaign and location, and improves the graphics and frame rate across the board. Expect new meme-worthy Moutful Modes, too.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance – August 29

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

0

Closing out the month, Shinobi makes its return with Art of Vengeance, a hand-drawn side-scrolling action platformer from the studio behind Streets of Rage 4.

Not only does the game look incredible, but it plays just as well, and should be a 2D treat for fans of the genre.

What’s Next for Switch 2?

September is likely to be another big month, with Star Wars Outlaws making its Switch 2 debut and Daemon x Machina sequel Titanic Scion arriving on September 4 and 5, respectively.

The Partner Showcase also confirmed we can look forward to Bloober’s Cronos: The New Dawn on September 5.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A preorders are open, too, meaning you can book your ticket to Lumiose City when the game arrives in October.

We’re still waiting for a Metroid Prime 4: Beyond release date, too. It’s still slated for 2025, and looks as though it’ll push the new console to its limits.

Last Month’s Biggest Switch 2 Games

As we mentioned earlier, Donkey Kong Bananza was the clear highlight for Switch 2 owners in July, with the game feeling like a worthy successor to Super Mario Odyssey.

Donkey Kong Bananza

13

Release Date: July 17, 2025.

While we were a little more lukewarm on Super Mario Party’s Switch 2 upgrades and the Pac-Man adventure Shadow Labyrinth, Wild Hearts S brings the Monster Hunter style of gameplay to Switch 2. Tom Marks gave the original version 8/10 back in 2023, and if you’ve ever wanted to construct a comically large hammer to slap down an approaching monster, then you’re in luck.

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He’s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife’s dismay.

August is here, and while Nintendo Switch 2 owners are still blitzing through Donkey Kong: Bananza, the latest Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase gave us a better look at third-party titles coming in 2025 and beyond.

Without DK, August is a tad quieter, but still features a Nintendo first-party exclusive in Drag x Drive, the first Madden game on a Nintendo system in years, and the return of Kirby.

Here are our picks, as well as a little peek into September’s earliest releases. Haven’t picked up a console yet? The Pokémon Legends Z-A bundle is available now, or the console is in stock at Target with Mario Kart World.

Switch 2 Games in August 2025 – At a Glance

EA Sports Madden NFL 26 – August 11

Madden NFL 26

0

Another year, another Madden, but this time it’s a little different. EA famously skipped the original Switch with its long-running football franchise, but it isn’t making the same mistake with Switch 2.

At the Nintendo Partner Showcase we finally saw gameplay, and Madden is looking really impressive on Switch 2.

Drag x Drive – August 14

Drag x Drive

0

Nintendo’s third first-party exclusive in as many months after Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong: Bananza, Drag x Drive doesn’t have an established franchise or mascot to help it win over fans, but it does have a budget price point.

Could it be Nintendo’s answer to Rocket League? That remains to be seen, but the mouse controls should help it feel fresh.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar – August 27

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar

0

There’s no new Animal Crossing for Switch 2 yet, but could Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar fill that void for now?

Marvelous Inc.’s latest colorful, cozy adventure has players growing crops, raising animals, selling produce, and building up the town bazaar.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star Crossed World – August 28

Kirby and the Forgotten Land Switch 2 Edition

0

Reviewer Tom Marks gave Kirby and the Forgotten Land 8/10 in the IGN review, but the little pink ball is back already with a Switch 2 version that adds the new Star Crossed World expansion.

This new version adds a fresh campaign and location, and improves the graphics and frame rate across the board. Expect new meme-worthy Moutful Modes, too.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance – August 29

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

0

Closing out the month, Shinobi makes its return with Art of Vengeance, a hand-drawn side-scrolling action platformer from the studio behind Streets of Rage 4.

Not only does the game look incredible, but it plays just as well, and should be a 2D treat for fans of the genre.

What’s Next for Switch 2?

September is likely to be another big month, with Star Wars Outlaws making its Switch 2 debut and Daemon x Machina sequel Titanic Scion arriving on September 4 and 5, respectively.

The Partner Showcase also confirmed we can look forward to Bloober’s Cronos: The New Dawn on September 5.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A preorders are open, too, meaning you can book your ticket to Lumiose City when the game arrives in October.

We’re still waiting for a Metroid Prime 4: Beyond release date, too. It’s still slated for 2025, and looks as though it’ll push the new console to its limits.

Last Month’s Biggest Switch 2 Games

As we mentioned earlier, Donkey Kong Bananza was the clear highlight for Switch 2 owners in July, with the game feeling like a worthy successor to Super Mario Odyssey.

Donkey Kong Bananza

13

Release Date: July 17, 2025.

While we were a little more lukewarm on Super Mario Party’s Switch 2 upgrades and the Pac-Man adventure Shadow Labyrinth, Wild Hearts S brings the Monster Hunter style of gameplay to Switch 2. Tom Marks gave the original version 8/10 back in 2023, and if you’ve ever wanted to construct a comically large hammer to slap down an approaching monster, then you’re in luck.

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He’s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife’s dismay.

Lovense, a maker of internet-connected sex toys, has confirmed it has fixed a pair of security vulnerabilities that exposed users’ private email addresses and allowed attackers to remotely take over any user’s account.

While the company said the bugs were “fully resolved,” its chief executive is now considering taking legal action following the disclosure.

In a statement shared with TechCrunch, Lovense CEO Dan Liu said the sex toy maker was “investigating the possibility of legal action” in response to allegedly erroneous reports about the bug. When asked by TechCrunch, the company did not respond to clarify whether it was referring to media reports or to a security researcher’s disclosure.

Details of the bug emerged this week after a security researcher, who goes by the handle BobDaHacker, disclosed that they reported the two security bugs to the sex toy maker earlier this year. The researcher published their findings after Lovense claimed it would take 14 months to fully address the vulnerabilities rather than applying a “faster, one-month fix” that would have required alerting users to update their apps.

Lovense said in its statement, attributed to Liu, that the fixes put in place will require users to update their apps before they can resume using all of the app’s features.

In the statement, Liu claimed that there is “no evidence suggesting that any user data, including email addresses or account information, has been compromised or misused.” It’s not clear how Lovense came to this conclusion, given TechCrunch (and other outlets) verified the email disclosure bug by setting up a new account and asking the researcher to identify the associated email address.

TechCrunch asked Lovense what technical means, such as logs, the company has to determine if there was any compromise of users’ data, but a spokesperson did not respond.

It’s not unheard of for organizations to resort to legal demands and threats to try to block the disclosure of embarrassing security incidents, despite few rules or restrictions in the U.S. prohibiting such reporting.

Earlier this year, a U.S. independent journalist rebuffed a legal threat from a U.K. court injunction for accurately reporting a ransomware attack on U.K. private healthcare giant HCRG. In 2023, a county official in Hillsborough County, Florida, threatened criminal charges against a security researcher under the state’s computer hacking laws for identifying and privately disclosing a security flaw in the county’s court records system that exposed access to sensitive filings.

Lovense, a maker of internet-connected sex toys, has confirmed it has fixed a pair of security vulnerabilities that exposed users’ private email addresses and allowed attackers to remotely take over any user’s account.

While the company said the bugs were “fully resolved,” its chief executive is now considering taking legal action following the disclosure.

In a statement shared with TechCrunch, Lovense CEO Dan Liu said the sex toy maker was “investigating the possibility of legal action” in response to allegedly erroneous reports about the bug. When asked by TechCrunch, the company did not respond to clarify whether it was referring to media reports or to a security researcher’s disclosure.

Details of the bug emerged this week after a security researcher, who goes by the handle BobDaHacker, disclosed that they reported the two security bugs to the sex toy maker earlier this year. The researcher published their findings after Lovense claimed it would take 14 months to fully address the vulnerabilities rather than applying a “faster, one-month fix” that would have required alerting users to update their apps.

Lovense said in its statement, attributed to Liu, that the fixes put in place will require users to update their apps before they can resume using all of the app’s features.

In the statement, Liu claimed that there is “no evidence suggesting that any user data, including email addresses or account information, has been compromised or misused.” It’s not clear how Lovense came to this conclusion, given TechCrunch (and other outlets) verified the email disclosure bug by setting up a new account and asking the researcher to identify the associated email address.

TechCrunch asked Lovense what technical means, such as logs, the company has to determine if there was any compromise of users’ data, but a spokesperson did not respond.

It’s not unheard of for organizations to resort to legal demands and threats to try to block the disclosure of embarrassing security incidents, despite few rules or restrictions in the U.S. prohibiting such reporting.

Earlier this year, a U.S. independent journalist rebuffed a legal threat from a U.K. court injunction for accurately reporting a ransomware attack on U.K. private healthcare giant HCRG. In 2023, a county official in Hillsborough County, Florida, threatened criminal charges against a security researcher under the state’s computer hacking laws for identifying and privately disclosing a security flaw in the county’s court records system that exposed access to sensitive filings.

Lovense, a maker of internet-connected sex toys, has confirmed it has fixed a pair of security vulnerabilities that exposed users’ private email addresses and allowed attackers to remotely take over any user’s account.

While the company said the bugs were “fully resolved,” its chief executive is now considering taking legal action following the disclosure.

In a statement shared with TechCrunch, Lovense CEO Dan Liu said the sex toy maker was “investigating the possibility of legal action” in response to allegedly erroneous reports about the bug. When asked by TechCrunch, the company did not respond to clarify whether it was referring to media reports or to a security researcher’s disclosure.

Details of the bug emerged this week after a security researcher, who goes by the handle BobDaHacker, disclosed that they reported the two security bugs to the sex toy maker earlier this year. The researcher published their findings after Lovense claimed it would take 14 months to fully address the vulnerabilities rather than applying a “faster, one-month fix” that would have required alerting users to update their apps.

Lovense said in its statement, attributed to Liu, that the fixes put in place will require users to update their apps before they can resume using all of the app’s features.

In the statement, Liu claimed that there is “no evidence suggesting that any user data, including email addresses or account information, has been compromised or misused.” It’s not clear how Lovense came to this conclusion, given TechCrunch (and other outlets) verified the email disclosure bug by setting up a new account and asking the researcher to identify the associated email address.

TechCrunch asked Lovense what technical means, such as logs, the company has to determine if there was any compromise of users’ data, but a spokesperson did not respond.

It’s not unheard of for organizations to resort to legal demands and threats to try to block the disclosure of embarrassing security incidents, despite few rules or restrictions in the U.S. prohibiting such reporting.

Earlier this year, a U.S. independent journalist rebuffed a legal threat from a U.K. court injunction for accurately reporting a ransomware attack on U.K. private healthcare giant HCRG. In 2023, a county official in Hillsborough County, Florida, threatened criminal charges against a security researcher under the state’s computer hacking laws for identifying and privately disclosing a security flaw in the county’s court records system that exposed access to sensitive filings.

Verizon is, once again, gearing up for a price increase across the board, affecting most, if not, all of its customers. That includes plan pricing and activation fees. On top of that, beloved Google Play perks are going away, really nailing the coffin tight.

According to a post on Reddit, some users have noticed striking price increases on their Verizon accounts. It looks like the first fee you’ll ever see – activation fee – is going up from $35 to $40 (via Android Headlines). That’s just they initial charge, while voice and data plans are also increasing. Those are the plans that tend to add up, and what was once a good deal seems to be less inviting.

The post notes that voice and data combination lines are increasing from $3.50 to $3.78, while data-only plans are seeing increases from $1.60 to $3.97. Verizon’s regulatory charge is also increasing from $0.19 to $0.21 per line. This is a monthly fee for voice-capable lines.

It also appears that some $10 loyalty discounts are being removed, as well. On top of Verizon’s price increases, Google Play Pass is being removed as a perk normally tied to certain plans (via DroidLife). The benefit would allow users a free subscription to Google’s game subscription. The perk generally comes out to about a $5 value per month.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Added together, these are some significant increases from Verizon. That’s especially true if you tie in now-discontinued perks, which could amount to $15 or more per month.

This isn’t the first price hike from Verizon. We saw similar hikes for specialty gear, like smartwatches last year.

Verizon has noted in previous statements that these cost increases are to offset increasing operational costs. Unfortunately, everything is going up in price right now. Still, customers may expect that Verizon would try to absorb some costs to retain its base. There are other affordable options on the market, such as Visible (Verizon-owned) and Mint Mobile.

Verizon is, once again, gearing up for a price increase across the board, affecting most, if not, all of its customers. That includes plan pricing and activation fees. On top of that, beloved Google Play perks are going away, really nailing the coffin tight.

According to a post on Reddit, some users have noticed striking price increases on their Verizon accounts. It looks like the first fee you’ll ever see – activation fee – is going up from $35 to $40 (via Android Headlines). That’s just they initial charge, while voice and data plans are also increasing. Those are the plans that tend to add up, and what was once a good deal seems to be less inviting.

The post notes that voice and data combination lines are increasing from $3.50 to $3.78, while data-only plans are seeing increases from $1.60 to $3.97. Verizon’s regulatory charge is also increasing from $0.19 to $0.21 per line. This is a monthly fee for voice-capable lines.

It also appears that some $10 loyalty discounts are being removed, as well. On top of Verizon’s price increases, Google Play Pass is being removed as a perk normally tied to certain plans (via DroidLife). The benefit would allow users a free subscription to Google’s game subscription. The perk generally comes out to about a $5 value per month.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Added together, these are some significant increases from Verizon. That’s especially true if you tie in now-discontinued perks, which could amount to $15 or more per month.

This isn’t the first price hike from Verizon. We saw similar hikes for specialty gear, like smartwatches last year.

Verizon has noted in previous statements that these cost increases are to offset increasing operational costs. Unfortunately, everything is going up in price right now. Still, customers may expect that Verizon would try to absorb some costs to retain its base. There are other affordable options on the market, such as Visible (Verizon-owned) and Mint Mobile.

Verizon is, once again, gearing up for a price increase across the board, affecting most, if not, all of its customers. That includes plan pricing and activation fees. On top of that, beloved Google Play perks are going away, really nailing the coffin tight.

According to a post on Reddit, some users have noticed striking price increases on their Verizon accounts. It looks like the first fee you’ll ever see – activation fee – is going up from $35 to $40 (via Android Headlines). That’s just they initial charge, while voice and data plans are also increasing. Those are the plans that tend to add up, and what was once a good deal seems to be less inviting.

The post notes that voice and data combination lines are increasing from $3.50 to $3.78, while data-only plans are seeing increases from $1.60 to $3.97. Verizon’s regulatory charge is also increasing from $0.19 to $0.21 per line. This is a monthly fee for voice-capable lines.

It also appears that some $10 loyalty discounts are being removed, as well. On top of Verizon’s price increases, Google Play Pass is being removed as a perk normally tied to certain plans (via DroidLife). The benefit would allow users a free subscription to Google’s game subscription. The perk generally comes out to about a $5 value per month.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Added together, these are some significant increases from Verizon. That’s especially true if you tie in now-discontinued perks, which could amount to $15 or more per month.

This isn’t the first price hike from Verizon. We saw similar hikes for specialty gear, like smartwatches last year.

Verizon has noted in previous statements that these cost increases are to offset increasing operational costs. Unfortunately, everything is going up in price right now. Still, customers may expect that Verizon would try to absorb some costs to retain its base. There are other affordable options on the market, such as Visible (Verizon-owned) and Mint Mobile.

Verizon is, once again, gearing up for a price increase across the board, affecting most, if not, all of its customers. That includes plan pricing and activation fees. On top of that, beloved Google Play perks are going away, really nailing the coffin tight.

According to a post on Reddit, some users have noticed striking price increases on their Verizon accounts. It looks like the first fee you’ll ever see – activation fee – is going up from $35 to $40 (via Android Headlines). That’s just they initial charge, while voice and data plans are also increasing. Those are the plans that tend to add up, and what was once a good deal seems to be less inviting.

The post notes that voice and data combination lines are increasing from $3.50 to $3.78, while data-only plans are seeing increases from $1.60 to $3.97. Verizon’s regulatory charge is also increasing from $0.19 to $0.21 per line. This is a monthly fee for voice-capable lines.

It also appears that some $10 loyalty discounts are being removed, as well. On top of Verizon’s price increases, Google Play Pass is being removed as a perk normally tied to certain plans (via DroidLife). The benefit would allow users a free subscription to Google’s game subscription. The perk generally comes out to about a $5 value per month.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Added together, these are some significant increases from Verizon. That’s especially true if you tie in now-discontinued perks, which could amount to $15 or more per month.

This isn’t the first price hike from Verizon. We saw similar hikes for specialty gear, like smartwatches last year.

Verizon has noted in previous statements that these cost increases are to offset increasing operational costs. Unfortunately, everything is going up in price right now. Still, customers may expect that Verizon would try to absorb some costs to retain its base. There are other affordable options on the market, such as Visible (Verizon-owned) and Mint Mobile.