Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser has said he and other executives are looking into the reports of poor working conditions that emerged last week.

Bowser addressed the "troubling" reports in an email to Nintendo employees shared by Axios, reiterating Nintendo's policy of "zero-tolerance for inappropriate conduct, including harassment, discrimination or intimidation."

Nintendo is yet to comment on the allegations publicly but Bowser's internal email addressed the "alleged working conditions at Nintendo".

It said: "Like many of you, the executive leadership team and I find many of these points troubling, and we are closely reviewing the content."

IGN revealed in a report last week that several Nintendo contractors felt treated like second-class citizens in an investigation launched after a former Nintendo employee filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.

"Nintendo is a very big and complicated and secretive company," one contractor told IGN last week, "and that's what kind of causes the problem. Each contractor starts with the hope they will become a regular employee, and very, very, very few people do."

The initial complaint against Nintendo that prompted the investigation was from a former employee who claimed their employment was terminated due to their involvement with a union.

Nintendo denied this, however, saying the employee was terminated "for the disclosure of confidential information and for no other reason," adding that it is "fully committed to providing a welcoming and supportive work environment for all our employees and contractors."

We've contacted Nintendo for comment.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser has said he and other executives are looking into the reports of poor working conditions that emerged last week.

Bowser addressed the "troubling" reports in an email to Nintendo employees shared by Axios, reiterating Nintendo's policy of "zero-tolerance for inappropriate conduct, including harassment, discrimination or intimidation."

Nintendo is yet to comment on the allegations publicly but Bowser's internal email addressed the "alleged working conditions at Nintendo".

It said: "Like many of you, the executive leadership team and I find many of these points troubling, and we are closely reviewing the content."

IGN revealed in a report last week that several Nintendo contractors felt treated like second-class citizens in an investigation launched after a former Nintendo employee filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.

"Nintendo is a very big and complicated and secretive company," one contractor told IGN last week, "and that's what kind of causes the problem. Each contractor starts with the hope they will become a regular employee, and very, very, very few people do."

The initial complaint against Nintendo that prompted the investigation was from a former employee who claimed their employment was terminated due to their involvement with a union.

Nintendo denied this, however, saying the employee was terminated "for the disclosure of confidential information and for no other reason," adding that it is "fully committed to providing a welcoming and supportive work environment for all our employees and contractors."

We've contacted Nintendo for comment.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Ubisoft's Skull & Bones could finally see release, after a rating for the PC version of the game has found in South Korea.

According to South Korea's Game Management Committee (via VGC), the rating was filed on May 12 and it appears to indicate a game that will fall under a Mature rating. A rating is usually given to a game that is complete or nearing completion, meaning the long-delayed game could finally be on the way.

The game seemingly includes drug use and contains people drinking alcohol, and smoking. The rating also mentions that the game is an open-world set in the Indian Ocean during a golden age of pirates.

Skull & Bones has had a turbulent development. It was first announced at E3 2017 with a 2018 release window. Since then, the game has repeatedly been delayed, amid reports of difficulties in making it. Back in 2020, Ubisoft reportedly rebooted Skull & Bones to follow a live game model, and it apparently only still exists because of a deal with the Singapore government in which Ubisoft must launch original games in return for subsidy payments.

However, the game looks like it has been ready for public testing, and gameplay leaked last month.

Skull & Bones isn't the only game that Ubisoft has stuck in development. The Prince of Persia remake has been delayed multiple times and has only recently seen a new update, where Ubisoft Montreal is now taking over development.

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @yinyangfooey

Ubisoft's Skull & Bones could finally see release, after a rating for the PC version of the game has found in South Korea.

According to South Korea's Game Management Committee (via VGC), the rating was filed on May 12 and it appears to indicate a game that will fall under a Mature rating. A rating is usually given to a game that is complete or nearing completion, meaning the long-delayed game could finally be on the way.

The game seemingly includes drug use and contains people drinking alcohol, and smoking. The rating also mentions that the game is an open-world set in the Indian Ocean during a golden age of pirates.

Skull & Bones has had a turbulent development. It was first announced at E3 2017 with a 2018 release window. Since then, the game has repeatedly been delayed, amid reports of difficulties in making it. Back in 2020, Ubisoft reportedly rebooted Skull & Bones to follow a live game model, and it apparently only still exists because of a deal with the Singapore government in which Ubisoft must launch original games in return for subsidy payments.

However, the game looks like it has been ready for public testing, and gameplay leaked last month.

Skull & Bones isn't the only game that Ubisoft has stuck in development. The Prince of Persia remake has been delayed multiple times and has only recently seen a new update, where Ubisoft Montreal is now taking over development.

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @yinyangfooey

An Elden Ring dataminer has found several unused text popups in the game files, which seem to allude to a PvP ranking system.

The popups were found by Twitter user @StrayKurtis and appear to be part of a progression system tied to different Elden Ring factions, reading "Bloody Finger Rank Advanced", "Hunter Rank Advanced", and so on.

There's currently no way to tell if these are from a scrapped mechanic or if they're perhaps linked to an upcoming piece of DLC but the Elden Ring community is already speculating wildly.

#ELDENRING datamine fun fact: There are several unused text popups related to the various online interactions(invasions, coop, etc). Perhaps there are some sort of ranking systems in the works? pic.twitter.com/FTurtshwS2

— StrayKurtis (@StrayKurtis) May 11, 2022

Previous games from developer FromSoftware, including Bloodborne and Dark Souls, had a somewhat hazy PvP ranking system, where defeating invading players would grant faction-specific rewards that could be traded in to increase your rank and eventually get rare items or unlocks.

Just as Elden Ring has advanced previous FromSoftware mechanics (and made an effort to make things clearer to new players), it's possible this ranking system is a more fully-fledged version of that previous mechanic.

Another popular theory ties these PvP ranks to the inaccessible Elden Ring colosseums that can be found around the map. Previous hacks seem to show that these areas appear to be combat focused (as colosseums usually are). One dataminer managed to get one of the arenas working and found hidden Sites of Grave, location names, and even battling NPCs that some community members think are connected to a PvP focused DLC.

While PvP is already a feature in Elden Ring through its invasions mechanic, there's no dedicated arena for players to battle in.

FromSoftware is yet to confirm anything though – even the existence of any sort of DLC – so fans will have to continue speculating in the meantime. Given the success of Elden Ring, however, and FromSoftware's tendency to release DLC, it would be surprising if extra content wasn't on its way.

Elden Ring has proved somewhat of a cultural phenomenon since it was release in February, with players finding a ton of different ways to interact with the game.

People have played it using a Fisher Price toy, the Nintendo Switch Ring Fit controller, and someone has even made a working VR version of the game.

Elden Ring has also been beaten in under seven minutes by a speedrunner, completed without taking or dealing damage, and fans are also modding every other entertainment franchise imaginable into the game.

In our 10/10 review, IGN said: "Elden Ring is a massive iteration on what FromSoftware began with the Souls series, bringing its relentlessly challenging combat to an incredible open world that gives us the freedom to choose our own path."

To make those choices with the best available information, check out our guide that features everything you could ever hope to know about Elden Ring, including collectible locations, boss strategies, and more.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Thumbnail credit: Fextralife / FromSoftware

An Elden Ring dataminer has found several unused text popups in the game files, which seem to allude to a PvP ranking system.

The popups were found by Twitter user @StrayKurtis and appear to be part of a progression system tied to different Elden Ring factions, reading "Bloody Finger Rank Advanced", "Hunter Rank Advanced", and so on.

There's currently no way to tell if these are from a scrapped mechanic or if they're perhaps linked to an upcoming piece of DLC but the Elden Ring community is already speculating wildly.

#ELDENRING datamine fun fact: There are several unused text popups related to the various online interactions(invasions, coop, etc). Perhaps there are some sort of ranking systems in the works? pic.twitter.com/FTurtshwS2

— StrayKurtis (@StrayKurtis) May 11, 2022

Previous games from developer FromSoftware, including Bloodborne and Dark Souls, had a somewhat hazy PvP ranking system, where defeating invading players would grant faction-specific rewards that could be traded in to increase your rank and eventually get rare items or unlocks.

Just as Elden Ring has advanced previous FromSoftware mechanics (and made an effort to make things clearer to new players), it's possible this ranking system is a more fully-fledged version of that previous mechanic.

Another popular theory ties these PvP ranks to the inaccessible Elden Ring colosseums that can be found around the map. Previous hacks seem to show that these areas appear to be combat focused (as colosseums usually are). One dataminer managed to get one of the arenas working and found hidden Sites of Grave, location names, and even battling NPCs that some community members think are connected to a PvP focused DLC.

While PvP is already a feature in Elden Ring through its invasions mechanic, there's no dedicated arena for players to battle in.

FromSoftware is yet to confirm anything though – even the existence of any sort of DLC – so fans will have to continue speculating in the meantime. Given the success of Elden Ring, however, and FromSoftware's tendency to release DLC, it would be surprising if extra content wasn't on its way.

Elden Ring has proved somewhat of a cultural phenomenon since it was release in February, with players finding a ton of different ways to interact with the game.

People have played it using a Fisher Price toy, the Nintendo Switch Ring Fit controller, and someone has even made a working VR version of the game.

Elden Ring has also been beaten in under seven minutes by a speedrunner, completed without taking or dealing damage, and fans are also modding every other entertainment franchise imaginable into the game.

In our 10/10 review, IGN said: "Elden Ring is a massive iteration on what FromSoftware began with the Souls series, bringing its relentlessly challenging combat to an incredible open world that gives us the freedom to choose our own path."

To make those choices with the best available information, check out our guide that features everything you could ever hope to know about Elden Ring, including collectible locations, boss strategies, and more.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Thumbnail credit: Fextralife / FromSoftware

The latest figures from The NPD Group reveal that the Nintendo Switch is now the fourth highest selling console in US history, having now eclipsed Sony's sales of the PlayStation 4.

The data shown in NPD's U.S. games industry sales from April 2022 report show that the Nintendo Switch achieved the highest unit sales of any console for both April and all of the overall year to date. These sales push it past the milestone set by PlayStation 4, making the Nintendo Switch the fourth highest unit-selling home console in U.S. history, behind the PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, and Wii.

If handheld consoles are counted, Switch is now the sixth highest-selling video game platform in the US, as both the Nintendo DS and Game Boy are comfortably among the best selling games machines of all time.

In April, spending on games hardware incresed by 16% in the US compared to the same period in 2021, which NPD attributes to the improved supply of PS5 and Xbox consoles. That can be seen in the fact that Xbox Series consoles are the second highest-selling devices of both the month and 2022 overall. The PS5, however, led April in terms of dollar sales.

Last month's NPD data revealed that Xbox Series consoles were 2022's best selling platform by dollars made, representing the continued strengthening of the Xbox brand.

For more from Nintendo, check out our dedicated podcast, NVC, and also have a look at everything that was announced as part of the Nintendo Switch Indie World Showcase.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Features Editor.

The latest figures from The NPD Group reveal that the Nintendo Switch is now the fourth highest selling console in US history, having now eclipsed Sony's sales of the PlayStation 4.

The data shown in NPD's U.S. games industry sales from April 2022 report show that the Nintendo Switch achieved the highest unit sales of any console for both April and all of the overall year to date. These sales push it past the milestone set by PlayStation 4, making the Nintendo Switch the fourth highest unit-selling home console in U.S. history, behind the PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, and Wii.

If handheld consoles are counted, Switch is now the sixth highest-selling video game platform in the US, as both the Nintendo DS and Game Boy are comfortably among the best selling games machines of all time.

In April, spending on games hardware incresed by 16% in the US compared to the same period in 2021, which NPD attributes to the improved supply of PS5 and Xbox consoles. That can be seen in the fact that Xbox Series consoles are the second highest-selling devices of both the month and 2022 overall. The PS5, however, led April in terms of dollar sales.

Last month's NPD data revealed that Xbox Series consoles were 2022's best selling platform by dollars made, representing the continued strengthening of the Xbox brand.

For more from Nintendo, check out our dedicated podcast, NVC, and also have a look at everything that was announced as part of the Nintendo Switch Indie World Showcase.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Features Editor.

Sam Raimi has admitted that he wouldn't consider directing a Tom Holland Spider-Man movie without Tobey Maguire involved because he would "break" his neck for it.

Raimi directed the original Spider-Man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire and recently returned to the Marvel fold by making his MCU debut with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, while Tobey Maguire appeared alongside fellow web-slingers Tom Holland and Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which Raimi previously called "so much fun."

In a new interview with the Los Angeles Times, Raimi admitted that, while Spider-Man: No Way Home was "a complete audience thrill ride" and it was "great" to see his old friends on screen again, he is not interested in helming a Tom Holland-led Spider-Man movie unless Maguire signed up for it, as Raimi joked that he might have some strong feelings about it.

"I love Spider-Man," Raimi said. "And I love Tom Holland in the role. [But] if I made a Spider-Man movie, it would probably have to be with Tobey or he'd break my neck."

The feelings about them working together again are obviously mutual, as Raimi previously stressed his desire to work with Maguire once more on a project, whether that be Spider-Man or something else. He admitted that teaming up on a Spider-Man movie would be "beautiful," but that there are no immediate plans for the pair to reunite.

"I don't really have a story or a plan," Raimi told Fandango ahead of the release of his first MCU film. "I don't know if Marvel would be interested in that right now. I don't know what their thoughts are about that. I haven't really pursued that. But it sounds beautiful. Even if it wasn't a Spider-Man movie, I'd love to work with Tobey again, in a different role."

Like all MCU movies, Spider-Man: No Way Home left us with plenty of burning questions about where the Spider-Man franchise could go next – that is if Tom Holland returns for Spider-Man 4. While Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal has suggested Holland would return for another three films, Holland has said he doesn’t want to play Spidey beyond age 30.

The future of the Spider-Man franchise may be uncertain right now, but there are plenty of Marvel releases to look forward to in the meantime. Ms. Marvel is set to premiere on Disney+ on June 8, one month prior to the release of Thor: Love and Thunder in theaters. The next MCU movie after that will be Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in November.

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

Sam Raimi has admitted that he wouldn't consider directing a Tom Holland Spider-Man movie without Tobey Maguire involved because he would "break" his neck for it.

Raimi directed the original Spider-Man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire and recently returned to the Marvel fold by making his MCU debut with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, while Tobey Maguire appeared alongside fellow web-slingers Tom Holland and Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which Raimi previously called "so much fun."

In a new interview with the Los Angeles Times, Raimi admitted that, while Spider-Man: No Way Home was "a complete audience thrill ride" and it was "great" to see his old friends on screen again, he is not interested in helming a Tom Holland-led Spider-Man movie unless Maguire signed up for it, as Raimi joked that he might have some strong feelings about it.

"I love Spider-Man," Raimi said. "And I love Tom Holland in the role. [But] if I made a Spider-Man movie, it would probably have to be with Tobey or he'd break my neck."

The feelings about them working together again are obviously mutual, as Raimi previously stressed his desire to work with Maguire once more on a project, whether that be Spider-Man or something else. He admitted that teaming up on a Spider-Man movie would be "beautiful," but that there are no immediate plans for the pair to reunite.

"I don't really have a story or a plan," Raimi told Fandango ahead of the release of his first MCU film. "I don't know if Marvel would be interested in that right now. I don't know what their thoughts are about that. I haven't really pursued that. But it sounds beautiful. Even if it wasn't a Spider-Man movie, I'd love to work with Tobey again, in a different role."

Like all MCU movies, Spider-Man: No Way Home left us with plenty of burning questions about where the Spider-Man franchise could go next – that is if Tom Holland returns for Spider-Man 4. While Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal has suggested Holland would return for another three films, Holland has said he doesn’t want to play Spidey beyond age 30.

The future of the Spider-Man franchise may be uncertain right now, but there are plenty of Marvel releases to look forward to in the meantime. Ms. Marvel is set to premiere on Disney+ on June 8, one month prior to the release of Thor: Love and Thunder in theaters. The next MCU movie after that will be Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in November.

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