Elden Ring's popularity has continued to grow in its second week on the market, having now overtaken New World to become Steam's sixth biggest game of all time by concurrent players.

Per SteamDB data, Elden Ring's peak concurrent users currently stand at 953,426, with a weekend surge pushing it past New World's 913,634.

This places the game behind only Cyberpunk 2077 in fifth, followed by Dota 2, CS: GO, Lost Ark, and finally PUBG: Battlegrounds in first place as Steam's most popular games of all time by concurrent users.

Elden Ring's stats are impressive for other reasons too – it's not dropped below half a million concurrent users on Steam since it launched on February 25. Today, March 7, has seen Elden Ring's lowest concurrent count yet, at a still-enormous 526,455 players at one time.

The game's popularity on PC was first noted last weekend when Elden Ring's playerbase reached higher and higher numbers each day after release, though it's not been without issues on Steam as players have lost save data and experienced performance problems.

Reception has been largely positive overall, however, prompting Elden Ring to become the UK's biggest non-FIFA or Call of Duty release in since 2018.

It's produced plenty of bizarre stories too, with players selling in-game items on eBay, a streamer letting his chat play while he slept, someone beating a boss using the Nintendo Switch's Ring Fit controller, and it's even got an official candy.

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.

Elden Ring fans are debating the meaning of a few curiously locked parts of The Lands Between, with many concluding that they'll be used for PvP or Boss Rush DLC additions (although the latter seems much less likely).

Warning: This article contains small spoilers for Elden Ring locations.

It's very possible that you'll have stumbled across one or more of the Colosseums in The Lands Between, and subsequently been a bit confused about why you can't get inside.

The game's opening area, Limgrave, includes a Colosseum, guarded by an NPC invader you have to defeat in order to claim two of the game's multiplayer items. However, the Colosseum itself remains closed, with a ghostly figure sat outside wondering why they can't get in.

FromSoft dataminer Lance McDonald has now released a video showing what's inside that Colosseum, which is a fully realised area, complete with an arena, stands for spectators, and elevators. There are Colosseums found in multiple parts of the map, too.

While some see this as simple cut content, many (including McDonald) have speculated that the areas will be used for future DLC. Many see this as a natural way of adding a full PvP mode to the game. While PvP invasions are a working part of the game, there's currently no dedicated area for players to test their mettle against one another, as in other Souls games.

Others have speculated that the areas could be used for a Boss Rush mode, allowing you to replay fights against Elden Ring's many, many bosses. However, this seems far less likely, given that producer Yasuhiro Kitao previously told GamerBraves that the team isn't currently planning to add such a feature.

You can expect any possible expansion DLC to be months away at least, but given how huge Elden Ring is, you'll probably have enough to keep you occupied for some time.

We've got tons of How-To guides for the game on our Elden Ring Wiki. If you need convincing to pick it up, check out our full 10/10 review.

Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

The Nintendo Switch Online mobile app has finally been updated to include some fairly basic features.

In the new 2.0.0 update, the app can now be used to see which friends are online, change your online status, and view your own friend code. Previously, these features were only available on the Switch itself.

The new update will also refresh the app's overall design and implement a variety of other minor changes, according to its official Apple App Store page.

The app launched in 2017 as the only method to chat online with friends on Switch, but was relatively bare-bones compared to Nintendo's competitors' services such as Xbox Live or PlayStation Plus.

Nintendo is likely hoping the new update will improve perception of the app, which currently sits at just a 2.9 out of five stars on the App Store and 3.7 out of five stars on the Google Play Store.

The Switch's online page was also recently updated to include new "missions and rewards" that allow users to earn points for using the console and spend them on digital and physical rewards.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask was also recently released through the Expansion Pack service - the $30 Switch Online add-on that grants access to extra games and DLC.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.

The Batman has won the weekend domestic box office with a second-best pandemic performance of $128.5 million.

As reported by Variety, The Batman had the best opening weekend of 2022 and is only the second pandemic-era film to earn over $100 million at the domestic box office in its debut. Spider-Man: No Way Home was the other film to do so and it earned $260 million.

The Batman had a production budget of around $200 million and its extra $120 million earned at the international box office has helped the latest take on the Dark Knight already make that back. Globally, The Batman is currently sitting at $248.5 million.

In our The Batman review, we said that it is "a gripping, gorgeous, and, at times, genuinely scary psychological crime thriller that gives Bruce Wayne the grounded detective story he deserves."

The Batman's $57 million first day in theaters was enough to pass Uncharted's $44 million opening weekend. Despite that, it still took home second place with $11 million and crossed the $100 million mark itself at the domestic box office. Globally, Uncharted has brought in $271.5 million.

Channing Tatum's Dog placed third at the domestic box office with $6 million in ticket sales, and Spider-Man: No Way Home and Death on the Nile rounded out the top five with $4.4 million and 2.7 million, respectively. With No Way Home staying in the top five once more, Tom Holland has had two films in the top five for three weeks straight now.

For more on The Batman, check out our explainer of the ending, the five comics that could shape its sequel, and five burning questions from the film that Matt Reeves' shed some light on.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

While Robert Pattinson may be starring as the Dark Knight in theaters beginning this week, the new DC League of Super-Pets trailer has revealed that Keanu Reeves will be playing another version of Batman in the upcoming animated film.

DC League of Super-Pets is set to be released in theaters internationally on May 18, 2022, and in North America on May 20, 2022, and Reeves will be joined by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's Krypto the Super-Dog, Kevin Hart's Ace the Bat-Hound, and many more.

In the film, Johnson's Krypto is best friends with John Krasinski's Superman and even shares powers with him and helps him stop crime in Metropolis. When Superman is kidnapped alongside other members of the Justice League, Krypto gathers a team that includes Ace, Vanessa Bayer's PB the Potbellied Pig, Natasha Lyonne's Merton the Turtle, and Diego Luna's Chip the Squirrel to save the heroes.

DC League of the Super-Pets won't be the first time Reeves has entered the world of DC as he starred as John Constantine in 2005's Constantine, which is based on the DC Comic' Hellblazer comic book.

Reeves most recently starred in The Matrix Resurrections and will be seen in John Wick: Chapter 4 in 2023.

For more on the world of Batman, check out our review of The Batman, our explainer of the ending, and five comics that could shape the next movie.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Aquaman actor Jason Momoa has revealed that his favorite Batman villains of all time are the Jokers played by Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix.

Speaking to THR at The Batman premiere, Momoa was asked this popular question and answered without much hesitation.

Jason Momoa says both Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix's Joker are his favorite #Batman villains of all time pic.twitter.com/hiMzmaEeY4

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 5, 2022

"Heath Ledger, I mean, was amazing," Momoa said. "I mean, both Jokers, Joaquin [Phoenix] was amazing, too, if you consider that a villain... Joker, I love Joker."

We here at IGN agree with his choice, as we ranked Joker as the best Batman movie villain, saying that his “quietly menacing brilliance and ability to turn on a dime makes this incarnation of the Joker not only the best cinematic Batman villain, but one of the best movie villains full stop.”

We ranked Phoenix's Joker at #7, saying, "this is one of the scariest Jokers, no CGI or action scenes or explosions needed. He’d have ranked higher if only he had actually fought the Dark Knight. Maybe he still will...?"

IGN's audience also agreed with Momoa, as they just voted for Heath Ledger's Joker from The Dark Knight as the best Batman villain from film and TV. Phoenix took spot #13.

If Momoa's words have you wanting to see more of the late Ledger's Joker, be sure to check out our look at how this iconic iteration of this villain was born and why he made such a mark on not only the universe of Batman, but the entertainment industry as a whole.

For more Momoa, see his confirmation that he will be playing the villain in Fast and Furious 10 and learn more about Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which is set ot be released in theaters on December 16, 2022.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Aquaman actor Jason Momoa has revealed that his favorite Batman villains of all time are the Jokers played by Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix.

Speaking to THR at The Batman premiere, Momoa was asked this popular question and answered without much hesitation.

Jason Momoa says both Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix's Joker are his favorite #Batman villains of all time pic.twitter.com/hiMzmaEeY4

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 5, 2022

"Heath Ledger, I mean, was amazing," Momoa said. "I mean, both Jokers, Joaquin [Phoenix] was amazing, too, if you consider that a villain... Joker, I love Joker."

We here at IGN agree with his choice, as we ranked Joker as the best Batman movie villain, saying that his “quietly menacing brilliance and ability to turn on a dime makes this incarnation of the Joker not only the best cinematic Batman villain, but one of the best movie villains full stop.”

We ranked Phoenix's Joker at #7, saying, "this is one of the scariest Jokers, no CGI or action scenes or explosions needed. He’d have ranked higher if only he had actually fought the Dark Knight. Maybe he still will...?"

IGN's audience also agreed with Momoa, as they just voted for Heath Ledger's Joker from The Dark Knight as the best Batman villain from film and TV. Phoenix took spot #13.

If Momoa's words have you wanting to see more of the late Ledger's Joker, be sure to check out our look at how this iconic iteration of this villain was born and why he made such a mark on not only the universe of Batman, but the entertainment industry as a whole.

For more Momoa, see his confirmation that he will be playing the villain in Fast and Furious 10 and learn more about Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which is set ot be released in theaters on December 16, 2022.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The team behind Lost Ark has announced that, on March 4, it permanently removed "over a million illegitimate accounts" from the game that were running bots.

The news was shared via a blog, saying that it understands botting has been a huge problem since Lost Ark's launch and the team has been "hard at work on crafting effective tools and methods to identify and remove bots from the game." Now, that work has begun to pay off.

"Maintaining a fair and fun gameplay experience for our players is a top priority for the team," The Lost Ark team wrote. "While we intend to make a massive impact with this ban wave, we know that there is more work to be done and want players to know that this is only one step in what will be an active and ongoing process.

"Looking ahead, we will continue our work on detecting and removing botting, cheating, and harmful behavior from Lost Ark at scale, which includes expanding our anti-cheat tools, improving bot identification methods, and rolling out more ban waves as frequently as is necessary."

The team also notes that a small group of players who were "erroneously identified as bots" may have also been banned. If this has happened to you and you are not a bot but an actual human who has been "earnestly playing Lost Ark" and hasn't been "modifying their gameplay in any way," you can appeal the ban by submitting a ticket on Lost Ark's support site.

This news follows the reveal of Lost Ark's March update that includes new story and endgame content, including a new raid. While it just became available in North America, Lost Ark was released in South Korea in 2019 and there is a "wealth of content present in the Korean version that has yet to make its way to the western shores of Areksia." Fortunately, that is all about to change.

For more on Lost Ark, be sure to check out our review and our chat with the Lost Ark devs on the huge launch that made it Steam's second most-played game of all time by concurrent players.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The team behind Lost Ark has announced that, on March 4, it permanently removed "over a million illegitimate accounts" from the game that were running bots.

The news was shared via a blog, saying that it understands botting has been a huge problem since Lost Ark's launch and the team has been "hard at work on crafting effective tools and methods to identify and remove bots from the game." Now, that work has begun to pay off.

"Maintaining a fair and fun gameplay experience for our players is a top priority for the team," The Lost Ark team wrote. "While we intend to make a massive impact with this ban wave, we know that there is more work to be done and want players to know that this is only one step in what will be an active and ongoing process.

"Looking ahead, we will continue our work on detecting and removing botting, cheating, and harmful behavior from Lost Ark at scale, which includes expanding our anti-cheat tools, improving bot identification methods, and rolling out more ban waves as frequently as is necessary."

The team also notes that a small group of players who were "erroneously identified as bots" may have also been banned. If this has happened to you and you are not a bot but an actual human who has been "earnestly playing Lost Ark" and hasn't been "modifying their gameplay in any way," you can appeal the ban by submitting a ticket on Lost Ark's support site.

This news follows the reveal of Lost Ark's March update that includes new story and endgame content, including a new raid. While it just became available in North America, Lost Ark was released in South Korea in 2019 and there is a "wealth of content present in the Korean version that has yet to make its way to the western shores of Areksia." Fortunately, that is all about to change.

For more on Lost Ark, be sure to check out our review and our chat with the Lost Ark devs on the huge launch that made it Steam's second most-played game of all time by concurrent players.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Kraven the Hunter, a film that is part of Sony's Spider-Man Cinematic Universe, has cast The Many Saints of Newark's Alessandro Nivola as the villain.

As reported by Deadline, no further details were revealed about Nivola's character, but we know he will be joining a cast that includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff/Kraven the Hunter, Fred Hechinger as Dimitri Smerdyakov/Chameleon, and Russell Crow in an undisclosed role.

Alongside playing Dickie Moltisanti in The Many Saints of Newark, Nivola has also starred in American Hustle, Face/Off, Selma, Jurassic Park 3, and more. Later this year, he will appear in David O. Russell's currently untitled film that also features Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, Robert DeNiro, Rami Malek, and Anya Taylor Joy.

In our review of The Many Saints of Newark, we praised Nivola's work, saying that The Sopranos' prequel film "gets the Italian mafia drama right with Dickie Moltisanti’s narrative at the forefront, led by a superb performance by Alessandro Nivola."

Kraven the Hunter was first introduced in 1964's The Amazing Spider-Man #15 as a villain to Spider-Man and this new movie is set to be released in theaters in January 13, 2023. The film is allegedly using the comic storyline from Kraven's Last Hunt as inspiration, and it will be directed by J.C. Chandor. Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Richard Wenk will pen the script.

While Kraven will be getting his own film early next year, he very well may have been introduced as the villain of Spider-Man: No Way Home had the Multiverse angle not worked out.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.