The Kingdom Hearts series is coming to Nintendo Switch, but there's a catch: the beloved games will only be available on Nintendo's hybrid console through cloud versions. Now, we're learning why Square Enix hasn't committed to full downloadable versions on Switch.

Speaking to Nintendo Life, series producer Ichiro Hazama said the decision to make cloud versions of Kingdom Hearts was due to the Switch's storage capacity.

"For some time, our director Tetsuya Nomura had expressed his desire to deliver the Kingdom Hearts series to Nintendo Switch players, him having seen and heard the demand, and so a great deal of consideration went into this internally," Hazama said. "Bringing these titles to Nintendo Switch proved to be quite difficult for various reasons, including the storage capacity of the hardware, but we’re excited that we were able to make it happen for the first time ever by utilizing the Cloud service."

Kingdom Hearts III, for example, needed a lot of storage space to install on PS4 and Xbox One, a feat that may not be easy to pull off on Switch. However, Hazama also said they haven't completely ruled out production for native versions of some of the Kingdom Hearts games on Switch.

"At this moment in time, the production of a native version is undecided," Hazama said. "We believe that the Cloud version is currently the best way to deliver the Kingdom Hearts series to Nintendo Switch players, but we are always excited to hear to feedback from our fans and want to thank them for all their support."

The Kingdom Hearts cloud versions were originally announced earlier this month, as part of the final Sakurai Presents event. In that video, we also learned Sora is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's final DLC fighter. Sora releases today as part of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Version 13 update.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

After missing in action during Apple's September event, the tech giant has finally unveiled the long-awaited third-generation model refresh of its AirPods.

Succeeding the second-generation AirPods, released back in 2019, the third iteration of Apple's entry-level wireless earbuds offers a redesign, bearing some similarities to the higher-end AirPods Pros. While not a direct replacement for the Pro, the third-gen AirPods do include some Pro features, most notably spatial audio in addition to water and sweat resistance. Though active noise cancellation is still something that remains exclusive to the AirPods Pros.

Battery life has also been extended with Apple claiming the third-generation AirPods have an extended battery life of six hours, with total listening time up to 30 hours, according to the tech giant. The new AirPods are also compatible with Apple's MagSafe charging system.

The 2021 AirPods offer $179 — $50 more than the second-generation AirPods are currently retailing for. Orders beginning today and will release sometime next week.

Alongside the announcement of new AirPods, Apple also announced a slew of new products, including two new M1 chips and redesigned MacBook Pros. For more information on everything announced during today's event, check out our roundup of everything announced during Apple's second fall hardware event.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

After missing in action during Apple's September event, the tech giant has finally unveiled the long-awaited third-generation model refresh of its AirPods.

Succeeding the second-generation AirPods, released back in 2019, the third iteration of Apple's entry-level wireless earbuds offers a redesign, bearing some similarities to the higher-end AirPods Pros. While not a direct replacement for the Pro, the third-gen AirPods do include some Pro features, most notably spatial audio in addition to water and sweat resistance. Though active noise cancellation is still something that remains exclusive to the AirPods Pros.

Battery life has also been extended with Apple claiming the third-generation AirPods have an extended battery life of six hours, with total listening time up to 30 hours, according to the tech giant. The new AirPods are also compatible with Apple's MagSafe charging system.

The 2021 AirPods offer $179 — $50 more than the second-generation AirPods are currently retailing for. Orders beginning today and will release sometime next week.

Alongside the announcement of new AirPods, Apple also announced a slew of new products, including two new M1 chips and redesigned MacBook Pros. For more information on everything announced during today's event, check out our roundup of everything announced during Apple's second fall hardware event.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Rob Zombie has shared a first look at The Munsters reboot cast, spotlighting three of the movie's main characters outside the iconic Mockingbird Lane mansion.

The photo officially confirms three of the new movie's cast members, who were rumoured to be starring in the reboot, with Jeff Daniel Phillips making an appearance as Herman Munster, Sheri Moon Zombie in the role of Lily Munster, and Dan Roebuck taking his seat as Grandpa Munster in front of the family's gothic residence at 1313 Mockingbird Lane.

"Since Halloween is rapidly approaching, I thought it was the perfect time to MEET THE MUNSTERS!" Zombie announced in the caption of the photo, which he posted on Instagram during the spookiest season of the year. "Direct from the set in good old Hungary, I present Herman, Lily and The Count sitting in front of the newly completed 1313 Mockingbird Lane."

The characters appear to be wearing their daytime wardrobes as opposed to their nighttime attire, as the filmmaker previously revealed a look at the sleepwear that will be worn by the matriarch and patriarch of the Munster clan. The sketches showed Lily in a floor-length dress and a tattered black robe, with Herman in a striped sleepshirt and matching nightcap.

Zombie has been sharing photos and updates from the Munsters set for months now, but this is the first time we're seeing some of the reboot's cast members in character. Jorge Garcia, Richard Brake, and Cassandra Peterson are also rumored to be part of the movie's cast, however, their roles haven't been officially announced just yet.

Rumors of The Munsters reboot were floating around for a while before the official announcement arrived in June that Zombie would be making a modern adaptation of the TV classic. He has continued to post behind-the-scenes snaps on his social media account, including some location scouting photos in Hungary's capital of Budapest.

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

Rob Zombie has shared a first look at The Munsters reboot cast, spotlighting three of the movie's main characters outside the iconic Mockingbird Lane mansion.

The photo officially confirms three of the new movie's cast members, who were rumoured to be starring in the reboot, with Jeff Daniel Phillips making an appearance as Herman Munster, Sheri Moon Zombie in the role of Lily Munster, and Dan Roebuck taking his seat as Grandpa Munster in front of the family's gothic residence at 1313 Mockingbird Lane.

"Since Halloween is rapidly approaching, I thought it was the perfect time to MEET THE MUNSTERS!" Zombie announced in the caption of the photo, which he posted on Instagram during the spookiest season of the year. "Direct from the set in good old Hungary, I present Herman, Lily and The Count sitting in front of the newly completed 1313 Mockingbird Lane."

The characters appear to be wearing their daytime wardrobes as opposed to their nighttime attire, as the filmmaker previously revealed a look at the sleepwear that will be worn by the matriarch and patriarch of the Munster clan. The sketches showed Lily in a floor-length dress and a tattered black robe, with Herman in a striped sleepshirt and matching nightcap.

Zombie has been sharing photos and updates from the Munsters set for months now, but this is the first time we're seeing some of the reboot's cast members in character. Jorge Garcia, Richard Brake, and Cassandra Peterson are also rumored to be part of the movie's cast, however, their roles haven't been officially announced just yet.

Rumors of The Munsters reboot were floating around for a while before the official announcement arrived in June that Zombie would be making a modern adaptation of the TV classic. He has continued to post behind-the-scenes snaps on his social media account, including some location scouting photos in Hungary's capital of Budapest.

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

Disney has announced delays to multiple Marvel movies, including Doctor Strange 2, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther 2, and more. Indiana Jones 5, meanwhile, has been delayed by almost a full year.

Disney announced the release date changes (which also involved one untitled Marvel movie moving forward by a week) today, and you can see the full list below:

Marvel and Indiana Jones Release Date Changes

• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – Delayed from March 25, 2022 to May 6, 2022
• Thor: Love and Thunder - Delayed from May 6, 2022 to July 8, 2022
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Delayed from July 8, 2022 to November 11, 2022
• Indiana Jones 5 - Delayed from July 29, 2022 to June 30, 2023
• The Marvels - Delayed from November 11, 2022 to February 17, 2023
• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania - Delayed from February 17, 2023 to July 28, 2023
• Untitled Marvel - Moved forward from November 10, 2023 to November 3, 2023.

Disney also removed two unannounced Marvel films (originally dated for July 28, 2023, October 6, 2023) from the schedule entirely. Untitled Disney live-action and 20th Century movies were also removed. Removal from the schedule doesn't necessarily mean these releases are cancelled, but more likely means Disney hasn't yet decided on new release dates for them.

The changes announced strictly affect Disney's movie slate, and no changes have been announced for Disney+ streaming series. This year's remaining MCU movies, Eternals and Spider-Man: No Way Home, also remain on track for November 5 and December 17 respectively.

Deadline reports that the timing shifts have come about because, "Some titles are contending with finishing scenarios while others are in production." Disney is not thought to be planning any day-and-date streaming releases, and apparently isn't concerned with the global market after the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

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.

Disney has announced delays to multiple Marvel movies, including Doctor Strange 2, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther 2, and more. Indiana Jones 5, meanwhile, has been delayed by almost a full year.

Disney announced the release date changes (which also involved one untitled Marvel movie moving forward by a week) today, and you can see the full list below:

Marvel and Indiana Jones Release Date Changes

• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – Delayed from March 25, 2022 to May 6, 2022
• Thor: Love and Thunder - Delayed from May 6, 2022 to July 8, 2022
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Delayed from July 8, 2022 to November 11, 2022
• Indiana Jones 5 - Delayed from July 29, 2022 to June 30, 2023
• The Marvels - Delayed from November 11, 2022 to February 17, 2023
• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania - Delayed from February 17, 2023 to July 28, 2023
• Untitled Marvel - Moved forward from November 10, 2023 to November 3, 2023.

Disney also removed two unannounced Marvel films (originally dated for July 28, 2023, October 6, 2023) from the schedule entirely. Untitled Disney live-action and 20th Century movies were also removed. Removal from the schedule doesn't necessarily mean these releases are cancelled, but more likely means Disney hasn't yet decided on new release dates for them.

The changes announced strictly affect Disney's movie slate, and no changes have been announced for Disney+ streaming series. This year's remaining MCU movies, Eternals and Spider-Man: No Way Home, also remain on track for November 5 and December 17 respectively.

Deadline reports that the timing shifts have come about because, "Some titles are contending with finishing scenarios while others are in production." Disney is not thought to be planning any day-and-date streaming releases, and apparently isn't concerned with the global market after the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

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 PlayStation 5 has finally broken Nintendo Switch's 33-month run of selling the most console units in the US monthly hardware charts.

As per data collected by the NPD Group, the PlayStation 5 has finally come out on top of the Nintendo handheld to become the best-selling hardware platform across the US in September, selling the most units, and making the most money.

The Nintendo Switch's remarkable run shouldn't be understated. Having led the US console market in units sold on a monthly basis since November 2018 when it took over from the PlayStation 4, the Switch's 33-month run has seen it consistently outsell both Sony and Microsoft despite the latter pair releasing new flagship consoles within that time.

While the Switch remains the best-selling console in terms of units sold across the US year-to-date, as of August the PlayStation 5 had surpassed Nintendo's console in terms of dollar sales, and that continued last month. It's quite a feat, given that PS5 has been hit with shortages throughout the year.

In September, video game hardware dollar sales across the US increased by 49% when compared to the same month in 2020. The NPD Group notes that the total spend on hardware last month reached $412 million.

In August, Sony reported that it had secured enough components to be able to sell 22 million PlayStation 5s before the end of the current fiscal year. That being said, the company has still certainly seen its fair share of shortages since the console launched. Alongside Microsoft's Xbox Series X and PC graphics cards, part of the reason that fans haven't been able to get their hands on the latest hardware comes down to an industry-wide pandemic-caused chip shortage.

Estimates on when that shortage will end tend to vary. In August, Intel suggested that the issues could drag on until 2023 - while more recently, Toshiba director Takeshi Kamebuchi said that he thought that the chips would remain "very tight" until at least September of next year. Either way, it seems that it could still be a while before either the PS5 or Xbox Series X become consistently widely stocked across retailers.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

The PlayStation 5 has finally broken Nintendo Switch's 33-month run of selling the most console units in the US monthly hardware charts.

As per data collected by the NPD Group, the PlayStation 5 has finally come out on top of the Nintendo handheld to become the best-selling hardware platform across the US in September, selling the most units, and making the most money.

The Nintendo Switch's remarkable run shouldn't be understated. Having led the US console market in units sold on a monthly basis since November 2018 when it took over from the PlayStation 4, the Switch's 33-month run has seen it consistently outsell both Sony and Microsoft despite the latter pair releasing new flagship consoles within that time.

While the Switch remains the best-selling console in terms of units sold across the US year-to-date, as of August the PlayStation 5 had surpassed Nintendo's console in terms of dollar sales, and that continued last month. It's quite a feat, given that PS5 has been hit with shortages throughout the year.

In September, video game hardware dollar sales across the US increased by 49% when compared to the same month in 2020. The NPD Group notes that the total spend on hardware last month reached $412 million.

In August, Sony reported that it had secured enough components to be able to sell 22 million PlayStation 5s before the end of the current fiscal year. That being said, the company has still certainly seen its fair share of shortages since the console launched. Alongside Microsoft's Xbox Series X and PC graphics cards, part of the reason that fans haven't been able to get their hands on the latest hardware comes down to an industry-wide pandemic-caused chip shortage.

Estimates on when that shortage will end tend to vary. In August, Intel suggested that the issues could drag on until 2023 - while more recently, Toshiba director Takeshi Kamebuchi said that he thought that the chips would remain "very tight" until at least September of next year. Either way, it seems that it could still be a while before either the PS5 or Xbox Series X become consistently widely stocked across retailers.

Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Elden Ring has been delayed until February 25, 2022. However, the game will get a closed network test from November 12-14 – and you can register to be a part of it now, but it will be a consoe test only.

Announced on Twitter, the Elden Ring team explained that the delay – which is just over a month from the original date of January 21 – is because, "the depth & strategic freedom of the game exceeded initial expectations." The team thanked players for their patience.

Important message:

ELDEN RING will release on Feb 25, 2022, as the depth & strategic freedom of the game exceeded initial expectations. Thank you for your trust & patience. We look forward to seeing you experience the game in the Closed Network Test in Nov.

The #ELDENRING Team

— ELDEN RING (@ELDENRING) October 18, 2021

There was some better news, however, with the annoucnement of a Closed Network Test, being used to judge how well the game's online elements work when put under the stress of a full playerbase.

The Closed Network Test is for console only, with the option to try the game on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, or Xbox Series X/S – with cross-play supported within console families. No mention has been made of a PC test.

The Closed Network Test will run from November 12-14, and players can be chosen to take part by registering on the Elden Ring website before November 1. Essentially, if you want to play some of Elden Ring early, you'll want to sign up soon.

The website makes clear that joining the test is free, but doesn't provide details of what it will entail, other than to say that it is "a pre-verification test for the completion of the commercial version of the game," and, "a test to improve the quality of the product." You'll need to create a Bandai Namco account to sign up.

There will be five sessions across November 12-14 (listed below in Pacific time):

Session 1: 3am - 6am, November 12 Session 2: 7pm - 10pm, November 12 Session 3: 11am - 2pm, November 13 Session 4: 3am - 6am, November 14 Session 5: 7pm - 10pm, November 15

Last weekend, thirty seconds of what appeared to be Elden Ring direct feed gameplay leaked – effectively our first public look at the game outside of trailers. IGN previously saw 15 minutes of the game running behind closed doors, which we summed up in a first preview.

The long-awaited game is an open world take on FromSoftware's beloved Souls games, continuing a legacy started by Demon Souls and carried on by the Dark Souls series, Bloodborne, and Sekiro. With world-building help from George R.R. Martin, it's a game that promises to have FromSoft's biggest ever map, all-new gameplay mechanics, and even a mechanic that sounds a bit like Pokemon. We previously had an in-depth chat with Souls mastermind Hidetaka Miyazaki about the game.

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.