Is Super Smash Bros. coming to Switch 2? (Nintendo)
The Monday letters page realises that the next gen Xbox will be able to play PS5 games, as one reader hopes Bluepoint Games isn’t working on God Of War.
Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
Nintendo logic So, Sony has had a successful State of Play, their best in years I’d say, and Xbox’s was good too (I’ll be honest, I can’t remember anything about it, but I remember the buzz was decent). That means that Nintendo is the next one to have a showcase, but we still don’t have a date for it.
I’ve seen some rumours that it’ll be March, but I feel that’s just the obvious guess anyway. But my question is what will they be talking about? All we know about from them at the moment is Fire Emblem and Splatoon Raiders and while I don’t think many people here would consider them a particularly big deal you just don’t know with Nintendo.
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But surely they must be preparing to announce at least one new triple-A game (or whatever you’d call them with Nintendo). It’s probably not Animal Crossing or Zelda, because the timings don’t work out, so to me the two obvious options are Super Mario or Smash Bros.
You might say Mario is the most obvious, but Nintendo has been so weird about it so far I don’t think there’s any guarantee they’ll suddenly become predictable. My bet would be on Smash Bros., with some new characters and other minor new content. Not the most thrilling choice, in my opinion, but the logical choice. I would expect it to be the big game for Christmas. Ishi
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Perfect prelude There was a lot of good stuff at the State of Play but it didn’t shake my opinion that Resident Evil Requiem is the most exciting game at the moment and the one I’m most looking forward to. The new footage looked great and so has everything else before it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a game not make a single mistake before release and always look like a must have.
If it turns out to be a dud after all this I will actually be really impressed that Capcom has been able to hide it so well. I don’t expect that will be the case though and while I’ll still wait for the reviews I’m predicting this will be one of the best game of this year and probably the whole generation. Don’t let me down now! Purple Ranger
Stuck in Sparta I tend to agree with the Reader’s Feature about God Of War. Sons Of Sparta looks bad and a remake trilogy does sound like a big wasted effort, given those earlier games were nothing like the new ones in terms of gameplay or story. It’d be tragic if Santa Monica Studio were wasting their time on it, but it’d be just as bad if it were Bluepoint Games, doing it – which is something I’ve heard fans talking about.
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It’s not that remaking the game itself is a terrible idea, it’s just that by doing that you’re locking out talented developers for five years or more. Developers that could be busy moving the franchise forward or just generally not redoing something that already exists and you can play as remasters. I just don’t see any good outcome, because if they get a no-name dev, like with Sons Of Sparta, then that drastically decreases the odds that it will be any good. Focus
Two Keanus I didn’t think much of the state of play. The hair on the back of my neck when the John Wick trailer started playing. It would have been obvious to anyone that has watched at least one of the films it was a John Wick game.
But that’s tempered by the fact that I’m an old gamer that remembers when movie tie-in was just another way of saying a game was a poor quality, rushed cash-in. Remember The Matrix game?
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GoldenEye 007 was the first game I remember that was based on a film that turned out to actually be good. TomTom
For the love of the game Interesting comparison of Sony and Valve’s attitude in the Reader’s Feature at the weekend. I would not have thought of the comparison myself, but it does work. I think the problem for both companies is that ordinary games – basically anything but a mega hit – have become too small for them to bother with.
This seems a mistake to me though, as in Sony’s case they lose out on a key incentive in buying their console. But for both companies it’s a waste of talent and knowledge that has taken years to build up and is no longer being used properly. As long as a profit is made why not make them anyway, for the kudos alone?
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That worked for Astro Bot, which wasn’t a big hit but made people think better of Sony for a while. Soras will probably be similar, but I feel we need a lot more of that, multiple times a year. Tenna
Only on PlayStation Perhaps I’m just being slow here, but I realised that if the next gen Xbox is just a PC in console’s clothing, as it were, then that means that all PlayStation 5 games will, eventually, be on Xbox. I guess it doesn’t really mean much, since Microsoft doesn’t get a cut of the sales or anything, but we may finally have our all-in-one single format (except for Nintendo, but that was never going to happen).
For years that seemed like something to really wish for but now that it’s actually close to happening it feels like nobody will actually care. In the end, the PC has been the single format all along (especially for those using emulators) and Microsoft putting the Xbox logo on a different machine isn’t going to change that.
I think we’ll soon begin to realise that, in terms of consoles, single format domination is a bad thing. People are upset about Sony not releasing more first party games but now that the Xbox has slipped into irrelevance they have no incentive to change.
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Why spend all that money when you’ve already proved it doesn’t matter to whether your game Is a success or not? Sony won by doing nothing so there’s no incentive to do more next time. Tom Meadows
Last gen I’ve been watching Nioh 3 a bit on Twitch and wondered whether or not it should have been a dual console release. I can’t see any reason it couldn’t work on the PlayStation 4. Surely they could lower the resolution or whatever it was that stopped a version on PlayStation 4. It seems like Sony left money on the table with this decision. To me at least it still looks the same as Nioh 1 and 2.
Pretty sure there’s still millions of PlayStation 4 users out there. Bobwallett
GC: It’s not Sony’s game.
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Positive recap I’m still thinking about Thursday’s State Of Play, because it was more than a few steps ahead of the usual disappointments that we are usually served by Sony. It absolutely began with a bang. Death Stranding 2 on PC; Ghost Of Yōtei: Legends in March; Kena 2; the reveal of a John Wick game, with Keanu Reeves returning in the role of the Baba Yaga. Silent Hill Townfall was revealed and it’s first person; that was quite the surprise. It’s also set in an island inspired by Scotland, so that’s a nice change of pace to see locations from Japan to the UK being used. It’s a very fresh take on the series.
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Metal Gear Solid 4 is free from PlayStation 3 jail. I’ve wanted for this for many years and to see it finally happen is just unbelievable. Saros continues to look stunning and I can’t wait for it, personally. Pragmata looks charming and I actually have played the demo; very enjoyable and a fun hacking romp – Diana is a charmer as well. Project Windless is quite interesting. A chicken with a bone to pick and dual swords. Yep, I’m sold.
The anime titles and Marathon were my low points. I’m not particularly interested in either title. Control: Resonant and 007 First Light continue to impress. Crimson Moon sounds like a lot of fun and I look forward to seeing more. The final reveal was the remake of the God Of War trilogy, which was a win for me personally. It’s obviously years away, and it did just begin development, but spoken as a massive fan of the franchise I’m absolutely pumped for this.
However, it was disappointing to see no Phantom Blade 0 at the event. At least pre-orders could have been revealed. Since it does have a release date, after all. We didn’t see Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 or Kingdom Hearts 4. That was a let down on Square Enix’s part. Maybe we’ll see those at the Tokyo Game Show.
Wolverine will be shared in the spring, so I wasn’t expecting that. All in all, it was a fantastic event and the games look very stellar. There’s much to be excited for and I can’t wait to see more. I’ll also say that I would have liked to see more from Judas and Tides Of Annihilation and Lego Batman, but I can wait longer. To a wonderful 2026 and the release of Resident Evil Requiem in two weeks! Shahzaib Sadiq
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Inbox also-rans I’ve got a lot of sympathy for the Highguard dev complaining about ‘gamer culture’. It’s not my type of game, so I wouldn’t be interested in it whatever happened. But I never saw any explanation for why everyone turned on it except that they were hoping for something else to be revealed at The Game Awards – which is hardly the developer’s fault. Kakem
Am I the only one that thought the latest trailer for Marathon made it look like Splatoon? Not necessarily a bad thing but why do they have blue blood? Gonk
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Rather than reinventing the characters, Bauza sees his role as one of guardianship. He frequently credits original voice actor Mel Blanc, who passed away in 1989 and is referred to as “the man of 1,000 voices” on his own tombstone, along with legendary animators Chuck Jones and Bob Clampett, for laying the foundations that still define Looney Tunes today.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper calls for “tougher new sanctions” to be placed on Russia following her probe into the death of Navalny, Metro reports. Meanwhile, a “golden moment of history” at the Winter Olympics features large at the top of the paper’s front page, with snowboarders Charlotte Banks and Huw Nightingale celebrating “Britain’s first ever Winter Olympic gold on snow”
A photograph of the “daily life in Kyiv”, depicting people lining up for food in the cold weather, takes up the entire front page of the Independent. “It’s dark, it’s cold … it’s endless”, is the paper’s headline. It says people are “battling to survive winter as Putin’s latest strategy targets power supplies”
A man accused of carrying out Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in three decades at Bondi Beach last year has appeared in court for the first time.
Naveed Akram, 24, faces 59 charges in relation to the attack on a Jewish event at Sydney’s Archer Park that killed at least 15 people and injured dozens on Sunday 14 December.
Mr Akram appeared via video link on Monday at the Downing Centre Local Court and spoke briefly, mostly in single-word answers.
The magistrate extended suppression orders which were made late last year to protect the identities of victims and survivors after they opted not to be publicly identified.
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Mr Akram and his father Sajid Akram are accused of targeting Jewish people celebrating Hanukkah in an anti-semitic attack that sent shockwaves around the world. It was Australia’s worst mass shooting since 1996, and the worst terror attack targeting Australians since the 2002 Bali bombings.
People run on the beach during a shooting incident on a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney (Alex Larriaga via REUTERS)
Mr Akram, who was wearing a green jumper and sat with his hands on his lap, only spoke after deputy chief magistrate Sharon Freund asked if he had been listening to a discussion about an extension of suppression orders.
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“Did you just hear what I just said?” Ms Freund asked. Mr Akram replied: “Yeah.”
His Legal Aid solicitor, Ben Archbold, later asked the magistrate for time to speak with his client.
“Mr Akram, your solicitor is going to give you a call after,” the magistrate said. “Yep,” the accused replied.
Mr Archbold said it was too early to confirm what plea his client would enter and he was yet to receive the brief of evidence.
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Belongings of members of the Jewish community are seen at the scene of a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney (AFP via Getty Images)
Speaking to reporters outside the court, he said his client was “as well as can be expected” as he remains in the Goulburn supermax prison in New South Wales.
Asked if Mr Akram had given an interview to the police, he said: “All we’ve done is start the process. We’re waiting for the brief to be served. There’s nothing more I can say.”
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Mr Archbold also said he went to the High Risk Management Correctional Centre (HRMCC) to visit Mr Akram.
When asked about his visit and Mr Akram’s conditions, he said: “He’s just a client and he’s a client that needs to be represented, and we don’t let our personal view get in the way of our professional obligations.”
Ben Archbold, legal aid solicitor for Naveed Akram, speaks to media outside the Downing Centre Local and District Court in Sydney (via REUTERS)
Police allege that the Bondi Beach attackers parked their vehicle near a footbridge overlooking Archer Park at Bondi at about 6.50pm on 14 December.
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It is alleged that a “tennis ball bomb” and three pipe bombs were thrown into the crowd before the pair opened fire.
None of the bombs detonated, but were deemed viable during preliminary police analysis.
In December, court documents made public police allegations that Sajid and Naveed Akram visited the area for “reconnaissance and planning” in the days before the attack.
Police have further accused the pair of conducting firearms training in the Australian countryside.
Asked on the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News to explain her decision-making, Ms Cooper said: “I followed the clear advice and recommendations, going through a serious process that the Home Office goes through, involving different agencies and police advice as well, which was very clear about the recommendation for proscription of this group.
Hally Galletta underwent a breast reduction and uplift last April, hoping to finally feel comfortable in her body.
A woman was left shocked after noticing her breasts growing back just weeks after she splashed out the cash for reduction surgery.
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Hally Galletta was left “a bit scared” after noticing how her chest was changing. As she doesn’t qualify for the surgery on the NHS, Hally, from Perth, is paying for a second op.
She said: “Literally within a month-and-a-half after it was done, I looked down and I was like, ‘These things have just appeared again – they’re back,’ I’m getting another breast reduction next month.
“I’m a bit scared because it’s the second time in eight months but I’m literally going to say, ‘I want to be a size A’. I’m just going to say [to the doctors to] ‘Take them all off’ at this point’.”
Despite being told by her surgeon that 200g – roughly the weight of an adult hamster – were removed from each breast, Hally felt the results were barely noticeable.
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She said: “It’s really annoying after paying so much money and some people get them through the NHS. But I know I wouldn’t qualify and I feel like it’s a long wait. [On the upside], it was a really fast process.
“I had my consultation a couple of weeks after I contacted the hospital and then I got to pick the surgery date, which was really good.
“After the surgery, they were very tight and it looked like there was a difference. The surgeon said he took 200g out of each, but my friends say they look the same size as before.”
“We’ll see how that [the surgery] goes and if they appear back again because I’m not going for a third. I feel like that’s a sign I’ve got to keep them.”
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The prime minister added that the government will “bring new powers that will give us the ability to crack down on the addictive elements of social media, stop the auto-play, the never-ending scrolling, that keeps are children hooked on their screens for hours, and stop kids getting around age limits”.
Both series are filmed in one of the most isolated corners of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, at Ravenseat Farm in Upper Swaledale, North Yorkshire.
Ravenseat Farm sits at the head of Whitsun Dale, high above Swaledale in rugged upland countryside.
Anty John’s (Image: CHANNEL4)
The hill farm spans around 2,000 acres and operates primarily as a sheep farm.
It has been associated with Amanda Owen, widely known as the Yorkshire Shepherdess, and her family for decades.
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The landscape that viewers see on screen, sweeping moorland, dry stone walls, steep valleys and unpredictable weather, is entirely authentic.
The farm’s exposed position means harsh winters, heavy rainfall and strong winds are part of everyday life.
Amanda, Clive and Kids altogether outside Anty John’s (Image: CHANNEL4)
Its nearest settlement is Keld, approximately three and a half miles away.
Even that is a tiny hamlet with fewer than 100 residents and limited amenities.
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There is no shop, and facilities largely cater to walkers passing through on the famous Coast-to-Coast route.
Further east lies Muker, one of the larger villages in Swaledale, known for its traditional stone buildings and village pub.
The More4 series Our Farm Next Door is filmed nearby at Anty John’s, a historic, long-derelict farmhouse close to Ravenseat.
The programme follows Amanda and Clive Owen as they work to restore the building while continuing to run Ravenseat with the help of their nine children
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The renovation project has become central to the spin-off series, with filming documenting the transformation from structural repairs to interior restoration.
Amanda carrying wood to chop with Clive at Ravenseat (Image: CHANNEL4)
Ravenseat is widely regarded as one of the most remote farms regularly featured on British television.
The surrounding Upper Dales are sparsely populated, with long distances between services, limited mobile signal and few petrol stations or shops.
Although Ravenseat previously welcomed visitors for cream teas and overnight stays, public access was closed in 2022. It now operates solely as a private working farm.
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Speaking about the challenges of filming before the third series aired on TV, Amanda said: “Oh, there’s always a challenge.
“For a start, the weather is always the big challenge, but I mean, if you just literally think of the number of variables we’ve got going on, there literally isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done.
“So, I also feel that as time goes on and the children are growing up and becoming more independent, there’s less likelihood of me actually knowing where everybody is!
“So, getting them rounded up to lend a hand is always a big deal.”
Police in Germany are appealing for witnesses after thieves broke into the basement of a bank and stole from customer safety deposit boxes.
Three individuals, who are thought to be men, were seen wearing blue overalls and walking from a Volksbank branch in Stuhr, northwestern Germany, at around 1.20pm on Friday (13 February), authorities said.
They added that the trio were walking towards a dark car, but witnesses have so far said they aren’t sure whether they got in and drove away or walked past.
A gang of thieves took advantage of the Christmas holidays and drilled into a vault to steal millions of pounds worth of valuables.
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Millions were stolen in the December 2025 heist
Witnesses saw several men carrying large bags into the stairwell of a garage next to the bank overnight on Saturday 27 December.
CCTV footage then captured a black Audi leaving early in the morning on Monday 29 December.
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The men broke into thousands of deposit boxes, with initial estimates placing the value of the raid between €10m to €90m (£8.6m to £78m), according to a police spokesperson.
However, the Schoolwear Association – which represents the uniform industry – said new legislation had caused confusion in both retailers and schools, adding government plans could mean parents spend more on replacing lower-quality generic garments, which might not last as long as branded items.
And what a journey the show has been on since those fledgling days when the Lowry supported the team from SplitLip to develop an idea for a musical based on a scarcely believable moment which was pivotal to the Allies’ success in the Second World War.
When the show opens next week it will mark the beginning of a world tour; the production has also enjoyed extended runs on both Broadway and in the West End picking up a host of awards along the way.
For Holly Sumpton and Charlotte Hanna-Williams, the opportunity to take the musical unlike any other around the country was simply one they could not resist.
Both have been in the show before – Holly having been part of the West End cast for an extended run and Charlotte as an understudy for a limited time.
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Holly said: “I’m so fortunate to have been part of the show’s journey from when it started in the West End. I was able to witness the elation of the team when they saw the set and the fact that their dream was actually happening.
“It’s a real privilege to be part of that next chapter.”
Charlotte added that the fact the tour begins at the Lowry makes it extra special.
Holly Sumpton as Ewen Montagu in Operation Mincemeat (Picture: Matt Crockett)
“It just feels as though Operation Mincemeat has become this sort of super power which is why it’s so wonderful for us to go back to where it all started; it’s such a full circle moment, it’s just fab.
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“It’s also testament to investing in small shows and small theatre companies – just look where it can lead.”
Operation Mincemeat is based on the true story of a top secret mission to fool the Germans into thinking the Allies were about to invade Greece when in reality Sicily was the target.
To achieve this, they used the body of a homeless man, dressed him in military uniform, stuffed fake invasion plans in his pockets and left him for the Germans to discover.
The show sees a cast of just five performers play countless characters.
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Holly said: “Looking at how far the production has come, what is so amazing and so charming is that it has grown in scale in terms of the size of theatres and number of venues but it has never lost its charm which allows five people to put on, it has never lost the essence.”
Charlotte added: “You could have a cast of 30 doing what we do and it would all be delightfully easy but then it would totally lose its charm. The challenge for us going into these bigger venues on tour is to retain that lovely fringe feel which is integral to the show.”
With lightning fast costume changes, actors playing multiple roles and, not forgetting that Operation is also a musical, the production can border on the chaotic but it never gets out of control.
“We always say there’s a second show going on backstage,” said Charlotte. “There’s so much running around, changing costumes but it becomes like clockwork. It is chaos backstage but that’s what makes it so exciting for us. You can never relax in this show but that keeps it exciting.
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“And you know what, sometimes things do go wrong but that’s quite fun as well. Of course we try and rein he chaos in as much as we can.”
“I think you have to treat a show like this as a team sport,” said Holly. “You can’t be out there on your own just doing your thing; you have to put total trust in each other.”
At face value, the success of Operation Mincemeat is not something that could ever have been predicted.
“It’s testament to the audiences in some ways,” said Charlotte. “We purposely keep a lot of the details about the show under wraps because we don’t want to spoil it. So often audiences will come not really knowing a lot about the show – they know it’s a musical, about the war and they’ve just decided to give it a go.
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“We are so privileged that so many come back again and again they love it so much. Audiences take a chance on not knowing what’s going to happen or what’s coming next and they love it.”
Being part of a show which has almost achieved legendary status – it has currently received 88 five-star reviews around the world and counting – does that put extra pressure on the cast?
“I suppose there is a lot of pressure,” said Holly, “and that pressure comes in different ways. We are telling this really important story which really happened involving real people so there’s a pressure there too. But it’s told in such a refreshing new way it makes whole thing very exciting.
“There are certain lines I’ll say which feel so topical. The piece itself is fun and irreverent and silly yet it is able to touch on very important things happening which don’t just feel like they have been shoehorned in.
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“The show comes from a place of humanity which I think is what makes it so effective.”
Charlotte added: “One of the unique things is that many of characters are deeply flawed; they may have views or carry out actions that maybe are not great and yet you are rooting for every single one of them. It’s not a question of them being a good guy or a bad guy. As an audience member you know they may have flaws but you still want them to succeed, you want the characters to win.”
Having been part of the show in the West End, both Holly and Charlotte didn’t think twice about the opportunity to take Operation Mincemeat on tour in the UK for the first time.
“I was only in the show for three months so I felt as though I was just finding my feet when the run ended,” said Charlotte, “so I am so excited to come back.”
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Holly added: “Just coming into rehearsals and hearing the music has been magical. It’s not something I’ve ever experienced before with any show.”
For the tour, the production will be using the set originally designed for Broadway.
“That’s made rehearsals even more exciting,” said Charlotte. “It’s the same story, that will never change, but we’ve now the set for larger spaces which takes technical elements that don’t fit into lovely Fortune Theatre in the West End.
“At its heart you have you have the story you would have seen all those years ago when it started out, just scaled up. That’s so exciting.”
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Operation Mincemeat is at the Lowry, Salford from Monday, February 16 to Saturday, February 28. Details from www.thelowry.com