Explainer

Whether an ending leaves you puzzled or you're missing a piece of deep-cut lore, Polygon's explainers help you understand.

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Zelda holding the Master Sword in front of her body while looking off into the distance in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Everything we know about Nintendo Switch 2 backward compatibility

More than 180 Switch games may not play properly

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Graphic of Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral upon reopening after the 2019 fire in Paris, France, March 2, 2025. Background is purple with digital lines zipping across the sky
The quest to save Notre Dame brought together unlikely game giants

Lasers, photogrammetry, and virtual reality collided in a high-tech restoration

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Gigantamax Forms of Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur in artwork from Pokémon Go
Who is Scopely, Pokémon Go’s new owner?

Niantic’s sale to the Saudi-owned mobile games company raises questions for longtime players

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Sam (Norman Reedus) cradles baby Lou in close-up in Death Stranding 2
Death Stranding 2: Everything we know about Hideo Kojima’s next game

In short: It’s out in June, it’s called On the Beach, and it looks wonderfully weird

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Mel, a League of Legends champion dressed in red and black, stands at the central of a swirling stream of gold magic that solidifies into an orb in front of her. She is surrounded by the figures of Noxus etched into stone, representing her arrival to the empire.
The history of Noxus, one of League of Legends’ most complex regions

From ancient wars to current struggles

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American Writer Stephen King
Where to start reading Stephen King

He’s 65 books in and more on the way — how to choose the perfect Stephen King book for you

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Switch 2
What is DLSS, and will it be Switch 2’s secret weapon?

Nvidia’s AI-powered upscaling tech could give Nintendo a valuable advantage

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Mario appears in a screenshot from World 1-1 of Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels on Nintendo Switch
The best way to beat a hard level is to stop playing it

What cognitive psychology can teach us about getting better at games

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By 
Every MCU movie, ranked
Why is the Red Hulk red? 

He’s just built different

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Nintendo Joy-Con wireless controllers for the Nintendo Switch are displayed during the debut of Allied Esports’ “PlayTime With KittyPlays” esports variety show at HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas at Luxor Hotel and Casino on March 24, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
What are Hall-effect joysticks and why are they important for Switch 2?

The Switch was notorious for its Joy-Con stick drift, and Nintendo wants to change that

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Two DualSense controllers hang on store racks
Will Trump’s tariffs impact Nintendo Switch 2 and other consoles?

Economists explain tariffs and the video game industry

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Realis cover photo, words on a black background with red lettering and an abstract image of spheres, swirls, and skulls
What's an ashcan — and why are people so excited about Austin Walker’s?

From comics to tabletop games, ashcans have come a long way

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The cast of Dimension 20: Fantasy High - Junior Year looks excited to see you in a press photo. They’re inside a blue and purple dome, with a beautiful set of high-school-shaped terrain in the foreground.
It’s easy to get into Dimension 20 — just pick a genre and find the season that fits

Curious about the Madison Square Garden-filling hype? It’s easier than you think

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Illustrations Of TikTok Alternative RedNote (Xiaohongshu) App
Why TikTok users are flocking to Chinese social media apps RedNote and Lemon8

The Supreme Court will likely decide this week what happens to TikTok

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The Game Awards 2018   Arrivals
How The Game Awards voting works

Who decides Game of the Year and other TGAs awards? Not the public (for the most part)

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rick flag sr amanda waller
Creature Commandos makes sorting through DC’s new canon easy (sorta)
DC

Everything to know about the New DCU canon that you were too afraid (or just confused) to ask

All the Dune: Prophecy season 2 news we’ve heard so far
All the Dune: Prophecy houses and characters you need to know
TV

Including where those pesky Atreides and Harkonnens are at right now

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Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a green-skinned woman in a black dress and black pointed witch’s hat, stands on a balcony outside a green window in a green wall in Wicked
Everything you should know before watching Wicked

Fool you once, shame on you. Fool you twice, shame on Wicked.

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A woman with a ceremonial Dune veil looks toward the camera in Dune: Prophecy
Dune: Prophecy makes a big choice about one of the universe’s most important events
TV

Brian Herbert’s evil robots are at the heart of the new Dune show

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A trio of characters brandishing weapons in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
A Baldur’s Gate 3 player’s guide to Dragon Age lore

Your guide to dragons, ages, and bald elves

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