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Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds is still talking internally about what to do in response to the game’s big killing fish debate, but players have taken the matter into their own hands, diving deeper to uncover ways of actually defending themselves.

To briefly recap, killing fish isn’t properly supported in Subnautica 2, which launched to huge success in early access form last week. You can deter fish by using a flare, but there are no tools designed specifically for causing fish damage, which means that you’re faced with having to put up with them nibbling at your heels as you go about your underwater business.

But, it turns out that there are ways to defend yourself in Subnautica 2, but you’ll have to put in a bit of work to make use of them. Across subreddits, discords, and social media, players have identified mid-game upgrades that offer some defense, and even let you kill fish in a round about way.

Warning! Potential spoilers for Subnautica 2 follow:

The Feedback Resonator, an upgrade for the Sonic Resonator that lets it fire a projectile, lets you shoot fish from a distance. You’ll need to work your way deep into the game to obtain it, but some reports indicate the Sonic Resonator can actually kill fish, so it’s certainly worthwhile.

Redditor Jeidoz suggests the Shockwave biomod upgrade, which gives you an electric discharge that can push fish away from you. And then there are the aforementioned flares when you’re in a pickle.

Jeidoz said they were able to complete the early access Subnautica 2 as it is now without taking damage, which sounds like a herculean effort. They used flares and dashed to run away from predators, then the Sonic Resonator to encourage fish to push off. Then, getting further into the mid-game, the Electric Discharge was used “for any dangerous situations,” and the Feedback Resonator was used for single-target enemies.

“In the current version of Early Access, I believe we only have mid-game (or even pre-mid-game?) options,” Jeidoz said. “With future updates, we can expect new vehicles, new bio-mods, fixed fish reactions to light, and other tools/actions. Currently, the PDA mentions some of them, but most fish only react to flares, ‘sounds’ from vehicles, the Sonic Resonator, the player, and stationary vehicles.”

So, the upshot is, the more you play Subnautica 2, the more you’ll be able to defend yourself. But this is not the outright ability to kill fish, as some want. Yes, you do kill fish “off screen” by eating them raw, cooking them, or turning them into other resources. But some players want to effectively clear the game out of fish, giving them the breathing room to bend the depths to their will.

This, though, does not sound like something the developers at Unknown Worlds will ever make possible in Subnautica 2. The developers have spoken in the past about not wanting players to conquer or dominate the environment, and that it wouldn’t feature tools that would let them slay anything that gets in their way. "We aren't a killing game," level designer Artyom "Artie" O'Rielly recently said in the Subnautica Discord. "Go play Sons of the Forest or something if you want to kill."

Still, Unknown Worlds is certainly thinking about tweaking the game in response to the debate. Also speaking in the Discord, lead game designer Anthony Gallegos said the developer can tune creature aggression to make fish less annoying to deal with.

“One thing that should help with this soon is the array of creature flinches we're doing,” Gallegos explained. “Right now they aren't communicating that you've impacted them, and that will change.

“We can do a lot without a stasis rifle for now, though," he added. "Some of it is just going to be rounds of tuning around creature aggression, downtime between when you run them off, etc. We clearly have work to do there, and we're doing it!”

If you're just getting started, we’ve got a Things to Do First in Subnautica 2 guide to check out, plus resource location guides to help you find Titanium, Silver, and more. Discover blackbox and supply crate locations on our interactive Subnautica 2 map, and make sure you don’t miss any Angel Comb Adaptations or Blueprints.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is now available to rent or purchase digitally from PVOD platforms like Prime Video.

The digital release was initially scheduled for May 5 but, much like fellow box office hit Project Hail Mary, was delayed to take advantage of the film's success in theaters. It's not hard to understand why — the Mario Bros sequel currently stands as the highest-grossing movie of 2026.

If you didn't get the chance to check out the film in theaters, or have just been itching for a rewatch to catch all of those Easter eggs, here's everything we know about its digital, streaming, and DVD releases.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie currently costs $24.99 to rent or $29.99 to purchase. If you choose to rent, you’ll have 48 hours to watch the movie from the time you hit play. If you go with the full purchase, you’ll also get over an hour of behind-the-scenes digital extras. Prime Video is also offering a bundle of both Super Mario movies for $39.99.

The Super Mario sequel expands the world of the first movie to encompass, as you can imagine, galaxies. The sequel introduced a spread of new cast members to flesh out the growing gaggle of characters, including Brie Larson as Rosalina and Donald Glover as Yoshi. One new addition Nintendo tried its best to hide away until the film’s premiere was Glen Powell's role as Star Fox, which preceded the announcement of a Star Fox remake coming to Switch 2.

The sequel didn’t quite hit the same heights as the original on the critics’ side, though Clint Gage’s review for IGN does argue that it’s “bigger and shinier” and “racks up some extra lives by stuffing Easter eggs into the runtime to the point of bursting.” What we do have is no shortage of praise for is the original Super Mario Galaxy games, both of which were re-released on Switch consoles in the lead-up to the movie’s release.

Peacock will be the first streaming home for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, but there’s no word on a specific streaming release date. Based on the timeline of The Super Mario Bros Movie, the sequel will most likely land on Peacock later this summer. After four months on Peacock, the film will move to Netflix.

In the meantime, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will be released in 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD in just over a month. The film is even getting a limited edition 4K steelbook in the style of Rosalina’s Storybook.

Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who, when she isn't following streaming news, spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.

We made it to the Magic Door with less than 10 seconds left. A couple of last-second run-ins with the guards that populate the Constable Guildhall took time we didn’t have, but we managed to escape – our contract completed, our mission objective fulfilled, and our pockets loaded down with the ill-gotten gains we’d liberated from the cops. Not a bad day’s work. Moments like this are when Thick as Thieves sings: sneaking out of a tough situation, figuring out a new way to get where you need to be, a last second escape with zeroes on the clock. Combine co-op play, a couple of thieves with unique toolkits, excellent level design that constantly forces you to make interesting decisions, and a surprisingly compelling story, and Thick as Thieves has enough to keep you coming back for one last job. I just wish there was more of it. (And that I could kill Hauntstables. If the Hauntstables have no enemies, I have departed this Earth.)

Thick as Thieves is set in 1910s Kilcairn, a fictional Scottish city that meets at the collision of magic and technology. You break into (get it? Do you get it?) the Thieves’ Guild by stealing the Vistara Diamond. But the diamond ain’t just a big shiny rock on a stick; it reveals nearby guards, hidden traps, and even treasures – and wilder stuff like hidden magic doors where the really good loot is kept. Uncovering the nature of the Diamond means uncovering the history of the city itself, and a prominent family who lived there, and pretty soon what started as a simple heist becomes a small part of a much bigger story that took me around 12 hours to tie the knot on.

Thick as Thieves’ setup – get in, get what you came for, get out – means there isn’t a lot of what you’d consider a traditional story. Most of it is told though text-based communiques that hand out your mission objectives or congratulate you on a job well done, and scattered notes that provide clues about the location of (or security surrounding) the things you’re there to snatch mid-mission. What’s here is compelling, but you kind of have to look for it, and a good chunk of it is especially easy to miss if you’re playing co-op – which you absolutely should be if you have a friend who wants to get grabby with other peoples’ things.

Thieving effectively means being aware of your surroundings and not getting caught, so if you’ve ever played a stealth game, you’ll be at home here. Crouching under trip wires, avoiding pressure plates, turning off rotating turrets, and avoiding magic eyes are the name of the game. Most of the time you’ll be crouched, moving slowly as you snuff out candles, turn off lamps, and try to make as little noise as possible. The actual thieving comes in the form of a cute little minigame to pick locks in order to open doors or snag treasures secured in display cases. You’ll also collect clues that lead you to each mission’s big score or its story-based contract, both of which are active at once. The former could be anything from stealing enough stuff to hit a certain monetary threshold or finding specific items, while the latter requires you to “acquire” an object that only appears if you’re on that contract. It’s best to do both, but you’re not out of luck if you only do one (preferably the contract).

Avoiding traps is simple enough if you pay attention (or use the Diamond, which makes things much easier), but the guards themselves are another thing entirely. Their patterns are predictable, but they’re alert to most sounds and even catching a glimpse of you will cause them to investigate. You’re a thief, not a fighter, and if they catch you, they’ll tell you to stop resisting (even when you’re not) before zapping you with lightning until you’re dead. If you want them gone (and you do), your best bet is to sneak up behind them and knock them out.

If they see you first, you’re not entirely defenseless. A smoke grenade will stun them long enough for you to put them to sleep, and you can always run. Plus, completing contracts and absconding with loot will level you up, giving you access to consumable items like the Insult Fairy, which distracts guards by doing exactly what you’d think, or the Pickpocket Fairy, which does… exactly what you’d think, and is super handy when you want a guard’s key without getting near him. So yeah, guards can be annoying, but the best part is you always have an out (unless you’ve already spent it), and unless you trigger a trap that locks you in a room with one, you can always run.

And if you’re smart, you can just avoid them entirely. Each thief has four slots of usable items: one is reserved for the Diamond, two are for any combination of smoke grenades, fairies, and other useful tools, and the final is unique to that thief. Thick as Thieves has two: the Spider, which is what you start with, and the Chameleon, which you unlock. The former has a grappling hook that can allow you to pull yourself up, down, and all around, and the latter can copy the form of a guard and use it to walk around in disguise.

The Chameleon is cool and suave and has some great voice lines (“and a penny for the vicar!”), but the Spider has all of that and a grappling hook, so she wins. Why walk past an annoying guard when you can just go over him, you know? What I like most, no matter who you choose, is that Thick as Thieves is always encouraging you to play smart and make good decisions. You’ll start off very cautious, but playing smart also means realizing that guard is in your path and the fastest way to where you need to be is to bomb his ass with a smoke grenade and choke him out. Yeah, being stealthy is great, but I like that you’re rewarded for playing offense and taking smart risks, too – like sprinting to get past a magic eye before it spots you.

But all the tricks in the world will only get you so far. Eventually, you’ll run into Hauntstables (incredible name, by the way), who are Constables cursed to be cops for all eternity. Some of the lore frames this as punishment, which feels valid for choosing to be a very intentionally corrupt cop, but nobody should be forced to be a cop forever. I feel for the Hauntstables when they complain about waiting forever for a cup of coffee or say it feels like they’ve been on this shift forever because, well, they have. But man they’re a pain.

The big deal with Hauntstables is that they’re ghosts, so they can go through walls, ascend through floors, descend through roofs, and can’t be knocked out. They also hurt you if they get too close, so if you are spotted, you need to move. Getting away from them is tricky, and you mostly either need a smoke grenade to stun them or clear path to book it down to have a chance. Sometimes you’ll die not because one spotted you, but because you were low on health and he just happened to walk by. Slither Sap, one of your equipable items, allegedly has a “strange interaction” with them, but I have thrown a lot of Slither Sap at these cats and nothing seemed to happen. What does work, though, is turning on gramophones. Hauntstables do not like bagpipes. Their loss is your gain, but these guys are going to send you to an early grave more than once. Luckily, you do respawn, just without whatever loot you snagged (though you can bank your spoils at certain single-use stashes scattered across the map), which is dangerous when you’re up against a timer.

The most annoying thing about Hauntstables, though, is that they get stuck. Normal guards will see their buddies unconscious on the ground and pick them up before searching for you and then eventually going about their business if you stay hidden, but Hauntstables can’t pick people up, so they can get stuck in an infinite loop of “see guy on the ground, be shocked, be unable to do anything about it, see guy on the ground” and so on. This is funny, but it also means that Hauntstable won’t go back to his patrol path, which is a pain if you’re trying to get past the area he happens to be stuck in. Usually, this eventually resolves (especially if you die), but it’s annoying, though never gamebreaking.

What carries Thick as Thieves, aside from the charming art, roguish… rogues, and general Cool Vibes are the levels. There are unfortunately only two: the aforementioned Constable Guildhall and Elway Manor, but they’re both so good that I can almost forgive it. Each is a multi-story behemoth ripe with hidden paths and tons of ways to get where you need to be, and they do change from time to time as some paths open and others close. Combine that with your thief’s skills and the ever-changing objectives you’ll have when you enter each level (as well as difficulty options that add more traps and guards), and I never got bored.

There’s a joy to mastering these levels and knowing exactly how to get where you need to be, but there are a couple downsides. Certain notes – like the ones that explain that Hauntstables don’t like gramophones – appear on the map every time, which can be irritating when you’re looking for mission or contract-specific clues and you find one you’ve seen before. It’s also just kind of a bummer to finish a contract and know that the next one will either send you to the other level or back to where you just were. Variety is the spice of theft, after all.

My favorite thing about Thick as Thieves, though, is the online co-op. It’s fun to split up and explore separate areas, coordinate to take out a guard, or have your buddy save you at the last moment, and vice-versa. And getting picked up next to the stuff you dropped is way better than respawning in a safe area. It does make levels easier, but it’s so much more fun to play with a friend that I kind of don’t care. Besides, you can always crank up the difficulty setting if you’re into that.

For the better part of a century, the Caped Crusader has maintained a level of aura rarely seen in characters kissing the public domain. He’s been a purple-gloved pulp avenger and a swashbuckling ‘70s love god, a camp icon and a goth baddie. Frank Miller’s iconoclastic boomer, Grant Morrison’s avatar of determination, and Scott Snyder’s Absolute unit are all wildly different iterations of a timeless concept existing under the same cowl. The games have only been a little more consistent.

We’ve previously explored the rocky origins of Batman in the world of video games, and today we look at arguably the Dark Knight’s most challenging chapter: navigating the extreme highs and lows of an era dominated by The Animated Series and Joel Schumacher’s nippled Batsuits, right as video game hardware changed how we played forever.

Batman: The Animated Series is a high-water mark among all Bat-media. Premiering in 1992, it is the platonic ideal of the Dark Knight, anchored by iconic voice performances, unheard of depth and undeniable style.

The series inspired four video games during its initial run, although one of them barely counts. Only Konami’s 1993 Game Boy title actually released under the “Animated Series” moniker, which features excellent platforming and an impressive dedication to showcase the show’s lavish production into a 2.5 inch cartridge. There’s a lot of game in that little grey box. It’s the first time Batman’s rogue’s gallery was really showcased, featuring seven A-list villains unrestrained by the smaller scope of a film adaptation. It’s also the first time we get to play as Robin, a keystone of the comic franchise whose relationship with Bruce remains criminally underexplored in movies and games to this day.

Konami followed up with an SNES title in 1994. Originally developed as a BTAS tie-in but published as The Adventures of Batman and Robin, the boy wonder is barely involved in the proceedings. Instead, a solo Batman battles through stages styled as episodes from the TV series, complete with unique art deco title cards for each. This format offers more than most Batman sidescrollers, with impressive Mode 7 boss battles, overhead Batmobile sections, and levels that mechanically complement the signature gimmicks of their respective rogues.

Not to be outdone, Sega published its own BTAS adaptation the same year. Batman and Robin for Genesis was developed by Clockwork Tortoise and is a technical tour-de-force of pseudo 3D scaling and rotation effects, utilizing brilliant tricks and scanline-level hacks to create visuals that simply shouldn’t exist on hardware primarily designed to play Altered Beast.

The gameplay doesn’t even pay lip service towards Batman’s skill as a detective, or his finely-honed physical combat skills. Instead, it’s a pure run-and-gun in the explosive tradition of Contra and Gunstar heroes, in which the Dark Knight and his ward run to the right, flinging an infinite supply of Batarangs at full auto while their tireless arms never flag. The dynamic duo can finally be played in co-op action here, though the presence of your trusty sidekick does little to alleviate the game’s notorious difficulty.

There are only four stages, but they are merciless and enormous– one autoscrolling Batwing section clocks in at over 16 minutes. Buildings explode, zeppelins are hijacked, and the entire world dissolves into a virtual reality hellscape as you make your way to Mr. Freeze’s sci-fi fortress. Anyone who can conquer the hyperactive gauntlet and throw the down-bad doctor back in his icy cell with a mere three lives and two continues deserves to be adopted by Bruce Wayne.

There’s one last game to round out this brief, beautiful era before the Bat-nipple arrived to change everything: Batman and Robin for the Sega CD. This one is particularly strange. For one thing, it’s a fully-priced release made out of what’s essentially a minigame, consisting of naught but a series of vehicle stages using the old Batman Returns engine in which the Dark Knight never gets out of his car.

What sets the Sega CD version apart, however, has nothing to do with the gameplay. Between the boring Batmobile levels we’re treated to full-motion video cutscenes that, at first glance, appear to be ripped directly from the Animated Series. That’s not technically correct, since the disc actually includes completely original footage, voiced by the same cast, directed by Bruce Timm, written by Paul Dini, and animated by Tokyo Movie Shinsha, the studio behind the standout episodes like Feat of Clay and Robin’s Reckoning. The 16 minutes of footage essentially comprise a lost episode, and if you can stomach the extremely compressed and dithered, 64-color video at 160p, the Sega CD cutscenes are worth tracking down.

The 16-bit era was very good to Batman, but a new age lurked ominously on the horizon. Casting aside Tim Burton’s vision and the Animated Series it inspired, a very different version of the Dark Knight would rise, bathed in a neon glow, and heralded by the haunting sounds of Seal and the Smashing Pumpkins. The games wouldn’t be much better.

On the big screen, new Batman director Joel Schumacher crafted a more toyetic vision for the Dark Knight. His first film, Batman Forever, spawned just two games. And for the first time, the movie tie-ins would be largely the same game ported to every platform, and who better to do that than the devs who brought Mortal Kombat into your living room?

Acclaim and Probe Entertainment’s Batman Forever is essentially a 2D fighter bolted to a beat ‘em up, a star-crossed pairing if there ever was one, and much like the later Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub Zero, it commits the cardinal sin of mapping jump to the up button, turning exploration into aggravation. The Dark Knight is no stranger to fighting games, but the execution in Batman Forever is, frankly, embarrassing, with so many esoteric button combinations that the instruction manual looks like sheet music.

Like Mortal Kombat, the game uses digitized sprites of stuntmen in bogus imitations of the film’s sensuously molded rubber, shuffling across bland and illegible scenery with zero Schumacher swagger onscreen. It’s astonishing anyone managed to make a movie that’s so extra into a game this dull.

If you just read a description of Batman Forever: The Arcade Game, you’d think it was largely the same as the console version. But look closer at its digitized sprites and you’ll notice that the schlubby stand-ins have been replaced with juiced-up CGI renders ala Killer Instinct, ready to melt your brain with nonstop button-smashing action. A psychedelic braindance of Game UI bombards the screen with combo counters, massive health bars, and bouncing powerups. Batman and Robin can annihilate waves of enemies with godlike ultra moves while an announcer barks phrases like “FRENZY MODE!” to a backdrop of speed metal guitars.

For all its extravagance, The Arcade Game received little fanfare. Notably, it’s the first Bat-Title IGN ever reviewed – we gave it a 5/10. Beat ‘em ups might have been Batman’s specialty, but by the late ‘90s they were considered stale and old-fashioned. The same could be said about 2D graphics, which is why the Dynamic Duo sprinted into the third dimension for their next game: Batman & Robin.

Based on the much-maligned film of the same name and originally set to release alongside it, Probe needed extra time to finish the game which forced Acclaim to delay it by a year, meaning that not only did Batman & Robin for Playstation miss the movie launch, by the time it came out the movie it was based on was already a global laughingstock. It’s a shame, because if you strip away the Schumacherian specifics there’s something genuinely ambitious underneath: a 3D, open-world Batman simulator bashing its head against the limitations of the Playstation hardware.

You control one of the three Bat-characters, including Batgirl in a series first, each patrolling the city with their own mean machine. You take discovered clues back to the Batcave, where you’ll decipher them to find out where, and more importantly when, mischief is afoot. The game runs on a relentless real-time clock, forcing you to be on time for Mr. Freeze’s latest caper or face an automatic game over. There are no checkpoints or quick restarts, so you’d better factor in the five-minute travel time to find an extremely rare save point. No one said it would be easy being Batman.

Batman and Robin has a reputation as one of the worst Batman games of all time, and it probably deserves it. Between the busted tank controls, tedious difficulty, obnoxious sound effects, and utter confusion about what you’re supposed to be doing, it’s not a pleasant experience. Look deeper, however, and you’ll see some pretty fascinating stuff buried within. Gotham is littered with locations to explore, from Arkham Asylum to the Ace Chemical Plant to Crime Alley itself, all accessible by Bat-foot or vehicle. The game looks great for its age, and if you’re enough of a sicko to somehow beat it, you’re rewarded with a credits scene featuring dorky caricatures of the development team. They might not have delivered the best Batman game, but these doe-eyed goofballs clearly gave it all they had.

The next Batman game wasn’t really a Batman game, in the sense that the man under the cowl isn’t Bruce Wayne. Instead, it was based on Batman Beyond, the cult classic animated series set in 2039 in which scrappy teenager Terry McGinnis inherited the mantle from the retired billionaire.

2000’s Return of the Joker for Nintendo 64, PlayStation, and Game Boy Color is an adaptation of the direct-to-video movie of the same name, a controversial film that was heavily censored for its disturbing portrayal of child brainwashing and violence, which is a bit rich considering Batman has spent decades recruiting traumatized orphans to break people’s bones on his behalf.

The game is less interesting than the movie’s reputation suggests, a barebones, entirely unremarkable polygonal beat-’em-up that barely takes advantage of Terry’s futuristic tech and only superficially scratches the surface of the extremely schway TV show it adapted. Released at the end of a console generation with exciting new hardware already on the market, Return of the Joker’s existence registered as a mere twip on the radar that still remains the only dedicated Batman Beyond game we’ve ever gotten.

Return of the Joker was the first Batman game published by Ubisoft, which started its stewardship of the IP rights on a bad foot and promptly made it worse with a follow-up, Gotham City Racer. One persistent tension throughout the history of Batman games is the balance between superhero action and driving segments, two very different gaming rhythms welded uneasily together. A game built entirely on the driving half of that equation had been tried before and hadn’t worked then either, and whatever refinements 3D vehicular combat had undergone in the intervening years weren’t enough to make Gotham City Racer an enjoyable experience. The Sega CD at least had Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, and the anime studio that made Akira behind it.

Gotham City Racer and Ubisoft’s subsequent titles would all work within the stylings of The New Batman Adventures, the revamped animated series. First came Batman: Vengeance, a third-person action-adventure game for PS2, Gamecube, and Xbox in 2001. Batman’s brand of high-tech sneak-aroundery plays like a chubby guy in hockey pads compared to Solid Snake and Sam Fisher, but Ubisoft Montreal created an ambitious game that tries to encompass every aspect of Batman’s extremely weird job, but without anything to really pull you through it.

What it did offer was a faithful translation of the animated series into 3D, complete with an original story and great performances from the all-star voice cast that helped give it a premium, classic BTAS feel. Even the side-scrolling Game Boy Advance version punches above its weight in visuals and variety, from platforming and shmup sections to solving overhead sokoban dungeons.

Instead of refining the raw potential of the Vengeance approach, Ubisoft swerved back into familiar territory with the bog-standard beat-’em-up Batman: The Rise of Sin Tzu. The gameplay is rather retrograde for 2003, a bland button-mashing brawler. The most notable aspect of the gameplay is that it’s our first opportunity to kick some butts as Nightwing, though the relatively low polygon count did a disservice to the former Robin’s notorious physique.

The real draw of Rise of Sin Tzu is the titular villain, a new character heavily hyped as the second coming of Harley Quinn. Voiced by the late Cary-Hiryoki Togawa, Sin Tzu was a master planner and military strategist who engineered an Arkham outbreak to weaken Gotham’s fabled Dark Knight before beating him in single combat. He’s essentially Bane mixed with Big Boss, but despite his cool golden skin and the yin-yang plastered to his forehead like a Pog, the Gary Stu known as Sin Tzu has retreated into obscurity after the poor reception to his debut game. Outside of rare cameos he’s been trapped on sixth-generation consoles for the last twenty years.

Sin Tzu would be Ubisoft’s final Batman title, but the promised Batman renaissance was still a few years away. In the meantime, there was one more game to close out this extremely disappointing era: Kemco’s cautionary tale Batman: Dark Tomorrow.

On paper, Dark Tomorrow seemed promising: a 3D Batman game based on the comic book ideal of the character, unburdened by movies or TV and relying on the excellent comics of the era for flavor, showcasing lesser-known characters like Cassandra Cain’s Batgirl for the first and basically only time.

Scott Peterson, a longtime writer and editor of DC’s Batman books, was tapped to write the story, a serviceably cinematic tale involving Ra’s Al Ghul threatening to flood the world’s coastlines while Batman is busy rescuing Jim Gordon from the bedlam of Arkham Asylum. Squint and the concept kind of resembles Rocksteady’s revolutionary game that was still six years away, though the execution was anything but.

Dark Tomorrow’s problems started at the top. The project was led by a would-be film producer who had never shipped a game before, and he prioritized the CGI cutscenes and overall presentation above all else. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra recorded a full symphonic score, while the worthless enemy AI was programmed through a Game Boy Advance emulator by a team with mostly handheld experience.

What began as a sprawling, urban open world ala Spider-Man 2 instead became a linear, laborious trek through colorless warehouses, docks, factories, and sewers before schlepping through Arkham. Fixed camera angles give a nauseating effect, mocking the very notion of a 180-degree rule and making combat borderline impossible. On the rare occasion the Dark Knight knocks someone down, he has to handcuff every single enemy with a vibe-shattering mandatory cutscene you’ll watch a thousand times.

The game has multiple endings, all but one of which results in the death of Batman or an apocalyptic global flood. Even if you defeat Ra’s al Ghul, millions will be unalived unless you’ve solved a puzzle the game never hints at, using an ability you’ve had no reason to touch the entire time.

If you want a summary of Batman games in 2003, “Dark Tomorrow” just about covers it. The character was a punchline post-Schumacher, the DCAU was winding down, and the games’ performance over the last decade ranged from aggressively mid to utterly atrocious. The comic books were cooking, but things looked bleak on the Bat-front as far as pop culture and gaming were concerned. Something had to give and something would. In the immortal words of Aaron Eckhart: the night is darkest before dawn. And after a very dark night, the gates of Arkham Asylum were getting ready to open…

Our exploration of the history of Batman video games has already dived into the era of Tim Burton's gothic movies, and tomorrow's chapter will examine how the Arkham series changed superhero games forever.

Sam Raimi’s horror classic, The Evil Dead, is officially getting a 4K steelbook this year to celebrate its 45th anniversary. For fans who can't wait to add it to their physical media library, preorders are now live for $39.99 (see it here at Amazon) and it's set to be released on July 7.

That timing couldn't be better, as the franchise's next entry, Evil Dead Burn, is set to be released just days after on July 10. So what better time to rewatch it once you get your hands on it? Head to the links below to preorder a copy before it sells out, and further down you can learn more about what bonus features come with it.

• See at Amazon - $39.99

This steelbook comes with The Evil Dead on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and as a digital copy. Below, you can get a closer look at the artwork and imagery on the front cover, inside, and back cover, and further down we've detailed what bonus features are included with this stacked new release.

• Feature presented in HD, at a 1.33:1 aspect ratio sourced from the 4K master
• English 5.1 + English 2-Channel Surround
• Commentary with Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell
• Picture-in-Picture: Join Us! The Undying Legacy of The Evil Dead
• One by One We Will Take You: The Untold Saga of The Evil Dead
• Treasures from the Cutting Room Floor
• At the Drive-In
• Discovering Evil Dead
• Make-Up Test
• 4 TV Spots
• Theatrical Trailer
• Optional English and Spanish subtitles for the main feature

If you're a horror fan looking for more spooky features to watch at home, I have good news: There are quite a few releasing soon that are worth adding to your library. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, Lee Cronin's The Mummy, and a 4K steelbook for 28 Days Later are all releasing over the next few months, but that's certainly not all. Have a look at our breakdown of upcoming 4Ks and Blu-rays to see what else is dropping in a physical format soon to start filling up your library.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

If you haven’t picked up a Nintendo Switch 2 yet, it might be time to do so. The reason is twofold. One is the impending price increase that will raise the price from $449.99 to $499.99 in the US starting September 1. The other is because Nintendo just released a bundle that gets you a Switch 2 console, plus your choice between three Switch 2-exclusive games, all for $499.99, saving you up to $30 off buying them separately (see it at Amazon). This is the best deal we’re likely to see between now and the price hike, so grab it if you want it.

• Get it at Amazon - $499.99
• Get it at Best Buy - $499.99
• Get it at GameStop - $499.99
• Get it at Nintendo Store - $499.99

The game you get is a digital download, and you can choose between Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Pokémon Pokopia. Click a title to read our review, but no game scored below an 8/10, so they’re all worth picking up. You just get to choose which one you want to play first. If you want the best bang for your buck, go with Mario Kart World, as that game (in)famously retails for $79.99, while the other two are $69.99.

I got a Switch 2 at launch, and I’m incredibly happy with the purchase. The 7.9-inch display looks enormous compared to the original Switch. The colors are so vibrant, I don’t miss my old Switch OLED at all, even though the Switch 2 has an LCD display. I don’t know what technical wizardry Nintendo used to pull that off, but I’m glad it worked.

Honestly, I haven’t used most of the Switch 2’s unique upgrades over its predecessor, like GameChat or the Joy-Con 2’s mouse mode. But the power improvements are instantly obvious, because the games look and run great.

This is also the first Nintendo system in ages that can play many third-party games in their original state, without significant downgrades. I’m talking games like Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Outlaws, and Resident Evil Requiem. Plus it can play all first-party Nintendo games going forward for years to come, which is the main reason to buy the system in the first place. Check out our Switch 2 review for more info.

So if you’re planning to get a Switch 2 in the coming years, I would absolutely buy this bundle, and I’d buy it before the price goes up on September 1. There’s no guarantee that Nintendo won’t follow what both Sony and Microsoft have done and implement a second increase, later on. We live in weird, bad times. Get your Switch 2 while it’s relatively inexpensive.

And while you're at it, pick up whatever Switch 2 accessories you'll want as well.

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Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.

South Park will return to Comedy Central this September with Season 29, co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have confirmed.

Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Parker and Stone said new episodes will be released on September 16. Comedy Central and Paramount+ followed up to say the 29th season will premiere Wednesday, September 16 at 10pm ET/PT on Comedy Central. New episodes will be available to stream on Paramount+ around the world, with next-day availability in the U.S., Canada and Australia. Additional new episodes will premiere on Wednesdays: September 30, October 14, October 28, November 11, and November 25, which means fans will get a new episode every two weeks.

Season 28 came to an end in December after a number of controversial episodes that sparked responses from a number of politicians and even the White House. Its overarching story saw Donald Trump try and fail to convince Satan not to go through with having their ‘butt baby,’ aka the Antichrist. Vice president J.D. Vance even conspired with Trump to try to murder the baby.

South Park abruptly brought Season 27 to an end after just five episodes, and Season 28 ended after the same number. It looks like Season 29 will run for five episodes, too, suggesting Season 30 will follow soon after with an additional five episodes.

Traditionally, Parker and Stone create each episode week by week, which makes for a chaotic production but topical shows. Comedy Central had delayed the Season 27 ender just hours before it was due to air, with Parker and Stone insisting the blame lay at their door. “Apparently when you do everything at the last minute sometimes you don’t get it done,” the pair told Variety. “This one’s on us. We didn’t get it done in time. Thanks to Comedy Central and South Park fans for being so understanding. Tune in next week!” As far as we at IGN are aware, Parker and Stone had missed the scheduled release of South Park just once before, due to a power outage, but never for not getting an episode done in time.

It’s worth noting that during their San Diego Comic-Con 2025 panel, which took place the day after the Donald Trump-skewering Season 27 opener aired, Parker said he and Stone were unsure what the next episode would be, revealing the decision was “super stressful.” It roasted Trump to such an extent that it sparked a rebuttal from the White House. Parker and Stone have said they were attracted to “new taboos” and a fear of speaking out against the Trump administration.

Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Parker and Stone joked about South Park's infamous depiction of Trump's penis in the Season 27 premiere, showing the simple but effective execution. In the episode, a live-action deepfake of Trump shuffles through the desert before removing all of his clothes. “His penis is teeny tiny, but his love for us is large,” the PSA voiceover says.

Parker and Stone’s lucrative deal with Paramount over the global streaming rights to South Park includes the delivery of 50 new episodes over five seasons, with the pair agreeing to produce at least 10 new episodes of South Park a year.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross' Marvels is widely regarded as one of the greatest superhero graphic novels ever published. But can that appeal be translated to another medium? That's something Abrams ComicArts aims to prove with the release of Marvels: The Novelization. This new book translates the original's graphic imagery into prose, but there are still some stunning images from Ross to sweeten the deal.

With Marvels: The Novelization in stores now, IGN can exclusively reveal some of these new Ross paintings. Check them out in the slideshow gallery below:

Marvels: The Novelization is a 368-page adaptation of the original comic written by Steve Darnall, who previously collaborated with Ross on 1997's Uncle Sam and also helped write the original proposal for Marvels. Here's the official summary of the book:

The series, which Stan Lee described as "innovative, brilliantly conceived, and skillfully executed," welcomes readers to New York City, where everyday people go about their lives while burning figures roam the streets, men in brightly colored costumes scale the walls, and creatures from space threaten to devour the planet. This is the Marvel Universe, where the ordinary and fantastic interact daily. Spanning from 1939 through 1974, Marvels explores the history of superheroes and America from the perspective of newspaper photographer Phil Sheldon. As Sheldon pursues a career as a journalist and builds a family, he chronicles the adventures of the Original Human Torch, Captain America, The Avengers, Spider-Man, and countless others, giving fans a grounded, human look at a pantheon of larger-than-life characters.

Over 30 years after the series’ debut, Steve Darnall will translate Ross’ lush paintings and Busiek’s bold dialogue into a daring work of literature, bringing Sheldon’s stunning Marvel adventures to a new generation of readers. The long-awaited novelization of Marvels will feature four full-color paintings and four black and white illustrations by Alex Ross.

Marvels: The Novelization is priced at $26.99 and is available in bookstores now. You can order a copy on Amazon.

For more, find out what to expect from Marvel's Star Wars: The Fall of Kylo Ren and see which books and creators were nominated for the 2026 Eisner Awards.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Microsoft has confirmed the lineup of games coming to Xbox Game Pass during the second half of May as well as the early part of June.

It’s a quieter second half of the month after big hitters including Forza Horizon 6 hit Game Pass already, but there are still some eye-catching additions and a few day one releases. As revealed in a post on Xbox Wire, Frontier’s Jurassic World Evolution 3 is set for Game Pass following its October 2025 launch, and Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition joins the subscription service.

Day one titles include Kwalee Labs' bullet hell action adventure game Luna Abyss, Cococucumber's sci-fi deckbuilding RPG sequel Echo Generation 2, Aggro Crab's physics-based party game Crashout Crew, and Doot's tiny bug collection game Kabuto Park.

• Dead Static Drive (Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 20
  Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
• My Friend Peppa Pig (Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 20
  Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Pigeon Simulator (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – May 20
  Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
• Remnant II (Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 20
  Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Winter Burrow (Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 20
  Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
• Luna Abyss (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – May 21
  Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Escape Simulator (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – May 26
  Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Echo Generation 2 (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – May 27
  Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – May 27
  Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Crashout Crew (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – May 28
  Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Kabuto Park (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – May 28
  Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Final Fantasy VI (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – June 2
  Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Jurassic World Evolution 3 (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) – June 2
  Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Microsoft will no doubt have a number of big Game Pass announcements at its Xbox showcase event, which is set for June 7. As usual, a number of games leave Game Pass this month. You can grab a discount if you buy the games to keep playing.

• Against the Storm (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Crypt Custodian (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Metaphor: ReFantazio (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Persona 4 Golden (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Spray Paint Simulator (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

It’s always a drag when a game you are looking forward disappoints, but it’s even sadder when it shows you exactly how it didn’t have to at the same time. Plenty of games miss the mark in some way, but the ones that prove they have promise – that show you a spark, but not any kindling – are the real letdowns. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book’s spark ignites a little over halfway through, and it burned so hot I literally shouted with joy… only to watch that ember fade away without a twig in sight shortly after. Its creative creature designs are truly impressive, and the open-ended levels they live in can be a real delight to explore the first time through. But its best ideas often go unnurtured, which makes this tome feel less like a fantasy novel and more like a biology textbook: a collection of amusing experiments paired with a pile of homework.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a puzzle-platformer that puts its emphasis squarely on the puzzle part. Each level is based around some novel little (or sometimes quite big) creature that Yoshi must lick, lift, or lob to learn all he can about it. These bits of information are logged as Discoveries, and they range from how a flower person’s petals turn orange when it eats an apple to how a murderous scythe monster can’t see you when hiding in tall grass. Discoveries can also be made about the level itself, rewarding you for breaking tough objects, finding hidden Smiley Flowers, or just reaching an end goal – although even that won’t “end” the level if you want to keep exploring. I really liked never quite knowing what I was in for when I hopped into a new stage.

The breadth and variety here is definitely something to celebrate, too. There are dozens of unique creatures, nearly all of which are charming to look at and carry some decently interesting mechanical gimmick for their level to be built around (as well future levels where they might also show up). There’s a green critter with the head of a bubble wand, a jellyfish that acts as one of those rich-person water jetpacks, bubblegum guys that multiply excessively when hopped on, a giant drill-nosed warthog you can ride, a bouncy hula-hooping bird, and so many more – all of which you have free reign to name yourself, which is a degree of control I should not be trusted with.

The levels you initially meet each one in are designed to both teach you about that creature and then take advantage of it to complete some goal, only a small handful of which are the typical “go to the right” structure you might expect from previous Yoshi games. An early level about bees has you recovering stolen flowers, while one about a fisherman wants you to reel in the biggest fish in the pond. All the while you’ll be peppered with a near constant stream of Discoveries just for trying to figure out where to go or how this particular critter behaves, flooding your brain with dopamine and your screen with stamps that mark your achievements.

This constant creativity is a big reason why Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is so pleasant to play, but not all of these levels are created equal. Figuring out how to best travel by seabird was a fun challenge, but aimlessly running around a Shy Guy village to make them all play music at the same time was far less inspired. Levels that rely on some disappointingly wonky physics interactions were a particular low spot across the board, with things like ricocheting a spinning top, surfing over waves and a wobbling pirate ship, or wall jumping on a springy bug being truly frustrating at times – and in a way Nintendo platformers don’t typically blunder into.

The other big issue is that these levels are all about the Discoveries so, once most of them have been made, the actual levels lose a lot of their appeal. There’s very little that’s intrinsically fun or interesting about completing these stages after the map is already covered with your past accomplishments, which makes revisiting them to find Discoveries you missed (which is the entire pitch of what Yoshi and the Mysterious Book wants you to do) a lot less amusing. This is basically a stack of themed sheets of bubble wrap: bubble wrap is fun to pop! But unless you’re really serious about bursting every single one, no matter how mundane they may be, you’re mostly just left playing with a limp piece of plastic after that first pass.

This wouldn’t be such a big problem if later levels asked you to put the Discoveries you made into practice in more interesting or creative ways, but therein lies Yoshi and the Mysterious Book’s greatest letdown. Many creatures will reappear in later pages, asking you to use or interact with them to make Discoveries about the newest research subject, but these interactions are typically pretty straightforward. The maps themselves are so small that there isn’t much room for the newest creature to share the spotlight while you are learning about it. About half the levels have a variant version that does put the focus on a specific creature interaction that wasn’t in the main course, and these are some of the more interesting tasks you can find, but they are also exceptionally brief more often than not.

This is the first game I’ve reviewed since my toddler started to dip a moderated toe into the wonderful world of video games with me. Her favorite has consistently been Kirby and the Forgotten Land, in which she tells me what levels to enter and which powers to use as she “plays” along on a second controller (she may struggle with the joystick, but she sure is an ace at pressing B to revive Waddle Dee.) She has also really enjoyed watching Tears of the Kingdom here and there, much to my surprise, particularly when Tulin’s spirit pops out to provide a gust of air while gliding.

She has not, however, had much fun with Yoshi and the Mysterious Book – and neither have I when I’ve shown it to her, to be frank. There’s just so little meat and momentum to its non-linear levels that they don’t keep her usually attentive interest for very long. And because the “ending” Discovery of each one doesn’t retrigger on repeat visits, there’s generally not a concise stopping point for me to point at and declare we are “all done” when replaying old ones. That means we just kinda wander around a stage doing random stuff until either she or I get sick of it, and then we have to anticlimactically quit out through the pause menu.

Obviously this isn’t scientifically robust data – she’s not playing the game herself, and every kid becomes obsessed with their own particular things (her’s is currently Ponyo) – but the difference in reaction compared to other games we’ve tried has at least been notable to me. “Well, clearly it’s just meant for kids” is a fairly flimsy defense often invoked to try and sweep criticism of games like this under the rug (frequently by people who don’t have kids), so it was interesting to see many of my complaints magnified in this context. Then again, some of my compliments were as well – she may not want to play it again, but she certainly enjoys talking about cute creatures like the bubble guys and buzzing bees from time to time.

The major exception to this depth issue is the last level of Chapter 6, which is so good that it quite literally should have been what the entire game was built around, but sadly that’s far from the case. I’ll give you a mechanical spoiler warning now if you really want to see it for yourself, but I have to avoid certain details anyway due to Nintendo’s restrictions on what we can dicuss before release.

In this stage, Yoshi can essentially summon any creature you’ve met before (one at a time), and it completely recontextualizes everything you’ve done up until that point in a way that made me genuinely jump out of my seat. Suddenly all that “research” you did was actually training, and it’s up to you to figure out how to scale that waterfall, dig through that mountain, or fight that enemy. For a game all about experimentation and discovery, it’s one of the very few times you are given the power to actually get creative and truly apply what you’ve learned to solve problems.

This level rules. The moment it was thought up, the dev team should have centered everything else around it. I wish every chapter ended with a stage like this that applies your knowledge of the creatures you met just before it, and I was at least expecting its arrival roughly eight hours in to signal an “Act 2” of sorts that put this mechanic front and center. Instead, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book pretty much pretends like it never happened and mostly goes back to business as usual as it introduces more and more creatures it will never make full use of.

It’s such a bummer, man. Nearly every level was amusing to some degree on my first run through it, but I started to get tired of how shallow the creature exploration felt as early as Chapter 3. I held out hope that I simply hadn’t gotten to some turning point yet, but that’s truly what this game wants to be: a series of cute gimmicks, each with a big checklist of boxes to methodically tick off for little reason other than the love of hearing that “pop.” To be shown what this enticing concept could have been used for instead, and then have the rug pulled out from under me right after, left a sour taste in my mouth that none of the chapters and challenges that followed ever managed to make up for. You’re rarely asked to build in this sandbox, just to dig for the marbles buried beneath it.

To its credit, there are a ton of Discoveries to find, and some of them are genuinely well hidden or tricky to sniff out, so I imagine this game will appeal to the type of completionist that does just love the pop. There’s a built-in hint system that lets you spend a plentiful currency called Tokens to see which ones you are missing and how to find them, too, so it never leaves you flailing in the dark wondering what hyper-specific interaction you haven’t tried yet. The tools are there to make Discovery hunting a relatively painless process – it’s just never a particularly rewarding one.

The collectible I was more inclined to track down all of were the Smiley Flowers, and there are generally somewhere in the range of three to six per level. These are hidden in very classic Yoshi platformer ways, usually asking you to reach certain spots or uncover hidden areas where they are tucked away. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book has plenty of similarities to previous Yoshi games in stuff like its egg throwing and flutter jumping, but it doesn’t actually share a whole lot of DNA in a practical sense. That’s totally fine, and I dig when a developer experiments with a series in interesting ways, but something about hunting for flowers was satisfying in a way that asking variations of, “Have I tried dunking this nerd under water yet?” simply was not.

Collecting those flowers was fun enough on its own, but the reward you get for doing so has got to be one of the most perplexing unlockables I have ever seen in any video game. Not available until after Chapter 6 – which, again, took me about eight hours to finish, and I only spent another five or six after that to finish every available level – five Smiley Flowers can be exchanged for… a new UI element. These nonsensical options to customize the information your screen displays while in a level range from a chat log for your bookish companion, Mr. E, to graphs that tells you the flavor profile of anything you lick. There are multiple ways to measure speed, water quality, temperature, and a whole host of other variables that no level ever asks you to care about in any way.

Nothing about this system is offensive or distracting, but very little about it is helpful either. Apart from a clock that I imagine speedrunners will appreciate, pretty much the only useful one I’ve unlocked so far is a radar that points toward nearby Smiley Flowers. Even stuff like displaying Yoshi’s remaining health (yes, he has health they don’t tell you about) is pointless when no amount of damage will actually “defeat” him. Its customizable nature also allows you to cover your entire screen in unhinged garbage for no reason, which is the kind of commitment to the bit I actually admire more than anything else. I don’t remotely understand it, but I guess I at least respect it in a weird way.

The Mandalorian and Grogu opens in theaters on May 22.

When The Mandalorian premiered on Disney+, one of the things that made Star Wars’ live-action episodic TV debut so special was how ably it evoked the wonder of the Original Trilogy while also forging its own unique path through the galaxy after the fall of the Galactic Empire. The Mandalorian and Grogu, the big-screen debut of Din Djarin and his adoptive son and first new Star Wars movie in seven years, gets caught almost immediately in a feedback loop of self-satisfied nostalgia which it seldom pulls out of.

The Mandalorian and Grogu’s plot is dead simple: the bounty hunter and his little Baby Yoda are contracted by the New Republic’s Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver) to bring in the late Jabba the Hutt’s adult son Rotta (Jeremy Allen White) at the behest of Jabba’s twin siblings, who are eager to continue consolidating power after their failed attempts to do so on Tatooine during the events of The Book of Boba Fett. While technically a follow-up to the third season of The Mandalorian, which concludes with Din Djarin and Grogu settling on Nevarro and agreeing to work for the New Republic, The Mandalorian and Grogu draws from effectively zero of that groundwork, to a degree that’s completely perplexing. They spent three seasons on Disney+ building out characters and cultures specific to this corner of the Star Wars galaxy and, by design, this film seems like it’s laser-focused on catering to people who have only heard about the show.

Maybe that provides a cleaner jumping-on point for general audiences, and those who are brand new to this way of experiencing the galaxy will likely find some satisfaction in watching The Mandalorian go through the same motions of trying to get a job done while both babysitting and training Grogu. But for any Star Wars fans who haven’t been frozen in carbonite for the last few years, it leaves most of the developments here feeling duplicative of turns we’ve already taken in the series. And so the film adds woefully little to character-critical moments like Mando’s helmet being removed, or Grogu’s use of the Force.

It’s like poetry, it rhymes… with things the majority of the audience will have experienced more recently than the last Star Wars movie we all went to see in theaters. No, George, I already said… oh never mind.

By virtue of having his name added to the title, you’d imagine Grogu would have a lot more agency here. But as such an outsized presence in the film, his weaknesses as a character come into stark relief. We do see Grogu take a more active role in action scenes - like when he takes off after Rotta in a stroller that seemingly has the top speed of a podracer - but the movie almost never hands out any negative consequences to Grogu for his impulsivity, so there’s very little novelty to watching him make the “little stinker” move every time and face no consequences. The Mandalorian TV series largely avoids having to interrogate that dynamic by utilizing Grogu as a pivot point for Din Djarin’s journey, forcing the bounty hunter to make choices and change based on his relationship with the little green guy. That means that The Mandalorian and Grogu needed to be all the more creative to spin a worthwhile story out of watching Grogu interact with the world through what means he does have available to him, and precious little of it rises above baiting the audience with his cooing or his hungry tummy.

Din Djarin, for his part, never has real cause to underestimate Grogu’s innate ability or tentative understanding of Mandalorian ideals, and so his occasional need to change his plan of attack based on his wild card companion doesn’t usually amount to more than a quick and easy shift to plan B. This leaves Pedro Pascal, the voice of Din Djarin, feeling a little wooden, as so little of what happens gives him call to modulate his performance away from the Mandalorian’s staple calm. Both characters are incredibly capable, and already understand each other very well by the time the movie starts, and the script from director Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Noah Kloor seems totally disinterested in rocking the boat. This is Star Wars at its most conflict-averse, and I can’t help but notice that correlates to it also feeling like the most boring Star Wars movie yet.

The Mandalorian and Grogu’s drama being largely inert, we’d look to the space fantasy spectacle to make up that lost ground, but the movie’s action is scattershot at best. The movie’s at its most exciting when Mando and Rotta have to team up at one point during what’s essentially a life-size game of dejarik (“that’s space wizard’s chess,” Ron Weasley said with a smug grin), featuring the real monsters represented on the Millenium Falcon’s holochess board. It’s a chaotic battle that calls to mind the gladiatorial fight on Geonosis, but it’s also here that The Mandalorian and Grogu’s biggest flaw with its action comes into view.

Mando is primarily a close-quarters fighter, but his fights here end up being a little tough to read. The movie heavily favors pitting Mando against CG creatures and droids in smaller rooms, and that often leaves Favreau’s coverage looking for good angles to emphasize the work Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder - Mando’s physical performers - are doing to communicate Din Djarin’s creativity and ruthlessness when the Sabacc cards are down. Ludwig Göransson, the series’ composer, has some chances to shine - the synth-heavy version of Mando’s theme that hits when he arrives on Shakari rocks - but little of Göransson’s work goes far enough towards injecting life into the movie when it needs it most in the third act, which really drags itself over the finish line with a series of noncommittal fakeouts.

It feels inevitable that, in the years to come, the popular criticism of The Mandalorian and Grogu will be that it just feels like either a truncated season of the TV show or a too-long episode. It feels important to put that idea into some context here, and why taking all the highlights of what maybe could have been The Mandalorian Season 4 and making a movie out of them is such a dramatic non-starter. The Mandalorian’s eight-episode seasons have the luxury of drawing stories out for seven or eight hours, with each individual episode more free to tweak the rhythm with which each chapter plays out, the genre conventions it leans into, and how much to let the circumstances of the plot affect change in the characters on a long-term basis. You get around two hours to do that in a movie (two hours and 12 minutes, in this case), and that demands a lot more focus and discipline in how the stakes and the momentum of your story are managed.

Structurally speaking, The Mandalorian and Grogu is constantly pulled between those modes of storytelling, full of fits and starts from the jump and with no demonstrated interest in letting anything that happens be permanent. The film’s opening scene features Mando and Grogu hunting a remnant Imperial warlord on a snowy planet, but outside of giving Mando a chance to stalk hallways and take out stormtroopers for a few minutes, this sequence winds up being completely disconnected from what’s to follow and more of a warning shot than a starting gun being fired off. Each scene’s utility seems only to get us to the next phase of the mission, and to jeopardize as little as possible for Favreau and Filoni, should they decide to keep this sub-franchise going in the future. The Mandalorian and Grogu, to put it into X-Files terms, is a “monster of the week” and not a “mytharc” episode, and, for a marquee cinematic event for the duo, that feels like a huge miscalculation in practice.

Baffling as it is to have basically the entire cast of the show sidelined for the movie (a couple of brief and unsatisfying cameos notwithstanding), there are a few supporting characters who breathe some life into the film. Sigourney Weaver’s Colonel Ward is just there to hand Mando his missions, and to tell him how good or bad he did on that mission, but if you need a steely commander who you’ll believe would jump into an X-wing along with the young bucks when it comes time to throw down, you could do a lot worse than Weaver and the effortless cool she brings to the table.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Allen White’s Rotta the Hutt winds up being the only character in the movie with any dimension. We meet Rotta while he’s being held captive on Shakari as a gladiator for a powerful gangster, Lord Janu (Jonny Coyne), but he’s fairly comfortable with the arrangement. Rotta seems glad to be regarded by the bloodthirsty crowds on his own merits rather than being judged by the sins of his father, Jabba… so glad that he repeats that character motivation nearly word-for-word the second time we encounter him. White’s natural, even-handed performance, Rotta’s sensitive way with Grogu, and the good ideas Favreau does have for showing how a ripped Hutt would fight (like the gator-like death roll he does on occasion) make him a welcome presence whenever he’s onscreen. The movie hints towards an intention to mine the interesting juxtaposition between Jabba and Rotta and Mando and Grogu’s father/son relationships early on, but it loses this thread by the time Rotta becomes less of an active part in the story.

Star Wars Rebels’ Zeb Orrelios (Steve Blum) is also on hand as Mando’s occasional pilot and New Republic liaison, and the two have some fun banter, but Zeb feels a little stuck between being a full-blown part of the story and an animated Star Wars cameo appearance that I can’t imagine will get the general audiences the film seems to be focused on catering to all that excited.

The Mandalorian and Grogu’s one soaring achievement, the one reliably thrilling part of the movie, and so perhaps the clearest example of how ineffectively the rest of the movie mines the Star Wars universe for texture… is the crew of diminutive Anzellans that arrive halfway through to modify Mando’s new Razor Crest ship. These little Babus Frik wind up joining most of the action that follows and let me say this unequivocally: they will be the only thing about this movie that I remember with any real fondness next week. That’s not just because of their hilarious mutterings and wonderful puppeteering that bring them to life, though. Through the Anzellans, we get the occasional chance to step out of the non-descript, sanded-down perspective of Mando and to see what life is like for these capable hard workers from nary a foot off the ground. They have a tiny spaceship that Grogu looks like a giant in, and the abject hilarity of that imagery aside, it’s one of the only effective ways the movie deploys the idea that Grogu is (slowly) growing up and coming into his own.

But… If you’ve got a bad feeling about salvaged creatures with silly voices from The Rise of Skywalker having room to be the best part of a movie called The Mandalorian and Grogu, there’s not much here to make that feeling go away.

The fantasy genre is having a big moment in anime over the last few years, with large productions gathering quite a lot of attention and accolades. Whether you want to expand your fantasy anime horizons or are just looking to get into the genre, it’s about time IGN published its own list of the very best fantasy anime series. These are shows that impacted the genre and set standards – shows that charmed us, delighted us, and amazed us.

To pick only 10 shows from across the history of fantasy anime was a challenge, but a panel of anime experts across IGN pulled their heads together to pick the very best. It’s important to note that this list only took into consideration shows that are exclusively fantasy in its purest form, with fantastical creatures, magic, swords, elves, and a time period setting, if not outright set on an entirely different world. That means shonen anime with a genre-bending story, regardless of having fantasy elements, were not considered (sorry, Hunter x Hunter). Likewise, though indebted to the fantasy genre, we generally stayed away from isekai shows with notable exceptions; that genre is just big enough to warrant its own specific list, so we decided to focus on strict fantasy.

Before we get to our top 10, let’s take a quick look at some of the many, many other shows that were considered, but ultimately didn’t make our list. Our honorable mentions include the early 2000s gem Inuyasha, which made a generation fall in love with a half-dog demon. Likewise, The Ancient Magus’ Bride is a delightful coming-of-age story and an emotional rollercoaster. Then there’s Yona of the Dawn, a uniquely East Asian-inspired fantasy that deserved more than one season.

And now… our top 10 best fantasy anime series of all time!

First of all, this is exclusively about the 1997 adaptation by studio OLM. Sure, this is an extremely incomplete adaptation, but the show turns this into a feature rather than a bug, with the series building up to an ending that’s even bleaker and more heart-wrenching because of how abrupt it is. And in spite of that, Berserk does manage to tell a complete story – a beautifully tragic tale of friendship, vengeance, violence, and love. This is dark fantasy by way of Clive Barker, and a hugely influential story whose legacy can still be felt today across multiple media. The relationship between Guts and Griffith not only drives the narrative forward, but serves as an elaborate and compelling tale of friendship in and of itself, and it also has an epic payoff. Even if this show doesn’t get to cover the more fantastical arcs of the manga, it still features a fully fleshed-out fantasy world where darkness lurks in every corner.

Most fantasy shows and movies focus on fighting big monsters, and less so on the minutiae of surviving in the wild. That’s not Delicious in Dungeon, a show that’s equal parts epic fantasy and a cooking show with some of the best-looking animated food outside of a Ghibli film. The show balances comedy, action, and even horror seamlessly, turning them into a delicious stew clearly inspired by tabletop fantasy RPGs. But don’t let the funny title trick you – halfway through the first season, the show changes tone to reveal a compelling fantasy epic with many moving parts, intriguing mysteries, and some of the best visual storytelling and world-building in all of anime.

What if Lord of the Rings was somehow even more melancholic than it already is? That’s how you get Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, a show that’s as exciting as it is emotional. This is a beautifully animated show, not just in its exquisite action, but in the slower, quieter moments where character takes center stage. No show has quite as big a sense of time and scale as Frieren; it builds a world that’s composed of countless stories that are forgotten and rediscovered while grounding its grand story in an unforgettable trio of well-developed characters.

Yes, Mushi-Shi technically takes place in our world, but it is set in an alternate timeline in a distant enough past to be considered fantasy. It also doesn’t hurt that this is a show filled with spirits and magic. Like Frieren, it focuses on building a rich world full of stories so expansive, the audience is barely scratching the surface. The slower pace allows the world to benefit from an increased focus, creating a unique atmosphere that feels like reading a storybook of a faraway land in a time full of magic.

The anime equivalent of not judging a book by its cover, Wit Studio’s adaptation of Ranking of Kings employs a very simplistic, colorful, kid-friendly art style that looks like a ’70s Isao Takahata anime. That approach, however, hides a morally complex, surprisingly gruesome story set in a gritty fantasy world that has more in common with Game of Thrones than with My Neighbor Totoro. Likewise, the show uses fairytale character tropes in order to subvert them at every turn, with a cast of characters with astonishing emotional complexity. This is especially true of the young king and one of the best anime characters in modern times, the endlessly lovable Bojji – think Paddington if he was also a badass swordsman. This show is a triumph of animation, and a fairytale for the ages; long live Bojji!

Before The Legend of Vox Machina turned a Dungeons & Dragons campaign into a popular animated series, there was Record of Lodoss War. Similarly, this show was based on transcripts from a campaign, and you can feel the game mechanics in the way the characters work; additionally, veteran D&D players might recognize elements from early editions of the game. A fairly standard fantasy adventure is elevated by a hyperviolent and grounded art style as well as distinct designs for the creatures and characters; one in particular, Deedlit, would go on to influence how elves look in Japanese media for decades. All of this gives the show a beautiful and unique visual identity that feels like the closest we’ll get to a proper Legend of Zelda anime.

Re:Zero stands out from other isekai thanks to its complex world-building and interesting takes on fantasy tropes, memorable characters, and compelling villains. The show knows how to properly escalate a fantasy story, introducing bigger elements to create epic stakes while still keeping the story grounded in the main character. It balances moments of intense darkness with a sense of hope, making the main hero earn moments of levity through great suffering.

Despite being one of the biggest anime of the 1990s, it might be easy to overlook The Slayers in favor of shows like Dragon Ball Z or Sailor Moon, but that’d mean missing out on one of the best fantasy journeys in animation. The show is set in an elaborate world of gods and demons, and features different types of magic and creatures. This Dungeons & Dragons-inspired high fantasy adventure mixes epic action with very ’90s slapstick comedy, balancing the high stakes with plenty of funny moments. In a way, this show is a predecessor to the likes of both Delicious in Dungeon and even Fullmetal Alchemist.

One of the unfortunate victims of 2020 being packed with high-profile anime is this underseen yet quite spectacular fantasy anime. Somali and the Forest Spirit is set in a world of goblins and spirits where humans are actually an endangered species. The show follows the recent trend of series with Lone Wolf and Cub-type protagonists; here they are a golem and a young human girl. The show is visually striking, thanks in no small part to beautiful background art. The story can get quite dark and surprisingly emotional at times, making it a journey worth taking.

Studio Pierrot’s adaptation of The Twelve Kingdoms novel series might have been eclipsed by another show they released back in 2002 – Naruto – but it nevertheless remains a must-watch fantasy story. The show features incredible character development and stunning world-building that the series continuously expands throughout its run. Though the show didn’t get to adapt all of the novels, it does tell a complete story of its protagonist as she navigates a world plagued by disaster that’s heavily inspired by ancient China.

What are YOUR picks for the best fantasy anime series of all time? Vote in our poll or tell us in the comments!

Steam has changed the official tags you'll find attached to games on Valve's digital storefront.

Removing 28, adding 17, and merging and updating "a handful of other" tags, Valve said the changes come "with the goal of helping players identify the games that best fit their interests, and helping Steam generate more appropriate recommendations."

"Tags help developers better describe their game to players, but also help Steam understand what kind of game it is and show it accordingly to players via recommendations," the company wrote on a blog post. "Tags are also the foundation upon which each of the store hubs are built, allowing players to find all of the games tagged with their favorite genre, theme, style, or other relevant context.

"Tags can be applied to a game by the developer, by players with non-limited accounts, and also by Steam moderators. This means that a game's tags can shift over time as more customers play the game and contribute their perspective on what tags are most relevant for each game. Over time, the types of games that exist and the way customers look at games changes too — so today, we have a list of changes to our current set of tags."

• Bullet Heaven - The opposite of Bullet Hell; Focus on upgrades while automatically attacking hordes of enemies
• Desktop Companion - Games that only use part of your screen and keep you company while you do other things
• Organizing - Tidy up, de-clutter, or unpack, carefully placing items in virtual spaces
• Cleaning - Satisfying removal of grime and dirt from stuff
• Decorating - Creative placement of furniture and other objects
• Wuxia - Historical fantasy adventure featuring martial arts, competing sects, and inner qi
• Xianxia - Fantasy adventure focused on cultivating supernatural powers and strength
• Falling Blocks - Arranging, rotating, and placing blocks from above
• Espionage - Spying or secretly securing valuable intel
• Samurai - Japanese warriors best known for katanas, loyalty, and self-discipline
• Zoo - Care for and display a park full of wild animals
• Wolves - Also known as Canis Lupus
• Capybaras - The largest and possibly most adorable rodent species
• Animals - Cute and furry, or large and terrifying and everything in between
• Cult - Small groups with extreme devotion to a person, thing, or belief
• Poker - Draw, bet, and bluff
• Language Learning - Learning and teaching new languages

• 3D Vision
• Ambient
• America
• Blood
• Crowdfunded
• Cult Classic
• Documentary
• Drama
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Electronic
• Experience
• Feature Film
• Foreign
• GameMaker
• Games Workshop
• Illuminati
• Kickstarter
• LEGO
• Masterpiece
• Mature
• Movie
• Narration
• NSFW
• Roguevania
• RPGMaker
• Warhammer 40K
• Web Publishing
• Well-Written

Valve said that it doesn't often remove tags from Steam, which is why it's "built up quite a list." "The set that we've removed today are done so because they no longer serve a good purpose for establishing connections between games or describing unique and useful elements of content in the game," it explained. "Many of these tags have alternative options on Steam that better describe the content, and already have a high degree of overlap in application." Tags that are subjective – Well-written, masterpiece – have also been ditched, along with any that apply to a specific IP, such as Lego and Warhammer 40,000.

Clicker has been renamed Incremental to capture the broader essence of games that focus on numbers going up, Conversation has been renamed Dialogue Heavy for clarity, and Steam has "made a few tags plural to match other tags," including, Dogs, Foxes, Vampires, Elves, Dwarves, and Assassins.

"Pool was humorously applied to games with a swimming pool, so we've renamed this to Billiards, which is the overarching term for all games played with cue sticks anyway," the company added. It's also merged Jet into Flight, as the term Jet "was not unique enough," and Unforgiving into Difficult since these terms "mostly overlap in usage and intent."

"At least they added Falling Blocks as a tag for Tetris and similar games now," said one fan of the changes on Reddit. "Using Puzzle to try to find that kind of game before was obnoxious, just about every game that had some kind of puzzle was listed."

"There's a grand total of one game with the Capybaras tag," joked another. "And this might be the best marketing this game has ever received." Another 13 have since joined the tag.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Fortnite is back on the App Store, with Epic boss Tim Sweeney declaring "the beginning of the end of the Apple Tax worldwide."

Sweeney’s ongoing battle to get Fortnite back on iPhones and Android phones without paying store fees is well-documented. Epic doesn’t want to pay the now standard 30% store fee on revenue made from mobile games, instead preferring to direct players to its own mobile store, the Epic Games Store, without Apple and Google getting in the way. Sweeney has been fighting this battle since 2020, spending a great deal of cash in the process, even as Fortnite was blocked on iOS. It felt as though Epic had won this time last year following a significant court ruling, but Apple ultimately blocked Fortnite's return.

Now, Epic has pushed Fortnite back onto iOS, with Sweeney saying the decision was made after Apple told the U.S. Supreme Court that "regulators around the world are watching this case to determine what commission rate Apple may charge on covered purchases in huge markets outside the United States." Epic said it was "confident that once Apple is forced to show its costs, governments around the world will not allow Apple junk fees to stand."

"We will continue to challenge Apple’s anticompetitive App Store practices of banning alternative app stores and competition in payments," Epic Games added in a statement.

"We’ve seen momentum around the world to address these practices, with regulators passing laws in Japan, the European Union and the United Kingdom - but time and time again, Apple has evaded the laws with scare screens, fees and onerous requirements. It’s time for regulators to truly enforce the laws so developers and consumers around the world can benefit from an open and fair mobile app ecosystem."

Epic boss Tim Sweeney said on X/Twitter earlier today: "Fortnite is back on the Apple App Store as we head into the final battle of Epic v Apple in court. For years, Apple has fragmented iOS features and fees by territory, taking regulatory negotiating positions in secret, and intentionally delaying the pursuit of justice."

"Apple has now told the Supreme Court, 'Regulators around the world are watching this case to determine what commission rate Apple may charge on covered purchases in huge markets outside the United States.' So we see this as the beginning of the end of the Apple Tax worldwide," Sweeney continued.

"This is a critical moment in the battle against the App Store empire to win freedom for all developers and consumers, and we'll continue the fight in every jurisdiction worldwide until competition is restored to digital stores and payment markets everywhere."

Interestingly, Fortnite has yet to return to the Australian App Store. Epic said it was waiting for a court order to "bring Apple's unlawful conduct to an end and to make orders that will benefit all app developers and iOS users."

"Epic can't return under an illegal payment arrangement with Apple, so unless Apple agrees to adopt lawful payment terms in the interim, we must wait for a Court decision," the company added.

Fortnite returns to iOS amid a particularly difficult time for the once all-conquering battle royale. Epic suffered major layoffs back in March following a downturn in interest in Fortnite itself. Analysts told IGN that fewer people playing the game's veteran battle royale was only one of its problems, however, following the time and money spent over the past few years fighting costly legal battles with Apple and Google, while bankrolling the Epic Games Store as it attempts to rival Steam. And then there's the explosive growth of Roblox, which dwarfs the engagement seen by Fortnite's own creator-made modes.

Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Samsung.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Sony has reportedly reaffirmed its pullback from PC, telling staff its narrative single-player games will remain PlayStation 5 exclusive. Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier said PlayStation studio business boss Hermen Hulst told staff on Monday, locking in the likes of Saros, Ghost of Yotei, and the upcoming Marvel’s Wolverine and Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet to PlayStation. While multiplayer games will continue to launch on PC as well as PlayStation, it’s a significant change of strategy from Sony, and deprives PC gamers of the company’s tentpole releases.

PC gamers have been reacting to the news with a mix of disappointment and lack of surprise. While some had hoped to play these narrative games on their platform of choice, others have said they’re not missing out on much. Others still, have said they continue to see no reason to buy a PS5 just to play these games — especially given Sony just raised the price of its console hardware.

“I skipped buying a PS5 and I don't feel like I've missed out,” said one PC gamer on the PC gaming subreddit. “Yeah, back when Spider-Man came out, I was REALLY excited for it and was considering buying a PlayStation just to play it, but I held back,” another added. “When it finally came out on PC, it was good, but not as great as I built up in my head. Any game that comes out as PS exclusive, I'll just remind myself of Spider-Man.”

“Why would a PC gamer buy a 600 dollar PS5 for a few games?” questioned another. “Do you know what happens instead? The PC gamer simply ignores Sony games and plays other PC games. Sony forgets if people are willing to wait YEARS for a port and then LONGER for a discount that sure as s**t isn't the crowd that runs out to buy a console and games that keep going up in price.”

“As much as I love the Horizon series I just won’t be playing part three I guess,” another said. “There’s no way I’d buy a console for the few games I’d be interested in.”

“PS5 has been out for ages and still has no games, and he wants to double down,” another said in a comment that sums up much of the sentiment within the PC gaming community.

“Please tell Hermen Hulst that my wallet is exclusive to PC games (preferably Steam) and I don't want to buy a PS console to play Sony games anymore,” said another. “That worked before, when there was quality, genre variety and overall quantity. Now it's not worth it anymore.”

“This isn't going to magically make me buy a Playstation. It's just going to make me not buy your games,” another said.

You get the idea. It’s important to note that Sony has yet to issue a consumer-facing comment on all this (it’s not commented publicly at all), so we don’t know the rationale. Still, others have offered their take. In March, when Bloomberg first reported the news, it suggested poor recent sales of PlayStation games on PC and the risk to the PlayStation brand, as well as a potential impact on PS5 and maybe even PS6 sales, were to blame for the policy shift. Bloomberg also suggested the prospect of PlayStation games running on the next Xbox, which will run PC games, may have also encouraged Sony’s return to console exclusives.

Meanwhile, Peter Dalton, Head of Technology at Bluepoint Games, took to social media to say a “more interesting possibility” is that Sony is responding to the rise of a Steam-based console ecosystem, aka the recently announced and subsequently delayed Steam Machine.

Sony has in recent years expanded PlayStation to PC, but refrained from going as far as Microsoft, which releases all its games on PC at the same time as console. Sony, however, has employed a staggered approach, releasing its single-player PlayStation games on PC after a period of console exclusivity. When it comes to live service games like Helldivers 2 it’s a different story, with Sony publishing on PC day-one — and in the case of Arrowhead’s third-person action game, to record-breaking success. Sony-owned Bungie launched live service extraction shooter Marathon across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S at the same time earlier this year. Guerrilla’s live-service multiplayer Horizon spinoff, Hunters Gathering, is due out on PC and PS5. Fairgames, from Haven Studios, is down for PC and PS5 also.

Sony’s decision to return to PlayStation exclusivity comes at an interesting time. Microsoft is said to be considering some sort of exclusivity policy change as it works to win over the hearts and minds of hardcore Xbox fans. Indeed, exclusive games is the top request on a recently launched official Xbox feedback platform. The question is, can Sony and Microsoft get away with leaving multiplatform money on the table?

In April, former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida suggested that Sony would struggle to recoup the huge budgets invested in its first-party games without porting them to PC.

"In PS4 days still we are making AAA games with big budget," Yoshida said. "I somehow felt the bigger the budget, the safer in some strange way. Creating bigger, better-looking games that people are asking for. In the past it kind of worked, you know, business wise. But in the last five or so years, publishers and developers must have realized that model may not be sustainable.

"Releasing games on PC after a couple of years must have helped recoup the investment of these big budget games and help[ed] the team and company to reinvest that money into their new games," he added, "So, from a business standpoint, I think it made sense for me.

"If they were releasing new AAA games day one on other platforms, I don’t think that’s a good strategy for [a] platform holder like PlayStation. I’m not seeing any proof of them changing their strategy this generation, but if they are changing it’s going to be interesting how they are able to maintain the investment on the big budget games on the first-party side going forward."

It’s worth noting that getting into PlayStation console gaming has become more expensive this year. After price rises in March, a new PS5 now starts at $600, and a PS5 Pro now costs $900. And just this week, Sony announced PlayStation Plus price rises, blaming "ongoing market conditions."

Reacting to the PlayStation exclusivity news, Mat Piscatella, Senior Director and Video Game Industry Advisor at Circana, expressed concern about the viability of Sony’s decision.

“I hope — well, for everyone's sake, really — that 'ongoing global market conditions' drastically improve rather quickly or I expect this decision will be reversed sooner rather than later,” he said.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The soundtrack of the original 1993 Doom has been inducted into the National Recording Registry.

The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, "with millions of books, films and video, audio recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps and manuscripts in its collections." Founded over two hundred years ago, it sits as the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office.

The latest inductees, of which there are 25, have been dubbed as "audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage." Bobby Prince's "adrenaline-fueled" score is the third piece of video game history to be immortalized this way.

"Key to Doom's popularity was the adrenaline-fueled soundtrack created by Prince," a Registry spokesperson said (thanks, GI.biz). "Prince, a lifelong musician and practising lawyer, was fascinated by the MIDI technology that rose to prominence in the mid-1980s as a means for instrument control and composition, an interest that led to his earliest work composing video games.

"Taking advantage of his knowledge of MIDI, Prince worked to ensure that the sound effects he created could cut through the music by assigning them to different MIDI frequencies. The Doom soundtrack would go on to inspire countless remixes and lay the foundation for future generations of game composers."

"The sweep and diversity of the National Recording Registry class of 2026 beautifully captures the scope of the American experience as we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary,” said Robbin Ahrold, chair of the National Recording Preservation Board. "From icons of R&B to a holiday favorite en Español, from a legendary sports broadcast to this generation’s superstars, it is a thrilling reflection of America at its best."

Doom is the third such video game score to make it into the register. The first was the Super Mario Bros. theme, which joined the archive in 2023. Daniel Rosengeld's soundtrack for Minecraft was added in 2025.

Other inductees this year include Taylor Swift's 1989, Beyoncé’s Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It), The Go-Go’s debut album Beauty and the Beat, Vince Gill’s Go Rest High On That Mountain, Weezer’s self-titled debut Weezer (The Blue Album), Chaka Khan’s hit I Feel for You, and Broadway’s original cast album of Chicago.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

One of the biggest — if not biggest — questions from fans of Warhammer 40,000 lore is: who will be the next returning loyalist primarch? In a rare Q&A video, Games Workshop actually addressed the question — but failed to provide a meaningful answer.

For the uninitiated, the primarchs are the overpowered, genetically-engineered demigod sons of the Emperor, created to lead the Space Marine legions before they were broken up into chapters following the catastrophic civil war known as the Horus Heresy. Warhammer 40,000 as a narrative operated for decades with most of the primarchs either thought dead or lost in the warp, but recent years have seen two loyalist primarchs return to the current setting, sparking speculation that more are on the way.

The two primarchs confirmed alive and active in the Warhammer 40,000 setting are Ultramarines boss Roboute Guilliman, who returned to the galaxy during the Gathering Storm event in 2017, and Dark Angels chief Lion El'Jonson, who miraculously popped back into existence as part of the Arks of Omen storyline in early 2023. These were galaxy-shaking plot developments for the Warhammer 40,000 setting, and with the upcoming release of the 11th Edition of the tabletop game, some are wondering if a third loyalist primarch will return to shake things up further.

And so, in the Q&A video, Games Workshop’s Adam Troke and Eddie Eccles brought up the question themselves: “Who will be the next returning loyalist primarch?”

“It’s a good question, but I’m really sorry to break it to you Adam, they’re actually all dead,” Eccles replied.

“All of them?” Troke said.

“I’m pretty sure they’re all dead,” Eccles insisted.

Troke then began to have a bit of fun with his response: “Well, so, we do know that Russ is back… as a tank. Rogal Dorn… as a tank. If I was a betting man, you could maybe expect a battle tank called a Khan or a Manus or a Sanguinius at some point.”

Then, finally: “Interesting that the question was ‘who,’ rather than ‘will.’ They’re dead, according to Eddie.”

While Games Workshop had a cheeky response to a question that was probably never going to include a definitive answer, many Warhammer 40,000 fans have already picked it apart, pointing out that in the lore, it’s not entirely clear that all the other loyalist primarchs are indeed dead. You see this debate pop up now and again on Warhammer subreddits, discords, and across social media. For example, Jaghatai Khan, primarch of the White Scars, is thought to be lost in the Webway, the weird area between realspace and the Warp the Aeldari use to get about the galaxy. Rogal Dorn, boss of the Imperial Fists, is presumed dead, but could be out and about doing primarch things behind enemy lines. Space Wolves leader Leman Russ, meanwhile, is said to be awaiting the Wolf Time before he makes a dramatic return to save his kin. Sanguinius though, he's properly dead. RIP.

The thing is, Games Workshop could bring back any loyalist primarch at any time, creating some lore to make it make sense within canon just as it did with Guilliman and Lion El'Jonson, and that would be that. Any new model for a returning primarch would no doubt prove to be a big seller, too. So it does feel like a question of when, not if, it actually happens. Money talks, after all.

Perhaps 11th Edition isn’t the right time, though, as fans are eagerly awaiting another momentous primarch-related moment, one Games Workshop has actually properly teased: the meeting of Guilliman and Lion El'Jonson. A new campaign book released earlier this year includes an intergalactic message written by Lion El'Jonson and intended for Roboute Guilliman that reads: “Brother. We need to talk.”

So, will the Lion and Guilliman finally meet this edition? That was another lore question Troke and Eccles brought up during the Q&A.

“I mean, the galaxy is a big place,” Troke said, once again keeping his cards close to his chest. “So, maybe. Maybe not. I kinda hope so. You’ve got to imagine the Lion’s got things to say.”

“It will be an interesting meeting for sure, whenever it happens,” Eccles added.

For me, it feels more likely that this meeting of brothers, 10,000 years in the making, will be the big narrative moment of 11th Edition, rather than the introduction of a new loyalist primarch, but I’d be happy to be proven wrong. Any new primarch turning up is a huge moment for Warhammer 40,000 lore fans and a shot in the arm of the setting. It would move things forward and perhaps even the odds against the forces of Chaos and all those daemon primarchs who are running amok.

So, in that case, who's next?

Image credit: Warhammer Community / Games Workshop.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Surprise! Nintendo has announced free-to-start Pictonico, a new mobile game that uses your phone's photo library to generate mini-games.

Pictonico integrates your photos and turns them into 80 minigames. "Sure, it's kind of silly… But there's no telling what will happen next!" Nintendo said.

"Here come your school's sports stars… strutting down the red carpet! Your boss is hungry and needs your help! Try to wash away those embarrassing high-school memories," the company added, describing the types of mini-games available. "Son won't quiet down? Zip his mouth! Two old friends reconnect while skydiving! Grandpa dressed like a ballerina. Can't miss this photo op."

Turn your photos into silly minigames! Your camera roll comes alive in Pictonico!, launching on smart devices May 28th.

Pre-registration begins today: https://t.co/LkknQnwPXl pic.twitter.com/0wKHPNh6qc

— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) May 19, 2026

If that all sounds a little familiar, that's because it is. Nintendo’s WarioWare games similarly bundles together very short mini-games, and you're given just seconds to complete them before moving on or losing a life. Like the WarioWare games, the experiences in Pictonico will seemingly range from "easy to pretty tricky," and while some games are free-to-start and playable as demos, you'll need to purchase additional "volumes" to play them all, which will cost between $5.99 and $7.99.

Pictonico will release on May 28, and can be pre-ordered now on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

It's the latest effort in Nintendo's attempt to diversify its catalog across mobile and console. In a 2015 interview, late CEO and president Satoru Iwata remarked that his main goal with mobile games is not necessarily to make money, but to advertise Nintendo properties to a brand new market. "We want more people to become familiar with Nintendo IP through Nintendo’s smart device game apps," the former president said.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Microsoft is continuing its drive to revamp brand Xbox with the launch of a feedback platform that gives fans the chance to vote on community requests. Predictably, the request with the most votes is a return to exclusives.

Microsoft’s multiplatform push may have increased sales (Forza Horizon 5, for example, has found significant success on PlayStation 5), but it has come at the expense of alienating hardcore Xbox fans, some of whom want Microsoft to return to Xbox exclusivity.

Earlier this month, it was reported that new Xbox boss Asha Sharma was “treading carefully” as she worked out what to do with exclusive games. Sharma, who replaced Phil Spencer as boss of Xbox earlier this year, has spent her first few months in the job making a number of significant changes as Microsoft works to win back the hearts and minds of its core gaming fans. Among them was the end of the controversial ‘This is an Xbox’ marketing campaign, quickfire new Xbox console features, and a Game Pass price cut.

Perhaps most significant of all, Microsoft has said it will “reevaluate our approach to exclusivity,” a tantalizing tease particularly for core fans who feel Xbox consoles have been devalued amid the company’s multiplatform push in recent years.

Fans, though, have made their feelings loud and clear already, using the new ‘XBOX Player Voice’ platform to push for exclusives.

“XBOX was built off of great game exclusives, you cannot sell any consoles without a reason to buy the console compared to your competition or even sending your tentpole games over to your competitor. BRING THEM BACK PLEASE!!!” reads the thread with the most votes so far (6,319). The comments within it are similarly vociferous. “If you really care about Xbox, you have to bring back exclusives,” one person said. “Xbox needs to have its exclusive games to differentiate itself from the competition. Exclusives work for Sony and Nintendo, so why would it be different for Xbox?” Another added: “Exclusive content and features (hardware or otherwise) make a platform stand out in comparison to the competition. Without those, why would anyone get into the XBOX platform and not other, more popular ones? Right now XBOX simply doesn't stand out from the competition.”

The big question is, can Microsoft follow Sony’s lead and retreat from multiplatform? Microsoft has a number of first-party titles due out this year already earmarked for PS5. For example, it's promised that Forza Horizon 6 will come to PS5 later this year (and if Forza Horizon 5 is any indication, not releasing the sequel on Sony’s console would mean leaving hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue on the table). Meanwhile, Microsoft has said all future Halo games will be released on Sony’s console, starting with this year’s Halo: Campaign Evolved. Playground’s Fable reboot is due out day one on PS5 this fall.

The Verge’s Tom Warren has reported that Sharma “has been evaluating a range of options for Xbox exclusive games, but is treading carefully here and isn’t yet ready to commit to any major changes.” So while hardcore Xbox fans clearly want their exclusives back, there is a question mark over whether Microsoft will agree.

Other top requests on the feedback platform reflect community concern going back years at this point. Backwards compatibility is right up there, as is making online multiplayer free to access. Another high-ranking request is for an achievement list to have a separate category for its DLC, so if you’ve got all the achievements for a game and it gets more via DLC, your 100% will remain. And then there’s the request for an Xbox Game Pass family plan, for Project Helix — the next-gen Xbox — to play discs, and the return of Xbox avatars.

Plenty, then, for Sharma to think about, although in truth none of these requests should come as much of a surprise. By opening the door to fan feedback in this way, Microsoft is creating a growing sense of hope within the community, so it will be interesting to see if Microsoft follows up by addressing the top requests and their chance of success. "We want to be clear: this doesn’t mean every piece of feedback will turn into a feature or result in a change," Microsoft clarified in its announcement on Xbox Wire. "Building across a large, global platform means weighing a lot of inputs. But better visibility helps close the gap between what you tell us and what you see happen next on XBOX."

All this talk of Xbox exclusives comes at a time when Sony has ditched PC for its narrative single-player games, which means the likes of Housemarque’s Saros, Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Yotei, Insomniac’s Marvel’s Wolverine and, presumably, Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet will all remain PS5 exclusives. But it still leaves the door open for Sony’s multiplatform games to continue to release on PC.

Perhaps Microsoft will follow Sony’s lead here?

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

EA has confirmed the first details for F1 25’s 2026 Season Pack update will be made available this Wednesday, May 20. The reveal trailer for the upcoming DLC will be released at 4pm UK time, May 20 (11am EDT/8am PDT, and 1am AEST on May 21).

For the time being, EA has revealed the “cover” athletes for the update: seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, former F3 and F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto, and veteran driver Valtteri Bottas, winner of 10 F1 Grands Prix and current owner of the greatest F1 moustache this side of Nigel Mansell.

The presence of Bortoleto and Bottas would be no accident, since they represent the two new teams on the 2026 grid: Audi and Cadillac.

EA confirmed in late 2025 that there would be no standalone F1 game released alongside the real-life 2026 season, revealing that the 2026 Formula One World Championship would be coming as a paid expansion for the existing F1 25 instead.

The content update is set to reflect all the sport’s 2026 changes, with new cars, new drivers, and the new regulations. How the new cars are handled within the 2026 season DLC will be interesting considering how critical many current F1 drivers have been of their new characteristics. Two-time F1 champ Fernando Alonso has dubbed modern F1 a “battery world championship”, 2025 champ Lando Norris has lamented F1 has gone from “the best cars ever made in Formula 1 and the nicest to drive to probably the worst”, and four-time champ Max Verstappen has quipped that he’s swapped the simulator for his Nintendo Switch, joking that he’s now practicing with Mario Kart instead.

The next full game in the series is planned for 2027, and will be “reimagined into a more expansive experience with new ways to play for fans around the world.”

IGN’s F1 25 review noted there remain “several areas where it hovers frustratingly short of its full potential,” including its fascination with clothing and emotes over classic F1 cars and content – but that it’s “comfortably the strongest the series has been since the fan favourite F1 2020.”

Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.

Here's a great deal on a power bank that stands out from the rest. As part of its Memorial Day Sale, Amazon is currently offering an Iniu 10,000mAh 45W Power Bank with foldable plug and built-in USB cable for just $18.30 after an automatic 49% off discount is applied in cart. This power bank will extend the life of your Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, or Apple iPhone and you don't need to bring along a power brick or USB cable like you would with any other power bank.

Normally you would need to take along at least three items with you to keep your Switch 2 charged up on the road: a power bank when there's no outlet available, a wall charger when there is one available (and also to charge the power bank), and a cable to link everything together. Instead, why not just bring along one device that carries out all three tasks?

The Iniu is first and foremost a power bank with a 10,000mAh (37Whr) battery capacity. It has three output ports: one built-in USB Type-C cable, one USB Type-C port, and one USB Type-A port. The 45W of USB-C Power Delivery is enough to fast charge the Nintendo Switch or Switch 2, which has a maximum charging rate of 18W-20W, the Steam Deck, which as a maximum charging of 45W, and the Apple iPhone 16, which has a charging rate of 30W even for the Pro Max.

Of course the best "feature" is the price. To get all three items would generally cost you over $30, even if you get everything on sale. At under $17, this 3-in-1 is a versatile bargain.

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Forza Horizon 6 managed to slip in a sly reference to Pokémon.

Xbox and Playground Games' beloved racing franchise has returned, and it's arguably better than ever. Forza Horizon 6 takes the series to Japan, a long-requested setting amongst fans. Not only is Japan a beautiful location for any game, but it has a very strong and thriving car culture. After years of fleshing out the franchise, Playground finally felt comfortable in taking on the setting and making the biggest Forza game yet.

As a result, Forza embraces Japan in all kinds of different ways. Of course, there's an emphasis on drifting in the game, there are cherry blossom trees that are so culturally significant they can't be destroyed, and there are all kinds of references to Japanese culture. One of the game's most notable events even sees the player racing a giant mech through the streets of Japan. It's outrageous, but right in line with the tone of Forza. Perhaps one of the most notable Japanese references is a nod to Pokémon, Nintendo's beloved video game franchise.

While listening to the in-game radio, you may hear the radio hosts suggest that players take some pictures while exploring Japan. They then use the term, "Snap 'em all," a play on Pokémon's legendary tagline, "Gotta catch 'em all."

The radio hosts then note that it's, "like that Japanese collecting game we're not allowed to name for legal reasons." It's a fun reference that has been amusing fans, especially since Nintendo is a very litigious company that will act against anyone who infringes on Pokémon's rights.

Pokemon mentioned in Forza Horizon 6 💀 pic.twitter.com/Pbg6IYfRBh

— ຸ (@wxrry) May 16, 2026

In related news, Pokémon turns 30 this year, and there's been no shortage of ways to celebrate. Target recently teamed up with Kellanova to produce a limited-edition line of Pokémon Pop-Tarts. As you might imagine, they have been the target of scalpers, who have been snatching up stock and reselling them for four or five times their normal retail price.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

B&H is offering a great deal on a lightweight laptop with decent gaming chops. For a limited time, you can pick up an Acer Swift X 14.5" slim laptop, for just $899 with free shipping. This same laptop currently sells for $1,460 on Amazon.

The Acer Swift X has some impressive specs for a 3.5 pound laptop that costs well under $1,000. For starters, the gorgeous 14.5" OLED display boasts a 2880x1800 QHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Under the hood, it's equipped with a power efficient Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor CPU that can still boost up to 115W when you need maximum performance along with GeForce RTX 4060 discrete graphics, 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

This is an excellent general purpose laptop, especially for people who are constantly on the move and need a laptop with a good amount of power that isn't too bulky to bring along. Creators will appreciate the fact that it has a discrete graphis card. Although the RTX 4060 GPU has been power-limited to 60W, it's still more than powerful enough to run your favorite low demanding games during your downtime. There are more powerful rigs out there, but they're bulkier or pricer.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Gaming laptops and PCs have gone up in price this year, but you know what hasn't - handheld gaming PCs. These mobile gaming devices grant you access to a nearly limitless library of PC games that you can play anytime and anywhere. As part of their respective Memorial Day Sales, both Amazon and Best Buy are offering the Asus ROG Xbox Ally handheld gaming PC for just $499.99 after a $100 instant discount. This is the lowest price ever and matches the deal I saw on Black Friday.

The Xbox Ally is a recent model (October 2025) featuring the AMD Ryzen Z2 A CPU, 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and 512GB SSD. The nomenclature might be confusing, but the Xbox Ally is more of an evolution of the the ROG Ally handheld than it is an actual Xbox console. The Xbox Ally runs Windows 11 software, but it boots up straight into the Xbox App. Because you're not loading Windows Explorer, your freeing up resources typically used for non-gaming background tasks. Not only does this mean you'll get better performance without having to pay for upgraded hardware, you'll also get a seamless and tailored user experience not unlike Steam OS.

The Asus ROG Xbox Ally (non-X) model is equipped with a newer generation Ryzen Z2 A processor, which is comparable in performance to the Steam Deck's APU. It's not nearly as powerful as the Ryzen Z2 Extreme found in the higher-end Xbox Ally X, so don't expect high flying performance in demanding games like Crimson Desert or Monster Hunter. However, there are literally thousands of outstanding games available that don't need the most powerful system to enjoy.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

PlayStation seems to be waving the white flag on its PC strategy, at least when it comes to single-player games.

Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that PlayStation was backing down from releasing future first-party titles on PC. There was still some ambiguity around how hard and fast those rules would be; as one example, Saros developer Housemarque dodged the question if the game would ever come to PC in an interview with Game Informer in the lead-up to the game's PS5 release. Now, things seem to be more concrete: Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reported that during a company town hall meeting this week, PlayStation studio business CEO Hermen Hulst affirmed that first-party narrative-driven single-player games will now be console exclusives for PlayStation.

That means you shouldn't expect Ghost of Yotei, Saros, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, or Marvel's Wolverine to come to PC. If you want to play those games, you should expect to buy a PS5. With that said, Hulst specifically calling out single-player games is interesting. This may mean multiplayer-centric games, like the in-development Fairgames, will still come to PC, something that would be wise given the immense success of Helldivers 2 on PC.

This news comes after roughly six years of PlayStation bringing some of its biggest games to PC, including its rebooted God of War titles, Marvel's Spider-Man games, Ghost of Tsushima, and The Last of Us series. These games often arrived months or even years after initial release, seen as a way to squeeze extra money out of these games from people who weren't going to make the jump to PlayStation. There may have even been some hope that by creating new fans on PC, it might inspire gamers to purchase a PS5 to play sequels to their favorite PlayStation games.

However, it seems the strategy hasn't been as fruitful as PlayStation may have hoped. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 had an all-time peak of 28,117 concurrent players on Steam — a fairly low number for one of PlayStation's biggest games starring one of the most iconic characters in modern fiction — while online games like Helldivers 2 peaked at 458,208 concurrents on Steam. Helldivers 2 also benefited from a simultaneous launch with the game's PS5 version, unlike many of the single-player titles.

Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida recently questioned the idea of PlayStation pulling back on PC, noting how the extra revenue from "releasing games on PC after a couple of years must have helped recoup the investment of these big budget games and help[ed] the team and company to reinvest that money into their new games."

He continued: "If they were releasing new AAA games day one on other platforms, I don’t think that’s a good strategy for [a] platform holder like PlayStation. I’m not seeing any proof of them changing their strategy this generation, but if they are changing, it's going to be interesting how they are able to maintain the investment on the big budget games on the first-party side going forward."

Similarly, Xbox is also reportedly assessing its approach to exclusivity going forward. Although PC is a big part of the Xbox ecosystem now and has been for years, many have questioned whether or not Xbox will continue to bring its games to PS5 under the leadership of Asha Sharma, the new Xbox boss. As of right now, there are a lot of rumors about what may happen next, but nothing has been concretely decided. Currently, games like Fable and Forza Horizon 6 are confirmed for PS5, with the former expected to arrive the same day and date on Xbox and PlayStation platforms.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

New PlayStation console owners have launched a new class-action lawsuit in an effort to claim refunds after Sony initiated price increases for the PS5 in response to tariffs last year.

The Walker et al v. Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California May 6, 2026 (via Engadget). Plaintiffs Amorey Walker and Bryce Foster-Quarles claim consumers are entitled to compensation after the console manufacturer allegedly received a "substantial windfall" following tariff policy enacted by U.S. President Donald Trump last year.

Sony announced it would raise the price of the standard PS5, as well as its Digital and Pro variants, by $50 in August 2025. It directly mentioned the "challenging economic environment" at the time, alluding to Trump's tariffs affecting its business. The tariffs were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in February 2026, raising the question of refunds for companies that had been impacted.

The class-action suit hinges on the belief that a "double recovery windfall" that Sony is set to receive should be passed on to the everyday buyer who purchased PS5s post-price-hike. It would potentially affect gamers who purchased price-hiked PlayStation hardware following the initial August increases.

Walker et al v. Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC is not dissimilar to a case filed against Nintendo just last month. The class-action lawsuit in question was filed by Gregory Hoffert and Prashant Sharan and seeks to ensure any refunds received by Nintendo are returned to customers after Nintendo Switch accessories were hit with price increases in April 2025.

Sony announced it would be increasing the price of its PlayStation Plus subscription service earlier today. Meanwhile, some fans of Sony's gaming branch may be entitled to payments following news related to a PSN lawsuit from earlier this month.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Five months after the Stranger Things finale, series creators the Duffer Brothers have admitted they put extra effort into Steve's fake-out death because they were "f**king with the audience."

Matt and Ross Duffer came clean during an interview with Josh Horowitz on Happy, Sad, Confused. Though the Netflix show's final episode premiered in December, that isn't stopping the duo behind the series from talking about the lengths they went to in order to mess with fans.

Warning! Stranger Things finale spoilers follow.

This is especially true when it comes to actor Joe Keery's Steve Harrington, a character who had fans fearing the worst in the months leading up to the finale. One moment in the final Stranger Things episode originally saw him suffer a brief, unimpactful fall from a great height, so the Duffer Brothers set aside a half day of reshoots to spice things up.

"We did a half day of reshoots, which we've actually never done on Stranger Things before," Ross Duffer said. "It was just little, tiny, miscellaneous things that we wanted to do, but the main reason we wanted to go back is because Steve's near-death just wasn't… It wasn't shot like that in a slow-motion way. It all happened really fast. In the edit, it's so dark that the moment wasn't going back.

"Then we went back with Joe Keery, and we just built a tiny, like, 3-foot slab of the tower because we didn't have money to rebuild it, and we just did that moment where he just dropped. Then we just milked it even more in the edit."

The finished version of the Stranger Things series finale saw Steve fall from the tower in slow motion before Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) came to his surprise rescue after a drawn-out cut to black. Matt Duffer later added that a dramatic fake-out of this level isn't something the crew behind the Netflix series would normally engage in, but with Stranger Things finally on its way out, they struck while the iron was hot.

"I don't know that we normally would have done him almost falling off the tower. That was us f**king with the audience, for sure," he said. "For sure. Which, we don't normally do, but I was like, 'This is a golden opportunity that we can't pass up.'"

The Stranger Things finale teased fans with Steve's death when it premiered December 31, 2025. Elsewhere in the interview, the Duffer Brother denied rumors related to the show's infamous Season 2 episode and promised to reveal more about Eleven's fate in 20 years.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Out on 3 June, the Nintendo Switch 2 port of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has had preorders for its physical copies (though Game-Key Cards) drop at retailers like Amazon and Argos. Although the epic follow-up to the Final Fantasy 7 Remake has been out on PS5 and PC since early 2024 and 2025 respectively, but is finally coming to the Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S next month.

Among various preorder bonuses for the Switch 2 preorder, however, (including a reversible alternate box art inlay) is a very unique and limited in-box pre-order bonus: a Zack Fair Magic: The Gathering card.

This borderless version of the card, with variant art done by Tetsuya Nomura himself, has specifically been spotted among FF7 Rebirth’s Switch 2 pre-orders on Amazon UK and Argos — both for £43.99, after Amazon cut its initial £49.99 price.

On the other hand, Argos’ listing also comes with added in-game pre-order bonuses along with the Zack Fair card: a Posh Chocobo Summon Materia, a Shinra Bangle Mk. II item, and Midgar Bangle Mk. II item. However, Amazon doesn’t seem to have those listed in its promo art — only the Zack Fair card and reversible inlay.

If you can’t wait to start playing on Switch 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s demo is available on the Nintendo eShop, where your save data will carry over to the full game. Plus, if you have save data from the FF7 Remake Intergrade’s main story, you’ll also unlock free Leviathan Summoning Materia.

If you also have save data for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade’s INTERmission DLC, you’ll additionally earn the Summoning Materia for Ramuh.

Will you be checking out Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on Switch 2 or Xbox? Or are you waiting for news on Part 3? Let us know!

Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.

Starting this week, Best Buy kicks off its Memorial Day Sale, along with one of the best high-end gaming laptop deals I've seen for the month of May. Right now you can pick up the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 Gen 10 gaming laptop, equipped with a 16" OLED display and RTX 5070 Ti GPU, for just $2,099.99 with free shipping after a $1,250 instant discount.

The Legion Pro 5 boasts solid build quality, featuring an aluminum top lid and a sturdy plastic bottom chassis. The gorgeous 16" OLED display sports a 2.5K 200ppi resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, VESA True Black 600 certification, and 100% DCI-P3 color space. This new 2025 model has also been updated with the Wi-Fi 7 standard. Connectivity options include two USB-C 10Gbps ports with DisplayPort 2.1 (one with 100W of Power Delivery), RJ45 ethernet, and HDMI 2.1.

The rest of the specs include an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, RTX 5070 Ti mobile GPU, 32GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM and a 2TB SSD. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX has a max turbo frequency of 5.4GHz with 24 total cores. It's an excellent processor for both gaming and workstation tasks.

The RTX 5070 Ti mobile GPU performs about 20%-30% better than the RTX 5070. Compared to the previous generation, it's comparable in performance to the RTX 4080 and pulls ahead of it in games that support DLSS 4.5 and multi-frame generation. It's powerful enough to run just about any game on the display's upgraded 2560x1600 resolution. You can run even games like Pragmata, Crimson Desert, and Forza Horizon 6 at 60+fps with minimal tweaking.

Check out Notebookcheck's Forza Horizon 6 benchmark results; an RTX 5070 Ti laptop is used as one of the test machines.

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This review is based on a screening at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.

One of the most confounding films to compete for the Palme d’Or, Cannes Film Festival debut Hope is a rip-roaring Korean creature feature made with gonzo skill. Idiosyncratic in structure, spring-loaded with momentum, and doused in additional rocket fuel, it’s the kind of movie sure to divide viewers given how obviously it’s been cut down from something longer and more labyrinthine in scope. However, its flaws are all part and parcel of its dazzling, “How the hell does this even exist?” spectacle. It’s the kind of reaction reserved for bangers like Mad Max: Fury Road, especially given just how much of Hope unfolds on roads and highways at a hundred miles an hour, with characters leaning out of cop cars and practically kissing the pavement; the comparison isn’t unwarranted.

Set along the DMZ in the South Korean border town of Hope Harbor, Hope departs from other great films of its ilk, like Bong Joon Ho’s The Host, by picking a rural setting. Police chief Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min) and various gun-toting locals are called to investigate a bull carcass in the middle of an open road, with claw marks far too big for the local bears, but before they have a chance to dig into the mystery, carnage begins engulfing their nearby township. This thrusts them into utter chaos for nearly the film’s first full hour as they chase down an unseen monster while navigating bodies, debris, and cars sent tumbling from off-screen in scenes that alternate between the dizzying terrors of director Na Hong-jin’s last film, The Wailing, and something out of William Friedkin’s The French Connection, with cameras low to the ground as they zip around tight turns.

While we do eventually see the aforementioned creature – one of several that appear across the movie’s 160 minutes, played via performance capture by Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender, Cameron Britton, and Taylor Russell — this initial, extended set piece provides enough heart-in-mouth thrills that you might even wish the monsters remained unseen. Granted, this might also be the case if you’re averse to malformed CGI, but the standards once set by Hollywood aren’t the same everywhere else. The way Na Hong-jin uses his digital tools, as though bringing impossible stop-motion critters to life, makes for a marvellous romp. The characters are largely paper-thin cutouts, but they provide enough levity and allure to keep things moving. For instance, there’s Squid Game mainstay Jung Ho-yeon, who plays rookie cop Sung-ae and gets a heroic, grenade launcher-wielding entrance akin to a South Indian action star.

To say that Hope is an alien film isn’t exactly a spoiler, but discovering the nature of its designs is a delight unto itself. Usually, one look at a movie’s extraterrestrials tells you just how close or far removed its designs are meant to be from humanity, but Hope also features a variety of creatures that make this calculus more complicated. Some of these aliens are elegant, even regal; others are puzzling creations of flesh, bone, and even wood, where you’re never quite sure what you’re looking at (anatomically speaking). Still others feel plucked from the sketchbooks of H.R. Giger, but for the most part, they have just enough human features to place them in the uncanny valley, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing given how they’re used dramatically.

The movie’s most heroic characters – like Zo In-sung’s headstrong, horse riding tracker, Sung-ki – aren’t those that land the most accurate shots, but rather those that occasionally pause to consider the lives and emotions of these rampaging creatures, catching glimmers of something deeper in their distinctly human eyes. On paper, Hope is entirely a game of figuring out what the f*** the townspeople are even up against, and responding accordingly. But nestled within its action, comedy, and mystery are fleeting moments of empathy that verge on heartbreak for the situation at large, as the movie threatens to become something more sentimental and Amblin-esque.

That it never does is tragic all on its own. You see, Na Hong-jin’s country setting doesn’t just provide wide open spaces for mayhem and detailed production design; rather, it sets the stage for subtle social and political commentary akin to The Twilight Zone and other American Cold War science fiction, drawn from an era when the Red Scare had people seeing communists in their soup. Setting Hope along the border with North Korea has a similar function, between signs that warn not only of animals, spies, and grenades – the alien creatures are, in essence, a combination of the three – but of infiltration at large.

These fears of invasion take shape in kooky ways, like Bum-seok being continually surprised by just how armed-to-the-teeth the people of his town turn out to be. This is funny in the moment, but it speaks to the exact kind of cultural paranoia that breeds the movie’s high-octane violence in the first place. It also seems to breed rot – everything that dies in the movie decays faster than usual, which is never commented upon but ensures that most scenes are drenched in squelching practical effects and buzzing insects. Death is always just around the corner, so every time ammunition tears through the air, it also threatens to make the movie more sickly.

Not since Starship Troopers has large-scale sci-fi action been laced with such wrenching internal conflict, wherein heroes are instantly demythologized and frequent moments offering mutual understanding are dismissed by rattling machine-guns. That Hope revels in its violent displays is certainly an attempt to have its cake and eat it too, but Na Hong-jin is more than capable of toeing this tonal line given how unapologetically he drenches each scene in physical and emotional adrenaline. It’s hard not to be swept up by the movie’s deluge of sounds and images.

That the film ends on a note teasing a potential sequel is just as strange as anything you see on screen. However, that Hope also works as an isolated sliver of something larger which we may never see – and which the trigger-happy characters choose not to recognize – feels thematically whole as well. Perhaps the movie’s alleged heroes are too far gone in the direction of selfish survivalism to have ever stood a real chance at building something better and exploring new possibilities, which is nothing if not a warning sign of where we are and what’s to come.

With prices of electric bikes reaching an all-time low, it's time to retire that pedal-powered bike of yours. Nowadays you can find a decent ebike for well under $500 if you know where to look (hint: it's not necessarily Amazon). For Memorial Day, AliExpress has dropped the price on the 5th Wheel AB17 500W 375Wh Electric Bike to just $232.73 after $35 off coupon code "USDEAL35". It ships locally from a warehouse in the United States, with most orders being delivered within a week. The AliExpress marketplace seller "5th Wheel" is the official manufacturer and has plenty of reviews and sales.

The 5th Wheel AB17 bike is an adult electric bike featuring a 500W (700W peak) motor that can get up to speeds of 23mph. The 36V 375Wh lithium battery provides up to 25 miles on electric only mode and up to 45 miles on pedal-assist mode. The actual distance is dependent on other factors like your speed, terrain, elevation, and so forth. The frame is made of carbon steel so it's on the heavier side at about 50 pounds, but it also has a generous weight capacity of 265 pounds. The bike comes 85% preassembled and includes a 1 year warranty. It's also UL 2849 certified for safety.

There are other bikes out there that offer higher-quality components, a more powerful motor, better upgradeability, and/or domestic customer support, but only if you're willing to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars more. The 5th Wheel AB17 bike is a perfectly respectable assisted ride that will satisfy most casual bikers at an unbeatable price. Frankly speaking, you have few other legitimate options if you're looking for a brand new adult ebike for under $300.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Earlier this year, Apple released its 8th generation iPad Air tablet at a starting price of $599.99. However for Memorial Day Amazon has dropped the price to $519.99, or $80 off MSRP, which is the lowest price I've seen since its launch. In addition to the M4 chip upgrade, the newest iPad Air is equipped with more RAM than before and Apple's newest N1 wireless chip, which finally introduces Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support.

The iPad Air M4 is the newest generation iPad Air released back in March of 2026. The biggest upgrade is the Apple M4 chip, which is about 20%-30% faster than the M3 chip found on the previous generation model. The iPad Air also supports Apple Intelligence and its features including Genmoji, Writing Tools, and AI-enhanced Siri.

Normally, most iPad updates are incremental and outside of the CPU upgrade, the buck stops there. Not with this update. The new iPad has also increased the amount of memory by 50%, from 8GB to 12GB of RAM. You'll be able to run multiple resource-heavy apps, mult-task, and take advatange of processor-intenstive AI features better than before.

In addition to the increased memory, the iPad also has a brand new N1 wireless chip. For the first time the iPad Air supports Wi-Fi 7, which offers wireless faster-than-gigabit networking speeds. The N1 chip also supports Bluetooth 6, which boasts better latency and power efficiency compared to Bluetooth 5.

The rest of the specs are pretty much identical to its predecessor. The iPad Air boasts an 11" 2360x1640 (264ppi) Liquid Retina display with P3 Wide Color and True Tone that's better quality than the screen found on the standard iPad. SThe iPad Air is compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB‑C) and the Magic Keyboard. In fact, the newer model Magic Keyboard that was released earlier this year is specifically catered to the iPad Air.

If you're not sure which iPad is best for you, we have an iPad guide which details the ideal iPad for different use cases. If you want to get an iPad for schoolwork, we have an iPad guide for students as well. If you're looking for options outside of iOS, check out the best Android tablets of 2026.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers have said they would love to redo the show's notorious Season 2 episode "The Lost Sister," but the rumors that it was supposed to be a backdoor pilot for a spinoff are "bulls**t."

The pair behind the hit Netflix show looked back on the highs and lows of their time in Hawkins, Indiana, during an interview with Josh Horowitz on Happy, Sad, Confused. While reflecting on the moments they'd love to take another crack at, both Matt and Ross Duffer gave an unsurprising answer for the Stranger Things episode they knew needed more love: Season 2, Episode 7.

"I think the mistake was this idea of a bottle episode," Matt Duffer said. "I think if we had threaded it in more organically throughout the season, it would have worked. It wasn't anybody's fault except ours. I just would have approached how we integrated Kali differently."

For those unaware, the seventh episode of Stranger Things' nine-episode second season pulls Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) out of Hawkins and into the streets of Chicago, where she meets a group of outcasts and soon-to-be friends. Among the new crew is Kali, a girl who happens to share connections to Eleven's past and also possesses supernatural abilities.

It's a bottle episode that has lived in infamy since it first premiered in October 2017. While the Duffer Brothers now admit the episode should have been handled differently, they don't think the idea should have been scrapped entirely.

"Matt and I got so drawn into getting those last two episodes of Season 2 written," Ross Duffer added, "and prepping because we were directing them, that it just got lost in the shuffle."

The Duffer Brothers went on to clarify that they knew even before the episode premiered that fans would find the integration of Season 2, Episode 7 a bit clunky. That said, Matt Duffer admitted the poor reception still "hit harder" than he expected. The response to "The Lost Sister" got so heated, in fact, that the pair walked into Season 3 "bummed" because so many fans remained locked on to their disappointment with that one 40-ish-minute episode specifically.

The Stranger Things Season 2 episode remains one of the least liked across the show's 40+ episodes. Some even speculated that Season 2, Episode 7 was originally meant to serve as a backdoor pilot for a spin-off. Now, nearly 10 years after its premiere, Matt Duffer wants to clear the air.

"First of all, let me just clear up some bulls**t out on the internet," he said. "There's so much bulls**t, we'd be here all day, but that was never designed as like a spinoff. That's bulls**t. That's not true. That's gross. We would not do that."

All these years later, the Stranger Things crew found themselves with fresh disappointment with the show after it came to an end with its Season 5 finale on December 31, 2025. Some fans were so displeased with the finale that they came up with theories about a secret episode that never came to be.

For now, the main Stranger Things story has come to an end. For more, you can see why some have hope the Duffer Brothers will reveal more about the characters of Hawkins in a few decades. You can also read up on everything you need to know about the Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 spinoff.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Prolific voice actor Tom Kane, best known for playing Yoda in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, has died at age 64. Kane has racked up numerous credits across Star Wars, Call of Duty, and a wide variety of other animated projects. Tom Kane's talent agency, Galactic Productions, confirmed his death this morning.

"From his unforgettable performances in Star Wars to countless animated series, documentaries, and games, Tom brought wisdom, strength, humor, and heart to every role he touched," reads the agency's post. "His voice became part of our lives, our memories, and the stories we carry with us. But beyond the incredible career was an extraordinary man. Tom was a devoted husband and father who, alongside his wife, built a loving family of nine children — three biological and six welcomed through adoption and fostering. That compassion and generosity defined who he was just as much as his remarkable talent did. Though his voice may now be silent, the characters, stories, and love he gave to the world will live on forever."

Although the actor made a name for himself by playing Yoda in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, he also voiced a handful of other characters in the beloved sci-fi franchise. Kane was the voice of Boba Fett, C-3P0, Qui-Gon Jin, and several other legendary characters in Star Wars in animated shows, games, and films.

Kane also played Takeo Masaki, one of the four main characters in Call of Duty's iconic Zombies mode. The actor began his career in 1977 at 15 years old, but things really began to take off for him in the '90s and early 2000s as he booked roles in cartoons like Spider-Man: The Animated Series, The Powerpuff Girls, and The Wild Thornberrys.

His voice isn't just heard on TV, either. Tom Kane was hired for a number of voices at Walt Disney World. He was the announcer for the park's monorail system and could be heard providing health and safety announcements around the park following the COVID-19 pandemic. He's also been the announcer and narrator of numerous TV shows over the years, including various Star Wars cartoons.

Unfortunately, Kane suffered from a stroke in November 2020, prompting an early retirement in 2021. The actor struggled to speak and was therefore unable to continue his work.

Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

With Memorial Day Weekend on the horizon, we’re already seeing tons of sales pop up at major retailers, like Amazon and Best Buy. Target is even offering an incredible deal on board games and puzzles right now. Whether you’re after a handheld gaming PC or a new gaming TV, there are plenty of items worth grabbing. Check out some of my favorite discounts below:

A GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 XT Gaming OC 16G graphics card has dropped to its lowest price yet on a lightning deal at Amazon. For $629, $111 off, you can get our favorite graphics card for most people. It delivers an excellent 4K gaming experience for far less than the RTX 5070 Ti GPU, which offers comparable performance for $300+ more. The Radeon RX 9070 XT even earned a 10/10 in our review.

Make sure you're signed into your account to see the shipping options (and refresh twice)

An excellent 3D printer with multi-color print capability just got a huge price drop ahead of Memorial Day. AliExpress is offering the FlashForge AD5X 3D Printer with integrated multi-material printing system for just $218.32 after you apply coupon code "USDEAL35". Until now, I have never seen this printer drop below $250.

Make sure you're signed into your account to see the shipping options (you may have to refresh the page twice). You're buying it from FlashForge's official store on AliExpress. It ships free locally from the United States and arrives within 1 to 2 weeks. The exact same printer currently sells for $339 on Amazon.

The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally is $100 off on Amazon and Best Buy. This top handheld gaming PC for affordability offers an AMD Ryzen Z2 A CPU, 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and a 512GB SSD, delivering comparable performance to the Steam Deck. It’s also comfortable in hand, has a vibrant 120Hz IPS display, and runs on Windows.

Our top horror game of 2023 is back down to its lowest price ever on Amazon and Best Buy. Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Edition for PlayStation 5 is just $29.99. In addition to the base game, you get two expansions, plus cosmetics and items for both protagonists, Alan and Saga. It even comes with a digital edition of Alan Wake Remastered. As for the game itself, in our Alan Wake 2 review, Tristan Ogilvie found it, "delivers one of the boldest and most brain-bending survival-horror storylines this side of Silent Hill 2, presents it with uniformly immaculate art direction and audio design, and reinvigorates the series’ signature light-based shooting.”

The Pokémon TCG: Mega Zygarde ex Premium Collection preorder is down to $64.99 on Amazon (shipped and sold by Amazon). Should the price drop any further before the release date on Friday, Amazon offers a preorder guarantee. With this collection, you’ll receive a foil promo card, an oversized lenticular promo card, and a tech sticker featuring Mega Zygarde ex, along with 8 Booster packs. The Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box is also available on Amazon at a slight discount (but still above MSRP). It includes 9 booster packs, 1 full-art foil promo card featuring Fennekin, 65 card sleeves, 6 damage-counter dice, and more.

Forza Horizon 6 drops tomorrow. However, if you pick up the Premium Edition of the game, you can play the latest entry in the series today. What’s even better is that Newegg is offering 15% off the Xbox Play Anywhere version of the racing game, bringing it to just $101.99. If you’re okay to wait until tomorrow and don’t care about getting the full expansion packs and VIP membership, the Standard Edition of the game is also 15% off, costing just $59.49. All you need to do is enter the code “SXVPFH6” at checkout to score these deals.

Xbox Play Anywhere will let you play Forza Horizon 6 on Xbox Series X/S, Windows PCs, and other Windows gaming devices. And you’ll probably want to play it everywhere, as it earned a 10/10 “Masterpiece” rating in our review. Luke Reilly raved, “It’s the best-looking and best-sounding game Playground has produced to date, set in the most wonderfully realised map it’s ever crafted – full of dense, authentic details and stunning driving roads. It’s rewarding to explore, the campaign is well-paced with a great payoff, and I simply cannot stop playing.”

The Logitech G923 is 20% off at Amazon. If you’re after a great mid-range racing wheel for Xbox Series X/S and PC, this is it. It offers Trueforce feedback tech, letting you feel every turn and bump of the road. The sturdy build, including a leather wheel, metal pedals, stainless shifter, and more, makes it great for hitting the pavement in Forza Horizon 6, providing far more immersion than your typical controller.

Funko Pop! Comic Cover: Transformers x MTG - Optimus Prime is down to its lowest price ever on Amazon. It’s over half off on a lightning deal, costing just $11.40. Unlike your typical Funko Pop, this adorable little vinyl figure is placed against the background of its Magic: The Gathering card, making it an ideal collectable for Transformers and Magic fans alike.

The 65” LG EVO C5 is on sale for just $1,299.99 for nearly 50% savings. Rocking an OLED panel, this TV delivers an incredible picture quality with near-infinite black levels, near-infinite contrast ratio, and near-instantaneous response times. Its Evo panel also brings a brighter image and wider color gamut than traditional W-OLED panels. Of course, it also makes for an exceptional TV for PS5 console gaming, thanks to the native 120Hz/4K refresh rate that can be pushed to 144Hz, plus VRR and ALLM, with full support on the four HDMI 2.1 ports.

If you’re looking to add a few more board games or puzzles to your collection, Target is running a buy one, get one 50% off sale right now. Code Names and Catan are two incredible inclusions in the deal. They’re sure to be a hit at all the upcoming summer gatherings. What Do You Meme? Family Edition is something the whole family can get in on, or you can grab a couple of puzzles for a fun way to unwind. Check out those deals and more below:

Danielle is a Tech freelance writer based in Los Angeles who spends her free time creating videos and geeking out over music history.

Summer is nearly here, which means it’s Memorial Day sale season. Best Buy has kicked off its Memorial Day 2026 sale a week before the actual holiday; it runs May 18 - May 25. You can shop the sale here. That gives you plenty of time to score deals on video games, TVs, laptops, gaming PCs, Apple products, and more.

Below, we’ve highlighted some of our picks for the best deals available in the sale, broken down into our favorite categories. The full sale is much wider in scope, with deals on everything from major appliances to yard tools.

In terms of video games, a whole lot of PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch (and Switch 2) games are on sale. Additionally, you can save $100 on the Xbox Ally handheld gaming PC, bringing it down to $499.99. A variety of gaming accessories are also on sale, including controllers, carrying cases, headsets, and more.

Big sales like this Memorial Day sale are pretty much always the best times to buy a new TV. Best Buy has dropped prices on a bunch of TVs from companies like Samsung and LG. You can score a deal on a cheap TV for a spare room, or on one of the best TVs for gaming like the LG C5. Additionally, you’ll find discounts on wall mounts and projectors.

Apple products are also on sale. Whether you’re in the market for a new iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch or even iPhones, you can save some cash by buying now. Apple’s AirPods Max are also $100 off, making them slightly less jaw-droppingly expensive.

Best Buy has work computers on sale now as well, but you’re probably more interested in the gaming PC deals. Whether you want a desktop or a laptop, you can save money on a new gaming PC. Monitors, mice, keyboards, and other accessories are also on sale.

For more, check out Amazon's Memorial Day sale as well.

Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.

An excellent 3D printer with multi-color print capability just got a huge price drop ahead of Memorial Day. AliExpress is offering the FlashForge AD5X 3D Printer with integrated multi-material printing system for just $218.32 after you apply coupon code "USDEAL35". Until now, I have never seen this printer drop below $250.

Make sure you're signed into your account to see the shipping options (you may have to refresh the page twice). You're buying it from FlashForge's official store on AliExpress. It ships free locally from the United States and arrives within 1 to 2 weeks. The exact same printer currently sells for $339 on Amazon.

Make sure you're signed into your account to see the shipping options (and refresh twice)

The AD5X is the least expensive FlashForge printer that offers multi material printing, which basically allows you to use multiple colors or multiple filament types on a single 3D print. It also features a CoreXY structure, which is rare for a printer in this price range. In a CoreXY printer, only the print head moves while the motors are permanently fixed. Since the motors are generally the heaviest component, this improves print speed and precision.

The AD5X features an open bed design with a working space measuring approximately 8.7" cubed. For those of you who are looking to enclose the chamber in order to create a more stable environment for your prints, you can purchase the official kit for $49.99 that can turn it into a closed chamber setup. Alternatively, you can just build yourself a big box that you can place over the entire printer, probably for an even cheaper price.

The AD5X boasts a print speed of up to 600mm/s with 20,000mm/s² acceleration and can print a benchy in 12 minutes. Other features including solid build quality (all structural components are made of metal), a 4.3" color touchscreen with intuitive controls, auto leveling, and vibration compensation. Assembly is quick and easy and you should be able to make your first test print in a matter of minutes. No camera is included but, again, there's an official kit to add one.

The multi-filament module fleshes out the 3D printing capabilities and is one of the most important features for any mid to pro level enthusiast. With it you can print using up to four different colored filaments or filament materials simultaneously. It features an intelligent filament system that can identify and manage all four spools seamlessly and independently. Multi-filament add-ons in general cost $200-$300 by themselves, so having an integrated solution will save you a lot of money.

TL;DR:

• Open chamber 8.7" cubed working space
• CoreXY 3D printer (more stable than other types)
• 600mm/s print speed with 20,000mm/s² acceleration
• Includes multi-filament printing module
• Automatic filament switching
• Auto leveling and vibration compensation
• Easy assembly

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Similar to every other high-end GPU on the market, the AMD Radeon 9070 XT graphics card is selling for more than its $599 MSRP this year. Fortunately, it's nowhere near as egregiously marked up as Nvidia cards. As part of its Memorial Day Sale, Amazon is offering the Gigabyte AMD Radeon 9070 XT OC GPU for just $629 with free shipping. This is the best price I've seen all year long for AMD's newest GPU, which performs nearly as well as Nvidia's now-$1,000 RTX 5070 Ti.

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the only 2025-released GPU that we gave a 10/10 score. Even though it costs $150 less than the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, the 9070 XT beats it out in several of the games we tested. In a few benchmarks, the results aren't even close. The 9070 XT approaches the performance of the $1,000 RX 7900 XTX but with better ray tracing and upscaling performance than its predecessor.

This is the least expensive graphics card from either AMD or Nvidia that I would comfortably recommend for playing the latest and most demanding games in 4K at 60fps or higher framerates.

The IGN Deals team has over 30 years of combined experience finding the best discounts and preorders available online. If you want the latest updates from our trusted team, here’s how to follow our coverage:

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.The Powerful AMD Radeon 9070 XT Graphics Card Drops to $680 During Amazon's Early Memorial Day Sale

Don't worry, the Duffer Brothers will be happy to tell you what happened to Eleven in the Stranger Things finale…if you're willing to wait 20 years.

Matt and Ross Duffer offered a post-mortem on their recently concluded Netflix phenomenon during an interview for Josh Horowitz's Happy, Sad, Confused. As fans continue to parse through their feelings about how Mike, Dustin, Max, Steve, and the rest of the Demogorgon-battling group's story ended, the showrunners still aren't ready to answer one of the finale's biggest questions: What happened to Eleven?

Warning! Spoilers for the Stranger Things finale follow:

The Stranger Things finale put an untied bow on the story of Millie Bobby Brown's telekinetic character when it premiered December 31, 2025. It's an intentionally ambiguous ending that sees its core group choosing to "believe" that Eleven is still out there, somewhere in the world, after seemingly making the ultimate sacrifice to save her friends.

So, is she still out there? Referencing the infamously long amount of time it took Sopranos creator David Chase to open up about his finale, the Duffer Brothers say they'll be keeping the door open three inches for at least another 20 years.

"If we're talking to you in 20 years," Ross Duffer replied with a laugh when asked if that was the timeline fans can expect for a reveal, "about Stranger Things, in 20 years… I mean I hope so. I hope people still care. That would be great, and then I'll say everything, yeah. At that point, 20 years from now."

Horowitz followed up with a joke: "20 years from now, it's a date. An exclusive on Happy, Sad, Confused, if I'm still alive."

The Duffer Brothers also spent time during the interview dodging theories related to Eleven's fate. One of the more popular pieces of "evidence" suggesting the superpowered character lives on is related to the strange heartbeat-like sound effect that plays during the finale. Matt Duffer admitted that the noise in question was written in the script to sound like a heartbeat, but it doesn't sound like that alone is definitive proof that she survived.

"It is written in the script that it is supposed to sound like a heartbeat, but it's actually just like… what do you call it? The brick," he explained. "That's what it is. It's just distorted, but yeah, you could interpret it as that. I mean, it was meant to be interpreted as that, potentially."

The pair also touched on post-finale interviews with Stranger Things cast members, like Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas), Sadie Sink (Max), and Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), where they admitted that they did not believe Eleven survived. Again, Matt Duffer's reaction doesn't exactly spill the beans on Brown's character's fate, but he, at least, was surprised to hear their reaction.

"They have never said that to me," he said. "I gotta talk to them. I'm not saying they're wrong. It's just interesting that they all concluded that without talking to us, because that's not what the characters believe. I mean, they're good actors, so I don't know what's going on."

Stranger Things came to an end with Season 5 last year. For more on the show, you can see how cast members like Matthew Modine (Dr. Martin Brenner) and McLaughlin reacted to some of the more out-there fan theories about the finale. You can also check out our 9/10 review of the final episode.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

A bunch of mom-and-pop video game stores have received mysterious shipments of one of the PS4's rarest games, Poop Slinger. If you're unfamiliar with the tale of Poop Slinger, it's a pretty interesting one. The PS4 game was released in 2018 on PSN with a physical release in 2019. The physical release was handled by Limited Rare Games, not to be confused with the more established and well-known games distributor Limited Run Games. However, as you might imagine, there wasn't a ton of demand for a game called Poop Slinger, especially when it was available digitally.

As a result, few copies were made, and even fewer were sold. Although it was estimated there were fewer than 100 copies in circulation, Sony requires a minimum of 1,000 copies to be manufactured for physical PlayStation games. Still, no one knew where the remaining 900 or so were. Due to its rarity, it became a hot item online, and copies have been listed for upwards of $1,000 on sites like eBay.

Last week, things got more interesting. Those "missing" copies started showing up at independent gaming stores across the country. YouTuber and game store owner cakehoarder claimed that 39 stores had received six sealed copies each, for a total of 234 copies released into the wild.

Still, no one actually knows where these games came from. The return address was for another game store, which was reportedly just as confused as those who received the package. It has been theorized that someone stumbled upon excess stock of Poop Slinger in a warehouse or a storage unit and opted to give it away. Others have suggested the developer or someone involved with the game may have decided to offload extra copies they had stashed somewhere.

In 2019, VG247 reported that Limited Rare Games would have to shut its doors due to the failure of Poop Slinger, and creditors would take the unsold copies to repay the loan. However, it's unclear what the creditors did with those copies. Perhaps they were sold at an auction, or they've just been sitting on them.

However, to make things even more baffling, Limited Rare Games is back. The socials for the company and its website are operational, and it even addressed the matter with a bizarre video. The company posted a video of a content creator known as Hard Rock Nick talking about the price of an undisclosed item. He talks about the stress of the fluctuating price, but it's unclear if he's referring to Poop Slinger or something else, like crypto. Hard Rock Nick died in 2024, so this isn't a video that Limited Rare Games commissioned in response to the game's reappearance.

pic.twitter.com/MferkKcSkG

— LimitedRareGames.com 🤜🏻🦄🌈 (@ltdraregames) May 16, 2026

The whole situation only provokes more questions than answers. Who sent out these copies? What is the end goal? It'll be interesting to see if this story develops further or if the chronicles of Poop Slinger remain an unsolved mystery. If you're interested in playing Poop Slinger yourself, it's available on PSN for $4.99.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Looking for some new board games to play, or maybe a puzzle to piece together this summer? Target's dropped a 'Buy One, Get One 50% Off' deal on a selection of board games, card games, and puzzles that's well worth checking out if you're shopping around.

This offer lasts until May 25, so there's not long to take advantage of it, but it's stacked with some great picks. Above, you can find some of our favorite options included with this deal - Codenames, Catan, and a fun 100-Piece KPop Demon Hunters puzzle of Rumi from Buffalo Games, to name a few - but to see everything available, check out the full sale page here.

We think very highly of some of these picks as well, like Codenames. This board game sits on our list of the best board games to play in 2026, as it "changed the face of party games forever." Catan is another that's one of our top picks as a strategy board game and one of the best classic board games to have in your collection.

The puzzles certainly deserve a shoutout as well. The delightful Rumi KPop Demon Hunters puzzle comes from Buffalo Games, which is one of our favorite jigsaw puzzle brands. The Magic Puzzle Company is another one of our favorites which also has a couple of puzzles featured in the sale, like the Awakened Artifacts puzzle above.

Again, this is a limited-time offer that only runs until May 25. So if some of these options have caught your eye, this is your chance to save on some new items for your shelves. It's certainly not the only opportunity you'll have to save, though. As we get closer to summer sale events, we're keeping an eye out for even more board game and puzzle deals, too.

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Sony has announced price increases for its subscription service, PlayStation Plus.

PlayStation Plus is Sony’s monthly subscription service for PS4 and PS5 consoles that grants access to online multiplayer, monthly downloadable games, and exclusive PlayStation Store discounts.

Starting May 20, PlayStation Plus prices for new customers will increase in select regions, Sony said in its announcement, blaming "ongoing market conditions." Prices will start at $10.99 USD / €9.99 EUR / £7.99 GBP for 1-month subscriptions and $27.99 USD / €27.99 EUR / £21.99 GBP for three-month subscriptions.

The monthly subscription goes up by $1, and the three-month subscription increases by $3. This price change does not apply to current subscribers (except in Turkey and India) unless the existing subscription changes or lapses, Sony added.

The news comes amid price rises across the video game industry, particularly for hardware. Sony itself raised the price of PS5 consoles back in March, blaming “continued pressures in the global economic landscape.” Earlier this month, Sony said it had yet to decide when to launch the PlayStation 6, nor how much it would cost, as memory shortages fueled by the AI boom continue to hit hard.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has actually cut the price of Xbox Game Pass, having made significant price rises that had alienated many subscribers.

Developing…

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Comic-Con can be a scary place, but what if it became a breeding ground for full-blown horror? That's basically the inspiration behind Dread the Hall H, an anthology comic that satirizes comic book conventions, celebrity fandom, and everything else we love about the con-going experience.

With Dread the Hall H #1 hitting stores in July, IGN can exclusively debut a preview of the story "Regular Edition." Check it out in the slideshow gallery below:

"Regular Edition" is written by Chris Ryall (Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis), wth art and colors by Charles P. Wilson III (Joe Hill’s The Wraith). Here's the official description of this story:

At the FunkyBulks booth, a regular toy faces the start of a convention with optimism and enthusiasm… which quickly takes a dark, comically violent turn after one too many customers passes him over for a more sparkly limited-edition variant. Breaking the rules of both convention civility and the very borders of the comic-book page, this toy goes on a rampage that only Chris Ryall and Charles P. Wilson III could bring to life (and death) in such a shockingly vivid way!

“As a collector as well as a creator, I’ve always loved limited editions and exclusive productions," Ryall tells IGN. "Special con variants allow the creators to offer more variety, the retailers to have special attention-getting books and toys to help raise their profile in the ongoing battle for consumer attention amidst the ever-more crowded conventions love to track down a special limited edition version of anything and everything. That said… it also occurs to me more and more that the many regular editions and non-exclusives on display at conventions might take exception to being passed over for the next rare-n-shiny object. And if one of those regular editions became so enraged over this, well, he might just take it into his own little plastic hands to rectify what he sees as a great injustice. And he does so here in a panel-border-breaking affair that Charles P. Wilson III brings to life in a hilariously violent way.”

Dread the Hall H #1 also features contributions from writer Jordan Hart and artists Luana Vecchio, Marianna Ignazzi, and Tom Williams. The book is published by Syzygy Publishing, an imprint of Image Comics. Drea the Hall H #1 will be released on July 22, 2026, just in time for Comic-Con. You can preorder a copy at your local comic shop.

For more, get the full scoop on Marvel's X-Men: Outback series and see an exclusive preview of X-Men '97: Season Two #1.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

HBO Max has released a new trailer for DC Studios series Lanterns — and this time there’s plenty of green.

Some fans criticized the first Lanterns trailer for its distinct lack of green — that is, their lack of Green Lanterns doing Green Lantern things. But this new trailer, below, shows Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) in a more traditional superhero light, using the power of the ring to block energy beams, create a protective bubble around him, and even create money out of thin air.

There are some space shots, too, with Hal Jordan arriving on the cracked surface of a mysterious planet in his Green Lantern costume. We also see new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) express his desire to obtain cosmic abilities for himself, which appears to put him in direct confrontation with Hal Jordan. But there’s more in the trailer: we get a glimpse of Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, fresh from his appearance in last summer’s DC Universe kickstarter Superman, and a first look at Laura Linney.

Are you afraid? #Lanterns premieres August 16 on @hbomax. pic.twitter.com/Z0uUUQMwZh

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) May 18, 2026

In March, Lanterns co-creator Damon Lindelof apologized for previously saying that the word "Green" in "Green Lantern" was "stupid." Last year, the former Lost mastermind appeared on the Lovett or Leave It podcast where he discussed the decision to omit "Green" from Lanterns' title. “It’s called Lanterns, because we all agreed that the ‘Green’ was stupid, so now it’s just Lanterns,” the writer-director joked at the time.

Green Lantern comic writer Grant Morrison decided to give his thoughts on erasing the pivotal color from the equation after Lindelof’s comments resurfaced.

“TV writer/producer Damon Lindelof’s comments notwithstanding, the ‘Green’ in ‘Green Lantern(s)’ is not ‘stupid.’ Why does a writer attach himself to this kind of narrative if he thinks it’s fundamentally ‘stupid’?” Morrison questioned via his Substack. “What is this jockish dismissal of superhero conventions intended to prove anyway? … The only people who give a f*** about the Lanterns TV series are Green Lantern fans. Why alienate them at the start? That feels more like ‘stupid.'”

Lindelof then responded to Morrison, apologizing to him and Green Lantern fans the world over. “I have upset Grant Morrison, which means I have now pissed off MOST of the brilliant British/Scottish comics writers that I grew up idolizing,” Lindelof said on Instagram. “To quote the bard (Otis Redding), this is nobody’s fault but mine.”

He added, “I made a dumb joke on a comedy podcast. I’m not going to bob and weave about context, the joke was dumb, the fandom is not. I owe them an explanation and a genuine reflection of my actual feelings.” Plus, Lindelof included an old photo of himself in a green Green Lantern shirt to hammer his thoughts home.

Lanterns will debut Sunday, August 16 on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. It follows this summer’s DC movie, Supergirl, and before body horror DC film, Clayface, which comes out in October. Beyond that, next summer will see the release of Superman follow-up, Man of Tomorrow.

Here’s the official blurb:

The series follows new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

People are betting thousands of dollars on who will die at the end of the The Boys, which concludes with the Season 5 finale this week.

Warning! Spoilers for The Boys Season 5 follow:

Just one episode of The Boys remains, and with many main characters left in play, fans are speculating who will die in the Season 5 finale — and whether supervillain Homelander will finally bite the dust.

One character who has survived to the bitter end is The Deep, played by Chace Crawford. And in a recent interview with Today, it was put to him that $14,000 rests on whether The Deep dies in Season 5.

“It could be my $14,000! We don’t know,” Crawford playfully replied. “Insider trading… it’s still the wild west on Polymarket, right?”

He then revealed some people are trying to prize the information out of him, but he won’t spill the beans.

“I’ve gotten some texts actually, from some people who were like, ‘Hey, really, dude, what episode is it exactly if you do?’ Can’t confirm or deny,” he said.

A cursory glance at Polymarket shows that yes, people are actually betting huge sums on who dies in The Boys Season 5. A number of main characters are already off the board, including Firecracker, A-Train, and, most recently, Frenchie. 89% of trades say yes to Homelander, 81% The Deep, and 55% Billy Butcher. It’s downhill from there for the other characters.

“A qualifying death must show the specified character dead on screen, or otherwise that character’s death must clearly be stated to have occurred, even if offscreen (e.g., characters confirm their death in conversation, the funeral of a character occurs, etc.),” reads the betting rules.

“If a death is reversed through a revival, resurrection, or reanimation that occurs after the character has died, that death will still qualify. Deaths occurring in any timeline or dimension depicted in The Boys: Season 5 will count toward resolution.

“Flashback scenes showing a character alive before their death, as well as dream sequences, hallucinations, or visions of dead characters, will not affect resolution. Characters who were already confirmed dead before The Boys: Season 5 begins will not count toward this market’s resolution.

“If a character’s fate is deliberately left ambiguous, it will not qualify toward the resolution of this market. Only deaths confirmed by the end of The Boys: Season 5 will qualify.”

It feels safe to rule out Soldier Boy, who’s now back on ice following Homelander’s confrontation with his father. Expect to see him pop up again in spinoff Vought Rising, though. Everyone else? They seem fair game.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Batman was created more than 80 years ago and has starred in video games for 40 of them – nearly half of his existence. But despite a long and varied existence in the comics, ranging from the world’s greatest detective to a hero willing to fight gods and aliens, the dozens of Dark Knight games across the console generations have rarely strayed far from the basics. No matter what decade it is, no matter what hardware you’re playing on, odds are that in any given Batman title you’ll be gliding off gargoyles, firing grappling hooks, and flinging Batarangs at guys in straightjackets.

This year sees one of gaming’s more unusual approaches to Batman – the version made of plastic bricks – return in Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, and its exploration of Bruce Wayne’s cinematic legacy has had us thinking of Batman’s long video game journey. So, we’re going on a tour of every Batman game ever made. The good, the bad, and the weird ones. Today, we explore the very start of the rocky, winding road that would one day lead us to the gates of Arkham Asylum…

1986 was a turning point in Batman’s long history. It was the moment he would finally shake off the long shadow of the kitschy ‘60s TV series and become the brooding icon he was always meant to be. It was the year that Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns detonated our conception of the character in an operatic flash of lightning and violence and psychiatrist jokes.

In a considerably less seismic development, 1986 was also the year British developer Ocean Software published Batman’s first ever video game: a dinky isometric puzzler on the venerable ZX Spectrum.

In the days before a truly global gaming market, developers in the UK had honed their own unique approach to action: stiff, heavy movements, plodding controls, and a curious fondness for anthropomorphic eggs. You might think this an ill-fit for the Batman, the ninja master who strikes quickly with surgical precision and leaps across rooftops to vanish into the night. You would be correct.

The Joker and the Riddler have kidnapped Robin! Batman, trapped in his own cave and stripped of gadgets, must find the seven missing pieces of his trusty Bat-hovercraft to escape and pursue the dastardly duo. To do so, he’ll have to slowly navigate 150 isometric screens populated by traps, puzzles, and monsters, without any offensive capabilities whatsoever. Rather than the ultra-adept master of everything, here Batman is bereft of even basic video game functionality. Elementary video game verbs like “jumping” and “carrying items” require you to find hidden upgrades around the brutally difficult maze, rendered in a neon Zur-En-Arrh nightmare of teals and yellows and purples. A superhero power fantasy it is not.

Such an odd start was only the beginning, as 1988 saw Ocean publish the second of its three Dark Knight games, Batman: The Caped Crusader. The first of many, many sidescrolling action games to come, Caped Crusader consists of two separate scenarios pitting the Dark Knight against the Penguin and Joker. Batman can now kick rats, throw Batarangs, and flail listlessly at the hordes of identical henchmen clogging your path through agonizing, samey-looking mazes.

There’s certainly more sauce on display than Ocean’s previous effort. The game’s main selling point is its unique interface inspired by comic panels, where the screen is divided into narrow boxes through which the characters traverse. It’s an admirable, if not always pleasant, innovation that made a genuine attempt to convey the comic experience, and you can understand why Ocean tried it. Comics were pretty much all Batman was known for at the time, save for Superfriends cartoons and old memories of Adam West. That was about to change.

Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman movie was a watershed moment for the character. For the first time in decades there was a definitive Batman in the popular imagination. Game designers finally had something they could work with. Batman: The Movie the game was Ocean’s swan song, and easily the best title of this primordial bunch. The studio slapped Burton’s iconography on a sequence of five minigames, each inspired by a set-piece from the film. The sidescrolling action is vastly improved– Batman can now fight and jump simultaneously as the grappling hook makes its video game debut. More significant is the first appearance of a fast-paced Batmobile shooting gallery, soon to be a franchise staple. There’s even a charming breather on the Bat-computer where Bruce mixes chemicals around, the first real glimpse of the master detective in digital form.

Batman was big business in 1989, and the game was a smash hit across seven different PC platforms, particularly as a pack-in for a best-selling Amiga 500 bundle. The first good Batman game had arrived, but it would be Ocean’s last patrol of Gotham. The British developers would take the back seat, for now, as the license passed to another island nation with its own very distinct approach to game design.

Batman is at his best when he is in control, and it’s hard to embody the world’s second-greatest martial artist on the ZX Spectrum’s squishy rubber keyboard. Thankfully, by 1989, Japanese developer Sunsoft had become fully fluent in Famicom, and Batman would be its masterpiece.

The finished NES game bears little resemblance to the Burton movie’s plot, pitting Batman against a bizarre bullpen of deep cut DC criminals like Killer Moth and Electrocutioner. The second-to-last boss is a z-lister named Firebug, and when you finally face the Joker he summons lightning bolts from the sky, a feat, to our knowledge, Jack Nicholson is not capable of in the film. The game has a ton of personality, but it’s not really Tim Burton’s baroque gothic pulp. There’s an almost “Final Fight” vibe to Gotham’s criminal chaos, over-the-top urban combat energy where the final boss taunts you from a video screen in the penultimate level.

Most of these departures are welcome, especially when it comes to feel and mechanics. Batman marches across the screen in a flurry of punches and kicks and three distinct subweapons, including a highly dubious “spear” gun. The Dark Knight leaps from wall to wall like he’s Ryu Hyabusa. Sunsoft’s Batman earns its comparison to Ninja Gaiden not just in feel but in the cinematic cutscenes that punctuate each stage, if you can survive long enough to reach them.

Sunsoft pounced on the huge success of its first Batman game and spread the love to several other platforms over the next year. A perfectly adequate adaptation of Batman for the Sega Genesis skewed more towards the slow and deliberate Shinobi style vs. the twitch mastery of Ninja Gaiden, while a fairly obscure arcade version looked great, but suffered from early beat-em-up awkwardness with hundreds of goons pouring from doors to suck down your life and quarters. Both were notable for their inter-level Bat-vehicle sequences: sidescrolling shmups on Sega’s console and flashy first-person extravaganzas to turn heads at the arcade.

Batman for Game Boy was another totally new game, with miniature sprites of a gun-wielding Dark Knight riddling his tiny foes with bullets. Video games don’t have the best track records when it comes to Batman’s strict aversion to firearms, but Batman on Game Boy is among the more comical dismissals of the trope.

There’s one more Batman game in Sunsoft’s pocket for the first Batman movie rollout, and it’s a darn cute one. In Batman for the PC Engine, the Dark Knight is embodied as an adorably chubby avatar who putters around top down mazes dressed to look like city streets and art museums. Batman scoots around collecting powerups and cleaning paint, twirling bad guys with his Batarangs and booping them away.

We’ve seen a silly-looking Caped Crusader before, but this is very specifically supposed to be Michael Keaton’s intense and raw avenger. This weird little guy, more Bomberman than Batman, is embodying the same person who screams and smashes vases and hooks up with Kim Basinger. The game is harmless fun, with another excellent soundtrack, but the real joy comes from seeing digital stills from the film fade into the cheerful little goblin we control, or watching a chibi sprite coldly send the Joker plummeting to a grisly death.

Batman Returns was still a year away in 1991, but Sunsoft skipped the line and issued its own sequel. Without a movie to adapt, the team ditched the Burtonian gothic atmosphere in favor of full throttle run-and-gun spectacle. In the West, it was called Return of the Joker, but the Japanese title tells the real story: Dynamite Batman.

Return of the Joker looks and plays like Mega Man, Castlevania, and Contra fell into a vat and emerged as an awesome, amalgam creature with parallax scrolling and enormous sprites. There’s a sequence beneath a blimp that seems like it belongs in Sonic 3, with levels set in snowfields and speeding trains and blazing fast shooter sequences that are giving 16-bit blast processing on the 8-bit NES. Batman’s primary weapon is an arm-mounted cannon, and while it technically isn’t a gun in the traditional sense, slamming powerups into the deadly machine gun on his wrist seems outside the spirit of Batman’s solemn vow. It feels right at home within the context of a Dynamite Batman, however, one who enters boss battles following a fighting-game style versus screen and begins each fight by charging up with red lightning.

The final confrontation with the titular prodigal clown sees the Joker ensconced inside a Dr. Wily spaceship with a ludicrous 250,000 hit points, sending off Sunsoft’s Batman saga in style, even if the publisher wasn’t finished quite yet. Two more bites at the Bat-apple remained.

First came the Game Boy edition of Return of the Joker, which is completely different from its NES namesake. It feels like a hastily repurposed unrelated ninja action title slathered with a bat coat of paint, judging from the Shogun Warriors and samurai the Dark Knight disposes of within.

The Genesis version is perhaps even worse. Farmed out to an American studio under an extremely tight deadline, the 16-bit port, inexplicably rechristened Revenge of the Joker, suffers from clunky controls, muddled graphics, and difficulty that has been increased to the point of aggravation. Even Tommy Tallarico’s soundtrack is a rare miss, with Sega’s gormless Yamaha soundfont unable to compete with the crunching pulsewaves of Sunsoft’s 8-bit output.

Revenge of the Joker sounds and feels like an exhausted sigh from a publisher who had wrung everything it could out of the Burton IP. It was time to move on, and the timing couldn’t be better.

If 1989 was the year of the Bat, 1992 was the year of the cat, the bird, and the silver-haired industrialist. Burton’s indulgent, uninhibited sequel wasn’t quite as massive as the first, but the marketing machine established in ‘89 managed to churn out an entire starting lineup’s worth of video games.

Nine different Batman Returns games were made by six different developers and released by five different publishers. Nine unique, bespoke games tailored to each system, wildly differing in quality. Today’s IP tie-ins are developed over years at enormous cost and ported to increasingly indistinguishable hardware, but in 1992, it meant whatever six studios could ship before the movie left theaters.

First came Batman Returns on the Sega Genesis, developed by Malibu Interactive. Some of its talent was recruited from former Bat-devs Ocean, but the Batman Returns game they made bore a greater resemblance to Sunsoft’s Genesis offering. It’s a somewhat slow, sidescrolling, punch-kickey platformer with gadgets and grappling and a limited glide. Batman progresses through streets, sewers, and circuses, settings mind-numbingly shared across the entire spectrum of Returns games, though there are some cool setpieces like sliding through the slanted halls of a ruined building.

Sega’s Batman Returns is plenty cinematic, with cool touches like fighting the giant art deco statues from the film as firebreathing bosses and a final battle against Catwoman as the credits roll. But the sound lacks impact, and enemies die not with a gurgle or a thud but a synthesized bleat. It’s a solid if uninspiring package, and if you feel like it lacks automotive action you can pop in the Sega CD version, which adds 3D Batmobile sections and better sound to the original game.

Batman Returns on SNES is a Final Fight clone in cape and cowl, with big sprites, juicy hit stops, and beefy sound effects as you beat the crap out of a legion of identical clowns. You can bash their heads together, hurl them through plate glass windows, or cleverly recreate moments from the movie with your trusty grappling hook. Between the screen-clearing powerups, multiple elevator stages, and enemies with their own named lifebars, it’s a Konami belt-scroller through and through, but it’s far from the best. Boss battles are a bit of a bore as you face the Penguin and the Catwoman multiple times throughout the relatively short runtime.

It’s hard to say which platform had the better Batman. Like the other dueling licensed games of the era, your decision will likely lean towards the console you grew up with. If you bore allegiance to neither SNES nor Genesis, however, there were plenty of other Batman Returns games available. They just weren’t going to be as good.

Konami’s own NES effort is commendable, a shrunken-down beat-em-up in the mold of Double Dragon. The similarly obsolete Sega Master System and Game Gear each received their own fairly-decent 8-bit platformers, while Atari’s handheld Lynx featured an extremely simple side-scroller that’s barely more complex than a flip-phone game. On personal computers, an infamous Amiga version ranks among the lowest dregs of Bat-games, a buggy, nonresponsive mess that’s entirely unfun and unmemorable beyond giving you permission to punt poodles.

Rather than another 2D platformer, the MS-DOS version from developer Spirit of Discovery was a point-and-click adventure. Batman walks around the screen like he’s in a Lucasfilm game, though the Dark Knight isn’t one for witty banter, preferring shambling fisticuffs to insult swordfighting. It’s an odd, interesting precursor to the kinds of narrative adventures future technology would make possible. It boasts some pretty clever detective action: solving puzzles, staking out crime scenes, and interrogating crooks interrupted by agonizing combat sections. The Batcomputer is your best friend here, poring through archives and “video” footage to unravel the Penguin’s bid for mayor and expose the evils of Max Schreck. It’s a rare excursion into the side of Batman’s job that doesn’t involve giving people concussions, and one that would be explored heavily in the years to come, when Batman would finally become a video game trailblazer, rather than the victim of countless tie-ins.

Our exploration of the history of Batman games continues tomorrow, when we'll take a look at how the Dark Knight coped with his greatest nemesis: suits with nipples.

Spider-Noir star Nicolas Cage has said he pushed for the Prime Video superhero series to be shot in color as well as black and white in a bid to appeal to teenagers, who he hopes will be inspired to seek out the great black and white films of American cinema.

“I said I’m all about the black and white,” the Hollywood star said in a new interview. “I designed my performance for black and white, and I’m glad I saw it that way.

“Actually, it was one of my ideas to have them shoot it in color. Because I am aware of teenagers, and I’m aware they don’t have that much experience with black and white.

“So the dream is they watch it in color and then they check it out in black and white and learn something, and then maybe go, ‘Hey, I want to see some of these movie references.’ And then they open a treasure trove of wealth, of the great American cinema. That’s the dream. I hope that happens.”

Spider-Noir follows Cage as retired gumshoe Ben Reilly, who comes out of said retirement to best some baddies in 1930s New York City. The series plays up the noir element, giving audiences the choice of watching in subgenre-accurate black and white or “true hue” color.

Spider-Noir comes out on May 25 specifically on MGM+, a linear broadcast channel in the United States. The worldwide Prime Video release of the series arrives two days later on May 27. All eight episodes will be available as a binge release, and it will not be available on the MGM+ streaming platform. The only streaming platform will be Prime Video.

• The series will debut domestically on MGM+’s linear broadcast channel on May 25, then globally on Prime Video on May 27.
• All eight episodes will be available as a binge release.
• It will not be available on MGM+ streaming platform. The only streaming platform will be Prime Video.
• The series will air on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Games Workshop has shocked Warhammer 40,000 fans by confirming a leak of plans to sell ready-painted terrain for the upcoming 11th Edition of the tabletop wargame, dubbed Armageddon. But after a significant amount of speculation that the company was also set to sell ready-painted miniatures, Games Workshop has now ruled that out.

Warhammer 40,000, the hugely popular sci-fi universe set in the grim dark far future, is normally played with terrain that provides cover, among other things. Official Warhammer 40,000 terrain from Games Workshop has, on the whole, not come pre-painted, but that’s about to change with the 11th Edition of the game in June.

It’s a significant change for Warhammer 40,000, but you can see why Games Workshop has made the decision. Part of the barrier to entry for Warhammer 40,000 — and indeed many of the company’s games — is the painting portion of the hobby. While a huge part of the community loves painting, some do not, and it can be a timesink. So, providing the option of pre-painted terrain (normal terrain isn’t going anywhere) will no doubt appeal to those who just want to get on and play the tabletop as quickly as possible. And, crucially, it will appeal to newcomers who are perhaps going to jump into the hobby with 11th Edition.

The next natural question is, are there any plans to sell ready-painted miniatures? But in a rare Warhammer 40,000 video Q&A, Games Workshop ruled it out. “No,” was the loud and clear response. So that’s that.

This means that while you’ll be able to save time with pre-painted terrain, you’ll still have to paint your miniatures if you want to play an official game of Warhammer 40,000. So, no change on that front, perhaps surprisingly in the context of the terrain decision.

Games Workshop spends much of the video talking about the nitty gritty of the 11th Edition rules and their impact on how the game will be played, as well as addressing burning questions about existing armies and their place on the war-torn world of Armageddon. We don’t have an exact release date yet for 11th Edition, nor a price, but we should get more information soon.

The Warhammer 40,000 universe is of course bigger than just the tabletop these days. There are video games, including the upcoming Dawn of War 4, Total War: Warhammer 40,000, and Dark Heresy, as well as animations (Amazon’s Prime Video animated anthology, Secret Level, includes a Warhammer 40,000 episode), and even an upcoming Warhammer 40,000 Cinematic Universe, led by superfan Henry Cavill.

Photo by Uli Deck/picture alliance via Getty Images.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The Hunt For Ben Solo fan campaign is still going, and its latest stunt saw a truck circle the Mandalorian and Grogu premiere in Hollywood.

The Star Wars superfans behind the campaign have spent a year now trying to convince Disney to make canceled movie The Hunt For Ben Solo a reality, putting money into various initiatives designed to keep Adam Driver’s character front of mind.

Late last year, Driver dropped a bombshell to the Associated Press that he’d spent the last few years developing The Hunt for Ben Solo. The Lucasfilm-approved but Bob Iger-nixed direct follow-up to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was confirmed by attached director Steven Soderbergh, and on multiple occasions the fanbase has hired planes to do fly-overs of the Walt Disney Studio lot in Burbank to rally support — something Rey Skywalker actress Daisy Ridley has responded positively to.

The movie would have taken place following The Rise of Skywalker and centered on Adam Driver’s character Kylo Ren and his quest for redemption. Driver told the Associated Press that The Hunt For Ben Solo was “one of the coolest f—king scripts I had ever been a part of.”

Driver played Ben Solo / Kylo Ren in each of the three films in Lucasfilm’s Sequel Trilogy, with his final appearance in 2019’s divisive The Rise of Skywalker. “I always was interested in doing another Star Wars,” Driver said. He revealed he had been in talks about another Star Wars movie since 2021, and that then Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy had “reached out.”

“I always said: with a great director and a great story, I’d be there in a second,” Driver commented. “I loved that character and loved playing him."

Driver said Lucasfilm “loved the idea” and “totally understood our angle and why we were doing it.” However, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney co-chairman Alan Bergman said no. "They didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that,” he said. Soderbergh told AP: “I really enjoyed making the movie in my head. I’m just sorry the fans won’t get to see it.”

Driver was described as feeling mystified by the decision, insisting the plan was to “be judicial about how to spend money and be economical with it, and do it for less than most but in the same spirit of what those movies are, which is handmade and character-driven.” He pointed to the much-loved Empire Strikes Back as being “the standard of what those movies were.”

The Hunt For Ben Solo sounds dead, but Brianna Johns, writer, voice actor, and self-confessed “avid” Star Wars fan, has not given up hope. Johns, alongside other members of the campaign, arranged for a mobile billboard truck to circle the world premiere of The Mandalorian and Grogu in Hollywood, CA. The truck featured large black text on both sides that said "WHERE'S BEN SOLO?" while showcasing the campaign's calling card, Ben's Missing Poster, on the back.

“This truck is our way of showing Disney we’re still here,” Johns told IGN. “We saw someone from Industrial Light & Magic posted our truck to their Instagram story and are taking that as a good sign, trusting that word of mouth spread within the event.”

The aim, Johns said, is for the fan campaign to hold one major event at least every other month “to inspire fans and engage the C-Suite.” In January, it was billboards, in March there was a presence at Toronto Comicon. They even had a professional skydiver jump out of a plane, and held a ticketed special screening of The Last Jedi in April. Now, it’s the premiere truck.

“Count on more meetups, more efforts and ways to help online and off,” Johns continued. “We’ll keep showing up and making noise however we can. Our overall goal is the same as it ever was: We want Ben Solo’s return on the big screen.”

Last year, Daisy Ridley told IGN she’d heard “rumblings” of Adam Driver’s revelations about the movie. “I have lots of friends who are crew, so things always travel like that. But, whoa! When the story came out, no, I was like, 'Oh, my God!' And it was him that said it, right?” Ridley added that she found the fan campaign that sprung up following the news heart-warming.

“I do love when there is a collective of positivity,” she said. “The way the internet seems to have rallied to try and get it to happen. I think one), it's fantastic for us all. It's good for us to all be united about something in a really positive way. Obviously, everyone knows he was a very popular character, but it was also lovely to think, 'Wow, people really, really care and want this.' I just... I like it. I like when people join forces — excuse the pun — from all around the world, all different sorts of people. I just love that the Star Wars fandom is such a huge and gorgeous array of different points of view and different people, and the fact that everyone is really behind this thing, I think, is just sort of lovely, in a time that is so f***ing nuts for probably every single person on this Earth. I think it's wonderful. So I was surprised, and honestly, I felt joyful about how it went down.”

In the short term, Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian & Grogu movie is out imminently, then Shawn Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter releases May 2027. TV wise, Ahsoka Season 2 is in development. Ridley's Rey film, assuming it actually gets made, takes place roughly 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker as she looks to rebuild the Jedi Order.

Image credit: Brianna Johns | @bananajohns.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Daemons, seasonal powers, and giants are what you can expect this spring anime season. There's a new season full of anime like the return of Dorohedoro, Rumiko Takahashi's Mao, and the highly anticipated Witch Hat Atelier. Across Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, Hulu, and Netflix, as well as others, there are a lot of places to enjoy anime at the moment.

Check out some anticipated series in the video above or the slideshow gallery below, followed by the full list of new Spring season 2026 anime and where to watch them in the U.S. and their respective streaming platforms. Anime listed are available now unless otherwise stated.

One of the wildest anime of the year is here with Rooster Fighter! If you told me there's a shonen anime led by roosters and chickens, I would have trouble believing it... but then here's Rooster Fighter, which is exactly that. As the title suggests, it’s quite ridiculous and leans into the typical shonen tropes, but with a poultry twist. Even the main Rooster is voiced by Kenta Miyake, who famously plays the one and only All Might from My Hero Academia!

SANZIGEN, the studio known for the BanG Dream! series and Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers, is heading animation. If you enjoy series like Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider or JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, this will be a fun anime to check out. Rooster Fighter is available now on Hulu, Disney+, and Adult Swim.

Another fun series this spring season is Dandelion. This comedy series follows Tetsuo, an angel tasked with guiding the dead into the afterlife. Of course, he’s somewhat of a lazy bum, so chaos ensues. If this comedy series seems familiar, the series is created by Hideaki Sorachi, well known for the beloved Gintama. NAZ, the studio behind Thermae Romae Novae and Id:Invaded, is taking on animation production. If you’re already a fan of Gintama or a show like Nichijou, this anime is right up your alley. Dandelion is now available on Netflix.

The highly anticipated Witch Hat Atelier is finally here! The series follows Coco, a young girl who becomes infatuated with magic, which leads her down a path of unfortunate events. BUG FILMS, known for Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, is the studio behind the animation, and they’re really pulling out all the stops for this series. Between the movement and displays of magic, Witch Hat Atelier achieves some of the most beautiful visual sequences we’ve seen so far this year. If you want to check out one of the most talked about anime of 2026, now’s the chance to dive into this magical adventure. Witch Hat Atelier is available now on Crunchyroll.

From the creator of the very popular Fullmetal Alchemist comes another highly anticipated series this season with Daemons of the Shadow Realm. The series follows Yuru, a twin brother who becomes the master of two daemons and learns that an outside world exists due to an enemy attack on their hidden village. Hiromu Arakawa’s work with Fullmetal Alchemist is arguably one of the most beloved anime ever, so new and old fans are excited to see the adaptation of this series. Bones Film, the studio behind the final season of My Hero Academia and Gachiakuta, is leading animation here. So far, the series is meeting the high expectations of its sister anime with its engaging action and intriguing mystery. It’s a definite add to any shonen fan’s watch list. Daemons of the Shadow Realm is available now on Crunchyroll.

Speaking of adapting other series from well known mangaka, Mao debuts this season. From the creator of Inuyasha and Ranma ½ , we’re finally seeing the latest anime adaptation from the famous works of Rumiko Takahashi. The new anime series follows Nanoka, a young girl who mysteriously teleports to the past and meets a swordsman named Mao. It’s here that she learns of the existence of monsters and spirits – and her potential supernatural powers. Sunrise, the studio behind Gintama and Inuyasha, is working on this series, so fans of Takahashi-san should feel right at home. Mao is available now on Hulu and Disney+.

It’s very fitting that this new series, Agents of the Four Seasons: Dance of Spring, is debuting this season. The series follows Hinagiku, who has the power to invoke the season of spring wherever she goes, and Sakura, her personal guardian. Wit Studio, well known for Attack on Titan and Spy x Family, is heading animation on this series, and we’ve already been treated to some visually stunning sequences so far this season. If you’re looking for an intriguing fantasy drama with some action this spring, this is worth a shot. Agents of the Four Seasons: Dance of Spring is available now on Crunchyroll.

Need a break from the action and comedy series this season? The slice of life drama The Ramparts of Ice may be a good fit for you. The series follows Koyuki, a student who tends to scare people away even though she doesn’t mean to. Studio KAI, known for Sentenced to Be a Hero and Super Cub, is leading animation production on the series. In some ways, it’s reminiscent of shows like Komi Can’t Communicate, but this is a bit more serious and features some past trauma for its characters to unpack. It’s been a pleasant watch so far as Koyuki breaks out of her shell, and an easy suggestion for fans of the wholesome variety. The Ramparts of Ice is available now on Netflix.

Speaking of romance, this fun new comedy series is about finding love in ridiculous ways. Marriagetoxin follows Gero, an assassin who comes from a family well known for using poison. To save his sister from familial pressures, Gero puts himself out in the dating world with the help of his former assassination target. The studio behind this one, Bones Film, is keeping busy this season with Daemons of the Shadow Realm also under their care this spring. With that said, the action really shines, especially for a series that’s about an assassin with supernatural powers trying to awkwardly talk to potential romantic partners. If you’re looking for another fun series this season, Marriagetoxin is available now on Crunchyroll.

The gruesome Dorohedoro finally returns this year with Season 2, and it’s been about six years since this quirky anime last graced our eyes. The series follows Caiman, a man with a lizard head who has lost his memories and is in search of the person who transformed him into the creature he is now. MAPPA, well known for Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man, returns to lead animation production for Season 2. It’s just as gory and bizarre as I remember it, showcasing some bloody action on top of the eccentric characters and world of magic. It can be a lot to take in with its world-building, but it’s a fun and vibrant mystery with the likes of MAPPA to support it. Dorohedoro Season 2 is available now on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

Finally, the short hiatus of One Piece is over and we’re back into the highly anticipated Elbaph Arc. For those not familiar, Elbaph, the nation of giants, had one of its earliest mentions back around Episode 71 of the anime. The Straw Hat gang has met giants over the course of their adventures, but the time is finally here to make landfall on the legendary island now that the anime is at about 1160 episodes! It’s not easy to keep an audience engaged this long, but One Piece keeps the ball rolling and continues to hype up its fans. It truly feels like we’re getting closer and closer to what may be the end, so let’s enjoy the ride while we can. One Piece: Elbaph Arc is available now on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

Those are some of our most anticipated new and returning anime available to watch this spring 2026 season. If you want more anime, check out our list of the Biggest Anime Coming in 2026, and also our list of the winter 2026 anime in case you missed the last batch of new series.

Here’s the full list of anime coming out in Spring 2026 that will be available to watch in the US:

• A Hundred Scenes of Awajima
• Ace of the Diamond act II -Second Season-
• Agents of the Four Seasons: Dance of Spring
• Always a Catch!
• An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess
• Ascendance of a Bookworm: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke
• Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk
• Classroom of the Elite 4th Season: Second Year, First Semester
• Daemons of the Shadow Realm
• Dorohedoro Season 2
• Dr. Stone Science Future Cour 3
• Eren the Southpaw
• Even a Replica Can Fall in Love
• Gals Can't Be Kind to Otaku!?
• Ghost Concert : missing Songs
• Go For It, Nakamura-kun!!
• Haibara's Teenage New Game+
• I Made Friends with the Second Prettiest Girl in My Class
• I Want to End This Love Game
• Kill Blue
• Killed again, Mr. Detective.
• Kujima: Why Sing, When You Can Warble?
• Kusunoki's Garden of Gods
• Liar Game
• Marriagetoxin
• Mistress Kanan is Devilishly Easy
• My Hero Academia More
• My Ribdiculous Reincarnation
• Needy Girl Overdose
• One Piece – Elbaph Arc
• Pardon the Intrusion, I'm Home!
• Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- Season 4
• Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon Season 3
• Rent-a-Girlfriend Season 5
• Rilakkuma
• Snowball Earth
• That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4
• The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten Season 2
• The Beginning After the End Season 2
• The Classroom of a Black Cat and a Witch
• The Drops of God
• The Food Diary of Miss Maid
• The Klutzy Class Monitor and the Girl with the Short Skirt
• The strongest job is apparently not a hero or a sage, but an appraiser (provisional)!
• The Warrior Princess and the Barbaric King
• Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Season 4
• Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 2
• Witch Hat Atelier

• Akane-banashi
• Dandelion
• Dorohedoro Season 2
• Kill Blue
• One Piece – Elbaph Arc
• Steel Ball Run JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
• The Ramparts of Ice

• Mao
• Mission: Yozakura Family Season 2
• Rooster Fighter
• Snowball Earth

• Farming Life In Another World Season 2
• Kirio Fanclub
• Petals of Reincarnation
• The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior Season 2
• Yowayowa Sensei

• Mao
• Mission: Yozakura Family Season 2
• Rooster Fighter
• Snowball Earth

• Fist of the North Star: Hokuto no Ken
• Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun

• Rooster Fighter

What anime are you watching this Spring? Let's discuss in the comments!

GTA 6 pre-orders were rumored to go live today, May 18, but it looks like those reports were inaccurate.

Last week, GTA 6 fans lost their collective mind after reports emerged that Best Buy had potentially leaked the game’s pre-order date. During a livestream, YouTuber Frogboyx1gaming appeared to receive an email from Best Buy to his affiliate account signalling a pre-order campaign for GTA 6 that would run from May 18-21. The suggestion was that GTA 6 pre-orders would go live on May 18, potentially alongside GTA 6 Trailer 3.

IGN had asked Best Buy for comment but received no response. Still, there was plenty of doubt cast on the rumor, and, as we pointed out last week, we’d been here before, many times. Some GTA 6 fans actually believed in a Trailer 3 release date prediction that came from someone who charted the planetary positions for every single Rockstar Games trailer released since 2007. That turned out to be inaccurate, too.

Now, the main administrator of GTA Forums has posted to say a verified source at a European distribution company “confirmed there's no pre-orders,” insisting Best Buy had made a mistake.

As you’d expect, the GTA 6 fan community, already close to breaking point waiting for some sort of announcement or reveal for the game, has gone into meltdown — and yes, there are a number of angry posts from people who had come to expect pre-orders would go live today, despite the fact there was no official announcement that Rockstar.

Nothing. Ever. Happens.
by u/AnimalDesatado in GTA6

The entire community later today if nothing happens.
by u/dancing_swordfish in GTA6

You are here (Best buy announcement)
by u/niffum1 in GTA6

The upshot of all this is that the wait goes on not just for GTA 6 pre-orders to go live, but a fresh look at the game, either in trailer or screenshot form. We still don’t know how much the game will cost. All we have to go on are rather vague comments from Strauss Zelnick, boss of Rockstar parent company Take-Two, who’s talked about GTA 6 marketing kicking off this summer, and the game itself offering incredible value whenever anyone asks him how much GTA 6 will cost.

Certainly, the wait for a new GTA 6 reveal has gone on longer than anyone expected. It’s been over a year since Trailer 2 came out. Trailer 1 came out three years ago, in 2023. Meanwhile, GTA 6 itself has suffered two official delays, first to May 2026 after it was penciled in for fall 2025, then to November 2026. In a new interview, Zelnick suggested GTA 6 was internally targeting an even earlier release window — around spring 2025 — before it was announced for fall 2025.

GTA 6 is significantly behind schedule, then, but Zelnick has gone on the record to say he’s keen to give developer Rockstar everything it needs to achieve “perfection.” And there is of course pressure on the game to deliver just that and break every sales record going.

Earlier this month, Business Insider reported that Take-Two is estimated to have spent $1-1.5 billion so far on GTA 6. In an interview with the publication, Zelnick wouldn’t say how much exactly, but did admit “it was expensive.” To put GTA 6 into context, most of the triple-A video game budgets that make headlines do so for being in the hundreds of millions of dollars range. Bungie's recently released extraction shooter reportedly had a budget of over $250 million, for example. Last year, the astronomical development budgets of the Call of Duty games were revealed for the first time after a court document confirmed Activision pumped $700 million into Black Ops Cold War alone, although that was over the shooter's life cycle. GTA 6, clearly, surpasses them all.

At least Zelnick sounds really, really confident that GTA 6 won't be delayed yet again and will actually come out on November 19. When he was asked how he deals with not knowing when the game will come out, given his commitment to giving the developers all the time they need, he replied, firmly: "November 19th, I do know. It’s been announced."

We're now just six months from that date.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight sees you rise as the Dark Knight and experience the essential Batman story in a bold, action-packed adventure with hard-hitting combat, an open-world Gotham City, and the signature LEGO charm that fans know and love.

It draws on everything in the world of Batman: the movies, the 1960's TV show, and of course the comics, including the LEGO Batman version of the Batsuit from Gotham by Gaslight, the beloved steampunk-themed Elsewords comic from 1989.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is coming to Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. PC players will be able to log in from 10am PT on May 22, and console players can expect a rolling midnight launch. Those who've paid for the deluxe early access version, however, can jump in three days early.

IGN's Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight review returned an 8/10. We said: "A strong open-world Gotham and trademark Lego slapstick humour powers a fantastic plastic parody of Batman’s greatest hits."

Depending on where you are in the world, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is set to go live at the following times for early access players:

PDT (San Francisco):

• 9pm

CST (Mexico City):

• 10pm

CDT (Chicago):

• 11pm

EDT (New York):

• 12am midnight

BST (London):

• 12am midnight

CEST (Paris):

• 12am midnight

CST (Beijing):

• 12am midnight

JST (Tokyo):

• 12am midnight

AEST (Sydney):

• 12am midnight

NZST (Wellington):

• 12am midnight

Depending on where you are in the world, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is set to go live at the following times for early access players on PC:

PDT (San Francisco):

• 10am

CST (Mexico City):

• 11am

CDT (Chicago):

• 12pm noon

EDT (New York):

• 1pm

BST (London):

• 6pm

CEST (Paris):

• 7pm

CST (Beijing):

• 1am

JST (Tokyo):

• 2am

AEST (Sydney):

• 3am

NZST (Wellington):

• 5am

Depending on where you are in the world, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is set to go live at the following times for all players on console:

PDT (San Francisco):

• 9pm

CST (Mexico City):

• 10pm

CDT (Chicago):

• 11pm

EDT (New York):

• 12am midnight

BST (London):

• 12am midnight

CEST (Paris):

• 12am midnight

CST (Beijing):

• 12am midnight

JST (Tokyo):

• 12am midnight

AEST (Sydney):

• 12am midnight

NZST (Wellington):

• 12am midnight

Depending on where you are in the world, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is set to go live at the following times for all players on PC:

PDT (San Francisco):

• 10am

CST (Mexico City):

• 11am

CDT (Chicago):

• 12pm noon

EDT (New York):

• 1pm

BST (London):

• 6pm

CEST (Paris):

• 7pm

CST (Beijing):

• 12am midnight

JST (Tokyo):

• 2am

AEST (Sydney):

• 3am

NZST (Wellington):

• 5am

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Parody, when done correctly, can be one of the sharpest, funniest ways to show your love for something. That task comes a little bit easier, and all the more richer, when the target in your sights is a man who dresses up as a bat and demands to be taken seriously all too often. Lego series developer TT Games is no stranger to this world, having jumped into Gotham on more than one occasion in the past and delivered consistently fun pastiches of some of pop culture's most beloved characters for two decades now. In Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, it's back at the top of its game, built lovingly brick-by-brick with fun always foremost in mind, especially in an open world that eclipses its linear levels. A top-tier Lego game with playful twists on Rocksteady’s Arkham series that hit the mark more often than not, it's a strong send-up of the Caped Crusader, delivered with a kiss from a rose.

Legacy of the Dark Knight embraces its Lego building blocks more than any other game in the series to date. By that, I mean its overall structure is somewhat like if several Batman kits were thrown onto the floor and jumbled up, only to be reshaped into original creations of their own. TT Games has taken storylines from each of Bruce Wayne’s big-screen outings and crafted its own tale from those beloved scenes, just performed in plastic. For example, its first chapter slams together moments from Jack Nicholson’s Joker rebirth in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman movie with the Falcone-centered Iceberg Lounge infiltration of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, and does so effortlessly with comedic charm.

It’s at its best when being reverential to those movies while also exercising its license to mess around with them at will, consistently throwing unexpected mash-ups onto the screen. The overarching story may not come together quite as well as I’d hope, due to it leaving it quite late to tie earlier events and characters together, but in terms of delivering an enjoyable remix of the movies, it hits the nail on the head. Instead of one epic tale, it’s better to think of each of its six chapters as its own mini comic book run, as new allies fight by Batman's side to thwart the plans of an iconic villain. For example, one string of missions may end in a much less leather-obsessed version of Batman Returns’ Penguin story, but you’ll take on the likes of Condiment King along the way. It’s these deviations from the familiar film stories that often delight the most, and I enjoyed each time I thought I knew exactly what the twist on a certain scene was going to be, only to have a curveball thrown at me laced with delightful nonsense.

Through a series of roughly 20 linear missions, you’ll fight, puzzle, and platform your way around Gotham locations in a way that will feel familiar if you’ve played any Lego games in the past. Where things are different, though, is in its combat, which takes a leaf out of Rocksteady’s Batman Arkham series by introducing its counter and dodge-based melee system, albeit soundtracked with a comic-book-esque Chudd!, Thudd!, and Krakk!. It feels slick to wield as you take on hordes of criminals and rack up combos reaching into the 100s, pressing the parry button whenever a flashing prompt appears over one of their heads. It’s a step up from the traditional Lego formula of just pressing the attack button until foes explode into their component parts, with a reasonable amount of enemy variety keeping fights relatively fresh, even if I was left desiring a little more in terms of interesting encounter design.

I played on the Caped Crusader difficulty, which is a step up from the “Classic” Lego experience, but in truth, never came close to losing a fight. I also realise that a tough challenge isn’t necessarily what TT Games are trying to pose here — though there is Dark Knight difficulty if you’re looking for something approaching it. I would have liked to have been made to figure out how to approach combat encounters a little more, though, with stealth takedowns coming all too easily and brawls not evolving much beyond the early hours. Most fights consist of dealing with multiple waves of basic grunts and the odd brute or ranged sharpshooter thrown into the mix as you roll and jump around a walled arena. Each member of the seven-character-strong roster feels identical to control in basic combat, too, with everyone from Nightwing to Jim Gordon packing the same punch. I would have welcomed a little more variety in their movesets here and in how they move around Gotham, as each is equipped with their own version of wings or gliders that all feel exactly the same. That grapple and launch into a long swoop does feel really good, though, so it’s hard to feel too aggrieved.

Where they do differ, though, is in their gadgetry, with each member of the extended bat-family housing two distinct tools on their belt. I particularly enjoyed sending one of Catwoman’s feline friends to scratch the face off enemies with a quick flash of a laser pointer, as I did summoning in Batgirl’s drone to electrify and stun grouped-up goons. Each playable character also has their own skill tree to explore, including some very fun unlockable ultimate abilities that can be unleashed once you’ve filled up your focus meter by landing successive hits. A particular favourite of mine is Batman’s batarang-powered move, which can unleash a swarm of bats onto a horde, stunning and dealing damage to each of them as they get lost in the flurry of plastic wings and teeth. I’ll admit to being initially worried that the relatively thin number of playable heroes could work against Legacy of the Dark Knight, especially when we’ve become accustomed to Lego games containing rosters stretching into the hundreds, but each character does have a substantial amount of depth to sink skill points into here to make them distinct from one another.

Puzzles, and not combat, are where they show off those unique skills more than anywhere, though. Each level is a great mix of problem-solving and fighting, and although it never becomes truly brain-teasing, it does make you pause for thought every now and then. Knowing when to switch between the two characters you’re locked into playing as during a mission is half of the battle, as you work out if a pipe gushing chemicals can be stuffed up with sealant from Gordon’s handy foam cannon or a small vent can be crawled through by one of Selina Kyle’s cat companions. Of course, like pretty much every Lego game, it’s all playable in two-player local co-op (the lack of online is a frustration), with some puzzles requiring coordination and timing to complete. Many bits of tech also come packed with their own enjoyable minigames, such as Batgirl’s hacking batarangs, which trigger a short puzzle section where you need to avoid enemies in a maze made up of concentric circles. These minigames don’t really develop in complexity over time, but there’s a decent amount of different types, so you’re never doing too many of the same in a row.

I’ve been playing Lego games ever since the first, Lego Star Wars, arrived when I was 13 back in 2005, and have always harboured a fondness for them. I instantly fell in love with the slapstick humour that each of my favourite films and characters would be lampooned with, combined with the collectathon aspects I’ve always enjoyed in games. For me, they peaked in 2013, which saw the releases of both Lego Marvel Super Heroes and Lego City Undercover (you can read all about my love for Chase McCain’s adventure here). The freedom presented in the open worlds of both of those really set them apart for me, and, now alongside Legacy of the Dark Knight, they sit at the top of the pile.

Similarly, Rocksteady’s Arkham series remains one of my favourites in all of video games. That blend of revolutionary melee combat, combined with novel approaches to emergent events and how chains of side missions can be employed in open worlds, is what makes them so special to me. Perhaps somewhat controversially, Arkham Knight is actually my favourite of the bunch. I love the Batman story it tells, and still would consider it one of the most interesting cities I’ve explored in a game, in no small part thanks to its emergent nature (hello, Man-Bat.) Not even a handful of tedious tank missions can detract from that. Like a lot of us, I’ve been waiting for another like it, and I did review Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League for IGN, which, sadly, didn’t live up to the quality of its predecessors at all. Let’s hope we get to return to Rocksteady’s Gotham again one day.

After a stop-start prologue tutorial riffs on Batman Begins’ League of Shadows training in a way that takes far too long to get through the basics, it settles into a good rhythm and then really hits the heights late on. A highlight is a late riff on The Dark Knight’s high-speed truck chase, which dynamically switches up the action between vehicle and foot. It carries a sense of momentum that many of the missions prior to it lack, and I would have liked to see more like this when it came to mission design, because when it really sings, like in this sequence, it all comes together wonderfully.

But the critical path has never been what I've enjoyed most when it comes to Lego games. Instead, finding those offshoots and exploring the open world on the hunt for collectibles is really where Legacy of the Dark Knight comes alive. There’s no shortage of things to find in Gotham either – while this version of the crime-ravaged city isn’t the largest, it’s packed full of opportunity. From hundreds of skill token-containing chests and villain-themed trophies to smash in each region to more involved Riddler and Cluemaster conundrums to solve, it feels like there’s something to do on every lofty rooftop and dingy alleyway.

Then there are more involved chains of side-missions to complete, too, which often lead to encounters with Batman villains not involved in the main story. For example, I had a great time following The Case of Waylon Jones, which tasked me with role-playing as The World’s Greatest Detective and analysing compounds by matching up shapes to their corresponding atoms or following trails using a UV light. Catwoman’s hunt for the Falcone fortune is also a great set of side missions, which involve several mini-heists and safecracking antics. It’s never overly complex stuff, but it always offers that welcome bit of variety and helps build out the fantasy further. Legacy of the Dark Knight loves keeping you busy without it ever feeling like busywork. After finishing its main story missions after 12 hours on the dot, I was still left with 53% of its collectibles checklist to complete, but have since achieved 100% at the 34-hour mark.

Rewards for completing these tasks are varied, too, with certain outfits, vehicles, and appearance-modifying red bricks granted depending on the mission. Those rueing the smaller roster size will find comfort in knowing there are still 100 different uniforms to unlock, ranging from comic book classics for the purists to the more maverick lime green, toxic waste-themed Batman Ninja look, if that’s what your heart desires. As well as gaining these from completing levels, you can spend your hard-earned studs at one of Bat-Mite’s many stores dotted around the city. Like a Tom Nook who’s shunned island life for the infinite cold and darkness of Gotham, he’ll offer funny, meta-tinged quips while you browse his wares. Alongside costumes, he also sells decorations to place around your Batcave, granting a level of fantasy that Bat-fans have never had before. The lair itself is a joy to take in, too, with each of your collected goodies proudly displayed in towering wardrobes or exhibition spaces customised to your own desire.

There's charm overload at every turn, with cutscenes that are often hilarious as silliness is always prioritised through slapstick physical humour and goofy dialogue. “We may not have health insurance, but boy does this make up for it”, could be heard from one enemy as I pummelled him and his friends a fresh shade of purple to add a new colour to the funhouse ball pit we were brawling in. There’s a clear love for all things Batman here, with the DC hero and the culture around him always the target of affectionate mockery. That could be riffs on popular memes, such as Michael Caine’s infamous “Batman Begin” Twitter post, or the fact that you may just be wandering around the Batcave minding your own business when the Batphone rings. Who’s on the other end of the line? Well, that would be Bane, gloriously voiced by What We Do in the Shadows’ Matt Berry, who loves nothing more than to crank call you with some wonderfully childish messages.

There’s always something to grab your ears or eyes, from the colourful wonder of the Joker’s parade from Batman ‘89 to the fiery, deathtrap obstacle course of The Flying Grayson’s circus show. But outside of grand spectacle, there are also the small details that I couldn’t stop myself from taking a closer look at, such as the fibrous texture of the heroes’ capes, the way raindrops trace down the scuffs of plastic minifig heads, or the way Batman flails his arms around like an inflatable tube man when on the back of a motorcycle. Zooming around this open-world Gotham is fantastic, too, with each of the 30 vehicles feeling distinct from one another. I particularly enjoy the heft and weight of the tank-like Tumbler from The Dark Knight — the perfect tool for smashing through the city’s destructible decorations and scooping up the stud currency that erupts from them.

Fresh from its huge early access launch, underwater survival and crafting adventure game Subnautica 2 has sparked a significant debate among fans: to kill or not to kill the fish.

Currently, you can’t kill any fish in Subnautica 2, and there is no weaponry to do so, and some players don’t like that at all. While you can sort of deter fish to go away by using a flare, you can’t actively kill fish while out in the deep — despite the fact they can not only pursue you, but damage you.

It’s worth noting that you can kill small fish in a roundabout way, but gathering them up as a resource and turning them into all sorts of useful things back at your base. But there’s no direct killing of any fish while out and about, making everything you encounter on the alien planet effectively immortal. Because of this, you’ll just bounce off fish if you crash into them. Indeed, this is not how it works in Subnautica 1, which does let players kill fish.

Unknown Worlds’ philosophy for the sequel is different. The developers have spoken in the past about not wanting players to conquer or dominate the environment, and that it wouldn’t feature tools that would let them slay anything that gets in their way. Still, with Subnautica 2 now out in the wild, the discourse around killing fish has resurfaced, and so the developers are once again chiming in.

Environmental artist “uly” has had plenty to say on the topic, insisting that “the conversation around the ways fish die isn’t over.” The developers are talking about it a lot internally, uly said, and hope to provide an update soon.

“Trust me it is a HOT topic,” uly said. “There are so many opinions. Personally, I am hoping we can eventually let the little fish die. I’m team no-kill-shark-sized-stuff tho.”

“When you bump into a predator you shouldn't be going ‘uuuuuugh what a pain,’ you should be going, ‘Ah man... what tools do I have up my sleeve to deal with this guy?’”

“You do get a tool that will deter them, but it doesn’t deter them enough right now,” uly continued. “You prob wont be able to kill the shark sized stuff and larger, but you’ll get tools to deter them. Killing little fish? I’m not in charge of that stuff, but it’s an active discussion in the team.”

As mentioned, flares are an option for deterring fish, but they’re far from ideal. “I think that they take up valuable inventory space,” uly suggested, which “means most players aren't lugging them around. Inventory space is at too much of a premium.”

Clearly, Unknown Worlds is working out how to handle this issue, but don’t expect meaningful change any time soon. Uly said any change to allow players to kill fish would require “a good bit of investment” on the development side, citing game balance, mechanics, animation, sound, and AI considerations.

“We've had this conversation a TON internally,” uly said. “Regardless of where we land, we know that players don't have enough ways to deal with hostile wildlife.”

I’ve been keeping on top of the Subnautica 2 community while playing the game, and every now and then you see players ask for help on how to kill fish, unaware it’s simply not possible. For example, one person posted on the Subnautica reddit to complain about getting bit by fish, pointing out the Survival Multitool doesn’t hurt them back and asking if there is a weapon available further down the line.

“You can't kill fish, it's not in their vision,” one person replied. “If you want a monster killing game, go play Sons of the Forest. “I think it’s a good thing,” another added. “It’ll open up the devs to add more progression elements to deter or distract or pacify fish. Knifing them is probably the least interesting solution from a gameplay perspective.”

A change for killing fish is not on the Subnautica 2 early access roadmap, which was revealed last week. Unknown Worlds said it’s working towards a “big drop” that will expand the world with biomes, creatures, resources, tools, vehicles, and the next chapter of the story. But in the meantime, improvements will be added to the game. The first update will include quality-of-life fixes that Unknown Worlds said “should help adjust and address some areas that need a little tweaking to make your Subnautica 2 experience even better.” The second update, meanwhile, will focus on improving the co-op experience.

Unknown Worlds stressed that the roadmap is subject to change, but there’s plenty here that should excite fans — and there are a lot of them. Subnautica 2 sold an incredible 2 million copies in just 12 hours, and obliterated the first game’s Steam concurrent player peak. IGN’s Subnautica 2 early access review returned a 7/10. We said: “It’s pretty impressive that wading in the shallow tides of Subnautica 2's early access debut is as fun as it is already, and that should be a great sign of things to come, but I also wouldn’t blame anyone for waiting for these waters to rise a bit before getting their feet wet.”

We’ve got a Things to Do First in Subnautica 2 guide to check out before you dive in, plus resource location guides to help you find Titanium, Silver, and more. Discover blackbox and supply crate locations on our interactive Subnautica 2 map, and make sure you don’t miss any Angel Comb Adaptations or Blueprints.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Borderlands’ well-documented 11th hour art style change cost Take-Two an extra $50 million in development costs and delayed the game by a year, but without it the now successful franchise would have flopped straight out the gate.

That’s according to Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, who in a sweeping interview with David Senra about his career said his approval of the last minute switch and associated extra cost was “a non-obvious decision” that no-one else would have made, but his trust in the developers was rewarded with a new hit franchise.

“We had not turned around the company yet, and we had very limited capital,” Zelnick began, speaking of Take-Two as it was after he had taken over the company in 2007. At the time, Borderlands was due out in 2008 with a realistic art style, but then Zelnick was asked to approve a significant change with the game basically done that would see it rebuilt with a cel-shaded, cartooney art style.

“We were developing a game and it was about to be released two months later, which is to say it's done. And we'd spent a lot of money,” Zelnick continued. “And the head of the division came into my office and said, ‘Look, we just don't think this is good enough and we think we screwed up and the art style is not appropriate and it's not differentiated. So, we want to remake the game.’ I was like, ‘What does that mean?’ He said, ‘It means $50 million of incremental dev costs [which was a lot of money to us], and another year.’ It was on a release schedule, which we’d announced. And I dug in. I mean, I don't give knee-jerk answers. I dug in and did my homework. In the end of it, I supported the decision. And that title became Borderlands. Had we not done that, Borderlands wouldn't have been a hit. And that was a non-obvious decision. And I can pretty much assure you no one else in the business would have done it.”

Why wouldn’t anyone else have made the same call? “Because it was insane,” Zelnick explained. “They would have said the game is done. Put out the game. Move on to the next thing. I'm not spending 50 million bucks to remake the goddamn thing in another art style. And I have no evidence that one will work either.”

Zelnick said he had to trust the intuition of the developers at Gearbox. “That's the story,” he added. “Be the most creative, be the most innovative, be the most efficient. I hired the most creative people. I said, ‘You have to pursue your passions. We will support you.’ They came and said, ‘This is our assessment. This is our passion. Are you going to support us?’ And I said, ‘Yes.’”

The rest, as they say, is history. The looter shooter franchise has now sold over 100 million units, with Borderlands 3 publishing label 2K’s fastest selling title, and Borderlands 2K’s top selling title with over 30 million sold.

While it worked out in the end, the art style switch caused a great deal of stress to a number of people. In an interview with Game Informer, Borderlands 4 creative director Graeme Timmins, who was the lead level designer on the original Borderlands, thought the idea was “f***ing insane."

"We had already been working on the game for several years at that point, and not only did we change the art style, we basically threw out all of the levels — I think only Trash Coast and, like, one other level made it through — everything else, we remade basically from scratch," he said. "From January to, like, August or September of that year, all of the level designers — at the time, level design, mission design, and level art were all just under 'level design' under me — we rebuilt the whole game to match the new art style from that time. It was an incredibly intense time, and we were like, 'What the hell are we doing?'"

In 2019, Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford told IGN that while he believed it was the right move, the switch to a non-realistic aesthetic put a cap on the Borderlands franchise’s success. "I knew it was putting a ceiling on us because there's — especially back then — there's just a huge percentage of the gaming audience that does not want a cartoon," he said.

With Borderlands 4 out the door and continuing to get updates, it’s unclear what’s next for the franchise. Borderlands 5 seems like an obvious next step, but Zelnick has admitted sales haven’t met expectations.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Terraria developer Re-Logic has confirmed that updates will continue "beyond" the 1.4.6 update and the upcoming crossplay patch, and will share "other plans and ideas [...] when the time is right."

Addressing fans on its 15th anniversary in an update on Steam, the studio reflected on the staggering milestone of 70 million sales, 39.6 million of which were sold on PC, 10.7 million on console, and 19.7 million on mobile. Unsurprisingly, this has led to an average daily player count of around half a million players, and a peak of 1.4 million.

As part of the celebrations, Terraria is getting a 15th anniversary collector's edition — what, exactly, it includes remains a mystery — and Terraria Design Works, a book that takes a retrospective look at the life of Terraria, developed in collaboration with Lost in Cult.

"From the hardcore players with thousands of hours to those just discovering our 'metroidvania in a sandbox' today... from the builders to the speedrunners... from those that we interact with regularly in our community to those that just enjoy the game in silence... from those that are regular Terraria enjoyers to those that like to shake things up with all sorts of mods on tModloader... each and every one of you are precious to us," developer Re-Logic said.

"We hope that our game has brought you some joy over the years. Terraria is a unique experience one that we like to think that we have shaped together alongside the fans into the awesomeness that it is today. This is as much your journey as it is ours!"

Terraria has announced its "final" update a number of times, so many in fact that it's become something of a running joke within the community. 1.4.5 was once thought of as being the final update, but then came confirmation of 1.4.6, and now we know even more updates are planned for that.

"They just can't let the game end, and I'm grateful for that," joked one fan. "There's always more fun stuff they can add to this game." Another wrote: "Best $2.50 I ever spent was on Terraria when Steam sales still had deep discounts, I have hundreds of hours on it as well as many fond memories playing it with loved ones. Congrats to them."

Terraria 1.4.5 — dubbed the Bigger and Boulder Update — finally dropped in January, welcoming in thousands of new and returning players alike. Up until the new update, Terraria averaged around 20-30,000 players at any one time, with the occasional spike in interest when new content dropped over the years. 1.4.5, however, prompted one of the biggest spikes in over a decade, hitting a release day peak of almost 165,000 players on Valve's platform.

IGN reviewed Terraria 15 years ago (!), when it was released way back in 2011. Even then, though, we thought it was amazing, scoring it 9/10 and writing: "Though on the surface it looks like just another 'me too' indie game seeking to ride the coattails of Minecraft's success, Terraria expands on the familiar sandbox gameplay with a greater emphasis on combat and adventure that proves very satisfying. That's rare indeed."

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

GTA 6 is due out November 19, 2026, but as we all know it’s suffered a number of delays. It was officially announced for a fall 2025 release, but was then delayed to May 2026, and then, again officially, to this November. But in a new interview, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick suggested GTA 6 was internally targeting an even earlier release window — around spring 2025 — before it was announced for fall 2025.

Speaking to David Senra in a new video interview about his career, Zelnick said GTA 6 was “about 18 months behind the original date… not much more than that.” That suggests the original plan, even if it wasn’t announced publicly, was to have GTA 6 out spring 2025.

Assuming that’s correct, GTA 6 is significantly behind schedule, but Zelnick has gone on the record to say he’s keen to give developer Rockstar Games everything it needs to achieve “perfection.” And there is of course pressure on the game to deliver just that and break every sales record going.

Earlier this month, Business Insider reported that Take-Two is estimated to have spent $1-1.5 billion so far on GTA 6. In an interview with the publication, Zelnick wouldn’t say how much exactly, but did admit “it was expensive.” To put GTA 6 into context, most of the triple-A video game budgets that make headlines do so for being in the hundreds of millions of dollars range. Bungie's recently released extraction shooter reportedly had a budget of over $250 million, for example. Last year, the astronomical development budgets of the Call of Duty games were revealed for the first time after a court document confirmed Activision pumped $700 million into Black Ops Cold War alone, although that was over the shooter's life cycle. GTA 6, clearly, surpasses them all.

Given the expectation that GTA 6 will be the biggest entertainment launch of all time, it comes as no surprise to hear of astronomical development costs for Rockstar’s game. And it has been in the works for some time; according to Business Insider, some of the thousands of staff at Rockstar have been working on GTA 6 for over a decade now. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Zelnick said development costs have risen over the years, but Take-Two tries to give its teams “unlimited financial, creative human resources and then they aim to deliver perfection.”

Zelnick has said GTA 6 marketing will kick into gear in the summer, ahead of the planned November release date. Fans are anxiously awaiting the release of Trailer 3, as well as the launch of preorders, and there are all sorts of theories doing the rounds that will no doubt turn out to be nonsense. Such is the intense scrutiny GTA 6 is under, that even the innocuous becomes the big online talking point.

Zelnick, though, sounds pretty confident. In the interview with Senra, he said that “most people believe” GTA is the most valuable entertainment IP ever created, and while he wouldn’t say how much money the series has made over time, he did say, with a smile, “it’s a lot.” GTA 6 will surely be no different.

And Zelnick sounds really, really confident that GTA 6 won't be delayed yet again and will actually come out on November 19. He was asked how he deals with not knowing when the game will come out, given his committment to giving the developers all the time they need, and he replied, firmly: "November 19th, I do know. It’s been announced."

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Iron Lung, the debut feature film from successful YouTuber Mark Fischbach, will be available to watch on YouTube from May 31, reports Deadline. Fischbach, who is known to his YouTube viewers as Markiplier, revealed the film’s home viewing premiere date during a panel discussion at Cannes.

It was confirmed the release will be exclusive to YouTube, with Fischbach referring to the service as his home.

“I’m pretty loyal to it,” he said.

Iron Lung, which was written, directed, and edited by Fischbach (who also self-financed and starred in the film), was released in cinemas in January this year. Based on the 2022 video game by developer David Szymanski (Dusk, Gloomwood), Iron Lung is the story of a convict who is sealed inside a submarine and forced to navigate his way through an ocean of blood on a desolate moon. The mission comes in the wake of an unexplained phenomenon that has seen all stars and planets in the universe disappear, leaving the only humans remaining those who were aboard space stations or spacecraft at the time.

While the critical response to Iron Lung was mixed, the film was a commercial success, grossing more than $50 million on a budget of $3 million. IGN’s review noted that while it was clear Fischbach “really loves Iron Lung… his sluggish movie adaption of the game feels interminable rather than serving as a compelling interpretation of this world.”

Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.

As part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, IGN Entertainment has launched a new audience survey designed to uncover what makes its global community distinct from the wider entertainment market.

The initiative builds on the recently completed “Generations in Play Audience Insights Study,” conducted in partnership with UC Berkeley and Kantar, which surveyed 6,250 entertainment consumers across North America, Australia and the UK.

Focusing on Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z audiences who grew up alongside IGN, the study explored how modern consumers discover, engage with, and place trust in entertainment content across gaming, film, TV and digital media.

Now, IGN is turning the spotlight inward. The company is inviting its own audience to participate in a dedicated follow-up survey that aims to compare IGN users directly against the broader market sample.

The story of the Corleone family is turning to the next page, as The Godfather is now set to continue with a new book called Connie in 2027.

Publishing company Random House told the Associated Press earlier this week that it had officially acquired a Godfather novel written by best-selling author Adriana Trigiani. The novel has been authorized by the estate of original book series author Mario Puzo and will follow a story from the perspective of Don Vito Corleone's only daughter.

"Connie is a novel about how a woman works to forge her own way in a world that's already decided who she is, what she's about, and how she should be treated," Trigiani said in a statement. "People underestimated Don Vito Corleone and Michael Corleone at their peril. The same will be true for Connie Corleone."

The Godfather is no doubt most widely known as the film trilogy that director Francis Ford Coppola started in the '70s. Although the movies still stand as some of the most quotable films in the history of cinema decades after their release, the Corleone family's roots actually date back to Puzo's 1969 crime novel, also called The Godfather.

He went on to continue the tale with a sequel titled The Sicilian in 1984, and although a series of additional books – including The Godfather Returns, The Godfather's Revenge, and The Family Corleone – were published all the way up to 2012, Connie will be only the third to receive approval from Puzo's estate.

Trigiani will pick up the reins as the first estate-approved installment written by a woman. It's unclear how it will expand on the story of Connie Corleone, who was played by Coppola's sister, Talia Shire, in the movies.

"We had been looking for someone to retell the story from a new perspective," Puzo's son, Anthony Puzo said in a statement. "Adriana was knocked out when I told her that the character of Vito Corleone (played in the films by Brando and De Niro) was actually based on my grandmother. We talked about how the women ran both of our families, but behind the scenes. Adriana's vision for Connie's life blew us all away. I'm very pleased and excited to have her on board."

Connie is expected to be released in fall 2027. For more, you can read what IGN thought about EA's The Godfather video game from 2006.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Keanu Reeves is set to play the lead role in Hidari, a Japanese stop-motion "wood sculpture" samurai film whose proof of concept video blew up on YouTube three years ago.

Hidari began life as a proof-of-concept film released on YouTube back in 2023. It features eye-catching stop-motion action, with characters made from wood, an arsenal of secret prosthetic weaponry, and even a towering wooden mech. The video has amassed over 4.9 million views, with plenty of enthusiasm in the comments for it to be fleshed out.

Creator, writer, and director Masashi Kawamura had said he had a much longer story to tell, and that he had been searching for production partners and investors to help turn the concept into a full length film. Now, it looks like that dream may come true.

Cannes’ Annecy Animation Showcase: The hyped Japanese stop-motion project 'Hidari' leads this year's slate. A stylized and incredibly-shot revenge tale set in Edo-era reconstruction that raised over $100,000 with its 2023 Kickstarter. Full lineup details: https://t.co/kKzBUgtG3c pic.twitter.com/SqLa1IExBP

— Cartoon Brew (@cartoonbrew) April 20, 2026

Reeves, star of The Matrix, John Wick, and the odd samurai movie himself, voices protagonist Hidari Jingoro, who is described as “a man consumed by revenge yet unable to abandon his instinct to create.”

Here’s the official blurb:

Hidari is a stop-motion period film inspired by the legendary sculptor Hidari Jingoro, a mysterious figure whose existence remains uncertain yet who left behind countless works and tales. Brought to life through intricately carved wooden puppets that mirror his craft, the film is being co-developed by three companies: Whatever, the creative studio co-founded by director Masashi Kawamura, together with two internationally acclaimed stop-motion studios, dwarf studios and Tecarat.

Set in Edo-period Japan, Hidari weaves together real historical events and figures with original characters to tell a story of revenge.

Jingoro, a master craftsman of his time, is caught in a conspiracy during the reconstruction of Edo Castle, losing his mentor, the woman he loves, and even his right arm. Barely surviving, Jingoro is transformed into an agent of vengeance. Replacing his lost arm with a weaponized prosthetic, the tools he once used to carve wood are reborn as instruments of destruction. Accompanied by his partner, the “Sleeping Cat,” he sets out on a journey of revenge — only to find himself drawn into an even greater conspiracy.

Power struggles within the shogunate, advancing mechanical soldiers, and a transforming Edo Castle all threaten to consume him. As everything closes in, something within him begins to change. Hidari is a story of revenge and rebirth — of a man who once lived to create, only to lose himself in destruction, and ultimately rediscover both himself and the meaning of his life.

Hidari is Reeves' first role in a Japanese original production, although he is no stranger to voice work, having played Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4, and Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077. He's also familiar with playing samurai, having starred in 2013 movie 47 Ronin in the lead role.

“I’m thrilled by the vision behind Hidari,” Reeves said. “From the proof of concept to the developed script, the team has created something truly extraordinary. It has all the makings of an exceptional film — one I’m excited to see and eager to be part of. I believe this project has the potential to bring something very special to audiences worldwide.”

Kawamura sounds equally thrilled that he's managed to snag Reeves for the role, saying: "One of the films we referenced while creating the Hidari pilot film and developing the screenplay was John Wick. And when I made my own personal dream list of actors I hoped could someday be part of the feature adaptation, the very first name I wrote down was Keanu Reeves. I never imagined that he would actually join the project. Even now, it still feels surreal to me. But with such an incredible actor becoming part of Hidari, our entire team is more motivated than ever to create something truly special together with him."

Keanu Reeves already has plenty on his plate, including a film adaptation of BRZRKR, the comic book series he co-created, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, which will see him reprise his role as Shadow, and John Wick 5.

Image credit: Hidari / YouTube.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Ghost of Yotei developer Sucker Punch Productions has confirmed its Legends multiplayer mode will not receive any additional major updates after first launching in March.

Lead designer Darren Bridges announced the end of online support for developer Sucker Punch Productions' 2025 PS5-exclusive sequel in a message shared via the PlayStation.Blog. The post itself mostly serves to cover all of the big changes brought by the new Raid update, which launched April 10, but comes with the caveat that this content-packed patch will be the online modes' last.

"The Raid update was our last major planned update for Legends," Bridges said. "It finishes the story of the Yōtei Six in that mode. We’ve loved to see players playing it, continue to play it and enjoy it. It’s been great."

Ghost of Yotei launched for PlayStation 5 October 2, 2025, but Sucker Punch didn't go on to announce plans to add its Legends mode as a free DLC until February of this year. Its release date then followed March 10.

It's unclear why the studio has ceased support for any future major updates just two months removed from its launch. Although major content updates are coming to an end, Sucker Punch did not clarify how long Ghost of Yotei Legends will receive smaller patches for things like bug fixes and balancing.

It's especially shocking news considering Sucker Punch supported the Legends mode for Ghost of Tsushima long after its launch in October 2020. December of that same year brought PlayStation-themed skins based on Bloodborne, God of War, and more, for example. Then, in August 2021, the studio announced a standalone version of the experience, which also included a whole new game mode called Rivals when it launched in September.

Ghost of Yotei launched as a particularly popular PS5 exclusive, with Sony saying in February that it "significantly" contributed to its financial results at the time. We gave it an 8/10 review at launch.

"A predictable but well-executed story takes you through Ghost of Yotei's gorgeous landscapes and satisfying, fluid action – it may not be revolutionizing open world games, but it's a great distillation of the samurai fantasy," we said at launch.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Xbox’s recently announced Game Pass price drop was welcome news, but players can once again take advantage of a key loophole that lets you score a 10-month membership for the low sum of £77.

Previously £22.99 a month, Game Pass Ultimate was sliced down to £16.99 — which is great, though the classic EA Play trick I covered last year, as it turns out, still works. The TL;DR around how this saves you almost £100 (over the course of 10 months) effectively comes down to taking advantage of the triggered conversion that occurs when redeeming the right codes.

By buying and activating said codes in the correct order, whilst you do not have an active Xbox Game Pass subscription of any kind, this wallet-friendly loophole will take that monthly £16.99 cost all the way down to the monthly equivalent of £7.69.

To get the EA Play-to-Game Pass Ultimate loophole working, you need to carry out the following steps.

These are currently available at Amazon for £19.99 each, totaling £59.97. However, you can only buy one of these at a time; Amazon restricts you from buying multiples as part of a fraud-prevention tactic.

So, you’ll need to buy them all across three separate transactions.

Activate all three of your codes at Microsoft’s dedicated redemption website. This will stack your membership to 36 months of EA Play.

After the EA Play subscriptions have been added, purchase a single month of Game Pass Ultimate for £16.99 from the Xbox store; this will be the key that triggers the full conversion.

Buying that one month of Game Pass Ultimate should activate the loophole in Microsoft’s redemption system, converting your 36 months of EA Play into nine months of Game Pass Ultimate — giving you 10 months altogether, one accounting for the one you just bought.

All in, you’re paying £76.96 instead of £169.90 for 10 months at the usual £16.99 rate. That’s a saving of £92.94, and one of the best ways to keep access to day-one Xbox releases, EA Play titles, cloud gaming, and the wider Game Pass library for less.

Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.

A new weekend has arrived, and today, you can save big on Super Mario RPG, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Super Mario RPG, Star Fox for Switch 2, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, and more. Check out our top picks for Sunday, May 17, below.

GameStop has a flash sale today on Super Mario RPG, and you can score one of the best Mario games on Nintendo Switch for just $15. This adventure is a collaboration between Square Enix and Nintendo, following Mario, Bowser, Peach, and new friends on a journey to find the seven star pieces. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Super Mario RPG is considered a classic for a reason, and this faithful remake makes it easy for anyone who missed it in the SNES era to see why.

The Hyrule Warriors series returned on Nintendo Switch 2 with a true canon story in Age of Imprisonment. You can score a copy for $49.99 today at Best Buy, which saves you $20. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment’s story may fail to capture the promise of a Tears of the Kingdom prequel, but the gameplay more than makes up for that by wonderfully fusing its source material’s craziest ideas with great 1 vs. 1,000 battles, resulting in the best action of the series yet."

Akira is one of the most beloved anime films of all time. In recent years, the film received a 4K Blu-ray, and today, you can pick up a copy for $9.99 at Amazon. Those just exploring the world of anime for the first time are in for a treat, and returning fans can appreciated the remastered visuals in beautiful 4K.

DJI drones are well-known for being high-quality and expensive. Today, you can score a DJI Mini 3 (DJI RC) drone for $379.99, saving you 31% off MSRP. This drone packs in a 4K HDR camera, a 10km range, and up to 51 minutes of flight time. No registration is needed for this drone, meaning you can fly without any paperwork or remote ID.

Amazon has the Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition on sale for $46.01 this weekend. This collection packs in the Pixel Remasters for the original first six mainline Final Fantasy adventures, which is perfect for both longtime fans and series newcomers. Each game comes out to under $8, and the Switch version has everything on the cartidge.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds launched late for Nintendo Switch 2, but SEGA delivered with a proper physical that's on the game card. Right now, you can save $20 off a physical copy of CrossWorlds for Switch 2 at Best Buy. If you haven't checked out SEGA's wild, collab-filled racer, now is a great time.

Nintendo finally revealed the long-rumored Star Fox game for Nintendo Switch 2, and Fox and crew are finally back for a new (remade) adventure. While physical copies are normally priced $10 higher than digital, you can score a physical copy of Star Fox for $49.94 from Amazon right now. It's the perfect time to lock in your pre-order and prepare for the skies.

The Ori games are very beloved, and this double pack puts the two adventures together for Nintendo Switch! Right now, you can score this double pack for $29.99, which saves you $20 off the normal price. Not bad if you haven't had the chance to check out either entry.

Additionally, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is on sale this weekend at Best Buy for $39.99. The latest adventure of Samus Aran takes place on the planet Viewros, and there are plenty of new powers to unlock. Nintendo Switch 2 owners can upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition for $9.99.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 is on sale today for $39.99, marking the lowest we've seen this one yet. After years of fan demand for a remake, SEGA and RGG Studio delivered earlier this year with Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties. In our review, we wrote, "Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a largely successful makeover of Yakuza 3. It finds fun new ways for Kiryu to engage with the orphans in his care, which both livens up the original game’s most boring bits and also made me more deeply invested in the sharper end of its story. Combat has been transformed from a street-fighting struggle to a dynamic delight, and this slice of Okinawa presents a welcome seachange from the series’ more overused city settings."

Crunchyroll raised subscription prices not that long ago, and for a limited time, new and returning subscribers can score three months of the service for $2 a month. Crunchyroll is home to hundreds of popular anime, inlcuding Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, and more. My favorite anime of the year, Fate/strange Fake, is also available on the service.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is one of the biggest RPG releases of the year so far, and this weekend you can score a copy on any platform for $49.99! This is a great entry point if you've never played a Dragon Quest adventure before, or if you're keen to explore more of the series after the HD-2D Erdrick Trilogy Remakes!

We're just a few weeks away from Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, and right now, you can save $10 off a physical copy at Walmart or Amazon. Nintendo recently announced that moving forward, physical games will be $10 more than digital games, so this deal sets you back to where physicals previously were.

Suzume is the latest film from Makoto Shinkai, and it is certainly one to remember. This film follows Suzume on a journey across Japan who attempts to close doors that bring disasters to the land. If you're a fan of Your Name or Weathering With You, Suzume is an easy recommendation.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade dropped on Switch 2 earlier this year, and today, you can score a copy for $29.99 from Walmart. This is the definitive version of the game, featuring Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade with all its enhancements from PS5 and Episode INTERmission, starring Yuffie Kisaragi. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is set to launch on Switch 2 in early June, so now is the time to catch up.

Splatoon Raiders is officially due out this July, and pre-orders have now opened for the series' first single-player-focused game! In addition to physical Nintendo Switch 2 copies, three new Splatoon Raiders amiibo of Frye, Shiver, and Big Man are also set to release on July 23.

When it comes to Studio Ghibli, Princess Mononoke is one of the first films most think of. The 1997 classic directed by Hayao Miyazaki still stands the test of time today, offering a touching story focused on environmentalism. You can take home the Princess Mononoke Steelbook today for $18.89.

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

Man of Tomorrow actor Lars Eidinger has described his live-action take on Superman villain Brainiac as something that is like "an incarnation of Satan."

The man behind the DC's next big movie villain gave audiences their first tease for what he's bringing to the DCU during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Although the James Gunn-directed and David Corenswet-starring Superman sequel is still more than a year out from its theatrical premiere, Eidinger is propping up his world-conquering bad guy as a threat of biblical proportions.

"Yes, the theatrical quality has actually helped me enormously in the context of Superman, too, because it involves a different register of performance, one that isn’t primarily realistic and allows for a far more expressive style of playing," he said when asked how his work in theater has helped in onscreen. "When I watch a film like James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy, I find it has a great theatrical quality — in the handling of good and evil, and in a certain tendency toward allegory. Brainiac is described as the incarnation of Satan. I find that almost Shakespearean. The king, the fool — there are so many parallels for me."

Brainiac is not only a recognizable Superman villain; he's one of the most infamous comic book characters in history. Readers and movie watchers have done their best to pick up on every little detail Gunn has dropped when it comes to teases for a DCU version of the mean, green antagonist, but the truth is, most information is probably being saved for closer to the release of Man of Tomorrow.

Eidinger says his Brainiac will give Corenswet's Clark Kent a run for his money, even if we don't know exactly how quite yet. Elsewhere in the interview, the actor opened up about how he was pulled into the budding DCU in the first place. He clarified that doing a comic book movie is "not as different" from his previous work on projects like Clouds of Sils Maria or Home for the Weekend as one might think. He even goes on to praise similar films for having "a serious philosophical ambition," adding that "they carry great allegorical weight" for him.

"Take just the word 'super' — it's used as a superlative, for something excellent, wonderful," Eidinger continued. "But 'super' really only means 'over' or 'above.' So Superman is the Übermensch. You have the Super Ego. There’s already a deep psychological dimension built in."

"Last week I was on set during rehearsals and asked if I could watch some of the filming, which had already started. And I saw an actor in the Superman costume, suspended on wires in front of a bluescreen. I looked at that image and thought: This is the essence of fiction. It’s as significant an image as Hamlet holding the skull: Superman, in that Superman pose, hanging from wires in front of a bluescreen.

"Being in the Superman universe wasn’t a dream or burning desire for me. But now that it’s happening, I can see a certain inevitability in it, something almost fated."

Superman Man of Tomorrow will continue Gunn's vision for a new DCU when it brings Corenswet back to the big screen July 9, 2027. Filming began in April, and its cast also includes Matthew Lillard, Andre Royo, Adria Arjona, and more. While we wait for updates, you can catch up on all of the latest from Supergirl ahead of its premiere in June.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Seth Rogen has pushed back on the use of AI in movies, telling writers using the technology for their scripts to "go do something else."

The comedy filmmaker behind projects like The Studio and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem shared his thoughts on the controversial technology during a Cannes interview with Brut. His thoughts on artificial intelligence are pretty straightforward:

"I don't understand what it's supposed to do. Every time I see a video on Instagram that's like, 'Hollywood is cooked,' what follows is, like, the most stupid dog s**t I've ever seen in my life," Rogen said with a chuckle. "And if your instinct is to use AI and not go through that process, you shouldn't be a writer because then you're not writing. Go do something else."

Rogen has helped the comedy scene flourish with his work on movies like Superbad and Pineapple Express since the 2000s. More recently, he's received critical acclaim as a director, writer, and star in Apple TV's The Studio, a show that spent its first season tackling many of the issues Hollywood faces today.

Now, he's promoting Tangles, an animated film about Alzheimer's disease that stars himself, Bryan Cranston, Pamela Adlon, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Rogen confirmed that the movie, which premieres at Cannes but does not currently have a wider release date, features no AI, adding that "every frame has a human touch to it."

"And if you don't want to go through the process, you shouldn't be a writer," he added. "The idea of a tool that makes me write less is not appealing to me. Because I like writing."

Artificial intelligence has become an increasingly hot topic in the movie business in the last few years. While filmmakers like Terminator mastermind James Cameron suggest they are open to experimenting with AI, others, such as Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski, have railed against it. Meanwhile, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently announced a set of rule changes that will limit AI's presence at the Oscars.

Photo by Thibaud MORITZ / AFP via Getty Images.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Prime Video has published a The Boys Season 5, Episode 8 teaser trailer, revealing one last look at Butcher, Hughie, Starlight, and the rest of the crew before they set off to go "scorched earth" on Homelander.

The 30-second video mostly leaves the events of the finale up to viewers' imaginations. As shots of Hughie, Mother's Milk, Ashley, and even Ryan whiz by, the teaser trailer also hints at what looks to be a fight at the White House between Starlight and the Deep, as Butcher says that "superheroes are done."

"Can't show ya much without spoilin' the whole kit and caboodle," a description for The Boys finale teaser said. "But Wednesday, we're going all the way. No matter the cost. Til the job's f**kin' done."

Can't show ya much without spoilin' the whole kit and caboodle. But Wednesday, we're going all the way. No matter the cost. Til the job's fuckin' done. pic.twitter.com/yzbgI6WtdL

— THE BOYS (@TheBoysTV) May 17, 2026

This is the big one. The Boys Season 5, Episode 8 will deliver the Prime Video show's proper series finale this Wednesday, and if the anti-supe crew has any luck, it'll bring the end of Homelander, too. However, the events of Season 5 prove they've got their work cut out for them.

Warning! Spoilers for The Boys Season 5, Episode 8 below.

So far, this latest and last batch of episodes saw Butcher's plan to spread a superhero-killing virus fall apart after Soldier Boy shocked Sister Sage (and audiences) by giving Homelander access to immortality with V-One. The backup plan didn't exactly turn out well, either, as the newly immortal supervillain was able to quickly find where The Boys team was hiding out, resulting in the death of series regular, Frenchie.

With seemingly no other options and Homelander more powerful than ever, things aren't exactly looking too great for everyone heading into the finale. Still, Butcher's speech in the Season 5, Episode 8 teaser trailer suggests he may have a trick or two up his sleeve.

The Boys Season 5, Episode 8 will bring the series finale to Prime Video and theaters Wednesday, May 20, 2026. While we wait to see how the story ends for some comic book fans' favorite characters, you can read our 8/10 review for last week's episode. You can also check out what showrunner Eric Kripke had to say about viewers' feelings that Season 5 was mostly being used to set up Vought Rising, and you can also learn about the surprise Marvel cameo that happened in Episode 7.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Titanic and Terminator director James Cameron said he's "looking at some new technologies" to try and get Avatar 4 and 5 made "in half the time for two-thirds of the cost," but it's going to take a year just to figure it out.

The legendary filmmaker spoke about how he plans to continue his long-in-the-works sci-fi saga during an interview with The Empire Film Podcast. When asked what's next for Cameron following the premiere of Avatar: Fire and Ash and his Billie Eilish concert movie, he told The Empire Film Podcast he's hoping to alter his process to, hopefully "more efficiently," dive back into Pandora.

"You know, I'll be doing some writing. I've got a number of projects that I'm cooking," he said. "And Avatar 4 and 5 are still floating out there. We’re going to be looking at some new technologies to try to do them more efficiently. Because they're hideously expensive and take a long time. I want to do them in half the time for two-thirds of the cost. That’s my metric."

Cameron added that it's going to "take us a year or so" to even come up with a plan on how to more efficiently create Avatar movies going forward. In the meantime, he promised that he'll be "writing and doing a couple of other things."

Avatar first took audiences to Pandora with the launch of the original film in 2009, but its sequel, The Way of Water, wouldn't arrive until an incredible 13 years later in 2022. The three-year wait between Avatar 2 and its Fire and Ash follow-up was comparatively far less painful, but even that timeframe feels a bit on the long side for the 71-year-old director.

While it's true that all three Avatar movies have managed to cross the $1 billion mark at the box office, Fire and Ash only made $1.48 billion compared to The Way of Water's $2.4 billion, suggesting potentially declining interest amongst moviegoers. Adding to the sting is the last film's reported $400 million budget, which doesn't account for the hundreds of millions Disney would have spent on its marketing campaign.

Despite Cameron's hope to eventually bring the Sully family back to theaters, how exactly Avatar 4 and 5 will take shape is unclear, for now. We have yet to see what "new technologies" the Avatar director and writer plans to explore, but he's made it clear that he's hoping to produce the films for cheaper in the past. A report from last month suggested as much, too, though it appeared much was still moving behind the scenes at Disney.

Disney has currently scheduled tentative release dates of December 21, 2029, for Avatar 4 and December 19, 2031, for Avatar 5. A recent update from producer Rae Sanchini promised that scripts are in hand as the team continues to move "full speed ahead."

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Coming-of-age video game Mixtape is packed with licensed music from artists like Devo and The Smashing Pumpkins, but publisher Annapurna Interactive and developer Beethoven and Dinosaur have told fans not to worry about the game potentially being delisted down the road.

Creative director Johnny Galvatron kept concerns about the game's future from spinning out of control during a recent interview with Kotaku. Despite featuring a full playlist of tracks from recognizable groups throughout its foot-tapping story, he said that the team paid extra to maintain licenses for each track in perpetuity.

Annapurna followed up the interview with its own statement in an X/Twitter post. It said, "We heard some people say MIXTAPE would be delisted due to music licenses expiring. That was a lie."

We heard some people say MIXTAPE would be delisted due to music licenses expiring.

That was a lie.

Have a great weekend, everyone. https://t.co/C3VesfWPpz

— Annapurna Interactive (@A_i) May 16, 2026

Fears that Mixtape could, at some point, be pulled from digital shelves aren't exactly unfounded. Plenty of games have suffered similar fates due to expired licenses in the past, including Rock Band 4 late last year and the original Alan Wake in 2017. Even Grand Theft Auto 4 replaced a few tunes after some licenses expired in 2018.

It's clear Beethoven and Dinosaur wanted to put in the effort to make sure its story and the music woven throughout it remained intact for years to come. One example of a "boundary test" idea that was floated but didn't pan out involved asking Pink Floyd for a song, but the team's supervisor cautioned that the classic rock band wasn't likely to give them the track they were after. That said, when it came to getting the other tunes they wanted, Galvatron told Kotaku the team never ran into any real horror stories and got "pretty much everything [they] asked for."

"There's just so many points in the game where Stacy turns the screen and says 'This is the Smashing Pumpkins, and it's fucking sick,'" he added. "You send that to [Smashing Pumpkins frontman] Billy Corgan and he goes, 'This is the Smashing Pumpkins and it's fucking sick, yeah, they can do that. That’s fine.'"

Mixtape launched for PC, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S May 7, 2026. IGN called it a "Masterpiece" in our 10/10 review.

"A musical delight from start to finish," we said at launch last month, "Mixtape sets a new standard for coming-of-age stories in video games and does so with a masterful sense of style."

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

A new weekend has arrived, and today, you can save big on Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Super Mario RPG, Star Fox for Switch 2, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, and more. Check out our top picks for Sunday, May 10, below.

The Hyrule Warriors series returned on Nintendo Switch 2 with a true canon story in Age of Imprisonment. You can score a copy for $49.99 today at Best Buy, which saves you $20. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment’s story may fail to capture the promise of a Tears of the Kingdom prequel, but the gameplay more than makes up for that by wonderfully fusing its source material’s craziest ideas with great 1 vs. 1,000 battles, resulting in the best action of the series yet."

DJI drones are well-known for being high-quality and expensive. Today, you can score a DJI Mini 3 (DJI RC) drone for $379.99, saving you 31% off MSRP. This drone packs in a 4K HDR camera, a 10km range, and up to 51 minutes of flight time. No registration is needed for this drone, meaning you can fly without any paperwork or remote ID.

Amazon has the Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition on sale for $46.01 this weekend. This collection packs in the Pixel Remasters for the original first six mainline Final Fantasy adventures, which is perfect for both longtime fans and series newcomers. Each game comes out to under $8, and the Switch version has everything on the cartidge.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds launched late for Nintendo Switch 2, but SEGA delivered with a proper physical that's on the game card. Right now, you can save $20 off a physical copy of CrossWorlds for Switch 2 at Best Buy. If you haven't checked out SEGA's wild, collab-filled racer, now is a great time.

Super Mario RPG is one of the best Mario games on Nintendo Switch, bringing back the beloved SNES classic in brilliant fashion. This adventure is a collaboration between Square Enix and Nintendo, following Mario, Bowser, Peach, and new friends on a journey to find the seven star pieces. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Super Mario RPG is considered a classic for a reason, and this faithful remake makes it easy for anyone who missed it in the SNES era to see why.

Nintendo finally revealed the long-rumored Star Fox game for Nintendo Switch 2, and Fox and crew are finally back for a new (remade) adventure. While physical copies are normally priced $10 higher than digital, you can score a physical copy of Star Fox for $49.94 from Amazon right now. It's the perfect time to lock in your pre-order and prepare for the skies.

Additionally, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is on sale this weekend at Best Buy for $39.99. The latest adventure of Samus Aran takes place on the planet Viewros, and there are plenty of new powers to unlock. Nintendo Switch 2 owners can upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition for $9.99.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 is on sale today for $39.99, marking the lowest we've seen this one yet. After years of fan demand for a remake, SEGA and RGG Studio delivered earlier this year with Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties. In our review, we wrote, "Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a largely successful makeover of Yakuza 3. It finds fun new ways for Kiryu to engage with the orphans in his care, which both livens up the original game’s most boring bits and also made me more deeply invested in the sharper end of its story. Combat has been transformed from a street-fighting struggle to a dynamic delight, and this slice of Okinawa presents a welcome seachange from the series’ more overused city settings."

Crunchyroll raised subscription prices not that long ago, and for a limited time, new and returning subscribers can score three months of the service for $2 a month. Crunchyroll is home to hundreds of popular anime, inlcuding Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, and more. My favorite anime of the year, Fate/strange Fake, is also available on the service.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is one of the biggest RPG releases of the year so far, and this weekend you can score a copy on any platform for $49.99! This is a great entry point if you've never played a Dragon Quest adventure before, or if you're keen to explore more of the series after the HD-2D Erdrick Trilogy Remakes!

We're just a few weeks away from Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, and right now, you can save $10 off a physical copy at Walmart or Amazon. Nintendo recently announced that moving forward, physical games will be $10 more than digital games, so this deal sets you back to where physicals previously were.

Suzume is the latest film from Makoto Shinkai, and it is certainly one to remember. This film follows Suzume on a journey across Japan who attempts to close doors that bring disasters to the land. If you're a fan of Your Name or Weathering With You, Suzume is an easy recommendation.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade dropped on Switch 2 earlier this year, and today, you can score a copy for $29.99 from Walmart. This is the definitive version of the game, featuring Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade with all its enhancements from PS5 and Episode INTERmission, starring Yuffie Kisaragi. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is set to launch on Switch 2 in early June, so now is the time to catch up.

Splatoon Raiders is officially due out this July, and pre-orders have now opened for the series' first single-player-focused game! In addition to physical Nintendo Switch 2 copies, three new Splatoon Raiders amiibo of Frye, Shiver, and Big Man are also set to release on July 23.

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

Xbox seems to have rebranded…to XBOX.

You'd be forgiven for not noticing the difference, but yes, newly appointed CEO Asha Sharma took to X/Twitter to confirm Microsoft's gaming branch has been given an all-caps makeover. The lack of an update on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and YouTube makes it a bit unclear how serious this supposed rebrand is, but the big change to XBOX can at least already be seen on its X account and even Sharma's LinkedIn profile.

The CEO shared the update following a social media poll, where she asked fans to choose between the standard Xbox and its larger version. After returning results that put XBOX in the lead with an almost shocking 64.8% of the votes, the change has officially been acted upon.

👀 pic.twitter.com/4MHzmLsXNm

— Asha (@asha_shar) May 15, 2026

Xbox has undergone a laundry list of changes, big and small, since Sharma replaced Phil Spencer as CEO in February of this year. Highlights include leadership switch-ups earlier this month, the end of the "This is an Xbox" marketing campaign in March, and a drop in price for Game Pass subscribers in April.

It's unclear how successful some of these changes have been for Microsoft as Sharma works to get Xbox into a better place. The all-caps makeover for the Xbox name, though, definitely seem to fall more in line with smaller adjustments we've recently seen, such as the new boot up sequence revealed a few weeks ago or the classic logo facelift from April.

For now, fans aren't sure exactly how to feel about an all-caps XBOX. As some have pointed out, the change is at least a fun nod to the early days of the console's logo and name. Considering the update seems to be inspired directly by fan input, some have even begun to call on Sharma to make more changes, such as reverting the name back to its classic, rough-edged font. Others aren't so willing to entertain the XBOX idea until they see if it will actually stick.

what’s the purpose of this rename bruh https://t.co/DUyRmevBlJ pic.twitter.com/nYUqFqOIp4

— nicki ☘️ (@s1nicki) May 16, 2026

"I was expecting something pointless and stupid, but gosh they have still managed to surprise me," one Reddit user said.

"HUGE IF TRUE," another joked.

We'll hopefully have a better idea about how committed Microsoft is to XBOX in the near future. Until then, you can see what Sharma had to say about her past gaming history. You can also see read about the recently leaked Xbox Cloud Gaming controller.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Upcoming action movie prequel John Rambo has reportedly added James Franco to its cast.

Details on what is set up to be the controversial actor's first notable big-studio part in years came from Variety, which said that he has joined the film for a "small role." Production on the film in Thailand is said to have wrapped.

Franco was well-known for parts in movies like the Sam Raimi-directed Spider-Man trilogy, The Disaster Artist, 127 Hours, and Pineapple Express before being cast out of Hollywood after five women accused him of sexual misconduct in 2018. Of those women, four were students at his now-defunct Studio 4 acting school, while another described him as a mentor. Franco denied the allegations at the time.

A lawsuit regarding the allegations then emerged in 2019 before being settled for more than $2.2 million in 2021. Franco admitted to sleeping with students and said his actions were "wrong" later that same year. Outside of a few somewhat smaller films, the events were enough to keep him out of the public eye and even damage his working relationship with longtime collaborator Seth Rogen. Franco went on to tease his plans to do a "big studio movie" and respond to rumors that he had been hiding away during an interview with Deadline at Cannes Film Festival last week.

"It’s not true I’ve been hiding out," he said. "I've been here the last three or four years running, selling things and they treat me well and I get to go and see great movies."

Franco joins Noah Centineo (To All the Boys I've Loved Before), who has been picked to play a younger version of Sylvester Stallone's First Blood character, John Rambo, and David Harbour (Stranger Things), who recently boarded to take over the role of Commanding Officer Major Trautman. Yao (Sinners), Jason Tobin (Warrior), Quincy Isaiah (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Jefferson White (Civil War), and Tayme Thapthimthong (The White Lotus) are all also attached to the movie. Sisu filmmaker Jalmari Helander is directing the project.

John Rambo has no release date, and no plot details outside of the promise to tell an origin story for the action icon have been released. For more, you can read about how Marvel Studios veterans Joe and Anthony Russo are involved.

Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

In the Grey is now playing in theaters.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Henry Cavill met in Guy Ritchie’s trailer on the first day of filming their new thriller In the Grey, and cheered each other on throughout the improv-heavy production. Ritchie, who wrote and directed the movie, is known for his constant script changes and focus on discovery while filming. In an exclusive interview with IGN, Gyllenhaal says that process allowed him and Cavill to hone their characters in real time.

“With Guy, there's a lot of improvisation, a lot of discovery,” Gyllenhaal says. “Lines change in the moment, scenes shift on the day. We had a scene where we got the lines maybe a few minutes beforehand. All I did was root for Henry to remember his next line, and when he got through it, I was terrified I had to remember mine. That kind of thing keeps you incredibly present.”

In The Grey, which also stars Eiza González (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare), Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl), Carlos Bardem (Assassin’s Creed), and Fisher Stevens (Succession), follows “a covert team of elite operatives who live in the global shadows. When a ruthless despot steals a billion-dollar fortune, the team is sent to steal it back on what would be for anyone else a suicide mission. What begins as an impossible heist gets much worse, spiraling into an all-out war of strategy, deception and survival.”

Although both Gyllenhaal and Cavill had previously worked with Ritchie, In the Grey marks their first joint on-screen appearance. According to Gyllenhaal, the two actors didn’t have much time together before being dropped right into the action.

“What's funny is that Henry and I hadn't met before day one,” Gyllenhaal says. “We encountered each other in Guy's trailer on the first morning of filming. So, there wasn't much time to workshop a shared reference point. Guy had a very clear sense of who these two (characters) were in relation to each other from the start, and that gave us a strong foundation to build from.”

After previously appearing in Ritchie’s 2023 film The Covenant, Gyllenhaal says teaming up with the director on another film was an easy decision.

“It feels like one big film in a way, because you're really in his world,” Gyllenhaal says. “He comes back and says, ‘You want to come dive in again?’ And you go, ‘Yeah, sure. I love it in there. The water's warm.’ What's also unique is that he's constantly editing as he goes. He's shaping the story, showing you cut scenes and then you're shaping the next scene together. It doesn't work the way normal movies do, which is why it's very hard to communicate what it's really like. Everyone's on their toes. And if you enjoy that, which I do, it's a hell of a time.’

In the film, Gyllenhaal plays Bronco, an ex-special forces agent who joins Gonzalez’s character on a mission after she previously broke him out of prison. From far-flung locales, to the intense action, Gyllenhaal says that the spectacle of In the Grey is what makes it special.

“You've got to go see this one in the cinema because it's meant for the cinema,” Gyllenhaal says. “It's a huge spectacle full of fun, the way we've loved movies for decades. Guy is making it for that. And what's remarkable is that it's also completely original. It's very hard to do something truly original now; to find a new way in, to do it differently, with a unique voice. That's pretty much an impossibility. And yet you know when you're going to see a Guy Ritchie movie that you're going to see something original.”

Michael Peyton is the Senior Editorial Director of Events & Entertainment at IGN, leading entertainment content and coverage of tentpole events including IGN Live, San Diego Comic Con, gamescom, and IGN Fan Fest. He's spent 20 years working in the games and entertainment industry, and his adventures have taken him everywhere from the Oscars to Japan to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Follow him on Bluesky @MichaelPeyton

The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke has said that the recent nods to the Vought Rising spinoff show in Season 5 were not the result of "craven commercialism."

Fans of the gory Prime Video superhero show seem to be split about where the story is heading ahead of next week's series finale, but one of the prevailing talking points surrounding recent episodes involves how it's handled side characters like Soldier Boy and Bombsight. While some viewers fear they only played a role in Season 5 to pique interest ahead of the upcoming Vought Rising prequel series, Kripke has said that this isn't the case.

The Boys showrunner opened up about his team's process during a recent interview with The Watch. While Vought Rising will turn back the clock to the 1950s to explore the origins of some of the show's most evil characters, Kripke said he was more focused on giving the characters from the main series a fitting sendoff when developing Season 5.

Warning! Spoilers for The Boys Season 5 follow.

"How do you do enough that you can touch on it, but not so much that you feel like it's homework or you feel like it's just a commercial?" he said when asked about balancing The Boys with Vought Rising. "Where it really came from, honestly, was we had this notion of this V-One McGuffin, and we knew Soldier Boy was going to be a character this season.

"Why is he immortal? Why is Stormfront immortal? What is it about whatever they had, right? Once you come up with V-One… we didn't start it like, 'We gotta get Bombsight in there, guys! We gotta set up our thing!'"

Vought Rising was announced in 2024 as a prequel show that would feature Jensen Ackles' Soldier Boy and Aya Cash's Stormfront, two characters who have shown up for past seasons of the mainline series. Casting for additional supes, such as Mason Dye as Bombsight and Elizabeth Posey as Private Angel, was then revealed in August 2025. Some were happy to see Dye make his first on-screen appearance as his character in The Boys Season 5, Episode 6, but others felt Kripke and company were trying a little too hard to force Vought Rising into the conversation.

Kripke clarified that bringing in Bombsight, specifically, was a collaborative effort between The Boys team and Vought Rising showrunner Paul Grellong. When he heard what Grellong was doing with Bombsight, they found a way to bring both shows together in a way they felt made sense.

"So, when the question comes up in our room of like, 'Who ultimately has the V-One? Is it just some rando old hero that you never will see again, or should it be one of those characters, because those characters are so bad ass?'" he added. "That’s how it kind of evolved. It was pretty organic.

"There wasn't a lot of craven commercialism in there. It came from a spot of, it's a full universe, and we have these pieces, so if we're able to use them, why not?"

The Boys is currently in the midst of its fifth and final season and will come to an end with its finale next week, May 20. Vought Rising is expected to premiere in the first half of 2027.

While we wait for updates, you can read about the Marvel actor who snuck in for a quick cameo in Episode 7. You can also check out what Kripke had to say about some of the other recent criticisms the show has faced.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 director Jeff Fowler has published a first look at Metal Sonic as filming on the latest movie comes to an end.

The filmmaker took to social media to share a behind-the-scenes picture of a life-sized version of the iconic Sega villain today. It comes with the news that filming for the next chapter in Paramount Pictures and Sega's series of game-to-movie adaptations wrapped with a little less than one year to go before its March 19, 2027, theatrical release date.

This sneak peek at Metal Sonic mostly serves to further entice Sonic fans rather than offer any sort of big reveal. If the sleek antagonist's presence in the last film's mid-credits scene wasn't enough of a tease, fans already figured he'd play some sort of role in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 after bringing his menacing aura to the teaser trailer published in March.

"And that's a wrap on #SonicMovie4!!!" Fowler said. "On behalf of this amazing cast/crew, we have filmed the BEST Sonic Movie yet and can't wait to share."

Still, this first look at Metal Sonic in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 shows that Fowler is on track to continue the Blue Blur's story next spring. Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which premiered in 2024, last saw Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey), and Knuckles (Idris Elba) team up to fight off Doctor Eggman (Jim Carrey) and live-action newcomer Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves).

While that movie's mid-credits scene helped bring Metal Sonic into the mix, it also helped warm up viewers to the idea that pink hedgehog Amy Rose would soon join the Sonic team, too. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter in February, she'll be played by The Good Place and Frozen alum, Kristen Bell.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is scheduled to spin into theaters in March 2027. While we wait for an official trailer and more news about how Metal Sonic fits into the big picture, you can check out the image featuring Amy's Piko Piko hammer that Fowler posted earlier this year. You can also read about who fans think the upcoming spinoff movie will focus on.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Recently, in the span of three weeks, three entirely disparate TV shows on two different networks/streaming services had a surprising connection. One is a superhero series, the other a shocking (former) teen drama, the third a faux-reality comedy. Both in tone and execution, they couldn’t be more different. Yet when The Boys, Euphoria, and Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat needed a go-to sight gag to indicate their characters are absolute loser villains, only one car could do: the Tesla Cybertruck.

Does driving a Cybertruck make you an absolute loser villain? That’s up to [gestures] society to decide, as well as you, the reader of this article. But on TV at least, the trend is clear, with a relatively minor number of exceptions.

In fact, Tesla’s boxy monstrosity has been the subject of mockery on TV for a while now, including appearances on HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones, Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and kicking off this big, bad year for Elon Musk’s brainchild, Chad Powers on Hulu. It’s the latest in the long line of quick and easy jokes to pervade television, but the preponderance and specificity of this particular trend points to a larger shift in cultural conversation that you may be able to intuit yourself.

We’ll get to that in a second, but to lay out A Brief, Incomplete History of the Cybertruck on Television, let’s actually start with a little timeline about the Cybertruck itself. First introduced as a prototype in 2019, the truck hit the streets in 2023, but arguably didn’t become a flashpoint for cultural conversation until Musk became a prime booster of the Trump campaign in 2024.

TV production schedules, though, take time. For example, the first big salvo in TV’s War Against Cybertrucks wouldn’t air until March of 2025, in HBO’s Righteous Gemstones. The fourth and final season was filmed between May and October of 2024, so by the time the fourth episode, “He Goeth Before You Into Galilee,” aired, we were already well into both the Cybertruck era and the era of Trump 2.0 con Elon – making the appearance of the vehicle perhaps more pointed than it was meant to be back when production started.

The episode in question kicks off with a long tracking shot of all the characters unloading their various cars, ending with a kicker: the reveal of a Cybertruck parked on the water. It’s a bit of a head-scratcher until the very end of the episode, when we discover the truck belongs to Baby Billy (Walton Goggins), easily the worst and most huckstery of an entire clan of hucksters. He’s a character who constantly buys into (or sells) pyramid schemes and scams, so you can draw your own conclusion about what the show means to indicate, given he eschews the massive Escalades of most of the rest of the clan for the Cybertruck.

Soon after in July of 2025, FX aired the It’s Always Sunny episode "Thought Leadership: A Corporate Conversation." (The 17th season of the series was filmed from October through December of 2024). An extremely loose parody of HBO’s Succession, the episode found the Paddy’s Pub gang drinking water (probably for the first time) and, along with glimpses of a few corporate clips on YouTube, going all in on business speak and wearing fleeces. That included a total obsession with the Cybertruck, which found them spewing catchphrases like “I love that truck. I’m furious that all cars don’t look like that,” and in a backhanded compliment, “It’s like a rhombus on wheels.”

While the Cybertruck in It’s Always Sunny is more of a plot point than a throwaway gag, it’s clear that the show sees the vehicle (which Glenn Howerton’s Dennis effuses about the sexual aggression of) as the epitome of everything wrong with silicon valley/corporate culture. It also tracks that the unequivocally terrible Gang at the center of the show would become obsessed with it, while other characters like the much-lumped-upon Waitress (Mary Elizabeth Ellis) would be less enthused. When she finds out they’re giving away a truck in exchange for winning a slap fighting championship, Charlie (Charlie Day) proudly clarifies “a Cybertruck” to which she replies with a withering “eh.”

The Fall of 2025 was a big moment for the electric crew cab, appearing on three different TV shows between September and October. On Hulu’s Chad Powers, the vapid former football star played by Glen Powell drives a Cybertruck, which the show tells us only adds to his general douche-osity. Still, the truck is more than a one-and-done, as it becomes not just a place for Chad to have some awkward backseat sex, but also ends up getting a character to the hospital after a health scare. Similarly, Paramount+’s Tulsa King straddled the line in a third season episode that found Tyson Mitchell’s gangster purchasing one and touting its bulletproof hull, as well as that it’s “how a gangster’s supposed to roll,” while Martin Starr’s marijuana dealer shoots back, “Yeah, in Blade Runner. Real life we don’t drive around in a refrigerator.” Later on, someone tries to shoot up the Cybertruck with a tommy gun, and indeed, the bullets can’t pierce the exterior of the car, saving lives.

The third series is Netflix’s Nobody Wants This Season 2, where one of the characters delightedly scratches a Cybertruck that almost ran over a baby in a stroller, while Adam Brody and Kristen Bell’s characters look on in horror. That’s not even to mention episodes of Apple TV’s Platonic, which found Seth Rogen’s character pairing the rise of Cybertrucks with the ruining of a Los Angeles neighborhood, or an episode of Apple’s Loot that depicts D’Arcy Carden’s con-man Ashlee rolling in a hot pink Cybertruck with the license plate “SPAGHET” while chugging energy drinks and singing (badly) to System of a Down. But let’s take a little step backwards to talk about the first two, since there’s more meat to dig into there.

While Chad Powers was filmed pre-election, Tulsa King was post; and the connection between both shows is that inasmuch as a TV series has political leanings, both series lean more right than the left-leaning series mentioned above. Chad Powers frequently throws around the r-word, is set in a conservative football town, and features broad gay stereotypes, among other characters. Tulsa King is part of the Taylor Sheridan Extended Universe (TSEU), and Sheridan has purposefully been obtuse about his politics, even leaving Paramount (reportedly) over being told to infuse his shows with more politics. Both series make jokes of Cybertrucks, then prove they’re actually pretty cool in retrospect.

Trucks, we might want to point out, do not have feelings; but owners of truck companies do, and Musk has proven time and again to be overly touchy about how people treat his vehicles, while telling others to have a sense of humor and stop being so sensitive. It’s hard not to view the disparity between how Tulsa King and Chad Powers treat the rhombus on wheels as bridging a political divide, or at least passing an olive branch over to the other side, while still getting some laughs about how silly the mode of transportation looks. It’s also not unimportant to note that both of these shows have characters who err toward being losers, but are not necessarily villains driving the Cybertruck… In a certain sense, the truck goes on a similarly redemptive arc in both cases as do the characters who drive it (with the lone exception being a wild, nihilistic swerve in the closing minutes of Chad Powers, but that’s another article entirely).

Digression for Cybertruck positivity over, that brings us to the impetus for talking about this at all: the past month or two of Cybertrucks on TV (tm). Prime Video’s Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat, the second season of the faux-reality show, introduced its corporate stooge villains from a private equity group called Triukas driving – what else – a Cybertruck. A little over two weeks later, HBO’s premiere of Euphoria Season 3 found Jacob Elordi’s Nate Jacobs – moving from a high school uber-male to an over-his-head and way-in-debt real estate developer with a doomed wedding on the horizon – driving, you guessed it, a Cybertruck. And to cap things off, three days later the third episode of the final season of The Boys featured an extended sequence with the biggest loser on the series, The Deep (Chace Crawford), driving a Cybertruck that, to add on the embarrassment, was blasting Limp Bizkit.

The short-winded explanation here is that the makers of TV think the Cybertruck looks dumb, and believe only dumb people drive the car. Is that actually true? Maybe, maybe not, but it’s an easy visual indicator that tells you everything you need to know about a TV character in a simple way, whether they’ve got hot pink paint or merely pilot the silver, basic model… The Cybertruck, as far as these shows are concerned, is an exemplar of crass taste and poor decisions, a modern car that looks like, to borrow a popular meme, it hasn’t finished rendering. There’s also clearly the post-election correlation of the Cybertruck with Elon’s connection to DOGE, government gutting, and the political divide between those who support MAGA and those who do not. Not to make broad, unsupportable statements, but for the mostly liberal-leaning Hollywood it seems likely that one could equate a character driving a Cybertruck with the word “bad.”

But perhaps more than that, it’s an easy punching bag because, like the DeLorean before it (which was made cool by Back to the Future, though arguably was used as a joke “future” car there, too), it’s not selling well. At all. A recent report from Bloomberg revealed that not only have Cybertruck registrations fallen over 50%, but 18% of sales both in the final quarter of 2025 and first quarter of 2026 have been to Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Meaning Elon’s Tesla is essentially selling cars to itself.

This raises (and perhaps answers) another question: Why is Tesla allowing the Cybertruck to be constantly mocked on TV? It could go back to that old adage that all press is good press if these are media tie-in deals or product placement; in which case, Tesla has approved of the use of the Cybertruck. You could posit that the same people who miss the not-at-all-subtle idea that Homelander (Antony Starr) is the villain of The Boys might see The Deep driving a Cybertruck blasting “Rollin’” and think, “Cool, I gotta get me one of those.”

Far more likely, these shows have just gone ahead and purchased or rented Cybertrucks themselves, which they’re allowed to do under the umbrella of free speech. Per a report from the LA Times, generally car companies don’t like to do product placement deals when those driving the cars are villains, or the cars are wrecked in stunts. With the exception of Tulsa King, one would think Tesla would be hesitant about letting out the Cybertruck to be driven by, say, a homicidal, sexually abusive fish-man.

Ultimately, like the hucksters, con-men and villains who drive Cybertrucks on TV, there’s the underlying thread that perhaps the truck isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. As Dee admits late in the episode on It’s Always Sunny, “I gotta come clean… I think the truck is ugly.”

Whether you think it’s ugly, or the coolest thing on four wheels, for now, at least, it’s an easy way for writers to let the viewers know: This character sucks.

Tesla did not respond to repeated requests for comment on this article. Representatives for The Righteous Gemstones, It’s Always Sunny, and Jury Duty declined to comment, while nobody on Nobody Wants This wanted to do this.

You can chat with Alex Zalben on BlueSky @azalben.bsky.social, or find him regularly yapping on the Comic Book Club podcast.

There's a new flagship TV that's giving all other premium TVs a run for their money. Last year, Hisense pioneered the first RGB Mini-LED TV with its Hisense 116UX model. Granted it was only available as a massive 116" screen that retailed for about $20,000. But this was the first time an LED TV could actually compete - and in some ways surpass - OLED technology.

In April of 2026, Hisense released its second generation iteration of RB Mini-LED tech, the UR9. It's available in more mainstream sizes (65", 75", 83" and 100") and at prices that consumers can actually afford. Hisense couldn't have timed it better; just recently the company has partnered with Terry Crews to be the official sponsor of the World Cup and - short of being in the stadium - what better way to watch the games than hosting them with friends on a stunning big-screen TV.

RGB Mini-LED is essentially the next generation evolution of Mini-LED technology. Traditional mini-LED TVs consist of an array of blue LED that are passed through RGB filters to produced the desired color. RGB Mini-LED TVs use red, green, and blue LEDs instead of just blue, which means the pixels no longer need filters to produce the desired color. The result is more accurate color reproduction, less blooming and, most importantly, a wider color gamut. In fact, the color gamut of RGB Mini-LED surpasses that of OLEDs, since current-generation OLEDs also use color filters combined with blue OLEDs. How does that translate in the real world? It means that you see richer, more accurate colors, smoother gradients and less banding than even OLEDs, especially in 4K HDR content.

RGB Mini-LED TVs have several other features that out-class standard Mini-LEDs. They're brighter (far brighter than OLED TVs), making them perfect for daytime watching in bright rooms with little light control. They offer much better viewing angles, which means everyone you're hosting will enjoy the game wherever they're positioned around the TV. Gamers will benefit from this TV as well. The Hisense UR9 boasts a 180Hz native refresh rate, the highest I've ever seen for a TV, with HDMI 2.1 inputs that will pair seamlessly with a PlayStation 5 console for seamlessly running games in 4K.

TV tech moves at a relative slow pace and I expect to see incremental upgrades in most years. Kudos to Hisense for daring to be innovative and being at the forefront of technology that appears to be more than just marketing hype. The TV is too new for in-depth reviews, but Tom's Hardware's early impressions are promising.

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Lionsgate has tapped Sam Raimi to direct a remake of the 1978 puppet horror movie, Magic, and some of the crew behind Send Help is coming with him.

Deadline reports that the Evil Dead and Spider-Man filmmaker has signed on to reanimate a twisted cult classic for modern audiences after previously being attached only as a producer. The remake will reunite Raimi with writers Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, the scribes behind January's popular horror comedy, Send Help.

"Sam is the dream director for this project—in fact, his coming aboard represents one of the truly great matches of director and material," Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, said in a statement. "The script is fantastic, and we could not be more excited to see Sam’s direction and creative vision take it to another level. We are absolutely thrilled he has chosen to direct the film."

The original Magic premiered in 1978 and starred Anthony Hopkins as both a ventriloquist named Corky and his lively puppet, Fats. Directed by Richard Attenborough and written by William Goldman, 20th Century Fox sold the original tale as a "terrifying love story" about a doll that becomes eager to flip the script and gain control of its master.

Weapons and It producer Roy Lee is on board the Magic remake as a producer, too, as are Chris Hammond and Tim Sullivan. Raimi Productions' Zainab Azizi, who also previously produced Send Help, is back, as well.

Vertigo's Andrew Childs, Nathan Kahane, and Paul Fishkin are attached as executive producers. Lionsgate's Meredith Wieck and Pavan Kalidindi will oversee the movie. The Magic remake's plot, cast, and release date remain a mystery for now.

"That's right... we are running the Send Help gang back for more," Shannon and Swift said in a joint statement posted to their X/Twitter account. "MAGIC is happening and Sam is directing. Rejoice horror fans, this is gonna be insane."

While we wait for updates on Magic, you can read about what we thought of Send Help in our 9/10 review.

"Who wants to go to a deserted island and watch Sam Raimi put Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien through hell? Everybody? Great! Send Help is for you," we said upon the film's release earlier this year.

Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Forza Horizon 6 for PC and Xbox comes out next week (the PS5 edition comes later). This is the perfect excuse for you to finally upgrade from a controller to a bona fide racing wheel. For a limited time, Amazon Resale is offering a used "Like New" Logitech G923 Trueforce Racing Wheel and Pedal Set for PC and Xbox for just $184.79 with free shipping after an extra 20% discount that's automatically applied. It normally retails for $350 new, although it's currently on sale for $280.

Amazon Resale (formerly Warehouse) is Amazon's official account for used goods. The products are sorted by condition, with "Like New" being the best. All Resale items get the same 30-day return policy as buying new.

The G923 is Logitech's mainstream racing wheel that replaces the venerable G920/G29 racing wheels. New to the G923 is TrueForce technology, which offers more precise haptic feedback than the previous Driving Force tech. The force feedback really adds to the immersion, especially compared to a gampad controller; if you want something remarkably better, you'd have to shell out a lot more money for a direct-drive or belt-driven wheel, like Logitech's own $1,000 G Pro.

Other than TrueForce, the G923 is nearly identical to the G29 (PlayStation) racing wheel. It features a hand-stitched leather racing wheel with 900 degrees of rotation, sturdy metal base, durable steel ball bearings in the shaft, gear-driven dual-force motor feedback, stainless shifter and pressure sensitive pedals. The Driving Force Shifter is a compatible add-on that features a solid steel gear shaft and 6-speed short-throw gearbox.

Forza Horizon 6 is out on Tuesday, May 19, but Luke Reilly already gave it a well-deserved 10/10 "Masterpiece" review. The latest iteration of the open-world arcade racing franchise will allow you to traverse the varied vistas of Japan, from the snowswept mountainous paths of the Japanese Alps to the concrete jungle of the Tokyo Expressway. The game will launch with 550 cars for you to customize and tweak, and dozens of single-player and online challenges for you to flex your skill, including the return of the Eliminator battle royale mode.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

In the Grey is in theaters now.

The old adage “the worst thing you can be is boring” is very much underlined with In the Grey, a deathly dull would-be action thriller that feels three times the length of its 97-minute run time.

Though Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal get top billing, the film’s true lead is Eiza González. She plays Rachel Wild, a lawyer whose opening voiceover explains the film’s title in explicit detail, as she talks about how she operates within both legal and illegal and moral and amoral parameters and, yep, outright says she works “in the grey” because that’s just the kind of movie it is.

The film’s paper- thin plot finds Rachel using her skills and the elite team - and bottomless resources and finances - at her disposal to target Salazar (Carlos Bardem), the crime lord who’s stolen a fortune Rachel is tasked with getting back by any means necessary. Her two best agents are Sid (Cavill) and Bronco (Gyllenhaal), who head up the aforementioned illegal side of her operation, using all sorts of tactics to trick, track and hunt those Rachel needs dealt with.

The opening scenes of In the Grey feel very cliche but also don’t stand out as notably bad or unwatchable, as they set the stage for the story, though it does stand out how much González’s voiceover is used to explain how both her job and her larger team works. But as the film continues, it becomes egregious how much the film stays in the same mode it opens in, as it tells, not shows, over and over and over again.

A classic part of a heist or espionage movie is a “this is how our plan will play out” sequence, where we hear how everything is supposed to go for the team’s big operation – often using VO alongside shots of the locations targeted – and get the lay of the land before, inevitably, something goes awry. And those sequences can be super fun and are an appreciated part of the genre. But writer-director Guy Ritchie seems to have the mistaken belief that it would be really fun if a movie was nearly entirely made up of those sorts of sequences, hammering home the technique into monotony.

It is truly maddening how much of this movie is composed of voiceovers from either González or Gyllenhaal explaining what’s going on right now and/or what’s supposed to happen next. It’s not just hand-holding to an extreme degree, it feels lazy and as though Ritchie just didn’t want to figure out any other way to include exposition and simply wasn’t interested in any sort of characterization or personal dynamics, so he skipped as much normal dialogue and character interaction as possible.

Rachel is fierce and shrewd and she’s a shark and… that’s it. There are no other nuances to what we learn about her after what is made quite clear the first few minutes. But that’s better than Sid and Bronco, who are simply there to be generically smart and badass, with zero other layers or reasons to care about them. There is almost nothing in these roles for Cavill and Gyllenhaal to do but glower and yell stock lines about sticking to the plan and getting to the rendezvous point. Given their dueling dullness, it’s curious why these two characters weren’t simply made into one, since there’s so little to make them feel different from one another except that one is British and one is American.

The same goes for their larger team, which includes dudes with names like Baker (Kojo Attah) and Gucci (Jason Wong). Everyone is stoic and super capable, but lacks anything that makes them distinct in personality or skillset. There’s no wit, no charm, and no cool touches for any of these guys.

A film like this usually gets mileage out of how a team of this sort has to improvise and pivot when things go wrong, but this group seem too good and too prepared to ever make things interesting because they really just seem prepared for literally anything. Most of the time, they don’t seem two steps ahead of their enemies, they seem 20 steps ahead, and coupled with them being blank slates, personality-wise, it makes watching them operate boring, no matter how many nameless thugs they shoot or get in car chases with.

Ritchie has had some big highs and lows in his career, and in recent years has been making a lot of movies very quickly that are mostly forgettable. But he’s never made one as dull as In the Grey. It especially stands out that he’s re-teaming with frequent collaborator Cavill here, given these guys have much much livelier – if uneven – films together, like The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

As mentioned, Cavill and Gyllenhaal truly have nothing to work with here, performance-wise, while the naturally likeable González is fine but feels miscast. Though in her mid-30s, she still reads fairly young onscreen in both looks and demeanor, and doesn’t feel like she quite embodies someone meant to be the experienced and dominant leader – her team uses the codename “Mom” for her – as Rachel is intended to be. This is underlined by the presence of Rosamund Pike in a few scenes as a rival of Rachel, given Pike effortlessly exudes the energy Rachel is meant to and feels like she’d be the better casting choice for the role.

Editor's Note: This article is sponsored by Men's Wearhouse.

It's not every day that you need to shop for formal wear, but when it's time, you will likely see incredibly high prices that are a bit hard to swallow. It's getting to be both wedding and spring cleaning season, so if you need a new fit, Men's Wearhouse is a good site to browse. Dress shirts, pants, and suits, especially, are quite expensive in 2026, but thankfully, you can find some great deals right now at retailers like Men's Wearhouse, including 20% off select pairs of items, $129.99 suits, and much more. Check out our picks for the best Men's Wearhouse deals right now, and prepare to be the best dressed this Spring.

One of the best deals you can get from Men's Wearhouse right now is the 20% bundle. When you purchase two of the same category of item, you can instantly save 20% off. This applies to select dress shirts, button-up shirts, polos, casual pants, jeans, and dress pants. There are some great brands included in this promotion, including Joseph Abboud, Kenneth Cole, Calvin Klein, and more.

If you're already shopping for one new pair of pants, grabbing a second and saving 20% is pretty nice. You can instantly have options for even more outfits, plus save a little cash, too.

Springtime is here, and casual wear is essential for social events and casual weekend get-togethers. There are some solid discounts on casual shirts and polos available, with some dropping as low as $19.99. Now is a great time to pick up a new shirt or two and freshen up the wardrobe before we head into May. Plus, there's also some great discounts on winter casual clothing.

In need of a suit in a hurry, but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars? The $129.99 suit deal is a steal for what you get. These two-piece suits come in a variety of colors, including black, tan, brown, grey, blue, and more. If you have a wedding upcoming or a formal event demanding some professional attire, it's hard to beat this deal.

Dress shoes can sneakily be quite expensive, depending on the style, brand, and material. Thankfully, instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a pair, you can score a pair for $59.99 right now. Men's Wearhouse has a variety of brown and black options available, so look no further to take home a solid pair of new shoes for your next formal occasion.

Lastly, dress shirts are an essential piece of any business casual or formal oufit. In my experience, you can never have too many, as dry cleaning can get expensive fast. I've found some solid options available here for $24.99, so you can pick up a few dress shirts for even less than the price of one shirt, depending on the brand. There are solid and patterned shirts available in white, blue, purple, and more.

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

The Steam Deck has now been sold out for a few months, and it's not clear if or when Valve is going to get more stock in. While it's possible that at least some of the 'game console' shipments the company has been getting in could be handhelds, it's possible that Valve just waits until its eventual Steam Deck 2 to ship more handhelds, especially with the Steam Machine seemingly around the corner.

That doesn't change the fact that the Steam Deck, even four years after launch, is still one of the best handheld gaming PCs on the market. It's understanable if folks want to pick it up, especially because for a lot of people, 'Steam Deck' is synonymous with 'handheld PC'.

As the Steam Deck has been out of stock, however, the prices have only gone up. Right now, picking up a new Steam Deck on Amazon is going to set you back around $1,110 for the 512GB OLED model, which is exactly double that handheld's list price. You shouldn't pay that much for a Steam Deck, and even if you were willing to spend that much on a handheld, something like the Lenovo Legion Go S or the Xbox Ally X will cost about the same, but with a higher resolution display, better performance, and double the storage.

Even if you're just trying to find something resembling a Steam Deck for around the same price, the Xbox Ally will have about the same level of performance, but with a more comfortable grip. Although, you will have to use Windows 11, but it's at least better now with the Xbox Full Screen Experience. What's wild, is that when it came out, the Xbox Ally was compared unfavorably with the Steam Deck, because at the time, Valve's handheld just delivered a better value. That just goes to show you how much a product shortage can turn the tables.

There is still a way to get the Steam Deck at a somewhat reasonable price, but you're going to have to brave used listings on Ebay. But even then, you're still paying pretty close, or more, than the Deck's MSRP, and getting it used on top of that – with no real guarantee that it'll even work.

It really is a shame that the Steam Deck is going through this right now. Valve's portable gaming PC made me fall in love with handheld PCs in a big way. Just a few months ago I repeatedly preached to folks that I know that the Steam Deck was the most affordable way to get into PC gaming. Hopefully, when the Steam Deck 2 eventually surfaces, that'll be true again, but until then, I beg you: just get a different handheld. Don't spend these ridiculous markup prices.

Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra

Alienware prices have skyrocketed in 2026. If you head over to Dell's site to find a deal on an Alienware gaming laptop, you're going to be disappointed. Your best bet is to find one elsewhere. Fortunately, there's a rare opportunity to score a huge discount on Alienware's highest end gaming laptop. Thanks to a new coupon that just launched today, you can pick up a used "Like New" Aienware 18 Area-51 18" RTX 5080 gaming laptop for just $2,644.64 shipped after a 15% discount that's automatically applied during checkout. This nearly matches the best deals I saw back in 2025.

Amazon Resale (formerly Warehouse) is Amazon's official account for used goods. The products are sorted by condition, with "Like New" being the best. All Resale items get the same 30-day return policy as buying new.

This particular configuration comes well-equipped with a 18" 2560x1600 300Hz G-Sync display, Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, RTX 5080 16GB GPU, 32GB of DDR5-6400MHz memory, and a 1TB SSD. If you think the amount of memory and storage are insufficient for your needs, rest assured that both are easily user upgradeable.

There aren't very many 18" gaming laptops around, and even fewer that are equipped with the RTX 5080 mobile GPU. Of the ones that are available for purchase at the moment, this is far and away the least expensive deal. In fact, it's one of the only laptops I've found with a price tag under $3,000. Take a look at its competition (and note these are sale prices):

• Alienware 18 Area-51 (same config but new) - $5,099.99
• Razer Blade 18 for $4,100
• Lenovo Legion Pro 9 for $3,860
• Asus ROG Strix Scar for $3,255
• MSI Raider 18 HX for $3,499

The Alienware Area-51 is a considerable upgrade compared to the previous generation's Alienware m16. For starters, it's clad in anodized aluminum for both the lid and bottom chassis and features a unique iridescent finish that sparkles in direct lighting. The frame is made of a durable and lightweight magnesium alloy. Cooling has been upgraded with generous amounts of copper and a new thermal interface. Dell claims that it can handle up to 240W TDP without raising acoustics.

Design-wise, the Area 51 has a sleeker, more contoured shape compared to previous models, with rounded edges and soft corners replacing the traditional squared off design. The hinges are internally positioned so that they're near invisible. There's a transparent window on the undercarriage to show off the internal components. There's also plenty of RGB illumination, although most of it can be turned off if you don't like that sort of thing.

The RTX 5080 mobile GPU is roughly 15%-20% more powerful than the RTX 5070 Ti. Compared to previous generation GPUs, it's actually slightly more powerful than the RTX 4090. With DLSS 4.5 enabled, you should be able to run supported games at 60fps or higher even on the MSI's 4K+ display, including Pragmata and Crimson Desert.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

While folks may picture a certain gentleman spy these days when they hear IO Interactive, fans of Agent 47 and board games may want to listen to this: Hitman: The Board Game is coming, and its campaign is now live on Gamefound.

IGN had a chance to go hands-on with a preview sample to see whether this cardboard adaptation could capture the thrill of the video games. Grabbing my best red tie and bald cap, I eagerly recruited some fellow assassins, and off we went to see who was the best among us. After the blood settled, it was easy to see that even with this small snippet of what's to come, it’s on the right track to succeed in that mission.

Published by Mood Publishing, the same publishers behind the tabletop adaptations of Deep Rock Galactic, Valheim, and Goat Simulator, Hitman: The Board Game, pits up to four players against one another in a race to see who can take out the target first. Along the way, you'll do your best to secure helpful loot around the map, avoid guards, and don disguises all in an effort to complete that task. Think of it like a sort of Anti-Clue (or Cluedo for my overseas friends) where instead of attempting to be the first to deduce the who, what, and where questions of a murder, you are instead racing to pull off said murder and deciding on those things yourself.

The gameplay itself I found to be pretty straightforward, and the friends I brought by to try it out got the gist of things within a turn or two. Turns are composed of drawing an event card that triggers things like moving the target, staff, and guards, or respawning loot resources on the map, followed by the player taking some actions from a pool of possible ones like moving, putting on a disguise, breaking some noses, or playing helpful Agent cards with their one-time effects, all before ending their turn and the cycle repeats with the next hired killer at the table. By the second go-round, the players at my table, consisting of both Hitman vets and not, had a good grasp on how things ran, and we could all just focus on how best to tackle our target.

The big twist, and a large factor when deciding on your next course, is that actions are categorized as either being legal or illegal. Navigating the common areas, scouting around, and drawing those helpful Agent cards, or even “accidentally” dropping that coin nearby to lure staff around, are all perfectly legal and harmless, raising zero suspicion from the attentive staff and guards nearby. However, the moment you move into someplace you aren’t supposed to be in (or at least aren’t dressed the part for) or perform other more incriminating actions like stripping a body for a disguise, hiding a body, breaking property, etc., then you will start drawing attention, with those being classified as “illegal.”

Weighing your options and picking the right moment to perform these actions, positioning yourself or other nearby NPCs so that you won’t be seen committing anything illegal, makes completing your missions far easier and more manageable. It pays to be a silent assassin, as being hidden and inconspicuous makes it easier to take care of enemies too, when you finally do strike.

Combat, much like the rest of the gameplay, is straightforward, coming down to who has the bigger number: you or the NPC. With the exception of the staff (they are just innocent hardworking folk after all), all the guards and enemies have an associated “Alertness” value that you will need to overcome, with each agent having a base attack value of 1. If you're able to sneak up and attack an enemy without their notice – such as being disguised or not found doing anything illegal – the only thing you have to factor in is this alert value. But if the guards attack you or you're found to be doing something illegal, the guards will draw a card from an equipment deck and add its value to their alertness, making them harder to deal with.

Agents aren’t without options of their own, however, thanks to being able to find weapons themselves or discarding certain Agent Cards to boost your own attack value. Other players can even help you out if they wish, but they can just as easily help out the guards instead. These moments reminded my group of playing Munchkin, but thankfully, these interactions here never felt as mean as they do in that dungeon crawler.

The sample I played only featured a small taste of what will be in the full game, with rules and components that are still all works-in-progress and subject to change, but there was still a surprising amount to check out. In the sample box, we could pick from two contracts and one location to mix-and-match, with the final base game promising eight targets and four locations to build out your contract from.

We had plenty of variety even with the smaller offering, thanks to the different perks and unique rooms that the targets Viktor Novikov and Dalia Margolis have. Taking out Dalia requires you to collect Secret Documents that spawn around the map that can be used to either weaken her or lower her ability to spot you (it’s almost like you’re blackmailing her!), which is good because most of your disguises won’t hide your identity from her gaze.

If you feel like reliving the first level from 2016’s Hitman: Showstopper, then take on Viktor during his gala in Paris. Once again, you'll be able to sneak around the luxurious mansion, but just be sure to avoid Viktor, who is always joined by his powerful bodyguard and will take off at the first sign of danger, meaning setting up traps or staying hidden is your best chance with him.

Mood seems to have a solid understanding of how to capture and adapt those qualities that fans of the video games associate with the Hitman series. Many of Agent 47’s classic tricks are here: knocking out enemies and stealing their outfit to disguise yourself, setting traps like poisoning a drink or dropping chandeliers, and even tossing your trusty coin to distract and lure guards out of the way.

Playing the board game gave me much of the same assassin-y goodness that I look for in the Hitman video games. Thought, preparation, and planning feel genuinely important, but much like the source games, things can turn on a dime, and you have to improvise. That twist might come from an unfortunate pull of the cards or a perfectly timed interrupt card held by another player.

Even if you have no idea who Agent 47 is, Hitman still just feels fun to play. Only one of you can be the series’ bald protagonist anyway. The core of this game is much more about the actual gameplay loop – the planning, preparation, and execution of the… execution (pun intended) – with the Hitman backdrop adding to the ambiance in spectacular fashion.

For all that I enjoy about this preview build, it's not it’s without a few areas I hope get tweaked before the final release. As I’ve mentioned, much of the Hitman experience has been adapted pretty solidly to this bio-degradable format, but I find there to be a disappointing lack of any sort of pre-assassination prep phase, as you get in the video games. I would love to have some sort of system that lets you buy some gear before you begin, to help you plan out your mission ahead of time, while keeping it hidden from the other players to keep things extra exciting.

Secondly, considering all of the assassins are masters of their craft, I would like to see some of that come through in their gameplay, as currently the only thing that sets them apart is the art on their standees. There is an optional rule module that you can add on, Opportunity cards, that can provide your character special boons like being able to use tools to improve the damage you deal. But these are randomly drawn at the start of the game, and the possible pool is similar to the event cards, either general or location-based options. Even giving each assassin a small set of unique cards to add into the mix could help.

I also wouldn’t mind more player interaction during the game. The interrupt cards are fun and all, but it feels a bit off that you can’t interact more directly with other players when you’re in a space with them. It would be neat to have the ability to steal an item, or try to knock them out to take their disguise. Or heck, let me get into a larger joint distraction to pull more guards' attention to help other players get away, should there be a co-operative or team game mode. There’s some potential there.

Hitman: The Board Game, even in this early state with its "work in progress" components and rules still in flux, has gotten me excited to see what the full breadth of content will look like when it starts delivering next year. Just the base game alone, with its four locations and eight targets, you would have over 1,500 variations, to say nothing of the randomized room locations.

Already, the success of the Gamefound campaign has unlocked additional cards, as well as a new optional mechanic in the form of Personal Restriction cards that both give you a benefit and a handicap, such as no longer being able to hide bodies, but certain units won’t be able to see through your disguises anymore. And for folks who want even more, expansions adding the Berlin location and three more targets to throw into the mix are on offer too, really kicking up the number of options you have to pick from when the game delivers next year. In the meantime, start brushing up on those sneaking skills, agent, you have people to kill.

Hitman: The Board Game’s campaign is currently live over on Gamefound with a planned delivery date of next year.

Scott White is a freelance contributor to IGN, assisting with tabletop games and guide coverage. Follow him on X/Twitter or Bluesky.

Sony has seemingly started testing a new PlayStation 5 feature that allows users to see player counts for games like Call of Duty, Battlefield 6, Minecraft, and more.

Rumors that the company could soon roll out a new approach to player data began today after YouTuber Mystic shared footage of a new widget with two tracking options: one for trending titles and one for top 10 games. The former seems to track surges in gameplay hours for specific titles, while the latter shows how many players some games had in the last week.

Digital storefronts like Steam have been relatively transparent when it comes to player data — some games have even offered live player counts — but a concept like this would mark a significant change for PlayStation, specifically. As the feature is seemingly part of a beta test, it's unclear if it will materialize into an official feature for all PS5 users in the future or fizzle out, never to be heard from again.

It's the player count tracker that has fans stirring on social media, as these numbers could, theoretically, offer an idea of how popular some PS5 titles are each week. You can see games shared in the list, as well as the number of players they are said to have attracted in the last week, below:

• Apex Legends - 1.72 million
• Battlefield 6 - 1.51 million
• Arc Raiders - 972,000
• Fortnite - 14.6 million
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 – 4.95 million
• Grand Theft Auto 5 – 5.13 million
• Minecraft – 4.97 million
• Marvel Rivals – 1.58 million

There is, of course, much to consider before anyone should use these numbers to measure success. For starters, if Sony does intend to widely launch a PS5 player count widget, there's a decent chance the version of it we see here is nothing like the finished product. The exact source of the above numbers also remains unclear, so while it makes sense to see games like Minecraft and Fortnite charting high, it's hard to say just how accurate these player counts are.

Meanwhile, Sony doesn't seem to spell out exactly how the numbers are gathered, assuming they're even accurate. Details — such as how much time each of these players logged, when exactly they played, or when each week begins measuring engagement — are not currently available.

IGN has reached out to Sony for comment.

Should Sony move forward with bringing PS5 player counts to the public, it will do so nearly six years after its fifth home console originally launched. That said, it's hard to say just how late into the device's lifespan we currently are, as the PlayStation-maker recently stated that it still hasn't determined when the release date for PlayStation 6 will land.

For more Sony news, you can check out what the company had to say following rumors that it would soon enforce a new DRM policy.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

When Marvel ended Star Wars: Legacy of Vader after 12 issues, it was obvious they weren't done exploring Kylo Ren's journey between the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. The publisher has finally revealed what's next for Ben Solo - a new limited series dubbed Star Wars: The Fall of Kylo Ren.

The Fall of Kylo Ren continues to explore Ben Solo's difficult journey in this period as he asserts his control as Supreme Leader of the First Order and butts heads with General Hux and Allegiant General Pryde. Check out Phil Noto's cover to The Fall of Kylo Ren #1 below:

The Fall of Kylo Ren is obviously intended as a bookend to 2020's Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren, which revealed how the troubled Ben Solo first became Kylo Ren and took control of the Knights of Ren. Fittingly, the new series will reunite writer Charles Soule and artist Will Sliney.

Marvel's official logline teases:

THE LEGACY OF VADER CREATES A NEW EMPIRE OF FEAR!

Kylo Ren returns from devastation, wielding total fury! As Generals Hux and Pryde tear the First Order apart with treacherous ambition, Kylo cuts through their schemes with merciless clarity. His wrath forges unity through fear and unleashes a Supreme Leader neither general can escape…nor survive disappointing. A pivotal turning point for Kylo, Hux and Pryde and essential reading for every Star Wars fan.

“The story of Kylo Ren (and Ben Solo, of course) always felt huge to me,” Soule said in a statement. “It was clear that a great deal was out there to explore beyond the moments provided by the films, and it’s been such a pleasure—and a challenge—to deliver new tales for one of the most prominent villains in Star Wars. I’m thrilled I get to do it one more time, and even more so that I get to reunite with the incredible Will Sliney, who kicked things off with me on The Rise of Kylo Ren all those years ago. First the Rise, then the Reign, and now the Fall… it just feels right.”

“This is the one book I have been dying to get back on,” Sliney said. “Ever since Charles and I worked on The Rise of Kylo Ren, we knew we were a part of something special. To be honest, I've never experienced a fan group so excited for the story when we worked on Rise, and quietly behind the scenes, Charles and I had been talking about The Fall of Kylo Ren for a long, long time."

Sliney added, “The story we got to tell in Rise is such a key part in the story of Ben Solo. Fall is the same. I'm thrilled to be back drawing it, I can't wait until this gets out into people's hands.”

Star Wars: The Fall of Kylo Ren #1 will be released on August 12, 2026. You can preorder a copy at your lcoal comic shop.

Star Wars: Legacy of Vader already added plenty of new details to Kylo Ren's story, including revealing why the Knights of Ren were MIA during the first two sequel movies and showcasing a reunion between Ben and the ghost of Luke Skywalker. We even learned what happens when Kylo Ren meets Darth Vader himself. It remains to be seen what new revelations will be contained within The Fall of Kylo Ren.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

One of the nicest ultra-thin gaming laptops has dropped in price thanks a new Amazon Resale coupon ahead of Memorial Day. For a limited time you can pick up a used "Like New" 2025 Razer Blade 14 gaming laptop - equipped with a 14" OLED display and GeForce RTX 5070 GPU - for just $1,931.95 shipped after a 15% discount automatically applied during checkout. This system normally retails for $2,699.99. Amazon Resale (formerly Warehouse) is Amazon's official account for used goods. The products are sorted by condition, with "Like New" being the best. All Resale items get the same 30-day return policy as any other Amazon purchase.

The 2025 Razer Blade 14 measures only 0.6" thin and weighs 3.6 pounds. It features a gorgeous 14" 2880x1800 OLED display with a "razor" sharp 264ppi pixel density and 120Hz refresh rate. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 is a power efficient yet capable gaming and workstation mobile chip with an onboard XDNA 2 NPU for AI applications. It's paired with 32GB of blistering fast DDR5-8000MHz LPDDR5X RAM and a swappable 1TB SSD.

Razer Blade laptops are well known for their impeccable build quality. The chassis is built from a single piece of aluminum and is designed to be exceptionally thin and light for a gaming laptop. In order to get away with the svelte form factor, Razer employs its own proprietary cooling design, which incorporates a vacuum-sealed, liquid-filled, copper vapor chamber to effectively whisk away the heat. Much like Apple MacBook Pros, a lot of engineering goes into a Razer Blade laptop, which is why they command a premium price compared to other mainstream brands.

The GeForce RTX 5070 will run most games at 60fps

The RTX 5070 is a full powered (unthrottled) mobile model with 115W TGP that performs about 5%-10% better than the RTX 4070 that it replaces and the performance gap widens in games that support DLSS 4.5 and multi-frame generation. Despite its thin profile, the Razer Blade 14 can play most games at 60fps or higher even sy 2.5K resolution, although extremely high demand games like Cyberpunk 2077 will require some graphics settings adjustment to get there.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Over the last two weeks, IGN held a fan-voted tournament to determine what you think is the best Gundam in the nearly 50-year history of the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise. We’ve counted up the votes, and one champion has officially been crowned: Mighty Strike Freedom.

Introduced in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom, Mighty Strike Freedom is a combo of the Strike Freedom Gundam Type II and the Proud Defender support craft. The Proud Defender acts as the unit’s backpack, has offensive and defensive capabilities, and allows use of the Disruptor beam cannon and Futsunomitama sword.

It came into being when the Strike Freedom II piloted by Kira Yamato was on the verge of defeat. It was saved just in the nick of time, and Lacus Clyne arrived shortly after with the Proud Defender. The Strike Freedom II docked with the support craft, creating the Mighty Strike Freedom. The upgraded Gundam then repelled the enemy attack, launched a counterattack, and helped put an end to the Foundation Conflict.

We held this tournament in part to celebrate the release of Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe, which just came out in U.S. theaters today. It’s the second chapter of the Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway trilogy and follows the anti-government group MAFTY, led by protagonist Hathaway Noa, in its revolution seeking to overthrow the Earth Federation. Hathaway will have to grapple with questions like when revolutionaries become terrorists, when justice becomes extremism, and when war is worth the trauma it leaves in its wake. And as always, it features some epic mobile suit battles.

Congrats to Mighty Strike Freedom on the win, and thank you to everyone who voted. For all the latest coverage of the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, stick to IGN.

If you’re looking to dive into a new game this weekend, the Premium Edition of Forza Horizon 6 for Xbox Play Anywhere is discounted and available to play ahead of the official release on Tuesday. That’s not all, as a bunch of Switch titles are on sale along with a $10 Nintendo eShop Gift Card. Check out all those deals and plenty more below:

Forza Horizon 6 isn’t set to drop until next Tuesday. However, if you pick up the Premium Edition of the game, you can play the latest entry in the series today. What’s even better is that Newegg is offering 15% off the Xbox Play Anywhere version of the racing game, bringing it to just $101.99. If you’re okay to wait till May 19th and don’t care about getting the full expansion packs and VIP membership, the Standard Edition of the game is also 15% off, costing just $59.49. All you need to do is enter the code “SXVPFH6” at checkout to score these deals.

Xbox Play Anywhere will let you play Forza Horizon 6 on Xbox Series X/S, Windows PCs, and other Windows gaming devices. And you’ll probably want to play it everywhere, as it earned a 10/10 “Masterpiece” rating in our review. Luke Reilly raved, “It’s the best-looking and best-sounding game Playground has produced to date, set in the most wonderfully realised map it’s ever crafted – full of dense, authentic details and stunning driving roads. It’s rewarding to explore, the campaign is well-paced with a great payoff, and I simply cannot stop playing.”

It’s officially grilling season, and Amazon has already launched its Memorial Day Sale, bringing an incredible deal on a Traeger Grills Pro 34 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker. This grill, which delivers that mouth-watering, wood-fired taste, is down to its lowest price of the year. With 6-in-1 versatility to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and BBQ, 884 sq. inch cooking space, and digital temperature control, it’s ready for all your backyard shindigs. Plus, given it’s from Traeger, this grill is built to last.

The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box Preorder, which is shipped and sold by Amazon, is in stock. Now, it’s not exactly an incredible deal at $113.97, but if the price drops further, Amazon has a solid preorder guarantee. With the ETB, you get 9 booster packs, 1 full-art foil promo card featuring Fennekin, 65 card sleeves, 6 damage-counter dice, and more.

Amazon has brought back its deal on the Nintendo eShop Gift Card. So, you can get a $10 gift card for just $8.98 for 10% savings. Given that discounts are few and far between at Nintendo, especially on newer games, it can be a great way to save on purchases you already planned on making. This digital gift card can be used on games, DLC, online memberships, in-game currency, and more in the Nintendo eShop. However, it looks like only two gift cards can be purchased at a time.

Persona 3 Reload for Nintendo Switch 2 is only $29.99 at Best Buy, which is back to one of the lowest prices I’ve seen. At launch, frame rate issues plagued the game, but ATLUS seems to have resolved the problem, so that you can enjoy this classic RPG adventure in all its glory. In our Persona 3 Reload review, Michael Higham gave the game an “Amazing” 9/10 rating and found: “With a stellar visual overhaul and countless small but impactful changes, Persona 3 Reload tells a timeless story of tragedy and hope with sharp emotional sincerity.”

That’s not the only Switch game deal at Best Buy. Check out these other incredible discounts below:

An unbelievably soft and squishy Kirby plushie from Club Mocchi Mocchi is down to its lowest price on Amazon. It’s just $10.90, down 39%, for this officially licensed Kirby riding atop a Warpstar. Whether it’s by your side when you drift off to Dreamland, or you opt to place the 6-inch collectible on a desk or shelf, this Kirby plushie will be a hit with young and old fans alike.

The cute, little Anker 3-in-1 MagSafe Wireless Charging Cube is down to just $64.99 on the Amazon-owned Woot, with free shipping for Prime members. It offers 15W wireless charging to top up an iPhone, and the magnetic charging point also doubles as an adjustable stand up to 60° for easy viewing. Two other wireless charging points are available to top up AirPods and an Apple Watch, and it all folds down to just a tiny 2.5-inch cube for ultimate portability. A 30W USB-C charger and USB-C cable are also included.

Wayfair’s Memorial Day sale has begun, and if you’re looking for a plush place to wind down, a normally $1,800 power lift recliner is down to just $375. Featuring a 22" seat width and 21" seat depth, it’s big and can be challenging for older folks and those with limited mobility to get out of. That’s why there’s a handy lifting feature that essentially dumps you out. The seat back and legrest also extend 150°, while multiple massage points and heating elements are built into the chair, ensuring ultimate relaxation.

The Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition for Switch is at its lowest price of the year on Amazon. With this edition, you’ll get the first six mainline Final Fantasy games all fully remastered. But don’t worry, you’re still getting those pixelated graphics; they're just sharpened to look better on the Switch. The soundtrack also got an orchestral upgrade, and the game now includes options to disable random encounters and boost experience and Gil gains.

Game of the Year 2025 winner Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for PC is down to just $31.99 on Newegg with the coupon code “SSF6834”. That’s the lowest price I’ve seen for this outstanding turn-based RPG. The Steam game code will be sent your email for redemption. In our review, Michael Higham found: “Wearing its inspirations on its sleeve, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 paints itself into the pantheon of great RPGs with a brilliant combat system and a gripping, harrowing story.”

The Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide preorder just got a slight price cut. It’s down to $56.99 from $59.99. If the price drops any further before the August 25th release date, Amazon has a preorder guarantee. Now, this 336-page hardcover book looks impressive, from the ribbon bookmark and handy index to the premium gold gilded edges and Pikachu endpapers. Inside, it’s an encyclopedia full of colorful pictures and fun facts on over 1,000 Pokémon. It truly is a must-have for collectors. The foreword is even written by Tsunekazu Ishihara, President and CEO of The Pokémon Company.

Yakuza Kiwami 1+2 for PlayStation 5 has dropped to its lowest price yet at Amazon and Best Buy. These remakes of the first two Yakuza games in the series offer enhanced graphics, re-recorded audio, and updated gameplay mechanics. If you’re a fan of the series or a newcomer looking to play these games on a modern console, getting these games for just $29.99 is an incredible deal. There are over 80 hours of content to dive into

If you’re looking for more PS5 game deals. Check out these excellent discounts below:

Humble’s $10 Indie Icons Showcase Bundle is next level. With it, you’ll get eight outstanding indie games for just $10. If you bought them individually, it’d be well over $100. Celeste, Starbound, The Witness, and Risk of Rain Returns are just a few of the titles included. The game codes arrive via email for easy redemption on Steam. All of these indie masterpieces are Deck Verified or Steam Deck playable, too.

The DJI Mini 4K Drone Fly More Combo is back down to just $309. Thanks to its lightweight, the drone doesn’t need to be registered with the FAA, so you’re free to fly recreationally. Once you’ve got it up in the air, it can capture stunning 4K HDR video smoothly for up to 31 minutes at up to 4,000 meters. With the Fly More Combo, you’ll also get three batteries, a shoulder bag, and more. If you only care about the DJI Mini 4K Drone, it’s available for $209 when you clip the coupon on the product page.

Danielle is a Tech freelance writer based in Los Angeles who spends her free time creating videos and geeking out over music history.

Full spoilers follow for For All Mankind Season 5, Episode 8, which is streaming on Apple TV now.

It’s kind of late in the game for For All Mankind Season 5 to finally be throwing straight heaters like it’s Season 1 or 2, but better late than never! Rolling with the momentum from the particularly strong episode before it, Episode 8 is easily the high point as we near the end of the season. “Brave New World” has all the hallmarks of For All Mankind at its best: political wheeling and dealing, nailbiting and dangerous flight action, gorgeous shots of outer space (for a show predominantly set on Mars, we’ve been treated to remarkably few of these!), meaty interpersonal drama (replete with, finally, some consistently decent acting), a couple of funny in-universe cultural signifiers sprinkled in that feel meaningful to the era the show is representing, and – last but not least – a big explosion with disastrous consequences.

Despite the collective relief of watching Kelly Baldwin (Cynthy Wu) and the Sojourner crew land on Titan, Happy Valley is feeling the squeeze on its food supply after Dev’s faction blew up the crop domes and the storage silos. But the jailed Russians, Kuragin delegate Irina Morozova (Svetlana Efremova) and Happy Valley governor Lenya Polivanov (Costa Ronin), have it on good authority that the M-6 is weeks away from dissolving, the result of the USSR and U.S. economies being in free fall due to the halted iridium shipments from Mars. With the alliance, and the Russian President Korzhenko, on the way out, Irina and Lenya can all but guarantee a more favorable outcome for the Marsies — if they can hold out for a few more weeks and the SDM agrees to surrender. Big decisions!

Another wrinkle complicating things: Irina has also learned that, in a last-ditch effort to strong-arm Happy Valley into submission, Earth has secretly sent a multinational military crew to the Goldilocks asteroid to retake Kuznetsov Station. On that ship is none other than new OPEF recruit Avery “AJ” Jarrett (Ines Asserson). (Not to mention Connor Storrie doing a Russian accent for five seconds!? What in the Heated Rivalry crossover event is happening?)

The SDM council’s chess move against the incoming force is to destroy the dock at the station with unstable, Anarchist Cookbook-style fertilizer bombs, given their limited resources. Celia Boyd (Mireille Enos) and Lenya do the coolest thing either of them have done all season and volunteer to fly a hopper – with a cargo full of volatile explosives in a raging dust and thunder storm – out from Mars and up to Goldilocks. It’s a truly thrilling sequence that also leads us to some of the nicest space eye candy we’ve been treated to in a minute, as that hopper punches through a sea of rust-colored dust and the camera pulls back to a full shot of Mars before moving off to a thoroughly pock-marked Goldilocks dotted with flood lights and mining infrastructure. A lovely bit of emotional (and certainly expensive) visual storytelling.

And indeed, it’s a pivotal episode for AJ, whose attempts at keeping it together while being haunted by the big red dot of Mars — and her biological dad — are altogether shattered by the explosion on Kuznetsov Station that kills Sergeant Ruiz. It’s like the moment she left Earth’s atmosphere, that woman was destined to face unfathomably awful things – the curse of being a Stevens.

Elsewhere on Happy Valley, Alex (Sean Kaufman) and Lily’s (Ruby Cruz) honeymoon phase is waning as they weather the fallout of the agri-dome explosion and the death of their close friend Gulsora “Gully” Akilmatova. Alex has gone the route of joining the new law enforcement services under Boyd as a medic, which Lily hates. And Lily is roiling, swearing off ever going back to Earth (what about journalism school at Tulane?!). Instead, she channels her anger into finishing Gully’s black-and-white student thesis film, “Astéroïde, Mon Amour” — I’m sorry, but lmao — with her own documentarian bent, filming a Marsie worker who writes protest folk songs. Pretty good tune, though!

Meanwhile on Titan, Kelly is trying to keep the crew on track with troubleshooting the real problems at hand. They’ve landed just a little too far from the initial survey area, making on-the-ground exploring with their oxygen reserves potentially risky. While Kelly and the others attempt to hack out a solution, Walt (Christopher Denham) is spiraling out over where he went wrong when trying to avoid landing on Titan. Kelly very nearly comes clean about her sabotage — until he hands her the reins to the mission. Let’s see if she can throw enough compliments and jangle metaphorical keys long enough to keep Walt from losing it while they’re on the very important quest for life on Saturn’s moon.

Memorial Day weekend isn't this weekend; it's next weekend. But that hasn't stopped Amazon from launching its official sale anyway. The landing page that usually hosts daily deals on the retailer's website has officially been converted over to Memorial Day messaging and you can already check out the full list of deals right now.

Amazon tends to adjust its prices over the course of a sale, so not everything discounted this weekend is everything that will be on sale by next weekend. Amazon has launched its sale earlier than competitors like Target and Walmart, so the prices are likely to get more competitive starting next week.

In the meantime, the one thing that is definitely worth buying right now is Amazon devices. In pretty much every Amazon sale, it's Amazon's own devices that get the steepest discounts. For this year, that includes price cuts on smart security cameras, smart speakers, and Fire TV sticks. Unfortunately, none of the latest Kindle devices are included in the sale at this time.

The other thing to consider checking out now is Amazon's Lightning Deals page. These are discounts that are only available for a limited-time window and will often go out of stock quickly. You don't need to be a Prime Member to take advantage of most of these discounts, but there are some Prime-exclusives you won't be able to access without a subscription.

Memorial Day sales are a great time to buy stuff at a discount, but it's not the biggest sale event of 2026 by any means. Amazon recently revealed that Prime Day would be in June this year, which is earlier than it's been in a really long time. In general, Amazon's Prime Day sale will have better discounts on most items compared to Memorial Day, but will exist in a much smaller time frame. If you can wait to make a major purchase, we'd generally suggest waiting for that sale.

It is worth noting, however, that Prime Day is a Prime-exclusive sales event. That means the majority of the discounts will only actually be available to Prime members during the sale. Other major retailers like Best Buy and Walmart tend to have competing sales during this time, though, so there will be other places to shop for non-Prime members.

Jacob Kienlen is a Senior Audience Development Strategist and Writer for IGN. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his home for his entire life. With a bachelor's degree in communication and 10 years of professional writing experience, his expertise is spread across a variety of different pop culture topics -- from TV series to books and the latest Pokémon games.

NFL teams have been coming up with creative ways to announce their season schedules in recent years, from using memes to parodies to celebrities. For 2026, the Los Angeles Chargers have turned to Halo in order to tell everyone who they'll be playing in the upcoming season.

The team posted a six-minute video, whose introduction notes that the Chargers got permission from Microsoft and that they didn't use any actual gameplay footage. It's modeled after a multiplayer setup screen, with each week's opponent listed as if it was a multiplayer map. They appear to have even hired Halo multiplayer announcer Jeff Steitzer (or a fantastic soundalike) to do callouts for each week, such as "Beast Mode" for the Seahawks matchup in Week 4, complete with a faux Pike Place Market level. Plenty of NFL and pop-culture references are baked in as well, including a subtle nod to the scandal that Week 12 opponent New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is currently mired in.

should we REALLY make our schedule release video in halo?

yes yes yesyes
yesyes yes yes yes
yes yes yes yes yes
yes yesyes yes yes
yes yesye yes yes
yes yes yesyes pic.twitter.com/eusK9QmNGd

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 14, 2026

Halo, meanwhile, will be "on the field" this season, as Halo: Campaign Evolved, the Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved's campaign, is due for release sometime this year. We'll likely get a release date for it at the upcoming Xbox Showcase. Check out our hands-on preview impressions in the meantime.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our semi-retired interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

No matter where Henry Cavill goes, Warhammer 40,000 seems to follow. The former Superman actor, who is a huge fan of Games Workshop’s tabletop wargame and is set to star in the Warhammer 40,000 Cinematic Universe for Amazon, was chatting with fans during a break from filming Highlander in Poland, when he was presented with a special gift from a local store owner: a Custodes box.

For the uninitiated, the Adeptus Custodes are a popular faction within Warhammer 40,000. In the lore, they are the Emperor’s bodyguard, more powerful even than the genetically enhanced Space Marines, resplendent in their gold armor and devoted to protecting the leader of the Imperium of Man. Cavill has spoken of his love of the Custodes before, posting clips on his social media showing off his painting skills — and even leaving books for the Horus Heresy tabletop game strewn about on his table for a photo showing his recovery from a leg injury sustained while filming Highlander.

And so a Custodes box (specifically, the Warhammer Horus Heresy: Legio Custodes Battle Group box) madce for a fitting gift for Cavill, given to him by a games store owner in Lodz, Poland. In a reddit post, store owner BenzOC called it was “a great experience,” and said he wanted Cavill “to have some nice Warhammer memories from our city.” According to BenzOC, Cavill was “very pleased with the present,” and based on the actor’s smile captured in the photo, below, that’s quite the understatement.

Henry Cavill is filming in euro city, guys from LFG paid him a visit and gave him box set of Custodes for autographs
by u/BaronLoyd in Warhammer40k

“Hope he will come back to shoot some Warhammer material here also!” BenzOC added, referencing the Warhammer 40,000 live-action work Cavill is set to kick into gear at some point in the future.

Speaking of which, back in January, Games Workshop addressed the long wait for Cavill’s Warhammer 40,000 Cinematic Universe, insisting that Amazon was in control of the delivery of the adaptation. Games Workshop itself has cautioned fans not to expect to see anything of it for some time, even now, over three years after the deal was announced.

Fans have spent the last few years in a state of enduring excitement about the prospect of finally seeing Warhammer 40,000 brought to life in live-action form across films and TV shows — and with Cavill steering the ship, they’re confident it will be done right.

Hopefully we'll get some details, including who Cavill himself will play, soon. In June last year, Cavill touched on the “complexity” and “trickiness” of adapting the Warhammer 40,000 IP. But, he insisted, he was loving the challenge. Bringing Warhammer to life "is a dream come true," Cavill said, "but it's different from what I've done before, in the sense I haven't had my hand on the tiller of things before. It's wonderful doing that. It is a tricky IP, and a very complex IP, and that's what I love about it. The challenges that come with putting this on the page in a way that is doing justice to that complexity, that trickiness, and that nuance, is a challenge I'm enjoying enormously."

But Warhammer 40,000 wasn’t the only thing Cavill is famous for that followed him all the way to the Highlander shoot in Poland. Another fan said that he was given a script of a The Witcher spinoff book, too.

Comment
by u/BaronLoyd from discussion
in Warhammer40k

Cavill, of course, played Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’s adaptation of The Witcher, and is a huge fan of the games. The Witcher began life in Poland as a series of fantasy novels by author Andrzej Sapkowski, so this was another fitting gift.

As for Highlander, it’s still without a release date, but production is in full swing, and there are plenty of set photos out there that give us an idea of what to expect from the “John Wick with guns” reboot.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Steelseries' flagship headset is the Arctis Nova Elite, which should be obvious from the $600 price tag. Few people are willing to invest that much into a gaming headset no matter how amazing it might be. I've rarely seen any discounts for the Nova Elite since it was released back in November 2025, but thanks to a new Amazon Resale coupon that popped up today, there's a huge discount today that brings the cost much more in line with the competition.

For a very limited time, Amazon Resale is offering a used "Like New" Steelseries Arctis Nova Elite wireless gaming headset for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC for just $415.82 shipped after an extra 15% off discount applied during checkout. Amazon Resale (formerly Warehouse) is Amazon's official account for used goods. The products are sorted by condition, with "Like New" being the best. All Resale items get the same 30-day return policy as any other Amazon purchase.

Steelseries' flagship headset leaves no feature unwanted, as should be if you're going to charge $600 for a gaming headset. I haven't been able to try out these headphones myself (and probably won't be able to afford these for a while), but fortunately Will Judd at IGN recently wrote up a very thorough review. In short, nothing else compares.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite Review by Will Judd

"The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite is the best gaming headset that I've ever tested, offering small, meaningful, and multi-faceted upgrades over the already-excellent Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. As with that model, the key to success here is delivering industry-leading or at least competitive quality in almost every element: audio quality, mic quality, comfort, connectivity, design, software, and features. If you want the ultimate gaming headset at any price – an all-in-one offering that works brilliantly across PC, consoles, and mobile – this is what I'd recommend."

The discounted price of $416 isn't exactly "cheap", but nearly $200 in savings is nothing to scoff at. At this price, it's comparable to Steelseries' more mainstream offerings like the Arctis Nova Pro and the newer Arctis Nova Pro Omni, but this headset is far and away superior to either. If you want one, definitely get it as part of this deal.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Similar to every other high-end GPU on the market, the AMD Radeon 9070 XT graphics card is selling for more than its $599 MSRP this year. Fortunately, it's not as egregiously marked up as Nvidia cards and I've actually noticed that prices are starting to drop back down on the Radeon cards. Ahead of Memorial Day, Amazon is offering the PowerColor Reaper AMD Radeon 9070 XT GPU for just $683.99 with free shipping. This is the best price I've seen all year long for AMD's best new GPU, which performs nearly as well as Nvidia's now-$1,000 RTX 5070 Ti.

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the only 2025-released GPU that we gave a 10/10 score. Even though it costs $150 less than the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, the 9070 XT beats it out in several of the games we tested. In a few benchmarks, the results aren't even close. The 9070 XT approaches the performance of the $1,000 RX 7900 XTX but with better ray tracing and upscaling performance than its predecessor.

This is the least expensive graphics card from either AMD or Nvidia that I would comfortably recommend for playing the latest and most demanding games in 4K at 60fps or higher framerates.

The IGN Deals team has over 30 years of combined experience finding the best discounts and preorders available online. If you want the latest updates from our trusted team, here’s how to follow our coverage:

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Best Buy has dropped some great deals on select games for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 recently. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment for Switch 2, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for Switch, and Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 for Switch are just a few that caught our eye, but you can see even more of our favorites on sale at the retailer right now below.

There's quite a range of discounts here as well. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment for Switch 2, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for Switch, and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds for Switch 2 are all between 29% to 33% off at the moment, but the other three from the list above are actually all 50% off. What better time to grab them?

It's also worth noting that the deal prices for both Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond are only visible after you've added them to your cart.

We have quite a lot of love for these games, too. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and Persona 3: Reload earned 9s in their respective reviews, while Yakuza 0 landed just under with an 8.5. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment came in just below that with an 8 each, which is still well worth celebrating.

If you're looking for even more video game deals, it's also worth checking out Amazon. At the moment, the retailer has some excellent deals for PS5 users to look into. And if you're curious about big sales that are still to come this year, have a look at our rundown of upcoming sales events. Here, you can see a breakdown of what's to come over the next few months, so you can be prepared for more game deals as they drop.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

Forza Horizon 6 has already reached an impressive player count on Steam despite its official launch still being days away.

Although publisher Xbox Game Studios and developer Playground Games won't officially pull their latest open-world racing game out of the garage until next week, those who own the pricier Premium Edition have already started taking advantage of early access, which launched for PC (Xbox App, Steam) and Xbox Series X and S today, May 15. Despite the bundle's $119.99 cost, the Steam version has already reached an impressive peak of 172,093 users (via SteamDB) and is hovering around 160,000 players as of this article's publication.

That puts Forza Horizon 6 head-and-shoulders above the Steam launch for Forza Horizon 5, which managed to pull in a little more than 80,000 players for its all-time peak in November 2021. It's unclear if the Xbox racer is on a path to attract even higher player counts today or through the weekend, but there's a pretty good chance we'll at least see that number go up when its official release date rolls in next week.

Steam, which represents just one slice of the platform pie that makes up the Forza Horizon 6 player base, currently ranks the open-world racing game at number two on its list of top-selling games globally. Subnautica 2, which launched yesterday to even more impressive stats, is the only game above it.

Five years after Xbox and Playground took players to their version of Mexico with the last installment, Forza Horizon 6 finally lets drivers loose in streets inspired by locations in Japan. It's a setting that seems to be at least partially responsible for its roaring success out of the gate following the strong reviews published yesterday. We here at IGN also found a lot to love about Playground's latest, as we called it a "Masterpiece" in our 10/10 review. "The new standard in open-world racing is here, and it’s a gundamn masterpiece," we said.

If you're playing, you might have noticed that shrines, temples, and cherry blossom trees are indestructible. Well, there's a very good reason for that.

The base Forza Horizon 6 experience launches across PC and Xbox Series X and S on May 19, 2026, and costs $69.99. You can catch up on everything you need to know about the Xbox game's launch plans here. You can also check out the first Festival Playlist rewards ahead of their launch May 21.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Forza Horizon 6 finally brings the racing series to Japan. Players can cruise around a highly detailed, stylized and condensed version of the country, taking in everything from downtown Tokyo, famous landmarks, and scenic country roads in all seasons as they test their mettle against other racers.

The game also rewards you with experience points for letting out that road rage by smashing your car into other vehicles or your surroundings. However, The Japan Times’ recent interview with design director Torben Ellert revealed that while you can destroy most things in Forza 6 by crashing into them (whether on purpose or because you understeered on a hairpin bend), culturally important things like shrines, temples, and cherry trees are indestructible.

“Almost all trees in the game are smashable to ensure that traversing the world map is both fun and rewarding,” Ellert explains. “However, several tree types are not — for example, the cherry blossom trees — because they’re an iconic element of Japanese culture. Certain temples or other cultural elements are also excluded so that players aren’t tempted to drive through shrines or locations of cultural importance.”

Cherry blossoms are historically and culturally important in Japan, often appearing as a key symbol in Japanese literature, art, and poetry. Their pink blossoms are a sign of rebirth and the coming of spring, but also a reminder of how fleeting life is. In ancient times, farmers made offerings and held feasts underneath the cherry trees in the hope that the spirits of the fields would bring a good harvest. In the 800s, the emperor and nobles also kicked off a tradition of holding parties to admire the cherry blossoms. These traditions have evolved into modern day hanami — cherry blossom viewing parties where people have picnics under the trees and enjoy the blossoms.

Cherry blossom trees in real life can be easily damaged. Tampering with or shaking the branches of cherry blossom trees in public parks is punishable by fines in Japan. Furthermore, some of the countries’ oldest trees are over 1,000 years old and protected as natural treasures by the government (like Uozumi Zakura in Gifu). Consideration for their cultural importance explains why UK studio Playground Games decided to make cherry trees invincible in Forza Horizon 6.

As for shrines and temples, last year, Assassins Creed Shadows received heavy pre-release backlash in Japan due to a preview that showed that players could smash up shrines. Ubisoft addressed this in a day-one patch that made shrine objects indestructible and prevented unarmed NPCs from bleeding when attacked (thus preventing bloodshed on sacred grounds). Forza Horizon 6’s devs have opted to be culturally sensitive regarding what the player can do to religious and cultural sites.

“Japan has been on our shortlist for several games now,” Ellert told The Guardian. “But we just didn’t feel like we were ready to take on the challenge of building it.” The team conducted in-depth research for the game, right down to the smallest details, hiring experts including cultural consultant and former Porsche ambassador Kyoko Yamashita to advise on their depiction of Japan and its racing scene. “Because it’s a culture we see a lot, there’s a temptation to think you know it better than you do, which is why we tried really hard to get people to course correct us if we were drifting,” added Ellert.

While those who pre-ordered the premium edition of Forza Horizon 6 are already burning rubber, the game officially releases on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on May 19. While you wait, check out IGN's Forza Horizon 6 review.

Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.

Car dashcams have their uses. They can come in handy for recording accidents when nobody wants to take the blame, or for monitoring your parked car from unwanted bumps and bruises while you're out and about, or simply for capturing videos of your next scenic roadtrip from a unique perspective. Nowadays high quality dashcams don't have to be expensive, nor do they require a professional to install.

Wolfbox is a well-known brand amongst the dashcam community. It's popular because it offers high quality products at an accessible price. As part of its early Memorial Day Sale, Amazon is offering a Wolfbox X3 Pro front and rear 2.5K dashcam bundle for just $119.99 with free shipping after you apply coupon code "WBX3PRO20". You don't need to be an Amazon Prime member to take advantage of this deal. This bundle comes with everything you need to get recording, including a memory card, all necessary cables, and even a trim tool to route your wiring.

The Wolfbox X3 Pro consists of two cameras: a 2560x1440 60fps front dashcam and a 2560x1440 30fps rear camera. Both front and rear cameras are equipped with the Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675 image sensor, which is well-regarded for its impressive low-light performance and is usually found on more expensive dashcams. The front camera also employs electronic (digital) image stabilization to compensate for vibrations.

Installation is pretty easy. Power is supplied via a USB-C adapter cable that plugs into an available cigarette lighter or 12V DC power outlet. The two cameras are also connected via another USB-C cable, and the kit includes a plastic trim tool to help you route it discreetly within your car panels. The cameras are mounted to the windshields via a simple bracket. A 64GB memory card is also included so you can get up and running without purchasing any additional accessories.

The dashcam connects to a smartphone app via 5.8GHz WiFi. From there you have control over a plethora of features, including advanced driver assistance alerts (ADAS), loop recording, parking surveillance, and more. Alternatively, you can configure the dashcam using the touchscreen interface or with voice control. Wolfbox includes a 1 year warranty.

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Few character designs have quite the striking, haunting appeal of the Skeksis villains in Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal. Now, Dark Crystal super-fans have the opportunity to own an incredibly detailed Chamberlain Mask, based on that iconic villain from the film.

Check out the slideshow gallery below for an exclusive first look at Bit Bot's Chamberlain Mask:

The Chamberlain Mask is a highly detailed latex mask sculpted and hand-painted by the artists at Oktober Studios. Each mask includes an exclusive 4" x 6" art print from artist Preston Asevedo.

“We’re honored to collaborate with The Jim Henson Company to bring one of the most iconic characters from The Dark Crystal to collectors in a premium format,” said Joshua Viola, Bit Bot co-owner, in a statement. “Our goal with this Chamberlain mask was to create something that feels authentic to the artistry of the original film while offering fans a high-end collectible worthy of display.”

The Chaberlain Mask is priced at $150 and is limited to just 250 units worldwide. The mask is slated for release in Fall 2026. You can preorder one from the Bit Bot store.

For more awesome collectibles, check out our hands-on impressions of the new animatronic Grogu figure and see Dark Horse's latest The Witcher statue.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Publisher 2K has announced its brick racing game Lego 2K Drive will be delisted from digital storefronts on PC and console starting May 19, 2026.

A message alerting players to the delisting was published on the game's Steam page and shared online today. The same text can be found on the Xbox and PlayStation Store pages.

Players will be able to purchase Lego 2K Drive digitally until it is removed from online shops, this Tuesday. Although it will remain available to play and redownload after this date, 2K added that multiplayer servers will also go offline starting May 31, 2027. All online services tied to the game will be unavailable from then on.

Developer Visual Concepts launched Lego 2K Drive May 19, 2023, for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X | S. Its gameplay aims to click players into the open-world land of Bricklandia to race, build vehicles, and compete to earn the big prize in story mode.

"In LEGO 2K Drive, your awesome transforming vehicle gives you the freedom to speed seamlessly across riveting racetracks, off-road terrain, and open waters," an official description reads. "Explore the vast world of Bricklandia, show off your driving skills, and build vehicles brick-by-brick!"

Although multiplayer features will be shut down in a little more than one year, offline features will remain available to players who own the game. Those interested in picking up Lego 2K Drive before the delisting can purchase it for $19.99.

We gave the Lego racing game an 8/10 review upon its release in 2023. At the time, we called it a "wild and whimsical all-ages kart racer with an incredible custom vehicle creation tool that’s just about worth the price of admission alone." As Lego 2K Drive leaves digital stores, the gamers supporting the Stop Killing Games initiative are still fighting to keep the games they love (and even the ones they don't) around for years to come after reaching 1 million signatures last year.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

James Bond: the ultimate spy. The secret agent that other secret agents check under the bed for at night, although that’s probably less to do with their concerns about his martial arts prowess and more about his penchant for sexual congress. Hey, honey, whose Aston Martin is that in the driveway? And why is it beeping?

At any rate, conceived by WWII British Naval Intelligence officer Ian Fleming as a cocktail of the many killer elite commandos and secret agents he met during his time in the service, the iconic James Bond has clearly come a long way from his literary beginnings in 1953. Bond quickly migrated from the pages of Fleming’s novels to radio plays, comic books, and – of course – a film series that’s lasted over 60 years. There aren’t many movie franchises that have been around longer. Not this side of Godzilla, at least.

Now, James Bond’s video game history obviously isn’t quite as storied as his silver screen exploits, but it still stretches back well over 40 years. So, whether you’re unfamiliar with Bond games, or you’re just after a quick refresher, we’ve assembled a full history of James Bond games right here, so all you need to do is pour yourself a dry martini and slip into something more comfortable.

To uncover the very first James Bond game we need to go back to 1982, but there is a slight twist to it. 1982’s Shaken but Not Stirred! was developed and published by Richard Shepherd Software for the ZX Spectrum computer, an underrated icon of 8-bit gaming that played an instrumental role in the home computer revolution – and helped inspire an entire generation of UK game designers in the process. Richard Shepherd, a certified accountant, was one such man. Urged on by his wife, Elaine – who suggested he look into adventure games after she’d been shown one while visiting a work client – Shaken but Not Stirred! came together as a classic text adventure.

In 1982, text adventure games were at the peak of their popularity – and the genre was the only real way to have complex adventures in interactive form at the time. ‘Complex’ may be a slight overstatement when it comes to Shaken but Not Stirred!, though it is bizarrely impenetrable at times. That is, I began the game by being instantly abducted and shot dead, before being reincarnated by the game designer, and I left sometime after getting lost in a randomised ocean and shooting my second octopus.

However, what’s particularly interesting about Shaken but Not Stirred! is that it was never actually an official Bond game at all. Richard Shepherd Software never had the rights to make an official Bond game, something that seems obvious when you note Moneypenny’s transparent name change – but admittedly less so when ‘Miss Cashcoin’ is introduced directly beneath the sentence “A James Bond Adventure.”

Yes, perhaps – especially since, by 1982, the Bond license had already been secured by Parker Brothers. Unfortunately for Richard Shepherd Software, the American toy and board game giant was ramping up its video game efforts at the time after snatching up the lucrative rights to publish Star Wars games, and Bond was another hot property it jumped on. Resultingly, Shaken but Not Stirred! was rapidly re-issued as Super Spy and, in 1983, Parker Brothers released what’s technically the first official Bond video game: James Bond 007, for Atari, ColecoVision, and Commodore 64. A version called 007 James Bond was also released in Japan for the SG-1000, Sega’s first-ever home console.

James Bond 007 is a side-scrolling vehicle shooter with three or four levels, depending on the version you played. Each is extremely loosely based on a moment from four Bond films released between 1971 and 1981: The Spy Who Loved Me, Diamonds are Forever, Moonraker, and For Your Eyes Only. You don’t control Bond himself so much as you control a transforming Bond car, although it realistically spends most of its time as a kind of jumping submarine.

James Bond 007 otherwise plays like a short and safe clone of existing side-scrolling vehicle shooters from the dawn of the ’80s, and you can certainly argue the bulk of the Bond flavour comes from the 007 logo slapped on the front. The official license did, however, bring along with it the opportunity to use the Bond theme for the first time – which is an admittedly crucial component of the Bond experience.

1985 arrived with two separate Bond games, both based on A View to a Kill. It was the new Bond film for that year, and the final featuring Roger Moore.

The first is an action game for a variety of home computer platforms, including ZX Spectrum, Amstrad, and Commodore 64.

Published by Domark Software – a short-lived company that spent the late ’80s and early ’90s publishing only Bond games before merging with Eidos in 1996 – its version is broken up into three chunks. It opens with a driving level, which is followed by two rudimentary action sections. The three-games-in-one approach was novel enough, but ultimately the game was not especially well-received.

A View to a Kill’s other game tie-in was a text adventure for MS-DOS, Apple II, and Macintosh, and one of the first games published by Mindscape. Interestingly, A View to a Kill’s text adventure was written by Texas author Raymond Benson. 12 years later Benson would be tapped to take over writing duties for the continuation of the James Bond novel series, stepping in for the retiring John Gardner who had stewarded the Bond books throughout the ’80s and ’90s.

Benson would go on to contribute to the next Mindscape Bond game in 1986, which was another text adventure for the same platforms – this time based on 1964’s Goldfinger.

However, while Mindscape returned to a past Bond adventure, Domark decided to remain in the present with its 1987 tie-in for Timothy Dalton’s Bond debut: The Living Daylights.

For The Living Daylights, Domark opted for a traditional, side-scrolling shoot’em up approach, developed for what appears to be just about every major home computer system of the era. The result wasn’t revolutionary, but it was a considerable step-up from A View to a Kill.

Beginning with Bond’s training exercise against the SAS in Gibraltar and ending in the villainous Whitaker’s mansion, The Living Daylights might be a bit basic, but it at least effectively mirrors the plot of the movie upon which it's based. The ability to choose a different weapon before each level also adds some additional replayability.

With no new movie in cinemas in 1988, Domark’s next Bond game for home computers was loosely inspired by 1973’s Live and Let Die – which had been the first to feature Roger Moore. The key word here is loose, as Live and Let Die is exclusively a… speedboat shooter.

While it’s true the iconic speedboat chase is one of the most memorable moments of Live and Let Die, basing a whole game around it stretches the concept to breaking point. It has just four levels, only the last of which is ostensibly focused on disrupting Dr. Kanaga’s drug operation. The remainder are extra training levels set about as far away from the setting of Live and Let Die as you can get. How far? The Sahara Desert, and the North Pole.

However, there is a reason that Live and Let Die barely feels like a Bond game, and that’s because it was never meant to be one. In truth, Domark simply got wind of a speedboat shooter at UK software house Elite Systems called Aquablast. Domark subsequently pulled the plug on a boat blaster project it already had on the boil with a different developer, slapped a 007 logo on Aquablast, and published that instead. It seems Live and Let Die was always going to be stuck in a boat, but going with Elite got it done faster.

In 1989, Timothy Dalton’s second and unfortunately final Bond film hit the big screen, and Domark unsurprisingly had a game to coincide with it. Licence to Kill, again developed for all major home computers of the era, was yet another new approach for a Bond adaptation – this time it was a top-down, vertically-scrolling shooter. It was rather tricky, but arguably serviceable enough compared to similar games of the era. 1989 also saw a light-gun enabled version of 1987’s The Living Daylights bundled into Amstrad’s Christmas relaunch of the Spectrum +2.

The James Bond 007 Action Pack included two generic shooting gallery games to justify the inclusion of the Magnum Light Phaser, though neither are worth remarking on.

In 1990, Domark again resurrected a slice of the Roger Moore era with The Spy Who Loved Me for home computers, which is perhaps notable for having the funkiest remix of the Bond theme ever partially stolen from Run-D.M.C., Rob Base, and DJ E-Z Rock.

The Spy Who Loved Me was a Spy Hunter clone: a top-down, vertically-scrolling vehicle shooter that has a few flourishes to call its own, but overall is pretty similar to Midway’s 1983 classic. The comparison is potentially a little unfair considering how heavily inspired Spy Hunter was by James Bond in the first place – down to the Interceptor’s suspiciously close resemblance to Bond’s iconic white Lotus Espirit – but either way The Spy Who Loved Me was certainly a little derivative.

1990 also saw the arrival of Interplay’s 007 James Bond: The Stealth Affair, a point-and-click adventure for Amiga, Atari-ST, and MS-DOS – which was officially licensed but wasn’t actually a bona fide Bond game at its core. The Stealth Affair had previously been released in Europe as a Bond-adjacent adventure called Operation Stealth, starring CIA agent John Glames. For the North American release, Interplay simply changed Glames to Bond, but left him taking orders from the CIA rather than MI6.

On the topic of Bond games that aren’t quite Bond games, in 1991 THQ’s James Bond Jr. – developed by Eurocom – was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System. A distinct (and worse) Super Nintendo version, developed by Gray Matter, arrived in 1992. If you’re unfamiliar with James Bond Jr, it was a cartoon series that ran for around six months back in the early ’90s focusing on the nephew of James Bond; a man who is canonically and famously an only child, and not an uncle to… anyone.

1992 also saw the release of a completely unofficial adaptation of the Roger Moore film Octopussy, developed by a Bratislava-based studio and released only in Slovakia. Octopussy was the final Bond game for the then-ancient ZX Spectrum and, while the game was totally unlicensed, it’s certainly possible it helped shift a few more systems down in central Europe before it was discontinued that same year.

1992 additionally marked the arrival of the final Bond game from Domark: James Bond: The Duel. It was released on Sega consoles – first for Mega Drive in Europe in late 1992. A North American release on Genesis followed in early 1993, as did a version for the Master System, and a Game Gear version emerged in 1994. It was made by the same internal development team at Domark that made The Spy Who Loved Me, which I didn’t mention before, but was rather ironically known as The Kremlin.

James Bond: The Duel is notable for being an original Bond story – that is, not based on a film or book – that nonetheless features the official Bond of the era. In this instance, it’s the likeness of Timothy Dalton, several years after his final big screen appearance. Dalton was intended to make a third film, but legal issues between MGM and the film’s producers dragged on for too long and the actor hung up his Walther PPK. There’s no denying that James Bond: The Duel remains an indefensibly boring title that captures none of the intrigue or charm of an actual Bond novel or movie name, but the game itself is a passable action platformer – even if it is hilariously seedy that Bond’s means of replenishing his health is rescuing blondes.

In 1995 we got a new Bond in Pierce Brosnan, and a new film with GoldenEye. What we didn’t get, however, was a game. Not initially, anyway; not after the commercial failure of the Virtual Boy saw Nintendo cancel a Bond driving game based around GoldenEye. No, the actual GoldenEye 007 as we all know it wouldn’t come until two years later, but it would change everything.

Developed by legendary UK software house Rare and published by Nintendo itself for the Nintendo 64, 1997’s GoldenEye 007 was lightning in a bottle. With a rookie director Martin Hollis at the helm, GoldenEye was eventually assembled by a small team of around a dozen developers with no meaningful experience building a shooter. In fact, eight members of the team had never even worked on a commercial game before.

To say that there were a variety of factors conspiring against the success of GoldenEye 007 would be an understatement. It wasn’t just a movie tie-in; it was a late movie tie-in. Hell, Brosnan’s second Bond film – Tomorrow Never Dies – was already complete and set to hit cinemas later in 1997. Furthermore, GoldenEye 007 was a first-person shooter, which was a genre that mainstream console gamers had yet to prove they had a real appetite for. FPS games simply had no firm footprint on consoles at that stage.

On top of this, the team was missing deadlines, and began working 100-hour weeks in the lead-up to launch. The multiplayer mode was squeezed in just six months out from release. Expectations for GoldenEye 007 were low. Even esteemed Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto was unconvinced, with a fax to Rare late in development warning of his unease with the amount of close-up killing and suggesting that the team consider having Bond visit his vanquished enemies in hospital at the end of the game to shake hands with them.

Thankfully, the team at Rare opted against this advice, and the result was more than just the greatest Bond game to date; GoldenEye 007 is frequently regarded as amongst the greatest games ever made. It was a smart and layered story-based shooter with an absolutely essential splitscreen component that literally revolutionised the genre.

GoldenEye 007’s multiplayer, which was brimming with characters, weapons, and clever modes, may have come about as almost an afterthought, but it became the template for four-player FPS fun – years before the internet would swoop in and try to crush same-screen shenanigans. Slappers only, anyone?

GoldenEye 007 wasn’t the first FPS to hit consoles, but its immense success gave the genre a whole new trajectory. It even helped pioneer the idea of dual analogue controls, since one control scheme allowed gamers to play using a separate N64 controller in each hand. Following this, using two analogue sticks to control an FPS on console quietly made its way into the original Medal of Honor as an alternate preset, and it was still very contentious by the time it appeared as the default control solution in 2000’s Alien Resurrection. The controversy is quaint in retrospect, considering how surprising an FPS without dual analogue controls would be today.

Ultimately, GoldenEye 007 sold more than eight million units, grossing $250 million dollars on a budget of just $2 million. Globally, it is the third highest-selling N64 game on the console. In the US, it’s the bestselling N64 game ever. It is far and away the single most important game in this list, and we could talk about it for a good deal longer if we didn’t have so many more games still to get to. After a gutbusting development period, Hollis and a few of his team declined an offer to make a sequel to GoldenEye 007 and, regardless of Rare’s plans, EA swooped in and reportedly “dramatically outbid” all comers for the Bond license, anyway. As such, the Bond games moved on without Rare, and so must we.

Following Nintendo’s James Bond 007 in 1998 – a top-down, RPG-style adventure for Game Boy – Bond began a lengthy tenure at EA.

The first game was 1999’s Tomorrow Never Dies. Developed by long-defunct Black Ops Entertainment and published exclusively on the original PlayStation, Tomorrow Never Dies was initially intended to be called Tomorrow Never Dies: The Mission Continues and pick up where the movie left off.

While the final product was extensively reworked to follow the plot of the film instead, it was a very different sort of game to GoldenEye 007. For one, it was an entirely conventional third-person shooter, as opposed to a trendsetting first-person shooter. Two: it had no multiplayer whatsoever.

And three? It wasn’t very good.

EA was able to effect somewhat of a course correction with its next attempt, which was based on The World Is Not Enough. Three separate versions of the game were produced – one for PlayStation and one for N64 in 2000, and a clunky and forgettable Game Boy Color version in 2001.

The World Is Not Enough on PlayStation was again developed by Black Ops Entertainment, which immediately pivoted from its Tomorrow Never Dies approach and built The World Is Not Enough as a first-person shooter. The result was undoubtedly an improvement, but the solid but scrappy PlayStation version again had no multiplayer. The original PlayStation only had two controller ports compared to the N64’s four, and perhaps asking PlayStation owners to wear the additional expense of purchasing a Multitap was too optimistic to ask for.

At any rate, The World Is Not Enough on PS1 paled in comparison to the N64 version which, funnily enough, was built by James Bond Jr. developer Eurocom. The World Is Not Enough on N64 doesn’t carry the same esteem as its predecessor, but it still packed four-player splitscreen multiplayer – this time with optional bots – and was nonetheless an excellent shooter for its time.

2000 also saw the release of 007 Racing, a PlayStation-exclusive action driving game that played out from entirely behind the wheel of a fleet of recognisable Bond vehicles. Developed by Eutechnyx, the developer of PS1 racing games like Total Drivin’ and Max Power Racing, 007 Racing was a good concept for resurrecting the idea of a SpyHunter-inspired, vehicle-based Bond game – but it was impossible to recommend over something like the Driver series, which was the king of 3D action driving at the time. A sequel to 007 Racing was planned but never eventuated.

The turn of the century brought with it exciting new consoles with the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube, and alongside this new hardware came a new era of Bond games – beginning with James Bond 007 in Agent Under Fire.

Agent Under Fire initially began life as the PS2 and PC versions of The World Is Not Enough. However, after development delays – and concern that interest for the film would’ve cooled off too much by the time it was released – The World Is Not Enough for PS2 was rebuilt into a new and original Bond adventure, albeit one that didn’t actually feature Pierce Brosnan as Bond this time around. This should be immediately clear from badly-lit Bond on the box art, which looks as if someone’s tried to take a picture of 007 without using a flash.

Released on PS2 in late 2001, and ported to GameCube and Xbox in 2002, Agent Under Fire was a short but solid Bond shooter – and far better than its fractured development might have suggested it should have been. Developed internally at EA, Agent Under Fire’s mix of first-person blasting and driving missions – which were more robust than one might expect thanks to EA’s Need for Speed experience – was entertainingly slick based on the standards of the era. It even introduced optional, cinematic-inspired flourishes throughout the action called Bond Moments, where keen-eyed players could tackle certain moments throughout the levels with a well-aimed shot or smart decision. Speaking of smart decisions, Agent Under Fire also boasted four-player splitscreen on all consoles, with usable jetpacks, no less.

EA followed Agent Under Fire with James Bond 007: Nightfire in 2002, which added Pierce Brosnan’s likeness back into proceedings, albeit not his voice. The home console versions were led by Eurocom, and the result was a slightly more refined evolution of Agent Under Fire that has the distinction of being the first Bond game with its own original song, and the first time we got to see an Aston Martin turned into a submarine.

In confusing circumstances – especially since Nightfire is typically considered one of the strongest Bond games in the history of the series – Nightfire’s PC port is an entirely different game to Eurocom’s console version, and it’s terrible in contrast. Developed by Gearbox, Nightfire on PC runs on a totally different engine, features no driving levels, and is regularly broken.

Indeed; let’s.

EA subsequently made a risky pivot, and 2003’s James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing arrived as a third-person shooter. In other words, EA had opted to follow up Nightfire, an otherwise well-received first-person shooter, by returning to territory previously soiled by the disappointing Tomorrow Never Dies. The shift to third-person probably represented better value to the EA beancounters – after all, if you’re going to pay for Pierce, you may as well try to put his head on screen as much as possible. But it certainly didn’t represent a sure-fire strategy.

Fortunately, it worked. Everything or Nothing was the best-looking Bond game to date, with a lengthy set of levels, explosive action, and quality driving missions. It also had a stacked cast of voices AND likenesses, featuring not only Bond alumni Brosnan, Judi Dench, and John Cleese, but also Heidi Klum, Shannon Elizabeth, and Richard Kiel as the famous Jaws. EA even got Willem Dafoe on deck to play the villain.

However, while the single-player component of Everything or Nothing was pleasingly strong, the multiplayer wasn’t quite up to the same standard. While Everything or Nothing introduced a fun, but slightly less-polished, co-op mode, the GoldenEye-inspired brand of four-player, FPS deathmatches was cast aside.

Unfortunately, after a robust three-year run, EA fumbled the bag with 2004’s GoldenEye: Rogue Agent for PS2, Xbox, GameCube, and DS, which was a disappointingly bland and cynical attempt to marry mid-2000s edginess with a recognisable brand.

Set in an alternate Bond timeline, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent is an FPS that follows an ex-MI6 agent who, after being ejected from the service for being reckless, recklessly joins forces with a host of Bond villains, including Goldfinger and Scaramanga – most of whom betray him. Lacking in the swagger or spirit of a true Bond game, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent also had the misfortune of being a first-person shooter released in November 2004 – the same month as Halo 2 and Half-Life 2.

For clarity, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent has absolutely nothing to do with the 1995 film or the N64 classic. It’s just called GoldenEye because the main character has… a golden eye.

Despite ending with a clear sequel tease, that was the end of the road for the GoldenEye: Rogue Agent experiment, and EA’s final Bond game in 2005 was a return to how things were before – and in more ways that one. That is, not only was it a third-person shooter like Everything or Nothing; EA turned the clock way back to 1963 for an adaptation of the Sean Connery classic From Russia With Love – starring Connery himself, no less, in his video game debut.

Developed for PS2, Xbox, GameCube, and the PSP, From Russia With Love was perhaps a little shallow overall, but its ’60s setting oozed charm and it was a significant step up from GoldenEye: Rogue Agent.

Unfortunately, the fun was just about to come to a dead end.

In May 2006 it was announced that Activision had acquired the Bond video game license. After a pair of spin-offs and half-a-dozen mainline entries, the EA cadence of yearly Bond games fans had enjoyed was suddenly over.

Unfortunately, things haven’t been quite the same ever since. In 2008 Activision released Quantum of Solace on a host of platforms, including PS2, Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, and even DS. It was fine enough, but Daniel Craig’s video game debut was otherwise pretty unremarkable, even by contemporaneous standards.

Things did improve a little in 2010, with the release of two separate games: Blood Stone, developed by Bizarre Creations for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, and a remake of GoldenEye 007 for Wii by Eurocom. Both games also had a DS version built by n-Space.

Blood Stone, an original Bond adventure featuring the voices and likenesses of Daniel Craig and Judi Dench, was a third-person shooter with a variety of driving sequences – the latter being a natural fit for the studio behind the Project Gotham Racing series. It was a well-produced action game, but it just wasn’t a long or revolutionary one.

GoldenEye 007 on Wii fared better. Replacing Pierce Brosnan with Daniel Craig and updating the story made for a pretty… iffy reimagining of the source material, but it gathered a good deal of praise for being one of the better first-person shooters for the Wii. For Bond fans without a Wii, GoldenEye 007 was ported to PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2011.

But then, in 2012, we got 007 Legends.

007 Legends, for PS3, Xbox 360, PC, and Wii U, was the last Bond game published by Activision. Unfortunately, it was also the last ever game made by regular Bond developer Eurocom, which was shut down less than two months after the game’s release, after 25 years of operation.

Released to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the film franchise, 007 Legends had grand plans to celebrate the entire series, and its single player campaign was built to contain missions from films featuring all six different Bond actors. That is, Goldfinger for Sean Connery, On Her Majesty's Secret Service for George Lazenby, Moonraker for Roger Moore, Licence to Kill for Timothy Dalton, Die Another Day for Pierce Brosnan, and Skyfall for Daniel Craig. However, like the GoldenEye 007 remake, it simply used Daniel Craig’s likeness in place of all the previous actors.

Unfortunately the end result was a tepid Call of Duty clone that did very little to capture the spirit of Bond, and even less to translate what fans love about these films.

007 Legends doesn’t just misunderstand Bond; it gets him totally wrong. Hell, he even completely flubs his most famous line, “Bond. James Bond.”

Mowing down mooks with a mounted minigun may be pretty typical shooter stuff, but it isn’t what James Bond is about. He’s a spy, not a super soldier. There are parts of 007 Legends you can play by keeping a low profile, but they mainly boil down to slinking around slapping blokes on the arse so firmly they die.

All Activision Bond games were suddenly pulled from Steam and the publisher’s own web store in January 2013. The move, which happened less than three months after the release of 007 Legends, came completely unannounced and without explanation. Since Activision originally announced its deal with MGM was supposed to last until 2014, the premature termination of the license led to speculation that things had soured significantly.

The spirit of Call of Duty killing James Bond was deeply ironic considering it’s been suggested that the James Bond game series very nearly prevented the Call of Duty series from ever happening in the first place. That could have happened if EA had partnered with Call of Duty creators Vince Zampella and Jason West, who had pitched for the PC port of Nightfire back in the early 2000s. As it turned out, EA went with Gearbox, and Zampella and West accepted a deal from Activision and founded Infinity Ward.

At any rate, the funk of 007 Legends has sadly hovered for some time, and there have been no new Bond games for over a decade. He didn’t quite disappear completely, though. 10 classic Bond cars, complete with gadgets, made their way to Forza Horizon 4 in 2018, and two Bond Aston Martins hit Rocket League in 2021. In 2023 the original GoldenEye 007 fought its way out of licensing purgatory and onto Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. In 2024 a confidential sizzle reel concerning a past pitch to make a LEGO James Bond game even leaked onto the internet; the idea looked and sounded incredible, but it obviously never made it into production.

Happily, Bond’s long hiatus is just about over thanks to the imminent arrival of IO Interactive’s 007 First Light in May. A modern and original origin story for Bond, which appears to be a more explosive riff on the sort of gameplay IO has been refining within its Hitman series for the past two decades, First Light features Irish actor Patrick Gibson as Bond, with Lenny Kravitz aboard playing the villain.

For more deep dives into the histories of long-running licensed video game franchises, you can check out IGN's look back at the terrifying (and sometimes terrible) history of Alien games, and embark with us on a crusade through the history of Indiana Jones games.

Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.

The owner of a leaked copy of Subnautica 2 appears to have accidentally revealed themselves — after contacting the game's developer for support.

Hit underwater adventure Subnautica 2 launched this week in early access, though after illegitimate and unfinished copies of the game began circulating online.

At the time, developer Unknown Worlds acknowledged in a statement to IGN that leaked copies were now being downloaded, though cautioned that these were "incomplete development versions" that "do not reflect the content or gameplay experience being prepared for the official release."

It's unclear exactly what issue the leaked copy owner contacted Unknown Worlds about, but it seems clear enough that they were trying to play an incomplete version of the game, and a staff member quickly wised up.

"It took some doing, but this guy self-reported," Unknown Worlds developer 'Anthony' said of the user via the game's official Discord (as spotted by RespawnFirst). "Thanks for pirating a game that I've spent years working on. I'm disappointed that you'd do that when it's kind of how we make our living. I hope you rethink your life choices."

News that illegitimate copies of Subnautica 2 were being spread online bizarrely followed several other high profile video game leaks in quick succession, including at least one user being able to access their pre-ordered copy of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight days early.

Then, earlier this week, Forza Horizon 6 developer Playground Games issued a dramatic warning to anyone found playing a leaked build of Xbox's new racing blockbuster. Those found doing so risked incurring "franchise-wide and hardware bans", the studio said, and one player subsequently reported receiving a hardware ban until the year 10,000.

Still, the leaks don't seem to have sunk Subnautica 2 — quite the opposite. Already, the game has sold a stunning 2 million copies within 12 hours of its early access arrival. Peak concurrent players across all launch platforms exceeded 651,000, with Steam alone reaching a peak of more than 467,000 concurrent players. That’s nearly nine times the all-time peak concurrent player count of the original Subnautica, which launched in 2018.

And Unknown Worlds has just released the Subnautica 2 early access roadmap, detailing what fans can expect over the next few months. We’ve got a Things to Do First in Subnautica 2 guide to check out before you dive in, plus resource location guides to help you find Titanium, Silver, and more. Discover blackbox and supply crate locations on our interactive Subnautica 2 map, and make sure you don’t miss any Angel Comb Adaptations or Blueprints.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Fresh from its huge launch, underwater survival and crafting adventure Subnautica 2 now has an early access roadmap detailing the updates players can expect to see over the next few months.

Unknown Worlds said it’s working towards a “big drop” that will expand the world with biomes, creatures, resources, tools, vehicles, and the next chapter of the story. But in the meantime, improvements will be added to the game. The first update will include quality-of-life fixes that Unknown Worlds said “should help adjust and address some areas that need a little tweaking to make your Subnautica 2 experience even better.” The second update, meanwhile, will focus on improving the co-op experience.

Unknown Worlds stressed that the roadmap is subject to change, but there’s plenty here that should excite fans — and there are a lot of them. Subnautica 2 sold an incredible 2 million copies in just 12 hours, and obliterated the first game’s Steam concurrent player peak. IGN’s Subnautica 2 early access review returned a 7/10. We said: “It’s pretty impressive that wading in the shallow tides of Subnautica 2's early access debut is as fun as it is already, and that should be a great sign of things to come, but I also wouldn’t blame anyone for waiting for these waters to rise a bit before getting their feet wet.”

We’ve got a Things to Do First in Subnautica 2 guide to check out before you dive in, plus resource location guides to help you find Titanium, Silver, and more. Discover blackbox and supply crate locations on our interactive Subnautica 2 map, and make sure you don’t miss any Angel Comb Adaptations or Blueprints.

The roadmap details, courtesy of the Unknown Worlds website, are below:

Planned improvements to:

• Biomods system
• Blight encounters
• Wrecks gameplay
• Vehicle docking and fabrication
• PDA Databank
• Voicelogs priority system

Planned additions:

• More passive Biomod slots
• Storage cache
• Sprint

Planned improvements to:

• HUD signals
• Base builder tool
• Pinned recipe system

Planned additions:

• Voice chat
• Emotes
• Player trading
• Player revive
• Additional customizations

New region:

• Expand the world
• New biomes
• New creatures
• New resources
• New tools
• New vehicle
• Next chapter of the story

Ongoing improvements:

• Big fixes
• Balance tuning
• Optimization
• And other continuous updates

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

I can’t say I was anything but skeptical with the reveal of Monster Hunter Outlanders. It visually looked good, certainly, but a Monster Hunter with truly live-service and gacha mechanics? To get even more general: a highly skill-based action game on… a phone? No, thank you. But I have to admit, after playing it myself and speaking with Monster Hunter Outlanders’ development director Bryan Li, Monster Hunter Outlanders is carefully toeing the line between the Monster Hunter and free-to-play live-service game formulas. With about 15 hours into the Closed Beta Test 2, I feel like I’ve only just scratched the surface of Monster Hunter Outlanders… and I’m having a hard time pulling myself away from digging to write these first impressions.

Let’s get the big questions and explanations out of the way. Monster Hunter Outlanders is developed by TiMi Studio Group and officially licensed by Capcom. TiMi, for its part, is no stranger to big IP adaptations and mobile-first titles–it developed Call of Duty: Mobile and Pokemon Unite (my most played Switch game in 2025, coincidentally), as well as Arena of Valor, to name a few. Monster Hunter Outlanders appears to be its most ambitious project yet. Mashing Monster Hunter together with a free-to-play mobile model while also making it open-world with meaningful exploration sounds like a tall order, but the set up is promising.

Li said that a requirement to join the Monster Hunter Outlanders development team is to be a Monster Hunter fan, and many of the game designers have hundreds and hundreds of hours in the Monster Hunter series. These developers have focused heavily on the core combat experience to try and preserve the Monster Hunter feel on mobile. They even hired regular Monster Hunter series composer Tadayoshi Makino so it sounds just like you’d expect a Monster Hunter would.

In short, expect the core PVE action-forward Monster Hunter loop–hunt a monster, craft new armor and weapons out of that monster’s parts, hunt a stronger monster, repeat–complete with quintessential Monster Hunter experiences like getting paralyzed by a Vespoid while carving, with many additional customization and growth systems to interact with and currencies to earn common to deep free-to-play RPGs. Add on more emphasis on open-world exploration, crafting, and progression systems that remind me a bit of Wild Hearts and Genshin Impact, and you’ve got Monster Hunter Outlanders.

The most concerning aspect for TiMi was, indeed, properly balancing the feel of Monster Hunter while tailoring it towards the free-to-play mobile market, which they said has been very difficult for them to find a sweet spot and maintain that balance.

“Surprisingly, based on the feedback we collected from the previous CBT1 [Closed Beta Test 1], it seems that the players kind of acknowledge that balance point,” Li explained. “It gives us quite a lot of confidence sticking to our current design.”

One of the biggest hallmarks of a free-to-play mobile game is the gacha monetization mechanics, which Monster Hunter Outlanders implements along with the exorbitantly abundant and dizzying progression systems, which are also present in ways likely very familiar to the free-to-play RPG crowd.

The gacha part of Monster Hunter Outlanders is very new to the Monster Hunter series, though–unique, playable characters in addition to your self-made original character dubbed the “Fated Adventurer.” Besides the Adventurers, Li said other monetization will be about cosmetics and customizations–purely vanity items that have no effect on gameplay, like special weapon skins. I’ve opened a lot of boxes earned in-game that reward regular layered armor and weapon skins, so you can still do some fashion hunting without engaging in the premium currencies. The third type of monetization is about “flexibility” allowing players to “shape their journey in a way that best fits their gameplay style.” No, I’m not totally sure what that means, but it may have to do with being able to purchase items for progression, like leveling up., but I can tell you more about the Adventurers.

These named Adventurers have unique, anime-forward visual looks and distinct gameplay mechanics that set them apart from your usual playable character in a Monster Hunter. For example, just because Midori uses a Long Sword doesn’t mean she uses a Long Sword like your original character would–her flow of combat, special “Skill 3,” and Ultimate attack are all exceptionally unique and demands you to master slightly different skills to unlock her full potential.

“We think it's… a good opportunity for us to bring something a little bit more refreshing to the franchise, because none of the pure installments actually adopt this kind of mechanism,” Li explained. “And to be honest with you, we, at least based on what the team feels at the moment and on the feedback collected from the previous play tests, it seems that it’s actually quite a preferred and favored choice, not only by us, but by the players.”

I can absolutely agree on this sentiment. It would have been horrid if things like crafting materials, weapons, armor–anything already present in traditional Monster Hunter–was locked behind a gacha system. The monsters are already walking Loot Boxes of sorts, and we don’t need more gatekeeping than that.

Li said that every Adventurer can be earned for free through active gameplay, and they have zero intention to gate any adventures behind any payment wall. “Our goal is to deliver a Monster Hunter experience that you can enjoy anytime, anywhere with your friends, and we want to make sure that this experience can be as free as possible,” Li said.

Three predetermined SR (regular rarity) Adventurers have joined me for free as part of the story as of Chapter 2, which is important, considering you put together your own four-person party for the story with the Adventurers you’ve unlocked. (You can also play completely solo if you’d like.) I’ve also earned quite a few Standard and Featured Contracts that let me “pull” for a random Adventurer (or Buddy–a support Felyne, Rutaco, or Trillan–which is the large majority of what you’ll get.) With the Contracts I collected, I got 200 rolls between three different “Recruitment” types and I have enough alternate currency to convert to dozens more. Honestly, more generous than some, but not as generous as others. There are also different events you can participate in to unlock the highest-rarity SSR Adventurers for free occasionally.

However, the Featured Recruitment Adventurer, Midori, is limited, which means she won’t make it to the “Standard” recruitment pool after her time in the Featured Recruitment is up. Though she may come back around in the future, the FOMO could be enough to push players to buy more chances at getting her… I mean, she is really cool, and apparently very strong. Since the “real money” store isn’t open in the US during the CBT2, I can’t tell you how much this might actually cost. But Monster Hunter Outlanders needs to make money somehow for it to keep existing, and personally this doesn’t look like an egregious play-to-win model, especially as someone who willingly spends a little money on free-to-play games for every twenty or so hours I get out of them. If you want to ignore the monetization systems, you very well may be able to.

From what I’ve played, I really don’t think I’ll need these Adventurers to complete any of the game’s content anyway. I keep coming back to my original “Fated Adventurer,” who has a more classic Monster Hunter style of play, and is more flexible. Your custom character benefits from any element and can use any weapon, while the named Adventurers are stuck with their signature weapon and element type. When you also consider each character needs to both be leveled up with semi-limited resources and be equipped with their own armor, weapon, and more to reach their full potential, the flexible Fated Adventurer becomes a bit more appealing, despite the rare Adventurers being flashier.

Li said, “Non-spending players will be able to fully experience, participate in, and master 100% of the game's core content,” and I can definitely see that, especially for the single-player story content, which I haven’t struggled with just yet despite not meeting the suggested power level for a while. For difficult challenge events, personal skill will likely bridge the gap a specific SSR Adventurer might create. To be clear though, I obviously haven’t reached “end-game” content, so I can’t say for sure if this will be true for the lifecycle of Outlanders. And, if you’re looking to compete for the top spot on one of the many, many leaderboards, all of this becomes an entirely different conversation, and you may feel much more pressured to get the best-of-the-best.

Trying out each new Adventurer I do get is super fun, though. They provide another layer of gameplay variety that will keep a game fresh for even longer than Monster Hunter’s very different 14 weapons already do. I really like the Lance–the newly available weapon in this Closed Beta Test 2–but I liked Adventurer Ouyang Varen’s style of Lance even better, which is even more counter and parry focused than usual (but gives up the Lance’s classic dash in exchange.)

If you couldn’t tell by the way I’m describing the differences in combat between weapons and characters, Monster Hunter Outlander’s combat mechanics are nuanced and combo-focused enough for these seemingly small changes to matter. I found a lot of my skills forged in core Monster Hunter games transferred to Outlanders, from weapon mechanic memory to monster movement reading, and it was much more satisfying than I expected.

Outlanders isn’t, however, a one-to-one to the combat in core Monster Hunter. The controls are a bit simplified, and things have been adapted to better suit mobile play, like the monster glowing red before an attack to telegraph it better on a small screen. You can turn this off (and adjust a lot more) in the settings, but my deteriorating eyesight welcomed it for the very perfect-evade and counter-demanding version of combat in Outlanders as a Bow, Long Sword, and Lance user. I still need to read the monster well enough before that moment to make sure I’m not in the middle of a combo when that telegraph pops up, anyway. Additional mechanics have been implemented as well, for example to showcase the Adventurers with unique “Ultimate” attacks that also have passive effects on your team.

I was worried that a co-op, combat-heavy game reliant on fast reactions would work poorly on mobile, but most of the time, it ran well enough to not affect gameplay on my iPhone 17 Pro on the Ultra graphics setting. Not as well as it would on a PC or console, certainly, but serviceable. The most trouble it had was while I fought Kushala Daora (who’s still an ass to fight, by the way), because of the constant tornadoes, wind currents, lightning, and rain it had to render along with four characters of remote players, our buddies, and the monster itself. Yeah, my phone struggled during this at times. And though my phone didn’t usually get very hot while playing, my friend’s iPhone 15 absolutely did.

Of course, there’s more to Monster Hunter Outlanders than gacha mechanics and combat. It begins much like any Monster Hunter would. You first customize your hunter, who’s on their way with a crew to a new land to investigate some anomaly. Only, in Outlanders, the crew and accompanying folks are much… flashier. It’s a lot of main character energy for one ship.

After some character introductions and combat tutorials, you find yourself in a village, and continue with…a lot more tutorials as you progress, just about every step of the way. Look, if you thought Monster Hunter was difficult to grasp, Outlanders has a whole other level of systems to wrap your head around. As someone with more than 2,000 hours in the Monster Hunter series and decent experience with gacha live-service games–including one with pretty similar progression systems–it still presented as convoluted at the start. I’m still far from fully understanding everything under the hood since I haven’t even unlocked everything yet, but it did start to click soon enough, and when it did, I couldn’t put it down.

I found myself falling down the Monster Hunter rabbit hole that is so appealing to me–trying new weapons and making new sets all to face a new threat. Monster Hunter Outlanders makes this endeavour much more streamlined compared to core Monster Hunter, which is welcome on mobile. From anywhere, you can open the Forge menu, tap a material you need for a piece of equipment, and the game will tell you how to get it. It will even take you directly to the menu to start a Free Hunt for the monster whose materials you need, or to the Melding menu if it’s obtainable by exchanging other materials for it. But if you’d rather hunt monsters in the world, you can do that, too. The only thing that held me up was the lack of equipment loadouts–a modern quality of life feature that is really needed if you intend to use the Fated Adventurer and more than one weapon type. It honestly made me change my plans because I didn’t want to have to switch equipment back and forth.

Even during this (mostly) streamlined loop, I got happily distracted on the way, both in the open world and in the menus of activities.

There’s more to the map in Monster Hunter Outlanders than just serving primarily as a backdrop for a monster–there are watchtowers to discover, mini-games to play, chests to find, NPCs to help, endemic life to capture, and even exploration-specific skill trees to develop. You’ll be crafting camps to create fast-travel points, and mobility equipment like Ballista to help you get around faster and easier. Though not my main reason to play a game like this, it’s easy and fun enough to engage in in-between quests.

One time, I got a notification that the “Dance Night Party” event was about to begin, so I paused what I was doing to check it out. I had previously made a guild, and, well, I couldn’t join another in time to participate, so I rolled into my guild solo not expecting much. I was still able to play the Fever Dance-Off and Taster’s Trial mini-games despite being alone, and earned a Dance Fever buff that lasted for 50 minutes, a temporary Midnight Dance Master title, and some items as a reward. It was fun–and would certainly be even more fun if I did it with friends!

Finally, I have to admit, Monster Hunter Outlanders is the first action game I’ve really played on my phone ever, and even so, I picked up the controls quickly. That isn’t to say I like playing with the touch-screen controller–but that’s absolutely from my inexperience and hands that cramp up at the mere mention of the PSP. There were more than a few times that I wanted to keep playing Monster Hunter Outlanders, but I was so uncomfortable I had to put it down. For anyone intimidated by the more nuanced combat controls of Monster Hunter, there’s a simplified control format called “Adventure” that still feels interesting enough to play with only three buttons to worry about, but it felt kind of like cheating to me!

For those used to playing action games on their phone, this likely won’t be an issue for you, but for the rest of us, Li ensured that controller support is absolutely coming. In fact, it’s the most requested feature from the community. I thought maybe this meant Monster Hunter Outlanders might make it to consoles–or at least PC–but Li said, “at the moment what I can tell you is that Monster Hunter Outlanders is a mobile game only.”

This is disappointing for me because while I can see this being very fun with a guild, convincing enough friends to play consistently on mobile isn’t going to happen (two of my friends couldn’t play because their phone was incompatible, for example.) Even though the open world isn’t explorable in multiplayer, the large variety of guild challenges, co-op hunts, and arena challenges seem really fun. I had a good time with my longest hunting partner of nearly 20(!) years on a few hunts, but we still need to figure out all the multiplayer systems to get the most out of it. It’s possibly just as convoluted as multiplayer is in core Monster Hunter games.

I’m looking forward to challenges that require thoughtful team-comp, and to learn the different Adventurer roles outside of classic Assault–Disruptor and Support. I actually enjoyed the sort of forced class-roles in Monster Hunter World’s Behemoth hunt (I rocked a Wide-Range Wiggler build) and it’s cool to see those kind of actualized in Monster Hunter Outlanders. I can’t say how well it works just yet, but the idea is promising.

I’ve had a lot of fun with Monster Hunter Outlanders, and flowed pretty naturally between all the “styles” of play it has to offer–story, exploration, events, and co-op. If you like Monster Hunter or free-to-play action-RPGs, Monster Hunter Outlanders is worth a shot. But, if you categorically hate either genre, the lure of the other might not be enough for you. Monster Hunter Outlanders will take some effort to learn–a lot of things are hidden in really weird spots in menus, and though there are a lot of “how to’s,” there isn’t always a good explanation of the why. But, I find the things I need to put effort into to be the most rewarding, which is absolutely the case with Monster Hunter in general.

Playing with a community of hunters who’ve learned the ropes might be the best way to take a step into Monster Hunter Outlanders, and I can’t imagine an experience being more Monster Hunter than that.

Casey DeFreitas is on IGN's Guides team and has put thousands of hours into the Monster Hunter series. Talk about it with her on BlueSky @shinycaseyd.bsky.social.

Nostalgia is a strong motivator for today’s generation of gamers, and that’s something developers have tapped into over the last few years, with waves of remasters and sequels being released across classic titles. These returns to familiar settings and worlds emphasise how today's games have pushed graphics beyond the limits of what we once thought possible… but can that polish compete with the magic of jumping into a fresh world for the first time?

To test this firsthand, we booted up some legendary games – as well as their current counterparts – to see how well the originals hold up, and to determine how far the series have come graphically since they first hit the market.

To experience the newer games in all their hi-fidelity glory, we utilised an Ultimate Tier GeForce NOW subscription. This service provides the performance of a high-spec gaming setup over just an internet connection – whether you’re playing on a laptop, phone, Smart TV or Steam Deck – by sending your inputs to NVIDIA’s data centres to be reflected in the game.

After a quick account setup and app download, we were given access to an RTX 5080 Superpod, which we were assured would be able to handle whatever graphical settings we threw at it. It was then time to select our games, old and new. GeForce NOW boasts a huge library of titles, with more than 2000 of them Ready-to-Play instantly, and a further 2000+ apps and games available with a brief installation on the NVIDIA server side.

First up, we revisited The Witcher, which arguably redefined the RPG genre by introducing dialogue options that had real implications for the fates of characters. Diving back into Kaer Morhen activated long-dormant neurons, and the familiar clanky animation and far-too-sensitive movement sparked too many fond memories of our early days with Geralt to count. However, after fighting back against the forces attacking the Witchers’ keep, switching over to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was a revelation.

Obviously the textures looked far better, happily sitting around 115 FPS at 1080p in the Ray Tracing Ultra setting on the RTX 5080. This meant DLSS was enabled in the quality preset, with all settings cranked to Ultra+. What really stood out to us was the improvements to character animations — rather than snapping between positions, characters breathed and shifted in a way that made them feel more alive. Close-up shots during dialogue showed the tiny details in clothing textures and the subtle movements of hair, all assisted by RTX ray-traced lighting to increase the immersion.

Battlefield - 4 vs 6

Next, we turned to an FPS giant and 2013 staple: Battlefield 4. After maxing-out the graphics settings, we loaded into a random conquest server to see how it held up. Playing on a 4080-grade GeForce NOW pod, we hit over 200 FPS and enjoyed smooth gunplay across beloved locations like Siege of Shanghai.

But swapping over to Battlefield 6, we quickly realised how much things have changed in the space of a decade. After spending a good five minutes just trying to avoid sniper rounds, we took this still that really demonstrates how far graphical fidelity has come. The detail on the trees, even from afar, is excellent, and the terrain textures feel far more organic and real. On max settings with a 5080 SuperPod, we enjoyed a consistent 120 FPS capped, and far beyond this when uncapped. And if you want even more frames to play with, Battlefield 6 also has the benefit of Multi Frame Generation with DLSS 4.5.

Oblivion - Original vs Remastered

Finally, we returned to the original Oblivion, and were immediately transported back to a simpler time where our biggest worries were trying to get out of a torchlit virtual prison. While the art direction is charming – and when streaming, we actually achieved consistently high FPS throughout – the original Oblivion is definitely a product of its time. On a technical level, it feels more than a little out of date by today’s standards.

Loading up the same scene in the Remaster with everything maxed out, it was immediately apparent how much work had gone into the upgrade. Improved lighting, fresh character models, and world details like the crooked stone walls all contribute to creating a much more realistic, moody and grounded atmosphere. Ray-tracing at 1440p did see us fall slightly under our 120 FPS target, but enabling 2x Frame Generation then provided a seamless performance boost without sacrificing responsiveness.

If you’d like to try out GeForce NOW for yourself, be it to revisit your favourite classics or jump into their shiny reimaginings, you can sign up for a Free account or Day Pass and give it a go without committing to a full subscription. All you need is a compatible device and a 25 Mbps download speed for 1080p at 60 FPS.
You can access NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW from the GeForce NOW website or the Play Store, depending on your device. System requirements and recommended internet download speeds can be found here.

Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke has discussed her fears in the aftermath of having multiple brain aneurysms — and her belief that she might experience another just as she was giving a live interview on MTV.

Speaking on the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast, Clarke went into more detail on the brain aneurysms she suffered in 2011 and 2013, during her early years on Game of Thrones portraying Daenerys Targaryen.

It's a subject Clarke has discussed previously — and indeed, she now publicly heads a charity to aid young people following brain injury or stroke. Still, her comments here shed light on how she felt about her subsequent chances of recovery, and fears that she might experience another medical incident shortly after.

"The biggest thing that happened to me with the second hemorrhage was I shut down emotionally and it became this thing where I couldn't look anyone in the eye," Clarke said. "I was just convinced that I had cheated death and I was meant to die. And that every day that was all I could think about.

"It was the opposite of, 'I survived, I feel great,'" she continued. "It was, 'I'm not meant to be here. This is going to come and get me.' And it just cuts you off from being able to engage with the outside world because you're walking around knowing that your body has failed you. Your brain has failed you. This thing that you know to be where your perception of your self lies has failed you. And no one else can see it."

Clarke portrayed Daenerys Targaryen through every season of the show, and while she had told bosses of her medical condition, she was also insistent she could continue to work.

"I'll never forget we went to Comic-Con like six weeks later [after her second hemorrhage], I'm promoting the show... and I started getting a headache. And anytime I got any kind of headache, I was like, 'That's it. It's happening. It's happening again.' And I was getting this headache and my publicist was like, 'Right, we got to go do this live interview with MTV.' And I was like, 'I think I'm going to die. I think it's happening.' In my head, I was like, 'If I'm going to die, I'll do it on live TV. Like, let's go. There is there is no other option.

"I was blessed that after each of my brain injuries in my mind there was no other option but to carry on," she concluded. "I was raised by a family that did not partake in pity. Self-pity was not on the table. It's not how we operated."

Earlier this year, Emilia Clarke discussed her time on Game of Thrones in more detail, and admitted feeling "really pissed" at the expert who developed the show's fictional languages, after reading that he thought her Dothraki pronounciation "sucked." In a separate interview, the actress stated she was likely now done with fantasy TV shows and movies, and it was "highly unlikely" viewers would see her "get on a dragon, or even in the same frame as a dragon, ever again."

Image credit: Jason Mendez/Getty Images.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

When we set out to find the best Lord of the Rings bookends you can buy right now, we expected to find a variety of really cool options. What we found instead was just a bunch of different versions of The Pillars of Kings in bookend form.

The Pillars of Kings, also known as the Gates of Argonath, are an enormous monument to the Kings of Gondor. The monument itself is made up of two carved statues in the likeness of Isildur and Anárion standing on either side of the River Anduin at the northern border of Gondor. You'll likely recognize these big boys from Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Fellowship of the Ring, and honestly, they work perfectly as bookends.

Like I mentioned above, we spent some time actually looking for other Lord of the Rings bookends before landing on these as the best. There are a few options available on Amazon and Etsy, but most of them are still recreations of the Pillars of Kings. Still, there's a pretty wide range of different versions. So after some extensive research, we narrowed it down to this option from Grupo Erik as the best of the bunch.

What makes these particular bookends standout from all of the other similar options available is the attention to detail. The statues themselves are made from premium resin and painted to look like actual weathered stone. You also get the full cliff and a little bit of the river to bring the whole thing together. They are a bit on the expensive side compared to other models (at $65.99), but what you get is a more premium set of bookends that look legit.

We are always on the lookout for good Lord of the Rings gifts, and these bookends check all the right boxes for LotR fans. It's an actual practical item that you can use based on an obscure enough reference that only fans of the movies or books will immediately get it. The one thing to point out is that these bookends work best for a smaller collection where they don't have to be too far apart. This could be a set of Lord of the Rings books or LotR Blu-rays that are already sitting on a shelf somewhere. The more books you put between these, the more it loses that Gates of Argonath feel you get from a smaller gap.

If you're looking for something a bit more epic than a pair of bookends, we also recommend checking out the upcoming Minas Tirith set LEGO just announced. It is intended to take up most of the space on a shelf.

Jacob Kienlen is a Senior Audience Development Strategist and Writer for IGN. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his home for his entire life. With a bachelor's degree in communication and 10 years of professional writing experience, his expertise is spread across a variety of different pop culture topics -- from TV series to books and the latest Pokémon games.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the first episode of Dutton Ranch.

The first two episodes of the new Yellowstone spin-off series Dutton Ranch have premiered on Paramount+ and the show almost immediately addressed the Kevin Costner-sized elephant in the room.

Titled “The Untold Want”, the series premiere begins at the ranch that Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and her husband Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) moved to in Dillon, Montana at the end of the series finale of Yellowstone. Sadly, their life in Montana is violently upended when a wildfire destroys their ranch. They start their lives over in Rio Paloma, Texas, where they buy a new ranch.

In the first episode’s opening moments, Beth, Rip and Carter (Finn Little) rush to save what they can from the ranch before the fire closes in. Beth quickly fetches a few items from their home: her father John Dutton’s cowboy hat, a framed photo of her and her dad, and her great-grand aunt Elsa Dutton’s knife.

(Elsa was the protagonist of the prequel series 1883, and her knife and its distinct beaded case also popped up as an Easter Egg in the spin-off series 1923.)

What’s notable about the photo that Beth grabs is that it shows a young Beth with Josh Lucas’ 1990s-era John Dutton not Costner’s incarnation who led the flagship series until his infamous exit during its final season. Lucas appeared on the original show in key flashbacks.

Given that Costner’s messy departure ended with lawyers involved and the Oscar winner publicly feuding with franchise creator Taylor Sheridan, it’s not that surprising that Paramount+ chose not to use Costner’s likeness here.

Or perhaps they contractually couldn’t use Costner’s likeness in any other property that isn’t the main Yellowstone show. Another recent spin-off, Marshals, verbally referenced John Dutton in its series premiere.

Although Sheridan is not writing Dutton Ranch as he did Yellowstone, he is credited as an executive producer and Hauser has said "Taylor's got his hands all over this show.” Dutton Ranch was created by showrunner Chad Feehan, who exited the show just weeks before its debut after reportedly clashing with the leads, Sheridan, and executive producer David Glasser.

Taylor Sheridan is currently writing and producing a Call of Duty movie that Peter Berg will direct.

With Forza Horizon 6 available now to those who’ve purchased the more expensive premium editions – and May 19 for the standard edition – developer Playground Games has outlined the first batch of free reward cars that will become available for players when the Festival Playlist functionality is switched on come May 21.

Series 1, dubbed ‘Welcome to Japan’, will run from May 21 to June 18 and make 10 new cars available to collect, listed below.

• 1999 Toyota Altezza RS200 Z EDITION (earn 20 points during the Summer Season)
• 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR (earn 40 points during the Summer Season)
• 1997 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec (earn 20 points during the Autumn Season)
• 1991 Honda CR-X SiR (earn 40 points during the Autumn Season)
• 2019 Subaru STI S209 (earn 20 points during the Winter Season)
• 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser Arctic Trucks points (earn 40 points during the Winter Season)
• 1996 Toyota Starlet Glanza V (earn 20 points during the Spring Season)
• 1974 Toyota Corolla SR5 (earn 40 points during the Spring Season)
• 2008 Mazda Furai (earn 60 points over the course of the whole 'Welcome to Japan’ series)
• 2010 Nissan 370Z (earn 120 points over the course of the whole 'Welcome to Japan’ series)

This structure ought to sound pretty familiar to anyone who participated in the playlist structure in Forza Horizon 5, though Playground has reiterated there has been a change to the format, noting that Forza Horizon 6 will be introducing “unique secondary rewards to the Festival Playlist.”

According to the team’s latest post, “Series History Rewards” will include “exclusive cars that are unlocked based on the lifetime Playlist Points that you have obtained from playing the game.”

It’s not entirely clear how this will work in practice, so we’ll have to dig into it next week. Forza Horizon’s Festival Playlist structure has copped criticism for embracing its FOMO sensibilities a little too seriously.

If you haven’t already, you can check out IGN’s review for a deep dive into what makes this 10 out of 10 speedster the best open-world racer in the business and, if you’re already laying rubber all over Japan but need some pointers on where to find its pesky treasure cars and barn finds, we’ve got you covered there, too.

Luke is a Senior Editor on the IGN reviews team. You can track him down on Bluesky @mrlukereilly to ask him things about stuff.

Marvel star Paul Bettany has said the cast of Avengers: Infinity War only discovered the movie's heart-breaking ending as it was shot, and their beloved MCU characters were turned to dust.

Infinity War features one of the most iconic sequences in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Thanos gets his wish to snap half of all life from existence. The resulting effect kills some of the MCU's most beloved characters — and was kept so secret, that their actors were only shown that they were dying on the day it was filmed.

Speaking on the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, Bettany was first asked if he would return as Vision in the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars — to which he replied that he believed he would be, though Marvel is so secretive he couldn't be sure.

"I think so," he said, when asked about his Secret Wars call-up. "As much as you know anything going on at Marvel, or they change they mind. You really do never know.

"It's true that you never know, by the way. When we all died [on Infinity War], we found out that day. They took us into a trailer with pre-vis and everyone was watching the screen going 'oh I die'. No one knew. They really do keep this stuff very secret."

Pre-vis here likely refers to early visual effect composition (such as via Unreal Engine) that gives the film's crew a sense of how a polished CGI sequence might look. The suggestion, then, is that each actor saw themselves fading away into ash right then and there — though presumably they knew they were still booked to return for the film's sequel.

Bettany went on to reveal that his final lines in the movie with Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda — where she has to bid him a heart-breaking goodbye, before Thanos undoes her sacrifice — were also not in the film's script.

"I can't remember what was on the page now but... the Russos were like: 'just improvise this bit'," he recalled. "We were both really terrified. 'Improvise being a robot and having a stone removed from your head?'" he said. "I think there were lines, or maybe one line, but I don't think all of that stuff like 'We're out of time', was on the page."

Of course, Before Secret Wars, Bettany will return as Vision in the upcoming VisionQuest — the upcoming Disney+ series dubbed as the final chapter in the WandaVision trilogy. Asked about the show, Bettany was effusive — describing it as another "huge" swing for Marvel.

"It manages to feel very much like it's somehow a part of that world, an end to a trilogy of sorts, while very much being its own thing," Bettany said. "And it is just really good, I'm really proud of it. We've been in [the editing process] a while now and I've been seeing cuts that are getting better and better, and the effects are coming in.

"It's fun, its moving and its super exciting. [Ultron actor James Spader] is delicious, he's so funny in this."

Earlier this week, Disney finally set a launch date for VisionQuest and revealed a few further details about the series, which will debut later this year on October 14.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Expendabelles, the “female-driven” spinoff of The Expendables, is officially back on a decade after the first attempt to get it off the ground crashed and burned.

The Sylvester Stallone-led action movie franchise began life in 2010 with the first The Expendables movie, starring the former Rocky and Rambo actor alongside the likes of Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, and even Arnold Schwarzenegger. Its success spawned multiple sequels, the latest of which was 2023 box office bomb, Expend4bles.

Now, Eclectic Pictures and Hollywood Ventures Group are working on Expendabelles, The Hollywood Reporter said, in yet another push to get the spinoff off the ground. But it might actually happen this time; the idea here is to tell an origin story set in the late ‘90s starring a new generation of elite female operatives in “a stylized, action-driven cinematic event designed to expand the mythology of the franchise while standing firmly on its own.”

Casting has yet to be announced, and we don’t have a release window yet, but we do have a lot of enthusiasm from the filmmakers involved. “There has always been a strong global appetite for female-driven action franchises, and we believe the time is now to introduce a bold new generation of elite operatives into this universe,” Eclectic’s Heidi Jo Markel said.

“What excites us most is the opportunity to elevate the material by pairing it with top-tier creative talent and delivering a fresh, stylish, adrenaline-fueled experience for worldwide audiences.”

Back in 2014, while promoting The Expendables 3, Stallone admitted the question of what goes into a female-biased spinoff was a tough one. “With The Expendabelles, we’re in uncharted waters. To put all women together, will that really work? Do you have to put in some women that are actually really known to be tough — other MMA fighters [like Ronda Rousey who appears in The Expendables 3]? Or are the Expendabelles really part of a divorce, with Sigourney Weaver as my wife and she’s inherited half of the Expendables?”

At the time, The Expendabelles was set to start shooting early 2015 and was slated for release later that year, but it never materialized, with Weaver confirming her departure from the project and The Expendables 3 having a franchise-worst showing at the box office.

Meanwhile, there's no confirmation that The Expendables 5 will happen, after the poor commercial performance and critical mauling of Expend4bles. Lionsgate recently acquired the rights to The Expendables franchise, which you'd imagine it did with another mainline sequel in mind. (This is the same deal that saw Lionsgate pick up the new John Rambo movie starring Noah Centineo.) The question is, will Stallone, now 79, appear in any future The Expendables movie? Or will Lionsgate recruit fresh blood and go down the reboot route instead?

Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson has lamented the decline of physical media, saying “they’re almost a niche product for aficionados now.”

Jackson, who spearheaded extended features and editions on physical media with the hugely popular The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition DVD releases, spoke to IndieWire about the impact of their demise.

“You can get Blu-rays and DVDs, but they’re almost a niche product for aficionados now,” Jackson said. “Since they only sell small numbers, no studio wants to put extended features on them or to extend the cuts. We did hours and hours of behind-the-scenes material for The Lord of the Rings DVDs, and so many people have thanked me for doing them. People would watch that stuff over and over again because it inspired them to make films. That’s all gone now, and I think it’s a real shame.”

Extras can of course still be found on the home releases of some big movies. For example, just this week we learned the home release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie includes over one hour of behind-the-scenes bonus content. But certainly there are fewer Director's Cuts and extended editions of movies than there used to be, and that, as Jackson suggests, is tied up in the decline of physical media.

Jackson, though, sounded philosophical about this shift, suggesting it was inevitable as streaming essentially replaced the home video market.

“But the industry has always changed," he said. "When sound came in, people were writing all these articles about how sound is ruining films. It was the same when color came along. People were writing very intelligent articles about why color was an abomination and how it ruined the film industry. So, it just happens all the time.”

While the Lord of the Rings trilogy's Extended Editions add hours of extra material, even more footage was shot and never released. But Jackson recently ruled out yet another version of his iconic adaptations, insisting a full re-release of the films with those unseen scenes would just "be disappointing.”

"Are there great scenes that we never used? The answer is no," Jackson told Empire. "There are bits and pieces, I guess. But if you did an extended-extended cut, or whatever it will get called, it would be disappointing.

"It would be the extended cut with a few extra seconds of something here and there. It wouldn’t be worthwhile doing."

Jackson did say, however, that he'd like to revisit the making of the trilogy one day in a fresh documentary that could contain unused material. "But to this day, I haven't persuaded [the studio], because obviously it's a big undertaking," he concluded.

Perhaps with next year's The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which Jackson is working on, we might see a few eye-catching extras and maybe even an extended edition of its own emerge following the theatrical release.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

James Ohlen, the former director of BioWare MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic, has discussed his exit from the storied RPG maker in 2018 — after an attempt to reboot the game that ended up squashed by publisher EA.

Ohlen was a BioWare veteran of 22 years, with a string of high profile credits on BioWare classics such as Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. In more recent times, Ohlen led Archetype Entertainment, a studio staffed by several former BioWare veterans making big budget Mass Effect-like Exodus, a huge project starring Matthew McConaughey that will be eight years in the making by the time of its release in 2027.

Last year, Ohlen also moved on from Archetype — and now, he's given a wide-ranging interview on his various departures, discussing in detail the effects of burnout he has felt over his long career in video games, as well as his long-scrapped plan to reboot Star Wars: The Old Republic under a new guise.

"I always told everybody I should never be the head of a studio because it'll kill me," Ohlen told PC Gamer, talking of his more recent departure from Archetype. "And it nearly killed me. It was six years of nearly killing me.

"I was running on fumes, and it was hurting my health, and my personal life, and everything. I just needed to step away," he continued. "As a creative you care about everything so much, and then as the head of the studio, you have to be cutting the baby in half all the time, and having people attack your vision constantly. I definitely wouldn't put myself in that situation again; that's not a healthy place to be."

Before Archetype, Ohlen rose through the ranks quickly at BioWare ("the last time I was truly in love with my job," he claimed), and is credited as lead designer on beloved BioWare single-player RPG Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. This then led to BioWare's bosses Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk asking if he would oversee a new BioWare Austin studio tasked with making the MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic.

"I was like, 'I hate massive multiplayer games. But all right, I'll do it,'" Ohlen said — before realizing it would be a "never-ending" project where he frequently had to spend time simply ensuring "big ego designers... didn't kill each other."

"I'm just not someone who can manage hundreds and hundreds of people to go in a different direction," he said of The Old Republic's early days. "Everyone wants to build [World of Warcraft] in space, and it's my job to say no, we're making [something different], and I wasn't able to do that."

Ohlen ultimately realized he would move on after what sounds like a lengthy and extremely difficult pitch to Lucasfilm and EA for a full reboot of the game, which would see it renamed Star Wars: The New Republic. Ohlen spent half a year on a plan before getting the greenlight from former Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, as well as Star Wars creative boss Dave Filoni.

"He was like, 'If you set it a couple hundred years before the fall of the Republic, we can have a tie in,'" Ohlen recalled of Filoni's eventual agreement. (It's a time period that sounds not dissimilar to Lucasfilm's The High Republic, which the company has since mined for its storytelling potential.)

"I remember I got super excited because the big challenge was Patrick Söderlund [former EA chief design officer, who now heads up Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios]," Ohlen said next. "I think [he's] great but hates Star Wars: The Old Republic. And I convinced him... it was one of the greatest accomplishments of my career."

Unfortunately, everything then came crashing down. While Söderlund was sold, EA's board of directors was not.

"[They] remembered spending $300 million," Ohlen said, referring to The Old Republic's high development costs. "They're like, 'Why the fuck are we gonna spend a bunch more?'"

"That was the beginning of the end for me," he continued. "The only way you get through life is by having empathy for everybody, including people that are causing you pain. I was thinking of it through the lens of EA. And I'm like, there's no way I'm ever going to win in this. It just doesn't make sense to empower someone like me. If I was there, I wouldn't. So I gotta get out. This is just not for me.

"I would tell people, I'm actually a highly paid, completely useless person. It's just that everyone thinks that I'm super useful because of my reputation. No one seems to be able to tell, except me. There's research that shows that when you just feel like you're not accomplishing anything, it's actually the biggest thing to bring about burnout.

"My wife was like, 'But you could have ridden it out. Don't lots of execs do that?' And I'm like, 'I know, but they're not creatives. They enjoy the politics, and I don't blame them. But that's not what I like."

Ohlen is now in the middle of authoring various RPG adventure books, working alongside his former Archetype and BioWare colleague Jesse Sky (who is now Exodus' creative director). The promising-looking Exodus, meanwhile, is on track to finally release next year, and scratch the Mass Effect itch for many BioWare fans of old.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Subnautica 2 has sold 2 million copies within 12 hours of its early access launch, developer Unknown Worlds has announced. It’s a huge start for the underwater survival and crafting adventure game after a turbulent road to release.

Peak concurrent players across all platforms Subnautica 2 launched on (PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, and Xbox Series X and S), exceeded 651,000, with Steam alone reaching a peak of more than 467,000 concurrent players. That’s nearly nine times the all-time peak concurrent player count of the original Subnautica, which launched in 2018, Unknown Worlds said.

Subnautica 2 was the most wishlisted game on Steam ahead of launch, and had enormous momentum off the back of 18.5 million sales across the series. This sequel, developed using Unreal Engine 5, has optional co-op for up to four players, fuelling multiplayer virality. IGN’s Subnautica 2 early access review returned a 7/10. We said: “It’s pretty impressive that wading in the shallow tides of Subnautica 2's early access debut is as fun as it is already, and that should be a great sign of things to come, but I also wouldn’t blame anyone for waiting for these waters to rise a bit before getting their feet wet.”

Subnautica 2 had a bumpy road to release, with development beginning around 2022. The game was initially targeting a 2025 release, but was delayed following drama with publisher Krafton. In July 2025, Krafton removed Unknown World's leadership from the company, including CEO Ted Gill. This spawned a legal battle, with the fired employees claiming Krafton let them go and delayed the game to avoid paying out a massive $250 million bonus for hitting key targets and deadlines. A judge had Gill and his colleagues reinstated earlier this year, which then put the game back on track for release.

There was one last obstacle before launch, however. Subnautica 2 leaked online days before its release. However, it doesn't seem to have hurt the game in any notable way. Subnautica 2's launch is just the beginning, as it will be updated over time with new content. For now, the game packs a meaty narrative, co-op, and an expansive sea to explore.

We’ve got a Things to Do First in Subnautica 2 guide to check out before you dive in, plus resource location guides to help you find Titanium, Silver, and more. Discover blackbox and supply crate locations on our interactive Subnautica 2 map, and make sure you don’t miss any Angel Comb Adaptations or Blueprints.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Peter Jackson has compared The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum to Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, saying the movie will “get inside” the character’s head and tell the story from an internal perspective.

The Hunt for Gollum, directed by Gollum actor Andy Serkis, acts as a prequel to The Lord of the Rings, and sees Aragorn, tasked by Gandalf, tracking Gollum for years to prevent Sauron from learning about the One Ring.

Speaking to IndieWire, Jackson said inspiration came from 2019’s Joker, which focuses on Arthur Fleck transforming from a neglected, mentally ill man into a violent, carefree agent of chaos who rejects all societal, moral, and political structures — and sparks a violent countercultural revolution in the process.

“We were thinking about the original Joker film, the one with Joaquin Phoenix,” Jackson said. “The way that explored the Joker’s psychology while it was telling a story. We’ve got the story that’s in the appendices, and we’ll tell that story, but we’ll tell it from an internal Gollum perspective. You’re taking written things by Tolkien and filming them from a certain POV, and that means you have to get inside his head. I’ve got no particular desire to get inside Gollum’s head. Andy Serkis can do that himself.”

Jackson has explained why he’s not directed The Hunt for Gollum, preferring Serkis to lead the charge instead. "I could have directed it but I just thought, 'I've done it,'" Jackson told Variety, referencing his work on the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies.

"And it's not because of me that I thought, 'I've done it,'" Jackson continued. "I thought it would be more interesting... [if] Gollum himself, Andy Serkis, directed it. Because the film is pretty much an internal story about Gollum's psychology and addiction.

"It's a very personal story to Gollum, the character, and I thought that Andy knows this guy better than anybody. So I actually didn't really think much of me at all. I thought the most exciting version of this movie is if Andy Serkis makes it because he's going to put Gollum's psychology on screen like you can't imagine."

Jackson reiterated this to IndieWire, saying: “I thought the film would be more interesting if Andy did it. I honestly, truly believe that if it’s a film about Gollum’s addiction and internal struggles, Andy would make a much more interesting film than me. If I thought I’d do a better film, I’d do it. But I thought, there’s a guy that’s going to make a really interesting film here and it’s not me.”

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum hits theaters on December 17, 2027. The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past, co-written by Stephen Colbert, follows and will adapt unseen elements from Tolkien's Fellowship of the Ring novel via flashback.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Tony Leung says he learnt quickly not to question Marvel while on the set of the 2021 blockbuster, after initially complaining about the film's fight choreography.

Speaking to Vulture, the Internal Affairs actor said he had "argued with the director" about his character's fighting style — only to be told it didn't really matter.

Leung plays Xu Wenwu in the film, the 1,000-year-old father of Shang-Chi and the leader of the Ten Rings organization. And it's because his character is a millenia old that Leung suggested he should fight using moves from throughout history — rather than the kind of kung fu that movie audiences were used to.

"The production was much bigger than what I had experienced before, and the people were very professional, and we had to finish everything on time every day," Leung began, discussing the blockbuster's production. "It's very efficient, but you can't improvise. You can't even change a word.

"At the very beginning, I argued with the director: 'If a guy comes from 1,000 years ago, the way he fights must be a combination of all martial arts, like MMA today, because he lived through all that time.' And the director said no.

"I said, 'Why not? Why just typical kung fu in the '70s?' He said, 'This is Marvel.' I said, 'Okay,' and I didn't argue anymore."

Shang-Chi was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who has since gone on to helm the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, as well as co-create the successful Disney+ Marvel series Wonder Man.

Five years later, meanwhile, the character of Shang-Chi will finally return in Avengers: Doomsday, due in theaters later this year. Earlier this year, Shang-Chi himself, Simu Liu, insisted a full sequel will eventually happen — despite no word from Marvel itself to make this official.

As for Leung, a legend of Hong Kong and Chinese-language movies, there's no suggestion he'll be back as Xu Wenwu anytime soon. The character has since appeared in a couple of Marvel animated series — What If? and Marvel Zombies — though voiced by a different actor.

Image credit: VCG/VCG via Getty Images.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Pearl Abyss has released a new major patch for Crimson Desert — the second this week alone — that makes yet more significant changes to the game.

There’s a lot to dig into with update 1.07.00, which adds more bosses for rematches and makes various bug fixes (patch notes, courtesy of the Crimson Desert website, are below). But perhaps the highlight here is the addition of Blinding Flash Finisher for unarmed combat with Kliff.

For the uninitiated, Blinding Flash Finisher is an essential combat skill that lets you do big damage to stunned enemies while time is slowed down. But, even better, if you hold the button down until Kliff finishes the slow-mo combo, he ends it with a hit that sends a shockwave out in all directions. This is great for clearing groups of weaker enemies, as well as dealing serious damage against foes with more health. Adding it to unarmed combat means those who favor fisticuffs now have access to one of the most powerful combat abilities in the game. So, if you’re playing Kliff like some fantasy version of Batman, your moveset is pretty much complete.

Also of note, this patch fixes an issue where Damiane’s Elegant Carmine Leather Armor appeared abnormally. Earlier this week, social media posts of before and after images of Damiane, the female playable character in Crimson Desert, went viral for showing clothing seemingly changed to cover up previously bare skin. This led to complaints within the community — and even mild Steam review-bombing — with some accusing Pearl Abyss of censorship.

However, Pearl Abyss insisted Damiane’s Elegant Carmine Leather Armor was "unintentionally altered” while it was fixing an issue that would cause the item of clothing to clip. Now, the bug is resolved.

Elsewhere, the patch adds additional wolf and bear types that can be registered as mounts, and both Damiane and Oongka (the third playable character) now have access to the Aerial Stab, as Pearl Abyss continues to make non-Kliff characters more viable.

Fans weren’t expecting another major Crimson Desert patch so soon after the last one, but as the developer has explained, it’s working to a more MMO-like update schedule — informed by its actual MMO, Black Desert — and it maintains momentum in this single-player open world action adventure. Certainly players are enjoying the speed with which Pearl Abyss is improving the game.

This week, Pearl Abyss revealed just how successful Crimson Desert has been, while also confirming plans to explore DLC. It’s sold 5 million copies since going on sale on March 19, and just in March alone it generated KRW 266.5 billion (approx. $178.8 million) in revenue. Pearl Abyss expects it to make over half a billion dollars by the end of 2026.

What could the DLC involve? Players have gone out of bounds and found various interesting parts of the map with unused content. There's also a named area to the east, called Sunbaked Peaks, that players are currently unable to reach. Perhaps a story expansion could open that up.

New Additions

Added more bosses that can be challenged again in rematches.

• The rematch locations for each boss are listed below and can also be found in Journal > Knowledge > Memory Fragments > Bosses. Additionally, rematch locations for bosses originally found in the Abyss have been adjusted to take place on land.
  • Muskan: Bonepit
  • Corrupted Caliburn: Fort Musket
  • Goyen: Spire of the Sun
  • Draven, the Crowcaller: Church of West Demeniss
  • Clockwork White Horn: Gate to Advancement
• [Damiane] Added unarmed combat skills.
  • You can find the new skills by selecting "Fists" in the skill menu.
• [Damiane/Oongka] Added "Aerial Stab" for Damiane and Oongka.
• [Kliff] Added "Blinding Flash Finisher" for unarmed combat.
• Added additional wolf and bear types that can be registered as mounts.
• Added reins for certain mounts.

Main Improvements Content

• [Damiane] Fixed an issue where the "Elegant Carmine Leather Armor" appeared abnormally.
• Fixed an issue where the "Faces on the Bounty Notice" could not be progressed if the player obtained Ulzok's bounty notice before speaking with Yann.
• Improved visual effects of "Champion's Plate Gloves."
• Fixed an issue where the "Eastern Witch's Fan" would disappear when extracted.
• Fixed an issue where the Kuku Bird Egg would occasionally disappear from the nest.
• Fixed an issue where some NPCs would appear abnormally at the Saltroad Trading Post.
• Fixed an issue where the "Check the honey quality at the Pollengarth Apiary" could not be completed for "Ugmon's Request."
• Fixed an issue while carrying out the "Protectors of the Abyss" quest, where tokens inserted into the door would disappear if only some of them had been inserted and the player moved too far away.
• Fixed an issue where the "Plentiful Greeting" quest could not be progressed even when the relevant requirements were met.
• Fixed an issue where floppy-eared bulldogs could not equip the "Sigil of Valor".
• Fixed an issue where Ibexes could not be sold to a fence.
• Fixed an issue where missions could not be progressed if comrades were disbanded after moving to the mission location while assembled.
• Fixed an issue where legendary mounts could not be summoned when switching to Kliff in certain situations.
• Fixed an issue where the A.T.A.G. could not be summoned in certain situations.
• Fixed an issue where the A.T.A.G. would occasionally not appear in the hangar.
• Increased the number of animals in the world that can be used as mounts.

Controls

• Fixed an issue where the eating animation would not be canceled by other actions while unarmed on Easy or Normal difficulty.
• Fixed an issue where the handwheel on the coil pillar could only be interacted with from certain angles.

Combat / Action

• [Oongka] Added a charge phase to Explosive Strike.
• [Oongka] Improved chaining into "Stab" when dual-wielding.
• [Damiane] Improved general movement animation while unarmed.
• Improved most unarmed attacks and skills so that they can now successfully hit enemies lying on the ground.

UI

• Fixed an issue where the icon for the "Sword of Starlight" differed from its actual appearance.
• Fixed an issue where, when playing with a controller, certain key guides shown in the bottom-right area of the screen would display keyboard and mouse inputs.

Graphics & Settings

• Fixed a GPU crash issue that occurred with AMD driver version 26.5.1.

Localization

• Fixed various localization errors and improved localization quality across all languages.

Others

• Fixed an issue where, when the "Display Melee Weapons" option was set to "Selected Only", the sheath for a two-handed sword would be displayed while a one-handed sword and shield were equipped.
• Fixed an issue where equipment equipped on horses would disappear in certain situations.
• Fixed an issue where lions, tigers, and large wolves would fall over every time they were hit.
• Fixed an issue where other actions could be performed while attacking on horseback.
• Fixed an issue where two-handed cannons would flicker while sliding.
• Fixed an issue where the player would glide an excessive distance during a jump attack while equipped with a sword and shield in certain situations.

Applied bug fixes and improvements regarding specific bosses. (To prevent spoilers, details are listed in the dropdown menu below.)

• Fixed an issue where certain attack patterns of Awakened Ludvig involved excessive gliding.
• Fixed an issue where Blackstar's health would not recover after retrying or giving up while fighting with the ultimate weapon during "Deferred Advance."

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Xbox's Elite 3 controller has leaked ahead of its summer showcase event. Earlier today, Xbox's Cloud Gaming controller leaked online, showing a compact version of a typical Xbox controller designed for those who want to stream their games to a TV, computer, or mobile device. It's a cool bit of gear that will likely be sold at a cheaper price than a regular controller, making gaming more accessible and affordable to those without a console. However, Xbox is still catering to its hardcore, premium fans as well.

A new leak from Technoblog reveals the look of the brand new Xbox Elite 3 controller. The Xbox Elite 3 has a sleek, all-black appearance with a few bits of silver on the D-pad and analog sticks. The most notable change from the previous version are the two scroll wheels at the bottom of the controller, right next to the mic jack. Some have speculated that these scroll wheels may add extra inputs to your controller, possibly for games that benefit from mouse controls. However, they may be volume knobs. Maybe they'll allow you to freely and easily balance game and chat audio, or something along those lines. If they were for gameplay, they're in a bit of an awkward position that wouldn't make them terribly convenient for frequent use.

Xbox Elite 3 controller leaked pic.twitter.com/4sMEpQm9Sd

— Xbox News & Deals (@XboxStockAlerts) May 14, 2026

Beyond that, the Elite 3 will also reportedly sport a removable chargable battery and a new pair button that allows you to switch between local play and cloud mode. The latter allows for lower-latency, making for a more seamless and smooth experience when playing cloud games.

The Elite series of controllers are for hardcore gamers who like to fine tune and customize their controllers with adjustable buttons and triggers, allowing for more control and precision over how you play your games. They've been well received by fans, but it has been a while since we've seen a new one, as the Elite Series 2 was released in 2019. It's unclear if there are any other big, notable features in the Elite 3, but it wouldn't be surprising if we hear more details about this in the near future.

Xbox's summer showcase is being held in June and will feature new looks at games like Gears of War: E-Day. It'll also be a chance for Xbox's new CEO, Asha Sharma, to define what the future of the brand looks like under her leadership. Introducing new hardware, even if it was greenlit under previous leadership, would be a major step in the right direction. Sharma is making careful and calculated decisions to help shape the future of Xbox, and support for enthusiast hardware would likely give her brownie points with fans.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Director Matt Reeves has revealed the full cast for The Batman Part II, confirming several rumored actors. The Batman Part II is one of the most anticipated films on the horizon, as it has been in development for four years now. The first film was a huge success and cemented Robert Pattinson as a fan-favorite Batman actor, while also elevating Reeves' career a ton. Although he had success on Cloverfield and the Planet of the Apes films, releasing a critically-acclaimed Batman movie is a whole other level.

For years, fans have speculated about what the story of The Batman Part II would be and who would star in it, and now, we finally have a better idea of what's in store. For the last two days, Matt Reeves has been slowly revealing the cast of The Batman: Part II, starting with the returning cast. We've compiled a list of everyone starring in the film, along with their roles. Reeves didn't confirm the roles of the new actors, but the confirmation of their casting may corrborate rumors about their roles.

• Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/The Batman
• Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon
• Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth
• Colin Ferrel as The Penguin
• Jayme Lawson as Mayor Bella Reál
• Gil Perez-Abraham as Officer Martinez
• Sebastian Stan as Harvey Dent (rumored)
• Scarlett Johansson as Gilda Dent (rumored)
• Charles Dance as Christopher Dent (rumored)
• Sebastian Koch as ?
• Brian Tyree Henry as ?

The castings for Sebastian Koch and Brian Tyree Henry were the biggest surprises, as they weren't previously rumored. It's unclear what roles they might play, but it's evident that this story revolves around the Dent family in some capacity. Of course, Harvey Dent famously becomes the nefarious Two-Face, but given the focus on the other members of the Dent family, this story may not be as straight-forward as anyone anticipates. Reeves previously teased that the villain of the film hasn't really been done before, so maybe there's more to this than meets the eye.

The Batman Part II is gearing up to begin production and Reeves recently confirmed that the film would take place in winter, giving us a snowy Gotham City. Some thought this could mean Mister Freeze will be featured (something Reeves had teased in the past), but the cast of the film doesn't really suggest that unless Koch or Henry are playing him. It seems somewhat unlikely given the film is a bit stuffed, but then again, the previous film featured The Riddler, The Penguin, and Carmine Falcone.

Two people are notably absent from this cast, however. Zoë Kravitz and Barry Keoghan, who played Catwoman and The Joker respectively, were not confirmed amongst the returning cast. It was expected that Kravitz might not be part of this film, given Catwoman leaves Gotham at the end of the first movie. She could have a cameo or return in the third film, but currently, she's not expected to have a major role.

It has been speculated that Keoghan would return as the Joker, given that isn't really a character you set up unless you plan to use him. However, a Batman sequel starring Joker and Two-Face may not be interesting to Reeves given that happened with The Dark Knight in 2008. We may get a better idea of what to expect in the coming weeks as set photos trickle out, but the first trailer probably won't be ready until sometime next year.

The Batman: Part II will release in theaters on October 1st, 2027.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Looking for a powerful ebike with the speed and range to meet your ambitious needs? Nowadays you can find a decent ebike for well under $500 if you know where to look (hint: it's not necessarly Amazon). For a limited time, AliExpress is offering the UrLife E20 750W 48V Electric Bike for a super low price of $315.98 after you apply $30 off coupon code "JJY30K". The exact same bike currently sells for $470 ($380 plus $90 shipping) on Amazon.

The AliExpress marketplace seller "urlifeglobal" is the official manufacturer of these scooters and has plenty of reviews and sales to back up its reputation. Since they've already been shipped from overseas, any tariffs have already been paid for and you also don't need to worry about egregiously long shipping times.

The UrLife E20 is an adult electric bike featuring a 750W (1,000W peak) motor that can get up to speeds of 28mph. Unlike most bikes in this price range that use a 36V battery, the E20 includes a powerful 48V battery which offer more power, acceleration, and torque, perfect for tackling steep hills. The 13Ah battery offers up to 80 miles of range under ideal conditions. The actual distance is dependent on other factors like your speed, terrain, elevation, and so forth. It's also removable in case you want to store the battery in a separate location from the bike.

The frame is made of carbon steel so it's on the heavier side at about 60 pounds, but it also has a decent weight capacity of 265 pounds. It's equipped with 20" fat tires with front fork shock-absorbing suspension, which makes it better suited for unpaved terrain compared to other bikes at this price.

There are bikes out there that offer high-quality components, a more powerful motor, better upgradeability, and/or domestic customer support, but only if you're willing to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars more. The UrLife E20 bike will likely stay within your budget. It offers a perfectly respectable assisted ride that will satisfy most bikers.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Marathon is attempting to broaden its playerbase with new offerings, such as a PVE-only mode. Depending on who you ask, Marathon has struck a chord with a dedicated playerbase, but may not have the wide appeal. It seems Bungie is acutely aware of the fact that it may need to expand its audience to make it more approachable and is planning on doing so.

In a massive new blog post, Bungie laid out its plans for the future of Marathon. Among the many details in it, arguably the biggest takeaway content-wise is the introduction of a brand-new PVE mode being introduced in Season 2. It's an experimental mode that won't have player-on-player combat to instead emphasize working together to complete objectives, fight UESC bots, and make progress in a less chaotic and hostile environment. Additionally, there will be a mode that focuses on "PVE, but with a light touch of PVP," though details are scarce on what exactly that means.

For those fearing this means PVP will take a backseat from Marathon, that's not the case. Bungie teased that it is developing a purely PVP-focused mode as part of plans for more experimental modes in Marathon. Bungie noted its goal is to create a game that allows for nail-biting tension and sweaty gameplay, but also one that allows you to take a step back and chill. The aim is to ensure there is a pace of play for whatever mood you're in, rather than constant high-stakes, tense gameplay with big time commitments.

Bungie is also planning to update and improve Marathon's onboarding experience for new players, as well as deepen the overall experience for the diehard fans:

The following is the general roadmap for the future of Marathon throughout 2026:

• Season 2 is on the horizon and we'll be sowing the seeds for a lot of our future plans via new content such as Sentinel and Night Marsh, systems, and experiments around new play modes that may become permanent in the future.
• Season 3 we're planning to introduce a lot (and I mean a lot) of revisions to our early experience, including big updates to Perimeter, alongside a new Runner shell, and additional (no spoilers) content.
• Season 4 we're focusing on building more depth into the existing extraction loop.
• Season 5 we're looking at bringing the whole ecosystem of (PV(P)VE) play together and evolving our weird sci-fi world in new ways.

While there is a passionate group of Marathon players, some would-be fans were interested in experiencing the game for Bungie's tight gunplay, but didn't click with the main extraction-based modes. It seems like this is a direct response to those people and hopefully, it will lure them in and expand the playerbase.

Sony claimed in a recent earnings report that despite a positive reception from players, Marathon's underperformance contributed to a massive $765 million impairment loss following Bungie being acquired. It appears this is part of Bungie doing what it can to pump Marathon's numbers up. Bungie has plans to support Marathon for several years, but obviously, Sony isn't afraid of shutting down studios as seen most recently with the closure of Bluepoint Games.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

The design of Xbox's upcoming cloud gaming controller has leaked online and it looks pretty different from your average Xbox controller. New images of the controller were discovered by Technoblog and reveal that it is much smaller than your typical Xbox controller. It has all of the buttons you'd expect for an Xbox controller, but it is far more compact, making it almost closer to a Joy-Con in terms of size. It also appears to have slight grooves on the triggers closer to what you'd expect on a regular controller. It's hard to tell if this would be very comfortable for long periods of play, but we have seen similar designs in the past from companies such as 8BitDo with the SN30 Pro for Xbox.

The cloud gaming controller looks to have rechargable batteries, USB-C support, and Bluetooth connectivity. The controller will also seemingly be released in two colors: black and white. As of right now, it's unclear when the controller is expected to be released, but these kinds of leaks tend to happen ahead of a reveal sooner rather than later. Perhaps this will be part of Xbox's summer showcase with a release before the end of the year. Although Xbox is hard at work on its next console, known as Project Helix, Microsoft has invested heavily into the cloud gaming space and has been looking for new ways to support it.

LEAKED | Microsoft's new Xbox Cloud Gaming controller just leaked from a Brazilian regulator.

Features:
• 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi
• Rechargeable 500mAh battery
• Bluetooth 5.3
• USB-C
• Bumpers
• Triggers
• D-Pad
• Pairing button

via: Techobloghttps://t.co/Jh7HMhXP08 pic.twitter.com/8196Dwu7nG

— Idle Sloth (@IdleSloth84_) May 14, 2026

If the console market ends up being a wash for Xbox, the platform is set up to exist in other forms like in smart TVs, mobile devices, and non-gaming computers. Xbox's cloud service is surprisingly fluid, allowing players to stream games to a variety of devices, including a console itself. If there's a major game you want to play on the Xbox app but don't have the storage or time to download it, you may be able to stream it (which will be indicated in the app itself).

It's an interesting strategy, but one that appears to be working. Former Xbox boss Phil Spencer noted last year that cloud gaming hours were up 45% on console and 24% on other devices between 2024 and 2025, proving that it's becoming an increasingly viable option for the Xbox base. Putting out a compact controller to further support this style of gaming seems like another way in which its investing in it.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

LG OLED TVs are generally divided into three tiers: the highest-end G (Gallery) series, the mid-range C-series, and the budget-friendly B-series. Lesser known amongst LG's OLED lineup is the M-series. This is a specialized model that has the same panel as the G-series but with the added advantage of wireless connectivity. It's priced higher than nearly any other consumer-targeted LG TV and it's almost never on sale... except for today.

For a limited time, Amazon is offering a brand new 77" LG Evo M3 4K OLED Smart TV for $1,999.99 with free shipping. Compare that to the MSRP of $5,000 when it was first released in August of 2023. The TV is sold and shipped by the Amazon marketplace seller BrandSmart USA, which is an authorized LG reseller. Since the M3 is considered a "premium" LG TV, you get a 5-year panel warranty on top of the standard 1 year parts and labor warranty.

What sets the M3 apart from LG's other OLED TVs is its wireless connectivity. You still have to deal with the power cable, but every other connection is made to an included "Zero Connect" wireless box that can sit 30 feet away from the TV itself and still stream in 4K at up to 120Hz. That allows for a much cleaner setup without any need to hide cables.

The LG Evo M3 uses the same panel as the Gallery Series G3. Despite being nearly three years old, this panel is better than the recent generation LG Evo C5. That's because it uses Micro Lens Array (MLA) technology for its OLED panel, which dramatically increases brightness levels. The Evo C5 is not equipped with this technology. Granted the M3 also doesn't have the Tandem OLED tech you'll find on the new G5 TV, but a 77" G5 model currently costs well over $3,000.

LG OLED TVs has long been our favorite TVs for console gaming thanks to their outstanding image quality, low input lag, and high refresh rate. This is definitely one of the best TVs for streaming 4K HDR content in its intended glory. The M3 is also equipped with modern gaming features that make it a perfect complement to current generation consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, including a native 120Hz panel and three HDMI 2.1 inputs on the Zero Connect Box.

Deals on the LG M-series OLED TVs are rare. The last time I found a deal was back in September of 2025 for about $250 more. If wireless connectivity appeals to you, then don't pass this up.

Like the Gallery Series TVs, the LG Evo M3 doesn't include a stand, only a slim wall mount that sits the TV nearly flush to the wall. If you want more adjustability and an easier install, then consider getting this model off Amazon. Perlegear is one of the biggest TV mount vendors on Amazon with plenty of reviews to back it up. For a limited time, Amazon is offering the Perlegear Full Motion TV Wall Mount, which supports TVs up to 97" and 132 pounds, for just $34.75 after you apply coupon code "NDFC4RAH". The wall mount is overkill for most TVs out there, and that's a good thing.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

The casting search for the next actor to play James Bond is officially underway.

Amazon MGM Studios released the following statement Thursday:

“The search for the next James Bond is underway. While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right.”

Variety reports that Nina Gold has been hired as the casting director for James Bond 26, which is said to be looking for a "fresh face" to play 007. Gold was among the nominees for this year’s first ever Academy Award in casting for her work on Hamnet.

Gold’s past work indicates an eye for discovering future stars; Emilia Clarke, Claire Foy, and Eddie Redmayne all got big career breaks thanks to Gold.

A British native, Gold was the casting director on UK-based series such as Game of Thrones, The Crown, Baby Reindeer, Slow Horses, The Day of the Jackal, Wolf Hall, and Taboo. She also cast series such as Rome, John Adams, Chernobyl, 3 Body Problem, and The Nevers.

On the film side, Gold has been the casting director for Hot Fuzz, Nowhere Boy, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Attack the Block, The King’s Speech, Prometheus, The Imitation Game, The Martian, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Jurassic World: Dominion, Conclave, The Two Popes, Wonka, Les Misérables, The Power of the Dog, and Morbius to name a few.

In addition to Game of Thrones, it might be Gold’s work in the Star Wars franchise that makes her particularly notable for being tapped as the casting director on James Bond 25.

Gold discovered then-largely unknown actors Daisy Ridley and John Boyega for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. She also cast Solo and Andor.

If there’s a "fresh face" male actor in the UK who is a good fit for the role of 007 then a casting director of Nina Gold’s experience would almost certainly have them on her radar.

Denis Villeneuve will direct Bond 26 from a screenplay by Steven Knight.

I can think of few activities I'd enjoy more than playing a video game on a Saturday afternoon while lounging in an overstuffed recliner. This deal is a super affordable way of realizing my dream. As part of its Memorial Day Sasle that starts this week, Wayfair is offering the Latitude Run 41.3'' Extra Large Power Lift Recliner and Massage Chair for just $375 with free shipping. According to Wayfair, the retail price on this is $1,800, which means you're saving a whopping 80% off.

The Latitude Run is an oversized recliner upholstered in an easy to clean faux leather material. It's an "extra-wide" model with a 22" seat width and 21" seat depth. Because the seat is deeper than your standard chair, some people (particularly older folks) might have trouble getting out of it. That's where the power lift feature comes in handy. The Latitude Run helps by tilting foward almost as if it's literally dumping you out of your seat. This feature actually works very well and is the main reason why power lift chairs are so popular for people with limited mobility.

In addition to the power lifting, the Latitude Run can power recline. Both the seat back and leg rest extend out to about 150 degrees. According to the spec sheet, the chair also has eight separate massage points as well as a central heating element that you can adjust with the included remote. At this price point, I wouldn't expect the zones to be very precise, but a heat-emitting vibrating chair can still feel good regardless.

I haven't tried this chair out myself, but I'm tempted to get one for dad since Father's Day is only about a month away. It does have over 1,800 user reviews with a 4.3 star rating. It's "Wayfair verified" and Wayfair is one of the largest online-only furniture retailers in the United States. It does comes with a 30-day return policy and 60-day warranty, although I figure the hassle of returning this outweighs the benefits. You have to make sure you want it.

The IGN Deals team has over 30 years of combined experience finding the best discounts and preorders available online. If you want the latest updates from our trusted team, here’s how to follow our coverage:

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

The list of nominees for the 2026 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards has been revealed. Essentially the equivalent of the Oscars for the comic book industry, the Eisners highlight the best and most noteworthy releases of the 2025 calendar year.

DC is the most widely represented publisher in this year's lineup of nominees, with 16 nominations (plus 10 shared). That's heavily fueled by the Absolute Universe line, with 6 total nominations for Absolute Martian Manhunter and 5 for Absolute Batman. Meanwhile, Fantagraphics has 14 nominations, Image Comics has 12 nominations (plus 9 shared), and Abrams has 9 nominations.

Scroll down to see the full list of Eisner nominees. The winners will be revealed during San Diego Comic-Con on July 24, at a ceremony at the San Diego Hilton Bayfront Hotel.

• “Blood Harvest,” in Brain Damage, by Shintaro Kago, translated by Zack Davisson (Fantagraphics)
• “The Curse Room,” in Brain Damage, by Shintaro Kago, translated by Zack Davisson (Fantagraphics)
• “Football Is Not War,” by R. K. Russell and Wilfred Santiago, in Come Out and Play: The Queer Sports Project (Stacked Deck Press)
• “Red Snapper in the Rea,” by Michael D. Kennedy, in Milk White Steed (Drawn & Quarterly)
• “trAPPed” by Anand RK, Suparna Sharma, and Natalie Obiko Pearson (Bloomberg News)

• Absolute Batman 2025 Annual #1, by Daniel Warren Johnson, James Harren, and Meredith McClaren (DC)
• Absolute Martian Manhunter #1, by Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez (DC)
• Assorted Crisis Events #4, by Deniz Camp and Eric Zawadski (Image)
• Coin-Op no. 10: Wet Cement, by Peter and Maria Hoey (Coin-Op Books)
• Ice Cream Man #43: “One Page Horror Stories,” by W. Maxwell Prince and others (Image)
• Something Is Killing the Children: A Monster Hunter Walks into a Bar #1, by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera (BOOM! Studios)

• Absolute Batman, by Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, and others (DC)
• Absolute Wonder Woman, by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, and Mattia De Iulis (DC)
• The Department of Truth, by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds (Image)
• FML, by Kelly Sue DeConnick and David Lopez (Dark Horse)
• The Power Fantasy, by Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard (Image)
• Storm, by Murewa Ayodele, Lucas Werneck, and others (Marvel)

• Absolute Martian Manhunter, by Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez (DC)
• Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring, by Patrick Horvath (IDW)
• Bronze Faces, by Shobo, Shof, and Alexandre Tefenkgi (BOOM! Studios)
• Crownsville, by Rodney Barnes and Elia Bonetti (Oni Press)
• Everything Dead and Dying, by Tate Brombal and Jacob Phillips (Image)
• Out of Alcatraz, by Christopher Cantwell & Tyler Crook (Oni Press)

• Assorted Crisis Events, by Deniz Camp and Eric Zawadski (Image)
• Batman Vol. 4, by Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez (DC)
• Black Cat, by G. Willow Wilson and Gleb Melnikov (Marvel)
• Exquisite Corpses, by James Tynion IV, Michael Walsh, Pornsak Pichetshote, and others (Image)
• Ghost Pepper, by Ludo Lullabi (Image)
• Temporal, by Stephanie Williams and Asiah Fulmore (Mad Cave)

• All the Hulk Feels, by Dan Santat (Abrams Fanfare/Marvel)
• The Faraway Forest: Wally’s Route, by Debbie Fong (Chronicle Books)
• The Fire-Breathing Duckling, by Frank Cammuso (TOON Books)
• Night Light, by Michael Emberley (Holiday House)
• Steve, A Rare Egg, by Kelly Collier (Kids Can Press)

• The Cartoonists Club, by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud (Scholastic Graphix)
• Chickenpox, by Remy Lai (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers)
• Creature Clinic, by Gavin Aung Than (First Second)
• Night Chef: An Epic Tale of Friendship with a Side of Deliciousness! By Mika Song (Random House Graphic)
• Oasis, by Guojing (Godwin Books/Henry Holt Books for Young Readers)
• A Song for You and I, by K. O’Neill (Random House Graphic)

• Angelica and the Bear Prince, by Trung Le Nguyen (Random House Graphic)
• Clementine: Book Three, by Tillie Walden (Image Skybound)
• Everyone Sux But You, by K. Wroten (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers)
• Hello Sunshine, by Keezy Young (Little, Brown Ink)
• This Place Kills Me, by Mariko Tamaki and Nicole Goux (Abrams Fanfare)
• Trumpets of Death, by Simon Bournel-Bosson, translated by Edward Gauvin (Graphic Universe/Lerner)

• And to Think We Started as a Book Club, by Tom Toro (Andrews McMeel Universal)
• Ew, It’s Beautiful: A False Knees Comics Collection, by Joshua Barkman (Andrews McMeel Universal)
• The Great British Bump-Off: Kill or Be Quilt, by John Allison and Max Sarin (Dark Horse)
• Jeff the Land Shark, by Kelly Thompson and Tokitokoro (Marvel)
• Physics for Cats, by Tom Gauld (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Spent: A Comic Novel, by Alison Bechdel (Mariner Books)

• Come Out and Play: The Queer Sports Project, edited by Meghan Kemp-Gee and Megan Praz (Stacked Deck Press)
• DC Pride 2025, edited by Andrea Shea and Jillian Grant (DC)
• Noir Is the New Black Season 2 (FairSquare Graphics)
• Stardust the Super Wizard Anthology, edited by Van Jensen (Blue Creek Creative)
• 2000AD 2026 Annual Featuring Judge Dredd, edited by Oliver Pickles (Rebellion)

• Black Arms to Hold You Up: A History of Black Resistance, by Ben Passmore (Pantheon)
• Do Admit: The Mitford Sisters and Me, by Mimi Pond (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Fela: Music Is the Weapon, by Jibola Fagbamiye and Conor McCreery (Amistad)
• Globetrotters: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland’s World Tour, by Julian Voloj and Julie Rocheleau (Abrams ComicArts)
• Muybridge, by Guy Delisle, translated by Helge Daschert and Rob Aspinal (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Surrounded: America’s First School for Black Girls, 1832, by Wilfrid Lupano and Stéphane Fert (ABLAZE)

• The Ephemerata: Shaping the Exquisite Nature of Grief, by Carol Tyler (Fantagraphics)
• My Life in 24 Frames Per Second, by Rintaro (Kana Manga US)
• It Rhymes with Takei, by George Takei, Harmony Becker, Steven Scott, and Justin Eisinger (Top Shelf)
• Precious Rubbish, by Kayla E. (Fantagraphics)
• Raised by Ghosts, by Briana Loewinsohn (Fantagraphics)
• Talking to My Father’s Ghost: An Almost True Story, by Alex Krokus (Chronicle)

• Cannon, by Lee Lai (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Drome, by Jesse Lonergan (23rd St. Books)
• The Fable of Erkling Woods, by Juni Ba (Goats Flying Press)
• A Garden of Spheres, by Linnea Sterte (Peow2)
• More Weight: A Salem Story, by Ben Wickey (Top Shelf)
• Shadows of the Sea, by Cathy Malkasian (Fantagraphics)

• Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Storybook Edition, by Patrick Horvath (IDW)
• Ginseng Roots: A Memoir, by Craig Thompson (Pantheon)
• Goes Like This, by Jordan Crane (Fantagraphics)
• Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen: The Deluxe Edition, by Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber (DC)
• Tongues, by Anders Nilsen (Pantheon)

• Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness, Book 1), by Tamora Pierce, adapted by Vita Ayala and Sama Beck (Abrams Fanfare)
• The Compleat Angler: A Graphic Adaptation, by Izaak Walton, adapted by Gareth Brookes (SelfMadeHero)
• Dead Man Walking: Graphic Edition, by Sister Helen Prejean, adapted by Rose Vines and Catherine Anyango Grünewald (Random House)
• Ghost Boys: The Graphic Novel, by Jewell Parker Rhodes and Setor Fiadzigbey (Little, Brown Ink)
• Lord of the Flies: The Graphic Novel, by William Golding, adapted by Aimée De Jongh (Penguin Classics)
• A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel, by Ursula K. Le Guin, adapted by Fred Fordham (Clarion Books)

• Buff Soul, by Moa Romanova, translated by Melissa Bowers (Fantagraphics)
• Cornelius: The Merry Life of a Wretched Dog, by Marc Torices, translated by Andrea Rosenberg (Drawn & Quarterly)
• In the End We All Die, by Tobias Aeschbacher, translated by Andrew Shields (Helvetiq)
• Nocturnos, by Laura Perez, translated by Andrea Rosenberg (Fantagraphics)
• Raging Clouds, by Yudori (Fantagraphics)
• Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, by Anaïs Flogny, translated by Dan Christensen (Abrams ComicArts)

• Hirayasumi, vols. 4–7, by Keigo Shinzo, translated by Jan Mitsuko Cash (VIZ Media)
• Land, vol. 1, by Kazumi Yamashita, translated by Kevin Gifford (Yen Press)
• Purgatory Funeral Cakes, by Sanho, translated by Danny Lim (Dark Horse)
• Tokyo Alien Bros., vols. 1–3, by Keigo Shinzo, translated by Casey Loe (VIZ Media)
• Yan, vols. 1–2, by Chang Sheng, translated by Vanessa Liu (Titan Manga)

• Arthur Ferrier’s Pin-Up Parade Box Set, edited by Rian Hughes (Korero Press)
• Barnaby, vol. 5: 1950–1952, by Crockett Johnson, edited by Eric Reynolds and Philip Nel (Fantagraphics)
• The George Herriman Library: Krazy & Ignatz 1928–1930, edited by J. Michael Catron and Bill Blackbeard (Fantagraphics)
• Rea Irvin’s The Smythes, edited by R. Kikuo Johnson and Dash Shaw (NYRC)
• Terminal Exposure: Comics, Sculpture, and Risky Behavior, by Michael McMillan, edited by Lucas Adams (NYRC)

• AKIRA Volumes 1–5 Hardcover Collection, by Katsuhiro Otomo, edited by Haruko Hashimoto, Ajani Oloye, and Lauren Scanlan (Kodansha USA Publishing)
• The Atlas Comics Library No. 7: Girl Comics, edited by Dr. Michael J. Vassallo (Fantagraphics)
• Comics of the Movement #1, by Courtland Cox, Jennifer Lawson, Alfred Hassler, and Benton Resnik (Good Trouble Comics)
• Hothead Paisan, by Diane DiMassa, organized by Anika Banister (NYRC)
• Scream! The Specials 1985–2024, edited by Chiara Mestieri (Rebellion)
• Weird Science Vol. 1 XXL, edited by Grant Geissman (TASCHEN)

• Comic Art in Korea, by John A. Lent (University Press of Mississippi)
• Comics of the Anthropocene: Graphic Narrative at the End of Nature, by José Alaniz (University Press of Mississippi)
• Graphic Narratives of Resistance, by Jennifer Boum Make and Charly Verstraet (Edinburgh University Press)
• Latinx Comics Studies: Critical and Creative Crossings, edited by Fernanda Díaz-Basteris and Maite Urcaregui (Rutgers University Press)
• Manga’s First Century: How Creators and Fans Made Japanese Comics, 1905–1989, by Andrea Horbinski (University of California Press)

• CANON, by Colin Blanchette and Alex Eklund
• Comic Book Creator, edited by Jon B. Cooke (TwoMorrows)
• Dummy, edited by John Kelly (The Dummy Corporation)
• Shelfdust, edited by Steve Morris, www.shelfdust.com
• SKTCHD, by David Harper, www.sktchd.com
• SOLRAD: The Online Literary Magazine for Comics, edited by Daniel Elkin, www.solrad.co (Fieldmouse Press)

• Crumb: A Cartoonist’s Life, by Dan Nadel (Scribner)
• Facing Feelings: Inside the World of Raina Telgemeier, by Raina Telgemeier (Scholastic)
• How Comics Are Made, by Glenn Fleishman (Andrews McMeel)
• Making Nonfiction Comics: A Guide to Graphic Narrative, by Eleri Harris and Shay Mirk (Abrams ComicArts)
• Only What’s Necessary: Charles M. Schulz and the Art of Peanuts, by Chip Kidd (Abrams ComicArts)
• Ooops…I Just Catharted!: Fifty Years of Cathartic Comics, by Rupert Kinnard, edited by William O. Tyler (Stacked Deck Press)

• The Art of Manga, designed by Tessa Lee (Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco/VIZ Media)
• The Essential Peanuts, designed by Shawn Dahl with Chip Kidd (Abrams ComicArts)
• Fruits Basket: The Complete Box Set (Collector’s Edition #13), designed by Wendy Chan (Yen Press)
• Red Light Properties: Unfinished Business, designed by Dan Goldman (Kinjin Storylab)
• The Marvel Art of Michael Allred Slipcase Edition, designed by Kurtis Findlay (Clover Press)
• Weird Science Vol. 1 XXL, designed by Anna-Tina Kessler (TASCHEN)

• The Accidental Undergrad by Christian Giroux (Fieldmouse Press)
• Keeping Time by Kody Okamoto (keepingtimecomic.com)
• The Legend of Parvaterra by Raúl Arnáiz (WEBTOON)
• Sable: A Ghost Story, by Ethan M. Aldridge (sablecomic.com)
• Superfish, by Peglo (WEBTOON)
• Terran Omega: The Ghosts of War, by PJ Holden (pauljholden.com)
• Tiger, Tiger by Petra Erika Nordlund (tigertigercomic.com)

• DeadAss, by hakei (VIZ Media)
• In the Real Dark Night, by Jimmy Gownley (G-Ville Comics)
• The Lycan, by Mike Carey, Thomas Jane, David James Kelly, and Diego Yapur (Comixology Originals)
• Overwatch 2: Against the Tide, by Brandon Chen and Velinxi (Blizzard Entertainment)
• Practical Defense Against Piracy, by Tony Cliff (delilahdirk.com)
• The World of Lublu, by Charbak Dipta (The Charbax Store)

• Deniz Camp, Absolute Martian Manhunter (DC); Assorted Crisis Events (Image); The Ultimates (Marvel)
• Scott Snyder, Absolute Batman, Batman/Deadpool (DC); By a Thread: Book 2 (Comixology Originals), You Won’t Feel a Thing (DSTLRY)
• Mariko Tamaki, This Place Kills Me (Abrams Fanfare)
• Kelly Thompson, Absolute Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey (DC); Jeff the Land Shark (Marvel)
• James Tynion IV, Something Is Killing the Children, Wynd: The Power of the Blood (BOOM! Studios); Let This One Be a Devil, Red Book (Dark Horse); The City Beneath Her Feet (DSTLRY); The Department of Truth, Exquisite Corpses, W0RLDTR33 (Image); Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man (Image Skybound)
• Stephanie Williams, Street Sharks (IDW); Roots of Madness (Ignition Press); Temporal (Mad Cave)

• Juni Ba, The Boy Wonder (DC); The Fable of Erkling Woods (Goats Flying Press); Monkey Meat Summer Batch (Image)
• Jamal Campbell, Zatanna (DC)
• Jesse Lonergan, Drome (23rd St. Books)
• Chang Sheng, Yan, vols. 1–2 (Titan Manga)
• Linnea Sterte, A Garden of Spheres (Peow2)
• Kazumi Yamashita, Land, vol. 1 (Yen Press)

• Elsa Charretier, The City Beneath Her Feet (DSTLRY)
• Sean Phillips, Giant Size Criminal #1, The Knives: A Criminal Book (Image)
• Javier Rodriguez, Absolute Martian Manhunter (DC)
• Chris Samnee, Batman and Robin: Year One (DC)
• Hayden Sherman, Absolute Wonder Woman, Batman: Dark Patterns (DC)
• Eric Zawadzki, Assorted Crisis Events (Image)

• Teddy Kristiansen, Black Hammer: Spiral City (Dark Horse)
• Cathy Malkasian, Shadows of the Sea (Fantagraphics)
• Qu, Slices of Life: A Comic Montage (Bulgilhan Press)
• Martin Simmonds, The Department of Truth (Image)
• Mika Song, Night Chef: An Epic Tale of Friendship with a Side of Deliciousness! (Random House Graphic)
• Linnea Sterte, A Garden of Spheres (Peow)

• Juni Ba, The Boy Wonder (DC); The Fable of Erkling Woods (Goats Flying Press); TMNT Nightwatcher, TMNT Godzilla (IDW); Monkey Meat Summer Batch (Image)
• Nick Dragotta, Absolute Batman, Absolute Batman 2025 Annual, Batman #1, Batman/Deadpool (DC)
• Francesco Francavilla, Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars: Tales from the Nightlands (Dark Horse); Absolute Batman, Absolute Martian Manhunter, Batman: Full Moon, Nightwing variants (DC); Green Hornet/Miss Fury (Dynamite); Star Trek: The Last Starship, Twilight Zone (IDW); Dick Tracy (Mad Cave)
• Mateus Manhanini, Absolute Superman, Absolute Wonder Woman, Mr. Terrific: Year One variants (DC); Doctor Strange, Ironheart: Bad Chemistry, Miles Morales: Spider-Man, Phases of the Moon Knight, Star Wars: The High Republic, Storm, The Ultimates (Marvel)
• Javier Rodriguez, Absolute Martian Manhunter, Batman & Robin: Year One #7, The New Gods #8 (DC)
• Hayden Sherman, Absolute Wonder Woman, Batman: Dark Patterns #3-12 (DC)

• Jordie Bellaire, Absolute Wonder Woman, The Nice House by the Sea (DC); The Exorcism at 1600 Penn (IDW); Assorted Crisis Events, The Department of Truth, Exquisite Corpses, W0RLDTR33 (Image); GI Joe (Image/Skybound); EC Catacomb of Torment, EC Epitaphs from the Abyss (Oni Press)
• Ninakupenda Gaillard, Chickenpox (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers)
• Jesse Lonergan, Drome (23rd St. Books)
• Matheus Lopes, Batman and Robin Year One (DC); The Seasons (Image)
• Javier Rodriguez, Absolute Martian Manhunter (DC)
• José Villarrubia, This Ink Runs Cold (Alan Spiegel Fine Arts); Ghostbox (Comixology Originals); Dracula Book 2: The Brides, The Witcher: The Bear and the Butterfly (Dark Horse); It Rhymes with Takei (Top Shelf)

• Janice Chiang, Acro and the Cat, All Upon a Time, Beyond the Aural Vault, Republica, Solarblader (Sandstorm); John Carpenter’s Blood of the Taken: Next of Kin, Pause, Tales of Science Fiction (Storm King)
• Clayton Cowles, Absolute Batman, Batman, Batman & Robin: Year One, Birds of Prey, Black Canary: Best of the Best, Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman, (DC); Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1-3 (Marvel)
• Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, Ill Vacation, Stillman (Comixology Originals); Absolute Martian Manhunter, Challengers of the Unknown, DC K.O., The Flash, Green Arrow, Poison Ivy (DC); Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Starship Godzilla, (IDW); Author Immortal (Image); Our-Soot-Stained Heart (Mad Cave)
• Nate Piekos, American Caper #1, Archie Vs. Minor Threats, Black Hammer: Spiral City, The Brood, Minor Threats: The Last Devil Left Alive, Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons, The Umbrella Academy Plan B, Welcome to Twilight (Dark Horse); I Hate Fairyland (Image)
• Ben Wickey, More Weight: A Salem Story (Top Shelf)

Check out IGN's Best Comic Book Series or Original Graphic Novel of 2025 award to see what we thought the best books of last year were.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Pick up Apple's flagship watch at an outstanding price. For just a limited time, Amazon is offering the "Amazon Renewed" Apple Watch Ultra (Gen 1) smatwatch for $299 with free shipping. If you are a Prime member and pay with the Prime Visa Card, you also get an extra 10% cash back instead of the usual 5%. This "excellent condition" refurb is shipped and sold by Amazon and includes a 90-day warranty. A brand new Apple Watch Ultra retails for $750.

The Apple Watch Ultra is the best watch in Apple's lineup for anyone who enjoys the outdoors, thanks to its increased durability, longer battery life, more precise GPS, and activity specific features and apps. It's a bigger watch than any of the others with a 49mm titanium case that comes standard. Titanium is more rugged and corrosion resistant than the softer aluminum or stainless steel casing found in less expensive Apple Watches. The display is likewise protected by a sapphire crystal face that's more durable than the Ion-X glass found on the standard Watch 11. It's the same protection that Garmin uses on its highest end watches and will definitely withstand the elements.

In addition to the increased durability, the Watch Ultra boasts a 1.92" Retina LTPO OLED display with up to 2,000 nits of brightness. It's powered by an S8 processor and includes 32GB of built-in storage. Other features include dual-frequency GPS, beam-forming triple microphone array, dual speakers, up to 36 hours of battery life, 100m of water resistance, customizable physical action button, and a built-in Oceanic+ app that literally puts a dive computer on your wrist.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

The movie Jurassic Park came out when I was 11, which is the perfect age to watch a movie about rampaging dinosaurs. I saw it in the theater, and I, along with the many other moviegoers, was obsessed. I bought a paperback copy of the book and tore through it. It ruled. (I re-read it last year and it still rules.) I bought the movie on VHS, and then decades later I bought it again on 4K Blu-ray. I’ve probably seen Jurassic Park more times than any other movie. I have about 80% of the dialog memorized. I think it’s a perfect film.

In other words, I’m in the tank for Jurassic Park. So I was predisposed to like the Jurassic Park Jeep Wrangler LEGO set, which is now available at the LEGO Store. Just something to keep in mind while reading about how much I do, in fact, love this set.

• Price: $199.99
• Pieces: 1,924
• Ages: 18+
• Set #: 77984

The set comes with 1,924 pieces divided into 26 bags, plus two instruction manuals, an envelope containing a fabric vehicle cover, and a page of stickers. It’s a lot! Which is mostly a good thing — except for the stickers.

To someone on record as being firmly in the “anti-sticker” camp, this Wrangler includes an upsetting number of stickers, many of which are highly visible in the final build. The Jurassic Park logo on the car doors are stickers. The Jeep numbers, which appear on numerous parts of the vehicle, are stickers. The arrow on the East Dock sign is a sticker, as are the words “East Dock.”

I get it — this set has lots of logos and images on it. But when LEGO prints designs directly on the bricks, they come out looking perfectly straight. When I, with my big clumsy hands, affix a sticker the size of a Tic-Tac on a LEGO brick roughly the same size, it always ends up just a little crooked. It would be nice if the LEGO corporation could print these images directly on the pieces at the LEGO factory, but apparently that’s not possible. I’m not sure why it’s not possible, but after assembling dozens of LEGO sets and placing many stickers slightly askew, I have come to accept that it is.

Moving on to the build itself, the instructions first have you piece together the Jeep’s undercarriage and complicated innards. These are largely comprised of LEGO Technic pieces, with bags full of rods and pegs and gears and ball joints that all snap together in an incredibly complex way. I have no idea how anyone could possibly have designed this set. It’s amazing that it turns into a build resembling anything at all, let alone a highly recognizable Jeep Wrangler.

Eventually, as you pile on layer after layer of the Jeep’s floor, you come to the interior of the Wrangler, which has reclining seats and a center console, complete with an adorable little coffee cup resting on it. Then you build wheel wells and doors, on which you (carefully, yet still somehow crookedly) place big stickers with the iconic Jurassic Park logo.

Much of the build time is spent assembling separate component pieces that don’t look like much until you attach them to the main set and you discover you’ve built some integral part of the whole. It might be the engine, which you place snugly under the hood. It might be part of the wheel-turning apparatus that spans the length of the vehicle under the floor. It might be the array of lights above the windshield or the winch on the front bumper. It’s always satisfying to complete a component and press it into place.

The tires go on near the end, presumably so the Wrangler doesn't roll off the table mid-build. They're made of rubber, and they roll with a satisfying smoothness. Thanks to the aforementioned Technic pieces hidden in the Jeep’s undercarriage, you can even turn the front wheels by rotating the spare tire on the back of the Jeep.

When you’re nearly finished with the build, you come to a crossroads: which of the four Wranglers shown in the movie do you want this to be? You can pick Wrangler 10, 12, 18, or 29, each of which are outfitted differently. Depending on which you choose, you need to turn to the designated page in the instruction manual, “Choose Your Own Adventure”-style.

Jeeps 18 and 29 appear in the movie shortly after the main characters arrive on the island. These are the Jeeps that take them on their first tour of the park. Jeep 18 is the one Ellie Sattler, Alan Grant, and Ian Malcolm are in when they see the dinosaurs for the first time and take off their sunglasses in awe. Riding in Jeep 29 behind them are John Hammond and the “bloodsucking lawyer” Donald Gennaro.

The other two Jeeps play perhaps more memorable roles. Jeep number 10 is the one used to rescue Malcolm after the t-rex attack. This is the one in the famous shot of the t-rex stomping after them in the side-view mirror, with the words “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear” clearly visible. (That shot is re-created in this LEGO set, via a sticker on the mirror).

Finally, you can build Jeep 12, which Dennis Nedry takes to escape the island with his modified Barbasol can of stolen dinosaur embryos. He’s heading toward a boat dock in a torrential downpour. He never arrives. Instead, he crashes into the East Dock sign, loosening the arrow directing which way to go, and then has a fatal encounter with a dilophosaurus.

Each of the Jeeps has unique features. Number 10 has cargo chests in the back. Several have poles to support the fabric roof. Jeep 12 is sort of the default one to build, seeing as the set comes with a Dennis Nedry minifigure. He’s wearing his yellow raincoat, and has two face options: one drenched in rain, the other splattered with dino venom.

Once you’ve completed the Jeep of your choice, you build the East Dock sign. This is basically an accessory – it's obviously not the main concern of this set, but it still has a number of clever details built into it. I love how it uses clear pieces on the base to represent the rainwater that’s drenching everything in that scene in the movie. I love the varied leaf pieces in different shades of green that give a jungle-like texture to the base of the sign. There's a tiny frog on the ground, as well as a piece of amber containing a mosquito (not a sticker!). I also love how easily and freely the arrow sign spins on the pole, just like in the movie after Nedry crashes into it. The designers really paid attention to every detail.

The final bag contains the display placard and the Dennis Nedry minifigure. He comes with a stick (“Stick, stupid! No wonder you’re extinct!”) and the iconic Barbasol can (looking at it, I can just about hear Nedry wheeze with laughter when Dodgson shows him how it works, over a lunch that Dennis is not about to pay for (“Don’t get cheap on me, Dodgson”).

While this set probably wouldn’t appeal to younger kids anyway, it’s definitely a LEGO set for adults. It’s a complicated build, with many tiny, fiddly pieces. Some of the pieces curve one way or the other, depending on what side of the Jeep you’re working on. It can be hard to tell which piece you’re supposed to use unless you’re looking very carefully.

Any complaints I have with this build are minor, even the plethora of stickers. I love the finished product wholeheartedly. It’s impressively big — it should be big, since it costs $199.99, but I was surprised by its size nonetheless. It also looks incredible. It’s iconic and instantly recognizable.

After somewhere in the range of 10 hours of build time, this set is my favorite new thing in the house. I have it sitting on my desk, next to LEGO Mario and Yoshi, and it makes me happy every time I look at it. What more could I ask of a LEGO set?

LEGO Jurassic Park Jeep Wrangler is available exclusively at the LEGO Store for $199.99.

Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.

Nintendo has been getting amazing brick treatment over the last few years, and one of the biggest and most impressive sets has been the 2-in-1 The Legend of Zelda Great Deku Tree. It originally came out in September of 2024, but sadly it looks like it's already scheduled to be retired soon. This set joins a wide breadth of other LEGO kits about to be sunsetted on LEGO's Last Chance to Buy page, but there should still be plenty of time to pick one up from Amazon or directly through LEGO before it's too late. This is one of just two LEGO Legend of Zelda sets, with the Ocarina of Time - The Final Battle set dropping earlier this year.

Many third-party LEGO blogs are saying this and the other sets are to be retired this July, so there's still a little bit of time to pick one up, though I can't imagine this will see a discount anywhere any time soon. If you're able to get one, you're in for quite a treat. IGN's Kevin Wong built this set when it came out. The 2,500-piece set is a fun modular build where you can choose between the Great Deku Tree iterations from Ocarina of Time or Breath of the Wild, with Kevin saying the latter is the better build in terms of detail and color.

This set also includes many new and exclusive bricks only found in this set, like the Link and Zelda minifigures, the Sheika Slate brick, an ocarina, and a handful of Korok masks. I'd personally build this into the Ocarina of Time configuration, as it's one of my favorite games of all time, but the inside of the tree offers plenty of Easter eggs from the game's first dungeon, like a swinging Skulltula and two Deku baba plants.

If you already have the Great Deku Tree kit, the latest Legend of Zelda LEGO set is still in stock and features the iconic final battle from the N64 classic. It's also a great companion piece if your Deku Tree is in the Ocarina of Time configuration.

Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.

It's been a few months since Brandon Sanderson officially confirmed he'd be working with Apple TV on Cosmere adaptations. Since then, he's been consistently showcasing progress and snippets of new information on his weekly podcast, Intentionally Blank. In the most recent episode, he brought on his wife, Emily Sanderson, to discuss their review of season 1 of Apple TV's Murderbot series.

"I think I would give it a nine," Sanderson said, "but I also am comparing it to the books. It's possible that this is a 10 because: Is there anything I can imagine they should have done better?"

The Murderbot series, which is based on Martha Well's Murderbot Diaries books, first premiered back in May 2025 on Apple TV and was critically received quite well. IGN's own review gave it an 8 out of 10, which more closely matches the score Sanderson's wife gave the series.

What does this have to do with the Stormlight Archive TV series, though? And why is he talking about it so long after the first season wrapped up? Well a little bit further into the podcast, he reveals a key detail about one of the execs for the show.

"It's actually one of the same TV execs as on Stormlight, so I'm glad it was good because I watched it and I'm like 'Oh. good. I sold him this,' I didn't know which exec I was going to get, but it is one of the execs on Murderbot," Sanderson said.

Details about the Stormlight Archive series have been fairly few and far between since the original announcement, but Sanderson has stated before that he will be co-showrunner for the series once it actually starts. He has confirmed in his latest weekly update on YouTube that he is mostly focused on writing the script for the upcoming Mistborn movie, but will be working on getting a pilot together for Stormlight. And according to the progress bar on his website, that Mistborn screenplay is already 72% done.

Although both the Stormlight Archive series and Mistborn movie are still likely far off, this latest news seems like a positive signal from Sanderson himself. It's also just another reason to check out Martha Well's Murderbot books if you haven't already. She just released a new novel in the series, titled Platform Decay, that you can read now.

Jacob Kienlen is a Senior Audience Development Strategist and Writer for IGN. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his home for his entire life. With a bachelor's degree in communication and 10 years of professional writing experience, his expertise is spread across a variety of different pop culture topics -- from TV series to books and the latest Pokémon games.

Cooler Master's NR2 series PCs offer plenty of gaming prowess in a compact 18-liter chassis. Because this is a premium product for a semi-niche audience, prices are usually higher than a comparably equipped gaming PC, but not always. Case in point, Amazon is currently offering the Cooler Master NR2 RTX 5070 gaming PC for $1,799.98 shipped after you apply a $400 off coupon on the product page. This brings the price in-line with other standard-sized 5070 prebuilts but you get a stylish, powerful system that won't take up much desk space.

For a limited time, get a digital code for the upcoming 007 First Light game on Steam.

This Cooler Master NR2 gaming PC is equipped with a liquid-cooled AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU, GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, 32GB of DDR5-6000MHz RAM, and a 2TB SSD. The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a 8-core 16-thread processor with a 5GHz turbo boost frequency. It's cooled by a robust 280mm all-in-one liquid cooling system featuring custom length tubing. The system is powered by an 850W 80+ Gold SFX power supply, again with custom length cables.

Although it has been succeeded by the newer 9000X3D series of processors, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D still maintains its reputation as an all-star gaming CPU. According to Passmark, the 7800X3D's gaming performance surpasses that of the latest generation Intel Core Ultra 7 265K. The 7800X3D also consumes less power and produces less heat than the 9800X3D while maintaining nearly the same gaming performance.

The RTX 5070 GPU is as good of a value as you'll get with a GeForce card. This is the card most people would recommend for 1080p or 1440p gaming without blowing your budget (nowadays an RTX 5070 Ti costs $1,000 or more by itself). Compared to the previous generation GPUs, the RTX 5070 offers a slight performance improvement over the RTX 4070 Super, which was and still is an excellent GPU. The fps gain is greater in games that support DLSS 4.5 with multi-frame generation. Check out Jacqueline Thomas's RTX 5070 review for our hands-on impressions.

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Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

One of the biggest debates surrounding the Switch 2 has been whether the console has a strong enough library of games to warrant the upgrade. As Xbox and Playstation have moved toward multi-platform releases (and even a potential PC-console hybrid), Nintendo has remained firm in producing games exclusive to their own hardware.

Now, almost a year into the console’s life cycle, the top three best-selling physical games on Amazon are all Nintendo exclusives. Are Switch 2 owners just at the ready to buy any game that releases on the console? Or are these games particularly big hits for the gaming giant? I have a suspicion it’s a mix of both.

Amazon’s approach to product categories is… interesting, to say the least. If you go straight to the video game bestsellers list, you’ll find a mix of Roblox gift cards, controllers, and even the Switch 2 itself. These are the top actual video games on that list, which are technically ranked at #5, #6, and #18 at the time of writing.

Up top we have the most recently announced Switch 2-exclusive, which certainly has some hype behind it. The Star Fox 64 remake will feature a significant graphical overhaul, including new character designs, while keeping the same level design as the original game. It will also include some funky Switch 2 camera integrations.

The one game on this list that isn’t a Switch 2-exclusive also happens to be the game that you can buy and play right now. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream released earlier this year, with IGN’s review calling it "a deeply funny and equally personal civilization simulator."

While Nintendo opted not to offer any online features for sharing, the game has turned into a social media darling, with everyone and their grandma seemingly sharing screenshots of what their eclectic crews of Miis are getting up to.

Yet another preorder, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book will be the first Yoshi game to release since Yoshi's Crafted World in 2019. Leanne Butkovic’s preview of the game for IGN notes that the gameplay may be designed for the younger generation of gamers, but that hasn’t stopped it from climbing the charts.

It's worth highlighting that more and more developers are reporting that the overwhelming majority of game purchases are digital. The Nintendo eShop doesn’t rank its best-selling list, but it currently features Pokémon Pokopia, the FireRed and LeafGreen remakes, and the Switch 2’s accompanying launch title, Mario Kart World.

Unlike the original Switch, the Switch 2 has also been getting non-Nintendo AAA releases like Resident Evil: Requiem and Pragmata at launch. Upcoming exclusives include a new Fromsoftware game, The Duskbloods, while questions remain about major Nintendo mascots like Mario and Zelda.

How does the Switch 2 library stack up at this stage? Well, I think that’s for you to decide.

One of the biggest Nintendo announcements of late is that the Switch 2 will be increasing in price this September. When that price hike takes effect, every current-generation console will officially be more expensive in 2026 than it was at launch, an unfortunate trend tied to memory shortages and tariffs. The price increase followed reports of pressure from investors, and may also be related to the relatively soft Switch 2 sales over the holidays.

Aside from accompanying the announcement with an apology, Nintendo announced a new "choose your own game" Switch 2 bundle that will be available this summer. The company recognizes that the console's appeal depends on its library of games, with Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa expressing that "the most important thing in the gaming console business is to provide engaging gameplay that offers value beyond the price."

Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.

A bunch of popular PC titles are discounted today, including our top game of 2025, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, as well as a Humble Bundle deal featuring some incredible indie games. Plus, you can save a lot on an Xbox Gift Card for some fun future purchases, the Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide Preorder got a nice price cut, and more.

Game of the Year 2025 winner Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for PC is down to just $31.99 on Newegg with the coupon code “SSF6834”. That’s the lowest price I’ve seen for this outstanding turn-based RPG. The Steam game code will be sent your email for redemption. In our review, Michael Higham found: “Wearing its inspirations on its sleeve, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 paints itself into the pantheon of great RPGs with a brilliant combat system and a gripping, harrowing story.”

Score a $100 Xbox eGift Card at Newegg for just $83.50 with the promo code “SSF6837” at checkout. The gift card will be sent to your email for quick, easy access. Upon receipt, it can be used to purchase games, apps, movies, TV shows, and more from the Microsoft Store, Windows, and Xbox. If you’re already looking to purchase a few things, it’s a great way to save.

Humble’s $10 Indie Icons Showcase Bundle is next level. With it, you’ll get eight outstanding indie games for just $10. If you bought them individually, it’d be well over $100. Celeste, Starbound, The Witness, and Risk of Rain Returns are just a few of the titles included. The game codes arrive via email for easy redemption on Steam. All of these indie masterpieces are Deck Verified or Steam Deck playable, too.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds for Switch 2 is just $49.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. This action-packed racing game is full of familiar faces, and it doesn’t stick to the track. You’ll be flying through the sky, the sea, space, and even time. In our Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds review, Jada Griffin gave the game an “Amazing” 9/10 rating and said it “fires on all cylinders with a fantastic roster, excellent courses, and a lengthy list of customization options.” The Switch 2 version comes with upgraded graphics and frame rates.

The DJI Mini 4K Drone Fly More Combo is back down to just $309. Thanks to its lightweight, the drone doesn’t need to be registered with the FAA, so you’re free to fly recreationally. Once you’ve got it up in the air, it can capture stunning 4K HDR video smoothly for up to 31 minutes at up to 4,000 meters. With the Fly More Combo, you’ll also get three batteries, a shoulder bag, and more. If you only care about the DJI Mini 4K Drone, it’s available for $209 when you clip the coupon on the product page.

The Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide preorder just got a slight price cut. It’s down to $56.99 from $59.99. If the price drops any further before the August 25th release date, Amazon has a preorder guarantee. Now, this 336-page hardcover book looks impressive, from the ribbon bookmark and handy index to the premium gold gilded edges and Pikachu endpapers. Inside, it’s an encyclopedia full of colorful pictures and fun facts on over 1,000 Pokémon. It truly is a must-have for collectors. The foreword is even written by Tsunekazu Ishihara, President and CEO of The Pokémon Company.

Want a fun bit of Jurassic Park memorabilia? This amber LED light adds a lovely glow to any space for incredible ambience or even makes for a great night light. It’s made of resin and features a prehistoric mosquito floating inside. For power, there’s a USB-C cable, or you can go cable-free with two AAA batteries. Measuring 6.7 x 5 x 4.3 inches, this lamp will look great on any shelf or even a desk. Plus, you can get it for 22% off on Amazon right now.

Summer is just around the corner, and one convenient way to keep cool is with a portable turbo fan. For just $9, you’ll get a Diveblues Rechargeable Portable Fan when you enter the promo code "I9D3G6RN” at checkout. It’s incredibly compact and light at just 6.7 ounces with an included lanyard to pop it around your neck. Five different speed settings help to keep things frosty, while the 4,000mAh rechargeable battery lasts up to 12 hours.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment for Nintendo Switch 2 has dropped to $49.99 at Best Buy, and it's just $39.99 for Best Buy Plus and Total members. This action game was released late last year and serves as a prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. In our review, Logan Plant said that “the story may fail to capture the promise of a Tears of the Kingdom prequel, but the gameplay more than makes up for that by wonderfully fusing its source material’s craziest ideas with great 1 vs. 1,000 battles, resulting in the best action of the series yet.”

Fans of Middle-earth need this Pillars of Kings bookend set. They’re down to the lowest price ever on Amazon. Incredible detail is put into the Argonath statues, and each is even hand-painted. Made of resin, these bookends are designed to last and should fit on just about any shelf, with each measuring 6.3 x 7.1 x 3.4 inches.

The Final Fantasy I-VI Collection Anniversary Edition for Switch is at its lowest price of the year on Amazon. With this edition, you’ll get the first six mainline Final Fantasy games all fully remastered. But don’t worry, you’re still getting those pixelated graphics; they're just sharpened to look better on the Switch. The soundtrack also got an orchestral upgrade, and the game now includes options to disable random encounters and boost experience and Gil gains.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for Nintendo Switch is down to $39.99 at Best Buy, which is one of the lowest prices I’ve seen for the latest entry in the Metroid series. The action-adventure game earned an 8/10 in our review, and Logan Plant found, “It nails the essential elements of a Prime game that remain special decades later: tense exploration through haunting locations highlighted by amazing worldbuilding, breathtaking art direction, new twists on classic abilities, and flawless technical performance.”

If you’ve got a Switch 2, you can purchase the upgrade pack for enhanced graphics and mouse controller support for $9.99. It’s still $20 cheaper than buying the Switch 2 Edition.

Magic’s Secrets of Strixhaven Play Booster Box is only $139.55. That’s its lowest price yet on Amazon, plus it's shipped and sold by the retail giant for added peace of mind. That price brings the 30 Play Boosters in the box down to just $4.65 each. If you’re looking to build out your school of magic collection, which just dropped last month, the booster box is what you need.

Yakuza Kiwami 1+2 for PlayStation 5 has dropped to its lowest price yet at Amazon and Best Buy. These remakes of the first two Yakuza games in the series offer enhanced graphics, re-recorded audio, and updated gameplay mechanics. If you’re a fan of the series or a newcomer looking to play these games on a modern console, getting these games for just $29.99 is an incredible deal. There are over 80 hours of content to dive into

If you’re looking for more PS5 game deals. Check out these excellent discounts below:

For the second week of Crunchyroll’s Ani-May Sale, you’re getting two manga free with the purchase of two. It’s essentially double BOGO. There is an incredible selection to choose from, with nearly every manga that’s in stock included in the deal. From One Piece and Chainsaw Man to hardcover editions of Vagabond and the 25th Anniversary of Nana, chances are good you’ll find four to add to your collection. Below are a few highlights of the sale, but I’d recommend scrolling through it yourself here.

Danielle is a Tech freelance writer based in Los Angeles who spends her free time creating videos and geeking out over music history.

Subnautica 2 has hit almost half a million concurrent players on Steam in its first hour of release. At the time of this article's publication, Subnautica 2 was on an incredible 467,000 concurrent players on Valve's platform, and developer Unknown Worlds confirmed the game had sold 1 million copies within the first hour of launch. For an early access game that released on PC and Xbox Series X and S in the middle of a weekday, these numbers are pretty huge. It's likely they will only grow from here, as word of mouth spreads and more players come online.

The critical reception to the game seems to be positive. We gave Subnautica 2's early access launch a 7/10 in our review, noting that it's fun, but it's evident the game is still a work-in-progress. "It’s pretty impressive that wading in the shallow tides of Subnautica 2's Early Access debut is as fun as it is already, and that should be a great sign of things to come, but I also wouldn’t blame anyone for waiting for these waters to rise a bit before getting their feet wet," we said.

Subnautica 2 was one of the most anticipated games around, and the most wishlisted game on Steam up until its release. The first game was an indie darling that captivated fans with its incredibly serene, yet mysterious setting. Players fill the shoes of a spaceship crash survivor after landing in the ocean of a mysterious alien planet. They're forced to use whatever they can to survive and uncover the secrets around them. It made for an incredibly compelling experience, but one that also could be expanded upon.

Subnautica 2 had a bumpy road to release, with development beginning around 2022. The game was initially targeting a 2025 release, but was delayed following drama with publisher Krafton. In July 2025, Krafton removed Unknown World's leadership from the company, including CEO Ted Gill. This spawned a legal battle, with the fired employees claiming Krafton let them go and delayed the game to avoid paying out a massive $250 million bonus for hitting key targets and deadlines. A judge had Gill and his colleagues reinstated earlier this year, which then put the game back on track for release.

There was one last obstacle before launch, however. Subnautica 2 leaked online days before its release. However, it doesn't seem to have hurt the game in any notable way. Subnautica 2's launch is just the beginning, as it will be updated over time with new content. For now, the game packs a meaty narrative, co-op, and an expansive sea to explore.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Veteran British sci-fi series Doctor Who will have a new streaming home on AMC+ from next month onwards.

BBC Studios has confirmed that 13 seasons and 175 episodes will begin streaming via AMC+ from June 11 onwards in the U.S. These episodes encompass the franchise's New Who era, originally broadcast between 2005 and 2002.

In other words, this is the era that saw the show star Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi and Jodie Whittaker.

Notably, the subsequent episodes made under the BBC's short-lived funding deal with Disney are not included — so don't expect to see Tennant's return as the Fourteenth Doctor, or any suggestion of Ncuti Gatwa.

Today's announcement has also fuelled fan speculation that AMC could also be lined up as the series' next big U.S.-based financial backer, following the departure of Disney as a co-funding partner — a decision that sparked the show's current production hiatus.

Currently, the BBC has only confirmed it is self-funding a single special episode set to air this Christmas that fans expect will be used to wrap up a few loose plot threads — such as what's going on with the return of Billie Piper. Beyond this, Doctor Who's future remains a mystery — although fans expect another co-funding deal to be announced before too long.

"Doctor Who strengthens AMC+’s position as a destination for premium genre storytelling – curated franchises defined by iconic worlds, passionate fan bases and enduring cultural impact," said Courtney Thomasma, Executive Vice President of AMC Global Media’s linear and streaming products. "We’re thrilled to welcome the Whoniverse into our home of fandoms, giving longtime fans a reason to return while inviting new audiences to discover one of television’s most beloved franchises."

Filming on the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas special is still yet to take place, with rumors suggesting it will shoot in early fall and be turned around quickly for December.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

The iconic EC Comics brand has found new life at Oni Press, with Oni delivering new horror and sci-fi anthologies from some of the industry's top creators. That partnership continues in Shellshock, a new one-shot special that combines horror and war stories into one chilling blend.

IGN can exclusively debut the cover art to Shellshock #1. Check it out in the slideshow gallery below:

Shellshock #1 is a 56-page book with contributions by writers Julio Anta (This Land Is Our Land: A Blue Beetle Story), John Arcudi (B.P.R.D.), Benito Cereno (Invincible Presents: Atom Eve), and Michael W. Conrad (Double Walker) and artists Tom Fowler (EC’s Catacomb of Torment), David Lapham (Stray Bullets), Albert Monteys (Slaughterhouse-Five: The Graphic Novel), and Shawn Martinbrough (Thief of Thieves).

The issue features cover art by Lee Bermejo, Tyler Crook, Tom Fowler, Jay Stephens, and Ryan Hughes.

“Take a journey into the deepest depths of the heart of darkness, as Shellshock showcases the most skin-crawling monster of all— humankind’s capacity for war and bloodshed,” said Senior Editor Allyson Gronowitz in a statement.

Shellshock #1 will be released on August 19, 2026. You can preorder a copy at your local comic shop.

For more, get the full scoop on Marvel's X-Men: Outback series and see an exclusive preview of X-Men '97: Season Two #1.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Polyarc, a studio founded by ex-Bungie developers that's made a name for itself with two stellar VR games in its Moss series, is bringing both games to PC and consoles – no VR headset needed – in the form of Moss: The Forgotten Relic. The puzzle-platformer/action-adventure is due out this summer. Watch the announcement trailer above and check out the first screenshots in the gallery below.

“Our team has a deeply personal connection with the world and characters of Moss,” said Polyarc cofounder and design director Danny Bulla. “With The Forgotten Relic, we're excited to invite players into Quill's journey to share the wonder, mystery, and heart at the center of Moss.”

In Moss: The Forgotten Relic, you play as Quill, a mouse who quests through an ancient realm in search of adventure. You must guide her through environmental puzzles, combat, and platforming challenges. The Forgotten Relic "enhances" and "reimagines" both Moss and Moss: Book 2 into a single, non-VR experience.

I reviewed the original Moss for PSVR in 2018 and called it great, while reviewer Henry Stockdale had a similarly great assessment for Moss: Book 2 in 2022.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our semi-retired interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

If you're ready to see the first-ever gameplay from Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, then today's your lucky day! In the 33-minute video above, get your first look at work-in-progress gameplay from the upcoming four-player PvE Xenomorph-hunting third-person shooter sequel, showcasing the entire Prologue mission from the first campaign.

You'll see a few different character classes in action along with various special abilities, new and returning Xenomorph types, and plenty more in the warm-up for the rest of the campaign. Keep in mind that this is work-in-progress footage, so forgive any little hitches or issues you might see. The developers at Cold Iron and Daybreak were very kind to let us jump straight in and show off this raw gameplay to you ahead of Fireteam Elite 2's summer release window.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is our IGN First "cover story" for the month of May. Check out the game reveal if you missed it, as well as a closer look at some of the new and returning Xenomorph enemy types you'll face off against. And keep checking back all May long for more exclusive coverage!

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our semi-retired interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

The director of the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy, Naoki Hamaguchi, recognizes that there is challenge with getting younger players interested in the franchise. The Final Fantasy series has been around since the late 80s, and as a result, the audience who plays it tends to skew older than some other franchises. To a younger player who isn't familiar with Final Fantasy, they may see the large roman numerals in the title and assume they are behind on the story, not realizing that most of these games standalone. Not only that, but there are large gaps between releases, meaning Final Fantasy lacks a certain amount of relevancy for other audiences.

In an interview with Nintenderos, Hamaguchi stated that he is aware of a challenge when it comes to providing fans with the depth they deserve and expanding the franchise to a new group of players.

"We are constantly updating our vision on what kind of experiences we can offer next. As the Final Fantasy 7 remake project nears completion, I want to meet the expectations of fans who desire even more depth in this world and its characters. At the same time, I am very aware of the need to consider how we can expand the potential of the Final Fantasy franchise as a whole for the next generation."

He continued: "... as the creator of these works, if there is a demand for new and unique experiences that differ from what we have done so far, I am also eager to face those challenges."

Mat Piscatella, senior director at analyst firm Circana, stated earlier this year that 70% of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth players were over 30 years old. Although Final Fantasy remains very successful in these age groups, some players may begin to age out as time goes on, and it'll be important for Square Enix to lure in a younger audience.

Final Fantasy 15, 16, and the 7 remake trilogy were worthwhile attempts as the series embraced real-time combat instead of turn-based, something that makes the gameplay more appealing to a newer generation of players. 16 also took a big swing with its M-rating, but didn't make the commercial splash that Square Enix hoped for.

It remains unclear what's next for Final Fantasy after the remake trilogy concludes. Final Fantasy 17 is likely being cooked up right now, but it's hard to say how far away it might be or what it may do to interest players who have never engaged with the series.

In March, Final Fantasy 14 director Naoki Yoshida, known to fans as Yoshi-P, admitted that long development cycles right across the Final Fantasy series make it "harder" for new players or younger generations "to engage with" the franchise.

Reflecting on the issue in a video interview promoting spinoff Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy, Yoshida discussed how young people might have struggled to "connect" with the Final Fantasy franchise simply because it takes so long to release mainline entries.

"I'm 53 now, and I've been playing since Final Fantasy 1 in real time... But for younger generations — people who grew up naturally accustomed to action-based combat and online competitive play — the recent entries in the series may have been harder to engage with," Yoshi-P said.

"Part of that is simply because I'm sorry to say... the release intervals for new titles have gotten longer, so some players haven't really had the chance to connect with the series the way older fans did."

In 2024, Yoshi-P, who produced Final Fantasy 16, said it might be time for a younger generation to lead the franchise and helm Final Fantasy 17, but we haven't heard anything about a potential sequel as Square Enix focuses on getting Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 out the door.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

The big Fortnite Overwatch update is here, bringing Tracer, Genji and the gang to Epic Games' battle royale Island. But the changes only begin there — with a major shakeup to gameplay, in Zero Build mode in particular.

Across Fortnite's main battle royale mode, fall damage has been made so it is no longer lethal — players instead "splat" onto the ground, and recover with 1HP. Time for some bandages!

Battle royale's Zero Build option, meanwhile, has been completely overhauled with yet more changes, such as the addition of an unlimited use "Pocket Item" randomly assigned at the beginning of matches. These items can include Shockwave Grenades, Medmist or Shield Bubbles.

YOU NO LONGER DIE FROM FALL DAMAGE

BATTLE ROYALE & ZERO BUILD (Unranked) pic.twitter.com/5jzANXhJqJ

— HYPEX (@HYPEX) May 14, 2026

Glider redeploy is back when you're leaping off high areas, and you can now cut your glider near the ground for a headstart (at the cost of potentially taking some fall damage). Equipping your pickaxe now provides unlimited stamina, meanwhile, and eliminations grant overshield — encouraging more aggressive play.

Balancing that is a boost to environmental cover strength (walls, crates and so forth will now withstand more fire), while Reboot Van timers have been reduced so you can bring the squad back in more quickly.

Alongside Overwatch locations added to the game's map (Hanamura! King's Row! Busan Drum Pavilion!), fans seem to be especially having fun with Tracer's pulse pistols, which move Fortnite's third-person action fully first-person and let you blink and rewind time. It's certainly one of the best crossover collaboration items in some time.

New Fortnite Overwatch update is INSANE! 😲 #Fortnite pic.twitter.com/jRgdddAhZv

— Xen Grxnt (@RealGrxnt) May 14, 2026

Fortnite has had a rough start to 2026, with major layoffs back in March following a downturn in interest in Epic Games' evergreen battle royale shooter. Analysts told IGN that fewer people playing the game's veteran battle royale was only one of its problems, however, following the time and money spent over the past few years fighting costly legal battles with Apple and Google, while bankrolling the Epic Games Store as it attempts to rival Steam. And then there's the explosive growth of Roblox, which dwarfs the engagement seen by Fortnite's own creator-made modes.

Still, big updates like this show that Epic Games can still impress fans with another set of improvements and changes. Fortnite lore fans also get more to chew over this update as well, with confirmation on the fate of The Paradigm (the character previously voiced by Brie Larson), another fan-favorite character set to return, and a pretty big hint at who is pulling the Dark Voyager's strings...

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Whether it’s the shrunken world of Grounded or the monster-collecting hijinks of Palworld, it really only takes one great idea to make all the familiar parts of a survival game feel completely new. Subnautica did just that way back in 2014 by plunging the usual formula underwater, easily emerging as one of my favorites by the time it left Early Access in 2018. Eight years and one icy spin-off later, Subnautica 2’s own Early Access debut has once again pulled me in like an ocean current, and the game-changing addition of co-op multiplayer makes the depths a little less lonesome. Of course, with red barriers waiting for you outside of the small map that’s currently available and a short list of gear and craftables to work through, I started to run low on new things to do and build after just a few hours, which does make this ocean feel more like a pond at the moment. But that won’t be a surprise to anyone who followed the original from its early days, and dipping my toes in now has made me extremely excited for the updates that await us in the months and years to come.

Returning fans will recognize most of the weird stuff going on in Subnautica 2. A creepy water planet filled with dangerous sea life? Check! A sci-fi story that goes from mildly stressful to soul-crushingly depressing in a matter of hours? Check! Building massive bases and crafting gear and vehicles solely so that you don’t have to keep swimming to the surface to catch your breath as often? You know it! This sequel doesn’t change a whole lot about the core structure of the first game, and wisely submerges itself almost entirely back into the water after Subnautica: Below Zero experimented with more action on land. You’ll gather resources that help you travel farther away from your life pod and explore deeper reaches of the ocean, facing new threats as you do – whether that be infected waters filled with hostile lifeforms or oppressively hot regions with volcanic geysers that threaten to boil you alive.

Subnautica is a template for what open-world survival games should strive to be. It’s fantastical, fresh, and frightening from surface to seabed, with a story that kept on surprising me and a cast of sea monsters that quite literally haunted my dreams. Even with more than 50 hours sunk, I have yet to discover all of its secrets. It’s a testament to how enticing those secrets are that I’m willing to face my fears and plunge my submersible into the darkest corners of its unforgiving ocean again and again. - Leana Hafer, January 25, 2018

Read the full Subnautica review.

One area Subnautica 2 improves upon its predecessors is its story, which takes the mostly environmental storytelling style of the original and pulls it up from the depths, offering something that’s even more compelling (and often a complete bummer, but in an intentional way). Though we don’t get to see more than a tease as of its Early Access release, this early section is already chock full of interesting characters and sci-fi concepts, as well as some truly devastating revelations along the way. What’s great is that while this story is certainly more direct, it manages to tell it while retaining the sense of isolation and mystery that feels like an essential part of the series. If anything, learning more about the state of the world and the terrifying planet you find yourself on only heightens the disquiet as you explore. And if this is just a taste of things to come, then I genuinely fear what’s in store.

While the story is a significant leap forward, many of the survival mechanics remain mostly the same with a few new additions and optimizations here and there. You’ll still hunt for various crafting materials like copper and silver, scan every bit of flora and fauna in sight to unlock new schematics, and cook up all the kelp and seafood you can stomach so you don’t starve. That process is a bit more streamlined now as just about every material has multiple functions to make collecting them a worthwhile use of your time – no longer will you be filling up your storage with acid mushrooms and feel quite silly a few hours later when you realize you grabbed more than you’re ever likely to need. The pacing (at least in the sections currently available) also feels much better, as I always felt like I knew exactly which materials to hunt for and which areas I should explore next, and never felt my progress slow in the 15 hours it took me to hit the current wall.

One interesting new idea is the ability to modify your genes via the bio lab machine, which can either be built in your settlements or found in the world. These allow you to gain access to new active abilities, like one that lets you quickly dash around underwater after a cooldown, or passive abilities, like one that gives you a larger lung capacity. The ability to customize how you play is a pretty neat feature, although (like everything in this Early Access build) there’s only a handful of options at the moment, so it’s a bit hard to tell what that system will look like once it has a chance to evolve over time.

The survival loop might not be particularly novel, especially for those who have braved Subnautica’s waters before, but per usual, the main draw is that you’re required to explore increasingly unpredictable and dangerous depths if you hope to continue moving forward. That’s where Subnautica 2 shines, as each new stretch of water or unexplored cave features untold dangers, surprising lifeforms, and bits of lore to find along the way. Some areas are covered in diseased lifeforms and swarming with carnivorous fish until you can identify and destroy the sources of the corruption, while another has an enormous clam-like creature hiding valuable resources within its shell that can be claimed by those willing to risk waking it.

Moments like these, where everything is new and unexpected, are the best parts of Subnautica 2, so it’s great that they occur at a near-constant pace throughout the currently explorable area. However, once again, the only downside is that you will run out of new areas to explore somewhat quickly if you are looking to jump in right now. Exploration shifts from feeling like a dangerous delve to a bit like a casual farming game once all the mystery is gone and you know where everything is, especially once you unlock and upgrade the Tadpole (a vehicle that makes traveling quick and oxygen storage mostly irrelevant).

Base building, one of the other major pursuits you’re bound to spend loads of time on, has been greatly improved in Subnautica 2 (though it faces a similar shortage of stuff to chase in its current state). The best adjustment to building is how much simpler setting up, expanding, and modifying bases is, as you can now just place a room and then tug and pull at it to increase its size in any direction, adding windows, hallways, and doors as you go with almost no friction. Building is often one of those things that you lose hours to in survival games, but often feels like you’re fighting against the shoddy mechanics in order to do so. This was almost never the case in my time with Subnautica 2, which is downright impressive given how easy it could have been to make building bases underwater a complete pain in the neck. The addition of currents throughout the world is also an interesting new wrinkle, not only because they add some chaos to exploration by whisking you away, but also because they can be used as a renewable power source if you set up camp nearby, which I found quite clever.

By far the biggest addition, more than all the evil fish and scary seawater, is multiplayer. I really enjoy playing survival games with friends, so this feels like something that absolutely needed to be in the sequel. Playing in co-op is exactly what you’d expect – you can invite folks to your world and start exploring, collecting, and building together, and that’s a pretty awesome time, even if it does make progression go startlingly fast and remove some of the fear and isolation found in the solo experience. The only drawbacks are that you currently can’t play in someone else’s world unless they are actively online, and offline worlds are forever separate from multiplayer saves, so your friends won’t be able to come see all the neat stuff you’ve been working on if you started that particular run in singleplayer mode.

Sony and Marvel have today revealed just a little bit more of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, with just over two months left to go until the movie's arrival in theaters.

First off, there's a new poster — providing our best (and certainly our most close-up) look at Peter Parker's suit in the film. It's a simple but striking poster design, with the bottom half of Tom Holland's face visible as his superhero attire takes up most of the image.

Next up is a behind the scenes video featuring quick quotes from Holland and director Destin Daniel Cretton, as we see more of the practical effects work previously glimpsed last year, when the movie began shooting in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Intriguingly, Cretton refers to this as the film's "opening action sequence", suggesting it'll come early in the film. If you remember, filming kicked off with Holland (and his stunt double) riding atop a tank down an Edinburgh street dressed up to look like New York. Still, the sequence won't be the first thing viewers see — as Sony has already released the movie's opening script pages.

"After the record-breaking global success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Spider-Man: Brand New Day marks an entirely new chapter for Peter Parker and Spider-Man," reads today's blurb for the movie.

"Four years have passed since the events of No Way Home, and Peter is now an adult living entirely alone, having voluntarily erased himself from the lives and memories of those he loves. Crime-fighting in a New York that no longer knows his name, he's devoted himself entirely to protecting his city — a full-time Spider-Man — but as the demands on him intensify, the pressure sparks a surprising physical evolution that threatens his existence, even as a strange new pattern of crimes gives rise to one of the most powerful threats he has ever faced."

Here's that behind the scenes video:

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is due to launch on July 31, and set to star Holland, Zendaya as MJ, Sadie Sink (in an undisclosed role that fans are now certain they've identified), Jacob Batalon as Ned, Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher, Tramell Tillman as Department of Damage Control boss Bill Metzger, Michael Mando as Scorpion, and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner (who looks like he'll also be appearing as the Hulk).

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Introducing Rock, Paper, Severed – a dark new horror game for 1-4 players that takes the classic game Rock, Paper, Scissors and dials it up to deadly levels. It's all presided over by the mysterious Entity. It's in development for PC and due out later this year.

It's a simple setup, but according to developer Buzzin' Games, "losing doesn’t just mean defeat; it means sacrifice. Each wrong move costs players a finger, raising the stakes with every round in a tense battle of strategy, nerve, and survival.

"Presiding over the game is the mysterious Entity, a shadowy host offering players a chance at absolution. Those who sit at the table are drawn in by the promise of wiping away their sins, but leaving is not so simple. As matches unfold, fragments of the past begin to surface, and the true cost of the game becomes horrifyingly clear."

You'll have different items to use in order to out-strategize out-maneuver your opponents while trying to keep momentum in your favor. Each in-game character is unique and has their own motivations for playing the deadly game.

Wishlist Rock, Paper, Severed on Steam if you're interested.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our semi-retired interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

Alienware has always been known for its over-the-top and expensive gaming PCs, but it just announced the Alienware 15, its first true budget gaming laptop.

The Alienware 15 will come with either an AMD Ryzen or Intel Core chip, along with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU to start, with options to spec it up to an RTX 5060. It's available today, starting at $1,299 for the base AMD Ryzen-equipped version and $1,349 for an Intel model.

The Alienware 15 debuts at a lower price than the $1,690 Alienware 16 Aurora Gaming Laptop, which the company released last year. The smaller model gets new AMD chip options – a Ryzen 7 260 or Ryzen 5 220 – ships with either a 512GB or 1TB NVMe SSD, and features a 300-nit, 165Hz refresh rate, 16:10 WUXGA (1920 x 1200) display.

By contrast, the base-model 16-inch ships with an 8GB RTX 5050 grapics card and 16GB of DDR5 RAM, but only with an Intel CPU and a 120Hz display. The Alienware 15 will be configurable with 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB of RAM, and a 54Wh or 70Wh battery – both specs with starting points that feel like sign-of-the-times trade-offs to hit the lower price point that stand in stark contrast to what's offered on some of our favorite gaming laptops.

"We made deliberate choices about where to invest and where to pull back," Alienware writes in a press release the company shared with IGN. It's a not-so-subtle nod to the ongoing, AI-addled RAM crisis that's engulfed the tech industry at large.

While the $1,299 seems like a high price for a budget laptop, it's important to keep in mind that Dell, and by extension Alienware, often puts its laptops on sale. So if you want to grab this laptop, it might be best to wait a couple months to see if the price drops below a thousand bucks. But, with the way PC gaming has been trending so far this year, that's not exactly guaranteed.

Wes is a freelance writer (Freelance Wes, they call him) who has covered technology, gaming, and entertainment steadily since 2020 at Gizmodo, Tom's Hardware, Hardcore Gamer, and most recently, The Verge. Inside of him there are two wolves: one that thinks it wouldn't be so bad to start collecting game consoles again, and the other who also thinks this, but more strongly.

Co-op game Party Animals has been spammed with hundreds of negative reviews after it announced a $15,000 AI video contest.

As detailed on the game's official website, Recreate Games is running a competition, inviting short films, drama series, animations, music videos, and more on any theme as long as it's "positive" and connected to the Party Animals game.

So far, so what, right? Well, it's the next bit of the rules that's caused a little commotion.

"[AI-generated content] must be the core creative tool, including but not limited to AI-generated images, video, music, voiceovers, 3D assets, etc.," the competition insists. The winner secures a whopping $15,000, with cash awards of $1,500-4,500 also available for runner-ups.

While Party Animals maintains a "very positive" Steam user review rating for all English reviews, recent reviews are now "mostly negative" after over 800 negative reviews were left since the competition was announced. "Rest in peace, loved this game but they're leaning into AI now so I will no longer support this company," reads the "most helpful review," posted by someone with over 26 hours on record.

"I genuinely wonder if any company ever takes even a single glance online, to see what the general consensus is around AI, before they do something like this," commented one unhappy player.

Another more moderate take said: "I think the general consensus is not the same as a vocal minority. The general consensus still just views AI as a novelty with no strong feelings for or against it." Another replied: "This is similar to the massive push of gambling in and around all sports things. They want to normalize it so more and more of their potential customer base doesn't know a world where it wasn't ubiquitous to some degree." Someone else wrote: "We saw this exact same song and dance when NFTs were the hot new buzzword."

Party Animals AI Video Contest is about to begin!

What wild ideas have you had for Party Animals? Join the "Golden Paw Awards" now — Party Animals 1st AI Video Contest!

A short film you've been dreaming of making, a story that breaks all the rules, a character tribute to your… pic.twitter.com/kWgY4zvQT0

— Party Animals (@party_animals) May 13, 2026

"The rules are pretty funny too," pointed out another commenter. "'Any plagiarism or unauthorized used of others' work will result in disqualification. Like, do y'all know how generative AI even works...?"

Developer Recreate Games has yet to respond to the complaints.

The issue of generative AI's impact on the creative industries remains one of the hottest topics in all entertainment, and some are all-in on the emerging tech. The CEO of Genvid — the company behind choose-your-own-adventure interactive series like Silent Hill Ascension — recently claimed "consumers generally do not care" about generative AI, and stated that: "Gen Z loves AI slop." EA CEO Andrew Wilson has said AI is "the very core of our business," and Square Enix recently implemented mass layoffs and reorganized, saying it needed to be "aggressive in applying AI." Dead Space creator Glen Schofield also recently detailed his plans to “fix” the industry in part via the use of generative AI in game development, and former God of War dev Meghan Morgan Juinio said: "... if we don’t embrace [AI], I think we’re selling ourselves short.”

Strauss Zelnick, boss of Rockstar parent company Take-Two, however, recently called the idea of AI making games like GTA 6 "laughable." Reflecting on the reception to Google's Project Genie, which can generate interactive worlds from a text prompt — the tech demo for which briefly sent game company share prices tumbling — Zelnick insisted: "These tools may help you create assets, but that won’t help you create hits."

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Arc Raiders has hit 16 million sales, an incredible result for the extraction shooter that has proven so successful for developer Embark and publisher Nexon.

In its latest set of financial results, Nexon said Arc Raiders sales had been “extraordinary,” and that it was the most successful new product released in company history.

We’re now six months since the launch of Arc Raiders, and deep into its inevitable “dead game” debate despite the fact it remains one of the most played games on Steam (neither Sony nor Microsoft make player numbers public). Yes, player numbers on Valve’s platform aren’t what they were during Arc Raiders' explosive launch, but we’re still talking about a game that can regularly hit 100,000 peak concurrent players on PC.

Yesterday, Embark announced that Arc Raiders will only have two big content updates every year, sparking complaints from some within the community. The next update, Frozen Trail, is due in October. It adds new locations to explore, new enemies, new expansions to the story and lore, and updates to the game's progression systems.

"Going forward, we've made the decision to release major updates twice a year – larger in scale, more impactful, with the goal to genuinely change how you play the game," Embark explained. "Don’t worry, a dedicated live service team will continue running Arc Raiders day-to-day: regular live updates, plus balance fixes, bug fixes, store updates, and player events aren't going anywhere.

"This additional development space also allows us to invest more deeply in the health of Arc Raiders, from progression and economy balancing to fair play and anti-cheat efforts. We know these are foundational to the experience, especially in a game where every encounter and extraction matters."

Clearly, Nexon has high hopes for the October update. In its financial report, Nexon said Arc Raiders is “now settling in with a large and deeply loyal player community,” but the Frozen Trail update will “reshape” how the game is played, “which is great for reactivating users who finished the original game, and for attracting all-new players.”

The idea, then, is to use this update to convince lapsed players to return to Arc Raiders, and maybe bring in some new players in the process. But that's not all Arc Raiders has going on. It's still updating its other live service shooter, The Finals, and, according to Nexon, it has two new games in the early stage of development.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

On paper, it will always seem a little odd that it took the Forza Horizon series until the sixth game to find its way to Japan. Few countries on Earth command the same level of renown as Japan when it comes to automobile culture – the home of drifting, Daikoku PA, and one of the few cars to ever get Dominic Torretto out of a Dodge. Regardless of how you slice it, a stopover in Japan certainly feels long overdue. However, after playing Forza Horizon 6 for the last week, I can’t help but be glad developer Playground Games waited. For mine, that’s primarily thanks to the astounding step up in map quality. It goes beyond just being the biggest or the most beautiful (which it is, no doubt). Crucially, it’s also the most credible and car-friendly, and I can’t understate how much richness and believability this adds to the world itself. Every corner of the map feels like a place I can pause or park, meaning everywhere I arrive feels like a destination.

And when everywhere is a destination, the journeys are almost limitless.

From moment to moment – particularly while participating in races – it’s fair enough to say that Forza Horizon 6 resembles past games in the series in a number of obvious ways. At its core, it offers more-or-less the same brand of class-based racing as its predecessors. The timer clicks down, you mash the throttle, and then fight your way to the front of the pack. It’s still great racing, and I will say I feel like I’ve caught the AI making more impressive evasive adjustments than I recall them executing in the past. Broadly speaking, however, the racing itself remains similar.

On a gamepad, it all feels quite familiar too. The handling is still a successful blend of simulation-inspired elements – with a tangible sense of weight and grip – with smooth and approachable steering controls. For anyone unfamiliar with the feel of Forza Horizon, it’s by no means a punishing and impenetrable driving simulator that’ll fling you off the road for the mildest misjudgement. However, it’s also not a point-and-squirt, pureblood arcade racer like Burnout Paradise, either. That said, on a wheel it does feel like there’s a very welcome increase in the amount of front-end grip – and less of that slightly skatey feel that’s been present in past games. This is good news, whether you’re negotiating the many, many kinks and hairpin turns that characterise Forza Horizon 6’s greatest stretches of road (it’s impossible to choose just one, because there are so many highlights this time around) or needing that responsiveness to avoid traffic on the freeway that loops around a huge portion of the map.

It’s at this point you might be wondering whether Forza Horizon 6 is just Forza Horizon 5 on a new map, but to claim so would be far too reductive – totally ignoring what has changed.

Forza Horizon 6 arrives with an adjusted and more satisfying approach to its campaign progression – one that straddles a middle ground between the curated structure of the original and the unbridled freedom embraced by Forza Horizon 5. It’s brought with it numerous boosts to car graphics and audio, resulting in the best looking and sounding cars in the long history of the series. There’s been a massive increase in what’s possible with the user-generated content creation tools, and we can now customise garages, construct wild, private race tracks on our personal estates deep in the Japanese countryside, and even build in multiplayer anywhere around the open-world. Touge racing, open-world car meets, drop-in-drop-out time attacks and drag racing with no loading – the implementation of a customisation feature that long-time Forza players have literally been waiting 20 years for – the list of tweaks and improvements squeezed into Forza Horizon 6 is long.

But before I circle back on some of these elements, allow me to explain what it is about the map itself that has me embedded in it like a tick on a hound dog.

The style of Forza Horizon 6’s riff on Japan should come as no surprise to those familiar with the series’ history of pilfering a pile of picturesque segments of a country that have otherwise no business being directly next to each other and… placing them directly next to each other. It takes a distilled and shrunken version of Tokyo City and surrounds it with rolling hills, open farmland, soggy fields, dense forest, sharp mountains, quaint villages, rural race circuits, and – overlooking it all – sweeping highlands and the Japan Alps. The blend of natural beauty and engineering spectacle is just outstanding, from the way low sun lights the patchy snow and lush fields on the fringe of the alpine region, down to the snaking, multi-level ramps and freeways that loom over Tokyo’s dense metro and industrial areas.

It makes no geographical sense, but it’s also not attempting to. This isn’t really Japan as much as it is a Japanese-themed amusement park for cars. It’s supposed to look fabulous and be extremely engaging to move through, and damn if it isn’t both those things in spades.

At its most gorgeous, Forza Horizon 6 is a total showstopper. Maybe that’s gazing over the Tokyo skyline from the highest point on the map, or perhaps it’s emerging from a tunnel to see the wilderness unfolding in front of you, with the freeway flanked by looming mountains carpeted in dense forest, and snowy peaks rising behind them. No Forza Horizon map has nailed the sense of both natural and man-made scale quite as successfully as this one. The fact that it accomplishes this with zero crashes and no stuttering, ever, is as commendable as ever.

But it goes far beyond the postcard-friendly vistas, because I also find myself entranced by the smaller nuances. I’m now a week into my campaign and I’m still consistently finding myself pausing to bust out the camera and pore over the more subtle details on display. Maybe that’s the flaking paint of the concrete pylons of a tunnel that’s become overgrown with vegetation to better blend into its natural surroundings. Maybe that’s distinctions in the actual road surfaces themselves, from the grooved sections within tunnels to the corrugated asphalt that forms the narrow route to your large estate property to the north of the map. Maybe it’s all the idiosyncratic coloured road markings stencilled on the freeways, alleys, backroads, and mountain passes (where the warning paint is already scarred with the burnt rubber of bold drifters that have come before you).

Maybe it’s the fact that every single parking lot I’ve discovered around the map (and there are many, many more than I’ve been able to keep track of) appears to be entirely bespoke to its location – whether that’s the enormous, multilevel, Tokyo Drift-style one by the docks, a modest lot tucked away beneath an overpass, or just a few spots lining the front of a konbini.

I would’ve loved to have seen a full spectrum of underground parking lots, and on that one specific note it's arguable that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown – which is based in the similarly dense Hong Kong and has many underground, polished-concrete parking garages, complete with working boom gates – has Forza Horizon 6 slightly beat. Like Solar Crown, however, Forza Horizon 6 does feature petrol stations. They’re not interactive, but they are realistically everywhere, all over Japan. There’s only ever been one in the whole Horizon series before – a single outback petrol station servicing Australia’s entire eastern seaboard back in Forza Horizon 3.

What I love particularly is just how car-adjacent the presence of so many places to actually pause, park, and pretend to fill up a car makes Forza Horizon 6’s map feel. It isn’t just a slab of land with some roads draped across it to drive up and down; all of these considerations make Japan feel like a world built to host cars. It doesn’t just have places you can race them, drag them, and drift them. It has places you can park them. Places you can pause and photograph them. Places you can meet and hang with friends around them.

Japan is a world that respects the car. Of course, Japan is also a world that respects the bicycle. But the car does not respect the bicycle. It is the natural order of things for cars to disrespect the bicycle.

And Forza Horizon 6 allows that, too.

It’s All in the Wrist

The cars look fantastic, but specifically they look more seated into the world than ever before. That’s especially true in frosty weather, where they become encrusted in a rough sheen of ice and water vapour floats from the exhaust as they belch hot gas directly into the frigid air. I love the long-awaited ability to place decals on glass in the livery editor. I’m not one for ostentatious and complex vinyls on my street cars, but I do love the subtle sense of ownership imbued by the simple act of being able to create and place a couple of stickers on my rear glass.

Car sound is the best it’s ever been in the series. The highlight is easily the incredible and noticeably improved echoing that you get in tight spaces and tunnels, something I’m enjoying constantly thanks to the frankly antisocial and aurally irresponsible amount of downshifting I’m doing in tunnels. But there are understated improvements elsewhere, too, like the faint squeak of performance brakes that have copped some punishment.

I do enjoy that Forza Horizon 6 brings back the curated, wristband structure of the 2012 original, and I think the overall sense of progression is considerably better because of it. With a special, sealed-off section of the map that’s exclusively available only after you’ve reached the top rank of the Horizon Festival, this campaign has a really overt crescendo – more so than previous games. It works well here, and it’s nice to have a clear endgame and a final goal. Each wristband graduation culminates with a large-scale event, which is either a traditional Showcase race or a new Rush event. Only two Showcases may sound low, but I would argue that the Rush events (which are basically giant obstacle races) remain pretty Showcase-adjacent. That is, they still involve aircraft zooming around the vicinity in some capacity – you’re just not racing them specifically. Showcases are just on more straightforward routes, which is smart considering it gives us a lot more time to actually look at, say, a giant mech stomping towards Tokyo. That one may just be the wildest Showcase in the series to date.

Overall, the tighter career structure only temporarily infringes on the freedom afforded to customise races that players of Forza Horizon 5 should be accustomed to. That is, while a race will initially have a set class and car theme locked, after this has been completed you can use the custom options to race it on subsequent occasions in any other car from your garage. It’s an effective compromise between a more traditional approach and the totally malleable nature of Forza Horizon 5.

What's The Story, Koinobori?

Parallel to the core racing campaign there’s another pillar of progression in Forza Horizon 6 that’s all about exploration, discovery, and spirited driving outside the confines of the festival (like street and touge races). Every mascot you smash or Horizon Story you complete (whether that’s working your way into Tokyo’s premier drift club or helping out real-life automotive photographer Larry Chen) will set you on your way to earning stamps in your ‘Discover Japan’ journal which, in turn, unveils new barn find rumours for you to track down.

Playground Games did make something of the decision to have your player character arrive at the Horizon Festival as a tourist in Japan rather than an existing ‘Festival Superstar’, although your identity as a tourist doesn’t really seem to inform much. You’re still immediately presented with a trio of pre-modified cars to start with and, while it seems like you’re choosing one, you’re actually gifted all three. Part of me does wonder whether using Forza Horizon 6’s new aftermarket car system – where cars for sale are positioned around the world to drive up to, view, and purchase in real time – could’ve been a more immersive option. Perhaps we could’ve headed out to cruise Tokyo in a borrowed car to find one of our own to buy and modify – or maybe it would’ve been neat to have needed to take a road trip to one of the permanent race tracks on the map to, say, meet a local getting rid of an old project car, or clapped-out track day gem. The race and drift circuits on the map are oozing with grassroots motorsport charm, and I love visiting them.

However, this is a pretty minor complaint considering how quickly and regularly you begin to accumulate cars. Playground has scaled back the wheelspin prize mechanic to be far less common, which is smart because I think it has gotten overused. However, credits still arrive at a decent clip – and there are more hidden cars than ever before, with the most barn finds to date and nine additional “treasure cars” on top of them. Clues to find treasure cars are uncovered by simply driving around the map, which is just one of the many ways Forza Horizon 6 incentivises exploring at your own pace.

Ever since they started coming out on PC, the Forza Horizon games have been some of the best PC ports around, which is a huge reason why I use them whenever I test any kind of hardware. Despite the excellent visuals that this series has given us time and time again, the games scale exceptionally well across all kinds of hardware.

Forza Horizon 6 continues this tradition. This is a game that looks incredibly good on high-end hardware, while still running quite well on low-end GPUs and handhelds. And even though most people should have no problem running this game on their PCs, I really wanted to take the chance to tweak with the settings to maximise performance while still making the game look as good as possible.

To do this, I ran the game on an RTX 5070 – a mid-range GPU – with the goal of running at 4K without ever really dropping below 60 fps. And, while the 5070 has trouble absolutely maxing out this game at a high resolution, it has plenty of room to stretch its legs, as long as you’re mindful of your VRAM budget. Because unlike a lot of games, Forza Horizon 6 will straight up turn off settings like DLSS if you run out of VRAM.

Forza Horizon 6 appears to be running on an upgraded version of the same ForzaTech engine as pretty much every Forza game for the last decade. And, in a lot of ways, the game looks very similar to Forza Horizon 5, just with more robust ray tracing and upscaling options.

And, sure, that’s a bit disappointing if anyone was wishing for some true next-gen racing here, but what it means is that Playground Games had a much easier time optimizing it for lower-end hardware. So while, yeah, there are some details in the environment that don’t look great, like aliasing in power wires or the PS3-esque character models, that’s worth the trade off for awesome performance, especially in a game all about going fast.

However, there are some pitfalls that Forza runs into that are a little too familiar to other games this year. For instance, some of the ray traced reflections are a bit noisy, particularly on any car that’s painted white, or another light color. I’ve also noticed some upscaling artifacts around some elements of my car, though the extremity of this varies from vehicle to vehicle.

But what really matters for Forza’s Horizon 6’s visuals is how good the cars look. And, well, just like with Forza Motorsport 3 and Horizon 5, the cars look amazing. Everything else is kind of secondary anyways. Most of the time, you’re going to be blazing through environments at a hundred miles an hour, so if there are some blemishes, you’re not going to notice them anyways. That’s kind of the magic of racing games in the first place, and why this kind of game is typically much more photorealistic than any genre where going fast isn’t the whole point.

Maybe they should make a photo-real Sonic game. Just saying.

When I was sitting down to find the right settings for Forza Horizon 6, I had one clear goal: my car needs to look as good as possible. Luckily, there are plenty of graphics settings in the game that separate car detail from the rest of the game. This is especially helpful on a handheld like the Xbox Ally X, because with the lack of strong performance, being able to target the horsepower really helps squeeze out a few extra frames.

On PC, I tuned Forza Horizon 5 to run as well as possible on the RTX 5070 at 4K. My goal there was to get good enough performance so that it always runs at 60 fps. I also wanted to make sure there is enough buffer so that when you go through an unexpected puddle, you don’t dip below that 60 fps threshold.

For most people, if you just want a good ‘set it and forget it’ preset, the High + RT preset will get you a solid 60-70 fps at 4K without DLSS. However, the game looks a bit more flat than it should, particularly when it comes to reflections and detail on the cars themselves. However, the next preset up, Ultra + RT, will drop the RTX 5070 to about 43 fps. That’s not great, but it’s a good starting point.

In the video menu, I won’t be changing much. Resolution is set to 3840 x 2160, and while I prefer an unlocked frame rate, you can set the limit however you want here. Just make sure to set Vertical Synchronization to ‘Off’ if you want to unlock your frame rate.

The most important thing to change in this menu is the upscaling. If you’re on an AMD GPU, you can enable FSR 3.1.5, while Intel GPU users can enable XeSS. For Nvidia users, the game also supports pretty much every DLSS feature under the sun. As a general rule of thumb, I recommend upscaling at the ‘Quality’ preset for 1080p, ‘Balanced’ for 1440p, and ‘Performance’ for 4K. However, because Forza Horizon 5 runs as good as it does, I set DLSS to ‘Balanced’ for the RTX 5070.

You can also change your FoV for all your different camera views here, but that doesn’t really affect performance. So, feel free to set that as wide or as narrow as your little heart desires.

All of the more nitty-gritty graphics settings are in the ‘Graphics & Performance’ tab, and I’ll break down roughly what each one does, as well as what I’d recommend for both a mid-range GPU like the RTX 5070 and for a handheld like the Xbox Ally X or the Steam Deck.

Car Level of Detail This changes the model detail and mesh quality for all the cars in the game. This can affect your VRAM usage, so I’d lower it if you’re starting to stutter. But, this is Forza and the cars are super important, so I’d turn down the other level of detail options before I touch this one. Mid-Range PC: Ultra Handheld: High

Environment Texture Quality This one is pretty straightforward, and just changes the resolution of environmental textures. Because the RTX 5070 only has 12GB of RAM, and we want to enable DLSS to boost our frame rate, I’d lower this down to High. It doesn’t make that much of a difference, and it’ll give the upscaling algorithm some memory to work with.

Mid-Range PC: High

Handheld: High

Environment Geometry Quality

This simply changes the mesh quality for all the objects in the environment. I’d leave this higher, especially because you’re going to be spending a significant amount of time chasing down mascots to smash with your car, but this is unfortunately tied to texture quality.

Mid-range PC: High

Handheld: High

Car Reflection Quality

Another straightforward one! This just changes the quality of reflections on the interior and exterior of your car. These are the most noticeable reflections in the game, and this setting does a lot to boost the game’s presentation. However, it is very heavy on your GPU, so cut this if you’re struggling to get good performance.

Mid-range PC: High

Handheld: High

Screen Space Reflections Quality

This changes the quality of non-ray traced reflections. This basically reuses data from the currently rendered frame to roughly calculate what each reflection should look like. This is another very heavy setting, but it is automatically disabled if you enable ray traced reflections.

Mid-range PC: Off

Handheld: Medium or Off

Ray traced Reflections Quality

This changes the quality of ray traced reflections throughout the entire game. If you don’t have an RT-capable card, I wouldn’t even try turning this on. However, it is actually not that heavy on the RTX 5070, especially if you’re not trying to max it out. There are a lot of reflective surfaces in this game too, so it really does do a lot to make the game look better.

Mid-range PC: Medium

Handheld: Off

Shadow Quality

This changes both the resolution of shadows, and how often they update. Because everything in this game moves so fast, there is a lot of potential for shadows to rapidly change as your point of view changes. It’s still not worth the performance cost to maximise this, though, so I’d keep it at high.

Mid-range PC: High

Handheld: Low

Night Shadows

This adds shadows to certain light sources at night, mostly just your headlights and street lights. The setting does add moonlight shadows at its highest setting, but that’s something you should only really enable if you have a high-end GPU, or if you’re moving down to 1440p.

Mid-Range PC: Ultra

Handheld: Off

Screen Space Global Illumination Quality This improves ambient lighting, which does a lot for making the game more atmospheric. It’s a nice touch, but global illumination always comes with a heavy performance cost, so it’s one of the first things I’d cut if you’re running into performance problems. Plus, if you turn on ray traced global illumination, SSGI gets disabled automatically.

Mid-range PC: Off

Handheld: Medium

Ray Traced Global Illumination Quality

This does the same thing as Screen Space Global Illumination, but more accurately, and with a bigger performance cost. Even at low, RTGI looks better than SSGI, so I’d just set it to low if you have an RT-capable GPU, and then if you have the horsepower for it, you can turn it up for even better lighting.

Mid-range PC: Low

Handheld: Off

Shader Quality The game claims that this changes the “visual fidelity of the materials and lighting”, however, no matter how much I mess with this setting, I don’t really notice a difference. However, I didn’t do much pixel peeping this time around. Luckily, it doesn’t really affect performance that much, so I just leave it at ultra.

Mid-range PC: Ultra

Handheld: High

Deformable Terrain Quality This changes the quality of dirt, mud, or any other kind of terrain that’s gonna get torn up by your tires. Surprisingly, it doesn’t affect performance too much on a desktop, but it will start to hamper performance on a handheld.

Mid-Range PC: Extreme

Handheld: Medium

Particle Effects This just changes the quality and quantity of particles that are flung up when you’re driving around Japan. This can hurt performance a bit when you’re driving through puddles or mud, and you’re flinging debris everywhere. I’d leave it at high.

Mid-range PC: High

Handheld: Medium

Volumetric Fog Quality There is a ton of fog in Forza Horizon 5, particularly when it’s raining. This was one of the first things I tried to turn down to save performance, especially because the built-in benchmark is, well, quite foggy. To my surprise, though, this didn’t really change performance at all. And, because it looks great, turn it up a bit!

Mid-range PC: Ultra

Handheld: Medium

Both Lens Effects and Motion Blur Quality are entirely aesthetic choices. Neither one is going to affect performance that much, so turn them up or down depending on your preference.

With all of the recommended settings, I was able to get my framerate up to 70 fps in the built-in benchmark, which is right where I wanted it. I did want to test it in the actual game, too, though, so I set a frame counter and just played the game normally for an hour.

And, let me tell you, Forza Horizon 6 runs like an absolute dream now. In the open world with these settings, the RTX 5070 sits around 90 fps most of the time, and only really dips to 70 fps in races with a lot of reflective puddles and particle effects. No matter what I tried, I could not get this mid-range GPU to drop below 60 fps, and that’s without any frame generation.

The RTX 5070 isn’t even marketed as a 4K graphics card, but at least in Forza Horizon 6, it doesn’t seem like the bar to get good performance at that resolution is very high.

Even on a handheld, Forza Horizon 6 runs pretty well. Really, my recommended settings are a mix of the medium and high presets, and when the Xbox Ally X is plugged in, I can get between 50-60 fps, sometimes even stretching up to 70. Then, when I unplug it and run the handheld on its lowest power settings, I’m still able to get around 30 fps, which is perfectly fine if you’re just trying to stretch some battery life out of the thing.

I went into Forza Horizon 6 expecting good performance out of it – after all, the system requirements are pretty modest. But I’m still surprised at just how well this game runs, even on low-end hardware. For how dire the PC hardware world is right now, at least there are some games that’ll run well on pretty much anything. That’s my silver lining right now.

Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra

We can safely say that Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings MMO is dead, although the mega corp has insisted it’s still working on a new Middle-earth video game.

Confirmation comes from Eurogamer, which reported on the cancelation of the game as part of an investigation into Amazon’s push towards generative AI and subsequent widespread layoffs across its development teams.

Amazon Games boss Jeff Grattis, told Eurogamer: “Our creative team continues to explore a compelling new game experience that does justice to Tolkien's world; we are working closely with Middle-earth and remain excited about the IP.”

The Lord of the Rings MMO was thought dead back in October, when Amazon confirmed it was walking away from making new content for its MMO, New World, amid huge layoffs affecting 14,000 roles at the company. According to a report by Bloomberg, these layoffs included “significant” cuts to Amazon’s video game operation, which reduced development work mainly in its Irvine and San Diego offices.

Bloomberg said Amazon was cutting back especially on MMOs, sparking concern for The Lord of the Rings MMO. At the time, a former Amazon Games developer hit by the cuts suggested The Lord of the Rings MMO was dead.

“This morning I was part of the layoffs at Amazon Games, alongside my incredibly talented peers on New World and our fledgling Lord of the Rings game (y'all would have loved it),” the developer said in a now-deleted post on LinkedIn.

“It’s always tough to see such a strong team go through something like this — I’ve been lucky to work with some of the most skilled, creative, and kind developers I’ve ever met here.”

Although The Lord of the Rings MMO was announced in 2023, in August last year, then Amazon Games boss Christoph Hartmann told IGN it was still early days. "We're still trying to find the hook, find that idea of what it is because we don't just want to go and do the same thing over," Hartmann said at the time.

"While it's tempting sometimes with an existing IP, that's not the point of doing it. You've got to find a fresh twist, and we're still, I think, in that period where we really want to find out what could be the hook, what could be the thing which is different to all the other games out there. So it's a little bit early.”

In 2023, Lord of the Rings rights owner Embracer said it needed to be "exploiting Lord of the Rings in a very significant fashion" by turning it into “one of the biggest gaming franchises in the world.” Embracer bought the rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit in August 2022 and announced plans to explore opportunities to create new games, movies, and more based on the famous intellectual property soon after.

It’s worth digging into Amazon’s statement a little deeper here. Mention of “a compelling new game experience that does justice to Tolkien's world” suggests a new The Lord of the Rings game is in the works. But what could it be? Perhaps it’s the rumored The Lord of the Rings RPG from Kingdom Come: Deliverance developer Warhorse, which, it’s worth pointing out, is owned by Embracer.

This isn’t the first time Amazon has canceled a Lord of the Rings MMO. In 2021, it halted a Lord of the Rings MMORPG that was first announced in 2019 amid a contract dispute with Tencent.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

After seven weeks in theaters, Nintendo's The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will become available to own at home next week, via digital download, DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD.

You'll be able to buy The Super Mario Galaxy Movie from retailers beginning next Tuesday, May 19, in a package with over an hour of special features included (though, sadly, no deleted scenes).

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie's arrival for purchase comes as the film inches closer to earning $1 billion box office — though it's looking less likely it will make it over the line. After six weeks in theaters, the film has totalled $942 million — still some way off of the $1.36 billion earned by Nintendo's first The Super Mario Bros. Movie back in 2023.

Still, the Galaxy movie has been a huge success versus its comparatively lean budget of $110 million — and that's despite a mixed to negative consensus by critics, something which Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto said had taken him by surprise. (IGN's The Super Mario Galaxy review returned a 6/10 score.)

Perhaps it gets better on a rewatch? Whether its your first time or you just want to see that Star Fox anime sequence again, Universal has listed The Super Mario Galaxy Movie's home release as having the following special features, when purchased "at participating retailers":

• NEXT LEVEL: MAKING THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE – Go behind the scenes of this epic journey across the cosmos as the visionary creators at Nintendo, the acclaimed filmmakers and artists of Illumination, and the extraordinary cast who redefined these iconic characters reveal the artistry behind every meticulously crafted moment.
• CAST OF CHARACTERS – Explore how this impeccable cast masterfully embodied the iconic MARIO BROS. characters, honoring their legacy while captivating audiences across generations worldwide.
  • Mario & Luigi
  • Peach & Rosalina
  • Bowser & Bowser Jr.
  • Toad & Yoshi
• EXPLORING THE GALAXY – Guided by the filmmakers and cast, audiences embark on a journey through the film’s most iconic settings, revealing the thoughtful layers of nostalgia embedded in each one.
• GALACTIC THEMATICS – The emotional core of any SUPER MARIO BROS. film lies in its relationships. This piece delves into the bonds between characters, examining the alliances that are tested, the connections that are broken, and those that endure and evolve forever.
• COSMIC TUNES – Some sounds are unmistakably SUPER MARIO BROS. Composer Brian Tyler invites audiences inside his creative process, reimagining the franchise’s iconic game music as a powerful cinematic score that drives the action and elevates this epic adventure.
• POWER-UPS – There is no greater tool in the galaxy than a perfectly timed power-up. Take a closer look at the many power-ups featured in the film, explore how the filmmakers selected which to include, and hear from the cast as they share their personal favorites.
• SECRETS OF THE GALAXY – Brimming with cleverly hidden Easter eggs, the film invites fans to return again and again to catch them all. In this feature, the filmmakers and cast offer insider guidance on where to look, what to watch for, and the surprises waiting to be discovered.

A third major Mario film remains unannounced but seems certain — and indeed, Bowser actor Jack Black has suggested it will arrive in 2029. There's also a Mario spinoff movie now confirmed for a 2028 release date, although that's expected to center around Donkey Kong. And, of course, Nintendo has its live-action The Legend of Zelda movie set to drop next year — with a new release date today.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

GTA 6 fans have gone into overdrive — as they have done so many times recently amid the wait for Trailer 3 — after reports emerged online that Best Buy had potentially leaked the game’s pre-order date.

We’ve been here before, many times. Some fans actually believe in a Trailer 3 release date prediction that came from someone who charted the planetary positions for every single Rockstar Games trailer released since 2007.

Now, we have a rumor around the GTA 6 pre-order date. For any other game, this wouldn’t necessarily be massive news, nor would there be extreme interest in a leak. But this is GTA 6. It’s perhaps the most anticipated game of all time, and seems set to become the biggest entertainment launch in history. The date pre-orders go live will likely crash websites.

And so, we come to a YouTuber called Frogboyx1gaming, who, during a live stream, appeared to receive an email from Best Buy to his Best Buy affiliate account signalling a pre-order campaign for GTA 6 that would run from May 18-21. If true, that would suggest GTA 6 pre-orders go live on May 18, and if that's true, you’d imagine GTA 6 Trailer 3 isn't far away. Perhaps it's coming today!

There’s already been a huge amount of fuss over the legitimacy of this email. Certainly, Frogboyx1gaming appears surprised to have received it during the livestream, and has been open in sharing images and photos to back up the claim. There’s all sorts of debate about various parts of the email, from the description of GTA 6 itself (as opposed to the full spelling, Grand Theft Auto VI), to the idea it would be sent in the first place. For what it’s worth, IGN has asked Best Buy for comment.

🚨BREAKING: GTA VI Pre-Orders (Physical) have leaked online!

👨‍💻It seems that Best-Buy affiliates have been receiving this email. The campaign is set to be running next week from May 18th-21st.

📱Credit: @Frogboyx1Gaming pic.twitter.com/eETF1Tuepx

— Project Vice (@project_vice) May 14, 2026

True or not, this is yet another indication of the intense scrutiny on GTA 6, Rockstar Games, and pretty much anything even tangentially related to the game’s development. I’ve even seen fans track how busy it is at coffee shops local to Rockstar North’s office in Scotland, in some weird video game version of the Pentagon pizza theory.

None of this intense involvement with GTA 6 is particularly healthy (GTA 6 Trailer 3 will come out eventually!), but it is fuelled by the huge gap between trailer drops and even basic gameplay information fans have had to sit through so far. It’s been over a year since Trailer 2 came out. Trailer 1 came out three years ago, in 2023. The drip-feed of GTA 6 news has been stretched to breaking point, as, it seems, have fans.

Maybe a crazy theory, but I feel like that GTA 6 Best Buy email was just scheduled at the wrong time.

Was probably meant to go live later today. Right date, wrong time. I've made that mistake before. Could bode well for today!

— TGG (@TGGonYT) May 14, 2026

NO FUCKING SHOT BRO WAS RIGHT 🤣🤣🤣🤣🔥🔥🔥🔥
by u/Sure_Alternative_206 in GTA6

Legend status acquired
by u/pepin-solver in GTA6

sir, a Second best buy email has hit the subreddit
by u/Gamesison in GTA6

Strauss Zelnick, boss of rockstar parent company Take-Two, has said GTA 6 marketing will kick into gear in the summer, ahead of the planned November release date. So more is coming. When, exactly? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Earlier this month, Business Insider reported that Take-Two is estimated to have spent $1-1.5 billion so far on GTA 6. In an interview, Zelnick wouldn’t say how much exactly, but did admit “it was expensive.” To put GTA 6 into context, most of the triple-A video game budgets that make headlines do so for being in the hundreds of millions of dollars range. Bungie's recently released extraction shooter reportedly had a budget of over $250 million, for example. Concord's initial development deal was around $200 million, according to a report by Kotaku. In 2023, new documents submitted as part of the Xbox Federal Trade Commission case accidentally revealed The Last of Us: Part II and Horizon Forbidden West each cost more than $200 million to develop. Last year, the astronomical development budgets of the Call of Duty games were revealed for the first time after a court document confirmed Activision pumped $700 million into Black Ops Cold War alone, although that was over the shooter's life cycle. GTA 6, clearly, surpasses them all.

Given the expectation that GTA 6 will be the biggest entertainment launch of all time, it comes as no surprise to hear of astronomical development costs for Rockstar’s game. And it has been in the works for some time; according to Business Insider, some of the thousands of staff at Rockstar have been working on GTA 6 for over a decade now. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Zelnick said development costs have risen over the years, but Take-Two tries to give its teams “unlimited financial, creative human resources and then they aim to deliver perfection.”

Any conversation about GTA 6 development costs naturally leads to a discussion about how much Rockstar will charge for the game. Bank of America recently came out with a recommendation that GTA 6 be sold for $80, $10 more than the norm. Analyst opinions on the GTA 6 price are all over the place, with some saying Rockstar should stick with $70, and others saying it could easily justify going up to $100. While GTA 6 will undoubtedly set sales records, there are questions about how well it can do amid one of the toughest economies in recent memory.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Another day, another set of Assassin's Creed leaks — this time for the series' upcoming witchcraft-inspired blockbuster Assassin's Creed Hexe, which is expected to launch at some point in 2027.

The latest details come from persistent Ubisoft leaker j0nathan, who claims to have published the first screenshot taken from the game. The image shows a hooded Assassin figure perched on a branch in a dark and creepy forest, their Hidden Blade ready to strike.

j0nathan also discussed a series of purported Hexe plot details that have made their way around Assassin's Creed fan sites and social media this week: that the game's main hero is a woman named Anika, who has an older Assassin mentor named Wolfgang.

ASSASSIN’S CREED HEXE’den ilk ekran görüntüsü sızdırıldı! 👀

Solda sızdırılan görüntüyü, sağda ise yapay zekâ yardımıyla netleştirilmiş versiyonunu görüyorsunuz.

(@xj0nathan) pic.twitter.com/auZGT4bBkc

— IGN Türkiye (@IGN_Turkey) May 14, 2026

And then there's the most spoiler-y element of the leak — one we'll place behind a warning should you not wish to know this information ahead of time.

Warning! Potential spoilers for Assassin's Creed Hexe follow:

Most surprising of all is word that iconic Assassin hero Ezio Auditore will return within Hexe in some capacity. The exact nature of how this will take place doesn't sound clear, but j0nathan has suggested Ezio will not physically be present, running around in Hexe's European forests.

Instead, the famed Assassin's Creed Brotherhood protagonist will make his presence felt via some sort of Isu recording — a memory disc or similar technology (perhaps akin to the memory discs Ezio used to discover more about Altaïr in Assassin's Creed Revelations).

Of course, it's worth caveating all of this with the fact that games in development are subject to change (and indeed, Hexe has reportedly gone through changes recently to rework its more magical elements). None of this information comes officially from Ubisoft, either, though the leaker has a lengthy track record.

Earlier this month, j0nathan sparked an official response from Ubisoft when he shared a work-in-progress image of the upcoming Assassin's Creed Invictus multiplayer spinoff. Ubisoft claimed the image had been altered using AI — something j0nathan later admitted, before publishing the original, unedited screenshot instead.

IGN has contacted Ubisoft for more.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls developer Arc System Works recently revealed that the fighting game will have an Episode Mode — a story mode aimed at casual players — told in an interactive comic book style. Various outlets originally reported that this Episode Mode wouldn't have any actual gameplay. But recent updates have confirmed that this is not the case.

In an interview with Japanese news site 4Gamer, producer Takeshi Yamanaka and director/lead battle designer Kazuto ‘Pachi’ Sekine revealed more about the game’s story mode. However, 4Gamer’s initial publication suggested that Episode Mode would only contain a Guilty Gear Strive-style cutscene-based story mode with no gameplay. But an update to the interview, added on May 13, clarified that there will indeed be 4v4 bouts to enjoy within the story mode.

“In Episode Mode, playable battles are incorporated throughout,” clarified Yamanaka. “Battles occur that tie into the story, while the design allows everyone to enjoy it casually, just like reading a comic book. This allows the story to be experienced in a more interactive way.”

Episode mode will feature around 10 hours of content and gameplay in total, with variations in the story playing out depending on which of the five default teams you pick. The story will build up to a confrontation against Marvel Tokon’s brand-new, mysterious villains: The Champion and his henchwoman Promoter. Teams of four will battle it out in order to face The Champion in the final battle of the game’s Episode Mode, and prevent him from destroying Earth (as detailed in the PlayStation blog post earlier this month).

The comic book-style cutscenes will be animated and voiced in 10 languages, with players flipping through panels and scenes. The interactive comic book will make use of the PS5 DualSense's haptic feedback, too. “The default teams revealed by the official channels have been put together with the Episode Mode storyline in mind,” noted Yamanaka, however those who want more freedom can make their own teams in the game’s other modes.

Marvel Tokon’s 4v4 tag team battle system is based around one of the chosen characters in each team being the leader. "We want players to be able to freely select four characters that they like, so we’ve included a 'Team Generation' feature that automatically generates a team name based on the characters chosen," explained Yamanaka. The source words used for this name generation system were picked by the dev team, and are selected based on the characteristics of your team leader and the other members. Players are also free to name their teams themselves.

Yamanaka also revealed that Marvel urged the team to incorporate Arc System Works’ art style into the character designs, giving the superheroes an anime-style look. “This is why one of our themes for this game is 'from Japan to the world' — the idea of drawing Marvel characters in Arc System Works' unique style and sending them out into the world," said Sekine.

Yamanaka noted that in-depth discussions were held between Sony, Marvel, and Arc System Works on the character roster, but that the developers were given freedom by Marvel to interpret guidelines for each character how they saw fit, sending their work to Marvel for ultimate approval. Sekine also hinted that fans should keep an eye out for some interesting alternative costumes.

Yamanaka and Sekine were keen to emphasize that Marvel Tokon is not just for hardcore Marvel fans but also can be enjoyed by casual players and newcomers to the superhero franchise. "The Episode Mode includes glossaries and character bios — we designed the game so even Marvel newcomers can understand the world, the characters and the relationships between them. I'd be happy if Marvel Tokon served as a gateway for people to discover the movies and comics as well."

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is due out on PlayStation 5 and PC on August 6, 2026.

Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.

Marathon developer Bungie has unveiled what, exactly, will change as Season 2 begins, teasing "liberated chaos" as players "know a fresh start is just around the corner" when update 1.0.9 drops next Tuesday (May 19).

"Runners continue to pillage what isn’t theirs across Tau Ceti, and the UESC is growing tired of their criminal activities," Bungie teased. "As Season 1 comes to a close, you’ll see the first of the UESC’s renewed security efforts, with more to come when Season 2: Nightfall begins on June 2. More details about Season 2 will drop as we get closer to June 2. In the meantime, we have a couple of end-of-season updates to preview. We also want to share more details about the seasonal reset, including what you keep, what goes, and loot rewards you’ll receive when Nightfall begins on June 2."

From here until the end of the season, you'll find locked room keys are guaranteed to drop from Wardens, and map events like Intercept, Lockdown, Warden spawns, Convoy, and Anomaly will now be guaranteed on each run, so you can "benefit from their better rewards even more often."

As a consequence of this, you should expect increases in UESC presence across Tau Ceti IV in response to Runner activity, new warden encounters, more UESC dropship flyovers, and a mysterious new threat on Dire Marsh and Perimeter.

When Season 2 kicks off, Marathon will go through its first-ever seasonal reset to give everyone a "clean slate and equal footing at the start of the new season." These resets include things related to gameplay progression; you’ll keep your achievements, non-seasonal Codex progression, and cosmetics — see below for the full breakdown.

These changes are the latest of many. Just last month, Marathon doubled the amount of Depleted Patch Kits (meds) and Depleted Shield Charges (armor) consumables players could carry in a single inventory slot, and nerfed — then rebuffed — the WSTR combat shotgun as Bungie bid to make its extraction shooter less punishing for newbies. The week before, Bungie's boldest attempt yet went live, introducing the CyberAcme Runner Reinforcement Initiative (C.A.R.R.I.), a "new protocol from ONI that rewards solo Runners and coordinated crews for completing contract objectives and exfiling together."

Last week, Sony reported a $765 million impairment loss due to underperformance of Bungie during its last financial year, after it bought the company in early 2022 in a deal valued at $3.6 billion. But Sony chief financial officer Lin Tao has indicated it will stick with Marathon in a bid to grow its user base. "Player reception to Marathon is strong, with the game receiving a Metacritic score of 82 and more than 90% of the player reviews on Steam being positive," Tao said. "Engagement metrics such as retention also remain at a high level. Going forward, we aim to improve the performance of the game by working to retain highly engaged core users through the introduction of additional content, further improvements in the gameplay experience and expansion of the user base."

Runners continue to pillage what isn’t theirs across Tau Ceti, and the UESC is growing tired of their criminal activities. As Season 1 comes to a close, you’ll see the first of the UESC’s renewed security efforts, with more to come when Season 2: NIGHTFALL begins on June 2. More details about Season 2 will drop as we get closer to June 2.

In the meantime, we have a couple of end-of-season updates to preview. We also want to share more details about the seasonal reset, including what you keep, what goes, and loot rewards you’ll receive when NIGHTFALL begins on June 2.

As the season comes to an end, we want to embrace the feeling of liberated chaos that comes from knowing a fresh start for everyone is just around the corner. To that, our goal with update 1.0.9 coming next Tuesday is to amp up some of the rewards you can earn to make your runs more lucrative and exciting.

Locked room keys are guaranteed to drop from Wardens for the remainder of the season. Additionally, map events like Intercept, Lockdown, Warden spawns, Convoy, and Anomaly will now be guaranteed on each run, so you can benefit from their better rewards even more often.

Expect increases in UESC presence across Tau Ceti IV in response to Runner activity.

• New Warden Encounters: Wardens can spawn at new POIs in Perimeter, Dire Marsh, and Outpost.
• UESC dropship flyovers and crash sites: UESC aerial activity has increased dramatically on Perimeter. Use this as an opportunity to seize their supplies.
• Stay vigilant: The UESC will be deploying a new threat on Dire Marsh and Perimeter to help shutdown Runner activity.

We want more players to have their shot at Cryo Archive before the season closes, so the map will be available every day starting on May 21 through the end of the season on June 2. Those of you worried about losing it all at the “lose everything factory,” don’t worry: We’ll be sending you a free Cryo Archive Sponsored Kit to your mailbox every day during this time.

Players looking for the ultimate challenge will be able to test their mettle at Cryo Archive: Ranked. This special version of Cryo will serve as the grand closure of the Ranked queue for Season 1 and will be available from May 24 at 10AM PT to May 28 at 10AM PT. Note that regular Cryo will not be available at the same time as Ranked Cryo.

Here are the Ranked Cryo requirements:

• Runner Level 25
• 3,000 loadout requirements (low stakes)
• 10,000 loadout requirements (high stakes)

Through the end of the season, we’re also increasing Faction experience gains from all sources. Use your additional faction progress to reach the end-of-season goals you’ve got your sights on.

Finally, we have a preview of a few other changes coming with Update 1.0.9.

Rook Update

One of the big perks of doing runs with Rook is being able to sneak around the UESC, and we have a buff to Signal Mask to make it easier to avoid detection.

• Signal Mask remains active for longer when sprinting.
• The range at which AI will detect your footsteps when Signal Mask is active has been reduced.

Key Template Changes

The feedback around Key Templates has been loud and clear: They have not been fun to engage with. Getting downed and losing your key has created an incentive to play extra passive and hide somewhere on the map until you can exfil as quickly as possible.

For the rest of Season 1, Templates will be changed to be Compromised rather than Fragile. We think hunting for Matter Fixatives that drop from Commanders and other enemies will be a more interesting way to charge your keys. This will also prevent the keys from being destroyed during the match and allow for you to possibly loot these keys off other crews you best.

New Way to Find Keys

We’ll also be creating new places for Deluxe keys to drop so there's now another chance for valuable loot on every map. After Update 1.0.9 there will be a chance for Deluxe keys to drop from every wall safe you loot.

When Season 2 begins, Marathon will go through its first ever seasonal reset. The goal is for everyone to have a clean slate and equal footing at the start of the new season. It's a time where the community can explore what's new, discover what’s valuable, and chart a new path through the season together.

These resets include things related to gameplay progression; you’ll keep your achievements, non-seasonal Codex progression, and cosmetics. See below for the full breakdown.

All unclaimed gear and equipment reward packages from factions and the Codex will reset with the new season, so grab ‘em now and make use of the goods while you can.

Cosmetic items, including styles, titles, and emblems, will autocomplete at the end of the season and automatically be available for use in Season 2. So don’t sweat it if you miss claiming some cosmetics—if you’ve earned it, you’ll have it in Season 2.

Also reminder that Rewards Passes do not reset and your progress carries over to the start of the new season.

The end of Season 1 will also mark the end of your current climb on the Ranked queue. Your current rank will be reset at the start of Season 2, and you will get the chance to climb the ladder again and earn new cosmetic and other rewards.

Once Ranked ends, you’ll be able to claim the emblems, titles, and styles you earned based on the highest rank you achieved this season. Rewards can be claimed in the Codex.

1. You will only receive the Emblem of the highest rank you reach. So if you get to Diamond I, you’ll only receive the Diamond Runner Emblem (not the Bronze Emblem, Silver Emblem, etc.). All other rewards are additive.
2. Ranked titles are available for use for one additional season after the one you earn it in. So if you earned “Gilded Survivor” title in Season 1, you can still show it off in Season 2 but need to climb back up to Gold I again for it to carry over to Season 3. All other rewards are permanent.

Have questions about what is staying and what is going? Here's a comprehensive list.

• Runner Level
• Ranked Level
• Faction Level and Upgrades
• Credits and other currencies
  • Exceptions: LUX and SILK
• All items in your inventory and Vault
• Purchases unlocked by Schemas
• Messages, rewards, and returned items in your Mailbox
• Priority Contracts
  • Exception: first contract for each Faction
• Gear-granting seasonal Codex entries for:
  • Runner Level
  • Ranked

• Cosmetics and weapon unlocked and redeemed during Season 1
• Codex challenges, including partial progress (except Runner and Ranked levels)
  • Combat
  • Feats
  • Loot
  • Map
  • Runner
  • Title
• Faction Unlocks
  • Access to each faction you had previously unlocked is retained; no need to repeat Liaison Contracts
• Initial Priority Contracts
  • Completion status of the first contract for each faction is retained
• LUX and SILK balances
• Rewards Pass progress
• Cryo Archive Subroutines progress

When Season 2 begins, CyberAcme will be doling out Sponsored Kits for your hard work this season. You’ll be able to claim your Sponsored Kits in the Codex based on your final Runner

Level this season:

• Runner Level 10: Enhanced CyberAcme Sponsored Kit
• Runner Level 25: Enhanced CyberAcme Sponsored Kit
• Runner Level 50: Deluxe CyberAcme Sponsored Kit
• Runner Level 75: Superior CyberAcme Sponsored Kit

These rewards are additive, so if you get to Level 75, you’ll be able to claim all four Sponsored Kits. ONI thanks you for your efforts.

Season 2: NIGHTFALL begins on June 2 and brings the new Night Marsh zone, a new Runner shell, new weapons, a new system to customize your Runner shell stats called The Cradle, faster faction progression, several quality-of-life updates based on your feedback, and more.

Stay tuned for more details about Season 2, with full reveals coming the week of May 25.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Nintendo has announced a change to the release date of its live-action The Legend of Zelda movie, which will launch earlier than previously expected.

The film is now set to arrive in theaters on April 30, 2027 — a week sooner than its previous May 7, 2027 slot. No specific reason was given for the shift, though Nintendo talisman Shigeru Miyamoto has said that Nintendo is committed to completing the movie for fans as soon as possible.

"This is Miyamoto," wrote Miyamoto, via Nintendo's social media accounts. "We have decided to change the worldwide theatrical release date of the live-action film The Legend of Zelda from May 7, 2027 to April 30, 2027.

"In order to deliver it to everyone even one day sooner, the team is united in advancing production. It's less than a year until release, but please wait just a little longer."

Zelda's previous date had no specific competition, and certainly nothing like the Avengers: Doomsday and Dune 3 clash that's coming this December. Still, it is a busy launch period, with several other blockbusters all jostling for position.

Big films set to arrive next year around the same as The Legend of Zelda include Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (March 19), Godzilla x Kong: Supernova (March 26) and Star Wars: Starfighter (May 28). Zelda was originally announced with a March release window, before Nintendo previously shifted it back to early May.

Next year's movie line-up only gets more competitive through the summer months, with Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, Shrek 5, Man of Tomorrow and A Minecraft Movie 2 all due within four weeks of each other through June and July.

Nintendo has kept many details of its Zelda movie under-wraps, with no word on its story, setting or characters beyond Link and Zelda, who will be played by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Bo Bragason. Filming in New Zealand has now wrapped, though some fans got a sneaky glimpse — and believe they spotted Succession actress Dichen Lachman in costume as Zelda's aide Impa.

Fans expect to hear much more about the film later this year when Nintendo gets around to marking the Zelda franchise's 40th anniversary. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes director Wes Ball is helming the film, and has spoken previously about wanting to make a "serious" and "grounded" adaptation that feels "real" to audiences.

Following a recent leak, Nintendo is also believed to be developing a Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Forza Horizon 6 developer Playground has confirmed the global release times for the hotly anticipated racing game, both for its early access release and the full launch.

Confirmation comes after Forza Horizon 6 suffered a significant leak on PC that led to the game being made available to pirates well before launch. Playground and parent company Microsoft have been working to plug the leak, and even issued pirates with lifetime hardware ID bans. Some had wondered if the leak would alter Forza Horizon 6’s release plans, perhaps with it being brought forward, but that is not the case.

As confirmed in a post on social media, Forza Horizon 6’s early access launch goes ahead as planned on May 15, although on Xbox it’s playable on the evening of May 14 on the west coast in order to align with the eastern timezone.

Steam access for everyone begins at 12:01 am with the U.S. Eastern time zone. This is a global release pattern, Playground said, so the Steam launch will be aligned to Eastern time. Full timezone details are below.

Early access is available only to those who buy the Premium edition. As a first-party Microsoft game, Forza Horizon 6 launches day one on Game Pass (PC and Ultimate) on May 19. Preload went live on May 12 across all platforms (Steam, Xbox Series X and S, and the Xbox app for PC - a PS5 version is on the way, although it's due out later this year). Meanwhile, Forza Horizon 6 is 'Verified' on Steam Deck and other devices, including the Xbox ROG Ally and Ally X.

PT (Seattle):

• 09:01 pm

CST (Mexico City):

• 11:01 pm

ET (New York):

• 00:01 am

BST (London):

• 00:01 am

CEST (Paris):

• 00:01 am

JST (Tokyo):

• 00:01 am

KST (Seoul):

• 00:01 am

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