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Avengers: Doomsday ‘Leak’ Pulled Offline

What appears to be a short clip of the X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday has been pulled offline, but not before it spread across social media like wildfire.

The long wait for Avengers: Doomsday has left Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fans desperate for updates. So, when what seemed to be a pixelated video featuring an unfinished scene from the new movie showed up online a few weeks ago, they latched on, even if it showed little more than a very, very blurry look at an X-Men and Avengers team-up against Doctor Doom.

That video has gone unchecked since, making the rounds on X/Twitter and Reddit as theories run wild. However, that changed over the weekend when a clearer version of the video started showing up on social media feeds. This time, just as fans got a good look at a new Doctor Doom and the return of characters like Nightcrawler, Beast, Cyclops, Steve Rogers, Gambit, Shang-Chi, and more, the footage was promptly taken down.

Alleged Avengers: Doomsday Leaks Are Being Pulled Offline.

Dozens of posts, which previously featured the more-than-a-minute-long video, now simply display a message notifying that the content has been removed. It says, “This media has been disabled in response to a report by the copyright owner,” suggesting Marvel Studios may have caught wind of what could be authentic footage from Avengers: Doomsday.

IGN saw the video before it was taken down, but you’re not missing much. No matter how many superheroes or MCU callbacks it could have had, this supposedly leaked content featured unfinished VFX shots in what looks like could become a very action-heavy scene. It’s not particularly flattering and far from what directors the Russo Brothers likely envision for the final product – and that’s if it’s even real.

In the age of AI, it’s hard to say what leaks are real, especially when it comes to high-profile movie releases like Avengers: Doomsday. Some have used the new technology to intentionally mislead viewers online, while others are simply fans trying to imagine what it will look like when fan-favorite characters meet up on the big screen.

The Most Surprising Avengers and Marvel Characters Not Announced for Doomsday

What we’re left with is uncertainty ahead of Avengers: Doomsday’s December premiere, even if this latest leak being pulled offline makes it seem as though Marvel intervened. The leaked footage was online long enough for fans to copy it and grab screenshots, so don’t be surprised if you come across spoilers floating around in the months ahead.

Either way, we’re definitely overdue for an Avengers: Doomsday trailer. The movie is set to premiere December 18, 2026, but the only (official) trailers the public has received so far have revealed little about its actual story and characters. While we wait for something more concrete, you can see how Tom Holland is doing his best to avoid spoilers for upcoming MCU projects. You can also read about what Jean Grey actress Famke Janssen had to say about being left out of the new Avengers flicks.

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).

Cheers Co-Creator James Burrows Dies at 85

Cheers co-creator and Friends director James Burrows has died at 85.

The sitcom spearhead’s family announced the news with a statement sent to People. They confirmed that he passed away peacefully Friday, June 19, surrounded by loved ones. No additional details were shared.

“We celebrate the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of James ‘Jimmy’ Burrows, who passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family,” the Burrows family said. “For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history. As a legendary director, mentor, and creative force, he helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world.”

James Burrows. Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images.

Burrows, an 11-time Emmy winner, was a giant in the TV world. In addition to his role as writer, director, and producer for the ’80s television classic, Cheers, he also, as noted by his family, directed more than 1,000 episodes of different shows from the ’70s to 2025.

His resume is longer than most and includes extensive work on projects like Taxi, Phyllis, The Betty White Show, Friends, Will & Grace, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, and many, many more. Most recently, he directed a series of episodes for the Frasier revival show. He also directed the entire first season of Mid-Century Modern, starring Nathan Lane, which premiered in 2025.

“Burrows understood that great comedy was never simply about laughter,” the statement from his family continued. “It was about humanity, connection, and truth. That understanding became the foundation of a career that forever changed television,” his family wrote. “His influence will continue to be felt for generations through the countless artists he inspired, the stories he helped tell, and the millions of people whose lives were brightened by his work.”

Across his half-century career in TV, Burrows has worked with a countless number of names, big and small, across the industry. Many have already taken to social media to share memories of their time with him.

“Time spent with Jimmy Burrows was time worth laughing about,” Laverne and Shirley and Better Call Saul star Michael McKean said. “A great comedy guy and a very nice man. RIP.”

“Thank you Jimmy,” Friends alum Lisa Kudrow said in an Instagram Story. “I mean, for everything. I love you.”

“Rest easy Boss. You gave us so much,” The Class and Spider-Man: Brand New Day actor Jon Bernthal said. “Raised so many of us with humor and heart. A whole generation. You gave me my shot. I will be forever grateful.”

Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images.

Stranger Than Heaven’s Combat Seems Harder Than Hell, and that’s a Good Thing

I’ve been a fan of the Yakuza or Like a Dragon series since the very beginning. As a magazine writer I was lucky enough to visit Sega’s headquarters in Tokyo during the development of the original PlayStation 2 title way back in 2005, and in my years at IGN I’ve reviewed a number of the remakes, sequels, and spin-offs of RGG Studio’s long-running crime series. At this point I’ve invested hundreds of hours into beating the absolute snot out of Japanese mobsters, either via the button-mashing combo-based style of the original adventures or the turn-based RPG form that’s become core to the most recent mainline entries. Thus I feel pretty well-equipped to handle anything that RGG Studio can throw my way at this point, which is why I was so shocked that the new combat system in upcoming series prequel Stranger Than Heaven so completely kicked my arse.

At a recent BiliBili Game First Look event in Shanghai, I got some brief hands-on time with a brawling-based demo for Stranger Than Heaven. (It was the same demo that my colleague Michael Higham recently played, and you can read his excellent preview here.) My first attempts at Stranger Than Heaven’s all-new street fighting style felt harder than hell, but after slowly getting to grips with it over the course of my 30-minute demo I began to feel confident that this is exactly the sort of substantial shift that the Like a Dragon fighting formula has needed for quite a while now.

To be clear, I’m not suggesting that RGG Studio needs to scrap the turn-based combat system that it introduced in Yakuza: Like a Dragon and later evolved in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. The novelty of that JRPG-style system is yet to wear off for me, largely because it allows for so many hilarious special moves and a more strategic team-based dynamic in each scrap. I’m talking about the more traditional beat ‘em up system that has effectively been offloaded onto the series’ spin-offs in recent years. RGG Studio may have introduced a briefcase-load of James Bond gadgets in Like a Dragon Gaiden, or cutlasses and flintlocks in Pirate Yakuza, but the actual fighting mechanics of those combo-based systems has remained unaltered for the most part. Even though I still enjoy them, I can’t pretend that they don’t feel a bit too familiar at this point.

Stranger Than Heaven’s heavily overhauled scrapping, then, feels like the kick in the pants followed by a violent uppercut to the jaw that Like a Dragon’s aging fisticuffs has been crying out for. Forget about chugging in-game energy drinks to pump up your heat gauge and then button-mashing hordes of street thugs into oblivion like in previous Kazama Kiryu-led adventures, because Stranger Than Heaven’s gangs are liable to quickly kick you to the curb if you don’t have your wits about you. The new setup that uses the controller’s four shoulder buttons to effectively puppeteer the left and right fists of protagonist Makoto Daito sure takes some getting used to, both in terms of smoothly alternating his punches but also anticipating the direction of incoming attacks and parrying them effectively, but after finally falling into a rhythm with it after my first few failed attempts it felt incredibly satisfying to pull off. I felt like I had to lock-in for absolutely every exchange in every combat encounter, which meant that my eventual victories felt far more earned than the lazy bicycle-swinging beatdowns of previous Yakuza and Like a Dragon installments.

BiliBili Game First Look Event Photos

Though its learning curve is initially steep, it ultimately feels like the most grounded form of street fighting that RGG Studio has ever designed. In fact, its more rough and tumble realism reminded me of the melee system in 007 First Light, only it felt like I had far more direct control over the moves I was pulling off thanks to the dedicated right and left attack setup. For example, as I wielded a large crowbar in my right hand while tackling a gang of six or so assailants, one of the goons grabbed hold of the end of my weapon and attempted to wrench it out of my grasp. To my surprise, while I was locked in a temporary tug-o-war I still had full control of Makoto’s left hand, which allowed me to throw a few jabs at a second attacker attempting to blindside me. I then grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and knocked his skull into the first thug, taking them both out and allowing me to resume my crowbar-based bullying.

[Stranger Than Heaven’s] more rough and tumble realism reminded me of the melee system in 007 First Light, only it felt like I had far more direct control over the moves I was pulling off.“

Having said that, Stranger Than Heaven’s combat is not without its issues, at least in its current state. I found that the soft lock-on that aligns Makoto with each opponent would occasionally slip, sending me swinging wildly in the wrong direction and leaving me vulnerable to attacks from the rear. Also, while I enjoyed the generally weighty feel to each and every blow I landed, some of the charged up attacks with heavier weapons seemed a touch too sluggish for my tastes. Of course, with Stranger Than Heaven not due for release until early next year, there’s still time for RGG Studio to tighten things up.

Still my overall impression of Stranger Than Heaven’s more challenging brawling system is a positive one, and its dramatic shakeup leaves me feeling optimistic that combat won’t be the only area of the adventure where the developers are taking a big swing. I’m hopeful that this will present the perfect opportunity for RGG Studio to hit the reset button on all aspects of its long established Like a Dragon template, from mission design to the interactive nature of its world and the methods we use to explore it. For example, the audio-recording feature that allows Makoto to record sound samples from the world around him and then convert them into musical compositions certainly sounds cool on paper, and already seems like it could be far more involved than the simple rhythm-based button-tapping of the karaoke mini-game that’s been recycled in every Yakuza and Like a Dragon release since Yakuza 3.

Tristan Ogilvie’s Top 10 Like a Dragon/Yakuza Games

It’s Japandemonium!

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I also wonder what other new diversions there could be, given that the story’s 1915 to 1965 setting presumably prohibits the use of the usual modern side activities like Club Sega’s and Master System cartridges found in other Like a Dragon stories. We already know there’ll be arm wrestling mini-games, but could there be old school pachinko parlours as well? And given that the events of Stranger Than Heaven span the course of five decades, will those side activities evolve with each leap forward in time? Not to mention the change in each of the five city settings. You’d think that by the time the story arrives in 1965 Shinjuku, we should be able to try out virtual versions of the electromechanical amusements that Sega famously pioneered during that decade.

I’m desperately keen to learn more, because so far I’ve been pretty excited by everything that RGG Studio has revealed. Well, I mean except for the Tupac thing, of course. Why on earth is Tupac in Stranger Than Heaven? Well, much like the gang of burly thugs I encountered in my hands-on, it beats the heck out of me. Sure, it makes sense that Snoop Dogg is in the game, because Snoop Dogg is in basically everything at this point from televised singing contests to carrying the torch at the last Olympic Games. But having the late great Tupac resurrected in a 2027 videogame for no clear reason just feels a bit off to me. Then again, I’m generally opposed to digital zombies in any modern media, no matter who signs off on it. I can’t watch the CGI’d Peter Cushing reprise his role as Moff Tarkin in Star Wars: Rogue One without sensing a great disturbance in the Force, for example.

However, that doesn’t prevent me from rewatching Rogue One from time to time, and nor will the somewhat baffling inclusion of Tupac deter me from lunging fists-first into Stranger Than Heaven when it arrives in January 2027. Despite the fact its story takes place in the same fictional Japan as the Like a Dragon saga, Stranger Than Heaven feels as though it’s determined to establish its own identity – at least if its fresh-feeling and fiercely challenging fighting system is any indication. Here’s hoping that in all facets, Stranger Than Heaven finds the team at RGG Studio performing stronger than ever, and that this ends up being something much more than just a ye olde Yakuza.

Tristan Ogilvie is a Senior Video Editor at IGN’s Sydney office. He attended the recent BiliBili Game First Look event as a guest of the organisers.

X-Men Star Famke Janssen Say Marvel Made a Mistake By Not Including Jean Grey in Avengers: Doomsday

X-Men star Famke Janssen has said that Marvel Studios “made a mistake” by neglecting to send her an invitation to reprise her role as Jean Grey in Avengers: Doomsday.

The actress, who played the telekinetic Mutant in the 2000s X-Men trilogy as well as follow-up films like Days of Future Past, shared her feelings about the state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) at SpaceCon. While many of her former castmates are confirmed to return, and despite previous reports to the contrary, she said she’s sitting out for this year’s Avengers movie, whether she likes it or not.

“I am so bad at keeping secrets that I always say to everyone, ‘I’m the worst actor in the world because it’s all on my face,'” Janssen said when asked if she was good at keeping secrets amid casting rumors for the new MCU movie. “You right away will read it. So, I mean, I think they made a mistake, but hey, who am I? I’m just a little me who thinks that.”

Janssen’s Jean Grey has appeared in plenty of pre-MCU comic book movies and is one of the central characters in the X-Men films. When it was eventually confirmed that other X-Men stars like actors like Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, and James Marsden would return for Avengers: Doomsday as Beast, Professor X, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Mystique, and Cyclops, respectively, many believed she would soon put back on her superhero suit, too.

Although she’s expressed interest in stepping back into the mind of Jean Grey in the past, Janssen has insisted that she will not appear in the superhero team-up film when it premieres this December. She’s even gone as far as to say that Marvel has “never ever” asked her to return.

“I should be flattered, I suppose, that this character has resonated with people,” she said last November. “It’s been so long, but it’s nice that people are still talking about her. I’m sure every single time there’s a new movie that they’re doing, like [is it] Doomsday? … it’ll come up again.”

The Most Surprising Avengers and Marvel Characters Not Announced for Doomsday

Marvel hasn’t said why fan-favorite characters like Janssen’s Jean Grey are being left out of Avengers: Doomsday, but fans surely have some theories. Many believe Sadie Sink is set to play a new version of the character in next month’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, for example. Should that theory pan out, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her take the reins in Doomsday or another future MCU project, though nothing has been confirmed in that regard quite yet.

Avengers: Doomsday will see Robert Downey Jr. take over as Doctor Doom when it premieres December 18, 2026. While much will be revealed when it finally premieres, Marvel is surely saving some surprises for Avengers: Secret Wars, which will arrive one year later on December 17, 2027. For now, those hoping to see Janssen as Jean Grey are better off revisiting films like X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand.

Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images.

Epic Games Store New Features and Redesign Revealed in Roadmap

The Epic Games Store will soon receive many long-requested features and a major launcher redesign if a newly revealed roadmap pans out accordingly.

Epic Games outlined next steps for the future of its PC digital storefront during a presentation at Unreal Fest in Chicago earlier this week. Slides shared online by X/Twitter user @LuKaOnIndeed feature highlights from Epic’s goals for the next 12 months as it seeks to redesign the store for gamers and developers alike (via VGC).

It’s a long, long list of bullet points, including “up first” highlights like Fortnite chunked installation, third-party patch notes, pre-registration for free-to-play games, storefront rearchitecture, library management improvements, and other features that are expected to arrive for Epic Games Store sooner rather than later. Some of its “up next” updates, which seem slightly further off, include player profiles and avatars, user-written reviews, publisher-funded coupons, and search improvements.

It’s unclear if Epic intends to roll out these new Epic Games Store features in waves, and there is no specific release date for any particular update or the storefront redesign. Still, things like user reviews and third-party patch notes could go a long way for users who have been hesitant to start purchasing their PC games with the Fortnite maker.

Epic Games Store launched in 2018 as Epic’s own take on a PC gaming hub. It has attempted to entice both developers and gamers with the promise of offerings like exclusive games, free cross-platform online services, and free games for users.

“As a developer ourselves, we have always wanted a platform with great economics that connects us directly with our players,” Epic founder and CEO Tim Sweeney said at the time. “Thanks to the success of Fortnite, we now have this and are ready to share it with other developers.”

However, the Epic Games Store seems to have struggled to stand toe-to-toe with Steam since its launch. In 2021, it was reported that the company had lost hundreds of millions of dollars to exclusivity deals alone. Court documents revealed in 2023 that Epic had failed to make its store profitable five years post-launch.

One thing that’s kept many from adopting Epic into their gaming lives is features they feel should have been included at launch. Some have arrived in the years since, with even more promised in today’s 12-month roadmap. One slide from the aforementioned Unreal Fest presentation also promised that this “ground-up rebuild” for the launcher will result in a five-times faster cold start.

“Every developer in this room and every player we have has experienced challenges with the current launcher,” the slide added. “It’s time for a change.”

IGN interviewed VP and GM of the Epic Games Store, Steve Allison, earlier this year to check in with the team and learn about its future. For more while we wait to see when and how these new redesign changes will be implemented, you can read why some think the Epic Games Store will never be as good as Steam.

Bambu 3D Printers Are on Sale at Best Buy Ahead of Amazon Prime Day

Ahead of Amazon Prime Day, Bambu Lab is offering resellers-wide discounts across its entire range of popular and highly rated printers. Best Buy is one such official reseller of Bambu Lab and has just recently price-matched all of the best Bambu deals you’ll find elsewhere. Although Bambu Lab now ships its products from US-based warehouses if you order from them directly, I’d still recommend getting the printer from Best Buy because the return policy is much easier (simply return to your local store), shipping is usually quicker, and you accrue Best Buy rewards.

Bambu 3D Printer Deals at Best Buy

Not sure which 3D printer to get? Read on below for a bit of detail on each deal.

Bambu P2S and P1S Combo 3D Printer

Bambu Lab P2S AMS Combo 3D Printer

Bambu Lab P1S AMS Combo 3D Printer

The Bambu P2S and P1S are the best Bambu 3D printers for most people; these are Bambu’s mid-range models and offer several useful premium features at a reasonable cost. The P2S is the second generation iteration and features a host of upgrades that will warrant its higher cost for some people.

TL;DR Bambu P2S upgrades (compared to P1S):

Larger colorized 5″ touchscreen display and more powerful processor
70% more extrusion force (higher flow-rate extrusion stability)
Active flowrate compensation
Active temperature regulation
Higher resolution (1080p) camera with AI error detection
Hardened steel nozzles with 30 second nozzle swaps
Brighter LED illumination with better LiveView clarity
Combo includes AMS 2 Pro multi-filament system with active cooling

Both the Bambu P2S and P1S are almost entirely fully assembled out of the box and setup should take under 15 minutes. Unlike cheaper 3D printers, these models feature a fully enclosed chamber, which is necessary to stabilize temperature and ambient conditions in order to produce more consistent results. They boast an acceleration speed of up to 20000 mm/s² and can print a benchy in 18 minutes. A built-in camera allows you to remotely monitor the printing process.

The Combo models include the Automatic Material System or AMS. This module basically allows for multi-filament printing, which means you can use up to four different types of filament material or colors per AMS (you can daisy chain up to four AMS to manage as many as 16 different filaments). The AMS itself normally retails $350, so it’s best to get it in this combo, especially if you plan on getting it anyway in the long run.

Bambu A1 Mini 3D Printer

Bambu Lab A1 Mini 3D Printer

The A1 Mini is Bambu’s most affordable 3D printer. This is an excellent entry level printer for someone who’s just starting out. It doesn’t take up much space at all, the touchscreen interface is intuitive to use, and maintenance is designed to be quick and easy. Since this is a more compact design, the A1 Mini is ideal for smaller projects using PLA filament.

Bambu A1 3D Printer

Bambu Lab A1 3D Printer

Bambu Lab A1 AMS Combo 3D Printer

The main difference between the A1 and the A1 Mini is the build volume; the A1 has a larger working area. There are some other benefits to the A1’s larger footprint like a larger touchscreen, but functionally the two are nearly identical. The A1 Combo model includes the Automatic Material System or AMS for multi-filament printing.

Bambu H2C, H2D, and H2S AMS Combo 3D Printers

Bambu Lab H2C AMS Combo 3D Printer

Bambu Lab H2D AMS Combo 3D Printer

Bambu Lab H2S AMS Combo 3D Printer

If you’re ready to graduate to the best of the best, then Bambu’s H2 large-format printer series should be on your list of potential candidates. In addition to a significantly larger build volume than the P1S, the Bambu H2 series printers have every feature you could ask for, like an enclosed and heated working space, active cooling, a multi-nozzle system (on the H2D and H2C) that minimizes purge waste and optimizes multi-color printing, a bigger touchscreen, and more.

There are three variants in the series. The H2S is the most economical model and has a single nozzle. The H2D upgrades to a dual nozzle. The H2S is the flagship model with a multi-nozzle head that can fit up to seven nozzles, making it the best option for multi-color printing. Note that although the overall dimensions are the same, the H2S has the most build volume because the nozzle head is the smallest.

Check out the Flashforge 5M if you’re on a budget

FlashForge Adventurer 5M CoreXY 3D Printer

If you’re interested in dipping your toes in the world of 3D printing, I would suggest Flashforge’s entry level model – the Adventure 5M – as your first 3D printer to start. It’s currently on sale at AliExpress for just $133.70 with free delivery after you apply $29 off coupon code “JJY29P“. The same printer sells for $239 on Amazon. 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 Adventurer 5M offers great performance at an outstanding budget price. I would say it is the best 3D printer priced below $150. The 5M is easy to set up, produces great 3D prints with minimal fiddling, and offers plenty of add-on mods including a kit that fully encloses the chamber and another that adds a camera.

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:

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 Best Deals Today: Save on Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, Splatoon Raiders, Tokyo Ghoul Box Set, and More

A new weekend has arrived, and today, you can save on Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, Splatoon Raiders, AirPods Pro 3, and more. Check out our top picks for Saturday, June 20, below.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for $44.99

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD – Nintendo Switch

Donkey Kong Country Returns is one of Nintendo’s best platformers, and you can score this amazing game on Nintendo Switch for $44.99 this weekend at Walmart. This version of the game includes 80 total levels, with the 3DS-exclusive levels part of that. A Nintendo Switch 2 patch was released earlier this year, so you can play Donkey Kong Country Returns HD in 4K if you have a Switch 2.

Save $10 Off Splatoon Raiders Physical at Amazon

Splatoon Raiders is officially due out this next week, and pre-orders are still discounted 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.

Tokyo Ghoul Box Set for $77.74

Tokyo Ghoul Complete Box Set: Vols. 1-14

This box set of the Tokyo Ghoul manga contains all 14 volumes, and you can save over $100 off this weekend by scoring it for $77.74. Starring Ken Kaneki, this classic series by Sui Ishida is a must-read for any fan of the popular anime. In addition to all 14 volumes, you also will get an exclusive double-sided poster packed in with this box set.

LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 Set for $79.99

LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 Building Toy Set

LEGO Star Wars fans – here’s a deal for you! Amazon has the amazing R2-D2 set priced at $79.99, saving you $20. This set features 1050 pieces, plus Darth Malak and R2-D2 minifigures in addition to the major R2-D2 droid. Speaking of, you can rotate R2-D2’s head 360 degrees, use its detachable third leg, and more.

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair 4K Pre-Order Down to $39.99

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair 4K Blu-ray

Following the theatrical release last December, Lionsgate is bringing Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair to 4K Blu-ray. This supercut places both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 together in a 4 and a half hour long epic. Right now, you can save $10 off the MSRP at Amazon, as copies are available to pre-order for $39.99. Save $10 and get ready to experience the fourth Tarantino film in its entirely this July.

Score an RX 9070 XT for $689.99

PowerColor Reaper AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB GDDR6

Following AI and data center demand, prices have skyrocketed, and it’s challenging to locate a good deal on a graphics card. Thankfully, Amazon has the PowerColor Reaper Radeon RX 9070 XT on sale this weekend for $689.99. It’s still a bit above MSRP, but this is solid price, especially right now in the market. In our 10/10 review of the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, we wrote, “PC Gaming has been in a decadent spiral since 2020, and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is a reminder that it doesn’t have to be that way. This graphics card has no problem maxing out any game you throw at it at 4K, even with ray tracing enabled, and does so at a price that makes the competition look downright greedy.”

AirPods Pro 3 for $189

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Wireless Earbuds,

AirPods Pro 3 are a fantastic upgrade over the 2nd generation, bringing a built-in heart rate sensor, redesigned eartips for better noise cancellation, and improved sound quality. Right now, you can score a pair for only $189 at Amazon. I’ve had a pair since launch and have been incredibly happy with them, especially coming from the original AirPods Pro.

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.

Campaign Evolved Split-Screen Co-Op Requires PlayStation Plus on PS5

If you plan on hopping into Halo: Campaign Evolved split-screen co-op when it launches for PS5 next month, you’ll need not just one but two accounts with PlayStation Plus subscriptions to play.

Halo Studios clarified the account requirements for the upcoming story remake with a Halo Waypoint Q&A yesterday. It serves as a deep dive into some of the hottest topics to emerge since the game was announced for PC and Xbox Series X | S – and PlayStation 5 – in October 2025, but not everyone is happy with what the team had to say.

The breakdown confirms what is needed to play with others, with each platform demanding different requirements. For example, you’ll need at least a Microsoft account and Xbox Gamertag, regardless of whether you’re a PC, Xbox, or PlayStation user, to enable cross-play and cross-platform progression. Halo: Campaign Evolved’s requirements on PlayStation, specifically, however, are especially steep.

“If you’re playing split-screen on PlayStation 5, both accounts will need to have PlayStation Plus and be linked to a Microsoft account,” Halo Studios said. “Having these active PlayStation Plus subscriptions will also provide access to online co-op play.”

Based on this explanation, when players sit down to play Halo: Campaign Evolved co-op in July, all participating users will need to have an active subscription, even if they’re sitting right next to each other on the couch. PlayStation Plus is usually only required to access online multiplayer for premium gaming experiences, while free-to-play and offline titles can be enjoyed without a subscription.

For comparison, those on Xbox Series X | S looking to play split-screen will only need a unique Microsoft account, while players hoping to enjoy co-op online will need an active Xbox Game Pass subscription. Those playing on Steam will only need to link to a Microsoft account.

Halo: Campaign Evolved – First Screenshots

Halo: Campaign Evolved will not be free-to-play, but the decision to lock even split-screen behind the Sony gaming service seems especially strange. Judging by reactions to the news online, many agree.

“Needing to buy online to play local split screen is some next level insanity,” one X/Twitter user said.

“Player 2 on your couch needs PS Plus and a Microsoft account,” another added. “[Halo: Combat Evolved] 2001 is laughing.”

Halo: Campaign Evolved launched in 2001 and has remained one of the most beloved games in the Xbox catalog since. That’s thanks, in part, to its co-op feature, which has allowed players to enjoy its story mode together – and at no extra charge – for decades.

Halo: Campaign Evolved reimagines that classic sci-fi narrative for modern devices, and although co-op is back with newly added support for up to four players online, it sounds like those hoping to relive the glory days of one of the oldest couch co-op Xbox experiences will need to jump through more than a few hoops to make it happen on PS5. IGN has reached out to Sony for comment and additional clarification regarding PlayStation Plus requirements for the game.

“Yeahhhhh this just went from a day-1 buy to a not-buy honestly,” one Reddit user reacted. “I was gonna play with my wife, but honestly have no interest in playing in my own. It’s not worth paying for a whole nother subscription to do that. Kind of ridiculous.”

“You need to have an account linked to Microsoft AND pay for PS Plus just to play split-screen local co-op???” someone else added. “Since when did we reach this level of madness?!?!”

PlayStation Plus offers three tiers: Essential ($10.99/month), Extra ($16.99/month), and Premium ($19.99/month). Prices across the service were increased in May. Halo: Campaign Evolved has a release date of July 28, 2026, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X | S. For more, you can read IGN’s final preview for the game.

What Xbox Games Are Being Cancelled?

Following Xbox’s publicly issued “reset” memo, it was clear that Microsoft’s gaming wing was gearing up for even more lay-offs and studio closures. As of right now, the reality of the situation is being told through leaks and reports. While Xbox has yet to make a statement, it appears that three studios are in negotiations regarding their future: Compulsion, Ninja Theory, and Double Fine. There is a very real chance that all three of these development studios will be shut down. There’s also a very real chance that they are not the only ones facing a fight for survival.

Many players are, understandably, not too familiar with the studios that make their favourite games. If you don’t follow the world of games closely, when there’s news of studio closures, the first questions are naturally “Which Xbox games are shutting down? Which Xbox games are cancelled?” That’s where this list comes in: we’ve made it crystal clear which games are being impacted by Xbox’s current business decisions. Take a look through, find your favourite game or franchise, and we’ll let you know how things are looking.

Xbox Game Studios

Age of Empires – SAFE

Microsoft’s classic real-time strategy series, Age of Empires, is currently developed by World’s Edge Studio. The developer’s current project, the Raiders of the North expansion for Age of Empires 4, was announced as part of June’s Xbox Games Showcase and is due to launch later this year. So far, there are no reports that suggest World’s Edge Studio is in danger of being shuttered.

Avowed – SAFE(ISH)

Fantasy RPG Avowed launched early 2025 to solid enough reviews but it failed to meet sales targets. While that can put studios in a dangerous position, developer Obsidian Entertainment reportedly still has plans for the world of Eora. That could mean a sequel to Avowed, or it could mean a return to Pillars of Eternity – the duology of isometric RPGs that first introduced the setting. While there’s no official statement to point us in the right direction, both are theoretically viable – Avowed’s design taps into widespread hunger for Elder Scrolls-like games, while a third Pillars of Eternity could prove exceptionally popular thanks to the surge of CRPG popularity following Baldur’s Gate 3.

Clockwork Revolution – SAFE

The fantastic-looking steampunk RPG, Clockwork Revolution, is being developed by inXile Entertainment, the studio that previously created Wasteland 3. Xbox recently announced that Clockwork Revolution will be an Xbox exclusive as part of the company’s re-commitment to console exclusives, and so it seems unlikely that a major piece of Xbox’s plan to please its existing community and build a dedicated customer base would be jettisoned. Currently, there are no reports that indicate inXile Entertainment is planned to be closed.

Fable – SAFE

The ambitious reboot of Fable is being crafted by a team at Playground Games. While it is a multi-platform game in development for Xbox, PC, and PS5, it is nonetheless a key part of Xbox’s plan of focusing on its core popular franchises. Fable was beloved in the 360 era, and Xbox will be banking on a lovingly-crafted reboot to sell well and earn fans. Playground Games seems to be in no danger, not least because it also develops another popular Xbox franchise…

Forza Horizon – SAFE

Playground Games is split into two development teams: one working on Fable, and the other dedicated to the Forza Horizon series. That latter team only just shipped Forza Horizon 6, and will now be hard at work keeping it updated and flush with new content. It’s also not unlikely that part of the Forza Horizon team will already be thinking beyond Horizon 6 to what lies in the franchise’s future. Horizon is a key pillar of Xbox, and while the distance between games is growing ever longer (it took five years to create FH6, compared to the three years it took to make FH5, and the two years all prior installments took) as of now, we’re expecting there to be a new game on the distant horizon, so to speak.

Forza Motorsport – CANCELLED

While the Forza Horizon series has gone from strength to strength over its almost 15-year lifespan, its parent franchise, Forza Motorsport, developed by Turn 10, fell into decline over the same period. Historically the two sides of Forza traded places, with the more arcade-like Horizon games arriving between installments of the hardcore driving sim Motorsport games. Following the lackluster launch of 2023’s Forza Motorsport, Turn 10 have since been assigned to aid Playground Games with the Horizon series, and Forza Motorsport as a franchise has ceased production.

Gears of War – SAFE

If Xbox’s brand colour wasn’t green, it’d probably be red – so synonymous is the blood-splattered Gears of War with Microsoft’s gaming division. While the series was originally created for the Xbox 360 by Epic Games, Gears is now developed by one of Xbox’s own studios, The Coalition. Its latest project is Gears of War: E-Day, set to launch this October. As announced at the recent Xbox Games Showcase, it will be an Xbox console exclusive, and thus marks a significant step in Xbox’s big plan: its mini experiment in multi-platform releases is (sort of) over, and E-Day will stay on Gears’ home turf. While Gears 4 and 5 don’t have the reputation of the original trilogy, the series is generally quite popular, and so The Coalition seems to be in a safe spot. Gears will continue.

Grounded 2 – SAFE

Currently in early access, Grounded 2 is an unusual project for developer Obsidian Entertainment. This team is best-known for its RPGs, having developed Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, and more recently The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed. But while multiplayer survival isn’t a major part of the studio’s history, Grounded 2 has been a hit. Much like its predecessor, it’s a comparatively cheaper project than the heavy lifts Obsidian’s RPGs are. While there are questions around the developer’s other projects, Grounded 2 and Obsidian appear to be safe.

Halo – SAFE

The idea of Xbox without Halo is unthinkable. And yet, for the past few years, Halo has felt endangered. Halo Infinite was not the mega-hit Xbox would have been hoping for, both in terms of reception to its open-world campaign and the longevity of its free-to-play multiplayer. Developer 343 Industries would later be a victim of Microsoft’s brutal restructuring in 2023, with many staff laid off. This seems to have been a trigger point for something of a reset for the Master Chief – 343i was rebranded as Halo Studios, the studio’s bespoke Slipspace Engine was retired in favour of Unreal Engine 5, and the next game in the series is a remake of the very first Halo, now dubbed “Campaign Evolved.” So while Halo has experienced troubles, it seems like we can expect Xbox to still push forward with the Master Chief. The green Spartan is safe for now.

Minecraft – SAFE

One of the world’s best-selling, most enduringly popular games, Minecraft from developer Mojang Studios seems in no danger at all. The original game continues to go strong, with a detailed roadmap for 2026 and another spin-off on the way – this September will see the launch of ARPG Minecraft Dungeons 2, made in collaboration between Mojang and Double Eleven.

The Outer Worlds – CANCELLED

Last year saw the launch of sci-fi RPG The Outer Worlds 2. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, it followed in the footsteps of its predecessor, which in turn followed in the footsteps of Obsidian’s own Fallout: New Vegas – a satirical role-playing game with lots of interesting choices, fantastic writing, memorable companions, and wild weaponry. Unfortunately, The Outer Worlds 2 failed to meet Xbox’s sales goals, and so it will be the final game in the series. The Outer Worlds is over as a running series, although Obsidian Entertainment as a studio thankfully remains in operation.

Psychonauts – AT RISK

Developer Double Fine Productions is known for many creative and quirky games, including last year’s brilliant lighthouse adventure Keeper, 360-era metal cult classic Brutal Legend, and remasters of beloved point-and-click games Full Throttle and Grim Fandango. These are the games that have made the studio one of my personal favourites. However, perhaps its most iconic output is Psychonauts – a duology (with a couple of spin-offs) that started waaay back in 2005 on the original Xbox and finally continued in 2021 with the long-awaited sequel. Unfortunately, the future of Psychonauts and all of Double Fine’s games – including the recently released multiplayer game Kiln – is reportedly on the line, as it is one of three Xbox studios believed to be facing closure.

Senua / Hellblade – AT RISK

The recently announced Senua marks the continuation of the Hellblade series in all but name. This gritty tale of a psychosis-suffering celtic warrior has been running since 2017, and is developer Ninja Theory’s most enduring series, despite poor performance in terms of copies sold and failing to crack Game Pass’ top 10 during its second game’s launch window. Yet despite having only just revealed Senua, Ninja Theory is now one of the three Xbox studios facing closure. Reports suggest that Senua was announced because Xbox believed “the promise of a newly announced game would help draw investor interest in the studio.” It’s currently unclear if an investor will buy Ninja Theory, and thus allow development on Senua to continue. As it stands, we may never see the game completed and released.

South of Midnight – AT RISK

2025’s bayou-set adventure game, South of Midnight, had stunning art direction and received solid enough reviews, but it seemed to fly under the radar. That’s not an unusual situation for Canadian studio Compulsion Games – its previous title, BioShock-ish survival game We Happy Few, never quite set the world alight in the way its initial trailer suggested it had the potential to. And its debut game, Contrast, is perhaps better remembered for being the very first PS4 game included in PlayStation Plus than for its own achievements. Unfortunately, such a history seems to have put the studio in danger: it is one of the three developers reportedly planned for closure. While we didn’t expect a sequel to South of Midnight, since all of Compulsion’s games have been original creations, this does mean there’s little chance of the studio creating something new.

State of Decay 3 – SAFE

The third State of Decay game has been a long time coming. Developer Undead Labs has been working on it for at least six years – it was announced at the Xbox Games Showcase in 2020, two years after State of Decay 2 launched. Only this year did we get to see a gameplay trailer, and those years of radio silence could convince anyone that State of Decay 3 was stuck in development hell, and thus Undead Labs was in danger of shut down. However, there have been no reports to suggest the studio is facing closure, and State of Decay 3 is still expected to launch in 2027 on Xbox, PC, and PS5.

Bethesda Softworks

Doom – SAFE

For 33 years, id Software has been developing the Doom series, and it seems in no danger of stopping. It announced a new expansion for Doom: The Dark Ages at the Xbox Games Showcase – called Revelations, launching July 7 – and there’s no sign that the studio is in danger of being shuttered.

The Elder Scrolls Online – SAFE

Developed by Zenimax Online Studios, The Elder Scrolls Online is Bethesda’s long-running MMO. Over its 12 year lifespan so far, it has received eight major expansions and countless updates, with the latest being a season focused on the Thieves Guild. While it had a somewhat rocky start, TESO eventually settled into being a beloved online haunt for Elder Scrolls fans, and the developers hope it will last for over 30 years. Zenimax Online Studios was a victim of Microsoft’s 2025 layoffs, which cancelled a new project it was working on and saw the exit of boss Matt Firor, but currently there is nothing to suggest the studio or TESO is in danger of shut down.

The Elder Scrolls – SAFE

The jewel in Bethesda’s crown, The Elder Scrolls likely has little to worry about when it comes to cancellation. Developed by Bethesda Game Studios, the studio at the heart of Xbox’s Bethesda Softworks wing, the series became an unstoppable force during the era of Skyrim, and so fans eagerly await The Elder Scrolls 6. Xbox knows that TES6 is primed to be one of the biggest games of all time, and so will likely do everything it can to ensure it finally arrives. Recent reports have suggested that new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is looking to speed up development of The Elder Scrolls.

Fallout – SAFE

Second only to The Elder Scrolls is Bethesda Games Studios’ other open-world RPG series, Fallout. It’s been a long time since the developer launched a single-player entry – Fallout 4 is a decade old now – but its multiplayer survival spin-off, Fallout 76, still goes strong with regular updates. Both Elder Scrolls and Fallout are reportedly of particular interest to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, and so we can expect the post-nuclear roleplaying game to play a major role in Xbox’s future.

Marvel’s Blade – SAFE

Following in the footsteps of PlayStation, which has its Spider-Man and Wolverine games, Xbox is getting in on the Marvel action with Blade. First announced back in 2023, we’ve heard not a single thing about it since. For some, that’s a reason to worry – Blade is being developed by Arkane Studios, the creators of Dishonored and Deathloop. Arkane’s games are typically critical darlings that struggle to find large audiences, and so there’s always the fear that the studio will be closed down. Such fears are not unfounded – Arkane was once made up of two studios, one in Lyon, France and the other in Austin, Texas, but the Austin branch was shuttered in 2024. There is, thankfully, no report to suggest that the Lyon studio is due to meet the same fate.

Wolfenstein – SAFE

Developer MachineGames has a strong history with games about fighting Nazis. It was assembled to develop the rebooted Wolfenstein series, of which it has made two mainline entries plus a co-op spin-off. Its latest work, however, is the equally fantastic Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. While so far unconfirmed by official sources, it’s believed that MachineGames is currently developing Wolfenstein 3. It is also working with Amazon MGM Studios to create a Wolfenstein TV show. All that considered, it seems the future of the studio and Wolfenstein is safe.

Blizzard Entertainment

Diablo – SAFE

Between ongoing support for Diablo 2: Resurrected and continual updates and expansions for Diablo 4, Blizzard’s gothic ARPG series is probably in the best position it has ever been. A 25 year old game has a brand new class, and the Lord of Hatred expansion brings Diablo 4’s story to a satisfying conclusion. It seems safe to assume for now that Blizzard’s Diablo team will keep the fires of hell well stoked.

Overwatch – SAFE

Overwatch’s Season 3: Into the Tiger’s Den has just launched, bolstering Blizzard’s competitive FPS with even more content. Overwatch has undeniably had a rocky life, starting 10 years ago as a genuine phenomenon and contender for best online shooter of all time, and then spending years struggling to evolve through a misguided sequel and shifts to its core composition. But right now, it is in perhaps its best position since those early halcyon days. You can expect Blizzard to keep Overwatch live and kicking with new heroes and ideas.

World of Warcraft – SAFE

World of Warcraft has been trucking along for over 20 years now, and Blizzard seems in no way ready to send its genre-defining MMO out to pasture any time soon. The Midnight Revelations update just dropped, and the main Midnight expansion arrived earlier this year. That expansion is also the middle chapter of the three-part “Worldsoul Saga”, which began in 2024 with The War Within and is expected to end with The Last Titan. Based on typical expansion cadence, it seems sensible to expect that in 2028.

Activision

Call of Duty – SAFE

While Xbox’s repeated shutting down of studios means it can often feel that any of its games are at risk of cancellation, there is at least one series that feels practically immortal: Call of Duty. Developed by Activision’s army of FPS studios, there has been a COD game every year for over two decades. 2026 will be no different, with the launch of Modern Warfare 4 in October. While the Call of Duty studios have not been immune to layoffs in the past, the core studios that develop the series – Infinity Ward, Treyarch and Raven Software – are all still operational, as are the many support studios that aid them in the monolithic task of creating annual installments.

Out of Words Is an Artistic, Handmade Breath of Fresh Air

In a time where AI is insidiously seeping into almost everything around us, even our video games, completely 100% handmade art made with heart (side note: can we get that on a t-shirt?) is becoming almost novel. That’s why I was drawn to Out of Words–it’s an ambitious, gorgeous stop-motion co-op 2D platformer where everything, down to each blade of grass and piece of moss, is meticulously handmade in the real world with physical mediums.

Out of Words’ story is even inspired by a poem written by Danish poet Morten Søndergaard, and every component of the world and setting is allegorically built from language, communication, and human connection. I didn’t get to see the story setup of Out of Words myself, but game design lead Jeff Sparks explained it to me during my short-but-sweet 20-minute demo at Summer Game Fest.

In Out of Words, the playable characters Kurt and Karla are best friends who grew up together, who have developed changing feelings for each other as they enter adolescence, yet they simply won’t speak the words–so they lose them all together when they fail to express themselves in a moment before crossing a street. They become isekaid (magically thrust into another world) into a mystical land called Vokabulantis, yet they’ve lost their mouths–and words–along the way. Their mouth mysteriously becomes a cute creature, Aleph, that grants them powers throughout their journey.

We’ve actually written about Out of Words last year, citing it as possibly being the next must-play two-player co-op, but I did get to see and learn some new things during my gameplay-heavy demo with Sparks.

For our first real obstacle, we helped Prince get out of the mud on his motorcycle. The little mini-game-esque task was fun and simple enough, and the animation of mud flinging all over our characters who couldn’t complain was just as entertaining. I couldn’t help but imagine how gross it’d be to be in that situation myself.

You can actually watch the whole process of making Prince’s puppet in the official “making of” video below, which I highly recommend if you’re curious about the painstaking artistry that goes into every puppet in Out of Words.

Next, we skipped ahead through a few different acts, to get a sense of the different environments, gameplay elements, and moods that Out of Words had to offer.

“We did hundreds of prototypes trying to make the narrative kind of situation between the two characters line up with what was happening gameplay-wise,” Sparks explained. “So we’ve done hundreds of kinds of co-op game mechanics trying to figure out what was going to be suitable.”

In one of the areas we encountered, there was a narrative reason the atmosphere felt dark and heavy, and that the creatures seemed more spooky than usual. One portion I played with anti-gravity, which required us to walk on the ceilings and walls, were some of the first mechanics the team ever conceived–which also has a narrative allegory, but I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone.

Sparks couldn’t help but express how surreal it was to see the area rendered with the level of finish it was at–with moss, stone, and clay bringing it to life. I wholeheartedly agree it looked incredible, as did the rest of what I played. The artistic lighting and bokeh techniques to communicate perspective and focus made everything even more beautiful and atmospheric.

Out of Words Screenshots June 2026

It’d be easy to get distracted with the surroundings, but some portions required some quick moving to escape some unsavory creatures after us. Out of Words doesn’t seem like its gameplay is meant to be too difficult to overcome, but it’s still a testament to good game design we were able to get through that section, and most of the rest of what we played, without needing to speak much to each other. However, communicating with your partner would make things go more smoothly. Even if it’s just for encouragement or support, like when Sparks said he’d catch me during a particularly tricky gravity-platforming section, words can – somewhat ironically given the title and setup of this game – go a long way in creating forward momentum.

“You can play wherever you want and play with the person you want to play with the most. That was really important to us.” “

“We think there’s something really special about the couch co-op experience,” Sparks said, which I have to agree with. Honestly, I prefer playing any multiplayer game in the same room with my teammates, but there’s something especially satisfying about sitting next to someone while looking at the same screen as them.

Sparks and the team empathizes with people who can’t play in person together, though, so they’ve ensured Out of Words is playable online, cross-platform. The extra dream is to have Out of Words playable via game-share, so only one person needs to own it to play online with another. “You can play wherever you want and play with the person you want to play with the most. That was really important to us,” Sparks said.

To be clear, you have to play Out of Words with another person–there is no AI companion to take their place, much like the Hazelight co-op hits Split Fiction, It Takes Two, and A Way Out. So if you do commit to completing Out of Words with someone, how much time are you actually agreeing to? Spark’s “silly answer” is that they’re not completely sure yet because they’re still making it, and hope that people take their time with it so they can “soak it in.” But as a loose, ballpark estimate, he’s guessing about 10 hours.

There will be secret areas where you can find collectibles, which are missing words from a giant poem.“

Out of Words is pretty linear. There are specific starts and ends to each level, and there’s not a lot of off-the-beaten-path exploration to be done from what I saw, but there is a good reason to take your time besides just to smell the roses. There will be secret areas where you can find collectibles, which are missing words from a giant poem–the poem that makes up the game’s story.

Speaking to Sparks, and seeing the short vignette of what I did, left me feeling like Out of Words would be, well, emotional, to put it bluntly. When I asked Sparks if Out of Words would make people cry, he said he already tears up when he simply talks about it for too long. “We’re not trying to make people cry, but I think sometimes crying is a part of feeling these

meaningful story beats that really touch you,” Sparks said. “I don’t want people to cry, but in a way I would be surprised if people get through this without feeling something.”

As Sparks has demonstrated, the entire team at WiredFly and Kong Orange seems emotionally invested in the making of Out of Words. “We’re putting our full hearts into this and all of our love and energy into telling this story and making this kind of shared experience for people. We think the co-op nature and connecting with other people and playing something that is artful and meaningful and that has been considered and brought to life by artists of every stripe is… we’re at this moment in the world where we could really use a little bit of life and color and joy and connection. This is what we endeavor to do–is to make something beautiful that means something to people.”

If you like mandatory co-op games like the aforementioned Split Fiction or It Takes Two, or are even just enamored by good-old-fashioned physical-medium art, Out of Words is a game to keep on your radar. It’s still a ways away, with a release window of early 2027 on Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Epic Games Store.

Casey DeFreitas is IGN’s Deputy Editor of Guides. Catch her on Socials @ShinyCaseyD.

Sea of Remnants Is Like a Puppet-Punk Persona at Sea

Sea of Remnants has come a long way since we first looked at it last year. High on style, but short on details at the time, we praised the aesthetics, even if we needed to see more from the story and gameplay to know if it has the substance to go with it. Thankfully, we got a fresh look at Summer Game Fest 2026, and what a difference a year makes. The turn-based swashbuckling and realtime ship combat, combined with a healthy dose of mystery and outrageous characters, has my spyglass trained squarely on the Sea of Remnants.

As the demo begins, it’s just me in a rowboat, the star-filled nights sky overhead, and the sea stretching infinitely in every direction. As I row forward, the ethereal music swells, and luminous sea creatures begin to coalesce around me. Just off my starboard, a whale made of light, shades of navy and turquoise, breaches the surface. A fleet of wraithlike boats join me in formation. Eventually, I come to a solitary ship’s wheel extending above what I presume must be a shipwreck. As I reach out to touch it, a ghostly ship, a full-sized galleon, suddenly emerges from beneath the waves. The non-caporeal vessel passes straight into me, ignoring the solid wood of my boat entirely. It disappears just as quickly, as the moon itself rises from the sea, and my screen fades to black.

Sea of Remnants is a gorgeous, open-world fantasy RPG set in a world of ocean exploration and piracy. Already the vibrant colors and music create a spectacle tugging at my heartstrings. Up close, everything has a wooden puppetry aesthetic – a charming, hand crafted look that reminds me of Laiki, the studio behind modern stop motion classics like Coraline or ParaNorman.

Everything has a wooden puppetry aesthetic – a charming, hand crafted look that reminds me of Laiki, the studio behind modern stop motion classics like Coraline or ParaNorman. “

Now I’m at the controls of a full-sized ship. The calm seas are gone and a kraken-like creature is attacking my vessel. We are circling clockwise around the body, though tentacles the size of buildings lash out at us from beneath the water. I take careful aim with my cannons and fire, repelling the appendages as I move to fire upon the center of the beast. The ship shudders under its furious assault, but as I approach, its mouth is open, and I activate an ability that slows down time and allows me to stagger it with a carefully placed volley into its maw. However, this just seems to enrage the beast. It begins to gather energy in a massive orb of light above its body. I pour everything I have into it, but to no avail; it unleashes a burst of incredible power, and I’m wiped completely from the sea.

Your ship is your key to exploration. As the name suggests, the world in Sea of Remnants is made up of islands connected by vast tracks of water. Diver flora and fauna and dynamic weather color the journey. As you adventure around the world you’ll be building up your ship, upgrading and customizing it to allow you to explore further, and survive the dangers at sea. Ship combat is like a midpoint between The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Assassin’s Creed Black Flag. Simple controls and a mix of enemy ships and fantastical creatures resemble the former, while the ability to move and shoot, and importance of positioning to go with your aim are more like the latter.

A figure is standing over me. It’s fuzzy, I can’t make out the details, but he’s shining a flashlight into my eyes and asking me philosophical questions about the nature of death, hypotheticals about walking through a forest, and exploring what little I remember. I answer as best I can before fading away once again. When I come to, Sigmund, the figure I’d been speaking to, greets me properly, and offers to renovate my largely featureless body. With his help my puppet gains a flowing mane of hair, some stylish facial hair painted on my wooden face, and I don a stylish frock coat in place of my tattered cloak. Finally, I look like the pirate-puppet of my dreams.

As you sail the Sea of Remnants you’ll meet new characters, form your crew, and recover your lost memories. The first clue on that journey is a compass, my only possession, and it points towards Feffers, a tavern where sailors are known to store their valuables before departing on voyages. As I emerge from the workshop, I find I’m in a vibrant maritime town called Orbtopia. Tall buildings and cobblestone streets stretch around me, and hundreds of unique, named NPCs populate the area. After a slight mishap involving a chicken pilfering my compass, I find my way to Feffers.

Feffers is… a lot. Funky pirate tunes fill the air in a tavern the size of a department store. What appears to be a massive, mechanical octopus sits atop a round bar at the center. Tables and chairs, many filled with colorful patrons, are scattered about, with a stage at the far end. I make my way to the bartender and ask about anything I may have left behind. He pulls out a suitcase and hands it over, but before I have a chance to examine the contents, all hell breaks loose.

The commotion begins with a girl, RS. She swings around the room on a rope, distributing flyers recruiting for her crew. Unfortunately, her antics result in a cup of grog landing in the face of a particularly ornery looking pirate by the name of Whitebeard, who sends his goons to punish the lass for the insult. Her attempts to fight and evade probably would have worked if not for an ill-timed collision with one particular innocent bystander (me). Suddenly we are surrounded, and I’m dragged into a fight.

Sea of Remnants uses a turn-based battle system, like you’d see in Expedition 33 or your favorite classic JRPGs. The ruffians take the first turn and chip away at the health of the girl and I with some up close dagger slashes and a well-aimed thrown bottle. An action bar on the left of the screen lays out the order; I’m up, and I retaliate with some strong slashes from my sword, while RS deals some AOE damage with some sort of thrown concoction, finishing off one enemy and taking a chunk off the other.

Behind the pirate theme, the combat shares a lot of DNA with classic fantasy RPGs. Melee and ranged attacks do a lot of the work, but buffs, debuffs, and explosive potions factor in to create a layer of fine strategy. Your crewmates have unique weapon skills to contribute, like RS’s “Cutest Doll”, which, despite its fuzzy exterior, operates more like a rocket launcher. I put that to work wiping out the lineup of enemy pirates, though Whitebeard quickly replenishes them from his massive crew. This particular fight is pretty heavily scripted, so I can’t quite tell how good or deep the battle system is just yet, but the quick action and stylish flourishes definitely give off a Persona vibe.

The quick action and stylish flourishes definitely give off a Persona vibe. “

With no hope to overcome these numbers, RS drops a smoke bomb and sprints out the exit. After a short pursuit, I catch up to her on the beach. She’s not thrilled that I apparently ruined her recruiting effort, but after having her back at the barroom brawl I’m forgiven. She doesn’t know any more about my amnesia than I do, but when I crack open the suitcase the barman gave me, her face lights up. She recognizes a photograph, and the tattered remnants of a flag. We must be connected somehow. With this realization, we agree to form a crew together, and set sail on her ship to begin our adventure in earnest.

With the wind at our backs and answers ahead of us, our adventure begins in earnest on the Sea of Remnants. Sure, “I have amnesia” is a bit worn as a storytelling trope in RPGs, but the charm of the artstyle and characters more than makes up for it, and I’m intrigued to learn more about them and the world – especially if the battle system comes together and the ship combat continues to be an exciting spectacle. We will have to wait and see where these winds take us when Sea of Remnants releases later this year on PlayStation 5, PC, and mobile.

The 5 Coolest Handheld Gaming PC Accessories You Can Get This Month

Handheld PCs and consoles are more capable than ever, with Nintendo Switch 2, ROG Xbox Ally, and Steam Deck leading the charge. While these are all great devices, there are many accessories out there that can instantly level up your gaming experience. If you’re on the hunt for a new handheld gaming accessory, check out our top five picks for the coolest game-elevating accessories you can grab this month for a sweet discount during Amazon Prime Day.

RayNeo Air 4 Pro

RayNeo Air 4 Pro AR/XR Glasses

RayNeo Air 4 Pro x Batman Limited Edition (Justice Edition) AR /XR Glasses

RayNeo Air 4 Pro x Batman Limited Edition (Chaos Edition) AR /XR Glasses

If you’ve ever wished your Switch 2 or Steam Deck screen was bigger, the RayNeo Air 4 Pro turns that wish into reality. As the world’s first HDR10 AR glasses, they project a massive 201″ 120Hz virtual display with richer contrast than you’d expect from something this light, paired with Bang & Olufsen co-tuned audio. They connect via a single USB-C cable, so pairing is as simple as plugging into your Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Steam Deck, or MacBook — and since they also work with your phone, they’re just as handy for catching a World Cup match on the go as they are for an RPG binge or movie night. Because there’s no bulky external monitor involved, they pack down easily for travel too, making the Air 4 Pro a smart pickup if you want a giant screen experience without the giant screen. If you’re after something with a bit more personality, RayNeo also offers a Chaos Edition and a Batman × RayNeo Justice Edition, both featuring distinct face-mask-inspired designs for anyone who wants their gear to match their gaming persona. (For Prime Day, running June 23–26, all three versions are currently 20% off at Amazon.)

Mechanism Gaming Pillow

There’s nothing worse than getting cramps in your hands or arms after playing for hours on a handheld PC. If that sounds familiar, the Mechanism Gaming Pillow is the perfect companion for your Steam Deck or ROG Ally. This is essentially a pillow and monitor arm combined together, and the result is a very comfortable accessory that lets you position your device however you want to. The pillow itself is packed with a lightweight beaded filling and is wrapped with Lycra fabric, making it machine washable.

Sony Inzone Buds Wireless Gaming Earbuds

Sony INZONE Buds Wireless Gaming Earbuds

The Sony Inzone Buds are an excellent companion for any handheld gaming console. If you’re someone always gaming on the go, you know how important good sound quality and noise cancellation are. These earbuds pack in ANC support, 360 spatial sound, 2.4GHz & LE audio, and more. One of the best features is the customization available in Inzone hub, where you can customize EQ settings, adjust game/chat balance, and modify the noise canceling level. These are a great choice for any play, whether casual or competitive.

ASUS ROG Bulwark 7-in-1 Charging Dock for ROG Xbox Ally

ASUS – ROG Bulwark 7-in-1 Charging Dock for ROG Xbox Ally

The ROG Xbox Ally is a seriously powerful device that continues to impress with performance on new games. While handheld play is the only way to play out of the box, you can actually grab this ASUS ROG Bulwark Charging Dock to turn your Xbox Ally into a full fledged gaming PC. The Bulwark Charging Dock has support for 4K at 144Hz and 8k at 30Hz via HDMI 2.1, plus an Ethernet port, three USB-A ports, and a USB-C port. This accessory can instantly transform your living room, as you can dock your ROG Xbox Ally and play games on the TV.

Dbrand Nintendo Switch 2 Case

The Dbrand Nintendo Switch 2 case is an amazing choice if you’re looking to protect your console while traveling on the go. This case has detachable Joy-Cons, ergonmonic handles, and a cut-out for the kickstand. The unique design is a great way to customize your Nintendo Switch 2, and the overall ergonmics really can make a difference when playing in handheld for long periods of time. No need to worry about docking with the case either, as Dbrand packs in an adapater to make that possible.

How to Follow IGN Deals Recommendations

Pay $1 Per Month Plus $20 Audible Credit

Amazon’s June Audible deal just got better ahead of Prime Day. Both new and returning Audible subscribers can sign up for three months of Audible for just $0.99 per month for three months. In addition to the discounted membership, you also get an extra $20 in Audible credit. You don’t need to be an Amazon Prime member to take advantage of this deal. After the three months is up, your subscription will convert to the standard $8.95/mo, but you can cancel auto-renewal at any time.

3 Months of Audible for $0.99 Per Month and $20 in Audible Credit

New and Return Subscribers

Get 3 Months of Audible Standard for $0.99/mo Plus Get $20 in Audible Credit

Amazon offers two Audible subscription tiers: Standard and Premium Plus. Standard is a lot less expensive – $8.95 per month compared to $14.95 per month. Standard also gets access to the same catalog of million plus audiobooks that Premium Plus does. The difference lies in the credits: Standard gets one free audiobook per month that you can read so long as you maintain your membership. Premium Plus gets you one free audiobook that you keep indefinitely. Unless you really want an audiobook to keep every month, then the Standard subscription is definitely the better deal. You’ll save $72 on subscription fees per year not including the discount you’re getting with this current deal.

The bonus $20 credit can be used to buy audiobooks at Audible.com. You’ll receive your credit notification via your email. You keep the books you buy with your credit, even after your membership expires.

Catch up the the latest novel releases, audiobook style

Fourth Wing: Empyrean, Book 1

Sunrise on the Reaping: A Hunger Games Novel

Wind and Truth: Book Five of the Stormlight Archive

Never Flinch: A Novel

Audible is a subscription service that gives you access to over 1.1 million of the best audiobooks without ever having to purchase them. Several best-selling new and recent releases are available in an audiobook format and part of Audible’s accessible library. Rebecca Yarros’ The Empyrean Series romantasy novels have consistently hit the top of the New York Times’ best seller list throughout all of 2025 and they’re all available in audiobook format. Sunrise on the Reaping, the latest Hunger Games novel, is narrated by Jefferson White, who you may already know from Yellowstone where he played Jimmy Hudstrom. The audiobook has a listening time of about 12 hours and 48 minutes.

If you’re looking for something fast-paced and fun, you can also check out Matt Dinniman’s popular Dungeon Crawler Carl series. It’s currently the bestselling audiobook on Audible right now thanks to excellent narration from Jeff Hays. This new deal will get you the first three DCC audiobooks for only $0.99.

Ever prolific Stephen King released the Never Flinch crime novel in 2025. It’s available as a nearly 15-hour long audiobook narrated by veteran Jessie Mueller. If you’re a fan of fantasy, check out Brandon Sanderson’s Wind and Truth, book five of the popular The Stormlight Archive series. It was released in December of 2024 and runs an epic 63 hours long.

How to Follow IGN Deals Recommendations

The Flashforge Adventurer 5M 3D Printer Drops to the Lowest Price of the Year, Now Just $133 With Free Shipping

The Adventurer 5M offers great performance at at outstanding budget price. I would say it is the best 3D printer priced below $150. The 5M is easy to setup, produces great 3D prints with minimal fiddling, and offers plenty of add-on mods including a kit that fully encloses the chamber and another that adds a camera.

Flashforge Adventurer 3D Printer Drops to the Lowest Price Ever

FlashForge Adventurer 5M CoreXY 3D Printer

The Adventurer 5M is Flashforge’s least expensive CoreXY printer. In fact, it’s one of the least expensive CoreXY printers from any well-regarded brand, but with upgrades where they matter. For starters, the Adventurer 5M features a CoreXY structure typically found in pricier models. 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 open bed has a build volume measuring approximately 8.7″ cubed. A closed chamber offers a more controlled environment that eliminates unpredicatable variables like dust or wind and stabilizes temperatures for consistent result. Usually this costs a premium, but FlashForge sells a kit that converts the open bed into a closed chamber for $39.99. If you want to spend even less and don’t care about aesthetics, you can just put a big box over it and call it a day.

The 5M boasts a print speed of up to 600mm/s with 20,000mm/s² acceleration and can print a benchy in 14 minutes. The high-flow 32mm³/s nozzle with 280°C direct extruder can warm up to 200°C in as fast as 35 seconds for consistent filament dispensing. Build quality is solid since all of the structural components are made of metal. The 4.3″ color touchscreen control panel is intuitive to use with minimal fiddling and the 5M supports essential features such as auto leveling and vibration compensation. Assembly is quick and easy and you’ll be able to print your first object in minutes.

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
Auto leveling and vibration compensation
Easy assembly

Today’s Top Deals: GameSir Super Nova Wireless Controller, DoorDash Gift Card, and TMNT: The Ultimate Collection

Whether you’re looking to add to your manga and comic collection or want a new multiplatform controller, I’ve found plenty of top-notch deals heading into this Father’s Day weekend. If you need a little something for that hard-to-buy-for dad, you can get $10 off a DoorDash eGift Card; who doesn’t love food? And I’ve included a few other last-minute gift ideas. Plus, save on Walmart+ and Audible memberships for a limited time.

TL;DR – The Best Deals for June 19

Get Up to 40% Off a GameSir Super Nova Wireless Controller

GameSir Super Nova Wireless Gaming Controller Nintendo Switch & Switch 2/PC/iOS/Android

Save up to 40% on a GameSir Super Nova Wireless Controller. You can grab the Black and Red colorway for only $29.99 at Best Buy, while the Blue is down to 35.99 on Amazon. With Switch 2, Switch, PC, iOS, and Android compatibility, this versatile controller connects via Bluetooth, low-latency 2.4GHz wireless, or a wired USB-C. It’s also packing some high-end features for the price, including Hall-Effect joysticks and triggers, button mapping, rubberized grips, RGB lighting, a charging dock, and more.

Save $10 on a $100 DoorDash eGift Card

DoorDash – $100 Gift Card [Digital]

A DoorDash Gift Card makes for an excellent last-minute Father’s Day gift, especially if you live out of town and won’t be able to share a meal on Sunday. Right now, you can get $10 off a $100 eGift Card at Best Buy, and it should arrive in your email shortly after purchase. You can order from thousands of local restaurants and national chains, with the option to have food delivered right to your doorstep. Just note that a free Best Buy membership is required to score this deal.

Score $20 Off Nioh 3 for PS5

Nioh 3 – PlayStation 5

Nioh 3 just dropped in February, and the Standard Edition is down to its lowest price yet on Amazon and Best Buy. In our Nioh 3 review, the game earned an “Amazing” 9/10 rating. Reviewer Mitchell Saltzman found, “Nioh 3 delivers best-in-class combat that revitalizes the established formula with a fantastic split between Samurai and Ninja styles, as well as a triumphant move to an open-world structure.” He even claims it’s the “best of the trilogy.”

Get 50% Off an Annual Walmart+ Membership

Walmart+ Membership

Enjoy 50% off a Walmart+ membership. Its annual plan is down to just $49 for a limited time. There’s a long list of perks that come with the membership, and if you’re frequently shopping at the retail giant, it’s absolutely worth the investment. From free shipping with no order minimum and free delivery from your local Walmart to early sale access and exclusive drops (Pokémon TCG is huge), it’s got a lot to love. You even get a Paramount+ Essentials or Peacock Premium subscription, $0.10 off per gallon of gas, 25% off Burger King digital orders, and lots more.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection Hits Low Price

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 2

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Collection Vol. 1 Paperback is down to just $12.18, its lowest price ever on Amazon. However, this deal is exclusively for Prime members. With this incredible collection, you get Mirage Studios’ issues #1–7, where the phenomenon began. Co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird even have their own insightful annotations throughout the 300+ pages. Plus, it’s in the original black-and-white, just like in the 80s. Be sure to pick up Volume 2 at its lowest price ever, too.

3 Months of Audible for $0.99 Per Month & $20 Audible Credit

Get 3 Months of Audible Standard for $0.99/mo & Get $20 in Audible Credit

Audible is still offering three months of its Standard subscription for just $0.99 per month, and it sweetened the deal further by offering an extra $20 in Audible credit to buy even more audiobooks. Both new and returning subscribers can cash in on this deal. Normally $8.95, the Audible Standard membership includes one audiobook per month that you keep until you suspend your membership. Even with the lower-tier membership, you still have access to the same catalog of millions of audiobooks that Premium Plus offers.

Tokyo Ghoul Box Set Hits New Low Price

Tokyo Ghoul Complete Box Set: Vols. 1-14

Manga fans need to jump on this Tokyo Ghoul discount. The box set of all fourteen volumes of the original series is down to its lowest price ever on Amazon. Following college student Ken Kaneki, who becomes half-human, half-ghoul, the story centers on him honing his powers and figuring out how to navigate the two worlds. Created by Sui Ishida, this seinen manga features a compelling story and incredible art. The box set also includes a double-sided poster.

Get 62% Off the Wolfbox 4,000A Jump Starter and Tire Inflator

Wolfbox MegaVolt24 Air 4,000A Jump Starter with 160PSI Air Compressor

Lost on a gift idea for dad? Well, this Wolfbox MegaVolt 24 Air 4,000A Cordless Jump Starter with Air Compressor is down to just $69.99 on Amazon with the coupon code “Q85ZHLT3”. It even says it’ll arrive by Sunday with Prime for my location. Not only is this a 12V cordless car jump starter with 4,000A of peak power, but it also has a 160PSI (45lpm) air compressor to inflate tires, a 24,000mAh power bank to charge smartphones, and a built-in 400-lumen flashlight. This handy device is perfect to have in an emergency.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Hits New Low Price

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – PlayStation 5

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 [Code in box]

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Nintendo Switch

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 for PS5, Switch, and Switch 2 has dropped to the lowest price I’ve seen. For just $24.99, you can get this remake of the 2001 and 2002 games for the latest consoles. In our Pro Skater 3 + 4 review, Luke Reilly found that it “proves again the series’ over-the-top skateboarding formula is totally timeless and remains suitable for all skill levels; simple at first blush, but extraordinarily sophisticated beneath the surface for those with the minerals (or the muscle memory) to push their combos to colossal levels.”

$450 Off an ASUS ROG Swift 32” 4K OLED Gaming Monitor

ASUS ROG Swift 32” 4K OLED Gaming Monitor (PG32UCDM)

If you’re after an incredible 4K gaming monitor, look no further than the ASUS ROG Swift 32” 4K OLED Gaming Monitor (PG32UCDM). We reviewed this monitor and gave it an “Amazing” 9/10 rating. With it, you get a responsive 240Hz 4K display with low input lag and VRR support. The QD-OLED panel delivers deep blacks, vivid colors, and incredible clarity, while its KVM, USB hub, and awesome warranty push it over the edge of greatness. It’s also down to its lowest price yet on Amazon, saving $450.

Get an Apple Watch Ultra for $255

Apple Watch Ultra

A grade-A refurbished Apple Watch Ultra is only $254.99 on the Amazon-owned Woot, and it even includes a 1-year warranty. A similar refurbished Ultra model on Amazon with only a 90-day warranty is going for $300, so this is the best deal going. The Ultra is the top Apple Watch model for adventurers and athletes, thanks to its durability, precise GPS, longer battery life, and impressive lineup of activity-specific features and apps. With a 49mm titanium case and sapphire crystal face, its body is more rugged than what’s found on other Apple watches. The Apple Watch Ultra will have no problem keeping up with you this summer.

DJI Osmo Action 4 4K Camera Essentials Bundle for $169

DJI Osmo Action 4 4K/120fps Video Camera Essential Combo

Want to capture all your summer adventures in 4K? The DJI Osmo Action 4 4K Camera Essential Bundle is only $169 right now. It’s a fraction of the price of the GoPro Hero 13 Black but with all the functionality. This compact, durable camera records in 4K at up to 120fps using a f/2.8 aperture with a wide 155-degree FOV and a good-sized 1/1.3″ sensor for solid low light performance. “Rock Steady 3.0” also helps to keep the video smooth, while the 1,770mAh “Extreme” battery should last up to 150 minutes.

Get a Free $15 Promo Gift Card with a $100 Newegg Gift Card

Get a $15 promotional gift card

Newegg $100 Gift Card (Email Delivery)

You can never go wrong with a gift card, so if you’re looking to buy something for the father who loves to tinker with PCs, a Newegg eGift Card is perfect. Today, when you buy a $100 gift card, you get a $15 promo gift card. Both will arrive in your email shortly after purchase, and in plenty of time for Father’s Day on Sunday. With it, you can buy a whole range of PC gaming essentials and a lot more.

BowFlex 552 SelectTech Dumbbells Hit Low Price

BowFlex Results Series SelectTech 552 Dumbbell Pair

Need something for the fitness-loving father in your life? The BowFlex 552 SelectTech Dumbbells are down to their lowest price ever on Amazon. A pair is only $328, but the deal is exclusively for Prime members. That’s an incredible discount on these versatile dumbbells, which can be adjusted from 5 and 52.5 pounds by just turning a dial. Not only is the set well-built and ergonomically designed, but it also saves tons of space by replacing all your separate weights.

LEGO NASA Artemis Space Launch System Hits Low

LEGO Technic NASA Artemis Space Launch System Rocket – 42221

The LEGO Technic NASA Artemis Space Launch System is down to its lowest price yet. It’s a great set for both kids and adults alike who love all things space. This recreation of the rocket that launched astronauts to the moon earlier this year features 632 pieces and even includes 4 astronaut nanofigures. There’s also a crank for separating the rocket in 3 different stages.

That’s not the only LEGO set discounted; Target is having a LEGO sale ahead of Amazon’s Prime Day next week. Check out those deals below:

Buy 2, Get 1 Free Book and Music Sale

Buy 2, Get 1 Free Books and Music

Amazon has brought back its buy 2, get 1 free music and book sale ahead of Father’s Day this weekend and Prime Day next week. All you need to do is add three qualifying items to your cart, and the lowest-priced item will be discounted. It’s not exclusive to Prime members either. One particularly exciting inclusion in the sale is the Dungeon Crawler Carl Books. Every title in the series is included, and you can also pick up the graphic novel. This is an incredible LitRPG series and one of the few with an actual physical release. You can also get Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn books as part of the deal.

$135 Off Complete Calvin and Hobbes Hardcover Box Set

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes is a hardcover box set that collects the classic comic strip in three volumes. Not only does it include all the comics spanning the series’ 10-year run from 1985 to 1995, but it also includes an intro from author Bill Watterson. Right now, you can grab the set for just $89.48 when you clip the coupon on the product page, saving $135 off the list price. Fans young and old will love diving into the magical adventures of this duo.

3 for $33 4K Movies

3 for $33 4K Blu-ray Sale

Both Gruv and Amazon are offering ‘3 for $33’ 4K movies just in time for Father’s Day. To score this deal, all you need to do is add three qualifying films to your cart. The final discount will be reflected at checkout. That brings each film down to just $11. Below are a few highlights from Amazon’s sale, and Gruv has an even bigger selection of films to choose from.

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

George Lucas Cast in Minions & Monsters Movie, Says Illumination

Star Wars creator George Lucas has been cast in Minions & Monsters, and he’s already talked to Illumination about appearing in more Minions movies.

The animated movie company’s CEO, Chris Meledandri, confirmed the sci-fi moviemaking legend lent his voice to its latest Despicable Me spin-off during an interview with Collider. It’s an unexpected role for Lucas that will see him leaving his mark on Minions & Monsters when it premieres in a few weeks.

“An idea for a character came up out of the story, and so I said to Pierre [Coffin], who co-wrote the movie with Brian Lynch, and Bill Ryan, who produces with me on the film, and I just said, ‘Well, what if we could get George?’ And they’re like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ I had no idea, but I got such a fast yes,” Meledandri said. “It was incredible. So, we’re thrilled to have him in the film.”

George Lucas. Photo by Mike Coppola/MG25/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue.

Meledandri didn’t share much about how Lucas will fit into the film. He could show up as an original character, or, considering Illumination has said its plot will see the Minions spending some time in Hollywood, we also wouldn’t be surprised to see him play an animated version of himself.

Lucas is best known as the mastermind behind Star Wars and has cemented himself as a Hollywood legend thanks to his work off-camera, but he’s popped in for the occasional on-screen part here and there, too. That said, it’s been years since he’s taken on an acting role. So, why did he pick up the phone when Illumination called? It’s simple: He loves Minions.

“I had this privilege of meeting George about two years ago, and what led to my meeting him is how much he loves Illumination movies, and specifically Despicable Me, and even more specifically, the Minions,” Meledandri explained. “It was such a thrill to learn that and then to share it with the team, because obviously he’s among a very small group of people who the entire studio shares a level of respect for that is just off the charts.”

Illumination got its start with Despicable Me in 2010 but has gone on to create many other animated projects like its adaptation of The Grinch The Secret Life of Pets franchise, and The Super Mario Bros. movies. The Minions have gone on to get a spotlight of their own for three movies now, and if any more are ever in the works, it sounds like Lucas will be ready.

“I saw him recently,” Meledandri added, “and he’s already talking to me about the role he wants to do next in the next Minions movie. So, it’s pretty incredible.”

Minions & Monsters premieres July 1, 2026. For more, you can read about everything Illumination had to show at CinemaCon 2026.

Photo by Mike Coppola/MG25/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue.

CD Projekt Red Co-CEO Hopes Witcher 4 Wins Back Players After Cyberpunk 2077 Launch

CD Projekt Red co-CEO Michał Nowakowski thinks the studio has yet to complete a “full redemption arc” after the “heartbreaking” launch of Cyberpunk 2077, but he’s hoping it can win back some fans with The Witcher 4.

Nowakowski reflected on the Poland-based game developer’s journey during a recent conversation with Edge (via GamesRadar). The interview saw him open up about how “heartbreaking” the launch of Cyberpunk 2077 was for the team – and for fans.

“I’m not 100 per cent convinced we went through the full redemption arc,” Nowakowski said. “I’m convinced that we lost the faith of some people indefinitely, and that’s a fair thing.”

It’s been nearly six years since Cyberpunk 2077 undid much of the goodwill CD Projekt Red had accumulated following the release of its 2015 hit, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Years of excitement for the futuristic dystopian RPG quickly fizzled out after launch-day players were met with a long list of game-breaking bugs, annoying visual glitches, and frequent crashes.

These issues were especially prevalent on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and although early sales managed to see CD Projekt Red quickly recoup its development and marketing costs, the company’s reputation had clearly taken a massive hit in only a few days.

Now, Cyberpunk 2077 is in much, much better shape, and it has managed to sell at least 35 million copies. Still, Nowakowski feels there’s work to be done when it comes to how fans see CD Projekt Red, but he’s hoping games like The Witcher 4 will help win them back.

“But I do hope we will be able to make it back – if not with The Witcher 4, then with whatever comes next,” he said.

Nowakowski continued, explaining how CD Projekt Red changed in the aftermath of the launch of Cyberpunk 2077: “We were left with seasoned, battle-hardened veterans; leaders who were able to carry a different kind of challenge on their shoulders.”

“Our dream is to be making more games, although we never want to turn into the studio that’s going to be launching a big game every year,” he added. “It may happen, but this is not the goal. We have a rough 10-year rolling plan, but the goal is not to flood the games market with CDPR games. We just want to make really cool games, and we don’t want to have a ton of IPs either. We’re not planning to grow in that way.”

Although development on Cyberpunk 2077 has largely concluded and The Witcher 4 has no release date, CD Projekt Red isn’t leaving fans with nothing to play. A surprise expansion for The Witcher 3 called Songs of the Past, for example, is expected to launch in 2027. Meanwhile, the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel known as Cyberpunk 2 also entered pre-production last year, and a Witcher remake is also in development.

Save 50% Off a 12-Month Walmart+ Membership for Prime Day and Stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Walmart’s best “counter” Prime Day Sale just went live. Right now you can save 50% off the Walmart+ annual membership, which means you’re paying only $49 for 12 months, or about $4 per month. This promotional price is available to anyone who isn’t a current annual Walmart+ member. That means new, expired, trial, and monthly members are all eligible, although as always your mileage may vary. This promotion only comes around a few times a year and you do not want to miss out if you’re a regular Walmart shopper. Walmart+ gives you a whole host of benefits that extends beyond free expedited shipping, including complimentary Paramount+ or Peacock subscriptions. You’ll also get early access to deals that run on major sales events like Prime Day and Black Friday.

12-Month Walmart+ Membership

Early access to sales, free shipping with no minimum, Paramount+ or Peacock, and more.

Walmart+ Basic Membership Perks

If you’re a regular Walmart shopper, then the Walmart+ membership is worth $49 even outside of Prime Day. Standard perks like removing the minimum threshold for free shipping or being able to return an item from the comfort of your home are significant everyday perks that shouldn’t be overlooked. Some of the best standard benefits include:

Free shipping with no minimum (normally $35+)
Free returns, including free pickup from your house for many items
10 cent discount on select gas stations
Free tire repair and road hazard warranty at Walmart Auto Care Centers
Mobile scan & go checkout at retail locations

Early Access to Walmart’s Prime Day Deals

Walmart+ members generally get a multi-hour headstart on deals access during major events, including its “counter” Prime Day Sale and Black Friday. Last year, some of the best deals sold out before the Walmart+ exclusive window ended. Although Walmart typically saves some inventory for the non-W+ crowd, it’s much harder to grab the deal since so many more people are trying to checkout. I’m not saying this Prime Day Sale is going to be bananas, but it’s always better to come into these events fully prepared – just in case.

Complimentary Paramount+ or Peacock Subscription

Stream the entire World Cup on Peacock or watch UFC on Paramount+

The Walmart+ membership also includes your choice of an ad-supported 12 month Paramount+ Essential or Peacock Premium subscription. This is a great time to sign up for Peacock, since you can stream all of the World Cup games via Telemundo. It’s all in Spanish, but even if you don’t understand the language, it’s still good fun. How can anyone tire of the announcers stretching out “Goaaaaaaalll” for as long as possible?

Paramount+ is one of the better populated streaming services available. Its extensive library of media has been bolstered with the addition of Showtime, making it a great service for those who enjoy movies, original shows, live sports, and news. Popular TV shows include Dexter: Resurrection, Marshals (a recent spinoff of Yellowstone), Landman, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Tulsa King, Halo, and Yellowjackets.

If you’re a UFC fan, then signing up for Paramount+ is a no-brainer. Dubbed “the home of UFC”, your Paramount+ subscription gives you access to all UFC numbered events and Fight Nights on demand, from prelims to main cards.

Walmart+ Members Get 25% Off at Burger King and a Free Whopper

If you’re craving fast food, here’s another reason to sign up for W+. Walmart+ members can enjoy 25% off a single Burger King digital order each day. In addition, members can receive a free flame-grilled Whopper with any purchase every 3 months via the BK app or bk.com. For those of you who eat at Burger King on a semi-regular basis, this is just one bonus perk added to the laundry list of benefits you’ll enjoy from a Walmart+ membership.

Walmart+ Members Get 5% Cashback with Walmart’s OnePay MasterCard

If you combine the Walmart+ membership with Walmart’s OnePay loyalty card, you get 5% cashback on all Walmart purchases. Non W+ members get 3% cashback. The OnePay CashRewards card can be used anywhere MasterCard is accepted, not just at Walmart, and there’s no annual fee. For a limited time, you also get a $50 signup bonus.

How to Follow IGN Deals Recommendations

Save 56% Off the Logitech G29 Racing Wheel and Pedal Set, Perfect for Forza Horizon 6 on PC

Forza Horizon 6 for PC and Xbox was released just last month. This is the perfect excuse for you to finally upgrade from a controller to a bona fide racing wheel. Logitech via its official eBay store is offering a fantastic deal on its most popular racing wheel. Right now you can pick up a refurbished Logitech G29 Racing Wheel and Pedal Set for PS5 and PC for just $145 shipped. The G29 retails for $330 new. It comes with a 1 year Logitech warranty, which isn’t quite as long as the 2 years you get purchasing new, but a lot better than the standard 3 to 6 months you typicall get with a recertified model.

Save 56% Off the Logitech G29 Racing Wheel and Pedal Set

Refurbished With 1 Year Warranty

Logitech G29 Racing Wheel and Pedal Set

If you’re a big fan of racing games and you’ve been using a DualSense controller or gamepad this entire time, then this price drop might be the excuse for you to step up your immersion to the next level. The G29 as already one of the best racing wheels under $300, and definitely the best racing wheel under $150.

Standout features include a gorgeous hand-stitched leather steering 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 force feedback does an excellent job of simulating providing force and resistance and definitely adds to the immersion; if you want something better than this, 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 direct-drive racing wheel we reviewed.

The G29 is also compatible with the PC, and in fact it’s superior to the Xbox’s G920 variant. The G29 has LED shift lights located on the top of the wheel’s spokes. These LEDs light up progressively as the car’s RPMs rise in-game. The G29 also has a rotary knob on the wheel that can be customized to different functions.

Forza Horizon 6 is out, and it’s a Masterpiece

Forza Horizon 6 (PC, Xbox)

IGN’s Luke Reilly awarded the recently released Forza Horizon 6 a well-deserved 10/10 “Masterpiece” review. The latest iteration of the open-world arcade racing franchise allows 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 launches 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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Woody Shouldn’t Even Be in Toy Story 5

Spoilers follow for Toy Story 5, which is in theaters now.

One of the main thematic lines behind Pixar’s Toy Story franchise is that toys are made for play. As we’ve repeatedly seen — particularly in Toy Story 3, with the anguish of Andy (John Morris) leaving for college — sometimes playtime is over, and it’s time to put the nostalgia back in the box. Nowhere has that been clearer than with Toy Story 5 — a movie that has its delights and heartfelt moments, but seems to be holding on to a past that doesn’t exist anymore, playing the same notes with emotions for characters we’ve loved for over three decades. This is even clearer when it comes to one character who, to misquote the late great Dante Hicks, shouldn’t even be here today. There is just no reason for Woody (Tom Hanks) to be in Toy Story 5.

To be clear, there are a lot of characters who probably don’t need to be in this overstuffed animated film other than because Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) — who took over from Andy as owner of the toys — still likes playing with them. The main plot follows Jessie (Joan Cusack) as she accidentally ends up in the home of her first owner, Emily, and comes to appreciate that all devices (aka tech) aren’t bad. It’s a lesson in tolerance that is somewhat muddled by the constant shots of other humans sitting in the dark, entranced to the point of zombification by their screens.

But we digress, and so does the movie, as it also includes not just Andy’s and Bonnie’s toys (who now live in harmony after the events of Toy Story 4), but also: toys owned by Blaze (Mykal-Michelle Harris), the eight-year-old living in Emily’s old farmhouse; Blaze’s discarded devices who team up with Jessie; and even dozens of technologically advanced Buzz Lightyears who make their way from the deserted island their shipping crate crashed on, all the way to the main action and beyond.

There are also multiple fantasy sequences including Alan Cumming guest-starring as the voice of Evil Bullseye (aka Jessie’s horse), and Bonnie’s parents get more of a story arc as they watch their daughter struggle with finding (and losing) friends than should be legally allowed in any movie titled Toy Story. At least Buzz gets a sweet arc when he’s inspired by Forky’s (Tony Hale) marriage to ask Jessie to marry him, though — as we already noted — there are already several dozen other Buzzes.

Toy Story 5 Images

Because of… all this, there’s just not enough room for everyone in an animated series that has become the children’s equivalent of the Fast & Furious franchise, where enemies become allies and no member of the family (sorry, toy) gets left behind. Most of the original Toy Story crew, and several of Bonnie’s “new” toys — with the exception of Forky and Mr. Pricklepants (John Hopkins — barely get any lines, and a whole swath of the movie finds them collectively stuck in a box in the back of the garage, not even trying to escape as they might have done in previous films.

But of the unnecessary-to-the-plot lot, the worst offender is a character who used to be our number one guy: Woody. In case you forgot, Woody left the group at the end of Toy Story 4, teaming up with Bo Peep (Annie Potts) to help rescue lost toys, with the understanding that Bonnie didn’t need him anymore and it was okay for him to move on. Whether that’s to his current mission of helping other toys who feel lost, or to allow himself to find the next kid he can make happy — either way, Woody said an emotional goodbye.

Woody is there to be the butt of jokes, from riding a tiny horse toy to frequent jabs about him being an “old man toy.” “

That goodbye also provided a rare bit of closure for a children’s franchise. Though the cast has expanded, Woody has always been the main character, with Buzz a close number two; they’ve been our window to the world of toys, with Woody as the character who often best came to either understand or impart the lesson of the movie. Having him say goodbye in the previous film was a way of passing the torch on to other characters, which Toy Story 5 mostly does by centering Jessie as the lead.

But they do bring Woody back anyway, and the movie works overtime to explain why he’s there. Jessie gives him a call when she’s feeling lost and worried, which is a nice enough scene, and things could have been left at that. We have Woody, fulfilled with his new journey on the road, and Jessie left to figure things out on her own, worried that she can’t quite live up to the toy-leading legacy he left behind. Instead, thanks to a spotty walkie-talkie connection — seriously, how powerful is that signal that they can connect from anywhere in the world? — Woody thinks he hears Jessie asking for her deputy (that would be Buzz, but Woody thinks he’s the deputy) to come back and help against the rogue tech of Lilypad (Greta Lee). When he does show up, there’s some sparring with Buzz, who feels mildly threatened as Jessie’s number two. But mostly, Woody is there to be the butt of jokes, from riding a tiny horse toy to frequent jabs about him being an “old man toy,” right down to saggy stuffing standing in for a beer belly and a rubbed-off section of his head aping a bald spot.

Ultimately, though, the plot would have proceeded essentially the same way whether Woody was there or not. Buzz could have still gone after Jessie when she’s lost at Emily’s/Blaze’s house. Jessie’s journey also remains entirely unaffected by Woody’s return, other than some supportive words here and there that could have been handed to any of the other characters. But perhaps even worse, there’s no change for Woody. He’s not dealing with a mid-life (mid-toy?) crisis or wrestling with aging himself; it’s just a running joke. He’s happy with his life on the road with Bo Peep and Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves) when the movie starts, and he’s happy to return there when it ends. Nothing is changed by Woody’s inclusion, and he therefore subtracts from the film merely by his lack of addition.

Are there reasons for including Woody in the film? Absolutely, though they have nothing to do with the content of the movie itself. It’s because Tom Hanks is an iconic actor returning to an iconic role, and if he wasn’t in the movie, there would be a lot of people asking “Where’s Woody?” But more than that, Disney has theme parks and merchandise to think about, and those Toy Story tie-ins — whether they’re toys in your local Walmart or costumed actors in Walt Disney World — need to be Woody, Buzz, and Jessie. Conan O’Brien’s toilet-training tool, Smarty Pants, has an exponentially bigger role than Woody in the film and a more satisfying emotional journey, but (no offense to Conan) Smarty Pants is not going to move those lunchboxes and Funko Pops off the shelves.

From an artistic perspective: Could they have left Woody to the side? Absolutely. Frankly, some of the other toys could have gone as well to make the scenes less cluttered and frenetic. It wouldn’t be the first time toys have disappeared from the Toy Story movies either. To wit, Wheezy Penguin (Joe Ranft) — who was key to Pixar figuring out the plot of Toy Story 2 — hasn’t appeared since that movie. Barbie and Ken stayed at Sunnyside Daycare in Toy Story 3 and only briefly appeared in Toy Story 4. Woody, we may have mentioned before, left with closure to his character arc; without Andy, he was (eventually) happy to move on to newer and hopefully better things.

Is there even a world where the Toy Story movies split in two, allowing Woody to have his own adventures without increasingly convoluted excuses for bringing him back to Bonnie’s house? Absolutely, whether that’s in a Disney+ series or a spin-off movie franchise titled Woody: A Toy Story Story. Heck, you wouldn’t even have to go that route, because the franchise is called Toy Story, which implies different stories about toys. Have Toy Story 6 be a story about Woody, then make Toy Story 7 about Buzz, Jessie, and of course Smarty Pants, everyone’s favorite toilet training toy (sorry again, Conan; we love you).

But having Woody come back this way, without adding anything to the narrative, does a disservice not just to the legacy of Toy Story but Woody as a character. He’s a cowboy, after all; let him ride off into the sunset.

You can chat with Alex Zalben on BlueSky @azalben.bsky.social, or find him regularly yapping on the Comic Book Club podcast.

Xbox’s Confusing Exclusivity Criteria Now Aided by ‘EXCLUSIVE’ Label on Console Dashboard

Xbox has rolled out a new label for console exclusive games, visible now on your Xbox Series X/S dashboard.

This month, Xbox confirmed it had decided to make the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day a console exclusive when it arrives on October 6. Clockwork Revolution will also be a console exclusive when it launches in 2027.

Now, Gears of War: E-Day features a brand new “EXCLUSIVE” label, similar to other previous game labels that denote a game is optimized for Series X/S, or featured as part of a subscription service such as Game Pass or Ubisoft+.

Gears of War: E-Day now features an EXCLUSIVE label. Image credit: Xbox/IGN.

The label certainly makes clear the game will no longer be arriving for PlayStation 5 (as had once been planned), though it’s worth remembering that the title will still also launch on PC.

Still, the label will likely prove useful helping mark out the titles that Microsoft has decided it will make exclusive — something chief content officer Matt Booty has said will be chosen on a “case-by-case basis”, but not include “big multiplayer games and live-service games,” which will remain multiplatform.

There’s no sign yet of a similar label on the game’s Xbox.com store page (or the one for Clockwork Revolution), but with its launch still not for several months, there’s still time.

“We want a reason for people to get on board with Xbox, we want them to have a reason to buy an Xbox, we want them to have a reason to be an Xbox fan,” Booty said previously. “At the same time, we want to reward all our players that have been with us for a long time — we know that exclusives are important, and that’s why we’ve got Gears coming in 2026 and Clockwork [Revolution] coming in 2027.”

“We also want to be clear that our big multiplayer games and live-service games are going to continue to be multiplatform,” he continued. “If we’ve promised something to players already, we’re going to honor that promise. And then — I think Asha said it — we’re going to make the right decision and not the fast decision.

The 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time

“We’re going to keep thinking about this going forward,” Booty concluded, “and, I think you guys know already, our principle is when we announce the date, we announce the platforms. So, it’s going to be case-by-case, but we’re going to be clear, that when it’s got a date, it’s got a platform and you’ll know what the choice is going to be.”

This approach has been dubbed as confusing by some fans, and feels like it will take a while to settle down. As newly-installed Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has said, the company will firstly honor all previously-announced games coming to PlayStation (including Halo: Campaign Evolved, for example) and look to make more unannounced games exclusive if and when the company’s finances improve.

In other words, for now, expect more announcements of new Xbox titles where PlayStation 5 and even Nintendo Switch 2 versions are confirmed as well. This was the case just this month, when Xbox made State of Decay 3’s PlayStation 5 version made official, Hellblade threequel Senua was unveiled and confirmed for PS5, and Spyro: A Realm Beyond was detailed as coming to Xbox, PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2.

Meanwhile, it’s been reported that a new PlayStation business document has highlighted an official change to Sony’s own release strategy, with PC no longer described as part of the company’s first-party launch focus.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

In Gungrave G.O.R.E. Blood Heat, It’s Time to Get Up Close and Personal

We had some issues when the original Gungrave G.O.R.E. was released back in 2022. It was unfortunate that a number of missteps hampered an otherwise solid action title, but thankfully, the game will soon find new life with an upcoming remaster/remake, Gungrave G.O.R.E: Bloodheat. During Summer Game Fests’ Play Days event this year, IGN had a chance to step into Grave’s boots again and also speak with Blood Heat’s general director, Kay Kim, about the studio’s mission to recapture what it means to play as Grave.

For those who had blasted their way through the previous version, you will recall that combat could feel a bit sluggish, and that the optimal way to play was to just sit back and shoot enemies until you could unleash Grave’s immensely powerful Demolition attacks. It was a playstyle that, while sure, would rocket up your beat (combo) meter and keep you out of harm’s way – and it was an approach that the team didn’t quite feel lived up to the experience of being Grave.

No longer do guns have near-infinite range (though they still have infinite ammo), which requires you to get up close. In response to this shift, melee combat is far faster and feels more responsive. When playing the original G.O.R.E., fighting up close never landed for me, so I found this new iteration to be a treat, and it really upped that feeling of being a badass.

Perhaps the largest contributing factor to Blood Heat’s existence and its wide array of adjustments is that the studio IGGYMOB has secured the Gungrave IP. By owning the rights, Kay shared how this really unshackled the team, giving both IGGYMOB and series creator and manga artist, Yasuhiro Nightow, far greater freedom and flexibility to make the game they wanted to.

Now that we fully own the IP, we can use the best, the most popular character in this Gungrave series.“

“With the Gungrave Gore series, Nightow-san wanted a lot of changes, but he wasn’t able to fully get into the game’s development. Now, because we fully own the IP, he’s at his liberty to,” Kay explained. “So the materials, the ideas, the concept. We had to communicate through an IP holder, really, to communicate with Nightow-san to get permission and agreements on a creative direction. Now that we fully own the IP, we can use the best, the most popular character in this Gungrave series. A character we couldn’t use in Gungrave Gore. So we now have more freedom and flexibility to really implement all of the IPs that are part of Gungrave.”

Nightow-san’s impact will be felt throughout the game, from the small ways the Grave interacts with the world and moves to larger gameplay shifts. I was curious about what the biggest change that he wanted to make in this new version was, and Kay shared that the series creator felt that the BEAT system was a big problem in the original. “Eliminating the beat count. He (Kightow) thought it was creating a fundamental problem,” he revealed. “The play pattern couldn’t get out of the box, where players just amassed the beat count and the gauge, and using that beat count to increase the demolition gauge, the players couldn’t get out of that kind of box.”

Gungrave G.O.R.E. Blood Heat – June 2026 Screenshots

It was this goal of forcing players out of the repetitive gameplay loop that would go on to influence that shift mentioned earlier, and improvements to the melee combat and moving things up close to the action. “So, the first thing he wanted to remove was the beat count. He really wanted to get out of that little box, the play style that was kind of limited to just shooting from afar, shooting from a distance, and just players obsessing over the beat count. And demolition shot gauge. So, that was the first thing he wanted to eliminate. So, because you had an unlimited amount of bullets, the player, the Grave, never had to reload and expose himself to danger. So, we wanted Grave to get in and have that risk taken on and be in the danger of being sent to fight…We put in a lot of work to various combinations, but players only ended up using that play style where shooting from a distance, amassing the beat count, and getting up close to do the demolition shot. So, we wanted that kind of simple gameplay. We wanted to remove that type of simple gameplay and really implement all the combinations and tricks and utilize all the graphics that we’ve put into this development.”

My time hands-on with Gungrave G.O.R.E. Blood Heat, while brief, left me feeling like it’s a solid and worthwhile update and it’s got me excited to play more. The intro stage, with its tank boss, was more thrilling to play, and there was a noticeable improvement in the feeling of the moment-to-moment tension as I would have to run to cover to find an out-of-the-way corner to replenish my shields. It was a tension I rarely felt in the original G.O.R.E. With a heavier emphasis on melee, I’ll be curious to see how much variation and combo potential there will be in the final game, to really let players mix things up and show off. Alongside other changes and improvements, Gungrave G.O.R.E. Blood Heat looks like a promising action game for both new and returning players to check out when it releases later this year.

Scott White is a freelance contributor to IGN, assisting with tabletop games and guide coverage. Follow him on X/Twitter or Bluesky.

Cape Fear Episode 4 Review: A Shocking Family Twist

Spoilers below for Episode 4 of Cape Fear. New episodes stream every Friday on Apple TV.

Over the last three weeks, Apple TV’s Cape Fear has settled into a Morse code-like cadence: long, meandering, and richly shot dashes of vibes with heavy plot punctuated by quick outbursts of violence and drama. Episode 3 followed the pattern with the shocking return of actress Juliette Lewis to the franchise, and Episode 4 — ominously titled “Pierced” — is no different.

In the immediate aftermath of Lewis being unveiled as Max’s (Javier Bardem) as-of-now unnamed stalker, we’re plunged right back into the creepy torpor of the show. Max is shown praying at a shadowed, candle-lit altar, later approaching Tom (Patrick Wilson) at a bar and telling him that Zack (Joe Anders) “really needs a father;” if he’s not intent on disrupting the Bowden family’s lives, he certainly has a knack for accidentally running into them. Natalie (Lily Collias) lashes out at her parents and calls her stepfather a cuck, and later, Max confronts a used car salesman and torments him with the fact that he slept with the man’s wife.

While Episode 4 commits the same sin as its predecessors by frequently trading forward momentum for digging deeper into mood and tone, it’s not completely out of bounds. “Pierced” does more with swish pans, off-putting camera angles, and explosive musical cues than most series could do with an army’s-worth of in-your-face edits. Here, the style elevates the story instead of papering over its defects. It seems the point of Cape Fear is to make you feel unsettled, and in that regard, the show has been an unfettered success so far.

This week’s A-plot sees Anna (Amy Adams) attempting to free Ruben Ramirez (Roberto Sanchez), another wrongly-convicted man, from prison. This time, the inmate has all but given up and says he’s dropping his appeal, but Anna is determined and goes to the house of a man named “Smiley” who may be able to provide an alibi. What follows is a scene straight out of Silence of the Lambs as Anna talks her way into Smiley’s house, which is full of snake enclosures beautifully lit by a rainbow of lights, and tries to trick him into a confession. When he lashes out, pulling a gun while throwing her phone to one of his snakes, Anna gets the hell out of there.

Meanwhile, Navaeh/Amber — the girl who seduced Natalie in last week’s episode —takes Natalie to a friend’s house and badgers her into getting a body piercing, generally further ingraining herself into Natalie’s life. Later, the two girls break into the house of Natalie’s friend Callie and have sex in her bed. Navaeh is definitely bad news, and we’re about to find out why.

As all of this is going on, Tom tries to bond with Zack at an art show, only to find that Zack is using the opportunity to approach the girl he distributed lewd photos of the year before. This triggers Tom flashing back to his brother’s suicide, which he tells everyone was a car crash. We even see Tom repeatedly hit himself as Zack does when he’s ashamed of his own actions; it seems the apple doesn’t fall far from the sneaky adulterous lawyer.

It seems the point of Cape Fear is to make you feel unsettled, and in that regard, the show has been an unfettered success so far. “

Later, Anna asks Max — why does she keep reeling this guy back into her life? — to help convince Smiley to talk. After a shocking moment in which Max grabs and kisses her, and Anna reacts somewhere between “Get the hell away from me” and “I don’t totally mind this” (is there more to their relationship than what we’ve seen so far?), Max murders one of Smiley’s precious snakes with a fork and threatens him. We don’t see what happens next, but Max reveals a taped confession that exonerates Ramon.

We also see Anna approached by Max’s stalker. It’s frustrating that we weren’t able to dive right into the aftermath of Juliette Lewis’s Episode 3 appearance at the top of “Pierced,” but what we’re left with here is equally as compelling and disconcerting. The stalker asks Anna if “she’s his whore now,” and says to stay away from Max. She also intimates that she had something to do with the murder of Max’s wife.

The episode ends with yet another jaw-dropping revelation. Anna’s co-worker Ray (Jamie Hector) has been digging up information on Navaeh and it turns out — surprise! — that her mother was a prison nurse known to have “relations” with a high-profile inmate; in other words, she’s probably (definitely) Max’s daughter. Thus, a huge piece of the puzzle falls into place, and another giant flashing sign blaring “Stay away from Max Cady, Bowdens!” lights up.

While Episode 4 of Cape Fear takes way too long to get to the good stuff, the slow pacing and conveyor belt of jump scares and moodiness serves it well in big moments like sudden acts of rage (sorry, Mr. Snake) or series-turning reveals. While it does sometimes feel like the pacing could be sped up a bit — the show could probably be 6-8 episodes instead of the planned 10 — the artistry and cinematic scope of the story are still a welcome sight in an age of Volume-shot shows. “Pierced” isn’t a revelatory episode of television, but if you’re into Cape Fear’s richly macabre sensibility, it’s still a treat… even if it’s more of the same.

Cape Fear Body Count!

I’ll be keeping tabs on the show’s escalating body count every week. This time, only one minor character met their end:

Apple TV’s Sugar Season 2 Review

Some spoilers follow for both seasons of Sugar. Sugar Season 2 is available on Apple TV now.

As detective shows go, Sugar is one of the more intriguing offerings of recent years, and not just because Colin Farrell’s eponymous PI is revealed to be an alien. Through the eyes of this otherworldly sleuth, series creator Mark Protosevich endeavors to grapple with what it means to be human — the way we act, the way we feel, and the choices we make when faced with right and wrong. Do we just observe the horrors of the world, or do we try to do something about them? Must we take a life to save lives or achieve some sort of justice?

In Season 1, John Sugar faced those existential questions against a Los Angeles backdrop. His investigation into the missing granddaughter of a wealthy studio head led him to the serial killer son of a senator whose murderous machinations were being covered up, not just by powerful figures of Earth, but also by Sugar’s own people. Their secret presence had been revealed, causing some to be targeted for death while others (by the final episode) decided to return to their home world. Not John, though; he chose to stay in order to get answers about his presumed dead sister, Djen (Maeve Whalen), from his treacherous best friend, Henry (Jason Butler Harner), and to find out just who sold his people out.

Season 2 kicks off — again — in East Asia. Sugar locates a near-dead Henry, who succumbs to his wounds before the PI can learn any more about his sister. The PI looks around a hideout covered with blown-up black-and-white photos and “Beware Assimilation” painted on the wall before destroying all evidence of it and Henry in a fire. Farrell continues his velvety voiceover, waxing poetically about home, isolation, and the emotions of living, yet that warning of assimilation will hang over the eight episodes once Sugar returns to Los Angeles to take on a new case.

Protosevich certainly offers a compelling neo-noir plot for Sugar to get caught up in. This time, he’s not working for the wealthy elite, but Korean-American immigrant Danny Moon (Jin Ha), a poor up-and-coming boxer whose chaotic brother, Ji (Raymond Lee), has gone missing. With the help of Sasha Calle’s cool, street-smart protégé Val, and Shea Whigham’s gruff, cancer-stricken government operative Tom, Sugar unearths a conspiracy involving Ji, narcotics, the sheriff’s department, and the homeless community. Season 1 might have touched on the wealth gap in LA, but here it becomes part of a cogent critique of societal prejudice toward those pushed to the margins.

Season 1 touched on the wealth gap, but here it’s a cogent critique of societal prejudice toward those pushed to the margins. “

Sugar has always been an empathetic hero and a sparkling-eyed contradiction to the world-weary dicks of Old Hollywood that he’s long idolized, but his privilege has rarely been checked. He drives a classic Corvette Sting Ray and lives out of a Chateau Marmont-esque hotel with a closetful of pristine bespoke suits to boot. Spending time with people like Val, Danny, and Ji while navigating the less affluent sides of LA awakens him more convincingly to the very human struggle of living a good, moral life. Throw in an endearing romance with Laura Donnelly’s “is she/isn’t she?” femme fatale Charlotte and a vendetta against Tony Dalton’s charismatic antagonist Sheriff Ray Vega, and Sugar’s got a persuasively entertaining and evenly-paced storyline to rival that of The Big Heat.

Protosevich has never been subtle about how much those kinds of Hollywood films are an education on Humanity for Sugar. The alien moves with a cineliterate lens: His mind flickers to Paul Newman in The Hustler as he hustles a woman for information on Ji at a pool hall; later, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, a 1941 classic about maintaining your identity and inner worth, is playing on his TV at a moment of pensivity for what bad thing Sugar had to do to save innocent lives. Yet this meta-contemplation fails to illustrate the vivid character study of a lonely alien hiding out in the body of a human.

This is not a question of Farrell’s performance. His kind gaze and warm, earnest presence evoke memories of Bruno Ganz’s angel in Wings of Desire and David Bowie’s alien in The Man Who Fell to Earth. Still, it’s a struggle to comprehend Sugar’s unease with human assimilation when the series shrouds so much of his alien heritage in ambiguity. If Sugar is worried about being too nurtured by human behaviour, what inherent nature is at risk?

It’s a frustration inherited from Season 1, where many of the science fiction elements were breadcrumbed in. Here, a few flashbacks to Sugar’s interactions with a rogue alien, his sister’s secretive work, and a hint of his telekinetic powers are not enough to stave off hunger for meatier details about this alien race’s behaviors, their backstory, and their purpose on Earth.

By the final episode, Sugar resolves his initial conundrum — and we get to see exactly why these aliens are allergic to cinnamon — but this subplot leaves us with more questions. A third season would hopefully clear those up, but maybe if Sugar was as much of an homage to sci-fi as it is to film noir, Season 2 would be a far more satisfying slice of cinematic cake.

The Hunger Games Deluxe Edition Books Are All on Sale Today

The Hunger Games has continued to be one of the most influential of our generation. Not only has the series spawned a very successful movie franchise, it also continues to inspire new popular stories. It’s hard to look at something like the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, for example, and not see bits of The Hunger Games books mixed in there.

If you’re looking to add a set of Hunger Games novels to your bookshelf for future reading (or re-reading), Amazon is running a ‘3 for 2’ sale on books right now that makes it the perfect time to do so. The Deluxe Edition paperbacks are all currently included in the promotion.

The Hunger Games Deluxe Editions Are Buy 2, Get 1 Free

Suzzanne Collins published the first Hunger Games book all the way back in 2008, but new editions of the original trilogy have come out since then. The Deluxe Edition paperbacks weren’t released until February 2025, only a month before the latest prequel book Sunrise on the Reaping was published. They feature new cover art as well as beautifully stencilled edges on the pages.

The Deluxe Editions were released as a set of four books: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay, and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Amazon has only included the first three books in the official ‘3 for 2’ sale, though. The full four-book box set is also included in the promotion, but you’ll need to purchase two other books or box sets to take advantage of the discount. If you just want the original trilogy, you can get them all for just $19.99 after the discount.

Are the Deluxe Editions worth it?

When a book series is popular, it usually gets some sort of special edition hardcover release when a new book first comes out. It’s much rarer to see a special edition paperback release, however. The Hunger Games Deluxe Editions are worth it because they look great on a a shelf while also being meant to read. Hardcover books are cool, but it’s often much easier to read a paperback without worrying about damaging a dust jacket.

Sunrise on the Reaping Is Also Included in the Sale

Sunrise on the Reaping

The only Hunger Games that hasn’t gotten the Deluxe Edition paperback treatment yet is Sunrise on the Reaping. This is the newest book in the series and serves as another prequel focused on the year of Haymitch’s Hunger Games tournament. If you haven’t already read it, now is a great time to do so. The official movie adaptation of the book is set to arrive in theaters on November 20, 2026.

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.

Score Up to 29% Off Dreame Robot Vacuums for Prime Day

Summer is here. That means you, your pets, and/or your kids will likely be traipsing even more grass, dirt, and debris into your home than at any other time of year. Instead of vacuuming or sweeping the mess yourself, a reliable robot vacuum can do the hard work for you, leaving you more free time to enjoy the beautiful weather outside.

Luckily, if you’ve been waiting for a great time to buy a robot vacuum, it’s now. One of the best brands in the game, Dreame, already has its Prime Day deals live at Amazon, and you don’t need to be a Prime member to enjoy the discount. As someone who has tested her fair share of robot vacuums, I can attest to just how great these vacuums are.

Save Up to 29% on Select Dreame Robot Vacuums for Prime Day

During Dreame’s Prime Day Sale, you can save up to almost 30% on its incredible lineup of robot vacuums. Whether you have heavy-duty cleaning needs that require extreme suction power and mopping capability, or just want something more budget-friendly and basic to pick up average, everyday messes, Dreame has you covered for hands-free cleaning. Below are four of Dreame’s top robot vacuum models, all on sale for Amazon’s biggest savings event of the year:

The Dreame L40 Ultra Gen 2 Is 29% Off

DREAME L40 Ultra Gen 2 Robot Vacuum and Mop

The Dreame L40 Ultra Gen 2 is an awesome robot vacuum offering top-tier suction power and other flagship features for a more accessible price that’s even lower now thanks to Prime Day. With up to 25,000 Pa of max suction, it should lift dirt from hard floors and even high-pile carpeting with ease, making it especially great for homes with pets. Extendable side brushes and mops allow the L40 Ultra to reach the under cabinets and hit edges, ensuring no floor surface area goes untouched. The dock is even fully automated, cleaning and hot-air drying the mops, emptying the dust box, and more for unbelievably easy maintenance.

Get $240 Off the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete

DREAME X60 Max Ultra Complete Robot Vacuum and Mop

The L40 Ultra may offer some flagship features, but Dreame’s true flagship model is the X60 Max Ultra Complete, and it’s $240 off right now. It offers everything you could want in a robot vacuum, from incredible 35,000 Pa suction, which is the highest I’ve seen, to powerful 15N force hot water mops spinning at 230RPM to remove the most stubborn stains. Plus, with a slim 3.13-inch body height and the ability climb 3.37 inches plus AI obstacle avoidance and navigation, this robot vacuum can navigate under low furniture and around cluttered spaces without getting stuck. Of course, a fully automated dock rounds out the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete.

The Dreame D20 Air Plus Is Just $220

DREAME D20 Air Plus Robot Vac and Mop Combo

If you’re after something a little more budget-friendly, get the Dreame D20 Air Plus. It’s only $219.99, the lowest price ever, but it offers better suction power than some $1,000+ robot vacuums I’ve tested. Mops are also on board with adjustable flow levels to ensure your hard floors shine. Now, the base station may not be as high-tech as the others, although it still self-empties the dust box for 120 days of hands-free debris collection.

Score $100 Off the Dreame D30 Ultra CE

DREAME D30 Ultra CE Robot Vacuum and Mop with Auto Dust Emptying

Like the sound of the L40 Ultra but want something just a bit cheaper? The Dreame D30 Ultra CE is $100 off right now, bringing it to just under $400. With it comes a fully automated base station that high-power cleans the mops, dries them, and empties the dust box for up to 100 days. As for actual cleaning, the 25K Pa suction power is no slouch, so it can even tackle debris on carpets, and the dual rotating mopping pads do a solid job removing light stains on hard floors. There’s even a anti-hair wrap brush to keep maintenance to a minimum, ensuring you can enjoy a hands-free clean.

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

ASUS 32” 4K OLED Gaming Monitor, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, and a Dyson Bladeless Tower Fan

From a 4K gaming monitor to a big and tall gaming chair, there’s a wide range of incredible deals you’ll want to grab today. Many of my finds even make for excellent last-minute Father’s Day gifts, like a top-notch ThermoMaven wireless meat thermometer or a refurbished Apple Watch Ultra. Some may even arrive before Sunday’s festivities.

TL;DR – The Best Deals for June 18

$450 Off an ASUS ROG Swift 32” 4K OLED Gaming Monitor

ASUS ROG Swift 32” 4K OLED Gaming Monitor (PG32UCDM)

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Hits New Low Price

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – PlayStation 5

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 [Code in box]

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Nintendo Switch

Jackery Explorer 240D 80,000mAh Power Bank for $102

If you’re in need of a super high capacity power bank that’s still pretty compact, check out this Jackery deal from AliExpress. Right now you can pick up the Jackery Explorer 240D power bank with a generous 80,000mAh 256Wh battery capacity for just $102.21 with free shipping after you apply coupon code: “18USAFFSS“. It’s sold by Jackery direct and ships from a local US warehouse. The exact same power station sells for $129 on Amazon.

Save $170 on a Dyson Bladeless Tower Fan

Dyson Cool AM07 Air Multiplier Bladeless Tower Fan

Stay frosty this summer with this solid early Prime Day deal on the Dyson Cool AM07 Air Multiplier Bladeless Tower Fan. Prime members can enjoy $170 off, its lowest price ever. Unlike traditional fans with a blade, Dyson’s amplifies the surrounding air for an uninterrupted stream of smooth airflow, oscillating at a 70 ° angle. With it, you get 10 airflow settings to keep cool and a handy sleep timer. All of that can be controlled using the included remote from anywhere in the room.

Get an Apple Watch Ultra for $255

Apple Watch Ultra

DJI Osmo Action 4 4K Camera Essentials Bundle for $169

DJI Osmo Action 4 4K/120fps Video Camera Essential Combo

GTPLAYER Big and Tall Gaming Chair for Less Than $160

GTPLAYER Big and Tall Gaming Chair

Maybe you or your dad would like a seat just short of a throne for PC gaming and office work? Well, GTPLAYER’s chair offers a wide 21.26″ seat base, tall 31.5″ seat back, and 400-pound capacity, making it an ideal big and tall gaming chair. With its wingback design, built-in lumbar support, integrated footrest, and 150° recline, you’ll be ultra comfy whether you’re working, gaming, or just relaxing. Right now, you can get it for just $159.29 with free shipping when you apply the code “ZMC9YCPG”. Now, this discount is with a third-party seller on Amazon, so if you’d rather get it directly from Amazon, the chair is also available for $169.99 in a lightning deal.

62% Off the ThermoMaven X2 Wireless Meat Thermometer

ThermoMaven X2 Wireless Meat Thermometer

Give the grill master a gift they want for Father’s Day: a meat thermometer from ThermoMaven. I actually bought my dad an X2 Wireless Meat Thermometer for his birthday last month (at his request). It’s super cool, featuring two stainless steel meat probes with NIST-certified temperature sensors for consistently accurate readings. These wireless probes transmit that data using sub-1 GHz WiFi technology up to 3,000 ft, allowing you to read it on the base station’s display almost anywhere in your house. Right now, you can score the ThermoMaven X2 Wireless Meat Thermometer for just $39.99, thanks to the 62% off coupon code “D7NFPHB5”. I’m annoyed that I paid way more.

Get a Free $15 Promo Gift Card with a $100 Newegg Gift Card

Get a $15 promotional gift card

Newegg $100 Gift Card (Email Delivery)

BowFlex 552 SelectTech Dumbbells Hit Low Price

BowFlex Results Series SelectTech 552 Dumbbell Pair

LEGO NASA Artemis Space Launch System Hits Low

LEGO Technic NASA Artemis Space Launch System Rocket – 42221

That’s not the only LEGO set discounted; Target is having a LEGO sale ahead of Amazon’s Prime Day next week. Check out those deals below:

Hoto 24-in-1 Compact Screwdriver Kit for $11

Hoto 24-in-1 Mini Screwdriver Set

For the dads who love fiddling around with electronics and little projects, this budget mini screwdriver kit should be right up their alley. The Hoto 24-in-1 Mini Screwdriver Set comes in three different colors and costs just $10.99 after applying the coupon code “OG84OPDY” at checkout. In the kit, you get 12 double-ended magnetic bits, including universal and more specialized tips, which all stow away into the screw driver’s body. Even with all those bits, it measures just 5 inches long and weighs around 2 ounces, making it a great addition to any toolbox.

$135 Off Complete Calvin and Hobbes Hardcover Box Set

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes

15% Off Xbox Gift Cards

$100 Xbox Gift Card (Email Delivery)

Target is offering 15% off Xbox eGift Cards. You can score this deal on $15, $25, $50, and $100 gift cards, which will arrive in your email within a few hours of purchase. The card can then be transferred to someone else if you’d like to send it as a gift. After adding it to your Microsoft account, you can use it to purchase games, apps, DLC, hardware, subscriptions, 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.

Buy 2, Get 1 Free Book and Music Sale

Buy 2, Get 1 Free Books and Music

Save 67% on The Hobbit and The LOTR: Deluxe Pocket Boxed Set

The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings: Deluxe Pocket Boxed Set

The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings: Deluxe Pocket Boxed Set is down to its lowest price in years for Prime members. For 24.92, you can pick up the 4-volume collection for nearly 70% off the list price. The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King are all leatherette-covered and measure just 4 1/4 inches by 5 7/8 inches. Plus, it includes a slipcase for storing.

3 for $33 4K Movies

3 for $33 4K Blu-ray Sale

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

Save $2,000 Off the Alienware 16X Aurora RTX 5070 Gaming Laptop Loaded With 64GB of RAM and 4TB SSD

Ahead of Prime Day, Dell is offering an Alienware 16X Aurora gaming laptop that’s loaded with an extremely generous amount of memory and storage for a reasonable cost, especially considering today’s outrageous RAM and SSD prices. This particular model features a GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, 64GB of RAM, and a 4TB SSD for $2,999.99 with free shipping after a massive $1,980 off discount. The 16X Aurora is one of the more premium laptops available featuring an aluminum body, high quality display, and current generation processor and graphics.

$2,000 Off This Loaded Alienware 16X Aurora Gaming Laptop

Alienware 16X Aurora Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5070 Gaming Laptop (64GB/4TB)

The 16X Aurora is the best Alienware laptop for most gamers

For 2025, Alienware replaced its venerable m16 laptop with two new models – the 16X and 16 Aurora. Of the two, the 16X Aurora is the model I would recommend for most gamers. It has a higher price tag but the upgrades more than make up for the relatively small price premium. Here’s a list of all of the improvements:

Better display (2560×1600 240Hz G-Sync vs 2560×1600 120Hz)
More powerful CPU (Intel Core Ultra HX series vs Intel Core H-series)
Higher GPU TGP rating and thus better performance
More premium materials (metal alloy lid and chassis vs lid only)
RGB keyboard vs white-only backlighting
Thunderbolt 4.0 port

Compared to other Alienware laptops, the 16X Aurora is designed to look less like a gamer’s laptop. It boasts a sleek, understated design with the absence of extraneous visual-only embellishments or unnecessary RGB lighting outside of the keyboard illumination. This is a solidly built machine with a metal (magnesium alloy) chassis and anodized aluminum lid and bottom shell. The keyboard deck is made out of a sturdy composite plastic so that your hands don’t get too hot or sweaty. Under the hood, the 16X Aurora packs a punch with powerful components and Cryo Chamber cooling.

It’s equipped with a Geforce RTX 5070 mobile GPU

The RTX 5070 performs about 5%-10% better than the RTX 4070 that it replaces. That’s not a very big generational improvement, but the RTX 5070 has the newer DLSS 4 technology with multi-frame generation, which widens the performance gap in games that support it. There are 16X Aurora laptop configurations equipped with RTX 5060 GPUs available, but I’d strongly recommending bumping up to the RTX 5070 to be able to play games comfortably on the display’s enhanced 2560×1600 resolution.

The 4TB SSD and 64GB of RAM are easily $1,000+ upgrades

On Amazon, a 4TB SSD starts at $450 and 64GB of RAM starts at $700. If you were to add these yourself, you’d be paying at least $1,150 for these upgrades. These prices are usually even higher when specc’ed into a prebuilt computer.

How to Follow IGN Deals Recommendations

EA Sports UFC 6 Review

Wins and losses. Knockouts and submissions. These sensational headline-grabbers are essential to MMA, but they only make up one part of the bigger, brutal picture. The pieces that are arguably more important — the countless bloody knuckles, cuts, gashes, and bruises it took to reach that point — often get lost in all the pre- and post-fight commotion. Luckily, these unforgiving journeys full of sweat, sacrifice, and punishment are the stories EA Sports UFC 6 aims to deliver, and, man, does it do that well. With an impressive roster of legendary fighters and a handful of curated stories that captured my complete attention the minute I dove into them, I’ve found myself enjoying and appreciating the violent art of MMA more the longer I played, even if EA Vancouver’s latest creation has strayed further than ever from the sport’s reality.

No, I don’t mean how the fighters’ joints will occasionally bend in awkward ways during a fight (although that still cracks me up whenever I catch it). I’m talking about Flow State, the newest and most significant feature added since the series moved to the Frostbite engine in UFC 5. For the uninitiated, Flow State is a boost that, once activated, practically turns you into Bradley Cooper in Limitless. You know, that movie where he takes a pill to unlock 100% of his brain, making things easier and more predictable? It’s pretty much like that.

In UFC 6, though, it’s harder to trigger since you can’t simply choke down a sketchy tablet mid-match. Instead, filling your fighter’s meter depends on the perks they have equipped and the boost conditions each one has. For example, a grappler like Islam Makhachev will enter Flow State much faster by chaining together offensive submission moves than by unleashing a flurry of well-timed hooks and roundhouse kicks.

What we said about EA Sports UFC 5 (2023)

EA Sports UFC 5 is the best MMA game yet. Its next-gen presentation and refreshed mechanics are a dramatic improvement over previous games in the series, allowing for a more seamless and exciting recreation of the sport. The new damage system makes adjusting your strategy mid-fight more involved with plenty of risk-versus-reward decisions, making both offline and online modes all the more enjoyable and replayable. Career Mode has been fine tuned with welcome lifestyle improvements and a deeper story with Coach Davis. UFC 4 may have been the best MMA game mostly due to lack of competition, but UFC 5 stands a class above it, earning that title on its own merits as both an amazing sports simulation game and fighting game alike. – Tanner Smith, October 27, 2023

Score: 9

Read the full EA Sports UFC 5 review.

Look, I get that “flow” is a very real thing because I’ve repeatedly watched Anderson Silva dodging a hailstorm of punches like he’s Neo from The Matrix (Chris Weidman is Agent Smith in this scenario). But his instinct was born out of endless reps in the gym, and probably a bunch of behind-the-scenes knockouts, too. The flow in UFC 6 is the opposite; it’s manufactured and gimmicky. Out of place like a Street Fighter move dropped in the middle of the octagon’s bloody canvas. After getting so used to the straight-up, no frills fighting that all the previous games in the series were known for, it’s hard to take a feature like Flow State into account. I’m not even kidding, I always forget to activate it when my meter’s maxed out because it’s the last thing on my mind. I’d much rather focus on my hit-and-run fighting style, not losing my advantage on the ground game, and avoiding getting my face beaten to a bloody pulp, thank you.

It’s also a double-edged sword in online fights, whether that’s in full-rules Ranked, Stand & Bang, or Online Career. Even though you can use Flow State to push the advantage or turn the tide of battle in your favor, your opponent can just as easily do the same. As of launch, most PvP brawls have pretty much turned into a race where the person who fills their meter fastest wins. Or, at the very least, gains a big lead in the scorecard with it. Either way, Flow State is an obnoxious feature to keep track of when there are already so many things to juggle within the octagon.

Flow State feels out of place, like a Street Fighter move dropped into the octagon.“

Still, even something as unrealistic as Flow State can’t knock down UFC 6’s hard-hitting combat, which is otherwise as savage as ever. I’ll be honest; the revamped controls and button combinations had me reeling at first, as if I was on the receiving end of a Jon Jones elbow. But once I got used to it, my vision cleared and the wild haymakers I was throwing turned into a coherent string of jabs, uppercuts, and leg-buckling hits.

My return to familiarity only became more satisfying because each punch and kick that I dealt felt like it landed with even greater force than in UFC 5. The result of those blows — the dripping eyebrow gashes, flying sweat, and spittle — that decorates the canvas once both fighters collide and start exchanging vicious strikes also looks as vivid as ever. Even more than these moments of brutality, UFC 6 has greater physical realism, with the unexpected body contortions — those weird, jerky animations that come up when a limb flies towards an opponent — happening less during fights, which is great when that’s an issue I saw all too often in its predecessor.

Remember the Titans

Now, the Flow system does have its moments, especially in my favorite mode, Hall of Legends, which features three UFC greats in Max Holloway, Alex Pereira, and Zhang Weili. It’s where I’ve spent most of my time because everything in it, from the videos of each champion’s humble beginnings to the thrilling reenactments of their most iconic fights, is all so easy to get lost in. And it was one of these bouts — Holloway’s BMF title win against Justin Gaethje in 2024, to be exact — that helped Flow State shine, if only for a little bit. Of course, the most iconic part of that fight is the last 20 seconds, and I was able to recreate it with the help of Max’s Flow Boost, which has him actually point down at the canvas when it’s activated. You would not believe the noise I made when I saw and did that for the first time — like a caveman discovering fire. And no, my primitive side didn’t stop there; I made more of the same grunting sounds after playing through Weili’s and Pereira’s own curated experiences.

You would think that, having seen some of these scenes live, rewatching their digital reruns years later wouldn’t be as exciting. But they still are, at least for me, and I think they’ll only continue to retain that same electricity into the future, which is a big part of what makes UFC 6 particularly special. These interactive memories are all so expertly told and uniquely individual in the way they unfolded that experiencing them again and again (yes, I went through them multiple times) didn’t feel like a chore at all. And I hope that whenever the seventh installment does come out, EA Vancouver doesn’t just dispose of this mode and instead gives Hall of Legends the same care and attention it did here.

EA Sports UFC 6 Screenshots

Still, you’re probably wondering why this would be anyone’s idea of a favorite mode when there are a few other exciting ones to choose from. Well, reader, it’s because I’m a sucker for a good story, and it doesn’t get much better than immersing myself in the lore behind three legendary champions. Although the dedicated UFC Career story, called The Legacy, is a close second. That’s right, there are now two separate Career modes you can pick from: the former, which drops you straight into Dana White’s octagon, or the latter, where you star as Chris Carter, a relative no-name who starts from the bottom. Do I even have to tell you which one I was drawn to first?

Yes, as soon as I saw The Legacy, I pressed select faster than you could say “Chama”. Don’t worry; I won’t be spoiling much of the plot here because I would like everyone to experience it knowing as little as possible. But I will say I love how it immediately got me invested in the journey with a rivalry, a career derailment, and the promise of revenge. Sure, it may sound like the overused plot of a Rocky movie, but that stuff works; just ask Sylvester Stallone. There are so many more pre-fight events that demand your attention this time, too, which makes this mode both more entertaining and less repetitive than UFC 5’s.

The Career options are both more entertaining and less repetitive than UFC 5.“

If going through a rags-to-riches story isn’t your jam, you can always jump headfirst into the big leagues with the newly rebranded UFC Career mode (EA Vancouver added UFC at the beginning, if you didn’t notice). Although I wasn’t as invested without the standalone story to back it up, it’s still plenty of fun – not only due to the improvements I mentioned before, but also because Ken Shamrock and Randy Couture are finally included in the roster. At least now I don’t have to create them both from scratch just to start a modern career with them, even though it is hilarious to see a 62-year-old be called a newcomer by the commentators.

Overall, developer EA Vancouver’s decision to create a separate prologue tale from the UFC Career mode is ultimately what distinguishes UFC 6 most from its predecessor. Not only does it give you more options and a better onboarding experience, but it also doubles down on the overall pitch for this version: that every fighter has a story, a central concept I have seen consistently and resonated with the more I’ve played UFC 6.

The Gym-fluencer

Still, even decent stories have their shortcomings with parts that drag and feel unnecessary in the grand scheme of things. And this tale of MMA, which so far has had more highs than lows, has one such blemish called The Gym.

When I first heard about it, I thought it would be like MyTeam in NBA 2K or Ultimate Team in Madden. Unfortunately, it’s neither of those. Instead, it’s where you can recruit (collect?) a bunch of different fighters so you can train them…to earn cosmetics. Remember that thing I said earlier about straying further than ever from reality?

That’s right, training in this mode is purely for the sake of looking good — not in the “lift weights to get buff” way, but in the style of a vain influencer who does it just to get free stuff. Instead of Lululemon apparel, though, UFC 6’s The Gym grants fighter-specific rewards, like coins, backgrounds, multicolored fight kits, and belts. So, let’s say you train Max Holloway up to level 14, which seems to be the current cap for all fighters; at that point, you’ll have earned five different shorts, 500 coins, a background, a profile pic, and the biggest prize of all, a UFC Champion belt. See that, people? Hard work does pay off!

Again, it’s all just so unnecessary when the only point of training the fighters you collect in The Gym is to earn accessories that you probably won’t even notice once you’re in the octagon. I know I don’t, because I’m much too mesmerized by the bleeding cuts and blood spatters that practically turn the canvas into a brutalist Pollock painting. Sure, there’s beauty in the hundreds of punishing hours that fighters put in to eventually reach peak form and conditioning. But not when it’s minimized and turned into a sideshow for knick-knacks like this.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced’s Remixed Missions Highlight the Scope of This Ambitious Remake – IGN First

When it comes to remakes of popular games, it can be quite hard to tell when one project is going to make meaningful adjustments to capture what made the original special, or which will have aged poorly or are just being given cosmetic upgrades that don’t make a replay worth it. Based on my time playing through some revised missions in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, I’m feeling more confident that this second voyage on the high seas of the Caribbean will be the former. After playing through a few missions recently, I now have a better understanding of what to expect from this ambitious remake, which included narrative additions, new options for carrying out my assassinations, and other bits and baubles along the way that have increased my interest in replaying through Kenway’s epic tale of pillaging and unloading flintlocks into the chests of unsuspecting lawmen.

The missions I played took place during the early part of the story (specifically, during “Sequence 3”) as Edward is still settling into his new life as a sorta, kinda assassin and full-blown pirate captain. If you’ve played the original recently, you’ll recall the part where you tail Julien Du Casse’s Spanish galleon, before tracking him through a jungle to assassinate him. But this revised version had a variety of changes, some lesser and some greater, which did a pretty good job of showing off just how much work has been put into bringing this classic up to modern standards. These ranged from narrative additions, side quests, boss fight changes, and even the odd collectible to snap up along the way.

The biggest update came in the form of tweaks aimed at making the mission more open-ended. For example, the path you take through the jungle in this version is a more scenic route that leads you to a mansion instead of straight to the ship where your quarry hides. Here you can get up to new kinds of mischief, like an optional encounter with some captured pirates you can free to help serve as muscle (or just a distraction) in your pursuit of Du Casse. Doing so causes quite a commotion, as they arm themselves and make a run at their captors and take the fight to the beach where Du Casse’s ship is docked. You can join them in the fight, or use the distraction to slip past the guards and get aboard the galleon undetected more easily. This was only one small example on one short mission, but if it’s indicative of the added opportunities to approach quests in your own style and are allowed to get creative, as seemed to be the case when I played a handful of hours from a different part of the game last month, then that alone could sell me on spending several dozen more hours playing through this adventure in full.

If you’re like me and prefer stealth, you probably just want to slip in unnoticed and kill off good ol’ Du Casse without any fight at all – I did this during my playthrough as well and can confirm that it’s still a completely viable option.“

There were some other, mostly cosmetic changes to the mission that I noticed along the way too, like some new lines of dialogue and story bits from the guards at the mansion, a newly refurbished interior of the mansion itself, and even a collectible portrait of none other than Du Casse himself – which will be a helpful artifact to remember him by once you’ve gutted him like a fish and thrown his lifeless corpse into the salty waves. Small things like these are probably more along the lines of the standard stuff you’d maybe expect to find in a more traditional remake versus this seemingly extra-as-heck evolution that Ubisoft has planned for Black Flag, but it’s still nice to see little touches like this added alongside stuff like the modernized combat and massively upgraded graphics. Of course, we already know that it’s not just small added lines of dialogue they’ve got in store, since last week the developers shared with IGN one of the new cutscenes being added to flesh out Kenway’s story.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Screenshots

Another fairly big change to the Du Casse mission was the boss fight against Du Casse himself. There are a bunch of changes to this fight versus the original, including a proper boss fight health bar and a significantly longer battle against a now-beefy Du Casse versus the original’s wimpy version who goes down in a few hits. Du Casse also has some interesting tricks up his sleeve, as he whips out pistols and just starts blastin’ at you with reckless abandon – pretty much what you’d expect from an arms-dealing Templar who taught Kenway how to fire a gun in the first place! Though, if you’re like me and prefer stealth, you probably just want to slip in unnoticed and kill off good ol’ Du Casse without any fight at all – I did this during my playthrough as well and can confirm that it’s still a completely viable option, though it does mean you miss out on a pretty neat fight sequence.

One interesting note is that in the original, when you engage in this encounter against Du Casse, there’s nothing preventing you from just leaving in the middle of the fight to go catch your breath or continue exploring the island, but in this version the developers have disabled the ability to flee until the encounter is ended. It’s an interesting change, because it feels a bit weird to remove some of the freedom available in the original (removing freedom is a Templar thing, after all, and we’re assassins, dammit), but at the same time it’s a pretty small adjustment that mostly serves to up the challenge of the combat encounter and prevent the silly option to just goof around with the boss by taking off and coming back for no reason. To be honest, I doubt this change or others like it are likely to have any impact on my playthrough at all, but it does make me wonder what other things they’ve reined in as they’ve streamlined encounters and tightened up missions. Here’s hoping there aren’t any areas where they’ve made decisions like that which might take away some of the creativity and freedom offered in the original. If anything, I’d like to see them expand upon the options available to me, as they did with the Du Casse mansion examples.

Every time I’ve played Black Flag Resynced leading up to its launch, I’ve felt more heartened about this remake, and this time was certainly no exception. I look forward to diving even deeper into its deep, blue seas when it comes out next month.

Travis Northup is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @TieGuyTravis and read his games coverage here.

Grab the Alienware Aurora RTX 5080 Gaming PC for $1,838 at Dell Outlet Before It Goes Out of Stock

Update: These deals are now sold out.

For a limited time (possibly today only), Dell Outlet is offering a rare deal on a powerful gaming PC. You can currently pick up an Alienware Aurora RTX 5080 gaming PC for as low as $1,838 with free shipping. There are only a handful of times I’ve seen the Alienware RTX 5080 desktop computer drop below $2,000 this year. Note that this is a “like new (refurbished)” unit and comes with the same 1 year warranty as buying brand new. You better hurry because inventory is limited.

Alienware Aurora RTX 5080 Gaming PC From $1,838

Like new (refurbished) model with 1 year Dell / Alienware warranty

Alienware Aurora R16 Liquid-Cooled Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF RTX 5080 Gaming PC (16GB/1TB)

Alienware Aurora R16 Air-Cooled Intel Core Ultra 7 265F RTX 5080 Gaming PC (16GB/1TB)

First off, I’d recommend going with the $1,937 configuration if it’s available. For an extra $100, you get a slightly more powerful processor and better cooling. The processor upgrade is negligible, but the cooling upgrade isn’t. Compared to the air-cooled $1,838 model, the liquid-cooled $1,937 system offers a substantially better 240mm all-in-one liquid cooling that will be able to manage processor temps more efficiently. The extra fan also means you’ll get better ambient cooling.

Depending on which configuration you choose, you’re getting either an Intel Core Ultra 7 265F or 265KF CPU. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265F is a 20-core processor with a max turbo frequency of 5.3GHz. The 265KF features an unlocked multiplier for better overclocking overhead and a slightly higher 5.5GHz max turbo frequency. Both systems are equipped with a GeForce RTX 5080 GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM and 1TB SSD. The 1,000W 80Plus Platinum certified power supply gives you plenty of headroom for upgrades down the road.

The GeForce RTX 5080 GPU will run any game in 4K

Performance-wise, the RTX 5080 is no slouch. It’s one of the fastest cards on the market, bested only by the $2,000 RTX 5090 and the discontinued $1,600 RTX 4090. This is a phenomenal card for playing the latest, most demanding games in 4K resolution at high settings and ray tracing enabled. The recent DLSS 4.5 update has further optimized multi-frame gen and upscaling so you can push really high framerates even in 4K. More games are supporting this feature, including Doom: The Dark Ages, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Battlefield 6, Death Stranding 2, and Crimson Desert. Check out our Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 FE review for our hands-on impressions.

How to Follow IGN Deals Recommendations

Marvel Super Heroes TCG Designer Details Upcoming Universes Beyond Set

Soon, Magic players will be shuffling in the likes of Thanos, Reed Richards, and a host of other Marvel heroes and villains into their decks with the impending launch of the Marvel Superheroes set. Superheroes marks the second big release of the multi-year partnership between Wizards of the Coast and Marvel and marks a Galactus-sized jump in what’s on offer over last year’s Spider-Man product. I recently got to chat a bit with Dave Humpherys, the Design Lead for the latest set who’s also a former professional Magic player. We spoke about some of the unique challenges that came with designing the Marvel Superheroes Universes Beyond set (his first one as set lead), hear about some neat easter eggs that got worked into the set, and more.

Marvel Superheroes is a vastly different beast than Spider-Man, which was much more focused – both in terms of the characters offered and the scope in the greater Marvel Universe being contained to just New York. This new set expands to include galactic threats like Thanos and Galactus, but to answer the call, Avengers from across the comic’s history and beyond are here. Whittling down such a legacy to a set of 600-ish cards between all the products was a task in itself, and for Humpherys, tackling this as his first UB set proved different from what he was used to.

Magic: The Gathering — Marvel Super Heroes Pack Shots

“When I’m making a normal set like the ones we described, there might be some characters from our world guide and creative team that are like, ‘this is this character, this is what they do in the story, this is what you should focus on, but that’s not a lot of characters,” Humpherys explains. “There might be some sort of reference, but even that’s pretty open-ended on what I’m trying to capture. So for these, normally I design a card, and often a lot of the cards are very mechanical. If I want a card that lets you draw two cards, or one that works with non-creature spells or whatever, and then the creative team will be like, ‘Oh, that’s a cool design, now I’m going to design a concept to go with it.’ For this [Universes Beyond], largely Mark and the creative team, say, ‘These are all the cards you’ll make, these are the card names, design the cards that work with them.’ So yeah, a very different set of challenges.”

It’s easy to see the care and creativity that the team has put into Marvel Superheroes.“

Even with those challenges, it’s easy to see the care and creativity that the team has put into Marvel Superheroes. The set features cards like “Quicksilver, Brash Blur,” which channels the speedy mutant by giving him a leyline-esque ability, allowing him to begin the game on the battlefield if he is in your opening hand, or “Thanos, the Mad Titan,” being able to blow up creatures across the field with just a snap of his fingers. And by “snap of fingers,” I mean for each of the five colors of mana, plus a colorless, giving off Infinity Gauntlet vibes. Perhaps my favorite of these little nods is with the “Super-Skrull” card. Being one of the Fantastic Four’s most powerful foes, this Black card has four unique mana abilities, one for each of the other colors, and each based on the powers of the fantastic family. With White, he can create 0/4 defensive wall tokens, Green pumps him up +4/+4, Red lets him burn creatures for 4 damage, and lastly, with Blue, he lets you reach into your deck and draw 4 cards. Everything is four! Pretty damn clever.

Marvel Super Heroes TCG: Universes Beyond

Great care has also been taken in developing mechanics and themes for the ten main color pairs of cards in Marvel Superheroes that make sense both in line with what longtime players expect from established MTG pair behaviors and in correlation with the comics. Humpherys lays out his process: “I sort of tried to internalize and develop pretty much all of these color pairs. We’re like, if white and blue come together, what does that look like? It’s about, like, teamwork, one of the new mechanics, which is when you cast an instance or sorcery with ‘Teamwork’, you can tap creatures with a combined power indicated after the Teamwork mechanic number. You can make your instance and sorceries more powerful. A lot of that’s trying to show heroes and villains working together. More than the sum of their parts, you get synergy between them, showing that they’re teaming up and doing stuff together.”

One thing I have been particularly curious about is the upcoming change to Magic Arena. A massive pivot, while not specifically tied to this new set, is that Marvel cards can now be included in Wizards’ digital Magic Arena client. Previously, cards could not feature Marvel characters, giving birth to the “Through the Omen Paths” line, which replaced names and images for mechanically identical non-Marvel variants. At least with these properties, that will no longer be the case, with all your favorite characters showing up in Arena going forward and retroactively allowing the Spider-friends to as well. Asking Humpherys about this change, whether it was in the works when Spider-Man released, and the timing just didn’t work out, or if matters changed after its release, Dave, in a very neutral tone, simply said he couldn’t say anything about it, just that he is really glad that Arena players get to use stuff from Marvel.

Marvel Superheroes looks to be a big improvement over the initial release of this massive collaboration, and after speaking with Dave, I’m more excited than ever to get my hands on some of these cards. For a more detailed breakdown of the set, Wizards of the Coast has posted a near-complete spoiler of all the cards on the site.

The Marvel Superheroes pre-release events begin on June 19th, with the set’s official launch a week later on June 26. Fans will be able to crack both play and collector boosters, but in an official blog post, Wizards unfortunately revealed that a number of the sets’ other products, including Bundles, Commander precons (both standard and collector varieties), Welcome Decks, and the Jumpstart Boosters, will be delayed.

Scott White is a freelance contributor to IGN, assisting with tabletop games and guide coverage. Follow him on X/Twitter or Bluesky.

Every Detail in the Cover Art Explained

Now, we know it’s not a lot to go on, but there’s a surprising amount of detail hidden within that newly revealed GTA 6 cover art. From fresh faces to interesting vehicles and locations, we’ve scoured each of those nine stylish panels to hunt down every secret and piece of information we can find. Join us as we explain every detail in the box art for Grand Theft Auto 6.

Every Detail in the GTA 6 Cover Art Explained

Helicopter

Just like the cover art for every Grand Theft Auto since GTA 3, the upper-left panel of GTA 6’s cover features a helicopter. This time it’s a Sea Sparrow, the amphibious helicopter that first appeared in the original Vice City and now frequents the skies of GTA Online. Hovering over the pastel-colored skyline of GTA 6’s new rendition of Vice City, this particular model is equipped with a mounted minigun, bolted onto the cockpit steps. It would be an odd thing for a utility helicopter to come armed with high RPM military hardware as standard, so it may well be that we can modify choppers with aftermarket add-ons, just like you can in GTA Online.

Jason & Lucia

Here we have our protagonists, Jason Duvall and Lucia Caminos. As stated on the Rockstar website, “Jason grew up around grifters and crooks. After a stint in the Army trying to shake off his troubled teens, he found himself in the Keys doing what he knows best, working for local drug runners.”

His girlfriend, and apparent partner in crime if the trailers are anything to go by, is Lucia. The Rockstar website explains that, “Fighting for her family landed her in the Leonida Penitentiary. Sheer luck got her out. Lucia’s learned her lesson — only smart moves from here.” She can be seen in this panel holding a pistol – short barrelled, vaguely similar to the SNS Pistol Mk II – which doesn’t necessarily seem like a smart move to me, but is pretty vital equipment for a GTA protagonist. In the background are the silhouetted palm trees that we’ve become accustomed to seeing in previous GTA 6 artwork.

Motorbike

This daredevil is pulling a wheelie on a vibrant sports motorcycle. The bike itself appears to be a Principe Alvino V1, a new model for GTA 6 that we first saw in a screenshot of Jason released in May 2025. But where Jason’s ride was green, this fella’s mounted on a mechanical stallion painted in synthwave-esque shades of pink and purple. The bike is also adorned with logos, the sort of livery that makes you wonder what level of Forza-rivalling customisation will be available at the local Vice City Customs shop.

Similar to the helicopter, this bike also sits in the very same panel that featured a motorbike on Vice City’s cover, which back in 2002 was a big deal since it was the first GTA to feature motorcycles.

Driving alongside the bike, lights flashing and sirens no doubt shrieking, is a Vapid Police Cruiser. This interceptor vehicle is among the most common law enforcement cars on the streets of GTA 5’s Los Santos, and so it’s unsurprising to see the police departments in Leonida include them in their fleet. It’s had a slight facelift since we last saw it – those front light clusters and lower vents appear slightly different to the ones that speed around interrupting Trevor, Michael, and Franklyn’s fun, but it’s the same bobby mobile you love to hate.

Mystery Woman

Here’s a character that we don’t think we’ve seen before. Replicating the original Vice City cover, we have a mystery woman in a bikini enjoying a drink. Like both her and the blonde woman seen on the cover of GTA 5, she may not actually play a part in the story. We’ll have to wait to find out if she’s a vital part of Jason and Lucia’s social circle.

What we can deduce, though, is that she’s a fan of the Leonida version of the Miami Dolphins NFL team, as the turquoise colour of the jersey she’s wearing is a very similar shade to its real-life counterpart. We know from the second trailer that they’re called the Vice City Manatees. She’s also sporting a tattoo on her side that reads “Vice Baby”, suggesting that she was born and raised in the area. Another hint towards this is the “305” tattoo on her wrist, which is the real-world area code for Miami. The chain around her neck says “Siempre”, which is Spanish for “always”. I have no clue if this hints at anything, but we’re committed to giving you every detail we can.

Elsewhere in the panel, we can see she’s been sipping on what looks like a parody of the hard seltzer drink, White Claw. We can’t see the full name of it, but the word “Thaw” is prominent, as is the can design that closely resembles the real drink. On the landscape version found on Rockstar’s website, behind her is The Atoll Bar and Grill, an establishment we’ve not seen before in any trailers or the original GTA Vice City. Has she just left here, or is she about to enter? Some mysteries may never be solved.

Alligator

Here’s one we didn’t expect to ever see adorn the cover of a Grand Theft Auto game – an alligator, complete with a giant toothy maw that you’d swear was smiling at the audience if it weren’t for the simple biological fact that no, alligators cannot smile, and do not even understand the concept of smiling.

This chomping reptile is, of course, given pride of place on the cover to represent the Grassrivers area of GTA 6’s gargantuan new map. Known as “the untameable jewel of Leonida’s crown”, these wetlands are home to far more deadly predators than ‘gators. Above you can see a previously released screenshot of some mud-caked hunters who sure do seem to love their guns and trophy kills. While the big game waiting in the Grassrivers is no doubt perfect fodder for Red Dead Redemption-style hunting missions, it seems like we’ll want to think twice before getting in the way of those looking to claim their own prized target.

Boobie Ike

Next up is Boobie Ike, a music producer and owner of the Jack of Hearts strip club featured in the trailers. An enterprising businessman, he also runs a recording studio with his business partner, Dre’Quan Priest, called Only Raw Records. In this image, we can clearly see a prominent gold ring on his finger, depicting a lion wearing a crown. Could this suggest that Ike sees himself as the King of Leonida?

The Rockstar website says that Boobie is “a local Vice City legend — and acts like it. One of the few to transform his time in the streets into a legitimate empire spanning real estate, a strip club, and a recording studio — Boobie’s all smiles until it’s time to talk business.” I think it’s fair to say we may well be working both with and against him over the course of GTA 6’s story.

Supercar

What’s a GTA cover without a ridiculously expensive motor? The bottom left panel is reserved for a glorious bright yellow supercar with scissor doors. This is almost certainly a brand new model from Pegassi, the GTA universe’s high-end Italian automotive company. We’ve actually seen this car before, with vibrant lime green paintwork, prowling the streets of Vice City in both the first and second GTA 6 trailers.

Very likely inspired by the Lamborghini Aventador, this Pegassi is likely the in-universe successor to the Infernus, which was based on the Aventador’s own predecessor, the Murciélago. It’s also another nod back to the original Vice City cover art, which featured a yellow Infernus, which was that game’s version of the classic 1980s Lamborghini Countach.

Raul Bautista

The final character with the honour of gracing the cover is Raul Bautista, a “seasoned bank robber always on the hunt for talent ready to take the risks that bring the biggest rewards,” as described on the Rockstar website.

He’s holding a Duke assault rifle. Interestingly, this is a weapons manufacturer from the Red Dead Redemption universe, and marks the first time a company from that universe has made its way into the HD universe of GTA games. We can see other Duke guns, including a revolver, two ARs, and a sniper rifle, across the two previous trailers.

He’s standing in front of the Sinfrontera National Bank, a natural habitat for a seasoned robber such as himself. It’s fair to assume we’ll be joining Raul on a mission to infiltrate this building, as Rockstar continues its legacy of daring heist missions. Incidentally, Sin Frontera in Spanish translates as “without borders”, and may well be based on the CNBFL (City National Bank of Florida), which operates with businesses between Chile and Spain.

Boat

In yet another nostalgic nod back to the original Vice City cover, we have a top-down view of a boat cruising through the Miami-like waters. Here, we see a group of people riding in a Clarion speedboat, the same brand of water vehicle that can be seen zooming past the cargo ship in the first trailer for GTA 6. We don’t yet have an official name for this specific model, as Clarion is a brand-new motorboat manufacturer for GTA 6, but it appears to have been inspired by the design of the real-world Cigarette Top Gun boat. Above them flies a flamingo, suggesting that they’re sailing near Leonida’s equivalent of the Everglades, the Grassrivers, as this is where the wading birds are typically found in Florida.

So, did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments. Also, give us any new theories you may have about GTA 6’s story based on these new images. And remember, for everything Grand Theft Auto, keep it locked to IGN.

Even More GTA 6 on IGN

Want to dig even further into Grand Theft Auto 6? Try reading these other IGN articles:

Matt Purslow is IGN’s Executive Editor of Features. Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.

Ahead of Xbox Studio ‘Bloodbath’, Report Lays Out Why the Company is Struggling So Bad

A new report suggests Xbox layoffs will likely result in a “bloodbath” of job losses and studio closures, leaving developers “punished” simply for following Microsoft’s orders.

Word of Xbox staff redundancies and development studio shutdowns is now rife, following an ominous warning from newly-installed Xbox CEO Asha Sharma that the console maker’s slim profit margin was no longer sustainable. While it has been reported that Xbox studios such as South of Midnight maker Compulsion Games, Kiln and Keeper developer Double Fine, and Hellblade helmer Ninja Theory are just some of the teams now facing shutdown, the exact details remain unclear and unfinalized.

Microsoft is believed to be timing the layoffs with the end of its financial year on June 30, with talks ongoing among studio bosses over which companies could be sold off, spun out and kept open independently — even if this still results in numerous job losses. IGN has asked Microsoft for comment but has yet to receive a response.

The 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time

Now, in a new YouTube report from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, the veteran reporter claimed that “the word bloodbath has been thrown around among people I talk to who know about what’s going to happen. It’s going to be bad.” Schreier’s report also delves into the background of why these layoffs are happening now, and suggests that Xbox teams have struggled to adapt as Microsoft’s attitudes to gaming and demands of its development teams have shifted over the years.

Long-term, Xbox never really recovered from the Xbox One era, Schreier argued. The Xbox Series X/S has failed to gain back ground in the console war against PlayStation, while the growth of Xbox Game Pass has plateaued. The past decade has seen Microsoft go on a spending spree to gain Game Pass content, buying the very studios that the company now seeks to shut down or divest.

Most notable was the $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, devised by former Xbox boss Phil Spencer during the tail end of the Covid-era gaming boom, but already looking less attractive by the time its lengthy buyout process closed due to the enormous costs involved and a changed economic and strategic landscape.

Every Video Game Franchise Xbox Owns After Acquiring Activision Blizzard

The past two years have seen the last of the Covid growth era evaporate, Roblox blow up as a major drain on player attention and spending, and AI became a major new focus for tech companies such as Microsoft. These issues all likely contributed to the need for Xbox to meet tougher financial targets from executives, resulting in pressure to cut costs.

“That’s when we see things start to get really bad,” Schreier said. “We see four mass layoffs in two years, the closure of studios under the Xbox umbrella like Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks, which wound up going to Krafton which saved that studio, and the cancellation of projects like Everwild, Perfect Dark, and Project Blackbird.”

This period was marked by political in-fighting at Xbox as different divisions and executives struggled to gain priority. This also resulted in it becoming far more difficult to get new gaming projects greenlit, and Xbox’s multiplatform push to boost profits that saw more games launch for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch.

“The last couple of years at Xbox have been quite messy, people start openly questioning Game Pass and saying it’s cannibalizing sales,” Schreier continued, referencing the hundreds of millions of dollars reportedly lost by putting Call of Duty in the subscription. “What might be good for the Game Pass folks may not be so good for the studios and revenue brought in for individual games.”

All of which brings us to 2026 — when Spencer departed, and Sharma was brought in to “reset” the business in his place.

While Kiln and South of Midnight may not have been big money-spinners, development studios such as Double Fine and Compulsion were simply doing what they had been told five years ago, Schreier said, when they were acquired and their projects were greenlit. Namely, that they were to make games to help fill out the Xbox Game Pass catalog and slowly keep growing its subscriber base, and that this would be enough.

Xbox Games Series Tier List

“A lot of these studios made plenty of their own mistakes, but in a lot of ways they’re being punished today for following orders,” Schreier added. “For listening to what they were told a few years ago. And that is just a shame, and what is going to happen is pretty brutal. The word bloodbath has been thrown around among people I talk to who know about what’s going to be happen. It’s going to be bad.

“And one of the reasons Xbox studios have struggled to make great games over the past decade is this uncertainty,” he concluded. “It’s really hard to make great art when working under the fear of layoffs and turbulence and cancellations and shutdowns.”

This week, it was alleged that Microsoft announced Ninja Theory’s new game, Senua, knowing that it planned to shut the studio down because it believed the promise of a newly announced game would help draw investor interest in the developer. There is now concern that Senua may never come out.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Buy 2, Get 1 Free on Graphic Novels for Prime Day 2026

With Amazon Prime Day just around the corner, early deals are already starting to appear ahead of the four-day event, which runs from June 23 through June 26.

If you’re looking to stock up on graphic novels before the sale officially begins, Amazon has quietly brought back one of its best book promotions, letting shoppers buy two eligible books and get a third free.

The offer covers a selection of DC Compact Comics editions, making it an easy way to build your collection without spending a fortune.

Buy 2 DC Compact Comics, Get 1 Free

Amazon’s latest “3 for 2” promo is refreshingly simple – here’s how it works: add any three eligible items to your basket, and the cheapest one will automatically be discounted at checkout.

Better still, the offer stacks, meaning you can pick up six books for the price of four, nine books for the price of six, and so on. If you’ve had a growing reading list sitting in your wishlist for months, this is one of the easiest ways to save ahead of Prime Day.

Tom King’s “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” is one of the standout picks, and down to just $7.90 right now. With the upcoming Supergirl film set to release on June 26, now is the perfect time to read the comic that inspired it. This is one of my favorite comics of all time, and means a lot to me. I highly recommend picking it up.

Batman fans are equally well served. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s “Batman: The Court of Owls Saga” remains one of the defining modern Batman stories, while “Batman: The Long Halloween” continues to be essential reading thanks to its influence on multiple live-action adaptations.

Other highlights in the promotion include “All-Star Superman,” Grant Morrison’s celebrated take on the Man of Steel that heavily inspired James Gunn’s excellent Superman film, alongside classics like “Kingdom Come,” “Watchmen,” “Batman: Hush,” and “DCeased.”

One of the biggest advantages of the DC Compact Comics line is the format itself. These editions are smaller and more affordable than standard trade paperbacks, making them ideal for commuters, holidays, or anyone trying to save shelf space.

Whether you’re catching up on iconic Batman stories or diving into acclaimed Superman runs ahead of the next wave of DC movies, there’s plenty worth adding to your basket here.

Unlike many Prime Day offers, this early promotion isn’t exclusive to Prime members either, meaning anyone can take advantage of the deal before the main event begins next week.

These promotions are generally the best time to buy books, especially since other popular series are also include in the sale, such as Dungeon Crawler Carl, and Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn.

If you just want to read books and comics as cheaply as possible, I’d also recommend utilizing a Kindle Unlimited subscription as well. Amazon is currently offering three months of the service for free to Prime members, but for new subscribers only.

If audiobooks are more your thing, I’ve also got you covered. There’s an Audible promo that’s worth checking out going into Prime Day. New subscribers can get the Audible Standard plan for only $0.99/month for the first three months, which includes one book per month.

For DC fans, I’d recommend checking out the audio versions of “All Star Superman”, “Kingdom Come” – both of which are excellent adaptations.

How to Follow IGN Deals Recommendations

Robert Anderson is IGN’s Senior Commerce Editor and resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Bluesky.

George Lucas Wanted a Star Wars TV Series to Show the Rise of Emperor Palpatine ‘Like Hitler’s’

George Lucas wanted to chronicle the rise of Emperor Palpatine “like Hitler’s” as part of a scrapped Star Wars TV show.

Palpatine actor Ian McDiarmid has now discussed plans for the cancelled series, which he was told of directly by Lucas. The Star Wars creator pitched him the idea of featuring in the project — although, of course, it ultimately never made it into production.

“[George Lucas] was talking about, I think I can tell you now, a television series,” Ian McDiarmid told an audience at Spacecon 2026 (thanks, Popverse). At the time we didn’t think about Star Wars in terms of television series. Very speculative.

Ranking the Star Wars Movies From Worst to Best

“We had lunch one day, and he said ‘I’ve got this idea, and I hope you might want to be involved. We could sort of follow the Emperor’s progress, like Hitler’s, some of that. There might be an assassination attempt, and of course it wouldn’t succeed.’

“It sounded really exciting,” McDiarmid concluded. “And he also said that maybe you could direct one, and then I fainted. But sadly, that didn’t come to pass.”

While McDiarmid didn’t mention the planned series by name, it sounds a lot like this plan referred to Lucas’ long-gestating Star Wars Underworld project, which would have bridged the gap between Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope with at least 60 episodes of television. Lucas worked on the idea for years before ultimately selling the franchise’s rights to Disney, writing numerous scripts in the process that have never seen the light of day. Our only real glimpse at the show remains a brief leak of test footage for the series, which showed a gritty version of galactic captial city planet Coruscant.

Last year, Star Wars prequels producer Rick McCallum described the project’s loss as “one of the great disappointments of our lives,” though suggested it had always been doomed to failure by Lucas’ ambition, with individual episodes bigger in scope than Star Wars movies — something that would have seen costs spiralling to at least $40 million per episode using the technology available at the time.

Of course, Star Wars’ Disney-owned era has seen the saga spawn numerous new TV series, though spending has now been significantly curtailed following big budget flops such as The Acolyte and The Book of Boba Fett. Just one Star Wars series currently remains in production: the second and likely final season of Ahsoka, which is due to premiere next year.

On the movie front, The Mandalorian and Grogu has struggled at the box office, but Lucasfilm reportedly thinks next year’s Star Wars: Starfighter has a better chance of reviving the franchise.

Image credit: Ethan Miller/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

Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok Preview: A Deeper Look at the New Summon System

Granblue Fantasy: Relink introduced a brand new audience to the floating islands of Zegagrande and the adventuring Skyfarers of the Granblue Fantasy series back when it launched in 2024. Marking the first console RPG adventure for the primarily mobile gacha series, Relink let players pull off dazzling arrays of anime spectacle as they worked together either with their CPU-controlled party or with their friends to tackle quests and monsters. Now, we are mere weeks away from diving into the massive new expansion, Endless Ragnarok, and during SGF we had a chance to sit down and speak with the creative director, Tetsuya Fukuhara, and narrative director, Sanshiro Hidaka, but also get some hands-on time with the new expansion.

Some of the most jaw-dropping moments of Relink were when Granblu’s heroine, Lyria, would summon her big ol’ lizard pal, Bahamut, to let him do what dragons do best – rain fire/laser breath down on chumps. Lyria’s ability to summon Bahamut is a pretty big deal in the lore of the series, so it always bummed me out a bit that these moments were exceptionally rare in Relink. Serving more like set pieces than an actual system, imagine my surprise and delight when I saw that Summons was going to be a fleshed-out and powerful new mechanic in Endless Ragnarok.

Restricted to the expansion content and new chaos difficulty, these powerful allies are tied to a new bar that will fill as you fight. Depending on the strength of the summon, each will require one, two, or three bars of this new resource to call out onto the field. Instead of a lifebar, they have a timer and will stay out until that runs out. This fact makes summons not only a great offensive option but also a perfect option to absorb those particularly nasty Overdrive attacks that bosses in Relink like to bust out, since summons are invincible.

Multiplayer is a big part of Granblue Fantasy: Relink, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that summons can be used when you play with your friends too, and aren’t just a single-player-only treat. When playing online, each player comes with their own set of four summons, but only a single summon can be fielded at any given time. That said, while you and your friends may not all be able to terrorize the field as giant creatures of destruction, you will be able to string a chain of summons together. Each subsequent summon one of your party members calls forth will have its cost reduced by one, down to a minimum of one. This will incentivize players to bring out cheaper single or double cost summons first so the most powerful options can be brought out for cheap!

Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok | June 2026 Screenshots

On how summons came to be, Fukuhara-san shared that the system was a rather late addition in the expansion’s development and he wasn’t sure how the team would respond to the idea. “So, from the beginning, there was the wish to have everyone you meet as an option, but he was expecting that there would be pushback and that along with the staff would say, ‘Oh, we can only do half, we won’t be able to meet deadlines’, but instead the response was the vision as intended. So, it did require a lot of elbow grease, but everyone was having a lot of fun while they were doing it.”

Some summons have already been revealed in earlier trailers with Relink bosses, including Furycane and Nazarbonju, but the full number reaches past 100, with a mix of both imposing beasts, citizens, and some silly ones too. When asked for each of their favorite summons, both Fukuhara-san and Hidaka-san’s picks fell on that lighter side: “There’s like a crab rain summon where you just rain crabs on the field. And depending on how many of the Wee Snippers you have collected, the amount of crabs that rain down will actually increase,” Fukuhara-san tells us. Hidaka-san continues: “I really like the cat summon, where if you do it well, a lot of cats come out, and the more cats you have, the more power you have, much like in real life,” he laughs.

If the summons aren’t selling Endless Ragnarok for you, the expansion offers far more than just that. Alongside a new story and quests to uncover, players can test their mettle with the new Chaos difficulty, experiment with the Master Traits for improved character specialization and customization, or dive into Conflux, an intriguing roguelike mode. Crossplay support and various quality-of-life improvements and UI updates fill out the rest of the package, costing existing Relink players $29.99. Even with the small glimpse we’ve had, Endless Ragnarok looks to be packed surprisingly full for an expansion.

I can’t think of a single game that hasn’t been made better by the ability to summon giant creatures to fight for you, and it looks like Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok continues to prove that theory. Thankfully, veteran and prospective Skyfarers won’t have long to wait as Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok launches on July 9 and comes either as an upgrade for owners of the base game or together with it for $59.99 on PlayStation 4/5, Steam, and now Nintendo Switch 2.

Scott White is a freelance contributor to IGN, assisting with tabletop games and guide coverage. Follow him on X/Twitter or Bluesky.

Get an Ecoflow River 2 256Wh 300W LiFePO4 Portable Power Station for Less Than a Hundred Bucks

Ecoflow, via its offical storefront on eBay, is offering a great deal on one of its most popular portable power stations. For a limited time, you can pick up a factory refurbished Ecoflow River 2 256Wh 300W LiFePO4 Power Station for just $99 shipped after you apply coupon code “EFSUMMER20“. This same power bank costs $189 new on Amazon. The River 2 is very compact for a power station, it’s equipped with safe and reliable LiFEPO4 batteries, and it can be monitored remotely.

Get an Ecoflow River 2 Power Station for Under $100

Ecoflow River 2 256Wh 300W LiFePO4 Power Station

The Ecoflow River 2 is a 256Wh power station can be used as a small in-home portable backup during outages or a source of off-grid power to power your mobile electronics during your outdoor adventures It has two AC outlets capable of 300W each (600W surge), two USB Type-A ports, and one USB Type-C port. The River 2 can be recharged using traditional AC and it will only take about one hour. Alternatively, you can recharge it using solar panels with a 110W max input.

The 256Whr battery isn’t big enough to replace a generator, but it can still power mobile elecronics (including your laptop) for several hours to days. The River 2 uses the newer LiFePO4 cells instead of the traditional NCM sells you find in the original River. LiFePO4 cells have inherently safer chemistry and have a much higher cycle lifespan than NCM cells. They also have lower calendar aging. The River 2 also weighs only 7 pounds so you won’t think twice about lugging it out.

Although the River 2 isn’t intended to act as a UPS for your electronics, it does have an EPS function that will automatically swap to battery power when there is a power outage. The shutoff delay is less than 30ms, which is small enough for even sensitive electronics like PCs to remain on the entire time. However you will have to manually switch it back to AC power when the power returns. A dedicated UPS with a replaceable battery is better, but the River 2 will work in a pinch.

The River 2 also features smart functionality with wireless connectivity. You can connect your phone to the power station via a mobile app, which will allow you to check on its status, download updates, and even power on or off outlets remotely. Ecoflow generally has good product support and consistently rolls out new firmware and software updates.