At IGN, we're excited to celebrate women in our history and industry who create, inspire, empower and make positive change in this world; not just this month, but every month. We hope you'll join us in continued learning, celebrating and elevating women’s voices. Here's everything to know about Women's History Month and some great ways to celebrate this March.

The History Behind Women's History Month

Women's History Month began as a petition by the National Women’s History Project in 1987, with a purpose to "celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields."

Did you know Women’s History Month actually began as “Women’s History Week" during the week of March 7 in 1982? It wasn't until 1987 that this cultural event would become a month-long, national celebration. Efforts continued in order to keep Women's History Month recognized, and every President since 1995 "have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as Women’s History Month.”

TL;DR - 8 Ways to Celebrate Women's History Month

1. Learn About Women in History and Share Their Stories
2. Support Women-Owned Businesses and Professionals
3. Watch Movies or Shows Directed by Women
4. Read Books Written by Women Authors
5. Play Games Created by Women
6. Listen to Podcasts Featuring Women
7. Volunteer at Women-Based Organizations
8. Donate to Programs and Organizations Uplifting Women

1. Learn About Women in History and Share Their Stories

You can explore women's stories in history all across the web, from inventors to leaders and beyond. Great places to start include museums and their website archives like Smithsonian, organizations run by women such as StoryCorps, and trusted history-based publishers such as The History Channel.

2. Support Women-Owned Businesses and Professionals

From artists to streamers and beyond, there are so many ways to support women in business. You can shop online from the comfort of your home on sites like Etsy, and browse Women Owned Business Directories like WBD, or FoundedByHer as go-to resources for discovering awesome entrepreneurs. There’s even a way to filter on Amazon to shop women-owned retailers in a variety of categories.

In addition to buying from women business owners, supporting women in their career growth is another integral part of the journey to uplift women. SoundGirls is a perfect example of an organization that exists to provide women in the specific industry (audio) an opportunity to "meet and network with industry professionals, creating a strong support network.” Anything we can do to share women's success stories, contribute, and spread the word around organizations that exist to offer workshops, networking resources, and beyond, can all help support women in business.

Also see: 14 Great Women Comic Book Writers.

3. Watch Movies or Shows Featuring Women or Directed by Women

If you don't know where to start, Hulu has a featured collection of shows and movies with Black female leads to check out, and Showtime has a network called SHOWTIME WOMEN® which "Celebrates women in front of and behind the camera, bringing you the most unique, daring and groundbreaking films, documentaries and shorts from aspiring and established female talents."

After the 2025 Oscars, there are plenty of hit films you may want to catch up on. One of the biggest winners this year was Anora, featuring lead actress (and Oscar winner) Mikey Madison.

Here are more ways to watch Anora.

Discover Women Directors

In addition to celebrating women-led roles and actresses, there are some legendary films to watch and rewatch including big hits like Barbie, American Psycho and The Hurt Locker; all directed by women. If you don't know where to start, streaming sites like Netflix make it easy to browse movies directed by women.

Watch Women's Sports

Let's not forget women's sports either. From ESPNW covering major sports, from NWSL, WNBA, NCAAW and beyond, to a whole site dedicated to only women's sports (fittingly, justwomenssports.com), you can't miss it. We also want to shout out WOW (Women of Wrestling), who we have partnered with and interviewed at events including SDCC. You can find out where to stream WOW here.

Across soccer, basketball, wrestling and beyond, women's sports are becoming more popular and we love to see it. Stream most major events on:

4. Read Books Written by Women

There are so many books written by women to dive into, no matter what your favorite genre is. In fact, according to BookRiot, “Women now publish more than 50% of all books, and have since 2020. The increase in published books by women has also come with a boost for the book industry overall, which boasted a year-on-year increase of 12.3% in 2021 (if you're curious, publishing made $29.3 billion in 2021). With these stats we see what we've already known, really, which is that diversifying the publishing industry is not only the right thing to do, but people also just really like it.”

That said, women authors are everywhere, so it's time to get your reading on! For a powerfully educational list, here's 10 books by Black women to add to your reading list, too.

Here are some top-rated books by women authors to get you started via Amazon.

5. Play and Discover Women-Led Games

Behind several wonderful games are women creators, devs, directors, designers, writers and more. From Portal to Celeste; to the Uncharted series and the classic arcade game Centipede, there are so many brilliant games brought to you by women. Plus, it's even more impressive when a game makes a bigger cultural impact, such as Celeste's Five-Year Journey to Becoming One of the Most Important Trans Games Ever. (If you haven't played this charming, adventure-filled game yet, you can get it or download here on Nintendo.com for $19.99).

You can browse game lists across the web featuring women creators, such as G2A’s list and featured games created by women and games curated by women lists from Microsoft to get you started.

6. Listen to Podcasts Hosted by Women

Whether you're into news, history, comedy, pop culture or criminal storytelling, there is a comprehensive list of podcasts hosted by women out there. NY Public Radio compiled a list of over 100 women-hosted podcasts, so go check out what's there and may be new to you lately on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, or wherever you like to listen! From some of IGN's own podcast-listening ladies, we recommend the following (in no particular order):

1. You're Wrong About

In You're Wrong About, Sarah is a journalist obsessed with the past. Every week she reconsiders a person or event that's been miscast in the public imagination. Listen on Apple.

2. Ladies & Tangents

If you hate leaving the house but also want to feel seen, the Ladies & Tangents podcast is for you. Jeri and Ciara are besties and cousins, ready to carry you through their relatable conversations around companionship, human rights and more. Listen on Apple.

3. Scam Goddess

In Scam Goddess, Laci Mosley keeps you up to date on the latest scams and "breaks down historic hoodwinks alongside some of your favorite comedians! It’s like true crime only without all the death! True fun crime!" Listen on Apple.

4. Axe of the Blood God

RPG gaming fans can join Kat Bailey, Nadia Oxford, and Eric Van Allen as they explore Final Fantasy, Skyrim, and all the best in the wonderful world of role-playing games in Axe of the Blood God. Listen on Apple

5. What's Good Games

Another great podcast for gaming fans, join What's Good Games' Andrea Rene, Brittney Brombacher and Riana Manuel-Peña as they analyze the latest video game news each week and give hands-on impressions of upcoming titles. Listen on Apple.

6. My Favorite Murder

My Favorite Murder is the original hit true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. You, too, can join the growing fan club of "Murderinos". Listen on Apple.

7. This Ends At Prom

This Ends at Prom is a weekly podcast analyzing the staying power of womanhood featured in coming-of-age and teen girl movies from the queer, feminist cisgender and trans perspectives. Hosted by wives BJ Colangelo and Harmony Colangelo. Listen on Apple.

8. Girlfriend Material

This fabulous "Gay-Z" podcast features funny stories, cheeky chats, and moving moments with comedy creator and TikToker Rosie Turner! It doesn't matter where you are on your own LGBTQ+ journey of discovery, this podcast is for everyone! Listen on Apple.

9. A Little Queer

Another LGBTQ+ focused podcast, dive into queer culture, advice, and media with your new BFFs, Capri and Ashley. Listen on Apple.

10. The Artist In Me Is Dead

"The artist in you is dead, but what if it’s actually only dormant and you only need to nurture it back to life?" Explore creativity with host Rhonda Willers and guests every Thursday. She also explores when people feel most creative: what are they doing? How do they tap into their creativity? Listen on Apple.

11. Conversations With Moon Body Soul

Listen to host and owner of Moon Body Soul, Kaitee Tyner as she shares in topics across holistic wellness. If you're getting into self-care and need some inspiration, this is for you. Listen on Apple.

7. Volunteer at Women-Based Organizations

Not sure where to start? https://www.volunteermatch.org has a great database to match you with volunteer opportunities. Visit the site, search by your city or zip code, and find volunteer opportunities. You can select "More" from the volunteer category menu to select "Women" for both virtual and in-person opportunities to help women-based organizations in your area.

8. Donate to Programs and Organizations Uplifting Women

If you're unable to volunteer your time, consider donating to an organization that means something to you and the women in your life. You can donate directly or indirectly depending on the program or partnership you find!

For example, did you know our partner site Humble Bundle offers an easy and fun way to directly donate to causes throughout the year via gaming bundles? Right now, Humble is also partnering with CARE for Women’s History Month. When you purchase a Humble Choice membership this March, 5% of proceeds will support CARE’s programs.

Here are some other great organizations to consider supporting:

1. Girls Who Code
2. Black Girl Film School
3. Latinas in Tech
4. Girls Make Games
5. Women in Animation

Upgrading your setup with a curved gaming monitor is one of the best ways to improve your immersion. The best curved gaming monitors wrap into your peripheral vision and seem to draw you in, helping you get lost in your favorite game. So whether you're a competitive gamer looking for the extra edge in esports or a single-player aficionado hoping to get lost in your next storyline, I've got the best pick for you. These are the best curved gaming monitors of 2025.

TL;DR – These Are the Best Curved Gaming Monitors:

There was a time when choosing a great curved gaming monitor was pretty straightforward. But today, there are countless brands flooding the marketplace, too many me-toos that look the same on paper but don't stand toe-to-toe in real life. Of course, there are qualities you should look for depending on what kind of gamer you are. If you're a fan of shooters, a monitor with low input latency and a high refresh rate, should be on the top of your list. If you're looking for the most engaging and immersive experience, choosing a monitor with a deeper curve will be a better option. It's all about the details.

The Expert: Why Trust Us

I've been a gaming journalist for more than a decade. During that time, I've written for a number of major gaming publications and have tested more monitors than most people will use in a lifetime. I know what makes a gaming monitor great. More specifically, I know what makes a monitor great for different kinds of users. It's not all about panel type, refresh rate, and resolution. It's about how its different qualities come together to create something great that stands out from the riff-raff on Amazon. I cover monitors for IGN and make it my mission to give you the best recommendations to both save you money and ensure that you walk away with a great experience.

At IGN, we're gamers. Every review is filtered through multiple eyes to assure that you get the facts you need, when you need them. We make the connections so you don't have to and bring the best of the best to you, distilled down, in guides just like this one.

When you're done reading here, be sure to check out the Best Graphics Cards, Best Gaming Keyboards, Best Gaming Mice, and Best Gaming Headsets to complete your setup. A great gaming experience awaits.

1. Asus ROG Swift PG34WCDM

Best Curved Gaming Monitor

2. AOC C27G2Z

Best Budget Curved Gaming Monitor

AOC is no stranger to delivering high-value gaming monitors for gamers on a budget. The C27G2Z is exactly such a monitor. Offering a solid picture on a spacious 27-inch screen, an immersive curve, and exceptional responsiveness with its 240Hz refresh rate, all for under $200.

This monitor packs a lot for a little when it comes to investment. For its accessible cost of entry, you're getting a high-quality VA panel with a 1500R curve - still relatively gentle but more noticeable than the multitudes of 1800R monitors out there. Because of the way this panel works with its backlight, it's able to offer a deep 3,000:1 contrast ratio, roughly double that of competing IPS gaming monitors, and it's immediately noticeable. While its colors and viewing angles don't quite match that panel type's high standard, I've found VA panels still offer very engaging colors that are perfect for gaming.

The monitor's real selling point, however, is its responsiveness. AOC has outfitted it with a 240Hz refresh rate and a 0.5ms response time. That's enough for even high-level competitive gaming. It allows the monitor to offer improved motion clarity in comparison to most others around this price point. Ghosting also shouldn't be an issue at these speeds.

The drawback here is that to achieve its full refresh rate, you'll be limited to a DisplayPort connection since it only comes with HDMI 2.0. This won't make a big difference, though, as every modern graphics card supports this DisplayPort and consoles using HDMI port will still be able to top out at 120Hz like a great gaming TV.

The AOC also sells a 32-inch version of this panel, but I would recommend sticking with the smaller size. At 32 inches, 1080p makes individual pixels visible, leading to a screen door effect that you might find distracting. If you crave the extra real estate, however, and don't mind the slightly softer image, at the time of this writing both versions are the exact same price, so it remains an impressive value.

3. Dell Alienware AW3423DWF

Best Value Curved Gaming Monitor

For the hands-down best value in curved gaming monitors, look no further than the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF. Now retailing for a bit over $600, this QD-OLED display offers massive bang for the buck. I gave it a glowing review when it released last year for $1,100 and now that the price has almost halved, it's an incredibly easy recommendation to make.

OLED monitors don't come cheap, and there's a good reason for that. Their advanced panel technology allows them to deliver some of the best images quality money can buy. Because of the way, because it, every pixel is individually controlled, it essentially allows the AW3423DWF to have millions of local dimming zones. On top of that, it's been enhanced with a layer of quantum dots to provide more vivid colors and increased brightness. Its picture is stunning and with its current pricing, it's one of the best ways to experience OLED for yourself while also enjoying an immersive curve.

Like all OLED monitors, its SDR brightness isn't amazing, but if you use it out of direct sunlight, it should be just fine. When gaming in HDR, however, it's able to peak at 1000 nits. Between this high brightness and its deep contrast, its HDR experience for both movies and games is a treat for the eyes - and that's without considering Alienware's picture enhancements and presets.

This display runs at a peak of 165Hz, which while not the absolute fastest, is still a good value for a QD-OLED at this price. And don't forget, because of the way OLED monitors work, it will still be much more responsive than your average IPS or VA display. In fact, while most of those monitors run at 1ms, and the very best might be rated for 0.5ms, this monitor is rated for only 0.3 ms. For competitive gaming and esports, that means improved motion clarity and an exceptionally smooth experience (and yes, it also supports AMD FreeSync and is Nvidia G-Sync Compatible).

Overall, there is not much to dislike about this monitor at its current asking price. It received glowing reviews when it launched, my own included, and has only gotten better with time and multiple price cuts as Alienware has released its own competitors.

4. Acer Predator X34 OLED

Best Ultrawide G-Sync Gaming Monitor

So far this year, the reigning king of ultrawide curved gaming monitors is the Acer Predator X34 OLED. It checks all of the boxes for a great gaming monitor, including an outstanding picture, fast refresh rate, deep curve, and plenty of features to take your gaming experience to the next level.

This monitor isn't the only 34-inch ultrawide on this list. It offers quite a bit to set itself apart. Its curve offers a deep 800R radius that wraps into your peripheral vision and seems to draw you into the center of the screen to increase your immersion. Between its variable refresh rate support (Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync) and 240Hz refresh rate, all of the motion of your favorite games flows with a silky smoothness that looks amazing.

Since this monitor comes with the ultrawide version of 1440p, you won't need a top tier system to run it. Though, you should plan on at least a medium performance graphics card for the best experience. Its OLED panel offers fantastic colors with solid factory calibration. Compared to many other OLED monitors, however, it offers superior brightness with a peak luminance of 1,300 nits. This allows highlights to glimmer with a lifelike quality that helps bring games and movies to life

If you are a content creator and work with timelines, you'll surely see the benefit of its 21:9 ratio. This allows you to view more of the timeline at any given time and makes the monitor feel much more efficient to use. It lacks a dedicated sRGB mode, which is strange, but does come with a P3 mode for standardized colors.

There are a lot of curved ultra-wide gaming monitors out there, but the Acer Predator X34 OLED is the premier option for 2025.

5. MSI MPG 491CQPX

Best Curved 32:9 Super Ultrawide Monitor

How to Choose a Curved Monitor

Choosing a curved gaming monitor is very similar to choosing a great gaming monitor in general. It's important to consider what you will be using it for. If all you need to worry about is gaming, then that will narrow your choices down. If you plan to use it for productivity or creative work like video editing, there are other things to consider.

Resolution: Resolution refers to how many pixels make up the panel of the monitor. A higher resolution leads to a crisper image, however, can be more difficult to run requiring a higher performance graphics card. The three main resolutions are 1080p (1,920x1,080), 1440p (2,560x1,440), and 4K (3,840 x 2,160). Ultrawide monitors extend the first figure with their added width, but the second usually remains the same and can be used to determine the level of clarity they will provide.

Size: Choosing the right size monitor for your needs depends on several factors. The most basic is how much available space you have. Along with this, however, you should consider the type of gaming experience you are seeking. If you're choosing a curved monitor simply for the aesthetic, a gentle curve and 16:9 aspect ratio is probably going to fit your needs. If you want lots of extra usable space, then choosing a larger ultrawide (21:9) curved monitor will likely be the better choice.

While they're not hard rules, there are some basic guidelines to consider when it comes to size. For 1080p, 24 inches is usually considered the sweet spot, offering crisp visuals across a decently-sized field of view. For 1440p, 27 inches is considered ideal for this same reason. If you're opting for 4K, however, 32 inches is frequently recommended as it's large enough to offer a high pixel density without losing details to a compressed screen. You can shift any of these resolutions up in size but at the expense of a slightly softer image. For 1080p in particular, at 27 inches and above, you risk being able to see the individual pixels which create a "screen door effect" across the viewing area.

Panel Type: The next thing to consider is the type of panel being used in the display. There are three main panels being used today and one backlighting type that often gets referred to as if it were its own panel technology. The three types are IPS, VA, and OLED. TN panels are technically also available but offer the worst picture available in mainstream gaming monitors and should only be picked if you value response time over literally everything else (I suggest avoiding them). The backlighting technology is called mini-LED and is most often paired with IPS panels.

IPS, or In-Plane Switching, panels are well-loved for their great colors and viewing angles. They used to be plagued by slower response times, and while that is technically still true, there are many that offer 1ms or even 0.5ms response times, so that concern is largely a thing of the past among gaming monitors. Older and lower cost IPS monitors can still have significantly slower response times and problems with ghosting, however, so it's important to take note of its rated response time before pulling the trigger. IPS panels also offer relatively low contrast, which can make blacks look dark gray. Backlight bleed can also be an issue.

VA, or Vertical Alignment, panels are a middle-ground between the benefits of IPS and the speed of OLED and TN. They're backlit using LEDs. However, because of the way the pixels operate, they block light where IPS panels would allow it through. This allows them to offer much better contrast while still maintaining very good colors and a slightly faster response time.

OLED, or Organic Light Emitting Diode, monitors are the current key trend in the upper-middle and high tier of curved gaming monitors. With this technology, each pixel is individually controlled, only illuminating what's needed at any given time. Put another way, every pixel becomes its own local dimming zone, adjusting brightness right to the point of turning off, allowing this technology to offer the best contrast available in gaming monitors today. They're also well known for their incredible color and stunning HDR.

The downside to these monitors is that they frequently have low average brightness due to their higher power consumption and heat. Burn-in or image retention is another concern; however, manufacturers have gotten very good about covering burn-in under their included warranties, as well as integrating many different protective features to make this less likely to occur. It is still an important consideration, though, and an inherent risk to the panel type.

Brightness: A monitor's brightness is rated in nits or candelas per square meter (cdm/2). As a rule, I recommend aiming for at least 350 nits of brightness if your desk is out of direct sunlight and higher if your budget allows. 400 nits is necessary for the first level of VESA DisplayHDR certification; however, you should take that with a grain of salt. For HDR gaming and movies, I suggest looking for a monitor with a peak brightness of at least 1,000 nits so that you can experience true wide dynamic range.

Refresh Rate: Refresh rate is how many times the monitor updates its picture per second. For gaming, I recommend sticking to at least 120Hz, with 144Hz being the ideal starting point. If you are a competitive gamer, a 240Hz, 360Hz, or even 480Hz monitor can be a better choice as they offer lower input latency and better motion clarity. Anyone that is not gaming at at least a semi-professional level, however, isn't likely to experience the same benefit and competitive edge, so I recommend sticking to more affordable refresh speeds and reinvesting those funds elsewhere into your PC or into new games.

Curvature: A monitor's curvature is indicated by an "R" number that is usually clearly disclosed in the product listing. On Amazon, it usually features prominently in the listing's title. The "R" stands for radius. If the arc of the screen were to extend into a circle, the number would indicate its width. Accordingly, a higher "R" number means a shallower curve. It can be tempting to go for the deepest curve possible. However, it's important to note that anything at 1000R or below is very deep and will likely distort images and text a small degree. This makes them a better fit for pure gaming instead of productivity and other daily use tasks.

Additional Features: If you've already shopped around for a monitor, then you're probably already aware that there are a lot of curved displays with the exact same specs. It's here that you can begin to differentiate them from one another. An important thing to look for is support for variable refresh rate (VRR). This feature eliminates screen tearing and can include Low Framerate Compensation (LFC) to help your games play smoothly even if your computer struggles to run them. If you have an AMD graphics card, you'll want to be sure the monitor supports FreeSync. If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, it should be at least G-Sync compatible to ensure smooth, tear-free gameplay.

Likewise, there are many extra features that manufacturers will add to increase the value proposition and help each display stand out. If you intend to have multiple systems or a console hooked up in addition to your PC, choosing a monitor with a built-in KVM switch can make life more convenient. If you want to enjoy two different kinds of content, looking for one that offers picture-in-picture support can be wise.

Many gaming monitors also offer configuration software that can save you fumbling through the on-screen display (OSD) and even offer hotkeys to toggle settings and features. These can include features like Black Equalizer that let you peek into the shadows, on-screen reticles, or even built-in sniper modes that can zoom in on enemies. Some monitors even feature integrated AI to change contrast and picture settings depending on what's occurring in-game.

Upcoming Curved Gaming Monitors in 2025

There are always new gaming monitors being released, so rather than looking at individual models, it's helpful to look at the biggest trends guiding the industry. This year I was able to attend CES in Las Vegas and see many of the upcoming models firsthand. I have a full write-up of what's coming down the pipeline you can read here.

The biggest trend this year is once again OLED. Just about every major brand has multiple OLED displays the pipeline, spanning different for factors, designs, and intended audiences (though they're not always curved). Mini-LED monitors also look like they may be rising up as an alternative to this technology, solving the problems of brightness and burn-in at the expense of OLED's inky contrast. While most brands focused on their most premium and expensive models, there were also a number aimed at the middle of the market with more accessible prices.

Another trend to look out for this year is the collision of smart TVs with gaming monitors. Smart gaming monitors were a theme of the show. I reviewed an early model from Samsung at the end of last year that showcases the highlights of this approach: built-in game and movie streaming, live TV, and refined menus with TV-like picture settings. While I wasn't huge on the integration in that display, there's natural appeal for anyone that needs their monitor to serve double duty. Students in dorm rooms and gamers in small spaces should find a lot to enjoy in this current crop of smart monitors.

Curved Monitor FAQs

Are curved monitors better for gaming?

Many gamers think so, though this is in the eye of the beholder. In my experience, gentler curves are less perceptible and are more about the overall look of the monitor rather than practical impact. The influence of the monitor's curvature also depends on the size of the display. On smaller monitors, it's less noticeable, but on ultrawide gaming monitors, it can occupy more of your field of view and help create the effect of being drawn into the center of your screen. In terms of performance and responsiveness, a monitor's curve doesn't have an impact.

What is 800R, 1500R, and 1800R?

These numbers indicate the radius of the curvature on a gaming monitor. A lower radius indicates a deeper curve, whereas a higher radius is shallower. 1500R and 1800R curvatures are very gentle. 800R and 1000R, however, feel exceptionally curved and extend further into your peripheral vision. A very deep curve can be a gateway to immersion but can slightly warp text and objects that appear on the screen. This usually isn't very profound, and many gamers get used to it over time, yet if you do a lot of writing or are sensitive to this it can be distracting. I recommend leaving the deepest curves for gaming alone and opting for something a bit gentler for mixed use.

Are curved monitors good for work?

The answer to this question depends on the radius of the curve and the type of work that you'll be doing. Generally speaking, 1500R and 1800R curves are good for just about everything as their curvature is very mild. As mentioned in the previous answer, very deep curves usually aren't the best if you're doing a lot of typing or spreadsheet work due to the warping that can occur.

A curved ultrawide monitor can be a big asset for video editors and other creatives that use timelines in their work. Since these displays offer more horizontal space, you're able to view more of your timeline at any given time, and many people find this increases their efficiency. Outside of this use case and limited others, curved gaming monitors do not typically offer clear benefits compared to flat displays.

Where to Get the Best Curved Gaming Monitors in the UK

Chris Coke has been a regular contributor to IGN since 2019 and has been covering games and technology since 2013. He has covered tech ranging from gaming controllers to graphics cards, gaming chairs and gaming monitors, headphones, IEMs, and more for sites across the web. He currently specializes in gaming monitors, laptops, and chairs for IGN. Find Chris on Twitter @gamebynight.

Alongside sharing the news that a Black Torch anime is officially in production at VIZ Media, IGN is exclusively able to reveal its first trailer.

VIZ Media announced the Black Torch anime at its Emerald City Comic Con panel and the trailer below shows Jiro Azuma in his stealth uniform. He isn't alone, however, as he has his powerful mononoke Rago on his shoulder. There is also a tease of a dark figure reflected in the cityscape that hints at the danger to come.

For those unfamiliar, Black Torch was created by Tsuyoshi Yakaki and was originally serialized in Jump SQ. and Shonen Jump+ from 2017 to 2018. As for what it is about, here is the official synopsis of the upcoming anime to catch you up.

"A new era of ninja battles begins," the official synopsis reads. "Hailing from a long line of ninja, Jiro has been brought up by his grandfather in the ancient warrior art of the shinobi. Jiro also happens to be a particularly skilled communicator able to converse with the animal world. But life takes an abrupt turn thanks to a mysterious encounter in the forest with an injured black cat named Rago. Only, Rago's feline appearance is deceiving...

"It turns out the “ordinary” cat is the stuff of mononoke legend–the Black Star of Doom! Swarming in the shadows are more mononoke, eager to exploit Rago’s uniquely immense powers. To fight back against the tide of dark spirits, the undercover Bureau of Espionage is poised to seek and destroy. Of course, everyone has their motives when it comes to Rago’s powers. But Jiro and Rago are ready. A shinobi clash between boy and mononoke is about to ignite!"

SXSW's The Future of World-building at Disney Panel was filled with exciting details and teases of the future of Disney Parks, including how The Mandalorian and Grogu will be joining a new mission aboard Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run, that Imagineers will need to create a new type of ride vehicle with emotion for Magic Kingdom's Cars ride, and a tease of what the load area and lift off will look like for the new Monsters, Inc. attraction.

Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro and Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman led the festivities and discussed what their teams are working on and how beneficial it is when they collaborate for exciting new experiences at Disney Parks.

There was a ton discussed, and we've gathered all the biggest announcements and reveals below!

The Mandalorian and Grogu Will Join Smuggler's Run in a New Mission at the Launch of The Mandalorian & Grogu Film

While we knew The Mandalorian and Grogu would be part of a new story on Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, Disney confirmed the new experience would debut alongside The Mandalorian & Grogu movie on May 22, 2026.

The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau and Imagineers Leslie Evans and Asa Kalama shared a bit more about the upcoming new story and revealed some concept art of locations that should excite fans of that galaxy far, far away. The images, which you can see below, include a Jawa's Sandcrawler on Tatooine, the Millennium Falcon and Mando's Razor Crest flying toward Cloud City on Bespin, and even a tease of visit to the wreckage of the second Death Star above Endor.

“This isn’t going to retell what happens in the movie – it’s more like participating in something that’s happening just off-camera from what you see in the film,” Favreau explained.

Imagineers captured scenes for this new story from the set of The Mandalorian & Grogu, meaning it should feel very authentic when it goes live.

In addition, it was also revealed that the wonderful BDX droids that have been seen at Disneyland will soon be making their way to Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris. There will even be a new variant as an Anzellan (like Babu Frik!) named Otto will sometimes appear on a BDX that needs a little tune up.

The weekend is officially here, and we've rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for Saturday, March 8, below:

Apple AirPods Pro for $169.99

PlayStation or Xbox? It’s the long-running question of the modern video game world. At one point or another in your life, you’ve almost certainly been a part of this debate. Maybe you’ve started a Reddit thread, or made a TikTok video, or struck up a heated chat between friends about it. While there are gamers who preach the PC gospel, and Nintendo-as-god fanatics, much of the last two decades of video game history has been made as a result of Sony and Microsoft’s ongoing tete-a-tete. But is this ‘console war’ truly still being waged? The video game industry has gone through immense change in the last year, let alone over the previous two decades. Gamers’ habits, preferences, and options have all increased exponentially in part thanks to the rise of handheld gaming and younger generations’ expertise in building their own gaming machines. The battlefield is now practically unrecognisable compared to its tribal-like origins, but has a victor finally emerged from the trenches? Possibly – but the answer may surprise you.

The video game industry has rapidly evolved to become a financial juggernaut in recent years. In 2019, its worldwide revenue was $285 billion. Last year, it was $475 billion. That figure means that video games made more than the entire world wide movie and music industries in 2023, which made $308 billion and $28.6 billion respectively. There’s no sign of this growth stopping, either. By 2029, the industry is estimated to generate nearly $700 billion. Not bad considering its humble Pong origins.

All this considered, it’s no surprise that we’ve seen an uptick in Hollywood actors flocking to be a part of a scene with such a lucrative present and future. Mads Mikkelsen, Keanu Reeves, Jon Bernthal and Willem Dafoe to name a few have all starred in games released in the past five years. Their involvement reflects the monumental shift in the perception of video games. Even industry titans like Disney are making significant in-roads into gaming, having just invested $1.5 billion into Epic Games as part of Bob Iger’s second term challenge to solidify a gaming presence for the company. A rising tide should lift all boats – unless you’re aboard the U.S.S. Microsoft, which seems to have sprung a leak.

The Xbox Series X and S consoles are intended to be an upgrade from the Xbox One in every way. But their advancements have yet to prove truly enticing; the One currently ranks above the Series X/S by almost double the sales. When you couple this fact with comments from analytics company Circana’s games industry expert, Mat Piscatella, who has suggested that this current console generation is now past its selling peak, it paints a worrying picture for team Xbox. Things appear even worse when you look at console sales figures from 2024. According to Statista, the Xbox Series X/S sold less than 2.5 million units across the entire year – the PlayStation 5 sold the same figure in the first quarter of 2024 alone. There are also the allegations that Xbox is supposedly closing down its department which handles the manufacture and delivery of games to physical retailers, which feels ominously connected to its evasive response to a report that it plans to pull out of selling consoles in the EMEA region. If Xbox really has been involved in a ‘console war’, all of this points to the signal to retreat.

But Xbox isn't retreating – it has already surrendered. During the long Activision-Blizzard acquisition process, a statement from Microsoft found in the findings of fact revealed that the company doesn’t believe its Xbox division lost the console war – it thinks it never had a shot to begin with. So, what does a company built around a video game console do when its newest model is struggling to match its predecessor in sales, and its parent company openly remarks on its failure? It gets out of the console business.

It's no secret that Xbox Game Pass has become a key priority for the company. Leaked internal documents revealed the estimated prices Xbox expected to be asked to pay to put AAA-titles like Grand Theft Auto 5 ($12-15 million per month) and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor ($300 million) on the subscription service. Xbox taking such costs seriously demonstrates the company consolidating cloud gaming as a key direction for it moving forward. That goal is clear to see in Microsoft’s recent ‘This Is An Xbox’ advertising campaign, which suggests the company is keen to redefine how players think of Xbox – no longer a console, but an always-accessible service with some hardware to complement it instead.

It seems like this rethinking of what an Xbox is means that the brand’s official hardware won’t be limited to being a box under your TV. An Xbox handheld has been rumored to be in development for the past year or so, backed by another leaked document from the Activision-Blizzard dealings which hints at using handheld-friendly hardware for a next-gen 'hybrid cloud gaming platform'. But Microsoft’s pivot in strategy has hardly been a secret. From its announcement of plans to create a mobile game store to compete with Apple and Google, to Xbox chief Phil Spencer’s own admission that mobile gaming’s dominance in the sphere is shaping the company’s own path moving forward, the new M.O. seems simple: Xbox is the video game brand you can play whenever you want, wherever you are.

So why is Microsoft pivoting? Sure, Xbox has struggled over the past couple of generations, but doesn’t the video game console market reign supreme? You’d be surprised. In 2024, of the total 3.3 billion estimated video gamers, over 1.93 billion of them play via a mobile device. That, of course, includes your grandmother playing Candy Crush Saga and your “non-gamer” cousin who still clocks up hours of Clash of Clans. But mobile gaming is now so much more than these casual audiences – over the last decade it has quickly become the dominant pillar of the video game market among every generation, but especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha. In 2024, the total market valuation for the video game industry was $184.3 billion, with mobile games comprising exactly half of that entire figure at $92.5 billion (a 2.8% increase from the previous year). Where do consoles weigh in? At just $50.3 billion, or 27%, and that’s dropped 4% since 2023. No wonder Microsoft wants to turn your phone into an Xbox.

But this isn’t a new development. By 2013, the Asian market for mobile gaming was already dwarfing that of the western world by heights of 759% in South Korea and 280% in China. You might think GTA 5 was the most profitable game of 2013, but you’d be wrong: Both Puzzle & Dragon and Candy Crush Saga outperformed Rockstar’s juggernaut by $1.5 and $1.4 billion respectively. Take a wide-angle lens to the 2010s as a whole for video games, and you’ll find that five of the highest-grossing games were mobile games – Crossfire, Monster Strike, Honor of Kings, Puzzle & Dragon, and Clash of Clans. When you look back on the decade, I highly doubt any of these titles immediately spring to mind – and yet, I’m sure most reading this have the start-up music for Clash of Clans seared into their brains.

Phones are not the only platform drawing attention away from consoles. While not as significant as mobile gaming’s explosion, it’s clear to see that player habits have shifted toward a greater appreciation for PC gaming. Since 2014, there has been a year-on-year growth of 59 million new PC players, taking us from 1.31 billion in 2014 to 1.86 billion in 2024. It’s worth noting this rise is complimented by a gargantuan 200 million in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, during which streaming became a very attractive pastime for many house-bound players. But regardless of if Twitch called to them or not, gamers have become more technologically literate, educated by their peers online on how to build a PC powerhouse, what the best GPUs are, and how to overclock your circuit-ware. As a result, the PC’s global share of the video game market in 2024 lands at $41.5 billion – so it won’t be long until the PC battleline overtakes the army of console players, right? Well, maybe not. Netzoo’s 2016 Global Games Market Value report defined a $2.3 billion gap between console and PC – but in 2024, that gap has increased to $9 billion. So despite the rise of more advanced GPUs, circuit-boards, and Gen Z and Alpha’s technological craftiness, it’s a market that’s on the fall rather than the rise – at least for now. If that fall continues, it's not great news for Xbox, which has made Windows PCs its second home.

But it’s not just the dominance of mobile and the uncertain future of PC that Xbox has to contend with. Wars typically have two opposing sides, so it’s about time we looked at where PlayStation fits into this console war. Luckily for Sony, things are going pretty well. In its latest quarterly earnings report, Sony revealed 65 million PS5s have been sold to date – that’s a big lead ahead of the combined 29.7 million sales for the Xbox Series X/S. To break that down, for every one Xbox Series X/S bought, five PlayStation 5 consoles are also purchased. Sony’s Game and Network Services also saw a healthy 12.3% bump in its profits, helped specifically by healthy first-party sales including Astro Bot selling 1.5 million copies in under two months, and lifetime sales for Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut surpassing 13 million. The future looks very bright for the PS5. Ampere Analysis’ games research director, Piers Harding-Rolls, estimates that by 2029, Sony will have sold 106.9 million consoles. How do things look for the Xbox Series X/S’s future? Well, leaked Microsoft documents estimate that by 2027, it expects to have sold around 56-59 million units. While it’s not a directly comparable projection, it’s not good. In order for Microsoft to re-establish its competitive edge in the current market, it will need to close the 5:1 PlayStation-to-Xbox gap, significantly increase the number of units sold year-on-year, and also bolster the profitability of its exclusives. Projections don’t support a positive outcome for those first two requirements, and given Phil Spencer’s ‘no red lines’ mantra on Xbox titles coming to PlayStation and Switch (possibly even including the next Halo title), the argument could be made that PlayStation is already the King of Console.

But looking at the PS5 in isolation paints a different picture. 50% of all PlayStation users are currently still playing on older PS4s instead of PS5s, despite the newest generation now entering the second half of its life-cycle. Why is this? Well, of the top 20 best-selling games in the U.S. in 2024, only one is truly PS5-exclusive – Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, at #19. Helldivers 2 does feature at #3 but was also playable on PC at launch. Looking beyond last year, if we disregard remasters of PS4 games, there are roughly 15 genuine PS5-exclusive games on the console as a whole. There’s little here to justify the console’s price in many people’s eyes.

If the PS5 is struggling to justify its regular $500 price tag, then it's understandable why the $700 PS5 Pro debuted to a mixed reception to say the least. The general consensus amongst tech journalists is that perhaps this upgrade came too early within the cycle, especially given the games advertised in its campaign were slightly upscaled generation-old remasters. When IGN polled its readers, the result was overwhelmingly clear – the PS5 Pro has little to offer for forking over that much cash. So, simply put, the PS5 simply isn’t a must-buy console – at least, not yet. This will undoubtedly change when the behemoth that is Grand Theft Auto 6 finally releases later this year, which is almost guaranteed to become the shining star of this generation and the first chance for the PS5 to show off its true power.

So, is the console war over? If you’re Microsoft, it would appear there was never any belief that there was a chance to battle Sony for supremacy. If you’re Sony, your new console has become a success but lacks the true pedigree to be claimed as a new leap forward yet, feeling more like a bunny hop than anything else. The true winner of the console war seems to be those who chose not to play it at all. Rumors of mobile gaming companies encroaching onto the traditional console gaming sphere will only ramp up in the years to come, with Tencent rumored to be in talks to buy out Ubisoft from the Guillemot brothers, having already purchased Sumo Group in 2021. Mobile gaming is becoming increasingly pivotal to the sustainability and profitability of these companies – Take-Two Interactive claim that 10% of the world’s population plays its subsidiary Zynga’s games every month. That means that it’s more than likely that your grandma playing Zynga Poker and Words with Friends 2 is funding the continued development of Grand Theft Auto 6 – not a sentence you would expect to read five years ago, but one reflective of the new state of play of the video game market. The next five years of video gaming history will be defined less and less by who has the most powerful hardware, and more about whose cloud gaming server farm can expand the quickest and strongest. The console war is over, but the mobile gaming war (and the myriad of smaller conflicts that inevitably spin out of it) has only begun.

Sab Astley is a freelance writer who has written for IGN, Polygon, TotalFilm, Rolling Stone, Radio Times, and Metro UK.

Novocaine is in theaters on March 14, 2025.

Edgar Wright made a name for himself with action comedies like Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World – movies where normal, flawed dudes reluctantly kick ass and get the girl. But it’s been a while since we had a great one of those, so the space was open for directors Dan Berk and Robert Olson – best known for indie films like Significant Other and Villains – to take their own stab at that concept with Novocaine, a gnarly action-comedy romp about a guy with a rare genetic disorder who risks it all to save his one-night stand. Despite its shallow gimmick, Novocaine delivers a sharp script and a fresh take on the hapless hero, as brought to life by the irresistible Jack Quaid of The Boys fame.

Right off the bat, it’s apparent that Nathan Caine (Quaid) isn’t your typical schlubby hero-by-accident. He’s got a great sleep schedule, he drinks green smoothies for breakfast, and, well, he looks like the progeny of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. But growing up with CIPA – an often-fatal condition that makes it impossible for Nathan to feel pain or even temperature – has made for a very sheltered life of trying not to accidentally die. It’s a lonely existence, so after his work crush, Sherry (Amber Midthunder), coaxes Nathan out of his shell and into bed, it’s no wonder that he’s willing to put it all on the line to save her from a trio of kidnappers the very next day. After all, he’s on an all-liquid diet for fear of biting off his own tongue, and this is the woman who fed him his first-ever bite of pie.

Nathan might be oblivious to physical harm but he otherwise could not be less suited for hand-to-hand combat, and that contrast is delicious. As he stumbles into vigilante justice he strives – with all the decorum his assistant bank manager job requires – to outrun police detectives, career criminals, and his own mortality. It’s hard not to root for someone who’s down so bad he’ll stick his hand in a deep fryer; someone who pukes in distress after his first kill. It’s not every day you get to see a guy who reeks of having an up-to-date LinkedIn profile learn to fire a stolen gun.

Nathan’s written with care, humor, and specificity – hallmarks of Lars Jacobson’s clever script. There are some guys who are just plain bad, but most characters resist the straightforward morality typical of most action movies. Sherry is an excellent example of that complexity. Though she may be the impetus for Nathan’s spree, she’s no damsel; Nathan, who has recklessly forsaken his Bubble Boy-esque existence for a John Wick-style quest, is clearly the one in distress.

The premise is silly and the bloodshed is plentiful, but Novocaine is far from unfeeling. Perhaps its greatest asset is its earnestness. Our wet cat of a protagonist isn’t the only one who risks life and limb for human connection, and while the kidnappers are mostly just sociopathic thugs, one character turns out to be a great foil for Nathan with a very different relationship to pain. By the end, it’s apparent that Novocaine isn’t just about some guy who can’t feel physical pain. This is a story about the emotional agony of vulnerability, and the depths we will go to to share our lives – and our feelings – with other people. It’s set during the Christmas season, but the fact that Novocaine is premiering almost exactly five years after we all went into isolation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic feels somehow more appropriate.

We’ve all seen plenty of movies with fish-out-of-water heroes who groan or flail their way through fights. These can lean too far into cynicism, offering so much self-awareness that there is little room to surprise or delight. (For a recent example, see the horror-romance Love Hurts.) Novocaine, by contrast, effectively sells this well-trod cliche thanks in large part to Quaid, whose character feels grounded despite his wildly unusual circumstances. Quaid brings Nathan to vivid, glorious life, adding a sort of gawky ferality that is a real joy to watch. Humanizing details from the script – like the fact that Nathan’s online handle is MagicNateBall – pair perfectly with Quaid’s impenetrable charm.

That’s not to say that the script never crosses the line between clever and cutesy. (His last name shares a syllable with the word “novocaine” – we get it!) But this is a consummate popcorn movie, and it’s invigorating to see a fun, well-made, original film in a cinematic landscape that increasingly feels overtaken by shared-universe sequels and dour dramas. Novocaine goes down easy – or as easily as any movie with gory compound fractures and fingernail removal can.

Another Simple Favor streams on Prime Video beginning May 1. This review is based on a screening at the 2025 SXSW Film and Television Festival.

A sequel doesn’t have to be bigger, although many of them, including Another Simple Favor, choose to go this route. It doesn’t even have to be better, really, given the low expectations audiences historically have for follow-ups. What it has to be is more – specifically, more of whatever made the first film work well enough to justify a second one.

In the case of A Simple Favor, the thing that charmed audiences enough to bring in five times the budget was the effervescent chemistry between stars Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick (with some delicious bon mots and fabulous costume design as a bonus). The sequel delivers more of all these things: Kendrick is still tiny and spunky, the queen of the skeptical head tilt and sassy comeback. And Lively is still tall and unflappable, intriguing and intimidating at the same time.

The script gives them plenty of witty lines to volley back and forth, with enough left over for supporting players like Andrew Rannells, who tells his young daughter early in the film, “If you can’t be smart, be funny. If you can’t be funny, be pretty.” That’s typical of the script’s pithy, bitchy dialogue, written by returning screenwriter Jessica Sharzer along with Altered Carbon creator Laeta Kalogridis.

Another Simple Favor takes the action to Italy, where Emily (Lively) and Stephanie (Kendrick) reunite at the former’s wedding on the stunning island of Capri. At risk of spoilers, the natural question here is, “Didn’t Emily go to jail at the end of the last movie?” Yes, and true to the movie’s tongue-in-cheek tone, that’s explained away with a single line after Emily stomps back into Stephanie’s life in a pair of rhinestone-studded stiletto boots. Stephanie owes Emily – you guessed it – another favor, given the whole “sending her to prison after having sex with her husband, and then writing a book about it” thing.

Henry Golding is back as Emily’s errant now-ex-spouse, and his (unfortunately brief, for reasons best not explained here) appearance in the film is a comedic highlight. Weddings also bring family members back into the fold, and Allison Janney joins the cast as Emily’s estranged aunt Linda, who’s more conniving and dangerous than she appears. And of course there must be a husband, and Michele Morrone does his duty being hunky and a little scary as Emily’s betrothed Dante, who’s the heir to a massive fortune no one wants to talk about. (The Mafia. It’s the Mafia.)

Dante is using Emily, Emily is using Stephanie, Aunt Linda is obviously up to something, and bodies keep appearing in inconvenient places as this cutthroat crew prepares for the big day. One innovation Another Simple Favor brings to its Agatha Christie-esque plot is arranging events in a way that wrests them out of Emily’s control, and observing the shifts in her character and motivation that follow that change. This means that Stephanie is also out of control, which she hates, although her intelligence means that she’s never behind the curve for long.

There are a few too many plot threads for all of them to pay off – a subplot involving single mom Stephanie’s son Miles (Joshua Satine), conveniently away at a no-phones-allowed summer camp, goes nowhere, for example. And the film’s attempts to outdo its predecessor in intrigue are absurd in a way that’s sometimes fun, and sometimes off-puttingly bizarre. But this is Italy, birthplace of the giallo film. And intentionally or not, Another Simple Favor’s more lurid psychosexual twists are true to that particular genre.

If the plot escalations are variable, one area where bigger is unilaterally worse for Another Simple Favor is in the camerawork. Director Paul Feig is known for long takes designed not to interfere with his actors’ performances, and his lack of finesse with more complicated sequences is obvious in haphazardly assembled drone shots that sweep over the dramatic cliffs of Capri. This wouldn’t be that big of a deal, except that there are a lot of them, and they’re all nauseating.

Better to concentrate on what works: The performances, the script, and the costumes. Oh, the costumes. The contrast between Lively and Kendrick’s wardrobes tells you everything you need to know about their characters, with Lively’s breathtakingly luxe menswear-inspired ensembles contrasting with Kendrick’s momcore jean shorts and worn-out hoodies. She does get to wear some pretty dresses at the wedding festivities, in scenes that are smorgasbords of moneyed excess and natural splendor. Throw some slick Italo-pop on top, and you’ve got a piece of escapist entertainment that’s more clever than most. So what if it doesn’t always make sense?

The light heavyweight title is on the line tonight with the UFC 313 match in Las Vegas. Alex Pereira will be defending his title against Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of one of the biggest UFC fights of the year so far. Pereira was confident enough to throw down a $200K bet on himself, but will he be able to back that up with a win? Ankalaev earned his shot at the title after a 13-fight winning streak and presents a very real threat to Pereira.

If you're wondering when and where you can watch tonight's main PPV event, we've gathered all of the details below. There's also the prelim rounds starting earlier in the day that you can watch without purchasing the PPV package.

Where to Stream UFC 313 Live Online

Warning: Light spoilers follow for Mickey 17.

Adaptation is an art and few have made it as wryly fun as Parasite director Bong Joon Ho has with his new film Mickey 17. Though the film follows the broad narrative strokes of Edward Ashton’s similarly darkly playful sci-fi novel Mickey7, and has some of the same questions floating around about the nature of the self, the way Mickey 17 explores broader ideas about love, death, compassion, and violence couldn’t be more different.

Ashton’s story focuses on the perspective of Mickey (perfectly played in the film by a raucous Robert Pattinson at his most wonderfully weird), the titular “expendable” who gets killed and then cloned over and over on a dangerous space-colonizing mission. But that’s only a fraction of what gives the film version life. It’s through an increased focus on the supporting characters that Bong makes the film something he can definitively call his own. Like the central character who finds himself repeatedly replicated, this is no mere carbon copy, but something much more. Just as each of the Mickey copies had slight personality differences, eventually resulting in Mickey 18 being more aggressive, the film too puts its own twist on the novel’s narrative.

Different Planets, Different Deaths, and a Maniacal Expendable

In the book we get a sense of how Mickey was having a hard time back on his original planet of Midgard and needed to escape due to some debts, though this is changed in the film to be Earth. Where Ashton doesn’t give us much of a sense of what life was like on that planet, Bong makes this a focal point, showing how the people fleeing Earth are doing so in order to escape from what has become an increasingly inhospitable world. In both versions, Mickey and his shipmates are trying to set up some sort of beachhead colony on the icy planet of Niflheim. The scene in the movie where Mickey signs up to be an expendable is set against the backdrop of a devastating sandstorm that has become so normalized that people don’t seem to think much of it. In the book, Mickey has no relationship to Earth and Midgard doesn’t have any of the same ecological catastrophes driving people to look to the stars.

Yes, our planet does exist in the novel, but it’s referred to as “old Earth.” Meanwhile, Midgard is “almost a paradise” where people don't typically have money problems, as nearly everything is automated, from industry to agriculture. Just like other planets in the Union (which includes all the other established colonies), people seem to be doing well. The trouble is that Mickey is not skilled in any real way, which is something the film also establishes. What’s different in the novel is that he likes reading history and does so many times to learn more about what went wrong on a series of ill-fated colony missions. What gets him in trouble is that, while he can survive off a stipend he receives, he is searching for meaning and makes bad money decisions.

This is what brings us to the same element of him becoming an expendable. The first “death” we see (which actually ends up not killing him) is the same in both book and movie, and indeed, most of the ways that Mickey dies in the movie are similar. The primary difference is that there are more of them in the film, and Bong establishes that the repetitive nature of them is what becomes most crushing to the character. The main differences in the book in this regard are some of his early deaths. There is one extended portion devoted to a catastrophe on the ship that Mickey must fix by exposing himself to extreme amounts of radiation. There is a similar scene where he is also exposed to radiation in the film, but this is played more for grim laughs as we see him stranded outside before his hand is severed. The book, on the other hand, traps him inside and sees him even killing himself rather than die a slow painful death that he’ll be forced to remember when he gets reprinted.

The lore surrounding expendables and why doubles (the idea of multiple copies of the same person that becomes a key turning point in both stories) are an almost existential concern for many is deepened in the novel. In Chapter 17, the history buff version of Mickey takes us through the story of Alan Manikova. Though there is a version of this character in the film who becomes a serial killer and created multiple versions of his psychopathic self, the novel explores how he takes over another planet (known as Gault) where he builds an army of multiples. He then blew up a ship sent to see what his intentions were and another planet in the Union, Farhome, decided to launch an unmanned ship at him that would not slow down. Armed with explosives, it obliterated his planet at the speed of light (a la the striking scene from Star Wars: The Last Jedi). So while both the movie and book establish why it is that expendables are feared, the latter makes it clear that it’s because of a greater threat that a double once posed.

From Militaristic Leader to Outlandish Villain

Though both film and novel drop us into their worlds in similar ways, with the unlucky Mickey finding himself left for dead underground on said coldly desolate planet only to return back to the base above to find there is another version of him wandering about, Mickey 17 becomes radically different once we get to know the people that populate it. Where Ashton’s story finds a villain of sorts in the militaristic leader Marshall, Bong’s sharp sci-fi takes the name of the character and little else. Played in the film by an intentionally outlandish Mark Ruffalo, making his character in 2023’s Poor Things look downright restrained by comparison, he is an egotistical, self-centered, and generally unseemly fascist who, alongside his wife Ylfa (a terrific Toni Collette), has rallied a group of fanatical followers who seem to worship at his feet even as he not only puts them all at risk, but also views them with disdain. He needs to feel important, even if he’s an utter idiot, acting solely in his own self-interest and caring not at all for the destruction he causes to others.

It’s here that we see Bong effectively opening up entirely new thematic territory for himself and the film. Where the novel mostly keeps Marshall in the background as someone for Mickey to steer clear of, both because the leader views him as an abomination on religious grounds and because Mickey doesn’t want Marshall to figure out that he’s now a double, Mickey 17 brings him to the forefront. Sure, there are some elements carried over from the novel, but the character here is so much more deliberately over the top. It ensures the film tips into being more of a pointedly satirical farce.

The contemporary resonance isn’t just “this politician is such a buffoon,” but something greater in Bong’s hands as he shows how even the most cartoonish of men can still manage to hide how woefully out of their depth they are. Where the novel is much more about the day-to-day of Mickey figuring out how he’s going to keep his secret, the film is about how the dangers of fascism can be both existentially frightening and darkly funny. The film is far from subtle in how it explores this, blowing up all of Marshall’s excesses to comedic effect, but such figures rarely are. We can see just how nakedly insecure Ruffalo’s character is at every turn, but that doesn’t stop the brutish, blustering antagonist from bringing all of the characters to the edge of annihilation. Where the novel paints him as more of an obsessive military man, the film is about showing us a more alarmingly authoritarian yet still hilariously human figure.

As of March 8, the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates Premium Collection is back in stock at Amazon for around £50. This set includes eight booster packs, three etched foil promo cards, and an oversized Quaquaval ex, but the real draw is what could be inside those packs. Paldean Fates has some of the most valuable Shiny Pokémon cards we’ve had for a while.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Paldean Fates Premium Collection

If you’re after classic Pokémon, the Shiny Rare Pikachu is one of the hardest to find. Despite being the same rarity as other Shiny Pokémon, its £40+ price tag proves just how much collectors want it. Pikachu cards are usually easy to find (Bar Surging Sparks of course), but this one is different. It’s part of the Shiny Vault subset, which means there’s a huge pool of possible pulls, making it tough to track down.

Iono (Special Illustration Rare) is one of the best Trainer cards in the set and is selling for over £35. It’s one of the most playable supporter cards in the game, meaning players need multiple copies, and this version has incredible alternate artwork. It was the most expensive card in the Japanese version of the set, and while it’s not quite at that level in English, it’s still one of the best pulls you can get.

There’s also strong demand for Shiny Charmander and Charmeleon because no one wants an incomplete evolution line. Charmander is selling for over £25, and Charmeleon is around £15-£20, mostly because players want them to go alongside Shiny Charizard ex. These are the kinds of cards that only become harder to find over time, especially as more people complete their collections.

Paldean Fates Pull Rates

Paldean Fates has solid pull rates, making it one of the better sets to open if you’re hoping to find something valuable. Shiny Pokémon show up about once every three packs, and there’s a real chance of hitting a Special Illustration Rare or Hyper Rare every 50 to 60 packs. While that might sound like a long shot, it’s far better than what we’ve seen in some past special sets like Prismatic Evolutions and Shrouded Fable. Every pack feels like it has potential, which makes it easy to keep opening more.

Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.

Samsung has launched a major new spring sale on its online storefront with dozens of deals on items like smartphones, TVs, monitors, and plenty more categories. While it's only been a few weeks since the Galaxy S25 launched, you can already save hundreds of dollars on both the S25 and S25+. If you are an Android smartphone user waiting to upgrade, this is a sale worth looking at.

Below, we've compiled some of the best deals you can find during Samsung's spring sale. According to Samsung, new deals will be added every day, and we'll be sure to update this article with any new standout savings that may arise. This sale is set to end on Sunday, March 9, so don't miss your chance to save!

Samsung Smartphone Deals

First up, Samsung has a handful of great deals for its latest Galaxy smartphones. The biggest deal available is 32% off the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which is a great choice if you're interested in one of Samsung's folding phones. The Z Flip 6 is also $300 off, and you can even save on the recent S25+ or S25 Ultra. Overall, you're saving at least $300 across the board, regardless of which phone you may choose.

Samsung TV & Audio Deals

Next, Samsung has discounted various 4K TVs, like The Frame series or the 75" QN90D. These are all quality models that act as a perfect upgrade to any living room, bedroom, or media room. There's also savings on various Q-Series soundbars, which are essential for the best home theater experience. You can even save $200 off The Freestyle, an all-in-one projector that can create a huge image while outputting 360-degree sound.

Samsung Wearables & Buds Deals

Samsung has discounted both Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 7 models, which makes today the perfect time to upgrade if you're still using an older model. The newer Galaxy Watch 7 brought improved sensors, battery life, and more. We have it ranked as the best Android smartwatch out there. Additionally, both Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are excellent earbuds for Android users. While the battery life can be less than ideal at times, we still found the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro to be great in our 8/10 review.

Samsung Monitors, Memory & Storage Deals

Finally, there are many different deals on gaming monitors, memory cards, and storage options. Our favorite deal is 51% off the 34" Odyssey QD-OLED G8, as this deal includes a 32" ViewFinity S7 (S70D) 4K UHD Monitor free of charge. It's hard to beat two monitors for the price of one. You'll also find quality savings on other Odyssey models, like the Neo G8 which has a 4K UHD display and a 240Hz refresh rate. As for storage, the Pro Plus Sonic the Hedgehog 512GB microSD card is on sale for $44.99, and you can save $70 off this 4TB NVMe SSD that is compatible with PS5.

Four years ago, TCL was leading the way in the affordable television space – that was until Hisense started to take the industry by storm. TCL was outclassed by Hisense pricing and performance and it looked like it couldn’t find a way to stand out.

That has changed. Last year’s QM7 showed hints of what TCL was capable of, but the brand-new QM6K takes its technology to another level. I have never tested an LED television with a combination of this level of off-angle contrast control, halo suppression, and contrast at this price. The result is one of the best TVs for gaming at the $1,000 price point.

Note: all specifications mentioned are for the 65-inch version of this television, which is the unit IGN reviewed.

TCL QM6K – Design and Build

TCL isn’t breaking any new ground with the design of the QM6K. This is an unassuming, simple flatscreen that is 2.2 inches deep without the stand – but with it included, you’ll have to make room for 11.69 inches on a media console. Three of the sides feature very slim bezels while the bottom has a thin silver base that has an additional small bump in the middle for the IR receiver and microphone mute switch.

This is a very light television and a reasonably strong adult can hoist it and the box over their shoulder with relative ease. In contrast to modern OLED televisions that are extremely heavy, it is easy to navigate the QM6K’s 38 pounds around and get it positioned in a living room.

The feet don’t have the best design. While most manufacturers include metal dimples or guides to assure that it isn’t possible to install the feet incorrectly, TCL went with plastic nubs that nearly instantly shear off. It’s also easily possible to install the feet backward and not notice. The instructions are definitely required, which is unusual since feet installation is usually very self-explanatory.

The rear of the television sports a 40W, three-speaker system. TCL’s input layout is the reverse of what most manufacturers choose, with the power port on the left side (when facing the screen) and all the other inputs on the right.

The QM6K has four HDMI ports and two of them support the maximum 4K at 144Hz – which is becoming the standard for televisions. The other two are slower (just 4K at 60p) but luckily one of those slower ports is used for eARC, meaning you don’t have to waste one of the high-performance ports on your soundbar or sound system like you have to with a Sony television. TCL also included one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, an RF input, and an optical port.

There is zero cable management on the QM6K and while I appreciate the design of the included feet, I’m not a fan of how this is becoming the norm. I don’t like seeing cables dangle across the back through the space under the panel and not providing me with any way to guide them to the back of those feet, at least, isn’t great. TCL isn’t the only one doing this but that doesn’t forgive the exclusion of cable management of any kind.

TCL QM6K – The Remote

TCL’s remote control design is larger in both height and width than the industry average, but it’s not cumbersome. The fully-plastic design doesn’t overwhelm with too many options and features a “hamburger” for quick access to the most important TV settings (and holding it down in Game Mode activates the Game Bar) as well as the traditional gear icon for full settings access. It otherwise features the familiar suspects: volume, channels, voice control, input, etc.

It comes with six pre-installed shortcuts, too. My review sample had buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, Youtube, Apple TV, TCL TV, and Disney+. Five out of the six of those options are popular, regularly used services, which is nice to see.

TCL QM6K – Software and UI

TCL, like Hisense and Sony, uses Google TV as the operating system and it’s a stock system with just a couple of changes that are specific to the TCL experience.

I will say that one weak point of the QM6K is the processing speed. The TV can take a few seconds longer than you might expect to fire up and inputs on the remote can feel just a hair laggy, especially if you’re asking it to start up a new app or if you try to immediately go to the input options when you first turn it on. It can also sometimes not react to button presses and then, 10 seconds later, react to them all at once as if they were caught up in a queue. This isn’t frequent, but it does happen.

Google TV might be a resource-hungry operating system because I’ve noticed this can be a problem across all of the manufacturers who choose to use it, so I don’t particularly hold this experience against TCL, but it’s still worth mentioning.

Google TV’s default is littered with “suggestions” – AKA ads – which is becoming the norm with all smart TV interfaces, unfortunately. You can turn these off by activating Apps Only Mode but even that never gets rid of the big banner at the top of the home screen. All that said, Google TV never autoplays anything from the home screen unlike other systems (I’m looking at you Samsung Tizen), so it’s still one of the least offensive options available. It also has support for every popular streaming service, so you won’t be without options.

TCL QM6K – Picture Quality

It’s worth noting that the QM6K is TCL’s entry-level miniLED television, which means the recently-reviewed QM7 from 2024 – which is now more affordable than the QM6K – sits higher up on the line. The price cut is because it’s last year’s model, but it might be difficult to rationalize spending more for the entry-level QM6K versus picking up the QM7 mid-level television for a discount.

There are reasons to do so, however. Firstly, looking at the color performance of the QM6K, it’s almost as good as last year’s QM7. It covers 99.8%, 81.3%, and 89.6% of the sRGB, Adobe RGB, and DCI P3 color gamuts, respectively – all with an average Delta E of 0.64 and never more than 2.85, which is outstanding. Other than the dip in Adobe RGB coverage (which really only matters if you intend to use the TV as a monitor for color-critical work), the QM6K’s color differences compared to the QM7 are going to be generally imperceptible. I will say the TV pushes blues a lot (just like the QM7 does), so you may want to warm up the color temperature a bit to even out the tones (this tends to make your eyes less tired anyway, so it’s a win-win).

Panel uniformity is pretty good, dipping only in one corner of the display I tested – that outperforms the uniformity I tested on the QM7 last year. Panel uniformity varies from TV to TV, so your results may vary, but what TCL appears to have done here is very impressive for an inexpensive, entry-level television.

I think skin tones and landscape color both look really good on the QM6K, especially with native 4K content. I will say that the upscaling technology in the QM6K isn’t industry-leading and can result in footage that looks a tad out of focus or fuzzy. That means broadcast TV can suffer a bit, but streaming TVs and movies will look great.

That latter note is especially the case given the QM6K’s outstanding HDR color support. It has multiple picture settings including a Filmmaker mode and the TV supports Dolby Vision in addition to HDR 10, 10+, HLG, and IMAX/IMAX Enhanced. You will be hard-pressed to find an HDR movie that the QM6K can’t show in its intended HDR profile.

Where the QM6K falls in a head-to-head matchup with the QM7 is in peak brightness. This new television peaks in the 900 nit range, which is well below the 1,500 nits the QM7 packs. However, this isn’t a straight downgrade because TCL sacrificed some brightness to compensate and overcome the biggest weaknesses of the QM7: off-angle viewing and halo.

In large living rooms, a wide viewing angle is important so that everyone, likely seated in a wide fan shape around the TV, sees the same high quality image. Typically LEDs – and especially more affordable ones – see immediate and noticeable dropoff in quality by shifting even a few degrees to the right or left of center.

The QM6K has no perceptible loss in color saturation or contrast between viewing it head-on and seeing it from the sides, which is extremely impressive.

Perhaps even more impressive is the very well-controlled halo on the QM6K. Halo refers to a glow that appears around brightly lit objects set against dark backgrounds. The most common everyday way to notice this is watching super-wide movies or TV shows with captions or subtitles which will often sit against a pure black background below the on-screen content. Most LED televisions struggle here and the lettering will appear to have a big, white, hazy glow around them, which is not only distracting but can also make it harder to read the words.

OLEDs get around this by their ability to only illuminate the exact pixels that are necessary, but LEDs use dimming zones, and those are much larger than individual pixels – and are the cause of that halo. TCL does use dimming zones in the QM6K – 500, to be exact – but also combines this with a new “halo control system” layer.

Compared to the QM7, I would estimate the halo to be reduced by upward of 85-90%. You really have to look for it to catch it, and while there is still some present, it’s one of the best suppression technologies that I’ve seen on a non-OLED display. Combined with the excellent off-angle viewing experience, content viewed on the QM6K will look significantly better – albeit not as bright – compared to the QM7.

I noticed some stutter, especially on content that is moving vertically across the frame and when in the Filmmaker or Movie modes, but TCL’s motion clarity set on low immediately removed the problem. Even better, I don’t think the motion clarity adversely affects other content and avoids giving images that sickly, overly smooth look that motion settings typically do. While I usually recommend forgoing motion smoothing of any kind, I think you can “set it and forget it” on low with the QM6K and be very pleased with the results.

If your TV room is brightly lit with lots of windows, the QM6K will not be able to overcome that brightness as easily as the QM7 from last year. Added to that is the very glossy, reflective look of the QM6K’s front panel which will glare quite easily (which should be visible in my photos). However, in dimmer rooms where its brightness is less necessary, the QM6K is a much better television.

TCL QM6K – Gaming Performance

The first thing I tested on the QM6K was its gaming support and it is there that I have been most impressed. TCL says to expect games to look and feel fantastic on this television thanks to the variable refresh rate (VRR) accelerator which takes the 144Hz HDMI 2.1 maximum throughput and doubles it to a perceived 288.

I can’t really tell the difference after we start to go higher than 150Hz, but what I can say is that competitive multiplayer gaming feels spectacular. Both Marvel Rivals and Apex Legends are snappy and buttery smooth with no lag or perceived frame loss (at least not due two the television).

TCL also includes support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro which means gamers will find a good experience whether they are using a PC or a console.

That 144Hz is also the television’s native refresh rate, which means the panel is actually capable of matching the speeds that are being driven to it, so even without the help of VRR, the QM6K manages to feel as fast and performant as an OLED for competitive gaming.

TCL includes access to its Game Bar which gives you more control over how games look. There are a few profiles that adjust the shadow detail for competitive shooters versus the richer contrast you might want for a single player RPG and these can be dialed in further with a shadow detail option. All of the benefits that make the QM6K great for 4K movies and television are there in equal measure for gaming, which means couch co-op won’t be negatively affected by bad viewing angles and narrative-driven games will have the color and contrast that match Hollywood’s best.

Given that the weakest point of this television is its brightness, I think one of the best use cases for the QM6K is deployment in a gaming room or basement. There, it has more than enough brightness to deliver a great experience and the entry-level price combined with its excellent features makes it ideal as a household’s “second TV.”

TCL QM6K – Audio Quality

If there is one place I am disappointed with the QM6K, it’s with the audio quality: it’s bad. Not only does it lack the mids and lows that is a common problem with all flatscreens, it is also terribly unbalanced. The sound appears mushy and muddled and the reliance on the highs means music can sound downright harsh.

Voices are clear, at least, but if there are any competing sounds next to those voices, they can easily get lost – especially for deeper, lower-toned speech. I was hopeful for the audio quality given it at least looks impressive with those three speakers on the back, but I am quite disappointed.

That said, I have yet to find a television that I don’t recommend getting a soundbar or sound system with, as all televisions lack the ability to back up their excellent visuals with even mediocre audio quality. You’ll definitely want one here, though, as it’s well below what I consider to be average performance.

TCL QM6K – The Competition

TCL’s biggest competition is going to be against itself because, as mentioned, last year’s QM7 and QM8 are both higher-tier televisions in TCL’s lineup and are also both less expensive at the time of writing than the QM6K as they are old-stock now.

Still, I do think that unless you have a supremely bright living room and the windows are right across from the front of the television, the QM6K earns its price premium thanks to dramatically improved viewing angles and halo suppression as well as its fantastic contrast and great colors. It’s a shockingly good showing from TCL’s entry-level models.

Hisense is also still worth considering, as its U7 series brings superior brightness and great color, albeit worse off-angle viewing.

Few sports are more primed for the whole “being a video game” thing than professional wrestling, but it’s kinda weird when you think about it: the WWE itself is more akin to an elaborately choreographed fight or dance sequence in a movie than it is an actual competition, whereas the goal of the games based on it is to fight to win. But inherent contradictions aside, I’m enjoying my time with WWE 2K25 so far – just a couple of days in – thanks to its much-improved Showcase mode and generally great game feel.

When I step into a new version of an annualized game like this, the first thing I try to do is get the lay of the land. Even though I’ve been playing wrestling games since the N64 days, my first stop is the tutorial because, unless things have gone very wrong, something is always a little different (this year, for instance, sees the long-requested return of Chain Wrestling) or I’ve forgotten how to do some very important, very specific button sequence you need to be able to do. WWE games have had a good introduction for a while now, especially compared to other sports game franchises (Hi, Madden!), and WWE 2K25 is no exception. This is an incredibly detailed tutorial that will walk you through everything you need to be a champ in the ring, with in-depth explanations of what moves do and how to do them. The Performance Center is a great teaching tool whether you need a quick refresher or you’re learning to do an Irish Whip for the first time. This may seem like an odd thing to spill ink over, but every version of a game is someone’s first – or maybe their first in a while – and I’m glad Visual Concepts seems to remember those people.

Once I’d refreshed my memory, I spent a while just looking around. WWE 2K25’s got an absolutely stacked roster, whether you’re here for classics like Bret “Hit Man” Hart, wrestlers-turned-movie-stars like Dave Bautista/Batista and Dwayne Johnson/The Rock, megastars like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, or weirdos like Doink the Clown. I also appreciate that there are several versions of the same dudes from across their history in the WWE. Why yes WWE 2K25, I do need a handful of Triple Hs, each with their own different stats, thank you! Did you know that, compared to the modern version of The Rock, the 1997 version is considered a bum? Me neither, but that’s what the stats say! Remember what Rhea Ripley’s visual style was in 2020? Or 2017? When was the last time you thought about “Ravishing” Rick Rude? This stuff is great, and what’s better is you can edit just about every aspect of these wrestlers, from how the crowd reacts to them to tweaking individual stats and changing out moves if you don’t like Visual Concepts’ take on them. The ability to tweak individual wrestlers is not new, but as this roster gets bigger, it’s good to be reminded of how impressive all of it is.

Among other new things in WWE 2K25, so far I’ve briefly toyed with intergender matches, The Island (I mean, who among us hasn’t wanted to impress Roman Reigns?), and new MyRise storylines. But what’s captured most of my attention so far is this year’s Showcase mode, which follows the Bloodline and the Anoa’i, Fatu, and Maivia families. Paul “The Wiseman” Heyman hosts the thing this year, and he’s clearly having a very good time providing the backstory that explains who the players are and why these matches are significant. There’s a lot of archival footage here, as in years past, though the problem of blurring out some folks’ faces (maybe due to rights issues?) persists.

Regardless, Showcase feels better than last year’s version (partially because this time we’ve got full ring entrances and the mid-match commentary is really excellent, and here for every match) and a fun twist this time around is that you’re sometimes asked to change the outcomes of matches members of these families lost in the real WWE storyline. If what I’ve played is any indication of the whole, there are also no longer any cuts to match footage that interrupt your gameplay. Big moments are instead recreated in-game, which means they play out more organically, even if you’re not following the checklist. So far, I’m having a blast doing things like beating the ever-loving snot out of Hulk Hogan with Yokozuna.

The other thing that’s stood out is just how good it all looks. The WWE series has always been a looker, but this year Visual Concepts has managed to make things noticeably prettier than ever. Bruises, blood, and sweat are more realistic, and you can tell how long a match has been going, who is winning, and where the guys in the ring are taking the most punishment at a glance. It’s really impressive.

And that’s kind of where I am with WWE2K25 as a whole as we head into the first weekend. There’s a lot left to do before I can slap a number on this bad boy, but it looks fantastic, feels pretty great (just like WWE 2K24), and there’s a lot of it. An upscale wrestling buffet, if you will. What I’ve had so far is scrumptious, but there’s still a wide selection of dishes on the table, and your boy’s gotta taste test ‘em all. Better get back to it – that circle’s not gonna square itself.

Are you playing? Let us know what you think so far!

Balatro developer Local Thunk has published an extensive history of the game's development to his personal blog, in which he admits he didn't play any rogue-like games at all during Balatro's development...except one.

In his development timeline, the anonymous developer says as of December 2021, he made a conscious effort not to play any more roguelike games starting from that point.

"I want to be crystal clear here and say that this was not because I thought it would result in a better game, this was because making games is my hobby, releasing them and making money from them is not, so naively exploring roguelike design (and especially deckbuilder design, since I had never played one before) was part of the fun for me. I wanted to make mistakes, I wanted to reinvent the wheel, I didn’t want to borrow tried-and-true designs from existing games. That likely would have resulted in a more tight game but it would have defeated the purpose of what I love about making games."

However, a year and a half later, Local Thunk broke their rule exactly once. He downloaded Slay the Spire. "Holy shit," he wrote. "now that is a game."

He goes on to explain why he started playing in the first place: "I did this because I was having some troubles in my controller implementation and I wanted to see how they handled controller inputs for a card game but I ended up getting sucked in. Thank goodness I avoided playing it until now because I surely would have just copied their incredible design (intentionally or subconsciously)."

Local Thunk's post-mort is full of interesting insights. For one, he explains that early on in development he named the production working folder for Balatro "CardGame" and then just...never changed it. He also reveals that the working title for the game throughout much of its development was "Joker Poker."

Local Thunk also provided a number of insights into scrapped features, including:

• "a version where the only way to upgrade anything is to upgrade the cards in your deck in a sort of pseudo-shop, and those cards can be upgraded multiple times (think like Super Auto Pets, pets have different XP/levels when combined, same idea)"
• "a separate currency for rerolls outside of %1quot;
• "a ‘golden seal’ to be added to playing cards when you skip all blinds that returns that card to hand after it has been played"

We also got treated to an anecdote on how Balatro landed on 150 Jokers. It was apparently the result of a miscommunication:

"I also had a meeting with Playstack [the publisher] this month [October 2023] where I described to them the final content in the game, including ‘120 Jokers’," Local Thunk wrote. "Later that week I had another meeting with them, and someone mentioned something about 150 Jokers. I couldn’t remember if I accidentally said I was going to make 150 or if they misheard me, but either way I thought that 150 was a much better number so I added 30 more Jokers to the plan."

Finally Local Thunk provided the deep origin story of the name...Local Thunk. tl;dr, it's a programming joke:

"My partner was learning to code in R at the time, and she asked me 'How do you name your variables?' I went on some rant about casing, using descriptive words, underscores, etc. She waits until I am finished and says 'I like to call mine thunk'. I thought that was just about the funniest thing I had ever heard.

"The way variables are declared in Lua is (sometimes) with the local keyword, thus local thunk was born! I wouldn’t choose this name for quite a while yet but this is the moment I looked back on when I was finally ready to create a developer handle online."

There's a lot more to read about the making of Balatro in Local Thunk's blog, which can be found here. Needless to say, we love Balatro at IGN, giving it a 9/10 and calling it "A deck-builder of endlessly satisfying proportions, it's the sort of fun that threatens to derail whole weekend plans as you stay awake far too late staring into the eyes of a jester tempting you in for just one more run."

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

In general, I am a very practical person when it comes to spending money. I buy the essentials I need and occasionally a video game when it goes on sale, but usually I don't really venture beyond that. It wasn't until just last year that I even considered buying something as unnecessary as a LEGO set. Even though I loved building LEGO sets as a kid, at some point I guess I just got older and stopped.

In part, that's probably because LEGO is really expensive. While there are some cool sets for under $25, anything tied to some sort of movie or video game franchise always comes at a higher cost. Which is why it took me so long to convince myself to buy the LEGO Super Mario Piranha Plant. It's been on sale since October of last year for under $50 but I only recently decided my desk needed a new potted plant.

The LEGO Super Mario Piranha Plant

A medical investigation into the death of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman has revealed that he likely passed away one week after hantavirus claimed the life of his wife, Betsy Arakawa (via Variety).

An update regarding the passing of the couple, which was deemed “suspicious” in a search warrant late last month, arrives from New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator Chief Medical Examiner Heather Jarrell, who says Hackman, 95, died of cardiovascular disease. The report also states Alzheimer’s played a part in his passing.

It is believed Arakawa, 65, died February 11, 15 days before her and Hackman’s bodies were discovered in their New Mexico home. The CDC describes hantavirus as a “family of viruses which can cause serious illnesses and death.” It’s a virus primarily spread by rodents, such as mice and rats.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza said in a recent news conference that security camera footage revealed Arakawa visiting a local Sprouts market and CVS the day of her death. She had also spoken with a massage therapist that same day. Hackman’s pacemaker recorded its final event February 17, suggesting he died one week following Arakawa’s passing. The two, along with one deceased dog, were found in separate rooms with no sign of a gas leak, with a following autopsy showing negative tests for carbon monoxide.

News of Hackman and Arakawa’s passing shocked the film community when the news spread February 27. The actor’s career saw him winning two Oscars and appearing in films such as Superman, The French Connection, Unforgiven, and many more. He retired from the film world in 2004, telling Empire that the decision was made after his doctor advised him against putting too much stress on his heart.

For more on Hackman’s work, you can see our list of his 20 best films.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).

Blogroll image credit: Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Entertainment has hit critical mass over the last decade, with more shows and movies being produced and released than ever before. It’s impossible to keep up with everything hitting the digital space, whether it be Premium Video on Demand (PVOD) or a traditional streaming network. With that in mind, we figured it was well past time for us to whip up a little something to help you keep up (and catch up) with all there is to watch in the big, wide world of digital viewing. And thus, the Streaming Rewind was born!

We’ll update this list at the end of each week so you can check out what you may have missed, and what’s coming up on the weekend. We’ll keep it a mix of popular releases and noteworthy lesser-known titles to help you find what’s worth taking the risk on as well as dive into a few things that we loved and why we loved ‘em, or just break down a show or movie that left us with some opinions. Sometimes, we’ll even have guest entries from other members of the IGN staff. If you’re not interested in all that and just want to see a bulleted list of what’s out there, pop on down to the New and Noteworthy and ICYMI sections.

Daredevil: Born Again — The Man Without Fear Returns (Disney+)

Matt Murdock is back on our television screens with a violent and heart-wrenching two-episode premiere on Disney+ this week. With his world altered for good, will Daredevil ever be the same again? We’ll have to wait and see. But, if the first two episodes are any indicator, we’re in for one hell of a ride regardless of which path Murdock chooses for himself and his city.

Severance: Who Says You Can’t Go Home? (Apple TV+)

This week’s Severance changed everything we know about the procedure, giving us a Harmony Cobel-laden episode that expands Lumon’s world and highlights why the former manager is so pissed at the company. Season 2 has just a couple of episodes left to unravel what’s going on with Gemma, whether Cold Harbor will reach completion, and if Mark can survive the dangerous gambit he’s undertaken this season.

Heart Eyes Has Entered the Chat (Digital and demand)

The romance slasher Heart Eyes is now available on digital and demand, bringing the cute and murder-filled flick into homes across the globe. This is a fun one, featuring stellar performances from stars Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt. Incredible kills and solid chemistry between the leads take this one to the next level.

New and Noteworthy This Week:

• With Love, Meghan, March 4 — Netflix
• Heart Eyes, March 4 — Digital and demand
• Daredevil: Born Again, March 4 — Disney+
• Deli Boys, March 6 — Hulu
• Plankton: The Movie, March 7 — Netflix
• The Righteous Gemstons, March 9 — Max

ICYMI:

If you had too much going on last week, here are some of the notable things that premiered or debuted on streaming and digital that you may have missed.

• A Complete Unknown, February 25 — Digital and demand
• Love Hurts, February 25 — Digital and demand
• Shoresy Season 4, February 26 — Hulu
• The Oscars, March 2 — ABC and Hulu

Let's start by saying this: there is no best weapon type in Monster Hunter Wilds. If you're looking for a definitive answer on which weapon type will get you the fastest hunt times every time because it's just that good and overpowered, there isn't one. The truth of it is that you should choose what feels good to play with for you. If you're not carting, are consistently hitting the monster, and having fun while doing it, that's what matters the most.

There's a lot that goes into making a build for any given weapon successful, like armor, decorations, and a particular Artian weapon for the particular monster you're up against, and those are the most important aspect, but if you're looking for weapon types that just might help you get those hunt times down, these are great ones to try. This tier list of best weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds was created by Frankensteining IGN's community tier list, online sentiment, my own opinion based on difficulty to master, and some current speedrun time averages.

Monster Hunter Wilds Best Weapons Tier List

The "best" weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds are Sword and Shield, Great Sword, Long Sword, Gunlance, and Bow, in no particular order, but the rest of the weapons are absolutely viable. These just stand out above the rest for a variety of reasons, which we'll describe below.

S-tier: These are the best of the best for both damage output and relative ease of use to get there. The Gunlance is the most technical weapon here, but its benefits are worth it according to the community.

• Sword and Shield
• Great Sword
• Long Sword
• Gunlance
• Bow

A-tier:

A-tier weapons have the potential to be as good as S-tier weapons in the right hands as they tend to be a bit more technical and less forgiving, or they fall just a tiny bit short. The Hunting Horn, though potentially not the best solo weapon, is exceptional in co-op.

• Insect Glaive
• Charge Blade
• Dual Blades
• Hunting Horn
• Heavy Bowgun
• Switch Axe

B-tier:

These may fall a bit short compared to S- and A-rank weapons even when in the most experienced hands, but that doesn't at all mean they're "bad." They just might take a little more effort and fine-tuned builds for the results of some of the others.

• Lance
• Hammer
• Light Bowgun

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Weapons Explained

Sword and Shield

The Sword and Shield is amazing in Monster Hunter Wilds. It's long been grossly underrated as solely the "beginner" weapon, and while it's easy to pick up and get to it, it's also one of the most versatile, consistent weapons in the game that can deal a ton of damage once you get your combos and movements down. Not only is it incredibly mobile even in the middle of attacks, allowing you to stick on monsters like mud on a Jyuratodos, but it can also guard and deal punishing damage. It can even perfect guard incredibly easily, letting you perform quick, powerful counter slashes and proc an Offensive Guard buff if you have that Equipment Skill. For support hunters, it can even use items without putting it away, letting you administer life-saving Lifepowders and buffing items for your whole party in a flash. Whether you prefer to evade or block, deal slashing or blunt damage, or even attack from above, the Sword and Shield has got it all--even a Power Clash. The only thing it's missing is an Offset attack.

Great Sword

The Monster Hunter developers have said the first weapon they tool in new games is the Great Sword, and it shows. It can take advantage of Wilds' new Power Clashes and incredibly satisfying Offset attacks, and its kit in general is quintessential Monster Hunter satisfaction in a nutshell. It will take more getting used to than the Sword and Shield, as it's quite slow, and mishits can be punishing, but the introduction of Focus Mode makes it easier than ever to aim. If you're looking for the highest damage output in a single strike, the Great Sword is a great pick, and those True Charged Slash hits look so satisfying.

Long Sword

The Long Sword is consistently Monster Hunter's most popular weapon for good reason. It's fast and fairly easy to pick up, with a fun, flashy, and satisfying playstyle that relies on its powerful perfect-evading counterattack, the Foresight Slash, to quickly build up the Spirit Gauge to deal max damage. It's also got amazing reach, considering its size, so slicing off tails is a breeze with the Long Sword. It takes some management to maintain a maxed Spirit Gauge, but doing it is well worth the incredible damage output the Long Sword can accomplish when you're in a flow with it.

Gunlance

To be honest, I know little about the Gunlance, but IGN's community tier list contributors, speedrunners, and people around the internet seem to love it in Monster Hunter Wilds. I have found it much more difficult to pick up than the other S-tier weapons, but if you master it, it's got amazing defense with its huge shield capable of Perfect Guards and explosive power in exchange for some mobility. In Wilds, the Gunlance can now fire two Wyvern's Fire shots, which also have longer range. Its new attack, Wyrmstake Full Blast, is also incredibly powerful!

Bow

Though the bow isn't doing too hot in Tempered Arkveld speedruns, many agree it's an amazing pick in Monster Hunter Wilds, and I've seen it often voted as the strongest weapon in community polls. It certainly feels powerful, even despite its minor Focus Strike nerf since the Open Beta Test. So, what makes it S-tier? The Bow has a new move in Wilds that guarantees your shots will hit its intended target and crit: Tracer Ammo. Wilds also makes it so the Bow never runs out of its damage-boosting or ailment-inflicting coatings, further increasing its damage potential. Finally, if you perfect your dodge timing, the Bow's Discerning Dodge replenishes your stamina so you almost never need to stop attacking! The Bow is mobile, strong, and its Focus Strike looks rad, what more could you ask for?

Remember, this is all just for reference, and we recommend sticking with your preferred weapon. For example, if you're skilled with the Light Bow Gun, knowing exactly where to aim with what ammo and dodging every monster attack, you're going to get better times than with the Great Sword if you keep whiffing your True Charged Slashes and can't time your Offset attacks consistently. Any weapon takes time to get good at!

What weapon do you think is the best in Monster Hunter Wilds? Contribute to our Community Tier List at the top of this article. Maybe we'll update this article with new ratings! And for more, don't miss the growing, extremely comprehensive Monster Hunter Wilds guide.

Casey DeFreitas is a deputy editor for the IGN guides team and has been hunting monsters since the PS2 era. Catch her on every social @ShinyCaseyD.