Ironheart creator Chinaka Hodge has said that the Disney+ show's introduction of a long-awaited and much-teased Marvel villain "was not my decision alone."
Whether these storylines will be picked up elsewhere, in other MCU movies, Disney+ series, or even additional Ironheart seasons — something for which Chinaka now expresses hope — remains to be seen. Regardless, it's clear the show's characters, and that big villain in particular, are part of Marvel's wider plan.
Warning! Spoilers for Ironheart follow.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Hodge was asked whether Ironheart's introduction of Mephisto — played, as had been rumored, by Borat's Sacha Baron Cohen — had been a mandate from Marvel.
"That's a really great question," Hodge said in response. "I wish I could answer it more plainly. It was not my decision alone. I was empowered by Marvel to make that decision... I don't know what will happen next with the character or with Sasha in the MCU. But as a fan, I'm really hoping to see him make lots of appearances."
Continuing, Hodge — who is listed as head writer on the series — said she herself had been "surprised by the ending just as much as the audience will be" in respect to where the show leaves its star. Ironheart's finale sees Riri Williams enter into a deal with Mephisto to resurrect her dead best friend, with the consequences of this bargain left unresolved.
The future of Anthony Ramos' villain The Hood, meanwhile, is also left up in the air. While defeated by Williams, we last see The Hood seeking "Supreme-like help" from some local magic-users, potentially setting up a crossover with Benedict Wong's Sorcerer Supreme down the line. (Could this have been planned as a set-up for Marvel's now on-hold Strange Academy series?)
And then there's Mephisto himself, who has clearly been introduced here with an eye to the popular character, and actor, recurring again somewhere in the future. (Once the MCU's multiversal shenanigans are over, could we see Mephisto hanging out with other magical characters, such as Wiccan, or even Blade?)
For now, Marvel has said nothing of any future plans for Ironheart as an ongoing series, or Riri Williams as a character — and, as of yet, actress Dominique Thorne is yet to get her Avengers: Doomsday call-up. Still, Hodge has said she remains hopeful Ironheart's story will continue via future seasons of the show.
"I'll keep it with you a buck, I'm hoping for all work in Hollywood right now," Hodge concluded. "Yes, a second season, a third season, a fourth season. Yes!"
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Age verification will be coming into force for European and British modders using Nexus Mods.
Last month, Nexus Mods founder Robin "Dark0ne" Scott said that for both "my and the community's best interest," the "time has come to step back from the day-to-day running of the site."
However, these changes do not come at the behest of the new owners, but are part of the company's legal obligation to comply with the UK government's new Online Safety Act and the EU's Digital Services Act.
"Due to the Online Safety Act and Digital Services Act, we are required as a UK-based company to ensure we continue to remove illegal content and add additional restrictions to children’s access to certain adult content," the company explained.
"As a business, this leaves us with a choice: remove adult content for all UK and EU-based users, or make adjustments to our policy, including adding age verification for some adult content.
"Adult content is a core part of what makes Nexus Mods what it is; we don’t consider removing it a viable option. We are aware that some users may find the changes irritating; however, we are obligated to do this to ensure we can continue to host adult content legally."
We can expect more information when the finalized Adult Content Guidelines are ready, but the team said that in the meantime, it would be updating its terms of service "to include a clearer, more detailed definition of what counts as illegal content under UK law and how we protect children from harm whilst on the site."
"While this kind of content was already not allowed on the site, we’re tightening the language to be absolutely clear," Nexus said. "All users will be notified when the Terms of Service are updated."
Nexus will also be introducing automated detection for illegal or abusive content, with "any content of this nature immediately removed, and the user responsible will be banned and reported to the National Crime Agency."
We can also expect revised tags for adult content, an improved block and mute system, and better spam detections. Eventually, there'll be age verification checks for "the majority of adult content hosted on the site" for all UK and EU users, while users outside of Europe will "not be subject to age verification."
"The current approach to verifying you are above 18 years of age will remain the same unless we are legally required to change this to operate in your country," the team added.
In related news, Stellar Blade director and producer Kim Hyung Tae reportedly "fully supports" mods, which is just as well, really, as there are almost 600 of them listed on Nexus, covering everything from new skins to reshaders and VR to nail polish. There are also dozens more hidden from public display and categorized as "adult." Let's leave it at that, shall we?
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
On May 15, 2025, fans got the surprise they’d been waiting for: Blue Protocol: Star Resonance, the long-anticipated anime MMORPG from Shanghai Bokura Network Technology, is officially coming to the West via publisher A Plus in 2025. The news followed hot on the heels of the game’s Chinese beta, and the hype hasn’t stopped building since.
To keep the momentum going — and true to its community-driven development ethos — Bokura extended a rare opportunity to the game’s largest English-speaking fan hub, Star Resonance Database. Through a series of curated questions sourced from the Discord server, players got the chance to directly engage with the team behind the game.
Roy, Bokura’s founder and seasoned game producer — who’s been a driving force behind MMO titles like Dragon Nest Mobile and Ragnarok Origin: Love at First Sight — answered the community’s most burning questions, and didn’t hold back.
Q1: MMOs nowadays try to cater to every type of player (PvE, PvP, roleplayers, casuals, hardcore, etc.), but this often leads to a lack of proper direction and focus, resulting in none of the content reaching its full potential. In the case of Star Resonance, who is the main target audience, and which content areas will you primarily focus on?
A: Many members of our team, including myself, are anime enthusiasts. Combined with my years of experience as an MMO producer, I’ve always dreamed of creating an MMO with a distinct anime aesthetic. We know this is an ambitious vision because today’s market lacks games that truly cater to both anime enthusiasts and traditional MMO players. That’s exactly who we’re building this game for: players who, like us, love deep MMO experiences and vibrant anime-style worlds.
The game’s core gameplay will focus on a PvE battle and casual gameplay hybrid model. That said, as we continue updating the game and gathering player feedback, we may expand into other areas in the future.
Q2: Monetization is one of the biggest concerns for Western players compared to the Eastern player base. Generally, players don’t want others to gain an unreasonable progression advantage by spending money. Specifically, the Chinese beta test revealed that the game has a premium to in-game currency conversion system without any daily or weekly restrictions, similar to many recently criticized MMOs in the West. Are you planning to adjust this for the Western community? If so, what is your current approach?
A: As mentioned earlier, our game focuses on a PvE battle and casual gameplay hybrid model, so we certainly don't want a P2W environment here. While we do offer pay-for-convenience options (like currency conversion), none of these provide exclusive advantages. All progression items can be earned through gameplay, and the Trading Center ensures that even paid boosts indirectly benefit the broader community by circulating resources.
These systems are designed to help players with limited playtime or those joining later to catch up, rather than creating an imbalanced situation. We believe this approach will create a relatively balanced gameplay experience, fostering a fair ecosystem and a healthier in-game economy. We also recognize that players may want to support the development team through these optional purchases, allowing us to continue creating more high-quality content for everyone.
Q3: Content is another critical factor in MMOs. What kind of vertical progression-related content can casual and hardcore players currently expect to engage in Blue Protocol: Star Resonance?
A: We believe combat and progression are the heart of the MMO experience, so we’ve designed these systems to cater to all types of players. Through extensive iteration, we’ve created a battle system that’s easy to pick up for newcomers but deep enough to challenge veterans.
For hardcore players, we’ve built a robust PvE ecosystem — from class customization to dungeons and open-world encounters. As players grow stronger, they’ll test their skills in high-stakes battles, including five-player dungeons and 20-player raids, all while earning exciting rewards. Each season will introduce fresh content like new classes, dungeons, and PvE modes to keep the experience dynamic.
For casual players, we’re crafting a relaxed, social playground with features like house-building, life skills, fishing, etc. And we are also planning seasonal events for social play. Over time, we’ll add more social mini-games, aiming to create a vibrant world that feels like a shared amusement park for everyone.
Our goal is to create a playground where every player, whether competitive or casual, can find their own adventure.
Q4: Many MMOs tend to introduce more and more systems over time. This often leads to a high barrier of entry to the game and overwhelms the active player base. To avoid this, it is much simpler to expand the currently existing systems (e.g., adding skills, expanding talent trees, etc.) instead of adding new ones. What is your design philosophy when considering the future development of the game?
A: We’re intentional about keeping progression systems streamlined. Our philosophy is simple: Whether you’re a new player just starting out or a veteran returning after a break, we want you to jump back in effortlessly, without cramming a ton of new mechanics. That’s why we focus on expanding existing systems — adding depth, new goals, and fresh twists — rather than piling on entirely new mechanics. Long-term, this keeps the experience fresh but familiar, ensuring that players always have meaningful ways to grow without feeling overwhelmed.
Q5: MMOs often face the issue of mandatory progression-related content being too grindy, difficult, or time-consuming for the majority of the player base. Easing the difficulty for progression-related content, adding social-focused content for after progression, and including optional but challenging content for those seeking a challenge seem to be effective solutions. What is your current stance on this, and how do you plan to address it?
A: Making core progression both enjoyable and accessible has always been one of our top priorities. We’re adopting a seasonal approach. Not only to introduce fresh content but also to revitalize existing activities with thematic updates, ensuring even veteran players find new excitement in familiar gameplay. We’re also deeply committed to enhancing social experiences. Social interaction is the heart of our game, and every piece of content is designed to bring players together. After all, the most memorable moments often emerge from player-driven interactions. To foster this, we’re building a more diverse game ecosystem that caters to different playstyles — whether it’s PvE, casual gameplay, or relaxed social activities. For example, we’ve invested significant effort into developing the housing system. While it was not available in the test server yet, we’ll continue expanding it through seasonal updates, enriching its depth, variety, and overall appeal to strengthen player connections. By consistently refining and expanding content this way, we aim to create a vibrant, inclusive world where every player finds their place.
Q6: The community would love to see the game include content that enriches exploration, similar to timed or dynamic events present in other MMOs. These are unscheduled events that randomly appear throughout the world while bringing the community together. Are there any plans for such content?
A: As fellow MMO players, we absolutely love dynamic events like these. They’re a fantastic way to encourage exploration and spontaneous player interaction. However, with our current development resources, we’re prioritizing refining the game’s core experience first. That said, we’re actively evaluating the potential for unscheduled world events and similar content in future updates. Stay tuned for more details as we expand the game’s horizons!
Q7: Undoubtedly, the game’s player base will include many anime enthusiasts. Can we expect collaborations with anime franchises in the future?
A: Absolutely! As an anime-inspired MMO, our game naturally aligns with anime and manga IPs. We are also excited about future collaborations and are confident about the BPSR’s potential in this aspect. The real question is: Which IP should we team up with first? Our community team will soon launch surveys to gather your voices and preferences because we want these partnerships to reflect what you truly love. Stay tuned, your dream crossover might be closer than you think!
Q8: Currently, direct player-to-player trading is not possible, and gear cannot be traded in the auction house. However, the shared warehouse system allows players to have a shared space with a limited number of friends for trading, which is especially beneficial for the life skill profession aspect of the game. Unfortunately, only a limited number of life skill materials can be placed in the shared warehouse. Do you plan to address this limitation?
A: At the current stage, we’re not planning to lift these restrictions. Past experience showed that allowing ability-enhancing items in shared storage led to players feeling forced to create multiple alternate accounts. That's why we've limited such items while still maintaining a system where friends can share resources. We want to encourage cooperation without creating pressure to grind on alts.
Q9: The current life skill system heavily favors players who have the time to create and play alternate characters, as life skill energy is character-specific. Most casual players don’t have the time or interest in creating alternate characters. How do you plan to address this and similar issues related to this in the future?
A: We actually do not encourage multi-character gameplay — our shared storage system is intentionally designed this way to avoid grinding on alts. We hope the players create alternate characters to experience different character body types and genders, not optimization for the main character.
We've reworked the Life Skill system to optimize the experience for casual players and players who are dedicated to Life Skills. Here’s what we’ve done so far:
Make energy only affect trade
Allow free gathering/crafting without energy cost
Add more recipes so dedicated Life Skill players won't hit progression walls
Q10: The auto-combo system currently allows players to stand in place and attack nearby monsters with skills in random order. This does not include auto-pathing or full auto-combat, which is great. However, the MMO audience in the West strongly dislikes automated combat systems and is concerned about this feature being expanded, potentially trivializing combat and breaking immersion if many players are seen AFK-farming simple monsters. Do you plan to adjust this system for the Western audience to avoid these issues?
A: Our vision is to create a fun world for players to explore, so we've implemented auto-combat and auto-pathfinding in a very careful way. We want the auto function to solely reduce meaningless grind time in low-difficulty areas without compromising core gameplay. For a long-term MMO, some convenience features are necessary for players to handle relatively repetitive and low-difficulty features. Additionally, we've strictly controlled the rewards from monster grinding, which will minimize the impact of players' AFK farming.
Q11: Regarding the Western server structure, will it be split into regions, or can we expect a single mega-server where everyone can play together?
A: We’ve heard much feedback on this matter, and we completely agree that players should play together. While physical distance creates technical challenges, we're actively working toward a mega-server solution and hope to deliver satisfying results.
Q12: Which languages will be supported at the game’s release, and do you intend to support more languages in the future?
A: At launch, we'll support English localization with Japanese VO. We're currently working hard on localization QA to ensure Western players get the best first impression. Additional languages may come based on player feedback — we welcome your suggestions!
Q13: Will a housing system be available at the game’s release? If so, what features can players expect?
A: We have good news for those who love to decorate their places: the housing system will be available at launch! Players can claim their own homestead at no additional cost, which consists of two parts: an island and a house, both exclusively for the player's use. Players can invite up to four friends to cohabitate (five people total) and manage the house together. The system offers high freedom of customization. Things like building partition walls, arranging furnishings, and more will be possible. The house also includes farming features where grown crops can be sold to merchants for housing currency to be exchanged for furniture and other items. Additionally, some furniture can be crafted through life skills.
Q14: The website already shows the silhouette of a class using a guitar, which might be available at release. Do you plan to add more classes to the game? If so, at what intervals?
A: Correct! The Guitarist class will also be available at launch. They also come with two styles: One has more DPS abilities that make it easier to play solo in the open world. The other one specializes in support with strong healing and buffing abilities.
As for future classes, we surely have plans to add more classes post-launch. Stay tuned for updates!
Q15: You recently revealed that the game will have controller support. Does this mean there are plans to release the game on consoles in the future? Will it be playable on the Steam Deck?
A: We're implementing controller support starting with mainstream models, with plans to expand compatibility. Regarding consoles and Steam Deck, while we have nothing certain to announce yet, I’ll say we are open to all possibilities!
Q16: Based on the Chinese beta test, it seemed that character customization options, as well as the variety of costumes and accessories in the game, were very limited. Can we expect more options in these areas for the Western release? If so, what additional options can players look forward to?
A: We'll continuously add more outfits and cosmetics, including mix-and-match pieces, to allow players to express themselves as they want. While the core customization categories will remain the same, we will add more options for players to choose from: more eye shapes, hairstyles, etc.
Q17: Are there any plans to make a character creator available before the game’s release, allowing players to take their time creating a character in advance?
A: We also believe this is a good idea, and a character creation code system on the client side has been developed. The function needs to be tested, but I’ll say it is very possible that players can see it at launch.
Q18: The community is eager to test and play the game in the West as soon as possible. Can you provide any hints/teasers about future tests or the release date?
A: We're preparing the beta for global now. Having seen CN players enjoy two tests, we know fans all over the world are excited to try BPSR. While I can't share exact dates yet, the wait won't be much longer.
Q19: Can we expect more regular opportunities like this, both before and after the game’s release, for the community to provide feedback and ask questions? Additionally, will there be future developer live streams for the Western audience in English or with subtitles?
A: Yes. We have developer talks for English fans planned. Other programs, like developer live streams, are also possible. Stay tuned for more!
Blue Protocol: Star Resonance launches in 2025 for iOS, Android, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
While the statement issued by CEO Sebastian Wojciechowski at the time did not specify which publishers were involved with the canceled projects, PCF's own website confirmed Gemini was partnered with Square Enix, and Bifrost was a self-published project.
The cancelations led to the restructuring of internal teams and followed the April cancellation of Project Dagger, an action-adventure game originally set to co-developed and published with Take-Two Interactive before it pulled out in September 2022.
Now, a report from Thumb Wars corroborated by Insider Gaming claimed Project Gemini was, indeed, an Outriders sequel. The game was reportedly in the midst of recording motion capture when the project was canceled.
Square Enix declined to comment when contacted by IGN. People Can Fly had yet to reply.
IGN's Outriders review returned a 7/10. We said: "Outriders' blend of wickedly fun sci-fi shooting and looting is well worth enduring its lackluster story and rough edges." PCF's most recent release is Bullestorm VR, an updated version of the classic shooter for Meta Quest and PSVR 2.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
Since Death Stranding 2: On the Beach released last week, players have been discovering various unexpected collaborations and Easter eggs in the game. Some of these rely on specific knowledge of cultural phenomena. If you have taken Dollman for a relaxing soak with Sam in the hotsprings already, you may have stumbled across a Japanese comedy tribute that has delivered a nostalgia hit to many players in Japan, but may be unfamiliar to overseas audiences.
Lugging cargo across Death Stranding 2’s vast Mexican and Australian open worlds is back-breaking work for everyone’s favorite porter Sam. Waiting to be discovered in hidden locations, Ghost of Tsushima-style, are hotsprings. These not only give you a chance to make Norman Reedus take off his kit again, but also reward the player with various buffs. If it wasn't amusing enough that putting a bucket on Sam’s head while in the hotspring allows him to fast travel, the hotsprings also hold other secrets. If you take Dollman for a dip and ask him to sing, he will turn into Japanese comedian Cha Kato. He will then start belting out a catchy tune, with a bemused Sam doing a dance along with him. This song and dance is from the long-running Japanese comedy show “8ji da yo! Zennin shuugou! (It's 8 o'clock! Everyone gather round!)." Naturally, Dollman starts serenading you at 8pm in-game time, adding an extra detail to this tribute.
Broadcast on Saturday nights from 1969 to 1985, with plenty of repeats and related programmes after that, this show and its rhythmic “Ba-ban-Ba-ban-ban-ban” ending theme song would be instantly recognizable to most Japanese players, likely triggering nostalgic childhood memories, especially for those of Kojima’s generation.
The programme was led by The Drifters comedy troupe, and featured a mixture of sketches and musical performances, with different popular singers guest starring in each episode. (As a side note, the late Ken Shimura is probably the best known member of The Drifters outside Japan, with some of his sketches, like the English teacher one, later finding fame on the internet.)
The Drifters’ humor, often leaning into slapstick spiced with the occasional crude joke, became popular with children too. As a family-oriented show, the version of the theme song played at the end often encouraged children to start getting ready for bed. Not content with just one version of the iconic theme, Death Stranding 2 also varies the lyrics depending on which hotspring Sam is in.
This may seem like a rather random Easter egg at first glance, but the name of the theme song is “Ii yu da na” (literally, “It’s good hot water, isn’t it?”) and is about enjoying hotsprings. The original version was recorded by Duke Aces in the mid-60s and would later be covered by The Drifters for 8ji da yo! in 1969.
On June 27, Hideo Kojima himself vaguely hinted at Cha Kato’s cameo in Death Stranding 2 by posting the above photo of him and the comedian on X, with a simple emoji caption. Unlike the mixed reception to Death Stranding 2’s VTuber collaboration, comments on The Drifters’ Easter egg from Japanese fans have been overwhelmingly positive (as reported by Japanese news site Game*Spark). Comments like “The Drifters are Japan’s treasure” and appreciation for the surprise tribute abound. Some even expressed hopes that Kojima would find a way to add The Drifter’s famous Hige Dance into a game too. Others were concerned that overseas players wouldn’t understand the reference, but it seems that this cameo could generate renewed interest in this aspect of Showa-era Japanese pop culture.
Kojima also has surprises in store for players who gaze at the starry night sky while soaking in the hotspring. In a recent interview with Game*Spark, Kojima was asked about Easter eggs and cameos, saying “I put all these things in. The staff go ‘huh?’ and give me a blank stare when I ask them ‘Please add this!’. In the hotspring at night, you can see a very beautiful sky if you look up. Please have fun zooming in on it as various things will appear. Some people might be a little surprised.”Indeed, as pointed out by users on Reddit, you can see Kojima himself in the stars. At least it is less creepy than his ghost, which you could snap a photo of back in MGS2.
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
Nintendo's ability to ban Switch 2 consoles from accessing all online features has come under fire from Brazil's consumer rights watchdog, which has now launched a legal challenge.
Brazilian authorities have argued that Nintendo's recently-updated user agreement, which grants the company the ability to vastly limit any Switch 2 console's functionality, violates users' rights to access services they have paid for.
Procon-SP, Sao Paulo's office of Brazil's public Consumer Protection and Defence Program, has now requested that Nintendo ditch this clause from its user agreement.
In a statement, Procon-SP said it had already lodged a complaint with Nintendo of America, and that the Mario maker had now appointed a legal team to look at the issue.
Reports of Switch 2 consoles being banned from accessing online services have repeatedly surfaced since the platform's launch last month. Users impacted by the issue have suggested the bans are tied to the usage of flash memory cards, and specifically the MIG Switch device, which can enable game piracy.
Switch 2 consoles impacted by a ban will display the error code 2124-4508 when attempting to access any online functions. Impacted consoles are unable to download and play any digital games or Game-Key cartridges, access system updates or game updates, play using online multiplayer, communicate using GameChat, or use any Nintendo Switch Online functionality, including the subscription's retro game catalogues.
These are key system features that users have undoubtedly expected to be able to make use of, and in particular — as appears to be Procon-SP's main argument here — those features users have additionally paid a Nintendo Switch Online subscription fee to access.
IGN has previously contacted Nintendo to ask for more detail on the bans, but did not receive a response.
Procon-SP's statement concludes by noting that Nintendo of America has said it will respond to the complaint within 20 days. In the meantime, impacted users in Brazil are encouraged to report their bans via the Procon-SP website.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Ready or Not, the tactical first-person shooter from VOID Interactive, is being review-bombed on Steam due to changes made to the game to secure its release on consoles.
In a statement posted to Steam, VOID said it had to adjust levels of gore, nudity, violence, and the "mistreatment of children" ahead of the July 15 console release, and rather than "maintaining multiple versions with different assets and mechanics" that would "increase the likelihood of bugs," some aspects of the PC version have also been revised.
"Throughout this console port process, we've done our utmost to only make changes when they are flagged as absolutely required by our first-party partners, and any changes aim to remain faithful to the original tonality of the game, so there is no reason to be alarmed," the development team insisted.
"Our age rating as it stands for console is ESRB M-rating, PEGI 18, and USK 18 to give an idea. Still, there are other game content requirements that console platforms have in order to exist on their systems, and a portion of these changes will be visible on the PC version."
That said, it admitted that if the change required was, for example, "just a texture swap," VOID could keep the original intent on the PC version, but "if the change involved transforming an entire asset (like adding clothing to a character model) this was less feasible."
Some of the changes outlined by the team include preventing players from dismembering enemies once they're dead — although you can continue to shoot off limbs when they're alive — dialing down torture and nudity, and an animation change where a child is now portrayed "unconscious/sleeping, instead of the previously convulsive animation from before that had a violent appearance."
"The changes with the console version are small enough that most people here wouldn't notice if we didn't say anything, but we want to be transparent," VOID added. "It's largely just evidence and nudity that's altered, and the texture changes don't affect the PC version."
And now, some PC players are letting VOID know how they feel about it.
"Do not buy this game. Do not support a company like VOID Interactive. The game wasn’t perfect initially, but now they are choosing to censor it," said one. "They made their money from you — the PC players on Steam — and now, out of sheer greed, they’re appeasing console market regulators by censoring the game to meet their demands."
"PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!!!" insisted another. "There is NO REASON for them to be censoring ANY of its content AT ALL. The censorship is BS PROPAGANDA because they're too damn LAZY to do actual work and separate PC/console!!! I DID NOT PAY FOR AN 18+ GAME JUST FOR IT TO BE CENSORED!!!"
While Ready or Not retains a 'very positive' overall user review rating on Steam, recent reviews are 'mixed' as a result of the flood of negative comments. VOID has yet to respond publicly to the complaints. IGN has asked for comment.
Ready or Not was briefly hauled offline in 2022 after a takedown request was issued due to a trademark dispute. The issue related to a level that depicted a mass shooting at a nightclub called Prysm that was released on the anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
FromSoftware has released a new patch for Elden Ring Nightreign, although it focuses on bug fixes and not new features or balance changes.
Highlights for update 1.01.4 — available now for Elden Ring Nightreign across all platforms — include the weapon type now being displayed in each Armament Information menu, a bug fix for matchmaking failing after two players joined and left your team at the same time, and achievement-related problems.
There's also a fix for an exploit that let playable characters revive from a near-death state without being defeated during the battle with the third-day boss after leaving a session and returning from the title screen. Patch notes are below.
The patch does not add the much-wanted duos mode, which FromSoftware has said is on the way. The developer has promised further updates are set to be released as the developer’s first live service game takes shape.
Meanwhile, FromSoftware announced that the Everdark Sovereign version of the Sentient Pest will land in Limveld at 6pm PDT today, July 7.
The Weapon Type will now be displayed in each Armament Information menu.
Fixed a bug where matchmaking would continually fail after two players joined and left your team at the same time.
Fixed a bug where the acquisition of the gesture “It's Raining!” through Multiplayer would not register properly.
Note: You can obtain the gesture by meeting the conditions, even if you have met them before.
Fixed a bug where playable characters might revive from a near-death state without being defeated during the battle with the third-day boss after leaving a session and returning from the title screen.
Fixed a bug where the background music in the Recluse Remembrance would not play properly when certain conditions were met.
Fixed a bug where quitting the game incorrectly immediately after fulfilling the clearing conditions of the “Shifting Earth: Crater”, the “The Crater” achievement would not be awarded despite clearing the area.
Note: Even if you have already earned the achievement, meeting the “Crater” clear conditions will award you with the clearing credit again.
Fixed several other instances of bugs.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Funcom has just released the first post-launch patch for its new open-world survival and crafting Dune game, Dune: Awakening. So, let’s see what this first patch brings to the table. From what I can see, Patch 1.1.10.00 is a big update. In total, it has around 300 tweaks, fixes, and improvements. It has both technical … Continue reading First Dune: Awakening Patch Released & Fully Detailed→
Shift Up has just released Title Update 1.2.0 for the PC version of Stellar Blade and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what this new update brings to the table. Patch 1.2.0 unlocks the Hard Mode from the start of the game. Hard Mode is also unlocked for Boss Challenge. The update also … Continue reading Stellar Blade Title Update 1.2.0 Released, Full Patch Notes→
Charisma Carpenter, star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel, has said she's hopeful of a role in the franchise's upcoming reboot, despite her character Cordelia's untimely demise.
Now, speaking to IGN as she launches a new podcast, Carpenter has expressed a strong desire to return and said it would be "poetic" to rejoin the series under its new creative team, after an "unjust" end to her character in Angel's final season.
"I am so excited for fans, and I know it will be fantastic because of who's involved," Carpenter said of the reboot, which is being spearheaded by a team that includes Gellar and Oscar-winning Nomadland director Chloé Zhao, with no involvement from original Buffy creator Joss Whedon. "To see this actually happen for the fans makes me thrilled. I am so hopeful to be included, for Cordelia to be a part of this new iteration."
Carpenter's character was a series regular on Buffy through its third season, before crossing over to Angel. But after several seasons as a lead on the spin-off, Carpenter was written out as a series regular, and only guest starred once in Angel's final run, in an episode that saw Cordelia given a bittersweet goodbye.
"I don't know really what to make of it," Carpenter says of the suggestion that Cordelia was one of the franchise's fallen characters that could now return — not that death ever proved particularly problematic for actors popping back into the franchise.
"I'm sure there are caveats — Cordelia died on Angel not on Buffy," Carpenter continued, "I don't know what that means for Cordelia specifically — but I'm hopeful that it includes Cordelia obviously, it would be a dream to be included, and it would just be so poetic for that to occur, and for it to occur with this group.
"These writers are wildly creative, I'm sure they could figure it out if they wanted to, if it was a fan thing, where if there was a thirst or craving or need for Cordelia to be there, I'm sure with one hell of a creative team they have leading the writers room, it would be possible."
Carpenter has returned to the franchise previously, via an Audible spin-off series that starred the actress as an alternate universe version of her character, with Cordelia now a vampire slayer. That series reunited Carpenter with various other Buffy actors and their characters — many of whom are also now dead — including Emma Caulfield Ford's fan-favorite ex-demon Anya (dead), Amber Benson's beloved witch Tara (dead), Anthony Head's Giles (alive, though killed and revived in spin-off comics), plus James Marster's Spike and Juliet Landau's Drusilla (undead).
"Listen, you're not gonna get an argument out of me," Carpenter continued, when IGN suggested there has to be a way for her to return. "Because the way it went down for her was just — without using inflammatory language — just was not... she was built up so big, she'd grown so much, she'd had this remarkable journey, and for her to go out the way that she did just felt so unjust."
Cordelia has one of the most transformative arcs in the Buffy canon, from a self-centered high school queen to a strong, caring ally able to receive godlike visions from the series' mysterious Powers That Be. But her storyline in Angel's fourth season proved controversial with fans, as Cordelia is possessed and impregnated by the deity Jasmine, then unceremoniously left in a coma. Her subsequent return as a special guest star, in Angel's 100th episode, is a strong send-off, but all too brief.
Carpenter has previously had much to say about her exit, but fans will be able to get her thoughts on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel afresh as part of the actress' new Patreon podcast show, The Bitch Is Back, whose title references a particularly rousing speech by Cordelia in first season Angel episode Rm w/a Vu. Fans can watch the first episode now via YouTube, with future episodes available on Patreon via subscription. Carpenter plans to record a podcast for every Buffy and Angel episode — of which there are over 250 — in viewing order, with the two series' interlinked as originally broadcast to take advantage of their crossover episodes.
I used to be a lot more demure, a lot more of a people-pleaser, a lot less outspoken, a lot smaller. Cordelia has informed who I am in a very big way.
"We'll be at this a while," Carpenter said of the podcast, which has been in the planning stages for several years. "I think it's about 254 episodes and then who knows, you know... maybe with the reboot I'll cover that too? I'm all about the Buffyverse and want to support all of it. I devoted so much time and energy to both shows, it's such a giant part of my life, my formative time as a woman, it makes sense to keep the shows alive, to keep Cordelia — who has shaped who I am today — in the forefront of this fandom. It's always been my goal to maintain that relationship.
"I know a lot of actors often want to distance themselves from a particular character who might have helped their career get to a certain level, and they just want to move on from that and never talk about their character again — and I don't subscribe to that way of thinking at all, I want to lean in, because [Cordelia]'s inspired me.
"I'm 1,000% who I am today because of that character," Carpenter continued. "I used to be a lot more demure, a lot more of a people-pleaser, a lot less outspoken, a lot smaller. Cordelia has informed who I am in a very big way. She brought out, in me, a side I didn't know existed, but that's what happens when you play a character for nearly 10 years."
The Bitch is Back's first episode covers the initial episode of Buffy Season 1, Welcome to the Hellmouth, with co-star Julie Benz (Darla) as a guest. Together, the pair discuss how they were both hired for the show, its unique language and — as is very Cordelia — its 1990s fashion. There's also discussion of how the series, now almost 30 years old, subverted genre tropes of the time, in a way that still feels fresh.
"I think the show resonates with fans today because of its universal themes," Carpenter said, when asked why there's clearly still fresh appetite for Buffy now. "I think there's a big bad world out there and [you get] to watch this group of kids navigate the harshness of high school in conjunction with the realities of a hard world, grounded in reality like having a parent who doesn't understand you, or unrequited love, or having to make difficult decisions about friendships, or feeling like an outcast who doesn't belong.
"This show speaks to the empowerment of being different. Being an outsider is kind of great, it empowers that, it allows space and room for people to be different and not all be the same, and to let your freak flag fly. Diversity of personality and style of being should be praised. That's what makes life interesting, and I think those themes resonate on a core level, still.
"And it does feel like a big bad world out there more than ever," Carpenter concluded, "and I can't think of a better time to be bringing this podcast out to provide more comfort and to try to satiate what seems to be an insatiable thirst for Buffy and Angel."
Photo credit: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for ReedPop.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
A new Horus Heresy book has left Warhammer 40,000 lore fans debating the true nature of the carrion Emperor and the Golden Throne — and the possibility that two classic pieces of early art work may well offer a canon look into the setting.
Era of Ruin (the special edition of which forced Warhammer.com offline when preorders went online) is an anthology of short stories designed to bookend the Horus Heresy, the galaxy-spanning civil war between loyalist and traitor Space Marines that occurred 10,000 years before the current Warhammer 40,000 setting. The Horus Heresy saw the Emperor finally defeat his Chaos-fueled primarch son, Horus Lupercal, and save the Imperium of Man from destruction, but at a terrible cost: the near-death Master of Mankind was interred upon the Golden Throne as a carrion Emperor sustained by the daily sacrifice of thousands of psykers.
The iconic art of the God-Emperor by John Blanche, below, is seared into every Warhammer 40,000 lore fan’s mind. This is how the Emperor looks in the 41st millennium: grim, dark, and barely there at all.
But is this actually how the Emperor looks in the setting? Era of Ruin’s final short story, The Carrion Lord of the Imperium by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, is also its most interesting. It suggests the image of the God-Emperor we see in John Blanche’s art is just that in the setting: an image.
Towards the end of The Carrion Lord of the Imperium, Diocletian Coros, a Prefect of the Legio Custodesan (the Emperor’s ultra powerful and ultra loyal bodyguard), visits the Emperor at some non-specific time seemingly centuries after the end of the Horus Heresy. It’s here things get spicy:
“Through the doors, the secret doors, the one behind those renowned gateways decorated in trappings of glory,” the passage reads. “Past the graven image of the Immortal Emperor: a skull-faced warlock on a mighty throne, eternally alive on the edge of death, imposing in His majesty.
“Through that final door, which opens only to droplets of a tribune's blood, and whose impenetrable locks take an hour to unseal.”
Let’s stop there for a second. Here, The Carrion Lord of the Imperium suggests the image fans have of the Emperor on the Golden Throne, that image informed by John Blanche's art, is the “graven image” described in the book. It is an image in real life, and an image in the Warhammer 40,000 setting. It is propaganda. And not even propaganda for humans, who we’re told haven’t been down this far inside the Palace for generations. It is propaganda for us, the audience, and all but the most special of characters within the setting.
Which begs the question: if this image isn’t of the actual Emperor, what does the Emperor actually look like? Let’s continue:
“Inside the innermost sanctum, where the architecture of the walls is uncomfortably organic, strangely spinal. Diocletian approaches the Golden Throne, such as it is, and his kindred — naked but for their cloaks, loincloths, and black helms — move aside in his honour.
“He ascends the steps. Slowly. Not without reverence, but without the abject worship expected by the people of the Imperium. They would be horrified by its absence; but then, everything about this place would horrify them. It's why they will never be allowed to know of it.
“At long last, Diocletian stands before his king.
“He looks past the hanging wires that resemble intestines, and the clicking, ticking life-support engines, and the preservative mist sprayed in the air in nine-second intervals. He looks past the blood bags and vitae-packets linked intravenously to the thing on the throne, which is just a chair compared to the great and grand artworks: a throne without the capital T that makes it both a curse and the salvation of the species.
“He looks at the revenant husk of something that was somehow once, somehow still is, a man. Something that shouldn't be alive, and arguably isn't by any mortal measure. Something tortured by its own impossible continuation — physically starved and psychically bloated on the feast of souls it's forced to devour every day of its endless and agonising existence.
“Or is it forced? Maybe it craves this. Maybe it hungers.”
There’s more to this final section of the book, but there’s no need to run through it. We have what we need: the Emperor described here is very different to the Emperor in the John Blanche art ("a throne without the capital T"). We hear of Adeptus Custodes wearing black helms guarding the Emperor, “hanging wires that resemble intestines,” blood bags and preservative mist.
Some fans believe this passage describes a very early piece of Warhammer 40,000 art found within the 1987 Rogue Trader rulebook (the 1st Edition of the Warhammer 40,000 core rulebook). It shows the Emperor in a different light, complete with blood bag, mist, wires that resemble intestines, and those Custodes with the black helms.
It’s safe to say Warhammer 40,000 lore fans are loving every word of this short story. Not only does it reference two classic depictions of the Emperor — potentially even dragging them both into the canon — but it’s all very grim-dark in the way 40K should be. If this passage means what fans think it means, Era of Ruin makes a 28-year-old piece of Warhammer 40,000 art not only relevant to the setting in 2025, but part of an explosive revelation about the true nature of the Emperor himself.
Indeed, the legendary John Blanche has spoken of this before in interviews, revealing his art was never meant to depict the "real" Emperor, rather it was meant to show an image of the Emperor pilgrims who had made their way to Terra would gaze upon as they arrived at what they thought was the God of Mankind's throne. The "real" Emperor, Blanche believes, is kept in a glass tube behind this facade, connected to all kinds of machinery. And so in turn Warhammer 40,000 fans have been hoodwinked.
Black Library author Dan Abnett, who is behind some of the key Warhammer 40,000 lore and novels, has expressed a similar idea in interviews, and even called into question the existence of a throne room at all.
Whatever Games Workshop’s big plan for the Emperor (some believe he is sort of waking up), what fans can safely say is Era of Ruin offers perhaps the clearest depiction yet of the true nature of the Golden Throne and the carrion Emperor within it. Even better, it brings into the setting classic pieces of early Warhammer 40,000 art, now revived and relevant as Warhammer 40,000 looks even further into the future.
Image credit: Games Workshop.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Amongst a sea of generic, algorithm-feeding, instantly forgettable Netflix action movies (usually led by a big-name star collecting a big-number paycheck), 2020’s The Old Guard stood out as one of the actual good ones. Charlize Theron as the leader of a team of ancient, immortal mercenaries not only sounded fun and cool on paper, but the movie managed to deliver on that pitch on screen, with some clever lore thrown in for good measure. Now, after a seemingly interminable delay, the sequel is a case of notably diminished returns.
Greg Rucka returns as screenwriter, once more adapting his own comic book series, but this time it feels like too much is being juggled at once. That’s mainly apparent through the two main antagonists. The first movie left off with the reveal that Quynh (Veronica Ngô), the longtime companion (“longtime” meaning centuries in their case) of Charlize Theron’s Andy had somehow finally been freed from the iron maiden she’d been locked inside 500 years before, when she was dumped into the ocean as an accused witch.
Now Quynh, understandably pissed after the anguish she went through as she continually drowned and then came back to life thanks to her immortality, is on a quest for vengeance against all of mankind, putting her at odds with her former friend (and maybe lover? Like in the first film, their dynamic is still kinda vague), Andy. This should be enough for a main plotline, but The Old Guard 2 overcomplicates things with the introduction of a woman known as Discord (Uma Thurman, collecting that paycheck), a previously unknown immortal with her own grudge against humanity.
Is it innately exciting to have Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman square off? Sure!
Thurman’s presence feels like there was a decision made up the food chain to give this movie a bigger hook and boost of star power. And look, is it innately exciting to have Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman square off? Sure! There are compelling parallels between these two talented, statuesque women who both rose to fame in the 1990s and are iconic enough to be instantly identifiable by their first names only – not to mention bring with them previous action movie cred, and that helps make this an intriguing pairing. And yet it feels like it should have been held for a different film, because as is, The Old Guard 2’s actual dramatic weight is about Andy and Quynh’s history and conflict… and Discord is there too, feeling underwritten and extraneous much of the time while rarely actually sharing the screen with Andy.
Unfortunately, Thurman’s performance reflects the thin nature of her character, as she resorts to a lot of snarling, generic bad-guy delivery. And even the inevitable fight between Andy and Discord feels rather ho hum, not helped by giving Thurman a sword – something that will clearly evoke her fantastic fights in the Kill Bill movies — and then not being able to hold a candle to the exciting scenes that Quentin Tarantino provided.
The action in The Old Guard 2 is decent but unremarkable.
In general, the action in The Old Guard 2 is decent but unremarkable. Director Victoria Mahoney doesn’t match the more stylish flair the first film’s director, Gina Prince-Bythewood, brought to the proceedings, but a couple of sequences do stand out. This includes a well-done fight between Andy and Quynh and some early sequences that have some darkly comedic fun with the idea that Andy’s teammates Joe (Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky (Luca Marinelli) can receive grisly injuries in battle and then be fine moments later. However, Mahoney relies more on a shaky-cam, jittery aesthetic that can sometimes be distracting and diminish the impact of the fight scenes.
The large ensemble cast seem more adrift here, particularly the last film’s big new recruit, Nile (KiKi Layne), and the immortals’ human ally, James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), both of whom had major story arcs in the first movie but feel much more along for the ride this time out. This feels particularly egregious when you have an actor as fantastic as Ejiofor and he’s really got nothing of note to do. Better served is Matthias Schoenaerts’ Booker, who has some soul searching to go through after he was banished by the others in the last film for a betrayal (again, there are a lot of ongoing plots). Henry Golding also has a large supporting role as yet another immortal, Tuah, who is mostly there to explain backstory that it feels like it could’ve been delivered in more efficient ways.
Theron once more proves just what a fantastic leading lady she is.
At the center of it all though, Theron once more proves just what a fantastic leading lady she is, even in a weaker film like this. She continually brings such gravitas and believability to Andy – who lost her immortality at the end of the first film and is now reeling from Quynh’s return – and makes the most of her character’s mixture of angst, inner strength, and impressive physical prowess. Her innate talent, credibility as an action star, and movie star charisma goes a long way to helping The Old Guard 2 through its clunkier moments.
She might’ve been enough to carry it and make it a movie I could lightly recommend, if not for how it ends… or rather, how it doesn’t end. Going far beyond following the first movie’s lead by leaving off with a setup for a sequel, this one ends with an outright cliffhanger in a way that’s meant to be exciting but instead is just frustrating. There’s really no genuine resolution here at all, and given the fact that this film took five years to still come out as muddled as it is, it’s a major miscalculation. There were clearly some troubles behind the scenes (including reshoots last year, after the initial production occurred back in 2022) and you would think maybe the creative team would’ve taken that opportunity to give this movie a proper ending as they worked to fix things and finally complete it. Instead, it seems that Netflix’s bosses just threw up their hands and decided to leave as is.
It’s completely possible we still get The Old Guard 3 and an actual conclusion to this story, if Netflix decides enough people watched this one. Maybe that movie could right the ship and complete a trilogy that stands stronger than the sum of its parts, with a sagging middle propped up by two stronger pillars. But none of us is immortal, so if we have to wait another five years for it, that prospect is a lot less exciting to ponder.
This article contains spoilers for the finale of Ironheart.
They say the devil is in the details, but it turns out that the devil is also finally in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). As of the season (series?) finale of Disney+’s Ironheart, “The Past is the Past,” Mephisto has finally, officially arrived in the form of actor Sacha Baron Cohen… Thankfully, not giant and red, wearing only his underwear, as per Marvel Comics’ depiction of the bad guy. Though we wouldn’t put the Borat actor past that.
That said? The reveal of Mephisto is just the tip of the iceberg in hell that Ironheart dropped in its closing hour, including a wild twist cliffhanger, a mid-credits scene that sets up some potentially big things for the MCU, and a general, even bigger question as to whether given the circumstances surrounding Ironheart if any of this will be followed up, ever.
Ironheart Ending Explained
For context, the episode starts off as we discover how Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos) got his demonically powered hood. After trying to rob his own father, he escaped thanks to some help from a mysterious stranger (that would be Mephisto), munching pizza in Desperito’s Pizza. We’ll ignore that the pizza is decidedly not Chicago style, which is either Mephisto playing a classic trick in the Windy City, or a missed opportunity to tie deep dish pizza to the devil. This leads to the present, where Parker is losing control of his powers and becoming more demonic by the minute.
Enter Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), who now has magic armor, but as a cost, has lost N.A.T.A.L.I.E. (Lyric Ross), the AI modeled after her dead best friend. Undeterred, she heads to Desperito’s to confront Parker before he can attack her family, and discovers Ezekiel Stane (Alden Ehrenreich) is there, desperate to escape from Parker’s control over his biological implants. Riri knees him in the groin, resets his controls, and Zeke thanks her but assures her that in the future they won’t be friends. “Just know you and I aren’t done,” Zeke says, still salty after Riri ruined his life and landed him in jail.
Anyway, that’s a series wrap on Zeke, and it’s on to the final battle with Parker. The Hood loses it, literally and figuratively, with Riri beating him up, taking his hood and leaving him, to paraphrase the immortal words of Natalie Imbruglia, cold and shamed, lying hoodless on the floor. That’s when Riri heads to the seating area of the pizza place and discovers Mephisto is once again eating non-Chicago style pizza. This guy won’t quit it! He loves pizza!
In case you’ve lived through the whole Mephisto saga online for the past half a decade: yes, it is 100% definitely Mephisto, he even says it out loud. Speculation that Marvel’s devil could show up stretches all the way back to the beginning of the Disney+ era and WandaVision in 2021, continued through 2022 when Cohen was cast on Ironheart, and was fired up big-time when they dropped the name of the baddie on Agatha All Along. And now, here he is in the flesh, tempting Riri Williams alongside a slice of pizza… Even if the pregnant pause Cohen adds delivering his character’s name lands like a thud with Riri. “Oh,” she says, nonplussed. “Is that supposed to mean something to me?”
…Well, it definitely means something to the viewing audience at home. And it also quickly means something to Riri, as – shocker – she makes a deal with the devil. While not explicitly stated, she clearly asks for Mephisto to bring N.A.T.A.L.I.E. back. But the twist is that Mephisto doesn’t bring the AI back… He brings the real Natalie back to life, after being gunned down prior to the events of the series. And the stinger at the end as Riri hugs her confused friend? The same devilish veins that grew all over Parker Robbins the more he used his hood have begun to snake their way up Riri’s arm. Yuh-oh!
What does this all mean? And what about that mid-credits scene?
Ironheart’s Cliffhanger Teases Projects That May Never Happen
So, here’s the deal: Ironheart was announced in 2020, mostly filmed in 2022, and then there was reportedly some added production in 2024. There was clearly some retooling of the series last year, but this is also a project that comes from a version of the Marvel Studios overall plan that doesn’t quite exist the same way in 2025. From a slowing down of the release of movies and TV shows, to a rethinking of how Marvel Television approaches the small screen in general, a project like Ironheart that is “more of a six-episode movie” is – at least as Marvel has explained – not how they’re doing projects anymore.
And while we won’t know whether the stingers on Ironheart will be continued or not until they are (or are not), there are plenty of plans that have been either announced or denounced in the half a decade that Ironheart has been in the works.
Armor Wars is the first that comes to mind, formerly a Disney+ series starring Don Cheadle as War Machine, spinning off the end of Secret Invasion. That was “upgraded” to a movie in 2022, but perhaps due to the less-than-enthusiastic response to Secret Invasion, or the tightening behind the scenes, we haven’t heard much since. Thorne was reportedly going to reprise her role as Ironheart in the Disney+ version; the film, TBD.
Similarly, it would make sense that a rivalry between Ezekiel Stane and Riri Williams could have (and could still) continue in a movie that’s all about various Iron Man-related characters fighting. But again, with that movie in doubt, it’s up in the air whether Enrenreich is building a one-and-done franchise curse between this and Solo: A Star Wars Story.
How about the mid-credits, though? This is pure speculation, but educated speculation as to what this could have been leading up to. In the mid-credits scene, Parker goes to Stanton’s, the combo candy store/magic store that is home to Zelma Stanton (Regan Aliyah). He wants help and is interested in Zelma’s magic, but she’s dubious (as she should be). But Parker won’t quit, he wants to see the real magic stuff in the back of the store. “I know you don’t know me, at least not yet. But if you’re up for it, how about a little abracadabra?” Parker says as we cut to black.
While never officially greenlit, back in February Marvel paused development on a TV show version of the comic Strange Academy. Per the title, it’s a magic school set up by Doctor Strange, and it was expected that the TV show version would be run by Wong (Benedict Wong). In the books, Zelma Stanton is a key character and works as the school’s librarian. On Ironheart, she’s probably a little young for that, but repeatedly mentions how interested she is to study magic at Kamar-Taj, the monastery where Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) trains in the first titular movie, and later America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.
It’s not too much of a stretch to think that a potential Strange Academy series could feature both Zelma and The Hood – or whatever Parker becomes without said demonic hood. At the very least, this is the most likely suspect for what this mid-credits scene was leading up to… Another possibility that doesn’t seem very likely to happen any time soon.
The other possibilities for following up on some of these characters could include Black Panther 3, given Riri debuted in the second Black Panther movie. That movie has at least been announced and is in the works from director Ryan Coogler, though we don’t have a timeline on when that will appear on screen… Nor any announced cast members, other than Denzel Washington in a mystery role.
Less sure but leaning into the magical aspects of Ironheart is Doctor Strange 3, something rumored given the blockbuster status of the previous movies, and a cliffhanger at the end of the second film. But that hasn’t been confirmed other than in the rumor mill, nor is it clear if it was greenlit that it would follow up on any of these plotlines, what with it being a Doctor Strange movie and not Ironheart 2 (feat. Doctor Strange).
And in terms of projects that are definitely in motion, the entire MCU seems to be set to appear in either Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars. It seems unlikely that either movie would have the room to deal with the weird veins growing on Riri’s arm, given the scale, but stranger things have happened.
But what of Mephisto? He’s a Thanos-level villain in Marvel Comics, and fans have been anticipating his debut for years now. It seems a little crazy to think they’d leave him on the shelf. A Doctor Strange movie could be the likeliest possibility for Mephisto’s next pizza date, as the hero and villain have tangled multiple times in the comics. But again, we just don’t know where he’ll be seen next.
And in fact, it’s unfortunately likely that none of this will be followed up on in any significant way. Times have changed for Marvel, strategy has changed, and the company that greenlit Ironheart way back in 2020 is not the same Marvel that we see today. Things could change again, of course. Most likely, what you see on screen in this finale is the end of the road for these characters, for the moment. Like Riri and Parker’s deals, we got what we wanted when it comes to Mephisto… But at what cost?
Mecha Break speaks to a very specific kind of sicko: the kind of person who plays multiplayer games looking for perfection. Not overall – there’s no such thing as a “perfect” piece of art. But perfect moments? The perfect shot, the clutch dodge, confirming the last kill that wins you the match? They’re out there, in that things come together just the way you need them to. I’ve only gotten to play a couple hours of Mecha Break ahead of launch (which, if you’re reading this, has just happened) so I have a lot more to see, do, and unlock in this robot-themed hero shooter, but I can already say it’s a game that lets you build your own stories.
Over the course of a two-hour preview event (playing on PC) I got to play five matches and try out five of the 15 different mechs available (with the free-to-play model Mecha Break is using several of the ones I tested will need to be unlocked once it goes live, but we had free reign for our preview). One of the things I appreciated most was how much variety there is, both in mechs and match types. Mecha Break has every kind of mech you could want: heavies like the Stego with the ability to plant itself in the ground, sit behind a shield, and launch a massive missile barrage; the Falcon, which transforms into a plane, Starscream-style, making it an ideal choice for folks who like to zoom across the expansive battlefield and rain death from above; and my personal favorite, the Alysnes: a medium-weight, more traditional mech that becomes smaller and more agile after its armor is blown off. Survive long enough in this form and you can reapply your armor, like some kind of mech-flavored Magical Girl. Everyone has different armaments to manage, and I had to tailor my playstyle to the mech I tried. Picking the right one is important, because once you’re locked in and the match starts, you’re stuck with it.
This list catalogues a small amount of what’s available, and since the mode we were playing kept our six-person team from having duplicate mechs, it led to some really great fights. I had a particularly tense rivalry in one game where my Alysnes faced off against another player’s camo-enabled, melee-focused Stellaris. We clashed several times, and they were long, drawn-out duels that tested everything from our overall map awareness and positioning to when we decided to attack. We were building rivalries in real time, and it made for some memorable moments. Some I lost, others I clutched out, but the fights were all exciting.
Some I lost, others I clutched out, but the fights were all exciting.
Other matches showcased that there’s a ton of variety when it comes to modes, even if none of them is anything too far out of the box. We started in a traditional deathmatch (first to eight kills wins), but we also played King of the Hill, another mode where you have to destroy points that appear on the map, one that asked us to capture launch keys and deliver them to a launch facility, and good ol’ fashioned payload escorts. I had fun no matter what the objective was, and I appreciated that Mecha Break let me contribute no matter what I was doing. Even keeping another mech distracted while your team hits the objective (or killing them outright) can swing a game, especially because respawns take a hot second longer than they do in most comparable games. If you can take a piece off the board for a bit, that matters. For example, while piloting a Stego against another player in the same heavy-hitting mech on the opposite team, keeping him out of the fight long enough for us to secure the last objective helped decide that match.
The maps themselves are a smorgasbord of interesting locations. One is a combination mountain range with a valley and a destroyed city. I could set up and snipe at other mechs from the high ground with the Stego, but to get the objectives (and stay in the fights over them) I needed to head down where I was more vulnerable. Another is at a missile launch facility where you can choose between fighting outside with limited cover, or getting up close and personal in the tight corridors of the facility itself. There’s even one set on the moon that includes both open skies and large craters and small canyons just big enough to squeeze through, ideal for dodging enemy fire or moving around out of sight. The real trick there is the pulse storms, which damage your mech unless you take cover.
Each map felt distinct and forced me to approach situations in different ways depending on where I was and what mech I was piloting. A Stego’s long-ranged firepower is amazing in open space, but its slow speed makes it a liability in areas with less elbow room. The Alysnes’s versatility, on the other hand, means it’s right at home in both but never hits quite as hard as a Stego in the right conditions. You’ll probably just make use of its melee weapon less when you’re fighting across open ground.
Naturally, two hours isn’t nearly enough to wrap up a review of a game like this, so I have a lot left to see in Mecha Break: I want to get a feel for more of the mechs and the other modes, and see what progression feels like. But so far it’s made a good first impression. I’ve come away liking the little moments, and the stories I’ve already been a part of in a short session. Now we just have to figure out if Mecha Break has the juice to keep telling them for the long haul. If you’re jumping in to play at launch, let us know if anything cool has happened to you thus far.
Summer has arrived and neck fans are once again increasing in popularity. These portable fans wrap around your head and are a simple and effective way to keep your noggin cool and breezy. If you're not sure whether a neck fan is worth it for you, at least you can give it a try with minimal risk with this early Amazon Prime Day deal. Amazon is currently offering 50% off the FrSara Rechargeable Portable Neck Fan with coupon code "CWE2O6ER". For Amazon Prime members, prices start at just $13.50 after the code is applied. To be honest, most of these inexpensive neck fans on Amazon look like they came from the same factory, so it really just comes down to finding the lowest price. Also, if you don't like it, Amazon offers an easy 30 day return policy.
FrSara Rechargeable Portable Neck Fan for $13.49
The FrSara portable neck fan features brushless motors that spin a pair of tiny fans built into each earcup and keeps your neck area cool. The 5,200mAh rechargeable battery is bigger than what I generally see in other cheap neck fans and lasts from four to sixteen hours on a single charge depending on which of the three fan speeds you select. The tradeoff is that this neck fan is also a little heavier than most. FrSara advertises its neck fan as "whisper quiet" although that would probably depend on the speed setting.
A portable neck fan has plenty of practical uses, especially if you're going somewhere hot and humid (like Disney World Orlando in the summer). For gamers, it makes a lot of sense because your room can get pretty toasty on a hot day, especially with your gaming console or PC working overtime and exhausting tons of hot air. Additionally, if you're like me and you get sweaty whenever you wear a gaming headset, a neck fan could be the perfect solution for that too. Keep in mind though that any neck fan will have one limitation; if the air is warm, the wind blowing through will also be warm (although if you're already sweating, evaporative cooling makes up for this). That isn't a fault of this neck fan, just a limitation for any fan that simply moves air instead of lowering temperature.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
On July 9, Samsung will host its third and final Galaxy Unpacked Event of 2025. Samsung hasn't revealed much beforehand other than its tagline "Ultra Unfolds," however the company is widely expected to release new foldable variants in its Galaxy smartphone lineup. In advance of the event, you can place a reservation online in order to get some early bird perks if you end up placing a preorder. These include:
A bonus $50 Samsung credit
Up to $1,150+ in additional savings (most likely from trade-ins)
A chance to enter the sweepstakes for $5,000 in Samsung credit
If you're even slightly interested in getting your hands on the new smartphones, there's no reason not to reserve. Since this isn't a pre-order, you don't have to place any kind of deposit, and there's no commitment to buy.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked July 9, 2025: Reserve Now
Although Samsung is tight-lipped about the details, we can infer that the next generation Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 smartphones will be officially announced and go up for preorder shortly therafter.
Last year's Galaxy Z Flip 6 was one of our favorite foldable phones of 2024. In our Galaxy Z Flip 6 review, Jacqueline Thomas wrote that "Despite its size, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is an extremely potent smartphone, making it perfect for anyone that doesn’t want to haul around a larger device without losing any of the performance."
The bigger Galaxy Z Fold 6 was also a solid winner in our books. In our Galaxy Z Fold 6 review, Jacqueline Thomas wrote that "The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is an extremely powerful smartphone, thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 that powers it. That chipset allows this complicated phone to keep up with other Android flagships, while also allowing it to quickly swap between folded and unfolded modes without missing a beat. However, the weird aspect ratios of each screen mode can be divisive, and can be a turn-off for anyone that doesn’t like fiddling with their phone settings."
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
Alienware's Black Friday in July Sale has officially kicked off, and one of the best deals I've seen so far is this Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 gaming PC for just $2,099.99 shipped. This is $250 less than the previous best deal I've seen on the same configuration, and one of the best prices you can get for any prebuilt RTX 5080 gaming PC. The Alienware Aurora R16 is a well-engineered and compact gaming rig with 240mm AIO water cooling, sensible airflow design, and a generous 1,000W 80Plus Platinum rated power supply. In the current market, buying a prebuilt gaming PC is the only way to score an RTX 5080 GPU without paying an exorbitant markup. If you were to try to find a 5080 GPU for your do-it-yourself PC build, you'll probably spend $1,400 for the graphics card alone.
Alienware Aurora RTX 5080 Gaming PC From $2,099.99
This system is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 265F processor, GeForce RTX 5080 graphics card, 16GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM, and a 1TB M.2 SSD. Note that this is a customizable configuration so you can upgrade the CPU and GPU or increase your memory or storage capacity. It's pre-configured with a 240mm all-in-one liquid cooling solution.
The Core Ultra 7 265F is part of Intel's newest Arrow Lake-S lineup released earlier this year and boasts a max turbo frequency of 5.3GHz with 20 cores and a 36MB L2 cache. This is an excellent all-around CPU for gaming, multi-tasking, and general workstation performance. For gaming, you won't see any improvement upgrading to a Core Ultra 9.
The GeForce RTX 5080 GPU will run any game in 4K
The RTX 5080 is the second best Blackwell graphics card, surpassed only by the $2,000 RTX 5090. It's about 5%-10% faster than the previous generation RTX 4080 Super, which is discontinued and no longer available. In games that support the new DLSS 4 with multi-frame generation exclusive to Blackwell cards, the gap widens. This is an outstanding card for playing even the latest games at 4K resolution with high settings and ray tracing enabled.
Check out more Alienware Black Friday in July deals
Check out our Best Alienware Deals article with all of Dell's currently ongoing deals on gaming laptops and desktop PCs. Not everyone is the DIY type. If you're in the market for a prebuilt gaming PC, Dell is one of the best brands we'd recommend. Alienware desktops and laptops feature solid build quality, top-of-the-line gaming performance, excellent cooling (further improved on the newer models), aggressive styling, and pricing that is very competitive with other pre-built options. Best of all, there are plenty of sales that happen throughout the year, so it's not difficult to grab one of these computers at considerably less than their retail price.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
Feeling the pinch but still itching for the best in pixels and/or polygons? My daily haul of discounted gaming delights has something for every playstyle, whether you're a trophy fiend, a couch co-op junkie, or just overdue for a solo narrative binge. The price drops are deep, the genres are varied, and the digital shelves are practically begging for your thumb.
This Day in Gaming 🎂
In retro news, I've made a big cake with a 26 on it for Ape Escape, the first game to explicitly require a DualShock controller. In these modern times where the dpad is a vestigial limb, it's difficult to explain just how exciting it was to transition from that clunky cross to twin analog sticks. Cameras could be controlled like we were Spielberg. Platforming through a 3D space could be done with a finer degree of accuracy. Using the right stick to swing our weapons was...er, way less intuitive than just pressing a button.
Nintendo fans can enjoy a brutal brawler history lesson with Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection, a pack that includes the ultra-rare Red Earth arcade release from 1996. Or revisit Sonic Frontiers, a divisive but ambitious open-world experiment that drew design inspiration from Breath of the Wild. Yes, really.
Xbox Series X users might pounce on Monster Hunter Wilds, where Capcom’s RE Engine gets another workout in lush new biomes set for 2025. Meanwhile, Death’s Door is a stylish indie gem that channels old-school Zelda vibes with a touch of Studio Ghibli weirdness.
PlayStation 5 owners can whip out the fedora for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which ropes in Wolfenstein dev MachineGames for its Nazi-thumping campaign. Or explore the new Elden Ring expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, which was so jam-packed that FromSoftware had to raise the game’s file size by over 20 GB.
Over on PC, Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut makes its platform debut complete with unlocked framerates and ultrawide support. And for sheer value, it’s hard to beat Gris, a mesmerising emotional platformer that started life as a sketchbook by artist Conrad Roset.
Halloween has come and gone, but horror movies have no limit on enjoyment. As one of the most prolific and profitable subgenres in cinema, audiences are always in the mood for some spooky scaries. Fortunately, thanks to the accessibility of streaming services, places like Netflix are home to a plethora of chilling choices. Between original offerings and licensed titles, there’s a horror movie for anyone and everyone. To get you started, we’ve tracked down some of the must-see horror titles currently available to stream on Netflix.
Those original offerings are becoming more important. Netflix's horror section has eliminated many titles released before 2000, except maybe around Halloween. The platform is all-in on exclusives and international titles, which often get added with little fanfare. Netflix is letting other streamers keep their Conjurverse entries and familiar classics. We're here to try everything and let you know what's worthwhile.
Please note: This list pertains to U.S. Netflix subscribers. Some titles may not currently be available on international platforms. This article is frequently amended to remove films no longer on Netflix and to include more horror movies that are now available on the service.
Psycho (1960)
What’s there to say about Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho that hasn’t been written by eleventy-billion film scholars already? It’s a masterpiece of tension and suspense, as Marion Crane checks into the Bates Motel … but never checks out. Anthony Perkins’ charming mamma’s boy of a psychopath is the definition of creepy, all while Hitchcock toys with our minds. We hear Norman’s mother, see Norman’s mother kill a few victims—or so we believe. There’s a reason movies are described as “Hitchcockian,” because so few filmmakers have done it better.
47 Meters Down (2017)
I’ve reviewed quite a few shark movies for IGN over the years. Not to be too negative, but it’s been choppy waters to say the least. That’s why when I say 47 Meters Down is one of the better shark-based horror films of the last decade, you know I mean it. Mandy Moore and Claire Holt are divers stranded on the sea’s floor, trying to survive as sharks continually thwart their escape attempts. Filmmaker Johannes Roberts excels at tracking action underwater and delivers some expertly horrifying shark encounters, whether in almost complete darkness or lit by red flares. You better believe this fin flick has bite.
Barbarian (2022)
One of the wildest horror movies of 2022 hit Netflix this month. Zach Cregger’s Barbarian opens as a riff on Airbnb horrors, but quickly proves — again and again — to be something incredibly uncontainable. What begins as tense banter between renters, played by Georgina Campbell and Bill Skarsgård, evolves into a no-holds-barred genre buffet that’s better experienced without any reveals. Justin Long interjects as Barbarian dares to express the meanest of streaks, as Cregger explores decades of evil without any safeguards. You can check my full review for more, but I’d suggest hitting play blind to details.
Smile (2022)
Smile is a textbook definition horror movie that is scary enough, composed enough, and does pretty much everything just enough. Sosie Bacon stars in a film where haunting grins signal that you're about to become the next victim of an evil entity. Storytelling lacks a tightness as characters come and go from the absurd scenario, but the scares are all aces. Writer and director Parker Finn understands the bread and butter of most horror experiences comes down to primetime chills. Finn's movie exists to make you scream and scream you shall. I'm not sure everything about the ending works for me personally? But it's still worth the stream for the adrenaline spikes alone.
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
When I say Zack Snyder does best when directing someone else's script, I'm talking about Dawn of the Dead. It's one of the best modern zombie movies (the 2000s are still modern, right?), living up to the prestige of George A. Romero's original Dawn of the Dead. But it's also a unique take with fast-moving zombies that bring a viciousness to the subgenre. Snyder's eye for horror is cutthroat as a cast of survivors—including Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Mekhi Phifer, and Ty Burrell—try to survive zombie hordes outside their locked-down mall fortress. It's the perfect formula for a remake, standing on its own merits while respecting Romero's source material.
Dead Talent's Society (2024)
I've said it before and I'll say it again: John Hsu's Dead Talents Society is a cutesy and buoyant Taiwanese horror-comedy guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Expect shades of Monsters Inc. and Beetlejuice, as the dead compete in afterlife competitions as scare celebrities. It's partially a sports comedy as Gingle Wang's rookie specter strives to become a legendary scare master, but there are also creepy paranormal thrills and hilarious gore moments. Dead Talents Society is a bit of everything as a horror-comedy, and always for the better. Be sure to give this import a shot.
Talk To Me (2022)
The Philippou brothers made the jump from YouTube maniacs to feature-film directors with A24's efficiently creepy Talk to Me. It's a spin on traumatic horror themes told using a party game mechanic. Teens make bad decisions and allow dead souls to inhabit their bodies so they can record viral videos, which takes an appropriately devastating turn. The Philippous bring that social media energy to Talk to Me, but impress more as horror filmmakers who can nail a solid scare. It's their feature debut but hardly feels like one — Talk to Me summons the genre goods.
Death Note (2017)
Adam Wingard’s Death Note adaptation failed to start a franchise for Netflix, but I think the overall reception was a bit harsh. I don’t mind Death Note, Willem Dafoe’s Ryuk, or Wingard’s translation of manga pages to screen. Lakeith Stanfield ends up stealing the show as prodigy detective “L,” but that’s not to dismiss a cast that includes Margaret Qualley and Shea Whigham. Sure, it’s uneven when considering how gory some scenes are followed by something oddly neutered, but the overall experience is worth a watch if you’ve been avoiding Death Note since its less-than-glowing debut.
Shadow in the Cloud (2020)
So have you seen the World War II gremlin movie starring Chloë Grace Moretz yet? Why not? The majority duration takes place in a B-17 bomber, where Moretz and her co-stars must thwart a pesky gremlin from disassembling their craft. It’s a play on old wartime stories about mischievous creatures on flights, turned into a chamber piece about a crew’s best efforts to face the unexpected while flying through the sky. Moretz is the anchor here, really selling the B-Movie elements in a story that can be a little turbulent, but due to its audacity, I can’t help but urge others to give this zany thriller a shot.
Grave Torture (2024)
Joko Anwar’s been busily putting modern Indonesian horror on the map with titles like Satan’s Slaves and Impetigore (streamable on Shudder). Now he’s taking over Netflix with his latest feature film, Grave Torture. Anwar’s style blends cultural touchstones with universal horror vibes, in this case depicting Siksa Kubur (aka grave torture), a punishment inflicted on sinners after death. It’s a religiously coded nightmare complete with frightening visuals and harrowing death sequences, confronting beliefs and traditions with grim tones. It’s what Anwar does best, and while I’d rate Grave Torture on the lower end of the filmmaker’s catalog, that’s only to emphasize the quality of his other works.
Till Death (2021)
"A woman finds herself shackled to a corpse as part of a revenge plot." Megan Fox plays the previously mentioned woman handcuffed to her stone-cold dead ex in one of her recent indie horror ventures. It's not that Till Death is revolutionary; more how Fox carries a gimmick film through engaging thrills as she drags her co-star's lifeless body around a house and away from killers. Till Death knows it's only ever trying to be a chilly Friday night stream at barely ninety minutes, and that's the proper mindset. Fox's "comeback tour" raises eyebrows with Till Death, a movie worth a gamble based on the premise's better-than-expected execution.
It’s What’s Inside (2024)
I’m a sucker for “party horror” movies like Talk to Me or Bodies Bodies Bodies, where gameplay becomes a nightmare for characters. Greg Jardin’s It’s What’s Inside is the latest example, blending sci-fi ambitions with parlor entertainment for pre-wedding festivities. It’s a story that relies on twists and turns, which won’t spoiled here, so trust my praise when I say it’s one of the year’s most thrilling and addictive mysteries. Expect an existential, out-of-body whodunit, playing blame games versus pursuing bloodcurdling frights. Put this one on with a group and have a blast — those are the vibes.
Under Paris (2024)
Xavier Gens’ Under Paris reverses the curse on a recent drought of good shark horror movies. It’s a ridiculous hybrid that somehow stays afloat between Jaws themes and a Geostorm-bonkersdisaster scope. A mako shark gets loose in the Seine River just before a massive triathlon that Paris’ leadership refuses to reschedule. It’s not an all-out action flick until about two-thirds through, but that doesn’t sink the experience. For those who love Dick Maas movies like Uncaged or Amsterdamned, Under Paris flows with the same vibes. Early patience is rewarded with a high-intensity third act filled with bloody waters, frantic swimmers, and enough governmental incompetence to make Mayor Larry Vaughn blush.
Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)
It’s wild to think how a prequel as good as Mike Flanagan’s Ouija: Origin of Evil could follow something as forgettable as 2014’s Ouija. Flanagan goes back to basics with Habro’s Ouija board storytelling, stepping in as a fixer who brings legitimate terror and tension to the series. A cast including Flanagan regulars like Kate Siegel and Henry Thomas execute a possession tale influenced by The Changeling that delivers solid 1960s genre vibes. It’s Flanagan operating within his wheelhouse - what more of a recommendation do you need?
Thanksgiving (2023)
If I’m being honest, part of me thought we’d never see a feature-length version of Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving. Kudos to the slasher filmmaker for pressing studios to make Thanksgiving until Spyglass Media Group finally caved, rewarding patient fans with a Massachusetts massacre that carves with the best of ‘em. Roth sells every delicious Thanksgiving detail and indulges holiday horror accents, utilizing everything from pilgrim costumes to corn cob holders to parade floats at ramming speed. It’s a hybrid slasher that updates the subgenre for modern tastes while remaining dedicated to the splattery golden age of horror violence, finding that sweet spot between storytelling and grotesqueries. I’ll be in line for seconds, thirds, and more if allowed.
The Conference (2023)
Work sucks, but luckily The Conference doesn’t. It’s a furious “Worksploitation” slasher that puts a knife to the throat of scummy corporate culture. Kills all have a taste of the great outdoors since the film takes place at a woodland work retreat, from machetes through hammocks to a splashy jacuzzi death. The Swedish commentary on greedy business folk comes with a nasty savageness and cheeky workplace satires, comparable to other winning work retreat horror tales like Severance.
Circle (2015)
Clever indie filmmakers can make something out of nothing. Aaron Hann and Mario Miscione’s Circle is an excellent representation of that idea, about 50 people who wake up in a dark room arranged in a circular formation. The premise is simple: someone has to die every two minutes. That’s it. Hann and Miscione turn social experimentation into a thriller about characters arguing their point about why they should be the one who lives another round, relying on dialogue to sell the existential dread at the script’s core. Minimalism is the film’s secret ingredient: getting straight to the point and keeping a quick pace in a way that never loses our attention.
Eli (2019)
Eli can feel like a horror movie Mad Libs as the story keeps evolving, but that becomes the film’s ultimate charm. It’s about a boy suffering from an auto-immune disease trapped in a quarantine environment who begins to ponder his imprisonment. The “Bubble Boy” beginning turns into a haunted house thriller that becomes an even crazier third act that I won’t spoil for you now. I’m not saying every big swing is successful, but I’ll go to bat for Eli as a horror film that loves to prove expectations wrong. Give me weird and wild over conventional any day — especially when you have the freedom of streaming releases over theatrical constraints.
Nobody Sleeps In The Woods Tonight (2020)
In the mood for a 2020s Polish slasher created by lovers of 80s American horror trends? Bartosz M. Kowalski uses the campground massacre template to execute a contemporary slasher that feels as throwback as rereleases of Crystal Pepsi. It's a familiar brand of campers meeting gruesome fates one by one with a massive emphasis on practical effects, the goriest and most obscene of which become an overall saving grace. Kowalski aims to prove that Polish slashers can hack 'em up with the best of them, even if there's not much else to praise with the same enthusiasm. If you want blood, you've got it by the truckload.
Girls With Balls (2018)
It’s killer rednecks versus a championship volleyball squad in Girls With Balls. Expect a horror comedy with exploding heads and a musical cowboy acting as a narrator who sings about the gratuitous violence on screen. Don’t expect a brilliant subversion of gender tropes in slasher movies — Girls With Balls is an effects-heavy slaughter spree that doesn’t try to be anything else. International approaches to comedy make some jokes harder to laugh at stateside, so as long as you can focus on the balls-out aggression on screen, you should find entertainment in another bloody backwoods fight for survival.
The Block Island Sound (2020)
Kevin McManus and Matthew McManus summon a creepy coastal caper from the depths of Rhode Island waters. It’s more eerie than aggressive as multiple subgenres swirl together in this unsettling waterlogged mystery. You can expect psychological horror, eco-horror, aquatic horror, even possession horror as Block Island community members try to understand the unexplainable events washing upon their shores. The Block Island Sound weaponizes the idea of "siren songs," toys with out-of-body nightmares, and mixes a spoonful of grief into the batter as storytelling churns like a storm that won’t pass.
Before I Wake (2016)
It’s the Mike Flanagan movie that gets talked about the least — in my experience — yet deserves the world. Flanagan does what he does best: tell a powerfully emotional story using fear, family, and creatures. Jacob Tremblay plays an adopted child who’s terrified of falling asleep because of a ghoulish figure known as “The Canker Man.” Butterflies and fantasy worlds don’t detail the scariest horror experience, as Flanagan leans on childhood imaginations that turn traumatic memories into inescapable boogeymen. Maybe it’s that softness of scare volumes — coupled with unfortunate studio bankruptcies that forced an unceremonious Netflix dump premiere — that caused such comparatively little fanfare over the years (considering Flanagan’s hype elsewhere). Hopefully my recommendation can help Before I Wake find new streaming life.
Under The Shadow (2016)
Babak Anvari’s Under the Shadow is a phenomenal cross section of national trauma invaded by nightmare demons. A family in war-torn Iran is plagued by visits from djinns as if exploding bombs outside and military threats weren’t enough. Anvari manipulates shadows and creates haunted architectures under Iraq-Iran conflict conditions, highlighting the terrors of both. There are some extremely effective scares and fresh deliveries of otherwise common fright-flick molds because, when in doubt, turn to international flavors for something original.
Incantation (2022)
Kevin Ko’s Taiwanese found footage flick Incantation speaks in clichés, but that doesn’t make them any less frightening. You’ll get a few good jolts as a mother must protect her daughter from evils she called upon by breaking religious taboos. Translation: foolish viral video ghost hunters defy the unknown and pay consequences both then and later. The script is murky on the camera’s rules regarding who is filming from a found footage sense and taboo happenings around the entity’s curse. Nevertheless, there’s an interesting concept around interactive found footage horror that smacks of the Ring franchise in its social media focuses, and you’ll yip a few scared noises — you could do way worse on Netflix.
Patrick Brice’s slasher adaptation accomplishes two massive feats for modern horror flicks: keeps us guessing and slaughters without restraint. It’s another film about teenagers getting sliced and diced by a masked killer, but it’s stylish and fierce enough to carve its own path. Situational misdirects keep audiences guessing who could be guilty of mass murder as characters point fingers while blood runneth everywhere from church confessional booths to aflame corn mazes. Don’t expect the next Scream or anything, just a solid contemporary slasher that succeeds when it matters most.
Cargo (2017)
One of Netflix's first original horror films is still one of my favorites. Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke's Cargo stars Martin Freeman as a father traversing the Australian outback with his daughter — also, there are zombies. Think The Walking Dead as an undead film that's more about its human characters facing survival drama than zombie action, except this one packs sturdy emotional stakes. Freeman's traveler encounters psychos, ferocious walkers, and weather elements that add thrills to Cargo, but what's unexpected is how a baby doesn't weigh the narrative down. Child subplots in horror are a tricky formula to crack that Cargo gets right, as the fears of protective parents translate into a hearty zombie experience.
Does The Babysitter indulge McG’s tendencies as a director who loves popular needle drops and quotes pop culture like a middle schooler who discovered HBO? Yes. Is it also written by Brian Duffield of Spontaneous fame — a magnificent young adult dark comedy – and does it star modern scream queen in the making, Samara Weaving? Thankfully, these saving graces play into McG’s bounce-about take on horrific humor as a child realizes his babysitter is performing a cult ritual while mom and dad are out for the night. A supporting cast including Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne, Hana Mae Lee, and Andrew Bachelor all have their moments subverting specific “hunted home alone” tropes — still, The Babysitter is Samara Weaving’s showcase. Tune in, share some laughs, soak in a devilish Weaving performance, and check out Netflix’s funniest spooky original so far.
Netflix's original horror game rose to another level with The Ritual, David Bruckner's directorial debut outside segments in The Signal, V/H/S, and Southbound. Four friends take a northern Swedish hiking trip in memory of their deceased fifth, only to become victims of a woodland nightmare. Visions begin by layering psychological horror as the characters confront fears or guilt, then cultism adds communal dread, and lastly, Bruckner delivers on creature-feature goods. One source of terror feeds into the next and provokes future traumas, all interconnected as Bruckner weaves in and out of multiple horror subgenres with ease. There's so much to enjoy as Swedish forestation becomes an isolated outdoor prison, and then all hell breaks loose. Bruckner flaunts his filmmaking chops in a significant way.
Blood Red Sky (2021)
Peter Thorwarth’s Blood Red Sky boils down to vampires on a plane — but not like the SYFY channel throwaway such a title suggests. Nadja (Peri Baumeister) is a bloodsucking mother whose only motivation is to keep her son alive from hijackers who want to crash a commercial flight. It’s far tenser and emotionally comprehensive than expected, staying far away from being another Snakes on a Plane knockoff. Performances are substantial, whether gruff terrorists or ferocious mothers, while intensity drives home an action-horror experience like airliner blockbuster Non-Stop but with more sucked blood. It's a solid vampire movie worth your time.
Apostle (2018)
Director Gareth Evans did not come to play with the gorgeous and gory Apostle. While the Netflix original is several years old at this point, it still feels like this one never got the attention it quite deserved. Before the era where Netflix original films were super prevalent, Apostle follows Thomas Richardson (played by none other than Dan Stephens) as he seeks out to rescue his sister from a strange, secluded cult.
#Alive (2020)
No one does a zombie movie quite like South Korea, and #Alive is one of the absolute best. A video game streamer decides to lock himself in his apartment while a zombie outbreak destroys the surrounding city of Seoul, but just as he’s losing all hope, he discovers that his neighbor in the apartment across from him is also still alive. The two create a zipline to share food, and share walkie-talkies to communicate with one another, while zombies terrorize the world outside of their walls. It’s a film as much about the human need for interaction as it is about survival, and the constant threat of zombies keeps keeps every moment filled with exhilarating tension.
Creep (2014)
Fans of POV/found footage horror films, rejoice, because Creep is one of the best in this style. In Patrick Brice’s directorial debut, Creep follows a filmmaker named Aaron who answers a strange man named Josef’s online ad to film him for the day, the final request of a man claiming to be dying of cancer hoping to make a video for his unborn child. Upon arrival, Aaron realizes that there’s something super weird about Josef and with the camera constantly rolling, we witness the absurdity and danger in store for Aaron. Come for the wild as hell Mark Duplass performance, stay for the Peachfuzz mask. If you love it, Netflix also has the sequel — Creep 2.
The Fear Street Trilogy
Leigh Janiak was the talk of the summer when Netflix dropped the cinematic trilogy based on the popular book series by “Goosebumps” author R.L. Stine, Fear Street. The Fear Street trilogy brought three separate movies to tell one cohesive story about the cursed town of Shadyside and the inhabitants impacted by generational horror. Each film is predominantly set in a different time period, delivering a little treat for fans of slashers, hauntings, teen horror, queer horror, and folk horror. The three films work best when watched all together, but each film can successfully stand on its own, making it a must-see trilogy.
Gerald’s Game (2017)
Stephen King’s Gerald’s Game was considered to be his “unfilmable” work, but if anyone is capable of proving King wrong, it’s Mike Flanagan. The man behind The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, Hush, Doctor Sleep, and others successfully tackled Gerald’s Game and provided one of Netflix’s best original horror releases. Gerald’s Game is a terrifying descent into madness and home to a dynamite leading performance by Carla Gugino.
His House (2020)
Remi Weekes truly made something special with His House, arguably one of the scariest films on the Netflix roster. A haunted house story on the surface, His House centers on a refugee couple escaping war-torn Sudan only to find that the English town they’ve fled to may be just as harrowing as the land they left. The source of the film’s horror lies not just with the supernatural elements, but also with themes of grief, guilt, abandonment, xenophobia, and assimilation. It’s a powerful haunt that will linger with you long after the credits roll.
May The Devil Take You (2018)
If there’s one area where Netflix thrives with their horror offerings, it’s with their international selection of scares. Genre fans have been praising the work of Timo Tjahjanto for years with his standout shorts in The ABCs of Death and V/H/S/2, but his feature film work in Indonesia is arguably his best, and Netflix’ acquisition has brought his work to mainstream Western audiences. In May The Devil Take You, a young woman visits her father’s former home trying to find the answer regarding his mysterious illness, only to discover the horrifying truth about his past.
The Perfection (2018)
Go into The Perfection as clueless as possible (but be aware of some triggering rape stuff), because half the fun of this psychological horror film is trying (and failing) to guess just what happens next. Allison Wiliams plays a former cello prodigy who returns to her prestigious music school to find that she’s been replaced by the new star student, Lizzie played by Logan Browning. The Perfection plays with exploitation film conventions and completely subverts them on their head in absolutely unpredictable ways. It’s a wild thrill ride and truly, perfection.
Vampires Vs. The Bronx (2020)
Vampires have been used as metaphors for a variety of othering, but Vampires Vs. The Bronx highlights humanity’s true villain –gentrification. After a trio of young best friends discover a brood of vampires are preparing to destroy The Bronx, they take matters into their own hands and get the community together to fight back against the monsters invading their home. Calling it The Lost Boys for a new generation feels too easy, but the Frog Brothers would be proud do see how Miguel, Bobby, Luis, Gloria, Lil Mayor, and the rest of the gang tackle the aptly named Murnau real estate film. Leave the stake, take the adobo.
A good night's sleep is essential for a healthy and productive day. If you're having trouble sleeping, especially when you're travelling and bedded in unfamiliar accomodations, then you might when to check out this early Amazon Prime Day deal. Amazon is offering the diminutive Dreamegg portable white noise machine for just $9.49 after you apply 50% off coupon code "6TVMPOMB" during checkout. I bought one the last time this went on sale and it has worked as intended in a nursery, keeping the baby soundly asleep.
Dreamegg Portable White Noise Machine for $9.49
The Dreamegg measures less than 2" cubed and weighs in at under 2oz, making it easy to carry along with you on your travels. You don't need to bring along a power brick or spare batteries either; the internal 1,000mAh battery (doubled in capacity compared to its gen 1 model) lasts all night long and the recharges over the universal USB Type-C standard.
In terms of its features, the Dreamegg sound machine offers 16 soothing nature sounds, including ocean waves, rain, birds, fan sounds, and, of course, white noise. Since it's supposed to be placed next to you on a beside table, it doesn't need to have oversized speakers, but the Dreamegg is still loud enough to help drown out other ambient noises that might otherwise keep you awake, like late night conversations, urban fauna their groove on, or music blaring outside.
For travellers with babies, this is a near essential device. In my experience, a white noise machine is one of the best ways to keep a baby sleeping, even in noisier environments, and a surefire way to maintain your sanity.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
The paperback box set of the core five Witcher books is on sale at Amazon, which has a surprising amount of book deals ahead of its Prime Day sales. You can pick up the full collection for $35.40, which is 61% off the original list price of $89.99.
The collection doesn't include the two prequel short stories, The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, or the standalone prequel Season of Storms, but you can pick those up individually or in their own box set. These all share the same red spine design as the main box set, so displaying them on a shelf won't drive you insane as it would for me if they didn't match.
Get the Entire Witcher Series on Sale
The Witcher centers around Geralt of Rivia, a monster-killing, bounty-hunting Witcher with magic powers and a penchant for toxic relationships. Throughout the saga you'll meet a colorful cast of characters like Princess Cirilla, who Geralt is tied to in a twist of destiny, Dandelion, Geralt's close friend and wandering bard, and Yennefer of Vengerberg, a sorceress and subject of Geralt's aforementioned complicated love life.
If you're new to the Witcher series, the reading order can be a bit complicated with jumping timelines, the prequel, and the short story collections. Here's a quick TL; DR on how to read the Witcher books in order:
The Last Wish (short stories)
Sword of Destiny (short stories)
Season of Storms (you can also read this last)
Blood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire
The Towers of Swallows
The Lady of the Lake
I'd highly recommend these books to anyone who enjoys CD Projekt Red's loose adaptation of them in the form of The Witcher games. As we wait (probably quite a long time) for The Witcher 4, what better opportunity is there to dive into the original lore?
When Will The Witcher Return on Netflix?
Aside from the games, The Witcher books have also been adapted by Netflix... relatively faithfully. Henry Cavill played the titular character for seasons 1-3, with Liam Hemsworth replacing him for season 4 onward. The new season is likely arriving in the second half of 2025.
In our review of season 3, volume 2, we said "[it] closes out its most compromised season yet by once again losing Henry Cavill in the clunky, plot-heavy shuffle", and gave it a five overall.
Let's make this easy. You want to know if there are any post-credits or mid-credits scenes in Jurassic World Rebirth. Well, we'll tell you right here:
There are not.
But read on about the new movie all the same!
Life finds a way, and so does the Jurassic franchise, thanks to the seventh film in the series, Jurassic World Rebirth. But with the adventure on Ile Saint-Hubert in the rearview mirror, is this film setting up a new trilogy, or is it a standalone movie? The answer is “maybe” to the first question, and “maybe” to the second one. A lot, you may not be surprised to hear, depends on how well the movie does this week/weekend at the box office.
Directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Godzilla) and starring franchise newcomers Scarlett Johansson as Zora Bennett, Mahershala Ali as Duncan Kincaid, and Jonathan Bailey as Dr. Henry Loomis, Rebirth received a 5 out of 10 score from IGN's Clint Gage. "For a movie that promises a 'Rebirth,' the latest Jurassic World plays it frustratingly safe, falling back on the blueprint of the original film, but not shedding any of the problems with the more recent movies," reads the review.
Still, if you’re looking for an explanation of the ending of the movie, and how it could set up a sequel – or even a new trilogy – then be sure to check this space on Friday when we update this page with full spoilers.
Does Jurassic World Rebirth Have A Mid- or End-Credits Scene?
Nope! As stated above, after the final shot, there are just credits for the movie. You should always hang out to pay tribute to the awesome folks who worked on a film, but if you’re wondering whether Blue pops up for a last-second surprise, or Mr. D.N.A. is back for revenge, you’ll have to wait for Jurassic World Rebirth 2: Reborn Again.
Check back on this page on Friday for all the Jurassic spoilers you could ask for!
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