The new Styx game (and yes, they're making a new Styx game) was supposed to be out before the end of 2025, but here it is December and it's just not quite ready.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for IT: Welcome to Derry Episodes 1-6!
Fans of Stephen King’s novels will know that these tales of small-town terror and tortured souls aren’t simply standalone stories. They’re all part of a larger storytelling multiverse, and crossovers can and do frequently happen. That’s certainly true for IT: Welcome to Derry – not only is this series a prequel to the It movies, it also includes nods to other King characters and storylines.
With the first six episodes having premiered on HBO Max, we figured now is a great time to break down the key Stephen King easter eggs in Welcome to Derry and explore how the series is taking advantage of the King multiverse. Keep checking back, as we’ll update this piece as more episodes air.
What Is Bill Skarsgård’s Villain Pennywise?
With Welcome to Derry taking place 27 years before the events of 2017’s It, it should come as no surprise that there aren’t many returning actors for this prequel. In fact, the only confirmed veteran of the series is Bill Skarsgård, who is once again playing the demonic, shapeshifting villain, It (whose favorite form is Pennywise the Dancing Clown). We don’t actually see Skarsgård's Pennywise until Episode 5, but the character’s nefarious influence is certainly felt throughout the season. If there’s any takeaway from the series, it’s that Derry was a cursed place long before the Losers Club clashed with Pennywise for the first time.
With Pennywise being such an important part of the series, it’s worth taking a step back to explore what exactly this character is and how he fits into King’s monster multiverse. The It novel establishes that It is an alien entity created in the void outside the universe. It eventually crashed on Earth via an asteroid millions of years ago, at which point it took up residence in the area that would become Derry, Maine. We see this origin story play out during Episode 4's flashback sequence.
Ever since people began to settle in Derry, It has shown a pattern of emerging for a year or two to seek victims and feast on their fear; it is essentially a psychic vampire. After gorging itself, It then goes into hibernation for 27 years before reawakening and starting the cycle all over again. It tends to target children because their fears are more primal and easier to exploit.
It/Pennywise is easily one of the most terrifying creatures in King’s massive library, but it’s not necessarily unique. King’s Dark Tower novels establish that the multiverse was once bathed in a mystical energy source called the Prim. When the Prim receded like an ocean tide, it left behind a great many supernatural creatures embedded in the worlds of creation; Pennywise is just one of many of those monsters. One of the Dark Tower books even introduces a cousin of sorts – a similar psychic vampire who feeds on laughter rather than fear.
The Hanlon Family
Welcome to Derry may not feature many returning characters, but it does feature one family that should be very familiar to fans of the films. The first episode introduces Jovan Adepo’s Leroy Hanlon; Leroy is the grandfather of Mike Hanlon, who was played in the films as a child by Chosen Jacobs and as an adult by Isaiah Mustafa.
Welcome to Derry shows us how the Hanlon family first came to settle in Derry in 1962. Leroy is a decorated and well-respected Air Force major who is recruited by General Shaw (James Remar) to work on a top-secret program. Little by little, Leroy is becoming exposed to the darkness lurking beneath the idyllic facade of Derry and the racism still rampant in the ranks of the military. In Episode 2, Leroy learns that Shaw is working to harness a weapon that can instill absolute fear in America's enemies. Apparently, Shaw wants to weaponize It.
Episode 2 introduces Taylour Paige as Leroy’s wife, Charlotte, and Blake Cameron James as his son, Will, neither of whom seem particularly enamored with their new home. But however bad things get this season, it’s not going to drive this family out of Derry.
The Shining’s Dick Hallorann
Welcome to Derry is going to draw on more than just the It movies and novel; that much has been apparent ever since an earlier trailer included a shot of a Shawshank Prison bus. But in what is easily the most significant King easter egg so far, the series’ cast includes a major character from The Shining: Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk).
Fans of The Shining and its sequel, Doctor Sleep, will remember that Dick is the head chef at the Overlook Hotel in Colorado. Because he has the psychic aptitude known as “the shine,” Dick is more sensitive than most to the many ghosts haunting the Overlook’s halls. Dick becomes rightfully concerned when he senses that young Danny Torrance, the son of winter caretaker Jack Torrance, shines especially brightly, and is therefore a ripe target for those ghosts. Eventually, Dick is forced to brave the harsh Colorado winter in order to rescue Danny and his mother from the hotel’s wrath.
Welcome to Derry takes place nearly two decades before The Shining; at this stage, Dick is serving on the same Derry air force base as Leroy Hanlon. We only catch a brief glimpse of Dick in Episode 1, but he seems intently interested in Leroy, as if he can sense something is supernaturally amiss with the major.
Episode 2 provides more context for Dick's presence in Derry and his interest in Leroy. Dick is using his psychic abilities to help the Air Force dig up and harness the slumbering It. Dick seems to sense that Leroy is special in his own way. A bullet to his brain has robbed Leroy of the ability to feel fear, which may make him the only person capable of standing up to It. And by Episode 4, Leroy is starting to come to terms with the fact that Dick truly does have supernatural abilities.
We fully expect Dick to play a central role in battling It in this series. Just as at the Overlook, Dick’s powers will make him more aware than most adults of the danger lurking underneath the town. It may even target Dick specifically, hoping to draw extra sustenance from his psychic abilities, much like the vampires in Doctor Sleep.
That's basically what happens in Episode 5, when It singles out Dick in the sewers and preys on his fear of his late grandfather. As established in Doctor Sleep, Dick had a loving relationship with his grandmother, who shared his shine ability, but he lived in constant terror of his "Black Grandpa," a monstrously cruel and vindictive man. Dick developed a technique of shutting away his fears inside metaphysical lockboxes in his mind. Here, Dick is forced by the spectre of Black Grandpa to open his lockbox, freeing all the ghosts that had been trapped away and causing Dick to once again see dead people.
Episode 2 incldues another fun The Shining Easter egg, as we see a stack of Calumet Baking Powder cans in the grocery store, all displaying that iconic logo of an Indian chief. These cans were also seen in Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of The Shining, part of the Overlook Hotel's extensive larder.
The exact significance of the cans and the Indian logo has been the source of much debate over the years, with some arguing (like in the documentary Room 237) that Kubrick was trying to include subtle commentary about American imperialism and the genocide of Native Americans. The Indian chief image may also speak to the ancient history of the supernatural terrors in this world. Again, It has been in Derry for a very long time.
Juniper Hill Asylum
Episode 2 also introduces another iconic King landmark in Juniper Hill Asylum. We learn that Susie (Matilda Legault) was previously committed there after the death of her father, and she's forced to return at the end of the episode after suffering through another of It's terrifying hallucinations. That means we'll surely see inside its dark halls as the season unfolds.
Juniper Hill appears in the original IT novel as well as numerous other King works, from Insomnia to Needful Things to The Dark Half. It's a place every bit as twisted as you'd expect from a mental institution in Stephen King's multiverse.
Shawshank State Prison
Alongside Juniper Hill, the series is also introducing another very recognizable facility in the form of Shawshank State Prison. The wrongfully imprisoned Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider) looks doomed to be imprisoned there, even as Charlotte fights to clear his name.
Shawshank was most famously featured in King's 1982 novella "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption," which was later adapted into the 1994 movie The Shawshank Redemption. Both versions of the story follow the pliught of Andy Dufresne, a man imprisoned for decades at the hellish prison after being convicted of murdering his wife. Shashank was also heavily featured in Castle Rock, another series notable for bringing together pieces of the King multiverse.
Project Arrowhead
Episode 4 features a quick shot of a building called the Arrowhead Motel. This may be a reference to the Arrowhead Project, a top-secret government program referenced in King books like The Mist. There, the Arrowhead Project is aimed at creating an interdimensional window allowing the military to peer into other realities. Obviously, General Shaw and his men have a very different goal in mind in Welcome to Derry, but the general theme of the military tampering with otherworldly forces remains in play.
The Real Mrs. Kersh
In Episode 5 we learn a lot more about Madeline Stowe's character, Ingrid Kersh, including that she's the secret lover of Stephen Rider's Hank Grogan. The simple fact that her last name is Kersh is definitely intriguing. That's the name of the old woman who lives in Bev's childhood home in IT: Chapter Two. That woman turns out to be nothing more than another manifestation of It. But it would seem that, at one point, she was a real person, and she did her best to help the children affected by It's evil.
At least, that's what we thought until Episode 6. Now it seems that Ingrid has some real demons of her own. We learn that It's Pennywise form was inspired by her own father's clown persona, and now Ingrid is actively feeding It innocent children as a means of achieving some sort of twisted family reunion.
Salem's Lot
Episode 6 contains a pair of slim but intriguing references to King's iconic vampire novel Salem's Lot. The first is that Mrs. Kersh's and her father Bob apparently vacationed in Cumberland County, the area where the doomed town of Jerusalem's Lot is located. The other comes when the lynch mob references "the Boone brothers," two characters at the center of the 1978 short story "Jerusalem's Lot."
The Importance of the Turtle
Welcome to Derry’s first episode includes another important, albeit more subtle, easter egg in the form of a charm on Susie’s bracelet – a turtle, a creature with deep significance in King lore. We see another turtle reference in Episode 4, when the Indian tribe buries one of the pieces of the meteorite inside a turtle shell.
Getting back to It’s cosmic origins, this demon was created at the same time as a benevolent turtle entity; the Turtle is It’s polar opposite and a sign of strength to the members of the Losers Club. The Turtle is also one of the 12 animals featured in the Dark Tower books who guard “The Beams,” invisible energy forces that lead directly to the titular tower at the center of existence.
We’d expect to see multiple turtle references in this series, all meant to serve as reminders that there are other forces at work in Derry beyond It/Pennywise…and not all of them are so sinister.
The 12 Pillars
Episode 4 reveals a lot about the history of It in Derry and how this demonic entity was clashing with the local Native American tribe long before white settlers came to the area. We even learn that the tribe has a legend about the heroic warrior who imprisoned It centuries ago. According to the story, the tribe buried 13 pieces of the meteorite that originally carried It to Earth. 12 of these pieces form a ring around It's woodland territory, while the 13th is located at the center of the ring. As long as that circle remains unbroken, It's evil is contained to the Derry area.
This circular structure is almost definitely meant to be a reference to King's Dark Tower novels. In Mid-World, the place where heroic gunslinger Roland Deschain carries out his long quest to find the titular tower, there are 12 portals forming a great ring around the planet. The beams mentioned above start at these portals and move inward, converging on the Dark Tower in the center. Each of the 12 portals is protected by a Guardian of the Beam, like Maturin the Turtle and Shardik the Bear. It's prison is clearly mimicking the structure of the Dark Tower itself.
We probably won't see any more overt references to the Dark Tower books than this, as Warner Bros. doesn't hold the rights to those stories. Instead, The Haunting of Hill House's Mike Flanagan is currently developing a Dark Tower TV series for Amazon. Still, it's a fun nod for hardcore King fans.
The Second Hand Rose
Episode 2 establishes a key throwback to 2019's IT: Chapter Two with the scene at the Second Hand Rose thrift shop. In the movie, that shop is run by Stephen King's character (that same character cameos as a younger man here), and it's where Bill Denbrough buys his beloved Schwinn bicycle. Back in 1962, it's where Leroy purchases a telescope for his son Will.
Like the turtle, the rose is an image with special significance in King's work, and it also ties back to the Dark Tower books and their central protagonist, Roland Deschain. The rose is a symbol of goodness and purity, though we definitely get a slightly creepy vibe from the shop in this series. If anything, we can't help but be reminded of Needful Things and its infamous shop of horrors.
On the other hand, the shop's current owner, Kimberly Norris Guerrero's Rose, has become a major focus of the series, and she seems to be one of the few genuinely good people in Derry. We'll see if Rose survives the entire season.
‘Rage bait’ is the Oxford English Dictionary publisher’s Word of the Year for 2025.
Oxford University Press analysis showed use of the phrase has tripled in the past 12 months. After 'brain rot' took home the 2024 crown, Oxford University Press' 2025 shortlist included three contenders — ‘rage bait,’ ‘aura farming,’ and ‘biohack.’
According to Oxford University Press, rage bait is defined as “online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive, typically posted in order to increase traffic to or engagement with a particular web page or social media content.”
Explaining its decision, Oxford University Press said: “with 2025’s news cycle dominated by social unrest, debates about the regulation of online content, and concerns over digital wellbeing, our experts noticed that the use of rage bait this year has evolved to signal a deeper shift in how we talk about attention — both how it is given and how it is sought after — engagement, and ethics online. The word has tripled in usage in the last 12 months.”
In the world of entertainment, DC Universe steward James Gunn added ragebaiting monkeys to this year's Superman film. In the movie, Lex Luthor's army of monkeys post negative and inflammatory content about Superman online in a plot point widely interpreted as a commentary on online fan culture. In a Superman gag reel, Gunn himself was seen playing the role of the internet monkeys.
Rage bait was first used online in a posting on Usenet in 2002 as a way to designate a particular type of driver reaction to being flashed at by another driver requesting to pass them, introducing the idea of deliberate agitation, Oxford University Press said. The word then evolved into internet slang used to describe viral tweets, often to critique entire networks of content that determine what is posted online, like platforms, creators, and trends.
Oxford University Press continued: “Since then, it has become shorthand for content designed to elicit anger by being frustrating, offensive, or deliberately divisive in nature, and a mainstream term referenced in newsrooms across the world and discourse amongst content creators. It’s also a proven tactic to drive engagement, commonly seen in performative politics. As social media algorithms began to reward more provocative content, this has developed into practices such as rage-farming, which is a more consistently applied attempt to manipulate reactions and to build anger and engagement over time by seeding content with rage bait, particularly in the form of deliberate misinformation of conspiracy theory-based material.”
Perhaps the biggest question in all this is, well, rage bait is two words, right? The Oxford Word of the Year can be a singular word or expression, “which our lexicographers think of as a single unit of meaning,” Oxford University Press explained.
Rage bait, then, is a compound of the words rage, meaning ‘a violent outburst of anger,’ and bait, ‘an attractive morsel of food.’ Clickbait, which is etymologically related to rage bait, remains one word, however.
Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages, commented: “As technology and artificial intelligence become ever more embedded into our daily lives — from deepfake celebrities and AI-generated influencers to virtual companions and dating platforms — there’s no denying that 2025 has been a year defined by questions around who we truly are; both online and offline.
“The fact that the word rage bait exists and has seen such a dramatic surge in usage means we’re increasingly aware of the manipulation tactics we can be drawn into online. Before, the internet was focused on grabbing our attention by sparking curiosity in exchange for clicks, but now we’ve seen a dramatic shift to it hijacking and influencing our emotions, and how we respond. It feels like the natural progression in an ongoing conversation about what it means to be human in a tech-driven world—and the extremes of online culture.
“Where last year’s choice, brain rot, captured the mental drain of endless scrolling, rage bait shines a light on the content purposefully engineered to spark outrage and drive clicks. And together, they form a powerful cycle where outrage sparks engagement, algorithms amplify it, and constant exposure leaves us mentally exhausted. These words don’t just define trends; they reveal how digital platforms are reshaping our thinking and behaviour.”
Previous Oxford Word of the Year winners include 'rizz' (2023), 'goblin mode' (2022), and 'vax' (2021). Oxford University Press skipped 2020, which was dominated by COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns.
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.
Depending on who you talk to, beat ‘em ups are either repetitive, button-mashy coin munchers or a deceptively simple vehicle for absolute combat mastery. Me? I’m in the latter camp. But how do you get people who aren’t sickos like myself interested? How do you lure them into taking the first steps down Sicko Road? This year’s Absolum tried by merging a mechanically excellent beat ‘em up with a middling roguelite. Marvel Cosmic Invasion developer Tribute Games – the cats behind Shredder’s Revenge, the best TMNT game since Turtles in Time– takes a different approach. It looks to the Marvel vs. Capcom fighting games of old and asks one of the boldest questions I’ve seen a beat ‘em up pose in a New York minute: what if it was a tag game where you controlled multiple heroes? The answer, as it turns it, rules, even if the actual execution of Cosmic Invasion doesn’t quite live up to that concept.
I’ll be real with y’all; I’m not a Marvel guy. My dad’s into comics, and he got me into them, but DC was always his bag (he owns every Wonder Woman comic ever published, and no, that’s not an exaggeration), so I’m a DC kid at heart with a soft spot for indie comics. But I love the weirder parts of Marvel, especially the million conflicting X-men timelines and the cosmic stuff. It’s not the most popular thing Marvel publishes (that is and always will be Spider-Man, though X-men is no slouch), but it’s the most interesting. Give me that over the MCU stuff any day.
If the title didn’t give it away, that’s what Marvel Cosmic Invasion is about. The story here is real simple, almost like it has been ripped straight from the pages of a multi-issue event series. Big Bad Annihilus’s Annihilation Wave (listen, it’s comic books, okay?) is sweeping the galaxy! All life hangs in the balance! So it’s up to a rag-tag assortment of Marvel heroes, whether Earthborn or cosmic in origin, to bring him down. That’s all you gotta know. And you know what? It works.
A lot of it comes down to the team of 15 heroes that Tribute Games has assembled. Yeah, you’ve got the icons, the regulars who absolutely, positively accept-no-substitutes gotta be there. You know the ones: Storm, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Captain America. Then you’ve got cats that were B-listers before the movies elevated them to prominence: Black Panther, Iron Man, Rocket Raccoon, She-Hulk, Nova, Phoenix, Venom. And then there are the weird and wacky inclusions. Thor isn’t here; instead, you get Beta Ray Bill. Real ones know. How do you feel about Cosmic Ghost Rider? Then there’s my girl Phyla-Vell. Oh, and because this is cosmic Marvel, the Silver Surfer is also here, and he is caked up. To the Silver Surfer degenerate at Tribute Games: I see you, and I appreciate you.
Everyone looks stunning because the spritework is absolutely gorgeous.
But the reality is that everyone here looks stunning because the pixel art spritework is absolutely gorgeous. Whether it’s Phyla-Vell’s hair blowing gently in the wind, how Wolverine always looks like a coiled spring, or the subtle transformations that sometimes reveal Eddie Brock beneath the symbiote as Venom, Cosmic Invasion captures the essence of these characters, right down to their voices. Go ahead and watch one the videos on this page, tell me that doesn’t sound exactly like the way Wolverine or Storm or Iron Man sound in your head. True believers, the vibe is immaculate.
Structurally, Cosmic Invasion is a pretty standard beat ‘em up. Not counting the tutorial, there are 15 stages, including old Marvel standbys like New York City, Wakanda, the Savage Land, and Genosha, as well as more exotic environs like Fort Galactus, each with a fun little sub-description (Genosha’s is Heavy Metal; the Savage Land’s is Rumble in the Jungle). Stage selection is mostly a straight line, but occasionally the path will split before reconverging and you’ll have to complete both branches before moving on.
Levels themselves are good but unremarkable beat ‘em up fare with the occasional environmental hazard. There is a collectible to find to liven things up, as well as three challenges in each stage – two are hero specific, such as defeating a certain number of enemies with a certain character’s special attack, while the final one is related to the stage itself. All of this is good: the challenges encourage you to use new characters and learn the intricacies of each arena, and stages are well-designed, snappy (each one takes around 10-15 minutes), and visually distinct in cool ways – you’d never mistake Savage Lands for Klyntar or Genosha – but nothing here is going to redefine your expectations for what a beat ‘em up can be.
What makes Cosmic Invasion special is its characters. Up to four people can play Cosmic Invasion at once, each controlling two characters, and it’s impressive how different each character is, even if they might not feel that way at first. Take Nova and Iron Man; sure, both of their unique attacks are ranged energy blasts, but Nova’s can pass through and hit multiple targets at once. Iron Man’s don’t. Nova’s special attack is an energy field that only hits foes at close range, while Iron Man’s giant, Marvel vs. Capcom 2-esque laser can hit anyone standing anywhere on-screen, but it does require you to line up your enemies and aim well.
Levels themselves are good but unremarkable beat ‘em up fare.
Meanwhile, Rocket is a ranged powerhouse, but his charged heavy attack does massive damage, while Phyla-Vell’s, who is more melee focused, can stun – and no one else has anything like her sword, which she can throw and then teleport to in order to start combos and then keep them going across the screen. Beta Ray Bill and Cap can both throw their weapons, too, but Cap’s shield returns to him automatically; Bill’s will spin in place, potentially juggling anyone unlucky enough to come into contact with it until you manually call it back. Even She-Hulk and Wolverine, both up-close-and-personal bruisers, play differently. Logan is faster and all about chaining long stabby-stab combos together, while Jen is a powerhouse who focuses on short combos that launch her victims into the air for potential follow-ups. They both have grabs, but they operate in very different ways.
Some characters have dodges, while others can block and parry if they time things right, opening up more defensive options. Characters that fly have a much easier time dealing with winged foes than those who don’t, and it’s easier for them to avoid stampedes. Everyone is a little different, and that can have a massive impact on how they play.
What’s really cool, though, are the tag team elements. You only actively control one character at a time, and you can summon your tag partner for various assists to keep laying on the hurt, opening up cool new offensive possibilities – that could be a launcher, a standard combo, their unique ability, their metered “I want these guys dead” special attack, and so on. Figuring out the best combinations and how movesets interact is a lot of fun, especially since you don’t start with everyone unlocked. It’s possible to lose a character mid-level (they have separate health bars), but even then, all isn’t lost. You continue on with your remaining hero, and if you stumble upon some floor food, a time-honored beat ‘em up tradition, they’ll come back with a little health.
Characters also level up as you use them, gaining more health, passive abilities, and so on, encouraging you to experiment, especially in co-op. I played the whole game with my wife (a single run through the campaign took three hours), and while I think Cosmic Invasion is a good time solo, like basically every beat ‘em up, it’s better with friends.
If this beat ‘em up has any black eyes, it’s the lack of enemy variety. You’ll see the same core cast of baddies a lot in Cosmic Invasion, and while that’s not a huge problem (this happens in most beat ‘em ups), it can get a little old. It’s also hilariously obvious when you’re fighting a boss that will become a playable character later on because it feels like you’re fighting someone you’ll be able to play later. It can lead to some really funny moments, like when we were fighting the Silver Surfer on an elevator and kept knocking him into the abyss. Eventually, he’d levitate back up to us for more, only to get knocked down again. It wasn’t bad, but it was as goofy as Rob Liefeld-drawn feet or pouches.
If you get bored of beating on Annihilus’s minions, you can head to the Vault, where you can see each hero’s progress in the Hero Lab, learn about their history and the history of your foes in the Nova Corps Files, and listen to some of Cosmic Invasion’s excellent tracks. You can also spend Cosmic Cubes you earn to unlock nodes in the Cosmic Matrix for more color palettes, hero profiles, tunes, and Nova Corps Files. It’s a cool little system, and it even doubles as a neat way to make art if you unlock the right nodes in a way that forms a pattern. I made an adorable little bug, and I’ll miss him when I fill everything out and he’s gone.
The release of the new KPop Demon Hunters digital art book that accompanies the hit Netflix film has opened fans eyes to some crucial lore that was once just speculation — but now has become canon thanks to the streamer releasing this inside look at the animated musical.
Warning! Spoilers for KPop Demon Hunters follow:
In the new book titled The Art of KPop Demon Hunters, the nature of Rumi’s mother’s fate is confirmed. A passage early in the book explains that Rumi, the lead vocalist of HUNTR/X, had her life "ripped open when her warrior mother was killed, at a time when Rumi was just a baby." As a result, HUNTR/X brought family and comfort back to her life after such a devastating loss.
How did she die? Well, some early concept art for the film was shared by Kpop Demon Hunters artist Simon Baek via social media back in June, including one enlightening piece in particular. One image of many the artist shared details an early version of the scene where Rumi confronts Celine, the guiding force behind HUNTR/X and her mother’s closest confidant before she died. This happens shortly after Rumi’s demon markings are forcibly revealed to the world for the first time — and in this version of the scene, she even goes as far as to ask Celine, “Why did you kill my mother?”
So, yes, putting those two bits of confirmation together, seemingly means what you think it means. Celine, the former idol who was Rumi’s mother’s greatest ally, appears to be the one who killed her. It’s tragic to think about — especially considering fans had already been speculating that Rumi’s mother was killed. But even worse, Baek previously revealed that Rumi’s mom was killed by accident.
Needless to say, that leaves a lot to potentially explore in the sequel film, which won’t arrive until 2029. It’s a long time to wait and see how they handle a second installment, which became Netflix’s most watched film ever upon release, but at least it’s on the calendar or else we wouldn't be able to handle it.
For Audrey Nuna, who provides Mira’s singing voice, it’s all about going international. "I want to see the girls in different cities. I want to see what they bring [globally], because this film has had such a global impact,” she said. “I think the movie and reality have been having a really crazy conversation with each other, and I'd love to see that continue."
Rei Ami, who sings Zoey’s parts, made a couple great points about where the next film should take fans. "I would love to see the origin story of how the girls got together," Ami explained during the interview. "If it's not a prequel, then I want Gwi-Ma back. Bring him back. Who's going to be the antagonist? I'm so curious for this next one."
KPop Demon Hunters is available to stream on Netflix now in its original version and a singalong version.
Cyber Monday is your last chance to secure the best offers of the year before the holidays. If you're on the hunt for some last minute deals, we're actively rounding up the strongest Cyber Monday discounts, and you can all our top picks and price drops in IGN's comprehensive Cyber Monday hub.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
While there are tons of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on just about every product imaginable, if you’ve got a person in your life who is hard to shop for, a gift card will likely end up being your best option for the holidays. Who doesn’t love getting free money to spend at their favorite restaurants and stores, or even for use on online gaming sites, subscription services, or activities?
Well, GiftCards.com has an incredible Cyber Week sale happening right now. With it, you can score up to 15% off a huge selection of gift cards. Be sure to grab your cards now, as this deal only runs until December 7th, but some deals are expiring as early as Cyber Monday (tomorrow).
Score 15% off a Range of Gift Cards
Now, GiftCards.com doesn’t just offer gift cards for national businesses. So, you may even be able to score up to 15% off gift cards at local haunts, too. (I found a couple of restaurants in my area on the site.) Alternatively, “One4all’ cards are available, letting the recipient choose from a range of retailers to redeem the gift card at, rather than just one specific store. It’s not just eGifts, either; you can opt to receive a physical card from certain merchants, but shipping fees will apply.
Chances are good you’ll find a gift card or two that either you or someone you love will want. Below, I’ve highlighted a few notable ones to grab before the 15% off deal expires:
Everyone loves new clothes and accessories, and H&M offers the latest and greatest styles at a reasonable price. With the code HM15, you can enjoy 15% off a $50 gift card. Note: Limit of three cards.
BritBox is the go-to streaming subscription for British TV lovers. Created by BBC and ITV, it brings access to a massive library of shows and movies from across the pond. A gift card for this awesome streaming service is 15% off with the code CYBER15.
Everyone loves cookies, and the massively popular Crumbl has 15% off $50 gift cards for a limited time. Simply use the code CRUMBL15 at checkout. However, there’s a three gift card limit here as well.
The GoPlayGolf card can be redeemed to play golf at a range of public courses, for merchandise, or converted to a TopGolf Card. It’s a versatile gift idea for any golf lover, and you can get this eGift for 15% off with the code CYBER15.
A Fever eGift is a great gift for those who are seeking new experiences, as the is site dedicated to connecting you with entertainment and cultural events in your area or around the world. Right now, a digital gift card is 15% off with the code CYBER15.
10% Gift Card Deals
In addition to select 15% off deals, there are also tons of 10% off deals across gaming gift cards and beyond. Take a look:
How Do I Redeem These Deals?
To take advantage of this Cyber Monday sale, simply add the qualifying gift card to your cart. In the cart, you can select the relevant promo code, which should already be listed, and apply it before you check out. However, you can only use one promo code at a time. If you choose to purchase two gift cards that have the same promo code, the discount will be applied to both gift cards. However, gift cards with different promo codes must be purchased separately to get the discount. When buying an eGift, you also have the option to add a fun video or upload your own photos for a more personalized email gift message.
What is GiftCards.com?
GiftCards.com has been around since 2008. It’s an online marketplace offering a wide variety of digital and physical gift cards for hundreds of brands, ranging from travel and subscriptions to shopping and restaurants. You can also purchase pre-paid Visa and Mastercard gift cards from GiftCards.com. There’s even a rewards program you can join, which lets you earn 2% Reward Points on gift card purchases that can be redeemed later, similar to a credit card.
Danielle is a Tech freelance writer based in Los Angeles who spends her free time creating videos and geeking out over music history.
If you have a gaming PC or a PC gaming handheld, you'll want to check out this deal at Humble that ends today. Thanks to Cyber Monday, you can save a bunch of cash on a Humble Choice membership, which gets you a bundle of 8 PC games on each month. These bundles are usually worth over $200 each, but you pay only a fraction of that. And right now, you can save even more. There are two deals to choose from, depending on whether you want to pay for a month or for a year.
Humble Choice Deals
Those who are primarily interested in November's games (note: today is the last day to get them), enter promo code CYBER25 at checkout to get them at half price. That means you only pay $7.50 for 8 Steam games, including Total War Warhammer III, Etrian Odyssey HD, and more (see below for the full list).
For those who would like to sign up for a year's worth of Humble Choice, you can save $30 offby enteringHOLIDAY25IGN at checkout, and you’ll knock the price down to $124.99.
So what does Humble Choice get you, exactly? The first Tuesday of each month, you’ll get a new curated selection of eight Steam games. These generally offer a healthy range in terms of genre, size, and scope, but there are always a few AAA games and a few indies in there. The games are yours to keep and play forever, regardless of whether you cancel your membership at some point down the road.
Humble Choice Games for November 2025
If you sign up now, the first bundle of games you'll get contains the following (blurbs from Humble's press release).
Total War Warhammer III: A grand-scale strategy game where fantasy armies battle daemonic forces in the Realm of Chaos.
Another Crab's Treasure: A Soulslike adventure where a hermit crab fights enemies using trash as makeshift shells.
Pharaoh: A New Era: A 4K remake of the classic city-builder where you manage resources, appease gods, and build magnificent monuments in Ancient Egypt.
Etrian Odyssey HD: A first-person dungeon crawler focused on creating a party and mapping a dangerous labyrinth.
No More Heroes 3: A stylish hack-and-slash game where an assassin fights alien superheroes in over-the-top battles.
Synergy: A sci-fi city-builder about building a sustainable human settlement on a harsh alien planet.
Spin Hero: A roguelike RPG where combat and progression are determined by spinning a slot machine.
Paleo Pines: A cozy farming sim where you run a ranch, explore an island, and befriend dinosaurs.
In addition to a monthly bundle of games, you get up to 20% off games on the Humble Store, including new releases. You also get access to a vault of games you can play for as long as you’re a member. And 5% of your membership goes to charity. The particular charity changes each month, but you can always read up on them.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.
IO Interactive is busy working on James Bond video game 007 First Light, but it has said it also has plans to release Hitman 4.
In an interview with Variety, CEO Hakan Abrak said “of course there will be more Hitman.” But it may be some time before Hitman 4 comes out. Abrak said that any talk of a Hitman 4 announcement will have to wait until Hitman co-op arrives in World of Assassination, which continues to enjoy support via DLC from the studio.
“So of course there will be more Hitman,” Abrak said. “But right now, I think we need to get to the other side of this year and next year you’ll get more news about Hitman co-op, because I think co-op is a really, really good extension to the universe, and will introduce very interesting mechanics and combinations in World of Assassination. But we will, after that, be talking about the next Hitman — because, of course, there’s going to be a next Hitman.”
The Hitman franchise kicked off in 2000 with Hitman: Codename 47. Hitman 2: Silent Assassin followed in 2002. Hitman: Blood Money came out in 2006, and served as the third game in the original Hitman trilogy. Hitman: Absolution followed in 2012, before Hitman, which acted as the first installment of the World of Assassination trilogy, came out in 2016. Hitman 2 followed in 2018, then Hitman 3 in 2021.
IOI has three main productions right now: ongoing work on Hitman: World of Assassination, 007 First Light, and a new fantasy IP appropriately codenamed Project Fantasy. “It’s not announced yet, exactly what it is, but it’s a multiplayer fantasy project, which is extremely ambitious and really cool and is something else than a gun in a suit,” Abrak teased. “So that’s also good to have something new within the creative outlook here.”
Will Hitman 4 have to wait until all three projects are wrapped up? Abrak didn’t say, but you can see why the studio would want to return to the franchise with a brand new sequel: overall, Hitman has had more than 85 million players and over 25 million copies sold. Each more, more than a million people play Hitman, Abrak added.
Cyber Monday is your last chance to secure the best offers of the year before the holidays. If you're on the hunt for some last minute deals, we're actively rounding up the strongest Cyber Monday discounts, and you can all our top picks and price drops in IGN's comprehensive Cyber Monday hub.
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.
If you've been waiting for the right time to bulk up your gaming library, now's your chance. Massive Cyber Monday deals from Nintendo, Xbox, and Amazon are still live following Black Friday. In addition, PlayStation also has many great discounts available on games, accessories, and even PS5 consoles.
While it's worth checking your wishlist and doing some scrolling, as a starting point, we're seeing great discounts for anyone looking to start or fill in the gaps on a Final Fantasy collection.
Final Fantasy Games on Sale for Cyber Monday
Overall, you’ve got options. The PlayStation Store offers the best discounts on the FF7 Remakes, but Amazon is actually offering physical copies. It really comes down to how much you care about having those games lined up on your shelf vs. sitting in your digital library. If you’re on the PC side, Steam is also running a PlayStation publisher sale that includes roughly the same discounts.
The Final Fantasy Pixel Collection is pretty unreal bang for your buck. It includes the pixel remasters of the first six Final Fantasy games for just $40 total with the current price drop, making it a great choice for something you can really dig into over the holidays. The discount also applies to the Nintendo Switch version.
While we wait for news on the third and final part of the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy, you can pick up the first two games at a discount. Remake Intergrade (Intergrade just meaning the PS5 version) has dropped to $19.99 for physical and $14.99 for digital.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, released just last year, has dropped to a whopping $29.99 for the physical copy on Amazon and $34.99 through PlayStation. Michael Higham's 9/10 review of Rebirth for IGN describes how it "impressively builds off of what Remake set in motion as both a best-in-class action-RPG full of exciting challenge and depth, and as an awe-inspiring recreation of a world that has meant so much to so many for so long."
The most recent mainline release, Final Fantasy XVI, has dropped to its lowest ever price on Amazon, which happens to be $5 cheaper than you can find it on the PlayStation Store.
More PlayStation Cyber Monday Deals
PlayStation has knocked $100 off both its PS5 and PS5 Pro consoles, the only real console deals we'd seen this year up until a surprise Cyber Monday discount on the Switch 2. There’s also PlayStation Plus discounts and a spread of DualSense controllers on sale, including my personal favorite, the limited edition Ghost of Yotei version.
Blythe (she/her) is an SEO Coordinator at IGN who spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.
Disney+ with Hulu bundle with ads usually costs $12.99 per month, but at $4.99 a month, subscribers will save close to $100 for the year. That's quite a deal at a time when streaming plans are pricier than ever. It's easily the cheapest way to get caught up on all things Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars. With Hulu, you’ll get an unreal batch of comfort shows like Always Sunny, Abbott Elementary, and New Girl as well as more dramatic Hulu originals like Shōgun and The Handmaid’s Tale.
Ad-Free Bundle Also Discounted
The big catch, of course, is you’re stuck with ads. Good thing that, unlike other streaming services, Disney has discounted the ad-free Disney+ with Hulu Premium bundle for Black Friday. It's not quite as big a discount by percentage, at $5 off a $19.99-per-month subscription, but that's still $60 in savings for a year of watching all the Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar you can handle, with no startling ad breaks jammed in.
When Does the Sale End?
Both deals are live until midnight on December 1. Because the deal lasts for a full year, you’ll be all set until the next round of Black Friday discounts.
Blythe (she/her) is an SEO Coordinator at IGN who, when she isn't following streaming news, spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.
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