Full spoilers follow for Pluribus Episode 6, “HDP,” which is available now on Apple TV.

HDP is people!

OK, most of us figured this out last week in “Got Milk” when Carol (Rhea Seehorn) was investigating what the Joined’s favorite drink actually was made of, culminating in that episode’s closing moment as she gasped like only someone who had just found a stockpile of frozen dead bodies could.

Yeah, a lot of us were off a bit in that it’s actually a stockpile of frozen dead body pieces that Carol unearthed, but all the same, the Joined are definitely pulling a Soylent Green and eating us. Only, because this is Vince Gilligan’s Pluribus, it’s not quite that simple. But it is darkly funny.

Of course – of course – instead of playing this revelation in a protracted, thriller-esque way, Gilligan and his team (this episode was written by Vera Blasi and directed by Gandja Monteiro) pull the rug out from under the viewer pretty quickly and squash their own big twist. “Yeah, no duh, HDP is people,” the show basically says. “You think we haven’t also watched the past 50 years of sci-fi movies!?”

And so enters John Cena. Not just John Cena, but a Joined John Cena. And he’s everything you could hope for. Charming, reasonable, informative… all while explaining the intricacies of why the Joined need “human derived protein,” or HDP – aka human flesh – for sustenance. And Koumba (Samba Schutte) cutting Carol off before she can even reveal her big news about the frozen bodies with a resigned “Is this about them eating people?” isn’t just funny; it’s also our first hint at how out of the loop Carol has been.

The dynamic between these two uninfected is interesting in that we can look at them as polar opposites, obviously: Carol the constant skeptic versus Koumba the willing dupe. But is it that simple? After all, it turns out that Koumba figured out the HDP thing before Carol did, and not just that but he and the other infected (sans Manousos in Paraguay of course) have been talking regularly about the situation, and in particular are concerned about the sudden, unexpected plight that the Joined are in (they’re going to starve eventually). It’s so easy to assume that the other uninfected are suckers just because they haven’t lashed out the way Carol has and because they’re so willing to go with the flow, but then it turns out that Carol in all her obstinance hasn’t really made any significant headway herself in any of this.

And then there’s the fact that the uninfected have purposely kept Carol out of the loop, voting (if not unanimously!) to not include her in their meetings. Koumba has been getting her videos, as presumably all of the others have as well – “they were very dramatic” – but nobody’s responded to them or even acknowledged them before now. It’s hurtful, so much so that Carol needs to take a powder in the bathroom before apparently getting blitzed on champagne and passing out for the night. But the truly sad part comes the next morning when she tells Koumba that she’s going to grab a suite in the hotel, only to register the look on his face: He doesn’t want her there. He’s a nice guy, but he has a life to live with his “lovelies” and there’s no room for Carol at all. “How you say? Check in now and then.”

Meanwhile, what kind of survival instinct do the Joined have if they’re willing to starve rather than eat, like, corn? Their mandate to not even eat plant life is limiting, to say the least. But then again, perhaps it’s the ultimate method of population control. As the human race dies off from hunger, eventually the planet would hit some kind of equalization point where enough, well, fallen apples or what have you could feed the relatively small amount of people left. I guess?

And then there’s Carlos-Manuel Vesga’s Manousos, who – wouldn’t you know it – doesn’t just watch Carol’s first video, but is so moved by it as to finally leave his Omega Man bunker and head out to, presumably, find her. He doesn’t even know that there are 12 other uninfected until he watches the video. This leads to one of the creepiest scenes in Pluribus to date, as Manousos encounters his mother on the street as she emerges from the shadows in the dead of night. It’s not something Carol has had to deal with yet, encountering people she knew in the Before Times, let alone family members. We’ve already established that she’s estranged from her own mother. But then again, that might be something Manousos and Carol have in common as he tells the woman, “You’re not my mother. My mother’s a bitch” before driving into the night.

Disney has been releasing more and more of its classic animated movies in 4K over the past few years. Some of these releases are timed with new live-action versions of the films, like what we saw with Lilo & Stitch this year, and other remastered favorites are now arriving in glorious Ultra HD simply because audiences are asking for them. If you're looking to add a few 4K Disney movies to your personal collection (or buy them as a gift for someone this year), I've rounded up every one you can buy right now.

Animated Disney Movies Available in 4K

Everything that has gotten the live-action treatment has received a 4K re-release. That includes The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Lilo & Stitch, Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Snow White, and Aladdin. Pretty much everything after The Princess and the Frog has also gotten a 4K release as well, so it's mostly the classics that are missing here. There's also the latest 4K release, The Emperor's New Groove, which is getting the treatment for its 25th anniversary.

The most notable exclusion of a 4K re-release, in my opinion, is Tarzan. I still listen to the soundtrack to that movie from time to time and it is just as good as the first time I heard it. Hercules is another suspicious omission, but since a live-action film is on its way in 2027, I'm willing to bet a 4K animated release will follow.

Pixar Movies Available in 4K

A lot more Pixar films are available in 4K than classic Disney movies. Pixar has released 29 movies and 26 of them are available to buy in 4K right now. The three missing films from this list are Toy Story 3, Cars 2 – although you can still technically buy these sequels for a massively marked-up price on Amazon – and Elemental. But Elemental was a Disney Club exclusive and sold out relatively quickly.

If you're hoping to buy a complete Toy Story collection, the good news is that a new movie is coming out and, most likely, a new box set will be released along with it. Toy Story 5 is set to arrive in theaters in June 2026.

What Is the Best Place to Buy 4K Disney Movies?

The overall best place to buy 4K movies is on Amazon. This is simply because it tends to have the largest selection available at any given time. In some cases, new releases, like Inside Out 2, will sell out at Amazon and only be available at other retailers like Walmart and Target.

Can you stream Disney movies in 4K?

If you have a Disney+ Premium subscription, you can stream some Disney movies in 4K on the platform. Not every animated movie is available in 4K on Disney+, but if it has been remastered digitally then there's a good chance you can stream it at that same quality.

Jacob Kienlen is a Senior Audience Development Strategist and Writer for IGN. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his home for his entire life. With a bachelor's degree in communication and over 8 years of professional writing experience, his expertise is spread across a variety of different pop culture topics -- from TV series to indie games and books.

The stars of HBO's new Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms were on hand at the CCXP convention in São Paulo, Brazil, today to promote the upcoming series. And during the chat, the show's star Peter Claffey, who plays Ser Duncan the Tall, aka Dunk, seemed to let loose an interesting bit of George R.R. Martin trivia.

When asked by the panel moderators if he or his young co-star Dexter Sol Ansell (who plays Prince Aegon Targaryen, aka Egg) have gotten to meet the famed author of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels. Claffey explained that Martin visited the set during filming, and when he did he told the actor what his favorite story is that he's written.

"It was awesome," said Claffey. "He came in to set that week and we got to talk to him and different things, and he told us that The Hedge Knight is his favorite thing he's ever written."

CCXP25 in Brazil is underway and the first major panel featured a brand-new look at HBO Max’s Game of Thrones spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Aside from dropping a new trailer, several of the new show’s actors were on hand to break down what fans can expect when the series debuts next year.

A journey far from the throne. #AKnightOfTheSevenKingdoms, a new #GOT series from George R.R. Martin, premieres January 18, only on HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/eJf3gBPuOR

— HBO Max (@hbomax) December 4, 2025

Peter Claffey, who plays Ser Duncan the Tall (also known as Dunk) said that his performance was inspired by Brienne of Tarth, played by Gwendoline Christie in the original series. Dunk was revealed recently by author George R.R. Martin to be Brienne’s ancestor.

When asked whether his performance was inspired by Christie’s portrayal of Brienne, Claffey confirmed that was the case. “I think so, yeah,” Claffey said. “I was a huge fan of the original series and I loved Gwendoline Christie as Brienne. She was amazing and there are a lot of aspects to Dunk's character that she shares.

“She's very chivalrous. She wants to do what's right. She just wants to be a knight, and she has the added complication of trying to be a knight who was a lady in Westeros. So she has a much harder job than Dunk did. But there is definite likeness.”

Is Ser Duncan the Tall Brienne of Tarth's grandfather?

Claffey then turned to his A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms co-star Dexter Sol Ansell - who plays Prince Aeogn Targaryen, also known as “Egg” - and dropped what could either be considered a Westeros family tree bombshell, or maybe just a sarcastic aside.

“Dexter actually got to work with Christie as well,” Claffey said - most likely referring to Ansell and Christie's appearances in 2024's Robin and the Hoods. “You got work with my granddaughter!”

Martin hasn’t specifically said that Brienne of Tarth is Ser Duncan the Tall’s granddaughter. But perhaps we’ll get that answer sooner rather than later when A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms premieres on HBO Max January 18, 2026.

When you're done here, check out how Claffey just revealed George R.R. Martin's favorite A Song of Ice and Fire story.

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

World of Warcraft's housing feature launched this week for everyone who purchased the upcoming Midnight expansion early. Though the feature is still in its early stages, players (including yours truly) are already losing hours upon hours creating elaborate homes with the decor available. But Horde players in particular are really struggling to contend with one major issue: their house exteriors are ugly.

Okay, that's a little mean. If you play an orc, or are into the orc aesthetics of spikes, flames, haphazard metal plates, and slapdash wooden boards nailed on, the Horde exteriors are fine. The issue is that a lot of the Horde - namely, everyone who doesn't play an orc - generally prefers a less...grungey aesthetic. Alliance players also only get one exterior housing option, but their homes are fairly standard, inoffensive cottages that most people will find tolerable at worst.

Unfortunately for anyone unhappy with what's on offer, until Midnight fully launches, this is it. You can customize your exterior in various ways by changing up roof colors and chimney styles, but it's all in your faction's default aesthetic. Blizzard has promised that Night Elf and Blood Elf exteriors will arrive on Midnight's release, with more options planned for later on. But for now you're stuck with either a cottage or a spike shack one way or another.

Some players, like myself, are just trying to make the best of it with outdoor decorations. Here's my modest hut. You'd never know that inside is a cozy Shaman retreat, complete with a small magical library, a snug kitchen, and a stone altar dedicated in honor of the elements.

The latest Apple iPad just dropped to the lowest price ahead of the holiday season. Amazon is offering the 11th generation Apple iPad, featuring the A16 processor, for just $274.99 with free shipping after a $70 off instant discount. This is the same deal I saw during Black Friday. The price went back up after Cyber Monday, but it's back for a little while longer. Even if you don't need one yourself, these would make awesome gifts for just about anyone (kids included) for Christmas.

Apple iPad 11th Gen for $275 (Originally $349)

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 has confirmed the addition of something no video game has ever had before: a playable Primarch.

In Warhammer 40,000 lore, the Primarchs are genetically engineered, demigod-like warriors created by the Emperor of Mankind to lead the Space Marine Legions. They are immensely superior to other humans, possessing superhuman strength, speed, and intelligence, and each is designed to embody a specific trait or aspect of war, such as a master strategist or a stealth expert.

While Primarchs have appeared in Warhammer 40,000 video games before (Roboute Guilliman, primarch of the Ultramarines, and Mortarion, Daemon Primarch of the Death Guard Chaos Space Marines, have popped up), none has ever been playable in all the years Warhammer 40,000 video games have been around — until now.

Dawn of War 4 developer King Art Games has confirmed Dark Angels Primarch Lion El'Jonson is playable at one point towards the end of the story campaign, co-written by Black Library author John French (Dropsite Massacre, Cypher: Lord of the Fallen). This also confirms the Dark Angels as a second playable chapter of Space Marines in the game alongside Dawn of War veterans the Blood Ravens.

The new story trailer shows the Dark Angels turn up to help the Blood Ravens in the fight against the Orks and Nercons on the war-torn world of Kronus. We get a glimpse of The Lion, with his helmet on, at the end of the trailer.

Here’s the official blurb:

The trailer opens with a look at how the Blood Ravens under Captain Cyrus and Chief Librarian Jonah Orion have arrived in orbit over Kronus at the start of the game. After an intense orbital fight with the Warboss Gorgutz and his Orks, both factions find themselves planetside where Guzcutta — the second Ork Commander — is already waiting.

Elsewhere on Kronus, Technoarcheologist Potentia Delta-9 surveys the planet for its lost knowledge as the Chronomancer Thothmek begins the Necron’s invasion, awakening Kronus’ dormant tombs in their own search for secrets.

The Imperium’s forces are beset on all sides, their last stand losing strength and the lines on the verge of collapse… until, at the crucial moment, it becomes clear they are not alone: the Dark Angels arrive.

The Dark Angels are one of two factions of Space Marines in Dawn of War 4 and are a fully playable faction in all game modes. Here are the key points:

● During the Space Marines campaign, players will undertake missions in command of both the Blood Ravens and the Dark Angels, and they can pick which missions they want to play.

● The Dark Angels have their own, playable Commanders for the Space Marines campaign: Company Master Astoran and Chaplain Ezrael.

● The Dark Angels have their own unique identity and history. As Space Marines, they share core strategies, tactics, wargear, and weaponry, while still maintaining the distinctive flavor and abilities of their Chapter.

● While the Blood Ravens are often engaged in smaller conflicts that require tactical finesse and sometimes involve stealth, the Dark Angels deploy their full might to the biggest battlefields. Precision strikes vs. all-out war.

● As the story saga reaches its breaking point, Lion El’Jonson himself descends onto the battlefield, giving players, for the first time ever, the chance to wield the legendary might of a Space Marine Primarch in a climactic, unforgettable finale.

Ahead of today’s announcement, IGN interviewed Dawn of War 4 director Jan Theysen to find out everything you need to know about Lion El'Jonson’s arrival. Dawn of War 4 is due out on PC at some point in 2026.

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.

Bask in the sun… and risk getting the meanest sunburn of your life. Hello Sunshine is an impressive step up from the usual post-apocalypse survival RPG formula, playing with some clever ideas around scorching sunlight, blissful shade, and the cycle of day and night.

I previewed a hands-off, pre-alpha slice of Hello Sunshine’s story-driven, single-player campaign with the developers at Red Thread Games, many of whom are veteran developers in the narrative gaming world (think Dreamfall, The Longest Journey, and The Secret World).

Hello Sunshine is looking extremely polished for something built by just seven people, and puts a cool twist on what “suspense” means in the genre. From the extreme, sizzling heat of day to uncovering lore during frigid nights – here is why I believe Hello Sunshine’s future is looking bright.

Coming in hot

The team didn’t mention any sort of inspiration from the Fallout series, but right from the start screen there’s no denying the visual parallels – a skeleton in a folding camping chair, still clutching a drink as if the world ended mid-sip. Pressing the start button, the player character stumbles past, immediately launching you into this weird wasteland world. It wasn’t clear to me whether she was a preset character or customizable, but (in this preview, at least) she appeared to be the silent type.

In this cruel and scorching desert, it’s clear that she is already suffering from the early symptoms of heatstroke, and she’s also very sad about finding a water bottle that turns out to be empty. This scene is the introduction to Hello Sunshine’s heat and thirst mechanics – a delicate balancing act of avoiding collapse from dehydration or slow-cooking in the harsh sunlight. Robots aside, the sun is essentially your biggest enemy (but with ray tracing).

Ruined buildings yield water and other supplies that help you maintain a survivable body temperature, but shadows also play a huge role. If you’re roasting, resting in shade can keep your temperature down. And almost immediately, you’ll meet the most interesting shadow dynamic of all – Hello Sunshine’s other “main character,” who is a skyscraper-sized robot that seems to have a clearer idea of where it’s going than you do.

Chasing shadows

This metallic gentle giant is, like you, wandering through these badlands. It kind of ignores you in the beginning, but you’ll be grateful for the enormous shadow it casts as it moves, shielding you from UV-based harm as you follow it along sand dunes and amongst rusted shipping containers. And no, it won’t wait patiently for you if you saunter off; you’ll need to keep up with its pace if you don’t want to end up dying humiliatingly of sunburn.

This is survival through solar instinct and (coining an ahem hot new term here) shade management, not health bars alone – creating an urgency that adds an unconventional form of suspense to your strange journey.

The landscape, of course, hides precious resources – but you’ll need to strategize and carefully time your brief detours from the robot’s shadow. Spend too much time dilly-dallying and the robot may move too far ahead, meaning you won’t make it back before your heat meter runs out. The sun’s path, from afternoon to sunset, was particularly brilliant – with shadows lengthening or shrinking as the day progresses, you’ll need to adapt your decisions about how far you wander.

You can expect that you’ll find more awesome loot the farther you stray, of course. No word yet on whether loot will be randomized each playthrough, but I’m hoping that will be the case. Whatever ingredients you’re able to grab could limit what you’re able to craft – and add further challenge, based on what gear you’re able to make and how that may limit your desired playstyle.

Bringin’ on the heat

It’s not all sunbeams, however; Hello Sunshine does include combat, which you can shape according to your desired playstyle. Being noisy and aggressively guns-out (or, more accurately, bows-out), for instance, will probably attract even more enemies – and more scavengeable loot from their remains.

Or you can go for more defensive options, potentially even avoiding head-on conflict. I didn’t really get a sense of what a stealthier playthrough might look like, but I’m hoping the confrontational-to-avoidant spectrum is wide.

Your enemies, by the way, are more robots – definitely angrier than your giant friend – and they curiously seem to have taken on forms of the fleshy species that I assume were otherwise wiped out during the apocalypse. A little metal jackal will snap at your heels, for example, or a hulking robot crab may try to skewer you with its giant claw.

Your character’s bow is one of the primary weapons. At first, it doesn’t look like much – kind of pitiful against giant armored bots, really – but you’ll be able to upgrade it throughout the game and craft better ammo for it, such as explosive arrows.

Little events occur here and there to keep your journey interesting – like a distant airdrop of unspecified items, or a sandstorm that gives you brief respite from the sun but also reduces visibility, making it easier for you to lose your robot friend. Many of these events are procedural, hopefully unlocking varied experiences with subsequent playthroughs.

Befriending the sleeping giant

Conveniently, your enormous robot companion has a circadian rhythm: once the sun sets, it will take a break to recharge. In the preview, this happened at the remains of a Sunshine service station – owned by the ominous corporation whose shareholders, presumably, voted to min-max the humanity-destruction budget.

The service station is basically your inexplicably cheerful crafting workshop, complete with happy tinkling music. You can take a breather here, check out your loot from the day, “recycle” unwanted items, and use the parts to 3D-print new gear – from health packs to flashlights or even new shoes. You can also mend the wear-and-tear wrought on your gear throughout the day. Did you rip up your pants sliding down dunes butt-first? Repair ‘em here.

The Sunshine building also acts as a robot maintenance site, allowing you to make repairs or upgrade the big guy. As I mentioned previously, it pretty much ignores you in the early stages – but if you impress it enough with your ongoing care, it may begin to care about you too.

You won’t want to stray far at night, though, as it gets chilly. The preview didn’t demonstrate any “night runs,” but that’s apparently something you’ll be able to do, which could be a nice (or fraught) accompaniment to the day journeys – no word on how optional these runs may be, or whether they’ll offer different rewards (or even plot developments).

Most of the story unfolds during these night sequences; start a campfire and strangers just may show up. The preview didn’t show interactions with any of these strangers, but they may or may not be very nice people. Regardless of whether they turn out to be friends or meanies, they will unveil parts of the Sunshine corporation’s mysterious origins.

In short: shade wins

The Sunshine rest stop was where our preview ended – though we were told that the player would progress through different biomes over the following in-game days. Since I only saw the desert area, the wildly different weather conditions of various other environments may really transform what to expect in the lead-up to release.

Though I only saw part of the single-player campaign, there will also be co-op (split-screen and online); buddy up, and you will both experience a reframed version of the story. It’s recommended you do this after the main campaign so you can get the full story behind whatever the heck is going on in this world.

Hello Sunshine is the studio’s first foray into both the RPG and survival genres, so will their narrative pedigree see it through? I like their chances based on what I’ve seen so far. Everyone loves a good “evil corporation” story, and I honestly still can’t get over how cool those dawn-to-dusk shadow mechanics are (I can imagine other game designers thinking, “Damn, why didn’t I think of that?!”).

If your overall question about Hello Sunshine is “Does it look good?” then yes, it is very promising. And if it’s “Will I melt to death holding a handmade bow?” the answer is still yes – but enthusiastically.

Today, 1047 Games revealed that Splitgate 2 is relaunching as Splitgate: Arena Reloaded on December 17, 2025. It will be available as a free-to-play game across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.

This comes following the launch and "unlaunch" of Splitgate 2 earlier this year. Splitgate 2 released in June to middling reviews, controversy, and a rapid drop-off of players as criticism of the game grew. In response, 1047 "unlaunched" Splitgate 2, announcing in July it would temporarily wind down support for it while the team worked on a new version of the game with "big, sweeping changes."

We spoke to CEO Ian Proulx at the time. During our conversation, he explained that Splitgate 2 as it was at launch was "not a finished product yet," and that fans were clamoring for a game that was closer to Splitgate 1. At the time, he assured the team would be focused on updating the game in accordance with player feedback, including adding "basic features" like a leaderboard and better progression, more portal walls, and adjustments to game modes.

Proulx also said he wanted to make the season pass and monetization in general less confusing while keeping the game free-to-play. At the time, Proulx projected the update would take place in early 2026, so this December release is sooner than expected.

So what, then, is Splitgate: Arena Reloaded? According to a press release, it "reimagines everything from core combat to UI." Here's an overview provided by 1047 of the major updates:

• Removed Factions, Abilities, and select equipment to refocus on classic arena combat
• Rebuilt progression from the ground up and overhauled the Ranked system
• Introduced 5 new, and 6 fully-reworked maps, 3 new Primary Weapons and 1 new Power Weapon: the Railgun
• New Arena modes, playlist selection, and a true Classic Arena mode with even starts and powerups
• Reduced store prices, simplified the Battle Pass, and improved overall cosmetic quality

An accompanying video featuring former Rocket League game director and current 1047 design director Josh Watson also notes that Arena Reloaded includes the addition of player stats, leaderboards, and a career system.

We initially gave Splitgate 2 at launch a 7/10, calling it "a decent successor to the original that expands on it, but never really surpasses it."

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Fullbright has announced its next game will be a lo-fi narrative experience with branching dialogue named Springs, Eternal, as the company's founder Steve Gaynor continues on as a solo developer.

An official blurb for Springs, Eternal describes the project as a "short, focused, supernatural-inflected first-person narrative exploration game" that will offer around two to three hours of gameplay. It's due to launch on PC at some point in 2026.

Set in a creepy-looking retreat, Springs Eternal will see players exploring its forest paths and interacting with other guests to learn more about "deeply heartfelt memory of the romantic relationship that brought them here, and perhaps discover where it will lead them next." It all sounds a bit Firewatch meets The Twilight Zone. Here's a first-look trailer:

Springs, Eternal looks to be another small solo project from Gaynor following last year's bitesize Fullbright Presents: Toilet Spiders.

In its previous era as The Fullbright Company, Gaynor and his former colleagues released indie hit Gone Home and sci-fi follow-up Tacoma, before Gaynor's teammates quit the company during the development of its next title, Open Roads, amid reports of his toxic behavior. (Open Roads was then finished and released separately, without Gaynor's continued involvement.)

A press release for Springs, Eternal notes that Fullbright is "now primarily the solo developer label of founder Steve Gaynor," who "continues to focus on atmospheric, emotionally-driven first-person story games (and occasional weird microgame experiments) in an evocative, lo-fi visual style."

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

For the first time ever, a Primarch is playable in a Warhammer 40,000 video game. Lion El'Jonson — aka The Lion — is playable in upcoming real-time strategy game Dawn of War 4. It’s a hugely exciting prospect for fans of the setting, who have so far had to imagine what it would be like to play as a Primarch in a video game. Now, we’ll get to control The Lion himself, the reborn leader of the Dark Angels chapter of Space Marines, as he presumably swats away all before him with the Emperor’s Shield and Fealty.

But how did developer King Art Games convince Games Workshop to let them do what no other developer has done before? And how did it approach making the seriously overpowered Lion El'Jonson work in Dawn of War 4? What does his inclusion mean for Dawn of War 4’s potential canon status within the setting? And will we get to see his face?

I sat down with director Jan Theysen to ask these questions and many more. We get into some serious detail about The Lion, the Dark Angels, and where we’re at in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, so sit down, relax, and trust in the Emperor.

IGN: I think the first obvious question is why did you choose the Dark Angels as the second playable faction for the Space Marines?

Jan Theysen: When we talked about, okay, what are the factions we want in the game, it's obvious that you need the Blood Ravens, right? It's a Dawn of War. And we talked about the other factions and then at some point it came up, okay, why just have the Blood Ravens? Maybe there is an option to also have another faction or another chapter. And basically Games Workshop said, ‘Hey, why not Dark Angels, could be a cool pick?’ And we said, ‘Oh, okay, of course, why not? Cool pick.’ And then they said, ‘Okay, what about… do you want Lion El'Jonson?’ And we were like, ‘Oh, okay, cool idea.’ That's basically it.

IGN: So Games Workshop suggested Dark Angels to you guys?

Jan Theysen: Yeah, basically they said, ‘Hey, just because it's a Dawn of War doesn't mean that it can be only Blood Ravens, right? There could be other Space Marines in there as well. And this was basically, okay then let's talk about it. What are the options and what could be a cool addition? And we took it from there.

IGN: There'll be a system where you'll be able to choose between playing as the Blood Ravens and the Dark Angels and you pick the missions you want to play. How will that work?

Jan Theysen: As you might know, we have four different campaigns in the game and for all of the campaigns we try to figure out something that gives the players some choices or some things they can do and influence in the campaign. And so for example, in the Ork campaign, you can literally pick, okay, do you want to play these Orks or these Orks and they're fighting each other. And so that's a very clear distinction.

For the Space Marines, of course that doesn’t make sense, right? They're not really different goals or anything, they're not fighting each other, but they're working on the same thing. And so we basically said, okay, what we can do is we can offer different gameplay experiences based on the factions, because story-wise, the Dark Angels, they have all the toys and all the power and they can basically do the big battles and the epic conflicts, while the Blood Ravens are… they have bigger problems and they need to rely on smaller operations, behind enemy lines, a little bit more covert operations maybe.

And so basically how this works is we have this Space Marine campaign story and there are different things happening at the same time. The Blood Ravens and the Dark Angels, sometimes they are at the same place at the same time and then you can play both of them. But other times it's like, okay, Dark Angels do this now, Blood Ravens do this now, who do we want to play? And then you can basically pick, hey, I want the big all out war battle or I want to play this more tactical thing maybe with the Blood Ravens. And then you can pick and then at some point they meet again, or the things converge again.

IGN: So you don’t change the story outcome?

Jan Theysen: The story remains the same, but the question is which parts of the story you encounter or you play with because the other stuff still happens, but then you only hear from it if you're not a part of it.

IGN: Do the Dark Angels have different units at their disposal? Are the gameplay mechanics different?

Jan Theysen: In general it's all Space Marines, right? The faction is Space Marines, but storywise in the campaign, the Blood Ravens don't have access to all the toys and to the big armies and so on. So their missions will be more infantry heavy and also a little bit smaller. And there is even here and there something that is more in the stealth or something that leads you to play a little bit more careful maybe, while the Dark Angles is more like okay, the big battles.

But they have the same units in multiplayer. In multiplayer for example, if you play the Blood Ravens, you have all the same toys because that's a separate thing. Where they differ is with the heroes. So both of the factions have two playable heroes, except for Lion El'Jonson, who is in the campaign but not really like a playable hero. So they both have two. And that of course leads to different things you can do, but also a little bit different playstyles maybe. So depending on the hero you pick, if you really are into slow progress and powerful defensive units, then you might pick the Terminator captain. And if you are more about quick stealthy stuff, you might pick Cyrus. There they can differ a little bit in terms of gameplay.

Audible's holiday promotion for 2025 is now live. Now through December 16, new and returning Audible subscribers can sign up for three months of Audible Premium Plus for just $0.99 per month. You will need to be logged into your Amazon Prime membershp to see this promotion. After the three months is up, your subscription will convert to the standard $14.95/mo, so make sure to cancel beforehand if you don't want to continue with the service. You also get a free audiobook of your choice for each of those three months that you get to keep indefinitely even after your subscription expires.

3 Free Months of Audible Premium Plus

The recently released Apple Watch Series 11 went on sale during Cyber Monday, and fortunately that deal is around for a little while longer. Amazon currently has select models available for $329.00 (the rest are $399). These models are:

• Jet Black Aluminum Case w/ Black Sport Band in S/M
• Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band in S/M
• Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band in S/M

You should probably hurry, though. These prices aren't expected to last much longer. This would make a worthwhile upgrade for yourself if you're still rocking an Apple Watch 8 or older, or a great gift idea for any iPhone owner.

Apple Watch Series 11 for $329

Are you one of the lucky deal hunters who score the Ninteno Switch 2 Cyber Monday console deal (if you haven't, it's still available)? Have you been holding off on a memory card upgrade until prices have dropped? If you answered "yes" to both questions, then you, my fellow Nintendo gamer, are in luck.

On Black Friday and Cyber Monday, a couple of Switch 2 compatible MicroSD Express cards went up for sale. Most of these deals are now expired, save for the most popular one. Amazon is still offering the 512GB Samsung P9 MicroSD Express card for $74.99. This is still the best price I've seen to date for a 512GB Switch 2 memory card and you should get it now before it expires. You'll probably need to expand your storage down the road anyway, so you might as well do it while it's on sale. It would also make an excellent gift idea for any Switch 2 owner.

Samsung P9 MicroSD Express Memory Cards

Nintendo Switch 2 compatible