While there’s an endless spread of romantic movies out there, including quite a few films from the Disney slate, Valentine’s Day is also a go-to subject for TV specials. Back in the day, Disney Channel series were pretty much expected to have a Valentine’s Day episode in some form or another, and plenty of these episodes quickly became fan favorites for either the romance or, in some cases, the absurdity.

If you’re already worn out on rom-coms and are still looking for a cozy activity to enjoy this weekend, I highly recommend taking a trip down memory lane with some old-school Valentine’s Day episodes on Disney+.

If You're Looking for Classic Disney Channel:

The classic Disney Channel slate from the 2000s is most likely where you’ll get some serious hits of nostalgia. Lizzie McGuire, which almost got a reboot, actually kicked off its second season with a Valentine’s episode, which sees Lizzie get a tad bit obsessed with the local paperboy. A That's So Raven episode features Raven trying to set up her brother, Cory (of later 'in the House' fame), after getting a premonition he’d be alone on Valentine’s Day.

And while not necessarily tied specifically to Valentine’s Day episode, the two parts of Hannah Montana's "Achey Jakey Heart" are a pretty beloved set of episodes that we’re going to call close enough. Especially given the series is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Or the Animated Side:

A surprising amount of old-school Disney cartoons featured romance and Valentine’s Day-specific episodes. While the (animated) Kim Possible movie does have some solid Kim and Ron moments, the Valentine’s Day episode from the series actually focused on Wade and Monique. One of my personal childhood favorites, Recess, had an entire episode dedicated to T.J. handing out terrible Valentine’s cards. Some of these episodes aged better than others.

On the more recent end of things, Gravity Falls once again doesn’t cite the holiday by name, but Mabel taking her matchmaking tendencies to the extreme in the Season 2 episode “The Love God” became a staple of the Disney Channel's Valentine’s Day marathons.

Of Course, Lots of The Simpsons

Good deals are like rare loot drops. You do not force them. You wait for them. You don't panic buy at full price like an NPC with no self control. You stay patient. You watch the market like it is an unfolding boss fight moveset. Because when the right deal finally hits, there's extra satisfaction to be had with that discount.

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This Day in Gaming 🎂

In Underrated Series That Shouldn’t Have Gone the Way of Dubstep news, I’m using a Fire Doomstrike to light 22-candle cake baked for Maximo vs. Army of Zin. Technically a sequel that lacks a ‘2’ in its title, this hack ‘n’ slash 3D platformer was just good old-fashioned Ghosts ‘n Goblinsesque fun. What didn’t change but I adored: taking damage would make Maximo drop trou into his hearts-aplenty boxers. What was introduced and appreciated: the power fantasy of becoming your companion, Grim (as in “Reaper”). Great game. Remaster, please.

If you're seeking chart-topping gaming performance, then Alienware's biggest and most powerful prebuilt should be high on your list. As part of a greater Dell Presidents Day Sale that starts this week, the Alienware Area-51 AMD Ryzen X3D Edition RTX 5090 gaming PC has dropped in price from $5,650 all the way down to $4,449.99 with free delivery. Prior to this sale, the lowest price I had seen for this exact configuration was $5,000 .

Alienware Area-51 Ryzen Edition RTX 5090 Gaming PC

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the best gaming CPU for most people

But you can also upgrade to the 9950X3D for a reasonable price

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is considered to be one of the best gaming processors on the market and outperforms any Intel or AMD non-X3D chip in games thanks to AMD's 3D-V-Cache technology. It only has eight cores, but that makes no difference in gaming since most games can't utilize more than eight cores (if that) anyways. That's why its gaming performance is nearly identical to the pricier 9900X3d and 9950X3D.

Now if you regularly use your PC for non-gaming applications that actually do benefit from as many cores as possible, then you can upgrade to an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D 16-core processor, which doubles the core count while offering similar gaming performance, for an additional $250. That's actually very reasonable as far as CPU upgrades go; the difference in MSRP between a 9950X3D and 9980X3D is $220, so you're only paying an extra $30 for the upgrade.

The RTX 5090 is the most powerful graphics card ever

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 has emerged as the most powerful consumer GPU on the market. Although with this generation Nvidia has prioritized software updates, AI features, and DLSS 4 technology to improve gameplay performance, the 5090 still boasts an impressive 25%-30% uplift over the RTX 4090 in hardware-based raster performance. If you want the absolute best performance for your gaming PC, there is literally no other option from any other brand.

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.

After a significant delay and a rocky 2025, Bungie shared another look at Marathon at the February 2026 State of Play, reaffirming its March 5 release date with a weeklong server slam.

The former Halo developer took to today's presentation to show off more of its sci-fi extraction shooter. Those excited to see how it lives up to the studio's legacy can hop in early as part of an upcoming server slam, which is scheduled to take place from February 26 through March 2.

In a separate video, Bungie outlined exactly what the Marathon server slam grants access to and how participants will be rewarded. In addition to pre-launch access to two playable zones and six runner shells, players will be able to take on opening contracts for five factions. Progress grants bonus loot at launch.

Marathon has been in a rocky spot, to say the least. The game was revealed in May 2023 as a reboot of the classic Bungie franchise, but its development has been fraught with multiple rounds of layoffs and its former director being fired following a misconduct investigation. More recently, Bungie had to launch a "thorough review" after it was found that Marathon contained artwork from an uncredited artist, a situation that has fans uncertain about the game and studio's future, especially in light of the uphill battle the extraction shooter genre has to succeed right now. It was originally set for a September 23, 2025, but after alpha test feedback was pushed indefinitely before setting a new window of March 2026.

For more from today's show, you can see everything announced at the February 2026 State of Play.

Developing...

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Sony finished tonight's State of Play broadcast with confirmation of a God of War Trilogy Remake project, and the surprise shadow drop of a side-scrolling spinoff — God of War Sons of Sparta — that launches today.

TC Carson, the original voice of Kratos, popped up to confirm the projects — and presumably his involvement in them. The original God of War launched back in 2005 for PS2, with its sequel arriving two years later. God of War 3, for PS3, then debuted in 2010.

No release date for the God of War Trilogy Remake was announced, and apparently work is still in its "early stages." Indeed, today's look at the game amounted to little more than a few logos — but for fans of Kratos' beloved Greek shenanigans, they are thrilling logos to see once more:

God of War Sons of Sparta, meanwhile, is a 2D action platformer and a "passion project" by indie retro game developer Mega Cat Studios that's available on PlayStation 5 right now, priced $29.99.

It's a canon story set in Kratos' youth during his time training alongside his brother Deimos, getting to grips with his spear, shield and divine artifacts that can be used in combat. Sons of Sparta's story is written by Sony Santa Monica, and narrated by TC Carson as adult Kratos.

Here's a first look:

For much more, catch up with everything announced during Sony's State of Play broadcast right here.

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

Arc System Works announced new characters and a release date for their upcoming fighting game, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. The Unbreakable X-Men join the character roster, and the final game will be released for PS5 and PC on August 6.

Wolverine, Storm, Magik, and Danger join the roster as the Unbreakable X-Men, including Wolverine's tank-like moves in which his claws can have armor on them. The fighter will also include an Episode Mode that, according to producer Takeshi Yamanaka, "blends American comics and Japanese manga into a new form of storytelling adapted for a modern video game format" in a story presented via motion comics.

Additional characters on the roster leaked earlier this week. Check out our first impressions from playing it at least year's EVO event.

For much more from today, catch up with everything announced during Sony's State of Play broadcast right here.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our semi-retired interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

Tonight's PlayStation State of Play broadcast has featured a full reveal for Project Windless, a single-player action RPG long in development at the Montreal studio set up by PUBG publisher Krafton.

Krafton Montreal Studio, as the developer is simply called, is led by Patrik Méthé — a former Ubisoft veteran who served as a game director on Far Cry 3, Far Cry 4, Far Cry 5, Far Cry: New Dawn and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction.

Since late 2022, Méthé has been Head of Studio at Krafton Montreal and creative director on Project Windless, an open-world action RPG take on Korean fantasy novel series The Bird That Drinks Tears.

Designed for players new to its storytelling world and built in Unreal Engine 5, today's trailer clearly seeks to position the game as an entry point for a fresh audience, and impress with AAA production values.

One notable feature is its large-scale battles, powered by the game's so-called Mass Technology, which allows for war-like scenarios with thousands of participants.

"From the start, we asked ourselves what it really means to play a legendary figure in a fantasy world," Méthé said. "For us, that meant giving players real agency, not just in combat, but in how wars unfold, how alliances are formed, and how history is written. Project Windless is built around the idea that legend is not something you observe, it is something you actively create through play."

Krafton is best known for publishing PUBG: Battlegrounds, as well as the Dead Space spiritual successor The Callisto Protocol, and the Sims-like InZOI.

For much more, catch up with everything announced during Sony's State of Play broadcast right here.

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

Saber Interactive have announced an untitled new John Wick game, featuring the likeness of Keanu Reeves. Does it also include his voice? That we do not (yet) know for certain.

As well as PlayStation 5, the game will also be coming to PC and Xbox Series X/S, though a launch date is unknown.

Here's a first official blurb:

"Created in collaboration between Saber, Lionsgate, and franchise director Chad Stahelski, the new 'Untitled John Wick Game' will feature an original script set in the John Wick timeline, expanding on the franchise's intricate lore with familiar characters fans already know, as well as completely new ones.

"Saber's design will be faithful to the unique style and signature elements of the series, including a distinct gun fu combat system, jaw-dropping camerawork, immersive driving experiences, and a variety of memorable environments, all crafted to make players feel like they are in a John Wick movie, playing the role of John Wick himself."

For much more, catch up with everything announced during Sony's State of Play broadcast right here.

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

Crystal Dynamics has revealed the first brand new Legacy of Kain game in over two decades. It's called Legacy of Kain: Ascendance, and it's out sooner than you'd think: on March 31, 2026. That's next month!

Ascendance is admittedly a bit different in genre and viewpoint than past Legacy of Kain games. It's a retro pixel sidescroller platformer starring four characters familiar to Legacy of Kain fans: Kain himself, two different forms of Raziel (vampire and human as leader of the Sarafan) and Elaleth, who thus far has only appeared in the graphic novels. Players will spend roughly equal time playing as all four characters.

In addition to retro pixel art, Ascendance also includes hand-drawn, anime-style cinematics, and some sections of art intended to invoke the PS1-era 3D style of the original games. Ascendance will be scored by electronic rock musician Celldweller, who recorded the companion soundtrack for graphic novel Soul Reaver: The Dead Shall Rise. Crystal Dynamics has also confirmed that the original voice actors for Kain, Raziel, Ariel, and Moebius will all be returning to their roles for the game.

Upon its March 31 release, Legacy of Kain: Ascendance will launch on PS5 and PS4, Switch and Switch 2, Xbox, and PC via Steam, GOG, and Epic Games Store.

If you're antsy to play something Legacy of Kain-related in the lead-up to Ascendance, Crystal Dynamics also announced today it would be releasing a remaster of Legacy of Kain: Defiance. What's more, the Deluxe Edition of the game will include a demo of the never-before-seen, cancelled Legacy of Kain 6, rumored to have been titled The Dark Prophecy.

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

Legacy of Kain: Defiance is finally getting the remaster it's long deserved, and in addition to a much nicer looking and playing game, those who purchase the Deluxe Edition will get to play a never-before-seen demo of the canceled sixth Legacy of Kain game, The Dark Prophecy.

Announced today, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered will release on March 3, 2026 for PS5 and PS4, Switch and Switch 2, Xbox, and PC via Steam, GOG, and Epic Games Store. It's developed by Crystal Dynamics and PlayEveryWare, and per franchise general manager Matt McCloskey, is based heavily on "a digitization of this massive archive that we actually found in a closet at Crystal Dynamics San Mateo office."

This is a remaster, not a remake, but there's a lot to it. The graphics, lighting, cinematics, audio, and music player have all gotten a major touch-up, alongside the controls and HUD. New in this version is a third-person "floating" camera view, though you can toggle back to the original camera view if you prefer the old look. There's a new combat tutorial that's a little easier to access for newer players, a photo mode, a cheat menu, and some new localizations the original game didn't have.

The remaster will also feature a line-up of bonus content, including new collectibles, the addition of a number of previously cut lost levels, local level maps, an improved 3D lore map, and a bunch of player character skins. For purchasers of the Deluxe Edition, a comic book reader will also be available containing the Soul Reaver and Defiance comics.

But those who purchase the Deluxe Edition will also get access to something rather astonishing: a demo of a cancelled game. It's long been public knowledge that Crystal Dynamics was working on a sequel to Defiance back in 2003. Internally referred to as Legacy of Kain 6 and rumored to be subtitled "The Dark Prophecy", its existence and some details about it were leaked over time, but the game itself was cancelled before it could be formally announced. Crystal Dynamics has assembled a demo of that game from archived files, and made it available to play in the Deluxe Edition, giving a glimpse at a Legacy of Kain that could have been.

All of this will be available on March 3, leaving plenty of time to prepare for the release later that month of a brand new Legacy of Kain game, entitled Ascendance, which we also learned about today. This pair of releases marks a major revival for the franchise, as the last "new" game was the original Legacy of Kain: Defiance over two decades ago in 2003 (which we gave an 8/10 all those years ago!), and the only release since has been Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered in 2024.

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

Magic: The Gathering is enjoying a great set in Lorwyn Eclipsed, but the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are about to emerge from the sewers in a few weeks.

Ahead of the launch of the new set on March 6, Magic fans looking for a Universes Beyond product can pick up the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bundle at Amazon for just $54.99.

In celebration of Castlevania's 40th anniversary, Konami has announced Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, a new stylized 2D Castlevania game co-developed by Evil Empire and Motion Twin. It's due out in 2026.

Konami says this is the first of the announcements to mark the series' fourth decade in existence, which started way back on the original Nintendo Entertainment System and has gone on to become multiple successful and critically acclaimed adult animated series on Netflix.

Here's our first look:

Evil Empire is known for The Rogue Prince of Persia as well as the Return to Castlevania DLC for Dead Cells. Motion Twin, meanwhile, built Dead Cells.

For much more, catch up with everything announced during Sony's State of Play broadcast right here.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our semi-retired interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

Konami has finally revealed Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2, promising to bring remasters for Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and, yes, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, to modern consoles later this year.

The publisher pulled back the curtain to announce its long-awaited follow-up bundle at the February 2026 State of Play. It’s confirmation that two classic tactical espionage action titles are getting touch-ups, but more importantly, it means MGS4 will finally leave its PS3 prison when the collection launches August 27, 2026. Konami has confirmed separately that, in addition to PS5, the collection is coming to PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X | S.

Creator Hideo Kojima’s fourth mainline Metal Gear Solid game features David Hayter as an elderly Solid Snake and was originally released for the PS3 in 2008. It’s also remained on this one platform since, meaning only those who own the 20-year-old console have been able to (officially) play it. Now, after 18 years, Old Snake’s story will be available to experience elsewhere.

Also included in Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 is 2010’s MGS: Peace Walker, which originally launched for PSP and later came to the PS3 and Xbox 360. Hardcore fans can also enjoy access to 2000's Game Boy title Metal Gear: Ghost Babel, as well as the digital soundtrack. Even without confirmation regarding what changes the Master Collection Vol. 2 brings, most fans would probably agree that ports for each of these games are long overdue.

Konami released Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 in October 2023 and, despite its title suggesting at least one additional volume would be developed, has mostly remained quiet about a sequel since. Mixed in with the troubled launch of the first bundle was a leak (as well as confirmation from IGN), suggesting more MGS remasters were on the way, but it wasn’t until August 2024 that the publisher would finally tell fans to “stay tuned.”

While we wait to see if Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 will have a more stable launch than its predecessor, you can read about what Konami is doing to reassure players. You can also read up on Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, an MGS3 remake that we gave an 8/10.

Finally, be sure to check out everything else announced at the February 2026 State of Play.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).