Arc Raiders has now sold over 4 million copies worldwide less than two weeks since its release date, cementing its commercial success.

Publisher Nexon confirmed the milestone in a glowing press release, which also revealed that the extraction shooter had reached a huge concurrent count of 700,000 players across all platforms.

Within a day of its release, Embark Studio's shooter hit a Steam concurrent peak player count of 264,673, making it one of the biggest extraction shooters ever on Valve's platform. That record was smashed again over the weekend when Arc Raiders hit a concurrent peak of 462,488 players according to Valve's official figures. and now we know that, combined with users on consoles, the true figure is closing in on three-quarters of a million players.

Nexon added that Arc Raiders has "maintained its number one spot on Steam's global sales rankings" ever since it released on October 30, and congratulated developer Embark, writing: "We are deeply impressed by the enthusiasm shown by our player community and look forward to building on that excitement with our content plans, including new maps, ARC vehicles, weapons, and quests, which will be available starting this month."

"I thought I was only going to play five or six hours of Arc Raiders on launch day before sitting down to write this initial review in progress, but after just a handful of matches, I suddenly couldn’t pull myself away – and before I realized it, I’d been playing for 10 hours," we wrote in IGN's Arc Raiders review-in-progress.

"This is without question the most hooked I’ve found myself on an extraction shooter (and I’ve played a lot of them), with clean and tense gunplay, a progression system that’s been incredibly satisfying so far, and a loot game that has me sweating over what to put in my backpack and what to leave behind."

Jumping into Arc Raiders? Check out our guide to the best settings, find out what skills we recommend unlocking first, and see how to earn loot by delivering field depot crates.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

The PlayStation 5 is now up to 84.2 million copies sold after shifting an additional 3.9 million units during the three-month period ending September 30, Sony has announced.

That’s a slight increase on the 3.8 million PS5 units Sony sold during the same quarter last year, but it's an impressive result given the price of the console has actually gone up over the course of this generation, rather than come down.

Interestingly, the new sales figure puts PS5 ahead of every Xbox console ever released, overtaking the official figure for the Xbox 360. But official sales figures here are somewhat misleading. Microsoft last reported Xbox 360 sales figures over a decade ago, in June 2014, when it said the console had sold more than 84 million consoles into retail worldwide.

It seems likely that those 84 million consoles sold into retailers were eventually sold through to customers, and that it probably sold an additional 1 million or so in the 10 years after that announcement (Microsoft discontinued the Xbox 360 in April 2016). So the true Xbox 360 sales figure is probably a little higher than the PS5’s current tally, but until Microsoft issues an official sales update for the Xbox 360, the PS5 is officially ahead of it and all other Xbox consoles. And in any case, the PS5 will go on to sell tens of millions more units over the course of its lifetime.

As an aside, unlike Sony, Microsoft does not make Xbox Series X and S sales figures public, but analysts have suggested the combined Xbox Series effort is being outsold by the PS5 by at least a factor of 2:1.

The more appropriate comparison for the PS5 then, is with its predecessor, the PlayStation 4. Five years into the current console generation, the PS5 is slightly behind the PS4 (the PS4 sold-in to retailers more than 86.1 million units after five years on sale).

But Sony has said this console generation is its most financially successful ever, with sales surpassing those made during the reign of all previous Sony consoles. In a graph recently published by Sony, its Game & Network Services (G&NS) division, which includes Sony Interactive Entertainment, was shown to have brought in more money with each console generation since the PS1. Of course, PS5 increased in price this year to $550, while PS4 retailed for $300 at this stage, and the video games themselves have got more expensive.

Nishino-san says PlayStation 5 is the most successful generation in PlayStation history. pic.twitter.com/E5feupYHGr

— The Game Awards (@geoffkeighley) September 25, 2025

Sony has already started talking about PlayStation 6 in vague terms, but it has a number of PS5 exclusives yet to come, including Insomniac’s Marvel’s Wolverine, which is due out next year. There are also reports that Sony plans to release a PlayStation handheld console, although the company has yet to comment.

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.

Nintendo has issued a fresh system software update for the Switch and Switch 2, bringing both consoles' firmware up to Version 21.0.0.

The latest patch adds a range of features for both consoles, including a number of useful changes for managing digital games, and upgrades for the Switch 2's built-in Game Chat.

On both consoles, you can now see a symbol above software icons on the Home Menu that will show whether the game is a cartridge-based or not. You can also set virtual game card data downloading even if you have chosen to disable the "Use Online License" setting.

On Switch 2, you can now receieve a prompt to download any software bundled alongside the console (like Mario Kart World!) which sounds like it'll save you from inputting any pesky codes.

Switch 2 Game Chat also gets some upgrades, with the game you're playing no longer automatically going to sleep if you're still chatting. You'll keep chatting, too, if your console is docked and you switch over to a wired connection (or vice versa).

And in a minor but amusing tweak, Nintendo has renamed the battery saving "stop charging around 90%" option to now more accurately reflect how it operates. It's now named "stop charging around 80-90%", so you can stop worrying if it's working correctly.

As ever, a few extra tweaks appear to be in the update that haven't made it into Nintendo's official patch notes. On ResetEra, fans report that you can now disable auto-playing videos in the eShop — which is a truly welcome addition. Nintendo dataminer OatmealDome, meanwhile, stats that there's also a new menu to view your peak brightness value when adjusting HDR settings in TV mode.

Here are Nintendo's full patch notes:

Nintendo Switch Ver. 21.0.0 (Released November 10, 2025):

• Added symbols above software icons displayed on the HOME Menu to indicate whether the software is a physical or a digital version.
• Added the ability to download data for a virtual game card even if the "Use Online License" setting is turned off.
  • This option is available in the Options of a virtual game card when accessed via Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
• The information regarding Save Data Cloud Backup that appears when launching certain software has been updated.
• The option "Platinum Point Notification Settings" was renamed to "Nintendo Switch Online Notification Settings" in the Notifications menu in System Settings.
• Added the ability to disable the following options when performing a system transfer from a Nintendo Switch system to a Nintendo Switch 2 system using System Transfer to Nintendo Switch 2 in System Settings.
  • Redownload Software on Nintendo Switch 2
  • Transfer Album Data
• Added the ability to adjust the volume from the Quick Settings menu while in VR mode.
• General system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience.

Nintendo Switch 2 Ver. 21.0.0 (Released November 10, 2025)

• Added symbols above software icons displayed on the HOME Menu to indicate whether the software is a physical or a digital version.
• When multiple software downloads are in progress, there is now an option to cancel all.
• If a console bundle includes a software download, there will now be an icon to "Receive Software." It will display if the system is connected to the internet.
  • The icon will launch Nintendo eShop and you can proceed to the downloadable software.
  • You can still receive the software by navigating to Nintendo eShop from the HOME Menu directly.
• When finding users to send a friend request to, the Search for Users You've Played With option under Add Friend now includes people you've interacted with in your friends' GameChat rooms.
• Added the ability to download data for a virtual game card even if the "Use Online License" setting is turned off.
  • This option is available in the Options of a virtual game card when accessed via Virtual Game Cards from the HOME Menu.
• The following updates have been made for GameChat:
  • The game will not automatically go to sleep while chatting.
  • The option to turn off "Chat Audio Panning" has been added.
  • Chat can continue if the console goes from TV mode (docked) to Handheld or Table mode where this scenario changes the internet from a wired connection to a wireless connection.
• The following updates have been made in Accessibility in System Settings:
  • When Use Text to Speech is turned on, the description of the predictive conversion character on the Japanese keyboard is now read out loud.
  • The upper limit of Text-to-Speech Speed was increased from 300% to 400%
• The following updates have been made in Audio in System Settings:
  • The ability to change the audio mode for a wirelessly connected Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller was added. "Stable" or "Low Latency" can be selected.
  • "Low Latency" will reduce audio latency when compared to "Stable" but may be more subject to interference in some wireless environments.
• The following updates have been made in Display in System Settings:
  • "HDR Output" was renamed to "System Screen's HDR Output."
  • Improved the screen display when using Adjust Screen Size to make it easier to adjust.
• The following updates have been made in Notifications in System Settings:
  • The option "Platinum Point Notification" was renamed to "Nintendo Switch Online Notification."
• The following updates have been made in System in System Settings:
  • "Stop Charging Around 90%" was renamed and updated to "Stop Charging Around 80-90%"
  • Thai and Polish were added to the list of options under Language.
    • Thai and Polish will only be available in software when it supports the respective language.
• General system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience.

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

Ghost of Yotei has sold 3.3 million copies in its first month on sale, Sony has confirmed.

As part of its latest financial results, Sony said Sucker Punch’s PlayStation 5-exclusive action adventure sold 3.3 million units in the 32 days since going on sale on October 2 — so sales up to and including November 2.

Sony announced the figure without any commentary, so it’s hard to know whether the company is happy with the result. However, there is a great deal of context we can add that helps us paint a picture of Ghost of Yotei’s commercial success.

The first comparison we should make is to its predecessor, Ghost of Tsushima. It sold 2.4 million copies in its first three days after going on sale exclusively on PlayStation 4 on July 17, 2020, then hit 5 million after 118 days (just shy of four months). It’s now up to 13 million copies sold, including sales of the PC and PS5 Director’s Cut.

So it’s worth remembering that while we don’t have a figure for a comparable period of sales, it looks like Ghost of Yotei is selling about as well as Ghost of Tsushima before it, a suggestion backed up by sales data from the U.S. and across Europe.

But is that good enough? We need to consider that Ghost of Tsushima came out on the PS4, which in the summer of 2020 had a much bigger install base than the PS5 does today, and amid the stay-at-home gaming boom fueled by lockdowns. Ghost of Yotei also sold for $70, which means its dollar sales are greater compared to the cheaper Ghost of Tsushima, whose standard edition launched at $60.

The timing of each release differs also in that Ghost of Tsushima came out in the summer, and Ghost of Yotei came out in the fall. Yotei has the crucial holiday season coming soon, and it will surely be a popular pick for those buying a PS5 for the first time or upgrading to the PS5 Pro.

And finally, multiplayer add-on Ghost of Yotei: Legends comes out at some point in 2026, which will undoubtedly give Ghost of Yotei a shot in the arm next year. And we all know that Ghost of Yotei, like Ghost of Tsushima before it, will eventually launch on PC in Director’s Cut form. Perhaps there will even be a PS6 version, whenever that console rolls around.

So, Ghost of Yotei has some way to go before it matches the total sales figure of its predecessor, but is has plenty of opportunity to catch up. And, as Circana’s Mat Piscatella said last month, its launch sales were “perfectly fine... Not amazing, not bad.”

As for what’s next from developer Sucker Punch, in an interview with VGC, co-founder and studio head, Brian Fleming, said the studio will decide its next project once Ghost of Yotei: Legends comes out. But, he suggested, don’t expect a flurry of games from the relatively lean developer — it’s one project at a time.

While we wait to find out, check out IGN’s Ghost of Yotei review. We’ve also got a cool story about Atsu's sword-drawing technique, which Japanese martial arts experts have said is kind of doable in real life.

Ready to master Ghost of Yotei? Check out our comprehensive guides, which cover everything from things to do first, best skills to unlock, advanced combat tips, getting the best early-game armor set, and uncovering every Altar of Reflection location. Our Walkthrough also provides essential tips and strategies for defeating every boss, and our secrets and easter eggs guide ensures you never miss another hidden reference again.

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.

Incredibly, almost unfathomably, the humble original PlayStation, our little grey slab of joy, is turning 30. It's got grey hairs, now old enough to have a couple of kids, a few different careers, a car in the garage. You could say it's accomplished all those things in different ways.

Aussies: Win a PlayStation®5 Pro Console – 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Bundle!

In the before-times, many previous and current IGN AU staff cut their teeth at the Official PlayStation 2 Magazine (Narayan Pattison, Tristan Ogilvie, Luke Reilly, Patch Kolan, and Adam Mathew among them), so it's an understatement to say that the brand, hardware, games and experiences were formative for us and extremely close to our hearts.

The Little Grey Box That Could

When the original PlayStation launched in Australia, stock was extremely limited and the thing cost $AUD699 (or about $1300 in today's money) if you could manage to get your hands on it. If you did, you could play nearly a nearly perfect port of Namco's superb Ridge Racer, try some 3D fighting (a novelty!) in Battle Arena Toshinden, a bit of 3D platforming (woah!) in Jumping Flash!, and 2D sidescrolling platforming in Rayman. The games were perhaps a tad "safe" at the time, but it hinted at big things coming – and within a year, the PlayStation had cemented itself in the Australian gaming landscape.

I picked up my PS1 from a Cash Converters in 1999, then immediately bought Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy VII. From there, I delived into a catalogue of JRPGs, racing simulators (yeah, that series), scrolling shooters and impenetrable dating games as my N64 quietly looked on, judging me from the shelf. I'm fairly certain I did not see daylight for about two years – and I knew I wanted to do this stuff as a career.

Woot (which is owned by Amazon) just dropped some great OLED TV deals ahead of Black Friday. You can pick up a 65" Samsung S90D 4K OLED Smart TV for just $1,079.99. An even better deal is the 77" model for $1,497.99. Both TVs cost only $5 to ship, although Amazon Prime members can get free delivery. These are brand new TVs presumably in retail packaging with a 1 year Samsung warranty. The S90D is one of Samsung's more premium OLED TVs featuring a quantum dot OLED panel for brighter, richer colors. It's comparable to LG's C-series OLED TVs.

Samsung S90D 4K OLED TV Sale

A lot is changing for DC's lineup of movies and shows in the years ahead. James Gunn and Peter Safran, co-CEOs of DC Studios, have a strategy for a more cohesive and interconnected lineup of content moving forward. It all starts with Chapter 1, dubbed "Gods and Monsters."

It can be very difficult to keep track of all the big changes at DC these days. And Gunn is always dropping updates and news it seems, including the surprise reveal of his Superman follow-up Man of Tomorrow! That's why we've put together this comprehensive list of everything currently in the works, as well as the major projects that have either been officially canceled or gone dormant.

Come join us in the reborn DC Universe. Click on through the slideshow below for a glimpse or read on for even more details...

What Are the Next DC Movies Coming Out? 2025 Release Dates

For those keeping track, here's the full lineup of upcoming DC movies and TV shows:

• Supergirl (June 26, 2026)
• Clayface (September 11, 2026)
• Man of Tomorrow (July 9, 2027)
• The Batman Part II (October 1, 2027)
• Dynamic Duo (Animated Robin Origin Movie) (June 30, 2028)
• Lanterns TV Series (Early 2026)
• Mister Miracle Animated Series (In Production)
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold (In Development)
• Creature Commandos Season 2 (In Development)
• The Authority (In Development)
• Swamp Thing (In Development)
• Teen Titans Movie (In Development)
• Bane/Deathstroke Movie (In Development)
• Wonder Woman Movie (In Development)
• Waller TV Series (In Development)
• Booster Gold TV Series (In Development)
• Paradise Lost TV Series (In Development)
• Blue Beetle Animated Series (In Development)
• Harley Quinn and Other Animated Titles (In Development)
• Sgt. Rock (In Development)
• V for Vendetta TV Series (In Development)
• DC Crime TV Series (In Development)
• Constantine 2 (Status Unknown)

Here are some of the most notable projects that are currently in the works:

Supergirl (June 26, 2026)

The new DCU will also have a new Supergirl. Supergirl (previously titled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow) is a movie based on Tom King and Bilquis Evely's comic. This Supergirl is one who spent much of her early life living on a fragment of Krypton that was dislodged in the planet's destruction, what Gunn describes as a "horrible situation where she watched everybody around her die." House of the Dragon's Milly Alcock plays Supergirl, and Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya, Cruella) directs the film.

Clayface (September 11, 2026)

A Clayface movie scripted by Mike Flanagan is moving fast at DC. Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, etc.) previously voiced a desire to make a Clayface movie as a "horror/thriller/tragedy." However, due to his various TV commitments, he won't direct the film, with Speak No Evil's James Watkins expected to direct for a Fall, 2026, release. Tom Rhys Harries stars as the titular villain. Safran and Gunn promise a body horror picture that is R-rated as well.

Given Deadline's previous report that Clayface is one of the major villains debuting in The Batman Part II, and the fact that the Clayface movie is being produced by Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris' 6th & Idaho Productions, it had been assumed that this movie would be set in The Batman universe rather than the DCU. But Gunn has since said that it is in fact unrelated to The Batman Epic Crime Saga and is definitely part of the DCU. Presumably, those earlier reports of the character being in The Batman Part II will wind up not panning out at this point.

Man of Tomorrow (July 9, 2027)

We've known for a while that James Gunn is working on his first post-Superman movie in the DCU, but it seems like he won't be venturing too far from the beaten path. Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav revealed on an investor call, "We're thrilled to share that James Gunn is already writing and preparing to direct the next installment within the 'Super-Family.'" Previously, Gunn told EW that his next project isn't exactly Superman 2, saying, "Is it a straight-up Superman sequel? I would not say necessarily."

Gunn surprised DC fans by tweeting out the title and release date of the film. Man of Tomorrow will hit theaters on July 9, 2027, almost exactly two years after Superman's release. The accompanying Jim Lee artwork suggests the film will focus on an alliance between David Corenswet's Man of Steel and Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor, as the two confront a common enemy (Brainiac? General Zod? Doomsday?). We wouldn't be at all surprised if the film also stars Milly Alcock's Supergirl, along with potentially other members of the Superman extended family (Steel? Superboy? Mon-El?).

The Batman Part II (October 1, 2027)

Of course The Batman Part II is in the works with Matt Reeves returning to write and direct and Robert Pattinson putting on the cape, cowl, and eyeliner (!) again as the Dark Knight Detective. The film is confirmed to have survived the recent turmoil at Warner Bros. Discovery, and Reeves has even signed a multi-year first-look deal with the studio. There's no word yet on what it will be about, so begin your Joker speculation now. The release date of the film has been pushed a couple of times now, first from October 2025 to October 2026, and then to October 2027. Filming is expected to begin in Spring 2026.

James Gunn has also confirmed that Pattinson will not be the DCU's version of Batman.

Dynamic Duo (Animated Robin Origin Movie) (June 30, 2028)

According to James Gunn, Dynamic Duo will tell the origin story of not one but two Robins -- Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. The film will be directed by Arthur Mintz, who's making the picture with his new animation studio Swaybox using a mix of animation, puppetry, CGI, and live-action performance. Huh.

Lanterns TV Series (Early 2026)

We're finally getting that oft-promised Green Lantern show. Lanterns is a high-concept detective drama in the vein of True Detective that revolves around Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) has been cast as Hal and Aaron Pierre (The Underground Railroad) has been cast as John.

Mister Miracle Animated Series (In Production)

Mister Miracle is the second animated series to be produced under the DC Studios banner, following 2024's Creature Commandos. The series will be helmed by showrunner and producer Tom King, who previously penned 2017's Mister Miracle comic. The animated series looks to be directly based on that comic, which deals with Scott Free's attempts to make sense of his reality during a destructive war between Apokolips and New Genesis.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold (In Development)

DC has confirmed that we'll have two cinematic versions of Batman going forward, as the DCU will get its own Dark Knight alongside the standalone movies of Matt Reeves' The Batman series. The Brave and the Bold looks to deal with the full Bat-family, centering specifically on Bruce Wayne's 10-year-old son Damian. The movie will draw heavily from Grant Morrison's Batman comics. It is unclear how the film will connect to the events of The Flash movie, if at all (probably not?), but that film's director, Andy Muschietti, was at one point confirmed to be directing The Brave and the Bold.

More recently, it seems that Gunn and Safran have put some distance between the project and Muschietti, with Gunn taking point on it. “Everybody knows I love Batman and it’s important to me so I’m working very closely with the writer on Brave and the Bold,” he told a group of reporters in February, 2025. Once the script is completed (it is not currently known who the writer is), Gunn and Safran said they will take it to Muschietti "and see if it's a fit for him."

Creature Commandos Season 2 (In Development)

James Gunn's latest band of misfit superheroes, the Creature Commandos, kicked off the new DCU with the first season of their animated series on Max, and a Season 2 is already in the planning stages. What the new version of the team will look like remains to be seen, though the Creature Commandos Season 1 finale did give us some hints...

The Authority (In Development)

DC's anti-Justice League were a big part of the initial announcement line-up that Gunn and Safran made back in 2023, but it seems like the project has been a tougher script to crack than they expected. The Authority is a group of powerful heroes who take a far more proactive approach to meting out justice, but Gunn said in February, 2025, that it's been “the one that's been the hardest, both because of the shifting overall story and because of getting it right in a world with The Boys and a world with all the things that The Authority influenced that came out after it.” The project is now on the “back burner,” he says.

Swamp Thing (In Development)

Swamp Thing may not have found much success on the short-lived DC Universe app, but DC was betting big on this lumbering monster for their new cinematic universe when they announced their plans for the new movie slate in 2023. The Swamp Thing movie was to explore the dark origins of Alec Holland's monstrous alter ego, with Logan and Indiana Jones 5 director James Mangold writing the script for the film.

However, more recently Gunn and Safran have said that Swamp Thing hasn't had much movement as Mangold was working on his Bob Dylan movie, A Complete Unknown. "We hope that he'll come back to Swamp Thing when he's ready, because again, that was one of those ones that we love him as a filmmaker, so we're happy to wait for him," said Safran. Gunn added that the main reason they pursued the project was because "James came to us with it, frankly."

Teen Titans Movie (In Development)

The Teen Titans are returning to live-action following the conclusion of Max's Titans series. As reported by THR, a new Teen Titans movie is in the works, with the screenplay being penned by Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow writer Ana Nogueira. It's unknown whether the movie is meant to be part of the DCU or a standalone project.

Bane/Deathstroke Movie (In Development)

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that DC Studios is developing a villain-centric team-up movie featuring Bane and Deathstroke. The film is being written by Matthew Orton (Captain America: Brave New World). It's unclear whether the project is set in James Gunn's DCU, the world of Matt Reeves' The Batman, or an entirely standalone universe a la Joker.

Wonder Woman Movie (In Development)

Gunn recently confirmed to EW that a new Wonder Woman movie is in the works as part of the DCU, saying, "Wonder Woman's being written right now." The movie is a separate project from the previously announced Paradise Lost series. Presumably, Wonder Woman will reboot the franchise with a new lead actress rather than bring back Gal Gadot's Diana.

Waller TV Series (In Development)

This Peacemaker spin-off is intended to feature Viola Davis reprising the Amanda Waller role, with several other Peacemaker alums also returning. However, the series “has had a couple of setbacks" according to Gunn. Safran added that "Waller has been a bumpy road," so it remains unclear where the series stands at the moment.

Booster Gold TV Series (In Development)

The lovably goofy Booster Gold is getting his own series as part of the new DCU. Booster Gold will explore the character's impostor syndrome as he travels back in time and uses the technology of the future to make himself a present-day superhero.

Paradise Lost TV Series (In Development)

While a new Wonder Woman movie isn't on the immediate horizon, DC is moving forward with a TV series set on the island of Themyscira. Paradise Lost will explore the origins and political intrigue of Diana's home. The series is billed as the DC equivalent of Game of Thrones.

Blue Beetle Animated Series (In Development)

A Blue Beetle animated TV show is reportedly in development. Xolo Maridueña, who played the title hero in the live-action movie, says he'll be back to voice Jaime Reyes for the series.

Harley Quinn and Other Animated Titles (In Development)

Warner Bros. has a variety of animated properties in various stages of development as streaming series (in addition to their never-ending DTV animated movie releases). That includes a fifth season of Harley Quinn which debuted in January, 2025, on Max, a possible ninth season of Teen Titans Go!, a third season of Adult Swim/Max's My Adventures With Superman, Season 2 of Amazon Prime's Batman: Caped Crusader (from Bruce Timm, J. J. Abrams, and Matt Reeves), and upcoming series such as Blue Beetle, My Adventures With Green Lantern (featuring the Jessica Cruz Lantern), DC Super Powers, Starfire, and Mister Miracle.

Sgt. Rock (In Development)

After decades in development hell through various studio regimes and stars attached to it, it seemed like Sgt. Rock was finally coming to the big screen. DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran acknowledged the project was in development with Luca Guadagnino directing. Guadagnino (Queer, Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria, Challengers) isn't exactly the first name you'd expect to hear for a Sgt. Rock movie so it made it an even more exciting prospect.

After rumors of Daniel Craig playing the title role in the WWII movie were shot down by Gunn, it was reported that Colin Farrell was cast instead. The project was to shoot in Summer 2025 for a Fall 2026 release but as soon as Sgt. Rock finally came together, the project fell apart. Still, Gunn has said that the film is still in development, though it remains to be seen who would star or direct if it happens.

V for Vendetta TV Series (In Development)

In November of 2025, Variety reported that Pete Jackson (not the Lord of the Rings luminary) is attached to write a TV series adaptation for HBO of Alan Moore and David Lloyd's acclaimed comic about a dystopic near-future where the anarchist known only as V battles the oppresive government. James Gunn and Peter Safran will executive produce the series, among others, if it moves forward beyond the writing stage.

DC Crime TV Series (In Development)

Another potential HBO show that is in early development is this fictional true-crime series which would feature Superman's Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) "hosting." The DC supervillain Gorilla Grodd would be the focus of the first season (yes, the super-smart, talking gorilla). American Vandal mockumentary experts Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault would write, produce, and serve as showrunners if the prospective show gets the greenlight.

Constantine 2 (Status Unknown)

Keanu Reeves was reportedly going to reprise his iconic DC role at one point. A sequel to 2005's Constantine was in the news in 2022, with Reeves set to star and Francis Lawrence returning as director. The screenplay was being written by Akiva Goldsman, and Goldsman was also producing the film alongside Bad Robot’s J.J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella. Lawrence gave IGN an update on the project when we spoke to him in May 2025 for The Long Walk:

"Constantine 2 is a real thing. It is something that we have been working on and trying to crack and figure things out over the years. And with all the various regime changes and things at Warner Brothers and who has rights to DC characters/Vertigo characters and DC Dark and all that, the character of Constantine has kind of changed hands over the years, which became roadblocks for us. We now are past those roadblocks, and so Keanu and Akiva ... who I did Constantine and I Am Legend with, have an idea, and Akiva is actually writing a script. And I'm really excited about the idea, and Keanu is really excited about the idea, but we've all collaborated on it and he is off writing, and so fingers crossed we can really get that going. I think we're all super excited and this is definitely the closest we've been in the 20 years since the movie came out."

DC Movies and TV Shows That Were Released in 2024

• The Penguin (September 19, 2024)
• Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (September 21, 2024)
• Superman & Lois, Season 4 (October 7, 2024)
• Creature Commandos (December 5, 2024)

Note: This story was updated on 11/10/2025 with the latest DC movie news. It was originally posted on 7/29/2021.

DC Studios and HBO Max is developing a Superman spin-off series titled DC Crime, which will star Skyler Gisondo as The Daily Planet’s Jimmy Olsen. American Vandal’s Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault are onboard as the series’ writers, executive producers, and showrunners.

Variety reports that DC Crime “would be presented as a true crime docuseries that would be hosted by Jimmy Olsen … The first season would focus on Gorilla Grodd, a DC villain best known for his battles with The Flash.”

DC Studios co-chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran will executive produce “with DC Studios’ Galen Vaisman overseeing production. Warner Bros. Television is the studio,” per Variety.

Walmart is offering an outstanding early Black Friday deal on a powerful gaming laptop. For a limited time, you can pick up the MSI Vector HX 16" Gaming Laptop with GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU for just $1,299.00 with free shipping after a hefty $700 off instant discount. This laptop features an AMD Ryzen 9 HX series CPU and a full-powered RTX 5070 Ti GPU with 140W TGP rating for maximum gaming performance.

MSI Vector HX 16" RTX 5070 Ti Gaming Laptop for $1,299.99

The Amazon Black Friday Sale is one of the most anticipated online sales of the year. I ran a poll a few years back and found that over 50% of IGN's audience planned on doing most of their shopping at Amazon for Black Friday. So it's not a stretch to say that whatever deals Amazon chooses to offer for Black Friday will have a ripple effect across multiple retailers. Now that Amazon has officially announced the dates of its sale (and a sneak peek of some discounts), we can finally start speculating about what to expect during the 2025 Amazon Black Friday sale.

Amazon Black Friday Start Date

What Deals to Expect – Amazon Sneak Peek

Amazon released a sneak peek of what deals to expect during the Black Friday period. The press release doesn't go into much detail about any specific products, but we can make our own guesses about what to expect based on the information we do have.

Amazon Devices

Amazon's sneak peek mentions up to 50% off select Amazon devices. The actual list of items expected to be a part of that sale are: Echo Dot Max, Fire TV Stick Select, Fire TV 4-Series, Blink Mini camera, Blink outdoor camera, Echo Show 11, Fire HD Tablets, and Kindle e-readers. No prices are mentioned, but we can make some assumptions based on this available information.

Most notably, Amazon is suggesting a discount on its new budget Fire TV stick without mentioning discounts on any of the other models. That could mean that the full Fire TV lineup will actually be at a higher price than we saw during October Prime Day this year. The sneak peak also mentions discounts on its reading tablets, but leaves out models like the Colorsoft that got heavily discounted earlier this year. If I had to guess, I'd say this suggests the better Kindle deals will likely be a part of a bundle package rather than discounts on individual devices.

The 50% discounts will most likely be on Blink cameras and Fire HD tablets. Both of those devices have consistently had prices halved during sales this year and I'd expect the same thing during Black Friday. Ring doorbell cameras will also probably see similar price cuts, even though they aren't mentioned here.

Electronics

The sneak peek lumps all electronics into a single category, and the actual savings are as vague as it gets. The biggest discount mentioned is up to 50% off JBL and Canon, which could mean a lot of different things.

The discounts from JBL will most likely be on headphones and Bluetooth speakers. As an audio brand, it's already quite a bit cheaper than competitors like Sony and Bose, so the discounts will be significant but not that impressive. Bose audio products are also mentioned in this press release with up to 45% discounts, which likely refers to headphones and soundbars. As for Canon, Amazon is probably referring to printers and ink cartridges rather than cameras. Still, a 50% discount can be significant if you're looking for either of those.

For bigger ticket items, Amazon has noted up to 45% discounts on Acer and Asus PC hardware and 40% discounts from LG, TCL, and Hisense. Based on what we've seen discounted in the past, these discounts are most likely on gaming monitors, TVs, and soundbars. Amazon usually has at least one really good gaming PC deal, but it's the discounts on screens that are usually most worth checking out during its Black Friday sale. This also applies to Samsung TVs and monitors, which will be up to 35% off during this sale.

Toys

Black Friday is usually the best time to make toy purchases every year, but the sneak peek doesn't really reveal much about Amazon's plans for 2025. The first major offer featured here is up to 40% off Magna-Tiles, Melissa & Doug, Little Tykes, Play-Do, and Nerf. This could apply to a wide range of different puzzles and building toys within that for both toddlers and younger kids. The press release also mentioned 30% off Hasbro Gaming, which likely means that Black Friday will be a good time to buy board games as well as various toys Hasbro makes.

The main category that Amazon didn't mention here is LEGO. Black Friday is going to be the best time to buy LEGO sets all year and we expect Amazon to have some of the best deals available on various sets. While we don't know what LEGO sets will be going on sale this year, we can use Target's recent early LEGO sale and make an educated guess that we'll likely see up to 40% off both new and old sets from Star Wars, Harry Potter, and many of the other popular themes available.

Books

Amazon is still an online bookstore at heart and Black Friday remains one of the best times to buy books all year. According to the press release, Amazon is planning on offering up to 80% off Kindle books and up to 65% off print books during its Black Friday sale.

As for what books will actually get discounted, we can only look at past sales to make a guess. Amazon will likely have major discounts on some of the biggest bestsellers of 2025, like Onyx Storm and Sunrise on the Reaping, as well as popular classics. You can also likely expect big price cuts on Lord of the Rings books sets as well as the illustrated editions. Amazon has been known to include a lot of these discounts in some sort of "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" sale, so you'll want to keep an eye out for that type of promotion as well.

In terms of Amazon services, the Black Friday Kindle Unlimited deal will also be returning this year. This promotion only applies to new subscribers, but you'll get three months of Kindle Unlimited for only $0.99 before having to pay the full monthly price. I myself have this service and found it's great for reading LitRPG and popular romantasy without having to buy individual books.

More Upcoming Deals

Outside of the categories I've mentioned above, here are a few more sneak peek deals worth calling out from Amazon's press release:

• Up to 50% off beauty products
• Up to 50% off fashion
• Up to 50% off kitchen appliances
• Up to 35% off vacuums and furniture
• Up to 25% off fitness equipment
• Up to 50% off hotels and homes on Expedia
• 35% off voyage fare for Disney Cruise Lines

Do You Need an Amazon Prime Subscription for Black Friday?

Just ahead of the Black Friday and holiday season, Samsung has released its own line of MicroSD Express cards. The new Samsung P9 MicroSD Express cards come in both 256GB and 512GB capacities and are compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2. Amazon has already discounted the 512GB model with a $5 off coupon that drops the price from $99.99 to $94.99. This is one of the lesser expensive 512GB cards at the moment. Walmart does sell its house brand Onn 512GB MicroSD Express Card for a lower price of $84.77, but it has noticeably slower speeds according to our review.

The 256GB model retails for $54.99 which is $5 cheaper than the official Switch 2 memory card (which, curiously, is also made by Samsung). However, if you are planning to get this capacity, you should wait. Nintendo has already announced that the official Switch 2 256GB memory card will drop to $39.99 on Cyber Monday.

Samsung P9 512GB MicroSD Express Card for $94.99

Nintendo Switch 2 compatible

As the sun rises on the cobbled market street that ascends from bustling docks on the vibrant Mediterranean waters to the new forum high on the hill above, Anno 117: Pax Romana fills me with delight and civic pride. It took a long time, but I feel like I finally clicked with this series that I've had a little bit of a rocky relationship with, having come in a bit late and at an awkward time with 2205. Its complex economics can still seem to wobble spectacularly off their axis and leave you in a dire failure spiral, but resplendent mechanics for trade, naval warfare, and the blending of cultures offer chances to right the ship.

The basic routine in Anno 117 is familiar and effective if you've played other games in the series. You start out building modest residences to house hardworking liberti, or freed people – somewhat conspicuously sidestepping the institution of Roman slavery. When their needs are met, they can promote up the social ladder all the way to snobby patricians who demand all kinds of exotic delicacies from around the world.

Part of what influences these promotions is simply access to goods, which is a city-wide thing. But another component is living near high prestige buildings like theaters and shrines… and far away from unpleasant or polluting ones like a charcoal burner. I love the way this naturally creates clusters of higher-class housing on important market streets, tapering off into working class neighborhoods in more industrial areas. It adds to the feel of a real, living city. And since paved roads extend the range of those buildings, that's an upgrade that lets you immediately see its positive effects.

It's genuinely delightful to zoom in and watch my little toga-clad citizens going about their business. Every building from a stately villa to an idyllic lavender farm is studded with detail and character. Even the untouched green fields and peaceful blue waters full of marine life create a strong sense of place. The character models for leaders and advisors may be the one thing that didn't wow me. They're full of character, but especially in some of the campaign cutscenes, there were some significant lip sync issues that made it look like a much older game or a badly-dubbed movie.

The summery paradise of Latium isn't the only locale to explore and exploit. Eventually you unlock the ability to sail to foggy, rocky Albion – that is, Britain – with its own resources, aesthetic, and population. I was a bit worried Anno would lean too hard into othering stereotypes about "mystical Celts" here based on some of the marketing, but it's actually a pretty grounded and sensible depiction. The really interesting choice you have mechanically in this region is whether to stay true to Celtic traditions or fully Romanize your new subjects. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and you can eventually mix and match for some powerful synergies.

Anno 117 really comes alive with its detailed trade system, though. To truly meet the needs of demanding nobles in the two regions, you'll have to set up production chains for luxury goods that might pull resources from two or three different islands, then ship them across the world map from one region to another. Each delivery requires individual ships assigned to the trade routes, so I can see exactly where my next delivery of cheese is and even reroute it somewhere else.

This is all fairly easy to set up and tweak thanks to the well-organized interface, and naturally creates incentives to build smaller villages that do one specific thing as well as warehouses and waystations to speed things up. My cheese island is quite far away, so I noticed my trade ships spent half their time sailing across Albion. But if I set up a colony close to it that's basically just a cheese warehouse and some subsistence fisheries, I can constantly be moving cheese there with intra-region trade ships to be picked up at the edge of the map all at once. I adore this kind of logistics stuff.

Anno 117 is a pretty good RTS, too. I'm especially a fan of its naval combat, which I had to master quickly to protect my trade routes from increasingly vicious pirates. Maneuvering ships feels weighty and realistic, with differences in maneuverability based on whether they rely on sails, oars, or both, and I eventually got pretty good at maneuvers like trapping a sneaky little pirate ship in a cove where there would be no escape.

Ground combat is just fine. It does its job, with a small selection of melee, ranged, and siege units that can fulfill a handful of different roles. It's possible to succeed without ever getting into a land battle if you have a good navy, but in the few cases where I did, I found some interesting tactics to dig into. It feels like a real RTS at least, as opposed to a half-baked minigame, which I really appreciate.

Diplomacy is pretty basic stuff, with a single interesting wrinkle in that the Emperor works a bit differently. You can't really make treaties with him, but he will make demands of you, and succeeding, failing, or refusing affects your reputation with Rome. When he likes you, you get bonuses. When he doesn't, you get penalties. But both ends of the scale culminate in some very powerful rewards. Either you play nice and get appointed Consul, or you defy his authority so effectively that you grant yourself Proconsular authority, Caesar-style.

There is a decent story campaign, but it's really more of an extended tutorial. It took me less than 10 hours to finish and only really scratches the surface of the mechanics you can play with in endless mode. You can play as either Marcus or Marcia, with the latter being a sort of madcap "Weekend at Bernicus’" scenario where you are taking on the governor duties of your totally-not-dead husband. It's hardly Shakespeare, but there's some interesting intrigue going on and a cast of memorable characters. The Canaanite Ben-Baalion was a particularly endearing companion who presented me with an emotionally satisfying choice at the end.

While you can continue from the ending of the campaign as long as you want, most of my playtime was spent in the endless mode, which lets you start in either Albion or Latium and offers a wide range of difficulty options. You can even pick from a set of rival governors with different personalities and playstyles. I don't think they necessarily play by the same rules that you do as a player, however. Looking at some late game cities they built… I honestly don't know what's going on. But they can be compelling adversaries or valuable trade partners nonetheless.

There are still some classic Anno issues kicking around, like the fact that very large economies can become unwieldy and are prone to death spirals. If food is disrupted, population drops, which causes food buildings to become underemployed, leading to even less food and even more population drop. At one point I had to restart because I accidentally changed a large city's patron god, which made it instantly insolvent and nearly irrecoverable due to lost agricultural bonuses. But trade is kind of the hero here once again, since setting up buy orders for whatever you're out of can bail you out of a lot of tricky spots as long as you have cash. It's a little fiddly setting up a lot of different trades at a lot of different harbors the first time, but the interface is easy to work with, and once things were set, I didn't find I had to mess with them very often.

Nintendo has announced the first The Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer will arrive as part of a new Nintendo Direct later this week.

News of the next update on The Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel arrived via the Nintendo Today! app, with Nintendo also confirming the news in a social media post on X/Twitter. The company confirmed no gaming content will be shown during the presentation, instead telling eager viewers to expect the premiere of the first The Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer when the Nintendo Direct premieres this Wednesday, November 12, at 6 a.m. PT / 9 a.m. ET.

Join us on Wednesday, Nov 12, at 6am PT for the Nintendo Direct featuring the world premiere of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie official trailer. Please note that no game information will be included in this presentation.

Watch here: https://t.co/KNSvfYk64l pic.twitter.com/PfTUJTyMQ3

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) November 10, 2025

It’s unclear how long the Direct will be or how much of its runtime will be taken up by the trailer. You’ll be able to see The Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer as it premieres via Nintendo Today! or YouTube.

This week’s surprise Direct will give Mario movie fans a closer look at how Nintendo and Illumination are bringing events and characters featured in Super Mario Galaxy to the big screen. The trailer follows a teaser video from a September Direct, which mostly served to debut new footage of Mario napping before a sweeping shot of the Mushroom Kingdom takes viewers up to the stars for a title reveal.

We know little about which Mario characters will show up for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, but leaks and various theories have fans expecting a jam-packed sequel. One recent Pillsbury leak features a first look at Yoshi, who was teased in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, as well as teasers for other characters, such as Bowser Jr. and Rosalina. Fans are also hoping The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will offer more information about Peach and Rosalina’s origins.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Direct premieres later this week. The movie itself has a release date of April 3, 2026. While we wait for updates, you can read about Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto and his life away from the iconic video game plumber.

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).

V for Vendetta is reportedly getting an HBO series.

Variety reports today that Pete Jackson (who wrote the British series Somewhere Boy and is not the Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, despite the similar name!) will write an adaptation of the comic series, with DC's James Gunn and Peter Safran, Poison Pen's Ben Stephenson, and Wall to Wall Media's Leanne Klein all executive producing. No other details are currently available on who is attached or how much of the comic the series would cover.

V for Vendetta is a graphic novel series by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd published in the 80s initially as part of the British comics anthology Warrior. The series follows V, a revolutionary hidden behind a Guy Fawkes mask, as he undertakes an ongoing mission to bring down a fascist state that has taken root in the series' dystopian British setting. He joins forces with Evey Hammond, a young woman he rescues from the secret police and who comes over time to adopt V's philosophies and, eventually, his goals.

The series has become even better known in recent years thanks to a 2005 film written and co-produced by Lana and Lilly Wachowski. The film featured a truncated version of the graphic novels' story and starred Hugo Weaving as V and Natalie Portman as Evey. Just days ago, it was announced that the film would return to theatres in 2026 in celebration of its 20th anniversary.

A V for Vendetta TV series has previously been suggested as a sequel to the series Pennyworth about Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred in 1960s London. The series was unfortunately canceled after its third season and never made a connection with V for Vendetta. It's a shame - we really liked the show.

Note: An earlier version of this story identified the writer of the prospective series as Peter Jackson rather than Pete Jackson. We regret the error.

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

Sometimes it’s impossible to beat those sugar cravings. The problem is, most sweets aren’t good for you — loaded with sugar, artificial flavors, and unnecessary ingredients. Beyond temporary joy, there are virtually no benefits from these treats, and the cycle continues, leading to more cravings and overeating.

Maybe you opt to go for that “healthy candy?” But the fake, alternative sugar almost always leaves an awful aftertaste and just can’t compete with the real McCoy. Enter Tandy Protein Nom Noms. These new bite-sized chocolate candies will satisfy your sweet tooth while using ingredients you know and adding a boost of protein for more health benefits.

AMD's best graphics card of 2025 has dropped to the lowest price of the year ahead of Black Friday. Walmart (via Newegg) currently has the ASRock Steel Legend Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB Graphics Card for just $619.99 shipped. The 9070 XT offers the best value for gamers looking to upgrade to a 4K monitor. It performs on par with Nvidia's popular GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and yet costs $100 less at retail price.

ASRock Steel Legend Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB GPU for $620

Every car absolutely needs a tire inflator as part of an emergency kit to be readily available at any time. If the only reason stopping you is the cost, then this deal should give you no more excuse. Ahead of Black Friday, Amazon is offering Prime members the Aneson cordless tire inflator and air compressor for just $14.99 after you apply $15 off coupon code "QVWFJ6XS" during checkout. Any brand of tire inflator you find on Amazon at around this price point was probably made from the one of few overseas factories. They might not have as many fancy features as other more expensive models, but they get the job done and that's what matters.

Aneson Cordless Tire Inflator and Air Compressor for $15

Ahead of Black Friday, the official LG Store just dropped the price on a current generation LG OLED TV. Right now you can order a massive 77" LG Evo C5 4K OLED Smart TV for $1,999.99 with free delivery, which also includes your choice of free stand setup or free wall mounting. LG is also offering a free LG S40T 2.1ch soundbar and TV wall mount when you add them to the same order. If you can't wait until Black Friday, this is a great deal on a 2025 OLED TV.

Purchase this TV (77" LG Evo C5) between November 6 and December 7, and you can receive an extra $200 virtual gift card (prepaid Mastercard) simply for writing a review. Details here.

77" LG Evo C5 4K OLED Smart TV for $1,999.99

Free LG S40T 2.1ch soundbar and wall mount (must add to the same order)

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.

It wasn’t long ago that getting a mini PC meant trading performance for size. Shrinking things down to a machine that you could easily carry in a backpack or hide behind your TV meant settling for sluggish or outdated processors, and gaming performance that topped out at emulating retro games – if you were lucky. There are still plenty of those PCs out there, but as Intel and AMD have released new processors, the performance potential of these tiny systems has left the glass ceiling in shards.

The GMKtec EVO-X2 is exactly such a system. Compact enough to hold in the palm of your hand, this system packs seriously powerful hardware, including the AMD Ryzen 9 AI Max+ 395 processor and 64GB to 128GB of memory. It was designed for AI, but with its integrated Radeon 8060S GPU, it’s also a capable little mini gaming PC.

GMKTec EVO-X2 - Design and Features

Measuring in at only 7.6 x 7.3 x 3.03 inches (2.75L), the EVO-X2 is designed to disappear on your desk. It can slide behind most monitors or, as I did, hide underneath a riser shelf. The tiny design is part and parcel of what the EVO-X2, and the majority of manufacturer GMKtec’s product line, is all about. It’s a PC for people that don’t want the footprint of a full tower or laptop, be those the space-constrained people looking for a media PC to tuck behind their TV or projector screen, or those looking to easily transport their main system between different locations.

But the EVO-X2 breaks the mold in a few different ways. First off, you’ll find that it is ever so slightly larger than many other systems in this category. But its extra height allows for improved ventilation, which is definitely necessary considering its specs.

It’s still boxy, but GMKtec also made good use of that added height with the more stylish design of its case. Its top half is smaller with one corner removed to make way for a dedicated fan mode button. The top is also removable to add an extra full-size M.2 SSD if you need it.

Note that the unit I was sent for testing came with a 1TB SSD and 64GB of memory. Any unit shipped to customers will have a minimum of 2TB and 64GB but can be configured all the way to 4TB and 128GB.

While most mini PCs have lower performance processors only suited for basic productivity tasks, the EVO-X2 is better specced than many pre-built laptops. It’s even designed for easy storage upgrades, which isn’t always possible with ultra-compact form factors. Due to the design of the motherboard with its Ryzen 9 AI Max+ chipset, memory is non-upgradeable, so be sure to think into the future when considering how much memory you’ll need.

The star of the show is its Ryzen 9 processor. AMD’s Ryzen 9 AI Max 395+ is one the highest performance AI mobile processors available to consumers today. It’s a 16-core, 32-thread multitasking beast able to hit a top speed of 5.1 GHz – a key factor in how well it’s able to run games and applications. It has a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) for accelerated AI tasks that’s able to reach 50 TOPS of performance on its own and brings the system to 126 TOPS overall.

More important for gaming is the integrated Radeon 8060S graphics that come with the AI Max 395+. For integrated graphics, it’s on the absolute cutting edge of performance. Built on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, it’s one of the first integrated GPUs that’s actually able to compete with full gaming laptops with dedicated GPUs – albeit, just not the latest.

It’s important to remember that this is still an integrated graphics chip. When I reviewed the Asus ROG Flow Z13, also using the same chip, it delivered in-game frame rates roughly in line with an Nvidia RTX 4050 to 4060. While that might not seem that impressive from a gaming laptop perspective, there is no dedicated GPU in this system, the one processor is handling everything. That means less weight, less power draw, and that the EVO-X2 can act as a dedicated gaming PC if you’re willing to play at 4060-level settings.

And since it’s also built on AMD’s latest graphics standards, it’s able to take advantage of its latest performance enhancers, like FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) and frame generation. Together with the native performance on offer, there is more gaming and graphic potential in this system than we’ve ever tested in a mini gaming PC. That’s exciting. And while it’s not the only system of its kind to offer this chip now, it is still one of very few that you could actually use as a gaming PC.

Its port selection is also generous. On the front, you have two 10 Gbps USB Type-A ports and a USB 4 Type-C for much higher speed transfers and connection bandwidth (GMKTec doesn’t disclose whether it’s 20 Gbps or 40 Gbps). There’s also a headphone jack, a full-size SD card reader, a Performance Mode button that increases the available wattage to the CPU, and the power button. Just above the power button is the aforementioned fan mode switch and a large vent that also shows the fan’s RGB.

Around the back, there are three more USB Type-A ports (two USB 2.0 at 5 Gbps and the third USB 3.2 Gen2 10 Gbps), a second USB4, a second 3.5mm audio jack, and a 2.5G gigabit ethernet port. Video connectivity is also located on the back panel with full-size ports for HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4, and the USB 4 port can also support video input. The system’s power brick also connects back here.

The EVO-X2 comes ready to use out of the box. There’s a full Windows 11 installation activated for use and a lack of bloatware. It’s almost a completely stock Windows install except for GMKTec’s AI suite which provides direct access to several downloadable LLMs (large language models) and AI tools. You don’t need to use this, however, and system TDP is controlled with the Performance Mode button, the Windows Power presets, and whatever options you configure yourself through the BIOS or supporting software.

Performance

The EVO-X2 is the most powerful, high-performance mini-PC I’ve personally tested and, by virtue of there not being many that feature the same chip and GMKtec’s unique improvements, it’s one of the best available today. I used it for both work and gaming, swapping out my employer-provided laptop and my usual gaming laptop (until the release of Battlefield 6, anyway).

When it comes to productivity, the EVO-X2 is overkill. The hardware far exceeds most PCs designed for work and there isn’t much it can’t do. Its massive memory capacity and fast processor make everything from the Microsoft Office suite to running Chrome with a few dozen tabs open and the Microsoft Office suite completely reasonable.

Blending together my day job with writing, I often find myself needing to create short photo and video projects using tools like Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro, as well as online tools like Photoshop’s online version, Photopea, and Canva. Like many work provided PCs, the systems provided to me just can’t handle all of these tasks. While downloading on that system is out of the question anyway, even running the web version of Photoshop drags the system to a crawl. Multitasking is out of the question.

With the EVO-X2, I was able to render a 1440p video in the background while working on a long Google Doc, bouncing to a multi-tab Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, and barely noticed more than the fan ramping up. While it can get noisy, it's still quieter than your average gaming laptop capable of similar performance.

When it comes to gaming, the EVO-X2 is a mini-PC powerhouse. Performance still approximates an RTX 4060 laptop GPU and, while close to the Asus ROG Flow Z13 I reviewed with the same processor, did manage to stretch its legs a bit more.

In the chart above, you can see that even with everything running at max settings, all of the games tested were playable at 1080p. While I wouldn’t advise dropping the resolution below 1080p on anything but a small portable monitor with this system, you could easily dial back some settings to push every game in this line-up to near or above 60 FPS.

Because the system is using AMD’s latest graphics technologies, you’ll also be able to use frame generation to close the gap further. Developers have to support this, but an increasing number of games do. Between balancing frame-gen and adjusting settings, I was able to keep games like Borderlands 4 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 running smoothly above 60 FPS at high settings and looking great. Just be aware that enabling frame generation on games where you’re not already getting around 40 fps can lead to problems.

That doesn’t mean the system will run everything and, no, it definitely isn’t going to compete with much higher than an RTX 4060. Battlefield 6, for example, just wouldn’t run well without dropping everything to its lowest settings. This is still an integrated graphics chip, even if an impressively capable one.

The system is ostensibly designed for AI use and running local models, which isn’t something I generally do. That said, a couple of my favorite AI dictation applications, SuperWhisper and SpeechPulse, offer support for local models, so I took each for a spin. The challenge here is that it obfuscates what the LLM is actually doing and any true metrics on its processing speed behind each program’s UI. But, the processing time and reliability were both excellent with local models, so it clearly didn’t struggle with GPT 4.1 while I also researched and worked in the background.

Christopher Coke has been a regular contributor to IGN since 2019 and has been covering games and technology since 2013. He has covered tech ranging from gaming controllers to graphics cards, gaming chairs and gaming monitors, headphones, IEMs, and more for sites such as MMORPG.com, Tom’s Hardware, Popular Science, USA Today’s Reviewed, and Popular Mechanics. Find Chris on Twitter @gamebynight.

EA and Battlefield Studios have published update 1.1.1.5 patch notes for Battlefield 6 and REDSEC, delivering a variety of quality-of-life changes for weapons and vehicles and, at long last, a fix for the sledgehammer Recon drone glitch.

The team behind last month’s new Battlefield game detailed everything arriving in the new update in the patch notes posted to social media today. It comes with a full breakdown for tweaks related to weapon accuracy, vehicle countermeasures, and other bug fixes before update 1.1.1.5 rolls out for Battlefield 6 and REDSEC tomorrow, November 11, at 1 a.m. PT / 4 a.m. ET.

Topping the list of changes is a fix for one of the most notorious bugs to arrive since the launch of Battlefield 6: the drone glitch. For the uninitiated, players have figured out that standing on top of a friendly XFGM-6D Recon drone and smacking it with a sledgehammer causes the device to fly upward. It began as a goofy activity for those looking to add a dash of comedy to their matches and quickly evolved into an annoying exploit, as players eventually learned it could be used to reach otherwise inaccessible vantage points.

The Battlefield 6 sledgehammer drone glitch will finally be laid to rest tomorrow, but it’s far from the only change on the way. Update 1.1.1.5 will also introduce a few tweaks to how vehicles operate. Both ground and air vehicle users will be happy to know the glitch affecting the use of countermeasures like flares has been fixed, which should result in more reliable protection against lock-guided missiles. A bug tied to incorrect vehicle spawns in Breakthrough and Conquest will also be fixed with tomorrow’s update.

In addition to general fixes for battle royal match flow as well as progression, audio, and UI, infantry will notice less dispersion when aiming down sights after sprinting. It, as well as other fixes related to player movement and shooting, should have players feeling more accurate when they’re on the move.

Battlefield 6 launched October 10 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S. It’s since received a waterfall of updates as EA and BF Studios continue their attempts to keep up with fan feedback amid regular seasonal drops. Recent highlights include an overhaul for progression that reduced requirements for many of the tougher challenges, as well as toned down colors for one of Battlefield’s most controversial skins ever.

While we wait to see how the Battlefield 6 and REDSEC community will respond to update 1.1.1.5, you can read about how some dedicated fans measured nearly 15 years of multiplayer maps and why another group of players started creating their own Portal Conquest maps. You can also check out our 7/10 REDSEC review and our 8/10 Battlefield 6 multiplayer review.

You can see the full patch notes below.

Battlefield 6 Update 1.1.1.5 Patch Notes:

We’re rolling out a Quality of Life update on 11 November at 09:00 UTC, bringing refinements to vehicle countermeasure reliability, weapon accuracy, Battle Royale match flow, and overall gameplay stability.

Major Updates for 1.1.1.5:

• Fixed an exploit allowing players to ascend and access unintended areas when standing on a XFGM-6D Recon Drone by hitting it with the Sledgehammer.
• Fixed an issue where Lock-Guided Missiles did not get countered as expected when met with enemy countermeasures such as flares.
• Fixed an issue where vehicles did not spawn correctly in Breakthrough and Conquest.
• Fixed multiple Battle Royale issues affecting match flow, squad revives, and End of Round transitions.
• Addressed progression, audio, and UI issues, improving overall clarity, reliability, and immersion.

CHANGELOG

PLAYER:

• Fixed an issue where dispersion would be higher than intended when going from sprint to firing in ADS.
• Fixed an issue where dispersion would incorrectly scale with movement speed and always assume the player is moving at maximum movement speed for the stance.
• Tuned landing animation to reduce excessive camera and weapon movement when aiming down sights, improving visual stability during and after landing. This update also resolves instances where the ADS aim could be displaced when sliding.

VEHICLES:

• Fixed an issue where Lock-Guided Missiles did not get countered as expected when met with enemy countermeasures such as flares.

GADGETS:

• Fixed an exploit allowing players to ascend and access unintended areas when standing on the XFGM-6D Recon Drone by hitting it with the Sledgehammer.

MAPS & MODES:

• Fixed an issue where vehicles did not spawn correctly in Breakthrough and Conquest.
• Fixed an issue where matches sometimes would start with all sectors and objectives active at the same time.
• Fixed an issue in Strikepoint on Siege of Cairo where destruction did not reset at halftime.

UI & HUD:

• Fixed an issue in Vehicle Customisation locked Anti-Air Vehicle presets did not display their unlock criteria as intended.

PROGRESSION:

• Fixed an issue where the shotgun weapon challenge “Kill 5 Enemies With a Shotgun Without Reloading” did not complete properly.
• Fixed an issue where progress for the “Engineer Specialist 3” Assignment did not save correctly.

PORTAL:

• Fixed an issue where “SpawnLoot” would not spawn Ammo or Armor.
• Fixed an issue where players with community creations privileges set to Block could still access user-generated Community Experiences when the party leader hosted a match.

AUDIO:

• Fixed an issue where activating the BF PRO Radio Channel through the Commorose did not play any sound.

REDSEC

PLAYER:

• Fixed an issue where Battle Royale (Quads) matches did not end after the last team was eliminated.
• Fixed an issue where being killed immediately after a mobile respawn completed could result in the squad being eliminated instead of reviving remaining teammates.
• Fixed an issue where players could become stuck in a top-down view of the map after redeploying.
• Fixed an issue where players retained their Second Chance after redeploying and did not transition to the End of Round screen after their next elimination.

UI & HUD:

• Fixed an issue where all squad members displayed the same highlighted stat on the Squad Placement screen.

PROGRESSION:

• Fixed an issue where the “Battle Royal Master Challenge 4” did not track progress correctly.

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).

As part of its early Black Friday sale, Best Buy currently has the best deal on an RTX 5080 equipped prebuilt gaming PC. Starting today, the iBuypower Y40 Pro gaming PC equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 7900X processor and RTX 5080 graphics card is on sale for $1,949.99 shipped. An RTX 5080 gaming PC priced at under $2,000 is a rare find, and this particular model is generously equipped with liquid cooling and plenty of memory and storage.

iBuypower Y40 Pro RTX 5080 Gaming PC for $1,949.99

Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping season is the best time of the year to find discounts on just about everything. Whether you're looking for big-budget items like TVs or gaming consoles, or want to pick up holiday gifts at lower prices, This is the time of year to make those purchases.

That being said, it can be a bit intimidating to make big purchases all at once. Shopping Black Friday deals can be a great way to save money, but if you aren't careful you can easily spend more than you want on things you probably don't need. So if you're looking for some general tips for shopping the rest of Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday 2025, don't sweat it; we've got you covered right here.

1. Set a Spending Budget

If you're still shopping or planning to shop for holiday gifts or just looking to buy a few items you've been needing, budgeting is perhaps the most important thing you can do. Online retailers like Amazon and Walmart set up their pages to ensure you spend as much money as possible, and if you aren't careful, your cart can quickly become a lot fuller than you originally planned. Deciding how much you can realistically spend during Cyber Monday and beyond is a great way to limit yourself.

2. Make a List of What You Want to Buy

One of the biggest dangers of deals shopping is that the deals tend to be quite tantalizing. One second you're browsing the Amazon Black Friday sale for a new TV or headphones and the next second you're buying a whole pile of discounted socks. This can quickly become really expensive if you aren't careful, so making a list of things you want to buy ahead of time is a great way to combat this. And if the things you want don't go on sale, you can decide whether or not you should still buy it at full price.

So for example, Nintendo has announced its Black Friday sale without any mention of Switch 2 discounts. So if that's at the top of your wish list this year, you'll need to budget it in at full price.

3. Keep Track of Sale Dates

The holiday sale events have started to get a bit out of control this year as many of the bigger retailers are splitting up their sales into different chunks. Most retailer sales, including Best Buy's Black Friday sale, kick off about a week before Black Friday. Keeping track of when the upcoming sales are happening is a good way to ensure you don't miss them, especially when things start selling out quickly.

4. Compare Sale Prices

One of the dangers of shopping Cyber Monday (and Black Friday) sales is that not every deal is necessarily a good deal. Just because something is currently discounted doesn't mean it isn't cheaper somewhere else or won't drop in price later on. You can usually compare prices on products across various retailers with a simple Google search. Most of the major retailers also price match if you can find it cheaper somewhere else. We try to do this research for you in our roundups of best deals by category!

5. Don't Hesitate on a Great Deal

Black Friday can be a fairly competitive time for consumers, which is resulting in a ton of early sales this year. Although there are some deals and sales that stay consistent throughout Black Friday season all the way through Cyber Monday, many of the biggest discounts can be snatched up quickly. If you see a really good deal on something, you should try to snatch it up before it's gone, especially on games and consoles. This is especially true for certain Black Friday video game deals that tend to go pretty quick. Target has even gone so far as to offer a price match on things you buy now if they end up going on sale at the store later in the month, so there's no need to wait if you see something good.

6. Do Your Own Research

If you have a general idea of what you want to buy on Black Friday but don't know specifically what brand or product to get, it's very important to take the time and do your own research. This can be done fairly with a few simple Google searches such as "best TV for gaming" or "best budget gaming laptop". From there you should be able to narrow down the brands and models that fit your needs best. You should apply this same thinking once you find a decent deal on a product by looking up professional reviews of those products. This will usually give you a better idea of what you're buying versus relying on Amazon reviews that are built into the shopping experience.

7. Follow a Trusted Source on Social Media

The creators of South Park have broken their silence on the show’s recent focus on mocking Donald Trump, revealing they were attracted to “new taboos” and a fear of speaking out against the administration.

South Park has enjoyed big ratings and sparked much debate ever since the Donald Trump-skewering Season 27 opener in July. While the Comedy Central show has featured a number of subplots in recent months, the overarching Season 27 and now Season 28 storyline revolves around Trump and Satan having a baby together. The Season 27 opener, which you can read the details of here, roasted Trump to such an extent that it sparked a rebuttal from the White House.

Now, in an interview with The New York Times, creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker revealed they only decided to create the Trump plotline a few weeks before the season began, and that they thought the Trump character would be a one-off.

Those plans changed though when, according to Stone, the creators found a “vein of comedy” in the first episode. They said they sensed a fear of speaking out against the Trump administration and “new taboos,” and wanted to take it all head-on.

Stone said: “Trey and I are attracted to that like flies to honey. Oh, that’s where the taboo is? Over there? OK, then we’re over there.”

So, when will the Trump mocking end? Parker admitted the pair will eventually get “sick of” the Washington storyline, but for now it remains.

“You know, next year will be different,” he said. “If there’s one thing we know, it is that our show will be a lot longer than theirs. So, we just got to do this for now.”

Comedy Central had delayed the Season 27 ender just hours before it was due to air, with Parker and Stone insisting the blame lay at their door. “Apparently when you do everything at the last minute sometimes you don’t get it done,” the pair told Variety. “This one’s on us. We didn’t get it done in time. Thanks to Comedy Central and South Park fans for being so understanding. Tune in next week!”

Parker and Stone create each episode week-by-week, which makes for a chaotic production but topical shows. But they had switched to a biweekly schedule for Season 27, with the elongated production time allowing the pair more room to work on each episode, something Paramount was reportedly happy with.

It’s worth noting that during their San Diego Comic-Con 2025 panel, which took place the day after the Season 27 opener aired, Parker said the pair were unsure what the next episode would be, revealing the decision was “super stressful.”

Nintendo has announced its plans for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025. While the Mario company will not offer a discount on Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, it will drop prices on a handful of first-party original Switch games and Switch 2 memory cards. Specifically, you’ll be able to buy games like The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Luigi’s Mansion 3 for $29.99, and get a $20 discount on a 256GB microSD Express card. Those deals represent about as much as Nintendo ever knocks off of prices these days.

Nintendo's Black Friday 2025 Plans

Nintendo's Black Friday game sale runs November 23–29. Here’s the full list of games we know for sure are getting the $29.99 sale price:

• Nintendo Switch Sports
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door Remake
• Splatoon 3
• Princess Peach: Showtime
• Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
• Luigi’s Mansion 3
• Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe

The sale on these titles will be available at the digital Nintendo eShop, as well as on digital and physical copies at participating retailers. These kinds of deals generally happen at places like Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart, to name a few.

Nintendo's Cyber Monday 2025 Plans

Getting $20 off a microSD Express card is a decent Cyber Monday deal. If you buy any games digitally, it's likely that you'll run out of on-board storage on your Nintendo Switch 2 at some point. To add more storage, you'll need to buy a microSD Express card. These are different from the standard microSD cards the original Switch uses. In fact, hardly any devices at all required microSD Express cards until the Switch 2 came out, meaning nearly everyone who wants to upgrade their Switch 2 storage will need to buy a new card. So it's nice to see an offical Nintendo-branded one get a Cyber Monday discount.

What About Switch 2 Console Deals?

One notable omission from this announcement is the lack of a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Nintendo Switch bundle. For most of the Switch 1’s life cycle, you could bet your entire fortune Nintendo would offer that same Black Friday bundle deal, and you would've been right. But now that the Switch 2 is available, those halcyon days are over. And, unfortunately, no Switch 2 bundle appears to be taking its place this year.

That said, while Nintendo isn’t offering any console discounts of its own, it’s possible some other retailer could offer a Switch 2 deal. Since Switch 2 stock shortages ended back in July, there ought to be plenty of hardware to go around this holiday shopping season.

For more help planning your holiday gaming purchases, check out what Black Friday deals we expect from PlayStation and Xbox.

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.