Remember in the mid-2010s when Jennifer Lawrence was the butt of nearly every cultural joke? The actress recently opened up about being hesitant to speak to the press to promote her work ever since the public turned on her so distinctly about a decade ago.

“Well, it is, or it was, my genuine personality, but it was also a defense mechanism,” the Hunger Games and X-Men star told The New Yorker in a recent interview about her candidness. “And so it was a defense mechanism, to just be, like, ‘I’m not like that! I poop my pants every day!’ … I look at those interviews, and that person is annoying. I get why seeing that person everywhere would be annoying. Ariana Grande’s impression of me on SNL was spot-on.”

In 2016, SNL did a Celebrity Family Feud sketch in which Grande played Lawrence and channeled her persona with lines like, “I’m just, like, a snackaholic. I mean, I love Pringles. If no one’s looking, I’ll eat, like, a whole can.” The addition of Grande’s Lawrence to the sketch was obviously timely and the public ate it up — much like they did with any opportunity to criticize Lawrence at the time.

The Switch 2 may have landed with more power and a bigger internal drive, but 256GB still disappears fast once you start downloading a few modern games.

That’s why this deal on the 1TB Lexar Play Pro Micro SD Express card is worth a look. It’s one of the best storage upgrades you can buy for Nintendo’s new console, and it’s finally dropped to £189.99 at Amazon, its lowest price ever.

Build a Roller Coaster takes away the pressure of making and maintaining an entire theme park. Instead, this Roblox experience lets you concentrate on creating a singular roller coaster that can generate money, which you can collect each time someone rides it.

Tracks are purchased from Jack's Tracks stall, and can be mutated by luck or weather events to generate more income. If you're just starting out and looking for some extra cash, tracks, or gear to use, we've got a selection of Build a Roller Coaster codes for you.

Working Build a Roller Coaster Codes

Here are all the Build a Roller Coaster codes that are currently active:

• 1mvisits - Gold Wrench
• robloxian - $1,000
• discordian - Climb Track
• release - $500

How to Use Build a Roller Coaster Codes

Launch the Build a Roller Coaster Roblox experience, and then follow these steps to redeem codes:

1. Locate the cog icon in the top left of the screen to open the Settings Menu
2. The are just two options: Music and Codes
3. Copy the code from this article and paste it into the "Enter Code" bar
4. Click enter and redeem your rewards!

Expired Build a Roller Coaster Codes

There are no expired Build a Roller Coaster codes at the moment, so be sure to use the ones above before they do!

Why Isn't My Build a Roller Coaster Code Working?

Codes for Roblox experiences are usually case-sensitive, so the best way to ensure you've got a working code is to directly copy it from this article. We check all codes before we upload them, so you can guarantee they're working. Just double-check that you haven't copied over an extra space!

Lauren Harper is an Associate Guides Editor. She loves a variety of games but is especially fond of puzzles, horrors, and point-and-click adventures.

Roll up, roll up, this is likely the best Nintendo Switch 2 Black Friday deal we're going to get this year in the UK. That's right, Switch 2 consoles have actually been discounted for the first time ever.

Across most retailers right now, Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundles are down to £409. That's over £20 off the RRP, and a sure-fire saving way ahead of the biggest sale event of the year.

The free-to-play Battlefield 6 battle royale game mode has officially arrived in the form of Battlefield REDSEC – but it’s probably not exactly what you think it is.

EA and Battlefield Studios surprise launched their Battlefield battle royale experience across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S just moments ago, bringing months of rumors and leaks to an end with a standalone offering that’s free for both those who do and do not own Battlefield 6. Its name, shorthand for “Redacted Sector,” teases an updated take on a popular multiplayer pastime that’s been bundled in with two additional modes: Gauntlet and Portal. There’s more to REDSEC than fans may have expected, and it’s all tied in with the Battlefield 6 experience under one unified umbrella.

Battlefield Battle Royale

Battle royale is no doubt the headline here, offering access to 100-player matches where classic battle royale gameplay is mixed with the Battlefield 6 formula. Infantry can be seen parachuting over and into explosive firefights in its first trailer, which reveals how BF Studios translated familiar elements into the Battlefield universe, all while 2Pac and Dr. Dre’s California Love plays in the background.

Finding rare loot, hoarding armor plates, mastering small and large points of interest, and completing missions with friends are core parts of many battle royale experiences, and each is necessary to survive in Battlefield, too. It's more Warzone than Fortnite, but REDSEC has some features that help it stand apart.

Fort Lyndon, a Southern California location that EA and BF Studios call the “biggest Battlefield map ever,” serves as the backdrop for each match. As the trailer highlights crumbling buildings, REDSEC aims to convince players it can build on battle royale without sacrificing what so many love about the franchise: tactical destruction.

Map-altering vehicles are a mainstay for any true Battlefield experience, and that remains the case for Battlefield 6 battle royale, which features everything from tanks to attack boats to golf carts to find. As the ever-present, ever-shrinking ring of fire (fans may remember it from Battlefield V: Firestorm) forces teams out of the frying pan, discovering an M1 Abrams could mean the difference between victory and succumbing to the flames. There will be plenty of less-threatening vehicles to discover around the new battle royale map, but those looking to drive a heavily armored tank will first need to complete missions, nab a keycard reward, and then use it to unlock specific garages.

Battlefield 6 and REDSEC will coexist, so those who have already enjoyed the former can expect to find familiar vehicles, guns, and gadgets in the latter – save for a few tweaks. Class upgrades are just one element to consider and give Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon players upgrades to work toward. Earn enough XP as the Recon class, for example, and you'll gain access to an enhancement that powers up drones with bomb-dropping capabilities. Custom loadouts can also be built and used, with players able to earn them by completing missions or by betting on the slightly riskier option of waiting for limited global drop events.

Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show and its 1975 film adaptation easily rank among the most popular and enduring musicals ever released. But if you've ever wondered what became of all-American couple Brad Majors and Janet Weiss after their fateful night in the mansion, you're about to get an answer. That's where the official graphic novel sequel Bride of Rocky Horror comes in.

With the Kickstarter campaign for The Rocky Horror Show: Bride of Rocky Horror live now, IGN can exclusively debut a new preview of the book. Check it out in the slideshow gallery below, along with a look at some of the exclusive merch tied to the campaign:

Bride of Rocky Horror is a 95-page book set seven years after the events of the musical. The book is published by Bit Bot Media, and the creative team includes writer Magdalene Visaggio (Girlmode), artist Noemi Vettori (X-Men Unlimited), colorist Josh Rodriguez (The Brooding Muse), letterer Jeremiah Lambert (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise), and cover artist Soo Lee (Carmilla). Here's the official logline for the book:

In Bride of Rocky Horror, Janet Weiss has embraced a life of decadence and debauchery. But when a mysterious invitation draws her back into the orbit of her ex-fiancé Brad Majors, a new mystery unfolds. Who is the enigmatic Bridget Von Frankenstein? What secrets is Brad hiding? And is it, once again, time for the Time Warp?

"Rocky Horror is one of my favorite stories of all time,” said Visaggio in a statement. “It was the safest queer art I had access to when I was young because my parents were both huge fans. So to get the chance to look beyond it and see how it could have played out once that fateful night ended was a dream come true. I tried to make something as personal and idiosyncratic as O'Brien's original, riffing off the themes that stood out to me the same way O'Brien was riffing on his childhood influences. I think me and Noemi have made something really unique."

“As an artist, and even more so as a Rocky Horror Show fan, it meant a lot to me to pay tribute to our beloved characters, striving to stay as true as possible to their original appearance and personalities,” said Vettori. “I hope I succeeded in representing what Rocky Horror embodies: chaos, passion, and rebellion. Working on Bride of Rocky Horror wasn’t just about illustration, it was about channeling all the energy of an eccentric and mesmerizing musical onto paper!”

The Kickstarter campaign for The Rocky Horror Show: Bride of Rocky is live now.

In other comics news, check out the other superhero crossovers featured in Batman/Deadpool #1 and learn more about Marvel's Wiccan: The Witches' Road.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

An asymmetrical co-op horror game set inside a cursed Victorian dollhouse? Sounds creepy; count us in! In Haunted, one player (the Supervisor) is locked inside the dollhouse and must navigate your way through – every run is different because puzzles will shift and new problems will confront you – while up to three Explorer players are locked inside the full-size Woodman Manor that holds the dollhouse. To survive, developer Coven says, "both sides must communicate to solve intricate puzzles, escape malevolent entities, and uncover the tragic story of the Woodman family."

“Haunted brings the tension of communication under pressure into the horror space,” says Game Director Céline Tricart from developer Coven. “It’s a game about teamwork, fear, and the unsettling bond between those who watch and those who are trapped.”

Haunted is aiming to launch into Early Access on PC in October of 2026, with console and VR support to follow. Wishlist it on Steam if you're interested.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) 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.

Content creators specializing in The Sims 4 content are leaving EA's Creator Network in protest after EA confirmed it is to be acquired by an investor group composed of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners.

The transaction — announced at the end of last month and valued at approximately $55 billion — is the largest all-cash sponsor take-private investment in history.

Being part of a community that has always strived to be welcoming and inclusive, some The Sims creators now fear the documented conservative values of EA's buyers — which include Donald Trump's son-in-law and Saudi Arabia's Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud — will impact the game's development, with insisting "the values represented by the people acquiring EA are fundamentally at odds" with that of The Sims' community.

Streamer Kayla "LilSimsie" Sims, who has over 2 million subscribers and has worked with EA in the past to develop DLC, said news of the sale "devastated" her, and that "the situation is a nightmare for our community."

"I have made the decision to remove myself from the EA Creator Network. It is my hope that pressure from creators and the community might encourage EA’s leadership to reconsider the long-term impact of this sale and to preserve the values that have made The Sims so beloved," she wrote in a heartfelt message on YouTube (thanks, Polygon).

"This means that I will no longer receive early access to Sims packs, and I will not have a creator code. Under this new ownership, I feel I cannot maintain a direct association to the company. I also truly believe that they benefit more from my early access content than I do, and I think that stepping away is the strongest action I can take against the sale."

She continued: "This situation is a nightmare for our community. Nobody supports this sale, and it is putting creators in a very difficult position. They have built their entire career and livelihood over a game that they have no control over. I ask that you please not harass other Sims creators over their decisions regarding the game and the creator network. I am very fortunate to be in a position where I can make a choice like this, but not everyone has that ability. I don't truly don't believe there is a 'right' answer here, and everyone is still trying to figure out their next steps."

Sims closed on writing: "I'm really, really distraught over this sale, and I know that many of you are as well. It's scary, and it's breaking my heart. I really appreciate your support as I try to navigate this."

Jesse "Plumbella" McNamara, DevonBumpkin, Vixella, and James Turner have all similarly quit EA's Creator Network.

"Due to the recent sale, I have asked to leave the EA Creator Network, and I will not buy or make content around any future release," McNamara wrote.

"I think taking this stand is the right choice for me personally, but I’m not going to judge anybody on their decision. I’m in a privileged position to be able to say I’m leaving so easily. I hope that the sale falls through, and if it doesn’t, I hope that those that stay put pressure on EA to maintain the level of inclusiveness that The Sims has always been about."

EA has issued a statement on the matter via the official The Sims social media accounts. In it, the company insisted "we deeply respect that everyone experiences The Sims in their own way and will make choices that are right for them. However you choose to play, create, or share, we’re grateful to be part of your journey. Our mission, values, and commitment remain the same. The Sims will always be a space where you can express your authentic self."

In 2022, PIF also became one of the largest Nintendo shareholders with 5.01% ownership. Pokémon Go developer Niantic also announced that it had sold its library of games to mobile games maker Scopely, which is controlled by Savvy Games Group and PIF, earlier this year.

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.

Introducing The Florist, a new upcoming survival horror game from developer Unclear Games that's due out for PC and consoles in 2026. You play as Jessica Park, who arrives in the small town of Joycliffe just as it descends into madness, forcing you solve puzzles and survive against rapidly evolving monstrous enemies that will change over the course of the campaign.

You'll have firepower to help even the odds, though. The developers promise you'll uncover "many weapon types" in this survival horror game inspired by the genre classics; The Florist brings in a fixed camera and handcrafted environments, but it'll be blended with modern staples like autosave checkpoints and multiple difficulty options. Check out the reveal trailer above and the first screenshots in the gallery below.

Fight off the floral overgrowth on Steam by wishlisting The Florist.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) 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.

In a shocking turn of events, Amazon actually has Pokémon TCG sealed product at market value. When compared to the TCGplayer listed and current available pricing, the Destined Rivals Team Rocket Tin is at market value, running trainers and collectors $42.94.

Microsoft has chosen to remain silent after Donald Trump released an AI image of the U.S. president as Master Chief and the Department of Homeland Security used Halo to promote ICE on social media.

Yesterday, IGN reported on how the White House had waded into the console wars with an AI image of Donald Trump saluting as Master Chief in front of an American flag with only 40 stars.

Power to the Players https://t.co/GqNu0qdgmw pic.twitter.com/4Hw6G7i7aW

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 27, 2025

It followed Microsoft’s announcement of Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of the campaign of 2001’s Halo: Combat Evolved, which is due out on Xbox Series X and S, PC, and PlayStation 5 at some point in 2026. It is the first Halo game ever to launch on a PlayStation console, and cements Microsoft’s position as a multiplatform video game developer.

The U.S. administration then doubled down on the Halo AI images, with the Department of Homeland Security using Halo to promote the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s website (ICE).

Finishing this fight. pic.twitter.com/6Ezq9NUqMq

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) October 27, 2025

The social media posts have sparked a vociferous response from Halo fans, which led to the Halo subreddit changing its enforcement rules. Mods usually remove any posts containing “politics and AI slop,” but such was the desire to discuss the tweets, they made an exception.

Microsoft, however, has so far remained silent on the issue. The company is yet to issue IGN a statement, but a representative told PC Gamer that "Microsoft does not have anything to share on this matter."

This is in contrast to The Pokémon Company’s position. It formally responded to the use of Pokémon TV hero Ash Ketchum and the series' theme tune by the Department of Homeland Security as part of a video showing people being arrested and handcuffed by law enforcement agents.

"We are aware of a recent video posted by the Department of Homeland Security that includes imagery and language associated with our brand," The Pokémon Company International said in a statement shared with IGN. "Our company was not involved in the creation or distribution of this content, and permission was not granted for the use of our intellectual property."

The question is, can Microsoft do anything about Trump and his administration using Halo for promotion? Many fans had suggested The Pokémon Company should defend its intellectual property by launching legal action. But the corporation's former legal chief told IGN at the time that he "wouldn't touch this."

The MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 is continuing the brand's foray into ever more impressive QD-OLED gaming displays offering high-end performance at surprisingly reasonable prices. This new monitor pushes the boundaries of speed with a 500Hz refresh rate while providing a colorful and clear display. It may skimp on some of the extras that you’d expect from a high-end gaming monitor, but there’s a lot of promise in the panel alone, and the $750 price tag is still a surprise.

MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 – Design and Features

If you’ve seen any of MSI’s recent QD-OLED monitors, you won’t find much new design-wise here. That’s not to say the monitor is dull or dated, just that MSI didn’t seem to invent much in renewing the packaging. Like its predecessors (the 360Hz MSI MAG 271QPX, for instance) the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 offers a thin QD-OLED panel that extends from a smaller rear backing that houses the rest of the electronics, connects to the stand, and offers ports out the bottom. MSI has integrated the power supply into the rear, too, so you won’t have to deal with an external power brick on your desk.

That rear housing also has plenty of vents to help dissipate heat, but it doesn’t use fans so it remains quiet. Just make sure you peel off all the packaging film, as MSI ships the monitor with plenty of plastic covering the vents. MSI used a graphene film and heatsink to get heat away from the display, and there’s a good reason for it, so all the best to make sure you let the cooling take place. In addition to the cooling, the monitor has several automatic functions (all of which are enabled by default) built in to help maintain the longevity of the pixels. These include both pixel shifting and a full panel refresh that it generally will perform when the monitor goes into standby, so you’re never interrupted by it.

The front of the monitor is fairly bare with just the silver chin bezel below the display, a small MSI logo, and a little indicator light to let you know whether the monitor is on, asleep, or off. Tucked behind that light are some controls, including a convenient joystick that makes navigating the settings menus quite simple.

Around back, the MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 includes two HDMI 2.1 ports and one DisplayPort 1.4 port, all of which support the monitor’s full 1440p/500Hz specification. That’s a good arrangement for multiple consoles, PC, or even a media device to connect to the monitor. There’s also a USB-C port available that provides an extra connection option, which could be useful for laptops and mobile devices. It also can provide power to those devices, though at just 15W, it won’t power many laptops. There’s no USB hub capabilities from the monitor either, nor are there speakers, but that $750 price tag had to make sense somehow. Another omission to keep the price down: no RGB lighting.

The MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 is built on a modest stand. It has a mostly flat, shield-shaped base that doesn’t take up a ton of space like those with super-long legs. It provides 110mm of vertical adjustment, which is fairly typical. It also allows horizontal swivel, vertical tilt, and rotation into a vertical orientation – you know, for when you eventually relegate this to secondary-monitor status in a few years when you’re running a 4K/1000Hz monitor as your primary.

MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 – Gaming and Performance

The MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 is hands-down one of the best feeling monitors I’ve tested. That’s not to say it’s not without its drawbacks, but in the right conditions, it is truly exceptional. My fellow reviewers and I have used the words buttery smooth to describe refresh rates even as modest as 120Hz. When comparing those displays to this 500Hz OLED panel and its ultra-fast pixel response times, this display is more like hot butter sliding through the frictionless vacuum of space. In practice, that means Blur Busters’ UFO Ghosting Test shows pristine little UFOS even as they zip across the screen.

Everything looks so smooth on the MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50. Sending the monitor a consistent 600fps in Hades, I watched all the action unfold in glorious detail. And running around in Call of Duty Warzone, the fluid visuals helped me quickly aim at and track targets even when I wasn’t scratching 500fps. Since the monitor supports VRR from 48Hz to 500Hz, as long as you’re in that range you should get clean frames for as smooth of gameplay as your system can manage. And if you’re going over, as I did in Hades, the length of time a screen tear will appear, if one does, may be all but imperceptible.

That brilliant speed is matched by a quality display in most other respects. The 1440p panel is reasonably sharp at 27 inches, and MSI is using a newer panel that avoids some of the unfortunate sub-pixel arrangements of earlier OLED monitors. Fine text is clear on this one without noticeable color fringing.

The MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 naturally carries the best aspects of QD-OLED displays: It offers rich color and infinite contrast. My colorimeter measured the display achieving 100% coverage of the sRGB, 96% of the AdobeRGB, and 98% of the DCI-P3 color spaces. And it could achieve that with an average dE of 1.06 and a max dE of 1.75, making it sufficiently accurate for professional color work.

Brightness has generally been the weaker point of OLED displays. The MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 may not be a match for bright IPS and Mini-LED displays, which can achieve very bright levels for a full screen of white pixels. But the monitor still impresses. By default, it only hits 222.9 nits for a full white screen, but by dialing the brightness up to 100%, it bumps up to 297.8 nits. That’s bright enough for a typical office or bedroom, but it may not do in a very bright room with many windows. The display has an anti-glare finish that helps reduce the brightness of reflections quite well, though very bright reflections will still show.

While fullscreen brightness isn’t the strongest, the MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 has much more impressive HDR highlights. Using any of its HDR picture modes, the display hit around 530 nits at 10% APL (a window that’s mostly black with a white box occupying 10% of the space). With the brightest EOTF Boost setting, it even jumped up to 965 nits for a 1% APL. And those brightness levels are happening alongside perfect black pixels – something IPS and Mini-LED panels can’t pull off. The Asus ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDP still has it beat with a slightly higher 1,136 nits in our testing, but MSI’s monitor is slightly faster and cheaper.

If you've been missing Jimmy and still long for a Bully sequel, we may have the next best thing. While Rockstar hasn't delivered Bully 2 yet — and where there's life, there's hope — a dedicated team of modders has created an entire online mode to keep you occupied in the meantime.

"IT'S HAPPENING!" developer SWEGTA announced on YouTube. "We finally have an online mode for Bully that allows you and your friends to play minigames, roleplay, compete in racing, fend off against NPCs, and much more!"

"It's a project me and my team have been working on for a very long time," SWEGTA added, "and it's finally at a point in development where we can announce it and show it to the public.

"Bully Online runs on the DSL script loader, which is a plugin for Bully that essentially allows for a more versatile approach to modding. A lot of the things we thought were impossible just a few years ago can now be done, including making an online mode. We do have an official server for Bully Online, and we plan on making that available to the public to enjoy in due time."

Starting in December, the team will be making the server available to people who support the project on Ko-Fi, along with previews, videos, screenshots, and developer commentary. The server itself is described as a "bit of a mix" between minigames, free roaming, and role-playing, and has a "fully fleshed out" inventory system that permits players to earn money in-game and spend it on a "wide variety of different things like housing, weapons, vehicles, and items."

As for if there'll ever be an official follow up? Dan Houser, Rockstar Games co-founder and the writer behind the studio's biggest games, including the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series, recently sat down for an exclusive interview with IGN, revealing Bully 2 didn't happen because of "bandwidth issues."

Bully — also known as Canis Canem Edit in some parts of the world — was a humorous action game that put players in the role of high school outcast Jimmy while attending a pretentious private school. "Bully is a great, well-crafted action game that's been made even stronger with one of the best senses of humor around," IGN's Bully review read. "Expect dozens and dozens of hours of fun."

Fans have long called for a sequel, which was once in development at Rockstar’s New England studio in the late 2000s. While Bully 2 was obviously never released, some of its ideas made it into other Rockstar games like Red Dead Redemption 2.

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

Nick Dragotta, character designer and artist of the hugely successful Absolute Batman comic book series, would love to see Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ Studio Trigger adapt it into an anime.

In Absolute Batman, which launched last year, readers are introduced to a brawnier, less wealthy caped crusader. The 24-year-old Bruce Wayne is a humble Gotham City engineer who forges his own crimefighting armor.

Speaking as part of an AMA on League of Comic Geeks (and surfaced by the DCU Updates X / Twitter account), Dragotta and writer Scott Snyder were asked if they’d had any talks with DC or DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn about bringing the Absolute Universe into other media, such as animation, movies, and toys.

In his response, Dragotta suggested fans check out the Inart and LPZZ toys debut at Wonderfest in Shanghai for “a taste of things to come.”

Then, on the animation front: “I'm not in the know, but I know DC makes and licenses quality stuff so I'm excited to see what comes. Personally, I'd love to see a Studio Trigger anime of Ab Bat.”

That exciting proposition was enough to set fans off with the hope that one day they may see Studio Trigger adapt Absolute Batman. Studio Trigger is the well-respected Japanese animation studio behind the likes of Kill la Kill, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and Delicious in Dungeon. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, which is set within CD Projekt’s Cyberpunk 2077 world, did so well that it’s getting a sequel, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2, for Netflix. Studio Trigger is once again behind the wheel.

So the idea of Studio Trigger applying its distinctive animation style to Absolute Batman is a tantalizing one, but it’s worth sounding a note of caution. As Dragotta said himself, he’s not privy to the inner workings of DC’s licensing plans, so this dream matchup may never happen.

As for Absolute Batman, it just wrapped up its first year with Absolute Batman #13, featuring Batman's final showdown with the monstrous Bane and an action-packed team up with Catwoman. We’ve got plenty more on it, too, including How Absolute Batman Reinvents Bane For a New Universe, and How Absolute Joker Is Fundamentally Different From Every Other Version.

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.

Battlefield 6 Update 1.1.1.0 is live now on all platforms, EA has said. It arrives just hours before the launch of Season 1, battle pass progression, and the free-to-play battle royale, REDSEC.

EA told players they may need to restart their game to see the update, Season 1 and battle pass progression begin today at 8am PT / 11am ET / 3pm UK time.

This is the big post-launch patch that changes everything from weapon dispersion to balance, visibility to aim assist, progression, and more, with further updates due out over the course of Season 1.

“The Season 1 Update marks the next step in our ongoing journey to evolve and expand the Battlefield 6 experience,” Battlefield Studios has said. “This includes fixes, balance changes, and quality-of-life improvements focused on polish, performance, and player feedback to deliver an even smoother experience moving forward.”

Check out the patch notes in full below. While you wait for Season 1 to go live, check out our full list of all currently available Battlefield 6 multiplayer maps. Those looking to brush up on their online skills can also read our multiplayer tips and tricks guide.

Battlefield 6 Update 1.1.1.0 patch notes:

Major Updates for 1.1.1.0:

• Improved core movement and animations, including smoother landings, faster stance transitions, better vaulting behavior, and reduced “bouncing” issues on landing or spawning.
• Reworked weapon dispersion to better align accuracy and handling with each weapon’s intended design and performance over range. These changes address cases where accuracy behaved inconsistently, such as dispersion not properly settling after sprinting, and bring overall firing behavior closer to the intended balance between precision, control, and weapon power.
• Significant visibility and lighting improvements, with better exposure transitions, interior lighting, and reduced fog and smoke persistence.
• Audio overhaul, adding new projectile flybys, destruction and explosion sounds, refined vehicle and weapon mixes, and improved haptic feedback across multiple interactions.
• UI and HUD updates for clarity and consistency, including overtime indicators, end-of-round fixes, and new unlock markers for weapons and gadgets.
• Map fixes across multiple locations, resolving spawn animations, out-of-bounds issues, misaligned assets, and general stability across Conquest, Breakthrough, and Rush modes.

CHANGELOGPLAYER:

• Fixed an issue where combat dive could break when diving uphill.
• Fixed an issue where players would detach from ziplines when entering at high speed.
• Improved steady aim and sight centering for more consistent precision.
• Fixed an issue where movement could interrupt steady aim.
• Adjusted misaligned character hitboxes for upper body and head to better match the visual models.
• Fixed an issue where the jump animation could play twice when aiming down sights.
• Landing animations now have their animation path properly centered, instead of shifting to the side when landing.
• Fixed an issue where jump inaccuracy could linger too long after landing.
• Fixed a visual issue causing weapons to appear rotated incorrectly after spawning.
• Fixed an issue where throwing grenades from prone could make players appear standing in third-person view.
• Fixed an animation delay when opening doors while sliding.
• Fixed an issue where players could get stuck while vaulting over certain objects.
• Fixed a visual issue where dead players appeared alive while swimming.
• Fixed an issue where quick meleeing with a gadget would swap back to the primary weapon instead of the gadget.
• Fixed an issue where getting killed by a mine would highlight it in the killcam.
• Fixed a camera jitter that could occur when entering ladders and looking down.
• Fixed an issue where camera and weapon sway behaved incorrectly after entering or exiting vehicles.
• Fixed an issue where weapons of other soldiers could clip through walls when they entered your view.
• Fixed an issue where pistols disappeared while swimming.
• Improved lighting precision for visibility while hip-firing and aiming down sights.
• Reduced occurrences of bouncing or landing issues when dropping onto certain objects.
• Fixed an issue where the killer snapshot sometimes did not display in the killcam.
• Small improvements to weapon and camera sway for smoother movement.
• Fixed an issue where enemies could take melee damage in protected vehicle seats.
• Fixed an issue where vaulting could fail if triggered right as the player hit an obstacle.
• Fixed an animation issue where repeated vaulting could cause incorrect hand placement.
• Fixed an issue where simultaneous melee hits could make an enemy briefly invisible
• Fixed an issue where soldier heads briefly disappeared during redeploy transitions.
• Improved training path progression display to better match actual unlocks.
• Fixed an issue where friendly players could clip into each other when climbing ladders.
• Fixed an issue preventing vaulting directly from a slide.
• Fixed an issue causing the camera to rotate abruptly after a takedown.
• Fixed an issue where hands briefly disappeared after using the AJ-03 COAG Med Pen.
• Improved stab animations when reviving with drag and revive.
• Fixed issues affecting peeking and prone transitions, ensuring both actions function correctly.
• Fixed a camera clipping issue when going prone while strafing.
• Fixed a missing third-person animation when transitioning from prone to sprint.
• Fixed an issue where falling while sprinting caused incorrect hand movement.
• Fixed visual clipping when soldiers stood too close to glass doors.
• Fixed jittery aim animations in third-person when mounted.
• Fixed a bug where mounting near walls prevented aiming left or right.
• Fixed an issue where leaning, peeking, or mounting could cancel unexpectedly.
• Fixed an issue where third-person hit reactions were missing when hit while mounted.
• Fixed an animation issue where the character’s knee clipped with the camera when falling while crouched.
• Fixed takedown inconsistencies, allowing players to properly perform melee takedowns even near walls.
• Fixed an issue where taking melee damage interrupted weapon fire.
• Fixed multiple visibility improvements including lighting, exposure, and fog behavior for better contrast and clarity across all maps.
• Improved vaulting, parachute, and door-opening animations for smoother transitions.
• Fixed rare animation freezes for friendly soldiers reloading off-screen.
• Fixed minor inconsistencies in mounting, peeking, and prone transitions for more reliable gameplay.
• Added parachute customization for soldiers.
• Prevented unintended shoulder bump animation when equipping a weapon while sprinting.
• Improved ragdoll impacts for more consistent and reliable reactions.
• Improved stance transition and landing animations to settle faster and feel smoother.

VEHICLES:

• Fixed missing haptic feedback when switching between tank weapons.
• Fixed a visual issue where the player’s hand clipped with the M1A2 SEPv3 handle when sitting in external seats.

GADGETS:

• Fixed a rare issue where the MAS 148 Glaive could block the first-person view during a combat dive.
• Fixed a MAS 148 Glaive visual issue during combat dives in first-person.
• Fixed an issue where Defibrillators appeared floating during vaulting animations.
• Fixed an issue where the Supply Pouch would sometimes not resupply correctly.
• Deployable gadgets are not destroyed/removed from debris piles
• AT grenades now create a small sized crater instead of a medium one.
• Buildings now take more hits to be destroyed by a Sledgehammer.

WEAPONS:

• Weapon dispersion has been rebalanced to better match each weapon’s damage profile across all ranges. Lower-damage weapons will now see a slightly higher increase in dispersion when firing, while higher-damage weapons will experience slightly less.
• Using Sniper Rifles with any class other than Recon will no longer increase weapon spread. Instead, weapon sway will now begin during the zoom transition, maintaining balance and distinguishing Recon’s precision advantage.
• Fixed a misalignment issue with top-mounted red dot sights.
• Fixed an issue where mounting a bipod while zoomed only changed the FOV instead of using the correct optic.
• Fixed an issue where the Long Suppressor used the wrong attachment point cost for some weapons.
• Improved reticle settling for automatic weapons to make burst firing more efficient.
• Fixed an issue where using a bipod too close to complex geometry could throw the player off position while prone.
• Balanced sledgehammer damage against world objects for better consistency.
• Fixed an issue preventing players from leaving the Firing Range.

MAPS & MODES:

• Improved fog and smoke effects after destruction to prevent them from lingering too long and impacting visibility.
• Improved exposure transitions between indoor and outdoor areas for better visibility.
• Fixed an issue where the zipline carabiner could appear offset and fly next to the wire instead of along it.
• Squad names are now randomized at the start of Squad Deathmatch matches.
• Added visible bomb meshes to armed M-COMs in Rush.
• Updated overtime UI visualization across all modes.
• Fixed animation and positioning issues during insertion sequences on all maps.
• Fixed an issue where the game mode UI could display incorrect scores or fail to update during a round.
• Fixed an End of Round progression issue in King of the Hill mode.
• Fixed an issue where players could encounter a bouncing animation when spawning at HQs after capturing new territories in Escalation across multiple maps.

Mirak Valley

• Fixed a misaligned zipline mesh in Conquest.
• Fixed an issue where the deploy camera in Rush displayed attackers on the wrong side of the map.
• Fixed an issue that prevented players from arming M-COM A in Rush due to a misplaced asset.

Siege of Cairo

• Fixed overlapping territory lines and boundaries during the briefing screen in Escalation.

Liberation Peak

• Fixed an issue in Escalation where a portion of the map on the NATO side was disconnected during the first period of the match.
• Fixed an issue in Rush where part of the Attacker’s HQ area was incorrectly marked as out of bounds.

New Sobek City

• Fixed an issue preventing players from capturing part of Flag C in Escalation.
• Fixed an issue where players could ignite when spawning near a burning lorry in Team Deathmatch.
• Adjusted an infantry vehicle spawn that was placed too close to a building in the PAX Armata HQ area.

Manhattan Bridge

• Fixed an issue in Breakthrough where players could become stuck on the End of Round screen if the party leader left during the EOR sequence.

UI & HUD:

• Added new markers for newly unlocked weapons, weapon packages, attachments, gadgets, and throwables.
• Updated 3D previews for certain gadgets to show their deployed state.
• Added preview videos demonstrating how gadgets work.
• Added new cosmetic options for selected gadgets.
• Changed “Save & Close” to “Close” in the Deploy menu for clarity.
• Fixed various UI issues in Loadouts.
• Fixed an issue where Battlefield 6 Ownership XP Boost did not display properly at End of Round.
• Fixed multiple text inconsistencies in Dog Tags and Challenges.
• Fixed an issue where the HUD would not appear when using a 16:10 aspect ratio with certain resolutions.

SETTINGS:

• Added Flick Look bindings to Helicopter, Jet, and Transport control schemes.
• Fixed visual issues where some aspect ratio settings caused transparent borders or inconsistent display behavior.

SINGLE PLAYER:

• Fixed an issue in Mission 01 where players were unable to lean out during the Last Stand sequence if the cinematic began while the knife was equipped.
• Fixed a black screen issue in the Night Raid mission.

PORTAL:

• Fixed an issue where the Host Experience screen did not display the Portal experience image.
• Fixed a crash that could occur if a party leader started a Portal server while Content Packs 01 and 04 were disabled.
• Improved loading times for the Server Browser experience info tab to ensure joining functions properly.
• Corrected a spelling error in the message shown when attempting to join an unavailable server.

AUDIO:

• Fixed an issue where footstep sounds were missing when moving with the knife equipped.
• Fixed a voiceline issue where directional callouts (e.g., “enemy north”) played the wrong direction.
• Tuned haptic feedback across multiple actions, including window barging, defibrillator use, swimming, rocket pods, mounted MGs, and sea vehicle collisions.
• Polished large projectile audio with new missile, rocket pod, and cannon shell flyby effects; improved distance handling and overall mix for more realistic impact sounds.
• Updated audio configs for light rockets and LMGs; refined explosion sound crossfades and adjusted distant sound behavior.
• Improved vehicle and weapon firing audio balance, reducing noise artifacts, unwanted phasing, and over-saturation.
• Added radio chatter through controller speakers.
• Fixed an issue where firing range dummies and vehicle-hit reactions sometimes played incorrect or processed hurt sounds.
• Disabled radio processing for stationary vehicle pings and fixed compass orientation for ping indicators.
• Fixed missing or incorrect ambient and destruction sounds across several maps, including Siege of Cairo, as well as missing explosion sounds for silos and tanker trailers.
• Added missing ambient audio setups for environmental props like construction barriers and buses.
• Added new sound effects for the bulletin and takeover sections of the main menu, including improved reveal animations.
• Fixed an issue where delayed challenge tab displays triggered early audio playback.
• Fixed an issue where defibrillator loop sounds could get stuck when vaulting.
• Fixed missing or out-of-sync reload sounds.
• Corrected the M39 EMR using suppressed audio when unsuppressed.
• Restored missing external sound effects for RWS Gunner countermeasure mines.
• Fixed issues where soundtrack tracks cut off abruptly or skipped mid-song.
• Reload audio polish for several weapons.

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.

The Wachowskis, the writers and directors behind the Matrix movies, once asked Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima to design a Matrix video game, but publisher Konami reportedly turned it down.

That's according to Time Extension, which said that while a December 1999 edition of NextGen magazine stated Kojima was apparently in the running to develop a game based on the blockbuster movie, Konami exec Kasumi Kitaue shot down discussions in favor of keeping Kojima focused on the Metal Gear series instead.

"The Wachowskis were big fans of Kojima," Konami Digital Entertainment VP of licensing, Christopher Bergstresser, told Time Extension. "So Kazumi Kitaue, Kojima, Aki Saito (who still works with Kojima), and I were at the Konami HQ, and we got a call from the Wachowskis, who wanted to come in and meet with Kojima. So they did!

"The two of them came in with their concept artist, and effectively they said to Kojima, ‘We really want you to do the Matrix game. Can you do that?’ Aki translated this into Japanese for Mr. Kitaue, and Kitaue just looked at them and told them plainly, ‘No.' We did still get to enjoy the Matrix Japanese premiere and afterparty, though."

Interestingly, that's not quite how everyone recalls events. Another former Konami employee, this one unwilling to go on record, claimed Konami had actually shown "strong interest" in the game, and there was "immense disappointment" when the project didn't go ahead.

The Matrix franchise was adapted into a series of games nonetheless, starting with Shiny Entertainment's Enter the Matrix in 2003, follow up The Matrix: Path of Neo in 2005, and Monolith Production's The Matrix Online in the same year. We were also treated to a Matrix-themed tech demo in 2021, The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience, in which Epic Games showed us what Unreal Engine 5 was capable of.

It didn't turn out too badly for Kojima or Konami, either; after 1998's Metal Gear Solid, Kojima and his team then concentrated on the critically-acclaimed and award-winning Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, which was released in 2001.

And Kojima is equally busy now, of course. With Death Stranding 2 out the door, Kojima is working on a number of new projects, including horror game OD for Xbox Game Studios. He revealed the first trailer for it last month, sparking speculation that it is connected to P.T. in some way. Certainly, there are striking similarities. The mysterious game will star Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' Sophia Lillis, Hunters' Udo Kier, and Euphoria's Hunter Schafer, with the trailer showcasing Lillis' character in a spooky house, lighting candles before meeting a malevolent figure.

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.

Activision has announced yet another free trial of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Multiplayer and Zombies, which just so happens to launch as EA releases its Battlefield battle royale, REDSEC.

Yesterday, October 27, was a big day for first-person shooter fans. EA finally confirmed a shadowdrop for the Battlefield battle royale, dubbed REDSEC, which is set to go live today, October 28, at 8am PT / 11am ET.

Then, later yesterday, Activision announced Black Ops 6 Multiplayer and Zombies will go free starting today and run until November 3.

Grab your squad. We’ve got Black Ops 6 💥

Get access to Black Ops 6 Multiplayer and Zombies for free starting tomorrow 🎮 pic.twitter.com/xTZv7VQlnP

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) October 27, 2025

Is Activision trying to spoil EA’s fun here? Fans are certainly debating the timing of the free trial and its clash with Battlefield’s big moment. Some are suggesting it’s nothing more than a pre-planned trial to coincide with Halloween (Black Ops 6 does have a Halloween update). But it’s hard to get away from the sense that there’s more going on here. After all, Activision only last month released a significant Black Ops 6 free trial the day before the Battlefield 6 release date. And it's not just the Battlefield battle royale that launches today — Battlefield 6 Season 1 kicks off, too.

This is the latest salvo in what has become a popcorn-worthy back-and-forth between Activision and EA, with each mega publisher’s big budget FPS vying for the hearts and minds of the gaming community this holiday season.

In August, Activision shocked the Call of Duty community when it confirmed that Operators, Operator Skins, and Weapons from Black Ops 6 would no longer carry forward into Black Ops 7. This came as a big surprise to players who had expected content they’d bought for Black Ops 6 to carry forward, as it has done with previous entries. Explaining the decision, Activision said Black Ops 7 “needs to feel authentic to Call of Duty and its setting.”

The feeling was that Activision felt the heat from Battlefield 6, which is going for a more grounded aesthetic. Developer DICE has indicated it has no plans to release crossover skins that would break the aesthetic Battlefield 6 is going for, and promised the developers were listening to fan feedback.

In a recent interview with DBLTAP, Battlefield 6 design director Shashank Uchil doubled down on EA's commitment to grounded realism, and even pointed to Call of Duty's infamous Nicki Minaj skin as something Battlefield 6 doesn't need.

“It has to be grounded," he said. "That is what BF3 and BF4 was — it was all soldiers, on the ground. It’s going to be like this,” Uchil said, pointing at the key art featuring soldiers in soldier gear looking out over a wartorn New York City.

He added: “I don’t think it needs Nicki Minaj. Let’s keep it real, keep it grounded.”

Then, last month, EA ramped up its Battlefield 6 marketing, taking a direct jab at Call of Duty with a new live-action trailer. More recently, Activision extended the Black Ops 7 open beta to run an additional 24 hours to October 9, taking it right up to Battlefield 6's release date.

Both games are crucial releases for their publishers. Battlefield 6 has the jump on Call of Duty this year, launching a month ahead of its rival. And the battle royale comes out to add competition to Call of Duty’s own free-to-download battle royale, Warzone. Black Ops 7 counter-attacks on November 14. It will be interesting to see which of the two mega publishers is happiest when the dust settles.

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.

The 2000s are memorable for plenty of peaks. The last truly great salvo of R-rated Hollywood comedies. Finnish mobile phones built sturdy enough to kill a man. Also? NASCAR games. If you know, you know. It’s not a controversial statement to say that, over the last 20 years, no licensed NASCAR game has been able to unseat NASCAR Dirt to Daytona, NASCAR Racing 2003 Season, and NASCAR Thunder 2004 from the podium. Enter NASCAR 25. While several elements of it are roughly hewn and underfeatured – and the multiplayer misses the mark – the moment-to-moment single-player racing it serves up is fast, fierce, and fabulously nuanced. Does it slingshot itself past the very best to ever do it? Not quite. However, it has gotten closer to doing so than any other in the last two decades, and that makes it quite notable.

NASCAR 25 isn’t just the first NASCAR-licensed console game in almost five years, it’s the first ever produced by iRacing – the subscription-based racing simulation of choice for professional race drivers and sim-seat warriors alike. Considering the very foundation of iRacing was built using the source code for the legendary NASCAR Racing 2003 Season, there’s an undeniable element of pedigree at play here. There’s obviously a level of expectation that comes with this sort of heritage but, while it still has plenty of scope for growth and refinement, it’s been nice to see NASCAR 25 succeed in key areas where it counts.

Matched Perfect and Staggered Special

NASCAR 25 is at its very best on the track, rubbing panels at nearly 200 miles per hour. While oval racing isn’t a personal speciality of mine, I do find it massively fascinating just how ruthless it can be – and how different it is to typical circuit racing. As such, NASCAR 25 has me hooked right now.

There isn’t always a consistent racing line in oval racing; depending on the conditions and the track itself, the most efficient way through a bend might be low, somewhere in the middle, or even way up by the wall. You may need to start taking a corner differently to be faster, and I’m finding this necessity to adapt extremely interesting. I’m also particularly attracted to the sort of patience oval racing requires, with events that can unfold over hundreds of laps. Doggedly hanging onto the coattails of a breakaway pack of opponents, dicing with them doorhandle-to-doorhandle, is tense and engaging – but there’s also a part of it that I find almost meditative as I stalk slipstreams lap after lap, waiting for the perfect moment to attempt to lunge and strike.

The reason this all comes together in a meaningfully believable way is really thanks to NASCAR 25’s very impressive and tunable AI, and it’s very much what I crave in a racing game of this type. The core thing I look for constantly is racing that I can play by myself, in my own time, that feels authentic against my skill level. That’s it. I don’t want to be at the mercy of online randos, many of whom are ill disciplined and weave unrealistically across the track. Just sell me the fantasy of being a racing driver. Let’s not kid ourselves: I’m driving pretend race cars that I can pause when I need to pee. I’m not here to take on the world; I just want to enjoy my time. I want to believe I’m in the mix amongst a bunch of bona fide professionals who drive accordingly. NASCAR 25’s AI gets this right.

As a very casual consumer of NASCAR racing from the other side of the planet, my interest has ebbed and flowed depending on the involvement of drivers I have existing familiarity with, like Marcus Ambrose and SVG, so I’m not going to claim I can assure you that the AI always make the right tactical decisions. That said, they really do seem to drive with a lot of credibility. They hold their lines extremely smoothly around corners, and they shrewdly carve through packs of other cars competing for spots, effectively bump drafting and changing lanes. The only thing that undoes them is NASCAR 25’s frankly absurd way of penalising corner cutting, which will literally bring your car to a halt wherever you currently are if it detects a track limit violation. This will result in the AI piling up behind you as they all slam on the anchors to stop. It’s a massive immersion killer when it happens.

AI speed operates on a difficulty slider, meaning I was able to get it dialled in to perfectly match my skill level. The values are arbitrary, but they range between 85 and 105. About 100 was the sweet spot for super speedways for me, and slightly lower on short tracks and road courses.

There are a number of settings available to customise the AI, including their predisposition to losing control, their skill in regaining control after incidents, and their resistance to car-on-car collisions in the first place. I’m currently experimenting with making the AI more susceptible to losing it after a decent whack – and dialling incident frequency way up to make things a little more exciting. It probably hasn’t quite resulted in the turmoil I was anticipating, but I appreciate settings like this. There isn’t one, single way to play NASCAR 25. Keep it stern and serious or let it lean a little more Hollywood? It’s a decision the developers are happy to let us handle.

I Don’t Want You Spoiled, Buck

On the topic of handling, the news is also largely positive. It feels strong and challenging with a wheel, and the laser-scanned track surfaces (which have migrated from iRacing) means the characteristics of circuits with bumpier surfaces come through to have interesting effects on the driving feel from race to race. Cars feel balanced and obedient at high speed, and I was particularly impressed with how approachable NASCAR 25 is on a controller – which is important as a console-oriented game. It’s hard for me to accurately put myself into the mind of an inexperienced or younger racer, but there are also a range of assists available – and the simple tuning slider should be sufficient for anyone not looking to get too lost in the weeds when it comes to minor vehicle adjustments. The handy slider is essentially a bunch of quick tunes you can apply to either tighten everything up (which should make your car quite planted and stable, at the cost of some front end responsiveness) or create something looser (and if I’ve learned anything from Days of Thunder beyond what happens when a load of unwanted lettuce reaches Japan, loose is fast and on the edge of out of control).

One key controller problem so far, however, is a peculiar lack of meaningful rumble – and this creates a disappointing disconnect between what’s happening with my car’s grip on-screen and what I’m feeling through my hands. It just injects an unwanted floaty sensation at times, particularly when you don’t realise your rear tyres are spinning up because there’s no tactile information coming in that that’s happening. It makes playing on the expert level handling settings – where ham-fisted throttle mashing will rotate your car around quick smart – a bit more frustrating than I like. I think it’s also contributing to a skatey feeling on road courses, because I can’t really always feel the edge of the grip.

Information is definitely one of NASCAR 25’s weaknesses, overall. It’s not just the fact that it doesn’t really do a great deal to teach a player the ins-and-outs of, say, oval tactics or road course track limits. It’s also missing useful, basic info, like your opposition’s current qualifying times – which can’t be seen while you’re also out trying to set down a scorching lap. You need to return to pit lane to view where you currently stand in the group. The spotter also has a habit of giving us the wrong info, like noting you have clear space inside or outside when you don’t. I’m very lukewarm on how robotic the spotter sounds, too; being direct and matter-of-fact is all well and good during racing, but being unable to muster any convincing human enthusiasm about winning a race makes him feel like a chatbot – and NASCAR 25 misses out on any meaningful personality as a result.

The presentation of career mode is a bit sterile, too. Your driver is never more than a blank silhouette, and the inability to even select a home state or country of origin is odd. It’s small potatoes, sure, but missing the little things does make it all feel a little more impersonal than I’d want from a custom driver. Cars can be customised using a combination of preset designs and some basic shapes, but the livery system is underdone. A one-button system for syncing your design up with your driver and team gear is handy, but simple stuff like flipping the design from one side of a car to the other hasn’t been implemented. You also can’t apply custom shapes to liveries you want to use online, which is an annoying restriction we don’t typically face in other racing games.

I did enjoy the evolution of the custom racing operation and garage backdrop, which is quite cool as you progress up through the four series (and you can compete in up to two series at once), but this first effort is a bit vanilla compared to other career modes in the official motorsport sim space, like F1 or WRC. There’s a basic economy here, where you need to monitor an overall budget and manage repairs between races with a secondary resource called ‘work points’, but I did find myself ploughing through it between races without too much thought.

While I’ve established multiplayer is not my natural environment, it’s not a particularly strong component of NASCAR 25 either way, which is a tad surprising given the sheer volume of online racing experience the iRacing team has. NASCAR 25’s multiplayer is simply a basic lobby system of random races, and there are no scheduled races or special events. It plays just as smooth and reliably as the single-player – even in races against over two dozen online opponents – which is commendable. It just feels listless.

Crash Bandicoot looks set for a return in animation form with a new series on Netflix.

What’s on Netflix reported that the animation studio behind Sonic Prime, WildBrain Studios, is making the Crash Bandicoot adaptation for the streamer. WildBrain Studios has worked on plenty of animations for Netflix, including Carmen Sandiego, Malory Towers, and the aforementioned Sonic Prime. As What’s on Netflix points out, this is the first time Crash Bandicoot will front his own series. There is no release window nor plot details for the Crash Bandicoot animated series yet.

As for the Crash Bandicoot video game series, it’s been quiet for some years now. After 2018’s Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy came out, Activision released Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled in 2019, Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time in 2020, Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! in 2021, and, most recently, Crash Team Rumble in 2023. Support for the latter ended less than a year after launch.

Is there a new Crash Bandicoot video game in the works? Last year, it was reported that Microsoft, which brought Crash Bandicoot under its umbrella after shelling out $69 billion for Activision Blizzard, had reached an agreement with former Crash Bandicoot developer Toys for Bob for the studio’s next game.

In February 2024, Toys for Bob announced plans to spin off from Microsoft-owned Activision to become an indie developer. Toys for Bob is the developer behind Skylanders, Spyro Reignited Trilogy, and Crash Bandicoot games, but in more recent years had become a Call of Duty support studio.

At the time, Toys for Bob said it was exploring "a possible partnership between our new studio and Microsoft,” adding both Microsoft and Activision were "extremely supportive" of its new direction. While Toys for Bob's first project as an indie studio is apparently "in the early days," fans speculated it could be a revival of Crash, Spyro, or another IP Toys for Bob has become known and beloved for.

As for Netflix, continuing to invest in video game adaptations comes as no surprise given the success it’s seen doing so already. It has animations for everything from Splinter Cell to Tomb Raider, Castlevania to Cyberpunk. And of course it enjoyed critical acclaim from the League of Legends animated adaptation, Arcane. It’s now working on adapting board games, with Catan, Clue!, and Monopoly shows in the works.

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.

Alienware's new mainstream gaming laptop for 2025 is dubbed the "Alienware Aurora" and it replaces the previous generation's x16 and m16 series of laptops. It comes in two models: the 16 and 16X. Of the two, the 16X Aurora is the model I would recommend. It has a higher price tag, but the upgrades - like a fully aluminum body, higher quality display, and more powerful CPU and GPU - are worth it. It also costs hundreds less than the Alienware 16 Area-51 laptop.

Alienware 16X Aurora Gaming Laptops

Harman direct just dropped the price on one of its highest end portable speakers. Add the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 to your shopping cart and the price ends up being just $159.99 shipped after a massive 60% off instant discount.

Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 Portable Speaker for $159.99

You must add it to your cart to see the price

For one week only, Best Buy has brought back one of the best high-end gaming headset deals of the year. Right now you can pick up the SteelSeries Arctis Pro for PlayStation and PC for just $149.99, which is nearly 50% off its retail price of $280. Best Buy is the only retailer selling it at this price. The Arctis Pro was SteelSeries' highest-end gaming headset before the Nova Pro was released and is one of the only wireless gaming headsets on the market with hot-swappable batteries. Note that although the packaging doesn't explicitly mention it, Steelseries confirms that it's PS5 compatible.

SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless Gaming Headset for $149.99

Dell is kicking off this week with some huge savings on one of its highest-end Alienware laptops. Right now you can save $800 off the Alienware 18 Area-51 18" RTX 5080 gaming laptop, now down to $2,749.99 with free delivery. The RTX 5080 is the second most powerful mobile GPU and even surpasses the previous generation's top performer, the RTX 4090.

Alienware 18 Area-51 RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop for $2,750

You’ve probably had this moment: you’re deep into a match, perfectly lined up for the headshot, when suddenly your character rubber-bands across the map and you’re ready to push your mouse through your monitor. We tend to blame “the internet” when these things happen. Here’s the reality: sometimes the real culprit isn’t your plan, it’s your in-home setup.

With internet providers starting to offer nbn’s accelerated speeds, delivering up to five times faster wholesale download speeds on eligible HFC and FTTP plans, now’s the perfect time to ask a simple question: is your Wi-Fi holding you back? Here are five signs it might be time to optimise your setup and save your gear from lag-induced rage.

Your Wi-Fi Router Lives in Witness Protection

Why are you so ashamed of your router? If your Wi-Fi router is shoved in a cupboard, hidden behind the TV, or gathering dust under your desk, you’re sabotaging your own connection. Wi-Fi works best with a clear line of sight, and every obstacle between your device and the router is another wall your signal has to punch through.

The fix is simple: Wi-Fi routers belong out in the open in an uncluttered area, ideally in a central spot where the signal can spread evenly. Elevating it onto a shelf or table at waist height makes a noticeable difference, while tucking it near interference-heavy electronics like microwaves, cordless phones, or even a giant fish tank is a recipe for signal chaos.

That Wi-Fi Router Is Older Than Your Steam Account

Routers aren’t immortal. If yours has been around longer than, say, you’ve been waiting for Half-Life 3, it may not be keeping up with your current internet demands. A good rule of thumb: if it’s more than five years old, you may want to consider whether it’s still suitable for your needs.

Older routers typically don’t support newer Wi-Fi standards, which can handle higher speeds. They might suffer under the pressure of multiple devices, deliver slower speeds and offer patchy coverage. Modern Wi-Fi routers offer the latest Wi-Fi standards and are better suited to supporting more demanding internet use across dozens of devices.

Pair that with the accelerated speeds nbn made available on its FTTP and HFC networks in September 2025, and a very old router - is like plugging a 4K-capable console into a CRT TV. It still works, but you might not be getting the full experience.

Your Dead Zones Are Actually Black Holes

We all have that one room where Wi-Fi mysteriously disappears. Maybe it’s the back bedroom where your streams constantly buffer, or the upstairs study where your games love to disconnect mid-match. These dead zones aren’t just annoying, they’re proof that your coverage isn’t cutting it.

Larger or multi-storey homes, or homes built with thick brick, concrete and even certain types of glass, make it harder for a single Wi-Fi router to cover every corner. If you’re constantly moving around to find “the good room” to play in, that’s a sign your setup might need some help.

That’s where mesh Wi-Fi systems come in. By creating multiple access points around your house, mesh setups help eliminate weak spots and give you stable speeds everywhere.

Every Device in the House Is Competing for Bandwidth

You’re gaming online while someone else is streaming 4K Netflix, another person is on a work video call, and your console is quietly downloading a 50GB update in the background. Sound familiar? That can be a classic case of too many devices competing for the same slice of bandwidth.

Older Wi-Fi routers in particular may struggle with this kind of load, which is why your ping spikes the second someone hits “play” on a movie. Upgrading to a modern router designed for multiple connections and making sure it’s placed correctly gives every device a fair chance.

You’ve Never Actually Checked Your Setup

Look, honestly most of us don’t think about our Wi-Fi router until something goes pear-shaped. We upgrade our consoles, swap out our GPUs and chase higher frame rates, but rarely ask if our Wi-Fi setup is keeping pace.

If you’ve never stopped to check where your Wi-Fi router is, how old it is, or whether your home needs a mesh system, you might already be limiting what your connection can do.

In other words, don’t wait until the next time you’re rage-quitting over lag. A few quick checks now can save you endless frustration later.

Do you struggle to maintain a stable connection when playing online games? Here are some simple ways you can improve your Wi-Fi today.

Time to Level Up

nbn’s accelerated speeds upgrade isn’t just a technical milestone for eligible premises, it’s an opportunity for gamers to finally leave lag and sluggish downloads behind. However, the upgrade doesn’t solve problems caused by poor placement, ageing hardware, or patchy coverage inside your home.

By recognising the signs – a hidden Wi-Fi router, an outdated router model, weak spots or dead zones around the house, overloaded connections, or a setup you’ve never even thought about – you can take simple steps to optimise your Wi-Fi and unlock the performance you’ve been missing. No gamer should lose a round to their own internet connection.

When was the last time you looked into the speeds you could be getting? Check your address to see what’s available to you.