If you were looking for Hulu’s '12 months for $0.99/month' discount from last year, 2025 has yet another disappointment in store for you. For Black Friday 2025, Hulu isn’t offering a standalone streaming deal at all. To be fair, that would have gotten a little funky with the service merging into the Disney+ app next year.
Instead, the main Hulu streaming deal this year is a bundle with Disney+. From now until December 1, you can scoop up 12 months of the ad-supported streaming bundle for $4.99/month or upgrade to the ad-free plan for $14.99/month.
Hulu and Disney+ Black Friday Bundle Live Until December 1
This is more expensive than last year’s bundle deal, which dropped the monthly ad-supported price to $2.99. The “discount” is technically pretty similar, but Disney+ and Hulu have both gotten away with a price hike since then. If you know for a fact these are already services you’d pay for, you might as well pay as little as you can over the next 12 months.
The discount is open to both new and returning subscribers, with the exception of anyone who has already paid for an annual plan through Disney+. If you do run into any issues trying to grab the deal, I would recommend trying out a new e-mail address.
Hulu Also Discounting Channel Add-Ons
While Hulu hasn’t discounted its own standalone subscription, the service has discounted its spread of Channel Add-Ons to match Black Friday discounts from other services. For example, you can add 12 months of HBO Max to your plan for $2.99 each month, building your own version of the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max offer, my favorite streaming bundle overall, which is otherwise still full-price.
Blythe (she/her) is an SEO Coordinator at IGN who, when she isn't following streaming news, spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.
The Alienware Black Friday Sale is well under way, with some outstanding deals on several gaming PC configurations including its most powerful ones. If you're seeking the absolute best of the best in PC gaming performance, look no further than Alienware's new Area-51 gaming PC equipped with an uber powerful GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card. Right now there are two ways you can score a great deal on one of these bad boys: new at Dell or refurbished at Dell Outlet. Whichever you choose, know that you're getting the lowest price of the year right now.
Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 Gaming PC (New) for $4,250
Just for Black Friday, Dell has a generously equipped Area-51 system featuring an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor with 360mm liquid cooling, 32GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and a 2TB SSD for $4,249.99 after $1,250 off in instant savings. The system includes a 1,500W 80Plus Platinum power supply, which is necessary in this case because an RTX 5090 graphics card has a minimum recommended rating of 1,000W, and the extra headroom allows for upgrades down the road.
Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 Gaming PC (Refurb) for $3,720
Dell Outlet has just kicked off its own Black Friday Sale with some incredible pricing on Clearance, Like New (Refurbished) and Scratch & Dent Alienware Area-51 gaming PCs, equipped with your choice of GeForce RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 graphics cards. You're saving up to $1,600 compared to buying an identical system brand new.
All PCs purchased through Dell Outlet include the same warranty as buying new. Dell's certified refurbished systems are submitted to a rigorous refurbishing process. These previously owned products could have observable minor blemishes that do not affect performance, or could look as good as new.
New for 2025: The Alienware Area-51 Chassis
Dell unveiled the new Alienware Area-51 gaming PC at CES 2025. The chassis is a super-sized upgrade to the 2024 R16 system with aesthetic and cooling redesigns and updated components. The I/O panel is positioned at the top of the case instead of the front, and the tempered glass window now spans the entire side panel instead of just a smaller cutout. As a result, the side panel vents are gone, and instead air intakes are located at the bottom as well as the front of the case. Alienware is now pushing a positive airflow design (more intake than exhaust airflow), which means a less dusty interior. The internal components have been refreshed with a new motherboard, faster RAM, and bigger power supply to accommodate the new generation of CPUs and GPUs.
The RTX 5090 Is the Most Powerful Graphics Card Ever
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 has emerged as the most powerful consumer GPU on the market. Although with this generation Nvidia has prioritized software updates, AI features, and DLSS 4 technology to improve gameplay performance, the 5090 still boasts an impressive 25%-30% uplift over the RTX 4090 in hardware-based raster performance. If you want the absolute best performance for your gaming PC, there is literally no other option from any other brand.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
The Xbox Black Friday sale is a little underwhelming this year, as there are no deals on Xbox consoles anywhere. Thankfully, Microsoft still had a little holiday spirit left in the tank by discounting nearly every Xbox controller available by about $20 on average, helping to offset the price increases for Xbox accessories that went into effect earlier this year.
Most controllers are between $40 and $50, although you can score a few colors for around $30 as part of the Amazon Resale Black Friday sale. Many controller colors have already sold out at retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, so if you've been meaning to replace an aging controller – or pick up a spare for local multiplayer – you'll want to act quickly.
Save $15-25 Off Every Xbox Controller for Black Friday
The absolute cheapest Xbox controllers right now are the standard Carbon Black and Robot White colors, which are both on sale for $39.99. If you want a controller with a little more pizazz, then you can pick up one of the other colors for around $45-50, including the new Breaker series controllers that released in September.
Carbon Black Xbox Controller for $36 at eBay
If you don't mind an extra step and aren't in a rush, you can save another $4 on the Carbon Black Xbox controller over at eBay through the BuyDig store. You'll need to use the code 'CYBERWEEK20' at checkout to get the 20% off discount, bringing the price down to $35.99 before tax. Thankfully, this deal does include free shipping, just don't expect it to arrive in two days or less like Amazon.
Save Even More on Like New Xbox Controllers at Amazon Resale
The Amazon Resale Black Friday promotion allows you to take an additional percentage off gently used items, making for even greater savings overall. This sale runs through December 1 and includes an extra 30% off the already discounted price across more than 1,000 items, including select Xbox controllers.
This means you can get a Carbon Black Xbox controller for just $27, or the Shock Blue, Deep Pink, or Robot White colors for $33. Just make sure you select 'Used – Like New' and look for the green '30% off at checkout' below the item to get the deal. Once it's in your cart, the extra discount is automatically applied.
It's worth noting that these items are certified and sold by Amazon as 'Like New,' so it should be a pretty safe bet that they will be in great condition. And, if you're not satisfied, you can always return it for a full refund.
Matthew Adler has written for IGN since 2019 covering all things gaming, tech, tabletop games, and more. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.
When is the best opportunity to pick up a brand new iPad at the lowest price possible? Black Friday, of course. Starting today, every current generation Apple iPad has dropped to the lowest prices of the year. These deals should stick around through Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Even if you don't need one yourself, these would make awesome gifts for just about anyone (kids included) for Christmas. Without further ado, here are the best deals for each model.
Apple iPad Black Friday Deals (Newest Models)
Not sure which iPad to get? Read on below for a bit of detail on each deal.
Apple iPad 10.9" (A16)
We picked this model as the best overall iPad of 2025. For most people, the iPad (not the Air, Mini, or Pro) is the best model to get, and not just because it's the least expensive iPad on the block. Despite its affordable price point, it offers all the benefits of the iOS operating system with premium build quality and snappy performance. The 11th generation model is equipped with an 11" 264ppi Liquid Retina display, A16 Bionic chip, and starts at 128GB of internal storage. This model doesn't support Apple Intelligence, so you'll need to move up the ladder if you want Apple's new AI tech.
Apple iPad Mini 8.3" (A17 Pro)
The iPad Mini may be diminutive in size, but certainly not in performance. The A17 Pro chip is actually more powerful than the A16 Bionic found in the standard iPad. And despite the fact that the 8.3" screen is smaller, it's a higher quality display with a sharper 326ppi pixel density and both P3 Wide Color and True Tone technology. Also, unlike the standard iPad, the iPad Mini supports Apple Intelligence.
Apple iPad Air 11" and 13" (M3)
The 7th generation Apple iPad Air M3 tablet offers performance closer to the iPad Pro but without the hefty price tag. For Black Friday, the 11" model is down to $449 and the 13" model is down to $649, both after a $150 off instant discount. The 7th gen iPad Pro Air was released in March and features an 11" or 13" 264ppi Liquid Retina display with P3 Wide Color and True Tone technology, an Apple M3 chip, and starts at 128GB of storage. This model also supports Apple Intelligence.
Apple iPad Pro 11" and 13" (M5)
The new iPad Pro is the best tablet on the market, iOS or otherwise, thanks to the new M5 processor, which is both powerful and power-efficient. However, the processor isn't the only reason why the iPad Pro is superior to all other iPads. It's also the only tablet, Apple or otherwise, equipped with a tandem OLED display. Tandem OLED is better than traditional OLED (which is already best-in-class) for two reasons: 1) it's far brighter, and 2) it's less prone to burn-in. If you're wondering why this technology hasn't found its way into TVs, the answer is simply because it's not cost-effective at larger sizes. The iPad can get away with it because the display is smaller, but that's also a reason for the premium price point.
Looking for more iPad resources?
If you're not sure which iPad is best for you, we have an iPad guide which details which iPad is ideal for which use case. If you intend want to get an iPad for schoolwork, we have an iPad guide for students as well. If you're looking for options outside of iOS, check out the best Android tablets of 2025.
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.
Black Friday is traditionally one of the best times of the year to buy video games and consoles. In previous years, we've seen huge discounts of over $200 on consoles like Xbox Series X. With Black Friday sales now live, many are wondering where this year's Xbox console deals are. Although there are no console deals yet live, some solid Xbox deals are available on games and accessories.
Are There Any Xbox Console Black Friday Deals?
Unfortunately, there are no Xbox console deals available for Black Friday 2025 at this time. This can be attributed to many reasons, with the biggest being the price hikes on both Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S over the last 12 months. While Xbox Series X initially launched for $499.99, the console now retails for $649.99. As such, it's improbable we will see deals this year similar to what we saw in previous years, with the console available for around $350.
While Xbox consoles are not on sale, both PlayStation and Nintendo have Black Friday deals available. PlayStation has discounted its consoles by $100, meaning you can score a PlayStation 5 Pro for $649. As for Nintendo, the iconic Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Switch bundle did not return this year, but the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle is available for $499.99, which will save you $30.
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.
PlayStation is having a pretty great Black Friday showing so far, and there are loads of great deals you can pick up over the weekend, and all the way through to Cyber Monday on Dec. 1.
My favorite PS5 console deals right now are absolutely on the NBA 2K26 bundle for $449, as you get a free game thrown in, alongside the PS5 Pro discount, down to $649 – likely the best price we'll see on the world's most powerful console for the time being.
In terms of other options, there's also $100 off the new PS5 Fortnite Flowering Chaos bundles, at $399.99 for the 825GB digital model or $449.99 for the 1TB disc edition.
You get PlayStation exclusive in-game items and 1,000 V-Bucks, making it the obvious pick for anyone who lives in the Fortnite ecosystem.
Borderlands 4 has also dropped to just $35 at Amazon in another best of the year kind of deal, and one I'm basically expecting to sell out before the weekend is even up.
There's plenty more games to get stuck into in the sale as well, including Game of the Year 2024 winner, Astro Bot, for $40, Elden Ring for $15, Spider-Man 2 for $30, Final Fantasy's 1-6 Pixel Collection for $40, EA Sports FC 26 for $30, and more.
DualSense Controllers
Most DualSense controllers are between $55 and $60, depending on color, for Black Friday this year – that's $20 off the regular price. DualSense controllers rarely go on sale as it is, so any discount is better than paying full price.
The cheapest options are going to be the standard white, Midnight Black, Gray Camo, the Galaxy Collection (Cosmic Red, Starlight Blue, and Galactic Purple) and the Sterling Silver colors for $55, while the newer colors, including the Chroma Collection that released earlier this year, are $60.
For those looking for a more premium gaming experience, the DualSense Edge is also $30 off in both white and black colors. PlayStation's "pro" controller offers interchangeable thumbstick modules to combat stick drift, customizable back buttons, and deep integration with the PS5's software to create and swap between profiles with ease.
PlayStation Plus
PlayStation Plus is finally getting a proper Black Friday cut. New signups can grab 33% off a 12 month membership, which is about as generous as Sony gets these days.
If you're already locked in, you can still shave 33 percent off by upgrading whatever time you have left from Essential or Extra to Premium or Deluxe. Simple, and actually worthwhile for once.
It's a cleaner offer than last year's messy tiered discounts, which spread 20 percent across Essential, 25 percent across Extra, 30 percent across Premium, plus smaller cuts on upgrades.
And while it doesn't quite top the Lunar New Year blowout with its steeper Premium and upgrade savings, it does match or outdo the more recent Days of Play numbers, where Premium and Premium upgrades also hit 33 percent.
You might have already seen my $20 or less roundup, which is still packed with heavy hitters from the last few years and perfect if you want maximum bang for your buck. I also recently covered the best games under $30 right now, sporting Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater as my top pick.
I've also got you covered if you're looking for a more comprehensive roundup of the best video game deals for Black Friday. I'd also highly recommend you check in with my best Nintendo and Xbox Black Friday roundups, both of which I'll be updating daily with the best offers over the sale weekend. After that, I will rest. Have a good one!
Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN's resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.
The two actors presented a united front earlier this month at a high-profile Stranger Things Season 5 red carpet premiere, where Brown and Harbour posed together for a series of cosy photos but steered clear of media interviews.
At the same event, however, director Shawn Levy and Stranger Things co-creator Matt Duffer were both asked about the situation between the series' stars, following the publication just days earlier of a Daily Mail report that stated that Brown had lodged "harassment and bullying" complaints against Harbour and had subsequently been accompanied by a personal assistant whenever on set.
According to the Daily Mail, no sexual impropriety was alleged, and an internal investigation by Netflix reportedly lasted "for months." Now, following the publication of the Daily Mail article, Brown has commented on why she had been so "united" with Harbour at the premiere.
"We’ve been doing that for the last 10 years," Brown told The Hollywood Reporter. "I mean, we have always been united in that. We love this show with everything, and we value our friendship more than anything."
While not addressing her reported complaint directly, Brown went on to state that it had been "so nice" to subsequently "come back together" with Harbour for Stranger Things' final season.
"It was quite nostalgic because it reminded me so much of season two and three, where we’re both kind of butting heads and she’s growing up," she continued. "She’s trying to find her own voice and he’s trying to parent, and that dynamic definitely comes back into play once again, and I’m really excited for people to see that."
"Obviously, you understand I can't get into personal onset matters," Matt Duffer said when asked about the situation at the Stranger Things Season 5 premiere, "but I will say we've been doing this for 10 years with this cast, and at this point they’re family and we deeply care about them. So, you know, nothing matters more than just having a set where everyone feels safe and happy."
"You have to create a respectful workplace where everyone feels comfortable and safe, and so we did everything to build that environment," Shawn Levy added, speaking at the same event. "And we're proud of the fact that we did so. I've read a bunch of stories and they range from wildly inaccurate to... there's so much noise around it. But the truth is that we view this crew and this cast as family, and so we treat each other with respect, and that's always been bedrock."
Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios released update 1.4.0 this week, and in the patch notes teased a “very hot fix for the locked room exploits.” It turns out they weren’t kidding.
Following the release of the patch, players — as they often do — jumped into the hugely successful extraction shooter to give this fix a proper test. They’ve been able to cheat their way into locked rooms as before, but what they now find inside… well, Embark called it a “very hot fix” for a reason.
As redditor Forward_Problem_7550 discovered, locked rooms now turn you into a fireball if you glitch inside. The clip below shows the trap in action.
Reaction to the change is positive, with most players getting a kick out of what Embark has done here. “Best part of this is the clowns doing the glitch lose all their stuff to someone who legitimately opens the door with a key. CLASSIC!” enthused A_Tortured_Crab. “It's genuinely a really good fix,” added vedomedo. “Hopefully this is the mindset they keep going forward. Punish the exploiters and reward legit players.”
Now, some players are saying they’re more inclined to use their keys to enter locked rooms legitimately in the hope of finding “some dingus who hasn't read the patch notes.”
Technically this isn’t a fix, as players can still use the exploit to enter locked rooms. But it is an eye-catching workaround, and will surely put off players from trying to cheat their way inside a room after they’ve been cooked once.
“Would’ve been better if they just didn’t say anything and rolled this out,” suggested Maverixk_. “Imagine all the door glitches finding this out and losing all of their s**t before word of mouth spread. Would’ve been hilarious.”
That’s not all the update did. It’s also patched the gun quick swap exploit. Full patch notes are below.
Arc Raiders Patch Notes 1.4.0:
Content and Bug Fixes
Exploit mitigation mechanisms have been added for all locked rooms across all maps.
Fixed the gun exploit that allowed you to shoot quicker than intended by swapping to a quick use item and back.
The exterior access to Spaceport's Control Tower locked room has been blocked off.
Fixed the issue that sometimes caused low resolution textures in the Main Menu.
Fixed players being able to push each other by jumping on each other’s backs.
Fixed lighting artifacts that would sometimes occur upon entering maps.
Raider Voice now correctly respects the selected voice option after restarting the game.
If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.
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 Forge is a fantasy RPG Roblox experience, where you'll play as one of the many races that inhabit the lands. Whether that's as a human, a goblin, or a dragonborn will all depend on reroll chances. Each race has its unique perks, influencing stats such as health, damage, attack power, and more. But if you don't like the character you get given, our list of The Forge codes will help you out with additional rerolls.
It's no surprise that The Forge focuses heavily on mining. The core gameplay centers around mining for ores, in the hopes of finding rare ores to forge powerful weapons and armor. You'll then throw those ores into the forge, where the blend of resources you use allows you to make items with special traits and designs.
Working The Forge Codes (November 2025)
These are the currently active for The Forge:
15KLIKES - Free Rerolls x2
10KLIKES - Free Rerolls x2, Luck Totem x1
5KLIKES - Free Rerolls x2, Miner Totem x1
BETARELEASE! - Free Rerolls x2
POSTRELEASEQNA - Free Reroll x1
Expired The Forge Codes (November 2025)
These codes have now expired and can no longer be used:
RELEASE
How to Use The Forge Codes
Ready to redeem the codes above? Here's what you need to do:
Open the Settings menu in the top left corner of the screen.
Scroll down to the bottom of Settings to find the Codes bar
Copy the code from this article
Enter the code into the "Type Here" bar
Press claim
Why Isn't My Code for The Forge Working?
When a code doesn't work for The Forge, it's usually because of two reasons:
The code for The Forge has expired
There's a spelling mistake or an additional space in the code
Codes for Roblox experiences are typically 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!
How to Get More Codes for The Forge
We regularly check and test new codes for popular Roblox experiences, so the best way to get more codes for The Forge is to visit this article. But if you want to mine for codes yourself, then the Discord server for The Forge is the best place to go.
When Is the Next Update for The Forge?
The Forge has just released in beta and is currently celebrating its Release Event. This is due to run until Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025. No updates have been currently announced, but the creators of The Forge have said that new features, content, and mechanics will be added to the experience. As soon as new information is announced, we'll add it here.
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.
Modern day gaming laptops today are truly "gaming-worthy". The most powerful models can run the latest games at super high resolutions and with ray tracing enabled, a notion that was unheard of just a few years ago. Now, all you need to do is find a great deal becauses price just keep going up. Fortunately, HP's Black Friday Sale has officially commenced, and with it HP's entire range of powerful OMEN gaming laptops have been brought down to the lowest prices I've seen all year.
Gamers looking for a mobile desktop replacement will find plenty of deals right up their alley. OMEN, OMEN Transcend, and OMEN MAX gaming laptops are all on sale right now with discounts of up to $1,300 off. Score an affordable yet capable RTX 5060 laptop for under $1,000 or splurge on a top-end RTX 5070 Ti or RTX 5080 powerhouse that will still keep you under $2,000. All orders ship free and all HP laptops come standard with a 1 year warranty.
OMEN MAX 16 RTX 5070 Ti Gaming Laptop
HP just dropped the price of the OMEN MAX 16 RTX 5070 Ti Gaming Laptop to just $1,449.99 after a $750 off instant discount.Specs include a 16" 1920x1200 display, Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. This system can be customized if any of the specs aren't to your liking. I'd recommend upgrading to the 2560x1600 OLED display for an extra $150. The RTX 5070 Ti is a powerful mobile GPU that should easily handle even the latest demanding games on the laptop's 2K display. It's comparable in performance to the previous generation's RTX 4080 and pulls ahead of it in games that support DLSS 4.
OMEN MAX 16 RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop
If you want something even more powerful, then check out this OMEN MAX 16 RTX 5080 gaming laptop for just $1,999.99 with free shipping after $1,300 in instant discounts. Aside from the GPU, this laptop has been upgraded with a higher resolution 16" 2560x1600 display, a more powerful and higher core-count Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, and double the RAM and storage capacity. The RTX 5080 is an absolute monster of a mobile GPU that surpasses the previous generation's top performer, the RTX 4090. You could even enable ray tracing and still get playable frames.
OMEN MAX 16 RTX 5070 Gaming Laptop
What if you're actually looking for something a bit more budget friendly? Only for Black Friday can you still stick with a premium OMEN MAX model and a capable GPU (RTX 5070) for an extremely respectable price of $1,199.99. The mobile RTX 5070 GPU performs about 5%-10% better than the RTX 4070 that it replaces and the gap widens in games that support DLSS 4.0. It should be perfectly capable of running most games comfortably on the 1600p display.
OMEN Transcend 14 RTX 5060 Ultra-Portable Gaming Laptop
The OMEN Transcend 14 is HP's thinnest and lightest gaming laptop, measuring just 0.71" thin and weighing in at about 3.6 pounds (about as thin and light as the much pricier Razer Blade 14). Right now you can get it for as low as $1,249.99 for Black Friday after a $750 off instant discount. It's equipped with a gorgeous 14" 2880x1800 OLED display, efficient Intel Core Ultra 7 255H CPU, GeForce RTX 5060 GPU, 16GB of LPDDR5X (onboard) RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD. The RTX 5060 is a capable, current-gen GPU that will play non-demanding games just fine even on the 3K display, but I'd recommend dropping the resolution down to 1080p and enabling DLSS if you plan on playing extra demanding games. Still, you won't find another thin and light laptop with this kind of gaming prowess under $1,300.
OMEN 16" RTX 5060 Gaming Laptop
Yes, even if you're budget is super tight, you can still get a very good gaming laptop for under $1,000. This OMEN 16" gaming laptop, featuring an AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, can be had for just $949.99 after a hefty $850 off instant discount. The AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX is a surprisingly powerful GPU for this price range, with a max frequency of 5.3GHz and an ample 16 cores and 32 threads. The RTX 5060 is an unthrottled model that's more powerful than the 5060 found in the OMEN Transcend and will be able to run games smoothly on the 2K display.
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.
Wizards of the Coast has announced it has gone “back to the drawing board” with its Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair x Monster Hunter collaboration, admitting it wasn’t good enough.
The collaboration includes four separate drops, each priced at $29.99, with a foil edition for $39.99. All cards involved are reprints of existing cards with Monster Hunter themes, nothing mechanically unique or new.
“Let's cut to the chase: the Secret Lair x Monster Hunter Superdrop we revealed last week fell short of expectations,” the company said. “We heard loud and clear that you were disappointed, and we believe we can do better. So, we're going to postpone this release and rework this Superdrop entirely.
“Like many of you, we're big fans of Monster Hunter. It's why we put this Superdrop together. But in our excitement, we missed the mark on elements like card selection and faithfully integrating the world and mechanics of Monster Hunter. As a result, the overall construction of this Superdrop is not up to the standard you have come to expect.
“Pulling Superdrops back isn't something we're going to do very often, but we're committed to doing better. Capcom is on board for us to take another swing at this Superdrop as well.
“So, we're going to pull this one back and will share new details and an updated release date in a few months. Keep an eye out for more information in 2026.”
It's been a busy year for both Secret Lair and third-party Magic collabs in general, with some incredible Secret Lair card drops including Sonic, Final Fantasy, Deadpool, SpongeBob, The Office and more. We're currently eagerly awaiting the release of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Universes Beyond set, following close on the heels of Marvel's Spider-Man. Next year is looking equally stacked, with planned Universes Beyond sets featuring TMNT, The Hobbit, Marvel, and Star Trek. Now we can add Monster Hunter to 2026.
If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.
Photo by Daniel Knighton/Getty Images.
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.
A pristine copy of Fortnite has just been sold for $42,500 — which seems a lot for a free-to-play game.
To be fair, this is a boxed version of Fortnite — something that also grants access to the game's original Save the World mode, which Epic Games still requires you pay a small amount to access.
But there's no suggestion this sealed copy of the world's biggest battle royale will ever actually be played. Indeed, it has been sold encased in a box, and labelled with a 10 A++ rating from video game grading company Wata — its highest possible quality score.
Sold by Heritage Auctions, this copy of Fortnite is an Xbox One version from the game's original 2017 print run. Only a limited number of physical copies were ever produced, and this edition dates back to when the game's now-ubiquitous battle royale mode was just a side-offering.
As mentioned, it does include access to Save the World, which is worth... something. Epic Games has bundled the original Fortnite mode in numerous ways over the years, but currently sells access as part of a $18.49 add-on that includes 1,500 V-Bucks (which would separately cost $18) as well as an exclusive skin.
Even with this in mind, though, you're still paying $42,482 over the odds.
These days, Fortnite is a very different beast — a metaverse of battle royale modes, user-generated maps, plus LEGO and music offerings. Oh, and it's home to pretty much every media franchise that has ever licensed itself for a video game, as well as real-life popstars and now even Quentin Tarantino.
Of course, video games attracting huge sums as collectible items is nothing new — and within the grand scheme of things, $42,500 pales in comparison to other auction prices. Back in 2021, a factory-sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. sold for a record-breaking $2 million, though there's debate over whether the sale counted as an auction in the traditional sense. Officially, Guinness World Records recognizes a copy of Super Mario 64 sold for $1.56 million as the highest amount successfully bid for a video game to date. But who knows how much that copy of Fortnite will be worth in another 100 years?
If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.
Image credit: Heritage Auctions/HA.com
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Borderlands 4 has dramatically fallen to just $35 for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox in the Black Friday sales. At 50% off, that's a huge deal on a game that only came out a few months ago, and one that I truly doubt is going to stay in stock for long.
This is one of the best deals going in both the Xbox and PS5 Black Friday sales, and absolutely worth picking up ASAP. Deals like this tend not to stick around, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's gone by the end of Thanksgiving, let alone Black Friday weekend.
Just look at Battlefield 6, one of the best deals of the day, and already out of stock at Amazon. You've just got to be speedy with deals of this calibre, I'm afraid. I'd also recommend picking up Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater for $30 right now as well, another deal so good it's almost guaranteed to disappear soon.
But is Borderlands 4 worth it as well? Well, I certainly think so. It's a great game! While IGN's reviewer and loot shooter aficionado, Travis Northup, felt the open world wasn’t quite as open as it could be, he still gave the game a recommendable 8 out of 10.
“Borderlands 4 gives the series the massive kick in the pants it has needed, with a fantastic open world and greatly improved combat, even if bugs and invisible walls can sometimes throw off that groove.”
Wait? Not for a deal like this. Black Friday proper might throw a few curveballs on November 28, but Borderlands 4 at $35 is already sitting firmly in Black Friday-deal territory, and it’s absolutely worth grabbing before the stock gets lost to the shadow realm.
Only Amazon and GameStop have it right now, so if the price gets nuked, that’s you staring down a fresh dose of Black Friday FOMO. Hopefully Walmart and Best Buy wake up and match it soon. If it’s been sitting on your wishlist, this is the best price you’re going to see, and it wipes the floor with pretty much anything else in the mix.
It also goes head to head with what I’d been calling the best PS5 game deal so far, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater at $30. And if you’ve been lurking around my bargain roundups, you’ve already seen the $20 or less list stuffed with heavy hitters, plus the under $30 guide where MGS was the star of the show.
Like BF6, those are going to disappear fast. If you want something broader, I’ve already pulled together a full sweep of the best Black Friday video game deals. Bottom line, grab the good stuff now and enjoy your Thanksgiving.
Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN's resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.
The official Apple Black Friday event doesn't start until Friday, but Amazon and Walmart are already offering significant discounts on Apple products, including the AirPods Max for $399. These popular over-the-ear headphones are some of the best around and usually retail for $549, so this $150 discount is likely the best you're going to find for some time.
Apple AirPods Max for $399.99
AirPods Max represent Apple's top-of-the-line audio experience, featuring a custom Apple-designed audio driver, H1 chip for instant pairing and automatic switching between your Apple devices, and personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking. Similar to the AirPods Pro, these also feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Transparency Mode, which allow you to seamlessly adjust the audio to suit your environment.
These are the latest AirPods Max models available, which now include up to 2x better ANC, a USB-C port for charging, and a refreshed lineup of colors: Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, and Orange. The USB-C port also allows for lossless audio, which is a great addition for audiophiles.
If you're more into earbuds than over-the-ear headphones, check otu the wireless AirPods deals. Nearly all models of AirPods are on sale for Black Friday, including the refreshed AirPods 4 (with Active Noise Cancellation) for $99 and the standard Airpods 4 for $69. If you're looking for a higher-end in-ear solution, the new AirPods Pro 3 are also on sale as well, with improved ANC, an improved fit, and the ability to track workouts without an iPhone or Apple Watch needed.
For even more savings, you can shop Black Friday deals at just about every retailer right now, including Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target.
Matthew Adler has written for IGN since 2019 covering all things gaming, tech, tabletop games, and more. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.
Without a doubt OLED technology offers the best image quality you can find in a consumer TV and fortunately, OLED TV prices have dropped significantly in 2025. For Black Friday, OLED TVs from the biggest brand names - LG, Samsung, and Sony - have dropped to the lowest prices of the year. Note that several of these deals are constantly going in and out of stock, so check back again if the TV brand and size that you want is currently available.
77" LG Evo C5 4K OLED TV Deal with Free Soundbar at LG
LG's OLED TVs have been our favorite TVs for console gaming for three years running. The 2025 C5 uses LG's proprietary Evo panel, which is significantly brighter and offers a wider color gamut than traditional W-OLED TVs. Aside from higher production costs, there's no downside to this technology.
More LG Evo C5 4K OLED TV Deals From eBay
Apply 20% off coupon code "CYBERWEEK20"
Electronics Express is an authorized LG reseller with over 200,00 reviews on eBay and a 99.4% rating. These TVs are marketed as brand new in unopened, original packaging with free shipping.
Samsung S90F 4K QD-OLED TV Deals for Black Friday
Apply 20% off coupon code "CYBERWEEK20"
The S90F is the current generation (2025) model in Samsung's S90 OLED TV lineup. Compared to LG's TVs, the Samsung S90F would be comparable to the LG Evo C5. It's equipped with a quantum dot OLED panel, which is only found in Samsung's higher end TVs. QD OLED TVs are brighter and have a wider color gamut than traditional W-OLED TVs.
Sony Bravia XR8B 4K OLED TV Deals for Black Friday
Are you a staunch Sony loyalist? I can't blame you. After all, they are the company behind the PlayStation 5 console, so it stands to reason Sony TVs would make a great complement to the console (and it's true). The Sony Bravia XR8B is a 2025 release that replaces last year's XR8. It uses a W-OLED panel so image quality is comparable to Samsung's S85F and LG's B5 OLED TV models. The Bravia 8 supportsHDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision video formats and Dolby Atmos and DTS audio.
If You're Looking for a High-end TV, Go With OLED
Compared to any other type of TV, OLED TVs boast superior image quality thanks to their near-infinite black levels, near-infinite contrast ratio, and near-instantaneous response times. This is easily the best type of TV for streaming 4K HDR content in its intended glory. OLED TVs have also been our favorite TVs for console gaming because nearly all of them feature a native 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 inputs for running PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X games in 4K at up to 120fps.
Size Matters, Get the Biggest TV You Can Afford
This year, shoppers are trending towards bigger TVs. Everyone who's purchased a 55" TV in the past is probably now looking to upgrade to a 65" TV, and even 77" TVs are becoming increasingly more common. Manufacturers are aware of this trend and I expect the biggest price drops to happen in the 60" to 77" size range.
If you're looking to upgrade, my advice is to get the biggest TV that can still fit in your intended space and is within your budget. One of the main reasons why people choose to upgrade is to get a bigger TV, and a larger TV will be more future-proof down the road. TV technology moves at a relatively slow pace and chances are if you're happy with the image quality of your TV right now, you'll probably also be fine with it for the long haul. But size is a different matter.
Gamers Should Look for TVs With These Features
If you have a current generation console like a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, you'll want to make sure that your new TV has both a native 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 inputs. These are necessary to run games in 4K at up to 120fps. Even in 2025, there are quite a few budget TVs that don't have these features, so make sure you do your due research. If you're a gamer, it is definitely worth it to splurge a little more on a TV that can run your games to their fullest potential.
Despite being a current generation console, the Nintendo Switch 2 has lax TV requirements compared to the PS5 or Xbox Series X. When the Switch is connected to its dock and a television, it is only capable of outputting a 4K resolution signal at up to 60 frames per second. It can go up to 120fps if the resolution drops to 1080p, but the data rate required for both these options is pretty much the same, and you would much rather play any game in 4K.
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.
the best deals I've found so far expect to see the lowest prices of the year during Black Friday. That means brand-name OLED TVs from LG, Samsung, and Sony will probably drop to as low as $1,199.99 (or less) for a 65" model and $1,799.99 (or less) for a 77" model. Higher end models with advanced features like LG's Evo or Samsung's quantum dot technology will very likely be heavily discounted as well.
Electronics Express via eBay is offering incredible prices on the 2025 LG Evo C5 4K OLED Smart TVs. The 77" model is marked down to $1,597.59 after 20% off code "CYBERWEEK20". The 65" model is down to $1,117.56 with same code. 42", 48", and 55" sizes are on sale as well. Electronics Express is an authorized LG reseller with over 200,00 reviews on eBay and a 99.4% positive feedback rating. LG is currently the most selling OLED TVs in the global market and for very good reason.
Note that Electronic Express often expires its eBay listings quickly, possibly due to low inventory, so these deals might end well before Black Friday, which lands on November 28.
LG's OLED TVs have been our favorite TVs for console gaming for three years running thanks to their outstanding image quality, low input lag, and high refresh rate. The 2025 C5 uses LG's proprietary Evo panel, which is significantly brighter and offers a wider color gamut than traditional W-OLED TVs. Aside from higher production costs, there's no downside to this technology; the C5 boasts the near-infinite black levels, near-infinite contrast ratio, and near-instantaneous response times you'd expect from any OLED TV This is easily the best TV for streaming 4K HDR content in its intended glory.
The LG C5 has the necessary gaming features as well, including a native 120Hz panel that can be pushed to as high as 144Hz, HDMI 2.1 inputs for running PS5 games in 4K at up to 120fps, variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM). The C5 is also lightweight for its size because the rear cabinet housing is made of a composite fiber; for example, this 65" model weighs only 36 pounds without the stand, making it much easier to wall mount.
Here's an alternative deal on the 77" model from LG Store
It's $1,999.99 with a free $200 soundbar and bonus $200 gift card
One of the best Black Friday deals on a current generation LG OLED TV bundle is back in stock again. 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 when you add it to the same order. But that's not all, read on below for one more huge perk.
For Black Friday, LG is incentivizing this purchase even further. Purchase this TV (77" LG Evo C5) between before December 7 and you can receive an extra $200 virtual gift card (prepaid Mastercard) simply for writing a review. You'll receive this gift card by December 27. Details here.
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.
What happens if Avatar: Fire and Ash doesn’t make enough profit to convince Disney to bankroll Avatar 4 and 5? Creator James Cameron has said he’s ready to walk away from the franchise, adding he’ll write a book to resolve the one thread Avatar 3 leaves open.
The special effects-heavy Avatar films cost a huge amount of money to produce, but they have historically made billions of dollars at the box office. Avatar: Fire and Ash, due out in December, is expected to follow suit — and the pressure is on it to deliver for Disney so director James Cameron can realize his vision and release Avatar 4 and 5 over the next six years.
Speaking on The Town with Matthew Belloni podcast, Cameron admitted he was feeling nervous about Avatar: Fire and Ash’s box office performance, and was mindful of the “forces” working against theatrical releases in 2025.
There’s the potential for “sequelitis,” Cameron noted. "People tend to dismiss sequels unless it’s the third Lord of the Rings film and you want to see what happens to everybody, which in my mind this is — this is the culmination of a story arc, but that may not be how the public sees it.”
And there’s the “one-two punch” of streaming and Covid, which means fewer people are going to the movies — 75% of what it was in 2019, Cameron suggested.
When pressed on how much Avatar: Fire and Ash cost to make, Cameron wouldn’t be drawn into divulging a figure, but did dance around the issue by suggesting it was a lot of money, and so the movie will have to make a lot of money.
“It is one metric f**k ton of money, which means we have to make two metric f**k tons of money to make a profit,” he said. “I have no doubt in my mind that this movie will make money. The question is, does it make enough money to justify doing it again?”
And on that point, Cameron admitted he was “absolutely” ready to walk away from Avatar if Fire and Ash flops.
“I’ve been in Avatar land for 20 years,” he said. “Actually 30 years because I wrote it in ‘95, but I wasn’t working continuously on it for those first 10 years. Yeah, absolutely, sure. If this is where it ends, cool.”
But what about open story threads?
“There’s one open thread. I’ll write a book!” Cameron responded.
What Cameron won’t do is hand Avatar over to someone else (“absolutely not!”). “I have choices there,” he explained. “There are levels in which I immerse. I could produce it. I don’t think there’d ever be a version where there’s another Avatar movie that I didn’t produce closely. But in terms of taking over my life, that’s a threshold issue for me.”
Avatar 4 is down for release on December 21, 2029, with Avatar 5 due out December 19, 2031. Cameron, now 71, would be close to 80 years old by the time it all wraps up.
Avatar remains the highest-grossing movie of all time (not adjusted for inflation), and has earned a staggering $2.9 billion across several theatrical runs. (Avengers: Endgame overtook Avatar for a brief period, before Avatar then stole its crown back via a fresh re-release.) 2022 sequel Avatar: The Way of Water earned $2.3 billion, meanwhile, cementing it as the third-highest grossing film of all time — just ahead of Cameron's own Titanic, which floats on $2.2 billion.
Can Avatar: Fire and Ash come close to its predecessors? The only movie to crack the $2 billion mark at the box office since Avatar 2 came out was Ne Zha 2. It feels like the world is in a very different place even now, just a few years after The Way of Water.
If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.
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 Beatles Anthology 2025 is available on Disney+ now.
Fans of the Beatles have been well enabled by Disney+ since it launched in 2019 with a steady release of exclusive Fab Four documentaries, including Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back (2021), Let It Be - Restored (2024), Beatles ’64 (2025), and now the remastered The Beatles Anthology 2025.
It’s staggering to consider that it’s been 30 years since the ABC network first broadcast the original eight episodes of The Beatles Anthology in the US as a three-night event. Directed by Geoff Wonfor and Bob Smeaton, the series marked the first time that the surviving Beatles — Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr — and Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon (representing the late John Lennon estate) worked together to tell their story in their own words. The docuseries also utilized the massive collection of unused Beatles footage curated and cataloged in 1971 by Neil Aspinall, their longtime friend and manager of Apple Corps, and their own individual personal archives. The result was an exhaustive, insightful, and very personal record of their shared history, starting from their childhoods in Liverpool through to the dissolution of the band in 1969.
While that iteration of The Beatles Anthology was accepted as the definitive source for the band’s history, it was limited by what could be accomplished with the video and audio mastering of the time, as well as broadcast standards in 1995 (HDTV wouldn’t be introduced until 1998). With this updated version, not only is a worthy ninth episode added to the whole, but the overall footage restoration and upscaling is pristinely done by Peter Jackson’s WingNut Films & Park Road Post, who were responsible for the Beatles: Get Back and Let It Be restorations. That’s matched by the stellar audio remastering and remixing by Giles Martin, son of legendary Beatles producer George Martin. He utilized ‘MAL’ AI de-mixing technology to do what good AI does, achieving digital separation of audio layers to get maximum clarity with voice, instruments, and background noise. That means crisp song fidelity throughout the new episode, as well as in Lennon’s voice in the “new” Beatles songs that came from this project.
Even if you aren’t a Beatles fan, the Anthology series stands apart from most band docs because of its contextual value as a historical time capsule of the post-war global music scene. Told primarily through interviews recorded from 1991-1994 with the surviving members, and using archival interviews of Lennon, the docuseries isn’t concerned with how the outside world perceived them. This was their opportunity to reflect on the magic of their intersected lives, how they applied their working class values of non-stop gigging to evolve into a cracking little band, and their remembrances of how they weathered the global obsession of them and their music that started with "Please Please Me" in 1963 and never really stopped.
There’s warmth, rapport, and truth that blooms before our eyes, and it’s emotional to watch.
The only new material in The Beatles Anthology 2025 comes in episode nine, which is a more formal edit of the special features footage from the extras disc on the original Anthology’s DVD box set, and some unused material from the original edit. Director Oliver Murray (Now and Then - The Last Beatles Song) takes his storytelling cues from Peter Jackson and allows the band’s candid moments to speak volumes about band dynamics, from their waning days right up through the sessions for the doc in the early ’90s. Murray also constructs a timeline for the creation process behind the Lennon demos that inspired their creation of "Free as a Bird," "Real Love," and what eventually would become 2023’s "Now and Then.” As they relearn to create in a space together, there’s a lot of joy in just witnessing them collaborating and writing as a unit again. There’s warmth, rapport, and truth that blooms before our eyes, and it’s emotional to watch.
In keeping with that, episodes one through eight remain a fascinating watch, not only because of the documentation of their meteoric rise, but because of how distance from “The Beatles” informs the unique mood each brings to the interviews that assess their memories of that crazy decade of their lives. While the great Beatles experiment only lasted a decade, the music they made and the accelerated rate in which they matured musically remains singular to modern pop music. In turn, they inspired countless musicians that came after, while continuing their own musical journeys. Not many bands hit a pinnacle of success like the Beatles did, then get to reunite to set the record straight while still wrestling with their legacy in real time on camera. The Anthology remains infinitely watchable because it’s not just documenting a timeline; it captures the evolving, complicated relationships of its existing members, who on one hand can be united in mourning the loss of Lennon, yet still bristle with their memories of one another.
There’s also the journey of the viewer. If you’ve watched Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back and Let It Be - Restored, and then rewatch The Beatles Anthology 2025 or watch it for the first time, together they present the clearest picture of each man’s patience and enthusiasm for the Beatles over time. McCartney and Starr have obviously had the benefit of more years on the planet than Lennon or Harrison were afforded and there is the mellowing that inherently comes with time. But those three projects, when watched together, do an extraordinary job of capturing the journey of what they all weathered personally and professionally, good and bad, and the choices they made to make peace with their Beatles legacy. As George Harrison says so sagely in closing, "The Beatles live in a different universe, regardless whether we're around or not. It's no longer us, it's whatever anyone takes from it." It’s especially bittersweet to have him acknowledge that truth when only six years later, he too would be gone… but that just reinforces what an incredible project this remains.
Sure, Black Friday may be filled with tons of great new video game deals right now, but GameStop's switching things up with a "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" sale on a ALL pre-owned games. There are some excellent picks included with this offer, too, from Ghost of Yotei to Hades 2 to Silent Hill f, and so many more.
We've picked out just a few of our pre-owned favorites from this sale event below (many are even discounted, which is a nice bonus), but if you're curious what others are available through this offer right now, check out GameStop's full Buy 2, Get 1 Free Sale on pre-owned games here.
GameStop Buy 2, Get 1 Free Sale on Pre-Owned Games
If you're a bit hesitant to jump on a pre-owned game, GameStop provides a 'Pre-Owned Guarantee', which mentions that each game is guaranteed to work, comes with a seven-day-money-back guarantee, and if you find you're not happy with it, most purchases can be returned within 30 days for free, whether that be in-store or online. They also note that the game you pick may not include the original box or manual, and the picture of it may not be accurate of the condition it was received in, which is worth keeping in mind.
Outside of GameStop's pre-owned sale, Black Friday is filled to the brim with video game deals right now. Looking for more PlayStation games? Check out our breakdown of PS5 games on sale for Black Friday. Or are you looking to add more Switch games to your library? We've gathered up every Switch game on sale during the event as well. Xbox fans have plenty to look at, too. Our roundup of every Xbox game on sale can point you towards the best deals currently available for Black Friday.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
Ubisoft has confirmed it no longer plans to launch a second major Assassin's Creed Shadows expansion, something that previously would have formed part of the game's now-abandoned season pass.
Shadows' first — and now, it seems, only — major expansion launched in September. The 10-hour Claws of Awaji had previously been described as the "first expansion" included in Shadows' season pass, an offer that was formally scrapped a year ago when Ubisoft delayed the game's launch from November 2024 to February 2025.
As an apology to fans for the game's delay, Ubisoft said it instead would gift Claws of Awaji for free to all pre-order customers. But fans still assumed a second expansion would follow at some point, as has become custom for every other major Assassin's Creed title over the past decade.
"As of now, at this moment for Year Two, there is no expansion on the size of Awaji that is planned," associate game director Simon Lemay-Comtois said in an interview with JorRaptor.
Lemay-Comtois caveated his answer by noting some exceptional examples in the past where Ubisoft had changed its plans to make more add-on content than it had originally envisioned (such as with the recent Saudi-funded DLC that arrived two years post-launch for Assassin's Creed Mirage). But, currently, it seems clear that no second expansion is on the cards, and there's no suggestion that Shadows' post-launch plans will extend into a Year Three.
It's an extremely surprising decision by Ubisoft, which followed up the launch of 2017's Assassin's Creed Origins with two expansions (The Hidden Ones and The Curse of the Pharaohs), 2018's Assassin's Creed Odyssey with two expansions (Legacy of the First Blade and The Fate of Atlantis), and 2020's Assassin's Creed Odyssey with three expansions (Wrath of the Druids, The Siege of Paris, Dawn of Ragnarök) alongside numerous other smaller DLC drops. 2023's smaller-scale Assassin's Creed Mirage was itself originally planned as yet another Valhalla expansion, before it was ultimately released as a standalone game.
"We're still working on content for post-launch and supporting it, but it's not a full-on DLC the way a season pass would have had in the previous years," Lemay-Comtois said, confirming at least that Ubisoft still had plans for smaller additions to Shadows within 2026.
"We're trying to re-adjust for Year Two a little bit," he continued. "There's learning from Year One we can apply to Year Two. Any content we want to do in Year Two will probably be more sparse, not a drip-feed... but chunkier updates that shake things up a little more. I'm not announcing anything at this point but our strategy for Year One was to be quick and reactive, so it means smaller drops often, but for Year Two we don't need to put fires out or anything, so it's more what good, chunky little piece of meat... we can drop and have people come back and enjoy it."
Digging into Lemay-Comtois' comment, the suggestion here is that Ubisoft's decision to change course on Shadows following its pre-release reception impacted the company's plans for post-launch support, with priority placed on fighting immediate "fires." And indeed, Shadows has enjoyed a series of recent patches that have added numerous fan-requested features, in a clear bid to turn sentiment around. Going into further detail, Lemay-Comtois also suggested Shadows had been a tougher game to develop technologically, further complicating plans to get post-launch content ready.
"I think with Shadows, we had a big jump in generations," he continued. "The engine work that we had to do on Shadows took a lot of time and a lot of our resources. So the planning for the post launch was not really clear as soon as it would have been on another [game] where the technology was more stable and well known.
"We started fairly late on Shadows... because I remember during pre-launch we had the Season Pass," he admitted. "And the situation changed when we pushed back on the release date. That plan changed quite a bit and then we had to kind of adapt to the situation. So because of the new tech, because of the new generation, because of the pushes we had in production, we chose an approach that was way more, let's put our ear to the ground when the game launches... and react."
"And whether or not this is the right way to go, or a good learning, I think it's more of an experience we're trying with Shadows, to keep things small and reactive and see how the community feels about it and reacts to it," he concluded. "And the learnings that come out of that will be applied to whatever other projects we do next."
And then there's what else fans expect is coming: a remake of Assassin's Creed: Black Flag reportedly waiting in the wings, as well as numerous other Assassin's Creed projects that Ubisoft has already confirmed, including a multiplayer spin-off and the witchcraft-themed Assassin's Creed: Hexe. Amongst all that, and coupled with Shadows' delay drama, Ubisoft seems to have simply decided a second Shadows expansion isn't necessary.
If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Black Friday has been filled with tons of great PS5 video game deals so far, and if you've been scooping them all up while they're on sale, you'll want to make sure you have enough space on your PlayStation to download or install them all. Thankfully, Amazon's here to save the day with a sweet 30% Black Friday discount on the 4TB Samsung 9100 Pro SSD with a heatsink, bringing it below $400 and giving you plenty of extra storage to hold all of your new games.
Black Friday Deal: Save on Samsung 9100 Pro 4TB SSD With Heatsink at Amazon
We consider this SSD to be among our picks of the best PS5 SSDs you can buy in 2025, though it's worth keeping in mind this is one of the fastest, most advanced M.2 drives you can buy, so much so the PS5 can't make full use of it. IGN's Jacqueline Thomas notes in our roundup that "the PS5 only rated it for 6,335MB/s" when it was formatted for her console – well shy of the up to 14,800 and 13,400MB/s sequential read and write speeds Samsung advertises. That's not to say you shouldn't consider it, though. Why? The future.
Thomas explains that "While Sony is nowhere near announcing the PlayStation 6, there's a good chance that if the console does support user-upgradable storage, like the current-generation version, it'd use the PCIe 5 interface." So while this drive will work completely fine in a current PS5, it's ready to have its full potential unlocked by any future tech that supports it. Or, if you decide to switch to PC gaming, this would make a fantastic boot drive.
There is increasing concern that skyrocketing RAM prices will impact high-end gaming not just in the short term, but the long term.
With the explosive growth of generative AI, AI data centers are hoovering up the world's memory and storage supply, sparking price hikes that some experts fear could last for decades. Cheap SSDs, DRAM, and HDDs are pretty much a thing of the past, with prices rising as AI demand outstrips supply.
This has already caused price rises, with PC retailer CyberPowerPC announcing a hike for memory modules across the U.S. and the UK “due to market conditions.”
“Recently, global memory (RAM) prices have surged by 500% and SSD prices have risen by 100%,” CyberPowerPC said. “This has had a direct impact on the cost of building gaming PCs since 10/1/25.” Price rises thus kick in on December 7.
The impact on PC gaming could be significant and long-lasting, Epic Games boss Tim Sweeney tweeted. “RAM price increases will be a real problem for high-end gaming for several years,” he said. “Factories are diverting leading edge DRAM capacity to meet AI needs where data centers are bidding far higher than consumer device makers.”
The situation has become so out of control that, as PCWorld reports, stores are beginning to sell RAM at 'catch-of-the-day' market prices. As CyberPowerPC pointed out, these price rises come with the holidays right around the corner, which is less than ideal.
Just checked the price of the RAM that is currently installed in my gaming PC; the AI bubble cannot implode fast enough. pic.twitter.com/G7N5lthE9O
But the issue may stretch out for years to come. “The AI build-out is absolutely eating up a lot of the available chip supply, and 2026 looks to be far bigger than this year in terms of overall demand,” Dan Nystedt, vice president of research at TriOrient, told CNBC.
As CNBC points out, AI servers primarily run on processors from chip designers like Nvidia. These AI processors heavily rely on High-Bandwidth Memory or HBM. Nystedt said AI server companies are willing to pay top dollar for premium chips. “It could be very bad for PCs, laptops, consumer electronics and automotive, which depend on cheap memory chips,” he added.
And there is concern for the price of video game consoles, too. There are online rumors that Microsoft may soon be forced to up the price of Xbox consoles again in reaction to the RAM crunch. Valve has yet to announce a price for its next-gen Steam Machine, and fluctuating RAM prices may have something to do with it.
If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.
Photo by Mohamad Salaheldin Abdelg Alsayed/Anadolu via Getty Images.
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.
Spoilers follow for the first four episodes of Stranger Things Season 5, “Chapter One: The Crawl,” “Chapter Two: The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler,” “Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap,” and “Chapter Four: Sorcerer.”
By the end of Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 1, the Hawkins campaign against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) is most certainly game on. Will Byer’s (Noah Schnapp) throwdown of Vecna’s Demogorgons seemingly positions him as the Dungeon Master extraordinaire. But there’s still so much that the Hawkins party doesn’t know about their adversary’s endgame, including everything at his disposal to ensure he achieves the horrific vision of Hawkins that he shared with Nancy (Natalia Dyer) in Season 4.
As always, every new batch of Stranger Things episodes opens the door for new questions, and that’s certainly the case again at the conclusion of the first four episodes of Season 5. As we’re still processing the insanity of that cliffhanger, here are a few burning questions we’ll be pondering until the next three episodes arrive on December 25, 2025.
What Is Dr. Kay’s Overall Mission?
The Duffers love their ’80s-era iconic actors. They’ve cast quite a few in some juicy parts across the seasons, including Matthew Modine as Dr. Martin Brenner, Sean Astin as Bob Newby, Paul Reiser as Sam Owens, Cary Elwes as Larry Kline and Robert Englund as Victor Creel. In Season 5, Linda Hamilton joins their esteemed, nostalgic company as the enigmatic Dr. Kay.
In the first four episodes, all we know about Kay is that she has her own well-funded and well-protected lab in the Upside Down. She’s not exactly warm with her subordinates, and is more in keeping with the behavior of Bishop the android (Lance Henriksen) from Aliens when it comes to their shared intensity regarding alien creature vivisection. But her acquired knowledge seems to have given her control of some of the critters, like the one that chokes out Hopper.
By the end of Chapter 4, we do know that she’s somehow found and forcibly taken Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) fellow lab sister Eight, a.k.a. Kali (Linnea Berthelsen). We can assume that the same sound device Kay uses to immobilize Eleven also works, or worked, on Eight. Now she’s harnessing Eight’s powers in some kind of machine, but how? As a reminder, Eight can manipulate and project illusions into the minds of those around her, which begs the question: Is what Eleven and Hopper see in the lab real, or is Kali projecting whatever Kay tells her to? It’s too early to tell if Kay is a nefarious player in the military’s research or a sympathetic scientist when it comes to all things in the Upside Down.
How Did Kali/Eight Wind Up in the Upside Down?
As alluded to above, Kali Prasad/Eight was one of Dr. Brenner’s lab children that he conducted experiments on starting in 1979. Prior to One/Henry Creel/Vecna killing all of the children in the lab except Eleven, Eight had escaped the lab and collected her own family of misfit runaways in Chicago. In Season 2, Eleven seeks out the girl who escaped and they bond over their shared experiences and special powers. They part ways that same season and haven’t reconnected until Eleven finds Eight in Dr. Kay’s Upside Down lab machine. We have to imagine that she was never really as off the grid as she imagined, between Brenner’s files and perhaps even the tracking of Eight after her escape. And when Kay needed to bring Eleven into her Upside Down lab, the best bait would be Eight.
Will the Wheelers Survive?
Karen Wheeler (Cara Buono) and Ted Wheeler (Joe Chrest) got shredded as they attempted to protect their youngest, Holly (Nell Fisher), from that rampaging Demogorgon in their house. They were both slashed up so brutally that we actually felt a teensy bit bad for Ted, who has been consistently inert as a father and partner across all five seasons. The pair were both alive when they arrived at the local hospital, and Karen even was conscious enough to identify Holly’s “imaginary friend” as Henry. That said, we wouldn’t be surprised if one, or both, were sacrificed to the stakes of this finale season. On the other hand, we also wouldn’t complain if Karen survives and gets to escape the purgatory that is Hawkins suburbia.
When Is Steve Going to Call Dustin on His Shit?
As Steven Harrington (Joe Keery) has evolved from lunkhead high school jock to emotionally perceptive adopted dad of the Hawkins misfits, the writers have recognized that he’s their secret weapon for great character moments. He gets to land some truth bombs on Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) in this block of episodes, but we’re really waiting for an overdue thrown down between him and bestie Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo). The typically enthusiastic science nerd hasn’t processed Eddie Munson’s (Joseph Quinn) death from last season at all, and it’s turned Steve’s little bro into an angry, bitter shadow of his former self. In turn, their bromance plays out more like a troubled marriage in these first episodes as they snipe and bicker at one another. We know it’s just a matter of time before Steve gets to the bottom of what’s going on with Dustin and when it happens, we don’t expect to survive it without some ugly sobbing.
Is the Organic Wall Connected to Vecna’s Evolved Look?
The organic matter that energizes Vecna in the attic of the Creel home has been an evolving organism ever since we first got a good look at it in the Upside Down in Season 1. We’ve seen those tendrils attach to Vecna and replenish him during his regeneration time. And then he seemed to use them to bind and contain his victims in the Upside Down version of the Creel house. But what they are and if they’re autonomous from Vecna remains a mystery.
In Season 5, the massive organic wall discovered by Hopper and Eleven in the Upside Down is reminiscent of the wall that Vecna attaches Will to in the season’s first episode, just writ large. Is the size of it now indicative of Vecna’s power? When he appears through the portal into Hawkins in "Chapter Four: Sorcerer,” Vecna looks different. His once humanoid-looking right arm is no more and matches his entire body in appearing more thorny, with active movement slithering across his form. He’s jacked too now, so maybe the size of that wall is directly connected to this more ‘roidy-looking Vecna. Is there a way to damage what the wall parallels in the Rightside Up in order to weaken the demon?
If Max Is Revived From Her Coma, Will She Be Changed Irrevocably?
For 584 days, Max (Sadie Sink) has been roaming inside Henry Creel's memories. Even though she’s found a safe space inside the rock cave — a place Henry won’t enter — the question remains: What will the cost be for Max to spend so much time trapped inside that monster’s head? Even if Holly is the key to Max’s escape from the cave and the coma, will she be irrevocably changed for the worse? The best case scenario is that her time in Henry’s head will help the gang figure out how to take the villain down. Maybe she can look to Will’s burst of power to figure how to harness what she’s learned from Henry’s memories to use them against him?
How Does Will Pull Off an Eleven Power Move — Bloody Nose and All — at the End of Episode 4?
The prologue of "Chapter One: The Crawl" makes it very clear that from the moment Will Byers was yoinked into the Upside Down, his connection with Vecna has been physical, intentional and part of a long game. It was wild to see tiny, vulnerable Will encased in organic matter and forcibly face-hugged by Vecna as he did who knows what to the kid. But it certainly confirms that every Will neck tingle, every phantom feeling, every barfed-up slug has been strengthening whatever Vecna initiated between them. What we don’t know is if Will’s Eleven-style power move at the end of "Chapter Four: Sorcerer" was always part of Vecna’s plan, or if Will’s increasing confidence paired with his love for his family and friends manifested in his siphoning of Vecna’s power, which facilitated that Demogorgon massacre? Either is interesting, but the latter is a twist that could finally tilt the power tables against Vecna.
What were your biggest questions about the first four episodes of Stranger Things Volume 1? Let’s discuss in the comments!
A gorgeous 4K TV set feels incomplete without a great sounding speaker system to back it up, so do you ears (and your wallet) a favor by upgrading to a Sonos speaker system for Black Friday. The Sonos Black Friday Sale has officially commenced, and with it the lowest prices of the year on Sonos' signature soundbars and speakers.
The audio savvy knows that a single speaker usually isn't enough to reproduce an entire soundstage. Fortunately, Sonos offers pre-selected speaker bundles that are matched together to round out a complete home theater or entertainment system. Some of these bundles have an additional discount that stacks on top of Black Friday prices.
This set includes:
2 x Era 100 speakers ($338 for both, normally $438)
There is an extra $19 off set discount that drops the price even further to $319 with free delivery.
This set includes:
2 x Era 300 speakers ($758 for both, normally $958)
Sub 4 subwoofer ($719, normally $899)
This set includes:
Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar ($879, normally $999)
Sub 4 subwoofer ($719, normally $899)
This set includes:
Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar ($879, normally $999)
Sub 4 subwoofer ($719, normally $899)
2 x Era 100 speakers ($338 for both, normally $438)
This set includes:
Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar ($879, normally $999)
Sub 4 subwoofer ($719, normally $899)
2 x Era 300 speakers ($758 for both, normally $958)
Sonos Arc Ultra
The Arc Ultra is Sonos' best soundbar speaker, replacing last year's Arc model. It is a massive 46" soundbar that houses 14 total speakers, including five tweeters (plus two upward-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos supported height channels), six midwoofers, and a four-motor, dual-membrane Sound Motion woofer. The Arc Ultra uses AI enhancement technology to isolate and boost the clarity of dialogue and voices. It also has a built-in microphone so that it can be controlled using voice commands from the Sonos app or your favorite smart assistant. Check out our own Sonos Arc Ultra review.
Sonos Era 100
The Sonos Era 100 is a compact powered speaker that pumps out great sound for its small footprint. Unlike the Sonos Move, this is not a portable speaker with a built-in battery, so you'll need to leave it plugged in. Sound quality is equivalent to a Sonos Move, which isn't surprising considering they have similar internal components: two tweeters, a mid-woofer, and three class-D digital amps. It has a built-in microphone for smart assistant functionality.
Sonos Era 300
The Era 300 is a much bigger, better sounding version of the Era 100. It's nearly double the size and weight. The Era 300 is also shaped differently, but there's a reason for that. The hourglass figure is designed to optimally arrange the six speakers so that they fire sound in all directions, enhancing Dolby Atmos and spatial audio effects. The Era 300 consist of four tweeters and two woofers paired with Class-D digital amplifiers and custom waveguides to help project sound to all corners of your room. It also has a built-in microphone for smart assistant compatibility.
Sonos Sub 4
If you want to add ground-shaking bass to your Sonos setup, there's still nothing better than a separate standalone subwoofer. The Sub 4 boasts plenty of power in the form of dual inward-facing 5"x8" woofers and a ported design that allows for a louder and deeper low-end. It simply can't be emulated by a standard bookshelf speaker or soundbar alone.
Why Sonos?
If you're looking for an easy solution to add great sound to your home, then you've probably already heard of Sonos. Sonos speakers are very easy to set up, don't take a large amount of space, and most importantly, offer distortion-free room-filling audio. They're definitely pricier than budget options, but the sound quality is comparable to speakers that cost hundreds more or take up much more space.
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.
Black Friday has been surprisingly good so far for gamers. Xbox is a little light on doorbuster offers, but there are still several standout deals that I absolutely think are worth checking out this weekend.
There's also 15% off Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Gift Cards at Target for today only, alongside Xbox controllers from just $39.99.
With that, march through the Black Friday sale weekend has very much commenced, and it's not just Xbox putting on a show, with PlayStation and Nintendo's sales also kicking into full gear today.
If live updates, be sure to bookmark this page for all the latest discounts from now through to Cyber Monday. But for now, let’s jump into the best Xbox Black Friday deals available right now.
Xbox Games
Like I mentioned, the big highlights in the Xbox Black Friday sale are absolutely on the games. A few big new deals have appear today, including Borderlands 4 for $35, alongside Battlefield 6 at the same price. Two big new games at 50% off, now that's what Black Friday is all about.
There's also one of the most popular Xbox deals of Black Friday 2025 so far, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater for just $30 at Walmart. Deals like this don't tend to stick around long, so snap them up ASAP to avoid that Black Friday deal FOMO when they inevitably run out of stock.
There's also up to 75% off digital games, which has a reasonably good selection, including The Outer Worlds 2 and Ninja Gaiden 4 for $55.99. There's also a handful a great games from the past few years that are around $10 in the sale, including Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Sonic Frontiers, Dead Space, and more.
Xbox Controllers
Microsoft has finally showed a bit of holiday goodwill this Black Friday, trimming roughly $20 off almost every Xbox controller in the lineup. That takes some of the sting out of the accessory price hike from earlier this year, and it means most options are now sitting comfortably in the $40 to $50 range.
I'd prefer if we could get a controller at consistently $30-$35, but for the time being, these are the best deals. A lot of the popular shades have already vanished from Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, so if you’ve been putting off replacing a battered pad, or you just want a second one for couch co op, now’s the window.
The lowest prices are on the standard Carbon Black and Robot White models at $39.99, while the more eye catching colors hover between $45 and $50, including the newer Breaker designs from September.
Xbox Game Pass
Target has the best deal on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate right now, with the 3-month memberships down to $50.99 (a massive discount versus the new $89.99 MSRP for the same membership). This is worth stacking up on while you can, as the deal is set to expire by November 28.
The max you can fill out your account with is 12, which in the US currently costs $611.88 in total ($203.96 per year). Now that's a lot, and I'm never going to recommend you suddenly shell out just over $600 on a subscription service, certainly not in this economy.
But it's still worth being honest about the numbers and how much it does cost to avoid a price hike by paying upfront while you still can.
Once this deal expires, Amazon and Target will likely return back to the $59.99 pricing, which is still a deal versus the new $89.99 MSRP, all things considered.
Where Are the Xbox Console Deals?
Let's just get this over with, there are no Xbox console discounts right now. None. The best Microsoft can muster is a trade-in offer where they'll hand you about $130 for a used machine, which isn't exactly the sort of thing that gets people rushing to checkout.
It's the same story across the usual suspects. Retailers that usually throw a bone around Black Friday, like Lenovo with its oddly generous promo codes, have gone quiet. No bundles, no quirky coupon stack, no surprise Amazon price drop hiding in the weeds. Just radio silence.
Why? Because Microsoft already raised prices this year on all Xbox hardware, and retailers, including Microsoft, clearly aren't in the mood to cut into their margin on a console that's already selling at a what can only be defined as a trickle. I love my Xbox Series X, and even I think this is a bit sad. No, there aren't any discounts on the Xbox Ally X, either. Fingers crossed for next year, I guess.
If you want a console under the tree this year, PS5 consoles are $100 off for Black Friday, and Switch 2 still has its money saving bundles with Mario Kart World ($30 saving), and they're not evaporating instantly either.
In other words, unless you're dead set on Xbox, your money goes further elsewhere right now, especially since the Xbox Series X costs 650 big ones in the US now, the same price as an on sale PS5 Pro.
You might have already seen my $20 or less roundup, which is still packed with heavy hitters from the last few years and perfect if you want maximum bang for your buck. I also recently covered the best games under $30 right now, sporting Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater as my top pick.
I've also got you covered if you're looking for a more comprehensive roundup of the best video game deals for Black Friday. In summary, snag these Xbox games as soon as you can, maybe we'll get some Xbox console offers next year, and have a great Thanksgiving.
Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN's resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.
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