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Deals for Today: 3 Months of Audible Premium Plus for $0.99 Per Month, Gaming PC and Laptops, and More

9 janvier 2026 à 19:40

Everyone likes a good audiobook, or if you haven't tried them, you really should. They're perfect for bedtime, having one on in the background whilst working, or if you're like me and don't have the patience (or time) to sit down with a book. Audible Premium Plus is currently $0.99 per month for the first three months for new subscribers.

TL;DR: Deals for Today

3 Months of Audible Premium Plus for $0.99/Month

Premium Plus gives you all the access to the 10,000 audiobooks the Premium Audible membership has, but you'll also get access to another 500,000 audiobooks. Reckon you could read them all? You can also pick one audiobook a month to keep forever, so if you were after a couple of audiobooks anyway, it's going to be worth picking up this deal just to get hold of them. You'll also gain access to exclusive podcasts and Audible Originals. Not bad for less than $3, right?

Dungeon Crawler Carl Sale

Like video games? Like gaming? LitRPG (Literal Role Playing Game) books are for you. They usually involve a main character either being pulled into or living in a video game of sorts, complete with levelling systems, big bads to overcome, etc. The Dungeon Crawler Carl series is a popular LitRPG series, and pretty much every book is on offer, with the latest in the series, A Parade of Horribles, dropping on May 15, 2026 for a slightly marked-down $29.82. The best part is Amazon won't take payment until the book ships, so if you're a fan, this is a no-brainer.

PC Deals

The best deal here by an absolute mile is the iBuyPower build. The Y40 Pro has comparable specifications to the RTX 5080 build, but swaps out an Intel CPU for an AMD Ryzen 9 7900X. OK, you're not getting specific Alienware branding and Area-51 features, but for the sake of saving $1,576.01 for more or less the same value build, I couldn't care less.

More Gaming Laptop Deals

The best gaming laptop for the money here is the MSI Vector 16 HX AI for $1,648. Granted, the processor isn't as good as the $2,099.00 ROG Strix, but it's still more than capable at backing up the packed-in RTX 5070 Ti laptop GPU and rocks 16GB DDR5, which is plenty for solid high-frame 1440p gaming. The 512GB SSD isn't ideal, but it's an easy upgrade down the line. You could, of course, double your RAM, get a better CPU, and get a 2TB M.2 SSD with the ROG Strix G16, but I don't personally think it's worth the extra $450 to get there.

More Gaming PC Deals

The Alienware Aurora is the cheapest build here, but it's only got an RTX 5060 Ti. That's fine if you just want a 1080p gaming machine for Fortnite, but frankly, you're paying some brand tax even after a cheeky discount.

Whilst I'd love for everyone to have $2.6k to spend on a liquid-cooled Radeon RX 9070 XT build, I'd go with the HP OMEN 45L for $2,284.99. 32GB DDR5 RAM is going to be relevant for years to come, and that also means your motherboard is good for any DDR5 or Intel CPU upgrades down the line (check that socket type before you do!). With DLSS 4.5 and 6x Frame Generation either just dropping or coming later this Spring, an RTX 5070 Ti is going to be plenty of power for a solid 1440p experience. You could even try and push to 4K with some lower settings, but 1440p is 100% the sweet spot for PC gaming with ridiculous frame rates.

Apple iPad and Macbook Deals

If you're more about the Apple ecosystem, hats have to go off to their unified memory and M4/M5 SoCs. They're bloody rapid and perfect for all kinds of productivity and creative work, but gaming not so much. Any opportunity to shave off some Apple brand tax is a good deal, and I personally love iPad Pro M5s combined with an Apple Pencil for 3D sculpting, drawing, and painting. It's a seamless and smooth experience that rivals dedicated drawing tablets.

AMD Threadripper Sale

If you're wanting to put a Threadripper into your gaming setup, then you're wasting your money. But if you need some of the fastest rendering times, run complex simulations, manage engineering workloads, or run compile farms (and yes, fine-tuning, inference, and data pre-processing AI/machine learning), this is the CPU to get. It will also unlock support for large Gen 5 PCIe lanes, ECC DDR5 support, and AVX-512 acceleration. If none of this makes sense to you, this likely isn't an investment you need to make. But for the right person, all of these Threadripper deals are a steal.

Gaming Monitor and TV Deals

PC gaming belongs on gaming monitors, mostly due to them supporting far higher frame rates, G-SYNC/FreeSync support, and low latency. You won't be playing Fortnite at 170 FPS on any TV in 2026, sadly, but a gaming monitor will get you there depending on your budget.

That's not to say TVs aren't getting close. TCL is knocking out 120–140Hz on some of their latest panels up to 98 inches. They're more than capable of handling PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, and PCs too. It just depends on how you want your setup to look and how you want to play.

Game Controller and Keyboard Deals

It's the most expensive on this list, but SteelSeries gear really is quality. Every keyboard and mouse I've tried from them felt amazing and purpose-made for my fat sausage fingers. In all honesty, every product listed is fantastic, but I personally would always go for SteelSeries. You've got their magical HyperMagnetic switches, which feel super responsive with a lovely bounce-back, and my Apex Pro TKL Wired Gen 3 handles absolutely everything from writing the words you're reading to Diablo IV to Fortnite.

Gaming PC and Laptop Deals

If you want a prebuilt gaming PC with legs and room for larger GPU upgrades down the line with ample cooling, I'd go with the Skytech Shadow Gaming PC. It's a good entry point for 1080p, high frame-rate gaming. Unlike the Storm and Crystal models, you're getting DDR5 RAM and an RTX 5060 Ti, which boasts higher performance over the standard 5060 and 5050 GPUs. Plus, the cheaper models only have a DDR4 RAM motherboard. If you're looking for a cheap build before RAM, GPU and SSD prices skyrocket, Skytech Shadow is a fair price by parts comparison and sets you up for future GPU upgrades without the worry of also replacing RAM and the motherboard.

If you'd prefer a gaming laptop, I'd 100% pay the extra $120 to get the Ryzen AI 9 270 CPU and RTX 5070 Mobile GPU. Yes, you're getting the same 32GB DDR5 RAM and 1TB SSD, but you're getting far better performance from the CPU and GPU.

Gaming Keyboard Deals

Gaming keyboards all do the same job more or less; it mostly comes down to the different type of switches and keycaps you prefer. If you like a low-profile laptop keyboard, Razer Joro is a good pick. If you want clicky button presses, wireless functionality and all the bells and whistles you could possibly want on a keyboard, ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme Wireless is $100 off right now.

A solid mid-range pick would be the Razer BlackWidow V4 Mini HyperSpeed Wireless. It has a massive 200-hour battery with quiet orange switches and pudding keycaps. For a budget gaming keyboard, I'd highly recommend Glorious GMMK for a cheeky 10% off right now. It has brown mechanical switches, which serve as a great hybrid for work and gaming. Plus, it's modular, making it a great modding platform.

Gaming Mice Deals

Again, it really comes down to preference when it comes to gaming mice. I prefer having something I can grip with some curves built into the sides. When it comes to a cheap wired option that's built well and has some RGB to make me game faster, I'd go for Glorious Model D (Minus) at a reasonable $28.68.

If we're talking wireless, I'd shell out $99.99 for ASUS ROG Keris II. The battery life is a respectable 127 hours, has up to 42K DPI alongside tri-mode connectivity. It's a versatile and responsive bit of kit with the ergonomics I look for in gaming mice.

Home Workout Deals

Half the challenge of going to the gym is getting into the mindset to get in there and put some graft in; it's intimidating for a lot of people. Luckily, there are a couple of ways to get a fantastic workout at home. The first route is equipment with a service, specifically Peloton. The deal is you can either pick a treadmill or exercise bike, grab a subscription and get that personal trainer experience in the comfort of your own home with all the bells and whistles of the latest high-tech, gym-quality equipment.

If you just want to go at your own pace whilst having quality gym equipment at home, EVKRun’s treadmill is $180 off right now at $399.98. It supports up to 400lbs, has 3.5HP and reaches speeds of up to 8.5MPH. If you're more interested in toning up over cardio, Pooboo's Power Cage is a squat rack, lateral pull-down system backed by a dual pulley cable configuration. It also includes various strength training attachments at a tidy $400 discount down to $1,199.99.

Portable Power Station Deals

Even if you're just looking for a power backup that you can charge at the wall, Portable Power Stations are products that you think you don't need until you get a power cut or you need some electricity whilst camping for a number of reasons.

I use an Anker SOLIX Power Station as a fail-safe for my office and gaming setup. If I have a power cut or surge, I have absolutely nothing to fear. Not only do I have that added protection of the Power Station keeping the electricity flowing as it should to my PC, but it gives me backup power to save my work or game progress before using it for something really important, like keeping my kids warm.

Picking a solar panel option makes sure you can stay powered on when camping or sitting in a field doing nothing whilst ignoring nature and gaming. Perfection.

MTG: Cheapest at Amazon

Amazon is putting out some decent pricing, with my favorite pick here being the "Game Edition" of Cloud Strife-themed Limit Break Commander Deck. It's around the same price as TCGPlayer, making it market value, with the artwork being based on in-game moments instead of the traditional MTG artwork.

The same can be said for the Marvel's Spider-Man Play Booster Box containing 30 booster packs with the following:
• 14 Magic: The Gathering cards
• 1–4 cards of rarity Rare or higher
• 3–6 Uncommon cards
• 6–9 Common cards
• 1 Land card (Traditional Foil Land replaces a Land in 20% of boosters)
• 1 card of any rarity is Traditional Foil; Foil Showcase Mythic Rare in 1% of boosters

MTG: Cheapest at TCGPlayer

Meanwhile, TCGPlayer is the place to go for MTG preorders. It's the cheapest for the Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box and Bundle, with the next Universes Beyond entry Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Play Booster Box, Turtle Power! Commander Deck and Bundle, the latter being over $15 cheaper than Amazon.

There's some gorgeous Final Fantasy scene boxes coming in cheaper than Amazon too, not to mention the standard Limit Break Commander Deck being just under $5 cheaper on TCGPlayer. It pays to shop around for sure.

Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090

This beast is loaded with an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU, GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card, 32GB DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and a 1TB SSD. That alone sells this system with the custom cooling that makes Alienware's Area-51 builds worth the premium. The good news is we're seeing a rare discount on something that has an RTX 5090 in it, a solid 10%, or $550 off, knocking this build down to $5,049.99. What's not to love?

2 Lisen 6.6ft 240W USB Type-C Cables

Thanks to my kids destroying countless USB cables over the years, I know what makes a USB-C charging cable that lasts. Braided wins out over rubber cable every day of the week due to its flexibility and durability. Thick caps on either side protecting the port will also be a lifesaver, but getting 240W-capable cables can sometimes cost a fortune.
Not today! You can get Lisen’s 6.6ft double pack for a ridiculously reasonable $5.60. These will handle fast charging for pretty much everything you can think of, from a mobile phone or Switch 2 to a MacBook. Even if you don't need a new cable, it's worth buying spares when deals like this crop up.

JVSCAM Cordless Electric Air Duster

Cleaning dust or crumbs out of your keyboard is a pain. No-one likes doing it and it takes ages to brush them all out. I was in the "Why the hell do I need an electric duster" camp, but then I bought one and I’m using it quite a lot.

I use mine to clear out vents, fans, GPU and more inside my PC, and even use it to get to hard-to-reach places in the car and on my desk. They're very handy to have in your desk drawer and it’s a great deal for $20.

Pokémon TCG: Market Value at Amazon

Well, the good news is you can get the Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box with Prime delivery without getting stung. It has nine booster packs, a gorgeous Charcadet Illustration Rare promo, Mega Charizard X–themed sleeves, card dividers, a tournament-legal coin, alongside some nice-looking dice.

Cynthia’s Garchomp ex Premium Collection has four Journey Together and two Destined Rivals booster packs, so if Trainer Pokémon cards are your thing, you’re good to go.

Pokémon TCG: Cheapest at TCGPlayer

If it were me making a choice from the TCGPlayer selection here, I’d go for the Destined Rivals Booster Bundle. It’s $13 cheaper than Amazon right now and works out at $4.66 per booster pack, which is one of the best prices I’ve seen for Destined Rivals booster packs recently.

If you want a decent Mega ex card for your Grass-type deck, I’d recommend the Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection. If you run Meganium alongside it from Mega Evolution, you can double your Grass Energy value while being able to move a Grass Energy from one Pokémon to another thanks to their abilities. That means you can set up and use Mega Venusaur ex’s “Jungle Dump” attack for 240 damage in one turn (it costs four Grass Energy).

You’ll also get the following booster packs:

  • 2 × Mega Evolution
  • 2 × Destined Rivals
  • 4 × Journey Together

Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.

Save 45% Off the Corsair TC100 Relaxed Gaming Chair, Drops Below $150 for the First Time

9 janvier 2026 à 18:50

Amazon just discounted one of our favorite budget gaming chairs. Right now, you can pick up a Corsair TC100 Relaxed gaming chair in Black Leatherette for just $149.99 shipped after you clip the $80 off coupon on the product page. That's 45% off its original price of $270 and all other options currently cost $250 or more. Even at its original retail listing, this chair offered a ton of value for the price, so this deal is an absolute steal.

Corsair TC100 Relaxed Gaming Chair for $149.99

The TC100 "Relaxed" series of gaming chairs offers a broader seat width and minimal bolstering on the sides to fit a wider range of body sizes. This gaming chair can hold up to 264lbs, accommodate heights up to 6' 2" tall, and features a height adjustment range of 45-65cm (21.7–25.5"). The leatherette fabric is durable and easy to clean, and the seat section is perforated for breathability. The upholstery has plenty of foam cushioning for all-day comfort. Although the chair doesn't have any internal lumbar adjustments, it does include a headrest and lumbar pillow in the package. This chair is reclinable up to 160 degrees and has 2D armrests. It's also backed by a two-year warranty.

Another Gaming Chair Alternative

Use 10% off code: AndaIGN

AndaSeat recently released an affordable alternative - the Andaseat Novis gaming chair – which retails for $249. Even better, you can use our 10% off IGN code "AndaIGN" to drop the price further to $224.10. The Novis looks like it has most of the comfort, features, and styling of other high-end gaming chair minus some of the more common gimmicks (like "4D" armrests) in exchange for a more affordable price. AndaSeat isn't as big of a name in the congested gaming chair market as some other brands like Secretlab, DXRacer, or Razer, but it does make some high-quality gaming chairs.

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.

Baldur's Gate 3 Writer Wishes Wyll Had Gotten More Content and a More Fulfilling Arc Too, Explains What Happened

9 janvier 2026 à 18:35

In the years since Baldur's Gate 3's release, Larian has put a lot of time and energy into updating the game with tons of new content, including new content for some beloved character who got the short end of the wizard staff the first time around, like Karlach. But one character is still coming up short for fans: Wyll. And at least one writer at Larian is just as frustrated by it as you.

This comes from a Reddit AMA today conducted by a number of Larian employees, during which one person asked why Wyll wasn't developed further in post-launch patches, even as other companions got storyline and even personality updates. We've known for a while that the "Blade of Frontiers" warlock Wyll was rewritten significantly from his early access version to final version.

The question was answered by Larian senior writer Kevin VanOrd, who explained that he also wished Wyll had gotten more attention, and that the lack of content compared to other companions was mostly the result of a series of unfortunate timing coincidences. Here's how VanOrd puts it:

I wish Wyll had gotten more content and a more fulfilling arc too.
As you probably know, we weren't connecting with Wyll's Early Access recruitment and initial questing, so we started over at a point when most of the other companion stories were fairly solid. A lot of decisions came later in development than was ideal - and there was a key situation near Baldur's Gate that I intended to heavily involve Wyll in (the Red War College) that got cut. That meant back to the drawing board again. We eventually tied him to Duke Ravengard and started to work on that element of his arc just in time for me to get unexpectedly ill. I was out of the office for quite a while, and again after the epilogue's release.
I think that Ansur's lair was Swen's idea - we did have the resources for a standalone dungeon, so we got to work on tying Wyll to the Wyrmway, but I couldn't get more than a dungeon boss out of it. Once the situations were in place, that was that - I had to start writing them.
Wyll's content is sparser than I'd have liked as a result. He's also split into two stories, really - the Mizora story and the Ravengard story, and that might have been a mistake in hindsight. I also wish I could given him a stronger endpoint - it always bugged me that he can end up just as he started, as the Blade of Frontiers, without any meaningful difference. All that said, I love the Blade and I am really proud of him, his sincerity, his good nature, and his eager heroism. I'm truly sorry I didn't give you more quality time with him.

It's worth pointing out that it's not that Wyll received no updates post-launch. Patch 7 made some light tweaks to Wyll's dialogue that helped those pursuing him romantically have a more interesting time, though it didn't really give him any new story content. But that's nothing compared to Karlach, who got an entirely new ending in the same patch. Karlach, like Wyll, was considered to be one of the character who had been given the least love in terms of story content in the 1.0 release, and has consistently been a popular favorite. Recently, one fan broke down how many minutes of dialogue every character in Baldur's Gate 3 had, and Wyll's down below most of the other companions with just under 9 hours speaking. Still, it's not as bad as Halsin, Minthara, Jaheira, and Minsc, though admittedly those four companions are a little more complex to recruit and you can't even get them until Acts 2 or 3.

So, perhaps cold comfort to Wyll fans, but it's comforting to know that he wasn't intentionally sidelined. We're proud of him too.

In the same AMA, CEO Swen Vincke addressed concerns about generative AI use on the studio's next game, Divinity, following a controversy around some of Vincke's comments from an interview last year.

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

Jackass 5 Will Welcome Back Bam Margera, Albeit Via Previously-Unseen Archive Footage

9 janvier 2026 à 18:28

Bam Margera will appear in the newly-confirmed Jackass 5, after signing an agreement that allows previously-unseen archive footage of himself to be used in the movie.

Variety has reported that Margera is not currently set to appear in any new stunts for Jackass 5, though this may change in the future.

Right now it's not clear what the unseen footage of Margera involves, though the skateboarder and stuntman is known to have filmed more for 2022's Jackass Forever than made the final edit, before he was dramatically booted off the project for allegedly failing a sobriety test.

The fallout from Margera's firing led to a bitter feud with Johnny Knoxville's Jackass team, with reports of Margera sending death threats and asking fans for money to fund a rival movie. Jackass co-creator Jeff Tremaine responded by gaining a restraining order against Margera.

Ultimately, Margera filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Knoxville, Tremaine and other production partners which was settled, following which he pledged never to return.

Margera has not appeared in any TV or movie project since, though after a period of regularly attracting headlines for his behavior and other legal issues, was given a last-minute repreive by legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk to appear in last year's Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4, after previously being a stalwart of the original games.

Now, Margera will appear again in the franchise which truly made his name, as Jackass returns for yet another outing. "Well a wang dang and hot damn doodle, we are starting the year off with a bang," Knoxville wrote on Instagram yesterday, announcing the project. "We wanted to let you know that this summer Jackass is back! We will see you in theatres June 26. More to come but wanted you to hear it from us first!"

Image credit: Olivia Wong/Getty Images.

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

The iBuypower RTX 5070 Gaming PC Drops to $1350 for Today Only at Best Buy

9 janvier 2026 à 18:20

For today only, Best Buy is offering an iBuypower Element RTX 5070 gaming PC for just $1,349.99 with free shipping or in-store pickup. It's paired with an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU and 32GB of DDR5 RAM. The RTX 5070 is an excellent choice for gaming at 1080p or 1440p, and is even an affordable option for 4K, especially with DLSS4.

iBuypower Element RTX 5070 Gaming PC for $1,349.99

The iBuypower Element gaming PC is equipped with an Intel Core 7 265F processor, GeForce RTX 5070 12GB 2graphics card, 16GB of DDR5-5200MHz RAM, and a 2TB M.2 SSD. he Intel Core Ultra 7 265F CPU is a 20-core processor with a max boost clock of 5.3GHz. It's a solid general-purpose CPU that combines a high clock speed for games and plenty of cores for for multi-core performance. For games at least, you won't see any improvement upgrading to a Core Ultra 9.

The GeForce RTX 5070 GPU is an excellent choice for 1080p or 1440p gaming

Compared to the previous generation GPUs, the RTX 5070 offers a slight performance improvement over the RTX 4070 Super, which was and still is an excellent GPU. The fps gain is much greater in games that support DLSS 4 with multi-frame generation. At this price point, a prebuilt gaming PC is more likely to be equipped with an RTX 5060 or RTX 5060 Ti GPU, and the RTX 5070 is considerably more powerful than either. This is the best GPU for 1080p or 1440 gaming without overspending. It is fully capable of running non-demanding games at 4K resolution as well. The next card up - the RTX 5070 Ti - is significantly more expensive and really for gamers who want high fps 1440p or high-demand 4K gaming. Check out our GeForce RTX 5070 review for our hands-on impression and benchmarks.

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.

How Smile: For the Camera Reveals a New Side of This Twisted Horror Universe

9 janvier 2026 à 18:00

There's no shortage of good horror comics on the stands these days, but IDW Publishing's IDW Dark line has quickly risen above the pack thanks to a winning blend of original concepts and spinoffs of iconic movie franchises (like the wildly successful Event Horizon: Dark Descent). IDW Dark's latest prequel series is focused on a more recent success story in the horror scene - Smile. Smile: For the Camera is a new story set in this twisted universe from The Exorcism at 1600 Penn and The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace creator/writer Hannah Rose May and Disney Villains: Cruella De Vil artist Miriana Puglia.

IGN recently spoke with May about this prequel series and its connections to the previous two movies. Read on to learn more about the newest Smile adventure and to see newly revealed cover art for Smile: For the Camera #3.

May reveals that this series has been in the works for a little over a year, with its origins dating back to NYCC 2024 and the original debut of IDW Dark's licensed movie comics.

"This project originated at NYC 2024 when we were debuting The Exorcism at 1600 Penn," May tells IGN. "I was on a panel for the launch of IDW Dark where they unveiled their new list of Paramount-licensed titles. They mentioned that they were currently reading pitches for Smile and asked if I had any interest in pitching. I'm a sucker for brilliant marketing, and Smile had one of the most genius campaigns that had me hooked before I even bought a ticket. What Parker Finn has built with The Smile universe is going to terrify people for decades to come."

Clearly, the Smile movies have struck a chord with audiences. We were curious what May sees as the root of their appeal, and how that appeal translates to the comic book medium.

"At their core, they’re dramas that have a powerful supernatural hook," May says. "Both Rose and Skye are suffering from their own trauma and guilt, forced to smile through their pain which is something that resonates with most everyone. And then the entity brings that pain to the surface in terrifying fashion. In the world of print, Smile actually translates far better than you’d think. There’s an inherent balance of “show” don’t “tell” that you have to take with comics that actually lends itself to the Smile world. Our tool kit in comics is a bit more limited than a film but we’ve channeled the spirit of Parker’s filmmaking into our writing, art, colors and letters to deliver on an experience that will reward fans of the franchise."

While For the Camera is definitely set in the same universe as the previous films, May reveals that the goal is to tell a standalone prequel story. The only common thread here is the basic premise and the malignant infleunc eof the Smile entity.

"This series is completely stand alone, the only connection between our book and the films is the entity," May says. "The goal was to tell a new story, in a new time period and in a new setting that allowed us to explore similar themes from the films. If you’ve never seen the movie, you’ll be able to jump right in to Smile: For The Camera. We wanted to create something that rewarded returning fans while also being able to entice new fans to the world."

Smile: For the Camera is set in 2005, deep in the heart of the fashion industry. It's not hard to see where that setting could be mined for horror. May explains that this both allows her to maintain distance from the Smile movies while exploring a world that has plenty of monsters even before the Smile entity enters the picture.

"The early 2000s was pre-social media, pre-smartphones and a world where monoculture still existed. Culture was dictated by gatekeepers like TV networks, movie studios, and publications," May says. "I wanted to focus on an industry where smiling is an essential part of the job and if you were lucky enough, that smile could turn you into a supermodel overnight. The fashion industry is also filled with its own monsters and so we wanted to go backwards in time to explore this period while also putting distance between our story and Parker’s films."

Smile: For the Camera stars a new protagonist named Ivy. May explains that Ivy shares quite bit in common with past protagonists Rose and Skye, even with the gap in time. However, there is one key difference separating these women.

"Ivy is our fish out of water, a rookie model that serves as the reader’s fresh pair of eyes into the world of modeling," May says. "She’s confident, intelligent but most of all, she’s a pragmatist. She isn’t looking to become a supermodel, she just wants to make some money to pay off her student loans so she can start her life. Like Rose and Skye, she’s caring and compassionate despite being in an industry that thrives on competition. Where they differ is that Ivy is coming to our story without trauma or guilt for the entity to feed off of. It’s through our story that Ivy finds herself confronting a darkness that gives the entity the fuel it needs to survive."

The Smile movies make a point of not revealing too much about the nature of the Smile Entity. May says that the comic isn't necessarily looking to alter that approach, though the book may just make some contributions to the mythos that fans aren't expecting.

"We wanted to be incredibly respectful to the world building and lore that Parker has painstakingly set up in Smile," May says. "For us, we didn’t want to expand too much of the mythos of the entity but with each installment of the franchise, we learn a little bit more. With our series, we were very fortunate that Parker and Paramount were generous enough to let us do a few things that I think fans of the franchise will be excited to see. You’ll have to read to find out!"

As for the artwork, May says, "I had just got done working with [colorist Dearbhla Kelly] on The Guy in the Chair before Smile, so I was excited knowing her strengths coming into this. Miriana brought her own style and tone to the book which is why comics are so great. It’s a collaborative medium and what you envision doesn't always match the artist's style exactly, but that's part of the creative process. The best part is when those pages hit your inbox and you see how everyone's contributions come together. Our goal was always to create something visually unique while honoring the Smile films. I believe we've done that!"

Smile: For the Camera #1 will be released on February 18, with a preorder deadline of January 12. You can preorder a copy at your local comic shop.

In other comic book news, find out which series was selected as IGN's best comic book of 2025, and see which comics we're most excited for in 2026.

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

The Top 10 Most Valuable Magic: The Gathering Cards That Released in 2025

9 janvier 2026 à 18:00

Magic: The Gathering is about to kick off its 2026 roadmap with Lorwyn Eclipsed, but 2025 will certainly go down in the history books. While some sets were certainly weaker than others (yes, we’re looking at you, Spider-Man), others soared to new heights, like Universes Beyond: Final Fantasy, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, and Edge of Eternities.

Still, which cards are the ones to emerge from 2025 with the highest price? From high-value reprints to serial-numbered cards and the game’s first Infinity Stone, it’s been a wild year for collectors.

Here are 2025’s most valuable Magic: The Gathering cards, as calculated by TCGPlayer’s pricing guides.

Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER (Borderless Surge Foil) - $501.50

Kicking off with one of gaming’s most iconic baddies, Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER is the most valuable Borderless Surge Foil card on this list.

His artwork looks amazing, but he also transforms into his One-Winged Angel version and gains access to Super Nova and plenty of card draw opportunities.

Sephiroth will currently set you back around $500 for a mint copy, but it’s selling for more.

Spectacular Spider-Man (Borderless Textured Foil) - Up to $571

The Spectacular Spider-Man series of cards ranges from the classic Spidey suit to Future Foundation, eight-armed Spidey, and even the paper bag-clad version in Fantastic Four pyjamas.

Depending on the version you get, you could be sitting on $374, or a whopping $571, with the Symbiote Suit version taking top prize.

Interestingly, only the 0241 (Future Foundation) card isn’t available at all on TCGPlayer.

Sothera, the Supervoid (Singularity Foil) - $1,480

The lone appearance of Edge of Eternities in this list, the Sothera card in its Singularity foil will set you back almost $1,500.

As for what it does, that’s hard to tell because it literally doesn’t tell you. Thankfully, other printings make it clear that it’s a Legendary Enchantment that exiles opponents’ creatures and brings them back under your control, with additional counters on them.

Mox Jasper (Serial Numbered) - $1,500

The top-earner from Tarkir: Dragonstorm (a great set, by the way), Mox Jasper’s serialized version is numbered up to 500, pushing the value up to around $1,500.

For that, you're getting literal free mana since the card has no mana cost but taps for mana, so long as you control a dragon.

I’d love one for my Commander deck, but not at this price, sadly.

The Aetherspark (Serial Numbered) - $1,650

Aetherdrift might not live long in the memory for many, but The Aetherspark is a very, very cool card - especially if you have one of the 500 serialized versions.

A Planeswalker that attaches to a creature and can be used for card draw or as a huge mana rock, it’s still going for over $1,650. Great artwork, too.

Edgar Markov (Showcase, Serial Numbered, Double Rainbow Foil) - $2,400

I recently picked up an Edgar Markov card to start building my vampire Commander deck, but there was no way I was spending $2,400.

Magic’s most famous vampire doesn’t come cheap if you find this Serial Numbered, Double Rainbow Foil card, but it looks amazing.

His abilities trigger even when he’s in the Command Zone, building you a colossal army of Vampires to power up.

Avatar Neon Ink Foil Cards - up to $2,752

The last set of 2025, Avatar: The Last Airbender, was a huge improvement on the Spider-Man set that preceded it.

These Neon Ink Foil Cards look awesome, but vary wildly in price. Fire Lord Zuko is worth just under $500, while Aang, Swift Savior is just over $700. After that, Katara, the Fearless will set you back $2,500.

Top of the pile, however, is Toph, the First Metalbender. That card is $2,752 right now - wow.

Avatar Aang (Raised Foil) - $2,867

Only one Avatar card beats out Toph’s Neon Ink Foil card, and it’s… Avatar Aang, of course. This Raised Foil version of the card is close to $3,000 in value.

It’s a four-cost card with flying and firebending, and bending draws a card. Trigger firebending, earthbending, airbending and waterbending in a single turn, and he turns into Aang, Master of Elements.

This lowers the cost of spells, gains you life, and deals damage. Oh, and he’s a 6/6 flyer.

Travelling Chocobos ($1,967 to $6,576)

Still top of the pile for Final Fantasy, the Travelling Chocobos vary wildly in price, but you wouldn’t be unhappy if you packed any of them.

The Pink and Yellow ones in the Neon Ink go for just under $2,000, while the Green one goes for over $2,200 and the Blue one goes for almost $2,400.

The top one, however, is the Japan-exclusive Black Chocobo, which costs over $6,500.

The Soul Stone (Multiple)

The Spider-Man set wasn’t great, but it did give us Magic’s most valuable card of 2025 with the game’s first Infinity Stone.

The Borderless variant is awesome, showing Thanos with the stone in his gauntlet all for the low, low price of $1,275, but the Cosmic Foil one is the real moneymaker.

It’s dropped in recent months, but has still sold most recently for an incredible $24,000, making it the most valuable Magic card of 2025 by a long, long way.

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay.

Charlie Booker Confirms Black Mirror Will Return to Netflix for Season 8 'Just in Time for Reality to Catch Up With It'

9 janvier 2026 à 17:57

Black Mirror fans, rejoice — there’s more terror on its way. Creator Charlie Booker just revealed that the hit series, which began its run on the UK's Channel 4 before moving to Netflix in its third season, will return to the streamer for Season 8.

“Black Mirror will return, and hopefully it’ll be more Black Mirror than ever,” Booker revealed in a recent interview with Netflix’s Tudum site. “Luckily it does have a future, so I can confirm that Black Mirror will return, just in time for reality to catch up with it. So, that’s exciting. That chunk of my brain has already been activated and is whirring away.”

In the chat, he also opened up about how creating the new season has been like making a music album. “It’s a useful thought experiment when approaching a new story,” Booker said. “I’ll often think of, ‘Well, what haven’t we done yet, and what tone am I looking for? … Where does this track come on the album, and what musical direction are we going to go into?’ We’ll find out. Very unlikely you’ll ever see a Black Mirror hoedown.”

Other than that, he was mum about what fans can expect next season.

Interestingly enough, Booker’s announcement comes just ahead of the Golden Globes this coming weekend, where the series has picked up its very first nominations for Season 7. It will be vying for best TV limited series and anthology series, as well as two acting awards for Rashida Jones and Paul Giamatti, who star in the episodes “Common People” and “Eulogy,” respectively.

Season 7 of the now beloved show was released back in April 2025 and even featured a sequel episode to the highly praised “USS Callister” episode from Season 4. We don’t have a release date yet for Season 8, but hopefully we’ll see it arrive late this year or early next.

Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.

What Is Gsync Pulsar? How Does It Work?

9 janvier 2026 à 17:57

Nvidia Gsync has been around since 2013, and while this variable refresh rate technology was a game changer when it came out, it was expensive and required gaming monitor manufacturers to implement a complicated module to make it work. At CES 2026, though, Nvidia has introduced a new form of Gsync that needs special firmware: Pulsar.

Rather than simply syncing your display’s refresh rate with your game’s frame rate, Pulsar uses strobe backlighting to simulate a much higher refresh rate – up to 1,000Hz, according to Nvidia. The goal is to add more visual smoothness to game motion, something Nvidia has been fixated on since Frame Generation first debuted with the GeForce RTX 4090 in 2022. Is Pulsar more of the same?

What is Gsync?

When Gsync came out, there really wasn’t anything like it. At the time, PC games were notorious for screen tearing, where differences between your refresh rate and frame rate would literally cause a vertical tear in your screen.

Gsync was huge because it eliminated that problem – if you had an Nvidia graphics card – by syncing your refresh rate and your frame rate, eliminating the cause of screen tearing entirely. This was initially possible because Nvidia developed a chip it sold to gaming monitor manufacturers that would act as a liaison between your PC and monitor, making sure everything was synced up. But then, of course, Freesync launched.

AMD’s Freesync billed itself as a direct competitor to Nvidia’s Gsync and had the same goal – syncing refresh rates and frame rates. However, Freesync was at first a little less flexible, only really working within a narrow range of frame rates. The difference was that with Gsync, once the frame rate got down to a certain threshold, the refresh rate of the monitor would change to be double the frame rate, which avoided screen tears.

But eventually, Freesync caught up enough that Nvidia launched the ‘Gsync Compatible’ program, which opened up variable refresh rates on Nvidia graphics cards without needing a gaming monitor with an expensive Gsync module. Then, over time, gaming monitors that were exclusively Gsync started to fade out of relevance.

Over the last few years, even, variable refresh rates have become so common that most gaming monitors are expected to support it, and most TVs and game consoles support it in one way or another.

Perceived Smoothness?

There are two reasons to chase super high frame rates: visual smoothness and lower latency. For the former, the idea is that the quicker frames are sent to the display, the more accurate the display will be at any time. At a high enough frame rate, you can virtually eliminate motion blur, but it’s incredibly hard to do in modern games. So, Nvidia has come up with another solution with Gsync Pulsar.

While it doesn’t really do anything to improve latency or responsiveness, Gsync Pulsar uses a strobing IPS display to improve motion clarity by essentially tricking your eye into thinking something is moving faster. The way Nvidia described it to me was if you have an object moving fast in front of your face, you’re going to naturally perceive some blur. But, if you have that same object disappear and reappear fast enough, it’ll be less blurry. I’m not sure if that actually works, but that is what the strobing backlight is meant to simulate.

Strobing backlights and black frame insertion (BFI) in IPS displays are nothing new, but in the past they've been tied to the maximum refresh rate of the monitor. There have been some attempts to tie BFI to variable refresh rate, most commonly with Asus’ ELMB (Extreme Low Motion Blur) Sync in some of its monitors – though it was imperfect. Through the new Gsync module, created in partnership with Mediatek, Nvidia was able to force the backlight to speed up or slow down, depending on the current refresh rate of the display, which results in less blurry motion. However, while this does seem to be more flexible than systems like ELMB, Gsync Pulsar does have limitations.

By default, Gsync Pulsar will be set to turn itself off whenever the refresh rate and frame rate drop below 90Hz. This is because of the strobing backlight – if it slows down too much, the strobing itself becomes noticeable, and is going to be uncomfortable to sit in front of. You can set it all the way down to 75Hz if you want to, but that is the hard lower limit at the time of writing. Nvidia did claim that it was working on a way to enable it at 60Hz as well, but only time will tell if that’s going to be any good.

But Does it Work?

When I visited Nvidia at CES 2026, it had a couple of demos showing Gsync Pulsar in action, and the most compelling one was in Anno 117: Pax Romana. That’s not the kind of game I’d typically associate with high-framerate gaming, but by quickly panning around the map, the difference in motion clarity was pretty obvious. However, that’s only one demo in a controlled environment.

Gsync Pulsar is going to live or die by how well it handles refresh rates that are actually, well, variable. The motion seemed extremely smooth when it was running at 200+ fps on a high-end GPU, but what happens when the frame rate starts dipping down towards that 90 fps lower limit?

Luckily we won’t have to wait too long to find out. Gaming monitors with Gsync Pulsar will start hitting the market in the next week, so I’ll be able to get it into the lab and really put it to the test. But for now, from what I saw at CES, it’s looking promising – just don’t expect it to actually make you better at video games.

Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra

'Let's Solve This Before GTA 6 Arrives!' — Red Dead Redemption 2's Newly-Discovered Mystery Seems to Have Reached Its Endgame

9 janvier 2026 à 17:31

Red Dead Redemption 2 fans have made progress towards solving the game's newly-discovered spiderweb mystery, and now believe they've reached its final clue.

Earlier this week, attention was thrown on a major new discovery within Rockstar's epic cowboy sequel, dubbed the biggest uncovering of hidden content in years.

An intricately-placed breadcrumb trail of spiderwebs was found and plotted, leading to a further set of marked telegraph poles. These then pointed to a collection of guitars within the game's Fort Wallace location, where the trail temporarily went cold. Now, however, fans have pushed forwards — to what seems like a final clue beyond the edge of Red Dead Redemption 2's map, and a sense of what this whole mystery might actually be about.

Once again, progress on the discovery has been brilliantly chronicled by YouTube channel Strange Man, who picks up the trail back at Fort Wallace by showing that these guitars acted as signposts, guiding players to the roof of the location's tower.

On this roof, two tiny engravings of flying birds were then spotted, pointing in the direction of Giant's Birds, right at the very north of the game's map within Calumet Ravine. Heading here and using binoculars allows you to see a tiny, faint, but unmistakable "?" symbol on a mountain in the distance. The design of the question mark across the far hillside is such that it is only visible from this particular location.

Once again, it's a smart set of clues — which is perhaps why this mystery has taken over seven years to be discovered — and once again, progress has stalled. But there's a sense now, with this latest clue way beyond the boundary of the map, that the trail has reached its final stage. As Strange Man suggests, it now seems likely that the mystery's denoument is right here, though the trigger remains elusive.

"Let's solve this before GTA 6 arrives!" Strange Man wrote, asking for further ideas from fellow fans.

While the wait for an answer continues, there is at least a growing sense of what this whole breadcrumb trail might be about. With the hunt for clues leading to Calumet Ravine, it's been noted that this is in the Wapiti reserve, amplifying previous suggestions that earlier steps in the mystery were an obtuse reference to Wapiti tribe member Eagle Flies. (Feathers could be shot out of spiderwebs, with five colored black and three colored red. Eagle Flies appears in five story missions, before three more which chart his capture and eventual death.)

Could it all lead nowhere? Possibly, but earlier this week IGN's previous story on the mystery was shared by former Rockstar developer Adam Butterworth, who provided the first official acknowledgement that the game had included this trail of clues. "Absolutely wild people have found this," he wrote on social media. "I remember hearing about this and thinking it would never be discovered."

As things stand, this complex and multi-stage mystery has left fans on the edge of Wapiti territory, and has hinted at its tribe member Eagle Flies. What will be discovered next? Here's hoping we aren't waiting until GTA 6 to find out.

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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ghost of Yotei Rule the Annual D.I.C.E. Award Nominations

9 janvier 2026 à 17:29

Everyone likes to be feel special and game developers are no different, so congratulations to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ghost of Yotei, the two games absolutely dominating the Annual D.I.C.E. Award Nominations. Both games scored eight nominations each, including for Game of the Year.

Held by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences the 29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards will take place on February 12 in Vegas, and will be hosted by Kinda Funny Games' Greg Miller and Stella Chung.

“First, thank you to our peer panelists. Your dedication and expertise in our judging process, and yourwork in selecting the best games of 2025, is truly appreciated,” said Meggan Scavio, President of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.

“And on behalf of all of us at the Academy, I extend my congratulations to all of our finalists. Each of these games has impressed us through its creativity,artistry, and technical achievement, and we look forward to celebrating your accomplishments at the 29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.”

Full list of nominations

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

  • Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
  • Ghost of Yotei
  • Monster Hunter Wilds
  • South of Midnight
  • The Midnight Walk

Outstanding Achievement in Character

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Esquie

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Maelle

Dispatch - Courtney/Invisigal

Dispatch - Robert Robertson III/Mecha Man

Ghost of Yotei - Atsu

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
  • Ghost of Yotei
  • Herdling
  • Mario Kart World
  • Sword of the Sea

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

  • Arc Raiders
  • Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
  • Ghost of Yotei
  • Lumines Arise
  • Split Fiction

Outstanding Achievement in Story

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
  • Consume Me
  • despelote
  • South of Midnight
  • The Drifter

Outstanding Technical Achievement

  • Arc Raiders
  • Assassin's Creed Shadows
  • Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
  • Donkey Kong Bananza
  • DOOM: The Dark Ages

Action Game of the Year

  • Absolum
  • Arc Raiders
  • DOOM: The Dark Ages
  • Hades II
  • Ninja Gaiden 4

Adventure Game of the Year

  • Blue Prince
  • Dispatch
  • Donkey Kong Bananza
  • Ghost of Yotei
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong

Family Game of the Year

  • LEGO Party!
  • LEGO Voyagers
  • Lumines Arise
  • MARVEL Cosmic Invasion
  • POPUCOM

Fighting Game of the Year

  • 2XKO
  • Capcom Fighting Collection 2
  • FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves
  • Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection
  • WWE 2K25

Racing Game of the Year

  • EA SPORTS F1 25
  • Kirby Air Riders
  • Mario Kart World
  • Wheel World

Role-Playing Game of the Year

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
  • Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
  • Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
  • Monster Hunter Wilds
  • The Outer Worlds 2

Sports Game of the Year

  • EA SPORTS FC 26
  • PGA Tour 2k25
  • MLB The Show 25
  • NBA 2k26
  • Rematch

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

  • The Alters
  • Drop Duchy
  • Europa Universalis V
  • The King is Watching
  • StarVaders

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

  • Ghost Town
  • Hotel Infinity
  • Marvel's Deadpool VR
  • Star Wars: Beyond Victory - A Mixed Reality Playset
  • Unloop

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

  • Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked
  • Ghost Town
  • Marvel's Deadpool VR
  • The Midnight Walk
  • Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

  • Baby Steps
  • Blue Prince
  • Consume Me
  • despelote
  • Dispatch

Mobile Game of the Year

  • Persona5: The Phantom X
  • Umamusume: Pretty Derby
  • WHAT THE CLASH?
  • Where Winds Meet

Online Game of the Year

  • Arc Raiders
  • Battlefield 6
  • Mario Kart World
  • Marvel Rivals
  • Split Fiction

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

  • Arc Raiders
  • Blue Prince
  • Hades II
  • Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
  • Öoo

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

  • Blue Prince
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
  • Ghost of Yotei
  • Hades II
  • Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Game of the Year

  • Arc Raiders
  • Blue Prince
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
  • Dispatch
  • Ghost of Yotei

Rachel Weber is the Senior Editorial Director of Games at IGN and an elder millennial. She's been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, and French Bulldogs. Those extra wrinkles on her face are thanks to going time blind and staying up too late finishing every sidequest in RPGs like Fallout and Witcher 3.

Donkey Kong Bananza Gets a $7 Discount at Both Amazon and Walmart

9 janvier 2026 à 17:29

For those who have been looking to stock up on some new games to play this winter, we've been finding some great deals to help you save while building your library. Donkey Kong Bananza is one of those discounts that's crossed our radar, currently sitting at $62.99 at both Amazon and Walmart. This is a $7 discount from its original retail price of $69.99, and marks a return to its lowest price yet. If it's been on your radar, now is a great time to make a move on it.

Donkey Kong Bananza for $63

Donkey Kong Bananza is one of our favorite games from last year. It received a glowing 10/10 in its review, with IGN's Logan Plant calling it, "a truly groundbreaking 3D platformer, with satisfying movement, powerful abilities, impressive destructible environments, and clever challenges that all come together in complete harmony to create Nintendo’s first Switch 2 masterpiece."

That's not all, though. It also won Best Family Game at The Game Awards and was awarded IGN's best Nintendo game of 2025. Plant stated that this is because it, "brilliantly redefines one of gaming’s oldest characters while simultaneously paying loving tribute to every era of the great ape." It's one that's definitely worth your time and money if you have a Switch 2, especially while it's on sale.

If you're curious what else is discounted right now outside of Donkey Kong Bananza, Amazon's also offering deals on Assassin’s Creed Shadows for PS5 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is another pick that's on sale at the moment at both Amazon and Best Buy, so no matter what kind of game you're hoping to jump into this January, there's quite a variety to choose from.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

What Will Win Game of the Year 2026?

9 janvier 2026 à 17:00

It may only be January, but I say it’s never too early to look towards the future and try to predict what the best games of 2026 will end up being. I don’t have a crystal ball or some sort of undiagnosed superpower, but I do have a long list of all the games coming out over the next 12 months and a modicum of taste to guide me, though.

Of course, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 secured a pretty convincing sweep of wins during the end-of-year 2025 awards, but who truthfully saw that coming before its April release date? So, what could surprise us this year? And will a left-field project have what it takes to steal this year’s IGN Best Game award away from the very obvious contender we can see coming from a mile off? Let’s take a look ahead and try to predict what will be the 2026 game of the year, fully aware that whatever’s here has a not-insignificant chance of being proven completely wrong, and you can all come back here in December and tell me what an idiot I am.

GTA 6

The quite enormous elephant in the room is, obviously, Grand Theft Auto 6. But no GTA game, or, for that matter, no Rockstar game, has ever won IGN’s overall game of the year prize. That includes all of those PS2 classics from Vice City to San Andreas, and more recent creations, such as 2013’s GTA 5, which lost out to The Last of Us, and Red Dead Redemption 2 (my favourite game of all time), which got edged out in 2018 by God of War. Sadly for me, the vote doesn’t all come down to my opinion, so I guess I’ll just have to get over it. One day.

So, does GTA 6 have a shot at taking home our biggest prize? Obviously, it does. It’s arguably the most anticipated game of all time, a feat achieved by Rockstar’s recent trend of receiving 10 out of 10 review scores, and we expect (or at least hope) the studio builds upon those successes with whatever it releases this November. If Rockstar can avoid implementing a delay yet again, we won’t have to wait too long after that release date to see if the IGN staff (and the voters behind other award ceremonies) determine it as the greatest game of 2026.

Chances: Could Rock, and also take the Star prize.

Resident Evil Requiem

Similarly, Resident Evil is another series that has never won IGN’s game of the year. It did come very close to doing so, though, when the Resident Evil 2 remake narrowly missed out on the 2019 award, coming in as our runner-up to Remedy’s Control. The soonest to release on this list of contenders, Resident Evil Requiem could have a shot at winning this year, though, if it fulfills the promise of its many teaser trailers. Combining the classic third-person action-horror magic of the likes of Resident Evil 4 with the more modern first-person scares from the likes of Village could prove a perfect cocktail to suit everyone’s tastes. We’ll find out just how good it is when it comes out on February 27, but then face a 10-month wait to see if anything rises above it for the rest of 2026.

Chances: Scarier things have happened.

Control Resonant

Speaking of the 2019 awards, could Control go back-to-back on game of the year wins when its sequel, Control Resonant, arrives this year? You can always bank on something interesting coming from Finnish developer Remedy Entertainment, and it doesn’t look like it's resting on its laurels either, with the follow-up to Jesse Faden’s supernatural-powered action-adventure mixing things up quite a bit by putting us in control of her brother in a wide-open Manhattan. A switch to melee-focused combat certainly has us excited, as does a story that looks deeply rooted in the events of Alan Wake 2, as Remedy continues to build out its connected universe, but will it be enough to secure another game of the year win?

Chances: Could be just the Remedy needed after FBC: Firebreak.

Marvel’s Wolverine

Insomniac has delivered consistently amazing games, but the studio has never quite secured one of our overall game of the year awards. Both Marvel’s Spider-Man games made the shortlist in their respective years, and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart also impressed in 2021, but will the angriest of the X-Men have a better chance? Yes, while it doesn’t yet have a release date locked in, Marvel’s Wolverine is the Sony studio’s project for 2026, and it looks highly impressive from the little we’ve seen so far. It’s actually been a whole eight years since a PlayStation exclusive won the IGN game of the year award, so could Wolverine be set to claw back that record?

Chances: We wouldn’t lose sleep if Insomniac came out on top.

Saros

Sony will have more than one opportunity this year, though, as Saros arrives in April. Housemarque’s follow-up to its critically acclaimed looper shooter, Returnal, hopes are definitely high for this PS5 exclusive. Returnal made our shortlist back in 2021, but ultimately lost out to Xbox, exclusive (at the time, anyway) Forza Horizon 5. If Saros displays the exquisite shooter design skills that Housemarque has honed throughout Super Stardust, Resogun, and many more over the years, as well as a thrilling story and engaging world, then it may well have the juice to claim the number one spot in 2026.

Chances: The House(marque) always wins, but will it here?

Fable

It may have won our award back in 2021, but Playground Games certainly won’t be resting on its laurels when it comes to Fable. A reboot of the long-dormant RPG series originally developed by Lionhead Studios, the Forza Horizon developer will be taking on an entirely different type of open world in this fairy tale-infused universe. Could it be the best game of 2026, though? Well, fantasy RPGs have traditionally done very well when it comes to game of the year, with Dragon Age: Inquisition, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Elden Ring, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and, of course, most recently, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 all winning the IGN vote since 2014. That track record bodes well for Playground, and we can’t wait to see its take on Fable at the upcoming Xbox Developer Direct.

Chances: Would be a Fairy Tale ending to Fable’s development.

007 First Light

There’s no doubt that IO Interactive knows how to make a fantastic assassin game, but how about spies? Well, we’ll find out in 2026 when the Hitman studio turns its attention to James Bond in 007: First Light. Will this stealth action-adventure blend the best of Agent 47 with spectacle worthy of Uncharted? If it manages to, maybe it will find itself in game of the year consideration.

Chances: 007 to 1 odds.

Nintendo

A big question mark for 2026 is what games Nintendo has cooking as it approaches the Switch 2’s second year in the wild. Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza set the console off to a good start, but neither quite had what it took to win game of the year. So, what could stand a chance? Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Wealth is the upcoming 18th entry into the tactical RPG series, and while we know little about it yet, FE has traditionally set a high quality marker. There’s also Switch 2 exclusive, The Duskbloods, and if there’s anything Hidetaka Miyazaki and the team at FromSoftware know about, it’s winning game of the year awards. Let’s see if this upcoming PvPvE action RPG can do something similar.

While it may be fanciful to expect a new mainline Zelda anytime soon, it has been many years (far too many, if you ask me) since a new 3D Mario game. Nothing is hinting at one arriving in 2026, but we can dare to dream, because if history is to go by, when that plumber starts jumping, he more often than not enters the game of the year conversation.

Chances: A surprise Nintendo hit would Switch things up nicely.

Half-Life 3

Haha, it could happen, couldn’t it? Not that the rumours have ever truly died, but over recent months, whispers have started to get louder and louder about the arrival of a new Half-Life game. A new Steam machine is due out early in 2026, and it would be the perfect launch game, after all. We won’t seriously consider Half-Life 3 a game of the year prospect until we have it in our hands, though, and who knows if that will ever happen. If Valve does decide that the time is now, then it’s certainly a strong contender, as we gave Portal 2 our biggest award back in 2011, as well as Half-Life 2 in 2004.

Chances: Hahahaha

Potential Breakout Hits

As I mentioned at the beginning, it’s not always the games you expect at the start of the year that end up taking home the game of the year prize. So let’s look at a few that are a little more under the radar than those listed above. Replaced has received a lot of buzz and is a 2.5D action-platformer from Ukrainian developer Coatsink. Its beautiful pixel art depicting a sci-fi city with a distinctly Blade Runner-like look could surprise a few that aren’t familiar with it when it arrives on March 12.

Then there’s Mixtape, the new coming-of-age retro adventure from Australian studio Beethoven & Dinosaur, who made a few game of the year shortlists back in 2021 with the psychedelic The Artful Escape. Its nostalgia-laced tale, supported by a soundtrack of ‘80s favourites, could hit just right if it all comes together like the trailers suggest it might. And finally, Mewgenics is an upcoming roguelike tactical RPG from the creators of Super Meat Boy and The Binding of Isaac that has been in development for many, many years. The buzz is high for it as it finally looks set for a February 10 release. Could the cat get the cream come December time?

Chances: We all love an underdog story. But what about an undercat?

Verdict

So, who do I think will actually win? Well, it is impossible to ignore the behemoth that is GTA 6, but seeing as I’m still not 100% convinced that it’s arriving this year, I’m going to go with Saros as my pick. I think that Housemarque’s reputation has only grown over time, and more and more people have gotten around to playing Returnal since its 2021 release, and would love to give the studio its flowers in 2026 if Saros turns out to fulfill its potential.

What do you think will win IGN’s game of the year 2026 award? Will it be a game that hasn’t even been revealed yet? Let us know in the comments!

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.

Heartopia Codes (January 2026)

9 janvier 2026 à 16:31

Baboo! Are you looking for Heartopia codes? You've come to the right place. Here you'll find all the codes that we've collected for the cozy sim. Redeeming these will give you currency, resources, and extra Gold to help you settle into your new home.

Working Codes for Heartopia (January 2026)

  • z4p6n8r2 - Quality Timber x10, Chef's Special Saladx2, Branches x20 (NEW!) (Valid Until: 31 March 2026)
  • letsdressup - Wishing Star x15, 5,000 Gold, Growth Booster x10 (Valid Until: 31 March 2026)
  • letsbuild - Wishing Star x 15, 5,000 Gold, Fertilizer x10 (Valid Until: 31 March 2026)
  • a7k9m2q8l - Wishing Star x5, Repair Kit x3, Blueberries x10 (Valid Until: 31 March 2026)
  • mylittlepony - Moonlight Crystalsx100 (Valid Between: 8 January 2026 and 7 February 2026)
  • heartopia0108 - Moonlight Crystalsx 100 (Valid Between: 8 January 2026 and 7 February 2026)
  • specialgift0103 - Moonlight Crystals x100 (Valid Between: 8 January 2026 and 7 February 2026)

Expired Codes for Heartopia

There are currently no expired codes for Heartopia, so you've got lots of goodies to redeem above!

How to Use Heartopia Codes

Looking to play Heartopia and want to know how to redeem codes? Follow these steps:

  1. Launch Heartopia on your phone or PC
  2. Create your character and select "complete"
  3. Press Tab on PC or tap the watch in the top-right corner
  4. Click Setting
  5. On the General Tab, look for the Redeem Code bubble button in the bottom right
  6. Copy the code from this article and paste it into the bar that reads "Case Insensitive"
  7. Click Redeem and if the code has been successful, it will say "Redeemed! Please check the mailbox for rewards."

FAQs for Heartopia

Have a particular question about Heartopia and codes? See our answers to frequently asked questions below.

How to Collect Heartopia Rewards

Rewards are automatically sent to your Mailbox once you've redeemed codes. To find your Mailbox, press Tab or tap the watch in the top-right corner. Click Mailbox. All of the gifts you've received can be then be claimed. You can do this individually by opening each mail, or by pressing Claim All in the bottom left corner.

Why Isn't My Code for Heartopia Working?

When a code doesn't work for Heartopia it's usually because of two reasons:

  • The code for Heartopia has expired
  • There's a spelling mistake or an additional space in the code

Codes for Heartopia are not case-sensitive, but sometimes, a series of letters and numbers. 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 Do I Get More Codes for Heartopia?

We regularly check and test new codes, so the best way to get more codes for Heartopia is to visit this article. But if you want to mine for codes yourself, then the Discord server for Heartopia is the best place to go.

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.

GameCube Classic Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance Added to Nintendo Switch Online

9 janvier 2026 à 16:09

Nintendo's classic Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is now available on Switch 2, if you have a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription.

Originally released in 2005, this 3D strategy role-player is one of the better games in the Fire Emblem series, and the first to feature its turn-based combat in 3D, as the series shifted onto the GameCube following various entries for Game Boy Advance and SNES.

Path of Radiance is also notable for introducing its blue-haired hero Ike, who later returned in Wii sequel Radiant Dawn, and arguably found even greater fame as part of the Super Smash Bros. series cast.

"Two races, the human beorc and the half-human laguz, share a history of strife, mistrust, and uneasy compromise," reads a Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance blurb.

"Now, sinister forces have emerged from the shadows to shatter the fragile peace, pitting the two against each other. Only the young mercenary Ike and his colorful band of soldiers-for-hire stand between Tellius and chaos."

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance's arrival for Switch 2 was first teased during Nintendo's Switch 2 Direct last April, and it's notable that of the 11 titles shown, we're still waiting for Super Mario Sunshine, Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.

Back in 2023, IGN listed Path of Radiance in ninth position within our 10 Best Tactics RPGs of All Time ranking. "Path of Radiance stays true to its predecessors’ core game systems, like the weapons triangle, but upgrades everything from the skills system to the flow of battles," we wrote at the time.

"Its innovations and tweaks have influenced every Fire Emblem game since then. The Battle Preparations and Base screens add important story details and character interactions, while expanded shove and rescue functions make for more strategic combat, and a smart bonus rewards system keeps battles flowing by setting turn-limits and providing specific sub goals.

"If you only know Path of Radiance because it introduced the world to Ike (of subsequent Smash Bros. fame), you’ll find a criminally underplayed strategy RPG that’s every bit as rewarding today as when it surprised GameCube owners back in 2005."

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

Everything We Learned About Divinity From Larian's Reddit AMA

9 janvier 2026 à 15:27

Larian’s Reddit AMA on Divinity has concluded, and with it comes a number of new details on the Baldur’s Gate 3 developer’s next game.

We’ve rounded up all the new information revealed during the Reddit AMA from the various Larian members of staff who took part.

First up, Larian CEO Swen Vincke explained how the developer itself has changed since the blockbuster launch of Baldur's Gate 3 back in 2023. "We were 411 people at the end of BG3 and have around 500 people working on Divinity now," he confirmed. "Our teams evolve in function of the games we try to make and what we think the size of the market is. We grew a lot during BG3 because we wanted to make a cinematic RPG with loads of choice and consequence but we also knew there was a market and scaled accordingly. Our growth has slowed down a bit as we have most of the team in place to make a big cinematic RPG but there are still a few things that we didn’t do before that we are doing now."

Moving on, Larian confirmed Divinity’s looting system will include handcrafted items, as Baldur’s Gate 3 did, as opposed to random and level dependent loot seen in the Divinity: Original Sin games. As you'd expect, Divinity will have mod support via modding tools, but it's unclear if they will be available for launch.

Larian confirmed Divinity will have co-op at launch, and that modders will be able to up the player count. “Yes, coop will be available for release!” technical director Bert van Semmertier said. “The amount of players playing together will be depending on the final party size. But since modding is planned for this project as well, player will be essentially free to extend this. There is no hard limit to the amount of coop players.”

However, Divinity will not support native keyboard movement controls such as WASD right out of the box, which means modders will have to do their thing again, as they did for Baldur’s Gate 3.

Meanwhile, Divinity will run on Larian’s proprietary engine, which includes “significant changes.” “For each game, we are bringing significant changes to our engine,” head of gameplay Artem Titov said. “Since Divinity Engine is fully our own creation, it makes it easier to alter it to serve a new game rather than write a new engine from scratch.”

Divinity finally adds swimming to a Larian RPG?

As for new mechanics, head of design, Nick Pechenin, teased: “There was something that bothered me when I explored the starting areas of DOS1, DOS2 and BG3. It stares you right in the face if you think about it. In Divinity I can finally do the thing I wanted to do in every previous game.” Most believe this is about swimming.

As for the camera perspective, Divinity’s camera will work “very similar” to Baldur’s Gate 3’s, so expect a hybrid of top down and third-person camera.

Larian CEO Swen Vincke couldn't say when we'll see Divinity gameplay. "We'll see," he commented. "We're in full production mode now but still have truckloads of work." Larian wouldn't be drawn on the playable races and classes, either, but did say there are clues as to Divinity's races in the much-discussed announcement trailer.

Divinity tone, lore, and story

Writing director Adam Smith discussed the tonal difference between Divinity and Divinity: Original Sin 2, saying: "it's more grounded and you might have picked up on some folk horror vibes in our trailer. But with games the size of DOS 2 and Divinity, there are lots of tonal variations as you move through the world and meet new characters. I hope it'll make you laugh, frighten you, shock you and delight you."

Smith also commented on Divinity's place in the overall Divinity series lore. "It's in the same continuity, but it's a standalone story," Smith said. "Long-term Divinity fans will find lots of familiar things but it's never just fanservice - it has to serve the story we're telling. The Divinity universe is full of weird and wonderful characters, and I'm really excited to be part of that legacy."

Bert van Semmertier also touched on this, saying: "Divinity is a different universe than Baldur's Gate. While you do not need to play the previous Divinity games, it would certainly improve your enjoyment if you do! You'll perhaps recognize certain characters or situations or learn to explore the large universe the was already built for Divinity!"

Nick Pechenin confirmed Divinity will not keep the magic armor system from DOS2. "There will be ways to protect your characters from harm, but you will not have to wait before you can use your fun skill on enemies," he said. "We are still cooking a system that makes sure that you have to work harder to stunlock solo bosses with."

Divinity's character customization will be "even better" than Baldur's Gate 3's, art director Alena Dubrovina said, "more colors, more options, more control!"

Size and scope of Divinity compared to Baldur's Gate 3

Vincke touched on the size and scope of Divinity compared to Baldur's Gate 3, saying: "Divinity takes everything we learned from BG3 & D:OS 2 and improves from there. In regards to BG3 - I think the main thing will be more agency and a rulesystem that was made for videogaming in addition to higher production values. Oh - and some really cool new friends to meet."

Then: "more agency, more consequences. We don't know ourselves yet how big it will be. We're still making it."

Larian will do its best to make Divinity playable on Steam Deck, given how popular Baldur's Gate 3 proved on Valve's portable game machine.

Here's a fun one: will the new engine render moving ropes correctly and will we be able to look up in to the sky?

"There is no real engine limitation to allow looking at the sky," technical director Bert van Semmertier replied. "How the camera works is entirely a design choice. Alternative camera angles are always considered. If they benefit the game, we will for sure add it. As for the ropes: you can expect substantial changes to our physics engine in the future games!"

Divinity's combat and character progression systems

Head of design, Nick Pechenin, said Divinity will have a brand new combat system. "We went through our original ideas for DOS1 and DOS2, looked again at how they worked out in practice, picked up some inspirations from our BG3 EA and post-release journey, consulted the star charts to see what we need to do to stay competitive - and cooked a new action economy and character progression system," he said.

"Feedback from BG3 players trying DOS2 for the first time has been especially interesting to us, seeing the two worlds colliding. We hope that both fans of BG3 and fans of DOS2 will find the new system intuitive but deep."

It sounds like Divinity may indeed come to Nintendo Switch 2, eventually. "We have just released Divinity Original Sin 2 for Switch 2! We love the platform and we will certainly consider Switch 2 for the next Divinity game," technical director Bert van Semmertier said.

Lizard romance?

As a Larian RPG, romance will of course be in Divinity. And it sounds like the developer expects lizards to get on well with each other. Vincke said he was particularly excited for players to experience a spot of lizard romance: "there's a lot [he's excited for players to experience] but we prefer to show and not tell. That said - Lizard romance seems like it's going to be popular."

And will the orcs have a special twist in Divinity? "Without saying which species are in the game, all of them have something unique," is all Vincke would say.

As for companions, Adam Smith acknowleged the common criticism that Baldur's Gate 3's party members don't have as much of a relationship between each other or talk to each other as much as party members do in some other games. This is something Larian is looking to improve for Divinity. "Yeah, the goal is to have more interactions between party members, and it won't always just be talking," he teased.

Divinity senior writer Kevin VanOrd expanded on companion relationships, noting the narrative improvements he'd like to see for the game: "firstly, to have more interaction between companions - not just with more and better banter, but to have them develop deeper relationships with each other, just as they do with players. Secondly, to ramp up player friendship and romance more subtly, so relationship building feels natural."

Is Divinity going to be just like that gruesome announcement trailer?

What about Divinity's gruesome announcement trailer? Vincke responded to one fan who said they were put off playing the game because the trailer is "so nihilistic and viscerally depressing." Is the trailer an accurate depiction of what fans should expect from the game itself?

"We're creating a dark world so you can be the light in the darkness. It's a story about hope," Vincke insisted. "But of course - we do want you to experience agency - so there’s also plenty of ways to take away that hope and be the darkness that snuffs out the light."

Adam Smith also spoke of being this "light in the darkness." "If you've seen our announcement trailer, you have an idea of how dark the world of Divinity is," he said. "We want to give players the opportunity to be the light in that darkness - an inspiration, a hero, a champion. We'll also let them leave the world even worse than they found it. We're pushing as far as we can on player agency."

Larian, Divinity, and generative AI

As expected, Vincke addressed the generative AI controversy that emerged following Divinity's announcement. He insisted Divinity would not include any generative AI art, and confirmed it has ditched genAI tools during concept art development. However, Vincke confirmed Larian is using genAI across other areas of development.

Here's Vincke's full statement from the Reddit AMA:

"So first off - there is not going to be any GenAI art in Divinity. I know there’s been a lot of discussion about us using AI tools as part of concept art exploration. We already said this doesn’t mean the actual concept art is generated by AI but we understand it created confusion. So, to ensure there is no room for doubt, we’ve decided to refrain from using genAI tools during concept art development. That way there can be no discussion about the origin of the art.

"Having said that, we continuously try to improve the speed with which we can try things out. The more iterations we can do, the better in general the gameplay is. We think GenAI can help with this and so we’re trying things out across departments. Our hope is that it can aid us to refine ideas faster, leading to a more focused development cycle, less waste, and ultimately, a higher-quality game.

"The important bit to note is that we will not generate 'creative assets' that end up in a game without being 100% sure about the origins of the training data and the consent of those who created the data. If we use a GenAI model to create in-game assets, then it’ll be trained on data we own."

Machine Learning Director Gabriel Bosque expanded on this last point in a bit more detail:

"This is all new technology, so I totally understand why it’s difficult to see where the positive uses are. We believe Machine Learning is a powerful tool to accelerate and make game development more efficient and streamlined. This means that our creatives have more time doing the work that makes their jobs more rewarding and the game a richer experience.

"The important bit to note is that we do not generate 'creative assets' that end up in a game without being 100% sure about the origins of the training data and the consent of those who created the data.

"With over 100,000 voice lines scheduled to be in the game, recorded by hundreds of actors, and even hundred thousands more to be recorded that will not end up in the game, there are useful tools for us to reduce the ‘mechanical legwork’ and free up time for teams that would be bogged down doing tasks that kept them away from what they really want to be doing. Additionally, our ML R&D team monitors and experiments with anything that is state of the art and that might influence game development pipelines of the future. This is important to us because we make our own engine.

"But we draw lines in the sand too. We explicitly committed in our actor agreements to not using the recordings to train or build AI voice modelers, because we are aware of how sensitive it can be to artificially generate an actor’s voice. Even if an actor were willing to agree to this if we'd compensate them, we don’t currently feel comfortable with including an AI-generated voice in our games."

Writing director Adam Smith confirmed this stance on generative AI applies to writing, too. "We don't have any text generation touching our dialogues, journal entries or other writing in Divinity," he said.

"We had a limited group experimenting with tools to generate text, but the results hit a 3/10 at best and those tools are for research purposes, not for use in Divinity. Even my worst first drafts - and there are a LOT of them - are at least a 4/10 (although Swen might disagree :p), and the amount of iteration required to get even individual lines to the quality we want is enormous. From the initial stub to the line we record and ship, there are a great many eyes and hands involved in getting a dialogue right."

So what areas do Larian use genAI on and what does it mean by a "creative asset"? "There is currently one example of ML generated assets that end up in the game and that is within our cinematics and animation pipeline," Bosque explained. "In this pipeline we try to capture the actor's performances as best as we can, so we use ML models to clean, retarget and even add motion when it's not motion captured. These models are trained exclusively with Larian data."

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.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Is Half Price at Amazon and Best Buy Today

9 janvier 2026 à 15:26

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launched last year to become the best-selling game of November in the U.S. by dollar sales. That's a pretty good showing, right?

If you're still looking to pick up the new game, it's down to $35 at Amazon and Best Buy for one day only. That's 50% off the game, only a couple of months after release, on PS5, PS4, and Xbox consoles.

You'll need to act fast if you're looking to pick it up, however, as the deal will expire by the end of the day on January 9, 2026.

So what's up, and why is one of the best-selling games of the year already so heavily discounted? Well, it doesn't take a genius to realize that Black Ops 7 doesn't seem to be doing as well as last year's Black Ops 6.

That's reflected in everything from the critical review scores to fan response to European sales figures, and even Activision's own admissions.

Normally, the newest Call of Duty topping the yearly charts is basically a given. This year, though, the surprise is that Battlefield 6 looks set to claim the top spot in the U.S. instead.

That is not entirely unprecedented. In 2023, Hogwarts Legacy outsold Modern Warfare 3, and it managed that without MW3 launching into Game Pass.

Still, Call of Duty bounced straight back in 2024, and before that only Rockstar heavyweights like GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 had managed to knock it off the annual top spot, stretching all the way back to Rock Band in 2008.

Viewed in that context, it is hardly shocking that Activision is reportedly rethinking how it plans and releases Call of Duty year to year, or that it is already leaning on aggressive discounts not long after one of its biggest games hit shelves.

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.

Magic: The Gathering Full Release Schedule for 2026

9 janvier 2026 à 15:23

Magic: The Gathering had some great sets in 2025, but it also showed Wizards of the Coast perhaps straying a little too far from what makes the long-running card game special.

That’s not to say Universes Beyond was a total bust. Final Fantasy brought in record-breaking numbers of players, and Avatar: The Last Airbender was a return to some semblance of form after the disappointment of Spider-Man.

Still, cardboard waits for no Planeswalker, and there are more sets in 2026 - seven, in total. That’s before we even get into the myriad of Secret Lair drops, and perhaps most worryingly, four of those sets are Universes Beyond.

Will they end up being closer to Final Fantasy or Spider-Man? And will the in-universe sets live up to the high bar set by Tarkir: Dragonstorm or Edge of Eternities? Here’s everything coming to Magic: The Gathering in 2026.

Lorwyn Eclipsed - January 23, 2026

If you’ve been yearning for a return to Lorwyn, the first set of 2026 is here to get things started. The set is a Universes Within to kick off the year, and marks the debut of the Draft Night Box.

You can preorder it now, and it’ll see the return of Commander Decks for the first time since 2025’s Edge of Eternities with two options: A five-color, or a Jund option.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - March 6, 2026

Wizards of the Coast revealed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at Comic-Con New York, with Universes Beyond going back to The Big Apple for the second time in a few months.

Still, expect colorful new art of the Heroes in a Half Shell, their assorted rogues gallery, and the debut of a Turtle Team Up co-op game mode.

We've got a full rundown of the product lineup, so be sure to check out the preorder guide, including a five-color Commander deck that stars all four Turtles.

Secrets of Strixhaven - April 2026

We still don’t know a great deal about our return to Strixhaven, but it is getting its own tie-in novel.

This Plane has been fertile ground for fun card designs and characters in the past, so here’s hoping for something good when it arrives in April.

Marvel Superheroes - June 2026

Spider-Man arrived in 2025, and now more Marvel heroes are coming to MTG, too.

We’ve already seen cards for Iron Man, Black Panther, Fantastic Four, and more, and the set will lean on comic book versions of the Marvel universe’s characters. Will it be better than the underwhelming Spider-Man set, though? We’re at least hoping the increased roster of heroes and (hopefully) villains will make this more exciting.

We’re expecting a Mentor/Sidekick theme, and for this one to be a popular entry point for new players. It might even be a good choice for a Beginner Box.

The Hobbit - August 2026

We’re going back to Middle-earth! Universes Beyond: Lord of the Rings was a colossal win for Magic: The Gathering, and the fact its fantasy theming fit so well with the card game means it feels a lot less jarring than other crossovers.

The only information we have so far is the following:

“Join Bilbo’s adventure of a lifetime with Dwarves to befriend, Trolls to trick, Elves to outwit, and songs to sing. There's gold or dragon’s fire at the end, so enjoy the journey!”

Give us some Five Armies Commander Decks, please, or at least a Smaug card that isn’t just a Token creature.

Reality Fracture - October 2026

The last in-universe set of 2026 is Reality Fracture, and it’ll feature callbacks to Tarkir: Dragonstorm and Outlaws of Thunder Junction.

The team has suggested it has a theme players have wanted for a long time, but that’s all we know so far.

Star Trek - November 2026

If you felt Wizards had got the sci-fi out of their system with the (excellent) Edge of Eternities, think again.

November 2026 will see the arrival of a Star Trek set to celebrate that franchise’s 60th Anniversary, and it’ll incorporate everything from the original series to Strange New Worlds. It even got a trailer.

Magic's 2025 Sets - At a Glance

It’s also good idea to take stock of 2025’s sets, because it was definitely a year that divided opinion.

  • Innistrad: Remastered - January 24
  • Aetherdrift - February 14
  • Tarkir: Dragonstorm - April 11
  • Final Fantasy - June 13
  • Edge of Eternities - August 1
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man - September 16
  • Avatar: The Last Airbender - November 21

That’s seven sets in total, with three of those being Universes Beyond collaborations with the likes of Square Enix, Marvel, and Nickelodeon. And, from looking at the 2026 schedule, it looks as though Wizards is looking to stick to that ratio.

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay.

American Psycho: The Folio Society Reveals Gorgeous Illustrated Edition of the Bret Easton Ellis Novel

9 janvier 2026 à 15:00

Before it became a movie that launched Christian Bale into stardom, American Psycho was a critically acclaimed, darkly comedic novel about the poisonous power of the American Dream. That classic Bret Easton Ellis book is now the latest to join The Folio Society's ever-growing lineup of illustrated hardcover editions.

IGN can exclusively debut a new preview of The Folio Society's American Psycho set, featuring new looks at the box design, endpapers, frontispiece, and replica business card. Check it all out in the slideshow gallery below:

This edition of American Psycho is a 512-page hardcover limited to just 750 copies worldwide. The book features illustrations by artist David Hughes, including the box cover, frontispiece, endpapers, and 10 interior illustrations.

And, as mentioned, this set comes with a replica of Patrick Bateman's business card, hearkening back to the iconic scene from the book and 2000 film adaptation.

“We at Folio have had great success with modern cult novels, and they hardly come more culty than this,” said James Rose, Head of Editorial at Folio, in a statement. “One of the most controversial and talked-about novels of all time, American Psycho has become more prophetic than ever as it charts the rise of narcissistic sociopaths in 1980s Wall Street—the sort of people that we're now seeing going to the top of US politics. Artist David Hughes is brave enough to tackle some of the more ghastly scenes, but always with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humour and a keen eye on the novel's satire. By marrying Bret Easton Ellis' divisive and dangerous text with David Hughes' funny and disturbing illustrations, this will be the perfect edition of the iconic and brilliant satire.”

The Folio Soicety's American Psycho is priced at £450 / US $640. The book will be available for preorder on The Folio Society website beginning on February 3.

Also on the American Psycho front, director Luca Guadagnino is overseeing a film reboot, with Austin Butler among those eyed to star as investment banker/serial killer Patrick Bateman. Despite previous reports, the film won't be gender-swapping Bateman.

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

LEGO’s First Smart Brick Star Wars Sets Are Up for Preorder

9 janvier 2026 à 14:37

LEGO recently announced Smart Play, a new interactive system powered by Smart Bricks and Smart Minifigures that will be incorporated into LEGO sets. Now, the first Smart Play sets are available to preorder. LEGO is kicking things off with three Star Wars sets – the Emperor's Throne Room Duel, Luke's X-Wing, and Vader's TIE Fighter – all of which are set to launch on March 1. Here’s everything you need to know to preorder these first-ever LEGO Smart Play sets.

Featured in this article

If you're not a fan of reading blurbs, you can jump right to the new sets from the catalog above. For more information about what comes in each one, read on.

LEGO Star Wars Smart Play: Throne Room Duel & A-Wing

This set (see it at Amazon) lets you re-create the Lightsaber battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader as the Emperor looks on (as seen in Return of the Jedi). All three characters are represented here as SMART Minifigures. You also get to build an A-Wing Fighter with a (non-SMART) Pilot mini figure, as well as an Imperial cannon turret that’s equipped with a SMART tag. The two included SMART Bricks can reproduce the sounds of the Lightsabers and the ship’s engine, and even play “The Imperial March.”

LEGO Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing

This set has you build Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing ship (see it at Amazon), as well as an Imperial turret, transporter, and command center. The two SMART Minifigures included are Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, plus you get an R2-D2 droid. All of these items have interactive features, like laser-shooting sounds, engine sounds, and lights, plus refueling and repair sounds.

LEGO Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter

This set (see it at Amazon) features Darth Vader as a SMART Minifigure, along with his iconic TIE Fighter ship, plus a Rebel Outpost and an Imperial Fueling Station. The ship has a SMART Brick in it that can emit the sound of the engines along with other things.

All of the sets come with a SMART Brick and charger, plus at least one SMART Minifigure and SMART tag. For more, check out our picks for the best Star Wars LEGO sets. And if you're worried that all future LEGO sets will be SMART Play sets, you can rest assured that standard LEGO sets will continue to come out.

What Is LEGO SMART Play?

LEGO SMART Play is a new system that will be incorporated into some LEGO sets. It offers interactive play capabilities that are somewhat like those found in the LEGO Super Mario sets, but quite a bit more intricate.

The key elements of SMART Play are SMART Bricks, SMART Minifigures, and SMART Tags. These three elements can interact with one another in a number of ways to make playing with LEGO sets more dynamic.

The SMART Brick is a key component in the system. A SMART Brick has various sensors, accelerometers, and a speaker that let it interact with SMART Minifigures and SMART tags. When used together, these elements can respond to sounds, light, and movement with appropriate sounds and behaviors. You can find out more at the LEGO Store page.

Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.

Crimson Desert's Open World Is at Least Twice as Big as Skyrim's, and Larger Than the Red Dead Redemption 2 Map

9 janvier 2026 à 14:32

Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure game set on the continent of Pywel. But how big is the open world, exactly? It’s “absolutely massive,” its developer has said, bigger even than that of Bethesda’s Skyrim and Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2.

Speaking on the Gaming Interviews YouTube channel, Pear Abyss’ Will Powers said that describing the size of Crimson Desert’s world in terms of numbers doesn’t do it justice, because doing so fails to capture the scope and scale of the game. But he did go as far as to compare it to two of the biggest open world games around.

"I don't think numbers really do it justice because, how big is that in terms of scope and scale?” he said. “But what we can say is that the world's at least twice as big as the open world, the playable area, of Skyrim. It's larger than the map of Red Dead Redemption 2."

Powers went on to insist that the size of Crimson Desert’s open world won’t determine its quality. Rather, what you actually do in it is the key factor.

"The continent of Pywel is absolutely massive, but size doesn't really matter if there's nothing to do,” he said. “Open-world games are about doing things, having activities, having distractions. So we wanted to create a world that's not only massive, but is also incredibly interactive."

Unlike Skyrim and Red Dead Redemption 2, in Crimson Desert you can fly around on a dragon, so despite the size of its world, you’ll be able to get about quickly. And don’t expect RPG elements in terms of decision-making and choice and consequence as it relates to your character, either. The sheer amount of things to do in the world will facilitate the role-playing part of Crimson Desert, which players will form through “head canon.”

“You choose the type of character you want to play as in terms of your progression within the systems in the game,” Powers explained. “And then through head canon you’re having this very different experience than other players because of the scope and scale of the game. You’ll be distracted by something, you’ll go on this quest line, you’ll have an experience that’ll be radically different than someone else, even though they’re playing the same game and the same canonical storyline that you both are going through.”

Indeed, the part of Crimson Desert shown off to the media in previews is just "a tiny corner of the map," Powers added. Crimson Desert is due out March 19, 2026.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

As BioWare's Failed Live-Service Anthem Gets Ready to Die, Players Rush to Unlock Platinums and Say Their Goodbyes, While Others Work on Custom Servers

9 janvier 2026 à 14:18

Fans are saying farewell to Anthem, BioWare's failed live-service blockbuster, as its servers are switched off and the game disappears forever — officially, at least.

Anthem publisher EA announced last year that the jetpack-fuelled shooter had just months to live, and cautioned that the server shutdown would render the game completely unplayable, with its world, characters and lore no longer available once the plug was pulled. Now, as this day has neared, new and returning players have loaded up the game for one last flight, and to push for the game's platinum trophy while they still can.

Others, meanwhile, have begun a small push to keep Anthem alive via custom private servers — though the effort has been hampered somewhat by the game's lack of reach.

"I missed the server closure announcement last year, and just learned about it a couple days ago," wrote one belated fan, CyberpwnPiper. "I had never played it so I decided to take the game for a spin before it's too late, and the game is quite good. I'm just playing casually and I'm still a noob after about 4 hours in, but there's a solid foundation here. There are good bones. The visuals are fantastic, the combat and action are fun, and the javelin flight is phenomenal (and unique)."

Upon release, after a lengthy and troubled development, BioWare received praise for Anthem's Javelin mechsuit combat and particularly its flight mechanic, which let you zoom around the game's open world like Iron Man alongside a team of friends. But players and critics alike were less sold on Anthem's threadbare attempt at storytelling, especially when compared to the studio's beloved Dragon Age and Mass Effect games. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Anthem never convinced players of BioWare's decision to pivot towards an online-only live-service, in an apparent attempt to recapture the crowd that had flocked to Bungie's Destiny.

Still, players are continuing to find reasons to enjoy a dip into Anthem's world, even if it is just to satisfy their curiosity before the game goes for good. "I truly wish I played it when it was released," wrote BRB1993. "I knew the end was coming and I wanted to get the chance to say, 'I was there'. I can honestly say that it scratched that same itch that Destiny does. The gunplay, the different Javelins (Colossus FTW!), the differing choice of abilities, the flying, the story (still can't believe Owen did what he did!), the differing style of enemies, there's too much to list!" Added CyberpwnPiper: "I wish I had started playing sooner to at least finish most of the story quests and experience different Javelin suits."

Some returning players have meanwhile set themselves the challenge of unlocking Anthem's full list of achievements/trophies, which will become unobtainable forever when the game's servers go offline. It has been a race against time — though many have completed the feat over the past week as EA's clock runs down.

"It's a bittersweet feeling getting this platinum," said AbsolutelyNotAClone. "I didn't think I'd push away all other games and throw another work week's worth of hours into it. But damn, I missed this game, and will miss it even more. I feel ashamed, I feel sad, but I feel so much better that I pushed for this platinum." Fellow fan Rymus, meanwhile, said they'd just hit Anthem's full Gamerscore on Xbox. "From the VIP weekend to the end this game will always be one of my faves despite the flaws," they wrote. "Learning the game was shutting down I wanted to give it the honor it deserved. My ranger with the VIP decal [has] been my main from the beginning."

"I wasn’t sure if I’d make it," wrote Seeby4, who also unlocked Anthem's platinum trophy. "Sooo many collectibles. I was getting burned out there following a YouTube guide but I locked in over the last four days and got it done! I didn’t have nearly as many hours as I know a lot of others did, but man, I’m gonna miss this game so much."

"I finally got it done on time!" wrote KingExile96. "I wish they wouldn't shut down. I wish they would just sell or give the game to another company, I want it to get another chance! It's got its potential. It was stressful getting the trophies but it was so fun at the same, roaming around, fighting bosses doing elements combo, man... I'm gonna miss this game so much. Anthem will be in my heart 🫶🤘"

While there's little chance Anthem will ever be officially revived or handed off to another developer, some fans still hope the game will become playable once again via custom PC servers. Several Discord groups have been set up to explore the possibility of making Anthem playable in future, the largest of which is The Fort's Forge — a community that has been asking players to capture records of the game's communications with EA servers, so these can then be backwards engineered.

This process has been slow, with just a handful of players helping out last year, but progress has now reached a point where a good amount of data has been obtained. Still, there's no suggestion the game will be revived at any point in the near future, and it remains to be seen whether EA itself steps in to block the project's progress. IGN has contacted the team behind the effort for more.

But while a handful of fans work on one potential future for the game, many others are now simply taking the chance to say goodbye. Dozens have recorded screenshots of their characters via one reddit thread for posterity, while others are simply reminiscing and sharing their thanks to BioWare and to their fellow players who served as the game's Freelancers.

"I enjoyed it till the end and I have a lot of good memories," wrote RobRagiel, who posted a video of their final flight around Anthem's world. "It was an honor, Freelancers. For the Legion of Dawn!"

"I had played the game since launch and I loved it," concluded Remarkable-Set-3340. "I wish this game had more time. See ya’ll in the sky’s till the sun sets one last time."

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

The Division 3 Will Have 'As Big an Impact' as The Division 1, Ubisoft Dev Says

9 janvier 2026 à 13:07

Over two years after it was announced, Ubisoft is still working on The Division 3. And while it has yet to show off the game, its chief developer has said he thinks it will have as big an impact as The Division 1.

The Division 1 was announced at E3 2013 with a trailer that went down as one of the most talked about of the show. After a series of delays, The Division released on March 8, 2016, breaking sales records for Ubisoft. The Division 2 followed in 2019, although it failed to make as big a splash at launch as its predecessor.

While there’s no release date for The Division 3, the hope is Ubisoft will show it off at some point this year. Now, Julian Gerighty, executive producer of The Division franchise at Ubisoft’s Massive Entertainment, has provided a brief but tantalizing update.

Speaking during the New Game+ Showcase 2026, Gerighty said: “So, The Division 3 is in production, right? This is not a secret. It's been announced. It's shaping up to be a monster. I can't really say anything more than that. But this is, within these walls in Massive, we are working extremely hard on something that I think will be as big an impact as Division 1 was.”

That’s not much to go on, but clearly Ubisoft is hoping that The Division 3 will rekindle memories of The Division 1, which was certainly a hot topic when it was announced and enjoyed huge sales when it eventually came out. The pressure is on to deliver, especially with Ubisoft’s recent high-profile struggles.

Meanwhile, support for The Division 2 continues with various updates, and a team in Paris is putting the final touches of a The Division mobile game. The Division Heartland, a free-to-play spin-off, entered development in 2020 but was canceled in 2024.

Two months ago, Massive Entertainment introduced what it called a 'voluntary career transition program,' (the studio asked its staff to volunteer to be laid off) as part of a move to focus on The Division franchise and its Snowdrop game engine. It came as part of significant restructuring at Ubisoft that has seen multiple studio closures and rounds of layoffs. Massive Entertainment's Star Wars Outlaws, released in 2024, was a big sales disappointment for Ubisoft, despite significant development and marketing costs.

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.

'We've Got Creativity, Money, and Time' — Star Wars Superfans Refuse to Give Up Trying to Convince Disney to U-Turn on Scrapped The Hunt for Ben Solo Movie

9 janvier 2026 à 12:30

Star Wars superfans are still trying to convince Disney to make canceled movie The Hunt For Ben Solo a reality — and they’re putting their money where their mouths are.

Last year, a ‘Ben Solo Missing’ poster was plastered all over Los Angeles and was subsequently seen across the world, having been translated into over 11 languages. Now, its creator has taken the next step and fully funded a takeover of two more billboards in Times Square.

One was featured on top of a building in Times Square on January 3, 2026, the other was visible in Times Square on January 5, right above the Pele store. This location also happens to be in close proximity to the Disney store — and it’s Disney these hardcore Star Wars fans hope will reconsider its decision to ditch The Hunt For Ben Solo.

Both billboards featured Ben's silhouette with the phrase, "May 2026 renew hope in the galaxy and bring him home," as well as the hashtag #thehuntforbensolo, with the latest also including the campaign's website, savebensolo.com.

It’s primarily the work of Brianna Johns, writer, voice actor, and self-confessed “avid” Star Wars fan. Johns told IGN The Hunt For Ben Solo fan campaign has a few hundred active fans on its Discord server, but insisted “the desire for this film’s fruition is alive and well fandom-wide.” Johns pointed out that over 7,100 people have signed the petition on Change.org since its creation in October, when Kylo Ren / Ben Solo actor Adam Driver dropped the news about his work with Steven Soderbergh to continue Ben's story. “The news was the catalyst for my missing posters and why I plastered them around LA,” Johns explained. “Since then, they’ve been seen all around the world.”

Late last year, Driver dropped a bombshell to the Associated Press that he’d spent the last few years developing The Hunt for Ben Solo. The Lucasfilm-approved but Bob Iger-nixed direct follow-up to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was confirmed by attached director Steven Soderbergh, and on multiple occasions the fanbase has hired planes to do fly-overs of the Walt Disney Studio lot in Burbank to rally support — something Rey Skywalker actress Daisy Ridley has responded positively to.

Soderbergh, the brains behind the project, has revealed that the decision not to greenlight the completed Lucasfilm script for the film was a first for Disney. “In the aftermath of the HFBS situation, I asked Kathy Kennedy if [Lucasfilm] had ever turned in a finished movie script for greenlight to Disney and had it rejected,” Soderbergh said. “She said no, this was a first.”

The movie would have taken place following The Rise of Skywalker and centered on Adam Driver’s character Kylo Ren and his quest for redemption. Driver told the Associated Press that The Hunt For Ben Solo was “one of the coolest f—king scripts I had ever been a part of.”

Driver played Ben Solo / Kylo Ren in each of the three films in Lucasfilm’s Sequel Trilogy, with his final appearance in 2019’s divisive The Rise of Skywalker. “I always was interested in doing another Star Wars,” Driver said. He revealed he had been in talks about another Star Wars movie since 2021, and that Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy had “reached out.”

“I always said: with a great director and a great story, I’d be there in a second,” Driver commented. “I loved that character and loved playing him."

Driver said Lucasfilm “loved the idea” and “totally understood our angle and why we were doing it.” However, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney co-chairman Alan Bergman said no. "They didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that,” he said. Soderbergh told AP: “I really enjoyed making the movie in my head. I’m just sorry the fans won’t get to see it.”

Driver was described as feeling mystified by the decision, insisting the plan was to “be judicial about how to spend money and be economical with it, and do it for less than most but in the same spirit of what those movies are, which is handmade and character-driven.” He pointed to the much-loved Empire Strikes Back as being “the standard of what those movies were.”

If feels as if The Hunt for Ben Solo is well and truly dead, but Brianna Johns refuses to give up. “Ben's disappearance not only left a hole in the hearts of Star Wars fans everywhere, it also tore through the very fabric of the franchise,” Johns told IGN. “The Hunt For Ben Solo reignited a spark within us all and brought us together, a momentous occasion for a fandom typically at odds. Now fans of all ages from around the globe have mobilized for a common goal: to bring Ben home and continue his saga.

“Why will we succeed? We're passionate and resolute; we plan to be so good they can’t ignore us. What’s more, Disney already spent $3 million on the film’s script and plans to spend $24 billion on content for this year. We hope our actions will inspire them to open their imaginations and wallets the same way we have. We know what we’re asking, the cost of a film of this size to go into production and the marketing and distribution that come after. We believe if we can prove the demand is there, they will reconsider. That’s our hope. And isn’t hope what Star Wars is all about?

“The Hunt For Ben Solo Fan Campaign is prepared to go the distance for this film to be made. I purchased two billboards at the start of the year to show the fans are still here and we’re just getting started. We’ve got creativity, money, and time. (We'd love to spend that money on movie tickets.) Our goal at the end of the day? Kicking back with buckets of popcorn as we watch The Hunt For Ben Solo in theaters. Honestly, we don't think that's too much to ask.”

Last month, Daisy Ridley told IGN, “I knew a piece of it. I heard rumblings,” when asked about Driver’s revelation. “I have lots of friends who are crew, so things always travel like that. But, whoa! When the story came out, no, I was like, 'Oh, my God!' And it was him that said it, right?” Ridley added that she found the fan campaign that sprung up following the news heart-warming.

“I do love when there is a collective of positivity,” she said. “The way the internet seems to have rallied to try and get it to happen. I think one), it's fantastic for us all. It's good for us to all be united about something in a really positive way. Obviously, everyone knows he was a very popular character, but it was also lovely to think, 'Wow, people really, really care and want this.' I just... I like it. I like when people join forces — excuse the pun — from all around the world, all different sorts of people. I just love that the Star Wars fandom is such a huge and gorgeous array of different points of view and different people, and the fact that everyone is really behind this thing, I think, is just sort of lovely, in a time that is so f***ing nuts for probably every single person on this Earth. I think it's wonderful. So I was surprised, and honestly, I felt joyful about how it went down.”

In the short term, Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian & Grogu movie comes out May 2026, then Shawn Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter releases May 2027. TV wise, Ahsoka Season 2 is in development but without a release date.

Ridley's Rey film, assuming it actually gets made, takes place roughly 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker as she looks to rebuild the Jedi Order.

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.

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