Are you a huge fan of LEGO sets and yet consistently sticker-shocked by their exorbitant prices? Join the club. Fortunately, LEGO isn't the only interlocking brick company. Mould King, for example, is another very popular, highly-rated, and more affordable brand. Their sets use Gobricks, one of the best non-LEGO bricks on the market, similar to LEGO in durability, precision, and usability. Mould King does imitate several of LEGO's most popular sets, and it's also known to have "borrowed" user-created MOC designs (which, justifiably, might turn some away regardless of the deal quality), but they also produce original designs of their own, including some absolutely massive ones.

Most importantly, Mould King sets are much more reasonably priced than LEGO. Whereas a good LEGO "deal" might start at 10 cents per brick, a Mould King deal could cost half that or even less. Although Mould King sets are available on Amazon, AliExpress is actually where you want to look for deals. Mould King has an official AliExpress storefront that carries hundreds of its products at prices 30%-50% cheaper than Amazon. They also ship locally from a US warehouse with no tariffs or obnoxious wait times to worry about. If you're on the fence, I'd suggest picking up a more inexpensive model to try out. There's a good chance you won't be disappointed.

Mould King Sets on AliExpress

The National Videogame Museum (NVM) has announced the acquisition of a wildly rare and strange artifact of video game history: a Nintendo PlayStation.

And not just any Nintendo PlayStation. The oldest one, the "original development system" that was once used to prototype the strange collaboration system that ultimately never made it to release.

BREAKING: The NVM has acquired the mythical Nintendo Playstation! 🤯

This Sony MSF-1 is the OLDEST known existing Nintendo Playstation hardware artifact, and is the original development system for Sony’s planned Super Nintendo CD attachment. It is the ONLY known unit to exist!… pic.twitter.com/9JQyCsFtxc

— National Videogame Museum (@nvmusa) March 4, 2026

This comes from a Twitter/X post shared by the NVM yesterday, which included photos of the machine. "The NVM has acquired the mythical Nintendo Playstation!" it reads. "This Sony MSF-1 is the OLDEST known existing Nintendo Playstation hardware artifact, and is the original development system for Sony’s planned Super Nintendo CD attachment. It is the ONLY known unit to exist! One of the biggest 'What Ifs' of all time now lives here at the NVM!"

The Nintendo PlayStation was the strange product of an early 1990s partnership, led by Sony's Ken Kutaragi, between Sony and Nintendo to develop an attachment for the Super Nintendo that would play CD-ROMs. Only a few hundred prototypes were produced, before Nintendo's ongoing partnership with Phillips for a similar machine around the same time caused tensions, and the two split. Phillips and Nintendo's partnership for a CD-ROM attachment also fell apart sometime after, but Sony's work on the prototype helped spark the company's eventual development of the PlayStation 1.

A handful of the prototypes have popped up in various places over the years, and Kutaragi still has one as well. But this version at the NVM is even more special, as it's the original development system, and the only one of its kind. As a result, it looks quite distinct from the few other Nintendo PlayStations that we've seen – it's all function and no form, well before designers had gotten around to smoothing out those corners.

With the NVM acquiring this strange, rare relic, that hopefully means more people will have access to this bit of video game history. It will, hopefully, end up on display in the museum itself and well-cared for – an improvement after at least one prototype was found stashed and yellowing in a box of random items.

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

Sometimes, you go in blind on a new game. That’s how it was for me with Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad. I’ll be honest with y’all: I’m not a Sword Art Online guy. I haven’t read the manga, seen the anime, theatrical films or live action adaptation, or played any of the games. My only knowledge of Sword Art Online is that the characters are trapped in an MMO, and if you die in the game, you die in real life. Dun dun dun! That’s a pretty compelling basis for a manga or an anime, but it’s particularly interesting as a video game set in a video game. As it turns out, not knowing much about Sword Art Online made me the perfect guy to sit down with Echoes of Aincrad because, well… it's a little different from what’s come before.

Before we dive into that, let’s take a quick step back and establish a few things first. Aside from a short section of the tutorial that we don’t want to spoil, I didn’t really see any of Echoes of Aincrad’s story. Instead, my time with Aincrad was spent doing a quest called The Lost Log. But that doesn’t mean I can’t talk about some of the narrative decisions this single-player action-RPG makes.

Maybe the biggest departure for the series is that, for the first time in its history, you’re not going to play as a pre-existing character who is part of the story. Instead, you’ll make your own. When I asked Sword Art Online Game Series Producer Yosuke Futami why they made the switch, he told me there were a couple reasons. First, most games in the series have been set in the middle of Sword Art Online’s story, which required players to have at least some working knowledge of the series. Echoes of Aincrad doesn’t, and Futami hopes that means that it will be more approachable for folks who aren’t already fans. Second, he’s hoping that by putting the player into the game world as their own character, they’ll be able to experience the story of being trapped in a death game themselves, not vicariously. Neat.

My journey started in The Town of Beginnings. I spent a little time running, getting a feel for the place, and finding some elven statues that taught me some of Aincrad’s lore. The Town of Beginnings feels like, well... a starting town in an MMO. It’s got that dense-yet-artificial feel of a town in a video game, which pulls double duty in a video game set in a video game because NPCs feeling like NPCs here is a feature, not a bug. The town also shows off how utterly gorgeous Echoes of Aincrad is. This is a good-looking video game. Like… damn.

After seeing the town, I teleported to a nearby terminal (you can teleport any time you’re in town), picked up a quest, and then teleported to my chest to change up my loadout and level up. You see, Echoes of Aincrad started me with a sword-and-board build, and I decided immediately that I would not be doing that because it just didn’t feel like me. I opted for a greatsword and some new gear instead, and spent my growth points to maximize what I wanted to do (meaning: hit things with a big sword).

One of the neat things Echoes of Aincrad does is reward you for hitting certain milestones as you level up – generally once you hit five point increments. Getting my Dex to 5, for instance, boosted my sword skill damage by 3%, while hitting 10 bumped that to 5%. It’s easy to play an RPG and feel like individual levels don’t do much to make you stronger, but every time I got a new level or hit a new milestone in my time with Echoes of Aincrad, I felt it – something Futami confirmed was intentional when I asked him about it. And in Echoes of Aincrad, you can reset your parameters whenever you want. That isn’t typical of Sword Art Online as a setting, but it makes Echoes of Aincrad more accessible to newcomers and encourages you to experiment with your build until you find something you like. If you ask me, that rules.

Once I was kitted out good and proper, it was time to go out into the world. Echoes of Aincrad is set in an MMO, but it’s a single-player game. When you go out, though, you’re not alone. You can select a companion to go with you. I had my choice of three: Iori, a healer: the tankier Wyzeman; and Argo, who operates in more of a utility/support role. I went with Wyzeman. Once we were in the field, how we proceeded was up to us. The map would tell us where we needed to go, but I could only see some of it. I’d have to unlock the rest as we traveled.

Our first enemies were wolves, boars, and kobolds, all perfect for getting used to Echoes of Aincrad’s combat system. A lot of what’s here is stuff you’ve seen before. You’ve got a guard, light and heavy attack chains that you can alternate between on the fly, special attacks, and your partner’s abilities (Iori’s, for instance, creates a circle that heals you if you stand in it). You’ll also open up additional attacks if you dodge at the right time or manage to parry, as you do, and some of them are pretty cinematic. Fancy.

What makes Echoes of Aincrad cool is how dangerous everything feels. Standard enemies can and will kill you if you’re not paying attention, especially early on, and they’re not exactly the forgive and forget type: they’ll follow you for a long time if you pick a fight with them. And they’re all different. Kobolds will block your attacks and retreat and try to blind you. If they do, the screen darkens and is filled with static. It’s a great effect that does exactly what it says: makes it a lot harder to see. Wolves, on the other hand, are nimble and aggressive and travel in packs. Boars are bruisers that you probably don’t wanna go toe to toe with directly, and there are these weird plants that attack from range with vines and can burrow under the ground. And that’s not even getting to the elite enemies, which are bigger, faster, and stronger and come with additional attacks.

By far the worst, though, were the wasps. They fly, they shoot poison, they hit pretty hard. Them boys is tough, so much so that I felt like San Andreas’s CJ whenever I saw one: “Aw, s***, here we go again.” Futami knows it, too. When I asked him about the enemies, and specifically mentioned the wasps, he nodded and said “Ah. Wasp” in English (the rest of our interview was conducted via a translator). Those are the words of a man who knows what he’s doing, what horrors he has unleashed on his digital world.

But even then, there are ways to deal with enemies. They can be stunned, opening them up to big damage. In the case of the wasps, I could knock them out of the air, which is where they’re strongest. If I stunned them, I could chop off their wings, preventing them from taking to the air and forcing them to fight on my terms. No matter what enemy I went up against (or how many times I saw them), it was always scary when a fight drew the attention of more baddies and exhilarating when I landed a big hit, nailed a dodge attack, or timed a team-up attack just so.

What I saw of the world was just as intriguing. In most RPGs, the worlds are something you navigate between combat encounters, but in Echoes of Aincrad, getting around is half the battle. Futami told me that they wanted the world itself to be like a dungeon, and I felt it when I was playing. Much of the time, I was figuring out how to get where I wanted to be from where I was, and what paths I’d need to take to get from one floating blue orb – which serve as places to rest and restore your potions, but also respawn enemies – to another, finding chests along the way. By far my favorite thing about the world was finding Arks. Defeating the mini-boss enemies sealed inside the Arks will open other seals scattered around the world, allowing you to get chests and other goodies.

One time, I opened up a cave, but it was too dark for me to see what was inside. Apparently, I didn’t have the right equipment to light the way; I guess I needed a Pokemon with flash or something. That could have been annoying, but I loved navigating Echoes of Aincrad’s world so much that it just made me want to come back later. There’s so much detail here, that even walking through mud is exciting because it would show up on my characters, something Futami said the team put a lot of effort into, and you can really get a sense of that as you play.

Searching for The Lost Log usually meant making the trip in chunks, fighting my way to the next orb, then going back to down to level up, equip new armor and weapons – and upgrade and slap new abilities on them, which sadly I can’t show – switching out my companion (I liked them all, but Iori quickly became my go-to because of her healing prowess), and so on. Each trip into the wild was an expedition, and I loved an excuse to try out new weapons and partner characters, which returning to the city provided.

My demo ended with a boss fight against a couple of the big, scary plants. It was a grand ol’ time, and fitting end to my time with Echoes of Aincrad. I came, I saw, I conquered, recovered The Lost Log, and left many a dead wasp in my wake. I’m still thinking about Echoes of Aincrad more than a week after playing it. About its world, about the characters, about the wasps. Even the metatextual stuff is fun. Remember Iori? She appears as a woman when I met her, but early on, Iori is a man, and Futami is eager to see what players make of that change. It’s particularly fitting for a video game. After all, who amongst us hasn’t played as a member of the opposite sex while exploring a fantasy world?

If Echoes of Aincrad can nail what it’s aiming for, it should be a chance for seasoned vets and newcomers alike to get into the Sword Art Online world. Me? I just wanna go back to that cave. Next time, I’ll make sure to bring a light.

Spoilers follow for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Episode 9.

The penultimate episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s first season was a big one for many reasons, including that it was directed by Captain William Riker himself, Jonathan Frakes. Ahead of next week’s finale, we were able to talk to Frakes about the big reunion between Caleb (Sandro Rosta) and his mom Anisha (Tatiana Maslany), how he directs such a storied franchise, how he deals with fan community hate, and more.

What a day! We're still bustling through Resident Evil Requiem, Pokopia's out today, and on top of that, Slay the Spire 2 is out in early access. And in the shadows of these giant releases, Slay the Spire 2 is doing particularly well. As I type this, it's reached 177k concurrent players on Steam, and that number is still actively rising. That's a new record for a roguelike on the platform, just weeks after Mewgenics smashed the previous record.

As reported by Eurogamer back in February, previously, Hades 2 held the crown for the highest concurrent player count on Steam for a roguelike at 112k players. The weekend of its launch, Mewgenics managed to surpass it, reaching 115k concurrent players.

Slay the Spire 2 is currently the fourth most-played game on Steam right now, behind Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and Arc Raiders, and just ahead of Rust. It's even doing better (at the moment) than Resident Evil: Requiem, which at the time of this piece had around 115k concurrents (though its peak is at 344k, considerably higher). I'm almost tempted to sit here refreshing the page just to see if it can get past 200k before I publish.

That's a fantastic debut for this long-awaited sequel to the popular deckbuilder roguelike Slay the Spire which we called 'Amazing' at the time, and awarded a 9/10, saying: "Slay the Spire takes some of the best parts of deckbuilding games, roguelikes, and dungeon crawlers, and mixes them into a wholly new and extremely satisfying package." Slay the Spire 2 is currently only available on PC for its early access period, but it seems likely to get console versions once it's fully released.

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

It's now been three months since Elden Ring: Nightreign received its paid Forsaken Hollows DLC, which added two new Nightfarers, a new map, two new end bosses and a bundle of other new bosses, enemies, and events. And players are starting to get real antsy, wondering when, if ever, another update will arrive...or at least when they're going to finally get Everdark Heolstor.

Multiple popular Reddit posts this week have expressed frustration at not just no updates, but no news of future updates, coming out of FromSoftware for Nightreign since Forsaken Hollows. As u/Chance_Drive_5906 put it, "It has now been three months since the DLC came out. The last piece of content we got for Nightreign. I think it's safe to say we aren't getting anything else and Fromsoft has moved on. The last patch for this game came out almost two months ago as well, so I'm not sure we'll even see any further balance updates." The comments below are full of individuals expressing wishes for anything: a cheap DLC pack containing a new nightfarer, some new weapons, a boss, just something.

What players seem to want most is Everdark Heolstor. Heolstor is the alternative name for the Nightlord, the effective "final boss" of Nightreign. You can battle him normally, of course, but there's no Everdark variant. Everdark variants are super-powered up versions of existing bosses that become available to challenge three at a time, and rotate in and out every few weeks. So for instance, today is the last day for Gnoster, Caligo, and Libra's Everdark forms, which means that tomorrow three different bosses' Everdark forms will be available to fight. Everdark bosses give more powerful rewards than regular bosses, but they're much harder to beat, with additional phases to their fights and far more punishing attacks. Currently, only Heolstar and the Dreglord, the final boss of the Forsaken Hollows DLC, are missing Everdark forms, leading fans to speculate that they'll eventually be added. One fan wanted to see Everdark Heolstor so much, they took their request to an AEW show.

But apart from Everdark Heolstor, most fans are just hopeful for a crumb of confirmation that more content for Nightreign is on the way. Nightreign is a somewhat unusual game in that it's clearly intended to be played as a long-term, ongoing, cooperative experience. But unlike most other AAA games of that category, it's a premium-priced experience, and doesn't get updates on a weekly or monthly basis to keep free-to-play players spending money on microtransactions. The result is almost certainly a healthier experience for everyone, but it does mean that at a certain point, the adventuring starts to get a bit repetitive. And that's even with the Deep of Night addition, which essentially offers an "endless" mode of increasing difficulty and more powerful rewards.

Elden Ring: Nightreign's most recent update was on January 15, but it was just a balance patch. At the end of those patch notes, Bandai Namco concludes with the line, "Further updates will be distributed in the future for you to continue to enjoy ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN more comfortably." Some fans are so hungry for more Nightreign, they're clinging to that line as a sign there's more to come, even though it's likely nothing more than a promise to keep patching as needed.

Will there eventually be another content update for Nightreign? Truly, no one knows but FromSoftware and Bandai Namco. Nightreign is certainly a game that could take continued updates in the form of new Nightfarers, new bosses, and new maps. But given how weird an experiment Nightreign was to begin with, it wouldn't be shocking for FromSoftware to move on and focus its energies on its next multiplayer project, Duskbloods.

Personally, I'd just settle for some more outfits to spend my Murk on. Can I get a Ranni outfit for the Recluse, please?

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

Frozen Ever After at Walt Disney World just got a major upgrade as the Audio-Animatronics figures of Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff have been given new faces that make them feel as if they jumped off the screen and into EPCOT. To learn more, we spoke with Ken Ricci, Executive Creative Development at Walt Disney Imagineering, about how the team brought this vision to life and why they chose now to update this beloved attraction for the first time in forever.

Ricci and I sat down in a lounge above Frozen Ever After to chat for a few minutes after I had the chance to check out these new upgrades for myself, and I am delighted to report that they do make a huge difference. I still believe the original designs were very impressive in their own right, but these feel so much more true to the films and, in my opinion, will withstand the test of time much better.

For those unfamiliar, Frozen Ever After opened on June 21, 2016, replacing the Maelstrom attraction in the Norway Pavilion at EPCOT's World Showcase. It was a groundbreaking moment in Disney history for many reasons, including being the first attraction to feature all-electric Audio-Animatronics and the first to combine electric motors and 3D printing. They also used rear-projection mapping to bring their faces to life, which was the main item addressed with these new updates.

"We're always looking at smoothing out our Audio-Animatronics figures' profiles, how they move, and how we can make them more human-like and realistic," Ricci told me. "That's something that's very, very much a passion of ours, as our goal is to hide the fact that their robots."

That is obviously easier said than done, but the 10 years since Frozen Ever After first opened provided the team with a unique opportunity to make this change much more quickly than would have been possible for an original project

Since its debut, Frozen Ever After has opened at both Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. Furthermore, the fourth Frozen Ever After is about to welcome guests on March 29 when it opens alongside World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris' Disney Adventure World.

And yes, that's where you'll be able to see the way-too-adorable next-generation robotic figure of Olaf, who will literally be walking, talking, and interacting with guests around World of Frozen.

Hot off the zombified heels of Resident Evil Requiem, a brand-new Capcom Spotlight has arrived with updates on Street Fighter 6, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Pragmata, and much more.

We've gathered all the biggest moments and reveals right here to ensure you don't miss a thing, and we'd love to know what your favorite part of the show was!

Onimusha: Way of the Sword Gets an Action-Packed Overview Trailer Filled With Gameplay

While we still don't have a release date beyond 2026, Capcom gave us our best look yet at Onimusha: Way of the Sword in a brand-new overview trailer.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword stars a lone samurai named Miyamoto Musashi, and the game is set in 17th Century Edo-Period Kyoto. Way of the Sword will take us through iconic locales like Kiyomizu-dera Temple as Musashi fights back against the Genma ravaging the land and forges a new fate.

Musashi will run into other characters throughout his journey, including his old rival, Sasaki Ganryu, and he'll need to use all his skills and his Oni Gauntlet if he hopes to succeed.

Street Fighter 6 Welcomes Alex to Its Roster on March 17 and Reveals Outfit 4 for Elena and Dee Jay

Street Fighter 6 is gearing up to welcome Alex to its roster on March 17, and fans will be delighted to know that Kenny Omega provided some of the motion capture for the fighter. It was also revealed that JAMProject had contributed a new BGM track to the game called 'Go! Alex! Hope is Born!'.

Capcom also discussed the Alex Arrives! Fighting Pass and Outfit 4 for Elena and Dee Jay (which will be included in the Swimsuit Series!).

Pragmata Gets a Gameplay Trailer and Moves Its Release Date Up a Week

Capcom kicked off its Capcom Spotlight presentation by sharing a brand-new look at Pragmata. However, the biggest news may be that it moved its release date up from April 24 to April 17, meaning you'll be able to jump into Hugh and Diana's sci-fi adventure a week early!

We also got another look at Pragmata's Deluxe Edition, which includes the Shelter Variety Pack. That pack features additional costumes, rare digital artwork viewable in game, and more. You can also pre-order the game to get Hugh Outfit - Neo Bushido and Diana Outfit - Neo Kunoichi.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Gets a Launch Trailer and a Ton of Bonuses

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection will be released on March 13, 2026, and Capcom shared its launch trailer again and revealed some new details, as well as an overview of the story of the game.

Twisted Reflection takes place when Azuria and Vemeril are locked in conflict and the Crystal Encroachment is at their door, and there are twin Rathalos for the first time in forever but only one rider.

Capcom also talked about bonus features, including receiving layered armor for those who have saved data from other Monster Hunter games. Monster Hunter Stories save data will get players the Hakum Rider Outfit, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin the Mahana Rider Outfit, Monster Hunter Ride the Kamura Garb, and Monster Hunter Wilds the Hope Layered Armor Set.

Speaking of outfits, linking your platform with a Capcom ID will net you the Catcom Works Outfit for Rudy.

There will also be free DLC that will launch at launch, including the Accessory: Gold Circlet and Layered Armor for Simon: Wind Wyvern's Friend, the latter of which changes his appearance to the Legiana Armor theme.

For a limited bonus, those who pre-order the game or purchase a physical copy will get the Layered Armor for Eleanor: Skyscale Queen

Street Fighter: The Movie Shares Behind-the-Scenes Footage

Street Fighter: The Movie is set to be released in theaters on October 16, 2026, and today's Capcom Spotlight shared some fun behind-the-scenes footage of the film that will be shows at Capcom Cup 12.

How Capcom Is Celebrating 30 Years of Resident Evil

In celebration of 30 years of Resident Evil, Capcom revealed a bit of how it will be celebrating this milestone, in addition to the already released Resident Evil Requiem. These festivities include a new collaboration with Universal Studios Japan that will be inspired by Requiem itself, a new Resident Evil 2 arcade game, Resident Evil 30th Anniversary Concerts -Symphony of Legacy-, and the 30th anniversary set known as Resident Evil Generation Pack (Resident Evil 7, 8, and 9!).

Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection Online Features

Capcom gave us a glimpse into the online features of Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection. Players will be able to use saved data to use and edit their decks. Players will also be able to select multiple titles when searching for online matches.

There will be Casual Match, Ranked Match, and Friend Match, along with other features like Trading and Brother List. Speaking of the Brother List, this has been updated to allow players to include 100 Brothers instead of 6.

Mega Man: Dual Override Boss Character Design Contest Winner Revealed

In the lead-up to Mega Man: Dual Override, Capcom held a contest for its community to help design a boss in the upcoming title. There were 10,000 entries, Capcom picked the best 20, and the community chose the six winners with their votes.

The development team noticed that many of the designs were similar to the actual bosses that will be featured in the game, and Capcom took that opportunity to tease the seven bosses with a silhouetted picture of them all together.

As for the winners, they included Cleanser Man, Sweeper Woman, Recycle Man, Cactus Man, Juggle Man, and Valve Man. However, only one will make its way to Mega Man: Dual Override, but we'll have to wait a bit longer to find out who that is.

Capcom Cup 12 & Street Fighter League: World Championship 2025 Schedule Revealed

Capcom Cup 12 & Street Fighter League: World Championship 2025 are nearly here and Capcom revealed what will be happening on each day of the event, and you can check it out below;

• Day 1 (March 11): 48 warriors converge from around the globe - Capcom Cup
• Day 2 (March 12): Only the Survivors Advance - Capcom Cup
• Day 3 (March 13): Elite players and teams battle on the same stage - Capcom Cup and SFL
• Day 4 (March 14): Grand Prize $1,000,000, the 2025 Champion will be crowned - Capcom Cup
• Day 5 (March 15): Only one team stands above all - SFL

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.

Nothing has officially debuted the Nothing Phone 4a Pro and its new over-ear Nothing Headphone A in the US. While the $199 Headphone A, Nothing's second go at over-ear cans, will mostly keep the transparent-ish look that has marked the company's products until now, the $499 Phone 4a Pro is adopting a somewhat more traditional look – as long as you ignore whatever's going on in that camera bump. Nothing also officially released the non-pro Nothing Phone 4a, but unfortunately hasn't launched it in the US.

Nothing Phone 4a Pro

Despite having a mostly solid back and sides – colored silver, black, or pink – the Phone 4a Pro is still very unconventional, thanks to a wild camera bump that looks sort of like a cartoon face with one large eye made of a dotmatrix display – what The Verge notes is a lower resolution take on the "Glyph Matrix" found on the Nothing Phone 3 – and a smaller eye and mouth made up of the phone's cameras. (The area around these features still hints at the former transparent back look of other Nothing products.)

The camera array is comprised of a 50MP main shooter, a periscope-style telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom and 140x digital zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide lens with an unknown megapixel count but a 120-degree field of view. On the other side, there's a 32MP selfie camera embedded in the top of the display, which has a 6.8-inch, 144Hz AMOLED panel with a 1260 x 2800 resolution, 800-nit standard brightness, 1600-nit outdoor brightness, and 5,000-nit peak brightness.

Being aimed more at budget buyers, the Phone 4a Pro still has some decent specs, with some compromises. It's driven by a midrange Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage, depending on how it's configured. That wouldn't put it up there with heavy-hitter flagships, but it could likely still compete with the likes of the Google Pixel 8, IGN's favorite midrange handset. It has a 5,080mAh battery that recharges at up to 50W wired, which is solid, but the phone lacks the wireless charging found in the Nothing Phone 3. It's also limited to Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 on the connectivity front. Pleasantly, the Phone 4a Pro still supports dual physical SIM cards. The Phone 4a Pro will be available later this month – preorders open March 13, with an official release on March 27.

Nothing Headphone A

The Nothing Headphone A will be available a little sooner, with preorders open today and official sales coming March 13. To start, the Headphone A will come in black, white, and pink, but the company will sell a limited edition yellow pair later, starting April 6.

The Headphone A looks similar to the geometric Headphone 1 that preceded them, but with slightly less emphasis on translucence. They don't fold, but the headband does extend and the ear cups twist. Sound-wise, Nothing says the headphones are "engineered for clarity," and will use the LDAC codec for lossless, wireless audio.

Inside the cups are 40mm drivers feature both active noise cancellation and transparency modes, as well as a hybrid noise cancellation mode that tries to balance the two, adjusting on the fly to noises around you. Apart from that, they also support Spatial Audio and have controls that include a power switch, Bluetooth pairing button, roller for volume, rocker buttons for switching tracks and such, and a button that can be used to switch modes, trigger a connected phone's camera, summon ChatGPT, and more.

Nothing says its new wireless headphones will have the "longest battery life of any Nothing product to date," offering up to five days on a charge. And recharging them for just five minutes will net you five hours of wireless listening, according to the company. The Headphone A also feature a 3.5mm audio jack for wired connectivity. The headphones may feel a touch heavy, though. They weigh 310 grams, putting them between the AirPods Max, which are often criticized for their weight and clock in at 386.2 grams, and the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones, which weigh just 254 grams.

Wes is a freelance writer (Freelance Wes, they call him) who has covered technology, gaming, and entertainment steadily since 2020 at Gizmodo, Tom's Hardware, Hardcore Gamer, and most recently, The Verge. Inside of him there are two wolves: one that thinks it wouldn't be so bad to start collecting game consoles again, and the other who also thinks this, but more strongly.

If you're in need of at-home printing but you don't want to deal with the upfront cost of buying a printer or the hassle of purchasing ink cartridges when they run out, then HP is offering a plan that might be perfect for you.

HP's All-In Plan is a convenient service that leases you a printer for a low monthly fee. Never run out of ink or printing supplies. You’re always ready to print with ink and optional paper delivery before you need it. There are several plans to choose from, with each offering a different printer and print allotment depending on your needs. The monthly print allotment is flexible, rolls over and can easily be updated on a monthly basis if needed.

No matter how much time goes by, the gory, loot-filled embrace of Diablo 4 is something I always seem to return to, and with the Lord of Hatred expansion right around the corner it’s only a matter of time before I lose myself for dozens of hours once again. That’s especially true now that I’ve had the chance to check out the second of two new character classes coming alongside the expansion, the Warlock, who uses the power of Hell against itself to become an unstoppable, demonic magic user that even Mephisto himself should have reason to fear. This summoner of satanic sigils and swarms of sinister spawn has numerous distinct builds that make it an interesting option for different types of players, and make it less likely that you’ll end up in a party filled with identical demon summoners when going toe-to-toe with the Lord of Hatred, and I truly cannot wait to see what insane builds people come up with. Combined with the new region of Skovos, an overhauled endgame experience, and a whole bunch of tweaks to skill trees and loot, this finale to Mephisto’s story is looking truly epic so far.

Blizzard was happy to share plenty of news about their upcoming Lord of Hatred expansion for Diablo IV, but the main course was the Warlock character class – a mage who turns the dark powers of hell against itself and uses demons as disposable tools in his battle against their kind. It’s truly the most metal class in Diablo to-date, and after spending some hands-on time messing around with several pre-configured variations, it’s given me another reason to look forward to diving back into one of my favorite ARPGs.

Like the Spiritborn class from last year, the Warlock seems to have a bit more build diversity than the classes found in vanilla Diablo 4. Instead of a ranged magic user like the Sorcerer, who has a handful of elemental options that apply different status effects to enemies, the Warlock has a version that turns him into an aggressive melee monster, leaping around to stomp the enemy flat, or a summoner class that lets his minions do his fighting for him and has much more in common with the Necromancer. No matter which you pick though, they all have the same flavor of using hellish powers, whether that be unholy rituals or imposing your will over enemies on the battlefield to turn them into your meat puppets. And since you can mix and match these options at your discretion, there’s a lot of potential to create a well-rounded fighter that perhaps ends up being a jack of all trades, but master of none, which is both a neat option to have available, and also maybe not advisable (though that won’t keep me from at least giving it a try).

If You Build it, They Will Die

My favorite of the builds I tried was called the Legion, which focused on summoning demons to aid me in battle, then feeding off of their death to do additional damage to my enemies. In this version of the Warlock, absolutely every attack involved using and abusing my infernal servants to deal damage, including my base attack that fired exploding fallen lunatics at my foes. Naturally, the ultimate for this build let me summon an absolutely massive demon called the Fiend of Abaddon, who swung a gigantic claymore at everything in the area, doing huge damage. It’s been a while since I did a playthrough with the Necromancer, but the Warlock felt to me like a much more aggressive version of this type of minion character archetype and I absolutely loved it.

But summoning demons to do your bidding is still a fairly passive strategy, and for a truly aggressive alternative, I tried out the Vanguard build, which focused on turning myself into a hideous, profane hellspawn instead of just summoning them. This version of the Warlock involved unleashing a bunch of fire and lava all over the place, like one ability that let me summon a demonic head that spewed flames from his mouth (hell yeah), and another that caused my enemies to explode upon death, causing a chain reaction of destruction in my wake. The main draw of this variety of Warlock though, was Metamorphosis, an ultimate ability that straight-up turned me into a demon, replacing my existing hotbar with a whole new slew of blasphemous temporary abilities as I ran around tearing my way through Mephisto’s hordes with my razorsharp claws. This build felt like it would definitely take some learning to master, especially since replacing all your skills while in demon form could be fairly jarring at first, but I really liked the idea nonetheless.

Another build that really clicked with me was the Ritualist – a version of the Warlock that focused on creating sigils that impacted whole areas of the map with various status effects, often causing demons to up and explode into pink giblets. Whether I was opening up molten cracks in the earth, using totems to chain enemies in place, or hexed enemies within an area and turned me invisible when killing enemies within them, I was almost always placing lethal traps all over the map that made it impossible for demons to reach me without suffering my wrath first. Naturally, the ultimate ability for this build just summoned an absolutely humongous sigil on the ground (filling nearly the entire screen) that exploded multiple times and just wiped the area clear of any baddies. I probably only scratched the surface with this build, and there were a few sigils I didn’t even get to try, but it already felt super powerful and very different from any of Diablo 4’s other character classes.

Finally, there was the Mastermind Warlock, which was all about mobility, stealth, and applying a bunch of status effects to enemies. I definitely felt the least at home with this build, but the vibe I got from it was that it’s sort of the rogue version of the Warlock, where you’re given lots of ranged attacks and options to dodge around or become invisible, but are also quite squishy. The ultimate ability involved summoning a swarm of hungry Hell bugs that ran around the map eating everything in sight. Overall, this one seems like it requires a fair bit more finesse than some of the other options that were much more straightforward brute force plays, but even in my limited time with it, I could see that the DPS potential on this one was pretty insane. It maybe won’t be the choice for my first playthrough of Lord of Hatred, but I could definitely see myself deep-diving into this option and seeing what interesting combos I could come up with.

After experimenting with these options, I also tried my hand at building my own Warlock that mixed and matched my favorite abilities from each. I can’t say I was very successful at doing so on my first attempt, but the vibes of using Hell against itself and all the different forms that can take definitely sold me on giving this class a try come April.

More to Explore

Though most of my time was spent checking out the Warlock and its various permutations of demonic badassery, I also was given a sneak peek at some of the new systems, like the reworked skill trees that put more emphasis on customizing abilities rather than passive increases, new details on the new endgame progression system called War Paths, some seriously cool changes to itemization, like set bonuses being added, new crafting systems, and a much-needed loot filter (finally), and even a fishing minigame. I didn’t get to go hands-on with most of these, instead just learning about them from developers over the course of several Q&A sessions, but everything I’ve heard so far has me feeling really optimistic about Diablo 4’s chances at consuming my life (again) later this year.

The skill tree changes are easily my favorite tweak, as they’ve done away with all the boring nodes that just make your numbers go up (that’s what the paragon tree is for, after all), and have instead made each skill purchase an interesting decision that augments how your character plays. Some of the examples of this are a skill tree that can turn the Sorcerer’s Hydra fire summon into an ice summon instead, or in the case of the Warlock, a perk that turns a defensive wall of demons into an offensive group of roaming monsters. I really like the idea that now the core skill trees for each character will focus on modifying skills to match your playstyle, instead of just boosting DPS, and am pretty eager to dive in and see what new options are waiting to be exploited.

As for the endgame changes, set bonuses, and the new crafting systems, IGN will have plenty more to share in the future as the Lord of Hatred nears ever closer to ensnaring Sanctuary. For now, I’m sold on the Warlock, and am already noodling on some chaotic summoner builds to let loose later this year.

New Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma, who took over as the head of the Xbox business last week as longtime Xbox boss Phil Spencer retired, has confirmed the codename for Xbox's next-generation console – Project Helix – and also confirmed long-swirling rumors that the device will play Xbox and PC games.

"Great start to the morning with Team Xbox, where we talked about our commitment to the return of Xbox including Project Helix, the code name for our next generation console," Sharma posted on her X account. "Project Helix will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games. Looking forward to chatting about this more with partners and studios at my first GDC next week!"

Rumors about the fifth-generation Xbox console and its ability to play PC games have been making the rounds for some time. Though perhaps it won't be playing any first-party PlayStation games that make their way to PC, since Sony has reportedly pulled back on first-party PC support.

IGN's Xbox podcast crew talked about their advice for Sharma on a recent episode, and our Next-Gen Console Watch crew offered her five changes she could immediately make that would win over Xbox fans.

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

Pokémon TCG is still red hot as we cross into the official 30th anniversary celebrations for the next 12 months. But there’s one card in particular that’s burning a hole in trainers' pockets right now, and it's driving a reignited interest in Phantasmal Flames.

Released on November 14, 2025, Phantasmal Flames is the second expansion under the Mega Evolution banner. Out of all 130 cards in the set, no other is hotter right now than the elusive Mega Charizard X ex 125/094 SIR (Special Illustration Rare).

The rare card has seen a 20% spike in market value on TCGplayer over the past three months, with prices going as high as $2000 for a graded PSA 10 card on eBay in the US.

If you’ve been wanting to try out an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, today might be the day, as Newegg is offering $20 off a 3-month membership. Those after a few new games will want to check out the discounts on Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for Switch 2, Borderlands 3 for Switch, and more. Plus, The Beatles Anthology Collection, LEGO The Starry Night, and Marvel Studios Cross-Sections book are all down to their lowest prices. Below, you’ll find all the best deals for March 5:

TL;DR - The Best Deals for March 5

$15 Off Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for Switch 2

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution—Perfect Order Booster Bundle Preorder In Stock on Amazon

$20 Off a 3 Month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Membership

Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition for Switch Is Only $10

Save $30 on LEGO The Starry Night

Score up to $300 Off a MacBook Air M4

Save $100 on The Beatles Anthology Collection (2025)

Marvel Studios Cross-Sections Hardcover Book Hits New Low Price

Pokémon Mega Evolution - Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box Drops to $109.88 on Amazon

Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Edition for PS5 Hits New Low

Save 45% on Astro Bot

MTG x TMNT Pizza Bundle Preorder Is Under $100

$15 Off MTG x TMNT Commander Deck

Save $50 on the MTG x TMNT Collector Booster Box

Save 30% on the LEGO Super Mario Piranha Plant

Disney+ has revealed a new discount on its Hulu bundle for March 2026. The offer gets you both Disney+ and Hulu basic for $4.99 per month (down from $12.99) for the first three months. This is the best deal we've seen on the service in 2026, with last month's discount only dropping the price a few dollars for a single month.

The new discount is only available for the ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu bundle plan and will auto-renew at $12.99 after the first three months of the subscription is over. According to the offer page on the Disney+ website, the discount is only valid for new and eligible returning subscribers. If you already have the ESPN Unilmited bundle that includes Disney+, for example, you will not be able to get these savings.

New Disney+ Deal for March 2026

It's smart to have a light source on hand for emergencies, especially since everyday carry flashlights can be had for a throwaway price. The Sofirn brand is extremely popular amongst the enthusiast flashlight community for the amount the light they throw out at a bargain price. Sofirn's official store on AliExpress routinely sells these flashlights for a much lower price than on Amazon. They ship free from a local US warehouse with no tariff fees or obnoxious shipping times.

Sofirn Q8 Plus 16,000-Lumen LED Flashlight for $49.88

Sofirn SP36 Pro 8,000-Lumen LED Flashlight for $29.56

The powerful yet compact Sofirn SP36 Pro 8,000-Lumen Rechargeable LED Flashlight has also dropped in price to $29.56 after you apply $4 off coupon code "4USAFFS". This exact flashlight sells for $70 on Amazon.

The Sofirn SP36 Pro is a compact EDC style flashlight, measuring just 5" in length and weighing about 10 ounces without the battery. It features a rugged aluminum shell and has an IPX8 rating, which means it can be submerged in water up to 1 meter deep. The flashlight comes with three 18650 Li-on batteries that can be recharged with a USB Type-C cable.

The light array is comprised of four Luminus SST-40 LEDs each with is own individual reflector. They combine for a maximum output of 8,000 lumens and a beam distance of up to 450 meters, which means that this little flashlight can illuminate an entire football field. The intensity is adjustable so you can conserve battery life.

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.

LG has announced that it's now taking preorders for its next generation of OLED TVs, the LG OLED Evo G6 and OLED Evo C6. The TVs, which range in price from $1,399 for the 42-inch C6 all the way up to an eye-popping $24,999 for the 97-inch G6, will be available to buy at an unspecified time later this month.

Happily, LG isn't raising prices for the new TVs, despite supply chain costs that have been rising in recent months due to tariffs and the voracious appetite of AI companies, particularly for RAM and storage. What you get for your money is a pair of 4K TVs with 120Hz-native variable refresh rate panels that are some of the brightest in the business. In the case of the G6, the company has claimed it will be 20% brighter than its predecessor, the G5, already impressively bright, thanks to four-stack OLED panel tech the company started using last year.

That brightness is a big part of why the G5 is our money-is-no-object gaming TV pick. That doesn't mean the C6 is a bad TV, though. Both TVs will support good TV picture and audio certifications like Dolby Vision (although not Dolby Vision 2) and Atmos, HDR10, HLG, and now, Filmmaker Mode with Ambient Light Compensation – that last one is a feature, developed by the UHD Alliance in collaboration with professional Hollywood filmmakers, that algorithmically compensates for the ambient light in a room in a way that, in theory, correctly represents the artists' vision.

They've each also got built-in AI upscaling via LG's A11 AI Processor 4K Gen 3. Interestingly, LG downgraded from Wi-Fi 6E to Wi-Fi 5 for both TVs. That won't necessarily translate to a worse experience for most owners, unless your TV is in an area with lots of Wi-Fi interference and you're trying to stream from Sony Pictures Core, Sony's super high-bitrate streaming service. Finally, the G6 will come in five screen sizes, ranging from 55 inches up to a behemot 97 inches, while the C6 starts at 42 inches and goes to 83 inches.

Wes is a freelance writer (Freelance Wes, they call him) who has covered technology, gaming, and entertainment steadily since 2020 at Gizmodo, Tom's Hardware, Hardcore Gamer, and most recently, The Verge. Inside of him there are two wolves: one that thinks it wouldn't be so bad to start collecting game consoles again, and the other who also thinks this, but more strongly.

Best Buy is offering an outstanding deal on a laptop that marries powerful gaming performance with a slim and lightweight profile. While supplies last, you can pick up an open box "excellent condition" Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 RTX 5070 Ti gaming laptop for just $1763.99 with free delivery. Compare that to the brand new price of $2,400. These preowned laptops are Geek Squad verified and sometimes still have all or some of their original warranty.

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 RTX 5070 Ti Laptop for $1,764

Open box "excellent condition"

The new live-action movie isn't the only Masters of the Universe release coming in June. The Blu-ray steelbook for Masters of the Universe: Revelation and Revolution is also getting re-released on June 2, just a few days before the new film on June 5, 2026.

The Masters of the Universe: Revelation/Revolution Blu-ray steelbook is currently available to preorder from select retailers (see it here at Walmart). If you're hoping to add it to your collection, this is the time to grab it. There's every chance it could sell out fast, so better to make a move on it now than wait too long and let it slip through your fingers.

Preorder Masters of the Universe: Revelation/Revolution Steelbook

• See here at Walmart - $39.99
• See here at Amazon - $47.99

This complete series Blu-ray steelbook features quite a colorful cover with all of the characters bursting from the center, which you can see in greater detail above. Even the inside has fun artwork of He-Man and Skeletor. If you're a fan, it looks like a great addition to a physical media collection.

Masters of the Universe: Revelation is a show we were very big fans of, giving it an 8/10 in our review. Writer Matt Fowler said: "Masters of the Universe: Revelation uses the original He-Man sandbox to truly go wild and explore these characters in ways that allow them to break tired molds and dissolve old conventions."

We weren't quite as big on Masters of the Universe: Revolution, which earned a 6 in our review. Writer Ryan Gaur called it, "a great-looking show with a storyline and writing style that are comforting in their familiarity for long-time fans." As for what held it back? "some lackluster action sequences and its short length detract from what could have been a classic crowd-pleaser, even for newcomers."

Searching for even more physical shows and films to grab for your library? Have a look through our breakdown of upcoming 4Ks and Blu-rays. Here, you can see what else is set to release over the next few months, and stock up on the best options that catch your eye.

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

A new video game deal has joined the party that is Woot's 'Video Games For All!' sale, and it's one we called "an excellent comeback" in our review. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for Nintendo Switch 2 is currently discounted as part of the Amazon-owned online retailer's latest sale event, marked down to $54.99 (see it here).

Overall, this is a 21% discount from its original list price of $69.99, which means you'll get to save $15 on it. If you have a Switch 2 and have been waiting to get your hands on the latest Metroid game, now is a great time to pick it up.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for $55

Sarah J. Maas is author to some of the most popular romantasy novels in existence. Arguably her most popular series, A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR), has been in limbo for five years as fans have waited for any news about the next book. And as of March 4, we finally have a release date for book six on the record. The biggest surprise, however, was Maas announcing book seven with a release date just over two months after book six comes out.

Mass announced ACOTAR book six will release on October 27, 2026, followed by book seven on January 12, 2027. She shared the news on the most recent episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast.

"It's been a long time coming. It's something that took me a long time to write, just because there were enough things going on in my life," Maas said in the interview. "It's taken a while because it took me a while to find the right story and to be in the right head space. And then what poured out of me was this, and it poured out very quickly."

This is massive news for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and was a surprise announcement after going quiet following her previous reveal of finishing her first draft of ACOTAR 6 back in July 2025. The previous entry in the series, A Court of Silver Flames, released in February 2021.

The Boys Season 5 has its final trailer, showing off Homelander's attempt to realize what he believes to be his true destiny.

The trailer reveals The Boys' resistance to Homelander's rule. They believe the ultra powerful supervillain is looking for V1, Vought’s first iteration of Compound V. If Homelander gets some, he’d become immortal.

The Boys’ plan is to use a virus to wipe out every supe on the planet. We see Billy Butcher doing his tentacle thing, once again (gross). Homelander wakes up Soldier Boy, as he threatened to do in the previous trailer. “I need you, father,” Homelander says. Soldier Boy responds with something entirely in keeping with the shock value we’ve come to expect from The Boys.

“We need to prepare America for my ascension,” Homelander goes on to declare. A super-powered Butcher goes up against Soldier Boy, throwing a car at him. All of the major characters are present and correct in the trailer, setting the Prime Video series up for its grand finale. I'm worried about Ryan Butcher, who we see as Homelander mentions "the backstabbers." A-Train feels in trouble, too.

Meanwhile, Homelander seems thrilled in his position as ruler of the United States, and even affords himself a smile while sitting in the Oval Office. And yes, Kimiko talks now, which perhaps shouldn't come as much of a surprise given how she reacted to what happened to Frenchie last season.

Last month, Karl Urban, who plays Billy Butcher, teased that character deaths will come thick and fast in Season 5 — and insisted "nobody is safe."

Speaking to Variety, Urban told fans they should look forward to The Boys “coming to a big crescendo” when the fifth and final season hits Prime Video on April 8 with a two-episode launch. He wouldn’t point to any specific moment as jaw-dropping, no doubt to avoid spoilers, but did say there are plenty of shocking moments to come.

“Every season, but particularly this season, from episode one, you’re like, oh wow,” he said. “Nobody is safe. Fatalities right from the get-go. Let’s go! Last season! It’s all on!”

Shocking moments are The Boys’ trademark, so we can expect plenty of over-the-top, gore-filled scenes. But who might die? The main character fans are wondering about here is Homelander, who starts Season 5 ruling over the United States with an iron fist.

Here’s the official blurb on The Boys Season 5:

In the fifth and final season, it’s Homelander’s world, completely subject to his erratic, egomaniacal whims. Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Frenchie are imprisoned in a “Freedom Camp.” Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force. Kimiko is nowhere to be found. But when Butcher reappears, ready and willing to use a virus that will wipe all Supes off the map, he sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change the world and everyone in it. It’s the climax, people. Big stuff’s gonna happen.

Season 5 not only follows on from the end of Season 4, but Season 2 of spinoff Gen V. Fans were left wondering how the incredibly powerful Marie from Gen V might fare in a showdown with overpowered The Boys supervillain Homelander. Showrunner and executive producer Eric Kripke has said in the past, however, that fans shouldn’t expect Marie to appear in The Boys Season 5 as a Captain Marvel-style deus ex machina who kicks Homelander’s ass. That’s because Marie still hasn’t mastered her powers, or as Kripke has put it in a number of Gen V Season 2 finale spoiler interviews, she’s not Neo at the end of The Matrix.

For a much deeper dive on all this, check out IGN’s Gen V Season 2 Ending Explained: How It Sets Up the Final Season of The Boys article, but to summarize, Marie can control blood, which potentially makes her more powerful even than Homelander. Homelander, for the uninitiated, is a sort of evil Superman, a character so overpowered that few rivals dare question his word. But Marie Moreau, played by Jaz Sinclair, has the potential to kill him due to her ability to command and weaponize blood.

The big question, of course, is whether Homelander actually dies in The Boys Season 5. Kripke told THR last year that Butcher is “front of that line” when it comes to characters wanting to take Homelander out. But then there’s the likes of Stan Edgar, the aforementioned Marie, Annie, and Huey who would no doubt all like a piece of the action.

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.

It's basically an open secret that Jon Bernthal's Punisher and Mark Ruffalo's Hulk are appearing in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, even if Marvel and Sony have yet to confirm as much. But Marvel seems to have indirectly confirmed this three-way team-up with the announcement of a new comic book series called Spider-Man: Long Way Home.

Long Way Home is a new limited series written by Jonathan Hickman and Adam Kubert and drawn by Kubert. Like the movie, this series focuses on the slightly unusual pairing of Spider-Man, Punisher, and Hulk, as all three characters fight to liberate a Cosmic Cube from the clutches of A.I.M.

Check out the slideshow gallery below for a preview of Spider-Man: Long Way Home #1:

While Spidey has an established history with both Punisher and Hulk in the comics, Marvel has never really spotlighted all three characters at the same time. The fact that they're suddenly releasing a Spider-Man/Punisher/Hulk crossover series weeks before Brand New Day hits theaters would seem to be all the confirmation fans need that Punisher and Hulk are appearing in the movie.

Long Way Home isn't tied to MCU continuity, nor is it set in the traditional Marvel Comics universe. This series is set in a standalone continuity and is meant to be easily accessible to newcomers, much like Hickman's 2024 comic Wolverine: Revenge, which was released alongside Deadpool & Wolverine.

Here's Marvel's official description of the new series:

It’s a world before the Punisher. A world where the existence of the Hulk is but a whisper of a rumor. A world where A.I.M. has just developed a Cosmic Cube in the jungles of South America. Frank Castle, Bruce Banner and Peter Parker are all on a mission to keep the Cube out of the wrong hands – including each other’s. In this three-way free-for-all for the power of the cosmos, who will come out on top?

Spider-Man: Long Way Home #1 will be released June 17. Brand New Day will debut in theaters on July 31.

With Brad New Day's release date fast approaching, fans are still impatiently waiting for the first trailer to drop. The trailer did apparently leak back in December 2025, offering new clues to the identity of Sadie Sink's mysterious character.

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

Rooster premieres Sunday, March 8 at 10:00p.m. ET/PT on HBO. New episodes drop weekly.

Rooster is Steve Carell at the top of his game. It’s also Danielle Deadwyler at the top of her game. Phil Dunster, Charly Clive, Annie Mumolo, Lauren Tsai, and John C. McGinley too. The new series from Scrubs and Ted Lasso co-creator Bill Lawrence and his producing partner Matt Tarses (Sports Night, The Goldbergs, Scrubs) is a delightful comedy about coming home, even if “home” is an unfamiliar place.

The HBO series (the first s 6 of 10 total episodes were available for review) stars Carell as Greg Russo, a famous author known for his breezy “beach reads,” and whose fictional protagonist is nicknamed the titular Rooster. Greg pays a visit to the college campus where his daughter Katie (Clive – The Lazarus Project, All My Friends Hate Me) teaches and hijinks ensue. Katie is going through a personal crisis – her husband Archie (Dunster, in a delightful smarmy twist on his Ted Lasso character Jamie Tartt) left her for a younger grad student – and is hanging on by a razor’s edge. In a moment of midadventure, Katie accidentally burns down Achie’s house and Greg is more-or-less blackmailed by the school’s president (McGinley) into taking a teaching job in order to get Katie out of hot water.

Greg is immediately a stranger in a strange land; the students consider his novels little more than populist trash and he’s living in the shadow of his revered ex-wife (Connie Britton), who made a huge donation to the school. But soon, unsurprisingly, Greg finds his place. He uses the teaching job to move past his divorce and help Katie. But this isn’t an “Old School” situation. Rooster isn’t the story of an awkward man trying to reclaim his youth. It’s much more subtle, thoughtful, and brilliant than that.